Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
International Education in the UK: The challenges of the Golden Opportunity for Black-African students

For the last 40 years the number of international students aspiring to obtain a qualification in UK universities has been exponentially growing. However, such growth has been contested. What seemed to be a ‘golden’ opportunity for Black-African students to pursue their education in the UK is met with challenges that impact on the whole process of adjustment. This article examines these challenges using a qualitative empirical study of Black-African postgraduate students, carried out in three UK universities. The methods utilised were observations, focus groups, one-to-one interviews and a case study to help identify and analyse the issues. The participants reported significant financial pressures and difficulties in understanding and integrating into the culture of UK universities. In some cases these challenges left the students feeling disillusioned and cynical about the value of an international education. Universities must endeavour to tailor their recruitment, orientation and support programmes to the needs of Black-African international students or face damaging their reputations as world-class education providers. Keywords: Black-African Postgraduate Students; International Education; International Student; Adjustment; Social and Economic.
Exploring the Corporate University Phenomenon.

This study explores the corporate university (CU) phenomenon based on human capital theory through a comprehensive review of literatures in economics and HRD. Different from existing CU literature, the study found that, as HRD operational entities, CUs and traditional universities are rooted in different skills contexts, and that theorizing the CU phenomenon is to theorizing HRD. The study explores an alternative model to understand the CU phenomenon. Implications to HRD research are also discussed.
Health Care Providers' Attitudes and Beliefs Towards Common Low Back Pain: Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the HC-PAIRS

ObjectiveThe factor structure, reliability and validity of the Health Care Providers' Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale (HC-PAIRS) were determined in the current study. Furthermore, the ability of the HC-PAIRS to serve as a predictor for work and activity recommendations of paramedical health care providers was examined. DesignFor the current study, 156 therapists from several paramedical disciplines (mostly physiotherapy, manual therapy, chiropractic, and McKenzie) completed the HC-PAIRS and questionnaires measuring the perceived harmfulness of physical activities. Furthermore, the therapists gave recommendations for work and physical activity for patients described in vignettes. Since a factor structure was already known for the HC-PAIRS a confirmatory factor analysis was carried out. Reliability of the HC-PAIRS was determined by computing Cronbach's &agr;. Validity was examined by reviewing associations between scores on the HC-PAIRS and scores on measures of the harmfulness of physical activities and recommendations for work and physical activity. Regression analyses were carried out to determine whether scores on the HC-PAIRS were a predictor of recommendations for work and physical activity while controlling for other variables. ResultsIn contrast to previous research, factor analysis revealed only 1 factor and suggested that 2 items should be removed from the HC-PAIRS. This factor had a Cronbach's &agr; of 0.84. The HC-PAIRS showed adequate validity. All associations between scores on the HC-PAIRS and scores on measures of the harmfulness of physical activities and recommendations for work and physical activity were in the expected directions and ranged between 0.25 and 0.62 (P < 0.01). Scores on the HC-PAIRS were the only significant predictor of recommendations for work and physical activity when controlling for possible confounders including gender, years of experience in the treatment of back pain, judgments of severity of symptoms, and judgments of severity of pathology. ConclusionThe HC-PAIRS appears to be a reliable and valid measure of health care providers' attitudes and beliefs about the relationship between pain and impairment. The role of health care providers' attitudes in the treatment of low back pain is discussed.
Accuracy and Precision of Low-Dose Insulin Administration Using Syringes, Pen Injectors, and a Pump

We compared the accuracy and precision of low-dose insulin administration using various devices including, for the first time, an insulin pump. We dispensed 1, 2, and 5 unit(s) of soluble insulin (100 units/mL) 15 times each from a NovoPen (3.0 mL), a BD-Mini Pen (1.5 mL), a Humalog Pen (100 units/mL), 30G Precision Sure-Dose Insulin Syringes, 3OG BD Ultra-Fine II Short Needle Syringes, and a H-TRON-plus V100 insulin pump. Each dose was weighed on an analytical scale, and the delivered and target doses were compared. Accuracy was defined by the absolute percent difference from the target dose. Precision was defined as the absolute percent difference from the group sample mean. Overall, we found that the pen and pump devices were more accurate, and the pump more precise, than the syringes at the 1- and 2-unit doses. Syringes were dangerously inaccurate, clinically, at the 1-unit dose. The use of pens and syringes with very fine increment markings (1/2 unit) did not improve accuracy or precision. Earlier researchers used multiple individuals to draw and weigh the samples. In an effort to eliminate the potential introduction of significant error, our study used only 2 investigators: 1 to draw up the doses and another to weigh them. The conclusions in our study were similar to prior studies.
Adjuvant Pelvic Radiation Therapy±Vaginal Brachytherapy in Patients With High-risk Stage I or Stage II Uterine Papillary Serous, Clear Cell, and High-grade Endometrioid Carcinoma

Purpose:Radiation therapy (RT) for stages I-II uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC), clear cell (CC), and high-grade endometrioid (HGE) carcinoma present a treatment challenge. Regimens include external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) with or without brachytherapy. We examine the use of these radiation modalities in these endometrial cancers (EC) with respect to cause-specific survival (CSS). Methods:The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was queried for patients with AJCC stages I-II UPSC, CC, or HGE cancer treated with hysterectomy and RT between 1998 and 2008. Patients who did not receive adjuvant RT or received brachytherapy alone were excluded. CSS was evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and the log-rank test was used to compare CSS. Multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Adjusted hazard ratios (HR) were calculated for risk of EC death. Results:There were 1653 patients included in this analysis. The overall 100-month CSS for the entire cohort was 81.0%. The 100-month CSS was 85.3% for EBRT alone and 86.5% for EBRT+brachytherapy (P=0.72). Stage IC/IIA/IIB patients had a greater risk of EC death compared with stage IA/IB patients (adjusted HR=2.39; P<0.0001). Patients with UPSC and CC had a slightly higher risk of EC death compared with HGE (adjusted HR=1.01 [P=0.97] and 1.42 [P=0.02], respectively). On subset analysis, there was no difference in CSS with the addition of brachytherapy for UPSC (P=0.37), CC (P=0.27), or HGE cancer patients (P=0.42). Patients treated with brachytherapy in addition to EBRT did not demonstrate a reduced adjusted risk of EC death compared with EBRT alone (P=0.38). Conclusions:The addition of brachytherapy to adjuvant EBRT in stages I-II UPSC, CC, and HGE cancer did not demonstrate superior CSS. Thus, patients may not benefit from the addition of brachytherapy to EBRT.
Enhancing the Understanding of the Relationship between Social Integration and Nonresponse in Household Surveys

Title of Document: ENHANCING THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL INTEGRATION AND NONRESPONSE IN HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS Ashley E. Amaya, Doctor of Philosophy, 2015 Directed By: Professor Stanley Presser Joint Program in Survey Methodology Nonresponse and nonresponse bias remain fundamental concerns for survey researchers as understanding them is critical to producing accurate statistics. This dissertation tests the relationship between social integration, nonresponse, and nonresponse bias. Using the rich frame information available on the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) and the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) Wave II, structural equation models were employed to create latent indicators of social integration. The resulting variables were used to predict nonresponse and its components (e.g., noncontact). In both surveys, social integration was significantly predictive of nonresponse (regardless of type of nonresponse) with integrated individuals more likely to respond. However, the relationship was driven by different components of integration across the two surveys. Full sample estimates were compared to respondent estimates on a series of 40 dichotomous and categorical variables to test the hypothesis that variables measuring social activities and roles would suffer from nonresponse bias. The impact of nonresponse on multivariate models predicting social outcomes was also evaluated. Nearly all of the 40 assessed variables suffered from significant nonresponse bias resulting in the overestimation of social activity and role participation. In general, civic and political variables suffered from higher levels of bias, but the differences were not significant. Multivariate models were not exempt; beta coefficients were frequently biased. Although, the direction was inconsistent and often small. Finally, an indicator of social integration was added to the weighting methodology with the goal of eliminating the observed nonresponse bias. While the addition significantly reduced the bias in most instances compared to both the baseand traditionally-weighted estimates, the improvements were small and did little to eliminate the bias. ENHANCING THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL INTEGRATION AND NONRESPONSE IN HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS
The Path Selection of Anti-human Poverty in Rural Areas

Rural poverty problem is a major question to solve in the building of socialistic harmonious society and people′s livelihood construction in China.Although the performance of rural poverty is material poverty,the deeper essence is human poverty.In the human poverty strategy,we can make full use of the advantages of poverty and stimulate their resilience to improve their ability,so as to solve the problem of China′s rural human poverty,from the perspective of strengths to construct Chinese local characteristics of anti-human poverty path.
Unique transcriptome signature of mouse microglia

Microglial cells can be derived directly from the dissociated brain tissue by sorting procedures, from postnatal glial cultures by mechanic isolation or from pluripotent stem cells by differentiation. The detailed molecular phenotype of microglia from different sources is still unclear. Here, we performed a whole transcriptome analysis of flow cytometry‐sorted microglia, primary postnatal cultured microglia, embryonic stem cell derived microglia (ESdM), and other cell types. Microglia and ESdM, both cultured in serum‐free medium, were closely related to sorted microglia and showed a unique transcriptome profile, clearly distinct to other myeloid cell types, T cells, astrocytes, and neurons. ESdM and primary cultured microglia showed strong overlap in their transcriptome. Only 143 genes were differentially expressed between both cell types, mainly derived from immune‐related genes with a higher activation status of proinflammatory and immune defense genes in primary microglia compared to ESdM. Flow cytometry analysis of cell surface markers CD54, CD74, and CD274 selected from the microarray confirmed the close phenotypic relation between ESdM and primary cultured microglia. Thus, assessment of genome‐wide transcriptional regulation demonstrates that microglial cells are unique and clearly distinct from other macrophage cell types.
Diversity and Distribution of Methanotrophic Archaea at Cold Seeps

ABSTRACT In this study we investigated by using 16S rRNA-based methods the distribution and biomass of archaea in samples from (i) sediments above outcropping methane hydrate at Hydrate Ridge (Cascadia margin off Oregon) and (ii) massive microbial mats enclosing carbonate reefs (Crimea area, Black Sea). The archaeal diversity was low in both locations; there were only four (Hydrate Ridge) and five (Black Sea) different phylogenetic clusters of sequences, most of which belonged to the methanotrophic archaea (ANME). ANME group 2 (ANME-2) sequences were the most abundant and diverse sequences at Hydrate Ridge, whereas ANME-1 sequences dominated the Black Sea mats. Other seep-specific sequences belonged to the newly defined group ANME-3 (related to Methanococcoides spp.) and to the Crenarchaeota of marine benthic group B. Quantitative analysis of the samples by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) showed that ANME-1 and ANME-2 co-occurred at the cold seep sites investigated. At Hydrate Ridge the surface sediments were dominated by aggregates consisting of ANME-2 and members of the Desulfosarcina-Desulfococcus branch (DSS) (ANME-2/DSS aggregates), which accounted for >90% of the total cell biomass. The numbers of ANME-1 cells increased strongly with depth; these cells accounted 1% of all single cells at the surface and more than 30% of all single cells (5% of the total cells) in 7- to 10-cm sediment horizons that were directly above layers of gas hydrate. In the Black Sea microbial mats ANME-1 accounted for about 50% of all cells. ANME-2/DSS aggregates occurred in microenvironments within the mat but accounted for only 1% of the total cells. FISH probes for the ANME-2a and ANME-2c subclusters were designed based on a comparative 16S rRNA analysis. In Hydrate Ridge sediments ANME-2a/DSS and ANME-2c/DSS aggregates differed significantly in morphology and abundance. The relative abundance values for these subgroups were remarkably different at Beggiatoa sites (80% ANME-2a, 20% ANME-2c) and Calyptogena sites (20% ANME-2a, 80% ANME-2c), indicating that there was preferential selection of the groups in the two habitats. These variations in the distribution, diversity, and morphology of methanotrophic consortia are discussed with respect to the presence of microbial ecotypes, niche formation, and biogeography.
N ov 2 01 5 On Locality , Holography and Unfolding

We study the functional class and locality problems in the context of higher-spin theories and Vasiliev’s equations. A locality criterion that is sufficient to make higher-spin theories well-defined as field theories on Anti-de-Sitter space is proposed. This criterion identifies admissible pseudo-local field redefinitions which preserve AdS/CFT correlation functions as we check in the 3d example. Implications of this analysis for known higher-spin theories are discussed. We also check that the cubic coupling coefficients previously fixed in 3d at the action level give the correct CFT correlation functions upon computing the corresponding Witten diagrams.
Haemorrhagic gastroenteritis in the dog associated with Clostridium welchii

Two cases of peracute haemorrhagic enteritis in the dog are reported. Gram-positive bacilli, which were shown in one case to be Clostridium welchii were found adhering to the necrotic epithelial surfaces in parts of the gastrointestinal tract in both cases. Large numbers of C welchii were recovered from the intestines of both dogs.
Catching up to College and Career Readiness in Kentucky. ACT Research Report Series. 2014 (4).

This report focuses on the extent to which students who are academically far off track in fourth or eighth grade in Kentucky catch up by eighth or eleventh grade. We studied three recent cohorts of Kentucky students whose eighth-grade ACT Explore ® scores were more than one standard deviation below the ACT Explore benchmark scores associated with being on track. We found that 5% or fewer of the students who were far off track in eighth grade attained the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks ® by the spring of eleventh grade. We did a similar analysis for two cohorts of students beginning in fourth grade, using scores on the Kentucky Core Content Tests in reading, mathematics, and science in grade four and ACT Explore scores in the same subjects in grade eight, and found that catching-up rates ranged from 7% in mathematics to 12% in science. We also found that students from at-risk groups—those who are low-income, African American, Hispanic, English language learners or in special education—have lower catching up rates than their more advantaged peers. These results are of special concern because a large percentage of students from those groups are far off track in fourth and eighth grade. These findings should underscore the importance of policies and practices that focus on getting students off to a good start in the early grades. These practices are especially important for disadvantaged students. Ongoing research should identify practices that help to accomplish this goal, and state and local policy should support efforts to disseminate and implement those practices.
Respiratory syncytial virus infections in children and adults.

Respiratory syncytial virus is the leading cause of hospital admission for lower respiratory tract infection in young children and appears to be responsible for a significant burden of disease in adults, particularly the elderly and the immunocompromised. In this review, we describe the epidemiology, diagnosis and clinical manifestations of infection attributed to this virus. We also consider current therapeutic and prophylactic options and appraise strategies for vaccination that are in clinical trials.
Test anxiety and self-esteem in senior high school students: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Purpose: In this study, it is aimed to determine the level of test anxiety and self-esteem in the high school students preparing for the university exam in Bitlis, Turkey, and to investigate the effect of test anxiety on self-esteem. Material and methods: Seven-hundred and twenty-four high school students who were preparing for the university entrance examination in Bitlis participated in the study. A questionnaire which includes socio-demographic data form, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Revised Test Anxiety Scale was prepared as an e-questionnaire for the students to fill easily and uploaded to the Bitlis State Hospital's website. Schools were called and informed for the students to fill out the e-questionnaire on the Internet. Results: The most important findings from our study are that gender is influential on test anxiety and self-esteem score and test anxiety level are negatively correlated. It was observed that female students had more test anxiety than male students and those who had higher self-esteem had less test anxiety. Conclusion: Consequently, our study shows that university entrance examination creates anxiety on students and reduces self-esteem, especially in female students.
BANS: a discussion of the problem

The significance of the BANS location (upper Back, posterior Arm, Neck and Scalp) as a prognostic factor in patients with stage I melanoma is controversial. A meta-analysis performed by Weinstock et al. on their own and five comparable studies corroborated the hypothesis that this location is influential in the prognosis of intermediate thickness (0.76–1.69 mm) melanomas. Our study investigated the relationship between BANS subsites, thickness and prognosis in 1,082 stage I melanoma patients from two major Italian centres, Turin and Florence. A BANS primary was observed in 212 (19.5%) patients: recurrences occurred in 85 of them (40.1%) vs 309/870 non-BANS patients (35.5%). Overall survival probabilities were significantly shorter (p < 0.01) in the BANS group (69.1% vs 76.7% at 5 years; 59% vs 68.5% at 10 years). The prognostic value of the BANS location was confirmed by a multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model. Stratification of BANS and non-BANS groups by thickness clusters showed a significant difference in both survival (p < 0.001) and disease-free interval (p < 0.05) in the 3.01–4.00 mm thickness subset, due to the greater incidence of distant and visceral metastases. In the 0.76–1.69 mm thickness range the significance was p = 0.06.
Delayed, Bilateral Descemet's Membrane Detachments with Spontaneous Resolution: Implications for Nonsurgical Treatment

Purpose: To report a case of delayed bilateral Descemet's detachment with spontaneous resolution in one eye following successful treatment of the fellow eye. Method: Case report. Results: A 78-year-old male who underwent uncomplicated bilateral cataract extraction with phacoemulsification developed delayed bilateral Descemet's membrane detachments. One eye was successfully treated with pneumatic descemetopexy. After appropriate positioning for the surgical eye, the fellow eye simultaneously and spontaneously resolved. Conclusions: Spontaneous resolution of delayed Descemet's membrane detachments can occur. We suggest a mechanism for spontaneous resolution that may have implications for nonsurgical treatment.
Predictors of psychological adjustment among homeless and housed female youth.

OBJECTIVE This cross-sectional study explored differences in the impact of self-reported coping style, self-esteem and perceived support on the psychological adjustment of homeless and housed female youth. METHOD Data were obtained from homeless female youth (n = 72, M = 17.5 years) accessing an emergency shelter in a large Canadian urban centre and a comparison group of housed females (n = 102 ; M = 17.2 years) from local high schools who had never resided in a shelter. RESULTS Homeless youth reported lower self-worth, increased suicidal behaviour, less perceived parental support and higher levels of depressive symptoms and both internalizing and externalizing behaviour problems than housed youth. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that disengagement coping was a significant predictor of depressive symptoms and both internalizing and externalizing behaviour problems in homeless and housed youth. CONCLUSIONS Findings reflect the merit of considering coping style, parental support and self-worth in the presentation of depressive symptoms and behaviour problems in homeless and housed female youth.