Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Supplementary vitamin E does not affect the loss of cartilage volume in knee osteoarthritis: a 2 year double blind randomized placebo controlled study.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether vitamin E affects change in cartilage volume in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS In a double blind, placebo controlled trial, 136 patients with knee OA (American College of Rheumatology clinical and radiographic criteria) were randomized to receive vitamin E (500 IU) or placebo for 2 years. Tibial cartilage volume was measured by magnetic resonance imaging at the beginning and end of the study. RESULTS Baseline characteristics were similar in the 2 groups (67 vitamin E, 69 placebo); there were more women in the vitamin E group, 42 (63%) vs 33 (48%) in the placebo group. One hundred seventeen subjects (59 vitamin E, 58 placebo) completed the study. Loss of medial and lateral tibial cartilage was similar in subjects treated with vitamin E and placebo (mean +/- SD: medial 157 +/- 209 vs 187 +/- 220 micro m3 placebo, p = 0.51; lateral 186 +/- 258 vs 251 +/- 216 micro m3, p = 0.19). There were no significant differences between the vitamin E and placebo treated groups in improvement of symptoms from baseline. Dietary levels of antioxidants (vitamin C, beta carotene, retinol equivalents) had no effect on cartilage volume loss. CONCLUSION Vitamin E does not appear to have a beneficial effect in the management of knee OA: it does not affect cartilage volume loss or symptoms.
Mobility of a guide dog team in Singapore: A case study

The use of guide dogs by people with visual impairment is relatively new in many Asian societies. The case study research explores the mobility experience of a guide dog team (a person with visual impairment and a guide dog) in Singapore. Emergent themes of adaptation, knowledge, symbiosis, advocacy, and agency, with overarching themes of functional-instrumental and symbolic-expressive were identified. The study identified themes and issues surrounding the use of guide dogs in the Singapore context.
Bullying among Italian Middle School Students

This article illustrates the relevance of combining methods to understand bullying. The aim of the study was twofold. First, to measure the prevalence of bullying in a middle school in Rome by administering a self-report questionnaire. Second, to understand and interpret the results of the questionnaire by adopting a qualitative method. Combining methods can be a useful research method to validate quantitative results and further investigate complex social problems such as bullying in school. Results from the structured questionnaire revealed that a high proportion of students reported being victims, bullies or both. To disclose some of the causes and possible explanations of the onset and persistence of these behaviours, a focus group discussion with students was then conducted. According to the students, the bully harasses others to gain a social status and affiliation to a group and to dominate the weaker members. Some victims, in order to defend themselves, start picking on weaker peers, thereby reinforcing the cycle of violence. Bullying should be stopped, but punishing the perpetrator is unlikely to solve the problem. Victims should be helped to find someone they trust to talk to without fear of being threatened or blamed.
Motivation as critical factor for teacher development in contextually challenging underperforming schools in South Africa

There is considerable interest in teacher development at present. This is especially so at underperforming schools, where teacher development is seen as an essential ingredient in transforming these schools into performing schools. Since many teachers at these schools might be reluctant to participate in development activities, it is important to identify the factors that might motivate them to do so. This article first surveys the literature on aspects of motivation, professional development and adult learning principles in relation to contextual factors that affect underperforming schools and various motivation theories. The article then reports on a qualitative study that was used to explore the factors that motivate teachers to participate in development activities. These are related to theories of motivation as well as principles of adult learning. The underlying assumption is that a greater understanding of these factors could help development programme designers devise ways of encouraging teachers at underperforming schools to participate in professional development activities.
Automated Extraction of VTE Events From Narrative Radiology Reports in Electronic Health Records

Background: Surveillance of venous thromboembolisms (VTEs) is necessary for improving patient safety in acute care hospitals, but current detection methods are inaccurate and inefficient. With the growing availability of clinical narratives in an electronic format, automated surveillance using natural language processing (NLP) techniques may represent a better method. Objective: We assessed the accuracy of using symbolic NLP for identifying the 2 clinical manifestations of VTE, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), from narrative radiology reports. Methods: A random sample of 4000 narrative reports was selected among imaging studies that could diagnose DVT or PE, and that were performed between 2008 and 2012 in a university health network of 5 adult-care hospitals in Montreal (Canada). The reports were coded by clinical experts to identify positive and negative cases of DVT and PE, which served as the reference standard. Using data from the largest hospital (n=2788), 2 symbolic NLP classifiers were trained; one for DVT, the other for PE. The accuracy of these classifiers was tested on data from the other 4 hospitals (n=1212). Results: On manual review, 663 DVT-positive and 272 PE-positive reports were identified. In the testing dataset, the DVT classifier achieved 94% sensitivity (95% CI, 88%-97%), 96% specificity (95% CI, 94%-97%), and 73% positive predictive value (95% CI, 65%-80%), whereas the PE classifier achieved 94% sensitivity (95% CI, 89%-97%), 96% specificity (95% CI, 95%-97%), and 80% positive predictive value (95% CI, 73%-85%). Conclusions: Symbolic NLP can accurately identify VTEs from narrative radiology reports. This method could facilitate VTE surveillance and the evaluation of preventive measures.
Vibrational Affect

This article examines the theoretical, methodological, and practical possibilities of sound for qualitative research. Moving from an understanding that sounds are a form of vibrational affect, the author argues that sound can be articulated as resonance and knowledge in ways that are significant to human experiences of sensation and signification. These conceptualizations of sound are then used to articulate processes of data collection, analysis, and representation for a sounded methodological practice called sonic ethnography. In keeping with the tone and tenor of this special issue and the developing field of sound studies, the third section considers whether sounds need to be categorized as “data” to be of value to qualitative researchers. A final brief section describes the construction and sounds presented in the accompanying sound/work that serves as a performative example of how sounded representations of sonic ethnography can function in practice. The associated sound/work can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/vibrationalaffect/gershon.
Is the learning organization a valid concept in the Taiwanese context

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the psychometric characteristics of a Chinese version of the Dimensions of Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ©). Design/methodology/approach – The DLOQ©, developed by Watkins and Marsick in 1997, assessed the characteristics of a learning organization. This study employed a survey validate utility of the DLOQ© for the Taiwanese context.Findings – Psychometric analyses revealed that the Chinese DLOQ© has reasonable reliability, and that the seven‐dimensional factor structure was appropriate for the Taiwanese context. Study results also revealed that the seven dimensions of a learning organization can classify different organization types successfully and demonstrate a statistically significant correlation between organization type and perceptual measures of organizational performance.Research limitations/ implications – This study has implications for both research and practice in HRD. It offers preliminary evidence of reliability and validity for the Chinese .
Queue management in network processors

One of the main bottlenecks when designing a network processing system is very often its memory subsystem. This is mainly due to the state-of-the-art network links operating at very high speeds and to the fact that in order to support advanced quality of service (QoS), a large number of independent queues is desirable. In this paper we analyze the performance bottlenecks of various data memory managers integrated in typical network processing units (NPU). We expose the performance limitations of software implementations utilizing the RISC processing cores typically found in most NPU architectures and we identify the requirements for hardware assisted memory management in order to achieve wire-speed operation at gigabit per second rates. Furthermore, we describe the architecture and performance of a hardware memory manager that fulfills those requirements. This memory manager, although it is implemented in a reconfigurable technology, can provide up to 6.2 Gbit/s of aggregate throughput, while handling 32 K independent queues.
Molecular basis for the wide range of affinity found in Csr/Rsm protein–RNA recognition

The carbon storage regulator/regulator of secondary metabolism (Csr/Rsm) type of small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) is widespread throughout bacteria and acts by sequestering the global translation repressor protein CsrA/RsmE from the ribosome binding site of a subset of mRNAs. Although we have previously described the molecular basis of a high affinity RNA target bound to RsmE, it remains unknown how other lower affinity targets are recognized by the same protein. Here, we have determined the nuclear magnetic resonance solution structures of five separate GGA binding motifs of the sRNA RsmZ of Pseudomonas fluorescens in complex with RsmE. The structures explain how the variation of sequence and structural context of the GGA binding motifs modulate the binding affinity for RsmE by five orders of magnitude (∼10 nM to ∼3 mM, Kd). Furthermore, we see that conformational adaptation of protein side-chains and RNA enable recognition of different RNA sequences by the same protein contributing to binding affinity without conferring specificity. Overall, our findings illustrate how the variability in the Csr/Rsm protein–RNA recognition allows a fine-tuning of the competition between mRNAs and sRNAs for the CsrA/RsmE protein.
Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer in families referred for fumarate hydratase germline mutation analysis

Smit DL, Mensenkamp AR, Badeloe S, Breuning MH, Simon MEH, van Spaendonck KY, Aalfs CM, Post JG, Shanley S, Krapels IPC, Hoefsloot LH, van Moorselaar RJA, Starink TM, Bayley J‐P, Frank J, van Steensel MAM, Menko FH. Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer in families referred for fumarate hydratase germline mutation analysis.
What Good Are Positive Emotions?

This article opens by noting that positive emotions do not fit existing models of emotions. Consequently, a new model is advanced to describe the form and function of a subset of positive emotions, including joy, interest, contentment, and love. This new model posits that these positive emotions serve to broaden an individual's momentary thought–action repertoire, which in turn has the effect of building that individual's physical, intellectual, and social resources. Empirical evidence to support this broaden-and-build model of positive emotions is reviewed, and implications for emotion regulation and health promotion are discussed.
Pathologies of Rational Choice Theory: A Critique of Applications in Political Science

This is the first comprehensive critical evaluation of the use of rational choice theory in political science. Writing in an accessible and nontechnical style, Donald P. Green and Ian Shapiro assess rational choice theory where it is reputed to be most successful: the study of collective action, the behavior of political parties and politicians, and such phenomena as voting cycles and Prisoner's Dilemmas. In their hard-hitting critique, Green and Shapiro demonstrate that the much heralded achievements of rational choice theory are in fact deeply suspect and that fundamental rethinking is needed if rational choice theorists are to contribute to the understanding of politics. In their final chapters, they anticipate and respond to a variety of possible rational choice responses to their arguments, thereby initiating a dialogue that is bound to continue for some time.
A glimpse into the effectiveness of L2-content cross-curricular collaboration in content-based instruction programmes

In content-based instruction (CBI) programmes, students learn content subjects through a second language (L2), so that they can incidentally learn the language. To further facilitate students' L2 development, the collaboration between L2 and content subject teachers has been strongly advocated. Previous research on such kind of collaboration mainly focused on how it may be realised, and on identifying potential obstacles, while its effectiveness remains under-explored. This paper reports the findings of a small-scale project conducted in a Hong Kong secondary school in which CBI is practised. Teachers of English, Integrated Humanities and Science collaborated in the design and teaching of several units for Grade 8 students. With data collected from teacher meetings, lesson observations, and students' performance on the pre- and post-tests, this study evaluated whether and how cross-curricular collaboration contributed to students' L2 learning. The findings show that students in classes where cross-curricular collaboration was practised demonstrated a better understanding of the targeted grammatical items. This could be attributed to enhanced teachers awareness of students' needs, a more suitable curriculum and changes in teachers' pedagogical foci in lessons. This study thus suggests the potentials of cross-curricular teacher collaboration and provides important implications for further enhancing the effectiveness of CBI.
Modulation of Human Macrophage Responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis by Silver Nanoparticles of Different Size and Surface Modification

Exposure to silver nanoparticles (AgNP) used in consumer products carries potential health risks including increased susceptibility to infectious pathogens. Systematic assessments of antimicrobial macrophage immune responses in the context of AgNP exposure are important because uptake of AgNP by macrophages may lead to alterations of innate immune cell functions. In this study we examined the effects of exposure to AgNP with different particle sizes (20 and 110 nm diameters) and surface chemistry (citrate or polyvinlypyrrolidone capping) on cellular toxicity and innate immune responses against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) by human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM). Exposures of MDM to AgNP significantly reduced cellular viability, increased IL8 and decreased IL10 mRNA expression. Exposure of M.tb-infected MDM to AgNP suppressed M.tb-induced expression of IL1B, IL10, and TNFA mRNA. Furthermore, M.tb-induced IL-1β, a cytokine critical for host resistance to M.tb, was inhibited by AgNP but not by carbon black particles indicating that the observed immunosuppressive effects of AgNP are particle specific. Suppressive effects of AgNP on the M.tb-induced host immune responses were in part due to AgNP-mediated interferences with the TLR signaling pathways that culminate in the activation of the transcription factor NF-κB. AgNP exposure suppressed M.tb-induced expression of a subset of NF-κB mediated genes (CSF2, CSF3, IFNG, IL1A, IL1B, IL6, IL10, TNFA, NFKB1A). In addition, AgNP exposure increased the expression of HSPA1A mRNA and the corresponding stress-induced Hsp72 protein. Up-regulation of Hsp72 by AgNP can suppress M.tb-induced NF-κB activation and host immune responses. The observed ability of AgNP to modulate infectious pathogen-induced immune responses has important public health implications.
External Bioenergy Increases Intracellular Free Calcium Concentration and Reduces Cellular Response to Heat Stress

Background External bioenergy (energy emitted from the body) can influence a variety of biological activities. It has been shown to enhance immunity, promote normal cell proliferation, increase tumor cell death, and accelerate bone fracture recovery. In this study, we investigated whether external bioenergy could alter intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i, an important factor in signal transduction) and regulate the cellular response to heat stress in cultured human lymphoid Jurkat T cells. Methods A practitioner emitted bioenergy toward tubes of cultured Jurkat cells for one 15-minute period. [Ca2+]i was measured spectrofluorometrically using the fluorescent probe indo-1. The heat shock protein 72 kd was detected using35 S-methionine prepulse and Western blot analysis. Results The resting [Ca2+]i in Jurkat T cells was 90±3 nM in the presence of external calcium. The removal of external calcium decreased the resting [Ca2+]i to 54±2 nM, indicating that Ca2+ entry from the external source is important for maintaining the basal level of [Ca2+]i. In the presence of external Ca2+, treatment of Jurkat T cells with external bioenergy for 15 minutes increased [Ca2+]i by 22±3%. [Ca2+]i remained elevated in these cells for 2 hours. Surprisingly, we also observed that [Ca2+]i increased by 11±1% if cells were simply placed in the area where external bioenergy had been used. This lingering effect of external bioenergy dissipated within 24 hours. Treatment with external bioenergy reduced cellular responses to heat stress and did not induce the production of heat shock protein 72 kd, which is known to provide cytoprotection. Conclusions These results suggest that externally applied bioenergy can upregulate [Ca2+]i and downregulate the cellular response to stress. The association between the external bioenergy and increases in [Ca2+]i may be a good index for detecting presence of bioenergy.
Oxygen Gas-Phase Abundance Revisited

We present new measurements of the interstellar gas-phase oxygen abundance along the sight lines toward 19 early-type Galactic stars at an average distance of 2.6 kpc. We derive O I column densities from Hubble Space Telescope/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (HST/STIS) observations of the weak 1355 Å intersystem transition. We derive total hydrogen column densities [N(H ) + 2N(H2)] using HST/STIS observations of Lyα and Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) observations of molecular hydrogen. The molecular hydrogen content of these sight lines ranges from f(H2) = 2N(H2)/[N(H ) + 2N(H2)] = 0.03 to 0.47. The average ⟨Htot/EB-V⟩ of 6.3 × 1021 cm-2 mag-1 with a standard deviation of 15% is consistent with previous surveys. The mean oxygen abundance along these sight lines, which probe a wide range of Galactic environments in the distant interstellar medium, is 106 (O/H)gas= 408 ± 13 (1 σ in the mean). We see no evidence for decreasing gas-phase oxygen abundance with increasing molecular hydrogen fraction, and the relative constancy of (O/H)gas suggests that the component of dust containing the oxygen is not readily destroyed. We estimate that, if 60% of the dust grains are resilient against destruction by shocks, the distant interstellar total oxygen abundance can be reconciliated with the solar value derived from the most recent measurements of 106 (O/H)gas☉= 517 ± 58 (1 σ). We note that the smaller oxygen abundances derived for the interstellar gas within 500 pc or from nearby B star surveys are consistent with a local elemental deficit.
Mapping Genetically Controlled Neural Circuits of Social Behavior and Visuo-Motor Integration by a Preliminary Examination of Atypical Deletions with Williams Syndrome

In this study of eight rare atypical deletion cases with Williams-Beuren syndrome (WS; also known as 7q11.23 deletion syndrome) consisting of three different patterns of deletions, compared to typical WS and typically developing (TD) individuals, we show preliminary evidence of dissociable genetic contributions to brain structure and human cognition. Univariate and multivariate pattern classification results of morphometric brain patterns complemented by behavior implicate a possible role for the chromosomal region that includes: 1) GTF2I/GTF2IRD1 in visuo-spatial/motor integration, intraparietal as well as overall gray matter structures, 2) the region spanning ABHD11 through RFC2 including LIMK1, in social cognition, in particular approachability, as well as orbitofrontal, amygdala and fusiform anatomy, and 3) the regions including STX1A, and/or CYLN2 in overall white matter structure. This knowledge contributes to our understanding of the role of genetics on human brain structure, cognition and pathophysiology of altered cognition in WS. The current study builds on ongoing research designed to characterize the impact of multiple genes, gene-gene interactions and changes in gene expression on the human brain.
Curriculum Construction: A Critical Analysis of Rich Tasks in the Recontextualisation Field

Within Education Queensland's recent ‘new basics' curriculum initiative, Education Queensland developed 20 transdisciplinary learning and assessment tasks for Years 1 to 9, called ‘rich tasks’. This paper critiques two of the rich tasks that were most closely aligned to knowledge and skills within the health and physical education learning area. To do so we draw on Bernstein's (1996) theory of the social construction of knowledge. Through this framework we analyse how two rich tasks recontextualise the discourses from the primary field in the production of the highly-valued healthy citizen. We argue that these particular rich tasks do not fully realise the tenets of the new basics agenda and, more broadly, of contemporary physical activity and health discourses. We conclude that, for curriculum artefacts to be meaningful, curriculum makers must be informed by closer attention to the primary field of knowledge.
Changing the Political Culture: the Advisory Group on Education for Citizenship and the Teaching of Democracy in Schools

This article discusses the background to and deliberations of the Advisory Group on Education for Citizenship and the Teaching Democracy in Schools established by Secretary of State for Education and Employment David Blunkett. The final report of the Advisory Group was published in September 1998. The article discusses the Group's main recommendations. As regards implementation, the article identifies four challenges: curriculum reform, the relationship between schools and communities, the difficulties of citizen life in a globalised context, and the issue of individuals' participation in politics and society.
Organizational Change as Discourse: Communicative Actions and Deep Structures in the Context of Information Technology Implementation

The authors conceptualize discourse as a duality of communicative actions and deep structures, mediated by the modality of interpretive schemes, and develop a discourse analysis methodology based on the fields of hermeneutics and rhetoric. They then explore the role of discourse in shaping organizational change processes through its influence on actors' interpretations and actions, using a longitudinal field study of electronic trading implementation in the London Insurance Market. The authors conclude with some theoretical and practical contributions on discourse-practice links, the illumination of multiple perspectives in change processes, and implications for electronic data interchange implementation.