Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assumption-free estimation of the genetic contribution to refractive error across childhood

Purpose Studies in relatives have generally yielded high heritability estimates for refractive error: twins 75–90%, families 15–70%. However, because related individuals often share a common environment, these estimates are inflated (via misallocation of unique/common environment variance). We calculated a lower-bound heritability estimate for refractive error free from such bias. Methods Between the ages 7 and 15 years, participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) underwent non-cycloplegic autorefraction at regular research clinics. At each age, an estimate of the variance in refractive error explained by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genetic variants was calculated using genome-wide complex trait analysis (GCTA) using high-density genome-wide SNP genotype information (minimum N at each age=3,404). Results The variance in refractive error explained by the SNPs (“SNP heritability”) was stable over childhood: Across age 7–15 years, SNP heritability averaged 0.28 (SE=0.08, p<0.001). The genetic correlation for refractive error between visits varied from 0.77 to 1.00 (all p<0.001) demonstrating that a common set of SNPs was responsible for the genetic contribution to refractive error across this period of childhood. Simulations suggested lack of cycloplegia during autorefraction led to a small underestimation of SNP heritability (adjusted SNP heritability=0.35; SE=0.09). To put these results in context, the variance in refractive error explained (or predicted) by the time participants spent outdoors was <0.005 and by the time spent reading was <0.01, based on a parental questionnaire completed when the child was aged 8–9 years old. Conclusions Genetic variation captured by common SNPs explained approximately 35% of the variation in refractive error between unrelated subjects. This value sets an upper limit for predicting refractive error using existing SNP genotyping arrays, although higher-density genotyping in larger samples and inclusion of interaction effects is expected to raise this figure toward twin- and family-based heritability estimates. The same SNPs influenced refractive error across much of childhood. Notwithstanding the strong evidence of association between time outdoors and myopia, and time reading and myopia, less than 1% of the variance in myopia at age 15 was explained by crude measures of these two risk factors, indicating that their effects may be limited, at least when averaged over the whole population.
Standard Setting to an International Reference Framework: Implications for Theory and Practice

Standard setting theory has largely developed with reference to a typical situation, determining a level or levels of performance for one exam for one context. However, standard setting is now being used with international reference frameworks, where some parameters and assumptions of classical standard setting do not hold. We consider the challenges standard setting poses to reference frameworks and vice versa, focusing on the acceptance within standard setting theory of divergent outcomes. We argue that the justification for it does not hold in the context of reference frameworks; convergent outcomes should be expected and divergences investigated. The argument is illustrated using work relating the International English Language Testing System, an English language proficiency examination, to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), a reference framework of language ability. We describe a standard setting study and a criterion validation study, show how their results agree, and reconcile findings with those from other studies. Implications for standard setting and for the CEFR are discussed.
Finger Replacement Schemes for RAKE Receivers in the Soft Handover Region With Multiple Base Stations

We propose and analyze new finger replacement techniques for RAKE reception in the soft handover (SHO) region with multiple base stations. The proposed schemes are basically based on the block comparison among groups of resolvable paths from different base stations and lead to the reduction of complexity while offering commensurate performance in comparison with previously proposed schemes. Relying on the newly derived analytical expressions, we investigate not only the complexity in terms of the average number of required path estimations/comparisons and the SHO overhead but the error performance of the proposed scheme over independent identically distributed (i.i.d.) fading channels as well. We also examine, via computer simulations, the effect of path unbalance/correlation as well as outdated/imperfect channel estimation and show the robustness of our proposed scheme to these practical limitations.
Basolateral Junction Proteins Regulate Competition for the Follicle Stem Cell Niche in the Drosophila Ovary

Epithelial stem cells are routinely lost or damaged during adult life and must therefore be replaced to maintain homeostasis. Recent studies indicate that stem cell replacement occurs through neutral competition in many types of epithelial tissues, but little is known about the factors that determine competitive outcome. The epithelial follicle stem cells (FSCs) in the Drosophila ovary are regularly lost and replaced during normal homeostasis, and we show that FSC replacement conforms to a model of neutral competition. In addition, we found that FSCs mutant for the basolateral junction genes, lethal giant larvae (lgl) or discs large (dlg), undergo a biased competition for niche occupancy characterized by increased invasion of neighboring FSCs and reduced loss. Interestingly, FSCs mutant for a third basolateral junction gene, scribble (scrib), do not exhibit biased competition, suggesting that Lgl and Dlg regulate niche competition through a Scrib-independent process. Lastly, we found that FSCs have a unique cell polarity characterized by broadly distributed adherens junctions and the lack of a mature apical domain. Collectively, these observations indicate that Lgl and Dlg promote the differentiation of FSC progeny to a state in which they are less prone to invade the neighboring niche. In addition, we demonstrate that the neutral drift model can be adapted to quantify non-neutral behavior of mutant clones.
Precise determination of the critical percolation threshold for the three- dimensional ''Swiss cheese'' model using a growth algorithm

Precise values for the critical threshold for the three-dimensional “Swiss cheese” continuum percolation model have been calculated using extensive Monte Carlo simulations. These simulations used a growth algorithm and memory blocking scheme similar to what we used previously in three-dimensional lattice percolation. The simulations yield a value for the critical number density nc=0.652 960±0.000 005, which confirms recent work but extends the precision by two significant figures.
Love and Loss: The Roots of Grief and its Complications

[Figure][1] Colin Murray Parkes’ seminal book Bereavement: Studies of Grief in Adult Life , published in 1972, provided us with acutely observed accounts of women’s response to the untimely death of a spouse. The book became a classic. More than 30 years later Love and Loss provides
Construct Equivalence Across Grades in a Vertical Scale for a K-12 Large-Scale Reading Assessment

In practice, vertical scales have been continually used to measure students’ achievement progress across several grade levels and have been considered very challenging psychometric procedures. Recently, such practices have been drawing many criticisms. The major criticisms focus on dimensionality and construct equivalence of the latent trait or construct of a vertical scale. Using data from a large-scale reading comprehension assessment program with a vertical scale, this study investigated the dimensionality or the factorial structure for each grade and the equivalence of the factorial structure across grades. The empirical results from this study support the unidimensionality assumption of vertical scale across grades. The results provide empirical evidence regarding construct invariance of vertical scale across wide span of grades.
Genetic Recombination between Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) and HIV-2, Two Distinct Human Lentiviruses

ABSTRACT Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and HIV-2 are genetically distinct viruses that each can cause AIDS. Approximately 1 million people are infected with both HIV-1 and HIV-2. Additionally, these two viruses use the same receptor and coreceptors and can therefore infect the same target cell populations. To explore potential genetic interactions, we first examined whether RNAs from HIV-1 and HIV-2 can be copackaged into the same virion. We used modified near-full-length viruses that each contained a green fluorescent protein gene (gfp) with a different inactivating mutation. Thus, a functional gfp could be reconstituted via recombination, which was used to detect the copackaging of HIV-1 and HIV-2 RNAs. The GFP-positive (GFP+) phenotype was detected in approximately 0.2% of the infection events, which was 35-fold lower than the intrasubtype HIV-1 rates. We isolated and characterized 54 GFP+ single-cell clones and determined that all of them contained proviruses with reconstituted gfp. We then mapped the general structures of the recombinant viruses and characterized the recombination junctions by DNA sequencing. We observed several different recombination patterns, including those that had crossovers only in gfp. The most common hybrid genomes had heterologous long terminal repeats. Although infrequent, crossovers in the viral sequences were also identified. Taken together, our study demonstrates that HIV-1 and HIV-2 can recombine, albeit at low frequencies. These observations indicate that multiple factors are likely to restrict the generation of viable hybrid HIV-1 and HIV-2 viruses. However, considering the large coinfected human population and the high viral load in patients, these rare events could provide the basis for the generation of novel human immunodeficiency viruses.
A Closer Look at Classical Conditioning

Classical conditioning has become a focus of growing interest as a basic framework for interpreting advertising effects. This article argues that a more precisely specified, affective-conditioning hypothesis merits close attention from consumer researchers, in part because little unequivocal evidence is available to uphold its viability. A study that extends Gorn's (1982) recent investigation of affective conditioning is reported. The new data furnish little support for the affective-conditioning hypothesis and implicate an alternative theoretical explanation.
Serum neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin as a marker of renal function in hypertensive and normotensive patients with coronary artery disease

Aim: Hypertension is one of the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. The kidneys could be a victim and/or culprit of hypertension. Recently, the value of neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin (NGAL) was highlighted as a novel marker for early detection of acute renal damage. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess whether hypertension could affect NGAL and cystatin C levels in patients with normal serum creatinine (lower than 1.5 mg/dL in males and 1.2 mg/dL in females) and stable coronary artery disease.
Severity-Related Changes of Bronchial Microbiome in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

ABSTRACT Bronchial colonization by potentially pathogenic microorganisms (PPMs) is often demonstrated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but culture-based techniques identify only a portion of the bacteria in mucosal surfaces. The aim of the study was to determine changes in the bronchial microbiome of COPD associated with the severity of the disease. The bronchial microbiome of COPD patients was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene amplification and pyrosequencing in sputum samples obtained during stable disease. Seventeen COPD patients were studied (forced expiratory volume in the first second expressed as a percentage of the forced vital capacity [FEV1%] median, 35.0%; interquartile range [IQR], 31.5 to 52.0), providing a mean of 4,493 (standard deviation [SD], 2,598) sequences corresponding to 47 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) (SD, 17) at a 97% identity level. Patients were dichotomized according to their lung function as moderate to severe when their FEV1% values were over the median and as advanced when FEV1% values were lower. The most prevalent phyla in sputum were Proteobacteria (44%) and Firmicutes (16%), followed by Actinobacteria (13%). A greater microbial diversity was found in patients with moderate-to-severe disease, and alpha diversity showed a statistically significant decrease in patients with advanced disease when assessed by Shannon (ρ = 0.528; P = 0.029, Spearman correlation coefficient) and Chao1 (ρ = 0.53; P = 0.028, Spearman correlation coefficient) alpha-diversity indexes. The higher severity that characterizes advanced COPD is paralleled by a decrease in the diversity of the bronchial microbiome, with a loss of part of the resident flora that is replaced by a more restricted microbiota that includes PPMs.
Paternal family relationships, child risk, and child outcomes

Contemporary focus on fathers and their influence on child development reflects a broader shift in developmental research toward efforts to understand dynamic processes that account for the multi-dimensionality of child development. The family system is a set of relationships that rarely have been studied from a full system perspective. Historically, fathers were excluded from the analysis of factors influencing child development, as were father–mother relationships. In the former case, the assumption that fathers did not matter was at the least a covert aspect of all major theories of child development, which were anchored in mother–child relationship dynamics. In the latter case, the focus was primarily on the quality of the marital relationship, with little attention to how parental relationship quality affected their children. Today, researchers are actively in pursuit of the relationship networks that impact child development and fathers are no longer an invisible component of the child's relationship network.
Foster Mothers' Stress, Coping, and Social Support in Parenting Drug-Exposed and Other At-Risk Toddlers

Foster mothers of drug-exposed (n = 18) and nonexposed (n = 11) toddlers ages 12 to 30 months completed standardized measures and semistructured interviews to assess differences between groups on parenting stress and satisfaction and to examine relations among stress, satisfaction, social support, and coping. Foster mothers in.both groups scored within normal ranges on parenting stress and reported high parenting satisfaction, and analyses revealed no group differences on parenting stress and satisfaction. Both parenting stress and satisfaction were significantly correlated with social support, but both significantly correlated with support seeking contrary to the expected direction. Foster mothers' low reported stress and high satisfaction are discussed relative to this group's high level of social support, and continued exploration of social support and coping as they affect foster parent outcomes is suggested. Implications for future research and interventions are discussed, and better understanding of.
Some "Obvious" Facts about the Teaching Career

In this original article Professor Charters uses concepts from socio logical research to criticize the existing educational research tradition for its failure properly to take into account some "obvious" facts about the teaching career. The author demonstrates how a reappraisal of these facts coupled with different procedures can lead to new conclusions and point the way to some new research. This paper was presented as the author's vice-presidential address to the annual meeting of Division A, American Educational Research Association, Chicago, February 17, 1966.
One-way Quantum Computation - a tutorial introduction

In this book chapter, we provide a tutorial introduction to one-way quantum computation and many of the techniques one can use to understand it. The techniques which are described include the stabilizer formalism and the logical Heisenberg picture. We highlight ways in which it is useful to understand one-way computation beyond simple equivalence with the quantum circuit model. We briefly review current proposals of implementations and experimental progress and summarize some recent related theoretical developments. Although the chapter is primarily didactic in focus, we include a number of new methods and observations. These include: a simpler and more compact formulation of one-way quantum computation in the stabilizer formalism; A new way of implementing unitaries diagonal in the computational basis; New results on the family of operations which may be implemented in a single round of measurements; A method for constructing compact one-way patterns by decomposing unitaries in terms of diagonal unitaries and Clifford group transformations.
Emotion in nursery work: Work Discussion as a model of critical professional reflection

The importance of attention to children’s emotions has been emphasised widely in early care and education research and policy. Enabling such attention has been seen as achieved primarily through attachment interactions with nursery staff. However, there is increasing awareness that faciltiating such interactions in a way that is optimal for children depends in part on staff’s critical professional reflection about how these interactions are managed with children, with family members and between staff themselves. Such professional reflection is seen as needing to include attention to the emotional experience of staff as well as children. This paper reports on Work Discussion as a model of professional reflection that is attentive to emotional experience as it is evoked in professional work. Work Discussion and its theoretical underpinning, a psychoanalytic view of organisational ethos and interaction, is introduced and explained. The paper then reports on a Work Discussion group with nine nursery managers, the issues brought for discussion, the managers’ reports of their experience of the group, and the value of Work Discussion in helping them think about and manage interactions in their nurseries.
Formation of HD molecules in merging dark matter haloes

HD molecules can be an important cooling agent of the primordial gas behind the shock waves originated through merging of the dark matter haloes at epochs when the first luminous objects formed. We study the necessary conditions for the HD cooling to switch on in the low-temperature range T M cr may be the sites of low-mass star formation.
PERCEPTIONS OF PARENTAL AUTONOMY SUPPORT AND CONTROL, AND ASPIRATIONS OF STUDENT ATHLETES IN SINGAPORE

This is the post-print version of ‘Chew, E. & Wang, J. (2008). Perceptions of parental autonomy support and control, and aspirations of student athletes in Singapore. In M. Chia & J. Chiang (Eds.), Sport Science and Studies in Asia (231-248). Taiwan: World Scientific’, The book is available at http://www.worldscientific. com/worldscibooks/10.1142/7701#t=toc
Tension at the interface: Exploring employee deviation

Abstract An exploratory study of workplace experience in the public sector investigated the tension that employees face in their attempts to meet both organisational and customer expectations. This paper provides an illustration of participant experience that describes: the sense of justice that drove their actions; the innovations that resulted from attempts to fulfil the psychological contract with the customer; and the protection of what employees perceived to be their own and their workmates' deviant behaviour. The ethic that emerged locally through employee–customer interaction and which framed employee decision-making in this study resulted from the role conflict that emerged when the organisation's focus on a consistent application of the rules confronted customers' diverse and pressing need for treatment as individual human beings at the organisational boundary.
Effects of a wheat bran extract containing arabinoxylan oligosaccharides on gastrointestinal health parameters in healthy adult human volunteers: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial

Wheat bran extract (WBE) is a food-grade soluble fibre preparation that is highly enriched in arabinoxylan oligosaccharides. In this placebo-controlled cross-over human intervention trial, tolerance and effects on colonic protein and carbohydrate fermentation were studied. After a 1-week run-in period, sixty-three healthy adult volunteers consumed 3, 10 and 0 g WBE/d for 3 weeks in a random order, with 2 weeks' washout between each treatment period. Fasting blood samples were collected at the end of the run-in period and at the end of each treatment period for analysis of haematological and clinical chemistry parameters. Additionally, subjects collected a stool sample for analysis of microbiota, SCFA and pH. A urine sample, collected over 48 h, was used for analysis of p-cresol and phenol content. Finally, the subjects completed questionnaires scoring occurrence frequency and distress severity of eighteen gastrointestinal symptoms. Urinary p-cresol excretion was significantly decreased after WBE consumption at 10 g/d. Faecal bifidobacteria levels were significantly increased after daily intake of 10 g WBE. Additionally, WBE intake at 10 g/d increased faecal SCFA concentrations and lowered faecal pH, indicating increased colonic fermentation of WBE into desired metabolites. At 10 g/d, WBE caused a mild increase in flatulence occurrence frequency and distress severity and a tendency for a mild decrease in constipation occurrence frequency. In conclusion, WBE is well tolerated at doses up to 10 g/d in healthy adults volunteers. Intake of 10 g WBE/d exerts beneficial effects on gut health parameters.
Interaction involving individuals using augmentative and alternative communication systems: State of the art and future directions

This paper reviews the research which has considered the interaction patterns of individuals using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems and highlights the major methodological issues and findings. Most noteworthy of the limitations to this research is the lack of reliable and socially valid measures to evaluate the outcomes of intervention in the field. Directions for future research are suggested. Specifically, it is proposed that future research is required to articulate a model of communicative competence for individuals using AAC systems. This model should consider both the personal perspective of the user and the broader social perspective, as determined by partners and by third party observers.
Recognizing differences in recognition tasks: A reply to Lassiter and Slaw.

Hanson and Hirst (1989) recently provided evidence that parsing strategies affect Ss' ability to recall but not to recognize episodic information. This finding conflicts with results obtained by Lassiter (1988) and Lassiter, Stone, and Rogers (1988) as noted by Lassiter and Slaw (1991). On the basis of a meta-anaiysis combining data from the Hanson and Hirst and the Lassiter experiments, Lassiter and Slaw argued that the discrepancy in findings across studies is "more illusory than real" (p. 81). In this article, four critical differences between the Hanson and Hirst study and the two Lassiter studies are outlined. It is argued that these factors must be considered when drawing conclusions about the effect of parsing strategies on recognition performance.