Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reply to Li, D'Angiulli and Kendall: The Early Development Index and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

To the Editors of Early Years: We are writing in response to the paper by Li, D’Angiulli and Kendall (2007), published recently in your journal. As researchers responsible for developing, validating, disseminating and improving the Early Development Instrument, we welcome all constructive feedback. However, we feel that there are two key aspects of this paper that we would like to address. The first concerns a number of errors and misconceptions in the paper that we think are important to clarify and correct. The second issue relates to the significant amount of research and effort that has taken place since this article was first written, particularly the increasing amount of effort, both in Canada and in Australia, to engage the Indigenous/Aboriginal populations.
Leave “Those Kids” Alone: On the Conflation of School Homophobia and Suffering Queers

In this article I make a conceptual intervention in the idea that queer children and youth have needs that differ from those of other children and youth on the basis of their gender or sexuality alone, and that doing well by them requires adults to act on the basis of this difference. Namely, I examine the conflation of “fighting school homophobia” and “helping young queers. ” I argue that making space for queerness in education is not the same as making space for queers, and that queer young people ought to be left alone. I offer two explanations for the conflation’s persistence such that “leaving them alone” is generally unthinkable: one affective and one institutional. In the first instance, I read a short memoir through a recent queer theoretical account of childhood as queerness, and argue that the “queer child” is the vehicle of queer adult longing for origins. In the second instance, I show how in education the nebulous (queerness) tends to become concrete (homophobia) and therefore actionable (fight homophobia) because of the constraints of schooling as the singularity of education in the present. In the conclusion, I suggest that a twist on the liberal concept of individual rights may ironically provide a pragmatic means of moving beyond the flourishing of individual queers and toward the flourishing of queerness in schools, and offer some preliminary suggestions of what can be done if queerness was to become the beneficiary of anti‐homophobia interventions in education.
A Randomized Trial Comparing 2 Types of In-Home Rehabilitation for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Pilot Study

Background:Pulmonary rehabilitation has been shown to be effective for improving quality of life and function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but has not been studied extensively in homebound patients. Furthermore, little is known about the effectiveness of specific types of home-based interventions. Purpose:The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of in-home rehabilitation programs for individuals with COPD considered homebound according to Medicare definition and to compare outcomes of 2 different rehabilitation interventions. Methods:Patients were randomly assigned to 2 home-based interventions including aerobic conditioning (group A) or functional strength training (group B), which were conducted over 8 weeks. In addition, all patients received COPD self-management education. Outcome measures were collected after completion of the intervention and after 16 weeks and included the Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ), Geriatric Depression Scale, and 2-minute walk test. Results:Of 41 patients enrolled, 24 completed the 8-week intervention. On average, all CRQ quality-of-life domains improved in both groups, with the largest improvements in the CRQ-dyspnea domain. Overall, at 16 weeks, 80% of group A and 71% of group B patients had clinically significant improvements in the CRQ-dyspnea domain. Furthermore, depression scores improved in both groups. Only group A had a clinically significant improvement in walking distance. Conclusion:The results of this pilot study suggest that both forms of home-based rehabilitation may improve disease-specific quality of life in homebound patients with COPD.
Prognostic implications of imaging in atrophic macular degeneration and its use in clinical practice and clinical trial design

Clinical prognostic markers in atrophic age‐related macular degeneration include the extent of existing atrophy, fundus autofluorescence (FAF) patterns and optical coherence tomography changes in the outer retina/retinal pigment epithelium interface. The prognostic implications of these findings may be used to determine not just the rate of disease progression but also influence the likelihood, magnitude and clinical relevance of therapy responses. FAF phenotypes have been extensively investigated; however, the pathophysiological mechanisms behind their appearance have not been fully elucidated. Optical coherence tomography imaging is additive to FAF imaging in atrophic age‐related macular degeneration, allowing the visualization of detail not available through FAF imaging whilst also displaying subtle changes correlating with the FAF phenotypes themselves, thereby giving clues to their histological determinates. The developing understanding of these imaging modalities and consequent development of prognostically useful classification systems have widespread implication in clinical care and clinical trial design.
Narratives of enterprise revisited: methodological appendices in ethnographic books

Purpose – This paper is the first in a series that reprints methodological appendices or methods chapters found in workplace and organisational ethnographic books, and provides an opportunity for reflection by the author through an introductory commentary. Simon Down, the author of Narratives of Enterprise (Down, 2006) reflects on the writing and the research underpinning his ethnography. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The reprinting of such chapters will enhance access to key ethnographic texts, and facilitate reflection on methodological choices authors made. In so doing this paper will provide insights into methodological ethnographic writing, and show how sensibilities and fashions change over time. Findings – Narratives of Enterprise (Down, 2006) examined how two small business managers in a single firm construct an entrepreneurial self-identity, and what this process of self-creation means for the individuals and how the firm is managed. The key topics explored.
Pathophysiology of depression and mechanisms of treatment

Major depression is a serious disorder of enormous sociological and clinical relevance. The discovery of antidepressant drugs in the 1950s led to the first biochemical hypothesis of depression, which suggested that an impairment in central monoaminergic function was the major lesion underlying the disorder. Basic research in all fields of neuroscience (including genetics) and the discovery of new antidepressant drugs have revolutionized our understanding of the mechanisms underlying depression and drug action. There is no doubt that the monoaminergic system is one of the cornerstones of these mechanisms, but multiple interactions with other brain systems and the regulation of central nervous system function must also be taken into account In spite of all the progress achieved so far, we must be aware that many open questions remain to be resolved in the future.
Young Children as Wayfarers: Learning about Place by Moving Through It

This article describes the walking and moving of young children around places. It is based on an ethnographic study of children aged between 24 and 36 months visiting a museum. Drawing on Ingold's (2007) concept of wayfaring, the author argues movement through place creates embodied, tacit ways of knowing and experiencing the world. This embodied and tacit knowledge is not well-accounted for in dominant models of how young children learn. In this study, wayfaring both enabled the children to learn about places and routes, and led to the development of traditions, in which collective meanings and actions were attached to particular locations.
Importance of Tibial Slope for Stability of the Posterior Cruciate Ligament—Deficient Knee

Background Previous studies have shown that increasing tibial slope can shift the resting position of the tibia anteriorly. As a result, sagittal osteotomies that alter slope have recently been proposed for treatment of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries. Hypotheses Increasing tibial slope with an osteotomy shifts the resting position anteriorly in a PCL-deficient knee, thereby partially reducing the posterior tibial “sag” associated with PCL injury. This shift in resting position from the increased slope causes a decrease in posterior tibial translation compared with the PCL-deficient knee in response to posterior tibial and axial compressive loads. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Three knee conditions were tested with a robotic universal force-moment sensor testing system: intact, PCL-deficient, and PCL-deficient with increased tibial slope. Tibial slope was increased via a 5-mm anterior opening wedge osteotomy. Three external loading conditions were applied to each knee condition at 0°, 30°, 60°, 90°, and 120° of knee flexion: (1) 134-N anterior-posterior (A-P) tibial load, (2) 200-N axial compressive load, and (3) combined 134-N A-P and 200-N axial loads. For each loading condition, kinematics of the intact knee were recorded for the remaining 5 degrees of freedom (ie, A-P, medial-lateral, and proximal-distal translations, internal-external and varus-valgus rotations). Results Posterior cruciate ligament deficiency resulted in a posterior shift of the tibial resting position to 8.4 ± 2.6 mm at 90° compared with the intact knee. After osteotomy, tibial slope increased from 9.2° ± 1.0° in the intact knee to 13.8° ± 0.9°. This increase in slope reduced the posterior sag of the PCL-deficient knee, shifting the resting position anteriorly to 4.0 ± 2.0 mm at 90°. Under a 200-N axial compressive load with the osteotomy, an additional increase in anterior tibial translation to 2.7 ± 1.7 mm at 30° was observed. Under a 134-N A-P load, the osteotomy did not significantly affect total A-P translation when compared with the PCL-deficient knee. However, because of the anterior shift in resting position, there was a relative decrease in posterior tibial translation and increase in anterior tibial translation. Conclusion Increasing tibial slope in a PCL-deficient knee reduces tibial sag by shifting the resting position of the tibia anteriorly. This sag is even further reduced when the knee is subjected to axial compressive loads. Clinical Relevance These data suggest that increasing tibial slope may be beneficial for patients with PCL-deficient knees.
Obstructive apnoeas in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

BACKGROUND--In order to clarify the treatment of sleep hypoxaemias in Duchenne muscular dystrophy polysomnographic studies were performed on patients at home with the purpose of recruiting them into two clinical therapeutic trials. Observations concerning the nature of sleep hypoxaemia in these patients are presented. METHODS--Twenty one non-ambulant patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy aged 13-23 years with no symptoms of sleep hypoventilation or apnoea were studied for two consecutive nights with eight channel polysomnography. A comparative study was performed in 12 age matched normal male subjects. The evolution of sleep hypoxaemia with age was studied in 14 patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. RESULTS--Thirteen of the 21 patients had hypoxaemia below 90% during sleep, and 12 of the 13 had discrete hypoxaemic dips in association with apnoeas; 60% of all apnoeas were obstructive in nature. The hypoxaemic periods became more frequent with increasing age and, in two patients at three year follow up, were more frequently associated with central or possibly "pseudocentral" apnoeas. Although the normal subjects had a few apnoeic episodes, none had sleep hypoxaemia below 90% saturation. CONCLUSION--The sleep related breathing abnormality in Duchenne muscular dystrophy is initially obstructive and this has implications for management.
Slice sampling covariance hyperparameters of latent Gaussian models

The Gaussian process (GP) is a popular way to specify dependencies between random variables in a probabilistic model. In the Bayesian framework the covariance structure can be specified using unknown hyperparameters. Integrating over these hyperparameters considers different possible explanations for the data when making predictions. This integration is often performed using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling. However, with non-Gaussian observations standard hyperparameter sampling approaches require careful tuning and may converge slowly. In this paper we present a slice sampling approach that requires little tuning while mixing well in both strong- and weak-data regimes.
Writing therapy using new technologies—the art of blogging

Using a blog as a form of journaling is becoming increasingly common. With email we are familiar with the phenomenon of responding rapidly and emotionally. In the blogging world, the same phenomenon may take place. While this type of immediate cathartic release may be similar to placing words on the pages of a journal, the aftermath that follows the use of blogging as journaling may be experienced much differently. The authors discuss the line between a self-help experience, a cathartic and possibly therapeutic intervention, and concern for the person who may be revealing too much. The therapist can prepare the client for feelings of empowerment, relief, and even exhilaration. They can also prepare for the risks, such as feelings of vulnerability, exposure, and possibly being re-traumatized. That the therapist may also want to establish boundaries within the therapeutic relationship about a client's blog is also discussed.
Student Nurses Perception of Poor Academic Performance in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

This research was conducted to examine the causes of poor academic performance by student nurses in the Bayelsa State School of Nursing in Nigeria, using the descriptive survey. The population consisted of 206 student nurses. As a result of their small size, they were all adopted for the study. However, only a total of 201 of the student nurses who completed their questionnaires participated in the study. A researcher-designed instrument named ‘Student Nurses’ Academic Performance Questionnaire’ (SNAPQ) was employed in generating data for the study. The instrument was validated and a reliability index of 0.87 was obtained. The instrument was analyzed using simple percentages and t-test statistics. Results showed that the five perceived causes of poor academic performance among student nurses included: giving the students too many assignments, parents’ inability to provide all the text books needed, student nurses lacking all their basic needs, lack of library and internet facilities and students’ inability to understand the science subjects. The ttest employed showed a statistically significant difference in students nurses’ perception of causes of poor academic performance on the basis of class level. The recommendations included provision of counselling services for the students and teachers, restructuring the nursing curriculum and reducing the number of assignments given to the students by their teachers, students’ formation of study groups, provisions of library and internet facilities, amongst others.
The Experiences of Feedback Practices on Academic Writing Undergone by Students with English as an Additional Language in a Master’s Programme: A Multiple Case Study

This article reflects upon the experiences and perceptions of feedback practices that five students who spoke English as an additional language (EAL) engaged with as part of their one-year taught master's course at a major UK University. During writing processes and after the submission of assignments, participants received support in a wide range of modes: tutors’ oral, written, and electronic feedback and peer feedback. The paper outlines the key difficulties students encountered when engaging with and responding to feedback. Findings suggested that although students expressed satisfaction with feedback practices provided over the course of their master's degree, instances in which these events constrained their understanding of writing conventions have been documented. Such factors as appropriate timing, the nature of feedback, the type of language tutors employed when providing feedback, variation in tutors’ preferences for marking, as well as students’ individual and cultural differences, sometimes limited students’ understanding and use of feedback.
Small sample properties of copula-GARCH modelling: a Monte Carlo study

Copula-GARCH models have been recently proposed in the financial literature as a statistical tool to deal with flexible multivariate distributions. Our extensive simulation studies investigate the small sample properties of these models and examine how misspecification in the marginals may affect the estimation of the dependence function represented by the copula. We show that the use of Normal marginals when the true Data Generating Process (DGP) is leptokurtic or asymmetric, produces negatively biased estimates of the Normal copula correlations. A striking result is that these biases reach their highest value when correlations are strongly negative, and viceversa. This result remains unchanged with both positively skewed and negatively skewed data, while no biases are found if the variables are uncorrelated. Besides, the effect of marginals asymmetry on correlations is smaller than that of leptokurtosis. We finally analyse the performance of these models in terms of numerical convergence and positive definiteness of the estimated copula correlation matrix.
The Role of Cytosolic α-Glucan Phosphorylase in Maltose Metabolism and the Comparison of Amylomaltase in Arabidopsis and Escherichia coli1

Transitory starch of leaves is broken down hydrolytically, making maltose the predominant form of carbon exported from chloroplasts at night. Maltose metabolism in the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli requires amylomaltase (MalQ) and maltodextrin phosphorylase (MalP). Possible orthologs of MalQ and MalP in the cytosol of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) were proposed as disproportionating enzyme (DPE2, At2g40840) and α-glucan phosphorylase (AtPHS2, At3g46970). In this article, we measured the activities of recombinant DPE2 and AtPHS2 proteins with various substrates; we show that maltose and a highly branched, soluble heteroglycan (SHG) are excellent substrates for DPE2 and propose that a SHG is the in vivo substrate for DPE2 and AtPHS2. In E. coli, MalQ and MalP preferentially use smaller maltodextrins (G3–G7) and we suggest that MalQ and DPE2 have similar, but nonidentical, roles in maltose metabolism. To study this, we complemented a MalQ− E. coli strain with DPE2 and found that the rescue was not complete. To investigate the role of AtPHS2 in maltose metabolism, we characterized a T-DNA insertion line of the AtPHS2 gene. The nighttime maltose level increased 4 times in the Atphs2-1 mutant. The comparison of maltose metabolism in Arabidopsis with that in E. coli and the comparison of the maltose level in plants lacking DPE2 or AtPHS2 indicate that an alternative route to metabolize the glucan residues in SHG exists. Other plant species also contain SHG, DPE2, and α-glucan phosphorylase, so this pathway for maltose metabolism may be widespread among plants.
Citizenship, Community, and Recovery: A Group- and Peer-Based Intervention for Persons With Co-Occurring Disorders and Criminal Justice Histories

Group interventions for persons with co-occurring disorders of serious mental illness (SMI) and alcohol or other substance use disorders may positively affect participants’ substance use, criminal justice contacts, and transition to community supports and community living. We report on a group intervention with wraparound peer support that, in earlier research, has shown promise regarding these domains. We provide a detailed description and discussion of the intervention, including case vignettes. We also discuss future research on this intervention and offer recommendations for additional research in this area and with this target population.
Developing the Occupational Self Assessment: The Use of Rasch Analysis to Assure Internal Validity, Sensitivity and Reliability

This paper reports the results of three studies that examined the internal validity, sensitivity and reliability of the Occupational Self Assessment (OSA), a self-report of Occupational Competence and Value for occupational performance and participation (Baron et al 2006). All three studies used a Rasch measurement approach to explore the psychometric properties of iterative versions of the OSA. The first study showed that the ‘Myself’ Occupational Competence and Values items constituted a unidimensional construct, but did not discriminate optimally between participants. The results also suggested that the two ‘My Environment’ scales did not contain enough items to exhibit adequate measurement properties. Next, the rating scales were changed from three-point to four-point categories. The second study examined these changes and provided evidence to support the use of a four-point Occupational Competence scale. The Values rating scale was further revised because sensitivity did not improve. The third study confirmed that the OSA items in combination have good internal validity and measure the unidimensional constructs of Occupational Competence and Values. Further, both four-point rating scales resulted in improved person separation, indicated increased sensitivity, and could be used in a consistent manner by 90% of participants with a range of disabilities from a variety of contexts.
Kinesin-1 interacts with Bucky ball to form germ cells and is required to pattern the zebrafish body axis

In animals, specification of the primordial germ cells (PGCs), the stem cells of the germ line, is required to transmit genetic information from one generation to the next. Bucky ball (Buc) is essential for germ plasm (GP) assembly in oocytes, and its overexpression results in excess PGCs in zebrafish embryos. However, the mechanistic basis for the excess PGCs in response to Buc overexpression, and whether endogenous Buc functions during embryogenesis, are unknown. Here, we show that endogenous Buc, like GP and overexpressed Buc-GFP, accumulates at embryonic cleavage furrows. Furthermore, we show that the maternally expressed zebrafish Kinesin-1 Kif5Ba is a binding partner of Buc and that maternal kif5Ba (Mkif5Ba) plays an essential role in germline specification in vivo. Specifically, Mkif5Ba is required to recruit GP to cleavage furrows and thereby specifies PGCs. Moreover, Mkif5Ba is required to enrich Buc at cleavage furrows and for the ability of Buc to promote excess PGCs, providing mechanistic insight into how Buc functions to assemble embryonic GP. In addition, we show that Mkif5Ba is also essential for dorsoventral (DV) patterning. Specifically, Mkif5Ba promotes formation of the parallel vegetal microtubule array required to asymmetrically position dorsal determinants (DDs) towards the prospective dorsal side. Interestingly, whereas Syntabulin and wnt8a translocation depend on kif5Ba, grip2a translocation does not, providing evidence for two distinct mechanisms by which DDs might be asymmetrically distributed. These studies identify essential roles for maternal Kif5Ba in PGC specification and DV patterning, and provide mechanistic insight into Buc functions during early embryogenesis. Summary: Bucky ball is essential for germ plasm assembly in zebrafish. It binds Kinesin-1, which promotes microtubule reorganisation after egg activation and is required for Bucky ball activity.