Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Perception of Teachers towards the Use of Punishment in Sancta Maria Primary School Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria

A survey design was employed to find out the perception of teachers towards the use of punishment in Sancta Maria primary school Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria. Fifty-eight teachers were studied. Questionnaire was used for data collection. Mean and z-test were used for data analysis. It was found that the teachers perceived scolding and verbal assault to the pupil, making a pupil stay back after school dismissal, pupil's fetching of water, pupil washing of school's toilet, sending the pupil out of the class, and seizing or denying the pupil of his or her belongings as unacceptable forms of punishment. Giving the pupil knock on the head, slapping or beating the pupil with hands, kicking and pushing the pupil with legs, and pulling the pupil's ear or hair are unacceptable to the teachers. The teachers perceived the pupil's cutting of grasses, the pupil kneeling down or standing for a long time, the pupil scrubbing the floor of the class, flogging the pupil with stick or cane and the pupil sweeping the whole class as acceptable punishment measures. Teachers' gender, age and years of teaching experience make no significant difference in their perception towards the use of punishment. Keywords : Perception, punishment, teachers, primary school, gender, age, years of teaching experience.
What to Do Next: Modeling User Behaviors by Time-LSTM

Recently, Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) solutions for recommender systems (RS) are becoming increasingly popular. The insight is that, there exist some intrinsic patterns in the sequence of users' actions, and RNN has been proved to perform excellently when modeling sequential data. In traditional tasks such as language modeling, RNN solutions usually only consider the sequential order of objects without the notion of interval. However, in RS, time intervals between users' actions are of significant importance in capturing the relations of users' actions and the traditional RNN architectures are not good at modeling them. In this paper, we propose a new LSTM variant, i.e. Time-LSTM, to model users' sequential actions. Time-LSTM equips LSTM with time gates to model time intervals. These time gates are specifically designed, so that compared to the traditional RNN solutions, Time-LSTM better captures both of users' short-term and long-term interests, so as to improve the recommendation performance. Experimental results on two real-world datasets show the superiority of the recommendation method using Time-LSTM over the traditional methods.
A randomized trial of endoscopic and fluoroscopic placement of postpyloric feeding tubes in critically ill patients.

BACKGROUND Early postpyloric feeding is considered the accepted method of nutrition support in critically ill patients. Endoscopic and fluoroscopic techniques are associated with the highest percentage of successful placement. The purpose of this study was to compare endoscopic vs fluoroscopic placement of postpyloric feeding tubes in critically ill patients. METHODS This is a randomized prospective clinical trial. Forty-three patients were randomized to receive feeding tubes by endoscopic or fluoroscopic technique. All procedures were performed at the bedside in the critical care unit. A soft small-bore nonweighted feeding tube was used in all cases. Successful placement was confirmed by either an abdominal x-ray for endoscopic technique or a fluoroscopic radiograph for fluoroscopic technique. RESULTS Postpyloric feeding tubes were successfully placed in 41 of 43 patients (95%). The success rate using endoscopic technique was 96% (25 of 26), whereas the rate using fluoroscopy was 94% (16 of 17). The average time of successful placement was 15.2 +/- 2.9 (mean +/- SEM) minutes for endoscopic placement and 16.2 +/- 3.2 minutes for fluoroscopic placement, which was not statistically significant (p > .05). CONCLUSIONS Endoscopic and fluoroscopic placement of postpyloric feeding tubes can safely and accurately be performed at the bedside in critically ill patients. Our results showed no significant difference in the success rate or time of placement between endoscopic vs fluoroscopic placement of postpyloric feeding tubes.
Effect of the Mandibular Orthopedic Repositioning Appliance (MORA) on Forearm Muscle Activation and Grasping Power during Pinch and Hook Grip

[Purpose] This study verified the changes in muscle activities and grasping power during maximal isometric exercise of the forearm and masseter muscle with and without a mandibular orthopedic repositioning appliance (MORA). It also offers basic data for defining the correlation of function of hand with mouth. [Methods] EMG was used to measure masticatory muscle, flexor bundle and extensor bundle activities with or without MORA while subjects performed the hook grip and pinch grip. The measuring tool used for measuring grip strength was the same as that used for measuring pinch and hook strength. The subjects were 28 healthy young adults. [Result] Muscle activity and grasping power significantly increased when wearing the MORA. [Conclusion] The result indicates that wearing MORA can increase muscle activity and grasping power of forearm and masseter muscle. We think wearing MORA might help improve the function of the forearm because it activates the function of the masseter.
Biochemical evidence that glucocorticoid-sensitive cell lines derived from the human leukemic cell line CCRF-CEM express a normal and a mutant glucocorticoid receptor gene.

To characterize the immunoreactive glucocorticoid receptor (GR) protein present in "receptorless" (r-) mutants isolated from the glucocorticoid-sensitive (dexs) human leukemic cell line CEM-C7, binding of [3H]dexamethasone was determined in extracts prepared from the sensitive cell line 6TG1.1 and the r- mutant ICR27TK.3 after gentle freeze-thaw lysis and low-speed centrifugation. Under these conditions there was significant high-affinity binding activity in r- extracts assayed at 4 degrees C but not at 23 degrees C. Loss of binding at 23 degrees C was not a function of GR proteolysis or denaturation of the steroid-binding site and could be prevented by the addition of sodium molybdate. Dissociation of ligand from either activated or unactivated receptors in r- extracts was significantly more rapid than from receptors in extracts prepared from normal cells, suggesting that the defect in receptors in r- cells is the result of mutation in the ligand-binding site. While the rate of dissociation from unactivated receptors in r- extracts was linear, dissociation from receptors in extracts of 6TG1.1 cells was biphasic. Analysis of these dissociation curves, as well as dissociation from receptors in the B-cell line IM-9, indicated that the mutant gene present in r- cells is also present in the dexs parental cell line. This conclusion is consistent with our previous hypothesis (J.M. Harmon et al., Mol. Endocrinol., 3:734-743, 1989) that glucocorticoid-sensitive CCRF-CEM cells express both a normal (GR+) and a mutant (GR*) allele.
Association of milk yield and infection status at dry-off with intramammary infections at subsequent calving

The dry period plays an important role in maintenance of udder health. Cows are most susceptible to intramammary infections (IMI) after dry-off and near parturition and drying-off procedures may affect the likelihood of IMI at calving. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of milk yield and infection status at dry-off with the likelihood of IMI at calving by examining different drying-off methods. Cows (n=112) at the Ohio State University Waterman Dairy Teaching and Research Herd were randomly assigned to either an intermittent or a standard, twice-daily milking group 1 week prior to dry-off. All quarters of all cows in the herd were treated with an antibiotic dry-cow product after the last milking. Milk samples were collected 1 week prior to dry-off (pre-dry), on the day of dry-off, and within 3 d of parturition to determine infection status of the quarters. Association between IMI at calving and cumulative milk yield for the final week of lactation and drying-off method was examined using generalized estimation equations with logic link, accounting for potential confounders, such as pre-dry and dry-off infection status, and for the correlated data structure due to quarters clustered within cows. Intermittent milking significantly reduced milk yield at the end of lactation. Increasing cumulative milk yield during the last week of lactation was significantly associated with a greater probability of IMI at calving for quarters that were uninfected prior to dry-off: uninfected quarters of cows producing more than 115 kg during the last week of lactation were 7·1-times more likely to be infected at calving (P=0·0081) than uninfected quarters of cows producing less than 75 kg. Even though the overall cure rate over the dry period was relatively high at 84%, the odds of a quarter being infected at calving was 7·6- and 3·3-times higher if it was infected at dry-off with major pathogens (P<0·0001) or minor pathogens (P=0·028), respectively, compared with an uninfected quarter at dry-off. The results suggest that decreasing milk yield prior to dry-off may serve as an effective means to maintain good udder health in a herd.
Clinical and angiographic follow-up after overlapping implantation of polytetrafluoroethylene covered stents with drug eluting stents.

UNLABELLED Polytetrafluoroethylene-covered stents (PCS) were recently proposed as a new modality mainly for the treatment of saphenous vein graft lesions, but restenosis occurring principally at the edges restricted their clinical use in the management of coronary aneurysms and perforations. AIMS To investigate the safety and effectiveness of the overlapping implantation of drug-eluting stents (DES) with PCS in clinical scenarios where the latter are indicated. METHODS Since April 2002, when DES were introduced in clinical practice, 14 consecutive patients were -treated with overlapping implantation of PCS with DES in 3 centres. Seven patients were treated for coronary aneurysms, 5 for coronary perforations and 2 for branch occlusion. The incidence of any major adverse cardiac events defined as death, myocardial infarction (MI), and target vessel revascularisation (TVR) was retrospectively evaluated. A control angiography was available in 13 patients, and quantitative coronary angiography was performed before and after the intervention and at follow-up to evaluate restenosis rate and late loss. RESULTS At a mean clinical follow-up of 21.9 months there were no deaths or MI's, while one patient with occlusive restenosis underwent successful TVR (7.7%). At angiographic follow-up (mean: 9.7 months) there was one patient with restenosis (7.7%), who had a total occlusion. After excluding the patient with the occlusive restenosis mean diameter stenosis was 22.4+/-11.7% and late loss was 0.18+/-0.35 mm at follow-up. No early or late stent thrombosis occurred. CONCLUSION Overlapping implantation of PCS with DES seems to be a safe and effective therapeutic modality demonstrating a low incidence of clinical and angiographic restenosis.
Persistent Trigeminal Artery as a Cause of Dizziness

Complaints of vertigo and dizziness are common problems referred to otolaryngologists for evaluation. Awareness of uncommon causes of dizziness increases the physician's ability to diagnose and treat these patients. We present the case of a middle-aged woman who presented with episodes of vertigo and symptoms suggestive of vertebrobasilar insufficiency. These symptoms were the result of a persistent trigeminal artery (PTA) and occlusive carotid artery disease. A PTA is a carotid-basilar anastomosis that has been reported to be demonstrated on 0.1% to 0.6% of all cerebral angiograms. Persistence of this vessel usually leads to hypoplasia or agenesis of the ipsilateral posterior communicating artery, and leaves the internal carotid artery as the main source of blood supply to the region of the upper brainstem. The appearance and clinical significance of this unusual condition will be discussed.
Changes in the Human Brain during Rhythm Learning

Subjects were scanned with PET while they learned a complex arbitrary rhythm, paced by visual cues. In the comparison condition, the intervals were varied randomly. The behavioral results showed that the subjects decreased their response time with training, thus becoming more accurate in responding to the pacing cues at the appropriate time. There were learning-related increases in the posterior lateral cerebellum (lobule HVIIa), intraparietal and medial parietal cortex, presupplementary motor area (pre-SMA), and lateral premotor cortex. Learning-related decreases were found in the prestriate and inferior temporal cortex, suggesting that with practice the subjects increasingly came to depend on internal rather than external cues to time their responses. There were no learning-related increases in the basal ganglia. It is suggested that it is the neocortical-cerebellar loop that is involved in the timing and coordination of responses.
Polymorphisms in three genes are associated with hemorrhagic stroke

Multiligand receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), osteoprotegerin, and Golgb1 genes may be implicated in atherosclerosis and vascular diseases. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs1035798 in RAGE gene, rs2073617 and rs2073618 in TNFRSF11B, and rs3732410 in Golgb1 will be investigated on whether there is an association with hemorrhagic stroke (HS) in Chinese population.
Raman spectroscopic fingerprints of scytonemin-imine: density functional theory calculations of a novel potential biomarker

Scytonemin-imine, a novel derivative of scytonemin, has been isolated and identified very recently and proposed to serve as a photoprotective biomarker for certain bacteria growing under intense photon flux density. This study predicts theoretically the Raman spectrum of scytonemin-imine by density functional theory calculations and provides comparison of major bands to those of scytonemin, the parent compound for which both the experimentally characterized and theoretically predicted spectra exist in the literature. It is proposed to be an addendum to the collection of our previous work on scytonamin and its derivatives to facilitate recognition of the diagnostic Raman spectral signatures for scytonemin-imine.
LaSSO, a strategy for genome-wide mapping of intronic lariats and branch points using RNA-seq

Both canonical and alternative splicing of RNAs are governed by intronic sequence elements and produce transient lariat structures fastened by branch points within introns. To map precisely the location of branch points on a genomic scale, we developed LaSSO (Lariat Sequence Site Origin), a data-driven algorithm which utilizes RNA-seq data. Using fission yeast cells lacking the debranching enzyme Dbr1, LaSSO not only accurately identified canonical splicing events, but also pinpointed novel, but rare, exon-skipping events, which may reflect aberrantly spliced transcripts. Compromised intron turnover perturbed gene regulation at multiple levels, including splicing and protein translation. Notably, Dbr1 function was also critical for the expression of mitochondrial genes and for the processing of self-spliced mitochondrial introns. LaSSO showed better sensitivity and accuracy than algorithms used for computational branch-point prediction or for empirical branch-point determination. Even when applied to a human data set acquired in the presence of debranching activity, LaSSO identified both canonical and exon-skipping branch points. LaSSO thus provides an effective approach for defining high-resolution maps of branch-site sequences and intronic elements on a genomic scale. LaSSO should be useful to validate introns and uncover branch-point sequences in any eukaryote, and it could be integrated into RNA-seq pipelines.
Effects of external Rb+ on inward rectifier K+ channels of bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells

Inward rectifier (IR) K+ channels of bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells were studied using the whole-cell, cell-attached, and outside-out patch-clamp configurations. The effects of Rb+ on the voltage dependence and kinetics of IR gating were explored, with [Rb+]o + [K+]o = 160 mM. Partial substitution of Rb+ for K+ resulted in voltage-dependent reduction of inward currents, consistent with Rb+ being a weakly permeant blocker of the IR. In cells studied with a K(+)- free pipette solution, external Rb+ reduced inward IR currents to a similar extent at large negative potentials but block at more positive potentials was enhanced. In outside-out patches, the single-channel i-V relationship was approximately linear in symmetrical K+, but rectified strongly outwardly in high [Rb+]o due to a reduced conductance for inward current. The permeability of Rb+ based on reversal potential, Vrev, was 0.45 that of K+, whereas the Rb+ conductance was much lower, 0.034 that of K+, measured at Vrev-80 mV. The steady state voltage- dependence of IR gating was determined in Rb(+)-containing solutions by applying variable prepulses, followed by a test pulse to a potential at which outward current deactivation was observed. As [Rb+]o was increased, the half-activation potential, V1/2, changed less than Vrev. In high [K+]o solutions V1/2 was Vrev-6 mV, while in high [Rb+]o V1/2 was Vrev + 7 mV. This behavior contrasts with the classical parallel shift of V1/2 with Vrev in K+ solutions. Steady state IR gating was less steeply voltage-dependent in high [Rb+]o than in K+ solutions, with Boltzmann slope factors of 6.4 and 4.4 mV, respectively. Rb+ decreased (slowed) both activation and deactivation rate constants defined at V1/2, and decreased the steepness of the voltage dependence of the activation rate constant by 42%. Deactivation of IR channels in outside-out patches was also slowed by Rb+. In summary, Rb+ can replace K+ in setting the voltage-dependence of IR gating, but in doing so alters the kinetics.
Heme Induces Heme Oxygenase 1 via Nrf2: Role in the Homeostatic Macrophage Response to Intraplaque Hemorrhage

Objective—Intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) is an important progression event in advanced atherosclerosis, in large part because of the delivery of prooxidant hemoglobin in erythrocytes. We have previously defined a novel macrophage phenotype (hemorrhage-associated-mac) in human advanced plaques with IPH. These may be atheroprotective in view of raised heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), CD163, and interleukin-10 expression and suppressed oxidative stress. Methods and Results—We have used a combination of small interfering RNA and pharmacological reagents, protein analysis, and oxidative stress measurements to dissect the pathway leading to the development of this phenotype. We found that erythrocytes, hemoglobin, or purified heme similarly induced CD163 and suppressed human leukocyte antigen and reactive oxygen species. HO-1 was required for the development of each of these features. Challenge of macrophages with purified heme provoked nuclear translocation of Nrf2, and Nrf2 small interfering RNA resulted in significant inhibition of the ability of heme to induce HO-1 protein. Furthermore, tert-butyl-hydroquinone, which activates Nrf2, upregulated CD163, suppressed human leukocyte antigen, and induced interleukin-10, further supporting a role for Nrf2-mediated signaling. However, an inducible protein transactivator is also probably necessary, as heme-induced HO-1 mRNA expression was fully inhibited by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide. Conclusion—Our experiments define an Nrf2-mediated pathway by which heme induces a homeostatic macrophage response following IPH.
The Role of NGOs in the Process of Empowerment and Social Transformation of People with Disabilities

To date, two general bi-polar models, or approaches to disability have been popularly advanced within the literature, namely, the medical and social models of disability. Within each model, there is a significant degree of variation with respect to where emphasis has been placed. Both models provide pertinent insights into how disability has been conceptualised, but neither model provides an adequate, comprehensive explanation of the phenomenon, with each partially reflecting the “reality” of disability. Both models are deficient in their explanation of how marginalised and often oppressed groups, such as disabled people, are able to recognise their potential to change their present situation, thereby becoming full and active citizens in the contemporary societies in which they live. Both the medical and social models are themselves based on philosophical assumptions about the understandings of human nature, the process of social change and development, and how individuals within any given society are able to function. Both models perceive disabled people as being passive subjects. This chapter has the following objectives. First, to provide an analysis and critique of the medical and social models of disability, and provide some tentative suggestions for the development of another model, which attempts to combine the positive elements of the two previous models. Secondly, to consider the role that non-governmental organisations have and can potentially play in the participation, empowerment and social transformation of poor and marginalised group, with particular reference to disabled people. This chapter focuses on the theories of empowerment and social transformation as espoused by the Brazilian educationalist, Paulo Friere.
An Osmotic Pressure Sensor for Monitoring the Level of Hydration in Biological Fluids

A miniaturized hydration sensor that records the electrolyte balance in biological fluids and that translates this quantity into an osmotic pressure signal has been developed. The sensor measures 16 mm x 8 mm and integrates a semipermeable membrane, a piezoresistive pressure transducer, and an electronic readout platform. The dynamic measurement range of 220-340 mOsm L-1 (280 ± 60 mOsm L-1) covers a serious state of dehydration to a serious state of overhydration (represented by a Ahydration = ±20%). Ion exchange membranes were found to be the best candidates for integration with the hydration sensor. Reverse osmosis membranes with physical pores (zero Da molecular cutoff) had high ionic leakage rates, in contrast to gas permeable membranes, which proved to be almost impermeable to water vapor. Consequently, the use of a Nafion NR211 membrane facilitated a sensor response with a time constant of 2.5 h, which conforms to the slow change in osmotic pressure associated with hydration. The low-power front-end circuit architecture is based on an analog pressure-to-frequency converter, consuming only 39.4 μW, and capable of recording changes in hydration with a resolution of 5.71 bits (ENOBSNR). The small size of the sensor components, combined with the interface low-power architecture, renders it suitable for further miniaturization required for implantation into the human body.