Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Verbal Self-Guidance Training for Overcoming Employment Barriers: A Study of Turkish Women

Women over the age of 40 were trained in verbal self guidance, a methodology for training people to identify dysfunctional self-statements and translate them into positive self-talk. Subsequently, they (n = 27) had significantly higher self-efficacy with regard to re-employment than their counterparts who had been randomly assignedtoacontrolgroup(n=28). Inaddition,theypersistedinjobsearchbehavior significantly more so than those in the control group. Job search self-efficacy completely mediated the effect of the training program on job search behavior. Consequently, they were more likely to find a job in their area of interest within 6 months and 1 year of training than were those women in the control group. Des femmes de plus de 40 ans d’une societe musulmane, ont ete formees a l’auto-regulation verbale, une methode pour former les personnes a identifier les auto-evaluations dysfonctionnelles et a les traduire en un dialogue interieur positif. En consequence, elles (n = 27) ont une auto-efficacite significativement plus elevee en ce qui concerne le retour a l’emploi que leurs homologues du groupe controle (n = 28). De plus, elles persistent significativement plus dans le comportement de recherche d’emploi que celles du groupe controle. L’autoefficacitedanslarecherched’emploiinfluencecompletementl’effetduprogramme de formation sur le comportement de recherche d’emploi. En consequence, elles etaient plus susceptibles de trouver un emploi en accord avec leur centre d’interets en moins de 6 mois et 1 an de formation que les femmes du groupe controle.
Occipital Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Has Opposing Effects on Visual and Auditory Stimulus Detection: Implications for Multisensory Interactions

Multisensory interactions occur early in time and in low-level cortical areas, including primary cortices. To test current models of early auditory–visual (AV) convergence in unisensory visual brain areas, we studied the effect of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of visual cortex on behavioral responses to unisensory (auditory or visual) or multisensory (simultaneous auditory–visual) stimulus presentation. Single-pulse TMS was applied over the occipital pole at short delays (30–150 ms) after external stimulus onset. Relative to TMS over a control site, reactions times (RTs) to unisensory visual stimuli were prolonged by TMS at 60–75 ms poststimulus onset (visual suppression effect), confirming stimulation of functional visual cortex. Conversely, RTs to unisensory auditory stimuli were significantly shortened when visual cortex was stimulated by TMS at the same delays (beneficial interaction effect of auditory stimulation and occipital TMS). No TMS-effect on RTs was observed for AV stimulation. The beneficial interaction effect of combined unisensory auditory and TMS-induced visual cortex stimulation matched and was correlated with the RT-facilitation after external multisensory AV stimulation without TMS, suggestive of multisensory interactions between the stimulus-evoked auditory and TMS-induced visual cortex activities. A follow-up experiment showed that auditory input enhances excitability within visual cortex itself (using phosphene-induction via TMS as a measure) over a similarly early time-window (75–120 ms). The collective data support a mechanism of early auditory–visual interactions that is mediated by auditory-driven sensitivity changes in visual neurons that coincide in time with the initial volleys of visual input.
Automated classification and stellar parameterization

Different approaches for automated spectral classification are critically reviewed. We describe in detail ANN based methods which are very efficient in quick handling of the large volumes of data generated by different surveys. We summarize the application of ANN in various surveys covering UV, visual and IR spectral regions and the accuracies obtained. We also present the preliminary results obtained with medium resolution spectra (R ∼ 1000) for a modest sample of stars using the 2.3 m Vainu Bappu Telescope at Kavalur observatory, India. Our sample contains uniform distribution of stars in temperature range 4500 to 8000 K, log g range of 1.5 to 5.0 and [Fe/H] range of 0 to −3. We have explored the application of artificial neural network for parameterization of these stars. We have used a set of stars with well determined atmospheric parameters for training the networks for temperature, gravity and metallicity estimations. We could get an accuracy of 200 K in temperature, 0.4 in log g and 0.3 dex in [Fe/H] in our preliminary efforts.
Linking Collaborative Capacity to Performance Measurement in Government—Nonprofit Partnerships

This study uses the context of local government—nonprofit partnerships to test the potential influence of various partnership and organizational factors on collaborative outcomes, using two contrasting outcome measures. Although the structural qualities of effective partnerships are fairly well understood, many of their informal and interpersonal qualities have not been captured in “new governance” research. These include, potentially, the strength of shared goals and trust built on prior joint experience. This study finds that formal contracts and prior experience working with nonprofits and volunteers can increase at least a public manager’s perception of success, but the strongest association to real performance improvement comes from the intensity of shared goals and the level of investment in the partnership. The findings suggest the value in comparing multiple performance measures and also reinforce an understanding of the experiential, interpersonal factors that support collaborative success.
Role of Cholesterol Pathways in Norovirus Replication

ABSTRACT Norwalk virus (NV) is a prototype strain of the noroviruses (family Caliciviridae) that have emerged as major causes of acute gastroenteritis worldwide. I have developed NV replicon systems using reporter proteins such as a neomycin-resistant protein (NV replicon-bearing cells) and a green fluorescent protein (pNV-GFP) and demonstrated that these systems were excellent tools to study virus replication in cell culture. In the present study, I first performed DNA microarray analysis of the replicon-bearing cells to identify cellular factors associated with NV replication. The analysis demonstrated that genes in lipid (cholesterol) or carbohydrate metabolic pathways were significantly (P < 0.001) changed by the gene ontology analysis. Among genes in the cholesterol pathways, I found that mRNA levels of hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) synthase, squalene epoxidase, and acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT), ACAT2, small heterodimer partner, and low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR)-related proteins were significantly changed in the cells. I also found that the inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis using statins (an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor) significantly increased the levels of NV proteins and RNA, whereas inhibitors of ACAT significantly reduced the replication of NV in replicon-bearing cells. Up- or downregulation of virus replication with these agents significantly correlated with the mRNA level of LDLR in replicon-bearing cells. Finally, I found that the expression of LDLR promoted NV replication in trans by transfection study with pNV-GFP. I conclude that the cholesterol pathways such as LDLR expression and ACAT activity may be crucial in the replication of noroviruses in cells, which may provide potential therapeutic targets for viral infection.
Reflecting on reflection: a case study of one teacher's early-career professional learning

Background: It is widely claimed that critical reflection upon experience is a valuable process in which all teachers should engage in order to improve their professional practice. Assumptions are made about the benefits of reflection both for the teacher as person and professional; however, there is a lack of in-depth research on the reflective process conducted by teachers. Purpose: To illustrate and understand the process of critical reflection as it was experienced and used by one teacher to support his early career professional development. Participants and setting: A case study of one physical education teacher in a secondary school in Malta. Research design: The research takes the form of a self-study undertaken over a 30-month continuous period. The teacher-researcher was engaged in case-study research in which aspects of action research, self-study and writing as a research method were combined. Data collection: The teacher-researcher kept detailed reflective journals in which his experience of engaging in the process of professional learning through critical reflection was recorded meticulously. Data were collected at three levels: reflection upon personal practice, pupils' learning and ‘official’ professional development activities. Reading of the wider research literature was incorporated into the reflective process. Data analysis: Data analysis was ongoing throughout the research and a systematic grounded theory process was undertaken at the end of the 30-month data collection phase. Findings: The process of reflection is characterised as a ‘reflective odyssey’. At the beginning of the process, it was difficult for this teacher to engage in reflection in a meaningful way; however, once the habit of reflection became established, it was impossible to stop reflecting. Reflection was, at times, an uncomfortable experience and it leaked into this teacher's personal life. Reflection was not foolproof nor did it automatically lead to changes in practice. Conclusions: Although it was neither easy nor straightforward, this teacher found engaging in the process of critical reflection to be a valuable experience because it gave him a powerful sense of control over his professional learning and his professional life.
The IL-4/IL-13/Stat6 signalling pathway promotes luminal mammary epithelial cell development

Naïve T helper cells differentiate into Th1 and Th2 subsets, which have unique cytokine signatures, activators and transcriptional targets. The Th1/Th2 cytokine milieu is a key paradigm in lineage commitment, and IL-4 (Il4), IL-13 (Il13) and Stat6 are important mediators of Th2 development. We show here, for the first time, that this paradigm applies also to mammary epithelial cells, which undergo a switch from Th1 to Th2 cytokine production upon the induction of differentiation. Thus, the Th1 cytokines IL-12 (Il12), interferon gamma (INFγ; also known as Ifng) and Tnfα are downregulated concomitantly with the upregulation of the Th2 cytokines IL-4, IL-13 and IL-5 (Il5) as epithelial cells commit to the luminal lineage. Moreover, we show that Th2 cytokines play a crucial role in mammary gland development in vivo, because differentiation and alveolar morphogenesis are reduced in both Stat6 and IL-4/IL-13 doubly deficient mice during pregnancy. This unexpected discovery demonstrates a role for immune cell cytokines in epithelial cell fate and function, and adds an unexpected tier of complexity to the previously held paradigm that steroid and peptide hormones are the primary regulators of mammary gland development.
An identification and interpretation of the organizational aspects of community empowerment

Community empowerment is central to community development and yet making this concept operational in a programme context remains elusive. Based on doctoral work, this paper identifies and interprets nine organizational ‘domains’ for community empowerment. These organizational domains are not absolutes rather they serve as a point of departure for further discussion about straightforward ways to define and measure community empowerment as a process. This paper is seen as a step toward clarifying and making this concept operational to guide practitioners who wish to apply and measure community empowerment in a programme context. The implications for community development and research are discussed. An identification of the organizational aspects of community empowerment The many definitions of community empowerment are broadly based on their interpretation as either inter-personal or contextual elements and as an outcome or as a process. However, it is as a process, progressing along a dynamic continuum: individual empowerment; small groups; community organization; partnerships; and political action, that community empowerment is most consistently viewed in the literature (Labonte, 1990; Rissel, 1994) and was developed in conjunction with the community development continuum by Jackson, Mitchell and Wright (1989). Labonte (1990) claims that the continuum was first developed in Australia in workshops with health and social service workers in 1988. Labonte subsequently published his version of the continuum for community empowerment followed by Jackson, Mitchell and Wright (1989) who published their version for community development in 1989 using a similar fivepoint continuum. Rissel (1994) later adapted these two interpretations of the continuum to explain how psychological empowerment relates to the COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL VOL. 36 NO. 2 April 2001 pp. 134–145 Glenn Laverack © 2001 OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL 4 Laverack (dm/k) 20/3/01 8:51 am Page 134
The impact of support staff on pupils’ ‘positive approaches to learning’ and their academic progress

In recent years there has been an unprecedented increase in support staff in schools in England and Wales. There were widespread expectations that this will be of benefit to teachers and pupils but there has been little systematic research to address the impact of support staff. This study used a naturalistic longitudinal design to investigate the relationship between the amount of support (measured by teacher estimates and systematic observation) and pupils’ ‘Positive Approaches to Learning’ (PAL) and academic progress. There were over 8000 pupils across two cohorts and seven age groups. Results on PAL were not straightforward by there was a consistent trend for those with most support to make less academic progress than similar pupils with less support, and this was not explained by characteristics of the pupils such as piror attainment or level of special educational need.
Self-efficacy and the recognition of prior learning

Abstract Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is a relatively new concept in South Africa, which has been introduced as a mechanism grounded in the educational transformational policies of the African National Congress (ANC) to redress the historical legacy of apartheid. This paper attempts to determine the impact of the RPL outcomes of a module on the self-efficacy of in-service educators involved in a BEd (upgrade) programme. The methodology included the gathering of quantitative and qualitative data through the administering of pre- and post-intervention self-efficacy questionnaires and focus-group interviews. Other foci were the biographical background of the students and the portfolios of evidence they produced during the course of the module. The data generated reveal a statistically significant improvement in the participating students’ self-efficacy over the course of the module, but draw attention to the negative impact of context in previously disadvantaged South African schools. The significance of this research lies not only in the interrogation of an innovative approach to dealing with RPL issues in an academic programme, as well as its possible influence on teacher self-efficacy, but also in its contribution to the academic debate about the RPL process currently taking place both locally and internationally.
Effect of Animated Graphic Annotations and Immediate Visual Feedback in Aiding Japanese Pronunciation Learning: A Comparative Study

This study examines the effectiveness of imagery and electronic visual feedback in facilitating students' acquisition of Japanese pronunciation skills. The independent variables, animated graphic annotation (AGA) and immediate visual feedback (IVF) were integrated into a Japanese computer-assisted language learning (JCALL) program focused on the pronunciation of specific word pairs. Students enrolled in an elementary Japanese course in Malaysia were randomly divided into three groups and used three different versions of the program: (a) text + sound, (b) text + audio + AGA, and (c) text + audio + IVF. The results of the study showed that students in the text + audio + AGA group significantly outperformed students in the text + audio only group in pretest-posttest improvement in learning the pronunciation of (a) akusento 'pitch' words, (b) seion 'voiceless' and dakuon 'voiced' words and (c) tanon 'short vowel,' chouon 'long vowel,' and sokuon 'geminate consonants' words. Students in the text + audio +IVF group significantly outperformed students in the text + audio only group in learning akusento words and seion and dakuon words. There were no significant differences between the AGA and IVF groups.
Racism and the Experiences of Latina/o College Students at a PWI (Predominantly White Institution)

This study explored Latina/o American college students at a predominantly white university in the South. The authors assessed how 12 Latina/o American college students understood racism and racial microaggressions, and developed counter-spaces to navigate the white college milieu. Qualitative analysis revealed instances of racism were dealt with through assimilation and working hard to excel. Additional responses involved aligning themselves with same-race groups and maintaining a high grade point average. Our findings demonstrated that Latina/o students often utilized counter-spaces and determination to excel in college. Finally, a major contribution of our research was that it provided an example of a small case study of Latinas/os, primarily consisting of males, a group that has traditionally been underrepresented in higher education, who performed very well academically at a PWI.
Effects of Survey Experience on Respondents' Attitudes Towards Surveys

Effets des expériences d'enquêtes sur les attitudes des répondants envers des enquêtes: Dans cet article, nous analysons si et comment les évaluations des répondants de leurs expériences précédentes d'interview influencent leur attitude envers les enquêtes. En particulier, nous comparons l'importance relative de trois dimensions indépendantes: le charge de la participation à un interview, la valeur de "divertissement" de l'interview et l'agacement dû à des questions mal posées. Un premier résultat est que le mode de passation du dernier interview est un déterminant significatif de l'évaluation en général des enquêtes. Le deuxième et plus important résultats est que l'importance du charge ressenti lors du dernier interview -- et non pas les autres dimensions -- a un effet significatif dans l'attitude générale envers des enquêtes. De plus, l'association entre le charge subjectif et l'attitude envers des enquêtes est influencée par l'accessibilité cognitive des ces évaluations mesurées par les latences de réponse. Donc, les instances plus accessibles cognitivement et plus saillantes d'expériences d'interviews trop chargés, sont particulièrement importantes dans la formation de l'attitude des répondants, et ainsi influencent très probablement la coopération dans de futures enquêtes.
Moving the Completion Needle at Community Colleges: CUNY's Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP)

espite enrolling almost half of all undergraduate students in the United States, community colleges have struggled for decades with low degree-completion rates. Only a small percentage of the seven million plus students enrolled in credit-bearing course work at a community college during the 2011 academic year will earn a degree. According to the US Department of Education, only about 22 percent of all students who enroll in community colleges have completed an associate degree three years later, and only 16 percent of students at urban community colleges earn a degree in the same time period. CUNY community colleges struggle with the challenge of low completion rates even when the degree timetable is expanded. According to the CUNY Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, within six years, 20 percent of first-time freshmen at CUNY community colleges had earned an associate degree, 8 percent had earned a bachelor’s degree, and 9 percent were still enrolled. These are very sobering figures, especially when the increased earning power and larger societal benefits (higher tax revenues and savings on social services, to name just two) of associate-degree recipients are contrasted with those of high school graduates or GED completers.
Soliciting and Using Input During Organizational Change Initiatives

Scholars have documented many benefits of participatory processes during change including minimizing participants’ resistance, increasing their satisfaction, and strengthening their perceptions of control. Ironically, evidence also suggests that participative communication approaches are underused. This study explores implementers’ solicitation and use of stakeholder input during change processes. Twenty-six implementers from different organizations were interviewed and their responses were transcribed and thematically analyzed. Four general approaches to soliciting and using input were groundedly developed from these data. Findings suggest that the interviewees in this study tend to favor the “restricted” and “advisory” approaches to input solicitation and use. In the restricted model, implementers were highly selective about who was asked for input and aimed to disregard negative feedback. In the “advisory” approach, implementers solicited input more widely however were mixed in the degree to which negative feedback was used to make modest improvement in the change initiative.
Environmental Disclosure in the Annual Reports of British Companies: A Research Note

The environmental reporting practices of a group of “good” disclosers are reviewed by focusing on their most recent annual report. Analysis is divided according to references to the environment and the form of reporting, and some interesting examples are revealed, but little consistency in reporting methods is found. A similar finding is seen in respect of a highly regulated sector, the water industry. In conclusion it is suggested that compliance with external standards should be considered as a means of encouraging the development of environmental reporting.
Multiuser MIMO Achievable Rates With Downlink Training and Channel State Feedback

In this paper, we consider a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) fading broadcast channel and compute achievable ergodic rates when channel state information (CSI) is acquired at the receivers via downlink training and it is provided to the transmitter by channel state feedback. Unquantized (analog) and quantized (digital) channel state feedback schemes are analyzed and compared under various assumptions. Digital feedback is shown to be potentially superior when the feedback channel uses per channel state coefficient is larger than 1. Also, we show that by proper design of the digital feedback link, errors in the feedback have a minor effect even if simple uncoded modulation is used on the feedback channel. We discuss first the case of an unfaded additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) feedback channel with orthogonal access and then the case of fading MIMO multiple access (MIMO-MAC). We show that by exploiting the MIMO-MAC nature of the uplink channel, a much better scaling of the feedback channel resource with the number of base station (BS) antennas can be achieved. Finally, for the case of delayed feedback, we show that in the realistic case where the fading process has (normalized) maximum Doppler frequency shift 0 ¿ F < 1/2, a fraction 1 - 2F of the optimal multiplexing gain is achievable. The general conclusion of this work is that very significant downlink throughput is achievable with simple and efficient channel state feedback, provided that the feedback link is properly designed.