Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol [SIOP] Model on Eighth-Grade Students’ Academic Achievement in English

School education in Pakistan has allocated resources to upsurge English language learners (ELLs) academic achievement. But in spite of concerted efforts, students of English language specifically at elementary level continue to lag behind in their academic achievement. Additionally, English language teachers feel themselves unequipped to fulfill the linguistics and academic needs of these learners without relevant professional development training. The main objective of this quasi experimental pre-test post-test design study, therefore, was to analyze the effect of SIOP model on students’ achievement in English in comparison with students who were not taught using this model. All the students enrolled in grade 8th in elementary schools of district Lodhran served as study population. Two intact/pre-existing sections of grade 8th in two elementary schools were taken as study sample. One section with 32 students (experimental group) was taught using SIOP model while the other section with 40 students (control group) received instruction with conventional methods. The inferential analysis of pre-test post-test data exhibited statistically significant differences in experimental group students’ English achievement level who received instruction with SIOP. Findings of this study suggest that the use of SIOP model has positive effect on English language learners (ELLs) academic achievement as well as closing the English achievement gap. Finally, this study provides valuable implications for teachers, school administrators and policy makers to improve academic performance of English language learners.
Comparison of patient satisfaction between complete dentures fabricated using “conventional” and “cephalometric angular reconstruction” vertical dimension procedures: A multicenter randomized clinical trial

Aim: In Prosthodontics, during complete denture fabrication, conventional methods employed to determine occlusal vertical dimension require patient co-operation. Hence, the aim of the present study is to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of the 'cephalometric angular reconstruction' procedure in the calculation of these lost dimensions. Settings and Design: Multicentric randomised clinical trial conducted in four dental hospitals. Materials and Methods: Fully edentulous people who came to the hospitals for complete denture treatment were recruited into the study. Those who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to two groups; Group 1: Dentures fabricated using a 'conventional' procedure and Group 2: Dentures fabricated using 'cephalometric angular reconstruction'. The patient's level of satisfaction was assessed on a scale of 1 to 5; 1-dissatisfaction to 5-excellent. The confounding factors that can influence the satisfaction were also recorded. Statistical Analysis Used: The distribution of patient's satisfaction was assessed using Chi-square test, whereas the difference between the two groups was evaluated using Mann–Whitney test. Results: There was no significant difference either in the vertical dimension determined (P = 0.465) or the patient's level of satisfaction (P = 0.943) between the two groups. There was no influence of confounding factors considered in the present study on the satisfaction levels. There was no difference in the distribution of satisfaction levels based on the dentist's quality assessment (P = 0.243). Conclusion: Complete dentures fabricated using cephalometric angular reconstruction procedure of vertical dimension determination were equivalent with respect to patient satisfaction, compared to those made using a conventional method. Hence, the new method can be clinically recommended during denture fabrication.
An exploratory examination of the influence of national culture on cross national diffusion: A case study on the MENA region

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to determine whether country-specific variables can explain differences in diffusion patterns observed across countries from the MENA region. Specifically, we examine the relationship of several indicators on innovation and imitation levels pertaining to seven Arab States and hypotheses on the direction and significance of each variable on the diffusion patterns. The study employed two prevalent theories in the literature, Hofstede’s national culture theory and the Bass model, which have been used in conjunction to explain how cultural differences can affect levels of innovativeness. The present study’s findings contribute to the literature by providing the characteristics of innovative countries, which are to be high UAI, low LTO, and high IVR countries and imitative countries, which are found to have low literacy rates, low urbanization, and ranked as high PDI. Originality/value: The present study was able to isolate national cultural differences in imitative behaviour, which is an objective that was understated in most cross-national diffusion literature, seeing as most emphasis is put on the innovative profiles and innovative characteristics of societies.
Feasibility and Acceptability of a Serious Mobile-Game Intervention for Older Adults

Abstract Aims: To investigate the feasibility and acceptability of a serious mobile-game intervention on older adults’ engagement, affect, and cognitive function. Methods: In this single-subject design, twenty older adults, six of whom living with dementia, participated in a 16-session mobile-game intervention. Before and after the intervention, participants had sessions involving traditional paper-based cognitive activities. Engagement and affect were measured in each session. Cognitive measures were administered before and after the intervention. Acceptability was explored through interviews. Results: After the intervention, there was a statistically significant increase in engagement in 37% of participants, and in affect in 21% of participants. Participants preferred the mobile games to the paper-based activities. Cognitive measures showed improvement in four participants with dementia. Conclusions: Although not conclusive, participants experienced higher levels of engagement and positive affect while playing the mobile games compared to paper-based activities. The results indicate feasibility and acceptability of the mobile game intervention.
“It’s your body, it’s part of who you are!”: Influences upon collegiate vocalists’ performance self-efficacy beliefs

Fostering accurate musical self-perceptions may be particularly challenging when developing singing technique, where self-assessment is complicated by the close physiological and emotional relationship between the performer and the body-instrument. The aim of the present study was to investigate how vocal students’ beliefs in their performance capabilities were influenced by the four sources of self-efficacy and other personal/contextual factors. Nine vocalists at a private university in the western United States completed the Vocal Performance Self-Efficacy Survey, participated in two follow-up interviews, and provided written reflections about experiences that fostered or hindered their performance belief. Participants reported that they moved from a reliance on external assessments of capability to self-appraisal as they (a) refined technique through practice and performance, (b) observed coping and master models, (c) managed feedback from others, (d) attuned to physiological and emotional sensations, and (e) exercised cognitive self-regulation. Eight of nine interview participants reported that physiological and affective states most affected their performance belief. Findings indicate the importance of nurturing vocal students’ performance beliefs by utilizing the four sources of self-efficacy, fostering qualities of persistence and resilience, teaching agentic causation, fostering productive student/teacher relationships, and creating emotionally safe learning and performance environments.
Healing attachment trauma in adult psychotherapy: The role of limited reparenting

ABSTRACT Bowlby was the first scholar who conceptualised the therapeutic relationship as an attachment. A wide range of therapeutic approaches have adopted his ideas and have focused on the importance of the therapeutic relationship in healing relational trauma. The present paper focuses on limited reparenting, an attachment informed approach employed in the context of schema therapy, and explores its potential in producing beneficial therapeutic outcomes by meeting the client’s attachment needs and thus reconstructing their relational schemas. In support of this claim empirical evidence is drawn from two seemingly different areas of research: attachment security priming and imagery rescripting. Implications for clinical practice and research are discussed.
Examining the association between group context effects and individual outcomes in an interdisciplinary group-based treatment for chronic pain based on acceptance and commitment therapy

Background Although cognitive-behavioural treatments for chronic pain are delivered in groups, there is little research investigating group effects in these treatments. Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate associations between group composition variables at the start of treatment and individual outcomes following intensive interdisciplinary treatment for pain based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Methods This was a secondary analysis of routinely collected observational data. Five-hundred and sixteen patients completed a standard set of demographic, pain-related and psychosocial measures at pre- and post-treatment. Intracluster correlations (ICCs) were computed to examine the clustering of outcomes within groups and multilevel models explored the association between group composition variables and individual level outcomes. Results The ICCs for pain intensity (0.11) and interference (0.09) suggested that multilevel models were warranted for these outcomes, while a multilevel model for post-treatment depression (ICC = 0.04) was not warranted. Group percentage of participants receiving disability benefits and group mean pain intensity at pre-treatment were significantly positively associated with individual level pain intensity at post-treatment, controlling for pre-treatment individual level pain intensity. Group mean pain intensity at pre-treatment was the only group variable that significantly predicted post-treatment pain interference at the individual level. Psychosocial group composition variables were not significantly associated with individual level outcomes. Conclusion Given the limited predictive utility of group composition variables in the current study, future research should undertake direct assessment of group level therapeutic and countertherapeutic processes to advance understanding of who benefits from group treatments for pain and how. As the variance in outcomes accounted for by group clustering was relatively small and significant within groups variance remained, research is also needed to further understand individual level factors that influence cognitive-behavioural treatment outcomes for pain.
Ultra-low loss visible light waveguides for integrated atomic, molecular, and quantum photonics.

Atomic, molecular and optical (AMO) visible light systems are the heart of precision applications including quantum, atomic clocks and precision metrology. As these systems scale in terms of number of lasers, wavelengths, and optical components, their reliability, space occupied, and power consumption will push the limits of using traditional laboratory-scale lasers and optics. Visible light photonic integration is critical to advancing AMO based sciences and applications, yet key performance aspects remain to be addressed, most notably waveguide losses and laser phase noise and stability. Additionally, a visible light integrated solution needs to be wafer-scale CMOS compatible and capable of supporting a wide array of photonic components. While the regime of ultra-low loss has been achieved at telecommunication wavelengths, progress at visible wavelengths has been limited. Here, we report the lowest waveguide losses and highest resonator Qs to date in the visible range, to the best of our knowledge. We report waveguide losses at wavelengths associated with strontium transitions in the 461 nm to 802 nm wavelength range, of 0.01 dB/cm to 0.09 dB/cm and associated intrinsic resonator Q of 60 Million to 9.5 Million, a decrease in loss by factors of 6x to 2x and increase in Q by factors of 10x to 1.5x over this visible wavelength range. Additionally, we measure an absorption limited loss and Q of 0.17 dB/m and 340 million at 674 nm. This level of performance is achieved in a wafer-scale foundry compatible Si3N4 platform with a 20 nm thick core and TEOS-PECVD deposited upper cladding oxide, and enables waveguides for different wavelengths to be fabricated on the same wafer with mask-only changes per wavelength. These results represent a significant step forward in waveguide platforms that operate in the visible, opening up a wide range of integrated applications that utilize atoms, ions and molecules including sensing, navigation, metrology and clocks.
The effect of illicit crops on forest cover in Colombia

ABSTRACT Many armed conflicts worldwide occur in biodiversity hotspots and nearly 50% of those conflicts occur in forested regions. In Colombia, the armed conflict has implied the clearing of large forest tracts for the establishment of illicit crops. The aim of this study was to assess the role that illicit crops played in the deforestation dynamics in Colombia between 2001 and 2014. We established a database with the annual deforestation rates and nine predictors for 1120 municipalities and built fixed effects models that take spatial autocorrelation into account. Model selection with AIC suggested that the area cultivated with coca crops was the best predictor of annual rates of deforestation, whereas coca crop removal was associated with increasing forest cover. According to our results, coca crops promoted deforestation in Colombia between 2001 and 2014 through indirect (spilling-over to nearby areas), immediate and temporally-lagged mechanisms.
Towards a problem-oriented regional industrial policy: possibilities for public intervention in framing, valuation and market formation

ABSTRACT Thinking about regional industrial policies remains focused on the supply of new knowledge, and recently also on grand challenges and missions, but takes problems, demand and market formation largely for granted. In this paper we build on policy sciences, sociology of markets and valuation approaches to explore the place-based roles of agency, institutions, networks and values in discursive processes of problem-framing and market creation. We identify a number of choices and trade-offs in the processes, practices and constitutive elements of market creation that in turn suggest new possibilities for more societal problem-oriented regional industrial policies.
What Difference Does Time Make? Analysis of Driver Behaviors Before and After Toll Implementation

This study examines if and how drivers respond to tolls differently after implementation by analyzing drivers’ intention to pay tolls and toll avoidance behaviors. We apply the Theory of Planned Behavior to connect intention to pay and avoidance behavior to three categories of predictors: attitudes toward tolls, perceptions of toll benefits, and ability to pay. Since the theory does not explicitly consider factors such as past experience and changes in the decision-making process over time, we utilize three analytical approaches to examine: (1) if time affects intention to pay tolls and toll avoidance behavior; (2) pathways through which time makes a difference, and (3) how factors influencing intention behaviors change pre- and post-toll implementation. We find that time does in fact matter; there are direct and indirect pathways through which time makes a difference and time changes the strength of the relationships between intention to pay and behavior.
The Impact of Financial Capability in Managing Income and Expenditure on Consumer Financial Satisfaction: Evidence from the USA

Using the survey data of the National Financial Capability Study in 2018, this study aims to provide empirical insight into the impact of financial capability in managing income and expenditure (MIE) on consumer financial satisfaction. To produce more accurate results, the approach of the ordered logit regression is utilized. The results suggest a positive association between financial capability in MIE and consumer financial satisfaction, implying that consumers who can manage their spending within income tend to enjoy a higher level of satisfaction under current financial conditions. In addition, when an ordered probit regression is utilized, and the outliers of income and the heterogeneity of consumers’ annual income are taken into account, the results remain unchanged. Moreover, this study also verifies the role of perceived mathematical capability as a moderator. Hence, the findings enable policymakers and consumer educators to formulate effective measures to enhance consumer financial capability in MIE.
Uterine Leiomyosarcoma

Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in adults and can occur in any part of the body. Uterine leiomyosarcoma (uLMS) is the most common location for LMS, making up 2% to 5% of all uterine malignancies. It is an aggressive tumor that is challenging to treat because of its resistance to standard therapy. The majority of patients (60%) are diagnosed with early-stage disease. However, regardless of the stage, uLMS has a poor prognosis. Surgical resection is the cornerstone of treatment for patients with localized LMS independent of the site of origin. Adjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage disease remains controversial as multiple clinical trials have failed to demonstrate benefit on overall survival. Progress has been made in therapy for advanced and recurrent disease. This case study will highlight the current and emerging data regarding novel therapies for women with uLMS.
The content of Cd and Pb in undeveloped and shallow soils and plant material in the area of national park Tara

Ultramafic (serpenites) are a group of igneous or metamorphic rocks, which are characterized by high concentrations of Mg, Fe, Ni, Cr, and Co, along with low concentrations of Ca, P, and K, contain less than 45% silicon (SiO2). Tara Mountain is natural good of western Serbia where areas under serpentinites occupy 28%. Researchers agree that the flora of serpentine areas is unique and botanically very important. The specificity of the flora and the development of vegetation on serpentinites are characterized by special mechanisms of plant species adaptation to increased concentrations of some heavy metals in the soil with low content of essential elements (nutrients). This paper examines the influence of serpentinite geological substrate on the occurrence of certain plant species in the initial stages of plant community development. The soil was mainly sampled in rock crevices in the early phases of soil development (Lithosols) where the influence and origin of the metals from the rock can be considered the most obvious. Content of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in geological substratum, soil and plants biomass is analysed in order to differentiate levels and extents of natural and anthropogenic pollution and also deposition data from the EMEP program (European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme). Results show that the content of lead and cadmium in the soil and plant samples are higher than the content in the corresponding rock sample, except for two soil samples, in which the content of Cd is lower. Thissuggest that the origin of the increased Pb and Cd content might be from anthropogenic sources. Deposition (data from EMEP program) of Cd and Pb, which was analysed for the period from 1990-2018, indicate significant cumulative effect. The values of cumulative deposition in research area have a value of 91,51 kg/km2 lead, while the value of cadmium is 1665 g/km2 , which classifies NP Tara in above-average polluted area in R. Serbia.
Oscillatory Circuits With a Real Non-Volatile Stanford Memristor Model

Stanford memristor model is a widely used model that accurately characterizes real non-volatile metal-oxide resistive random access memory (RRAM) devices with bipolar switching characteristics. The paper studies for the first time the dynamics and bifurcations in a class of nonlinear oscillators with real non-volatile memristor devices obeying Stanford model. This is in contrast with papers in the literature considering oscillators with ideal, abstract, or artificial memristor models, that are unable to describe physical memristors implemented in nanotechnology. One main new idea in the paper is to use the memristor as a programmable nonlinear resistor. Namely, two principal modes of operation are considered. 1) Analogue transient phase: the oscillator is designed so that in the transient oscillations the voltage on the memristor is below threshold, hence the main memristor state variable, i.e., the gap of the insulating material, is almost constant and the memristor behaves as a static nonlinear resistor. 2) Programming phase: the nonlinear characteristic of the memristor, which depends on the gap, can be changed via the application of voltages above threshold. The paper studies nonlinear oscillations in the transient phase for a fixed gap as well as the bifurcations phenomena displayed when the gap is varied. The paper also discusses the differences between the approach in the paper and those to design other memristor oscillators with non-volatile memristors.
Vertically Resolved Convective/Stratiform Echo Type Identification and Convectivity Retrieval for Vertically Pointing Radars

Using data from the airborne HIAPER Cloud Radar (HCR), a partitioning algorithm (ECCO-V) that provides vertically resolved convectivity and convective vs stratiform radar echo classification is developed for vertically pointing radars. The algorithm is based on the calculation of reflectivity and radial velocity texture fields that measure the horizontal homogeneity of cloud and precipitation features. The texture fields are translated into convectivity, a numerical measure of the convective or stratiform nature of each data point. The convective/stratiform classification is obtained by thresholding the convectivity field. Subcategories of low, mid, and high stratiform, shallow, mid, deep, and elevated convective, and mixed echoes are introduced, which are based on the melting layer and divergence level altitudes.As the algorithm provides vertically resolved classifications, it is capable of identifying different types of vertically-layered echoes, and convective features that are embedded in stratiform cloud layers. Its robustness was tested on data from four HCR field campaigns which took place in different meteorological and climatological regimes. The algorithm was adapted for use in space borne and ground based radars, proving its versatility, as it is adaptable not only to different radar types and wavelengths, but also different research applications.