Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Feedback on underperformance in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The impact on subsequent neuropsychological test performance

Abstract Performance Validity Tests (PVTs) are used to measure the credibility of neuropsychological test results. Until now, however, a minimal amount is known about the effects of feedback upon noncredible results (i.e., underperformance) on subsequent neuropsychological test performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of feedback on underperformance in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) patients. A subset of these patients received feedback on Amsterdam Short-Term Memory (ASTM) failure (i.e., feedback [FB] group). After matching, the final sample consisted of two comparable groups (i.e., FB and No FB; both n = 33). At baseline and follow-up assessment, the patients completed the ASTM and two measurements of information processing speed (Complex Reaction Time [CRT] and Symbol Digit Test [SDT]). Results indicated that the patients in the FB group improved significantly on the CRT, compared to the No FB group. Although not significant, a comparable trend-like effect was observed for the SDT. Independent of the feedback intervention there was a substantial improvement on ASTM performance at re-administration. A limited feedback intervention upon underperformance in CFS patients may result in improvement on information processing speed performance. This implies that such an intervention might be clinically relevant, since it maximizes the potential of examining the patients’ actual level of cognitive abilities.
Callers and satellites: chorus behaviour in anurans as a stochastic dynamic game

Males often compete for mates using alternative tactics whose relative success could be simultaneously influenced by four factors: subsequent behaviour, physiological state, the frequency of expression of alternative tactics and the density of competing males. Here the payoV st o two alternative male mating tactics (call and satellite) were examined in anurans using a stochastic dynamic game. The basic model considers an iteroparous species with a prolonged breeding season and fairly low energetic costs and predation risks. The model assumes that female chorus attendance is aVected by weather, time of year and male chorusing intensity. Results show that interactions between energetic costs of calling, density-dependent predation risk and female arrival rates, and frequency-dependent mating success produce distinct temporal waves of male chorusing despite continuously favourable environmental conditions. Relative to second-year males, first-year males attended choruses less often and were more likely to become satellites. When the energetic costs of calling were increased, waves became shorter and less frequent, and some older calling males switched to satellite behaviour. Satellites were less common when breeding season length was constrained by extrinsic factors such as seasonal weather patterns. Extrinsic constraints may also aVect system stability: if female arrival rates are independent of male chorusing intensity, an evolutionarily stable strategy occurs only if the breeding season is short. Even without extrinsic constraints, the breeding season may be short if predation rates on adults are suYciently high, or if satellites intercept a large fraction of incoming females. Thus, the 'explosive' breeding systems observed in many anuran species could result from either biotic or abiotic causes. 1996 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour
The effects of territory quality on age-dependent reproductive performance in the northern wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe


Abstract Age differences in access to high-quality resources and its relation to nest predation risk have generally been neglected in efforts to explain why old individuals have a higher reproductive performance than young ones. I used long-term population data to investigate age- and habitat-specific nest predation risk and reproductive success of male northern wheatears breeding in a heterogeneous agricultural landscape. Old (≥2 years) male wheatears had higher reproductive success than yearling males because their nests were less likely to be predated, they produced more fledglings from successful broods and they were more likely to start a new breeding attempt following a complete failure. Also, old males arrived and bred earlier than yearlings. Old wheatears were more likely to breed in habitats with a permanently short field layer, while yearlings mainly bred in habitats with a field layer gaining in height during the incubation–nestling period. Nest predation risk was significantly lower and fledgling production among successful breeders was higher in territories with a permanently short as compared to growing field layer. Data on order of habitat occupation suggested that yearlings were not as good as older males at identifying territories with a permanently short field layer (as reflected by a significant interaction between male age and order of occupancy). Both cross-sectional and longitudinal data suggest that an age difference in territory field layer height was a major cause of age differences in reproductive performance in wheatears. Other factors, such as differential survival, breeding time, local familiarity and increased foraging and breeding skills either had small effects or did not significantly explain the observed age differences in reproductive performance. I conclude that nest predation and an age-related access to high-quality habitats are likely to be of great importance for the observed age differences in reproductive performance in the northern wheatear and possibly many other bird species.
Context-specific calls in wild chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes verus: analysis of barks

Abstract Context-specific calls, which have a distinct acoustic structure and are selectively produced in specific contexts, are a prerequisite for calls that function referentially. Functionally referential calls, which convey information to conspecifics about objects and events in the external world, have been found in a number of species, notably primates. Evidence of context-specific calls in apes, however, is largely absent. We analysed whether the barks of wild male chimpanzees in the Tai Forest, Cote d'Ivoire, are context specific. We examined the acoustic structure of barks, and other calls produced in association with barks, in six contexts, using discriminant function analysis. Chimpanzees produced context-specific signals in two ways. First, they produced two acoustically graded bark subtypes, in hunt and snake contexts, respectively. Second, they produced context-specific signal combinations of barks with acoustically different call types or drums. These signal combinations increased specificity levels in three of the six contexts to over 90%, a level similar to the classic vervet monkey, Cercophithecus aethiops , predator alarm calls. Furthermore, specific chimpanzee signals were produced in contexts other than alarm, such as travel and hunting, where the potential benefits of evolving specific calls are less obvious. These signals may convey specific context information to listeners, and thus function referentially; however, to confirm this, analyses of listeners' responses are required. The results show that two strategies for producing context-specific signals seem to have evolved in a species other than humans: chimpanzees produce context-specific bark subtypes and context-specific signal combinations. Copyright 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
Progress in piezotronic and piezo-phototronic effect of 2D materials

Two-dimensional (2D) materials, possessing numerous remarkable properties including high electrical conductivity, optical transparency and mechanical strength, have supplied a fertile soil for theoretical research and practical application in electronics and optoelectronics. Due to a persistent need of strain sensors, microelectromechnical system (MEMS), nanorobots and active flexible electronics, piezotronic and piezo-phototronic effect of 2D materials have been attracting growing attentions in latest years. Therefore, a comprehensive and intensive understanding of piezotronic and piezo-phototronic effect of 2D materials is required. Here we review the recent progress in theoretical analysis and experimental observation of piezotronic and piezo-phototronic effect of 2D materials enabled by non-centrosymmetric crystal structure. After introducing the fundamental physics of piezotronic and piezo-phototronic effect concisely, the origination and analysis of the piezoelectricity in 2D materials are discussed in detail. Furthermore, we focus on the application in piezotronic and piezo-phototronic effect of transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) including transistor, nanogenerator, humidity sensor and photodetector. Moreover, some other 2D piezoelectric materials (PEMs) are also been summarized owing to their potential applications in piezotronics and piezo-phtotronics. Finally, some perspectives are put forward on the following opportunities and challenges for future research in this emerging field.
Occurrence of Treatment-Related Cardiotoxicity and Its Impact on Outcomes Among Children Treated in the AAML0531 Clinical Trial: A Report From the Children's Oncology Group.

PURPOSE Late cardiotoxicity after pediatric acute myeloid leukemia therapy causes substantial morbidity and mortality. The impact of early-onset cardiotoxicity on treatment outcomes is less well understood. Thus, we evaluated the risk factors for incident early cardiotoxicity and the impacts of cardiotoxicity on event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). METHODS Cardiotoxicity was ascertained through adverse event monitoring over the course of follow-up among 1,022 pediatric patients with acute myeloid leukemia treated in the Children's Oncology Group trial AAML0531. It was defined as grade 2 or higher left ventricular systolic dysfunction on the basis of Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 3) definitions. RESULTS Approximately 12% of patients experienced cardiotoxicity over a 5-year follow-up, with more than 70% of incident events occurring during on-protocol therapy. Documented cardiotoxicity during on-protocol therapy was significantly associated with subsequent off-protocol toxicity. Overall, the incidence was higher among noninfants and black patients, and in the setting of a bloodstream infection. Both EFS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2 to 2.1; P = .004) and OS (HR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2 to 2.2, P = .005) were significantly worse in patients with documented cardiotoxicity. Impacts on EFS were equivalent whether the incident cardiotoxicity event occurred in the absence (HR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1 to 2.2; P = .017) or presence of infection (HR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.0 to 2.7; P = .069) compared with patients without documented cardiotoxicity. However, the reduction in OS was more pronounced for cardiotoxicity not associated with infection (HR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.2 to 2.5; P = .004) than for infection-associated cardiotoxicity (HR, 1.3; 95% CI, 0.7 to 2.4; P = .387). CONCLUSION Early treatment-related cardiotoxicity may be associated with decreased EFS and OS. Cardioprotective strategies are urgently needed to improve relapse risk and both short- and long-term mortality outcomes.
Acceleration Sensitivity in Bulk-Extensional Mode, Silicon-Based MEMS Oscillators

Acceleration sensitivity in silicon bulk-extensional mode oscillators is studied in this work, and a correlation between the resonator alignment to different crystalline planes of silicon and the observed acceleration sensitivity is established. It is shown that the oscillator sensitivity to the applied vibration is significantly lower when the silicon-based lateral-extensional mode resonator is aligned to the <110> plane compared to when the same resonator is aligned to <100>. A finite element model is developed that is capable of predicting the resonance frequency variation when a distributed load (i.e., acceleration) is applied to the resonator. Using this model, the orientation-dependent nature of acceleration sensitivity is confirmed, and the effect of material nonlinearity on the acceleration sensitivity is also verified. A thin-film piezoelectric-on-substrate platform is chosen for the implementation of resonators. Approximately, one order of magnitude higher acceleration sensitivity is measured for oscillators built with a resonator aligned to the <100> plane versus those with a resonator aligned to the <110> plane (an average of ~5.66 × 10−8 (1/g) vs. ~3.66 × 10−9 (1/g), respectively, for resonators on a degenerately n-type doped silicon layer).
Worker's age regulates the linear dominance hierarchy in the queenless ponerine ant, Pachycondyla sublaevis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Abstract Abstract. The Australian ant Pachycondyla sublaevis has small colonies (2-18 workers) and no morphologically distinct queens. Instead, it exhibits a well-defined dominance hierarchy in which only the top-ranked worker is inseminated and has a well-developed ovary with matured oocytes. The dominance order is related to the age of workers but not their body size. That is, the top rank is occupied by young workers in most colonies and newly eclosed callows always fill the position next to the top. It is suggested that the dominance hierarchy of this ant species has evolved as a consequence of intra-colonial competition for reproduction. The frequency of dominance displays was as low as 1·9 times or less per h in small colonies but increased exponentially up to 37 times per h in large colonies of more than 10 workers.
Overnight memory retention of foraging skills by bumblebees is imperfect

Abstract Abstract. Newly emerged bees learn to forage more efficiently as they gain experience. To test the hypothesis that foraging efficiency would increase as bees gain experience during the day, but would decrease after a night, owing to loss of memory, naiveBombus terrestrisbumblebees were allowed to forage on two clusters of artificial flowers of unequal profitabilities during 3 consecutive days. Nectar intake rate, percentage of visits to the more profitable cluster, probing time and time intervals between visits were computed as measures of the bees' foraging efficiency. Nectar intake rates increased significantly during the day, and decreased partially but significantly after a night. They varied greatly between bees. The bees did not show a preference for one of the clusters at the onset of the experiment, and none consistently increased their visits to the more profitable cluster during single observation days. Most individuals did not visit the higher-reward cluster exclusively by the end of the third day. However, visits to the higher-reward cluster did increase significantly when the first day of observation was compared with the third day. Preference for the higher-reward cluster increased after the first night but decreased significantly after the second night. Probing time and inter-visit intervals decreased significantly during observation days, and increased significantly after a night. The results indicate that bees learn to approach and probe flowers faster, as they gain experience, during a foraging day, but that these skills are partially forgotten overnight. Patch preference is formed more slowly. Once formed, it is also weakened overnight. Such partial forgetting may aid the bee in reacting quickly to overnight changes in resource profitability by modifying flower choices and handling techniques.
Behavioural evidence for monopolization of paternity in multi-male groups of golden lion tamarins

Abstract Abstract. Recent reviews of field data on marmosets and tamarins (Callitrichidae) conclude that wild callitrichids exhibit a variable breeding system with a high incidence of cooperative polyandry, contrasting with the long-held supposition of monogamy for this Neotropical primate family. In this study on a wild population of golden lion tamarins, Leontopithecus rosalia , approximately 40% of groups contained two non-natal adult males. Both males cared for infants and, in some groups, both males copulated with the reproductive female. However, there was evidence for a dominant/subordinate relationship between males in most groups. Ovulation was probably not concealed, and dominant males were responsible for almost all sexual behaviour when females were likely to be fertile. A demographic model indicated that a currently non-reproductive subordinate male that waited for the dominant male in his group to die or for a breeding vacancy in an adjacent group could expect higher lifetime reproductive success than a male that left a subordinate position in search of breeding opportunities elsewhere. Thus, the observed stability of two-male groups does not require non-zero certainty of paternity for the subordinate male. A polyandrous group structure is common in this population, but paternity is probably monopolized by a single dominant male in most groups.
Experiential Measures Can Be Used as a Proxy for Language Dominance in Bilingual Language Acquisition Research

Language dominance is a multidimensional construct comprising several distinct yet interrelated components, including language proficiency, exposure and use. The exact relation between these components remains unclear. Several studies have observed a (non-linear) relationship between bilingual children’s amount of exposure and absolute proficiency in each language, but our understanding of the relationship between language exposure and use and relative proficiency is limited. To address this question, we examined whether experiential-based measures of language dominance, operationalised here in the narrow sense of relative language proficiency, can provide an efficient alternative to the more labor-intensive performance-based measures often used in the literature. In earlier work, Unsworth (a) examined the relationship between relative proficiency and language exposure and use in a group of English–Dutch bilingual preschool children residing in the Netherlands. This study expands these findings by examining Dutch–English preschool children of the same age residing in the United Kingdom in order to cover the full dominance continuum. Participants were 35 simultaneous bilingual children (2;0–5;0) exposed to English and Dutch, 20 resident in the Netherlands and 15 in the United Kingdom. Relative amount of language exposure and use were estimated using a parental questionnaire. To obtain performance-based measures of language proficiency, children’s spontaneous speech was recorded during a half-hour play session in each language. The transcribed data were used to derive MLU (words), average length of the longest five utterances, the number of different verb and noun types. Single word vocabulary comprehension was assessed using standardized tests in both languages. Following Yip and Matthews (2006), relative proficiency was operationalised using differentials. In line with Unsworth (2016a), English-dominant children typically had less than approx. 35% exposure to Dutch and used Dutch less than approximately 30% of the time. Curve-fitting analyses revealed that non-linear models best fit the data. Logistic regression analyses showed that both exposure and use were good predictors of dominance group membership assigned using the same approach as Unsworth (2016a), that is, using SDs. Dominance groups derived independently using cluster analyses overlapped with the groups derived using SDs, confirming that relative amount of exposure and use can be used as a proxy for language dominance.
Influence of Sourdough Fermentation on Amino Acids Composition, Phenolic Profile, and Antioxidant Properties of Sorghum Biscuits

Biscuits were produced from sorghum with and without the addition of sourdough. The influence of sourdough fermentation on the amino acids composition, phenolic profile, and antioxidant properties of the biscuits were evaluated. Phenolic compounds of the biscuits were identified and quantified using gas chromatography/mass spectrometer. The total phenol contents (TPC), total flavonoid contents (TFC), ferric reducing antioxidant properties (FRAP), 2,2’-azinobis( 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic) (ABTS) scavenging ability, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazy (DPPH) scavenging ability, and nitric oxide (NO) scavenging ability of the biscuits were determined. Addition of sourdough increased the total essential amino acids, total non essential amino acids, hydrophobic, and aromatic amino acids contents of the biscuits. Essential amino acid index, biological value, and predicted protein efficiency were higher in biscuits with sourdough than in biscuits without sourdough. Six phenolic compounds were identified and quantified in the biscuits. Ferulic acid was the most prominent phenolic compound, followed by chlorogenic acid. TPC, TFC, FRAP, ABTS, DPPH, and NO scavenging abilities increased significantly with the addition of sourdough. Sorghum biscuits with sourdough could be useful in dietary interventions to prevent protein-energy malnutrition. Similarly, the presence of bioactive phenolic compounds and their antioxidant efficacy suggest health benefits in the management of oxidative stress and degenerative diseases.
Gender Geometric Reasoning Stages and Gender Diffrences in Achievements of Preservice Teachers of E. P. College of Education, Bimbilla, Ghana

The purpose of this study was to investigate gender differences in geometric reasoning levels and gender differences in achievement scores of Preservice Teachers (PSTs) Van Hiele theory levels of Geometry thinking in E.P. College of Education, Bimbilla-Ghana. Six null hypotheses and one research question were formulated to guide the study. Three hundred and fiftyone (351) 74.2% of the population was used as the sample for the study. The sample composed of 133 (37.89%) female PST and 218 (62.11%) male PST. Both purposive and convenient samplings were used in this study. The instrument used was the 25 Van Hiele Geometry Test (VHGT) items. The combined results from the independent sample t-test revealed that there was no significant difference in all the VHGT levels between the male and female PSTs, even though the male performed slightly better than their female counterparts except only in level 4 which favored the female PST. Also, the findings revealed the following levels of reasoning stages for both sexes. For level 0, (Female =42.1% and Male = 34.4 %); level 1, (Female = 30.1% and Male = 33.9%); level 2, (Female = 19.5% and Male = 21.6%) ; level 3 (Female = 6.8% and Male = 8.7 %); level 4 (Female =1.5% and Male = 1.4 %) and level 5 both had 0 (0 %). It was recommended that Geometry Course outline/syllabi for Colleges of Education in Ghana should be revised to create room for Van Hiele phase-based approach.