Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Teacher fidelity to a physical education curricular model and physical activity outcomes

Background:This study was informed by the bodies of literature emphasizing the role of physical education in promoting physical activity (PA) and addressing teacher fidelity to curricular models.Purpose:The purpose of this study was to compare student PA levels, lesson context, and teacher PA promotion behavior among classes where teachers were using the Dynamic Physical Education (DPE) curricular model with low, moderate, and high fidelity.Methods:Participants were 20 physical education teachers, and their 4th and 5th grade students. Each teacher was observed teaching three times during the study. Fidelity data were collected using a validated observation instrument. PA, lesson context, and teacher behavior data were collected using the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT). Data analysis included descriptive statistics and group difference tests.Results:Significant differences among the three fidelity groups were identified in several items of the observation instrument. No significant m.
Tacrolimus versus ciclosporin as primary immunosuppression for kidney transplant recipients: meta-analysis and meta-regression of randomised trial data

Abstract Objective To compare the positive and negative effects of tacrolimus and ciclosporin as initial treatment for renal transplant recipients. Design Systematic review. Data sources and study selection Reports of comparative randomised trials of tacrolimus and ciclosporin identified by searches of Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane Renal Group Specialist Register, and conference proceedings. Data extraction and synthesis Two reviewers assessed trials for eligibility and quality and extracted data independently. Data were synthesised (random effects model) and results expressed as relative risk (RR), with values < 1 favouring tacrolimus. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were used to examine potential effect modification by differences in trial design and immunosuppressive co-interventions. Results 123 reports from 30 trials (4102 patients) were included. At six months, graft loss was significantly reduced in tacrolimus treated recipients (RR = 0.56, 95% confidence interval 0.36 to 0.86), and this effect persisted up to three years. The relative reduction in graft loss with tacrolimus diminished with higher concentrations of tacrolimus (P = 0.04) but did not vary with ciclosporin formulation (P = 0.97) or ciclosporin concentration (P = 0.38). At one year, tacrolimus treated patients had less acute rejection (RR = 0.69, 0.60 to 0.79) and less steroid resistant rejection (RR = 0.49, 0.37 to 0.64) but more diabetes mellitus requiring insulin (RR = 1.86, 1.11 to 3.09), tremor, headache, diarrhoea, dyspepsia, and vomiting. The relative excess of diabetes increased with higher concentrations of tacrolimus (P = 0.003). Ciclosporin treated recipients had significantly more constipation and cosmetic side effects. No differences were seen in infection or malignancy. Conclusions Treating 100 recipients with tacrolimus instead of ciclosporin for the first year after transplantation avoids 12 patients having acute rejection and two losing their graft but causes an extra five patients to develop insulin dependent diabetes. Optimal drug choice may vary between patients.
Can a Shorter Psychomotor Vigilance Task Be Usedas a Reasonable Substitute for the Ten‐Minute Psychomotor Vigilance Task?

The 10 min psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) is commonly used in laboratory studies to assess the impact of sleep loss, sustained wakefulness, and/or time of day on neurobehavioral performance. In field settings, though, it may be impractical for participants to perform a test of this length. The aim of this study was to identify a performance measure that is sensitive to the effects of fatigue but less burdensome than a 10 min test. Sixteen participants (11 female, 5 male; mean age=21.7 years) slept in the sleep laboratory overnight then remained awake for 28 h from 08:00 h. During every second hour, participants completed three PVTs of differing duration (10 min, 5 min, 90 sec). For the 5 min/10 min comparison, ANOVA indicated that response time was significantly affected by test length (F1,14=26.9, p<.001) and hours of wakefulness (F13,182=46.1, p<.001) but not by their interaction (F13,182=1.7, ns). There was a strong correlation between response time on the 5 and 10 min PVTs (r=.88, p<.001). For the 90 sec/10 min comparison, ANOVA indicated that response time was significantly affected by test length (F1,14=65.9, p<.001) and hours of wakefulness (F13,182=29.7, p<.001) as well as by their interaction (F13,182=6.0, p<.001). There was a strong correlation between response time on the 90 sec and 10 min PVTs (r=.77, p<.001). The effects of hours of wakefulness on neurobehavioral performance were similar for the 5 min and 10 min PVTs. In contrast, performance on the 90 sec PVT was less affected by hours of wakefulness than on the 10 min PVT. In addition, performance on the 10 min PVT was more highly correlated with the 5 min PVT than the 90 sec PVT. These data indicate that the 5 min PVT may provide a reasonable substitute for the 10 min PVT in circumstances where a test shorter than 10 min is required.
School Entry, Educational Attainment and Quarter of Birth: A Cautionary Tale of LATE

Partly in response to increased testing and accountability, states and districts have been raising the minimum school entry age, but existing studies show mixed results regarding the effects of entry age. These studies may be severely biased because they violate the monotonicity assumption needed for LATE. We propose an instrument not subject to this bias and show no effect on the educational attainment of children born in the fourth quarter of moving from a December 31 to an earlier cutoff. We then estimate a structural model of optimal entry age that reconciles the different IV estimates including ours. We find that one standard instrument is badly biased but that the other diverges from ours because it estimates a different LATE. We also find that an early entry age cutoff that is applied loosely (as in the 1950s) is beneficial but one that is strictly enforced is not.
Universal Design for Learning in Pre-K to Grade 12 Classrooms: A Systematic Review of Research

ABSTRACT Some researchers have characterized Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as a promising framework to provide diverse students with access to the general education curriculum, but to what extent and how have UDL-based interventions fulfilled that promise? The purpose of this review was to analyze studies that investigated impacts of UDL-based instruction on academic and social outcomes for pre-K to grade 12 students. For the 13 studies that qualified for our review, we analyzed how researchers applied UDL principles as well as outcomes and efficacy of UDL-based interventions. Results of this analysis suggest that overall, UDL-based instruction has the potential to increase engagement and access to general education curriculum for students with disabilities, and improve students’ academic and social outcomes. However, we found mixed results; the efficacy of UDL-based interventions varied considerably within and across many studies, with effect sizes ranging from small to large. In addition, we found that although authors noted that their interventions were UDL-based, there was considerable variance in how authors reported connections between specific UDL guidelines and components of their interventions.
Efficient Content Location in Mobile Ad hoc Networks

The advances in wireless networking have enabled new paradigms in computing. An abundance of information and services provided by remote servers is expected to become available to wireless users. A fundamental issue in this environment is efficiently locating needed content. Such content may be in the form of files, services, or any other kind of data. In this paper, we describe an algorithm for efficient content location in location-aware ad hoc networks. The Geography-based Content Location Protocol (GCLP) makes use of location information to lower proactive traffic while minimizing query cost. The results of our analysis show that GCLP performs favorably in terms of overhead, latency, and scalability.
The Association between Macroeconomic Uncertainty Inherent in Emerging Economies and Analysts ’ Forecast Accuracy

This study examines the role of macroeconomic factors closely associated with level of economic development of a firm’s country of domicile in explaining analysts’ forecast accuracy. In a sample of non-U.S. firms cross-listed in the U.S., we document that the forecast accuracy decreases with macroeconomic uncertainty, proxied by inflation rate, foreign exchange volatility, and gross domestic product. Our evidence suggests that the uncertainty in business operations associated with the macroeconomic environment of a multinational firm represents a unique dimension in the difficulties/complexities associated with predicting future firm performance. JEL classification: M4, O1
Analyzing Exclusion in Global Worker Health Policy

This article examines the development of the ILO’s Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health through the lens of social exclusion. Social exclusion is a transversal concept across the social sciences. The article integrates the study of exclusion as an essential element of institutional analysis in industrial relations. After discussing the treatment of the study of exclusion in labour and employment relations scholarship, it presents an analytic frame using four mechanisms of exclusion taken from sociology: 1- encoding; 2- framing pathways; 3- non-decision making; and 4- mining actualities.Observations are presented from a qualitative study of 125 preparatory and legal texts created through the development of the Global Strategy between 2000 and 2015. The method of analysis is a socio-historic interpretation following the principles of analysis of primary source documents outlined by Marc Trachtenberg in his book The Craft of International History: A Guide to Method. Exclusionary dynamics are observed in three areas: 1- managing the meaning of OSH policy integration; 2- shaping the role of collective labour rights in OSH policy; and 3- sidestepping the development of specific OSH hazard protections. Comparisons are made at key points with recent normative work by UN human rights bodies, including the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and their General Comment No. 23 on the human right to just and favourable conditions of work. The result is a Global OSH Strategy with promotional strengths, but also neoliberal values interwoven in its policy framework.
The MobM relaxase domain of plasmid pMV158: thermal stability and activity upon Mn2+ and specific DNA binding

Protein MobM, the relaxase involved in conjugative transfer of the streptococcal plasmid pMV158, is the prototype of the MOBV superfamily of relaxases. To characterize the DNA-binding and nicking domain of MobM, a truncated version of the protein (MobMN199) encompassing its N-terminal region was designed and the protein was purified. MobMN199 was monomeric in contrast to the dimeric form of the full-length protein, but it kept its nicking activity on pMV158 DNA. The optimal relaxase activity was dependent on Mn2+ or Mg2+ cations in a dosage-dependent manner. However, whereas Mn2+ strongly stabilized MobMN199 against thermal denaturation, no protective effect was observed for Mg2+. Furthermore, MobMN199 exhibited a high affinity binding for Mn2+ but not for Mg2+. We also examined the binding-specificity and affinity of MobMN199 for several substrates of single-stranded DNA encompassing the pMV158 origin of transfer (oriT). The minimal oriT was delimited to a stretch of 26 nt which included an inverted repeat located eight bases upstream of the nick site. The structure of MobMN199 was strongly stabilized by binding to the defined target DNA, indicating the formation of a tight protein–DNA complex. We demonstrate that the oriT recognition by MobMN199 was highly specific and suggest that this protein most probably employs Mn2+ during pMV158 transfer.
Ganglioside composition and histology of a spontaneous metastatic brain tumour in the VM mouse

Glycosphingolipid abnormalities have long been implicated in tumour malignancy and metastasis. Gangliosides are a family of sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids that modulate cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions. Histology and ganglioside composition were examined in a natural brain tumour of the VM mouse strain. The tumour is distinguished from other metastatic tumour models because it arose spontaneously and metastasizes to several organs including brain and spinal cord after subcutaneous inoculation of tumour tissue in the flank. By electron microscopy, the tumour consisted of cells (15 to 20 μm in diameter) that had slightly indented nuclei and scant cytoplasm. The presence of smooth membranes with an absence of junctional complexes was a characteristic ultrastructural feature. No positive immunostaining was found for glial or neuronal markers. The total ganglioside sialic acid content of the subcutaneously grown tumour was low (12.6 ± 0.9 μg per 100 mg dry wt n = 6 separate tumours) and about 70% of this was in the form of N-glycolylneuraminic acid. In contrast, the ganglioside content of the cultured VM tumour cells was high (248.4 ± 4.4 μg n = 3) and consisted almost exclusively of N-acetylneuraminic acid. The ganglioside pattern of the tumour grown subcutaneously was complex, while GM3, GM2, GM1, and GD1a were the major gangliosides in the cultured tumour cells. This tumour will be a useful natural model for evaluating the role of gangliosides and other glycolipids in tumour cell invasion and metastasis. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign www.bjcancer. com
Effect of different defuzzification methods in a fuzzy based load balancing application

In a distributed environment the workload on the network has to be managed in such a way that the total throughput of the system can be maximized. For this to happen some of the jobs have to be migrated from one node to another. When, how and where a job has to be migrated depends upon the load balancing algorithm being used. But it is very difficult to precisely describe the behavior of a complex system as there are many factors which influence it. One way to deal with the uncertainty in the behavior of the system is to use fuzzy logic. Fuzzy logic uses the reasoning of the human mind which is not always in the form of a yes or no. The concept of linguistic variables is used to model the state of the system which is imprecise and uncertain. In this work, we have implemented the fuzzy load balancing algorithm and compared the effect of using different defuzzification methods, reported in the literature.
The Transfer of Spatial Knowledge in Virtual Environment Training

Many training applications of virtual environments (VEs) require people to be able to transfer spatial knowledge acquired in a VE to a real-world situation. Using the concept of fidelity, we examine the variables that mediate the transfer of spatial knowledge and discuss the form and development of spatial representations in VE training. We report the results of an experiment in which groups were trained in six different environments (no training, real world, map, VE desktop, VE immersive, and VE long immersive) and then were asked to apply route and configurational knowledge in a real-world maze environment. Short periods of VE training were no more effective than map training; however with sufficient exposure to the virtual training environment, VE training eventually surpassed real-world training. Robust gender differences in training effectiveness of VEs were also found.
Effect of Carp Pituitary Extract and Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Analog Hormone on Reproductive Indices and Spawning of 3-Year-Old Channel Catfish

Abstract The efficacy of pituitary extract from common carp Cyprinus carpio (CPE) and luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analog (LHRHa) treatments in inducing spawning in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus undergoing their first oogenesis just before the spawning season was evaluated in four commercial strains of channel catfish. Before the hormones were injected, the average oocyte size (1,624 μm) in May, the typical start of the spawning season, was smaller than that considered normal for mature oocytes (3,000 μm) in this species. Priming and resolving doses of CPE, LHRHa, or saline were administered in early May. Plasma estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) levels were measured before the priming (0 h) and resolving (20 h) doses and 4 h later (24 h). Oocyte germinal vesicle migration and cathepsin B, D, and L activities were assessed at 0 and 24 h. At 20 h, estradiol levels were significantly higher in CPE- and LHRHa-treated fish. For LHRHa-treated fish, 20-h levels of T were also significantly highe.
Mindfulness-based Therapy in Modern Psychology: Convergence and Divergence from Early Buddhist Thought

Abstract This article offers a comparative analysis on mindfulness from mindfulness-based therapies in the contemporary literature and from Buddhist meditation practices in the Pāli Canon. This includes a review of the presiding definitions of mindfulness, recent scientific findings in the literature and the current theories on the underlying mechanisms of mindfulness. The meditation practices from the Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programme are compared to the origins of mindfulness of breathing meditations from the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (MN 10). Further, recent research into the cultivation of skilful states of mind including compassion, self-compassion, loving-kindness, equanimity and sympathetic joy are reviewed and compared to an anthology of texts from the Pāli Canon. Ethical issues emerging from the convergence of science and Buddhist philosophy are also discussed for further consideration. Abbreviations: AN: Aṅguttara Nikāya; BPS: Buddhist Publication Society; Dhp: Dhammapada; Dhs: Dhammasaṅgaṇī; DN: Dīgha Nikāya; Iti: Itivuttaka; MN: Majjhima Nikāya; Miln: Milindapañha; Paṭis: Paṭisambhidāmagga; SN: Saṃyutta Nikāya; Sn: Sutta Nipāta; Ud: Udāna; Vibh: Vibhaṅga; Vim: Vimuttimagga; Vsm: Visuddhimagga
FEV1 decline in asymptomatic young adults: relationships with some tests of small airways function.

The aim of this study is to determine whether some tests proposed as diagnostic of small airways obstruction (SAO) are useful in identifying the subjects at risk of developing chronic airflow limitation. Eighty five healthy male workers (46 nonsmokers and 39 smokers, aged 21-41 yrs), living in the same area and not exposed to occupational pollutants were re-examined after an interval of 6 yrs. At the first survey 39 had functional evidence of SAO as determined by the presence of one of: maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF) less than 65% of predicted value (pred); maximal expiratory flow when 25% forced vital capacity remains to be expired (Vmax25) less than 60% pred; closing capacity (CC) greater than 130% pred; 46 had all functional values in the normal range. We considered four subgroups: smokers and nonsmokers with and without SAO. The rate of decline in FEV1, the decline in %delta FEV1 and delta FEV1.height-3, have been evaluated and compared in the subgroups. Initial values of specific tests (MMEF, Vmax25, CC and slope of phase III) have been examined for a possible relationship with decline of FEV1. Statistical analysis of our data showed that only CC was related to FEV1 decline. However, there were no significant differences in FEV1 decline among the subgroups. We conclude that in young adult subjects functional characteristics of SAO have no predictive value for development of chronic airways obstruction.
Anaphylaxis diagnosis and treatment at an emergency department in Puerto Rico.

OBJECTIVE Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially life-threatening systemic allergic reaction. Most cases of anaphylaxis are encountered and managed at Emergency Departments (ED). We aimed to evaluate all cases of anaphylaxis and of acute allergic reactions presenting to the ED of the Veterans Affairs Caribbean Healthcare System (VACHS) to assess each patient's presentation, the possible cause of that individual's allergic reaction or anaphylaxis, and the treatment or treatments that that person received. METHODS We conducted a retrospective review of all of the cases seen at the ED from July 2007 through July 2009 in which a diagnosis of either anaphylaxis (ICD-9-CM 995.0) or allergic reaction (ICD-9-CM 995.3) was made. We reviewed the diagnosis of each case using the anaphylaxis guidelines and compared the presentations, causes, treatments, and outcomes of patients with recognized or unrecognized anaphylaxis. RESULTS The study included 135 adults. Six patients (4.4%) were diagnosed with anaphylaxis and 129 patients (95.6%) were found to have been suffering from allergic reactions. Among the patients diagnosed with allergic reactions, 25 (23%) met the diagnostic criteria for anaphylaxis but were not recognized as having experienced it. The most common causes for anaphylaxis were food (41.9%), medication (38.7%), and insect bites or stings (12.9%); in 12.9% of the cases, a cause could not be determined. There were no statistically significant differences between groups in terms of demographics, causes, or symptoms. Significant differences were found in patient vital signs upon ED arrival. There was under-treatment, particularly among subjects with unrecognized anaphylaxis. Only 67% of recognized and 4% of unrecognized anaphylaxis were treated with epinephrine (p<0.001). It was more likely for subjects whose anaphylaxis was recognized to be admitted than was the case for patients whose anaphylaxis went unrecognized or who were merely suffering from allergic reactions (p<0.001). CONCLUSION Anaphylaxis is under-diagnosed and under-treated in ED patients receiving care at the VACHS. There is a need to improve anaphylaxis recognition and treatment in the ED setting and, in addition, to better identify barriers to optimal health care.
Regularity dependence of the rate of convergence of the learning curve for Gaussian process regression

This paper deals with the speed of convergence of the learning curve in a Gaussian process regression framework. The learning curve describes the average generalization error of the Gaussian process used for the regression. More specifically, it is defined in this paper as the integral of the mean squared error over the input parameter space with respect to the probability measure of the input parameters. The main result is the proof of a theorem giving the mean squared error in function of the number of observations for a large class of kernels and for any dimension when the number of observations is large. From this result, we can deduce the asymptotic behavior of the generalization error. The presented proof generalizes previous ones that were limited to more specific kernels or to small dimensions (one or two). The result can be used to build an optimal strategy for resources allocation. This strategy is applied successfully to a nuclear safety problem.
Cryptococcus: Shedding New Light on an Inveterate Yeast

Cryptococcus has emerged as a significant pathogen in immunocompromised patients. While the diagnostic testing and the antifungal treatment of cryptococcal infections have become firmly established in clinical practice, new developments and areas of ambiguity merit further consideration. These include the potential for donor transmission of Cryptococcus; cirrhosis-associated cryptococcosis, particularly during transplant candidacy; the utility of serum cryptococcal antigen testing of asymptomatic individuals in high-prevalence, poor-resource areas; pathogenesis and treatment of the immune reconstitution syndrome, specifically in relation to antiretroviral therapy and immunosuppressive medications; and new challenges posed by the emerging species of Cryptococcus gatti. In this article, we summarize the literature pertaining to these topics, focusing on recent progress.