Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Model Similarity on Self-Efficacy and Muscular Endurance: A Second Look

This study examined the effects of model-similarity cues on motor performance and self-efficacy. Specifically, the study was designed to determine which characteristics of a model (sex or ability) subjects perceived as the more salient similarity cue. This study was a replication and extension of the no-talk model conditions employed in the Gould and Weiss (1981) study. Female college students (N=100) with limited or no athletic experience were randomly assigned to one of four modeling conditions (an athletic male model, an athletic female model, a nonathletic male model, or a nonathletic female model) or to a no-model (control) group. After viewing a videotaped demonstration of the model performing a leg-extension endurance task, each subject performed three trials. Subjects completed self-efficacy questionnaires on two occasions. Only those subjects indicating that it was moderately to very important for them to do well on the task were used in the analyses (N=69). Results replicated those in Gould and .
Design and parametric analysis of a very compact UWB antenna using a simple DRA topology

In this paper, the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method is employed to analyze a novel compact DRA antenna which has small dimension (substrate size is 30×45×1.27 mm⁁3 and DRA size is 10×10×2.5 mm⁁3) is proposed for Ultra-Wideband applications. Every Geometrical parameter has different effects on the overall performances of the proposed antenna and the optimal dimensions can be achieved by a parametric analysis. The designed antenna operates over 3.0 Ghz to 11.0 GHz. Numerical results for the return loss and radiation Patterns of the dielectric resonator (DR) antenna are illustrated by FDTD method.
Electrochemical double layer capacitor electrodes using aligned carbon nanotubes grown directly on metals

We report on the fabrication of electrochemical double layer capacitor (EDLC) electrodes with aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grown directly on conductive substrates using an air assisted chemical vapor deposition technique. The fabricated EDLCs showed very small equivalent series resistances (∼few hundreds of mΩ), a direct consequence of integrating CNTs with metal current collectors. The specific capacitance of the CNTs used for EDLC electrodes increased with decreasing CNT lengths and ranged from 10.75 F g−1 to 21.57 F g−1 with maximum energy and power density ranging from 2.3 to 5.4 Wh kg−1 and 19.6 to 35.4 kW kg−1, respectively. These results indicate that the integrated CNT electrodes fabricated using a simple single step process hold significant promise in applications related to electrochemical energy storage.
Node-Link Mapping as an Alternative to Traditional Writing Assignments in Undergraduate Psychology Courses

We explored the usefulness of a spatial—verbal technique called node-link mapping as an alternative to traditional uniting assignments. Students in Introductory Psychology (n = 44) and Memory and Cognition (n = 38) courses participated in the study as part of their normal course work. Students worked individually or in groups of two or three on the mapping assignment and then completed an anonymous questionnaire. Students rated the mapping assignment as more interesting, more informative, and no more difficult than a traditional writing assignment. Students also preferred the mapping assignment to a traditional writing assignment. Students' comments suggest that the mapping assignment helped students organize and remember information better than a traditional writing assignment.
The prostitution of psychotherapy: A feminist critique

Abstract Historically, psychotherapy has largely failed women and other marginalised people. Created by the mainstream to serve the mainstream, traditional therapy focuses on the individual and works to bring all individuals into line with the status quo. In contrast, feminist therapy (as one of the radical alternative therapies) emphasises the need for psychotherapy to be based in a socio-political philosophy which names oppression as the cause of most of the emotional and psychological distress experienced by individuals. A major emphasis is on change rather than adjustment. Traditional therapy is charged with: (1) reinforcing society's mystifications/lies/deceit; and (2) allowing itself to be used and degraded in service of the mainstream. The role of demystification, honesty and the pursuit of justice as therapeutic endeavours is discussed.
MECHANISMS OF INCREASED SURVIVAL AFTER LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE-INDUCED ENDOTOXIC SHOCK IN MICE CONSUMING OLIVE OIL-ENRICHED DIET

We examined the impact of dietary fatty acid intake on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxic shock. C57Bl/6J mice were fed for 6 weeks with a commercial laboratory chow (CC) or with test chows containing 7% (w/w) canola oil (CO), sesame oil (SeO), soybean oil (SO), or virgin olive oil (OO). The increase in body weight and energy consumption were similar for all diets tested. In the sixth week, mice were injected intraperitoneally with 400 μg of bacterial LPS to induce endotoxic shock. LPS induced a massive neutrophil infiltration into the peritoneal cavity and an increase in lipid body (LB) formation in leukocytes recovered from the peritoneal fluid of mice fed with CC, CO, SeO, or SO. In addition, there were increases in prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), leukotriene B4 (LTB4), and cytokines IL-6, IL-10, and MCP-1 in peritoneal lavage, as well as in plasma TNF-α. In contrast, mice fed with OO exhibited reduced neutrophil accumulation and LB formation, and also had lower levels of PGE2, LTB4, MCP-1, and TNF-α. All mice fed with CC, CO, SeO, or SO died within 48 to 72 h after LPS injection. Interestingly, mice fed with the OO diet were resistant to endotoxic shock, with 60% survival at 168 h. These data indicate that intake of OO may have a beneficial role, reducing the magnitude of the inflammatory process triggered by endotoxic shock through modulation of LB formation and of the production of inflammatory mediators.
Psychoeducational Program for Parents of Adolescents With Intellectual Disabilities

A psychoeducational program was developed in response to the needs expressed most frequently in a province-wide survey conducted in Quebec, Canada, of more than 560 parents of people with intellectual disabilities. Parents of adolescents expressed the greatest needs for support. A program was therefore created specifically for this group and tested with 25 parents of adolescents. This program was then compared with another type of intervention often used with parents: a self-help support group. The results indicated overall satisfaction with both types of interventions, such that offering both options to parents is justified. In addition, it would be desirable to offer such programs earlier in the lives of the parents as many expressed frustration at learning only in their child's adolescence about resources that could have been useful for them earlier.
Novel wideband decoupling technique for MIMO antenna arrays with two independently controlled transmission zeros

A novel wideband decoupling technique for closely-spaced two-element MIMO antenna array is proposed. Wideband and high port isolation is achieved by the creation of two independently controlled transmission zeros (S21 = 0) at appropriately selected frequencies. Simulated and measured results show that the proposed method can offer port isolation enhancement of > 20 dB over a fractional bandwidth of almost 20%.
Monocular multi-kernel based lane marking detection

Lane marking detection provides key information for scene understanding in structured environments. Such information has been widely exploited in Advanced Driving Assistance Systems and Autonomous Vehicle applications. This paper presents an enhanced lane marking detection approach intended for low-level perception. It relies on a multi-kernel detection framework with hierarchical weights. First, the detection strategy performs in Bird's Eye View (BEV) space and starts with an image filtering using a cell-based blob method. Then, lane marking parameters are optimized following a parabolic model. Finally, a self-assessment process provides an integrity indicator to improve the output performance of detection results. An evaluation using images from a public dataset confirms the effectiveness of the method.
Schema acquisition from a single example

This study compares Similarity-Based Learning (SBL) and Explanation-Based Learning (EBL) approaches to schema acquisition. In SBL approaches, concept formation is based on similarity across multiple examples. Howevr, these approaches seem to be appropriate when the learner cannot apply existing knowledge and when the concepts to be learned are nonexplanatory. EBL approaches assume that a schema can be acquired from even a single example by constructing an explanation of the example using background knowledge, and generalizing the resulting explanation
SENSE OF PLACE AS AN ATTITUDE: LAKESHORE OWNERS ATTITUDES TOWARD THEIR PROPERTIES

Existing attempts to measure Sense of Place (SOP) are open to a number of different interpretations, some of which are well established in attitude research. Attitude theory can provide a basis for conceiving of SOP as cognitive, affective and conative relationships with human environments. In this study, Sense of Place was defined as a multidimensional construct comprising: (1) beliefs about the relationship between self and place; (2) feelings toward the place; and (3) the behavioral exclusivity of the place in relation to alternatives. A 12-item SOP scale, consistent with a multidimensional theoretical prescription, was developed and subsequently tested in the field with a sample of lakeshore property owners in northern Wisconsin (n=282). A number of measurement models based on attitude structure were posed as potential explanations of the scale's construct validity. Results suggested that the SOP scale measured a general Sense of Place dimension that gained expression in property owners' thoughts, feelings and behavioral commitments for their lakeshore properties. This general evaluative dimension was more explanatory of observed responses than were the three univariate dimensions having interpretations consistent with place identity, place attachment, and place dependence. The dominance of the SOP factor over the narrower dimensions was prevalent in three different measurement models that posited both general and specific factors. Future research in this vein could be oriented towards reflecting the domains of attitude more closely, rather than being organized around the domains of sense of place as described in the literature.
Convergent responses of Barrington's nucleus neurons to pelvic visceral stimuli in the rat: a juxtacellular labelling study

Barrington's nucleus impacts on bladder and distal colon function and relays pelvic visceral information to the forebrain. This study investigated processing of information from the bladder and the distal colon by Barrington's nucleus in the rat. The responses of individual Barrington's nucleus neurons to bladder and/or colon distention were characterized using extracellular recording and the recorded neurons were identified using juxtacellular labelling. Most neurons within Barrington's nucleus (79%) were activated by bladder distention, consistent with its role as a pontine micturition centre. Although no neurons were selectively responsive to colon distention, the majority of bladder‐responsive neurons (73%) were also activated by colon distention. In a second study, Barrington's nucleus neurons were characterized with respect to their response to colon distention and their immunoreactivity for the stress‐related neuropeptide corticotropin‐releasing factor (CRF). Of 30 labelled neurons in the central part of Barrington's nucleus, 53% were activated by colon distention and 63% of these were CRF‐ir. This is the first report demonstrating that Barrington's nucleus neurons are responsive to colon distention. The results provide evidence for convergence of information from the bladder and the colon onto individual Barrington's nucleus neurons. Taken with evidence that many Barrington's nucleus neurons are synaptically linked to the bladder and colon, the present study suggests a role for these neurons in coordinating peripheral parasympathetic and central responses to both viscera and implicate CRF as a neurotransmitter in this function. Dysfunctions in this circuit may underlie the coexistence of colon and bladder symptoms observed in functional bowel disorders.
The effect of physical activity on mental health among adolescents with and without self-reported visual impairment: The Young-HUNT Study, Norway

The purpose was to study the effect of physical activity (PA) on mental health according to self-reported vision categories among adolescents. The study was conducted in Nord-Trøndelag, Norway, during the period 1995–1997, with a follow-up 4 years later. Self-reported measurements were used to assess PA and vision at baseline, and mental health problems and well-being at follow-up. The main linear regression analyses included 1417 adolescents between the age of 12 and 17 years, of which 46 had reported visual impairment. Among those reporting no impairment, conducting <1 day per week of PA was significantly associated with having lower levels of well-being at follow-up compared to those conducting ⩾1 day of PA. Among those reporting visual impairment, the mental health benefits of conducting weekly PA compared with conducting non-weekly PA were observed only among those who were more emotionally unstable or introvert at baseline. In conclusion, further longitudinal studies are warranted to examine whether the mental health responses of PA may be dependent on the adolescent’s vision status.
Quantum Ngerprinting

Classical ngerprinting associates with each string a shorter string (its ngerprint), such that, with high probability, any two distinct strings can be distinguished by comparing their ngerprints alone. The ngerprints can be exponentially smaller than the original strings if the parties preparing the ngerprints share a random key, but not if they only have access to uncorrelated random sources. In this paper we show that ngerprints consisting of quantum information can be made exponentially smaller than the original strings without any correlations or entanglement between the parties: we give a scheme where the quantum ngerprints are exponentially shorter than the original strings and we give a test that distinguishes any two unknown quantum ngerprints with high probability. Our scheme implies an exponential quantum/classical gap for the equality problem in the simultaneous message passing model of communication complexity. We optimize several aspects of our scheme.
Neptune: Scalable Replication Management and Programming Support for Cluster-based Network Services

Previous research has addressed the scalability and availability issues associated with the construction of cluster-based network services. This paper studies the clustering of replicated services when the persistent service data is frequently updated. To this end we propose Neptune, an infrastructural middleware that provides a flexible interface to aggregate and replicate existing service modules. Neptune accommodates a variety of underlying storage mechanisms, maintains dynamic and location-transparent service mapping to isolate faulty modules and enforce replica consistency. Furthermore, it allows efficient use of a multi-level replica consistency model with staleness control at its highest level. This paper describes Neptune's overall architecture, data replication support, and the results of our performance evaluation.
Rgg proteins associated with internalized small hydrophobic peptides: a new quorum‐sensing mechanism in streptococci

We identified a genetic context encoding a transcriptional regulator of the Rgg family and a small hydrophobic peptide (SHP) in nearly all streptococci and suggested that it may be involved in a new quorum‐sensing mechanism, with SHP playing the role of a pheromone. Here, we provide further support for this hypothesis by constructing a phylogenetic tree of the Rgg and Rgg‐like proteins from Gram‐positive bacteria and by studying the shp/rgg1358 locus of Streptococcus thermophilus LMD‐9. We identified the shp1358 gene as a target of Rgg1358, and used it to confirm the existence of the steps of a quorum‐sensing mechanism including secretion, maturation and reimportation of the pheromone into the cell. We used surface plasmon resonance to demonstrate interaction between the pheromone and the regulatory protein and performed electrophoretic mobility shift assays to assess binding of the transcriptional regulator to the promoter regions of its target genes. The active form of the pheromone was identified by mass spectrometry. Our findings demonstrate that the shp/rgg1358 locus encodes two components of a novel quorum‐sensing mechanism involving a transcriptional regulator of the Rgg family and a SHP pheromone that is detected and reimported into the cell by the Ami oligopeptide transporter.
SUT Sucrose and MST Monosaccharide Transporter Inventory of the Selaginella Genome

Most metazoa use hexose transporters to acquire hexoses from their diet and as a transport form for distributing carbon and energy within their bodies; insects use trehalose, and plants use sucrose as their major form for translocation. Plant genomes contain at least three families of mono- and disaccharide transporters: monosaccharide/polyol transporters that are evolutionary closely related to the yeast and human glucose transporters, sucrose transporters of the SUT family, which similar to the hexose transporters belong to the major facilitator superfamily, but share only minimal amino acid sequence homology with the hexose transporters, and the family of SWEET sugar transporters conserved between animals and plants. Recently, the genome sequence of the spikemoss Selaginella has been determined. In order to study the evolution of sugar transport in plants, we carefully annotated of the complement of sugar transporters in Selaginella. We review the current knowledge regarding sugar transport in spikemoss and provide phylogenetic analyses of the complement of MST and SUT homologs in Selaginella (and Physcomitrella).
Naturalistic Decision Making

Objective: This article describes the origins and contributions of the naturalistic decision making (NDM) research approach. Background: NDM research emerged in the 1980s to study how people make decisions in real-world settings. Method: The findings and methods used by NDM researchers are presented along with their implications. Results: The NDM framework emphasizes the role of experience in enabling people to rapidly categorize situations to make effective decisions. Conclusion: The NDM focus on field settings and its interest in complex conditions provide insights for human factors practitioners about ways to improve performance. Application: The NDM approach has been used to improve performance through revisions of military doctrine, training that is focused on decision requirements, and the development of information technologies to support decision making and related cognitive functions.
Macroscopic Neural Oscillation during Skilled Reaching Movements in Humans

The neural mechanism of skilled movements, such as reaching, has been considered to differ from that of rhythmic movement such as locomotion. It is generally thought that skilled movements are consciously controlled by the brain, while rhythmic movements are usually controlled autonomously by the spinal cord and brain stem. However, several studies in recent decades have suggested that neural networks in the spinal cord may also be involved in the generation of skilled movements. Moreover, a recent study revealed that neural activities in the motor cortex exhibit rhythmic oscillations corresponding to movement frequency during reaching movements as rhythmic movements. However, whether the oscillations are generated in the spinal cord or the cortical circuit in the motor cortex causes the oscillations is unclear. If the spinal cord is involved in the skilled movements, then similar rhythmic oscillations with time delays should be found in macroscopic neural activity. We measured whole-brain MEG signals during reaching. The MEG signals were analyzed using a dynamical analysis method. We found that rhythmic oscillations with time delays occur in all subjects during reaching movements. The results suggest that the corticospinal system is involved in the generation and control of the skilled movements as rhythmic movements.
Respiration metabolism reduces oxidative and acid stress to improve long‐term survival of Lactococcus lactis

The impact of oxygen on a cell is strongly dependent on its metabolic state: survival in oxygen of free‐living Lactococcus lactis, best known as a fermenting, acidifying bacterium, is generally poor. In contrast, if haem is present, L. lactis uses oxygen to switch from fermentation to respiration metabolism late in growth, resulting in spectacularly improved long‐term survival. Oxygen is thus beneficial rather than detrimental for survival if haem is provided. We examined the effects of respiration on oxygen toxicity by comparing integrity of stationary phase cells after aerated growth without and with added haem. Aeration (no haem) growth caused considerable cellular protein and chromosomal DNA damage, increased spontaneous mutation frequencies and poor survival of recA mutants. These phenotypes were greatly diminished when haem was present, indicating that respiration constitutes an efficient barrier against oxidative stress. Using the green fluorescent protein as an indicator of intracellular oxidation state, we showed that aeration growth provokes significantly greater oxidation than respiration growth. Iron was identified as a main contributor to mortality and DNA degradation in aeration growth. Our results point to two features of respiration growth in lactococci that are responsible for maintaining low oxidative damage: One is a more reduced intracellular state, which is because of efficient oxygen elimination by respiration. The other is a higher pH resulting from the shift from acid‐forming fermentation to respiration metabolism. These results have relevance to other bacteria whose respiration capacity depends on addition of exogenous haem.
Addressing Radicalisation into the Classroom - A New Approach to Teacher and Pupil Learning

This article examines one response to the UK Government’s directive that radicalisation and extremism should be tackled in all UK secondary schools. The small scale study is set in the broader literature of teaching often difficult Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) topics to young people in secondary school, and also the use of simulations as tools for learning in the classroom. It analyses the responses of teachers to being trained with, and using, ‘Zak’ a bespoke research-based simulation on the radicalisation process. An analysis of the teachers’ responses indicated recognition that the principles of adults manipulating children, whether for sexual gratification or radicalisation, are considered to be very important topics for staff working with young people in school settings to address. It was also recognised as a flexible learning tool enabling various pathways to be explored with young people in lessons, addressing the many aspects of e-safety, not just radicalisation. Additionally, the teachers remarked that the social media ‘Facebook’ format of the simulation was appreciated by the young people, and this appeal resulted in their immersion with it as a teaching aid. The comprehensive delivery of the ‘Zak’ package into schools was also significant. Staff reported that the inter-professional training delivered by specialist police trainers, and the accompanying materials, enhanced the learning and confidence of the teachers on this multi-faceted and complex topic.