Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Shrinkage Estimators for Robust and Efficient Inference in Haplotype-Based Case-Control Studies

Case-control association studies often aim to investigate the role of genes and gene-environment interactions in terms of the underlying haplotypes (i.e., the combinations of alleles at multiple genetic loci along chromosomal regions). The goal of this article is to develop robust but efficient approaches to the estimation of disease odds-ratio parameters associated with haplotypes and haplotype-environment interactions. We consider “shrinkage” estimation techniques that can adaptively relax the model assumptions of Hardy-Weinberg-Equilibrium and gene-environment independence required by recently proposed efficient “retrospective” methods. Our proposal involves first development of a novel retrospective approach to the analysis of case-control data, one that is robust to the nature of the gene-environment distribution in the underlying population. Next, it involves shrinkage of the robust retrospective estimator toward a more precise, but model-dependent, retrospective estimator using novel empirical Bayes and penalized regression techniques. Methods for variance estimation are proposed based on asymptotic theories. Simulations and two data examples illustrate both the robustness and efficiency of the proposed methods.
School-Based Evidence for the Validity of Curriculum-Based Measurement of Reading and Writing

Research has shown curriculum-based measurement (CBM) to be valid and reliable for a number of assessment purposes. This study provides school-based evidence of CBM validity for screening and placement purposes. CBM oral reading fluency and written expression scores for 465 students in Grades 6 and 7 were compared with their year-end English and social studies marks received in Grades 8, 9, and 10. Correlation and regression analyses provided evidence of the predictive validity of CBM scores as indicators of academic performance. Discriminant analysis procedures demonstrated the ability of CBM to differentiate between student groups of various proficiency levels. Overall, our findings supported the inclusion of CBM scores, particularly oral reading fluency, in the assessment information used to make special education screening and placement decisions.
Association Between Vitamin D3 Supplementation and Serum 25‐ Hydroxyvitamin D Levels in Older Individuals Residing in Long‐Term Care in Ontario, Canada

44.2 mmol/L (normal 1.8–11.9 mmol/L), and his volume of urine was low. At the same time, percutaneous oxygen saturation decreased. Blood gas analysis showed that oxygen pressure was 47.5 mmHg, with 35% of oxygen concentration from the ventilator, and carbon dioxide pressure was 33.1 mmHg. Above all, his serum was noted to be lipemic and burgundy. Thus, a drug-induced fever was suspected. At this point, he was thought to have iatrogenic intralipid overload leading to respiratory insufficiency and acute renal failure. The administration of intralipid was discontinued. On Day 32, the serum was still lipemic, and the serum triglyceride level was 10.1 mmol/L (normal 0.4–1.7 mmol/ L). After 7 days, the fever subsided gradually, and CRP levels dropped to 9.55 mg/dL and LDH to 768 U/L. Pronounced improvement in liver function was observed, although the renal function and bloody stool of the patient did not improve. On Day 50, serum albumin and prealbumin decreased because of insufficient energy; when intralipid was given, he redeveloped a fever. CRP and LDH levels rose in parallel. The patient died of multiple organ failure on Day 59.
Performance Analysis of LAA and WiFi Coexistence in Unlicensed Spectrum Based on Markov Chain

License-assisted access (LAA) is a candidate feature in 3GPP Rel-13 to meet the explosive growth of traffic demand. The main idea of LAA is to deploy LTE in the unlicensed band (mainly the 5GHz band), which is abundant with available spectrum. However, the major concern is the coexistence between WiFi and LAA in the same band. This paper presents a new framework to evaluate the downlink performance of coexisting LAA and WiFi networks. By using Markov chain, analytical models are established based on WiFi distributed coordination function (DCF) and two listen-before- talk (LBT) schemes. These two LBT schemes are Cat 3 and Cat 4 LBT, which mainly differ in medium access schemes in terms of backoff procedure. Unlike most existing works, which focus on the impact on WiFi performance posed by LAA, the performance of LAA is also evaluated. Our analysis shows that throughput of a WiFi network can be enhanced by adding or replacing WiFi access points (APs) with LAA E-UTRAN Node Bs (eNBs), at the expense of different levels of WiFi performance degradation. A trade-off between WiFi protection and LAA-WiFi system performance enhancement is observed. WiFi throughput and delay are less affected by Cat 4 LBT scheme, while Cat 3 LBT scheme provides higher LAA-WiFi system throughput. The choice of LBT schemes relies on the network planning priority, WiFi performance protection and LAA system performance requirements.
An Examination of the Relationship between Online Class Size and Instructor Performance.

With no physical walls, the online classroom has the potential to house a large number of students. A concern by some is what happens to the quality of instruction in courses with high enrollments. The purpose of this research was to examine online class size and its relationship to, and potential influence on, an instructor’s performance. Results were mixed indicating that class size had a positive relationship with some the variables meant to measure online instructor performance and a negative relationship with others. Online class size was seen as having the most concerning relationship and potential influence on an instructor’s ability to provide quality feedback to students and for his/her expertise to be used consistently and effectively.
Color Texture Classification Approach Based on Combination of Primitive Pattern Units and Statistical Features

Texture classification became one of the problems which has been paid much attention on by image processing scientists since late 80s. Consequently, since now many different methods have been proposed to solve this problem. In most of these methods the researchers attempted to describe and discriminate textures based on linear and non-linear patterns. The linear and non-linear patterns on any window are based on formation of Grain Components in a particular order. Grain component is a primitive unit of morphology that most meaningful information often appears in the form of occurrence of that. The approach which is proposed in this paper could analyze the texture based on its grain components and then by making grain components histogram and extracting statistical features from that would classify the textures. Finally, to increase the accuracy of classification, proposed approach is expanded to color images to utilize the ability of approach in analyzing each RGB channels, individually. Although, this approach is a general one and it could be used in different applications, the method has been tested on the stone texture and the results can prove the quality of approach.
Permethrin Induces Overexpression of Cytochrome c Oxidase Subunit 3 in Aedes aegypti

ABSTRACT Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR), the relative transcriptional levels of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 3 (COS) were studied in Aedes aegypti in response to treatment with acetone, permethrin, and fipronil. The transcriptional levels of CO3 were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in acetone-treated Ae. aegypti compared with that in untreated samples. Using ribosomal L24, heat shock protein (HSP), and actin as reference genes, relative transcription levels of CO3 in acetone-treated Ae. aegypti were 2.88 ± 0.38-, 2.60 ± 0.60-, and 3.24 ± 0.70-fold higher, respectively, compared with that in untreated mosquitoes. Transcriptional levels of CO3 were induced significantly higher (6.54 ± 1.22-, 4.62 ± 0.74-, and 9.47 ± 3.71-fold, respectively) by permethrin at LD10 compared with acetone (P < 0.05). Taken together, our results suggest that overexpression of CO3 is tightly regulated in Ae. aegypti in response to xenobiotic treatment.
High precision batch mode micro-electro-discharge machining of metal alloys using DRIE silicon as a cutting tool

This paper reports recent advances in batch mode micro-electro-discharge machining (µEDM) for high precision micromachining of metal alloys such as stainless steel. High-aspect-ratio silicon microstructures with fine feature sizes formed by deep reactive ion etching are used as cutting tools. To machine workpiece features with widths ≤10 µm, a silicon dioxide coating is necessary to passivate the sidewalls of the silicon tools from spurious discharges. In the machined workpieces, a minimum feature size of ≈7 µm and an aspect ratio up to 3.2 are demonstrated by the batch mode µEDM of stainless steel 304 and titanium (Grade 1) substrates. Machining rates up to ≈5 µm min−1 in feature depth are achieved in batch mode micromachining of typical microfluidic structures, including arrays of channels and cavities of different sizes. The machined features are uniform across a die-scale area of 5 × 5 mm2. Other machining characteristics are also discussed.
Talking the Talk and Walking the Walk: Pre-service Teachers’ Evaluation of their Mentors

The purpose of this study is to examine the similarities between mentor teachers’ espoused theories and theories-in-use. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 mentor teachers to investigate their perceived mentoring roles prior to the placement. Their seven pre-service teachers were also interviewed at the end of the practicum to explore their ideas and evaluation of their mentors’ mentoring practices. The findings suggest that 14 mentor teachers did put into practice their ideas regarding their roles. However, only two mentor teachers appeared to act against their espoused theories. Implications for practice are discussed.
Learning in the Presence of Corruption

In supervised learning one wishes to identify a pattern present in a joint distribution $P$, of instances, label pairs, by providing a function $f$ from instances to labels that has low risk $\mathbb{E}_{P}\ell(y,f(x))$. To do so, the learner is given access to $n$ iid samples drawn from $P$. In many real world problems clean samples are not available. Rather, the learner is given access to samples from a corrupted distribution $\tilde{P}$ from which to learn, while the goal of predicting the clean pattern remains. There are many different types of corruption one can consider, and as of yet there is no general means to compare the relative ease of learning under these different corruption processes. In this paper we develop a general framework for tackling such problems as well as introducing upper and lower bounds on the risk for learning in the presence of corruption. Our ultimate goal is to be able to make informed economic decisions in regards to the acquisition of data sets. For a certain subclass of corruption processes (those that are \emph{reconstructible}) we achieve this goal in a particular sense. Our lower bounds are in terms of the coefficient of ergodicity, a simple to calculate property of stochastic matrices. Our upper bounds proceed via a generalization of the method of unbiased estimators appearing in recent work of Natarajan et al and implicit in the earlier work of Kearns.
Assessment of Positive Psychology Course According to Comments and Life Satisfaction Levels of Counselor Candidates.

The purpose of this study was to assess the “Positive Psychology” course according to comments and life satisfaction levels of counselor candidates. The course was offered in Guidance and Psychological Counseling undergraduate program as an elective course. The participants of the study were 56 senior undergraduate students attended Guidance and Psychological Counseling program in Turkey. Findings showed that counselor candidates think that the Positive Psychology course contributed to their vocational and personal / social developments. They also stated that the course should be taught in counselor training. Finally, the results demonstrated that the Positive Psychology course was effective for increasing life satisfaction scores of counselor candidates.
EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF ORAL TRIPLE DRUG COMBINATION (VOGLIBOSE, GLIMEPIRIDE AND METFORMIN) IN THE MANAGEMENT OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes across the world has been described as a global pandemic. Despite the introduction of new agents, efforts for better management of diabetes are disappointing and the control of blood glucose level remains unsatisfactory. When antidiabetic therapy is initiated, it is now recommended that the selection of agents should be directed towards both fasting as well as postprandial hyperglycaemia. Material and method: This study was a post marketing surveillance (PMS) non-randomized, open, non-comparative, mono centric study. The drug administered was a fixed dose combination of Voglibose 0.2mg, Glimepiride 1/2mg and Metformin 500mg SR, 20 type 2 diabetic patients were given fixed dose combination twice daily with major meals for 3 months. Observation: Baseline value was recorded for glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting blood glucose and post prandial blood glucose level. There was significant decrease in glycated haemoglobin value (8.86 ± 0.7111 gm/dl vs. 8.0 ± 0.66 gm/dl), fasting (137±17.64 mg/dl vs. 116.8 ± 6.129 mg/dl, P < 0.0001) and post prandial blood glucose level ((237.8 ± 59.22 mg/dl vs.173.4 ± 27.6 P < 0.0004) after 3 months of treatment. The combination was found to be effective in controlling both fasting and post prandial glucose level and was well tolerated. Investigator commented that the use of triple drug combination is a good option in the management of type 2 diabetes which controls both fasting as well as post prandial blood glucose. Conclusion: The triple drug fixed dose combination of Voglibose, Glimepiride and Metformin significantly decreased the HbA1c value, fasting plasma glucose level and post prandial glucose level at the end of the treatment.
Analysts ’ Selective Coverage of Newly Public Firms SOMNATH

This study provides new evidence on analyst forecasting ability, by relating the residual analyst coverage to the corresponding long-term performance of newly public firms. Our results demonstrate that in the three years subsequent to first coverage, IPOs with high residual coverage have better stock performance and operating performance than those with meager coverage. Our results are robust to various return measurement and asset pricing models. Our use of residual coverage is motivated by selective coverage by analysts, who only report forecast/ recommendations on firms about which their true expectations are favorable. By extracting the true expectations from the total number of analysts following, we provide evidence that the underlying aggregate analyst opinion is predictive of subsequent long-term performance. *Corresponding author
Grade-12 Students' Misconceptions Relating to Fundamental Characteristics of Atoms and Molecules.

An understanding of the concepts of atom and molecule is fundamental to the learning of chemistry. Any misconceptions and alternative conceptions that students harbor about these concepts will impede further learning. This article identifies misconceptions related to the fundamental characteristics of atoms and molecules which Grade-12 students hold. Data were obtained by administration of semistructured interviews to a stratified, random sample of 30 students of differing abilities and backgrounds in science. Fifty-two misconceptions were observed and are reported. These are grouped into 11 categories. Six relate to the structure, composition, size, shape, weight, bonding, and energy of molecules; five relate to the structure, shape, size, weight, and animistic perceptions of atoms. Some of the misconceptions identified parallel the historical development of scientific concepts.
Verbal dichotic listening in boys at risk for behavior disorders.

OBJECTIVE The association between deficits in verbal processing skills and disruptive psychopathology remains one of the most frequently replicated findings in all of child psychiatry. This study uses a dichotic consonant-vowel listening test to examine the potential neural basis for this association. METHOD A series of 87 young boys recruited from a sample at risk for disruptive disorders received standardized psychiatric, neuropsychological, and language skills assessments. Approximately 1 year later, these boys received a reassessment of their psychiatric status and a test that assesses the neural basis of language-processing ability, a dichotic consonant-vowel listening test. RESULTS Disruptive psychopathology predicted reduced right ear accuracy for dichotic syllables, indicative of a deficit in left hemisphere processing ability. Deficits in reading and language ability also correlated with right ear accuracy for dichotic syllables. CONCLUSIONS Boys with disruptive behavior disorders, relative to at-risk but nondisruptive boys, exhibit a deficit in verbal processing abilities on dichotic listening tasks. This deficit in verbal processing ability is also manifested as low scores on standardized tests of reading achievement and language comprehension.
Comparison of Methods for Interpolating Soil Properties Using Limited Data

Spatial interpolation methods are frequently used to characterize patterns in soil properties over various spatial scales provided that the data are abundant and spatially dependent. Establishing these criteria involved comparisons of abundant data from many fine-scaled (<100 ha) investigations. In this study we investigated whether it was appropriate to use spatial interpolation methods with limited (n = 46), coarse-scaled (1188 ha) soils data from a Vertisol plain. Methods investigated included ordinary kriging, inverse-distance weighting, and thin-plate smoothing splines with tensions. Comparison was based on accuracy and effectiveness measures, and analyzed using ANOVA and pairwise comparison t-tests. Results indicated that spatial interpolation was appropriate when the data exhibited smooth and consistent patterns of spatial dependency within the study area and the selected ranges of estimation and weighting used in this investigation. Nine of twelve soil properties we investigated exhibited characteristics other than these, however, including independent data, variable and erratic behavior, and extreme values. Our sample design may have been an important factor as well. Ordinary kriging and inverse-distance weighting were similarly accurate and effective methods; thin-plate smoothing splines with tensions was not. Results illustrate that sample size is as important for coarse-scale investigations as it is for fine-scale investigations with most soils data. However, our ability to predict successfully with some of our data raises the question as to the exact nature of the relationship between accuracy, sample size, and sample spacing, and to what extent these factors are related to the property under investigation, particularly when data are limited.
Prospects and Challenges of E-banking in Nepal

Financial Institutions are slowly moving from Brick and Mortar (Physical branches) to click and Brick (E-banking). ATM's are the most popular electronic delivery channel for banking services in Nepal. Only few customers are using internet banking facilities. Nepalese financial institutions till date have not faced any kind of electronic fraud or risk. Banks have basic security tools like firewall, lightening/power surge protection. But it is found that the some banks are in lack of having regular back up of website information and E-banking policy. Nepalese banks are using E-banking for their own convenience and for the purpose of retaining exiting customers. The cost analysis of most of the banks in Nepal is seems to be either inadequate or not applied due to their narrow space of business transaction or lack of sufficient tools. No significant correlation was found between use of E-banking and gender, marital status or salary of customer. However, Use of E-banking signification association was found with age and education. The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Vol. IV, No.1(2007) pp. 96-104
Effects of pro‐inflammatory cytokines on apolipoprotein E secretion by a human astrocytoma cell line (CCF‐STTG1)

Apolipoprotein (apo) E has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease; however, little is known about the regulation of its secretion in astrocytes. To investigate the effects of pro‐inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) on apoE secretion by CCF‐STTG1 cells, a sensitive and specific double sandwich Enzyme‐Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) was developed. Using a monoclonal anti‐human apoE antibody as the capture antibody, this assay was carried out with commercially available reagents. The assay had a sensitivity of 0·013 ng per well, within‐run and between‐run variation coefficients of 6·0 and 8·6 per cent respectively. There was no cross‐reactions between antibodies used and apoAI, apoAII, apoB, apoCI, apoCII and apoCIII. Low apoE concentrations were assessed using a serum‐free HepG2 culture medium as secondary calibrator, containing 59 μg l−1 of apoE. In serum‐free medium, CCF‐STTG1 cells secreted apoE, the accumulation of which in the cell medium increased linearly with time (27 μg per 48 h). After 48 h of incubation, apoE secretion was inhibited by TNF‐α but not affected by IL‐1β and IFN‐γ. However, the effect of regulatory factors may depend upon culture conditions since in the presence of 10 per cent fetal calf serum, IFN‐γ significantly inhibited apoE secretion. Thus, apoE secretion by CCF‐STTG1 cells is inhibited by specific pro‐inflammatory cytokines. This new apoE ELISA presents the great advantage of using commercially available reagents which permit inter‐laboratory comparability of results, involves relatively low cost and is adaptable for the measurement of low levels of apoE. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A qualitative study of Iranian EFL teachers'' beliefs about teaching/learning culture: A case study

Culture has always been the center of attention in English language teaching (ELT) and there are arguments for and against its teaching. This study was an attempt to explore Iranian EFL teachers' beliefs about teaching/learning the target (i.e., American or British) culture in the realm of ELT; it also tried to arrive at a definition of culture based on the interpretations of Iranian EFL teachers. Twenty full time and part time teachers of the English Language and Literature Department of Alzahra University participated in the present study. In this study, a qualitative research method was used. To achieve triangulation, the data were collected from three main sources: Questionnaires, interviews, and observations. The findings revealed that the teachers of this study mainly perceived culture in terms of small c culture, including beliefs, behaviors, traditions, customs, and way of living. In general, the results of this study demonstrated that most of the teachers supported teaching/learning the target culture in ELT. However, this advocacy was not blind and they believed some prerequisites should be met.