Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Constructing ideas and theories about quality : the accounts of young children in two early childhood classrooms in Singapore

Early childhood research and policy are focusing increasingly on issues of 'quality' in early childhood education. Much of the focus, however, has been on adult-generated notions of quality, with little attention being devoted to children's own views of their experience in early childhood settings. Conducted in the context of early childhood education in Singapore, this research breaks new ground by contributing children's own insights into their experience in two early childhood classrooms in Singapore. Informed by the sociology of childhood conceptualisation of child competence (James & James, 2004), the research methodology drew on the mosaic approach to researching with children used by Clark and Moss (2001), whereby children's photography, mapping and conversations were used by them to consider their early childhood settings. The findings of this study were generated, beginning with the understanding that young children have the competence to articulate their ideas using a range of symbolic literacies. They formed views and constructed theories about their preschool experiences, in particular about the teachers, the curriculum, the physical environment and friends, and gave a clear indication of what constitutes good quality in those domains. When offered a platform to discuss the issue of quality in early childhood settings, the children articulated ideas about their own best interests. This study calls for those engaged with children, to act upon the contributions offered by this group of children to our understanding of quality.
Gendered patterns in computing work in the late 1990s

Computing is one of the most growing industries offering many opportunities for employment and advancement. Furthermore it is one of the newest industries which comprises of mainly young firms and relatively freshly constituted forms of working practices. Using empirical work in the UK, this paper presents and asesses gendered patterns of work and employment in the computing sector whilst comparing it to other traditionally male-dominated sectors.
Canadian Psychiatric Inpatient Religious Commitment: An Association with Mental Health

Background: Research indicates that religion may have a positive effect on coping and possibly enhance clinical outcomes. This study aims to de ter mine the level of religious interest of psychiatric in patients and to assess whether religious commitment has an impact on selected outcome variables. Methods: There were 88 consecutive adult patients (50% men) who were admitted to a Canadian tertiary care psychiatry in patient unit and were in ter viewed about their religious beliefs and practices. Patients with a Beck Depression score of 12 or more were included for out come analysis. Results: A total of 59% believed in a God who re wards and punishes, 27% had a high frequency of worship at ten dance, and 35% prayed once or more daily. More frequent worship at tenders had less severe depressive symptoms, shorter cur rent length of stay, higher sat is faction with life, and lower rates of cur rent and life time al cohol abuse (P < 0.05), when com pared with those with less frequent or no worship at ten dance. In contrast, private spirituality was as sociated with lower depressive symptoms and cur rent al co hol use only (P < 0.05), and prayer frequency had no significant as sociations. Discussion: This study indicates that certain religious practices may protect against se verity of symptoms, hospital use, and enhance life sat is faction among psychiatric in patients. This is the first known Canadian study that examines religious commitment among psychiatric in patients.
Spillovers from Euro Area and U.S. Credit and Demand Shocks: Comparing Emerging Europe on the Basis of a GVAR Model

We examine the international effects of adverse loan supply and aggregate demand shocks originating in the euro area and the U.S.A. For that purpose, we use a global vector autoregressive (GVAR) model and isolate disturbances stemming from loan supply from those of four other macroeconomic shocks by means of sign restrictions. Our general results are as follows: Domestic and international responses of total credit and output to an adverse loan supply shock are substantial. They are more pronounced than the responses to an aggregate demand shock. Under both types of shocks, total credit decreases considerably more strongly than output in the long run, implying a reduction in financial deepening. This deleveraging process is particularly pronounced in the case of loan supply shocks. Taking a regional angle, Central-, Eastern- and Southeastern Europe (CESEE) and even considerably more the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are the most strongly affected regions, and their total credit and output responses are stronger than in the country of shock origin. This is true for both types of structural shocks in the euro area and in the U.S.A. Last, historical decompositions of deviations from trend growth show that for the euro area developments, foreign shocks originating in the U.S.A. , the UK and the CESEE and CIS regions feature most prominently, while for the U.S. developments, foreign shocks emanating from the euro area and China play a considerable role.
Modelling the Effects of Population Structure on Childhood Disease: The Case of Varicella

Realistic, individual-based models based on detailed census data are increasingly used to study disease transmission. Whether the rich structure of such models improves predictions is debated. This is studied here for the spread of varicella, a childhood disease, in a realistic population of children where infection occurs in the household, at school, or in the community at large. A methodology is first presented for simulating households with births and aging. Transmission probabilities were fitted for schools and community, which reproduced the overall cumulative incidence of varicella over the age range of 0–11 years old. Moreover, the individual-based model structure allowed us to reproduce several observed features of VZV epidemiology which were not included as hypotheses in the model: the age at varicella in first-born children was older than in other children, in accordance with observation; the same was true for children residing in rural areas. Model predicted incidence was comparable to observed incidence over time. These results show that models based on detailed census data on a small scale provide valid small scale prediction. By simulating several scenarios, we evaluate how varicella epidemiology is shaped by policies, such as age at first school enrolment, and school eviction. This supports the use of such models for investigating outcomes of public health measures.
Risk and return in the Spanish stock market: some evidence from individual assets

Wend systematic biases in average risk premia when a value weighted index is used as observable factor, but not when the factor is left unspecied. When we model the time-variation in the covariance matrix of returns, we ¯nd that the \price of risk" is not common across assets whether or not the factor is prespecied. The results are robust to the presence or absence of a riskless asset. (JEL G12)
FPGA implementation of the MMRRS scheduling algorithm for VOQ switches

In this article, a FPGA implementation of the Maximal Matching with Round-Robin Selection (MMRRS) scheduling algorithm for Virtual Output Queuing (VOQ) switches is presented. Implementation is done in the VERILOG hardware description language. The results results obtained from the software model simulation and hardware implementation in XILINX Virtex 5 proved that the implementation is correct. The greatest achievement is the optimization of the scheduler, with the time needed for decision - taking being three clock cycles independent of switch size. The simplicity of the MMRRS algorithm makes the scheduler a simple structure which is not complicated to implement.
Methodological issues in therapeutic trials of COPD

The recent Towards a Revolution in COPD Health (TORCH) randomised trial replicated the findings of previous trials in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on the apparent effectiveness of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in reducing exacerbation rates, but not so for mortality. In the present article, the authors review methodological issues in the TORCH and previous trials, such as patients already receiving ICS before randomisation and the absence of follow-up after study drug discontinuation, using data from two trials. First, among previous ICS users in the Canadian Optimal Therapy of COPD Trial, the hazard ratio of the first exacerbation with ICS relative to bronchodilators was 0.71 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.53–0.96), while among those not using ICS prior to randomisation, it was 1.11 (95% CI 0.69–1.79). Secondly, the rate ratio of exacerbations with ICS was 0.78 (95% CI 0.61–0.99) prior to drug discontinuation during follow-up and 1.23 (95% CI 0.78–1.95) thereafter. Finally, a 2×2 factorial analysis of the TORCH data found a rate ratio of mortality for the salmeterol component to be 0.83 (95% CI 0.74–0.95), while for the fluticasone component it was 1.00 (95% CI 0.89–1.13). In conclusion, after proper consideration of the various methodological shortcomings in the design and analysis of randomised trials, the effectiveness of inhaled corticosteroids in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease remains doubtful, while the benefit observed with combination therapy may be due exclusively to the beneficial effects of the long-acting bronchodilator alone.
The Scholarship of Student Affairs Professionals: Effective Writing Strategies and Scholarly Identity Formation Explored through a Coaching Model

Student affairs professionals work directly with university students in various programs that provide services to these students. From these experiences, they collect daily valuable insights about how to serve students successfully. Yet, in general, they are not publishing about their work even though dissemination of such knowledge through publication could positively impact programs and services across many institutions. My dissertation explored what happens when mid-level student affairs professionals pursue scholarly writing during a structured program intended to help participants produce manuscripts for publication. In working with five professionals in student services at a large urban institution in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, I learned about participants’ identities as scholars as well as which writing strategies they found effective. I worked with participants using case study and action research methodologies and used writing coaching as an intervention to support the tenets of autonomy, competence, and relatedness as defined by Self-Determination Theory. Participants viewed strategies that created a habit of practice that fostered writing to be the most effective. Participants varied in how they viewed themselves professionally along the scholar-practitioner continuum. Leadership can create environments to foster scholarship among student affairs professionals. I give recommendations not only for senior student affairs officers but also for graduate programs in higher education as well as national student affairs organizations to promote research and writing in the profession. Lastly, I share recommendations for further research.
Experimental evaluation of FBMC-OQAM channel estimation based on multiple auxiliary symbols

Filter Bank Multi-Carrier (FBMC) has been identified by many authors as a possible successor for orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing in 5G. In this paper, we consider pilot-symbol aided channel estimation in FBMC. To deal with the imaginary interference, inherently caused in FBMC, we employ auxiliary symbols. In contrast to previous works, we propose to use multiple auxiliary symbols per pilot which decreases the peak-to-power average ratio and, for certain operation points, also increases the achievable capacity. The applicability of our channel estimation method is then validated through real world measurements, where we show that multiple auxiliary symbols lead to a higher throughput for practical relevant signal-to-noise ratios.
Stock Returns, Aggregate Earnings Surprises, and Behavioral Finance

We study the stock market reaction to aggregate earnings news. Previous research shows that, for individual firms, stock prices react positively to earnings news but require several quarters to fully reflect the information in earnings. We find that the relation between returns and earnings is substantially different in aggregate data. First, returns are unrelated to past earnings, suggesting that prices neither underreact nor overreact to aggregate earnings news. Second, aggregate returns are negatively correlated with concurrent earnings; over the last 30 years, stock prices increased 6.5% in quarters with negative earnings growth and only 1.9% otherwise. This finding suggests that earnings and discount rates move together over time, and provides new evidence that discount-rate shocks explain a significant fraction of aggregate stock returns
Interactive Evolutionary Approach to Character Animation

We describe in this paper an approach to the animation of articulated figure using a combination of forward kinematics, neural net and genetic algorithms. A set of kinematics motion data for an articulated model is evolved to generate a set of varied motion that performs according to an objective function set by the user. Neural net is used to constrain the search space of possible motions. User interaction with the process ensures a certain style evolves from the myriad of possibiliti es. We show how our technique makes it possible to create libraries of reusable motions from a small number of example motions.
Continuously Operating Biosensor and Its Integration into a Hermetically Sealed Medical Implant

An integration concept for an implantable biosensor for the continuous monitoring of blood sugar levels is presented. The system architecture is based on technical modules used in cardiovascular implants in order to minimize legal certification efforts for its perspective usage in medical applications. The sensor chip operates via the principle of affinity viscometry, which is realized by a fully embedded biomedical microelectromechanical systems (BioMEMS) prepared in 0.25-µm complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS)/BiCMOS technology. Communication with a base station is established in the 402–405 MHz band used for medical implant communication services (MICS). The implant shall operate within the interstitial tissue, and the hermetical sealing of the electronic system against interaction with the body fluid is established using titanium housing. Only the sensor chip and the antenna are encapsulated in an epoxy header closely connected to the metallic housing. The study demonstrates that biosensor implants for the sensing of low-molecular-weight metabolites in the interstitial may successfully rely on components already established in cardiovascular implantology.
Comparison of Regret Minimization and Utility Maximization in the Context of Travel Mode Choices

This paper provides an empirical comparison between regret-minimization and utility-maximization perspectives on travel choice behavior. The key difference between these two perspectives is that regret-minimization implies that the anticipated satisfaction associated with a chosen alternative depends on the anticipated performance of non-chosen alternatives as well. In order to provide a meaningful statistical comparison, the paper will formulate a model of regret-minimization such that it reduces to utility-maximization for a given parameter restriction. Estimation results, based on a binary stated mode experiment, clearly show how the regret-based model outperforms its utilitarian counterpart. Furthermore it is shown how participants of the experiment attached relatively much weight to the situation where the non-chosen alternative is slightly better than the chosen one, and they tend to discount larger differences. The paper will show how this concavity of the regret-function is in line with the Prospect Theoretical notion of risk seeking behavior in the domain of losses.
A Tale of Two Joints: The Role of Matrix Metalloproteases in Cartilage Biology

Matrix metalloproteinases are a class of enzymes involved in the degradation of extracellular matrix molecules. While these molecules are exceptionally effective mediators of physiological tissue remodeling, as occurs in wound healing and during embryonic development, pathological upregulation has been implicated in many disease processes. As effectors and indicators of pathological states, matrix metalloproteinases are excellent candidates in the diagnosis and assessment of these diseases. The purpose of this review is to discuss matrix metalloproteinases as they pertain to cartilage health, both under physiological circumstances and in the instances of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and to discuss their utility as biomarkers in instances of the latter.
Property Rights, Asset Specificity, and the Division of Labour Under Alternative Capitalist Relations

Is the division of labor under capitalism because of transaction and technological efficiency or because of inefficient capitalist property rights? The answer of this paper is that under "classical" capitalism there is an inefficient division of labor because of underinvestment in asset-specific labor which can be improved by expanding workers' rights in two different ways defining "company workers" and "unionized" capitalism. An implication of the analysis is that markets, far from being the selection mechanism where efficient institutions evolve, may imply the reproduction of inefficient property rights and be shaped by them. Copyright 1991 by Oxford University Press.
Essays on the effects of parental education and private tutoring on children's education outcomes, and the rural-urban student achievement differential in China

This thesis includes three empirical chapters, which are selfcontained but all related to education inequality in China. Chapter 2 aims to examine the causal effect (nurture effect) of parental education on children’s education. Parents and their children share many common characteristics which are often unobserved – this causes the omitted-variable bias. To eliminate this bias, this chapter uses school interruption during the Chinese Cultural Revolution (CR) as an instrument. The Chinese Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) significantly interrupted one generation’s education, but has had no direct effect on the next generation. It naturally provides a valid instrument. The empirical results suggest that in urban China, an one year decrease in parent’s schooling because of school interruption during the CR leads to a 0.27-0.38 year decrease in the child’s schooling; if a parent did not obtain a university degree because of school interruption during the CR, the child is 35-53 percent less likely to obtain a university degree. The results also suggest that maternal education has a greater influence on children’s education than paternal education. Overall, for the particular group whose parental education was changed by the CR, this chapter
Survival benefit of ghrelin in the heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy

Although ghrelin has been demonstrated to improve cardiac function in heart failure, its therapeutic efficacy on the life expectancy remains unknown. We aim to examine whether ghrelin can improve the life survival in heart failure using a mouse model of inherited dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) caused by a deletion mutation ΔK210 in cardiac troponin T (cTnT). From 30 days of age, ghrelin (150 μg/kg) was administered subcutaneously to DCM mice once daily, control mice received saline only. The survival rates were compared between the two groups for 30 days. After 30‐day treatment, functional and morphological measurements were conducted. Ghrelin‐treated DCM mice had significantly prolonged life spans compared with saline‐treated control DCM mice. Echocardiography showed that ghrelin reduced left ventricular (LV) end‐diastolic dimensions and increased LV ejection fraction. Moreover, histoanatomical data revealed that ghrelin decreased the heart‐to‐body weight ratio, prevented cardiac remodeling and fibrosis, and markedly decreased the expression of brain natriuretic peptide. Telemetry recording and heart rate variability analysis showed that ghrelin suppressed the excessive cardiac sympathetic nerve activity (CSNA) and recovered the cardiac parasympathetic nerve activity. These results suggest that ghrelin has therapeutic benefits for survival as well as for the cardiac function and remodeling in heart failure probably through suppression of CSNA and recovery of cardiac parasympathetic nerve activity.
A more rational model of categorization

The rational model of categorization (RMC; Anderson, 1990) assumes that categories are learned by cluster- ing similar stimuli together using Bayesian inference. As computing the posterior distribution over all assign- ments of stimuli to clusters is intractable, an approxi- mation algorithm is used. The original algorithm used in the RMC was an incremental procedure that had no guarantees for the quality of the resulting approxima- tion. Drawing on connections between the RMC and models used in nonparametric Bayesian density esti- mation, we present two alternative approximation al- gorithms that are asymptotically correct. Using these algorithms allows the e®ects of the assumptions of the RMC and the particular inference algorithm to be ex- plored separately. We look at how the choice of inference algorithm changes the predictions of the model.
Please Scroll down for Article Multivariate Behavioral Research Mediation and Moderation: Testing Relationships between Symptom Status, Functional Health, and Quality of Life in Hiv Patients

This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.
Why Was Stock Market Volatility so High During the Great Depression? Evidence from 10 Countries During the Interwar Period

The extreme levels of stock price volatility found during the Great Depression have often been attributed to political uncertainty. This Paper performs an explicit test of the Merton/Schwert hypothesis that doubts about the survival of the capitalist system were partly responsible. It does so by using a panel data set on political unrest, demonstrations and other indicators of instability in a set of 10 developed countries during the interwar period. Fear of worker militancy and a possible revolution can explain a substantial part of the increase in stock market volatility during the Great Depression.