Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cognitive Load at Different Levels of Chemistry Representations / Kognitivno opterećenje na različitim razinama kemijskih prikaza

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine students' achievements and cognitive loads at different levels of chemistry representations. The research was carried out among students majoring in chemistry teaching. A test was used as a measuring instrument for knowledge evaluation. Each task contained three subtasks, in macroscopic, sub-microscopic and symbolic domain. Each subtask in the test was followed by a seven point Likert scale (ranging from 'extremely easy' to 'extremely difficult') for the evaluation of cognitive load. A parallel analysis of the obtained results has shown that students' evaluations of cognitive load are in accordance with the accomplishments achieved on the test. Students have estimated that the greatest cognitive load corresponds to sub-microscopic level, which resulted in the lowest achievements. The results have also shown that there are no major differences in the average students' achievements in macroscopic and symbolic level, which are also in line with the evaluated cognitive load. Hence, it can be concluded that the students are able to review the cognitive processes and to evaluate the difficulty of the task.Key words: chemical concepts; cognitive load; evaluation; triplet relationship. ---SažetakSvrha ovog istraživanja bila je ispitati postignuća studenata i kognitivno opterećenje na različitim razinama kemijskih prikaza. Istraživanje je provedeno među studentima koji će u budućnosti biti nastavnici kemije. Mjerni instrument koji se koristio za vrednovanje znanja bio je test. Svaki zadatak sastojao se od tri podzadatka, u makroskopskoj, submikroskopskoj i simboličkoj domeni. Svaki podzadatak sadržavao je Likertovu skalu od sedam stupnjeva, koja je omogućavala ispitanicima da ocijene tvrdnje ovisno o tome smatraju li da su one „iznimno lagane“, pa sve do onih za koje smatraju da su „iznimno teške“. Paralelna analiza dobivenih rezultata pokazala je da je način na koji su studenti vrednovali kognitivno opterećenje bila u skladu s njhovim postignućima na testu. Studenti su smatrali da je najveće kognitivno opterećenje ono vezano uz submikroskopsku razinu, što je rezultiralo njihovim najslabijim postignućima. Rezultati su također pokazali da ne postoje značajne razlike u prosječnim postignućima studenata na makroskopskoj i simboličkoj razini, što je također u skladu s vrednovanim kognitivnim opterećenjem. Stoga se može zaključiti da su studenti sposobni proučiti kognitivne procese i procijeniti težinu zadatka. Ključne riječi: kemijski pojmovi; kognitivno opterećenje; trostruka veza; vrednovanje
Racial/ethnic and age disparities in HIV prevalence and disease progression among men who have sex with men in the United States.

OBJECTIVES We examined HIV diagnosis rates and disease progression among men who have sex with men (MSM) according to race/ethnicity and age. METHODS Using data obtained from the national HIV/AIDS surveillance system, we examined trends in HIV diagnosis rates for 2001 through 2004 using Poisson regression. We used a standardized Kaplan-Meier method to determine differences in time of progression from HIV to AIDS and AIDS survival. RESULTS HIV diagnosis rates were higher for Black and Hispanic than for White MSM, but trends within age groups from 2001 to 2004 did not differ by race/ethnicity. Diagnosis rates increased among MSM aged 13 to 19 years (14% per year), 20 to 24 years (13%), 25 to 29 years, and 40 to 54 years (3%-6%; P< or = .01 for each). The percentage of MSM who did not have AIDS 3 years after HIV diagnosis was lower among Black (66.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI]=66.1, 67.4) and Hispanic (68.1%; 95% CI=67.5, 68.8) than among White MSM (74.7%; 95% CI=74.2, 75.1). Three-year survival after AIDS diagnosis was lower for Black than for White or Hispanic MSM. CONCLUSIONS HIV prevention efforts should target young and middle-aged MSM and must offer early diagnosis and treatment for all MSM.
Managers' Motives for Selling Executive Stock Options on Secondary Markets: A Study of the Unique Environment of Finland

This study examines the managers' motives for cashing their ESOs when they are able to sell them. Investigating the managers' selling behavior instead of their exercising behavior is advantageous, since when selling their ESOs, managers do not sacrifice the time value component of the ESO as in the case of ESO exercising. Consequently, managers' motives for selling ESOs depend only on their personal objectives and not on the cost of early exercise, which is the case in exercising. Two personal motives of managers possibly affecting the optimal selling decision are investigated: the ESO holder's personal portfolio management issues and the use of inside information. These motives are investigated using data from Finland, where there are secondary markets for ESOs allowing managers to sell their ESOs instead of exercising them. The results of the study support the hypothesis according to which managers tend to sell their ESOs when holding an ESO is equivalent to holding the underlying stock, i.e., in such a case a manager's wealth is closely tied to the stock price of the firm. By contrast, the traditional portfolio diversification hypothesis from the ESO volatility point of view is not supported as a selling motive. With respect to the use of inside information the results indicate that ESO selling activity is not related to future stock price behavior, suggesting that managers do not use inside information to determine the selling time of their ESOs.
Equity Returns and Idiosyncratic Volatility: UK Evidence

The proposition that idiosyncratic volatility may matter in asset pricing is currently a topic of research and controversy. Using data from the UK market we examine the predictive ability of various measures of idiosyncratic risk and provide evidence which suggests that: (a) it is the idiosyncratic volatility of small capitalization stocks that matters for asset pricing and (b) that small stocks idiosyncratic volatility predicts the small capitalization premium component of market returns and is unrelated to either "pure" market risk or the value premium. The predictive power of the aggregate idiosyncratic volatility of small stocks remains intact even after we control for the possible proxying effects of business cycle fluctuations and liquidity and is robust across time and different econometric specifications.
EFFECT OF ROUNDUP ( HERBICIDE ) AND SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI INFECTION ON TOTAL PROTEIN PATTERNS AND FREE POOL AMINO ACIDS OF BIOMPHALARIA ALEXANDRINA SNAILS

Protein electrophoretic patterns and free pool amino acids of Biomphalaria alexandrina snai ls treated with sub-lethal concentrat ion (10 ppm) of Roundup herbicide (48% Glyphosate) and/or Schistosoma mansoni were investigated. Comparative analysis of soluble protein of ovotest is and hemolymph was carr ied out using SDS-PAGE. Protein analysis showed several qual i tat ive and quanti tat ive dif ferences in protein prof i les. In general, the results clearly revealed that the total protein intensity was remarkably decreased in treated–infected and noninfected snai ls through 4 weeks post-exposure (PE). A remarkable 28 kDa band was detected in ovotest is separated protein prof i les of treated and treatedinfected snai ls during the whole exposure period of experiment. In the hemolymph, 170 kDa and 167kDa protein bands appeared only in treated non-infected snai ls at the 1 t , 2 , and 3 d week PE. While in treated-infected snai ls 168 kDa protein band appeared at the 1 t , 2 , and 3 d week PE. Analysis of the free pool amino acids by High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) of ovotestis and hemolymph of B. alexandrina treated and/or treatedinfected was performed at the 4 h week PE. The qual i tat ive analysis revealed the presence of 17 amino acids (Aspart ic, Glutamic, Serine, Glycine, Hist idine, Arginin, Theronine, Alanine, Prol ine, Tyrosine, Val ine, Methionine, Cystine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Phenylalanine, and Lysine). The quanti tat ive analysis of free-pool amino acids in ovotest is of B. alexandrina snai ls treated with Roundup showed a signif icant decrease in Aspart ic, Prol ine and Cystine compared with control. Herbicide treatment and S . mansoni infect ion showed a decrease in Aspart ic, Glutamic, Arginin, Theronine, Cystine, Phenylalanine, Val ine, Prol ine and Isoleucine of ovotest is in comparison with control groups. Free-pool amino acids in hemolymph showed marked decrease in Glycine, Alanine, Prol ine, Tyrosine, Val ine, Methionine, Phenyalanine and Lysine of treated group. Treated-infected group showed a remarkable reduction in al l tested amino acids except Iso-leucine and Cystine, which was not affected when compared with control group.
Training, Detraining, and Retraining Effects on Glycemic Control and Physical Fitness in Women with Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract Little is known about the detraining and retraining effects of exercise in patients with diabetes. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of training, detraining, and retraining, using a combined strength and aerobic exercise program on glycemic control in women with type 2 diabetes. Thirteen postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes (n=13, age: 55.8±5.1 years) followed a supervised aerobic and strength training program for 9 months, which was interrupted for 3 months (detraining) and resumed again for a period of 9 months (retraining). Anthropometric characteristics, glycemic control, and physical fitness were determined at baseline and after 9, 12, and 21 months. Training induced a small reduction in body mass index (BMI: −3.3%, 95% CI −5.1 to −1.5%), a moderate decrease in fasting plasma glucose (FPG: −12.0%, 95% CI −20.70 to −3.2%), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c: −4.7%, 95% CI −12.1 to 2.7%), and a large decrease in postprandial glucose (PPG: − 12.1%, 95% CI −20.2 to −4.1%). In addition, there was an increase in power output (20.2%, 95% CI 6.9 to 33.6%) and total muscle strength (33.8%, 95% CI 21.4 to 46.1%). Detraining reversed PPG, HbA1c, and physical fitness. Resumption of training, however, led to a moderate decrease in BMI (−5.4%, 95% CI −8.1 to −2.7%), PPG (−9.5%, 95% CI −19.4 to 0.3%), and HbA1c (−6.8%, 95% CI −14.1 to 0.5%), and to large changes in FPG (−20.9%, 95% CI −31.9 to −9.9%), power output (33.1%, 95% CI 17.9 to 48.4%) and total muscle strength (48.2%, 95% CI 34.0 to 62.4%) compared to baseline. Thus, systematic training improves body composition, glycemic control and physical fitness in patients with type 2 diabetes. The cessation of exercise brings about negative alterations, while retraining restores all beneficial adaptations and improves them even more. Therefore, diabetic patients should follow a regular and an uninterrupted exercise program throughout life in order to control glucose metabolism and improve health.
Effects of Karate Training Versus Mindfulness Training on Emotional Well-Being and Cognitive Performance in Later Life

In a randomized controlled trial, we investigated the effects of karate versus a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention on well-being and cognitive functioning in older adults. Fifty-five adults (52–81 years old) participated in twice-weekly karate versus MBSR sessions or no training for 8 weeks. In pre- and postassessments, subjective well-being, health, cognitive functioning, and chronic stress were measured. Preassessment hair cortisol served as physiological stress marker. The results showed an improvement for the karate group, but not the MBSR and control group, in subjective mental health and anxiety as well as cognitive processing speed. The MBSR group showed by trend as a decrease in stress. No significant correlation between preassessment hair cortisol and postassessment outcomes could be established. But the higher the level of baseline self-reported perceived stress, the higher the increase in depression, anxiety, and chronic stress. Generally, it can be assumed that karate and MBSR showed only small training effects concerning the assessed emotional and cognitive parameters.
Intellectual Property Rights Protection, Ownership, and Innovation: Evidence from China

We study how intellectual property right (IPR) protection and ownership type affect innovation singly and jointly in China. We find that stronger local IPR protection is positively related to firms’ R&D investments and innovation. Private sector firms invest more in R&D and innovate more than state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and this effect is more notable in regions with high IPR protection standards. We see the same effect in privatizations and when using instrumental variables. Our results support theoretical arguments that IPR protection strengthens firms’ incentives to innovate and that private sector firms are more sensitive to IPR protection than SOEs.
A homozygous nonsense mutation in the Fukutin gene causes a Walker-Warburg syndrome phenotype

Neuronal migration is a key process in the development of the cerebral cortex. During neocortex lamination new sets of neurones proliferate at the subventricular zone and migrate alongside specialised radial glial fibres to occupy their final destinations in an “inside-out” fashion.1 More than 25 neuronal migration disorders resulting in death or improper positioning of the cortical neurones have been described in humans.2 In the cobblestone neocortex the postmitotic neurones do not respond to their stop signals, and, crossing through the neocortex, bypass the glia limitans and invade the subarachnoid space. The resulting cortex is chaotically structured, consisting of an irregular lissencephalic surface and absence of lamination. Cobblestone lissencephalies are often seen in association with additional features, such as eye malformations and congenital muscular dystrophy. Walker-Warburg syndrome (WWS, OMIM:236670), muscle-eye-brain (MEB, OMIM:253280), and Fukuyama congenital muscular dystrophy (FCMD, OMIM:253800) are the three major entities of this group. Patients are classified into these three entities on the basis of the severity of the phenotype and the presence of syndrome specific symptoms (table 1). WWS is the most severe syndrome of the group, especially with regard to the brain phenotype. The WWS brain manifests cobblestone lissencephaly with agenesis of the corpus callosum, fusion of hemispheres, hydrocephalus, dilatation of the fourth ventricle, cerebellar hypoplasia, hydrocephalus, and sometimes encephalocele.3,4 View this table: Table 1 Clinical features of patient 1 compared with cobblestone lissencephalies ### Key points
Do flares of systemic lupus erythematosus decline after menopause?

OBJECTIVE To study whether flares of SLE decline after menopause. METHOD 34 postmenopausal SLE patients with premenopausal disease onset were studied. The frequency and severity of flares before and after menopause was compared. 17 postmenopausal onset SLE patients were also included for comparison. RESULT Flares in postmenopausal SLE patients decreased significantly after menopause (total No. of flares/patient-year before and after menopause were 0.50+/-0.10 and 0.14+/-0.05, respectively, p = 0.002). The frequency and proportion of severe flares also dropped significantly. The rate and magnitude of postmenopausal flares in these patients were similar to those of the postmenopausal onset SLE patients, a subset known to run a more benign course. CONCLUSIONS SLE flares less frequently and seriously after menopause. While this may suggest a protective role of hypoestrogenemia against lupus flares, the contribution of other factors like disease duration and effective treatment to this postmenopausal decline of flares cannot be separated from menopause per se. Further studies are needed.
PROPOSED SIMPLE METHOD FOR ELECTROCARDIOGRAM RECORDING IN FREE-RANGING ASIAN ELEPHANTS (ELEPHAS MAXIMUS)

Abstract Electrocardiography represents a relevant diagnostic tool for detecting cardiac disease in animals. Elephants can present various congenital and acquired cardiovascular diseases. However, few electrophysiologic studies have been reported in captive elephants, mainly due to challenging technical difficulties in obtaining good-quality electrocardiogram (ECG) tracings, and no data are currently available for free-ranging Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). The purpose of this pilot prospective study was to evaluate the feasibility of using a simple method for recording ECG tracings in wild, apparently healthy, unsedated Asian elephants (n = 7) in the standing position. Successful six-lead recordings (I, II, III, aVR, aVL, and aVF) were obtained, with the aVL lead providing the best-quality tracings in most animals. Variables measured in the aVL lead included heart rate, amplitudes and duration of the P waves, QRS complexes, T and U waves, and duration of the PR, QT, and QU intervals. A negative deflection following positive P waves, representative of an atrial repolarization wave (Ta wave), was observed for five out of the seven elephants.
Ectodomain Shedding of FLT3 Ligand Is Mediated by TNF-α Converting Enzyme1

FLT3 ligand (FLT3L) has diverse roles in the hematopoietic system, which include stimulating proliferation of hematopoietic precursors and development of NK cells and dendritic cells. FLT3L is initially synthesized as a membrane-bound protein, which must be cleaved to become a soluble growth factor. However, little is known about the enzyme involved in the proteolytic release of FLT3L. In the current study, we show that shedding of FLT3L is metalloprotease-dependent, and that this proteolytic activity was abolished in fibroblasts lacking TNF-α converting enzyme (TACE) and could be rescued by reintroducing wild-type TACE in these cells. Moreover, we found that cells derived from the thymus of conditional TACE-deficient mice produce less FLT3L, and that serum FLT3L levels in these TACE mutant mice are significantly lower, both after LPS treatment and in the absence of such a challenge, further corroborating the relevance of TACE as FLT3L sheddase in vivo. Considering the involvements of FLT3 and FLT3L in hematopoietic malignancies and stem cell mobilization, the identification of the enzyme involved in FLT3L shedding may have important clinical implications.
Percutaneous radio-frequency ablation of liver metastases from breast cancer: initial experience in 24 patients.

PURPOSE To evaluate the authors' initial experience in a consecutive series of 24 patients with breast cancer liver metastases treated with radio-frequency (RF) ablation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-four consecutive patients with 64 metastases measuring 1.0--6.6 cm in diameter (mean, 1.9 cm) underwent ultrasonography-guided percutaneous RF ablation with 18-gauge, internally cooled electrodes. Treatment was performed with the patient under conscious sedation and analgesia or general anesthesia. A single lesion was treated in 16 patients, and multiple lesions were treated in eight patients. Follow-up with serial computed tomography ranged from 4 to 44 months (mean, 10 months; median, 19 months). RESULTS Complete necrosis was achieved in 59 (92%) of 64 lesions. Among the 59 lesions, complete necrosis required a single treatment session in 58 lesions (92%) and two treatment sessions in one lesion (2%). In 14 (58%) of 24 patients, new metastases developed during follow-up. Ten (71%) of these 14 patients developed new liver metastases. Currently, 10 (63%) of 16 patients whose lesions were initially confined to the liver are free of disease. One patient died of progressive brain metastases. No major complications occurred. Two minor complications were observed. CONCLUSION On the basis of preliminary study results, percutaneous RF ablation appears to be a simple, safe, and effective treatment for focal liver metastases in selected patients with breast cancer.
Measuring the Degree of Corporate Social Media Use

This article aims to provide a model with which to measure the degree of corporate social media use or, in other words, the extent to which companies are exploiting the potentialities of single or multiple social media platforms. This is, however, explicitly different from using metrics to assess the success of social media activities, as it is purely measuring how intensively a pre-defined group of social media is utilised, taking into account the frequency of social media activity by the brand as well as the related user reactions. The degree of corporate social media use helps companies and market researchers analyse single brands or companies and compare them with other brands, competitors or industry averages. The degree of corporate social media use is a useful indicator, which should be combined with social media metrics in order to draw better conclusions about where to increase or intensify social media activities.
Estimating Degree of Market Power and Price-Response Strategies in a Product-Differentiated Oligopoly: The Case of Canned Tuna Industry in a Local Market

This dissertation estimates the degree of market power and strategic-price responses among brands in the canned tuna industry in a local market. Weekly scanner data on the purchases of canned-tuna in Knoxville, Tennessee collected by Information Resources, Incorporated (IRI) were used for the estimation of the degree of market power and strategic-price responses. Four canned tuna brands were investigated including the three leading brands, Starkist, Chicken of the Sea, and Bumble Bee, and the competitive small-market share brands aggregated into Allother. There are two empirical parts. The first part focuses on estimation of the degrees of market power and strategic-price responses among canned tuna brands in the market based on a static approach. The second part investigates strategic-price responses based on a dynamic approach. In the first part, the market is assumed to be operated under Bertrand competition such that price is a strategic variable, and brands make their choices simultaneously. Measures of the degree of market power include the Rothschild index (RI), the O index (OI) and the Chamberlin quotient (CQ). In order to calculate these measures, each firm’s own-and cross-price elasticities and price-response elasticities are needed. These elasticities are estimated by using simultaneous equations, including the linear approximate almost ideal demand system (LA/AIDS) with the corrected Stone price index and price-reaction equations. The static analysis finds evidence of market power in the canned tuna market. Starkist and Chicken of the Sea have high market power derived from both unilateral and coordinated market power, whereas Bumble Bee maintains its market power without coordination. The strategic-price responses among brands are iv investigated through the estimated price-reaction equations. The results show that Bumble Bee conducts warfare against Starkist and Chicken of the Sea. Starkist and Chicken of the Sea positively respond to each other’s price; however, they do not respond to Bumble Bee’s price. In the second part, the Bertrand-competition assumption is replaced by an assumption that a firm in the market sets its price depending on its own past prices and those of rivals. A vector autoregressive (VAR) model is employed and its applications, including the Granger-causality test, the impulse response function (IRF) analysis, and the forecast error variance decomposition (FEVD) analysis, are used to investigate the dynamic price relationships. This study finds that although Starkist and Chicken of the Sea do not respond Bumble Bee’s price strategy during the same time period, they do over time. The findings of the second part offer valuable insights in that the study of strategic-price responses based on both static and dynamic approaches provide significantly better understanding in firms’ pricing behaviors.