Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Knowledge of writing

Abstract This paper argues that applied linguistics needs to pay more attention to the properties of the writing systems of language. Knowledge of writing is implicitly involved in many areas of language. It consists of at least: the characteristics of sound-based or meaning-based writing systems and of writing direction; rules for linking written forms with spoken sounds; a memory store of individual instances of visual forms; orthographic regularities in letter positioning; orthographic forms such as capital letters and word spaces; the ability to execute the written forms physically. Specific problems for linguistics are: the seeming debt of phoneme-based theories of phonology to sound-based writing systems; on the one hand the unacknowledged use of written conventions such as capital letters in the presentation of spoken data, on the other the failure to take account of writing systems, for example in work on the acquisition of the past tense -ed in English.
Campylobacter spp., Giardia spp., Cryptosporidium spp., Noroviruses, and Indicator Organisms in Surface Water in Southwestern Finland, 2000-2001

ABSTRACT A total of 139 surface water samples from seven lakes and 15 rivers in southwestern Finland were analyzed during five consecutive seasons from autumn 2000 to autumn 2001 for the presence of various enteropathogens (Campylobacter spp., Giardia spp., Cryptosporidium spp., and noroviruses) and fecal indicators (thermotolerant coliforms, Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens, and F-RNA bacteriophages) and for physicochemical parameters (turbidity and temperature); this was the first such systematic study. Altogether, 41.0% (57 of 139) of the samples were positive for at least one of the pathogens; 17.3% were positive for Campylobacter spp. (45.8% of the positive samples contained Campylobacter jejuni, 25.0% contained Campylobacter lari, 4.2% contained Campylobacter coli, and 25.0% contained Campylobacter isolates that were not identified), 13.7% were positive for Giardia spp. , 10.1% were positive for Cryptosporidium spp. , and 9.4% were positive for noroviruses (23.0% of the positive samples contained genogroup I and 77.0% contained genogroup II). The samples were positive for enteropathogens significantly (P < 0.05) less frequently during the winter season than during the other sampling seasons. No significant differences in the prevalence of enteropathogens were found when rivers and lakes were compared. The presence of thermotolerant coliforms, E. coli, and C. perfringens had significant bivariate nonparametric Spearman's rank order correlation coefficients (P < 0.001) with samples that were positive for one or more of the pathogens analyzed. The absence of these indicators in a logistic regression model was found to have significant predictive value (odds ratios, 1.15 × 108, 7.57, and 2.74, respectively; P < 0.05) for a sample that was negative for the pathogens analyzed. There were no significant correlations between counts or count levels for thermotolerant coliforms or E. coli or the presence of F-RNA phages and pathogens in the samples analyzed.
Crystal Structure of West Nile Virus Envelope Glycoprotein Reveals Viral Surface Epitopes

ABSTRACT West Nile virus, a member of the Flavivirus genus, causes fever that can progress to life-threatening encephalitis. The major envelope glycoprotein, E, of these viruses mediates viral attachment and entry by membrane fusion. We have determined the crystal structure of a soluble fragment of West Nile virus E. The structure adopts the same overall fold as that of the E proteins from dengue and tick-borne encephalitis viruses. The conformation of domain II is different from that in other prefusion E structures, however, and resembles the conformation of domain II in postfusion E structures. The epitopes of neutralizing West Nile virus-specific antibodies map to a region of domain III that is exposed on the viral surface and has been implicated in receptor binding. In contrast, we show that certain recombinant therapeutic antibodies, which cross-neutralize West Nile and dengue viruses, bind a peptide from domain I that is exposed only during the membrane fusion transition. By revealing the details of the molecular landscape of the West Nile virus surface, our structure will assist the design of antiviral vaccines and therapeutics.
Factors affecting antiretroviral drug adherence among HIV/AIDS adult patients attending HIV/AIDS clinic at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya.

OBJECTIVE To determine important factors that affect antiretroviral drug adherence among HIV/AIDS male and female adult patients (18 years and above) attending Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya. METHODS A cross sectional study involving 384 HIV/AIDS adult patients attending Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret was conducted. These patients were on ARV drugs. They were investigated for factors that affected their drug adherence based on observing the timing of doses and keeping of clinic appointments for drug refills during the months of May, June and July 2005. Data were collected from the respondents using interviewer-administered questionnaires to patients and self-administered questionnaires by ten key informants (nurses and clinicians in charge of HIV/AIDS clinic) selected by purposive sampling. The key variables examined were demographic, other characteristics of the patients and adherence factors. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 10.0 for frequencies, cross-tabulations and Chi-Squared test and statistical significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS Sixty-eight percent of the respondents on ARVs were females. 52.1% had secondary and post secondary education. They were aged between 18-63 years (mean age 36.1 +/- 8.5 years). Results showed that only 43.2% adhered to the prescribed time of taking drugs. The most commonly cited reasons for missing the prescribed dosing time by the patients were: Being away from home 68.8%, being too busy 58.9%, forgetting 49.0%, having too many medicines to take 32.6% and stigma attached to ARVs 28.9%. There was no significant difference between males and females based on timing of taking medications (chi2 = 2.9412, p = 0.0861). On the basis of keeping clinic appointments, all the respondents claimed to adhere to scheduled clinics. However, from hospital records, it was established that only 93.5% of the respondents kept clinic appointments. The most common reasons for poor adherence to clinic appointments were; Being away from home (50%), forgetting (50%), being too busy (50%), stigma (70%), feeling sick (80%) and changes in work routine (60%). CONCLUSION The key factors affecting adherence were; being away from home, being busy and forgetting. It was recommended that patients should be educated on the importance of strict adherence to the prescribed doses of ARVs as a suitable measure of intervention. Future research should explore multiple-target interventions to resolve the barriers to adherence.
Configurational Approaches to Organizational Analysis

The 1993 Special Research Forum on Configurations is dedicated to the proposition that configurational theory and research can significantly advance understanding of people, groups, and organizations. In this introductory essay, we define configurational approaches to organizational analysis, trace the history of configurational thinking, distinguish the contingency approach from the configurational approach, and highlight key contributions of the five empirical articles that make up the special research forum. Most of these articles report research conducted at the organizational level of analysis, but we argue that the configurational perspective has unrealized potential at other levels as well and suggest some configurational approaches to revitalizing theory and research at the individual and group levels.
Distinct sequential cell behaviours direct primitive endoderm formation in the mouse blastocyst

The first two lineages to differentiate from a pluripotent cell population during mammalian development are the extraembryonic trophectoderm (TE) and the primitive endoderm (PrE). Whereas the mechanisms of TE specification have been extensively studied, segregation of PrE and the pluripotent epiblast (EPI) has received comparatively little attention. A current model of PrE specification suggests PrE precursors exhibit an apparently random distribution within the inner cell mass of the early blastocyst and then segregate to their final position lining the cavity by the late blastocyst. We have identified platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (Pdgfrα) as an early-expressed protein that is also a marker of the later PrE lineage. By combining live imaging of embryos expressing a histone H2B-GFP fusion protein reporter under the control of Pdgfra regulatory elements with the analysis of lineage-specific markers, we investigated the events leading to PrE and EPI lineage segregation in the mouse, and correlated our findings using an embryo staging system based on total cell number. Before blastocyst formation, lineage-specific factors are expressed in an overlapping manner. Subsequently, a gradual progression towards a mutually exclusive expression of PrE- and EPI-specific markers occurs. Finally, cell sorting is achieved by a variety of cell behaviours and by selective apoptosis.
Arguing with law: strategic legal argumentation, US diplomacy, and debates over the International Criminal Court

Abstract Recent studies have highlighted the instrumental use of language, wherein actors deploy claims to strategically pursue policy goals in the absence of persuasion or socialisation. Yet these accounts are insufficiently attentive to the social context in which an audience assesses and responds to strategic appeals. I present a theoretical account that highlights the distinctly powerful role of international law in framing strategic argumentation. Legalised discourses are especially legitimate because law is premised on a set of internally coherent practices that constitute actors and forms of action. I then illustrate the implications in a hard case concerning US efforts to secure immunities from International Criminal Court jurisdiction. Contrary to realist accounts of law as a tool of the powerful, I show that both pro- and anti-ICC diplomacy was channelled through a legal lens that imposed substantial constraints on the pursuit of policy objectives. Court proponents responded to US diplomatic pressure with their own legal arguments; this narrowed the scope of the exemptions, even as the Security Council temporarily conceded to US demands. While the US sought to marry coercion with argumentative appeals, it failed to generate a lasting change in global practice concerning ICC jurisdiction.
Regression on Fixed-Rank Positive Semidefinite Matrices: A Riemannian Approach

The paper addresses the problem of learning a regression model parameterized by a fixed-rank positive semidefinite matrix. The focus is on the nonlinear nature of the search space and on scalability to high-dimensional problems. The mathematical developments rely on the theory of gradient descent algorithms adapted to the Riemannian geometry that underlies the set of fixed-rank positive semidefinite matrices. In contrast with previous contributions in the literature, no restrictions are imposed on the range space of the learned matrix. The resulting algorithms maintain a linear complexity in the problem size and enjoy important invariance properties. We apply the proposed algorithms to the problem of learning a distance function parameterized by a positive semidefinite matrix. Good performance is observed on classical benchmarks.
An Artistic Exploration of Inattention Blindness†

An experiment about inattention blindness was conducted within the context of an art exhibition as opposed to a laboratory context in order to investigate the potential of art as a vehicle to study attention and its disorders. The project utilized a flash animation, Stealing Attention, that was modeled after the movie by Simons and Chabris (1999) but with significant experimental differences, involving context and staging, the emotional salience of the objects depicted, and the prior art viewing experience of participants. The study involved two components: observing if viewers watching an animation in a gallery could be distracted from noticing the disappearance of stolen museum antiquities (the targets) by the overlaid flashing images of a card game (the distractors) and then observing whether repetition of the depicted targets throughout the gallery installation could facilitate a re-direction of attention that allowed viewers to perceive the targets not initially noted in the animation. My findings were that, after viewing the entire installation and then re-viewing the animation, 64% of the viewers who did not initially remark on the targets in the animation were then able to see them. The discussion elaborates on these findings and then considers ways in which the implications of inattention blindness paradigms might be more fully rendered by uniting insights from the two disciplines of art and neuroscience than by either alone.
Sequential high‐ and low‐dose systemic corticosteroid therapy for severe childhood alopecia areata

Given the limited number of therapeutic options, severe childhood alopecia areata (AA) poses a clinical challenge. The best and most rapid response rates can be achieved with high‐dose systemic corticosteroids, however, relapse following treatment discontinuation is inevitable. Due to systemic side effects, long‐term high‐dose corticosteroid regimens are not feasible. Following initial pulse therapy, continuation of corticosteroid therapy at a dose below the Cushing threshold might be able to suppress disease activity without causing severe side effects.
Rejoinder to Edwards’ s Comments

In his position paper, Edwards critiqued several of our comments concerning the reliability and validity of difference scores. We believe our differences of opinion occur not only because Edwards has endorsed historical arguments against difference scores, but also because he conceptualizes certain issues quite differently than we do. We address his major points of criticism and then reiterate (and perhaps clarify) our position. Edwards assumes that it is reasonable to assert a priori that difference scores will often exhibit poor reliabilities because the conditions under which poor reliabilities can occur (i.e., unreliable and highly positively intercorrelated component measures) are very common in empirical research. Although these circumstances may be common, they should not be sufficient to condemn the use of difference scores a priori because reliability may be empirically investigated and because, as we suggested, reliabilities can be improved. We take exception to Edwards’s statements, “. the reliability of a difference score should be evaluated not only in an absolute sense, but also in relation to viable alternatives, such as using both component measures jointly in multiple regression analysis . If a difference score exhibits adequate reliability, then it is almost certain that its components will exhibit superior reliabilities, indicating that the latter should be used in place of the former. ” To us, this presumes that the difference and component measures in question are conceptually interchangeable, a blanket assumption we are unwilling to make. For example, the concept of role conflict obtained from the differences between subordinate and supervisor job ratings is not the same as conceptualizations of the components of subordinate and supervisor job ratings. Also, we do not agree, given adequate difference score reliabilities, that difference scores should be discarded because their component measures show higher reliabilities. What about the theory being tested or research goals? Finally, notice that we and Edwards (1994) agree, that response surfaces do not eliminate reliability problems. We disagree with Edwards’s suggestion that the reliabilities of profile similarity measures can be “problematic” because dimensions are often formed by large numbers of heterogeneous items. Our position was never that
Androgen Target Cells in the Bursa of Fabricius of the Chick Embryo: Autoradiographic Localization

Summary After intravenous injection of [3H]testosterone in 15-day-old chick embryo nuclear concentration of radioactivity is observed in mesenchymal cells of the bursa of Fabricius. In competition experiment with excess of unlabeled testosterone, the concentration of radioactivity is abolished, but not with unlabeled estradiol. When [3H]estradiol is injected alone no nulcear concentration of radioactivity is observed in the bursa of Fabricius. The results demonstrate the presence of target cells for androgen in the bursa of Fabricius and suggest involvement of androgens in the development and functioning of the immune system.
Deaccentuation of Words Representing ‘Given’ Information: Effects of Persistence of Grammatical Function and Surface Position

The absence of intonational prominence on a referring expression (deaccentuation) is commonly explained as a consequence of the GIVENness of the discourse entity referred to - the fact that it represents old information in the discourse. However, speakers sometimes use accented expressions to refer to such GIVEN entities, so that GIVENness is not a sufficient explanation for deaccentuation. It has also been suggested that speakers tend to express GIVEN entities as grammatical subjects and to mention them early in the utterance. The present work investigates the contributions of grammatical role and surface position to the occurrence of deaccentuation in English. An experiment is reported in which speakers produced descriptions of visual materials, where the content of the materials was manipulated so that successive descriptions contained coreferential expressions, and grammatical role and surface position varied systematically. The results indicate that persistence of grammatical role and surface position from one utterance to the next both contribute to deaccentuation. Some implications for the way in which listeners may link referring expressions to entities which are already available from the context are discussed.
Marber Ischemic Preconditioning in Isolated Cells

I schemic preconditioning describes the increased resistance to myocardial infarction that follows short sublethal periods of ischemia. After the ischemia that triggers preconditioning, there are 2 phases of protection: an early (short-lived) phase termed early or classic preconditioning 1 and a late (more prolonged) phase termed late preconditioning or the second window of protection. 2 The purpose of the present minireview is to highlight the contributions being made to our current understanding of early preconditioning by models based on isolated cardiac cells. Within the preconditioning literature are disparate findings usually explained by variations in species, maturity, preconditioning trigger, anesthetic, and/or choice of end point. This lack of generality is a particular problem with cell-based models. Variability in the circumstances of the trigger, simulation of ischemia, in vitro maintenance conditions, cell type, and species of origin result in innumerable combinations and permutations (see online data supplement at http:// www.circresaha.org), making findings difficult enough to compare between cell models let alone between these models and preconditioning in the whole heart. Given these drawbacks, why are an increasing number of preconditioning investigators adopting a cell-based approach?
Identification of an essential endogenous regulator of blood–brain barrier integrity, and its pathological and therapeutic implications

The blood–brain barrier (BBB), a critical guardian of communication between the periphery and the brain, is frequently compromised in neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), resulting in the inappropriate passage of molecules and leukocytes into the brain. Here we show that the glucocorticoid anti-inflammatory messenger annexin A1 (ANXA1) is expressed in brain microvascular endothelial cells, where it regulates BBB integrity. In particular, ANXA1−/− mice exhibit significantly increased BBB permeability as a result of disrupted interendothelial cell tight junctions, essentially related to changes in the actin cytoskeleton, which stabilizes tight and adherens junctions. This situation is reminiscent of early MS pathology, a relationship confirmed by our detection of a selective loss of ANXA1 in the plasma and cerebrovascular endothelium of patients with MS. Importantly, this loss is swiftly restored by i.v. administration of human recombinant ANXA1. Analysis in vitro confirms that treatment of cerebrovascular endothelial cells with recombinant ANXA1 restores cell polarity, cytoskeleton integrity, and paracellular permeability through inhibition of the small G protein RhoA. We thus propose ANXA1 as a critical physiological regulator of BBB integrity and suggest it may have utility in the treatment of MS, correcting BBB function and hence ameliorating disease.
Teachers’ Engagement at Work: An International Validation Study

This study explored the validity of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale in a sample of 853 practicing teachers from Australia, Canada, China (Hong Kong), Indonesia, and Oman. The authors used multigroup confirmatory factor analysis to test the factor structure and measurement invariance across settings, after which they examined the relationships between work engagement, workplace well-being (job satisfaction and quitting intention), and contextual variables (socioeconomic status, experience, and gender). The 1-factor version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale was deemed preferable to the 3-factor version and showed acceptable fit to the cross-national data. The 1-factor Utrecht Work Engagement Scale showed good internal consistency and similar relationships with workplace well-being and contextual variables across settings. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale was invariant within broadly construed Western and non-Western groups but not across Western and non-Western groups. The authors concluded that the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale needs further development before its use can be supported in further cross-cultural research.
Food Sanitation Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior for the University Restaurants Employees

The purpose of this study was to discuss the food sanitation knowledge, attitude, and behavior for the employees of university restaurants, and furthermore, to explain the interrelations of these various were occurring at school. A questionnaire survey procedure was used. Each two constructs of food sanitation attitude and behavior were analyzed by factor analysis. Data was analyzed by description, Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression analysis. The correctness rate toward the whole sanitation knowledge of trials was 70%. The overall attitude toward food sanitation was prone to positive and the attitude of employee self-responsibility was superior to the attitude of food sanitation practice. The sanitary guiding behavior was better than the sanitary habit behavior; and there was a significant relationship indicated through Pearson correlation analysis among three various. The sanitation knowledge and sanitation attitude showed a 42.6% predictive power to behavior, the attitude was mediated between knowledge and behavior. The university restaurant employees shared a more pessimistic view toward the benefits of training and the institutions could establish a committee for monitoring food nutrition and sanitation. It provides valuable information for development employees training while seeking to raise school restaurant food safety levels.