Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Police, local government, and citizens as participants in local security networks

In the Netherlands, just as in many other Western European countries, there has recently been a growth in the number of local security networks. The police, local governments, and citizens are the main participants of these networks. This study shows that the intended participation of the police, local government, and citizens in the security networks is realised only to a limited extent. The main problems faced by these networks have to do with the emphasis on the ‘core business’ of the police, the coordination by local governments, and the high and complex expectations about citizen participation.
The Link of the Monetary Indicator to Future Inflation in the Euro-Area: A Simulation Experiment

We examine the indicator property of the monetary indicator for inflation. Using a P*-model, Svensson (2000) shows theoretically that the relationship between these two variables is rather tenuous. The present study employs empirical evidence on the relations in his model to quantify its dynamics for the Euro-area. Moreover, we extend Svensson's analysis by considering different shocks and monetary regimes. It becomes apparent that the system exhibits complicated dynamics and that for most shocks and policy regimes the monetary indicator is not a leading indicator of dangers to price stability at the medium-term. Der Artikel untersucht die Indikatoreigenschaften der Geldmenge fur die Inflation. Unter Verwendung eines P*-Modells hat Svensson (2000) theoretisch gezeigt, dass die Beziehung zwischen beiden Grosen recht schwach ausgepragt ist. Die vorliegende Studie prasentiert empirische Evidenz fur die Beziehung im Euroraum. Dabei wird Svenssons Ansatz durch die Berucksichtigung verschiedener Schocks sowie unter schiedlicher monetarer Regime erweitert. Es wird gezeigt, dass in den meisten Fallen das System eine komplizierte Dynamik aufweist und die Geldmenge mittelfristig kein Fruhindikator fur die Gefahrdung der Preisstabilitat ist.
Learning Dynamic Compressive Sensing Models

Random sampling in compressive sensing (CS) enables the compression of large amounts of input signals in an efficient manner, which is useful for many applications. CS reconstructs the compressed signals exactly with overwhelming probability when incoming data can be sparsely represented with a fixed number of components, which is one of the drawbacks of CS frameworks because the signal sparsity in many dynamic systems changes over time. We present a new CS framework that handles signals without the fixed sparsity assumption by incorporating the distribution of signal sparsity. We show that the signal recovery success in our beta distribution modeling is more accurate than the success probability analysis in the CS framework. Alternatively, the success or failure of signal recovery can be relaxed, and the numbers of components included in signal recoveries can be represented with a probability distribution. We show this distribution is skewed to the right and naturally represented by the gamma distribution. Experimental results confirm the accuracy of our modeling in the context of dynamic signal sparsity.
Effect of protein kinase C and calcium on bradykinin-mediated contractions of rabbit vessels.

Bradykinin caused graded contractions of rings of rabbit aorta and jugular vein with EC50 values of 1.3 microM and 2.2 nM. In denuded preparations, responses of bradykinin in jugular vein but not in aorta were potentiated 1,000-fold. Both preparations bathed in calcium-free solution showed markedly depressed responses to bradykinin, but addition of 1 mM EGTA further inhibited bradykinin responses only in aorta. Time-course experiments carried out in calcium-free solution plus EGTA revealed that bradykinin contractions in rabbit aorta were very sensitive to extracellular calcium, whereas responses of the jugular vein depended on both extracellular and intracellular calcium sources. Responses to bradykinin in both tissues were unaffected by nicardipine (1 microM) but were partially antagonized by NiCl2 (0.1-0.3 mM). Ryanodine (30 microM) incubated in calcium-free medium markedly inhibited jugular vein responses to bradykinin but had no effect on aortic responses. Phorbol ester (1 microM) caused a slow tonic contraction in jugular vein but not in aorta and inhibited bradykinin responses in the former preparation. Staurosporine (1-100 nM) and 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperizine (H-7, 3 and 10 microM) caused a dose-dependent inhibition of bradykinin-induced contractions in jugular vein but were less effective in aorta. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Unbearable Lightness of Representing ‘Reality’ in Science Education: A response to Schulz

This article responds to Schulz's criticisms of an earlier paper published in Educational Philosophy and Theory. The purpose in this paper is to clarify and extend some of my earlier arguments, to indicate what is unfortunate (i.e. what is lost) from a non‐charitable, modernist reading of Lyotardian postmodernism (despite its weaknesses), and to suggest what new directions are emerging in science education from efforts to move beyond an either/or dichotomy of foundationalism and relativism.
Contribution of CD8+ T Cells to Containment of Viral Replication and Emergence of Mutations in Mamu-A*01-Restricted Epitopes in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Rhesus Monkeys

ABSTRACT Here, we investigated the containment of virus replication in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection by CD8+ lymphocytes. Escape mutations in Mamu-A*01 epitopes appeared first in SIV Tat TL8 and then in SIV Gag p11C. The appearance of escape mutations in SIV Gag p11C was coincident with compensatory changes outside of the epitope. Eliminating CD8+ lymphocytes from rhesus monkeys during primary infection resulted in more rapid disease progression that was associated with preservation of canonical epitopes. These results confirm the importance of cytotoxic T cells in controlling viremia and the constraint on epitope sequences that require compensatory changes to go to fixation.
Design of 65 nm CMOS SRAM for space applications: A comparative study

We study the design of different SRAM blocks based on a commercial 65 nm CMOS technology and discuss the experimental results for X-ray, proton and heavy ion irradiation campaigns. The results obtained show that the number of affected bits depends not only on LET value, but also on the localization of a strike. DICE cells demonstrate about 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than cross-sections for 6T-cells due to the 2-μm nodal spacing of sensitive pairs. Solid and intermittent guard rings has high effectiveness in SEL elimination.
Risk of hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers after hepatitis C virus infection: A population‐based study of U.S. veterans

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) may increase the risk of hepatopancreaticobiliary tumors other than hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Previous case control studies indicated a possible association between HCV and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Little is known about the association between HCV and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECC) or pancreatic cancer. We conducted a cohort study including 146,394 HCV‐infected and 572,293 HCV‐uninfected patients who received care at Veterans Affairs health care facilities. Patients with two visits between 1996 and 2004 with HCV infection were included, as were up to four matched HCV‐uninfected subjects for each HCV‐infected subject. Risks of ICC, ECC, pancreatic cancer, and HCC were assessed using proportional hazards regression. In the 1.37 million person‐years of follow‐up, which began 6 months after the baseline visit, there were 75 cases of ECC, 37 cases of ICC, 617 cases of pancreatic cancer, and 1679 cases of HCC. As expected, the risk of HCC associated with HCV was very high (hazard ratio [HR], 15.09; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 13.44, 16.94). Risk for ICC was elevated with HCV infection 2.55; 1.31, 4.95), but risk for ECC was not significantly increased (1.50; 0.60, 1.85). Adjustments for cirrhosis, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, hepatitis B, alcoholism, and alcoholic liver disease did not reduce the risk for ICC below twofold. The risk of pancreatic cancer was slightly elevated (1.23; 1.02, 1.49), but was attenuated after adjusting for alcohol use, pancreatitis, and other variables. Conclusions: Findings indicated that HCV infection conferred a more than twofold elevated risk of ICC. Absence of an association with ECC was consistent in adjusted and unadjusted models. A significant association with pancreatic cancer was erased by alcohol use and other variables. (HEPATOLOGY > 2009;49:116‐123.)
The Risk of Cardiovascular Events in Japanese Hypertensive Patients with Hypercholesterolemia: Sub-Analysis of the Japan Lipid Intervention Trial (J-LIT) Study, a Large-Scale Observational Cohort Study

Coronary events and stroke are leading causes of death in Japan. However, the effects of hypertension on the risk of coronary events and stroke have not been well established in Japanese hypercholesterolemic patients. This study aimed to determine the relationship between the risk of coronary events or stroke and blood pressure and cholesterol levels during low-dose simvastatin treatment using data from the Japan Lipid Intervention Trial (J-LIT) study (a large scale nationwide cohort study). In the present study, 47,294 hypercholesterolemic patients were treated with open-labeled simvastatin (5 to 10 mg/day) for 6 years by a large number of physicians in a clinical setting. The adjusted incidence rates of coronary events in males and females were 8.9 and 2.3 and those of stroke were 17.6 and 11.3/1,000 patients during the 6-year period, respectively. The incidence rate of stroke was higher than that of coronary events in both males and females. An obvious sex difference was observed in terms of the incidence of coronary events. The risk of coronary events, stroke, and total cardiovascular events were increased, with elevations in blood pressure observed in patients treated for hypercholesterolemia. The risk of total cardiovascular events in the groups exhibiting less lipid control increased, with lower blood pressure levels than those of the well-controlled group. For patients with hypercholesterolemia and hypertension, blood pressure should be strictly controlled in order to prevent both coronary events and stroke, and the serum total cholesterol levels should be maintained at low levels as well.
Issues in vertical scaling of a K-12 English language proficiency test

One of the mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act is that states show adequate yearly progress in their English language learners’ (ELLs) acquisition of English language proficiency. States are required to assess ELLs’ English language proficiency annually in four language domains (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) to measure their progress; they are also required to report on a composite comprehension measure. Often the clearest way to effectively monitor students’ progress is to measure assessment results across grades on the same scale. In measurement terms, scores from tests across all grade levels can be put on the same scale using vertical scaling. In addition, to help stakeholders understand and interpret the results, these scale scores are often interpreted in terms of proficiency levels. In this article, we use the vertical scaling of WIDA ACCESS for ELLs®, a large-scale K-12 Academic English Language Proficiency assessment to illustrate measurement and practical issues involved in this technique. We first give background on the need for vertical scaling. We then assess the literature on vertical scaling and describe the procedures used for WIDA ACCESS for ELLs® to vertically scale test scores and interpret the results in terms of the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs® Proficiency Scale. Next we review several studies that have been conducted to gauge the effectiveness of that scaling. We end the paper with a discussion of the broad issues that arise from vertical scaling.
Association between expression of the MRP3 gene and exposure to platinum drugs in lung cancer

To investigate the roles played by the multidrug resistance‐associated protein (MRP1) homologues MRP3 and MRP4 in resistance to platinum drugs, we examined steady‐state levels of mRNA for both MRP3 and MRP4 in normal lung and lung cancer specimens as well as peripheral mononuclear cells (PMN) after platinum drug exposure. MRP3 and MRP4 gene expression levels were monitored in the PMN of 10 previously untreated lung cancer patients within 24 hr after carboplatin (CBDCA) administration. Expression levels for both genes were also examined in 80 autopsy samples (40 primary tumors and 40 corresponding normal lung tissues) from 40 patients with lung cancer. MRP3 and MRP4 gene expression levels were assessed by quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. MRP3 expression levels in the PMN rose rapidly within 24 hr after administration of CBDCA, whereas MRP4 expression levels remained the same. Furthermore, MRP3 expression levels in normal lung and tumor tissues from autopsy samples that had been exposed to platinum drugs while the patients were alive were significantly higher than those in unexposed tissues, but again MRP4 expression levels remained the same. These results suggest that platinum drugs and/or the physiological stress response to xenobiotics induce expression of the MRP3 gene. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Use of indoor tanning sunlamps by US youth, ages 11-18 years, and by their parent or guardian caregivers: prevalence and correlates.

BACKGROUND Tanning parlors have become common in the United States. Artificial ultraviolet radiation exposure from this source may be harmful and may increase the risk of melanoma, particularly when done for recreational purposes during childhood and early adult years. Population-based data on the prevalence and correlates of this activity is important in the evaluation of potential public health interventions for skin cancer prevention. STUDY DESIGN In 1998, we conducted a population-based telephone survey of youth and their primary caregiver. The sample (N = 1192) was weighted to represent the population of US youth living in households with a primary caregiver. Interviewers used a standardized questionnaire to document the characteristics of the participant and their practices, attitudes, and experiences regarding ultraviolet exposures. METHOD OF ANALYSIS: Weighted prevalence and adjusted prevalence odds ratios (aPOR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were estimated. Independent factors were evaluated with multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS Ten percent of youth and 8% of their primary caregivers used indoor tanning sunlamps in the previous year. Thirty percent of the youth whose caregivers used indoor tanning sunlamps did so themselves as well. Independent predictors associated with indoor tanning sunlamp use were as follows: age 17 to 18 years (aPOR = 11.1; 95% CI: 5.0, 25.0); female (aPOR = 8.3; 95% CI: 3.6, 19.2); having a parent who used indoor tanning sunlamps in the previous year (aPOR = 8.7; 95% CI: 4.0, 18.9); nonuser of Sun Protection Factor 15 sunscreen at the beach or pool (aPOR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.0, 3.4); and low sun sensitivity (aPOR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.0, 5.3). CONCLUSION A substantial minority of American youth engages in indoor tanning. However, it is particularly prevalent among older youth, girls, and youth whose parents themselves use indoor tanning sunlamps. The knowledge of these trends may help focus public health initiatives.
Professional Seminar: Valuing a One-Credit Course Through the Lens of Doctoral Students

Professional seminar for doctoral students at a Research I University is a 1-credit course, 2 below the conventional courses. However, the course content covers at least 3 years’ worth of experiences, knowledge, and processes compressed into a single school year. The course typically extends over 16 weeks and 24 actual contact hours with 1 professor to 7 students on average. Assignments expose students to professional jobs in academia, resources available on campus, grant writing procedures, and facilitate the trajectory and purpose of the doctoral process. The purpose of this study is to investigate doctoral students’ narratives on the value they hold for seminar. Findings indicate an overarching theme of value among 5 categories: opportunities, cohort, departmental support, overcoming obstacles, and vested interest. Doctoral students have more than just coursework to complete. The entire doctoral journey is one that entails many levels, each with various components that need to be practically experienced and performed rather than known theoretically. To navigate these experiences, doctoral professional seminar courses are designed to address evolving student identities. An important component of the doctoral professional seminar course is to provide opportunities to experience these roles of academia (Green, 2005). Apprenticeship models such as seminars establish socialization processes, allowing for the legitimization of role identities. A more concerted effort needs to be made to increase the development of various role identities in academia (Jazvac-Martek, 2009). Professional seminar provides multiple interactions between faculty and doctoral students. In this study, theories and literature related to doctoral student role identities were critically reviewed, illustrating the effectiveness of professional seminars in solidifying the emergent academic identities of students. The purpose of this study was to investigate doctoral students’ narratives regarding the value held for a professional seminar course. Through an analysis of narratives, effective aspects of a particular doctoral seminar were investigated.
Onabotulinum toxin A in the treatment of chronic migraine: patient selection and special considerations

Discovered by serendipity, onabotulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) is the only US Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment for the prevention of chronic migraine (CM), one of the most disabling and burdensome human conditions. Its efficacy, safety and tolerability, proved by the largest and longest migraine therapeutic trial (the Phase III Research Evaluating Migraine Prophylaxis Therapy program [PREEMPT]), have been replicated by various real-life studies also in the presence of medication overuse. The benefit of BoNT-A prophylaxis is likely due to its ability to counteract peripheral and central nociceptive sensitization through reversible chemical denervation of pericranial sensitive afferents. Its efficacy increases considerably over time during long-term treatments, significantly varying among patients. The present review focuses on the state-of-the art of current knowledge on putative instrumental, biochemical and clinical predictors of BoNT-A responsiveness, outlining the need for a thorough characterization of the full phenotypic migraine picture when trying to predict good responders. Available evidence suggests that disentangling the BoNT-A responsiveness puzzle requires 1) a reappraisal of easy-obtainable clinical details (eg, site and quality of pain, presence of cranial autonomic symptoms), 2) a proper stratification of patients with CM according to their headache frequency, 3) the evaluation of potential synergistic effects of concomitant prophylaxis/treatment and 4) a detailed assessment of modifiable risk factors evolution during treatment.
The effects of high and low variability phonetic training on the perception and production of English vowels /e/-/æ/ by Cantonese ESL learners with high and low L2 proficiency levels

This study investigated the effects of two perceptually-based training paradigms in both the perception and production of English /e/ and /ae/ by Cantonese ESL learners with high and low listening and oral proficiency levels. Sixty-four subjects participated in the study, in which 22 (9 with high proficiency, H-HV; 13 with low proficiency, L-HV) were trained under High Variability Phonetic Training (HVPT) approach, 19 (8 with high proficiency, H-LV; 11 with low proficiency, L-LV) were trained under Low Variability Phonetic Training (LVPT) approach whereas 23 (10 with high proficiency, H-CO; 13 with low proficiency, L-CO) were the control subjects. Both training approaches were effective in improving the subjects’ perception of the two vowels, with HVPT groups showing more robust improvement than LVPT groups. Perceptual learning could also be generalized to new words and new speakers and be transferred to the production domain, with HVPT groups outperforming LVPT groups. However, subjects with different proficiency levels learned to similar degrees in all tests. The results demonstrated that both approaches offered a type of learning that allows attention to focus on phonetic information, which is different from what is learned in an L2 classroom; whereas stimulus variability also plays a role in the learning.
Including Learners with Intellectual Disabilities: stressful for teachers?

Since 1994 the demand to educate learners with special needs within mainstream classrooms in South Africa has continued to grow and the implementation of inclusive education is in the final process of legislation. The result has been that an increasing number of learners with disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, are being included in mainstream classrooms. International research indicates that it is especially the acceptance of learners with intellectual disabilities that seems to raise the most sensitive issues for teachers within inclusive classrooms. This research study was designed to investigate the stressors related to the specific situation of including a learner with an intellectual disability in mainstream classrooms and the subsequent stress levels of teachers in the Gauteng and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. The design and methodology of this study was a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. Fifty-five teachers were purposefully selected to complete a questionnaire focusing on the effect of potential stressors on teachers when including a learner with an intellectual disability. In-depth structured interviews were conducted with 10 of these teachers. This project is highly significant as policies of inclusion rely on teachers' acceptance of them, belief in their worth, and ability to cope. An understanding of the conditions that are likely to cause teachers most stress during inclusion will allow for more appropriate teacher training and for more focused support to teachers in inclusive classrooms.
Breaking Barriers

Many studies have attributed the disproportionately high rate of domestic violence in Asian communities to Asian patriarchal “cultural norms” and the psychological and behavioral traits that these norms produce in individuals. This article seeks to expand the scope of domestic violence analysis beyond these individual and cultural frameworks, arguing that Asian domestic violence is also a product of larger scale, social systems of inequality. By examining the funding criteria of the Family Violence Prevention Services Administration (FVPSA) and the Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) standard used by Robin Hood, my research shows how state and private organizations systematically devalue and underfund minority-targeted programs.