Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Early warning and response to fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia

Scientists at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) collaborated with Bogor Agriculture University Indonesia to investigate links between climate anomalies and fire hotspots in Kalimantan, Indonesia. During their investigation, a close relationship between satellite rainfall data and fire hotspot activity was found. Rainfall anomalies during the dry season from June-October were particularly critical in determining fire activity. Vegetation greenness and moisture indices derived from MODIS images, however, did not appear to demonstrate a relationship. These findings were used to develop a prototype online tool that enables stakeholders to view satellite rainfall anomalies and forecast fire activity in Kalimantan. Potential fire activity can be inferred from these data and steps can be taken early on to prevent or minimize the effects of regional fire occurrences.
Biopsychological and cognitive differences in children with premature vs. on-time adrenarche.

BACKGROUND Puberty consists of 2 components: gonadarche and adrenarche. Both components have distinct endocrine changes. Adrenarche has virtually been ignored with respect to examining hormone-behavior relations. OBJECTIVES To provide descriptive biological and behavioral information on children with premature adrenarche (PA) and to examine differences in biological, psychological, and cognitive variables of children with PA and a healthy comparison group of children with on-time adrenarche. DESIGN Descriptive pilot study. SETTING A consecutive sample of patients was recruited from pediatric endocrine clinics; comparison children were recruited from the community. PARTICIPANTS Children aged 6 to 9 years. Mean (+/-SD) age of children with PA (n = 9) was 7.8 (+/-1.3) years; of children with on-time adrenarche (n = 20), 8.0 (+/-1.2) years. METHODS AND MEASURES Serum and saliva samples were collected for measurement of hormone concentrations. Questionnaires, tests, and interviews were completed by children and parents. RESULTS Compared with the on-time group, the PA group had significantly higher concentrations of adrenal androgens, estradiol, thyrotropin, and cortisol. By parent report on the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, 4 children (44%) met diagnostic criteria for psychological disorders (primarily anxiety disorders). The PA group also had more self-reported depression and parent-reported behavior problems and lower scores on various intelligence tests. CONCLUSIONS Although PA is considered a normal variation of pubertal development that warrants no medical intervention, PA presents with significant psychosocial problems. Children with PA may need psychological evaluation and follow-up. Future studies should confirm these findings with a larger sample and examine the long-term ramifications of this early presenting abnormality.
I Am the Eye of the Needle and Everything Passes through Me: Primary Headteachers Explain Their Retirement.

ABSTRACT Fourteen early retiring primary headteachers in individual and group interviews discussed their decision to apply for early retirement. Retirement decisions were affected by ‘pushes’ from the system and ‘pulls’ towards retirement. Perceived pushes were external pressures, job expansion/overload, bureaucracy, local authority support, loss of job satisfaction and school relationships. Pulls comprised ‘facilitators’ (personal and financial) and ‘gains’ (control, opportunities, health and family). Pushes against retirement comprised losses of positive school relationships, role and status, job challenge and time structure. Early retirement amongst these headteachers appeared to derive from current retirement trends, job stress and lack of management support.
The introduction of modern matrons and the relevance of emotional labour to understanding their roles: developing personal authority in clinical leadership

This paper discusses the findings from case studies of six modern matrons and their emerging role in four local NHS Trusts in the South East of England. The studies develop previous work by the authors which explores the emotional component of leadership in nursing. In this study, we have focused on the role of modern matrons and leadership to re-examine the relevance of emotional labour in the context of the reform of the NHS. The data from the case studies involved focus groups and individual semi-structured interviews. These interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim by the researchers and analysed using thematic and narrative analysis. We suggest that the themes arising from these interviews contribute to the development of working hypotheses to increase understanding of the modern matron's role and newly emerging positions of nursing authority. These hypotheses suggest that the modern matron may choose from a range of approaches to respond to demands made upon her. The approaches proposed in this paper include emotion management, patient liaison, clinical leadership and nursing management. We suggest that these approaches allow the modern matron to use personal authority to provide clinical leadership to manage relationships intra- and inter-professionally and provide the interface between the organisation, the professions and the patient.
The Challenge of Super Diversity for Education in Europe

Children and youth at risk are a major challenge facing education systems in Europe. Some systems seem to be mastering this challenge better than others. Observations of the educational fate of immigrant minority children can shed light on the efficiency and performance of European education systems with respect to their ability to deal with children and youth at risk. None of today’s European education systems deliberately puts children and youth from immigrant families at a disadvantage. Nevertheless, the reality is they have unequal chances. Historical analysis and comparative studies can help uncover the root causes of this phenomenon. My contribution presents some thoughts on both of these approaches.Keywords: immigrant children and youth, monolingual habitus, super diversity, international comparative research
Psychological and Physiological Processes in Figure-Tracing Abilities Measured Using a Tablet Computer: A Study with 7 and 9 Years Old Children

The present study investigated the use of a tablet computer to assess figure-tracing skills and their relationships with psychological (visual–perceptual processes, cognitive processes, handwriting skills) and physiological (body mass index, isometric strength of arms) parameters with school-children of second (7–8-year-olds) and fourth (9–10-year-olds) grades. We were also interested in gender differences. The task required tracing of geometric figures on a template, shown on a tablet screen in light gray, for the segments that make up the target figure, one at a time. This figure-tracing tablet test allows acquisition and automated analysis of four parameters: number of strokes (pen lift) for each segment; oscillations of lines drawn with respect to reference lines; pressure of pen on tablet; and average speed of tracing. The results show a trade-off between speed and quality for the tablet parameters, with higher speed associated with more oscillations with respect to the reference lines, and lower number of strokes for each segment, in both male and female children. The involvement of visual–motor integration on the ability to reduce the oscillations in this tablet test was only seen for the male children, while both the male and female children showed a relationship between oscillations and more general/abstract visual–spatial processes. These data confirm the role of visual–motor processes in this figure-tracing tablet test only for male children, while more general visual–spatial processes influence the performance in the tablet test for both sexes. We conclude that the test proposed is useful to screen for grapho-motor difficulties.
Chlorophyll fluorescence of nitrogen fixing soybean plants (Glycine max L.) under stress conditions

Chlorophyll fluorescence technique was applied on young nitrogen fixing soybean plants (Glycine max L.) for detecting and assessment of the effects of two environmental stress factors - salinity and enhanced UV-B radiation. Biological nitrogen fixation by legume - Rhizobium symbiosis is important to agricultural productivity and is therefore of great economic interest. Soybean and soy foods attract worldwide attention for their potential health benefits and uses in food manufacturing. Soybean plants were grown under controlled conditions as water cultures on Helrigel nutrient solution. Three days seedlings were inoculated with suspension of Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain 273. Salinity was performed at the stage of 2nd – 4th trifoliate expanded leaves by adding of NaCl in the nutrient solution in concentrations 40 mM and 80 mM. On the 14th day after the salinity treatment the half of the plants was treated with UV-B radiation at intensity of 64.4 µmol m−2 s−1 for four hours. Measurements were conducted on the same day. Hyperspectral fluorescence data were collected by a portable fiber-optic spectrometer in the visible and near infrared spectral ranges (600–900 nm). The spectral and statistical analysis was performed on fluorescence spectra normalized against the second maximum at five characteristic wavelengths. The statistical significance of the differences at p&#60;0.05 between data means of the control and treated plants were ascertained by the Student's t-criterion. In the case of only salinity treatment the differences were statistically significant for both NaCl concentrations at all wavelengths with the exception of the rear slope. For the combined treatment (salinity + UV-B radiation) the differences in the spectra are non-significant at two of the wavelengths (in the middle of forefront and rear slope).
Reward-Induced Decrements and Increments in Intrinsic Motivation

The circumstances under which rewards undermine or enhance intrinsic interest are examined. It emerges that the recipient’s perception of the functions of the dispensed reward is critically important. In particular, the distinction between reward instrumentality and rewards as symbols of success explains a vast array of otherwise contradictory findings. Quality and quantity of reward are shown not to be important per se, nor is there any evidence that undermining effects are associated with other disruptive effects on performance. A feature of current explanations of overjustification effects is the extent to which they carry implications for classroom practice. However, no extant explanation seems capable of incorporating all the available findings. Important directions for future research concern the interaction of reward-induced effects and other influences on intrinsic motivation and the relationship between school achievement and intrinsic interest in school activities.
Cortical patterns of category‐selective activation for faces, places and objects in adults with autism

Autism is associated with widespread atypicalities in perception, cognition and social behavior. A crucial question concerns how these atypicalities are reflected in the underlying brain activation. One way to examine possible perturbations of cortical organization in autism is to analyze the activation of category‐selective ventral visual cortex, already clearly delineated in typical populations. We mapped out the neural correlates of face, place and common object processing, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), in a group of high‐functioning adults with autism and a typical comparison group, under both controlled and more naturalistic, viewing conditions. There were no consistent group differences in place‐related regions. Although there were no significant differences in the extent of the object‐related regions, there was more variability for these regions in the autism group. The most marked group differences were in face‐selective cortex, with individuals with autism evincing reduced activation, not only in fusiform face area but also in superior temporal sulcus and occipital face area. Ventral visual cortex appears to be organized differently in high‐functioning adults with autism, at least for face‐selective regions, although subtle differences may also exist for other categories. We propose that cascading developmental effects of low‐level differences in neuronal connectivity result in a much more pronounced effect on later developing cortical systems, such as that for face‐processing, than earlier maturing systems (those for objects and places).
The influence of substrate roughness, patterning, curvature, and compliance in peeling problems

Biological adhesion, in particular the mechanisms by which animals and plants ‘stick’ to surfaces, has been widely studied in recent years, and some of the structural principles have been successfully applied to bioinspired adhesives. However, modelling of adhesion, such as in single or multiple peeling theories, has in most cases been limited to ideal cases, and due consideration of the role of substrate geometry and mechanical properties has been limited. In this paper, we propose a numerical model to evaluate these effects, including substrate roughness, patterning, curvature, and deformability. The approach is validated by comparing its predictions with classical thin film peeling theoretical results, and is then used to predict the effects of substrate properties. These results can provide deeper insight into experiments, and the developed model can be a useful tool to design and optimize artificial adhesives with tailor-made characteristics.
WILL SCHOLARS TRUMP TEACHERS IN NEW ZEALAND TEACHER EDUCATION

The Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF) assessment process in 2003 highlighted the research imperative for academic staff in New Zealand teacher education. This imperative was not new: it was implicit in the tertiary education changes of 1990, which ended the university monopoly over degree granting and gave autonomy to colleges of education and polytechnics. Previous assumptions about the roles of university and college academics were challenged. Few teacher educators had engaged in research before 1990; staff were recruited from the profession on the basis of their professional expertise. Developing a research culture alongside the demands of teaching and professional involvement in schools leads to tensions that few institutions worldwide have been able to solve. This paper examines the experience of two New Zealand teacher education institutions in responding to the new research imperative, and then considers the impact of the PBRF process and reporting on policy and practice. It identifies significant issues for resourcing and developing capacity but concludes that research is an imperative of professional practice that has the capacity to enrich our teaching and inform policy. However, maintaining balance and equilibrium among the contradictory demands and pressures of research and teaching is still an essential goal if we are to serve education well.
Reactions to Perceived Sex Discrimination

Building on research on collective relative deprivation, we used independent samples of psychologists and managers to assess the relationship of perceived discrimination to an individual's reactions to the job and to the organization. While workers perceived relatively little sex discrimination, women perceived more discrimination against women than did men, and both sexes perceived more discrimination against women than discrimination against men. For women, perceptions of discrimination against women were associated with lower feelings of power and prestige on the job, more work conflict, more hours spent on paid work activities, and a lessened willingness to make the same career choice. Among men, perceptions of discrimination were related to few outcome measures. Implications for organizations are discussed.
Stability of Bagged Decision Trees ( ? ) Stabilità di alberi di decisione con il bagging

Riassunto: Il Bagging è una tecnica di aggregazione, in cui uno stimatore viene ottenuto come media di predittori calcolati su campioni bootstrap. Gli alberi di decisione con il bagging quasi sempre migliorano il predittore originario, ed è opinione comune che l’efficacia del bagging sia dovuta alla riduzione della varianza. In questo lavoro mostriamo un contro-esempio e diamo evidenza sperimentale al fatto che il bagging stabilizza la predizione bilanciando l’influenza delle unit à di training. Unit̀ a molto influenti vengono pesate di meno a causa della loro assenza in alcuni dei campioni di bootstrap. Abbiamo quindi testato empiricamente alcune recenti teorie che mettono in relazione stabilit̀ a ed errore di generalizzazione. L’ipotesi di stabilit à è stata valutata in base a diversi benchmark, e mostriamo come il processo di bilanciamento dell’influenza dei singoli esempi migliora significativamente la stabilit à, che a sua volta pu ò migliorare la capacit̀ a di generalizzazione.
Cannabis use and proximity to coffee shops in the Netherlands

The aim of this paper is to assess the influence of coffee shop availability on the prevalence and intensity of cannabis use, as well as the effectiveness of the ‘separation of markets’ policy. A convenience sample of nightlife visitors and a sub-selection of previous year cannabis users were used for analyses on cannabis and hard drugs use. Logistic regression analyses showed that coffee shop proximity does not seem to be linked to prevalence of cannabis use or intensity of use. In addition, proximity of coffee shops does not seem to be linked directly to hard drugs use.
Dopaminergic Lesions of the Dorsolateral Striatum in Rats Increase Delay Discounting in an Impulsive Choice Task

Dysregulated dopamine transmission in striatal circuitry is associated with impulsivity. The current study evaluated the influence of dopaminergic inputs to the dorsolateral striatum on impulsive choice, one aspect of impulsive behavior. We implemented an operant task that measures impulsive choice in rats via delay discounting wherein intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) was used as the positive reinforcer. To do so, rats were anesthetized to allow implanting of a stimulating electrode within the lateral hypothalamus of one hemisphere and bilateral dorsal striatal injections of the dopaminergic toxin, 6-OHDA (lesioned) or its vehicle (sham). Following recovery, rats were trained in a delay discounting task wherein they selected between a small ICSS current presented immediately after lever pressing, and a large ICSS current presented following a 0 to 15s delay upon pressing the alternate lever. Task acquisition and reinforcer discrimination were similar for lesioned and sham rats. All rats exhibited an initial preference for the large reinforcer, and as the delay was increased, preference for the large reinforcer was decreased indicating that the subjective value of the large reinforcer was discounted as a function of delay time. However, this discounting effect was significantly enhanced in lesioned rats for the longer delays. These data reveal a contribution of dopaminergic inputs to the dorsolateral striatum on impulsive choice behavior, and provide new insights into neural substrates underlying discounting behaviors.
Peer Interaction and the Learning of Critical Thinking Skills

The ability to conduct reasoned argument (to support opinions with non-spurious evidence, to anticipate what evidence would support alternative opinions, to weigh the quality of competing items of evidence, and so on) is a key component of critical thinking. Kuhn (1991) suggested that practice might help improve thinking skills, and in particular that peer-based practice would be effective in improving such skills. Three studies that attempted to use peer interaction to help enhance students' argumentative reasoning skills are briefly reviewed. Some evidence is provided that supports Kuhn's advocacy of peer-based practice; however, some of the studies have supplemented the peer-based element of the situation with a more traditional, instruction-based teaching component. Nevertheless, it is concluded that peer interaction is a potentially useful method for helping inculcate thinking skills.
Virtual Travel in Second Life: Understanding Eighteenth-Century Travelogues through Experiential Learning

This article argues for the use of experiential learning to teach eighteenth-century travel literature to undergraduates. Exploring the three-dimensional virtual world of Second Life, students wrote their own travelogues and reflected on the ways in which the experience affected how they analyzed travelogues for the rest of the semester.
Residual sleepiness in obstructive sleep apnoea: phenotype and related symptoms

The characteristics of residual excessive sleepiness (RES), defined by an Epworth score >10 in adequately treated apnoeic patients, are unknown. 40 apnoeic patients, with (n = 20) and without (n = 20) RES, and 20 healthy controls underwent clinical interviews, cognitive and biological tests, polysomnography, a multiple sleep latency test, and 24-h sleep monitoring. The marked subjective sleepiness in the RES group (mean±sd score 16.4±3) contrasted with moderately abnormal objective measures of sleepiness (90% of patients with RES had daytime sleep latencies >8 min). Compared with patients without RES, the patients with RES had more fatigue, lower stage N3 percentages, more periodic leg movements (without arousals), lower mean sleep latencies and longer daytime sleep periods. Most neuropsychological dimensions (morning headaches, memory complaints, spatial memory, inattention, apathy, depression, anxiety and lack of self-confidence) were not different between patients with and without RES, but gradually altered from controls to apnoeic patients without and then with RES. RES in apnoeic patients differs markedly from sleepiness in central hypersomnia. The association between RES, periodic leg movements, apathy and depressive mood parallels the post-hypoxic lesions in noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin systems in animals exposed to intermittent hypoxia.
‘An Unsolvable Justice Problem’? Punishing Young People's Sexual Violence

This article addresses the paradox that whilst young offenders in general are increasingly diverted from formal justice, there continues to be resistance to the idea of diversion for those young people who commit sexual offences. It explores the ways in which tensions arising from this paradox are currently being played out within criminal justice systems in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Building on published and new research on criminal justice responses to young sexual offenders, the article highlights the problems of responding within any one justice framework to the – at times – competing concerns about risk, welfare, and control that these young offenders provoke. Drawing on criminological, psychological, and sociological work, the article argues that these concerns are accentuated in relation to young sexual offenders because of interrelated fears about the progressive nature of sexual offending; the ability of ‘newer’ justice practices to meet the need for ‘affective’ and ‘effective’ justice in relation to sexual crimes; and because of wider societal anxieties about sexual crimes, particularly where the victims and the offenders are children or young people.