Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Paradox of Immersion in a Second Language

Abstract This study investigated the relationship between academic achievement in five subjects, second language proficiency and language of instruction in a bilingual society where pupils were exposed to two languages, Chinese (mother tongue) and English, simultaneously. Seventy four grade 8 pupils in a secondary school of Hong Kong were randomly assigned to an experimental class and a control class. English was used as the medium of instruction for the experimental class while Chinese was used as the medium for the control class for five months. There was significant difference between the two classes in the subject Economic and Public Affairs, but there were no differences between the two classes in all the other four academic subjects and second language proficiency. Furthermore, there were no differences in pupils’ motivation and effort spent on studying during the period of study. In conclusion, when the above-average pupils were immersed in a second language school program, they were not hindered i.
Improved siRNA/shRNA Functionality by Mismatched Duplex

siRNA (small interfering RNA) and shRNA (small hairpin RNA) are powerful and commonly used tools in biomedical research. Currently, siRNAs are generally designed as two 21 nt strands of RNA that include a 19 nt completely complementary part and a 2 nt overhang. However, since the si/shRNAs use the endogenous miRNA machinery for gene silencing and the miRNAs are generally 22 nt in length and contain multiple internal mismatches, we tested if the functionality can be increased by designing the si/shRNAs to mimic a miRNA structure. We systematically investigated the effect of single or multiple mismatches introduced in the passenger strand at different positions on siRNA functionality. Mismatches at certain positions could significantly increase the functionality of siRNAs and also, in some cases decreased the unwanted passenger strand functionality. The same strategy could also be used to design shRNAs. Finally, we showed that both si and miRNA structured oligos (siRNA with or without mismatches in the passenger strand) can repress targets in all individual Ago containing cells, suggesting that the Ago proteins do not differentiate between si/miRNA-based structure for silencing activity.
Determination of intrinsic monod kinetic parameters for two heterotrophic tetrachloroethene (PCE)‐respiring strains and insight into their application

A complete set of mathematically identifiable and meaningful kinetic parameters estimates is needed to accurately describe the activity of individual populations that dehalorespire tetrachloroethene (PCE) and other chlorinated ethenes. These data may be difficult to extract from the literature because kinetic parameter estimates obtained using mixed cultures may reflect the activity of multiple dehalorespiring populations, while those obtained at low initial substrate‐to‐biomass ratios (S0/X0) are influenced by culture history and are generally not relevant to other systems. This study focused on estimation of electron donor and acceptor utilization kinetic parameters for the heterotrophic dehalorespirers Desulfuromonas michiganensis strain BB1 and Desulfitobacterium sp. strain PCE1. Electron acceptor utilization kinetic parameters that are identifiable and independent of culture history, i.e., intrinsic, could be estimated at S0/X0 ≥ 10, with both concentrations expressed as chemical oxygen demand (COD). However, the parameter estimates did not accurately describe dechlorination kinetics at lower S0/X0 ratios. The maximum specific substrate utilization rates (qmax) and half‐saturation constants (KS) for PCE and trichloroethene (TCE) estimated for the two heterotrophic strains are higher than the values reported for Dehalococcoides cultures. These results suggest that the natural niche of Dehalococcoides strains that can metabolize a range of chlorinated ethenes may be to respire dichloroethene and vinyl chloride produced by Desulfuromonas and Desulfitobacterium strains or other populations that dechlorinate PCE and TCE at faster rates. Few data exist on the electron donor utilization kinetics of heterotrophic dehalorespirers. The results of this study suggest that Desulfuromonas and Desulfitobacterium strains should be able to compete for organic electron donors with other heterotrophic populations in the subsurface. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009; 104: 301–311 © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Same-Sex Marriage Attitudes During the Transition to Early Adulthood

Increasing support for same-sex marriage (SSM) is often explained as a consequence of rising tolerance of homosexuality across successive generations. This article argues that higher levels of SSM support among young people is also linked to their own emerging plans for couple and family formation. Panel data from 1,836 young Australians participating in the Social Futures and Life Pathways Project was used to analyze change in SSM attitudes between late adolescence (2008, aged 14/15 years) and early adulthood (2013, aged 19/20 years). During this period, the sample became less religious, more expectant of unmarried cohabitation, and more approving of SSM. Being male, living in outside a major city, not living with both biological parents, and being more religious were all associated with lower SSM support. Young people’s views on this issue developed in ways that were indicative of distinct (i.e., traditional vs. pragmatic) orientations toward intimate relationships formed earlier in adolescence.
Domestic violence and public participation in the media: The case of citizen journalism

Classified by former UN President Kofi Anan as probably the most shameful and pervasive 1human rights violation , domestic violence constitutes the object of inquiry of the present paper, which examines public participation in the media vis-a-vis discourses and ideologies of domestic violence. Intimate partner abuse and, more specifically, violence against women, has been widely researched in the social sciences in general, and also in relation to language and discourse in particular. The focus of research has mainly been either on the experiences and discourses of the individuals directly involved in the abuse as perpetrators or victims, or on the institutional discourse produced by the relevant social actors. Beliefs and attitudes towards violence against women have undergone an important shift in modern times; whereas abuse was formerly treated as a private affair, today it is generally agreed that it constitutes a social, public problem. Despite this shift in perspective, few studies deal with the social and public aspects of domestic violence. Exploring the social, public nature of violence against women necessarily involves moving beyond the discourse of abusers, abused and social actors involved in high-stakes institutional settings, to also examine the discourse that occurs in public spaces. The gendered discourse of male violence has been claimed to be perpetuated through ordinary talk (Stokoe 2010). This paper examines whether such gendered discourse is also sustained in the new public spaces for social debate that the new technologies provide. In doing so, it explores the social, public aspects of domestic violence. This study specifically draws from a corpus of digital comments within the newspaper genre. Digital comments are considered a form of grassroots journalism that has endowed lay citizens with the possibility to express themselves and to play a participatory role in the news making process. The participation of ordinary people in the news – which has been termed ‘citizen journalism’ – has been hailed as the main benefit resulting from digital news platforms (Turner 2010). This paper explores the discourses and ideologies of domestic violence enacted by citizen journalists in a newspaper public debate.
Working for wellness: defining, measuring, and enhancing employee well-being

The focus of this thesis was on the utility of the workplace in promoting employee well-being. The thesis applied principles of positive psychology (PP) to the field of occupational health psychology (OHP). Paper 1 reviewed employee well-being with a focus on both general and work-related dimensions. Paper 2 developed a niche for positive employee well-being programs. It reviewed a number of strategies for improving employee health and well-being, including occupational health and safety legislation, corporate wellness programs, worksite health promotion and disease management programs, and stress prevention. Although important, such programs do not focus on promoting positive psychological well-being. The utility of supplementing these approaches with positive employee well-being programs was discussed from an applied ethics perspective. Paper 3 detailed the design and evaluation of the Working for Wellness Program using a mixed method design. Outcomes were tested using a randomized control trial. Participant feedback and field notes were analyzed to determine process and impact effectiveness. Participants were recruited from a government organization (N = 50; 73% female, M age = 39.7 years; M tenure = 8.9 years) and randomly allocated to an intervention or control group. Subjective and psychological well-being (SWB, PWB), affective well-being at work (AWB), and workplace well-being (WWB) were assessed at pre-intervention, one week post-intervention, and at three and six month follow-ups. Results showed significant improvements in SWB, PWB and AWB, but not WWB. Program strengths were its positive focus and emphasis on group discussion. Limitations were sample attrition and a lack of mechanisms to support participant change at work. Overall, this thesis supports the importance of PP to fields of research, such as OHP, that seek to improve employee well-being and the quality of work life.
Romantic Relationship and “Yuan”: A Preliminary Study of Chinese in Hong Kong

This study investigated how the traditional Chinese concept of “yuan” influences perceptions of romantic relationships. A small-scale survey of young people in Hong Kong indicated that the belief in yuan was prevalent among respondents. In addition, a significant, positive correlation was observed between participants' belief in yuan and relationship satisfaction. However, romantic love was a better predictor of satisfaction and commitment than was the belief in yuan.
Polysialylation of the Synaptic Cell Adhesion Molecule 1 (SynCAM 1) Depends Exclusively on the Polysialyltransferase ST8SiaII in Vivo*

Background: Polysialic acid is a developmentally regulated posttranslational modification. Results: Loss of the polysialyltransferase ST8SiaII but not ST8SiaIV abolished polysialylation of SynCAM 1 in the mouse brain. Conclusion: Polysialylation of SynCAM 1 is mediated by ST8SiaII throughout postnatal mouse brain development. Significance: Studying the molecular requirements for protein polysialylation is crucial for understanding how this process is regulated. Polysialic acid is a unique carbohydrate polymer specifically attached to a limited number of glycoproteins. Among them is synaptic cell adhesion molecule 1 (SynCAM 1), a member of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily composed of three extracellular Ig-like domains. Polysialylation of SynCAM 1 is cell type-specific and was exclusively found in NG2 cells, a class of multifunctional progenitor cells that form specialized synapses with neurons. Here, we studied the molecular requirements for SynCAM 1 polysialylation. Analysis of mice lacking one of the two polysialyltransferases, ST8SiaII or ST8SiaIV, revealed that polysialylation of SynCAM 1 is exclusively mediated by ST8SiaII throughout postnatal brain development. Alternative splicing of the three variable exons 8a, 8b, and 8c can theoretically give rise to eight transmembrane isoforms of SynCAM 1. We detected seven transcript variants in the developing mouse brain, including three variants containing exon 8c, which was so far regarded as a cryptic exon in mice. Polysialylation of SynCAM 1 was restricted to four isoforms in perinatal brain. However, cell culture experiments demonstrated that all transmembrane isoforms of SynCAM 1 can be polysialylated by ST8SiaII. Moreover, analysis of domain deletion constructs revealed that Ig1, which harbors the polysialylation site, is not sufficient as an acceptor for ST8SiaII. The minimal polypeptide required for polysialylation contained Ig1 and Ig2, suggesting an important role for Ig2 as a docking site for ST8SiaII.
Chronic Glucocorticoids Increase Hippocampal Vulnerability to Neurotoxicity under Conditions That Produce CA3 Dendritic Retraction But Fail to Impair Spatial Recognition Memory

We previously found that chronic stress conditions producing CA3 dendritic retraction and spatial memory deficits make the hippocampus vulnerable to the neurotoxin ibotenic acid (IBO). The purpose of this study was to determine whether exposure to chronic corticosterone (CORT) under conditions that produce CA3 dendritic retraction would enhance CA3 susceptibility to IBO. Male Sprague Dawley rats were chronically treated for 21 d with CORT in drinking water (400 μg/ml), and half were given daily injections of phenytoin (40 mg/kg), an antiepileptic drug that prevents CA3 dendritic retraction. Three days after treatments stopped, IBO was infused into the CA3 region. Conditions producing CA3 dendritic retraction (CORT and vehicle) exacerbated IBO-induced CA3 damage compared with conditions in which CA3 dendritic retraction was not observed (vehicle and vehicle, vehicle and phenytoin, CORT and phenytoin). Additionally, spatial recognition memory was assessed using the Y-maze, revealing that conditions producing CA3 dendritic retraction failed to impair spatial recognition memory. Furthermore, CORT levels in response to a potentially mild stressor (injection and Y-maze exposure) stayed at basal levels and failed to differ among key groups (vehicle and vehicle, CORT and vehicle, CORT and phenytoin), supporting the interpretations that CORT levels were unlikely to have been elevated during IBO infusion and that the neuroprotective actions of phenytoin were not through CORT alterations. These data are the first to show that conditions with prolonged glucocorticoid elevations leading to structural changes in hippocampal dendritic arbors can make the hippocampus vulnerable to neurotoxic challenges. These findings have significance for many disorders with elevated glucocorticoids that include depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and Cushing's disease.
Rat Model of Polymicrobial Infection, Immunity, and Alveolar Bone Resorption in Periodontal Disease

ABSTRACT One of the predominant polymicrobial infections of humans is expressed clinically as periodontal disease. Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, and Tannerella forsythia have been strongly implicated as members of a pathogenic consortium in the etiology of adult periodontitis. In this study we hypothesized that P. gingivalis, T. denticola, and T. forsythia are synergistic in terms of virulence potential and induce chronic periodontal inflammation that leads to alveolar bone resorption in a polymicrobial infection in rats. Groups of rats were infected with either P. gingivalis, T. denticola, or T. forsythia in monomicrobial infections or with all three species in polymicrobial oral infections with or without Fusobacterium nucleatum. PCR analyses of oral microbial samples demonstrated that rats infected with one bacterium were orally colonized by each of the bacteria during the study interval, and increased serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody levels substantiated the interaction of the host with the infecting bacteria. PCR analyses of the rats with polymicrobial infections demonstrated that most rats were infected with P. gingivalis, T. denticola, and T. forsythia as a consortium. Furthermore, all rats exhibited a significant increase in the level of IgG antibody to the polymicrobial consortium. Radiographic measurement of alveolar bone resorption showed that rats infected with the polymicrobial consortium with or without F. nucleatum exhibited significantly increased alveolar bone resorption compared to the resorption in uninfected control rats, as well as the resorption in rats infected with one of the microbes. These results documented that P. gingivalis, T. denticola, and T. forsythia not only exist as a consortium that is associated with chronic periodontitis but also exhibit synergistic virulence resulting in the immunoinflammatory bone resorption characteristic of periodontitis.
Influence of time pressure on the purchase decision making process in apparel shopping

Abstract Studies show that time pressure affects the purchase decision-making process of consumers. However, in the case of apparel shopping, few studies have looked into the influence of time pressure on the purchase decision-making process. This study aims to determine how perceived time pressure in apparel shopping, time pressure situations, and product type and the interactions between these variables influence the clothing purchase process. An empirical study was conducted among males and females in their 20s and 30s. Perceived time pressure in apparel shopping was measured using four items. Time pressure situations and product types were given in the form of scenarios. A 2×2×2 experimental design was used, and perceived time pressure in apparel shopping, time pressure situations, and product type were used to create eight different situations. The dependent variables included decision-making speed, anticipated regret, and anticipated purchase satisfaction. Data from 512 subjects were collected through an online data collection. Results showed that the high perceived time pressure group and the shopping situation with time pressure involved a significantly high level of decision-making time, anticipated regret, and anticipated purchase satisfaction. Marketers must understand the real-time pressure situations of consumers.Keywords: perceived time pressure, decision making speed, anticipated regrets, anticipated purchase satisfaction
Treatment of cerebral vasospasm with self-expandable retrievable stents: proof of concept

Objective To report our preliminary experience with the use of stent retrievers to cause vasodilation in patients with delayed cerebral vasospasm secondary to subarachnoid hemorrhage. Methods Four patients from two different high volume neurointerventional centers developed cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage. In addition to standard techniques for the treatment of cerebral vasospasm, we used commercially available stent retrievers (Solitaire and Capture stent retrievers) to treat the vasospastic segment including M2, M1, A2, and A1. We evaluated the safety of this technique, degree of vasodilation, and longevity of the effect. Results Stent retrievers can be used to safely achieve cerebral vasodilation in the setting of delayed cerebral vasospasm. The effect is long-lasting (>24 hours) and, in our initial experience, carries a low morbidity. We have not experienced any complications using this technique although we have noted that the radial force was not sufficient to cause vasodilation in some instances. The vasospasm did not return in the vessel segments treated with stent angioplasty in any of these cases. In two of our cases stent angioplasty resulted in the reversal of focal neurological symptoms. Conclusions Stent retrievers can provide long-lasting cerebral vasodilation in patients with delayed cerebral vasospasm.
The Formants of Monophthong Vowels in Standard Southern British English Pronunciation

The formants of the eleven monophthong vowels of Standard Southern British (SSB) pronunciation of English were measured for five male and five female BBC broadcasters whose speech was included in the MARSEC database. The measurements were made using linear-prediction-based formant tracks overlaid on digital spectrograms for an average of ten instances of each vowel for each speaker. These measurements were taken from connected speech, allowing comparison with previous formant values measured from citation words. It was found that the male vowels were significantly less peripheral in the measurements from connected speech than in measurements from citation words.
Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Analysis of Peer Effects: Two Steps Forward?

In the past 10 years, there has been an explosion of well-identified studies that measure peer effects across many settings and for many outcomes. The emphasis on natural experiments and randomization is a highly useful one; in more standard observational studies, the self-selection of people into peer groups can make the measurement of peer effects extremely difficult. In the absence of exogenous variation, knowing that people have similar outcomes as their friends, classmates, and coworkers may tell us little about peer effects. I examine the successes, failures, and findings of experimental analyses of peer effects. I draw three broad conclusions. First, even more than in other areas of social science, the size and nature of peer effects estimated are highly context specific; peer effects in student test scores and grades are prominent in some cases and absent in others. That said, there is a pattern across studies suggesting that social outcomes (e.g., crime, drinking behavior) and career choices show larger peer influences than do test scores. Second, researchers have shown that the linear-in-means model of peer effects is often not a good description of the world, although we do not yet have an agreed-upon model to replace it. Third, despite potential temptation, we have not reached the point at which we can reliably use knowledge of peer effects to implement policies that improve outcomes for students and other human subjects.
A Systematic Relationship between Intraseasonal Variability and Mean State Bias in AGCM Simulations

AbstractSystematic relationships between aspects of intraseasonal variability (ISV) and mean state bias are shown in a number of atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) simulations. When AGCMs are categorized as either strong ISV or weak ISV models, it is shown that seasonal mean precipitation patterns are similar among models in the same group but are significantly different from those of the other group. Strong ISV models simulate excessive rainfall over the South Asian summer monsoon and the northwestern Pacific monsoon regions during boreal summer. Larger ISV amplitude also corresponds closely to a larger ratio of eastward-to-westward-propagating variance, but no model matches the observations in both quantities simultaneously; a realistic eastward-to-westward ratio is simulated only when variance exceeds that observed. Three sets of paired simulations, in which only one parameter in the convection scheme is changed to enhance the moisture sensitivity of convection, are used to explore the common.
Matched and mismatched interventions with young adult smokers: testing a stage theory.

This experiment tested the transtheoretical model (J.O. Prochaska & C.C. DiClemente, 1983) of smoking cessation by matching or mismatching interventions to smokers in a particular stage. The interventions were tested against a no-intervention condition with 92 college-aged daily smokers in the precontemplation stage of change. The stage-matched intervention asked smokers to think more about quitting smoking; the stage-mismatched intervention provided action-oriented activities typically used for those ready to quit smoking. The results failed to support the value of matching interventions to a smoker's stage of change. Instead, more smokers who received the action intervention tried to quit smoking. Matching interventions to an individual's current stage may be less important than the transtheoretical model suggests.