Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysing Early Childhood Educators' Science Pedagogy through the lens of a Pedagogical Content Knowing Framework

CONCERNS HAVE BEEN RAISED about science education in early childhood settings. A revised model of pedagogical content knowledge consisting of four components of content and pedagogical knowledge, along with knowledge of learners and context, was used to analyse educators' science education pedagogy. Using an interpretive mode of inquiry with a case study approach, this study investigated the ways in which 20 New Zealand early childhood (EC) educators provided affordances for science learning in their centres. The findings revealed the educators used all four components, but asymmetrical use, together with little integration and synthesising of components, resulted in the potential of affordances for science learning offered not being realised. The pedagogical content knowing (PCKg) model proved valuable for identifying these educators' strengths and also areas for development. It was also argued that its use could provide a way for educators to reflect on their pedagogy, leading to the provision of transformed and more powerful knowledge.
Force interaction in the expression of causation

Causal meanings in verbs such as cause, enable and prevent have been analyzed as having two components that correspond to two interacting forces or tendencies: one associated with the agent and one with the patient ( Talmy 2000 ; Wolff 2007 ). In this research we extend a force-dynamic analysis to a wider range of causal and quasi-causal expressions such as lead to , because , and after . The “structural causal pluralism hypothesis" ( Copley & Wolff 2014 ) is not supported; instead force dynamics is shown to be relevant to expressions throughout syntactic structure. We find that the applicability of the classical force-interaction analysis depends on (i) whether an Agent/Causer is represented in the syntax, and (ii) what kind of causing entity is conceptually represented: either one that generates its own force or one whose force emerges from an interaction with and a field in the sense of Copley & Harley ( 2015 ) (e.g., a gravitational field). The latter case, we propose, suggests a criterion for force individuation. This account allows us to identify several classes of causal expressions and to further map out the division of labor between the grammatical and conceptual levels.
Quasar candidates selection in the Virtual Observatory era

We present a method for the photometric selection of candidate quasars in multiband surveys. The method makes use of a priori knowledge derived from a subsample of spectroscopic confirmed quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) to map the parameter space. The disentanglement of QSOs candidates and stars is performed in the colour space through the combined use of two algorithms, the probabilistic principal surfaces and the negative entropy clustering, which are for the first time used in an astronomical context. Both methods have been implemented in the voneural package on the Astrogrid Virtual Observatory platform. Even though they belong to the class of the unsupervised clustering tools, the performances of the method are optimized by using the available sample of confirmed quasars and it is therefore possible to learn from any improvement in the available ‘base of knowledge’. The method has been applied and tested on both optical and optical plus near-infrared data extracted from the visible Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and infrared United Kingdom Infrared Deep Sky Survey-Large Area Survey public data bases. In all cases, the experiments lead to high values of both efficiency and completeness, comparable if not better than the methods already known in the literature. A catalogue of optical candidate QSOs extracted from the SDSS Data Release 7 Legacy photometric data set has been produced and is publicly available at the URL http://voneural.na. infn.it/qso.html.
Re-call and Re-cognition in Episode Re-retrieval: A User Study on News Re-finding a Fortnight Later

This study investigates recall and recognition in a news refinding task where participants were asked to read news articles and then to search for the same articles a fortnight later. Recall, which is a task to express what a person remembers, corresponds to query formulations, while recognition, which is a task to judge whether a presented item has been shown before, corresponds to a user's relevance judgment on search results in a refinding task. Our four main contributions can be summarized as follows: (i) we developed a method to investigate the effects of memory loss on episode refinding tasks on a large scale; (ii) our user study revealed a big drop on search performances in the refinding task after a fortnight and several differences between search queries input immediately after news browsing and ones at a later time; (iii) we found that asking questions and expanding input queries on the basis of the answers significantly improved the search performance in the news refinding task; and (iv) the users' recognition abilities were different than their recall abilities, e.g. object names in a news story could be correctly recognized even though they were rarely recalled. Our findings support several findings in cognitive psychology from the viewpoint of information refinding and also have several implications for search algorithms for assisting user refinding.
Parental Involvement in Homework

The article reviews research on parental involvement in student homework. It is focused on understanding: why parents become involved in their children's homework; which activities and strategies they employ in the course of involvement; how their homework involvement influences student outcomes; and which student outcomes are influenced by parents' involvement. Findings suggest that parents involve themselves in student homework because they believe that they should be involved, believe that their involvement will make a positive difference, and perceive that their children or children's teachers want their involvement. Parents' involvement activities take many forms, from establishing structures for homework performance to teaching for understanding and developing student learning strategies. Operating largely through modeling, reinforcement, and instruction, parents' homework involvement appears to influence student success insofar as it supports student attributes related to achievement (e.g., attitudes about homework, perceptions of personal competence, self-regulatory skills). Recommendations for research focused on the processes and outcomes of parents' homework involvement are offered, as are suggestions for school practices to enhance the effectiveness of parental involvement in homework.
A theoretical high-rate analysis of causal versus unitary online transform coding

Backward adaptive or "online" transform coding (TC) of Gaussian sources is investigated. The Karhunen-Loe/spl grave/ve transform (KLT, unitary approach) and the causal transform (CT, causal approach) are compared in this context. When the covariance matrix R_/sub x/ of the source is used in the TC scheme, KLT and CT present similar coding gains at high rates. The aim of this study is to model analytically the behavior of these two coding structures when the ideal TC scheme gets perturbed, that is, when only a perturbed value R_/sub x/+/spl Delta/R is known at the encoder. In the online TC schemes considered here, this estimate is used to compute both the transform and the bit assignment. /spl Delta/R is caused by two noise sources: estimation noise (finite set of available data at the encoder) and quantization noise (quantized data at the decoder). Furthermore, not only does the transformation itself get perturbed, but also the bit assignment does as well. In this framework, theoretical expressions for the coding gains in both the unitary and the causal cases are derived under the high-rate assumption.
Platelet-rich plasma injections for chronic plantar fasciopathy: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION There is an increasing interest in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection as a treatment for chronic plantar fasciopathy (PF). We wished to evaluate the evidence for the use of PRP in PF/fasciitis. SOURCES OF DATA We performed a systematic review on the effects of PRP in PF. In June 2014, we searched Medline, Cochrane, CINAHL and Embase databases using various combinations of the commercial names of each PRP preparation and 'plantar' (with its associated terms). We only included prospectively designed studies in humans. AREAS OF AGREEMENT Eight articles met the inclusion criteria, three of them were randomized. All studies yielded a significantly greater improvement in symptoms between baseline and last follow-up assessment. None of the papers recorded major complications. AREAS OF CONTROVERSY Only three randomized studies were identified; none of them had a true controlled group treated with placebo and one of the three studies had a very short (6 week) follow-up. A non-randomized study evaluating PRP versus corticosteroids (CCS) injections, and a randomized controlled trial comparing PRP and dextrose prolotherapy reported no statistical significant differences at 6 months. Most studies did not have a control group and imaging evaluation. GROWING POINTS AND AREAS FOR RESEARCH Evidence for the use of PRP in PF shows promising results, and this therapy appears safe. However, the number of studies available is limited and randomized placebo-controlled studies are required. Characterizing the details of the intervention and standardizing the outcome scores would help to better document the responses and optimize the treatment.
Tacrolimus Protects Podocytes from Injury in Lupus Nephritis Partly by Stabilizing the Cytoskeleton and Inhibiting Podocyte Apoptosis

Objective Several studies have reported that tacrolimus (TAC) significantly reduced proteinuria in lupus nephritis (LN) patients and mouse models. However, the mechanism for this effect remains undetermined. This study explored the mechanism of how TAC protects podocytes from injury to identify new targets for protecting renal function. Methods MRL/lpr mice were given TAC at a dosage of 0.1 mg/kg per day by intragastric administration for 8 weeks. Urine and blood samples were collected. Kidney sections (2μm) were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE), periodic acid-Schiff base (PAS) and Masson's trichrome stain. Mouse podocyte cells (MPC5) were treated with TAC and/or TGF-β1 for 48h. The mRNA levels and protein expression of synaptopodin and Wilms’ tumor 1 (WT1) were determined by real-time PCR, Western blotting and/or immunofluorescence, respectively. Flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis with annexin V. Podocyte foot processes were observed under transmission electron microscopy. IgG and C3 deposition were assessed with immunofluorescence assays and confocal microscopy. Results Synaptopodin expression significantly decreased in MRL/lpr disease control mice, accompanied by increases in 24-h proteinuria, blood urea nitrogen, and serum creatinine. TAC, however, reduced proteinuria, improved renal function, attenuated renal pathology, restored synaptopodin expression and preserved podocyte numbers. In MPC5 cells, TGF-β1 enhanced F-actin damage in podocytes and TAC stabilized it. TAC also decreased TGF-β1-induced podocyte apoptosis in vitro and inhibited foot process fusion in MRL/lpr mice. In addition, our results also showed TAC inhibited glomerular deposition of IgG and C3. Conclusion This study demonstrated that TAC reduced proteinuria and preserved renal function in LN through protecting podocytes from injury partly by stabilizing podocyte actin cytoskeleton and inhibiting podocyte apoptosis.
Ethical Work Climate and Organizational Citizenship Behavior in the Taiwanese Military

This is the first study to examine how types of ethical work climates (EWCs) are related to facets of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) in military units. Research hypotheses were examined using sample data collected from 508 military officers in Taiwan. The results indicated that the overall EWC and some climate types are significantly positively or negatively associated with overall OCB, OCB-organization (OCBO), OCB-individual (OCBI), and in-role behavior (IRB). Implications of EWC and practical management are discussed, and directions for future research are suggested.
A monolithic 12-GHz heterodyne receiver for DVB-S applications in silicon bipolar technology

A monolithic heterodyne receiver for digital video broadcasting via-satellite (DVB-S) applications is presented. The integrated circuit consists of a down-converter block and a phase-locked-loop-based local-oscillator synthesizer to translate the DVB-S RF-band (10.7-12.75 GHz) to an IF ranging in the L-band (0.95-2.15 GHz). The receiver exhibits a conversion gain of 38 dB, a single-sideband noise figure of 7 dB, and an output 1-dB compression point of +5 dBm. A 2.2-GHz-wide voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) tuning range, extending from 8.6 to 10.8 GHz, is achieved adopting a transformer-based topology. The VCO phase noise is as low as -95 dBc/Hz at 100-kHz offset from a 10.6-GHz carrier. The integrated receiver draws 160 mA from a 3.3-V supply voltage. This paper demonstrates the feasibility of a Ku-band DVB-S heterodyne receiver integrated in low-cost 46-GHz-f/sub T/ silicon bipolar technology.
Models for the two-phase flow of concentrated suspensions

A new two-phase model for concentrated suspensions is derived that incorporates a constitutive law combining the rheology for non-Brownian suspension and granular flow. The resulting model exhibits a yield-stress behaviour for the solid phase depending on the collision pressure. This property is investigated for the simple geometry of plane Poiseuille flow, where an unyielded or jammed zone of finite width arises in the centre of the channel. For the steady states of this problem, the governing equations are reduced to a boundary value problem for a system of ordinary differential equations and the conditions for existence of solutions with jammed regions are investigated using phase-space methods. For the general time-dependent case a new drift-flux model is derived using matched asymptotic expansions that takes into account the boundary layers at the walls and the interface between the yielded and unyielded region. The drift-flux model is used to numerically study the dynamic behaviour of the suspension flow, including the appearance and evolution of an unyielded or jammed regions.
Spectral analysis of the 91bg-like Type Ia SN 2005bl: low luminosity, low velocities, incomplete burning

The properties of underluminous Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) of the 91bg subclass have yet to be theoretically understood. Here, we take a closer look at the structure of the dim SN Ia 2005bl. We infer the abundance and density profiles needed to reproduce the observed spectral evolution between -6 d and + 12.9 d with respect to B maximum. Initially, we assume the density structure of the standard explosion model W7; then we test whether better fits to the observed spectra can be obtained using modified density profiles with different total masses and kinetic energies. Compared to normal SNe Ia, we find a lack of burning products especially in the rapidly expanding outer layers (υ ≳ 15 000 km s ―1 ). The zone between ∼8500 and 15 000 km s ―1 is dominated by oxygen and includes some amount of intermediate-mass elements. At lower velocities, intermediate-mass elements dominate. This holds down to the lowest zones investigated in this work. This fact, together with negligible-to-moderate abundances of Fe-group elements, indicates large-scale incomplete Si burning or explosive O burning, possibly in a detonation at low densities. Consistently with the reduced nucleosynthesis, we find hints of a kinetic energy lower than that of a canonical SN Ia: the spectra strongly favour reduced densities at ≳ 13 000 km s ―1 compared to W7, and are very well fitted using a rescaled W7 model with original mass (1.38M ⊙ ), but a kinetic energy reduced by ∼30 per cent (i.e. from 1.33 × 10 51 to 0.93 × 10 51 erg).
Respiratory Infections Precede Adult-Onset Asthma

Background Respiratory infections in early life are associated with an increased risk of developing asthma but there is little evidence on the role of infections for onset of asthma in adults. The objective of this study was to assess the relation of the occurrence of respiratory infections in the past 12 months to adult-onset asthma in a population-based incident case-control study of adults 21–63 years of age. Methods/PrincipalFindings We recruited all new clinically diagnosed cases of asthma (n = 521) during a 2.5-year study period and randomly selected controls (n = 932) in a geographically defined area in South Finland. Information on respiratory infections was collected by a self-administered questionnaire. The diagnosis of asthma was based on symptoms and reversible airflow obstruction in lung function measurements. The risk of asthma onset was strongly increased in subjects who had experienced in the preceding 12 months lower respiratory tract infections (including acute bronchitis and pneumonia) with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) 7.18 (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.16–9.99), or upper respiratory tract infections (including common cold, sinusitis, tonsillitis, and otitis media) with an adjusted OR 2.26 (95% CI 1.72–2.97). Individuals with personal atopy and/or parental atopy were more susceptible to the effects of respiratory infections on asthma onset than non-atopic persons. Conclusions/Significance This study provides new evidence that recently experienced respiratory infections are a strong determinant for adult-onset asthma. Reducing such infections might prevent onset of asthma in adulthood, especially in individuals with atopy or hereditary propensity to it.
Increased detection of mastitis pathogens by real-time PCR compared to bacterial culture

Rapid and accurate identification of mastitis pathogens is important for disease control. Bacterial culture and isolate identification is considered the gold standard in mastitis diagnosis but is time consuming and results in many culture-negative samples. Identification of mastitis pathogens by PCR has been proposed as a fast and sensitive alternative to bacterial culture. The results of bacterial culture and PCR for the identification of the aetiological agent of clinical mastitis were compared. The pathogen identified by traditional culture methods was also detected by PCR in 98 per cent of cases indicating good agreement between the positive results of bacterial culture and PCR. A mastitis pathogen could not be recovered from approximately 30 per cent of samples by bacterial culture, however, an aetiological agent was identified by PCR in 79 per cent of these samples. Therefore, a mastitis pathogen was detected in significantly more milk samples by PCR than by bacterial culture (92 per cent and 70 per cent, respectively) although the clinical relevance of PCR-positive culture-negative results remains controversial. A mixed infection of two or more mastitis pathogens was also detected more commonly by PCR. Culture-negative samples due to undetected Staphylococcus aureus infections were rare. The use of PCR technology may assist in rapid mastitis diagnosis, however, accurate interpretation of PCR results in the absence of bacterial culture remains problematic.
Short-Term Effects of Fire and Other Fuel Reduction Treatments on Breeding Birds in a Southern Appalachian Upland Hardwood Forest

Abstract We compared the effects of 3 fuel reduction techniques and a control on breeding birds during 2001–2005 using 50-m point counts. Four experimental units, each >14 ha, were contained within each of 3 replicate blocks at the Green River Game Land, Polk County, North Carolina, USA. Treatments were 1) prescribed burn, 2) mechanical understory reduction (chainsaw-felling of shrubs and small trees), 3) mechanical + burn, and 4) controls. We conducted mechanical treatments in winter 2001–2002 and prescribed burns in spring 2003. Tall shrub cover was substantially reduced in all treatments compared to controls. Tree mortality and canopy openness was highest in the mechanical + burn treatment after burning, likely due to higher fuel loading and hotter burns; tree mortality increased with time. Many bird species did not detectably decrease or increase in response to treatments. Species richness, total bird density, and some species, including indigo buntings (Passerina cyanea) and eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis), increased in the mechanical + burn treatment after a 1-year to 2-year delay; eastern wood-pewees (Contopus virens) increased immediately after treatment. Hooded warblers (Wilsonia citrina), black-and-white warblers (Mniotilta varia), and worm-eating warblers (Helmitheros vermivorus) declined temporarily in some or all treatments, likely in response to understory and (or) leaf litter depth reductions. Densities of most species affected by treatments varied with shrub cover, tree or snag density, or leaf litter depth. High snag availability, open conditions, and a higher density of flying insects in the mechanical + burn treatment likely contributed to increased bird density and species richness. In our study, fuel reduction treatments that left the canopy intact, such as low-intensity prescribed fire or mechanical understory removal, had few detectable effects on breeding birds compared to the mechanical + burn treatment. High-intensity burning with heavy tree-kill, as occurred in our mechanical + burn treatment, can be used as a management tool to increase densities of birds associated with open habitat while retaining many forest and generalist species, but may have short-term adverse effects on some species that are associated with the ground- or shrub-strata for nesting and foraging.
Supporting community engagement in the city: urban planning in the MR-tent

Urban design today faces complex demands. It has become a necessity to negotiate between stakeholder objectives, the expectations of citizens, and the demands of planning. In this paper we describe how we use a set of participatory technologies in combination with methods for preparing and enabling a heterogeneous group of participants to create a vision of an urban project. Our observations show how space, materials, and different types of content affect participants' collaboration and their debate of the urban issues. We discuss how these participatory technologies and events may help build a community of practice around an urban project.
Shame and guilt in children: Differential situational antecedents and experiential correlates

Situational antecedents and experiential correlates of shame and guilt in children were examined by having 6-11-year-olds give ratings of the extent to which two types of situations would elicit a protagonist's feelings of shame and guilt. It was predicted that one type of situation should elicit both shame and guilt, because the protagonist caused harm to another person by behaving incoherently or incompetently. The other type of situation was predicted to elicit more shame than guilt, because the protagonist behaved incoherently or incompetently without causing harm to anyone. Two types of questions were used to elicit children's ratings: in term-based questions the emotion terms ‘guilt’ and ‘shame’ were used, while in correlate-based questions guilt and shame were alluded to by citing experiential correlates of these emotions. Children aged 9 and upward differentiated between both types of situations and between judgments of shame vs. guilt, both when giving term-based and when giving correlate-based ratings. There were no systematic differences in children's performance depending on whether they gave correlate-based or term-based judgments.