Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation on EEG correlates of attention

Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS) is a non-invasive form of neural stimulation that involves applying weak, electric current over the mastoid processes. Brief periods of GVS have been shown to provide transient relief from symptoms of inattention in hemi-spatial neglect and extinction patients. In addition, GVS has been shown to have effects on spatial- and reward-based attention in healthy participants. Despite this growing body of evidence, the underlying mechanisms associated with GVS-induced changes remain largely unknown. Better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of GVS may help to generate more efficient brain stimulation protocols and to direct treatment to those most likely to respond. Recently, studies have demonstrated that EEG may be a useful tool in investigating underlying changes with GVS. The current thesis therefore measured electrophysiological correlates known to be associated with attention in response to GVS. Chapters 2 and 3 investigated the impact of GVS on two ERP components, the N2pc and the P3, both shown to be associated with mechanisms involved in tasks often impaired in neglect patients. In these two chapters, GVS was shown to impact the N2pc relative to a sham condition. This may indicate that GVS impacted target detection and suppression of irrelevant distractors. In contrast, GVS did not impact the amplitude of the P3 relative to a sham group. Selective modulation of the N2pc, but not the P3 despite the same conditions, suggests a specific mechanism underlying GVS behavioural effects. Based on literature demonstrating differing efficiency of GVS effects using different waveforms and stimulation intensities, Chapter 4 aimed to investigate maximally effective protocols of GVS on behavioural measures of accuracy and reaction time. This chapter also aimed to extend and resolve discrepancies in the behavioural findings of Chapters 2 and 3. Chapter 4, however, demonstrated no differences between the various conditions. This indicated that GVS does not impact behavioural measures of accuracy and reaction time in the change-detection paradigm used. It has been demonstrated behaviourally that GVS can induce lateral shifts of spatial attention. Furthermore, these shifts have been shown to be polarity specific. Chapter 5 investigated these effects using an electrophysiological measure of spatial distribution of attention, steady state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs). In this chapter GVS was not found to have any effect on SSVEP amplitude either for left-anodal/right-cathodal or right-anodal/left-cathodal GVS. This may indicate that the previously demonstrated effects are task dependent, and/or that GVS does not influence covert attention. Overall, this work provides new insight into underlying electrophysiological mechanisms influenced by GVS. These findings are presented and discussed with relevance to the theoretical and practical implications.
Evaluation of the effect of cisplatin combined with pemetrexed as the first-line treatment of elderly patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer

Objective To evalute the efficacy of cisplatin combined with pemetrexed as the first-line treatment of elderly patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.Methods 122 patients were randomly divided into the experimental group and the control group.The control group were given the first-line cisplatin treatment,while the experimental group were treated with cisplatin combined with pemetrexed.The treatment efficacy as well as the adverse reaction was compared between the two groups.Results In the experimental group,the effective rate of 27.87%,the control rate was 78.69%,while the effective rate and control rate in the control group was 8.20% and 39.34% respectively.The TTP was 166±13d and the median survival time was 287d in the experimental group,while 104±12d and 174d in the control group respectively.There were significant differences in median survival time and TTP between the two groups of patients.The incidence of adverse reactions occurred was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group.Conclusion Cisplatin combined with pemetrexed can effectively improve the prognosis and quality of life as the first-line treatment of elderly patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.
Benefits of omega-3 ( -3) in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is characterized as irreversible neurodegenerative disease, mainly affected by the elderly. The clinical manifestations are evident memory loss, language, cognitive and motor difficulties, recognition and inability to perform daily activities. This study aimed to review the literature regarding the benefits of omega-3 (Ω-3) in Alzheimer's disease. A literature on the topic emphasizing the risk factors and the consumption of omega-3 was performed. We identified the association of APOE allele apolipoprotein (€ 4) with the development of the disease and oxidative stress which leads to neuronal cell injury and DHA deficiency of the nutrients of the constitution and protection of brain membranes. The results show that the consumption of omega-3 has benefits that prevent and reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, but the need for larger prospective studies to delineate this issue as RDA of omega-3. Revisão Neurociências Revista Inova Saúde, Criciúma, vol. 3, n. 1, jul. 2014. 96
Slim Physique Image for Female: Discovering its Socio-psychological Outcomes

1 M. Phil Scholar. Social Work Department. SBK Women’s University Quetta, Pakistan. 2 Assistant Professor. Social Work Department. SBK Women’s University Quetta. Balochistan, Pakistan. 3 Lecturer Social Work Department. University of Balochistan Quetta, Pakistan. 4 Assistant Professor. Social Work Department. University of Balochistan Quetta, Pakistan. 5 Professor Sociology Department. University of Malakand. Khyberpakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Using machine learning to support students’ academic decisions

Making the right decision for students in higher education is vital, as it has a great influence on their study, career, life, and eventually, the whole society. Predicting the future performance of students can inform their choice of majors, concentrations, and courses. It also helps teachers and advisors provide the necessary support to students as needed. While many studies address the issue of predicting students’ performance, they mainly predict student performance at only one particular stage of their study. For example, literature has papers on predicting student’s performance at enrollment, or in a particular course, which is not enough to help students throughout their study journey. This work addresses this gap in literature and proposes a holistic framework for assisting students in their decision throughout their entire study journey, and not only at one point of their study - as currently in literature. First, at enrollment, this work predicts a student’s GPA in different majors using enrollment data such as high school average, placement test results, and IELTS score. Second, after completing their first year, this work predicts student’s GPA in different concentrations using grades of Year-1 courses. Third, at any point of time after the student finishes some courses, a user-based collaborative filtering approach using K-Nearest Neighbor is used to predict a student’s grade in a future course. This approach uses other students’ grades to make a prediction. Furthermore, this research tests and compares the performance of Decision Trees, Random Forests, Gradient-Boosted trees, and Deep Learning machine learning regression algorithms to predict student GPA. Gradient Boosted Trees performed the best when predicting student’s Major GPA, while Deep Learning performed the best for predicting Concentration’s GPA.
The effect of confirmation bias and social proof on belief polarization via Facebook’s news feed.

The online media environment is changing from offline traditional news consumption to consuming news via online media characterized by an exploding amount of information and news source options. Concerns for fake news, echo chambers, filter bubbles and polarization have been raised due to this change. This thesis studies the underlying cognitive biases of belief polarization via the most used social media news site: Facebook. In order to measure the influence of confirmation bias and social proof bias on belief polarization, a new experimental design is introduced which includes a renewed indirect approach to measure polarization. The experiment replicates processes regarding the consumption of news via Facebook’s news feed. The results indicate that the consumption of attitude-confirming news via Facebook contributes to belief polarization. In this case, the chosen attitude object is the legalization of XTC in the Netherlands, but the experimental design could be applied to any attitude object in every country. The unique design of the experiment enables the analysis of possible different weight attachments towards attitude-confirming (treatment 1) and attitude-disconfirming (treatment 2) news due to confirmation bias, while keeping the news content used within the two treatments fixed. The analysis shows that confirmation bias contributes to belief polarization via Facebook. The consumption of pro-legalization news has a significantly different effect when it confirms the reader’s attitude than when it disconfirms the reader’s attitude. However, for the against-legalization news no significant difference in effects has been found. Therefore, future research should investigate multiple news articles and attitude objects to make further claims about the different weight attachments to news caused by confirmation bias. Furthermore, OLS regressions demonstrate that for both people that agree and disagree with the legalization of XTC, the exposure to a confirming news article, compared to a disconfirming news article, causes their initial beliefs to polarize. Finally, the influence of social proof bias could not be tested as the coefficients analyzing the effect of the number of likes on a news post for this specific attitude object were influentially correlated. Although this is unfortunate, it is discovered that the perceived trust in the online news and the importance attached to the given attitude object could influence belief polarization online as well. Consequently, in addition to some valuable insights regarding belief polarization, an up-to-date research design is provided for future research regarding belief polarization, confirmation bias and social proof bias.
Assessment of pre-service teachers preparedness for the adoption of Flipped Learning Strategy as a pedagogy for next generation learners in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Nigeria

This study investigated the level of awareness of flipped learning strategy as one of the suitable pedagogy for next generation learners by Obafemi Awolowo University pre-service teachers. It determined their perceptions of flipped learning strategy, and also, examined if the pre-service teachers possess prerequisite skills for implementing flipped learning strategy. The study employed descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised all the 2,423 pre-service undergraduate teachers at the university. Two hundred pre-service teachers were drawn using multistage sampling techniques. Pre-service teachers’ awareness of flipped classroom was used for data gathering. The instrument consisted of four sections, ‘A, B, C & D’. Section A consisted of demographic variables, while section B elicited information on the awareness of flipped learning strategy, section C measured the required skills in the use of flipped learning strategy and section D gathered information on the perception of the pre-service teachers to flipped learning strategy. Analysis of the results showed that, 57.00% of the pre-service teachers had moderate awareness of flipped learning strategies, they also had good perception of flipped learning strategy (76.83%; cumulative mean = 3.07). The pre-service teachers lack requisite skills required for effective implementation of flip learning strategy.
Does Religious Faith Matter in Development Practice? Perspectives from the Savelugu-Nanton District in Northern Ghana

Abstract Religious faith and its role in development policy and practice has received much attention in recent years. However, there is relatively limited knowledge of how Christian faith is manifested in the day-to-day administration of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and how that shapes their relationships with intended beneficiaries in a Muslim-dominated community. This article addresses the knowledge gap by examining how the Christian identity of World Vision Ghana (WVG) and the ‘religious lifeworlds’ of employees and the extent to which these shape their development interventions in Northern Ghana. Using a qualitative research approach, we found that religious faith and beliefs play a key role in WVG employees’ daily administrative activities and field operations, with the employees often perceiving development as a religious act. We argue that in an attempt to promote ‘holistic development’, WVG employees draw on lifestyle evangelism and community structures to promote their Christian values in a multi-faith environment with Muslim dominance. In doing so, we show how the religious configuration of Muslim-dominated communities creates challenges for Christian NGOs in their attempt to promote holistic development. The implications of the research findings are discussed.
SEX EDUCATION BY PARENTS AND PEERS AS CORRELATES OF ADOLESCENTS SEXUAL RISK BEHAVIOR IN OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Adolescence is a period where young persons achieve the highest stage of cognitive and physical development and strive to define their identity. Parents’ roles in the family environment have primarily been to prepare children for adulthood through rules and discipline. During adolescence, peers play very important roles in their lives and typically replace family as the centre of social and leisure activities. These results into many risk taking activities such as smoking, aggressive behavior or indulging into sexual activities due to peer pressure. This study examined sex education given by parents and peers as correlates of adolescents sexual risk behavior in Oyo State, Nigeria. A correlation research design was adopted for the study. Two hundred and forty Senior Secondary School Students participated in the study. Three research instruments: Sex Education by Parents Scale (α = 74); Sex Education by Peers Scale (α = 86); and Sexual Risk Behavior Scale (α = 78) were used for data generation. Multiple Regression Statistics were employed for data analysis. The results of the study revealed that personal variables such as gender, family type and age significantly influenced adolescents sexual behavior {F(3,239) = 7.14}. Also, sex education given by parents and peers combined significantly influenced adolescents sexual risk behavior {F(2,239) = 9.23}. On the basis of these findings, it was recommended that Counselors and Educational Psychologists should direct their attention to positive Youth development strategies that will promote general development skills for the successful implementation of sexuality education in Nigeria. These strategies will promote adolescents health by focusing solely on risk factors.
Job Seeking: The Process and Experience of Looking for a Job

This review distills available empirical research about the process and experience of looking for a job. Job search varies according to several dimensions, including intensity, content, and temporality/persistence. Our review examines how these dimensions relate to job search success, which involves job finding as well as job quality. Because social networking and interviewing behavior have attracted significant research attention, we describe findings with respect to these two job search methods in greater detail. We provide examples of the relevance of context to job search (i.e., the job seeker's geographical region, country, and culture; the economy; the job seeker's current or past employment situation; and employer behaviors and preferences) and review research on bias in the job search. Finally, we survey work on job search interventions and conclude with an overview of pressing job search issues in need of future research.
Eye Gaze and Head Orientation Cues in Face-to-Face Referential Communication

ABSTRACT During face-to-face communication, people use visual cues about what their partners are attending to as they process language. An eyetracking experiment explored how addressees use speakers’ eye gaze and head orientation while interpreting references to objects in a spatial task. Thirty-six naive director/matcher pairs seated face-to-face were separated by a low or high barrier that hid identical mirror-image arrangements of objects. We compared matchers’ ability to disambiguate referring expressions when directors’ eyes and heads were visible over the barrier, when only directors’ heads were visible (with eyes obscured by mirrored sunglasses), or when directors were completely hidden. Seeing directors’ head orientation helped matchers quickly restrict attention to the target side of the display. Seeing directors’ eye gaze helped matchers disambiguate referring expressions earlier (before the linguistic point of disambiguation) than did seeing head orientation alone. Along with benefits, however, there were some costs to monitoring eye gaze in face-to-face communication.
Lifelong learning policies for vulnerable young adults in post-recession Scotland

Abstract This article shows how the Scottish Government’s (SG) political management of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) has reinforced the economic goals of lifelong learning (LLL) under the skills for work agenda. Youth unemployment has been prioritized as the main social problem to be addressed, and most of the limited public resources for LLL have been targeted towards youth at risk of unemployment at the expense of the rest of the adult population. The article adopts a Cultural Political Economy perspective to examine LLL policy discourses contained in 12 policy documents published by the SG during the period between the Scottish National Party’s arrival in power and the Independence Referendum (2007–2014). The analysis draws attention to the fact that the GFC has been used by the SG to legitimize selective cuts to the further education sector as well as a stronger labour market orientation within LLL provision.
Racial Biases in Officers’ Decisions to Frisk Are Amplified for Black People Stopped Among Groups Leading to Similar Biases in Searches, Arrests, and Use of Force

Violent encounters between police and Black people have spurred debates about how race affects officer decision-making. We propose that racial disparities in police–civilian interactions are amplified when police interact with Black civilians who are encountered in groups. To test this possibility, we analyzed New York City stop and frisk data for over 2 million police stops. Results revealed that Black (vs. White) people were more likely to be frisked, searched, arrested, and have force used against them. Critically, these racial disparities were more pronounced for people stopped in groups (vs. alone): Being stopped in a group led to a 1.7% increase in racial disparities for frisks, a 1% increase for searches, a 0.3% increase for arrests, and a 1.7% increase for use of force. Moreover, these disparities held even when we controlled for a potential proxy of effective policing: discovery of illegal contraband. We conclude that groups amplify racial disparities in policing.
Revisión del cumplimiento de los Datos Abiertos por los Ayuntamientos españoles en la iniciativa Aporta

Desde la publicación de la Ley 37/2007, de 16 de noviembre, sobre reutilización de la información del sector público en España, han transcurrido más de once años. El objetivo general de este artículo es evaluar el grado de cumplimiento de la difusión de datos abiertos por los ayuntamientos españoles, verificando si se han publicado los datos mínimos acordados por la Federación Española de Municipios y Provincias (FEMP). La metodología que hemos seguido para contrastar el estado de publicación de los datos abiertos mínimos, ha partido del análisis exhaustivo de los recogidos en el Catálogo Nacional de datos abiertos de la iniciativa Aporta, alojado en la página web Datos.gob. es, que agrupa los datos que las distintas Administraciones Públicas españolas ponen a disposición de usuarios, ciudadanos, profesionales, reutilizadores e infomediarios para su reutilización
Introduction: An Overview of Trust and Some Key Epistemological Applications

Trust in other people and ourselves is fundamental to accomplishing our aims. These include epistemic aims, such as the acquisition of knowledge, evidence, or understanding; the cultivation of intellectual virtue; and the overcoming of epistemic injustice. There are copious philosophical literatures on both trust and epistemology, yet scholars from each are only beginning to draw on the other. Much conversation is still needed, and this volume aims to promote and shape it. The authors focus on the role that trust plays in epistemology. This is called for because, with some exceptions to be discussed below, it is not uncommon for epistemologists to regard trust as simply part of the philosophical wallpaper: as a precondition for testimonial knowledge (when directed toward others) and for rationality (when directed toward oneself), but of limited interest in its own right. A précis of the contributions can be found in section 3. Before that, to facilitate the conversation between the philosophies of trust and knowledge, I give an overview of the trust literature and then of six central issues concerning epistemic trust. The survey of trust in section 1 zeroes in on the kinds of expectations that trust involves (1.1), trust’s characteristic psychology (1.2), and what makes trust rational (1.3). The discussion of epistemic trust focuses on its role in testimony (2.1), the epistemic goods that we trust for (2.2), the significance of epistemic trust in contrast to reliance (2.3), what makes epistemic trust rational (2.4), and epistemic self-trust (2.5 and 2.6).
‘In my heart forever:’ Foster caregivers’ dedication, grief, and couple relationship quality

ABSTRACT Many dedicated foster caregivers form a strong attachment to the children in their care, leaving them emotionally at-risk for when a child is removed from the home (e.g. displacement, reunification). The grief they experience when a child leaves may influence their other relationships (e.g. couple relationship). Survey data were collected from a statewide random sample of foster caregivers. The final sample included foster caregivers who had experienced the removal of a foster child from their home within the previous 12 months of participating in the study (n = 56). A moderated mediation analysis was conducted to determine the associations between dedication to fostering, grief, couple relationship quality, and relationship efficacy. Findings suggest that highly dedicated foster caregivers are more likely to experience higher levels of grief after a child leaves their home, which is negatively associated with their couple relationship quality. However, relationship efficacy was found to buffer these effects.