Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploring Task Definition as a Facet of Self-Regulated Learning

Task definition theoretically is one of the main components of self-regulated learning because one's representation of the task directs cognitive activities such as setting goals, creating plans, and enacting those plans to create task products. To date, little research has examined students' representations of tasks or how those representations change over time. In this dissertation I characterize students' initial representations of tasks and explore factors influencing how they refine these representations over time. Fifty-eight undergraduate students taking an undergraduate instructional psychology course participated in a semester-long examination of how students constructed and refined their task understanding. The data source was a studying portfolio consisting of detailed descriptions about and reflections on strategic processes they used to complete two main writing assignments in the course: a think paper and a design project. Analyses of these data suggest students' representations of tasks varied across two dimensions: breadth and depth. In terms of breadth, students selected information from the design project description of different grain sizes. Students with greater depth not only searched and selected information from the task, but they actively assembled elements of the task and monitored how those components fit with one another. Most students set goals and created plans; however, not all goals or plans were framed in light of criteria that would theoretically foster self-regulated learning. To revise task understanding, students metacognitively monitored their processes and outcomes of learning activities, which updated information about task, cognitive, and motivational conditions. This additional information afforded students opportunity to reassess the discrepancy between the initial state and the goal state to determine next steps to reach task goals. Although students may have recognized the need to change their approaches, they often failed to engage in effective metacognitive control to adapt approaches to learning. I interpret this to indicate that control processes require not only the skill for enacting these processes but also the motivational catalyst to sustain these efforts when competing factors are present. Future research should strive to create new measures for task understanding, and to track how students' perceptions and representations of tasks influence self-regulated learning and achievement.
A Parallel Distributed Processing Model of Stimulus–Stimulus and Stimulus–Response Compatibility

A parallel distributed processing (PDP) model is proposed to account for choice reaction time (RT) performance in diverse cognitive and perceptual tasks such as the Stroop task, the Simon task, the Eriksen flanker task, and the stimulus-response compatibility task that are interrelated in terms of stimulus-stimulus and stimulus-response overlap (Kornblum, 1992). In multilayered (input-intermediate-output) networks, neuron-like nodes that represent stimulus and response features are grouped into mutually inhibitory modules that represent stimulus and response dimensions. The stimulus-stimulus overlap is implemented by a convergence of two input modules onto a common intermediate module, and the stimulus-response overlap by direct pathways representing automatic priming of outputs. Mean RTs are simulated in various simple tasks and, furthermore, predictions are generated for complex tasks based on performance in simpler tasks. The match between simulated and experimental results lends strong support for our PDP model of compatibility.
Evolutionary Approaches to Psychopathology: The Role of Natural Defences

Objective: Psychoanalytic theories of the mind emerged in the immediate post-Darwinian era of the 1880s and 1890s. Since that time much has changed in both psychoanalytic and evolutionary theorizing. This paper explores recent evolutionary thinking on psychopathology. Method: Relevant literature was reviewed. Results: This paper outlines some of the common behavioural defence mechanisms and then explores ways in which they are represented in various disorders, with a focus on depression. This paper suggests that ‘symptoms’ can be related to the activation of evolved defence mechanisms to respond to losses and threats. Such will involve, for example, anxious arousal and heightened vigilance and attention to the threat, with the type of defence (e.g. fight, flight, submit, help seeking) being mirrored in particular symptom presentations. Conclusion: Defences can become pathological when they are too easily aroused or prolonged, are arrested (aroused but not expressed) and/or ineffective.
Internet-based self-management support for adults with asthma: a qualitative study among patients, general practitioners and practice nurses on barriers to implementation

Objectives The aim of this study was to explore barriers among patients, general practitioners (GPs) and practice nurses to implement internet-based self-management support as provided by PatientCoach for asthma in primary care. Setting Primary care within South Holland, the Netherlands. Participants Twenty-two patients (12 women, mean age 38 years), 21 GPs (6 women, mean age 52 years) and 13 practice nurses (all women, mean age 41 years). Design A qualitative study using focus groups and interviews. Outcomes Barriers as perceived by patients, GPs and practice nurses to implementation of PatientCoach. Methods 10 focus groups and 12 interviews were held to collect data: 4 patient focus groups, 4 GP focus groups, 2 practice nurse focus group, 2 patient interviews, 5 GP interviews and 5 practice nurse interviews. A prototype of PatientCoach that included modules for coaching, personalised information, asthma self-monitoring, medication treatment plan, feedback, e-consultations and a forum was demonstrated. A semistructured topic guide was used. Directed content analysis was used to analyse data. Reported barriers were classified according to a framework by Grol and Wensing. Results A variety of barriers emerged among all participant groups. Barriers identified among patients include a lack of a patient–professional partnership in using PatientCoach and a lack of perceived benefit in improving asthma symptoms. Barriers identified among GPs include a low sense of urgency towards asthma care and current work routines. Practice nurses identified a low level of structured asthma care and a lack of support by colleagues as barriers. Among all participant groups, insufficient ease of use of PatientCoach, lack of financial arrangements and patient characteristics such as a lack of asthma symptoms were reported as barriers. Conclusions We identified a variety of barriers to implementation of PatientCoach. An effective implementation strategy for internet-based self-management support in asthma care should focus on these barriers.
ICTs Policies: E-Democracy and E-Government for Political Development

Electronic democracy’ is a concept with a relatively long history. It has been a central feature of the technological Utopias since the 1960s. Today, the trend is spreading worldwide, as public funding is made available for the exploration of the potential of new technologies to provide new channels of access to political information and participation in decision-making. Nevertheless, whereas e-democracy in Western nations is a tool for resolving the perceived crisis of liberal democracies, in the developing countries it is a tool to build democracy. This assumption is clearly important in the action plans and policies of International Organizations (World Bank, OECD, United Nations) which have assumed a leadership role in the reform of political institutions. This paper will focus on theoretical and methodological issues, such as the prevalent meaning(s) of e-government and e-democracy and their ideological roots in the context of political development. Comments This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article: Amoretti, F. (2007), International Organizations ICTs Policies: E-Democracy and E-Government for Political Development. Review of Policy Research, 24: 331–344. doi: 10.1111/j.1541-1338.2007. 00286.x, which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley. com/doi/10.1111/j.1541-1338.2007. 00286.x/full. This journal article is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn. edu/ictafrica/7
Loss and Restoration in Later Life: An Examination of Dual Process Model of Coping with Bereavement

The Dual Process Model (DPM) of Coping with Bereavement identified two oscillating coping processes, loss and restoration (Stroebe & Schut, 1999). The utility of the model is investigated in two studies. In the first, we carried out secondary analyses on a large-scale qualitative study that we had conducted previously. In the second, we conducted a small-scale study specifically examining the DPM. In the first study we re-examined the interviews for Loss- (LO) and Restoration-Oriented (RO) Coping and examined whether these were associated with psychological adjustment. The results showed that those adjusting well reported the stressors New Roles/Identities/Relationships and Intrusion of Grief significantly more. Those adjusting less well reported the stressors Denial/Avoidance of Restoration Changes and Distraction/Avoidance of Grief significantly more. In the second study, we asked participants about four RO stressors of the DPM: Attending to Life Changes; New Roles/Identities/Relationships; Distraction from Grief; and New Activities. These data showed that not all participants experienced all aspects of RO Coping. In particular, participants had diverse views about the utility of Distraction from Grief as a coping mechanism. The article concludes by discussing the challenges of testing the DPM empirically.
The effect of psychological capital between work–family conflict and job burnout in Chinese university teachers: Testing for mediation and moderation

In this study, we investigated the relationship between work–family conflict and job burnout as well as the potential mediation/moderation effects of psychological capital. Participants were 357 university teachers who completed a questionnaire packet containing a work–family conflict scale, psychological capital questionnaire, and Maslach Burnout Inventory–General survey. According to the results, work–family conflict and psychological capital were both significantly correlated with job burnout. In addition, psychological capital cannot mediate—but can moderate—the relationship between work–family conflict and job burnout. Taken together, our findings shed light on the psychological capital underlying the association of work–family conflict and job burnout.
Avermectins, New Family of Potent Anthelmintic Agents: Producing Organism and Fermentation

The avermectins are a complex of chemically related agents which exhibit extraordinarily potent anthelmintic activity. They are produced by a novel species of actinomycete, NRRL 8165, which we have named Streptomyces avermitilis. The morphological and cultural characteristics which differentiate the producing organism from other species are described. The avermectins have been identified as a series of macrocyclic lactone derivatives which, in contrast to the macrolide or polyene antibiotics, lack significant antibacterial or antifungal activity. The avermectin complex is fully active against the gastrointestinal nematode Nematospiroides dubius when fed to infected mice for 6 days at 0.0002% of the diet. Fermentation development, including medium modification and strain selection, resulted in increasing the broth yields from 9 to 500 μg/ml.
Does Shaving the Incision Site Increase the Infection Rate After Spinal Surgery?

Study Design. A prospective randomized clinical study. Objective. To determine whether shaving the incision site before spinal surgery causes postsurgical infection. Summary of Background Data. Spine surgeons usually shave the skin of the incision site immediately before surgery is performed. However, evidence from some surgical series suggests that presurgical shaving may increase the postsurgical infection rate. To our knowledge, no previously published studies have addressed this issue. Methods. A total of 789 patients scheduled to undergo spinal surgery were randomly allocated into 2 groups: those in whom the site of operation was shaved immediately before surgery (shaved group; 371 patients) and the patients in whom presurgical shaving was not performed (unshaved group; 418 patients). The mean duration of anesthesia and the infection rates in both groups were recorded and compared. Results. The duration of anesthesia did not differ in the 2 groups (P > 0.05). A postoperative infection developed in 4 patients in the shaved group and in 1 patient in the nonshaved group (P < 0.01). Conclusions. The shaving of the incision site immediately before spinal surgery may increase the rate of postoperative infection.
lass transition temperature and activation energy of sintering by optical ilatometry

A new possibility for measurements of glass transition point, fictive temperature and activation energy of viscous flow in the glass transition range is shown by using a contactless horizontal optical dilatometer and pressed powder samples. The results are compared with ones, obtained with bulk samples and vailable online xxx eywords: ilatometry lass transition traditional differential contact dilatometer.The possibility for a correct measurement of the activation energy of sintering, Esin, is also highlighted by means of glasses with different compositions and various crystallization trends. In glasses with low crystallization trend Esin decreases with the temperature rise in the whole sintering range; in glasses with higher crystallization ability, Esin, starts anomaly to increase with the beginning of the phase formation. As a result, at low heating rates the densification is partially intering inhibited.
Adaptive Control for Plants in the Presence of Actuator and Sensor Uncertain Hysteresis

This note discusses the output tracking control for a linear plant containing uncertain hysteresis nonlinearities in actuator and sensor devices simultaneously, where the hysteresis is described by Prandtl-Ishlinskii model. A new adaptive control scheme is developed to compensate the plant, the actuator and the sensor uncertainties and to generate an adaptive estimate of the plant output. The proposed control law ensures the uniform boundedness of all signals in the closed-loop system. Furthermore, the tracking error between the estimated plant output and the desired output is guaranteed to converge to zero asymptotically.
Vascular cognitive impairment : phenomenology, course, risk factors

thinking CAMCOG: similarities < 80% maximum score (7) Judgment Observation scale CAMDEX ≥ 2 observations present Executive functioning Interference score SCWT and CST < 10th percentile norm group Language CAMCOG: understanding and expression < 80% maximum score (24) Apraxia or motor control CAMCOG: copy a fi gure, motor abilities < 80% maximum score (10) Constructional or Visuospatial GIT: Mental rotation < 10th percentile norm group Attention or Concentration CAMCOG: counting backward < 80% maximum score (7) Orientation CAMCOG: place, person and time < 80% maximum score (8) Understanding CAMCOG: following instruction, defi ne < 80% maximum score (7) Calculation GIT: doing sums < 10th percentile norm group Learning Abilities CAMCOG: remembering/recognition < 80% maximum score (14) Interference IDDD Need often help in daily live AVLT: Auditory verbal learning test | SCWT: Stroop Colour Word Test | CST: Concept Shifting | GIT: Groninger intelligence scale | IDDD: Interview for Deterioration in Daily Living Activities in Dementia Information about pre-stroke and present cognitive functioning was obtained from a knowledgeable informant by means of a structured interview, based on the DSM-IV criteria for dementia. All patients had a informant (in 59.5% patients a partner, in 28.2% a son or daughter, in 3.6% a close friend, in 3.1% a
Inhibition of DNA Double-Strand Break Repair by the Dual PI3K/mTOR Inhibitor NVP-BEZ235 as a Strategy for Radiosensitization of Glioblastoma

Purpose: Inhibitors of the DNA damage response (DDR) have great potential for radiosensitization of numerous cancers, including glioblastomas, which are extremely radio- and chemoresistant brain tumors. Currently, there are no DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair inhibitors that have been successful in treating glioblastoma. Our laboratory previously demonstrated that the dual phosphoinositide 3-kinase/mTOR inhibitor NVP-BEZ235 can potently inhibit the two central DDR kinases, DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) and ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM), in vitro. Here, we tested whether NVP-BEZ235 could also inhibit ATM and DNA-PKcs in tumors in vivo and assessed its potential as a radio- and chemosensitizer in preclinical mouse glioblastoma models. Experimental Design: The radiosensitizing effect of NVP-BEZ235 was tested by following tumor growth in subcutaneous and orthotopic glioblastoma models. Tumors were generated using the radioresistant U87-vIII glioma cell line and GBM9 neurospheres in nude mice. These tumors were then treated with ionizing radiation and/or NVP-BEZ235 and analyzed for DNA-PKcs and ATM activation, DSB repair inhibition, and attenuation of growth. Results: NVP-BEZ235 potently inhibited both DNA-PKcs and ATM kinases and attenuated the repair of ionizing radiation–induced DNA damage in tumors. This resulted in striking tumor radiosensitization, which extended the survival of brain tumor–bearing mice. Notably, tumors displayed a higher DSB-load when compared with normal brain tissue. NVP-BEZ235 also sensitized a subset of subcutaneous tumors to temozolomide, a drug routinely used concurrently with ionizing radiation for the treatment of glioblastoma. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that it may be possible to significantly improve glioblastoma therapy by combining ionizing radiation with potent and bioavailable DNA repair inhibitors such as NVP-BEZ235. Clin Cancer Res; 20(5); 1235–48. ©2013 AACR.
Response to Tennekes (2018) “The Resilience of the Beehive” Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health B 20: 316–386

ABSTRACT This paper is a response to a letter from Dr. H Tennekes (“The Resilience of the Beehive” Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health B 20: 316–386). Here we emphasize that our quantitative weight of evidence analyses were focused on the level of the honeybee colony. These colony-level responses include redundancy and resiliency as well as a number of possible sublethal effects of pesticides on the colony. We also note that the literature has shown that binding of neonicotinoid insecticides to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is reversible. The comments in this letter do not provide reasons to change our conclusions, that, as currently used in good agricultural practices as seed-treatments, imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam do not present significant risks to honeybees at the level of the colony.
Studies on the metabolic activation of disulfiram in rat. Evidence for electrophilic S-oxygenated metabolites as inhibitors of aldehyde dehydrogenase and precursors of urinary N-acetylcysteine conjugates.

Recent studies on the mechanism by which disulfiram inhibits aldehyde dehydrogenase have provided evidence for the formation of reactive intermediates that are thought to carbamoylate, and thereby inactivate the enzyme. In our study, rats were dosed with either disulfiram (0.25 mmol kg-1 i.p.) or its reduced metabolite diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC; 0.5 mmol kg-1 i.p.) and urine was collected for the analysis of metabolites derived from putative reactive intermediates. By means of ionspray LC-MS/MS, two novel N-acetylcysteine (NAC) conjugates, i.e., N-acetyl-S-(N, N-diethylcarbamoyl)cysteine and N-acetyl-S-(N, N-diethylthiocarbamoyl)cysteine, were identified in urine specimens. Quantitative analyses indicated that, over the 0- to 24-hr period after drug administration, urinary excretion of N-acetyl-S-(N, N-diethylcarbamoyl)cysteine accounted for 7.5 +/- 4.0 and 6.2 +/- 1.0%, respectively, of the dose of disulfiram and diethyldithiocarbamate, while the corresponding thiocarbamoyl conjugate, N-acetyl-S-(N, N-diethylthiocarbamoyl)cysteine, accounted for a further 0.5 +/- 0.3 and 0.3 +/- 0.1%, respectively, of the dose. These conjugates are believed to derive from reactive sulfoxide and sulfone metabolites of disulfiram, namely S-methyl-N, N-diethylthiocarbamate sulfoxide (DETC-MeSO), S-methyl-N, N-diethylthiocarbamate sulfone (DETC-MeSO2), S-methyl-N, N-diethyldithiocarbamate sulfoxide (DDTC-MeSO) and S-methyl-N, N-diethyldithiocarbamate sulfone (DDTC-MeSO2), which were found to carbamoylate N-acetylcysteine in vitro with the following rank order of reactivity: DDTC-MeSO2 > DETC-MeSO2 > DDTC-MeSO > DETC-MeSO. In vitro experiments with aldehyde dehydrogenase showed that all four S-oxygenated metabolites inhibited the enzyme effectively. Furthermore, inclusion of NAC in incubation media attenuated significantly the inhibition by DDTC-MeSO2, DETC-MeSO2 and DDTC-MeSO, but had little effect on that by DETC-MeSO. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that disulfiram and diethyldithiocarbamate undergo activation by a sequence of metabolic reactions leading to the formation of electrophilic S-methyl sulfoxides and sulfones that carbamoylate, and thereby inhibit, aldehyde dehydrogenase and possibly other enzymes.
Gene expression analysis in cadmium-stressed roots of a low cadmium-accumulating solanaceous plant, Solanum torvum

Solanum torvum Sw. cv. Torubamubiga (TB) is a low cadmium (Cd)-accumulating plant. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of the Cd acclimation process in TB roots, transcriptional regulation was analysed in response to mild Cd treatment: 0.1 μM CdCl2 in hydroponic solution. A unigene set consisting of 6296 unigene sequences was constructed from 18 816 TB cDNAs. The distribution of functional categories was similar to tomato, while 330 unigenes were suggested to be TB specific. For expression profiling, the SuperSAGE method was adapted for use with Illumina sequencing technology. Expression tag libraries were constructed from Cd-treated (for 3 h, 1 d, and 3 d) and untreated roots, and 34 269 species of independent tags were collected. Moreover, 6237 tags were ascribed to the TB or eggplant (aubergine) unigene sequences. Time-course changes were examined, and 2049 up- and 2022 down-regulated tags were identified. Although no tags annotated to metal transporter genes were significantly regulated, a tag annotated to AtFRD3, a xylem-loading citrate transporter, was down-regulated. In addition to induction of heavy metal chaperone proteins, antioxidative and sulphur-assimilating enzymes were induced, confirming that oxidative stress developed even using a mild Cd concentration. Rapid repression of dehydration-related transcription factors and aquaporin isoforms suggests that dehydration stress is a potential constituent of Cd-induced biochemical impediments. These transcriptional changes were also confirmed by real-time reverse transcription-PCR. Further additions of TB unigene sequences and functional analysis of the regulated tags will reveal the molecular basis of the Cd acclimation process, including the low Cd-accumulating characteristics of TB.