Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Making sense of the First Nation, Metis, and Inuit education policy framework

In 2007 the Ministry of Education in Ontario identified Aboriginal education as one of its key priorities with the release of the First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education Policy Framework (FNMI). Improving educational outcomes and closing the achievement gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students is the focus of this policy. This study examines the policy implementation process in one school board in Ontario by focusing on how teachers in two elementary schools made sense of the policy expectations and how this sense-making impacted their professional practice. In order to examine how implementation was understood and acted upon by these teachers, the sense-making/co-construction model developed by Datnow, Hubbard, & Mehan (2002) provides the starting point for analysis. This study seeks to make visible the sense-making cues that teachers
Treatment of anxiety in autism spectrum disorders using cognitive behaviour therapy: A systematic review

Objective: To review studies involving the treatment of anxiety in people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) with the intent to inform practice and to identify areas for future research. Methods: Systematic searches of electronic databases, reference lists and journals identified nine studies. Each identified study that met pre-determined inclusion criteria was analysed and summarized in terms of: (a) participants, (b) intervention procedures, (c) dependent variables, (d) results of intervention and (e) certainty of evidence. To assess the certainty of evidence, each study's design and related methodological details were critically appraised. Results: Positive outcomes were ubiquitous, suggesting CBT is an effective treatment for anxiety in individuals with Asperger's. However, data involving other ASD diagnostic sub-types is limited. Conclusions: CBT has been modified for individuals with ASD by adding intervention components typically associated with applied behaviour analysis (e.g. systematic prompting and differential reinforcement). Future research involving a component analysis could potentially elucidate the mechanisms by which CBT reduces anxiety in individuals with ASD, ultimately leading to more efficient or effective interventions.
Perimetry While Moving the Eyes: Implications for the Variability of Visual Field Defects

Background: In standard perimetry, subjects fixate so that saccades are reduced and testing precision is increased. However, because vision in daily life requires eye movements, it is appropriate to assess visual fields during eye movement. Methods: Perimetry was carried out in 8 healthy subjects and in 16 patients with visual field defects under conditions of a stable and moving fixation spot. Eye movements were simultaneously recorded with an eye tracker. Outcome measures included stimulus detection, variability of visual field border, and saccade amplitudes. Results: Perimetric performance during stable fixation was comparable to that during eye movement. All subjects showed 92%-96% correct detections of the fixation controls and a stable and comparable blind spot position in the stable and moving fixation spot conditions. The eye tracker revealed that 97% of the time the eyes were positioned within ±1 from fixation. Conclusions: Visual fields obtained by perimetry while moving the eyes is comparable to standard perimetry in which a stable fixation spot minimizes eye movements.
Restrictive Management of Neonatal Polycythemia

Partial exchange transfusion (PET) is traditionally suggested as treatment for neonates diagnosed with polycythemia. Nevertheless, justification of this treatment is controversial. We evaluated the risk for short-term complications associated with a restrictive treatment protocol for neonatal polycythemia. A retrospective cross-sectional analytical study was conducted. Three treatment groups were defined and managed according to their degree of polycythemia, defined by capillary tube filled with venous blood and manually centrifuged hematocrit: group 1, hematocrit 65 to 69% and no special treatment was recommended; group 2, hematocrit 70 to 75% and intravenous fluids were given and feedings were withheld until hematocrit decreased to < 70%; and group 3, hematocrit ≥ 76% or symptomatic neonates and PET was recommended. During the study period, 190 neonates were diagnosed with polycythemia. The overall rate of short-term complications was 15% (28 neonates). Seizures, proven necrotizing enterocolitis, or thrombosis did not occur in any participating neonates. PET was performed in 31 (16%) neonates. The groups did not differ in their rate of early neonatal morbidities or length of hospitalization. Restrictive treatment for neonatal asymptomatic polycythemia is not associated with an increased risk of short-term complications.
Effects of Chloromethanes on Growth of and Deletion of the pce Gene Cluster in Dehalorespiring Desulfitobacterium hafniense Strain Y51

ABSTRACT The dehalorespiring Desulfitobacterium hafniense strain Y51 efficiently dechlorinates tetrachloroethene (PCE) to cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) via trichloroethene by PceA reductive dehalogenase encoded by the pceA gene. In a previous study, we found that the significant growth inhibition of strain Y51 occurred in the presence of commercial cis-DCE. In this study, it turned out that the growth inhibition was caused by chloroform (CF) contamination of cis-DCE. Interestingly, CF did not affect the growth of PCE-nondechlorinating SD (small deletion) and LD (large deletion) variants, where the former fails to transcribe the pceABC genes caused by a deletion of the promoter and the latter lost the entire pceABCT gene cluster. Therefore, PCE-nondechlorinating variants, mostly LD variant, became predominant, and dechlorination activity was significantly reduced in the presence of CF. Moreover, such a growth inhibitory effect was also observed in the presence of carbon tetrachloride at 1 μM, but not carbon dichloride even at 1 mM.
Detection of Malathion Resistance in Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum from Bathinda District, Punjab

Objective: The resistance status against malathion in Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum ticks collected from Bathinda district, Punjab, was evaluated by adult immersion test (AIT). Materials and Methods: Technical grade malathion was used for conduction of AIT with 2 min immersion time protocol. The regression graph of probit mortality of ticks was plotted against log values of increasing concentrations of malathion and was utilized for the determination of slope of mortality, LC50, LC95 (95% confidence interval [CI]) and resistance factor (RF). The reproductive parameters of treated ticks viz. egg mass weight, reproductive index (RI), and percentage inhibition of oviposition (% IO) were also studied. Results: The increasing concentration of malathion showed an upward trend in per cent tick mortality. The slope of mortality (95% CI) was 2.489 ± 0.719 (2.489 ± 0.719) and value of goodness of fit (R2) was 0.799. The LC50 (95% CI) and LC95 (95% CI) values were recorded as 9099.2 (8378.6–9881.7) and 41,511.3 (35,060.2–49,149.4) ppm, respectively, with RF as 16.60 indicating level II resistance status. A negative dose-dependent slope of egg mass weight (−91.79 ± 25.15 [−171.8 to −11.76]) was recorded as the survived ticks laid significantly (P = 0.0355) fewer eggs. The mean RI of treated ticks decreased with increasing concentrations of drug and the slope (95% CI) was −0.293 ± 0.059 (−0.482 to −0.105). Further, a dose-dependent significant increase (P = 0.0157) in the mean % IO was recorded in treated ticks. Conclusions: The results of the current study would be useful in the formulation and implementation of effective tick strategies in the region.
The effect of altruism in automated demand response for residential users

Automated demand response (ADR) programs play key role in alleviating the supply and demand imbalances by mitigating the uncertainties on power system operations in an automated (pre-contracted) way. Usually users are taken as fully rational. However, behavioural economics contend that their decisions depend on a suite of individual non-economic factors, such as altruism. In this work we broaden the ways of engaging in ADR contracts users exhibiting different degrees of altruism and motivate them effectively to ultimately optimize the overall use of energy. We investigate the impact of altruism on the total incentives to be offered by the provider and the social welfare, and identify the optimal demand reduction and user targeting strategies for performing ADR in such populations. Based on experiments with real and synthetic data, we find that exploiting altruism can be beneficial for the social welfare of the system and the incentive costs of the provider. However, leveraging altruists should be performed carefully, since saddling them with high power reductions, although yielding lower total incentives, can prove inefficient for the social welfare of the system.
Male breast cancer: A retrospective review of clinical profile from a tertiary cancer care center of India

Abstract Aim: Present study was done with an aim to analyse the clinicopathological and survival characteristics of male breast cancer patients. Methods: We did a retrospective review of our database and analysed total 27 patients who presented to breast oncology unit of Rajiv Gandhi cancer centre and research institute from January 2010 to April 2016. Results: Most common stage at presentation in our study was in stage II. The median follow up was 32.75 months. The actuarial 5-year survival was 92.30% and DFS was 76.30%. Only hormone receptor status was found as a significant prognostic variable among the prognostic factors studied for disease free survival. Conclusions: Carcinoma breast in male is a relatively rare disease and management principles are translated from our understanding of breast cancer in women. A relatively early stage at presentation is a contrasting finding of our series which may be responsible for a significantly better actuarial 5 year survival rates.
Bayesian intervals for linkage locations

Intermediate fine mapping has received considerable attention recently, with the goal of providing statistically precise and valid chromosomal regions for fine mapping following initial identification of broad regions that are linked to a disease. The following classes of methods have been proposed and compared in the literature: (1) LOD‐support intervals, (2) generalized estimating equations, (3) bootstrap, and (4) confidence set inference framework. These methods provide confidence intervals either with coverage levels deviating from the nominal confidence levels or that are not fully efficient. Here, we propose a novel Bayesian method for constructing such intervals using affected sibling pair data. The susceptibility gene location is treated as a parameter in this method, with a uniform prior. A Metropolis‐Hastings algorithm is implemented to sample from the posterior distribution and highest posterior density intervals of the disease gene locations are constructed. Correct coverage levels are maintained by our method. Both simulation studies and an application to a rheumatoid arthritis dataset demonstrate the improved efficiency of the Bayesian intervals compared with existing methods. Genet. Epidemiol. 33:604–616, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Impact of macroeconomic factors on inflation: An assessment on indian economy by using vector auto-regressive modeling

Inflation is the sustained rise in the prices of commodities. Central Banks have the critical responsibility of ensuring price stability; however, every attempt should be made to ensure that price stability should not hit economic growth. Thus, it becomes imperative for Central Banks to determine the key fiscal and monetary factors that have the greatest impact on domestic price levels. Based on these factors, it can tackle the problem of inflation effectively and efficiently. Further, there are several global price indices and factors that need to be factored in while tackling the problem of inflation. The objective of the current study is to empirically determine the macroeconomic factors that play a significant role in influencing inflation in India. The study considers international food and oil price indices amongst other macroeconomic variables such as the fiscal deficit, index of industrial production, exchange rate, MIBOR, and money supply in order to explain inflation. Monthly data for each of the above variables were collected for the research period 2000-10. The study is based on Vector Auto-Regressive modeling. The Augmented Dickey-Fuller Unit Root Test was performed to test for stationarity of all of the time-series data. The results of the Granger causality tests indicate that fiscal indicators such as fiscal deficit and international factors such as international food and oil price indices play a significant role in influencing inflation. The research outcomes conform to the results of several earlier studies.
Activation of the p38 MAPK/Akt/ERK1/2 signal pathways is required for the protein stabilization of CDC6 and cyclin D1 in low‐dose arsenite‐induced cell proliferation

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is a first‐line anti‐cancer agent for acute promyelocytic leukemia, and induces apoptosis in other solid cancer cell lines including breast cancer cells. However, as with arsenites found in drinking water and used as raw materials for wood preservatives, insecticides, and herbicides, low doses of ATO can induce carcinogenesis after long‐term exposure. At 24 h after exposure, ATO (0.01–1 µM) significantly increased cell proliferation and promoted cell cycle progression from the G1 to S/G2 phases in the non‐tumorigenic MCF10A breast epithelial cell line. The expression of 14 out of 96 cell‐cycle‐associated genes significantly increased, and seven of these genes including cell division cycle 6 (CDC6) and cyclin D1 (CCND1) were closely related to cell cycle progression from G1 to S phase. Low‐dose ATO steadily increased gene transcript and protein levels of both CDC6 and cyclin D1 in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. Low‐dose ATO produced reactive oxygen species (ROS), and activated the p38 MAPK, Akt, and ERK1/2 pathways at different time points within 60 min. Small molecular inhibitors and siRNAs inhibiting the activation of p38 MAPK, Akt, and ERK1/2 decreased the ATO‐increased expression of CDC6 protein. Inhibiting the activation of Akt and ERK1/2, but not p38 MAPK, decreased the ATO‐induced expression of cyclin D1 protein. This study reports for the first time that p38 MAPK/Akt/ERK1/2 activation is required for the protein stabilization of CDC6 in addition to cyclin D1 in ATO‐induced cell proliferation and cell cycle modulation from G1 to S phase. J. Cell. Biochem. 111: 1546–1555, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Structural Changes in the Cells of Some Bacteria during Population Growth: A Fourier Transform Infrared—Attenuated Total Reflectance Study

Structural changes occurring in the cells of several bacteria during their growth curves have been investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy using the sampling technique of attenuated total reflectance (ATR). Spectra reflect all of the components of the cells, including the cell walls, cell membranes, internal structures, and the cytoplasm. The bacteria studied were Bacillus stearothermophilus, Halobacterium salinarium, Halococcus morrhuae, and Acetobacter aceti. All species showed significant spectral changes during their growth curves, indicating structural changes in the cells during increases in cell numbers. The major change for B. stearothermophilus was in the lipid content, which was at a maximum during the exponential phase of the growth curve. For the halophiles H. salinarium and H. morrhuae, the major change was that the concentration of sulfate ion in the cells varied during the growth curve and was at a maximum during the mid-part of the exponential phase of the growth curve. A. aceti cells showed increasing polysaccharide content during the growth curve as well as maximum lipid content during the exponential phase of growth.
Effectiveness of public health quality improvement training approaches: application, application, application.

CONTEXT Quality improvement (QI) has been identified as a key strategy to improve the performance of state and local public health agencies. Quality improvement training effectiveness has received little attention in the literature. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effectiveness of 3 QI training types: webinars, workshops, and demonstration site activities on improving participant knowledge, skill, and ability to conduct QI through a questionnaire conducted after training participation. DESIGN We used a natural experimental design hypothesizing that demonstration site participants would have the greatest gains on outcomes of interest compared with webinar and workshop participants. Bivariate and multivariate models were used to examine outcome differences between questionnaire respondents who participated in various training types. PARTICIPANTS Local health department employees who participated in the 3 training strategies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Measures included knowledge and skill gain, skill application, QI receptivity, and ability to successfully participate in a QI project. RESULTS Two hundred eighty-four unique individuals who work in 143 health departments completed the questionnaire for a 59% response rate. The majority of these health departments serve midsize populations. Demonstration site respondents had significantly greater gains in knowledge and skills, skill application, and ability to successfully participate in a QI project. Webcast training participants had significantly higher QI receptivity in adjusted models. Respondents who participated in both webcast and demonstration site trainings had higher mean scores on all outcomes when compared with demonstration site single training participants, these differences were significant in unadjusted models. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that QI training for public health agency employees should include both didactic training on QI content and opportunities for QI application. Future research should examine if this approach can effectively increase successful participation in QI projects for staff in LHDs of all sizes.
Understanding the Relationships between Gender Inequitable Behaviours, Childhood Trauma and Socio-Economic Status in Single and Multiple Perpetrator Rape in Rural South Africa: Structural Equation Modelling

Background Interventions to prevent rape perpetration must be designed to address its drivers. This paper seeks to extend understanding of drivers of single and multiple perpetrator rape (referred to here as SPR and MPR respectively) and the relationships between socio-economic status, childhood trauma, peer pressure, other masculine behaviours and rape. Method 1370 young men aged 15 to 26 were interviewed as part of the randomised controlled trial evaluation of Stepping Stones in the rural Eastern Cape. We used multinomial to compare the characteristics of men who reported rape perpetration at baseline. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) to examine pathways to rape perpetration. Results 76.1% of young men had never raped, 10.0% had perpetrated SPR and 13.9% MPR. The factors associated with both MPR and SPR (compared to never having raped) were indicators of socio-economic status (SES), childhood trauma, sexual coercion by a woman, drug and alcohol use, peer pressure susceptibility, having had transactional sex, multiple sexual partners and being physically violent towards a partner. The SEM showed the relationship between SES and rape perpetration to be mediated by gender inequitable masculinity. It was complex as there was a direct path indicating that SES correlated with the masculinity variable directly such that men of higher SES had more gender inequitable masculinities, and indirect path mediated by peer pressure resistance indicated that the former pertained so long as men lacked peer pressure resistance. Having a higher SES conveyed greater resistance for some men. There was also a path mediated through childhood trauma, such that men of lower SES were more likely to have a higher childhood trauma exposure and this correlated with a higher likelihood of having the gender inequitable masculinity (with or without the mediating effect of peer pressure resistance). Discussion Both higher and lower socio-economic status were associated with raping. Prevention of rape perpetration must focus on changing men’s gender ideals, entitlements and inequitable practices. Reducing poverty and adverse childhood experiences should also be of benefit.
The role of infrequent and extraordinary deep dives in leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea)

SUMMARY Infrequent and exceptional behaviours can provide insight into the ecology and physiology of a particular species. Here we examined extraordinarily deep (300–1250 m) and protracted (>1h) dives made by critically endangered leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) in the context of three previously suggested hypotheses: predator evasion, thermoregulation and exploration for gelatinous prey. Data were obtained via satellite relay data loggers attached to adult turtles at nesting beaches (N=11) and temperate foraging grounds (N=2), constituting a combined tracking period of 9.6 years (N=26,146 dives) and spanning the entire North Atlantic Ocean. Of the dives, 99.6% (N=26,051) were to depths <300 m with only 0.4% (N=95) extending to greater depths (subsequently termed `deep dives'). Analysis suggested that deep dives: (1) were normally distributed around midday; (2) may exceed the inferred aerobic dive limit for the species; (3) displayed slow vertical descent rates and protracted durations; (4) were much deeper than the thermocline; and (5) occurred predominantly during transit, yet ceased once seasonal residence on foraging grounds began. These findings support the hypothesis that deep dives are periodically employed to survey the water column for diurnally descending gelatinous prey. If a suitable patch is encountered then the turtle may cease transit and remain within that area, waiting for prey to approach the surface at night. If unsuccessful, then migration may continue until a more suitable site is encountered. Additional studies using a meta-analytical approach are nonetheless recommended to further resolve this matter.
The effect of sample freezing on proton magic‐angle spinning NMR spectra of biological tissue

Magic‐angle spinning (MAS) has recently been shown to enhance spectral resolution in NMR examinations of intact biological tissue ex vivo. This work demonstrates that freezing certain tissue samples before examination by 1H MAS NMR can have a marked effect on their spectra. Spectra of rat kidney after freezing in liquid nitrogen, compared with spectra before freezing, showed a significant increase in signal intensities from alanine (>100%), glutamine (>40%), and glycine (>100%), and a decrease in signals assigned to lipids and other macromolecules. Some resonances‐such as from leucine, valine, isoleucine, and aspartate‐only became visible after freezing the tissue. These observations suggest that low temperature storage of tissue necropsies or biopsies might affect the results of a MAS NMR analysis, possibly resulting in the misinterpretation of metabolite changes to pathogen or disease effects.