Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
More than standardisation: Teacher’s professional literacy learning in Australia?

Current policies guiding literacy and teacher professional learning in Australia, tend to foreground the importance of standardised practice and assessment in classrooms and schools. However, enactments of print-oriented literacy and professional learning in alignment with this emphasis stand in contradiction with contemporary approaches, which implicate consideration of diversity and contextual relevance. This paper positions teacher problematisation and negotiation of this contradiction as key for broadening literacy learning horizons. Incorporating multiliteracies, Cultural Historical Activity Theory and sociocritical perspectives on policy and professional learning, the authors propose a multidimensional framework for exploring and supporting dynamic and conflictually sensitive teacher learning processes. Such visioning is important if teachers, school leaders, pre-service educators and researchers are to enable learners with adaptable literacy repertoires with relevance to rapidly evolving twenty first century communications and social interactions.
Prevalence and pattern of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with diabetes mellitus

Background and objectives : Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are contributor of increased morbidity and poor quality of life in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM). Racial, nutritional and life style may influence GI disorders to a large extent. Thus, the burden of GI disorders and its determinants warrant investigation in individual population. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to explore the types of GI symptoms in Bangladeshi population with DM for more than 10 years of duration. Methodology : This observational study was conducted on patients with DM for more than 10 years of duration at the outpatient department of BIRDEM general hospital from July 2009 to June 2010. A total of 301 DM patients responded to self-reporting questionnaire (Bengali adaptation of Rome III diagnostic questionnaire). Then 91 participants were further studied for glycemic status, liver function, kidney function and basic defects of diabetes through homeostasis model assessment. Results : The median age of 301 study population was 55 years (range 25 to 84 years) and the male female ratio was 1: 0.74. Out of 301 DM cases, 273 (90.7%) had GI symptoms. Significantly (p<0.05) higher number of males (93.6%) had GI symptoms compared to females (86.7%). Among the clinical conditions, unspecified functional bowel disorder (UFBD) was present in 88.3% cases, followed by cyclic vomiting syndrome (38.1%) and functional fecal incontinence (20.9%). Single GI symptom was present in 123 (45.1%) cases while 32.6%, 12.5% and 9.9% had two, three and more than three GI symptoms respectively. No significant difference was found in any biochemical parameter between cases with and without GI symptoms. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed sex and residence as poor predictors of UFBD while other variables did not show any significant relation/risk to UFBD. Conclusion : A large proportion of patients with long duration of DM had GI symptoms. A comprehensive management of diabetes requires attention to GI disorders. IMC J Med Sci 2017; 11(2): 56-60
Early cleavage of human embryos is a strong predictor for embryo implantation in ICSI

Purpose: To observe whether early cleavage can be a predictor of pregnancy and implantation rates. Methods: A total of 193 infertile couples, attending the ART unit, International Islamic Center for Population Studies and Research (IICPSR), -Al- Azhar University in the period from December 2010 to September 2012, were included in this study. The controlled ovarian hyperstimulation protocol was performed according to a long GnRH agonist protocol starting in the midluteal phase (day 21) of the preceding cycle. Embryos were assessed at 25 - 27 hr after ICSI for early cleavage. Embryos which reached the two cell stage at this interval were classified as Early Cleavage (EC) embryos, and the remaining as Non Early Cleavage (NEC) embryos. Embryos were assessed again at 64 - 68 hours post-ICSI for day-three embryo morphology. Day 3 embryo transfer was done. The best two or three embryos, according to day 3 embryo morphology were transferred. The patients were subdivided into two subgroups; one will transfer early cleavage embryos (EC) and the other will transfer non early cleavage embryo (NEC). Results: We found that transfer of early cleavage embryos (EC) led to significantly higher pregnancy rates as compared to non early cleavage embryos (NEC) (43.30 % versus 21.88 %; P = 0.005), and also higher implantation rates (25.58 % versus 11.35 %; P = 0.000). Also we found that the EC embryos had significantly higher proportion of good quality embryos when compared to NEC embryos (P = 0.000). Conclusion: early cleavage could be an additional factor for selecting embryos with a higher potential of implantation and successful pregnancy (Edessy M, Ali AEN, Fata A and Hamed W. Early cleavage of human embryos is a strong predictor for embryo implantation in ICSI. N Y Sci J 2013;6(12):121-126). (ISSN: 1554-0200). http://www.sciencepub. net/newyork . 19
A DSGE Model from the Old Keynesian Economics: An Empirical Investigation

In this paper we estimate a DSGE model built along the lines of the recent FarmerÂiÂ¯s micro-foundation of the General Theory. Estimating a simple demand-driven competitive-search model, we test the ability of this new theoretical proposal to match the behaviour of the US and Euro Area labour markets. We show that within a relatively simple model we are able to fairly replicate their salient features, confirming for instance the conventional wisdom according to which the US labour market is more flexible than its Euro Area counterpart. Moreover, we provide an estimation of the not-yet-measured (unobserved) Euro Area job vacancies time series.
Consequences of fluctuations in the ambient air temperature at Lake Tanganyika --- A wavelet analysis

We study the fluctuations of the horizontal wind speed and of both the ambient air temperature and the water temperature according to the depth. Our study clearly shows how Lake Tanganyika is thermally stratified, showing four different water layers. The study shows how waters of upper layers tend to have the same temperature as the deepest water during the dry season. The water stratification tends then to disappear completely in the dry season. The study is based on the fact that water releases energy to heat the ambient air during the dry season and absorbs heat energy during the rainy season. We analyzed the behavior of the Richardson number in order to better understand the mode of transmission of the exchanged energy between water and ambient air. Fourier and wavelet analyses show that fluctuations in the ambient air temperature should play a major role in the behavior of water and of wind and probably of many other physical processes occurring in the site of Lake Tanganyika. This work shows the existence of a very large heat reservoir that consists of the great mass of waters of the hypolimnion and of another great heat source at variable temperature that consists of the large mass of atmospheric air surrounding the lake. The heat reservoir with variable temperature, namely the atmospheric ambient air, should ultimately determine the behavior of Lake Tanganyika.
Promoting Intercultural Competence of Thai University Students through Role-Play

The current situation of international communication in globalization context requires intercultural competence (IC) to achieve successful communication (Crystal, 2003). Concerning this intercultural competence, non-verbal communication (NVC) plays a key role to indicate the success of having intercultural competence. On the other hand, Thai Ministry of Education (MOE) has launched the CEFR for the country policy in English teaching and learning (Ministry of Education, 2016). The purpose of this paper is to present major results of an investigation of intercultural competence, that is, the NVC. An innovative program implemented in this study is the CEFR and project- based activities (the CEFR-PBA). The study also examines Thai university students’ attitude towards this innovative class. This paper discusses the IC students learned from role-plays. The participants of the study were 44 students of third year English Education at a Thai Rajabhat University. Research method applies action research (Burns, 1999) and case study (Yin, Case Study Research: Design and Method, 2003). Data collection gained was from 1) videotape recordings of students’ role-play, and 2) the questionnaire. Data analysis for video recordings employed a NVC rating scale evaluated by native-speaker raters; while means, percentage, and SD were used for the questionnaire. Grounded theory’s color coding (Strauss & Cobin, 1990) will be utilized in analyzing the qualitative data from raters’ additional comment. Findings revealed students’ NVC performance were both appropriate on body movement and position as well as vocalic communication. Moreover, their attitude towards the CEFR-PBA was positive.
Season influence on serum organic parameters of dromedarius (Camelus dromaderius) in Algeria

In order to evaluate the climate influence on biochemical parameters in dromedarius (Camelus dromaderius), blood samples were performed on 40 animals, clinically healthy, reared under semi-extensive conditions in the Djelfa valley, in the South of Algeria, during the dry season (July/August) and the green season (December/January) to determine and compare organic indices (glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, urea and creatinine). Statistical analysis showed a seasonal variation in concentrations of triglycerides and cholesterol. These are higher during the dry season (0.60 and 0.64 mmol/L) than during the wet season (0.504 and 0.51 mmol/L). However, a highly significant effect (p < 0.05) is recorded on the plasma glucose, serum urea and creatinine concentrations. These are higher during the wet season (4.92, 8.97 mmol/L and 115.52 µmol/L) than during the warm season (3.38, 5.32 mmol/L and 93.6 µmol/L). In conclusion, the results of this study would be useful for the preparation of serum organic indices. Nutritional status can induce significant changes in physiological responses of the camel. Available forage during the green season has improved the organic profile of the state of the body and blood of camels.
Effect of plant growth regulators on establishment and growth of strawberry (Fragaria X ananassa Duch.) var. chandler in vitro

In the present studies on micro propagation of strawberry (Fragaria X annanassa Duch.) var. chandler eight different treatments were considered (T₁ to T₈) to which MS media is supplemented with different combinations of Benzyl amino purine (BAP), Kinetin (Kn) and Gibberellic acid (GA₃). After one week the shoots were observed to be emerging from the nodal explants. After 10 to 20 days of culture T₄ [BA (1.5mg/l) + Kn (0.5mg/l)] showed good result in terms of shoot length. However, the T₃ [BA (1.5mg/l) + Kn (0.1mg/l)] showed best results throughout the culture. It is found from the present study that even though highly disease borne strawberry, can be made disease free and established under aseptic condition. Once disease free, they can be manipulated for quality planting material production. Plant growth regulators viz., BAP, Kn and GA3 in different combinations produced different desired responses in vitro. After 30 days of culture, the treatment T3 [BAP (1.5mg/l) + Kn (0.1 mg/l)] gave the highest number of shoots (3) with 5.5cm shoot length, highest number of leaves (7) and maximum survival rate of explants (70%) and thus it was found to be the best among the various treatment combination; as well as more economically feasible over the rest of the treatments.
Effect of Humidity on Vibrational Properties of Chemically Modified Wood

Changes in vibrational properties of wood can be used to determine changes in the wood cell wall resulting from chemical modification. The dynamic Young's modulus to specific gravity ratio (E'/γ) and internal friction (tan δ) for chemically modified wood compared to those for untreated wood showed major differences in cell-wall modification and lumen filling modification. Increasing the moisture content of the cell wall also has a major effect on the vibrational properties of chemically modified wood. In general, treatments that resulted in lowering the moisture content of the cell wall also lowered internal friction within the cell wall. Vapor phase reactions with formaldehyde had the greatest effect in stabilizing the cell wall against changes in dynamic mechanical properties with increasing moisture content.
A decision model in investment according to price/earning ratio*

There are enough empirical studies that show that both practical people and investment analysts use the price/earning ratio as a variable to make their investment decisions. These studies analyze whether a security is overvaluated or undervaluated. At the same time, investment strategies have been studied according to whether the security has a high or low price/earning ratio. This paper tries to give an analytical explanation for why such appraisal (valuation) might happen through price/earning, as well as the subjacent variables in such a ratio. Decision models are developed based on the investors behavior. An empirical study of models for stocks traded in the Santiago Stock Market, simulating the investors behavior and contrasting it with the real results, is also made.
Nonstationarity: Flood Magnification and Recurrence Reduction Factors in the United States 1

Vogel, Richard M. , Chad Yaindl, and Meghan Walter, 2011. Nonstationarity: Flood Magnification and Recurrence Reduction Factors in the United States. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(3):464‐474. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011. 00541.x
The Impacts of Cash and In-Kind Transfers on Consumption and Labor Supply: Experimental Evidence from Rural Mexico

The authors use the unique experimental design of the Food Support Program (Programa Apoyo Alimentario) to analyze in-kind and cash transfers in the poor rural areas of southern states of Mexico. They compare the impacts of monthly in-kind and cash transfers of equivalent value (mean share 11.5 percent of pre-program consumption) on household welfare as measured by food and total consumption, adult labor supply, and poverty. The results show that approximately two years later the transfer has a large and positive impact on total and food consumption. There are no differences in the size of the effect of transfer in cash versus transfers in-kind on consumption. The transfer, irrespective of type, does not affect overall participation in labor market activities but induces beneficiary households to switch their labor allocation from agricultural to nonagricultural activities. The analysis finds that the program leads to a significant reduction in poverty. Overall, the findings suggest that the Food Support Program intervention is able to relax the binding liquidity constraints faced by poor agricultural households, and thus increases both equity and efficiency.
Investigation on Leakage Current Waveforms and Flashover Characteristics of Ceramics for Outdoor Insulators under Clean and Salt Fogs

Outdoor insulators play an important role in high voltage transmission lines. Since long time ago, ceramic insulators are widely being used in power systems at medium, high and extra high voltage levels. During operation, the insulators may severe a certain degree of pollution which may reduce their performances such as surface resistance and flash over voltages. Under these conditions a large leakage current (LC) may flow on the surface and degradation may take place. In long term the degradation may lead to the flash over of the insulators. This paper reports the experimental results on the leakage current characteristics of ceramics under various simulated environmental conditions. The samples used are blocks of ceramics with dimension of 250 x 50 x 20 mm 3 . The samples were made from same materials for outdoor ceramic insulators. The samples were put in a test chamber with controlled humidity and artificial pollution conditions. AC voltage with frequency of 50 Hz was applied. The tests were conducted according to IEC 60-1 (1989) and IEC 507 (fog test). The LC waveforms up to flash over were measured. The magnitudes as well as harmonic content of the LC were analyzed. The correlation between LC waveforms and dry band arching phenomenon was also elaborated. Experimental results showed that for clean insulators leakage current was much smaller than polluted insulators. The waveform distortion was observed particularly at positive half cycle when applied voltage was increased to higher than 20 kV. This indicated that electric discharges initiated from air proximity of the sample surface. For kaolin-salt polluted insulators, the LC amplitude was much higher than clean insulators. LC waveform distortion started at 10 kV. Unbalance distortion of LC waveforms was observed similar to those of clean samples. However, for kaolin-salt polluted samples, the distortion was observed mainly at negative half cycles which indicated that the electric discharges were initiated from the salt-kaolin layer embedded on the sample surface. Observation of LC waveforms during the process of flashover revealed that THD of increased with the applied voltage.
Enhanced Australian carbon sink despite increased wildfire during the 21st century

Climate projections show Australia becoming significantly warmer during the 21st century, and precipitation decreasing over much of the continent. Such changes are conventionally considered to increase wildfire risk. Nevertheless, we show that burnt area increases in southern Australia, but decreases in northern Australia. Overall the projected increase in fire is small (0.72–1.31% of land area, depending on the climate scenario used), and does not cause a decrease in carbon storage. In fact, carbon storage increases by 3.7–5.6 Pg C (depending on the climate scenario used). Using a process-based model of vegetation dynamics, vegetation–fire interactions and carbon cycling, we show increased fire promotes a shift to more fire-adapted trees in wooded areas and their encroachment into grasslands, with an overall increase in forested area of 3.9–11.9%. Both changes increase carbon uptake and storage. The increase in woody vegetation increases the amount of coarse litter, which decays more slowly than fine litter hence leading to a relative reduction in overall heterotrophic respiration, further reducing carbon losses. Direct CO2 effects increase woody cover, water-use efficiency and productivity, such that carbon storage is increased by 8.5–14.8 Pg C compared to simulations in which CO2 is held constant at modern values. CO2 effects tend to increase burnt area, fire fluxes and therefore carbon losses in arid areas, but increase vegetation density and reduce burnt area in wooded areas.
Hearing the voice of future generations: A laboratory experiment of ``Demeny voting''

We report the first experimental evidence on the effect of ``Demeny voting,'' wherein some people (e.g., parents) are given additional votes as proxy for the future generation (e.g., their children). In our experiment, three subjects are separated into the present and future generations, two of them regarded as the present generation. The present generation members are asked to determine the resource allocation between the present and future generations by majority voting. We compare voting behaviors and outcomes between ordinary majority voting (i.e., each of the two in the present generation has one vote) and Demeny voting (i.e., one of the two has two votes while the other has one vote). We obtain mixed evidence on whether the outcome of Demeny voting reflects the interest of the future generation. A remarkable finding is that half of the subjects who voted in favor of the future generation under ordinary voting reversed their decisions when they were given only one vote under Demeny voting; that is, they voted in favor of the present generation. This finding highlights the need, when planning to introduce Demeny voting, to consider the behaviors of not only people who are given additional votes but also those with only one vote. Finally, we compare voting behaviors between male and female subjects. We find that female subjects use their additional votes for the future generation more frequently than male subjects do, implying that women are less likely to abuse their proxy position than are men.
The Direct Costs from NPE Disputes

In the past, “non-practicing entities” (NPEs), popularly known as “patent trolls,” have helped small inventors profit from their inventions. Is this true today or, given the unprecedented levels of NPE litigation, do NPEs reduce innovation incentives? Using a survey of defendants and a database of litigation, this paper estimates the direct costs to defendants arising from NPE patent assertions. We estimate that firms accrued $29 billion of direct costs in 2011. Although large firms accrued over half of direct costs, most of the defendants were small or medium-sized firms. Moreover, an examination of publicly listed NPEs indicates that little of the direct costs represents a transfer to small inventors. This updated version of the paper includes a reply to critics.
Proteome alterations associated with the V144D SPTLC1 mutation that causes hereditary sensory neuropathy-I

Background: Hereditary sensory neuropathy type I is the most common subtype and presents with clinical onset in the second to third decade of life with progressive degeneration of the dorsal root ganglion neurons. Three different missense mutations in the gene encoding for serine palmitoyltransferase long chain subunit 1 have been linked to HSN-I. Here we quantitatively assess the proteomes and identify marked protein alterations in both mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum from HSN-I patient lymphoblasts which harbour the V144D mutation. Methods: Mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum were fractionated and lysed from control and patient-derived lymphoblasts. Protein samples were separated into total soluble and total membrane fractions and analysed using a well-established topdown proteomic protocol. Altered protein species were identified by LC MS/MS. Results: Using a detailed proteomic approach, we identified 36 proteins that were completely altered in abundance in cells harbouring the V144D SPTLC1 mutation relative to normal controls. Conclusion: The data establish that major protein alterations occur in both the endoplasmic reticulum, where the SPTLC1 protein resides, and in the mitochondria from V144D patient lymphoblasts. These proteins potentially play a major role in disease pathogenesis and may thus help to further elucidate the molecular mechanism(s) underlying hereditary sensory neuropathy type I and might also prove to be potential therapeutic targets.