Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Supporting children’s Chinese heritage language maintenance in the home: a case study of one Chinese Canadian immigrant family

Supervisory Committee: Dr. Ruthanne Tobin, Supervisor (Department of Curriculum and Instruction) Dr. Sylvia Pantaleo, Departmental Member (Department of Curriculum and Instruction) Dr. Li-Shih Huang, Outside Member (Department of Linguistics) This dissertation features a three-month qualitative descriptive case study that examined the home literacy practices employed in maintaining a heritage language by a Chinese immigrant family living in a mid-sized city in western Canada. Influenced by Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, as well as the foundational concepts of d/Discourse, diglossia, and accommodation without assimilation, the research questions guiding the study were: (1) What activities do Chinese parents use in the home to maintain and develop their children’s Mandarin home language? (2) How do children respond to these activities? and (3) What beliefs and attitudes do the parents and children hold in relation to heritage language maintenance (HLM)? Most of the literature on HLM has focused primarily on post-secondary learners, children in metropolitan areas, or heritage language schools and communities, whereas this research was an in-depth examination of home literacy environment provided by immigrant parents to support their children’s heritage language, with limited community resources. Data were collected through home observations, video recordings selected by and submitted by the parents of their heritage language (HL) activities, semi-structured interviews of individual members of the family, and children’s work samples. Data were inductively analyzed using NVivo 10 software.
Development, evaluation and quality control of new antidiabetic ayurvedic polyherbal combination

The current study is designed to developed the new polyherbal combinations of emerging medicinal plants Morus alba (Moraceae), Annona squamosa (Annonaceae), Nelumbo nucifera (Nelumbonoceae) and Psidium guajava (Myrtacea) having effective antidiabetic activity with traditionally used medicinal plants. The formulation were also subjected for the determination of quality control parameters like the heavy metal content, thin layered chromatography (TLC) and high performance thin layered chromatography (HPTLC) profile with an aim to establish their protocols. All 3 formulations, (quoted as FA, FB and FC), are prepared from 10 medicinal plants on the basis of reported mode of action of these medicinal plants used in diabetes. Two dose level 200 and 400 mg/kg of formulations were chosen to evaluate the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in normal rats and antidiabetic activity in streptozotocin (STZ) (60 mg/kg) induced diabetic ‘albino wistar’ rats. Glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) was used as standard. Blood glucose level was measured at 0 h, after 3 h on 5, 10 and 15th day. All 3 combinations were compared on the basis of biochemical analysis (total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), urea, creatinine) of blood plasma. Blood glucose level was determined by glucometer (Escencia entrust, Bayer Health Care). Study showed that FB was found extremely significant in reducing the blood glucose level as compared to all others. FB (200 and 400 mg/kg) showed maximum reduction in average blood glucose level (BGL) to 61.2 and 64.02%, with maximum decrease in average blood glucose level to 67 and 61.4 mg/dl near to standard glibenclamide (66.2%). The results obtained herein indicate that all 3 formulations showed effective antidiabetic activity in order FB > FC > FA and FB was proved to be most beneficial combination. Key words: Polyherbal formulation, antidiabetic therapeutics, medicinal plants, Annona squamosa, Morus alba, Nelumbo nucifera
THE PSYCHOSOCIAL SITUATION OF ADULTS WITH CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE IN IRAN

Background Life-expectancy of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) has improved world-wide, but there are limited data on these patients' experiences of quality of life (QoL), life satisfaction (LS), and their determinants (e.g. social support), particularly among patients from developing countries.Design Cross-sectional case-control.Methods A total of 347 CHD patients (18-64 years, 52.2% women) and 353 non-CHD participants, matched by sex/age, were recruited from two heart hospitals in Tehran, Iran. LS and QoL served as dependent variables, and demographic/socioeconomic status, mental-somatic symptoms, social support, and clinical factors (e.g. defect category) served as independent variables in multiple regression analyses once among all participants, and once only among CHD patients.Results The CHD patients had significantly lower scores in LS and all domains of QoL than the control group. However, having CHD was independently negatively associated only with overall QoL, physical health, and life and health satisfaction. Additionally, multivariate analyses among the CHD patients revealed that female sex, younger age, being employed, less emotional distress, and higher social support were significantly associated with higher perceived QoL in most domains, while LS was associated with female sex, being employed, less emotional distress, and better social support. Neither QoL nor LS was associated with cardiac defect severity.Conclusions The adults with CHD had poorer QoL and LS than their non-CHD peers in our developing country. Socio-demographics, emotional health, and social support were important 'determinants' of QoL and LS among the CHD patients. Longitudinal studies are warranted to establish causal links.
Dependence analysis for subscripted variables and its application to program transformations

The order in which the statements of a program are executed can affect the execution time of the program. Optimizing compilers have made use of this fact by reordering code to improve its performance on a machine. Some statement orderings are essential to a program's results, however; these orderings form the basis of a dependence relation among the statements of a program. Dependences can arise in two separate ways within a program: from data considerations, and from control considerations. However, since all control dependences can be converted to data dependences by guarding statements with precise conditions that control their execution, data dependence is the more general concept. Data dependences within loops can arise from two separate effects. The position of statements within the loops may cause a dependence, or iteration of a specific loop may cause a dependence. Characterizing dependence in this manner provides the foundation of extremely effective algorithms for reordering transformations. One very important reordering transformation which is made possible by dependence is vectorization. Vectorization of a program can often be enchanced by loop interchange. Dependence plays an important role in determining when loops should be interchanged. Interchange preventing dependences inhibit a particular interchange; interchange sensitive dependences may make an interchange less profitable in terms of increased vectorization. Dependence for symbolic subscripts is an extremely difficult problem. Nevertheless, some cases can be handled by techniques based on standard dependence tests. One last reordering transformation which is of extreme importance on vector machines is sectioning, or devectorization. Dependence not only determines when a statement can be correctly sectioned but it also can be used to improve the register performance of a sectioned statement.
PREGNANCY-RELATED ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION: A REVIEW OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, DIAGNOSIS, MEDICAL AND SURGICAL MANAGEMENT

Although acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in pregnancy is rare, can result in maternal and/or fetal death and should be carefully managed. The aim of this study is to collect and review the data on the management from numerous articles published since 2000. For literature review we performed a literature search on PubMed that were based on diagnoses and management of myocardial infarction on pregnancy. Atherosclerosis appears to be the most common cause of AMI. Although there are some differences related to pregnancy stage such as thrombosis, coronary artery spasm or dissection that seen more frequently in pregnant women than agematched nonpregnant women. In addition to traditional risk factors of atherosclerosis in general population, some other risk factors due to physiological or pathological changes in pregnancy and also some drugs can cause AMI. The Presentation and diagnosis of AMI in pregnancy usually is the same as nonpregnant patients but there are some important points. Regardless of some differences, therapeutic option of AMI in pregnant women is the same of nonpregnant patients. Probably primary percutaneous coronary intervention is the optimal medical management of AMI during pregnancy. Use of thrombolytic therapy in pregnancy is prohibited and is very limited. Although there have been many reports of cardiopulmonary bypass surgery during pregnancy, most knowledge is based on anecdotal and old reports. Early detection and multidisciplinary approach and timely delivery can minimize the serious consequences of AMI in pregnancy.
Development of Ebselen, a Glutathione Peroxidase Mimic, for the Prevention and Treatment of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

The development of therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of sensorineural hearing loss remains an elusive goal for auditory scientists and clinicians worldwide. While much research has focused on the histopathology associated with exposure to intense noise or ototoxins (i.e., loss of hair cells), the biochemical and genetic mechanisms that evoke or mediate hair cell death and dysfunction are still under investigation and debate. Many have observed an early oxidative burst in the cochlea that leads to an increase in lipoperoxidation and the activation of cell death pathways, ultimately resulting in apoptosis. In support of this hypothesis, many have protected the cochlea and preserved auditory function by injecting high doses of antioxidants or inhibitors of cell death activation prior to intense noise or ototoxin exposure. Here we discuss a compound currently in Phase II clinical testing for the prevention and treatment of noise-induced hearing loss. This article will review the historic background and pertinent preclinical and clinical data available for ebselen, a novel drug that mimics the activity of glutathione peroxidase, a catalytic antioxidant enzyme that is essential for the peripheral auditory system.
Job Search, Search Intensity, and Labor Market Transitions

In this paper we present an empirical structural job search model with endogenously determined search intensity. The model describes both the behaviour of unemployed job seekers and on-the-job search. We use data on various indicators for the intensity of search to study the influence of the intensity of search on labour market transitions. The estimation results give us insight in the effectiveness of search. The impact of the benefit level on the search intensity of unemployed job seekers is quantified. Moreover, the estimation results are used to gain insight in the ‘discouraged worker’ effect.
Teaching and learning with ICT: new technology, new pedagogy?

This paper has two broad aims: first, to provide a brief introduction to the InterActive Education Project from which the papers in this special edition derive; and second, to draw out some of the overarching themes and threads that have emerged from the set of articles presented. The evidence suggests that a number of tensions surface when subject teachers engage with information communication technology (ICT) in their classrooms, for instance, the tension between teaching about and teaching through ICT; the tension between information accretion and information discernment; and the tension between subject and technological culture. The findings also suggest that the use of ICT by subject teachers is being embraced but not imposed. This is in part due to the collaborative nature of the InterActive Project but it is also due to a genuine desire by the participants to concentrate on the creation of rich ICT environments in which their students can engage their minds with the resources of their disciplines. The paper ends with some suggestions for taking the ICT and learning venture forward within the current curriculum context.
What Higher Educational Professionals Need to Know about Today's Students: Online Social Networks.

In this study, the author specifically focused on the most popular social media website—Facebook—and investigated the nature of student learning engagement associated with Facebook activity. Data pertaining to student Facebook use and activities were collected. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to measure the relationships between Facebook instructional methods and grades. A linear regression was also performed to analyze the predictors of student grades. An empirical study of Facebook users (n= 134) during the 2011-2012 academic year revealed that course-based Facebook use had a significant positive effect on student learning engagement and grades. This study concludes that Facebook use in instruction assists students in achieving better grades, higher engagement, and greater satisfaction with the university learning experience. Thus, the author recommends the use of Facebook as an educational communication and interaction tool to enable faculty to assume a more active and participatory role in teaching and learning.
Sensitivity-analysis techniques: self-teaching curriculum

This self teaching curriculum on sensitivity analysis techniques consists of three parts: (1) Use of the Latin Hypercube Sampling Program (Iman, Davenport and Ziegler, Latin Hypercube Sampling (Program User's Guide), SAND79-1473, January 1980); (2) Use of the Stepwise Regression Program (Iman, et al., Stepwise Regression with PRESS and Rank Regression (Program User's Guide) SAND79-1472, January 1980); and (3) Application of the procedures to sensitivity and uncertainty analyses of the groundwater transport model MWFT/DVM (Campbell, Iman and Reeves, Risk Methodology for Geologic Disposal of Radioactive Waste - Transport Model Sensitivity Analysis; SAND80-0644, NUREG/CR-1377, June 1980: Campbell, Longsine, and Reeves, The Distributed Velocity Method of Solving the Convective-Dispersion Equation, SAND80-0717, NUREG/CR-1376, July 1980). This curriculum is one in a series developed by Sandia National Laboratories for transfer of the capability to use the technology developed under the NRC funded High Level Waste Methodology Development Program.
Improving a school-based dental programme through a sociodental risk group approach

Het doel van de onderzoeken beschreven in dit proefschrift betreft het evalueren van de werkprocessen bij de uitvoering van het nationale programma voor schooltandverzorging (STV) door wijk gezondheidscentra (WGC) in Yogyakarta, Indonesie. Daarbij is de invloed nagagaan van de uitvoering van STV op de mondgezondheid van kinderen, hun gedrag en hun kwaliteit van leven gerelateerd aan mondgezondheid. De interventies zijn geselecteerd op grond van hun potentie om mondziekten te voorkomen, het caries risico te beheersen en de kwaliteit van leven te verbeteren. Centraal staat hierin caries als een van de grootste uitdagingen voor de mondzorg maar tegelijk een te voorkomen ziekte bij kinderen. Het onderzoek voor dit proefschrift werd op basis van kwalitatieve en kwantitatieve methoden uitgevoerd. Een methodiek Sociodental Risk Group Approach (SRG) is ontwikkeld om verbetering te bereiken en deze is initieel getest. Op grond daarvan worden aanbevelingen gedaan voor de planning, invoering en evaluatie van kosteneffectieve interventies in de STV. De interventies zijn geselecteerd op grond van hun potentie om mondziekten te voorkomen, het caries risico te beheersen en de kwaliteit van leven te verbeteren. Het model van SRG’s maakt een combinatie van behandelingen mogelijk, waaronder gezondheidsbevordering en preventie verschillende interventieniveaus (eenvoudig, matigen, uitgebreide) en curatieve interventies. Uit de onderzoek blijkt dat een brede differentiatie aan tandheelkundige behandelingen voort kan komen uit de toepassing van de SRG benadering. Echter, sommige sociaal demografische kenmerken kunnen duidelijk het risico van een groep beinvloeden, waarmee in het interventie model rekening moet worden gehouden. De SRG aanpak maakt dat in de mondzorg meer op de onderliggende determinanten van orale ziekten gelet wordt tijdens klinisch werk, waardoor de zorgverlening kan worden aangepast. Het is te verwachten dat de versterking van het gezondheidzorg in het algemeen het gebruik van mondgezondheidszorg door kinderen in WGC’s zal verbeteren.
Clinical observation about 60 cases of treatment of post chemical therapy vormitting by Chinese-west medicine combined method

Objective:To investigate therapeutic effect of combined Chinese-west medicine method on post chemical therapy vormitting.Method:60 cases had been divided into combined medicine treatment group and control inwhich patients only received intraveinous anti vormitting drugs.Result:Anti vormitting ratio,91.7% in treatment group and 65.0% in control.Complete remission ratio is 75.0% and 23.3%(P0.05). Conclusion:Combined medicine method is superior to west medicine group in anti vormitting from chemical therapy.
Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis to Compare Dapagliflozin with other Diabetes Medications in Combination with Metformin for Adults with Type 2 Diabetes

Objective: A network meta-analysis (NMA) update was undertaken to evaluate the sodium glucose cotransporter- 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor, dapagliflozin, versus other antidiabetes medications as add-on to metformin. This update allowed inclusion of a new drug class (glucagon-like peptide-1 [GLP-1] analogues), a new time point (24- weeks) and covariate analysis. Methods: The systematic review identified randomised controlled trials involving patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) inadequately controlled on metformin. Comparators included dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i), thiazolidinediones (TZDs), GLP-1s, sulfonylureas (SUs) and dapagliflozin. Bayesian NMA was conducted at 24- and 52-weeks for mean change in HbA1c, systolic blood pressure (SBP), weight, and proportion of patients experiencing hypoglycaemia. Results: The systematic review identified 2247 articles, of which 16were eligible for inclusion. Combined with 19 studies frompre-2011 analysis, a total of 19 and 8 studies were included in the 24-week and 52-week NMA, respectively. There were no significant differences in HbA1c or SBP between dapagliflozin and other classes, including GLP-1s, at either time point. Significant results were seen for weight loss by 24-weeks for dapagliflozin versusDPP-4i (-2.24 kg [95% CI -3.25,-1.24]) and TZDs (-4.65 kg [-5.89,-3.45]), and at 52-weeks versus SUs, DPP-4i and TZDs. Dapagliflozin also resulted in significantly lower hypoglycaemia risk versus SU (OR: 0.05 [0.01,0.19]) over 52-weeks. Conclusions: This NMA update supports previous findings that effects on HbA1c are similar between drug classes and that dapagliflozin plus metformin offers superior weight control for T2DM patients compared with many other agents. The wider evidence base compared to previous analysis increases the confidence in the results.
Is custody an effective sentencing option for the UK? Evidence from a meta-analysis of existing studies

Prison numbers in the UK are at record levels and continue to rise. The rise in prison numbers has led to a renewed focus on the relative effectiveness of different sentences and in particular the effectiveness of prison when compared to alternative, community-based, sentences. The aim of this research is to test the hypothesis that prisons are an effective means of reducing re-offending in the UK. A review of existing studies identified 91 estimates of the effect on re-offending of prison for adults when compared against alternative sentences and 15 estimates of the effect on re-offending of prisons for juveniles when compared against alternative sentences. A meta-analysis was conducted on the different combinations of intervention and counterfactual information identified in the literature. The analysis suggests that the following alternative sentences for adult offenders reduce re-offending when compared to prison: residential drug treatment, surveillance, surveillance with drug treatment, prison in combination with educational/vocational interventions, prison in combination with behavioural interventions, prison in combination with sex offender treatment, and prison in combination with drug treatment. The analysis also identified the following alternative sentences for juvenile offenders which reduced re-offending when compared with prison: community supervision with victim reparation, and a community programme with aftercare and surveillance. The hypothesis that prisons are an effective means of reducing re-offending in the UK is generally rejected.
Implantable optical biosensor for in vivo molecular imaging

We present the design and fabrication of an implantable fluorescence biosensor suitable for continuously monitored, freely-moving in vivo rodent studies. The GaAs-based semiconductor sensor incorporates an un-cooled photodetector with a 670nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) optimized for sensing fluorescent Cy5.5 dye. For filtering unwanted spectra, a combination of physical and spectral blocking layers yields OD5 excitation rejection at the detector. The sensor detects near-IR fluorescent Cy5.5 molecules in vitro at 100nM concentration (in a 100μL volume) with linear response for concentrations up to 25μM. In a preliminary study in a living mouse, subcutaneously injected dye (1μM Cy5.5 in 50μL) was detected. This technology has the potential to enable new studies of living systems in applications that require long-term, continuous fluorescence sensing.
Multi-objective optimization in spatial planning: Improving the effectiveness of multi-objective evolutionary algorithms (non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II)

The multi-objective nature of most spatial planning initiatives and the numerous constraints that are introduced in the planning process by decision makers, stakeholders, etc., synthesize a complex spatial planning context in which the concept of solid and meaningful optimization is a unique challenge. This article investigates new approaches to enhance the effectiveness of multi-objective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs) via the adoption of a well-known metaheuristic: the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II). In particular, the contribution of a sophisticated crossover operator coupled with an enhanced initialization heuristic is evaluated against a series of metrics measuring the effectiveness of MOEAs. Encouraging results emerge for both the convergence rate of the evolutionary optimization process and the occupation of valuable regions of the objective space by non-dominated solutions, facilitating the work of spatial planners and decision makers. Based on the promising behaviour of both heuristics, topics for further research are proposed to improve their effectiveness.
Retrospective Analyses of Orofacial Traumatic Injuries in Trauma Patients, Registered as Medicolegal Cases at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Delhi

Results: Orofacial trauma was more common in males (1052, 81.52%) compared to females (237, 18.75%). Male to female ratio was (4.438:1). The main etiologic factor involved in orofacial trauma was physical assault (54.29%) and road traffic accident (34.52%). Age distribution peak was observed in 21 to 25 age group (19.68%). The prevalence of trauma through out year showed proportionality, being observed a larger of cases between month April and June.