Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neoliberalism and the Current Educational Climate: The Effect on School Culture and At-Risk Students

This study is primarily concerned with uncovering the school culture proliferated by neoliberal education reforms, and the exploration of its effect on students who are at risk of academic failure. A theoretical approach was adopted for the study, which involved a thorough review of the past and current peer-reviewed research literature on neoliberalism, school culture and students who are at risk. In doing so, an overview of neoliberalism was provided, with a focus on examining the influence of the neoliberal process on Canada’s public education system. Additionally, the neoliberal influence on school culture was systematically outlined using Schoen and Teddlie’s (2008) four dimensions of school culture, which aimed to reveal how such a school culture affects the academic experiences of students at risk. These dimensions are: Professional outlook; Organizational structure; Quality of the teaching environment and Student-centered focus. Lastly, a comparison was drawn between Freire’s (1970) notion of “banking education” and today’s Canadian school culture in order to provide insight into the aspects of a neoliberal school culture that are not conducive to the fostering of a critical consciousness among students. The examination of the literature revealed that a school culture, entrenched with neoliberal values and objectives is unconducive to fostering positive academic experiences for students who are at risk of school failure.
Inhibition of PRL-2·CNNM3 Protein Complex Formation Decreases Breast Cancer Proliferation and Tumor Growth*

The oncogenic phosphatase of regenerating liver 2 (PRL-2) has been shown to regulate intracellular magnesium levels by forming a complex through an extended amino acid loop present in the Bateman module of the CNNM3 magnesium transporter. Here we identified highly conserved residues located on this amino acid loop critical for the binding with PRL-2. A single point mutation (D426A) of one of those critical amino acids was found to completely disrupt PRL-2·human Cyclin M 3 (CNNM3) complex formation. Whole-cell voltage clamping revealed that expression of CNNM3 influenced the surface current, whereas overexpression of the binding mutant had no effect, indicating that the binding of PRL-2 to CNNM3 is important for the activity of the complex. Interestingly, overexpression of the CNNM3 D426A-binding mutant in cancer cells decreased their ability to proliferate under magnesium-deprived situations and under anchorage-independent growth conditions, demonstrating a PRL-2·CNNM3 complex-dependent oncogenic advantage in a more stringent environment. We further confirmed the importance of this complex in vivo using an orthotopic xenograft breast cancer model. Finally, because molecular modeling showed that the Asp-426 side chain in CNNM3 buries into the catalytic cavity of PRL-2, we showed that a PRL inhibitor could abrogate complex formation, resulting in a decrease in proliferation of human breast cancer cells. In summary, we provide evidence that this fundamental regulatory aspect of PRL-2 in cancer cells could potentially lead to broadly applicable and innovative therapeutic avenues.
Implementation of Canny edge detection on the WiCa SmartCam architecture

There is a rapidly growing demand for cameras containing built-in intelligence for various purposes such as surveillance and identification. Face recognition is an important application for these cameras. Previous research has shown that faces can be well represented by parabola segments using an algorithm which fits parabola segments to edge pixels. Faces are then recognized using a technique which matches parabola segments based on distance and intensity. Considerable computational resources are required for the extraction of the parabola primitives, due to the need for Canny edge detection. This algorithm is well-suited for the new generation of massively parallel SmartCams though, if it is represented in a highly parallelized, low complexity representation adapted to the characteristics of these SmartCam architectures. This paper proposes such an implementation of the Canny edge detection algorithm for the Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) Xetal IC3D processor, resulting in a real-time performance using a smart camera not bigger than a typical surveillance camera.
Master Degree Project in Cognitive Neuroscience One Year Advanced Level 30 Ects Spring Term 2016

Resting frontal alpha asymmetry was measured with an electroencephalogram in 28 volunteers to predict the evaluation of emotions in music. Sixteen music excerpts either expressing happiness, sadness, anger or fear were rated by the participants with regard to conveyed mood, pleasantness and arousal. In addition, various variables of music background were collected. The experiment started with the assessment of current mood, followed by the evaluation of the music excerpts, and finished with the assessment of the participants’ approach and withdrawal behaviour. The results showed that each music excerpt was specific for the intended mood except for music of the category anger which obtained also high ratings for fear. These music excerpts were also the only ones for which a difference in ratings between relatively more left-active and right-active participants could be observed. Partly against expectations, left-dominant volunteers perceived music excerpts of the category anger to express more fear and anger than right-active participants. Results are interpreted within the behavioural inhibition and approach model of anterior brain asymmetry.
Carrières au féminin et au masculin

L'une des questions de ce chapitre, a partir de l'enquete Travail En Questions, est de savoir comment le " plafonnement de carriere " lie aux transformations des organisations de travail s'articule a la question d'un " plafond de verre " concernant specifiquement les femmes. Cette analyse doit integrer la persistance de processus " d'organisation de la rarete " pour ce qui concerne l'acces des femmes aux postes de responsabilite et aux spheres dirigeantes. D'autre part, il s'agit de considerer quel peut etre le poids des comportements et des strategies propres des femmes (et des hommes) par rapport a la carriere, celles-ci s'inscrivant en particulier dans le contexte des interactions et negociations conjugales propres aux couples a double carriere, modele qui domine chez les femmes cadres.
The Role of Posttraumatic Stress as a Pathway to Psychopathology Among Youth at High-Risk for Victimization

Objective: Early victimization elevates children’s risk for developing psychopathology. Recent findings suggest that disruptions in developmental processes related to symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTS) may partially account for the association between early victimization and subsequent psychopathology. The present study prospectively tested the temporal sequencing of these associations using, multiinformant measurements in a large, diverse sample of children at high risk for victimization. Method: This study measured victimization (i.e., direct, indirect, familial, and nonfamilial violence), PTS, externalizing, and internalizing problems among 1154 children (561 girls and 593 boys) who participated in the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN). Results: Structural equation modeling revealed that, in addition to directly impacting psychopathology, childhood victimization contributed to escalations in internalizing and externalizing problems as children transitioned from middle to late childhood indirectly through PTS. The mediational role of PTS was largely similar for girls and boys and for those who were investigated for early reports of maltreatment and those identified early as at-risk for victimization. Conclusions: This study delineated the role of PTS in the development of psychopathology following early victimization. These findings highlight the importance of carefully assessing for underlying trauma symptoms when considering diverse presentations of psychopathology among youth who have been victimized.
The emergence of quality assessment in Brazilian basic education

The focus in this article is on Brazilian education policy, specifically quality assurance and evaluation. The starting point is that quality, measured by means of large-scale assessments, is one of the key discursive justifications for educational change. The article addresses the questions of how quality evaluation became a significant feature of Brazilian education, and how international organisations are related to this. The notion of measurement emerged at the beginning of the 20th century among an active educational community, strongly inspired by US educational thinking and supported by instrumental educational cooperation with US agencies and universities. Large-scale assessment became more and more popular in the 1960s–1980s, mainly within this setting. Educational indicators have been under development since the 1990s, alongside the education-related programmes of international organisations. Drawing on earlier research and documents, the article analyses historical and political influences from both international and national actors on the emergence of quality assessment in Brazilian basic education. The authors also point out the need for further research from a more complex perspective on the interplay between the various actors responsible for policies focusing on educational quality.
Probation officer use of client-centered communication strategies in adult probation settings

ABSTRACT Growing research identifies the importance of communication between probation officers and probationers. The current study examines use of motivational, client-centered communication strategies in an adult probation setting. Using surveys and observational data, this work explores: (a) whether probation officers are comfortable using motivational communication strategies and (b) how probation officers communicate with probationers. Findings suggest probation officers attempt to integrate motivational techniques in their interactions, directive, but authoritarian strategies dominate probation officer– probationer interactions. Study implications emphasize the need to enhance implementation of client-centered communication strategies to improve offender outcomes and move away from authoritarian and risk management practices.
Environmental Effects on Gaseous Disks of the Virgo Spiral Galaxies

We found high molecular fractions (fmol; ratio of the molecular to total gas surface densities) in three of five Virgo spiral galaxies in spite of their low total gas column density, based on 12CO J = 1-0 observations with the Nobeyama 45 m telescope equipped with a multibeam receiver, BEARS. We interpret this as a result of environmental effects. Combining the CO data with H I data, the relationship between the surface density of the total gas (H I plus H2) and fmol indicates that the three galaxies near the cluster center have larger fmol values than expected for field galaxies, while the others show normal fmol. The large fmol is interpreted as being due either to effective H I gas stripping, even in the inner disks, or to large ISM pressure induced by the high ICM pressure and/or ram pressure, although the possibility of an unusually high metallicity cannot be ruled out.
New Estimates on the Relationship between IQ, Economic Growth and Welfare

Abstract Previous research has found that there is a statistically significant, positive link between country-level IQ and various measures of aggregate production, such as GDP. This study extends that analysis by estimating the relationship between IQ and a new measure of economic welfare. Developed by Jones and Klenow (2016), welfare is not a measure of spending on public assistance programs, but a theory-based empirical construct combining several metrics of economic well-being. Using this new economic welfare index for a large sample of countries (74), we find that IQ is a statistically significant (5% or better) and economically important predictor of welfare growth. A one-point increase in IQ is associated with a 4% increase in welfare growth for the average country. Our results support the view that national IQ is an important determinant of cross-country differences in economic activity and welfare.
Metacognitive beliefs, beliefs about voices and affective symptoms in patients with severe auditory verbal hallucinations.

OBJECTIVES This study explores associations between metacognitive beliefs and beliefs about voices in patients with severe auditory verbal hallucinations, and their hypothesized relationship with levels of depression and anxiety. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that metacognitive beliefs are better able to explain differences in levels of depression and anxiety, than beliefs about voices. DESIGN Cross-sectional data were obtained from baseline measurements of a randomized controlled trial. All patients (N = 77) met the criteria for a DSM-IV diagnosis within the schizophrenia spectrum. A correlation analysis was conducted to explore the associations between metacognitive beliefs and beliefs about voices. Regression analysis was performed to test the second hypothesis. METHOD Metacognitive beliefs were measured using the MCQ-30. Beliefs about voices were measured using the BAVQ-R. Furthermore, the Beck Depression Inventory-II and the Beck Anxiety Inventory were applied to measure depression and anxiety. All analyses were a priori controlled for gender and level of education. RESULTS Significant associations were found between negative beliefs about voices and negative metacognitive beliefs. One of the metacognitive beliefs, that is, perceived uncontrollability and danger of thinking, proved to be a key variable in explaining differences in levels of depression and anxiety and seemed to have greater explanatory value than all of the beliefs about voices when analysed simultaneously. CONCLUSIONS The results offer modest support to models emphasizing the fact that metacognitive beliefs are a core feature in the development and maintenance of depression and anxiety in patients with severe auditory verbal hallucinations. PRACTITIONER POINTS POSITIVE CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Further evidence for the importance of metacognitive beliefs. Specific emphasis on anxiety and depression in patients with severe hallucinations. LIMITATIONS Small sample size. Cross-sectional data only.
Race V. Suffrage: The Determinants of Development in Mississippi

We investigate the long term determinants of political and economic outcomes over a new data set composed of Mississippi counties. We analyze the effect of disfranchisement on voting registration at the end of the nineteenth century (1896-9), as well as the impact of voting registration on education outcomes at different points in time, namely in 1917 and in the 1950s. Finally, we turn to the determinants of a broad array of development indicators for the year 1960 and for the 1960-2000 period. Our main conclusion is that race, rather than political institutions and education policies, is the main force driving the above outcomes.
PKS 1830–211: A Face-on Spiral Galaxy Lens

We present new Hubble Space Telescope images of the gravitational lens PKS 1830-211, which allow us to characterize the lens galaxy and update the determination of the Hubble constant (H0) from this system. The I-band image shows that the lens galaxy is a face-on spiral galaxy with clearly delineated spiral arms. The southwestern image of the background quasar passes through one of the spiral arms, explaining the previous detections of large quantities of molecular gas and dust in front of this image. The lens galaxy photometry is consistent with the Tully-Fisher relation, suggesting the lens galaxy is a typical spiral galaxy for its redshift. The lens galaxy position, which was the main source of uncertainty in previous attempts to determine H0, is now known precisely. Given the current time delay measurement and assuming the lens galaxy has an isothermal mass distribution, we compute H0 = 44 ± 9 km s-1 Mpc-1 for an Ωm = 0.3 flat cosmological model. We describe some possible systematic errors and how to reduce them. We also discuss the possibility raised by Courbin et al. (2002), that what we have identified as a single lens galaxy is actually a foreground star and two separate galaxies.
hCLE/C14orf166 Associates with DDX1-HSPC117-FAM98B in a Novel Transcription-Dependent Shuttling RNA-Transporting Complex

hCLE/C14orf166 is a nuclear and cytoplasmic protein that interacts with the RNAP II, modulates nuclear RNA metabolism and is present in cytoplasmic RNA granules involved in localized translation. Here we have studied whether hCLE shares common interactors in the nucleus and the cytosol, which could shed light on its participation in the sequential phases of RNA metabolism. Nuclear and cytoplasmic purified hCLE-associated factors were identified and proteins involved in mRNA metabolism, motor-related proteins, cytoskeletal and translation-related factors were found. Purified hCLE complexes also contain RNAs and as expected some hCLE-interacting proteins (DDX1, HSPC117, FAM98B) were found both in the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Moreover, endogenous hCLE fractionates in protein complexes together with DDX1, HSPC117 and FAM98B and silencing of hCLE down-regulates their nuclear and cytosolic accumulation levels. Using a photoactivatable hCLE-GFP protein, nuclear import and export of hCLE was observed indicating that hCLE is a shuttling protein. Interestingly, hCLE nuclear import required active transcription, as did the import of DDX1, HSPC117 and FAM98B proteins. The data indicate that hCLE probably as a complex with DDX1, HSPC117 and FAM98B shuttles between the nucleus and the cytoplasm transporting RNAs suggesting that this complex has a prominent role on nuclear and cytoplasmic RNA fate.
Taking Multiple Infections of Cells and Recombination into Account Leads to Small Within-Host Effective-Population-Size Estimates of HIV-1

Whether HIV-1 evolution in infected individuals is dominated by deterministic or stochastic effects remains unclear because current estimates of the effective population size of HIV-1 in vivo, Ne, are widely varying. Models assuming HIV-1 evolution to be neutral estimate Ne∼102–104, smaller than the inverse mutation rate of HIV-1 (∼105), implying the predominance of stochastic forces. In contrast, a model that includes selection estimates Ne>105, suggesting that deterministic forces would hold sway. The consequent uncertainty in the nature of HIV-1 evolution compromises our ability to describe disease progression and outcomes of therapy. We perform detailed bit-string simulations of viral evolution that consider large genome lengths and incorporate the key evolutionary processes underlying the genomic diversification of HIV-1 in infected individuals, namely, mutation, multiple infections of cells, recombination, selection, and epistatic interactions between multiple loci. Our simulations describe quantitatively the evolution of HIV-1 diversity and divergence in patients. From comparisons of our simulations with patient data, we estimate Ne∼103–104, implying predominantly stochastic evolution. Interestingly, we find that Ne and the viral generation time are correlated with the disease progression time, presenting a route to a priori prediction of disease progression in patients. Further, we show that the previous estimate of Ne>105 reduces as the frequencies of multiple infections of cells and recombination assumed increase. Our simulations with Ne∼103–104 may be employed to estimate markers of disease progression and outcomes of therapy that depend on the evolution of viral diversity and divergence.
Escaping the Border, Debordering the Nature: Protected Areas, Participatory Management, and Environmental Security in Northern Patagonia (i.e. Chile and Argentina)

Abstract This paper focuses on the management of protected areas in transboundary contexts and centres on the contemporary evolution of the border between Chile and Argentina in Northern Patagonia, which is a region that has witnessed the creation of numerous protected areas that are currently claimed by Mapuche organisations and communities as part of their customary territory. In response to these claims, both states have progressively integrated Mapuche communities into the management of protected areas through specific agreements. Many of these protected areas have also been included in a Transboundary Biosphere Reserve proposal for UNESCO. A new environmental governance model that includes the protection of indigenous peoples’ rights is under construction not only along but also across the border between Chile and Argentina. Therefore, we discuss how participatory management could be viewed as a tool for redefining borders by linking environmental security in protected areas to human security in Mapuche communities. The article seeks to understand the role of environmental governance in shaping and/or overcoming political boundaries, and analyse how strategic mobilisations of the environment can advance the achievement of competing territorial projects led by different actors in different periods.
A database management capability for Ada

The data requirements of mission critical defense systems have been increasing dramatically. Command and control, intelligence, logistics, and even weapons systems are being required to integrate, process, and share ever increasing volumes of information. To meet this need, systems are now being specified that incorporate data base management subsystems for handling storage and retrieval of information. It is expected that a large number of the next generation of mission critical systems will contain embedded data base management systems. Since the use of Ada has been mandated for most of these systems, it is important to address the issues of providing data base management capabilities that can be closely coupled with Ada. A comprehensive distributed data base management project has been investigated. The key deliverables of this project are three closely related prototype systems implemented in Ada. These three systems are discussed.
Centralized Innovation Policy in an Agglomeration and Growth Model: A Welfare Analysis

Innovation policies are strategic tools for reinforcing long-term economic growth. If the literature highlights the need for coordination among national R&D policies, the need for transnational policies appears to be less clear. Using a model a la Martin and Ottaviano (1999), we conduct a welfare analysis in order to judge the effect of a centralized R&D subsidy policy. If theoretical results suggest that this policy can improve efficiency and equity, our welfare analysis shows that when there are few knowledge spillovers between countries, then the policy leads to a conflict of interest. In the case of strong international knowledge spillovers however, the conflict of interest disappears suggesting that innovation policies should ﬁrst focus on the development of knowledge flows between countries.