Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gender Difference in Formative Assessment Knowledge of Senior High School Teachers in the Upper West Region of Ghana.

The study sought to investigate gender difference in formative assessment knowledge of Senior High School teachers in the Upper West Region of Ghana. The descriptive survey design was used in the study. Simple random sampling was used to select a sample of 295 senior high school teachers from a population of 1139 teachers. A self-developed questionnaire was used to collect data for the study and the gathered data was analysed using independent t-test. The findings of the study revealed a significant difference in the formative assessment knowledge of male and female senior high school teachers and that male senior high school teachers do better in their formative assessment knowledge than their female counterparts. Recommendations were made based on the organisation of seminars and workshops by educational stakeholders to enhance the formative assessment knowledge of senior high school teachers and especially female teachers. Keywords: Formative assessment knowledge, Senior high school teachers, Gender DOI : 10.7176/JEP/10-6-08
Identifiability of parameters in latent structure models with many observed variables

While hidden class models of various types arise in many statistical applications, it is often difficult to establish the identifiability of their parameters. Focusing on models in which there is some structure of independence of some of the observed variables conditioned on hidden ones, we demonstrate a general approach for establishing identifiability utilizing algebraic arguments. A theorem of J. Kruskal for a simple latent-class model with finite state space lies at the core of our results, though we apply it to a diverse set of models. These include mixtures of both finite and nonparametric product distributions, hidden Markov models and random graph mixture models, and lead to a number of new results and improvements to old ones. In the parametric setting, this approach indicates that for such models, the classical definition of identifiability is typically too strong. Instead generic identifiability holds, which implies that the set of nonidentifiable parameters has measure zero, so that parameter inference is still meaningful. In particular, this sheds light on the properties of finite mixtures of Bernoulli products, which have been used for decades despite being known to have nonidentifiable parameters. In the nonparametric setting, we again obtain identifiability only when certain restrictions are placed on the distributions that are mixed, but we explicitly describe the conditions.
Molecular architecture of human polycomb repressive complex 2

Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) is essential for gene silencing, establishing transcriptional repression of specific genes by tri-methylating Lysine 27 of histone H3, a process mediated by cofactors such as AEBP2. In spite of its biological importance, little is known about PRC2 architecture and subunit organization. Here, we present the first three-dimensional electron microscopy structure of the human PRC2 complex bound to its cofactor AEBP2. Using a novel internal protein tagging-method, in combination with isotopic chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry, we have localized all the PRC2 subunits and their functional domains and generated a detailed map of interactions. The position and stabilization effect of AEBP2 suggests an allosteric role of this cofactor in regulating gene silencing. Regions in PRC2 that interact with modified histone tails are localized near the methyltransferase site, suggesting a molecular mechanism for the chromatin-based regulation of PRC2 activity. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.00005. 001
Productivity and economics of cropping sequences under different irrigation methods.

A field experiment was conducted during 2005-06 and 2006-07 at Water Management Project, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri to compare cropping sequences under different methods of irrigation. Drip irrigation method recorded significantly more sugarcane equivalent yield, system productivity, nutrient use productivity, fertilizer use productivity than other irrigation methods. Brinjal-chilli sequence produced significantly more gross and net monetary returns as well as B:C ratio than sugarcane and cotton-beet root sequences. It would be therefore concluded that brinjal-chilli cropping sequence is better cropping sequence than sugarcane under drip irrigation for achieving higher crop productivity and more monetary benefits.
Altered relationship between electrophysiological response to errors and gray matter volumes in an extended network for error‐processing in pediatric obsessive‐compulsive disorder

Pediatric patients with obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD) show an increased electrophysiological response to errors that is thought to be localized to the posterior medial prefrontal cortex (pMFC). However, the relation of this response, the error‐related negativity (ERN), to underlying brain structures remains unknown. In an examination of 20 pediatric OCD patients and 20 healthy youth, we found that more negative ERN amplitude was correlated with lower gray matter (GM) density in pMFC and orbital frontal cortex. The association of the ERN with pMFC gray matter volume was driven by the patient group. In addition, a group difference in the association of ERN with gray matter in right insula was observed, showing an association of these measures in healthy youth (more negative ERN amplitude was associated with lower GM density in insula), but not in patients. These findings provide preliminary evidence linking gray matter volumes in an extended network for error processing to the ERN, and suggest that structural alterations in this network may underlie exaggeration of the ERN in pediatric OCD. Hum Brain Mapp 35:1143–1153, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Karlin Theory On Growth and Mixing Extended to Linear Differential Equations

Karlin's (1982) Theorem 5.2 shows that linear systems alternating between growth and mixing phases have lower asymptotic growth with greater mixing. Here this result is extended to linear differential equations that combine site-specific growth or decay rates, and mixing between sites, showing that the spectral abscissa of a matrix D + m A decreases with m, where D does-not-equal c I is a real diagonal matrix, A is an irreducible matrix with non-negative off-diagonal elements (an ML- or essentially non-negative matrix), and m >= 0. The result is based on the inequality: u' A v < r(A), where u and v are the left and right Perron vectors of the matrix D + A, and r(A) is the spectral abscissa and Perron root of A. The result gives an analytic solution to prior work that relied on two-site or numerical simulation of models of growth and mixing, such as source and sink ecological models, or multiple tissue compartment models of microbe growth. The result has applications to the Lyapunov stability of perturbations in nonlinear systems.
The Evolution of Small-World Networks

Small-world networks, which combine randomized and structured elements, are seen as prevalent in nature. Several random graph models have been given for small-world networks, with one of the most fruitful, introduced by Jon Kleinberg [12], showing in which type of graphs it is possible to route, or navigate, between vertices with very little knowledge of the graph itself. Kleinberg’s model is static, with random edges added to a fixed grid. In this paper we introduce, test, and analyze methods by which graphs are successively rewired so that they approach navigability. The proposed algorithm and resulting process gives a model for the evolution of smallworld networks with properties similar to those studied by Kleinberg, as well as a practical, completely distributed, method for efficiently constructing them.
Implementing Residential Integrated Treatment for Co-occurring Disorders

Objective: Much is now known about effective treatment for co-occurring substance abuse and psychiatric difficulties and many evidence-based practice recommendations have been disseminated. Implementation of these recommended interventions in daily clinical practice has been more of a struggle. This article describes successful implementation of integrated treatment for co-occurring disorders in a small residential program. Methods: A traditional 28-day addiction service was transformed into a 3-month integrated treatment program and 155 individuals with co-occurring disorders agreed to participate in its evaluation. The transformation entailed a completely new manualized service, training in a number of clinical interventions for all program clinicians, ongoing clinical supervision, and formal measurement of clients’ backgrounds, substance abuse, quality of life, mental health symptoms, self-esteem, and satisfaction with the program. We also obtained collateral informants’ reports on participants’ symptoms, substance use, and quality of life. Fidelity to the treatment model was continuously assessed, as were participants’ knowledge and skill acquisition. In addition, impact of the implementation on the program clinicians’ morale and attitudes toward evidence-based practices was assessed, as was staff turnover and per diem costs. Results: Despite very problematic clinical and sociodemographic histories, the 86 participants who completed the program showed clinically significant mental health symptom improvement, acquisition of knowledge and skill, and high self-esteem and satisfaction with the program. Program fidelity, clinician morale, commitment to the program, and attitudes toward evidence-based practice were uniformly high. These successes were achieved while maintaining the lowest per–inpatient day cost of all hospital inpatient units. Conclusions: The findings support the contention that evidence-based integrated treatment can be implemented with fidelity in regular clinical practice to the benefit of participants, staff, and the hospital. Our experience was that having a scientist-practitioner working as a staff member on the program to lead the implementation was a key element. Future reports will focus on longer-term follow-up of substance use and quality of life outcomes.
Effects of salinity on the growth, physiology and relevant gene expression of an annual halophyte grown from heteromorphic seeds

Seed heteromorphism provides plants with alternative strategies for survival in unfavourable environments, which may not only increase the chances of successful germination, but may also have an impact on characters of the descendants. However, Cao et al. found that the different properties of the dimorphic seeds of Suaeda aralocaspica (i.e. black and brown) had no effects on their descendants' growth and physiological responses to salinity: all descendants required salinity for optimal growth and adaptation to their natural habitat.
GRANAT/WATCH CATALOGUE OF COSMIC GAMMA-RAY BURSTS : DECEMBER 1989 TO SEPTEMBER 1994

We present the catalogue of gamma-ray bursts (GRB) observed with the WATCH all-sky monitor on board the GRANAT satellite during the period December 1989 to September 1994. The cosmic origin of 95 bursts comprising the catalogue is confirmed either by their localization with WATCH or by their detection with other GRB experiments. For each burst its time history and information on its intensity in the two energy ranges $8{-}20$ keV and $20{-}60$ keV are presented. Most events show hardening of the energy spectrum near the burst peak. In part of the bursts an X-ray precursor or a tail is seen at $8{-}20$ keV. We have determined the celestial positions of the sources of 47 bursts. Their localization regions (at $3\sigma$ confidence level) are equivalent in area to circles with radii ranging from 0.2 to 1.6 deg. The burst sources appear isotropically distributed on the sky on large angular scales.
The Effects of Nanomaterials as Endocrine Disruptors

In recent years, nanoparticles have been increasingly used in several industrial, consumer and medical applications because of their unique physico-chemical properties. However, in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that these properties are also closely associated with detrimental health effects. There is a serious lack of information on the potential nanoparticle hazard to human health, particularly on their possible toxic effects on the endocrine system. This topic is of primary importance since the disruption of endocrine functions is associated with severe adverse effects on human health. Consequently, in order to gather information on the hazardous effects of nanoparticles on endocrine organs, we reviewed the data available in the literature regarding the endocrine effects of in vitro and in vivo exposure to different types of nanoparticles. Our aim was to understand the potential endocrine disrupting risks posed by nanoparticles, to assess their underlying mechanisms of action and identify areas in which further investigation is needed in order to obtain a deeper understanding of the role of nanoparticles as endocrine disruptors. Current data support the notion that different types of nanoparticles are capable of altering the normal and physiological activity of the endocrine system. However, a critical evaluation of these findings suggests the need to interpret these results with caution since information on potential endocrine interactions and the toxicity of nanoparticles is quite limited.
Policy Implementation and Political Trust: Greece in the age of austerity

Why did the Greek Socialist government consistently fail to faithfully implement the bailout reforms between 2010 and 2011 despite strong international and European pressures? Building on the top-down implementation framework by Mazmanian and Sabatier, we argue political trust underpins the government’s implementation track record. We use a simple game of insecure contracts to find lower levels of trust can exacerbate macroeconomic conditions creating a vicious cycle of non-cooperation and economic recession. Our findings have policy implications on administrative efforts to tackle the sovereign debt problem and offer amendments to theories of implementation and institutional rational choice. Implementation failure and responsibility drift may be explained by the (in) ability to generate long-term political trust in repeated iterations among implementation partners.
DNA triplexes and Friedreich ataxia

Friedreich ataxia, the most common in herited ataxia, is caused by the transcriptional silencing of the FXN gene, which codes for the 210 amino acid frataxin, a mitochondrial protein involved in iron‐ sulfur cluster biosynthesis. The expansion of the GAATTC tract in intron 1 to as many as 1700 repeats elicits the transcriptional silencing by the formation of non‐B DNA structures (triplexes or sticky DNA), the formation of a persistent DNA‐RNA hybrid, or hetero chromatin formation. The triplex (sticky DNA) adopted by the long repeat sequence also elicits pro found mutagenic, genetic instability, and recombination behaviors. Early stage therapeutic investigations involving polyamides or histone deacetylase inhibitors are being pursued. Friedreich ataxia may be one of the most thoroughly studied hereditary neurological dis ease from a pathophysiological standpoint. — Wells, R. D. DNA triplexes and Friedreich ataxia. FASEB J. 22, 1625–1634 (2008)
Serum carboxy-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I is a marker of myocardial fibrosis in hypertensive heart disease.

BACKGROUND This study was designed to investigate whether the serum concentration of the carboxy-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I (PIP), a marker of collagen type I synthesis, is related to myocardial fibrosis in hypertensive patients. METHODS AND RESULTS The study was performed in 26 patients with essential hypertension in which ischemic cardiomyopathy was excluded after a complete medical workup. Right septal endomyocardial biopsies were performed in hypertensive patients to quantify collagen content. Collagen volume fraction (CVF) was determined on picrosirius red-stained sections with an automated image analysis system. The serum concentration of PIP was measured by specific radioimmunoassay. Compared with normotensives, both serum PIP and CVF were increased (P<0.001) in hypertensives. A direct correlation was found between CVF and serum PIP (r=0.471, P<0.02) in all hypertensives. Histological analysis revealed the presence of 2 subgroups of patients: 8 with severe fibrosis and 18 with nonsevere fibrosis. Serum PIP was higher (P<0.05) in patients with severe fibrosis than in patients with nonsevere fibrosis. Using receiver operating characteristic curves, we observed that a cutoff of 127 microg/L for PIP provided 78% specificity and 75% sensitivity for predicting severe fibrosis with a relative risk of 4.80 (95% CI, 1.19 to 19.30). CONCLUSIONS These results show a strong correlation between myocardial collagen content and the serum concentration of PIP in essential hypertension. Although preliminary, these findings suggest that the determination of PIP may be an easy and reliable method for the screening and diagnosis of severe myocardial fibrosis associated with arterial hypertension.
A Review of the Factors Associated with MaritalSatisfaction

Marital satisfaction is one of the common concepts used for assessing happiness and stability in a marriage. It is a multidimensional concept that is affected by several factors. The aim of this study was to review factors influencing marital satisfaction or dissatisfaction. A search through academic electronic databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online), Scopus, Wiley Online Library, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and Iranian databases in the period from 2000 to 2015, yielded 250 scientific papers. Related keywords that were used included marital satisfaction, marriage satisfaction, marital adjustment, and couple satisfaction. After reading the titles, 80 papers that satisfied the criteria for inclusion were selected. In general, 80 papers that were eligible to enter the study were reviewed. Following the review of papers, factors deemed to have considerable influence on marital satisfaction were identified as follows: demographic specifications, personality attributes, attachment style, relationship, communication and intimacy, couples’ families, forgiveness and sacrifice, religion, emotional intelligence, personal health, and sexual relations (sex). Family counselors and therapists can benefit from these results to obtain a deeper perception of the foundations of married life and eventually, to help decrease the high divorce rate. Thus, conducting research on marital satisfaction to provide evidence for effecting a management strategy as well as to provide recommendation is indispensable
Characterization of Antibiotic Resistance Profiles of Ocular Enterobacteriaceae Isolates

Emergence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and fluoroquinolone resistance among ocular Enterobacteriaceae is increasing in higher frequency. Therefore, studies are being carried out to understand their multidrug resistance pattern. A total of 101 Enterobacteriaceae isolates recovered from various ocular diseases in a tertiary eye care center at Chennai, India during the period of January 2011 to June 2014 were studied. Forty one randomly chosen isolates were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and genotypic analysis. Of them, 16 were ESBL producers, one was carbapenemase producer and four were resistant to ertapenem which could be due to porin loss associated with AmpC production, and 17 were resistant to fluoroquinolones. Sixteen isolates harbored ESBL genes in which 14 had more than one gene and none of them were positive for blaNDM-1 gene. QNR genes were detected in 18 isolates. ESBL producers were predominantly isolated from conjunctiva. A high degree of ESBL production and fluoroquinolone resistance is seen among the genus Klebsiella sp. Hence, monitoring the rate of ESBL prevalence plays a vital role in the administration of appropriate intravitreal antibiotics to save the vision and also to reduce the development of drug resistance in ocular pathogens.
Hybrid Hierarchical Clustering: Forming a Tree From Multiple Views

We propose an algorithm for forming a hierarchical clustering when multiple views of the data are available. Dierent views of the data may have dierent underlying distance measures which suggest dierent clusterings. In such cases, combining the views to get a good clustering of the data becomes a challenging task. We allow these dierent underlying distance measures to be arbitrary Bregman divergences (which includes squared-Euclidean and KL distance). We start by extending the average-linkage method of agglomerative hierarchical clustering (Ward’s method) to accommodate arbitrary Bregman distances. We then propose a method to combine multiple views, represented by dierent distance measures, into a single hierarchical clustering. For each binary split in this tree, we consider the various views (each of which suggests a clustering), and choose the one which gives the most significant reduction in cost. This method of interleaving the different views seems to work better than simply taking a linear combination of the distance measures, or concatenating the feature vectors of dierent views. We present some encouraging empirical results by generating such a hybrid tree for English phonemes.
Evolving gene regulatory networks controlling foraging strategies of prey and predators in an artificial ecosystem

Co-evolution of predators and prey is an example of an evolutionary arms race, leading in nature to selective pressures in positive feedback. We introduce here an artificial life ecosystem in which such positive feedback can emerge. This ecosystem consists of a 2-dimensional liquid environment and animats controlled by evolving artificial gene regulatory networks encoded in linear genomes. The genes in the genome encode chemical products which regulate other genes, sense the environment (the scent of food, prey and predators), control the animat’s movement, and its foraging strategy. An animat can switch multiple times in its life between two foraging strategies (with different metabolic costs): a predator can derive food from the prey, prey just from food that diffuses in the environment. When an animat consumes enough food (or prey), it produces an offspring with a mutated genome. Mutations introduce variation into the population, and this diversity together with selective pressures leads to the evolution of control for diverse foraging strategies in an ecosystem that can support hundreds of individuals.
Forward virtual Compton scattering and the Lamb shift in chiral perturbation theory

We compute the spin-independent structure functions of the forward virtual-photon Compton tensor of the proton at one loop using heavy baryon chiral perturbation theory and dispersion relations. We study the relation between both approaches. We use these results to generalize some sum rules to virtual photon transfer momentum and relate them with sum rules in deep inelastic scattering. We then compute the leading chiral term of the polarizability correction to the Lamb shift of hydrogen and muonic hydrogen. We obtain -87.05/n{sup 3}Hz and -0.148/n{sup 3}meV for the correction to the hydrogen and muonic hydrogen Lamb shift, respectively.