Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Can humour help the Early Years supply teacher in developing positive relationships with staff and pupils ?

This paper considers the effectiveness of humour as an approach to enable supply teachers in the Early Years to develop relationships with pupils and staff. Often called substitute teachers in the United States and elsewhere, supply teachers are temporary teachers who schools hire to cover lessons when a permanent employed teacher is not available (OFSTED, 2002). The paper first discusses the primary challenges supply teachers face, and highlights how isolation from peers and a lack of respect from pupils resulting in misbehaviour (Duggleby & Bardai, 2007; Nidds, 2009) are often seen as key challenges. This research then builds on the idea that the root of these issues can be due to the lack of relationship the supply teacher has with staff and pupils when they begin the day (Cornwal, 2004). The research uses Autoethnography from a constructivist, symbolic interactionist approach and involves autoethnographic study at 8 different days across 7 different settings (classes) across London, England. Field notes and a journal were used during these studies and semi structured interviews were held with three other supply teachers who worked in different schools across England. The study revealed that humour could frequently help the supply teacher in building positive relationships with staff and pupils, the results also suggested that humour could, at times, be a gateway through which a deeper level of relationship could be established.
Mobilization of hemopoietic stem cells with high‐dose methotrexate plus granulocyte–colony‐stimulating factor in patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma

BACKGROUND: High‐dose therapy with autologous stem cell support after standard dose induction is a promising approach for therapy of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). High‐dose methotrexate (HD‐MTX) is a standard drug for induction of PCNSL; however, data about the capacity of HD‐MTX plus granulocyte–colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF) to mobilize hemopoietic progenitors are lacking.
Phase 1 Study of the Pittsburgh Compound B Derivative 18F-Flutemetamol in Healthy Volunteers and Patients with Probable Alzheimer Disease

11C-Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) marks Aβ amyloidosis, a key pathogenetic process in Alzheimer disease (AD). The use of 11C-PiB is limited to centers with a cyclotron. Development of the 18F-labeled thioflavin derivative of PiB, 18F-flutemetamol, could hugely increase the availability of this new technology. The aims of this phase 1 study were to perform brain kinetic modeling of 18F-flutemetamol, optimize the image acquisition procedure, and compare methods of analysis (step 1) and to compare 18F-flutemetamol brain retention in AD patients versus healthy controls in a proof-of-concept study (steps 1 and 2). Methods: In step 1, 3 AD patients (Mini-Mental State Examination, 22–24) and 3 elderly healthy controls were scanned dynamically during windows of 0–90, 150–180, and 220–250 min after injection of approximately 180 MBq of 18F-flutemetamol, with arterial sampling. We compared different analysis methods (compartmental modeling, Logan graphical analysis, and standardized uptake value ratios) and determined the optimal acquisition window for step 2. In step 2, 5 AD patients (Mini-Mental State Examination, 20–26) and 5 elderly healthy controls were scanned from 80 to 170 min after injection. To determine overall efficacy, steps 1 and 2 were pooled and standardized uptake value ratios were calculated using cerebellar cortex as a reference region. Results: No adverse events were reported. There was a strong correlation between uptake values obtained with the different analysis methods. From 80 min after injection onward, the ratio of neocortical to cerebellar uptake was maximal and only marginally affected by scan start time or duration. AD patients showed significantly increased standardized uptake value ratios in neocortical association zones and striatum, compared with healthy controls, whereas uptake in white matter, cerebellum, and pons did not differ between groups. Two AD patients were 18F-flutemetamol–negative and 1 healthy control was 18F-flutemetamol–positive. Conclusion: 18F-flutemetamol uptake can be readily quantified. This phase 1 study warrants further studies to validate this 18F-labeled derivative of PiB as a biomarker for Aβ amyloidosis.
Sodium/calcium exchange and intracellular calcium buffering in ferret myocardium: an ion‐sensitive micro‐electrode study.

Measurements of the intracellular activity of Ca (aiCa), Na (aiNa) and H (pHi) ions have been made with resin‐filled ion‐sensitive micro‐electrodes in ferret ventricular trabeculae. The mean values in quiescent muscle at 30 degrees C were: aiNa, 11.1 +/‐ 1.0 mM; aiCa, 58.4 +/‐ 6.4 nM, and pHi, 7.20 +/‐ 0.11. The relation between aiNa and extracellular Na activity (aoNa) is not linear and is sensitive to temperature: the Q10 for the change in aiNa in normal Tyrode solution is 1.3 +/‐ 0.5 and rises to 3.5 +/‐ 0.5 when aoNa is reduced to 1.1 mM. The addition of CN to the bathing fluid causes little or no change in aiNa or aiCa but pHi rises to 7.38 +/‐ 0.10, yet in some preparations resting tension increases. Similar results are seen with carbonyl cyanide m‐chlorophenyl hydrazone. On lowering [Na]o, the fall in aiNa is very much greater than the rise in aiCa and the pHi is generally unchanged. When [Na]o is lowered in the presence of a respiratory inhibitor, the fall in aiNa is reduced, the rise in aiCa and the contracture tension are increased while pHi falls. The apparent coupling ratio for the Na/Ca exchange varies between 3 and 4 depending on the experimental conditions. These results suggest that an intracellular process, with a high Q10 and which depends upon respiration and aiNa, is able to remove Ca2+ from the sarcoplasm and thereby interact with the sarcolemmal Na/Ca exchange. This process could be the increase in the energy‐dependent accumulation of Ca2+ within mitochondria that will occur when the Ca efflux from these organelles is progressively inhibited as aiNa falls.
Double-flyback half-bridge electronic ballast to supply HPS lamps

This paper presents a high power factor electronic ballast for high pressure sodium lamps (HPS). The ballast consists of a single switch double-flyback and a half-bridge inverter. The double-flyback is responsible for PFC and lamp current limiting. The inverter stage supplies the lamp in a low frequency square waveform, avoiding lamp re-ignition and acoustic resonance phenomenon occurrence. Ballast project and experimental results are presented in order to verify the feasibility of the proposed topology
Rician K Factor Estimation for Wireless Communication Systems

In many radio propagation environments, a line of sight (LoS) component exists between the transmitter and the receiver. This way the time-varying envelope of the received signal can be described by a Rician distribution with Rician factor K. Therefore, precise and efficient methods of Rician K factor estimation are of substantial concern. In this paper we examine a Rician K factor estimator suitable for wireless communication systems. The estimator is based on the envelope of the unmodulated received signal and an expression between the Rician channel statistics and K factor is presented. We depict its functionality for fixed and low mobility systems, with different carrier frequencies, thus making the estimator candidate for use not only for specific systems such as mobile communications. In the examined cases of mobility and carrier usage, the estimator achieves very satisfactory results for low signal to noise ratio (SNR) values and K factor values.
Distinct CD4+-T-Cell Responses to Live and Heat-Inactivated Aspergillus fumigatus Conidia

ABSTRACT Aspergillus fumigatus is an important fungal pathogen that causes invasive pulmonary disease in immunocompromised hosts. Respiratory exposure to A. fumigatus spores also causes allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, a Th2 CD4+-T-cell-mediated disease that accompanies asthma. The microbial factors that influence the differentiation of A. fumigatus-specific CD4+ T lymphocytes into Th1 versus Th2 cells remain incompletely defined. We therefore examined CD4+-T-cell responses of immunologically intact mice to intratracheal challenge with live or heat-inactivated A. fumigatus spores. Live but not heat-inactivated fungal spores resulted in recruitment of gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-producing, fungus-specific CD4+ T cells to lung airways, achieving A. fumigatus-specific frequencies exceeding 5% of total CD4+ T cells. While heat-inactivated spores did not induce detectable levels of IFN-γ-producing, A. fumigatus-specific CD4+ T cells in the airways, they did prime CD4+ T-cell responses in draining lymph nodes that produced greater amounts of interleukin 4 (IL-4) and IL-13 than T cells responding to live conidia. While immunization with live fungal spores induced antibody responses, we found a marked decrease in isotype-switched, A. fumigatus-specific antibodies in sera of mice following immunization with heat-inactivated spores. Our studies demonstrate that robust Th1 T-cell and humoral responses are restricted to challenge with fungal spores that have the potential to germinate and cause invasive infection. How the adaptive immune system distinguishes between metabolically active and inactive fungal spores remains an important question.
Anatomical dissection of the deep posterior compartment and its correlation with clinical reports of chronic compartment syndrome involving the deep posterior compartment

Patients with clinical presentation of deep posterior chronic compartment syndrome (CCS) frequently have symptoms limited to either proximal or distal components of the deep posterior compartment. In this study the posterior aspect of 15 cadaver legs was dissected to document anatomical separations and delineate boundaries, if any, of the deep posterior compartment and to correlate the findings to these patients. Origins of flexor hallucis longus (FHL), flexor digitorum longus (FDL), and tibialis posterior (TP), as well as whether TP existed in its own osseofascial compartment, were noted. Ten specimens had an identifiable distinct layer of tissue separating the deep posterior compartment into two potentially clinically relevant components. Much of this layer was derived from origins of FDL and its anatomical position in relation to the TP muscle. In seven of these cases, FDL had a significant fibular origin in addition to the well‐established tibial origin. This essentially compartmentalized the distal third of the tibialis posterior as it descends anterior and medial to FDL in the lower one‐third of the leg in five specimens. No cadaver possessed a significant fascial septum encasing TP and separating it from other deep posterior muscles.
Phytase supplementation of low-phosphorus growing-finishing pig diets improves performance, phosphorus digestibility, and bone mineralization and reduces phosphorus excretion.

Two experiments using 413 crossbred growing-finishing pigs were conducted to assess the use of a commercial microbial phytase (Natuphos) in corn-soybean meal diets to improve phytate P bioavailability and thus reduce inorganic P supplementation and fecal P excretion. In Exp. 1 (n = 189), the following diets were used: 1) . 50/. 40% total P, respectively, for grower and finisher phases, and no phytase; 2) . 40/. 35% P and no phytase; 3) diet 2 plus 250 U phytase/kg; and 4) diet 2 plus 500 U phytase/ kg. The total Ca level was . 58/. 48% for diet 1 and . 53/. 43% Ca for diets 2, 3, and 4 in the grower and finisher phases, respectively. Feeding the low-P diet without supplemental phytase resulted in an overall 18% reduction in ADG (P < .05), 15% reduction in ADFI (P < .05), and 3% poorer feed efficiency (P < .08). Adding 250 to 500 U phytase/kg to the low-P diet restored ADG, ADFI, and feed conversion to levels not significantly different from and within 96% of that observed for pigs fed the adequate-P diet. The overall apparent digestibility of P was linearly (P < .01) improved with addition of 250 and 500 U phytase/kg to the low-P diet, but Ca and DM digestibilities were not affected by phytase or P level. In Exp. 2 (n = 224) the following diets were used: 1) . 38/. 33% total P, respectively, for grower and finisher phases, and no phytase; 2) . 42/. 37% P and no phytase; 3) . 46/. 41% P and no phytase; 4) diet 1 plus 167 U/kg phytase; 5) diet 1 plus 333 U/kg phytase; and 6) diet 1 plus 500 U/kg phytase. All diets contained . 41/. 36% Ca for grower and finisher phases, respectively. Pigs fed the low-P control diet grew slower (P < .01) and less efficiently (P < .10) than pigs fed diets with added P or phytase. With increasing levels of supplemental phytase or P there was a linear increase (P < .01) in ADG, digestibility of P, and digested P and a quadratic improvement (P < .05) in feed efficiency. Tenth rib mineralization based on shear force and ash were linearly increased (P < .08 to .001) as phytase or P was added to the low-P diet. There were generally no effects of P or phytase level on carcass quality. Using prediction equations derived from the response traits of ADG and P digestibility in Exp. 1 and ADG, P digestibility, and bone shear force in Exp. 2 to added phytase or P, we estimated that 500 U phytase released an amount of phytate P that was approximately equivalent to . 87 to . 96 g of P from dicalcium-monocalcium phosphate supplements. Fecal P excretion was estimated to be reduced 21.5%.
Temperature‐dependent changes in the microbial storage flora of birch and spruce sawdust

Sawdust can be used to make pellets (biofuel) and particle boards and as a potential lignocellulose feedstock in bioethanol production. Microbial activity can affect sawdust quality; hence, we monitored the microbial population in birch‐ and spruce sawdust after 3 months’ storage at various temperatures. Species composition was similar on both materials but was strongly influenced by temperature. Bacteria were present on all materials at all conditions: on birch, 2.8 × 108, 1.1 × 108, and 8.8 × 106, and on spruce, 4.1 × 108, 5.6 × 107, and 1.5 × 108 CFU/g DM, at 2, 20, and 37 °C, respectively. Dominant bacteria at 2, 20, and 37 °C were Pseudomonas spp. (some Enterobacteriaceae spp. present), Luteibacter rhizovicinus, and Fulvimonas sp. , respectively. Pseudomonas spp. were absent at ≥20 °C. Among microfungi, yeasts dominated at 2 °C but were absent at 37 °C, whereas molds dominated at 20 and 37 °C. Common yeasts included Cystofilobasidium capitatum, Cystofilobasidium infirmominiatum, Candida saitoana, Candida oregonensis, and Candida railenensis. Ophiostoma quercus was a common mold at 2 and 20 °C, whereas the human pathogens Aspergillus fumigatus and Paecilomyces variotii dominated at 37 °C. Attempts to influence the microflora by addition of the biocontrol yeasts, Wickerhamomyces anomalus and Scheffersomyces stipitis, were unsuccessful, as their growth in sawdust was poor to absent.
Influence of Perceptions on School Nurse Practices to Prevent Childhood Obesity

Comprehensive childhood obesity prevention (COP) strategies should include increasing school nurse involvement. This study was conducted to determine the influence of key school nurse perceptions (self-efficacy, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers) on participation in COP practices at the individual child and school level. Florida registered nurse (RN) school nurses (n = 171) anonymously completed online or paper questionnaires. Linear regression analyses identified a model of self-efficacy with perceived benefits and barriers that explained 12% and 9.1% (p < .001) of variance in child-level and school-level COP practices, respectively. Self-efficacy explained the most variance in both models (p < .001). Mediation testing identified perceived barriers as a partial mediator of the influence of self-efficacy on child-level practices. These findings support interventions and policy changes to increase self-efficacy and reduce perceived barriers to promote school nurse involvement in preventing childhood obesity.
Isolated systolic hypertension and subclinical cardiovascular disease in the elderly. Initial findings from the Cardiovascular Health Study.

OBJECTIVE To assess the association between isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) and subclinical disease in adults aged 65 years and above. DESIGN Medicare eligibility lists were used to obtain a representative sample of 5201 community-dwelling elderly persons for the Cardiovascular Health Study, a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute--sponsored cohort study of risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke. In this cross-sectional analysis of baseline data, we excluded 3012 participants who were receiving antihypertensive medications, had clinical cardiovascular disease, or had a diastolic blood pressure of at least 90 mm Hg. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES For electrocardiogram: myocardial infarction, left ventricular hypertrophy, and left ventricular mass as measures of myocardial damage and strain; for echocardiography: left ventricular mass, fractional shortening, and Doppler flow velocities as measures of cardiac systolic and diastolic function; and for carotid sonography: carotid arterial intima-media thickness as a measure of atherosclerosis. RESULTS Among the 2189 men and women in this analysis, 195 (9%) had ISH (systolic blood pressure, greater than or equal to 160 mm Hg) and 596 (23%) had borderline ISH (systolic blood pressure, 140 to 159 mm Hg). Systolic blood pressure was associated with myocardial infarction by electrocardiogram (P = .02). Borderline and definite ISH were strongly associated with left ventricular mass (P less than .001). While there was little association with cardiac systolic function, borderline and definite ISH were associated with cardiac diastolic function (P less than .001). Isolated systolic hypertension was also strongly associated with increased intima-media thickness of the carotid artery (P less than .001). CONCLUSIONS While cohort analyses of future repeated measures will provide a better assessment of risk, both borderline and definite ISH were strongly related to a variety of measures of subclinical disease in elderly men and women.
Randomized, controlled trial of metformin for obesity and insulin resistance in children and adolescents: improvement in body composition and fasting insulin.

CONTEXT Metformin therapy for adults and children with type 2 diabetes is well established. However, its role in the treatment of insulin resistance and obesity in children and adolescents is less clearly defined. OBJECTIVE We assessed the effect of metformin on body composition and insulin sensitivity in pediatric subjects with exogenous obesity. DESIGN AND SETTING Patients referred to a pediatric endocrine clinic were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial. PATIENTS Twenty-eight patients (13 males) aged 9-18 yr participated in the study. INTERVENTION Patients received metformin (1 g twice daily) and placebo for 6 months, each with a 2-wk washout period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Body composition (anthropometry, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and abdominal magnetic resonance imaging), and insulin sensitivity (Si; minimal model, fasting insulin and glucose) were measured at baseline and 6 and 12 months. RESULTS Mean age of subjects at baseline was 12.5 +/- 2.2 yr, median body mass index z-score 2.54 (range, 1.93-2.85). Metformin had a greater treatment effect over placebo for weight (-4.35 kg, P = 0.02), body mass index (-1.26 kg/m(2), P = 0.002), waist circumference (-2.8 cm, P = 0.003), sc abdominal adipose tissue (-52.5 cm(2), P = 0.002), and fasting insulin (-2.2 mU/liter, P = 0.011). Si improved in 45% of subjects while on metformin and 27% of subjects while on placebo (P = 0.21). CONCLUSIONS Metformin therapy for obese insulin-resistant pediatric patients results in significant improvement in body composition and fasting insulin. Although improvement in Si was noted in many individuals, Si was a less useful parameter for analysis of group data, possibly because of effects of variable compliance and changing Si during puberty.
The Anterior Frontomedian Cortex and Evaluative Judgment: An fMRI Study

This study investigated the neuronal basis of evaluative judgment. Judgments can be defined as the assessment of an external or internal stimulus on an internal scale and they are fundamental for decision-making and other cognitive processes. Evaluative judgments (I like George W. Bush: yes/no) are a special type of judgment, in which the internal scale is related to the person's value system (preferences, norms, aesthetic values, etc.). We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine brain activation during the performance of evaluative judgments as opposed to episodic and semantic memory retrieval. Evaluative judgment produced significant activation in the anterior frontomedian cortex (BA 10/9), the inferior precuneus (BA 23/31), and the left inferior prefrontal cortex (BA 45/47). The results show a functional dissociation between the activations in the anterior frontomedian cortex and in the inferior precuneus. The latter was mainly activated by episodic retrieval processes, supporting its function as a multimodal association area that integrates the different aspects of retrieved and newly presented information. In contrast, the anterior frontomedian cortex was mainly involved in evaluative judgments, supporting its role in self-referential processes and in the self-initiation of cognitive processes.