Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parents’ Attitude toward Inclusion of their Children with Autism in Mainstream Classrooms

Despite the growth of inclusive education programs adopted by many schools across India, children with special needs rarely find themselves included in them. Autism being a pervasive disorder, it becomes hard for autistic children to communicate and express themselves in a socially appropriate manner. Hence, the objective of this study was to explore the perceptions of parents about inclusion of children with autism in mainstream classrooms. A sample of 20 parents whose children were already enrolled in a mainstream school was selected from a school in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Participants were assessed on Parent’s Attitudes to Inclusion (PATI, 1998). The result of the study showed the attitude of parents towards the quality of educational services in mainstream education is negative; whereas, when it comes to child acceptance and treatment in mainstream education the parents have a positive attitude. It was also found that parents of children with autism have a neutral attitude towards the mutual benefits of inclusive education. The findings also revealed that regardless of their positive outlook, parents had certain conjectures about such inclusivity. These pertained primarily to childcare responsibilities, children’s transition tasks and teachers’ challenges of managing everything effectively while teaching both students with and without diagnosis of autism in the same classroom. This study can be used by special educators, school authorities and teachers teaching in an inclusive classroom to better understand the concerns of parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ADS).
Comments on “The Effects of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise Training on Liver Enzymes and Hepatic Fat in Iranian Men With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease”

Dear Editor, We read with great interest the article entitled “The Effects of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise Training on Liver Enzymes and Hepatic Fat in Iranian Men With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease” (1) the authors reported that both the aerobic (AT) and resistance (RT) exercise training significantly reduced the hepatic fat content, alanine amino transferase (ALT), and aspartate amino transferase (AST) levels in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, these results have been shown in previous studies (2-9), and we believe that the current study provides an important contribution to the literature. Therefore, we needed to point out some issues. NAFLD is a disease that is directly related to lifestyle, so its prevalence is a consequence of the rising incidence of obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic syndrome components (10). On the other hand, it seems that lifestyle modifications and changes in the composition of the diet also play a key role in the treatment of NAFLD (10). Eating fat, saturated/trans, unsaturated fat with an emphasis on omega-3, simple sugars, fiber, processed meats and fast food play a pivotal role in prevention, improvement or worsening of this multifactorial disease. Therefore, it is important to assess the diet of patients because of its potential role in NAFLD. Changes in diet would be considered confounding factors in this study; however, the dietary intakes of the participants in this study have not been evaluated. At the same time, patients with NAFLD should receive dietary advice regarding the most acceptable therapy for their disease (10). Moreover, it is not clear in this study whether the subjects represented new cases of NAFLD, if they had previously received any therapy, or how long they had been diagnosed with the disease. Furthermore, according to the aim of this study, the amount of physical activity at baseline was not determined, and it is not clear if there were any differences between the three groups of patients in terms of their initial total physical activity. Finally, we suggest that this study be revised once more so that readers of this journal can clearly understand how the effects of daily exercise improve NAFLD.
Mechanism of Pseudomonas aeruginosa RhlR Transcriptional Regulation of the rhlAB Promoter

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas aeruginosa contains two transcription regulators (LasR and RhlR) that, when complexed with their specific autoinducers (3-oxo-dodecanoyl-homoserine lactone and butanoyl-homoserine lactone, respectively) activate transcription of different virulence-associated traits. We studied the RhlR-dependent transcriptional regulation of the rhlAB operon encoding rhamnosyltransferase 1, an enzyme involved in the synthesis of the surfactant monorhamnolipid, and showed that RhlR binds to a specific sequence in the rhlAB regulatory region, both in the presence and in the absence of its autoinducer. Our data suggest that in the former case it activates transcription, whereas in the latter it acts as a transcriptional repressor of this promoter. RhlR seems to repress the transcription of other quorum-sensing-regulated genes; thus, RhlR repressor activity might be of importance in the finely regulated expression of P. aeruginosa virulence-associated traits.
A prison-model of CoSA: the potential to offer “through the gate” support and accountability

ABSTRACT Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) are an intervention used to support and enable those who have been convicted of a sexual offence (core member), to reintegrate back into society, whilst still holding them accountable for their behaviour (Cesaroni, 2002). The purpose of this study was to introduce a new prison-model of CoSA and to explore the core members’ perceptions of their release from prison, and subsequent future in the community, prior to it starting. Interviews and repertory grids were carried out with those who had accepted a core member place on this initiative (n = 9). The findings derived from the data highlight the core members’ concerns regarding their pending release from prison, along with a potential turning point towards a more pro-social self. A prison-based model of CoSA may provide support and accountability during this transitional stage, thus helping to counter any isolation experienced and capitalise on any cognitive change.
Do Multiple Homework Attempts Increase Student Learning? A Quantitative Study

Learning must inherently involve practice. It is true for athletes, for musicians, for almost any area of learning. However, this commonsense approach stops short when it comes to student homework where the debate about whether to allow multiple attempts continues. Proponents claim the value of practice and learning by reworking. Opponents cite grade inflation, student guessing behaviors, and superficial learning rather than true mastery. Meanwhile, the increased use of online homework management systems that easily allow for multiple graded attempts intensifies the need for a data-based answer to the question. It is further complicated by the increase in adult learners and online education. Would multiple homework attempts increase student learning? Would the effect be the same for adult learners in a fully online environment as found in previous studies of traditional students? This natural experiment divided a sample of 917 online students in an entry-level university economics course into two groups to look at the relationship between multiple graded homework attempts and exam scores. The results show mean exam scores increased from 60.34% to 70.77%, when multiple homework attempts were allowed. In addition, 76.89% of variance in exam scores was explained by variance in homework scores. This strong relationship suggests that multiple graded homework attempts increased student learning as measured by the increased exam scores. JEL Classifications: A22, C93, D01, 121
Validierung einer deutschsprachigen Spiritual Care-Kompetenz-Skala

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund: In diesem Beitrag wird erstmals im deutschen Sprachraum ein Fragebogen zur Erfassung von Spiritual Care-Kompetenzen (SCCQ) validiert. Fragestellung: Welche Reliabilität und welche faktorielle Struktur hat der SCCQ? Methode: Querschnittserhebung (N=717, 74 % Frauen, 65 % katholisch). Statistische Methoden: Interne Konsistenz (Cronbachs α), explorative Faktorenanalyse (EFA), Strukturgleichungsmodellierung (SEM). Ergebnisse: Die EFA erbringt eine 7-faktorielle Struktur des SCCQ mit 26 Items: (1) Wahrnehmungs-Kompetenz; 2) Team-Spirit; 3) Dokumentations-Kompetenz; 4) Selbsterfahrung und proaktive Öffnung; 5) Wissen über andere Religionen; 6) Gesprächsführungs-Kompetenz; 7) proaktive Empowerment-Kompetenz. Cronbachs α der Skalen reicht von . 73 bis . 86. Die SEM bestätigt das Modell (cfi = 0.96, tli = 0.95, rmsea = 0.04, srmr = 0.05). Die „Gesprächsführungs-Kompetenz“ wird als am stärksten ausgeprägt eingeschätzt, die „Dokumentations-Kompetenz“ am geringsten. Keine wesentlichen Geschlechts-assoziierten, jedoch Alters-assoziierte Unterschiede. Schlussfolgerung: Der SCCQ eignet sich zur Erfassung von strukturellen und individuellen Förderungsbedarfen und zur Evaluierung von Trainingsmaßnahmen.
Verification Strategies for Establishing Reliability and Validity in Qualitative Research

The rejection of reliability and validity in qualitative inquiry in the 1980s has resulted in an interesting shift for “ensuring rigor” from the investigator's actions during the course of the research, to the reader or consumer of qualitative inquiry. The emphasis on strategies that are implemented during the research process has been replaced by strategies for evaluating trustworthiness and utility that are implemented once a study is completed. In this article, we argue that reliability and validity remain appropriate concepts for attaining rigor in qualitative research. We argue that qualitative researchers should reclaim responsibility for reliability and validity by implementing verification strategies integral and self-correcting during the conduct of inquiry itself. This ensures the attainment of rigor using strategies inherent within each qualitative design, and moves the responsibility for incorporating and maintaining reliability and validity from external reviewers' judgements to the investigators themselves. Finally, we make a plea for a return to terminology for ensuring rigor that is used by mainstream science.
Innocent Bystanders: How Foreign Uncertainty Shocks Harm Exporters

The failure of trade economists to anticipate the extreme drop in trade post Lehman Brothers bankruptcy suggests that the behavior of trade in exceptional circumstances may still be poorly understood. This paper explores whether uncertainty shocks have explanatory power for movements in trade. VAR estimations on United States data suggest that domestic uncertainty is a strong predictor of movements in imports, but has little effect on exports. Guided by these results, the paper estimates a bilateral model with focus on the impact of importer uncertainty on foreign suppliers. It finds that there is a strong negative relationship between uncertainty and trade and that this relationship is non-linear. Uncertainty matters most when its levels are exceptionally high. The paper does not find evidence of learning from past turmoils, suggesting that prior experience with major uncertainty shocks does not reduce the effect on trade. In line with the expectations, the negative effect of uncertainty shocks on trade is higher for trade relationships more intensive in durable goods. Surprisingly, however, the effect of durability is non-linear. Supply chain considerations or the possibility that the relationships with the highest durability lead to important compositional effects may have a bearing on the results. The results are robust to excluding the post Lehman shock, suggesting that the trade response during the 2008-2009 crisis has been similar to past uncertainty events.
Shunt Active-Power-Filter Topology Based on Parallel Interleaved Inverters

In this paper, an interleaved active-power-filter concept with reduced size of passive components is discussed. The topology is composed of two pulsewidth-modulation interleaved voltage-source inverters connected together on the ac line and sharing the same dc-link capacitor. The advantages of the proposed approach are as follows: 1. significant reduction in the linkage inductors' size by decreasing the line-current ripple due to the interleaving; 2. reduction of the switching stress in the dc-link capacitor, due to the shared connection; and 3. more accurate compensation for high-power applications, because the power sharing allows one to use a higher switching frequency in each inverter. This paper analyzes the design of the passive components and gives a practical and low-cost solution for the minimization of the circulation currents between the inverters, by using common-mode coils. Several simulation results are discussed, and experimental results with a three-phase 10-kVA 400-V unit are obtained to validate the theoretical analysis.
A Scalable High-Performance In-Memory Key-Value Cache using a Microkernel-Based Design

Latency and costs of Internet-based services are driving the proliferation of web-object caching. Memcached, the most broadly deployed web-object caching solution, is a key infrastructure component for many companies that offer services via the Web, such as Amazon, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Wikipedia, and YouTube. Its aim is to reduce service latency and improve processing capability on back-end data servers by caching immutable data closer to the client machines. Caching of key-value pairs is performed
Seamless Reconstruction of Intact Adult-Born Neurons by Serial End-Block Imaging Reveals Complex Axonal Guidance and Development in the Adult Hippocampus

In the adult mammalian hippocampus, newborn dentate granule cells are continuously integrated into the existing circuitry and contribute to specific brain functions. Little is known about the axonal development of these newborn neurons in the adult brain due to technological challenges that have prohibited large-scale reconstruction of long, thin, and complex axonal processes within the mature nervous system. Here, using a new serial end-block imaging (SEBI) technique, we seamlessly reconstructed axonal and dendritic processes of intact individual retrovirus-labeled newborn granule cells at different developmental stages in the young adult mouse hippocampus. We found that adult-born dentate granule cells exhibit tortuous, yet highly stereotyped, axonal projections to CA3 hippocampal subregions. Primary axonal projections of cohorts of new neurons born around the same time organize into laminar patterns with staggered terminations that stack along the septo-temporal hippocampal axis. Analysis of individual newborn neuron development further defined an initial phase of rapid axonal and dendritic growth within 21 d after newborn neuron birth, followed by minimal growth of primary axonal and whole dendritic processes through the last time point examined at 77 d. Our results suggest that axonal development and targeting is a highly orchestrated, precise process in the adult brain. These findings demonstrate a striking regenerative capacity of the mature CNS to support long-distance growth and guidance of neuronal axons. Our SEBI approach can be broadly applied for analysis of intact, complex neuronal projections in limitless tissue volume.
MyAdChoices

The intrusiveness and the increasing invasiveness of online advertising have, in the last few years, raised serious concerns regarding user privacy and Web usability. As a reaction to these concerns, we have witnessed the emergence of a myriad of ad-blocking and antitracking tools, whose aim is to return control to users over advertising. The problem with these technologies, however, is that they are extremely limited and radical in their approach: users can only choose either to block or allow all ads. With around 200 million people regularly using these tools, the economic model of the Web—in which users get content free in return for allowing advertisers to show them ads—is at serious peril. In this article, we propose a smart Web technology that aims at bringing transparency to online advertising, so that users can make an informed and equitable decision regarding ad blocking. The proposed technology is implemented as a Web-browser extension and enables users to exert fine-grained control over advertising, thus providing them with certain guarantees in terms of privacy and browsing experience, while preserving the Internet economic model. Experimental results in a real environment demonstrate the suitability and feasibility of our approach, and provide preliminary findings on behavioral targeting from real user browsing profiles.
Clinical Course, Prognosis, and Cause of Death in Primary Sjögren's Syndrome

The aim of this retrospective, single-centre study was to investigate the clinical and laboratory features and disease outcomes of 547 patients diagnosed with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) between 1975 and 2010. The patients were followed up for 11.4 ± 6.2 years. We evaluated the clinical and laboratory features, and assessed their influence on the time of diagnosis, survival, and mortality ratios, and compared them within subgroups defined by gender, glandular and extraglandular manifestations (EGMs), associated diseases, and immunoserological abnormalities. The most frequent EGMs were polyarthritis, Raynaud's phenomenon, and vasculitis among our patients; the most common associated disease was thyroiditis. During the follow-up period, 51 patients died; the median survival time was 33.71 years. Our results revealed a negative effect of cryoglobulinemia on survival ratios; additionally, the presence of vasculitis and lymphoproliferative diseases at the time of diagnosis increased the risk of mortality. The development of vasculitis was the most powerful predictor of mortality. Mortality in the group of patients with extraglandular symptoms was two- to threefold higher than in the glandular group. Attention is drawn to the importance of close monitoring and targeted diagnostic approaches in those pSS subgroups with obviously increased mortality risk.
Are There Any Clinical and Radiographic Differences Between Quadriceps-sparing and Mini-medial Parapatellar Approaches in Total Knee Arthroplasty After a Minimum 5 Years of Follow-up?

Background: Although the early clinical outcomes of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using minimally invasive surgery techniques have been widely described, data on the mid- to long-term outcomes are limited. We designed a retrospective study to compare the two most common TKA techniques – The modified quadriceps-sparing (m-QS) approach and the mini-medial parapatellar (MMP) approach – In terms of the clinical and radiographic parameters, over a minimum follow-up period of 5 years. Methods: The m-QS approach was used in 31 knees and the MMP approach, in 36 knees. Knees in both groups were compared for component position and alignment, knee alignment, length of the skin incision, range of motion, Visual Analog Scale score, muscle torques, Knee Society Score, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, and number of complications. Results: There were no major intergroup differences in any of the clinical and radiographic outcomes assessed at the final follow-up examination. Conclusions: On the basis of numbers studied, the m-QS group, which requires more technique, showed equivalent results with the MMP group in the postoperative 5 years. Preservation of the extensor mechanism in the m-QS approach could not ensure any improvement in the clinical outcomes during the mid-term follow-up duration.
Modeling the Influence of Format and Depth during Effortful Retrieval Practice

This research combines work in memory, retrieval practice, and depth of processing research. This work aims to identify how the format and depth of a retrieval practice item can be manipulated to increase the effort required to successfully recall or formulate an answer, with the hypothesis that if the effort required to answer an item is increased there will be more benefit to learning. This hypothesis stems from work on desirable difficulties and the effortful retrieval hypothesis. Our data source was an experiment that used a 2 (question depth: factual, applied) x 2 (answer format: multiple choice, short answer) between-subjects design to investigate the effects of these conditions on retrieval practice performance. The experiment was delivered online though Mechanical Turk (n = 178). A logistic regression predicting performance during practice indicates that participants get more (in terms of an increase in future predicted success) from successful retrievals of items that fall within the more difficult level of both the format and depth factors (i.e., short answer and applied). There is also some support that the benefit from multiple choice items may be increased by asking deeper, more applied questions. The application of these results to scheduling effective practice is discussed.
Epidemiology and aetiological diagnosis of corneal ulceration in Madurai, south India

AIMS/BACKGROUND To determine the epidemiological characteristics and risk factors predisposing to corneal ulceration in Madurai, south India, and to identify the specific pathogenic organisms responsible for infection. METHODS All patients with suspected infectious central corneal ulceration presenting to the ocular microbiology and cornea service at Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai, from 1 January to 31 March 1994 were evaluated. Sociodemographic data and information pertaining to risk factors were recorded, all patients were examined, and corneal cultures and scrapings were performed. RESULTS In the 3 month period 434 patients with central corneal ulceration were evaluated. A history of previous corneal injury was present in 284 patients (65.4%). Cornea cultures were positive in 297 patients (68.4%). Of those individuals with positive cultures 140 (47.1%) had pure bacterial infections, 139 (46.8%) had pure fungal infections, 15 (5.1%) had mixed bacteria and fungi, and three (1.0%) grew pure cultures ofAcanthamoeba. The most common bacterial pathogen isolated was Streptococcus pneumoniae, representing 44.3% of all positive bacterial cultures, followed by Pseudomonas spp (14.4%). The most common fungal pathogen isolated was Fusariumspp, representing 47.1% of all positive fungal cultures, followed by Aspergillus spp (16.1%). CONCLUSIONS Central corneal ulceration is a common problem in south India and most often occurs after a superficial corneal injury with organic material. Bacterial and fungal infections occur in equal numbers with Streptococcus pneumoniaeaccounting for the majority of bacterial ulcers and Fusariumspp responsible for most of the fungal infections. These findings have important public health implications for the treatment and prevention of corneal ulceration in the developing world.
Job insecurity and trust: Uncovering a mechanism linking job insecurity to well-being

ABSTRACT Job insecurity has well-documented negative effects for individuals as well as organisations. However, the mechanisms by which job insecurity relates to its outcomes have received less research attention. The purpose of this study is to investigate trust in the organisation as a potential mechanism that may explain why job insecurity relates to two well-documented outcomes: decreased job satisfaction and lowered mental health. These hypotheses were tested in a Swedish longitudinal sample that consists of employees (longitudinal n = 906) from three organisations, using structural equation modelling. Overall, the results showed support for our hypotheses. Our findings reveal an indirect effect of trust on job satisfaction, regardless of whether the previous levels of job satisfaction were controlled for. With regard to mental health, the indirect effect was only evident when previous levels of mental health were not controlled for. The results of this study contribute to our understanding about the intervening factors in the relationship between job insecurity and outcomes. Moreover, the results might be important for human resources departments and managers when there are indications that employees are worrying about the future of their jobs.