Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Controls on the Diversity in Climate Model Projections of Early Summer Drying over Southern Africa

Ninety-five percent of climate models contributing to phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) project early summer [October–December (OND)] rainfall declines over subtropical southern Africa by the end of the century, under all emissions forcing pathways. The intermodel consensus underlies the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment that rainfall declines are “likely” and implies that significant climate change adaptation is needed. However, model consensus is not necessarily a good indicator of confidence, especially given that there is an order of magnitude difference in the scale of rainfall decline among models in OND (from <10 mm season−1 to ~100 mm season−1), and that the CMIP5 ensemble systematically overestimates present-day OND precipitation over subtropical southern Africa (in some models by a factor of 2). In this paper we investigate the uncertainty in the OND drying signal by evaluating the climate mechanisms that underlie the diversity in model rainfall projections. Models projecting the highest-magnitude drying simulate the largest increases in tropospheric stability over subtropical southern Africa associated with anomalous upper-level subsidence, reduced evaporation, and amplified surface temperature change. Intermodel differences in rainfall projections are in turn related to the large-scale adjustment of the tropical atmosphere to emissions forcing: models with the strongest relative warming of the northern tropical sea surface temperatures compared to the tropical mean warming simulate the largest rainfall declines. The models with extreme rainfall declines also tend to simulate large present-day biases in rainfall and in atmospheric stability, leading the authors to suggest that projections of high-magnitude drying require further critical attention.
Research Article Factors Associated with Hormonal and Intrauterine Contraceptive Use among Hiv-infected Men and Women in Lilongwe, Malawi: a Cross-sectional Study

Background. Understanding the factors associated with the use of hormonal and intrauterine contraception among HIV-infected men and women may lead to interventions that can help reduce high unintended pregnancy rates. Materials and Methods. This study is a subanalysis of a cross-sectional survey of 289 women and 241 men who were sexually active and HIV-infected and were attending HIV care visits in Lilongwe, Malawi. We estimated adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) to evaluate factors associated with hormonal and intrauterine contraceptive use for men and women in separate models. Results and Discussion. 39.8% of women and 33.2% of men (í µí± = 0.117) reported that they were using hormonal or intrauterine contraception at last intercourse. Having greater than 3 children was the only factor associated with hormonal and intrauterine contraceptive use among men. Among women, younger age, not wanting a pregnancy in 2 years, being with their partner for more than 4 years, and being able to make family planning decisions by themselves were associated with hormonal and intrauterine contraceptive use. Conclusions. The men and women in our study population differed in the factors associated with hormonal and intrauterine contraceptive use. Understanding these differences may help decrease unmet FP needs among HIV-infected men and women.
Breast Cancer Risk and Duration of Estrogen Use: The Role of Study Design in Meta‐Analysis

Recent meta-analyses of studies of the risk of breast cancer associated with hormone replacement therapy agree that little risk is associated with ever-use or short-term use of estrogen replacement. These analyses disagree, however, about the effect of long-duration estrogen use. To understand differences in the findings among the meta-analyses of the effect of long-term use, we investigated the source of heterogeneity among the included studies. We analyzed subgroups by source of controls (community vs hospital), study design (case-control vs follow-up), and types of estrogen. We also examined the effect of modeling assumptions: that before women began estrogen use, those who chose to use estrogen replacement (1) were, or (2) were not, at substantially different risk from those who chose not to use estrogen. We found a small increase in risk in all subgroups of studies except those that used hospital controls. From a homogeneous group of case-control studies using community controls that analyzed the effect of conjugated equine estrogens, we estimated that the risk of breast cancer after 10 years of estrogen use increased by at least 15% and up to 29%.
Market‐oriented school reform in England and Finland: school choice, finance and governance

This paper explores the introduction of market‐oriented reforms into school‐based education in England and Finland. The contexts into which reforms were introduced differed, with a fully comprehensive system being in place in Finland but not in England; the motives were also different; and different trajectories have since been followed. Whilst there are apparent similarities, with choice and diversity having a high political profile in each country, the policy mix varies: two different models can be discerned, with the Finnish reforms being characterised by more regulatory control in relation to school access and choice, but less in relation to the financing of schools by local authorities. It is argued that the mediating role played by local authorities in jurisdictions with high levels of decentralisation means that the legislative framework needs to be taken into account when examining policy implementation and educational outcomes.
You Don't Look Like a Lesbian: A Coautoethnography of Intersectional Identities in Counselor Education

Although advocacy lies at the core of the counseling professional identity, the voices and experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQQIA) students and educators are frequently silenced and marginalized within academic settings. Utilizing coconstructed autoethnography, the authors examine the ways in which the intersecting identities of LGBTQQIA individuals are individually, culturally, and systemically privileged and oppressed within counseling classrooms, curricula, and program policies. The authors discuss guidelines for interrogating and disrupting heteronormativity and other macro- and microaggressive practices in academic spaces and specified standards to ensure an affirming and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff.
Learning in and for multi‐agency working

This study addresses the challenges faced by organisations and individual professionals, as new practices are developed and learned in multi‐agency work settings. The practices examined in the paper involve working responsively across professional boundaries with at‐risk young people. The paper draws on evidence from the Learning in and for Interagency Working Project, a four year ESRC Teaching and Learning Research Programme study of inter‐professional learning which has examined the challenges involved in what Victor and Boynton (1998) term co‐configuration work. In the context of professional collaboration for social inclusion, co‐configuration involves on‐going partnerships between professionals and service users to support young people’s pathways out of social exclusion. This work demands a capacity to recognise and access expertise distributed across local systems and to negotiate the boundaries of responsible professional action with other professionals and with clients. The paper outlines the activity theory derived theoretical platform adopted by the project and describes the intervention methodology that is being developed, as we study the learning challenges identified by children’s services practitioners in UK local authorities.
ELABELA Improves Cardio-Renal Outcome in Fatal Experimental Septic Shock

Objectives: Apelin-13 was recently proposed as an alternative to the recommended &bgr;-adrenergic drugs for supporting endotoxin-induced myocardial dysfunction. Since Apelin-13 signals through its receptor (Apelin peptide jejunum) to exert singular inotropic/vasotropic actions and to optimize body fluid balance, this candidate pathway might benefit septic shock management. Whether the newly discovered ELABELA (ELA), a second endogenous ligand of the Apelin peptide jejunum receptor highly expressed in the kidney, further improves cardio-renal impairment remains unknown. Design, Setting, and Subjects: Interventional study in a rat model of septic shock (128 adult males) to assess the effects of ELA and Apelin-13 on vascular and cardio-renal function. Experiments were performed in a tertiary care University-based research institute. Interventions: Polymicrobial sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction was produced by cecal ligation puncture to assess hemodynamic efficacy, cardioprotection, and biomechanics under acute or continuous infusions of the apelinergic agonists ELA or Apelin-13 (39 and 15 µg/kg/hr, respectively) versus normal saline. Measurements and Main Results: Apelinergic agonists improved 72-hour survival after sepsis induction, with ELA providing the best clinical outcome after 24 hours. Apelinergic agonist infusion counteracted cecal ligation puncture–induced myocardial dysfunction by improving left ventricular pressure-volume relationship. ELA-treated cecal ligation puncture rats were the only group to 1) display a significant improvement in left ventricular filling as shown by increased E-wave velocity and left ventricular end-diastolic volume, 2) exhibit a higher plasma volume, and 3) limit kidney injury and free-water clearance. These beneficial renal effects were superior to Apelin-13, likely because full-length ELA enabled a distinctive regulation of pituitary vasopressin release. Conclusions: Activation of the apelinergic system by exogenous ELA or Apelin-13 infusion improves cardiovascular function and survival after cecal ligation puncture–induced sepsis. However, ELA proved better than Apelin-13 by improving fluid homeostasis, cardiovascular hemodynamics recovery, and limiting kidney dysfunction in a vasopressinergic-dependent manner.
Child Labour and Capability Deprivation in India

This paper explores the hypothesis that the phenomenon of child labour is explicable in terms of poverty that compels a household to keep its children out of school and put them to work in the cause of the household’s survival. In exploring the link between child labour and poverty in the Indian context, the paper advances the view that the nature of the connection is more readily apprehended if both the variables under study are defined more expansively and inclusively than is customarily the case. Specifically, the suggestion is that it may be realistic to include those children who are conventionally categorized as ‘non-workers not attending school’ within the count of child labourers. It is also suggested that poverty is meaningfully measured in terms of a multi-dimensional approach to the problem, wherein the aim is to assess generalized capability failure—arising from want of access to elementary infrastructural facilities and essential amenities—with respect to a number of basic human functionings. The core of the paper’s argument is presented by means of a simple analytical model of child labour and deprivation, and the issues emerging from it are studied in the Indian context with the support of both primary and secondary data.
Beyond Media Logic

Mediatization and media logic are concepts that enjoy a growing academic popularity. At the same time, the phenomena that they cover and the empirical proof of their existence and growing presence are at best ambiguous. This article firstly dissects and problematizes these concepts and, secondly, it discusses the likelihood of other logics, notably ones in which the vox populi has a more central, albeit contested, place. The conclusion is that, as audience and as voters, the public is increasingly powerful in relation to politics and media, but at the same time it is fragmented and volatile. This begs the question whether it is helpful to speak of a logic of the public in explaining the present changes in Europe of the character, composition and driving force of political communication or that we just would coin another misnomer.
Immunization Using GroEL Decreases Clostridium difficile Intestinal Colonization

Clostridium difficile is a pathogen which is responsible for diarrhea and colitis, particularly after treatment with antibiotics. Clinical signs are mainly due to two toxins, TcdA and TcdB. However, the first step of pathogenesis is the colonization process. We evaluated C. difficile surface proteins as vaccine antigens in the hamster model to prevent intestinal colonization. This vaccination induced a partial protection of hamsters against death after a C. difficile challenge. A proteomic analysis of animal sera allowed us to identify proteins which could be responsible for the protection observed. Among these proteins, we identified the GroEL heat shock protein. To confirm the role of the specific GroEL antibodies in the delayed C. difficile colonization of hamsters, we performed an immunization assay in a mouse model. After intranasal immunization with the recombinant protein GroEL, we observed a lower C. difficile intestinal colonization in the immunized group as compared to the control group.
The end of the party

The New Zealand Intensive Medicines Monitoring Programme has received two reports of nose bleeds associated with risperidone. A 57 year old woman began having profuse nose bleeds associated with headaches immediately after starting to take risperidone 1 mg daily. She had no history of hypertension and was taking no other medicines. Risperidone was discontinued four days later and the nose bleeds stopped. A 42 year old man with no history of nose bleeds began having spontaneous nose bleeds while …
ErythematosusBlood of Children with Systemic Lupus B Cells and Plasma Cell Precursors in the Increased Frequency of Pre-germinal Center

We have analyzed the blood B cell subpopulations of children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and healthy controls. We found that the normal recirculating mature B cell pool is composed of four subsets: conventional naive and memory B cells, a novel B cell subset with pregerminal center phenotype (IgD (cid:1) CD38 (cid:1) centerin (cid:1) ), and a plasma cell precursor subset (CD20 (cid:2) CD19 (cid:1) /low CD27 (cid:1) / (cid:1)(cid:1) CD38 (cid:1)(cid:1) ). In SLE patients, naive and memory B cells (CD20 (cid:1) CD38 (cid:2) ) are (cid:1) 90% reduced, whereas oligoclonal plasma cell precursors are 3-fold expanded, independently of disease activity and modality of therapy. Pregerminal center cells in SLE are decreased to a lesser extent than conventional B cells, and therefore represent the predominant blood B cell subset in a number of patients. Thus, SLE is associated with major blood B cell subset alterations. The Journal of Immunology, 2001, 167: 2361–2369.
Leadership and Management Development in Education. Education Leadership for Social Change.

Leadership is critical to educational development and specific preparation is vital if leaders are to maximise their effectiveness. In this major new text, Tony Bush draws on his extensive international experience and research to examine the case for leadership development and assess the different modes of preparation used in Europe, including the U.K., North America, Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Africa. He also examines research on how leadership impacts on school and student outcomes and considers future directions for leadership and management development in education. This text is essential reading for students of educational leadership and management as well as for policy-makers, headteachers and principals.
Preparation and evaluation of chitosan/carrageenan beads for controlled release of sodium diclofenac

The polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) hydrogel beads based on chitosan (CS) and carrageenan (CR) have been studied as a controlled release device to deliver sodium diclofenac (DFNa) in the simulated gastrointestinal condition. Various factors potentially influencing the drug release (ie, CS/CR proportion, DFNa content, types and amount of cross-linking agents) were also investigated. The optimal formulation was obtained with CS/CR proportion of 2/1 and 5% (wt/vol) DFNa. The controlled release of the drug from this formulation was superior to other formulations and was able to maintain the release for ∼8 hours. Upon cross-linking with glutaric acid and glutaraldehyde, the resulting beads were found to be more efficient for prolonged drug release than their non-cross-linking counterparts. The bead cross-linked with glutaraldehyde was able to control the release of the drug over 24 hours. The difference in the drug release behavior can be attributed to the differences in ionic interaction between the oppositely charged ions and to the concentrations of the drug within the beads, which depends on the compositions of the formulation and the pH of the dissolution medium. The release of drug was controlled by the mechanism of the dissolution of DFNa in the dissolution medium and the diffusion of DFNa through the hydrogel beads.
Behavior of human periodontal ligament cells on CO2 laser irradiated dentinal root surfaces: an in vitro study.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro attachment behavior of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts on periodontally involved root surface after conditioning with CO2 laser and to compare its efficacy with chemical conditioning agents, namely tetracycline hydrochloride, citric acid, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and EDTA, using scanning electron microscopy. METHODS A total of 84 scaled and root-planed specimens from periodontally involved single-rooted human teeth showing hopeless prognosis were selected and assigned to two groups. One group was lased with a CO2 laser (from 5 cm at 3 W for 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 s), and the other group was treated with either tetracycline hydrochloride (2.5%), citric acid (saturated solution, pH 1), H2O2 (6%) or EDTA (5%; pH 7.4) for 3 min. The specimens were then seeded with human periodontal ligament fibroblasts, incubated for either 12 h or 24 h, and then the cell attachment behavior was observed. RESULTS CO2 laser irradiation for 1.0 s was found to be the most efficient, showing consistently good cell attachment with the highest mean value (15.00 +/- 3.41 cells/10,000 microm2 after incubation for 12 h and 29.17 +/- 2.04 cells/10,000 microm2 after 24 h), followed by irradiation for 0.8 s (13.11 +/- 3.04 cells/10,000 microm2 after incubation for 12 h and 22.91 +/- 7.10 cells/10,000 microm2 after 24 h). Charring was observed following irradiation for 1.2 s. Amongst chemical conditioning agents, citric acid was found to be the most efficient, with a mean cell attachment of 17.82 +/- 2.16 cells/10,000 microm2 after incubation for 12 h and 23.62 +/- 1.94 cells/10,000 microm2 after 24 h. EDTA and H2O2 did not do well in the study. CONCLUSION The results suggest that CO2 laser irradiation for 1.0 s may promote comparatively better attachment of periodontal ligament fibroblast on dentinal root surfaces than the conventional chemical conditioning agents used in the study.
Prognostic Significance of High VEGF-C Expression for Patients with Breast Cancer: An Update Meta Analysis

Background The prognostic significance of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) expression in breast cancer (BC) patients remains controversial. Therefore, this meta-analysis was performed to determine the prognostic significance of VEGF-C expression in BC patients. Materials and Methods Several electronic databases were searched from January 1991 to August 2016. The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the prognostic significance of VEGF-C expression for disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Results The present meta analysis totally included 21 eligible studies and 2828 patients with BC. The combined HRs were 1.87(95% CI 1.25–2.79, P = 0.001) for DFS and 1.96(95% CI 1.15–3.31, P = 0.001) for OS. The pooled HRs of non-Asian subgroup were 2.04(95%CI 1.36–3.05, P = 0.001) for DFS and 2.61(95%CI 1.51–4.52, P = 0.001) for OS, which were significantly higher than that of Asian subgroup. The funnel plot for publication bias was symmetrical. The further Egger's test and Begg's test did not detect significant publication bias (all P>0.05). Conclusions The present meta analysis strongly supported the prognostic role of VEGF-C expression for DFS and OS in BC patients, especially for patients in non-Asian countries. Furthermore, stratification by VEGF-C expression may help to optimize the treatments and the integrated managements for BC patients.
Kritieke toestand van wiskunde-onderwys in swart skole in die Republiek van Suid-Afrika

Leerlinge uit alle rassegroepe ervaar van tyd tot tyd onderrig- en leerprobleme in wiskunde. Dit geld in 'n veel groter opsig vir swart leerlinge as vir leerlinge uit ander bevolkingsgroepe. Verskeie moontlike redes vir hierdie verskynsel kan geïdentifiseer word, waaronder die feit dat swart leerlinge histories gesproke 'n beduidende ekonomiese en sosiale agterstand ten opsigte van ander leerlinge het. Faktore wat swart leerlinge se leer en onderrig van wiskunde inhibeer, word onder meer in hierdie artikel bespreek. Indien daar werklik erns gemaak word met die soeke na 'n Suid-Afrika waarin elke persoon sy regmatige plek op die beroeps-, ekonomiese, sosiale en politieke terrein moet inneem, behoort die kwessie van swart leerlinge se onderprestasie in wiskunde as een van die dringendste sake op enige toekomstige onderwysagenda geplaas te word. In hierdie artikel word enkele moontlike terreine van navorsing bespreek en word voorstelle ter verbetering van die situasie gemaak. Nie eers die heel beste pogings tot regstellende aksie kan waarskynlik vergoed vir die outentieke opheffing van swartes op hierdie terrein nie.
Validação da escala de estresse no trabalho

The objective of this study was to develop and to validate a general instrument to evaluate occupational stress, easily administered, used in different work environments and for a variety of occupations. The Work Stress Scale (WSS) initially composed of 31 items was applied to 437 workers, 249 men and 188 women, of public and private organizations. The factor analysis detected only one factor. After the elimination of the items with a factor loading below . 45, the final version of the scale was composed of 23 items and had a Cronbach's coefficient of . 91. A reduced version of the scale with 13 items and a Cronbach's coefficient of . 85 has been proposed. Based on the satisfactory psychometric parameters of the scale, it is concluded that the WSS is useful as an alternative in empirical investigations and organizational diagnostics. The results obtained can be useful indicators for organizational decisions in relation to the life quality of the workers.
An evaluation of resurgence of appropriate communicative responses in children with developmental disabilities

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the conditions under which resurgence of appropriate communicative responses (mands) would occur with children with developmental disabilities. The experimental preparation consisted of a sequence of conditions that included (a) the reinforcement of one mand (i.e., microswitch activation or card exchange) on a FR 1 schedule, (b) an extinction condition in which the mand was no longer reinforced, (c) the reinforcement of a second mand (i.e., microswitch activation or card exchange) on a FR 1 schedule, and (d) a test for resurgence of the first mand which consisted of placing the second mand on extinction. The results demonstrated resurgence of mands during 2 out of 3 tests for resurgence for one participant. Resurgence of mands was demonstrated during all three tests for resurgence with the second participant.