Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mathematics at Your Fingertips: Testing a Finger Training Intervention to Improve Quantitative Skills

Previous research indicates that the use of fingers as representations of ordinal and cardinal number is an important part of young children's mathematics learning. Further to this, some studies have shown that a finger training intervention can improve young children's quantitative skills. In this article, we argue that fingers represent a means for children to bridge between different external representations of number (including verbal, symbolic and non-symbolic representations). Therefore we predicted that an intervention that combined finger training with experience playing games involving multiple representations would lead to greater increases in quantitative skills than either aspect of the intervention alone. One hundred and thirty-seven children aged between six and seven years old took part in an intervention study over the course of four weeks. The study tested the impact of five different conditions on participants' quantitative skills, their finger gnosis, and their ability to compare magnitudes of two non-symbolic representations of number. Relative to a control group, those children receiving a finger training intervention saw gains in finger gnosis skills (the ability to differentiate fingers when touched, without visual cues). Those children who played number games saw an increase in their non-symbolic magnitude comparison skills. However, only those children who experienced both aspects of the intervention saw increases in quantitative skills, which were assessed using an instrument informed by Gelman and Gallistel's (1978) five principles of counting. The findings show that a finger training intervention, when combined with intensive exposure to multiple representations of number, can support young children's development of quantitative skills. This adds to evidence in the literature regarding the role of fingers in children's mathematics learning, and may have implications for pedagogical approaches.
Following the breadcrumbs: An analysis of online product review characteristics by online shoppers

Consumer-generated product reviews are a driving force behind online purchases; at the same time, unfavorable reviews can discourage interested online shoppers and eventually hurt the brand. The objective of this exploratory study was to analyze a diverse range of characteristics and the valence of online product reviews that would aid in responding to customer dissatisfaction. Product reviews (N = 1982) from Amazon.com were collected and content analyzed. Some of the key findings include the following: (a) price was the most commonly discussed product feature; (b) online shoppers found two-sided reviews to be most informative, contradicting the commonly held assumption that negative reviews were more informative and diagnostic in nature; and (c) ‘no action’ was the most common end action across two-sided and negative reviews, indicating that varying levels of dissatisfaction might not always lead to a negative end action. Implications for marketers are discussed.
Comparative study of nectar secretion and attractivity to bees of two lines of spring-type faba bean ( Vicia faba L var equina Steudel)

Etude comparative de la secretion nectarifere et de l'attractivite vis-a-vis des abeilles de deux lignees de feverolle de printemps ( Vicia faba L var equina Steudel). Deux lignees de feverole de printemps tres proches genetiquement, l'une autofertile (D-27), l'autre peu autofertile (D-23), ont ete etudiees en conditions naturelles au champs pour leur nectar (production et composition) selon l'etat de la fleur et pour leur attractivite vis-a-vis de l'abeille mellifere (Apis mellifera L) et des bourdons (Bombus sp). Les deux lignees etudiees ont une production de nectar tres differente. La secretion de nectar de la lignee D-27 est en moyenne de 4 a 6 fois plus importante que celle de la lignee D-23 (tableau III) et c'est lorsque la fleur est ouverte que la production est optimale (fig 3). Les quantites recueillies apres 24 heures d'ensachage a 8, 10, 12, 16 h GMT sont de l'ordre de 1 a 2 μL par fleur. Certains jours, on detecte un effet heure et, dans ce cas, c'est le matin que la secretion est la plus abondante (8 h GMT). Les analyses realisees par la technique HPLC (chromatographie liquide haute performance) montrent que, parmi les sucres presents dans le nectar, le saccharose est nettement plus abondant que le glucose et le fructose. Les donnees presentent une grande variabilite tant entre plantes qu'entre genotypes (tableau V). Compte tenu de ces resultats (faible production entravant les analyses qualitatives et forte variabilite), une nouvelle methodologie est proposee pour comparer de maniere fiable les secretions entre les lignees. En ce qui concerne les abeilles melliferes, qui sont en majorite des butineuses de nectar, les deux lignees sont egalement attractives. En revanche, Bombus terres tris montre une nette preference pour D-27 (tableau VI), et il y pratique des trous de maniere a prelever le nectar sans penetrer dans la fleur des que celle-ci en secrete (stade fleur demi-fermee). Ces morsures ne modifient pas la secretion (tableau II). Que la fleur soit percee ou non, la proportion de visites negatives par ce bourdon est la meme sur les deux lignees (50 a 55 %). Dans nos conditions, les abeilles melliferes butineuses de nectar semblent utiliser assez peu les trous faits par les bourdons et 68,6 a 76,2 % d'entre elles effectuent des visites positives. Ceci implique qu'elle peuvent etre utilisees comme agent pollinisateur sur ces lignees. On peut penser que les faibles quantites de nectar produite par D-23 sont suffisantes pour attirer les abeilles. Cependant le fait que D-27, qui est autofertile (independante de la pollinisation entomophile) est la plus attractive pour les bourdons (tableau VI) est discute.
Risk Factors for Peri-intubation Cardiac Arrest in a Pediatric Emergency Department

Supplemental digital content is available in the text. Objectives Cardiac arrest is a significant complication of emergent endotracheal intubation (ETI) within the pediatric population. No studies have evaluated risk factors for peri-intubation cardiac arrest (PICA) in a pediatric emergency department (ED) setting. This study identified risk factors for PICA among patients undergoing emergent ETI in a pediatric ED. Methods We performed a nested case-control study within the cohort of children who underwent emergent ETI in our pediatric ED during a 9-year period. Cases were children with PICA within 20 minutes of ETI. Controls (4 per case) were randomly selected children without PICA after ETI. We analyzed potential risk factors based on published data and physiologic plausibility and created a simple risk model using univariate results, model fit statistics, and clinical judgment. Results In the cohort of patients undergoing ETI, PICA occurred in 21 of 543 subjects (3.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.2–5.9%), with return of spontaneous circulation in 16 of 21 (76.2%; 95% CI, 52.8–91.8%) and survival to discharge in 12 of 21 (57.1%; 95% CI, 34.0–78.2%). On univariate analysis, cases were more likely to be younger, have delayed capillary refill time, systolic or diastolic hypotension, hypoxia, greater than one intubation attempt, no sedative or paralytic used, and pulmonary disease compared with controls. Our 4-category risk model for PICA combined preintubation hypoxia (or an unobtainable pulse oximetry value) and younger than 1 year. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for this model was 0.87 (95% CI, 0.77–0.97). Conclusions Hypoxia (or an unobtainable pulse oximetry value) was the strongest predictor for PICA among children after emergent ETI in our sample. A simple risk model combining pre-ETI hypoxia and younger than 1 year showed excellent discrimination in this sample. Our results require independent validation.
Dissipative Soliton Fiber Laser Mode-Locked With a Resonant InGaAs-Based Saturable Absorber Mirror

We report on the successful operation of a dissipative soliton fiber laser mode-locked with a bulk InGaAs-based saturable absorber mirror forming a resonant micro-cavity. Highly-chirped pulses with several nanojoules of energy are thus produced. Remarkably, the laser performances in terms of output power and amplitude stability are comparable to those obtained with their multiple-quantum-well-based counterparts. This letter suggests that this simplified approach for saturable absorber mirrors can be considered as a promising alternative regarding ultrafast optics applications.
National customer satisfaction indices: an implementation in the Turkish mobile telephone market

– To build a National Consumer Satisfaction Index for Turkey, drawing on models already in existence in Sweden, the USA, Norway and the European Union. In so doing, to remedy observed practical shortcomings of those indices. , – Structural equation modelling was applied to the general model, in the specific context of the mobile telephone market in Turkey, based on data collected by questionnaire from more than 1,500 subscribers. , – The purpose‐designed new customer satisfaction index exhibits good fit and strong explanatory power. It is the most comprehensive so far developed, by virtue of adding two new factors to the model. , – The new Turkish index was tested for validity and reliability only in the context of mobile telephony; it should ideally now be further tested in different sectors, periodically, to validate comparisons with other national variants. More latent variables and economic data should be incorporated to analyse the links among the index itself, loyalty and economic consequences. It is suggested that the partial least squares method could have been more appropriate than the maximum likelihood iteration procedure actually employed. , – Apart from its obvious role in assessing customer satisfaction in a domestic market, a customer satisfaction index can be extended to the level of comparing whole economies. This is of considerable significance for Turkey's ambitions to join the European Union. , – This article enhances and extends an established but relatively little known quantitative method for evaluating customer satisfaction, and thereby offers an important diagnostic tool to marketing planners
Business models - What is their effect on the implementation of strategic plans by SMEs?

Strategic planning is a continuous and systematic process where decisions on intended future outcomes, their accomplishment, measurement and evaluation are made. It includes goal setting and resource allocation (Stonehouse and Pemberton 2002; O'Regan and Ghobadian 2004; Dogan, Alpkan, Elci and Aren, 2009) that stimulates pro-activity, performance improvement, long term thinking, communication, strategic issues, gaps, priorities and choices. Strategic planning in small medium enterprises (SMEs) is unique and evolves over their life cycle. Business model in this study are defined as any arrangements or agreements that an organisation would enter into so as to make it relevant to the market that it serves or intends to serve. This study seeks to investigate how a business model affects the implementation of strategic plans by SMEs in Nairobi County in Kenya. Prior studies indicated that many SMEs are practicing strategic planning but the implementation process remains a challenge leading to shelving of well-formulated strategies that fail at the implementation stage. While existing studies focused on relationships between various factors that impact on the strategy implementation, this study endeavored to establish the influence of business models on implementation. To achieve the main objective, a survey of 96 SMEs was conducted from a population frame of 810 SMEs registered by the Nairobi City Council. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. A questionnaire containing both open-ended and closed questions was used for data collection. The response rate of 91.67% was achieved. Data collected was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The study results indicate that business models affect implementation of strategic plans in Kenyan SMEs. Based on the findings, the study has recommended that SMEs should take initiatives to adopt change in their attitudes and approaches towards vital issues such as risk appetite, saturation of existing markets, changing customer needs, resource constraints, lack of training, lack of specialist and technical knowledge, and rising costs to enable them develop business models that will earn them competitive advantage.
Distinguishing among Competing Theories of the Market Share Effect

Empirical studies assessing the role of market share in influencing profitability have been challenged because of their inability to distinguish among competing hypotheses. The author addresses this concern by estimating a reduced form model of profitability. The estimated reduced form, producing market share coefficients indistinguishable from zero, is consistent with an underlying structural model with no direct market share effect. The bivariate correlation between market share and ROI arises primarily from a failure to control for the unobservable factors contemporaneously influencing both variables and inducing serial correlation in ROI models. An alternative structural model that both contains a substantial market share effect and is consistent with the estimated reduced form is not apparent.
Secreted Vago restricts West Nile virus infection in Culex mosquito cells by activating the Jak-STAT pathway

Although West Nile virus (WNV) and other arthropod-borne viruses are a major public health problem, the mechanisms of antiviral immunity in mosquitoes are poorly understood. Dicer-2, responsible for the RNAi-mediated response through the C-terminal RNase-III domain, also contains an N-terminal DExD/H-box helicase domain similar to mammalian RIG-I/MDA5 which, in Drosophila, was found to be required for activation of an antiviral gene, Vago. Here we show that the Culex orthologue of Vago (CxVago) is up-regulated in response to WNV infection in a Dicer-2–dependent manner. Further, our data show that CxVago is a secreted peptide that restricts WNV infection by activation of the Jak-STAT pathway. Thus, Vago appears to function as an IFN-like antiviral cytokine in mosquitoes.
15 Face Recognition without Identification

Most people have had the experience of recognizing a person’s face as familiar despite failing to identify who the person is or where the person was seen before. Many domains of research have aimed to study this phenomenon; thus, there exist many research paradigms for attempting to tap it in laboratory settings. Among these paradigms are dual-process recognition memory paradigms within the recognition memory literature (e.g., Yonelinas, 2002), feeling-of-knowing paradigms within the metacognition literature (Koriat, 1995), and face identification paradigms within the more general face recognition literature (e.g., Burton, Bruce & Hancock, 1999).
An empirical assessment of the software design pattern concept

Context: The publication of the milestone textbook on design patterns by the ‘Gang of Four’ (GoF) in 1995, introduced a set of 23 design patterns that are largely concerned with improving the practices and products of software development. However, there has been no comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of design patterns, nor is there any evidence about any claims and factors that are made for pattern reuse in software development. Aims: The aims of this thesis are to assess the design patterns systematically in a sequence of studies, and to identify the claims and factors to determine how well they reflect experiences of pattern reuse in practice. Method: This thesis describes four studies: a document survey to identify claims for patterns, a mapping study to identify empirical studies about patterns, an online survey, and a narrative synthesis. The mapping study and the online survey together provide quite comprehensive and thorough evidence for the narrative synthesis. In the narrative synthesis, we check whether there is any consistency or not in the evidence about specific patterns, and also to see how the claims and factors influence pattern reuse. Results: The mapping study found 20 primary studies, and the online survey had 206 usable responses. In the 20 primary study of the mapping study 17 design patterns were examined. In the online survey 175 respondents considered patterns were useful, and 155 respondents reported on patterns that they considered not to be useful. Conclusion: From the synthesis results, the specific patterns Composite and Observer are evaluated as being generally useful, but the Visitor and Singleton patterns, while useful, have possible negative aspects. And also four of the claims and the effect of one factor are demonstrated to be generally true. But the others are either unsupported or have no effect.
Anaphylactoid reaction to intravenous hydrocortisone sodium succinate: a case report and literature review

Reports of corticosteroid sensitivity reactions are rare In the medical literature. We report an anaphylactoid reaction to hydrocortisone sodium succinate given Intravenously which occurred on two occasions during treatment of a patient for asthma. Intradermaltesting with a wide range of steroid preparations gave positive results with hydrocortisone sodium succinate, methylprednisolone sodium succinate and methylprednisolone acetate. No reactions occurred to dexamethasone sodium phosphate administered Intravenously, prednisolone given orally or beclomethasone dlproplonate by Inhalation. Results of a radioallergosorbent test (RAST) were negative for hydrocortisone sodium succinate.
Internal Resources, External Resources and Environment, and Firm Performance: A Study on Taiwanese Small and Medium Sized Firms

This paper explains how a firm's intern al resources, external resources, and external environment affect firm performance. Our research model examines how a firm's internal strategic resources are moderated by social capital and environmental turbulence to affect performance. Findings of an empirical survey of 140 Taiwanese small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) specifically in the textile and giftware industries significantly support predictions of the positive effects of internal strategic resources on firm performance, Meanwhile, mixed results exist for the moderating effects of social capital and environmental turbulence. Our study makes contributions to both academia and industry by advancing knowledge of the determinants and implications of firm success in the context of Taiwanese SMEs operating in mature industries.
The Balance-Sheet Information Content of UK Company Profit Warnings

This article looks at the information content of profit warnings issued by UK private non-financial companies over the period 1997-2001 in relation to measures of their profitability and balance-sheet strength. It finds that profit warnings are associated with a persistent fall in profit margins and that this decline in margins is larger than for companies who do not issue warnings. The article also finds that profit warnings contain incremental information for other balance-sheet variables: those firms who issue warnings are also more likely to see their gearing levels rise, and investment and dividends fall, than other firms whose profit margins also fall but who do not issue a warning.
Big-Bang simulation for embedding network distances in Euclidean space

Embedding of a graph metric in Euclidean space efficiently and accurately is an important problem in general with applications in topology aggregation, closest mirror selection, and application level routing. We propose a new graph embedding scheme called Big-Bang simulation (BBS), which simulates an explosion of particles under force field derived from embedding error. BBS is shown to be significantly more accurate, compared to all other embedding methods including GNP. We report an extensive simulation study of BBS compared with several known embedding scheme and show its advantage for distance estimation (as in the IDMaps project), mirror selection and topology aggregation.
THE ASSEMBLY HISTORY OF DISK GALAXIES. I. THE TULLY–FISHER RELATION TO z ≃ 1.3 FROM DEEP EXPOSURES WITH DEIMOS

We present new measures of the evolving scaling relations between stellar mass, luminosity and rotational velocity for a morphologically inclusive sample of 129 disk-like galaxies with zAB < 22.5 in the redshift range 0.2 <z < 1.3, based on spectra from DEep Imaging Multi-Object Spectrograph on the Keck II telescope, multi-color Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Advanced Camera for Surveys photometry, and ground-based Ks-band imaging. A unique feature of our survey is the extended spectroscopic integration times, leading to significant improvements in determining characteristic rotational velocities for each galaxy. Rotation curves are reliably traced to the radius where they begin to flatten for ∼90% of our sample, and we model the HST-resolved bulge and disk components in order to accurately de-project our measured velocities, accounting for seeing and dispersion. We demonstrate the merit of these advances by recovering an intrinsic scatter on the stellar mass Tully–Fisher relation a factor of two to three less than in previous studies at intermediate redshift and comparable to that of locally determined relations. With our increased precision, we find that the relation is well established by 〈z〉 ∼ 1, with no significant evolution to 〈z〉 ∼ 0.3, ΔM* ∼ 0.04 ± 0.07 dex. A clearer trend of evolution is seen in the B-band Tully–Fisher relation corresponding to a decline in luminosity of ΔMB ∼ 0.85 ± 0.28 magnitudes at fixed velocity over the same redshift range, reflecting the changes in star formation over this period. As an illustration of the opportunities possible when gas masses are available for a sample such as ours, we show how our dynamical and stellar mass data can be used to evaluate the likely contributions of baryons and dark matter to the assembly history of spiral galaxies.