Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Introduction to Alternate Assessment

ity for all students. The impetus for these changes started in the 1980s with A Nation at Risk, (National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983) and subsequent calls for educational reform. In 1989, the governors from all states met in Charlottesville, Virginia, to outline a set of national education goals. Individual states, in turn, began to develop content standards for what students needed to know and do, and to consider how to measure student knowledge and skills in ways that could be publicly reported (Kleinert & Thurlow, in press). However, policymakers soon realized that there was a very significant gap in measuring learning results for all students. Researchers (McGrew, Thurlow, & Spiegel, 1993) were reporting the exclusion of large number of students with disabilities from large-scale assess-
Attentional orienting within visual field in a lexical decision task

The influence of spatial attention on lexical decisions to lateralized target letter-strings appearing either along with a distractor (Experiment 1) or in an otherwise empty field (Experiments 2-6) was examined. Attentional orienting was controlled by peripheral (Experiments 1, 2, 3, and 6) and central (Experiments 4-5) cuing methods. Manipulations of spatial attention, including cue validity and cue-target stimulus onset asynchrony, were combined with manipulations of word frequency in Experiments 3-6. All the attentional manipulations were effective, but they did not modify the right visual field advantage in word performance. In addition, the attentional effects did not interact with either the presence or absence of distractors or with stimulus familiarity. Implications of these results regarding the influence of spatial attention (the posterior attention system) on word processing are discussed.
Schooling experiences of Xhosa speaking learners as a minority in a high school: implications for support

The South African Schools Act (DoE, 1996) formalised access to quality education for all by granting learners access to any school regardless of social, economic, race and cultural backgrounds. This saw many black families in South Africa enrolling their children into former white schools with the perception that these schools were better resourced and that their children would therefore receive a better education. The purpose of the study is therefore to enhance understanding of the experiences of the Xhosa learners as a minority in a former Model C school and to evaluate the life experiences of the learners within the context of the school system and how these experiences may be influencing their academic success. An ecosystemic theoretical framework guided the approach and orientation to the study undertaken by the researcher. This framework enabled the researcher to contextualise the study within the interacting systems that indirectly and directly influence the life experiences of the participants. The study's research methodology can be described as basic qualitative research embedded within an interpretive paradigm. The participants in grade 9 to 11 (two per grade) were purposively selected to participate in the study. Two methods of data collection were used, namely six individual semi-structured interviews and one focus group interview. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data. The research findings indicate that the major reasons for poor academic performance of this minority group are linked to discriminative attitudes and feelings of inadequacy. When learners experience the school as a safe place in which they have a sense of belonging, they are more motivated to learn. Working towards the creation and sustainment of this safe environment, which adequately supports the needs of the learners, requires genuine and continual collaboration between the interacting systems within the context of the learners.
Molecular Basis of Immunity to Rickettsial Infection Conferred through Outer Membrane Protein B

ABSTRACT Pathogenic rickettsiae are the causative agents of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, typhus, and other human diseases with high mortality and an important impact on society. Although survivors of rickettsial infections are considered immune to disease, the molecular basis of this immunity or the identification of protective antigens that enable vaccine development was hitherto not known. By exploring the molecular pathogenesis of Rickettsia conorii, the agent of Mediterranean spotted fever, we report here that the autotransporter protein, rickettsial outer membrane protein B (rOmpB), constitutes a protective antigen for this group of pathogens. A recombinant, purified rOmpB passenger domain fragment comprised of amino acids 36 to 1334 is sufficient to elicit humoral immune responses that protect animals against lethal disease. Protective immunity requires folded antigen and production of antibodies that recognize conformational epitopes on the rickettsial surface. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) 5C7.27 and 5C7.31, which specifically recognize a conformation present in the folded, intact rOmpB passenger domain, are sufficient to confer immunity in vivo. Analyses in vitro indicate this protection involves a mechanism of complement-mediated killing in mammalian blood, a means of rickettsial clearance that has not been previously described. Considering the evolutionary conservation of rOmpB and its crucial contribution to bacterial invasion of host cells, we propose that rOmpB antibody-mediated killing confers immunity to rickettsial infection.
Functional basis of protection against age-related macular degeneration conferred by a common polymorphism in complement factor B

Mutations and polymorphisms in complement genes have been linked with numerous rare and prevalent disorders, implicating dysregulation of complement in pathogenesis. The 3 common alleles of factor B (fB) encode Arg (fB32R), Gln (fB32Q), or Trp (fB32W) at position 32 in the Ba domain. The fB32Q allele is protective for age-related macular degeneration, the commonest cause of blindness in developed countries. Factor B variants were purified from plasma of homozygous individuals and were tested in hemolysis assays. The protective variant fB32Q had decreased activity compared with fB32R. Biacore comparison revealed markedly different proenzyme formation; fB32R bound C3b with 4-fold higher affinity, and formation of activated convertase was enhanced. Binding and functional differences were confirmed with recombinant fB32R and fB32Q; an intermediate affinity was revealed for fB32W. To confirm contribution of Ba to binding, affinity of Ba for C3b was determined. Ba-fB32R had 3-fold higher affinity compared with Ba-fB32Q. We demonstrate that the disease-protective effect of fB32Q is consequent on decreased potential to form convertase and amplify complement activation. Knowledge of the functional consequences of polymorphisms in complement activators and regulators will aid disease prediction and inform targeting of diagnostics and therapeutics.
Exogenous platelet-activating factor stimulates cell proliferation in mouse pre-implantation embryos prior to the fourth cell cycle and shows isoform-specific stimulatory effects

Mouse embryos secrete molecules homologous to platelet-activating factor (PAF), termed embryo-derived PAF (EPAF), which act in an autocrine/paracrine fashion to stimulate embryonic development in vitro. Mouse EPAF is thought to consist predominantly of hexadecyl (C16) and octadecyl (C18) PAF-like components. Mouse pre-implantation embryos cultured with exogenous PAF from the early cleavage stages exhibit increased blastocyst cell numbers and rates of mitosis around the 8-cell stage. We investigated whether exogenous PAF could specifically stimulate embryonic cell proliferation prior to the blastocyst stage in the mouse and also compared the biological activities of the C16 and C18 PAF isoforms as follows. Embryos were cultured for either 24 h or 120 h from the 2-cell stage and their total cell numbers were determined or their development assessed in terms of their incidence of successful zona-hatching respectively. In each case, embryos were cultured in unsupplemented medium or in medium supplemented with either C16 or C18 PAF (0.5 μM). Compared with controls, culture with C16 PAF produced a significant stimulation of mean total per number per embryo and a significant increase in the incidence of successful zona-hatching, whilst culture with C18 PAF had no significant effect. We then cultured 1-cell zygotes for 48 h in unsupplemented medium or medium supplemented with either an equimolar mixture of C16 and C18 PF or with either C16 or C18 PF alone (each at 0.2 μM). Embryos were also scored for cell number at 4 h and 30 h of culture. Although no significant effect on mean cell number per embryo was seen following 4 h or 30 h of culture with a mixed C16/C18 PAF preparation, culture for 48 h with a mixed C16/C18 PAF preparation or with C16 PAF alone produced a significant increase in mean cell number per embryo compared with controls - an effect that is likely to be receptor-mediated, since culture with an equivalent concentration of C18 PAF had no significant effect compared with controls. We have demonstrated that mouse zygotes/embryos can respond in a specific manner to exogenous hexadecyl PAF in terms of increased rates of cell proliferation prior to cavitation, and must be capable of doing so at some time between the first and third, and also between the second and fourth, cell cycles. Such embryos presumably express one or more classes of functional PAF-receptor molecule during this period (i.e. as early as during the 1-, 2- or 4-cell stages). We have also demonstrated that embryonic response to exogenous PAF is significantly isoform-specific, which may reflect differences between the two isoforms either in affinity for binding to putative embyronic PAF-receptor molecules or in their ability to elicit a stimulatory response following binding. This observation calls into question the use of preparations containing a mixture of hexadecyl and octadecyl PAF isoforms, particularly in dose-response studies, in the mouse.
A STUDY ON STUDENT’S ENGLISH SPEAKING PROBLEMS IN SPEAKING PERFORMANCE

Abstract: This research focuses on student’s English speaking problems and the aim of this research is to find out the most dominant problem in speaking performance faced by the third semester students of English Education Study Program of FKIP Tanjungpura University Pontianak in their speaking performance. The research method used in this research is the descriptive method. The writer uses questionnaire and video recording as the tools of data collection. From the questionnaire findings, psychological problems is the most dominant problem faced by the third semester students of English Education Study Program of FKIP Tanjungpura University Pontianak with mean percentage 20.70%; lack of self-confidence 20.11% and anxiety 21.27% . It is followed by linguistic problems with mean percentage 19.53%; grammar 22.16% , vocabulary 20.19% , and pronunciation 16.25%. In conclusion, psychological problems is the most dominant problem faced by the third semester students of English Education Study Program of FKIP Tanjungpura University Pontianak. Keywords: speaking problems, linguistics problems, psychological problems Abstrak: Penelitian ini berfokus pada masalah-masalah mahasiswa dalam berbicara bahasa Inggris dan tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menemukan masalah paling dominan dalam berbicara bahasa Inggris yang di hadapi oleh mahasiswa semester tiga Program Studi Bahasa Inggris FKIP Universitas Tanjungpura Pontianak dalam performa wicara. Metode penelitian yang di gunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode penelitian deskrsiptif. Penulis menggunakan angket dan rekaman video sebagai alat pengumpulan data. Dari temuan penelitian ini, masalah-masalah psikologis adalah masalah-masalah paling dominan yang dihadapi oleh mahasiswa semester tiga Program Studi Bahasa Inggris FKIP Universitas Tanjungpura Pontianak dengan persentase rata-rata 20.70%; dimana kurang percaya diri 20.11% dan kecemasan 21.27% . Sedangkan masalah-masalah linguistik memperoleh persentase rata-rata 19.53%; tata bahasa 22.16%, kosakata 20.19%, dan pelafalan 16.25%. Kesimpulannya, masalah-masalah psikologis adalah masalah-masalah paling dominan yang dihadapi oleh mahasiswa semester tiga Program Studi Bahasa Inggris FKIP Universitas Tanjungpura Pontianak. Kata Kunci: Masalah-masalah berbicara, Masalah-masalah linguistik, Masalah-masalah psikologis
Intertrochanteric-subtrochanteric fractures: treatment with the long Gamma nail.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the outcome of the treatment of intertrochanteric-subtrochanteric fractures (subtrochanteric fractures with extension into the greater trochanter and the piriformis fossa) using the long Gamma nail. DESIGN Prospective, consecutive. SETTING Multicenter (private clinics). PATIENTS Fifty-two closed intertrochanteric-subtrochanteric fractures in nonpathologic bone in fifty-two consecutive patients with a mean age of forty-five years (range, 18 to 91 years). INTERVENTION Closed reduction and internal fixation with the long Gamma nail. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS Analysis of clinical and radiologic results with emphasis on the incidence of complications. Outcome assessment comparing the preinjury status of every patient with the status at a minimum follow-up of twelve months. RESULTS At one year, seven patients had died and two other patients were lost to follow-up. Thus, forty-three of the fifty-two patients completed a prospective follow-up averaging sixteen months (range, 12 to 31 months). All fractures united within an average of 4.3 months (range, 3 to 6.5 months). Mechanical complications (breakage of the distal locking bolts) occurred in one fracture. Two patients had more than 5 degrees but less than 10 degrees of deformity in varus and more than one but less than 2.5 centimeters of shortening; two had more than 5 degrees of deformity in varus; and two had up to one centimeter of shortening. Two patients had other severe injuries that influenced the end result. Thirty-four of the remaining forty-one patients (82.9 percent) were restored to their preinjury status. There was no direct relationship between the radiologic and the functional results: an excellent radiologic result was not uniformly associated with an excellent functional outcome. CONCLUSIONS Closed reduction and long Gamma nailing of intertrochanteric-subtrochanteric fractures enables the orthopaedic surgeon to treat these fractures with a minimally invasive procedure and a negligible rate of mechanical complications. The rate of union was 100 percent in this series. The rate of restitution to the preinjury status was high.
Using the Brief Resilience Scale to Assess Chinese People’s Ability to Bounce Back From Stress

This study examined the utility of an adapted version of the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) to measure Chinese undergraduates’ ability to bounce back from stress. The BRS together with measures tapping optimism, self-esteem, pessimism, and physical health were administered to 547 Hong Kong and 268 mainland Chinese undergraduates. The BRS was found to measure one single construct and exhibited convergent validity in both samples. Further analyses using a path analytic model showed that the BRS scores substantially mediated the link between the two positive traits (optimism and self-esteem) and physical health in the two samples. The results suggested that the BRS is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring Chinese undergraduates’ ability to bounce back from stress. The implications for further research related to resilience in Chinese people are discussed.
Strengthening the Case for Community-Based Learning in Teacher Education

Knowledge of learners' assets beyond the traditional structure of school can provide preservice teachers with essential gateways to connecting learners with the content to be studied, and with forming beneficial social relationships that can enhance learning. This article describes ways that preservice teachers responded to community-based activities located in the home communities of their learners. Analysis of work samples, interviews, and observations indicated that revelations about the preservice teachers themselves were confronted, stereotypical beliefs about their learners' communities were challenged, and new discoveries about community's strengths were acknowledged. Evidence suggests that community cultural-immersion activities incorporated in teacher-preparation programs can not only help preservice teachers correct misperceptions about, but also build relationships with their learners that can potentially impact student achievement.
The Potential of Streptomyces as Biocontrol Agents against the Rice Blast Fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae (Pyricularia oryzae)

Rice is a staple food source for more than three billion people worldwide. However, rice is vulnerable to diseases, the most destructive among them being rice blast, which is caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae (anamorph Pyricularia oryzae). This fungus attacks rice plants at all stages of development, causing annual losses of approximately 10–30% in various rice producing regions. Synthetic fungicides are often able to effectively control plant diseases, but some fungicides result in serious environmental and health problems. Therefore, there is growing interest in discovering and developing new, improved fungicides based on natural products as well as introducing alternative measures such as biocontrol agents to manage plant diseases. Streptomyces bacteria appear to be promising biocontrol agents against a wide range of phytopathogenic fungi, which is not surprising given their ability to produce various bioactive compounds. This review provides insight into the biocontrol potential of Streptomyces against the rice blast fungus, M. oryzae. The ability of various Streptomyces spp. to act as biocontrol agents of rice blast disease has been studied by researchers under both laboratory and greenhouse/growth chamber conditions. Laboratory studies have shown that Streptomyces exhibit inhibitory activity against M. oryzae. In greenhouse studies, infected rice seedlings treated with Streptomyces resulted in up to 88.3% disease reduction of rice blast. Studies clearly show that Streptomyces spp. have the potential to be used as highly effective biocontrol agents against rice blast disease; however, the efficacy of any biocontrol agent may be affected by several factors including environmental conditions and methods of application. In order to fully exploit their potential, further studies on the isolation, formulation and application methods of Streptomyces along with field experiments are required to establish them as effective biocontrol agents.
Fragebogen zum Ergebnis von Psychotherapie

Zusammenfassung.Theoretischer Hintergrund: Routinemasige Qualitatssicherung psychotherapeutischer Versorgung erfordert Instrumente zur unaufwendigen, aber zuverlassigen Erfassung von Behandlungsergebnissen. Fragestellung: Ziel der Studie ist eine deutsche Adaptation (EB-45) des in den USA bewahrten Outcome Questionnaire 45.2. Methode: Der EB-45 wurde von einer nicht-klinischen Stichprobe (n =232) im Abstand von 2 Wochen zweimal bearbeitet. Zur Konstruktvalidierung wurden parallel die Symptom Checklist 90, das Inventar Interpersoneller Probleme sowie die Fragebogen zur sozialen Integration und zur Lebenszufriedenheit vorgelegt. Ergebnisse: Fur die interne Konsistenz wurden Werte von . 59 bis . 93 und fur die Retest-Reliabilitaten von . 71 bis . 87 geschatzt. Die Korrelationen mit den zur Validierung hinzugezogenen Instrumenten lagen zwischen . 45 und . 76. Schlusfolgerungen: Die Standardisierung rechtfertigt es, den EB-45 in der Evaluation und Qualitatssicherung einzusetzen; die Beschrankungen der Stichprobe erm.
Prevalence of Emotional and Behavioural Disorders among Strictly Orthodox Jewish Pre-School Children in London

Although the frequency and importance of emotional and behavioural difficulties in the pre-school period are well established in the general population, relatively little is known about the situation among members of some specific minority groups. This article reports data from a study of 262 children living in the strictly orthodox Jewish community of North London, whose teachers and parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Rates of emotional and behavioural disorder, comparisons between parents' and teachers' ratings, predictors of difficulties, gender differences and a comparison with data from a general community sample are provided. The community is characterized by considerable family cohesion, with the overwhelming majority of children living with both parents. It is also characterized by very large family sizes and high levels of economic privation. Our data show that teachers are more likely than parents to rate these pre-school children as having difficulties, especially of the `hyperactive' kind, and that the levels of such difficulties are probably epidemiologically significant. There is some evidence that the strictly orthodox Jewish children had lower rates of disorder than is found in the general population. There were few relevant predictive factors of difficulties, although children already perceived by their teachers as having `special educational needs' had a heightened risk.
Autobiographical Memory: A Clinical Perspective

Autobiographical memory (ABM) comprises memories of one’s own past that are characterized by a sense of subjective time and autonoetic awareness. Although ABM deficits are among the primary symptoms of patients with major psychiatric conditions such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer Disease (AD) or chronic schizophrenia large clinical studies are scarce. We therefore summarize and discuss the results of our clinical studies on ABM deficits in the respective conditions. In these studies ABM was assessed by using the same instrument – i.e., the Erweitertes Autobiographisches Gedächtnis Inventar (E-AGI) – thus allowing a direct comparison between diagnostic groups. Episodic ABM, especially the richness of details was impaired already in MCI and in beginning AD. Semantic memories were spared until moderate stages, indicating a dissociation between both memory systems. A recency effect was detectable in cognitively unimpaired subjects and vanished in patients with AD. A similar pattern of deficits was found in patients with chronic schizophrenia but not in patients with major depression. These ABM deficits were not accounted for by gender, or education level and did not apply for the physiological ageing process in otherwise healthy elderly. In conclusion, ABM deficits are frequently found in AD and chronic schizophrenia and primarily involve episodic rather than semantic memories. This dissociation corresponds to the multiple trace theory which hypothesized that these memory functions refer to distinct neuronal systems. The semi-structured interview E-AGI used to discern ABM changes provided a sufficient reliability measures, moreover potential effects of a number of important confounders could be falsified so far. These findings underline the relevance of ABM-assessments in clinical practice.