Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CCBD'S Position Summary on Federal Policy on Disproportionality in Special Education

This document provides policy recommendations of the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD) regarding disproportionality in special education and the need for federal policy driving state regulations to support efforts to eliminate this outcome in schools. CCBD is committed to advancing knowledge, effective instruction, and advocacy for students with emotional and behavioral disabilities, a special education population particularly vulnerable to disproportionate practices. Monitoring requirements in the 1997 and 2004 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) acknowledged the extent of racial and ethnic disproportionality in special education, especially when Congress designated this concern among the top three priority areas for monitoring and enforcement in IDEA 2004. However, federal interpretations of the 2004 requirements by the US Department of Education have created confusion at the State (SEA) and Local Education Agency (LEA) levels. While quantitative indices of racial and ethnic disparities remain high, an increasing number of states are finding no LEAs with disproportionality when it must be shown that disproportionality was caused by inappropriate identification. Such data suggest that federal interpretations of IDEA 2004, subsequent regulatory guidelines, and the design of indicators for monitoring and enforcement have not been effective in addressing disproportionate representation in special education. This policy paper includes (a) a review of information on the extent, status, and causes of special education disproportionality; (b) a review of the history and issues involved in the enforcement of IDEA'S disciplinary provisions; and (c) recommendations for improving federal policy regarding disproportionality in special education.
Earthworm Protease

The alimentary tract of earthworm secretes a group of proteases with a relative wide substrate specificity. In 1983, six isozymes were isolated from earthworm with fibrinolytic activities and called fibriniolytic enzymes. So far, more isozymes have been found from different earthworm species such as Lumbricus rubellus and Eisenia fetida. For convenience, the proteases are named on the basis of the earthworm species and the protein function, for instance, Eisenia fetida protease (Ef P). The proteases have the abilities not only to hydrolyze fibrin and other protein, but also activate proenzymes such as plasminogen and prothrombin. In the light of recent studies, eight of the Ef Ps contain oligosaccharides chains which are thought to support the enzyme structure. Interestingly, Ef P-II has a broader substrate specificity presenting alkaline trypsin, chymotrypsin and elastase activities, but Ef P-III-1 has a stricter specificity. The protein crystal structures show the characteristics in their specificities. Earthworm proteases have been applied in several areas such as clinical treatment of clotting diseases, anti-tumor study, environmental protection and nutritional production. The current clinical utilizations and some potential new applications of the earthworm protease will be discussed in this paper.
Indication of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiography by Noninvasive Predictive Factors of Common Bile Duct Stones Before Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Prospective Clinical Study

Purpose To evaluate the reliability of a screening method in patients with common bile duct (CBD) stones before laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) based on predictive factors, and to determine the cases for which preoperative therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) is indicated. Materials and Methods Alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, amylase, and dilation of CBD results were defined as predictive factors for CBD stones. In cases in which all these 4 factors were negative, preoperative ERC was omitted, and in cases in which 1 of the 4 factors was positive, ERC was performed before LC. Results A total of 323 patients (83.7%) in whom all 4 factors were negative, ERC was omitted. In all the 63 patients (16.3%) in whom 1 of the 4 factors was positive, ERC was performed. In 52 (82.5%) of them, CBD stones were present and in 43 of them, LC was performed after endoscopic choledocholithotomy. Conclusions For cases in which any 1 of the 4 factors was positive before LC, it was strongly recommended to perform preoperative ERC.
Reduced FOXO 1 accelerates skin wound healing and attenuates scarring

Right © 2014 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc.; NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in American Journal of Pathology. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in American Journal of Pathology, 184, 9, (2014) NAOSITE: Nagasaki University's Academic Output SITE
Robust Approximation of Temporal CSP Suguru Tamaki

A temporal constraint language Γ is a set of relations with first-order definitions in (Q;<). Let CSP(Γ) denote the set of constraint satisfaction problem instances with relations from Γ. CSP(Γ) admits robust approximation if, for any ε ≥ 0, given a (1 − ε)-satisfiable instance of CSP(Γ), we can compute an assignment that satisfies at least a (1−f(ε))-fraction of constraints in polynomial time. Here, f(ε) is some function satisfying f(0) = 0 and lim ε→0 f(ε) = 0. Firstly, we give a qualitative characterization of robust approximability: Assuming the Unique Games Conjecture, we give a necessary and sufficient condition on Γ under which CSP(Γ) admits robust approximation. Secondly, we give a quantitative characterization of robust approximability: Assuming the Unique Games Conjecture, we precisely characterize how f(ε) depends on ε for each Γ. We show that our robust approximation algorithms can be run in almost linear time.
Assessment of the Optic Nerve Head Parameters Using Heidelberg Retinal Tomography III in Preterm Children

Background Variations in optic nerve head morphology and abnormal retinal vascular pattern have been described in preterm children using digital image analysis of fundus photograph, optical coherence tomograph and serial funduscopy. We aimed to compare the optic nerve head parameters in preterm and term Malay children using Heidelberg Retinal Tomograph III. Design A cross sectional study. Methodology/Principal Findings Thirty-two preterm Malay children who were born at up to 32 weeks postconception, and 32 term Malay children aged 8–16 years old were recruited into this cross sectional study, which was conducted in the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia from January to December 2011. Their optic nerves were scanned and analyzed using a Heidelberg Retinal Tomography (HRT) III (Heidelberg Engineering, Germany). Preterm children showed an increased rim volume (SD) (0.56 (0.26) vs 0.44 (0.18) mm3, respectively), smaller cup shape (SD) (0.18 (0.07) vs 0.25 (0.06) mm, respectively), increased height variation contour (SD) (0.44 (0.14) vs 0.35 (0.08) mm, respectively), and increased cup depth (SD) (0.24 (0.11) vs 0.17 (0.05) mm3, respectively) when compared to their normal peers (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the mean disc area, cup area, cup to disc ratio or rim area between the preterm and term children (p>0.05) in our study. Conclusions/Significance Preterm children exhibit different characteristics of optic nerve head parameters with HRT III analysis. Increased cup depth in preterm children suggests a need for close observation and monitoring. It may raise suspicion of pediatric glaucoma when proper documentation of intraocular pressure and clinical funduscopy are unsuccessful in uncooperative children.
Integrative approaches to environmental sustainability at universities: an overview of challenges and priorities

The principles of sustainable development are becoming extremely relevant for organisations. In the case of universities, these institutions can act as agents in promoting these principles within society. The literature contains a wide range of studies which show how universities may play a critical role in disseminating sustainability principles on the one hand, and their translation into practice, on the other. At present, many higher education institutions are becoming more aware of their impact on the environment, and trying to understand the environmental needs and implications of their operations. Going further, some universities are incorporating sustainability principles into their activities. One of the questions that universities are now facing is how education for sustainable development can be translated into practice so that it can be effective in transforming society. This paper will discuss the need for and the usefulness of integrative approaches to implement sustainable development in higher education. In addition to a theoretical review of the state of the art, the paper will use case studies from the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (Germany) and Bournemouth University (UK) to illustrate the effectiveness of integration of sustainable development principles in university research and teaching activities, and the many benefits integrative approaches may bring about.
Tractable Resource Management With Uplink Decoupled Millimeter-Wave Overlay in Ultra-Dense Cellular Networks

The forthcoming 5G cellular network is expected to overlay millimeter-wave (mmW) transmissions with the incumbent micro-wave (μW) architecture. The overall mm-μW resource management should, therefore, harmonize with each other. This paper aims at maximizing the overall downlink (DL) rate with a minimum uplink (UL) rate constraint, and concludes: mmW tends to focus more on DL transmissions while μW has high priority for complementing UL, under time-division duplex (TDD) mmW operations. Such UL dedication of μW results from the limited use of mmW UL bandwidth due to excessive power consumption and/or high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) at mobile users. To further relieve this UL bottleneck, we propose mmW UL decoupling that allows each legacy μW base station (BS) to receive mmW signals. Its impact on mm-μW resource management is provided in a tractable way by virtue of a novel closed-form mm-μW spectral efficiency (SE) derivation. In an ultra-dense cellular network (UDN), our derivation verifies mmW (or μW) SE is a logarithmic function of BS-to-user density ratio. This strikingly simple yet practically valid analysis is enabled by exploiting stochastic geometry in conjunction with real three-dimensional (3-D) building blockage statistics in Seoul, South Korea.
Attentional biases for faces and body parts

In four experiments, we examined whether faces and body parts are processed faster and engage attention more than other objects. Participants searched for a green among blue frames and were asked to make speeded categorical decisions on an object presented within the target frame (e.g., was it food? ). On half of the trials a colour singleton (a red frame) was also present and reaction times to targets were measured as a function of the object category within the singleton. The results show that categorical judgements of faces (Experiments 1–3) and body parts (Experiment 4) in the target frame were significantly faster as compared to other object categories. Furthermore, the cost associated with presenting a face or body part in the singleton frame was greater than the cost when another type of object was in the singleton. These results suggest an attentional bias towards stimuli of sociobiological significance such as faces and body parts.
Continuity of Care, Potentially Inappropriate Medication, and Health Care Outcomes Among the Elderly: Evidence From a Longitudinal Analysis in Taiwan

Background:Better continuity of care (COC) is associated with improved health care outcomes, such as decreased hospitalization and emergency department visit. However, little is known about the effect of COC on potentially inappropriate medication. Objectives:This study aimed to investigate the association between COC and the likelihood of receiving inappropriate medication, and to examine the existence of a mediating effect of inappropriate medication on the relationship between COC and health care outcomes and expenses. Methods:A longitudinal analysis was conducted using claim data from 2004 to 2009 under universal health insurance in Taiwan. Participants aged 65 years and older were categorized into 3 equal tertiles by the distribution of COC scores. This study used a propensity score matching approach to assign subjects to 1 of 3 COC groups to increase the comparability among groups. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the association between COC, potentially inappropriate medication, and health care outcomes and expenses. Results:The results revealed that patients with the best COC were less likely to receive drugs that should be avoided [odd ratios (OR), 0.44; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.43–0.45) or duplicated medication (OR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.22–0.23) than those with the worst COC. The findings also indicated that potentially inappropriate medication was a partial mediator in the association between COC and health care outcomes and expenses. Conclusion:Better COC is associated with fewer negative health care outcomes and lower expenses, partially through the reduction of potentially inappropriate medication. Improving COC deserves more attention in future health care reforms.
Hands Deep in Deep Learning for Hand Pose Estimation

We introduce and evaluate several architectures for Convolutional Neural Networks to predict the 3D joint locations of a hand given a depth map. We first show that a prior on the 3D pose can be easily introduced and significantly improves the accuracy and reliability of the predictions. We also show how to use context efficiently to deal with ambiguities between fingers. These two contributions allow us to significantly outperform the state-of-the-art on several challenging benchmarks, both in terms of accuracy and computation times.
Comparing the impact of oral disease in two populations of older adults: application of the geriatric oral health assessment index.

OBJECTIVES This study compares the distributional and psychometric properties of the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) in two samples of older adults, and examines how the self-perceived impact of oral disease, as measured by the GOHAI, varies in accordance with sample sociodemographic and health characteristics. METHODS Results are based on survey data from two samples of older men: a Medicare sample of patients using community physicians (n = 799; mean age = 74) and users of VA ambulatory health care (n = 542; mean age = 72). RESULTS The findings indicate significant differences between samples in mean GOHAI scores, with the VA sample exhibiting worse scores. A number of similarities in psychometric properties of the instrument across the two samples were found: high internal consistency reliability and similar inter-item and item-scale correlations. Factors analyses revealed somewhat different structures between the two samples, but explained similar amounts of variance; regression analyses indicated that income and self-rated oral health were significant predictors of GOHAI scores in both samples. CONCLUSIONS The GOHAI exhibits satisfactory psychometric properties in both samples of older men. Results suggest continued use of the GOHAI as an indicator of the impact of oral conditions on functioning and well-being in a variety of samples.
Monoclonal antibodies to specific astroglial and neuronal antigens reveal the cytoarchitecture of the Bergmann glia fibers in the cerebellum

The cytoarchitecture of the cerebellar Bergmann fibers in the adult rat was investigated. Two monoclonal antibodies, one specific for the Bergmann fibers and astrocyte processes and the other specific for the cell bodies and dendrites of the Purkinje cells as well as an antiserum to the glial fibrillary acidic protein, were used in immunocytochemical peroxidase-antiperoxidase assays. The Bergmann fibers are revealed as columns organized in long vertical palisades parallel to the longitudinal plane of the folium. The palisades are not continuous; instead they are formed by sets of two to six aligned Bergmann fibers. Each of these sets of Bergmann fibers is separated from its longitudinally aligned neighbors by gaps. Each Bergmann fiber is formed by a bundle of two to four Bergmann glia processes which frequently show a helical organization. These results help to reconcile the different views on the organization of the Bergmann fibers derived from the studies done with the light microscope versus those done with the electron microscope. The Bergmann glia may play a fundamental role in directing the geometrical organization of the cerebellar constituents.
Spin-glass model predicts metastable brain states that diminish in anesthesia

Patterns of resting state connectivity change dynamically and may represent modes of cognitive information processing. The diversity of connectivity patterns (global brain states) reflects the information capacity of the brain and determines the state of consciousness. In this work, computer simulation was used to explore the repertoire of global brain states as a function of cortical activation level. We implemented a modified spin glass model to describe UP/DOWN state transitions of neuronal populations at a mesoscopic scale based on resting state BOLD fMRI data. Resting state fMRI was recorded in 20 participants and mapped to 10,000 cortical regions (sites) defined on a group-aligned cortical surface map. Each site represented the population activity of a ~20 mm2 area of the cortex. Cross-correlation matrices of the mapped BOLD time courses of the set of sites were calculated and averaged across subjects. In the model, each cortical site was allowed to interact with the 16 other sites that had the highest pair-wise correlation values. All sites stochastically transitioned between UP and DOWN states under the net influence of their 16 pairs. The probability of local state transitions was controlled by a single parameter T corresponding to the level of global cortical activation. To estimate the number of distinct global states, first we ran 10,000 simulations at T = 0. Simulations were started from random configurations that converged to one of several distinct patterns. Using hierarchical clustering, at 99% similarity, close to 300 distinct states were found. At intermediate T, metastable state configurations were formed suggesting critical behavior with a sharp increase in the number of metastable states at an optimal T. Both reduced activation (anesthesia, sleep) and increased activation (hyper-activation) moved the system away from equilibrium, presumably incompatible with conscious mentation. During equilibrium, the diversity of large-scale brain states was maximum, compatible with maximum information capacity—a presumed condition of consciousness.
Assessment of specific language impairment in Swedish

The results from pre-testings of 42 children selected for a cross-linguistic study are discussed to establish the usefulness of the assessment instruments used and whether the children selected are similar to children with specific language impairment (SLI) from other countries. The results from assessments of grammatical production, language comprehension and phonology clearly distinguished children with SLI from age-matched controls, while they differed from language matched controls only on phonological measures. As a group the children with SLI were about 2 years delayed on grammatical production measures and about 1 year on language comprehension. The assessment instruments used thus seem capable of distinguishing children with SLI. The Swedish children selected exhibit the same range of problems as children with SLI selected in other countries.
Benefits gained from dimensions of social capital: a study of software developers in Sri Lanka

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the dimensions of social capital and how these help software developers employed in the offshore outsourced software development sector in Sri Lanka to gain benefits of knowledge sharing, job openings and job security, and career advancement. , – A survey methodology was used and 105 software developers responded. Multiple regression was used for the data analysis. , – Social relations, the number of networks of which an individual is a member and the frequency of interaction between network members are identified as important dimensions that significantly predict knowledge sharing, job openings and job security and career advancement. , – The findings of this study can help to establish baseline data and could be a source of general guidance in stimulating future research in this area. , – It is expected that the findings of this study will provide useful information to better understand the dimensions of social capital at the individual level that influence knowledge base and learning capabilities of the individuals and the nature of employment relationships to be adopted by the organisations.
Crisis Resolution: Next Steps

At the April 2003 meeting of the International Monetary and Financial Committees, it was decided to further encourage the contractual approach to smoothing the process of sovereign debt restructuring by encouraging the more widespread use of collective action clauses (CACs) in international bonds. This decision was shaped partly by Mexico's successful launch of a bond subject to New York law but featuring CACs, and by subsequent issues with similar provisions from other emerging market countries. This paper reviews the developments leading up to that event, its implications, and prospects for the future. It asks whether we can expect to see additional issuance by emerging markets of bonds featuring CACs, whether such a trend would in fact help to make the world a safer financial place, and what additional steps might be taken to further enhance modalities for crisis resolution.
Gender Differences in Preschool Children's Activity Level as Measured by Parent and Teacher Report

Title of thesis: GENDER DIFFERENCES IN CHILDREN’S ACTIVITY LEVEL AS MEASURED BY PARENT AND TEACHER REPORT Michelle Lisa Denny, Master of Arts, 2004 Thesis directed by: Professor Hedwig Teglasi Department of Counseling and Personnel Services Gender differences in preschool children’s activity level were investigated using archival data, consisting of temperament questionnaires and an open-ended interview. Parents of 63 preschool students ranging in age from 3 to 6 years completed the Temperament Assessment Battery for Children (TABC; Martin, 1988), the Colorado Childhood Temperament Inventory (Rowe & Plomin, 1977), and the Children's Behavior Questionnaire (Rothbart, Ahadi, Hershey, 1994). Teachers completed the TABC. The Structured Temperament Interview (Teglasi, 1994) was administered to both teachers and parents. Results support conceptualization of activity level as comprised of two factors: motoric movement and modulation. Mean gender differences were due to differences in frequency of boys and girls at the extremes of activity level continua. Qualitative analyses indicate parents and teachers conceptualize activity level similarly for both genders, and that low modulation of activity level is maladaptive in preschool children. Implications for the measurement of activity level and intervention development are discussed.