Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Insights from teacher leavers: push and pull in career development

Abstract This article examines the career pathways of US teacher leavers, individuals who have voluntarily left classroom teaching prior to retirement. Based on the perspective that teachers construct their own career pathways through an ongoing negotiation among intrinsic and extrinsic factors, this research captures the experiences of 24 teacher leavers from geographically diverse regions of the United States. Using life history interviews, this study inquires into individuals’ experiences before, during, and after classroom teaching. Unexpectedly, only one of the 24 individuals initially intended to enter teaching. Data also indicate that teachers’ career pathways were shaped by dynamics pushing and pulling their careers into and out of the classroom. These life history interviews suggest that teachers were pushed and pulled into teaching, pushed and pulled out of teaching, and pushed and pulled around their passions. The trajectories of these teacher leavers, who have now moved into fields as diverse as non-classroom education, medicine, government, and caregiving, suggest important theoretical and practical implications for understanding and shaping teachers’ careers in today’s workforce.
Department of Economics Working Paper Series Exchange rate exposure: A nonparametric approach

The typical conclusion reached when researchers examine exchange rate exposure using a linear model is that only a few ﬁrms are exposed. This ﬁnding is puzzling since institutional knowledge and basic ﬁnance theory points to a larger effect. In this paper, we compare results obtained using a linear approach with those from nonlinear, partially parametric and nonparametric models. Our data consist of nonﬁnancial ﬁrms in ﬁve emerging market countries and the US. Among ﬁrms that were not found to have a linear exposure, we ﬁnd that a considerable proportion of these are exposed when nonlinear, partially parametric or nonparametric models are used. The increase in exposure is most striking when a nonparametric model is used. We also ﬁnd evidence that ﬁrms’ hedging activities decrease linear exposure but do not affect nonparametric exposure.
Long-term endometrial effects in postmenopausal women with early breast cancer participating in the Intergroup Exemestane Study (IES)—a randomised controlled trial of exemestane versus continued tamoxifen after 2–3 years tamoxifen

Background: The antiestrogen tamoxifen may have partial estrogen-like effects on the postmenopausal uterus. Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are increasingly used after initial tamoxifen in the adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal early breast cancer due to their mechanism of action: a potential benefit being a reduction of uterine abnormalities caused by tamoxifen. Patients and methods: Sonographic uterine effects of the steroidal AI exemestane were studied in 219 women participating in the Intergroup Exemestane Study: a large trial in postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive (or unknown) early breast cancer, disease free after 2–3 years of tamoxifen, randomly assigned to continue tamoxifen or switch to exemestane to complete 5 years adjuvant treatment. The primary end point was the proportion of patients with abnormal (≥5 mm) endometrial thickness (ET) on transvaginal ultrasound 24 months after randomisation. Results: The analysis included 183 patients. Two years after randomisation, the proportion of patients with abnormal ET was significantly lower in the exemestane compared with tamoxifen arm (36% versus 62%, respectively; P = 0.004). This difference emerged within 6 months of switching treatment (43.5% versus 65.2%, respectively; P = 0.01) and disappeared within 12 months of treatment completion (30.8% versus 34.7%, respectively; P = 0.67). Conclusion: Switching from tamoxifen to exemestane significantly reverses endometrial thickening associated with continued tamoxifen.
Alternative educational provision in an area of deprivation in London

The attainment in national examinations and progress of pupils to the age of 16 in London is the highest in England. Nevertheless, there is still a significant number of 16- to 19-year-olds who are not in employment, education, or training (NEET). Those who are the most vulnerable to becoming NEET are the young people who have disengaged from mainstream education. This article draws on a comprehensive examination of the effectiveness of an alternative education provision (AEP) for pupils who were disengaged from mainstream schools in one London local authority. Through the application of Bronfenbrenner's ecosystems theory, the study explored the impact of different ecosystems on young people's disengagement. The findings in evaluation studies of other AEPs and the findings in this study indicate that AEPs – and the curriculum, pedagogy, and pastoral care that they offer – can, and do, make a considerable difference to the educational outcomes of disadvantaged children, as well as offering insights for mainstream education. Thus, the study contributes to the current debate on the organization and structure of the 14–19 education system in England under raising the participation age (RPA) to 18, the new legislation that came into force this academic year.
ffect of inhibition of Na / Ca exchanger at the time of myocardial reperfusion on hypercontracture and cell death

21 1 21 Objective: There is recent evidence that Ca influx via reverse mode Na /Ca exchange (NCX) at the time of reperfusion can 21 contribute to cardiomyocyte hypercontracture. However, forward NCX is essential for normalization of [Ca ] during reperfusion, and its i inhibition may be detrimental. This study investigates the effect of NCX inhibition with KB-R7943 at the time of reperfusion on cell viability. Methods: The effect of several concentrations of KB-R7943 added at reperfusion was studied in Fura-2 loaded quiescent cardiomyocytes submitted to 40 min of simulated ischemia (NaCN 2 mM, pH 6.4), and in rat hearts submitted to 60 min of ischemia. 21 [Ca ] and cell length were monitored in myocytes, and functional recovery and LDH release in isolated hearts. From these experiments i an optimal concentration of KB-R7943 was identified and tested in pigs submitted to 48 min of coronary occlusion and 2 h of reperfusion. 21 Results: In myocytes, KB-R7943 at concentrations up to 15 mM reduced [Ca ] rise and the probability of hypercontracture during i re-energization (P,0.01). Nevertheless, in rat hearts, the effects of KB-R7943 applied during reperfusion after 60 min of ischemia depended on concentration and timing of administration. During the first 5 min of reperfusion, KB-R7943 (0.3–30 mM) induced a dose-dependent reduction in LDH release (half-response concentration 0.29 mM). Beyond 6 min of re-flow, KB-R7943 had no effect on LDH release, except at concentrations $15 mM, which increased LDH. KB-R7943 at 5 mM given during the first 10 min of reflow reduced contractile dysfunction (P50.011), LDH release (P50.019) and contraction band necrosis (P50.014) during reperfusion. Intracoronary administration of this concentration during the first 10 min of reperfusion reduced infarct size by 34% (P50.033) in pigs submitted to 48 min of coronary occlusion. Conclusions: These results are consistent with the hypothesis that during initial reperfusion 21 NCX activity results in net reverse mode operation contributing to Ca overload, hypercontracture and cell death, and that NCX 21 inhibition during this phase is beneficial. Beyond this phase, NCX inhibition may impair forward mode-dependent Ca extrusion and be detrimental. These findings may help in the design of therapeutic strategies against lethal reperfusion injury, with NCX as the target.  2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Four Lessons from Risk Assessment (and Other Forensic Assessment) Meta-Analyses

ABSTRACT I read the Williams, Wormith, Bonta, and Sitarenios (2017) critique of the Singh, Grann, and Fazel (2011) meta-analysis as someone who has struggled with conceptual and methodological issues when conducting risk assessment meta-analyses. I offer four lessons for risk assessment meta-analysts, based on my experiences as a risk assessment meta-analyst and consumer of risk assessment research. Lesson 1: We should accept the Dodo bird verdict in risk assessment instrument research and then move forward. Lesson 2: If you must compare, compare within samples. Lesson 3: Meta-analyses are often more useful for showing how much we don't know than how much we do know. Lesson 4: There are not enough risk assessment instrument studies examining the predictive validity of commonly used score interpretations.
Effects of Experienced Disgust on Morally-Relevant Judgments

Although disgust has been implicated in moral judgments, the extent to which the influence of disgust on moral judgment is distinct from other negative affective states remains unclear. To address this gap in knowledge, participants in Study 1 were randomized to a disgust (hand submersion in imitation vomit), discomfort (hand submersion in ice water), or neutral (hand submersion in room temperature water) affect condition while moral judgments of offenses were simultaneously assessed. The results showed that participants in the discomfort condition made the most severe moral judgments, particularly for moderate offenses. To examine if disgust may have more of an effect on some moral violations than others, participants in Study 2 were randomized to similar affect inductions while judgments of purity and non-purity offenses were simultaneously assessed. The results showed that those who had their hand submerged in imitation vomit recommended harsher punishment for purity violations relative to moral violations unrelated to purity. The opposite was true for those who submerged their hands in ice water, whereas punishment ratings for purity and non-purity violations did not significantly differ for those who submerged their hands in room temperature water. The implications of these findings for further delineating the specific role of experienced disgust in moral decision-making are discussed.
A case study of how a sample of preservice teachers made sense of incorporating iPads into their instruction with children

ABSTRACT The increased use of and demand for technology in early childhood education classrooms and programs creates new challenges for practicing and preservice early educators being asked to employ such technology within their teaching. Early childhood teacher education programs have struggled to meet these demands for teaching their students how to integrate such technology into their instruction with young children. Preservice teachers who do receive such training often fail to develop the skills and/or beliefs required to implement technology effectively into their own classrooms. The study reported on in this article addresses this issue by providing insight into how a sample of early childhood preservice teachers who used iPads and their apps in their coursework and high-stakes early learning field placements made sense of using these devices as teachers. Such findings illuminate instructional opportunities for teacher educators to consider as they seek to assist their students in making sense about how to implement as well as adopt appropriate and effective instructional strategies into their own classrooms.
Prostate epithelial cells can act as early sensors of infection by up‐regulating TLR4 expression and proinflammatory mediators upon LPS stimulation

Despite the prevalence of prostate disease, little is known about the immunobiology of the prostate and its contribution to disease. The main goal of this work was to investigate how prostate epithelial cells deal with inflammatory stimuli. To this aim, we stimulated a rat prostate epithelial cell line [metastasis‐lung (MAT‐LU)] or rat primary epithelial cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Prostate epithelial cells constitutively express significant levels of Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) and CD14 mRNA. TLR2 transcription could also be demonstrated, suggesting that these cells could recognize a broader spectrum of microbial molecular patterns. TLR4, TLR2, and CD14 proteins were also detected, although not at the cell surface but intracellularly. Prostate epithelial cells not only express these receptors, but they are also able to respond to LPS, and LPS‐stimulated MAT‐LU cells activate nuclear factor‐κB transcription factor, induce the expression of inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase, and secrete NO. Even more, numerous chemokine genes are up‐regulated or induced in this response. Our results clearly demonstrate that prostate epithelial cells are fully competent to respond. The fact that they express TLR4 and TLR2 intracellularly suggests the presence of regulatory mechanisms, which once overcome, could turn these cells into active players of the innate immunity, capable of initiating an inflammatory response.
Long range analysis of EEG data

This thesis details advances in the understanding and methodology in analysis of the long term variation displayed by the brain as imaged by the electroencephalogram (EEG). The analysis focuses on two types of variation: univariate fluctuation and bivariate co-fluctuation. These are quantified by estimates of the Hurst exponent and by the DCCA correlation coefficient on EEG time-series. We study both measures theoretically: we show that Hurst exponents are distorted by volume conduction and signal-to-noise ratio, derive the asymptotic distribution of the DCCA correlation coefficient and show that both DCCA correlations and Hurst exponents obey relationships which we derive analytically assuming the presence of critical dynamics. These analyses lead to the development of novel data analytic tools: two algorithms for source separation based on measurement of fluctuation in the EEG, two statistical tests for co-fluctuation and a test for the presence of critical dynamics. These tools allow us in data analysis to answer a number of open questions relating to the long-term variation of the EEG: we present evidence for a common cause of fluctuation in the raw EEG and narrowband amplitudes of the EEG, provide new evidence for critical dynamics and show that the strength of long-term variation predicts performance of human subjects in a complex cognitive task.
Design and Analysis of a Dynamically Reconfigurable Shared Memory Cluster

In recent years, the clusters have become a viable and less expensive alternative to multiprocessor systems. This paper proposes an architecture with a load balancing and a fault tolerant model for shared memory clusters. A task clustering algorithm, a Centralized dynamic load balancing model, a load balancing algorithm and a fault tolerant model are proposed for shared memory clusters. The results establish the proposed model to provide high runtime availability and efficient load balancing.
Testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin and free androgen index among adult women: chronological and ovarian aging.

BACKGROUND In this study, levels and rates of change in total testosterone (T), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and free androgen index (FAI) were related to chronological age and to the final menstrual period (FMP) as an indicator of ovarian aging. METHODS Data were annually acquired over a 15-year period in 629 women of the Michigan Bone Health and Metabolism Study cohort. Data were censored for hormone therapy use. Endogenous androgen patterns over time were described with stochastic processes and bootstrapping. RESULTS With ovarian aging, T levels rose from a mean of 18 ng/dl commencing 10 years prior to the FMP to 27 ng/dl at the FMP. Over the 20-year period encompassing the FMP, modeled mean SHBG levels changed from 58 to 34 nM and the FAI ratio increased from 1.6 to 2.9 in a non-linear manner. With chronological aging, total T levels increased (P < 0.0001) from 43 to 50 years, but not thereafter. SHBG declined steadily with age with a modestly greater rate of change between 49 and 54 years. The FAI increased from 1.3 to 2.5 from 34 to 58 years. CONCLUSIONS T increased from approximately age 40 until the FMP whereas SHBG had rate of change patterns reflecting both chronological and ovarian aging components. These data provide new insight into the endogenous androgen patterns at mid-life.
Distributed Bernoulli Filters for Joint Detection and Tracking in Sensor Networks

We introduce in this paper a novel, fully distributed diffusion Bernoulli filter based on random information dissemination over a partially connected sensor network. The proposed algorithm allows the network nodes to cooperatively perform joint multiframe detection and tracking of an emitter that randomly appears in and disappears from a surveillance region. In addition, we also introduce an alternative flooding-based algorithm that reproduces exactly, in a fully distributed fashion, the optimal centralized Bernoulli filter based on all network node measurements. We derive two alternative low bandwidth implementations of the proposed filters, using respectively a marginalized sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) method and a hybrid Gaussian mixture model (GMM)/SMM scheme. The algorithms were evaluated in a simulated scenario where network nodes directly assimilate raw received signal strength measurements, subject only to possible measurement censoring.
Who is the victim? When the addresser of the echoed utterance and the target of the irony differ

Abstract The goal of this contribution is to explore the relationship between the target of certain ironic instances and the source of their echoic mentions (Sperber and Wilson, “Irony and the use-mention distinction,” in Peter Cole’s Radical Pragmatics, Academic Press, New York, 1981; Wilson and Sperber, “On verbal irony,” Lingua 87, 1992), discussing specific cases in which the originators of the ironic utterances or opinions echoed could not be conceived as victims of the irony. As most accounts of irony claim, it necessarily involves criticism, in which case it should have a victim or a target. Sperber and Wilson’s Echoic Mention Theory suggests that an ironical remark will have as natural targets the originators of the utterances echoed. Following their account, the target of the irony should be the addresser of the echoed utterance. However, in our corpus of ten full-length literary works and excerpts from the Israeli media, we have found ironic occurrences, which seemed to express at least some sort of criticism if not more, where the echoic source would not make a plausible target for the irony. It may be suggested that the reason for the discrepancies is that these utterances also present cues for humor or traces of parody.
Performing the virtual double : notes on self-amputation and self-amplification

In what follows the idea of the online double is historically contextualised and analysed. Beginning with the contemporary idea of the 'selfie' as online self-induced double, I proceed to discuss the Doppelganger's (double) mythical and literary roots, in order to expand the discussion of the selfie to include the online double. Two instances of the online double are unpacked, namely the double as shadow and the double as a stand-in or alter-ego, which correspond significantly with Marshall McLuhan's analysis of the Narcissus myth and technological use. McLuhan reveals the doubled nature of our technological engagement that leads to either self-amputation or self-amplification. In my analysis, the double as shadow is correlated with self-amputation and the double as alter-ego with self-amplification. It is argued that the double as shadow is evoked online through the mining of data regarding the self that is captured consciously and unconsciously to create what is known as the Data Doppelganger. The figure of the Doppelganger is further vividly conjured through virtual stand-ins or alter-egos that act on behalf of the self to create a tele-presence through examples such as Project Lifelike and rep.licants. org.
The Hand Clap as an Impulse Source for Measuring Room Acoustics

We test the suitability of hand clap recordings for measuring several acoustic features of musical performance and recording rooms. Our goal is to make acoustic measurement possible for amateur musicians and hobbyists through the use of a smartphone or web app. Hand claps are an attractive acoustic stimulus because they can be produced easily and without special equipment. Hand claps lack the high energy and consistency of other impulse sources, such as pistol shots, but we introduce some signal processing steps which mitigate these problems to produce reliable acoustical measurements. Our signal processing toolchain is fully-automated, which allows both amateurs and technicians to perform measurements in just a few seconds. Using our technique, measuring a room’s reverberation times and frequency response is as easy as starting a smartphone app and clapping several times.
Investigating the Andromeda stream – III. A young shell system in M31

Published maps of red giant stars in the halo region of M31 exhibit a giant stellar stream to the south of this galaxy, as well as a giant ‘shelf’ to the northeast of M31's centre. Using these maps, we find that there is a fainter shelf of comparable size on the western side as well. By choosing appropriate structural and orbital parameters for an accreting dwarf satellite within the accurate M31 potential model of Geehan et al., we produce a very similar structure in an N-body simulation. In this scenario, the tidal stream produced at pericentre of the satellite's orbit matches the observed southern stream, while the forward continuation of this tidal stream makes up two orbital loops, broadened into fan-like structures by successive pericentric passages; these loops correspond to the north-eastern and western shelves. The tidal debris from the satellite also reproduces a previously observed ‘stream’ of counterrotating planetary nebulae and a related stream seen in red giant stars. The debris pattern in our simulation resembles the shell systems detected around many elliptical galaxies, though this is the first identification of a shell system in a spiral galaxy and the first in any galaxy close enough to allow measurements of stellar velocities and relative distances. We discuss the physics of these partial shells, highlighting the role played by spatial and velocity caustics in the observations. We show that kinematic surveys of the tidal debris will provide a sensitive measurement of M31's halo potential, while quantifying the surface density of debris in the shelves will let us reconstruct the original mass and time of disruption of the progenitor satellite.
Modelling and Schedulability Analysis of Real-time Sequence Patterns using Time Petri Nets and Uppaal

This paper proposes an original approach to the schedulability analysis of real-time systems specified by Time Petri Nets (TPNs). The focus is on sequence patterns of transition firings (execution tasks). A TPN model is first translated in the Timed Automata terms of the popular Uppaal tool. Then schedulability properties of tasks are verified through reachability analysis. The approach is efficient and scalable. The paper demonstrates the concrete application of the approach through examples. Finally, conclusions are drawn together with an indication of on-going and future work.