Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mixed-Race, Post-Race: Gender, New Ethnicities and Cultural Practices

Social scientists claim that we now live in a post-race society, where race has been replaced by 'ethnicity'. Yet racism is endemic to British society and people often think in terms of black and white. With a marked rise in the number of children from mixed parentage, there is an urgent need to challenge simplistic understandings of 'race', nation and culture, and interrogate what it means to grow up in Britain and claim a 'mixed' identity. Focusing on mixed-race and inter-ethnic families, this book not only explores current understandings of 'race', but it shows, using innovative research techniques with children, how we come to read race. What influence do photographs and television have on childrens ideas about 'race'? How do children use memories and stories to talk about racial differences within their own families? How important is the home and domestic culture in achieving a sense of belonging? Ali also considers, through data gathered from teachers and parents, broader issues relating to the effectiveness of anti-racist and multicultural teaching in schools, and parental concerns over the social mobility and social acceptability of their children. Rigorously researched, this book is the first to combine childrens accounts on 'race' and identity with contemporary cultural theory. Using fascinating case studies, it fills a major gap in this area and provides an original approach to writing on race.
The Aging Cerebellum: Cortico-Cerebeller Connectivity, Volume and the Impact on Behavior.

The cerebellum has been implicated in both sensorimotor and cognitive function. Individual differences in regional cerebellar volume may provide insight into performance variability across the lifespan, as has been shown with other brain structures and behaviors. Here, we investigated whether there are regional age differences in cerebellar volume in young and older adults, and whether these volumes explain, in part, individual differences in sensorimotor and cognitive task performance. We found that older adults had smaller regional cerebellar volumes than young adults. Multiple regression analyses across both age groups revealed associations between sensorimotor task performance in several domains (balance, choice reaction time, and timing) and regional cerebellar volume. There were minimal relationships with working memory, though no relationships were revealed with our other cognitive measures (general cognitive function, and executive function). Differential relationships with age between regional volume and sensorimotor performance were predominantly selective to cerebellar regions that have been implicated in cognitive control. In sum, we found that individual differences in regional cerebellar volume were related to sensorimotor task performance, though the patterns of relationships often varied somewhat by age group. Further, the bulk of these relationships were with cerebellar regions often associated with
University of Pennsylvania Working Papers in Linguistics towards a Sociologically-grounded View of Occupation in Sociolinguistics towards a Sociologically-grounded View of Occupation in Sociolinguistics towards a Sociologically-grounded View of Occupation in Sociolinguistics

In order to improve our operationalization of class in sociolinguistic analysis, this paper draws on sociological theory as the foundation for a new approach to the conception and coding of occupation. The 162-speaker dataset is drawn from the larger corpus of sociolinguistic interviews conducted in Raleigh, NC. F1 and F2 measurements for the five front vowels of the SVS were extracted at 25% vowel duration and Lobanov-normalized (1971), and the vowel diagonal (Z2-Z1) was included as the dependent variable in regression analyses. To operationalize a sociologically-based theory of occupations, we implement a five-way distinction between industrial/occupational sectors (Law and Government, Technology and Finance, Interactive Service Work, Care Work, and Blue Collar) based on historical changes in Raleigh's economy. Net of social and linguistic controls, models show significant differences between groups formerly grouped together as White Collar occupations, attributable to historical embeddedness in the greater Raleigh area.
Effects of Stress and Genotype on Meta-parameter Dynamics in Reinforcement Learning

Stress and genetic background regulate different aspects of behavioral learning through the action of stress hormones and neuromodulators. In reinforcement learning (RL) models, meta-parameters such as learning rate, future reward discount factor, and exploitation-exploration factor, control learning dynamics and performance. They are hypothesized to be related to neuromodulatory levels in the brain. We found that many aspects of animal learning and performance can be described by simple RL models using dynamic control of the meta-parameters. To study the effects of stress and genotype, we carried out 5-hole-box light conditioning and Morris water maze experiments with C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mouse strains. The animals were exposed to different kinds of stress to evaluate its effects on immediate performance as well as on long-term memory. Then, we used RL models to simulate their behavior. For each experimental session, we estimated a set of model meta-parameters that produced the best fit between the model and the animal performance. The dynamics of several estimated meta-parameters were qualitatively similar for the two simulated experiments, and with statistically significant differences between different genetic strains and stress conditions.
Effect of contrast application on interpretability and diagnostic value of dobutamine stress echocardiography in patients with intermediate coronary lesions: comparison with myocardial fractional flow reserve.

AIMS Poor image quality remains a limitation of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE). This study aimed at investigating the effects of transpulmonary contrast application on endocardial border delineation and diagnostic yield of DSE in patients with intermediate coronary stenoses. The invasively measured fractional flow reserve (FFR) served as the reference standard. METHODS AND RESULTS Seventy patients with an intermediate coronary stenosis entered the study. Cineloops were recorded during DSE before and after contrast application at rest and peak stress. Two observers blinded to angiography assessed wall motion. FFR was measured in the target vessel during repeat angiography and an FFR <or= 0.75 was considered pathological. Abnormal FFR findings were seen in 41% of the patients. Native DSE was abnormal in 36% and contrast-enhanced DSE in 50% of the patients. Luminal diameter narrowing measured by quantitative angiography was not significantly different between patients with normal and abnormal FFR. After contrast application, the number of non-interpretable segments [median (25-75th percentile)] decreased from 2 (1-3) to 0 (0-0) at rest and from 1 (0-3) to 0 (0-0) at stress (both P < 0.001). Compared with native imaging, sensitivity and accuracy increased with transpulmonary contrast from 48 [CI (confidence interval) 40-57%] to 83% (76-91%) and from 62 (CI 56-69%) to 77% (71-82%), respectively (both P = 0.05). CONCLUSION Transpulmonary contrast application improves the interpretability and diagnostic yield of DSE in patients with intermediate coronary lesions.
Transitional Supportive Housing in a Rural Location: A Preliminary Case Study and Lessons Learned

Research demonstrates the critical need for transitional supportive housing (TSH) for survivors of domestic violence (Melbin, Sullivan, and Cain, 2003). However, the presence of such programs around the country is inconsistent, and where programs do exist, little consensus has been attained on what aspects of these programs are most beneficial for clients (Melbin et al., 2003). This paper presents initial descriptive data based on a program evaluation of a TSH facility located in a small rural town in the southern United States. Assessments at both the individual and program levels included gathering qualitative and quantitative data. We present data on the clients in the program as well as the support groups conducted from 2004 through spring 2006. Discussed in the conclusion are lessons learned and the next steps for greater program success.
ONE HEAR WHISTLER WAVES ?

The aim of this article is to propose a mathematical framework giving access to a better understanding of whistler-mode chorus emissions in space plasmas. There is presently a general agreement [10, 20, 21, 28, 30, 33] that the emissions of whistler waves involve a mechanism of wave-particle interaction which can be described in the framework of the relativistic Vlasov-Maxwell equations. In dimensionless variables, these equations involve a penalized skew-symmetric term where the inhomogeneity of the strong exterior magnetic field B̃e(x) plays an essential part. The description of the related phenomena is achieved in two stages. The first is based on a new approach allowing to extend in longer times the classical insights on fast rotating fluids [5, 7, 11, 13, 16, 29]; it justifies the existence and the validity of long time gyro-kinetic equations; it furnishes criterions to impose on a magnetic field B̃e(·) in order to obtain the long time dynamical confinement of plasmas. The second stage is based on a study of oscillatory integrals implying special phases; it deals with the problem of the creation of light inside plasmas.
Workplace Empowerment and Magnet Hospital Characteristics: Making the Link

Objective To test a theoretical model linking nurses’ perceptions of workplace empowerment, magnet hospital characteristics, and job satisfaction in 3 independent studies of nurses in different work settings. Background Strategies proposed in Kanter’s structural empowerment theory have the potential to result in work environments that are described in terms of magnet hospital characteristics. Identifying factors that contribute to work conditions that attract and retain highly qualified committed nurses, such as those found in magnet hospitals, that can be put in place by nursing administrators is extremely important for work redesign to promote professional nursing practice. Methods Secondary analyses of data from 3 studies were conducted—2 of staff nurses and 1 with acute care nurse practitioners working in Ontario, Canada. The Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire-II, the NWI-R, and measures of job satisfaction were used to measure the major study variables. Results The results of all 3 studies support the hypothesized relationships between structural empowerment and the magnet hospital characteristics of autonomy, control over practice environment, and positive nurse-physician relationships. The combination of access to empowering work conditions and magnet hospital characteristics was significantly predictive of nurses’ satisfaction with their jobs. Conclusions/implications These findings suggest that nursing leaders’ efforts to create empowering work environments can influence nurses’ ability to practice in a professional manner, ensuring excellent patient care quality and positive organizational outcomes.
A Survey of Information-Centric Networking Research

The current Internet architecture was founded upon a host-centric communication model, which was appropriate for coping with the needs of the early Internet users. Internet usage has evolved however, with most users mainly interested in accessing (vast amounts of) information, irrespective of its physical location. This paradigm shift in the usage model of the Internet, along with the pressing needs for, among others, better security and mobility support, has led researchers into considering a radical change to the Internet architecture. In this direction, we have witnessed many research efforts investigating Information-Centric Networking (ICN) as a foundation upon which the Future Internet can be built. Our main aims in this survey are: (a) to identify the core functionalities of ICN architectures, (b) to describe the key ICN proposals in a tutorial manner, highlighting the similarities and differences among them with respect to those core functionalities, and (c) to identify the key weaknesses of ICN proposals and to outline the main unresolved research challenges in this area of networking research.
Effect of cholecalciferol supplementation on arterial stiffness: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background: Vitamin D deficiency increases risk of cardiovascular diseases, arterial stiffness, and endothelial dysfunction. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the impact of vitamin D supplementation on arterial stiffness. Methods: A comprehensive search of the databases of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, and EMBASE was performed from inception through November 2015. The inclusion criterion was RCTs that assessed the impact of cholecalciferol supplementation in adults on the surrogate markers of arterial stiffness (aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx)). Outcome was the pooled mean difference (MD) of PWV and AIx between the vitamin D supplementation (intervention) group and placebo. Results: The initial search yielded 1164 articles. Twenty-eight articles underwent full-length review and data were extracted from seven RCTs involving totally 547 participants. Dose of cholecalciferol supplementation varied from 1000 IU/day to 120,000 IU/month of cholecalciferol. Duration of treatment ranged from 2 to 12 months. There was no significant difference in the change of PWV (pooled MD = 0.18, 95% CI: −0.17 to 0.52 or AIx (pooled MD = 2.39, 95% CI: −4.43 to 4.92) between the intervention group and placebo. Conclusions: There was no improvement of markers of arterial stiffness after vitamin D supplementation.
Development of a Nested PCR for Environmental Detection of the Pathogenic Free‐Living Amoeba Balamuthia mandrillaris

ABSTRACT. A DNA extraction and nested PCR method for detecting the pathogenic amoeba Balamuthia mandrillaris from the environment was developed. Sixteen of 17 Californian soil samples were positive compared with 0/44 from the United Kingdom. This approach will enable a greater understanding of B. mandrillaris ecology, geographic distribution, and public health risk.
Prospect theory and body mass: characterizing psychological parameters for weight-related risk attitudes and weight-gain aversion

We developed a novel decision-making paradigm that allows us to apply prospect theory in behavioral economics to body mass. 67 healthy young adults completed self-report measures and two decision-making tasks for weight-loss, as well as for monetary rewards. We estimated risk-related preference and loss aversion parameters for each individual, separately for weight-loss and monetary rewards choice data. Risk-seeking tendency for weight-loss was positively correlated with body mass index in individuals who desired to lose body weight, whereas the risk-seeking for momentary rewards was not. Risk-seeking for weight-loss was correlated to excessive body shape preoccupations, while aversion to weight-gain was correlated with self-reports of behavioral involvement for successful weight-loss. We demonstrated that prospect theory can be useful in explaining the decision-making process related to body mass. Applying prospect theory is expected to advance our understanding of decision-making mechanisms in obesity, which might prove helpful for improving healthy choices.
Developing a Literacy Program for Children with Severe Disabilities.

It's not easy trying to learn to read and write if you're a child with severe disabilities in U.S. public schools today. In fact, you have at best a 30% chance of being able to read and write as well as a child who can walk and talk but is otherwise just the same as you (Koppenhaver, 1991). You are likely to have one or more disabilities that make your world different from that experienced by your nondisabled peers: physical disabilities, severe speech impairments, hearing or visual impair ments, cognitive delays, or seizures. Your par ents have likely been so overwhelmed since your birth with your medical, therapeutic, and basic care needs, that literacy has been a lesser priority (Light & Kelford Smith, 1993). Your preschool teachers are unlikely to be aware of emergent literacy research or to in clude written language activities in your early intervention program (Coleman, 1991). Many of the teachers you encounter across your pub lic school career do not view you as capable of learning to read and write and consequently provide you with few opportunities to learn written language (Light & McNaughton, 1993). Even if you are fortunate enough to have teachers who view you as a capable learner and see literacy as an important part of your instructional program, you are likely to engage largely in word level skill-and-drill activities, seldom reading or listening to text and even more rarely composing text (Koppenhaver & Yoder, 1993). At the same time, you have unprecedented legal and educational rights. Public laws now entitle you to a wide range of early interven tion services and to education in a least re strictive environment, which is increasingly being interpreted as full inclusion in main stream classrooms. A national network of state
p53 Activation Domain 1 Is Essential for PUMA Upregulation and p53-Mediated Neuronal Cell Death

The p53 tumor suppressor gene has been implicated in the regulation of apoptosis in a number of different neuronal death paradigms. Because of the importance of p53 in neuronal injury, we questioned the mechanism underlying p53-mediated apoptosis in neurons. Using adenoviral-mediated gene delivery, reconstitution experiments, and mice carrying a knock-in mutation in the endogenous p53 gene, we show that the transactivation function of p53 is essential to induce neuronal cell death. Although p53 possesses two transactivation domains that can activate p53 targets independently, we demonstrate that the first activation domain (ADI) is required to drive apoptosis after neuronal injury. Furthermore, the BH3-only proteins Noxa and PUMA exhibit differential regulation by the two transactivation domains. Here, we show that Noxa can be induced by either activation domain, whereas PUMA induction requires both activation domains to be intact. Unlike Noxa, the upregulation of PUMA alone is sufficient to induce neuronal cell death. We demonstrate, therefore, that the first transactivation domain of p53 is indispensable for the induction of neuronal cell death.
ERK 1 as a Therapeutic Target for Dendritic Cell Vaccination against High-Grade Gliomas

Glioma regression requires the recruitment of potent antitumor immune cells into the tumor microenvironment. Dendritic cells (DC) play a role in immune responses to these tumors. The fact that DC vaccines do not effectively combat high-grade gliomas, however, suggests that DCs need to be genetically modified specifically to promote their migration to tumor relevant sites. Previously, we identified extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK1) as a regulator of DC immunogenicity and brain autoimmunity. In the current study, we made use of modern magnetic resonance methods to study the role of ERK1 in regulating DC migration and tumor progression in a model of high-grade glioma. We found that ERK1deficient mice are more resistant to the development of gliomas, and tumor growth in these mice is accompanied by a higher infiltration of leukocytes. ERK1-deficient DCs exhibit an increase in migration that is associated with sustained Cdc42 activation and increased expression of actin-associated cytoskeleton-organizing proteins. We also demonstrated that ERK1 deletion potentiates DC vaccination and provides a survival advantage in high-grade gliomas. Considering the therapeutic significance of these results, we propose ERK1-deleted DC vaccines as an additional means of eradicating resilient tumor cells and preventing tumor recurrence. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(8); 1–
A clinician’s guide to ADHD treatment options

ABSTRACT Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental condition of children and adolescents that often persists into adulthood. Primary care physicians are commonly the first to diagnosis ADHD and initiate a treatment plan with the patient. Guidelines recommend psychostimulant treatment as a first-line therapy in the management plan because it has a substantial impact on alleviating the core symptoms of ADHD. The recent development of a variety of methylphenidate and amphetamine formulations provides many options to meet individual patient lifestyle needs. Liquid, chewable, sprinkled capsule, wearable patch, and orally disintegrating tablet formulations are currently available for patients who may be noncompliant with or have difficulty swallowing traditional pills. This review provides a resource for physicians to identify the stimulant delivery formulation that best suits the patient. Formulations in development are also discussed.
The therapeutic potential of inhibitors of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 for central nervous system malignancies

Background: High-grade primary and metastatic central nervous system (CNS) tumors are common, deadly, and refractory to conventional therapy and continue to be therapeutically challenging. A key nodal transcriptional factor, the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), drives the fundamental components of tumor malignancy and metastases in the CNS by enhancing proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, and immunosuppression. The introduction of STAT3 inhibitors in clinical trials for this patient population is imminent. Methods: STAT3 inhibitors have been extensively tested in a variety of preclinical murine models. Results: The STAT3 inhibitor, WP1066, has displayed marked efficacy with minimal toxicity against malignancy in murine models, including established intracerebral tumors. The mechanism of this in vivo efficacy of the STAT3 blockade agents is a combination of direct tumor cytotoxicity and immune cytotoxic clearance. Conclusions: Given their direct antitumor cytotoxic effects, STAT3 inhibitors may exert therapeutic activity in the monotherapy setting but may also have compelling use as immunotherapeutic modulators or as a salvage therapy.
Evasin-4, a tick-derived chemokine-binding protein with broad selectivity can be modified for use in preclinical disease models

Rhipicephalus sanguineus, the common brown dog tick, produces several chemokine‐binding proteins which are secreted into the host in its saliva to modulate the host response during feeding. Two of these demonstrate very restricted selectivity profiles. Here, we describe the characterization of the third, which we named Evasin‐4. Evasin‐4 was difficult to produce recombinantly using its native signal peptide in HEK cells, but expressed very well using the urokinase‐type plasminogen activator signal peptide. Using SPR, Evasin‐4 was shown to bind most CC chemokines. Investigation of the neutralization properties by inhibition of chemokine‐induced chemotaxis showed that binding and neutralization did not correlate in all cases. Two major anomalies were observed: no binding was observed to CCL2 and CCL13, yet Evasin‐4 was able to inhibit chemotaxis induced by these chemokines. Conversely, binding to CCL25 was observed, but Evasin‐4 did not inhibit CCL25‐induced chemotaxis. Size‐exclusion chromatography confirmed that Evasin‐4 forms a complex with CCL2 and CCL18. In accordance with the standard properties of unmodified small proteins, Evasin‐4 was rapidly cleared following in vivo administration. To enhance the in vivo half‐life and optimize its potential as a therapeutic agent, Fc fusions of Evasin‐4 were created. Both the N‐ and C‐terminal fusions were shown to retain binding activity, with the C‐terminal fusion showing a modest reduction in potency.