Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Does Word Coach Coach Words

This study reports on the design and testing of an integrated suite of vocabulary training games for Nintendo™ collectively designated My Word Coach (Ubisoft, 2008). The games’ design is based on a wide range of learning research, from classic studies on recycling patterns to frequency studies of modern corpora. Its general usage and learning effects were tested over a four-month period, with fifty age and level appropriate Francophone English as a second language learners in a Montreal school. A battery of observational and empirical tests tracked experimental and quasi-control groups’ lexical development on the dimensions of form recognition, meaning recognition, free production, and speed of lexical access, as well as features of game use. Two months’ gaming coincided with gains in recognition vocabulary normally achieved in one to two years, longer oral productions, reduced code switching, and increased speed of lexical access. Further questions are raised about the prior knowledge Word Coach assumes, the importance of post-game follow up, and the future of commercial gaming in language learning.
CONSTRAINING THE EPOCH OF REIONIZATION FROM THE OBSERVED PROPERTIES OF THE HIGH-z UNIVERSE

We combine observational data on a dozen independent cosmic properties at high-z with the information on reionization drawn from the spectra of distant luminous sources and the cosmic microwave background (CMB) to constrain the interconnected evolution of galaxies and the intergalactic medium since the dark ages. The only acceptable solutions are concentrated in two narrow sets. In one of them reionization proceeds in two phases: a first one driven by Population III stars, completed at , and after a short recombination period a second one driven by normal galaxies, completed at . In the other set both kinds of sources work in parallel until full reionization at . The best solution with double reionization gives excellent fits to all the observed cosmic histories, but the CMB optical depth is 3σ larger than the recent estimate from the Planck data. Alternatively, the best solution with single reionization gives less good fits to the observed star formation rate density and cold gas mass density histories, but the CMB optical depth is consistent with that estimate. We make several predictions, testable with future observations, that should discriminate between the two reionization scenarios. As a byproduct our models provide a natural explanation to some characteristic features of the cosmic properties at high-z, as well as to the origin of globular clusters.
First-principles studies on the intrinsic stability of the magic Fe 13 O 8 cluster

Complementary to our previous study [Wang et al., Phys. Rev. B $59,$ 12 672 (1999)], the intrinsic stability of the magic ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{13}{\mathrm{O}}_{8}$ cluster is confirmed by the calculations on the vibrational properties. For all the vibration modes, the frequency is positive, and therefore the structure is dynamically stable. ${A}_{1g},$ ${B}_{1g},$ and ${B}_{2g}$ modes are Raman active, ${A}_{2g},$ ${A}_{2u},$ and ${E}_{u}$ modes are infrared active, while the ${E}_{g}$ mode is active both in Raman and in infrared spectroscopy. The intrinsic stability combined with the relative stability make this cluster to be magic.
MICROBIOLOGICAL SAFETY AND QUALITY OF DRIED CASSAVA CHIPS AND FLOUR SOLD IN THE NAIROBI AND COASTAL REGIONS OF KENYA

Cassava ( Manihot esculenta Crantz) is rich in carbohydrates and is the third most important source of calories, in the tropics. The handling and processing practices of cassava roots expose them to microbial contamination. The objective of this study was to assess the level of contamination of cassava products that are in markets so as to establish the safety for human consumption. Samples from Nairobi and Coastal region of Kenya were evaluated for: total count, Staphylococcus aureus , total coliforms, yeast and mould and E. coli to establish their safety and quality for human consumption. Results for dried cassava chips showed; TVC 5.16-8.04 log cfu g -1 ; 4.81-7.21 log cfu g -1 , mould 1.00-3.86 log cfu g -1 ; 1.00-3.28 log cfu g -1 and Staphylococcus aureus 2.69-4.36 log cfu -1 ; 2.90-4.71 log cfu -1 for Nairobi and Coastal region respectively. Cassava flour was; TVC 5.66-7.67 log cfu g -1 ; 5.92-8.12 log cfu g -1 , mould 1.00-6.73 log cfu g -1 ; 2.65-5.08 log cfu g -1 , Staphylococcus aureus 3.77-5.79 log cfu g -1 ; 1.00-5.73 log cfu g -1 , and coliforms 0-6.34; 2.00-6.27 log cfu g -1 for Nairobi and Coastal regions respectively. One sample tested positive for presence of E. coli. Eighty seven percent of cassava flour and 77% of dried cassava chips samples were confirmed for presence of Staphylococcus aureus . There was a significant (P<0.05) difference in the microbial counts among the dried cassava chips samples and the cassava flour samples from markets in Nairobi and Mombasa. Results indicate excessive manual and poor post-harvest handling practices of the products hence, their poor quality and non-safety for consumption. Key Words: Chips, contamination, Manihot esculenta
Potential health benefits of sulforaphane: A review of the experimental, clinical and epidemiological evidences and underlying mechanisms

Extensive epidemiological evidence and animal experimental studies suggest that cruciferous vegetables may prevent or delay various inflammatory disorders, including cancers. Much of this chemopreventive effect has been attributed to the physiological effect of the isothiocyanates, especially sulforaphane (SF). Sulforaphane has been proven as a potent protector against oxidative damage and carcinogens. A plethora of clinical effects are reported in various experimental diseases as well as human clinical studies. This review summarizes the present knowledge about the health effects of sulforaphane with possible underlying mechanisms for these effects based on the reported in vitro and in vivo studies. These studies suggest that SF has the potential to reduce risk of various types of cancers, diabetes, atherosclerosis, respiratory diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, ocular disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. Traditionally, Nrf2-mediated induction of phase 2 detoxification enzymes has been recognized as the major mechanism by which SF protects cells. However, several recent studies have reported multiple other mechanisms involved in response to SF, including inhibition of cytochrome P450 enzymes, induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, and anti-inflammatory effect. It is suggested that these mechanisms work synergistically to provide the observed health effects of sulforaphane. Key words: Sulforaphane, CYP enzymes, phase 2 enzymes, cancer, herbal remedies.
Aboveground forest carbon shows different responses to fire frequency in harvested and unharvested forests.

Sequestration of carbon in forest ecosystems has been identified as an effective strategy to help mitigate the effects of global climate change. Prescribed burning and timber harvesting are two common, co-occurring, forest management practices that may alter forest carbon pools. Prescribed burning for forest management, such as wildfire risk reduction, may shorten inter-fire intervals and potentially reduce carbon stocks. Timber harvesting may further increase the susceptibility of forest carbon to losses in response to frequent burning regimes by redistributing carbon stocks from the live pools into the dead pools, causing mechanical damage to retained trees and shifting the demography of tree communities. We used a 27-yr experiment in a temperate eucalypt forest to examine the effect of prescribed burning frequency and timber harvesting on aboveground carbon (AGC). Total AGC was reduced by ~23% on harvested plots when fire frequency increased from zero to seven fires, but was not affected by fire frequency on unharvested plots. The reduction in total AGC associated with increasing fire frequency on harvested plots was driven by declines in large coarse woody debris (≥10 cm diameter) and large trees (≥20 cm diameter). Small tree (<20 cm DBH) AGC increased with fire frequency on harvested plots, but decreased on unharvested plots. Carbon in dead standing trees decreased with increasing fire frequency on unharvested plots, but was unaffected on harvested plots. Small coarse woody debris (<10 cm diameter) was largely unaffected by fire frequency and harvesting. Total AGC on harvested plots was between 67% and 82% of that on unharvested plots, depending on burning treatment. Our results suggest that AGC in historically harvested forests may be susceptible to declines in response to increases in prescribed burning frequency. Consideration of historic harvesting will be important in understanding the effect of prescribed burning programs on forest carbon budgets.
RELATION BETWEEN HYPOHYDRATION AND REDUCTION RATE OF BODY MASS AMONG ELITE YOUTH AMATEUR BOXERS

In this study, we have investigated the relation between hydration status and reduction rate of body mass (ROR). A sample consisted of 24 elite boxers (all males; 16.83 ± 1.01 years of age) from three European countries competing at an official tournament. The variables were collected by urine specific gravity (USG) assessment and an anamnestic questionnaire asking subjects on sports factors. ROR was calculated by dividing body mass by body mass reduced prior to competition. Our study show significant relation between USG and ROR (Rs = 0.65, p < 0.01). Notably, 60% of the participants exceeded USG cutoff assumption (> 1.020 g/ml) for athletes, while the most abundant pattern of body mass reduction was 2 – 5% of ROR reported by 50% of boxers. Boxing authorities could reconsider the official rules and advocate for the integration of an official hydration assessment program aiming to discourage athletes from engaging in harmful weight loss procedures.
An investigation into the feasibility of production and characterization of starch from "apantu" plantain (giant horn) grown in Ghana.

The aim of this research project is to develop a new product (plantain starch) as another way of extending the shelf-life of plantain and to determine the quality of plantain starch based on physicochemical properties, as well as, to determine whether plantain starch has unique characteristics compared to other sources of starch. Plantain starch was extracted from mature unripe plantain (Musa sapientum) of a variety known as “Apantu” (Giant horned). The parameters determined were; percentage starch yield (5.59), pH (4.82), percentage moisture (12.87), percentage ash (0.24), percentage amylose (27), and percentage water binding capacity (54.07). The percentage solubility and swelling (g/g) were 5.28 and 10.20 respectively. Pasting properties (on-set of gelatinization) were determined and the gelatinization temperature was determined to be 67.6°C, and had gelatinization time of 12.05 min, peak viscosity 677 BU, which corresponds to the maximum hydrated swollen volume fraction of starch granules. In addition, the paste stability of plantain starch at temperatures of 95 and 50°C were 66 and 22 Bu respectively. The starch obtained was of good quality with no unique pasting properties compared to other standard starch sources. Key words: Plantain starch, Musa sapientum, Giant horned plantain, food product development, starch extraction, functional properties, Ghana.
Organic Farming: To Pursue or Not to Pursue? An Exploratory Study Based on Evidence from Bangladesh

In the field of agricultural food production, the transition between organic and inorganic farming methods has been an issue of much debate. The debate, on one hand, stresses the urgency for the transition in order to preserve environment and health; and, on the other hand, emphasizes the pressure of maintaining food production for a large growing population. Thus, the dilemma is how to find an agricultural system that would balance between obtaining food security and ensuring a safe sustainably environment-friendly food production system. This article focuses on the debate, in the context of Bangladesh, and questions whether it is the proper time, and stage in the development process, to attempt the transition from inorganic conventional food production methods to organic food production methods. This article contemplates why the organic rice market is not expanding in Bangladesh, and attempts to explain the slow growth of the market through the two main factors of income constraint and lack of awareness among people about the environmental and health detriments of inorganic farming methods. The study is exploratory in nature, and finds that it is not mainly the lack of awareness but the income constraint that can be principally attributed to the slow expansion of the organic rice market in Bangladesh. Through exploring consumers’ awareness about organic farming methods and their demand for organic products, this study shows how income as the major constraint, besides price, affects consumers demand for organic and inorganic rice in Bangladesh. Income being identified as the major barrier reveals the potential of the organic rice market to grow in the future, as Bangladesh continues its journey towards becoming a middle-income country.
CLIPick: a sensitive peak caller for expression-based deconvolution of HITS-CLIP signals

Abstract High-throughput sequencing of RNAs isolated by crosslinking immunoprecipitation (HITS-CLIP, also called CLIP-Seq) has been used to map global RNA–protein interactions. However, a critical caveat of HITS-CLIP results is that they contain non-linear background noise—different extent of non-specific interactions caused by individual transcript abundance—that has been inconsiderately normalized, resulting in sacrifice of sensitivity. To properly deconvolute RNA–protein interactions, we have implemented CLIPick, a flexible peak calling pipeline for analyzing HITS-CLIP data, which statistically determines the signal-to-noise ratio for each transcript based on the expression-dependent background simulation. Comprising of streamlined Python modules with an easy-to-use standalone graphical user interface, CLIPick robustly identifies significant peaks and quantitatively defines footprint regions within which RNA–protein interactions were occurred. CLIPick outperforms other peak callers in accuracy and sensitivity, selecting the largest number of peaks particularly in lowly expressed transcripts where such marginal signals are hard to discriminate. Specifically, the application of CLIPick to Argonaute (Ago) HITS-CLIP data were sensitive enough to uncover extended features of microRNA target sites, and these sites were experimentally validated. CLIPick enables to resolve critical interactions in a wide spectrum of transcript levels and extends the scope of HITS-CLIP analysis. CLIPick is available at: http://clip.korea. ac.kr/clipick/
Human Capital Specificity: Evidence from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles and Displaced Worker Surveys, 1984–2000

Measures of four basic skills, constructed from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles, are used to examine the source of human capital specificity. The measures are used to characterize the skill portfolio of each job and to construct distance measures between jobs. Wage losses in the Displaced Worker Surveys are shown to be more closely associated with switching skill portfolios than switching industry or occupation code per se. These switches represent large decreases in the skill portfolio in the postdisplacement job. The recent evidence for industry‐specific capital is reexamined. The results suggest a difference between fluid and crystallized skills.
A Torelli theorem for moduli spaces of principal bundles over a curve

Let X and X' be compact Riemann surfaces of genus at least 3, and let G and G' be nonabelian reductive complex groups. If one component M_G^d(X) of the moduli space for semistable principal G-bundles over X is isomorphic to another component M_{G'}^{d'}(X'), then X is isomorphic to X'.
Concepts of Phenomenological Irreversible Quantum Thermodynamics I: Closed Undecomposed Schottky Systems in Semi-Classical Description

Abstract If the von Neumann equation is modified by time dependent statistical weights, the time rate of entropy, the entropy exchange and the production of a Schottky system are derived whose Hamiltonian does not contain the interaction with the system’s environment. This interaction is semi-classically described by the quantum theoretical expressions of power and entropy exchange.
Association of Youth Triponderal Mass Index vs Body Mass Index With Obesity-Related Outcomes in Adulthood

Debate continues on the limitations of using body mass index (BMI) to assign youth overweight/obesity status. Calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, BMI might not be applicable in youth during periods of rapid growth. Although recent evidence has indicated that triponderal mass index (TMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters cubed) might have better accuracy in estimating youth body fat levels than BMI, its clinical importance in estimating adulthood outcomes has not been examined. Therefore, we assessed whether youth TMI and its combination with BMI or subscapular skin fold thickness (SST), compared with BMI alone, have better utility in estimating adult obesity-related outcomes.
Finite Gauss measure on the space of interval exchange transformations

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The SLUGGS Survey: wide field imaging of the globular cluster system of NGC 4278

We use multipointing Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys and wide field Subaru Suprime-Cam imaging to study the globular cluster system of the L ∗ elliptical galaxy NGC 4278. We have also obtained a handful of new globular cluster spectra with the Keck Deep Imaging Multi-Object Spectrograph. We determine the globular cluster surface density profile and use it to calculate the total number of globular clusters, finding the system to be slightly more populous than average for galaxies of its luminosity. We find clear evidence for bimodality in the globular cluster colour distribution and for a colour–magnitude relation in the blue subpopulation (a ‘blue tilt’). We also find negative radial colour gradients in both colour subpopulations of equal strength which are similar in strength to those reported in other galaxies. The sizes of NGC 4278’s globular clusters decrease with redder colours and increase with galactocentric radius. The ratio of the sizes of blue to red globular clusters is independent of galactocentric radius demonstrating that internal effects are responsible for the size difference with colour.
Population‐calibrated multiple imputation for a binary/categorical covariate in categorical regression models

Multiple imputation (MI) has become popular for analyses with missing data in medical research. The standard implementation of MI is based on the assumption of data being missing at random (MAR). However, for missing data generated by missing not at random mechanisms, MI performed assuming MAR might not be satisfactory. For an incomplete variable in a given data set, its corresponding population marginal distribution might also be available in an external data source. We show how this information can be readily utilised in the imputation model to calibrate inference to the population by incorporating an appropriately calculated offset termed the “calibrated‐δ adjustment. ” We describe the derivation of this offset from the population distribution of the incomplete variable and show how, in applications, it can be used to closely (and often exactly) match the post‐imputation distribution to the population level. Through analytic and simulation studies, we show that our proposed calibrated‐δ adjustment MI method can give the same inference as standard MI when data are MAR, and can produce more accurate inference under two general missing not at random missingness mechanisms. The method is used to impute missing ethnicity data in a type 2 diabetes prevalence case study using UK primary care electronic health records, where it results in scientifically relevant changes in inference for non‐White ethnic groups compared with standard MI. Calibrated‐δ adjustment MI represents a pragmatic approach for utilising available population‐level information in a sensitivity analysis to explore potential departures from the MAR assumption.
Should I stay or should I go? A dependence model of breakups.

A model of breakup decisions is proposed that extends interdependence theory. This dependence model asserts that the primary issue in understanding breakup decisions is degree of dependence on a relationship. Dependence is great when important outcomes in the current relationship are not available elsewhere. Need satisfaction dependence measures identify important needs in a relationship and compare satisfaction of those needs in the current relationship to satisfaction in alternative relationships. Two longitudinal studies provide good support for the dependence model. Need satisfaction dependence measures significantly differentiated between subjects who remained in their relationships and those who voluntarily broke up. The studies also compared the model to simpler breakup models and assessed whether commitment mediates the link between dependence and breakup decisions. Why do individuals sometimes remain in relationships that are not terribly satisfying? This article advances a dependence model of breakups. The dependence model clarifies and extends concepts from interdependence theory (Kelley & Thibaut, 1978; Thibaut & Kelley, 1959), proposing that the decision to remain in or voluntarily end a given relationship is strongly related to the degree of dependence on that relationship. Dependence is asserted to be great when the most important needs a relationship fulfills cannot be gratified elsewhere. Thus, we suggest that an individual may sometimes remain in a relationship that is not terribly satisfying because of high dependence on that relationship—dissatisfying as it is, the relationship may nevertheless fulfill important needs that cannot be gratified in alternative relationships. From the outset, it is important to distinguish between the concepts of satisfaction and dependence. These constructs were first introduced in Thibaut and Kelley's (1959) interdependence theory, in their discussion of two subjective criteria for Editors Note. Because one of the authors is an associate editor on this journal, this article was subjected to a special review process to avoid any potential conflict of interest. We thank former associate editor Norbert Kerr for having graciously agreed to take complete responsibility for processing this article. —NM