Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Handbook of Emerging Technologies for Learning

Preface Over the last decade, in seminars, conferences, and workshops, Peter Tittenberger and I have had the opportunity to explore the role of technology in transforming learning. From conversations during these engagements, a set of concerns has emerged: 1. Educators express interest in improving their teaching and learning practices, particularly emphasizing the need to improve engagement of learners (online or in-class). 2. While concerned about improving teaching and learning, educators generally resist: a. Advanced pedagogical discussions that are not readily transferable to the online or face-to-face classroom b. Technology-heavy hype and suggestions that the social element of learning can somehow be replaced. This Handbook of Emerging Technologies for Learning (HETL) has been designed as a resource for educators planning to incorporate technologies in their teaching and learning activities. HETL has been developed for a workshop delivered to Athabasca University faculty and reflects several years work with Peter at the Learning Technologies Centre at University of Manitoba. Distance and online universities such as Athabasca, are well positioned to play a bridging role between tradition and emergence in transforming higher education. Universities that recognize the value of online learning and are able to " get the model right " 1 will be well positioned to respond creatively to developing change pressures. To extend the dialogue on the concepts expressed in this book, and to ensure information is current, a wiki has been set up to solicit feedback, contributions, reactions, and present updates: Higher education is in the midst of transformative (but exciting) change. Over the next decade, the practices of teaching and learning " will undergo fundamental change " 2 as universities and colleges respond to global, social, political, technological, and learning research trends. A duality of change – conceptual and technological – faces higher education. Large-scale transitions, such as were evident in the democratic revolutions across Europe in the late 18 th century (conceptual) and industrial revolution in the late 18 th and early 19 th century (technological), transform the large institutions of society: government, education, and religion. Today, the duality of conceptual (new models of education, advancement of social learning theory) and technological (elearning, mobile devices, learning networks) revolutions offers the prospect of transformative change in teaching and learning. The aim of education to " arm every single person for the vital combat for lucidity " 3 appears more difficult in a world of hyper-fragmentation, reflected in the development of …
Imprints of wave climate and mean sea level variations in the dynamics of a coastal spit over the last 250 years: Cap Ferret, SW France

In coastal areas, sea level rise (SLR) and changing wave climates are expected to be the main oceanic drivers of shoreline adjustments. These drivers have been shown to vary on a wide spectrum of spatial and temporal scales. Nonetheless, a general rule about how this variability impacts global shorelines remains to be articulated. Here, we discuss the impacts of wave climate changes and SLR on the evolution of a barrier spit–inlet system over the last 250 years. The distal end of the Cap Ferret barrier spit, SW France, has undergone large‐scale oscillations that were well correlated with variations of the decadal average of the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index. The local wave climate hindcast supports that increased alongshore wave energy fluxes associated with the positive phase of the NAO were responsible for the updrift retreat of the spit. By opposition, the spit has elongated downdrift when waves were less energetic and more shore normal, as during the negative phase of the NAO. In addition, lower rates of SLR appeared to be necessary for the spit to develop, as higher rates of SLR very likely forced the adjacent inlet to enlarge, at the expense of the spit. These results should help to predict and detect coastal adjustments driven by climate change and by climate variability. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Detailed mapping of prostate carcinoma foci

Prostate carcinoma exhibits considerable anatomic heterogeneity. Detailed characterization of prostate carcinoma distribution could lead to improved detection procedures and biopsy strategies. We mapped all 607 tumor foci from 180 serially sectioned whole mount radical prostatectomy specimens and used a computer algorithm to plot and summarize the distribution of these foci. We investigated whether specimen and clinical variables predicted differences in tumor distribution.
Face recognition using semi-supervised spectral feature selection

Semi-supervised learning is important when labeled data are scarce. In this paper, we develop a novel semi-supervised spectral feature selection technique using label regression and by using l1-norm regularized models for subset selection. Specifically, we propose a new two-step spectral regression technique for semi-supervised feature selection. In the first step, we use label propagation and label regression to transform the data into a lower-dimensional space so as to improve class separation. Second, we use l1-norm regularization to select the features that best align with the lower-dimensional data. Using l1-norm regularization, we cast feature discriminant analysis into a regression framework which accommodates the correlations among features. As a result, we can evaluate joint feature combinations, rather than being confined to consider them individually. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our feature selection method on standard face data-sets.
A STUDY OF PANCYTOPENIA IN ADULT PATIENTS MORE THAN 12 YEARS OF AGE IN NORTH WEST REGION OF SAURASHTRA

Introduction: Pancytopenia is a manifestation of many serious & life threatening diseases with an extensive differential diagnosis. Major causes of pancytopenia in developing countries are megaloblastic anemia, parasitic infection, hypersplenism and aplastic anemia. Methodology: In this study total 100 cases were studied by examining Peripheral smears of blood samples obtained by routine phlebotomy procedure and stained by Romanowsky stains. Bone marrow sampleswere obtained by routine bone marrow aspiration and biopsy procedures if indicated. Biochemical and other special investigations were done to confirm the diagnosis. Results: Among the 100 cases studied, age of the patients ranged from 13 to 86 years with a mean age of 42.9 years and slight male predominance. Most of the patients presented with generalized weakness and fever. The commonest physical finding was pallor, followed by splenomegaly and hepatomegaly. The commonest marrow finding was hypercellularity with megaloblastic erythropoiesis. The commonest cause for pancytopenia was megaloblastic anemia followed by malaria. Conclusion: The present study concludes that detailed primary hematological investigations along with other supportive tests are helpful to diagnose or to rule out the causes of pancytopenia. Megloblatic anemia is commnest cause of pancytopenia in most Indian and subcontinent studies. Present study also shows that invasive procedures like bone marrow aspiration and biopsy is avoided in most cases of pancytopenia.
Hypoxia inhibits baroreflex vagal bradycardia via a central action in anaesthetized rats

It is known that arterial baroreflexes are suppressed in stressful conditions. The present study was designed to determine whether and how hypoxia affects arterial baroreflexes, especially the heart rate component, baroreflex vagal bradycardia. In chloralose‐urethane‐anaesthetized rats, baroreflex vagal bradycardia was evoked by electrical stimulation of the aortic depressor nerve, and the effect of 15 s inhalation of hypoxic gas (4% O2) was studied. Inhalation of hypoxic gas was found to inhibit baroreflex vagal bradycardia. The inhibition persisted after bilateral transection of the carotid sinus nerve. Cervical vagus nerves were cut bilaterally and their peripheral cut ends were stimulated to provoke vagal bradycardia of peripheral origin so as to determine whether hypoxia could inhibit vagal bradycardia by acting on a peripheral site. In contrast to baroreflex vagal bradycardia, the vagus‐induced bradycardia was not affected by hypoxic gas inhalation. It is concluded that baroreflex vagal bradycardia is inhibited by hypoxia and the inhibition is largely mediated by its direct central action.
Rhabdomyolysis associated with levetiracetam administration

Levetiracetam is a commonly used medication for the treatment of partial-onset and primary generalized epilepsy due to its favorable pharmacokinetics, lack of drug interactions, and availability of bioequivalent oral and intravenous forms. Commonly reported adverse effects of levetiracetam are somnolence, asthenia, headache, and irritability. We report a 27-year-old man with a history of Moyamoya disease who presented with 2 brief episodes of new-onset generalized tonic–clonic seizures. After treatment with 1 mg intravenous lorazepam he recovered rapidly, and intravenous levetiracetam was started. After the first levetiracetam dose of 1,000 mg, his serum creatine kinase (CK) level was elevated at 718 U/L (normal 30–220 U/L), which was initially attributed to muscle breakdown from his seizure. Intravenous levetiracetam was continued at 1000 mg twice daily. Eight hours after the second dose, serum CK increased to 7,600 U/L. On electrophoresis, the isoenzyme CK MM accounted for 100% of the total CK, with no CK BB or CK MB fractions. Urine myoglobin was elevated at 6 mg/L (normal 0–1 mg/L). His other medications included docusate and prophylactic subcutaneous heparin. CK levels continued to climb rapidly. Levetiracetam was stopped after a total of 6 doses, while heparin and docusate were continued. Serum CK reached a peak at 49,539 U/L 48 h after discontinuation of levetiracetam and then gradually declined (Fig. 1). Throughout his 10-day hospitalization, the patient had no further seizures. He denied myalgia, muscle cramps, or weakness. His neurological exam was normal. There was no history of trauma, metabolic derangement, or infection, and no personal or family history of rhabdomyolysis or a neuromuscular disorder. Serum CK dropped to 3,353 U/L on discharge and returned to normal (98 U/L) 40 days later. There have been 4 reports of levetiracetam-associated rhabdomyolysis. All occurred in the setting of epilepsy treatment and involved young patients aged 13 to 29 years, with resulting CK levels ranging from 986 to 29,136 U/L. Myalgia was reported in 2 patients and muscle weakness in 1. Three of 4 patients received other medications which could have contributed to the occurrence of rhabdomyolysis, including valproate and phenytoin, oxcarbamazepine, clobazam, and propofol. In the remaining patient, levetiracetam monotherapy was associated with a modest CK elevation of 986 U/L. In our patient, the rapid development of severe but asymptomatic rhabdomyolysis was encountered in a young man following initiation of levetiracetam monotherapy. Although causality cannot be proven without a levetiracetam re-challenge, rhabdomyolysis should be considered a possible adverse effect associated with the drug, especially in young individuals. Ethical Publication Statement: We confirm that we have read the Journal’s position on issues involved in ethical publication and affirm that this report is consistent with those guidelines.
Polarized Type-1 Dendritic Cells (DC1) Producing High Levels of IL-12 Family Members Rescue Patient TH1-type Antimelanoma CD4+ T cell Responses In Vitro

Deficiencies in TH1-type immunity in patients with cancer may facilitate tumor progression and limit the effectiveness of current immunotherapy approaches. We hypothesized that Type-1 polarized dendritic cells (DC1) might be able to recondition patient antitumor CD4+ T cell responses toward the TH1-type in vitro. Although DC1 have been previously demonstrated to prime TH1 responses from naive CD4+ T cells, their impact on antigen-experienced TH responses remains unknown. We confirmed our own earlier observations that patient CD4+ T cell reactivity against melanoma-associated antigens (MAA) was weaker and less Type-1–polarized than their corresponding antiviral responses. Stimulation of patient CD4+ T cells with peptide-pulsed DC1 (producing multiple IL-12 family member cytokines, including IL-12p70, IL-23, and IL-27) promoted robust TH1-type, epitope-specific T cell responses. Addition of exogenous IL-12 family member cytokines alone, or in combination, to nonpolarized DC was insufficient to equate to the benefits associated with DC1-based stimulation; however, IL-27 and IL-12p70 blockade neutralized the ability of DC1 cells to enhance TH1-type antitumor immunity in vitro. Notably, DC1-based stimulation seemed capable of “revitalizing” defective TH1-type responses within the CD45RO+ subset of antigen-experienced CD4+ T cells in melanoma patients. In addition to promoting elevated levels of IFN-γ from responder CD4+ T cells, DC1-based stimulation also led to increased levels of IL-12Rβ2 and t-bet expression by TH cells. These results suggest that preexisting CD4+ T cell immunity to cancer is not relegated to Type-1 insufficiency and may be corrected via the application of DC1-based vaccination protocols.
Symptom experience in non‐dialysis‐dependent chronic kidney disease: A qualitative descriptive study

BACKGROUND Studies indicate that symptoms attributable to impaired kidney function are important determinants of quality of life and functional status in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Accordingly, symptom assessment and subsequent control are prerequisites of high-quality care in this patient population. Whilst symptom burden in patients with advanced CKD managed without dialysis has been likened to that of palliative care cancer populations, there is little information about the nature and range of symptoms in earlier stages of the CKD trajectory. This paper reports the findings of the preliminary phase of a study aimed at exploring the symptom experience in patients with CKD stages 4 and 5. METHODS Eighteen semi-structured patient interviews were conducted, using an interview schedule developed specifically to guide discussion. Data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify symptom categories and thematic patterns across the patient experiences. RESULTS Patients reported a wide range of symptoms, with over 50 different categories and sub-categories emerging from the interview data. Symptom categories could be broadly classified into physical symptoms, such as 'Altered taste perception', 'Sleep disturbance' and 'Fatigue', and psychological symptoms, such as 'Forgetfulness', 'Poor concentration' and 'A sensation of gradually slowing down'. Of note, when questioned further, patients indicated that they would not usually report their symptoms to clinicians. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that patients with CKD stages 4 and 5 may have a high symptom burden. The finding that patients did not routinely report their symptoms emphasises a need for clinicians to incorporate symptom assessment into routine clinical consultations.
The impact of structural empowerment on individual well-being and performance: Taking agent preferences, self-efficacy and operational constraints into account

We integrate psychological and socio-structural perspectives on empowerment by examining: a) the impact of actual structural empowerment initiatives (as opposed to perceptions of such empowering acts) aimed at enhancing employee influence over which tasks to perform (as opposed to how to perform them) on employee well-being and performance, b) the degree to which self-efficacy mediates these effects, and c) the extent to which, by applying such initiatives more selectively, performance-related empowerment effects may be amplified. Results of a simulation-based experiment indicate that while granting decision latitude over which tasks to perform has beneficial effects on both individual performance and well-being, self-efficacy partially mediates the effects only on the latter. Results also indicate that the direct performance-related effects of such interventions may be further increased without any significant decline in employee well-being to the extent that such structural empowerment is applied more selectively and offered as a performance-based incentive.
Language Choice Among Peers in Project-Based Learning: A Hong Kong Case Study of English Language Learners’ Plurilingual Practices in Out-of-Class Computer-Mediated Communication

Recently there has been considerable interest in the role of first language use in second/foreign language learning, especially where students share a common first language. However, most research has focused on inclass interaction between teachers and learners. Much less attention has been given to students’ out-of-class practices, for example, in collaborative project- based learning. To fill this gap, the article tracks the out-of-class activities of 16 students (four project groups) involved in project work on a course in English for science students at an English-medium university in Hong Kong. An analy-sis of students’ computer-mediated interactions (Facebook, WhatsApp and email) shows that these interactions are plurilingual, with students drawing on English, Chinese and mixed code to different extents as they go about their project work. Different languages are used strategically: whereas L2 is used more in the construction of the final project product, L1 is used more to pro-mote group cohesion. The findings suggest that, in plurilingual contexts like Hong Kong, it is necessary to develop an English language pedagogy that ac-knowledges the need for the constructive but judicious use of translanguaging and plurilingual practices as students are engaged in L2-focused (e.g. EAP) project-based group work.Ces derniers temps, on s’est beaucoup intéressé au rôle de l’utilisation de la langue maternelle dans l’apprentissage d’une langue seconde ou étrangère, surtout lorsque les étudiants ont la même langue maternelle. Toutefois, la majorité des travaux de recherche se sont concentrés sur les interactions entre les enseignants et les apprenants. On a accordeé beaucoup moins d’attention aux pratiques des étudiants a l’extérieur de la classe, l’apprentissage par projets collaboratifs, par exemple. Pour combler cette lacune, le présent article fait le suivi des activités hors classe de 16 étudiants (quatre groupes de projet) participant à un projet dans le cadre d’un cours d’anglais pour les étudiants des sciences dans une université de langue anglaise de Hong Kong. Une analyse des communications électroniques des étudiants (Facebook, WhatsApp et courriel) démontre que ces interactions sont plurilingues, les etudiants se servant de l’anglais, du chinois et d’un code mixte dans différentes proportions au cours de leur travail. Les différentes langues sont utilisées de façon stratégique : la L2 est utilisée davantage dans la confection du projet final, tandis que la langue maternelle est plus utilisée pour favoriser la cohésion du groupe. Ces observations donnent à penser que dans des contextes plurilingues comme celui de Hong Kong, il est nécessaire d’élaborer une pédagogie en langue anglaise qui reconnaît le besoin d’une utilisation constructive, mais judicieuse, de pratiques translangagiéres et plurilingues lorsque les étudiants participent à des travaux de groupe dans le cadre d’un projet axé sur la langue seconde (p. ex., l’anglais universitaire).
Muscle pain: mechanisms and clinical significance.

INTRODUCTION Muscle pain is common, but the understanding of its causes is still patchy. This article addresses the mechanisms of some important types of muscle pain. METHODS Selective literature review, predominantly of data derived from neuroanatomical and electrophysiological experiments on anesthetized rats. RESULTS Muscle pain is evoked by specialized nerve endings (nociceptors). Important stimuli for muscle pain are adenosintriphosphate (ATP) and a low tissue pH. Excitation of muscle nociceptors leads to hyperexcitability of spinal sensory neurones (central sensitization). Low frequency activity in muscle nociceptors is sufficient to induce central sensitization. DISCUSSION Central sensitization leads to increased excitation in the spinal cord and to referral of muscle pain. The motoneurones of a painful muscle are centrally inhibited. Muscular spasm is mostly secondary to a painful lesion in another muscle or joint. The pain of fibromyalgia is assumed to relate to a dysfunction of central nociceptive processing. Psychosocial factors also contribute to pain.
The fossil Osmundales (Royal Ferns)—a phylogenetic network analysis, revised taxonomy, and evolutionary classification of anatomically preserved trunks and rhizomes

The Osmundales (Royal Fern order) originated in the late Paleozoic and is the most ancient surviving lineage of leptosporangiate ferns. In contrast to its low diversity today (less than 20 species in six genera), it has the richest fossil record of any extant group of ferns. The structurally preserved trunks and rhizomes alone are referable to more than 100 fossil species that are classified in up to 20 genera, four subfamilies, and two families. This diverse fossil record constitutes an exceptional source of information on the evolutionary history of the group from the Permian to the present. However, inconsistent terminology, varying formats of description, and the general lack of a uniform taxonomic concept renders this wealth of information poorly accessible. To this end, we provide a comprehensive review of the diversity of structural features of osmundalean axes under a standardized, descriptive terminology. A novel morphological character matrix with 45 anatomical characters scored for 15 extant species and for 114 fossil operational units (species or specimens) is analysed using networks in order to establish systematic relationships among fossil and extant Osmundales rooted in axis anatomy. The results lead us to propose an evolutionary classification for fossil Osmundales and a revised, standardized taxonomy for all taxa down to the rank of (sub)genus. We introduce several nomenclatural novelties: (1) a new subfamily Itopsidemoideae (Guaireaceae) is established to contain Itopsidema, Donwelliacaulis, and Tiania; (2) the thamnopteroid genera Zalesskya, Iegosigopteris, and Petcheropteris are all considered synonymous with Thamnopteris; (3) 12 species of Millerocaulis and Ashicaulis are assigned to modern genera (tribe Osmundeae); (4) the hitherto enigmatic Aurealcaulis is identified as an extinct subgenus of Plenasium; and (5) the poorly known Osmundites tuhajkulensis is assigned to Millerocaulis. In addition, we consider Millerocaulis stipabonettiorum a possible member of Palaeosmunda and Millerocaulis estipularis as probably constituting the earliest representative of the (Todea-)Leptopteris lineage (subtribe Todeinae) of modern Osmundoideae.