Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
West Virginia principals' knowledge and application of school law

West Virginia Principals’ Knowledge and Application of School Law Nancy Ross Williams Public school principals must be prepared to apply knowledge of school law in a variety of situations. An electronic survey examined West Virginia principals’ knowledge and application of school law in five areas: separation of church-state, faculty issues, special education, student issues and tort liability. The study extended previous school law survey research of Brabrand (2003), Littleton, Hiram and Styron (2001), Power (2007) and Schlosser (2006), and utilized adapted or actual survey items from those studies with additional items constructed by the researcher. The purpose of the study was to determine if a relationship existed among West Virginia principals’ ability to accurately answer school law questions, given application scenarios and fact-based statements, compared with seven selected independent variables: programmatic level of the school; experience as a teacher; experience as an administrator; type of credentialing program; type of school law course taken; number of school law courses taken; and reported pedagogical construct of course delivery. Open-ended questions allowed principals to list likes/dislikes of university level school law coursework, recommendations for university preparation, recommendations for professional development, and areas of school law not included in the survey. A quantitative causal comparative research design utilized nonparametric measures to analyze quantitative data. Qualitative data was categorized and reported. The study identified six statistically significant differences. Principals’ recommendations for university credentialing programs and professional development indicated a compelling need to include coursework and ongoing professional development in knowledge and application of special education law.
The loss of virulence of histone H1 overexpressing Leishmania donovani parasites is directly associated with a reduction of HSP83 rate of translation

Overexpression of Leishmania histone H1 (LeishH1) was previously found to cause a promastigote‐to‐amastigote differentiation handicap, deregulation of cell‐cycle progression, and loss of parasite infectivity. The aim of this study was to identify changes in the proteome of LeishH1 overexpressing parasites associated with the avirulent phenotype observed. 2D‐gel electrophoresis analysis revealed only a small protein subset of differentially expressed proteins in the LeishH1 overexpressing promastigotes. Among these was the chaperone HSP83, known for its protective role in Leishmania drug‐induced apoptosis, which displayed lower translational rates. To investigate if the lower expression levels of HSP83 are associated with the differentiation handicap, we assayed the thermostability of parasites by subjecting them to heat‐shock (25°C→37°C), a natural stress‐factor occurring during stage differentiation. Heat‐shock promoted apoptosis to a greater extent in the LeishH1 overexpressing parasites. Interestingly, these parasites were not only more sensitive to heat‐shock but also to drug‐induced [Sb(III)] cell‐death. In addition, the restoration of HSP83 levels re‐established drug resistance, and restored infectivity to LeishH1 overexpressing parasites in the murine J774 macrophage model. Overall, this study suggests that LeishH1 levels are critical for the parasite's stress‐induced adaptation within the mammalian host, and highlights the cross‐talk between pathways involved in drug resistance, apoptosis and virulence.
Algorithms for Quantized Precoded MIMO-OFDM Systems

The knowledge of the wireless channel is crucial for realizing the capacity and diversity gains of a MIMO system. In the absence of perfect channel knowledge at the transmitter, channel information can be quantized at the receiver and sent back using a low-rate feedback link. In the case of flat-fading channels, considerable work has been done in reducing the feedback information. This work, however, does not naturally extend to the case of frequency selective channels and leads to an explosion in the feedback overhead. In this paper, OFDM is considered as an implementation of linearly precoded MIMO spatial multiplexing systems over frequency selective channels. Two classes of algorithms are discussed for quantizing channel information-clustering and transform. The clustering group the subcarriers and choose a common frequency-domain representation of the channel information for each group. Thus the feedback rate depends on the number of groups and not on the number of subcarriers. The transform algorithms quantize the channel information in time-domain where the transform essentially decorrelates the channel information. Both the algorithms provide significant compression of channel information maintaining bit-error-rate performance close to the case of perfect channel knowledge
Association between Presystolic Ventricular Flash and Left Ventricular Functional Recovery after Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy

The presence of septal flash (SF), an early inward/outward motion of the ventricular septum, has been reported to predict a fair response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in patients with heart failure. Using speckle tracking echocardiography, we investigated whether the extent of pre‐CRT SF was associated with left ventricular (LV) functional recovery after CRT device implantation. Fifteen patients with left bundle branch block with a mean LV ejection fraction of 23 ± 9% were enrolled in this study. The extent of presystolic ventricular flash (PSVF), which was defined if there was a peak in the radial strain curve in the preejection period, was semiquantified by counting the number of PSVF‐positive segments. Patients underwent radial strain analysis before and between 3 and 6 months after CRT. After CRT device implantation, LV end‐diastolic and end‐systolic volumes were decreased, LV ejection fraction was increased, and LV filling time corrected by RR interval was increased. The number of PSVF‐positive segments at baseline showed a graded association with improvement in both LV ejection fraction and LV filling time. In conclusion, the finding that a larger number of PSVF‐positive segments before CRT predicted fair LV functional recovery after CRT suggests that PSVF may represent a substrate that is amenable to functional response to CRT.
Characterization of leptospiral serovars by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA fingerprinting.

Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting of 14 laboratory strains of leptospiral serovars (serovars australis, autumnalis, ballum, bataviae, canicola, grippotyphosa, hardjoprajitno, hebdomadis, icterohaemorrhagiae, javanica, pomona, pyrogenes, panama, and tarassovi) was carried out by using a pair of primers. Each serovar had a unique and distinct fingerprint pattern. DNAs of other bacterial species, including Escherichia coli, Pasteurella multocida, Salmonella spp. , Pseudomonas spp. , and Klebsiella spp. , did not show any amplification. RAPD fingerprinting was found to be a rapid and sensitive method for serovar identification when it was compared to DNA restriction enzyme analysis, which produced a larger number of bands that made it more difficult to compare serovars.
A block adaptive DFE in the frequency domain based on tentative decisions

In this paper a new block adaptive DFE implemented in the frequency domain is derived. The new algorithm is suitable for rejecting ISI due to multipath echoes, especially to wireless transmission systems which involve channels with long impulse response. The novel idea is to use tentative decisions properly derived by minimizing a frequency domain criterion. The algorithm has a steady-state performance which is practically identical to that of the symbol-by-symbol DFE. At the same time it offers a faster convergence rate and substantial savings in complexity. Additionally, the level of the steady-state MSE achieved by the algorithm is insensitive to the length of the block. Thus the new algorithm allows a trade off between complexity and processing delay without affecting performance.
60-GHz LTCC Miniaturized Substrate Integrated Multibeam Array Antenna With Multiple Polarizations

In this paper, miniaturized substrate integrated multibeam array antennas are proposed and designed at 60 GHz. Owing to the design flexibility of the low temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) technology, the entire multibeam antenna size is only equal to the size of radiating aperture by carefully embedding the complicated substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) feeding network underneath the radiating array. After introducing design procedures for the folded Butler matrix and the corresponding radiating array, a ± 45° dual linear-polarization (LP) and a dual circular-polarization (CP) substrate integrated multibeam array antennas are designed and fabricated, respectively. Here, each multibeam antenna has four switchable beams with different pointing directions. Each beam direction has two orthogonal LP or CP modes, therefore allowing the polarization diversity. Measured results validate our design and demonstrate good performances of our proposed structures.
Allopurinol has Immunomodulating Activity following Topical and Systemic Application in Experimental Autoimmune Uveitis

Purpose Allopurinol has beneficial effects in the systemic treatment of lens-induced uveitis and experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU). This is believed to be due to a reduction of oxidative tissue damage through its dose-dependent free radical scavenging ability, and to an immunomodulating effect. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the immunological effects on the IgG-antibody repertoire in EAU after topical and systemic allopurinol and steroids. Methods We assigned 43 male Lewis rats to 6 different groups: healthy rats (BASE, n=3), EAU without therapy (CTRL, n=9); systemic treatment with allopurinol (ALSYS, n=9, 50 mg/kg body wt.i.v., given every three days for two weeks), topical allopurinol (ALLOC, n=6, 8 times/day), systemic methylprednisolone (STSYS, n=10, 7.5 mg/kg body wt. i.v. (Hoechst, Frankfurt, Germany)), and topical treatment with prednisolone acetate 1% (Inflanefran Forte®) (STLOC, n=6). Sera were tested against Western blots (WB) of SDS-PAGE (sodium-dodecyl-sulfate polyacrylamide-gelelectorphoresis) of retinal proteins. Based on digital image analysis, discriminance was analysed. Results The analysis of discriminance indicated that all therapy groups were significantly different from untreated controls (Wilks' lambda = 0.174; p<0.01). Comparing only the number of peaks and the intensities, the WB of allopurinol treated animals showed a much stronger, significant, immunomodulating effect than those treated with steroids (p>0.05), even after topical application (p<0.01). Conlcusions Allopurinol had an immunomodulating effect in EAU. Surprisingly, the topical application had more effect than systemically applied allopurinol. Allopurinol had stronger effects than systemic or topical steroids. Allopurinol appears to offer promise in the treatment of uveitis. Topical application of the drug helps to reduce possible complications such as the allopurinol hypersensitivity syndrome.
Modelling UK power system frequency response with increasing wind penetration

This paper looks into the modelling of frequency response of the UK power system, showing the transient effects in different scenarios. As the UK pursues its renewable energy target, predominantly through offshore wind, the UK's TSO, National Grid, has to facilitate for a grid with reduced inertia and predictability, in conjunction with changing infeed-loss requirements. A validated model of the UK system is used to identify the future requirements for primary and secondary response to maintain frequency control for grid code compliance, and the benefits of synthetic inertia from wind turbines. The model shows how the primary response needs to be changed to effectively deal with increased infeed-loss requirements in low demand and high wind penetration scenarios.
Electrostatic Rotary Stepper Micromotor for Skew Angle Compensation in Hard Disk Drive

Circular data tracks in present-day hard disk drives (HDD) are accessed by a read/write head mounted on a support arm, which is swung by a voice coil drive. The orientation of the head relative to a data track varies with the radial position of the track, causing an increase in data track misregistration and limiting the performance of HDD. We present a rotary micromotor which can be used as a secondary stage actuator to maintain a constant orientation between the head and the tracks during disk operation. This electrostatic stepper micromotor, bulk micromachined in a standard monocrystalline silicon wafer, uses flexure pivots to avoid any frictional contact of the rotor, providing precise, repeatable and reliable bidirectional stepping motion without feedback control. The experimental characterization of a prototype having a diameter of 1.4 mm has demonstrated a rotational range of 26° (+/- 13°) at 75 V, a resolution of 1/6° in a coarse stepping mode and a maximum speed of 1.67°/ms.
Ethnic Diasporas and U.S. Foreign Policy

The American polity is unique in its insistence on political rather than ethnic criteria for inclusion and loyalty. American patriotism is defined as the devotion to liberal-democratic and humane principles and not to an ethnically-based, cultural community. In fact, ethnic pluralism in the United States is by now part of the American creed of "Celebrated Diversity," to use Lawrence Fuchs's phrase. While at the turn of the twentieth century many citizens regarded the "hyphenated American" with contempt and distrust, now hyphenation is prized. The U.S. lack of emphasis on the organic community and the growing legitimation of ethnicity in public life allow members of American ethnic groups to identify with their county of origin. Indeed, many U.S. diasporas mainly migrants and their descendants who are linked by ties of origin, ethnic association, or nationalityfeel a sense of kinship with the land of their ancestors and share an abiding interest in the politics of their ancestral country or symbolic homeland. Political actors abroad have increasingly appreciated and even encouraged the political activity of their compatriots on their behalf. The ties to the homeland are also reinforced by modern transportation and communication. The growing number of Americans who keep close contact
Study design of the Maycoba Project: obesity and diabetes in Mexican Pimas.

OBJECTIVE To focus on the rationale and methods of the Maycoba Project. METHODS Study population included Mexican Pima Indians (MPI) and Blancos aged ≥20-years, living in the village of Maycoba and surrounding area. Surveys in 1995 and 2010 included a medical history, biochemical and anthropomet- ric measurements. Additionally, socio- economic, physical activity, and dietary interviews were conducted. The 2010 study incorporated investigations on type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity-associated genetic alleles and human-envi- ronment changes. RESULTS The study results are limited to demographic data and description of the eligible and ex- amined sample. CONCLUSIONS This study may yield important information on T2D and obesity etiology in a traditional population exposed to environmental changes.
Adaptations for the Oxidation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Exhibited by the Structure of Human P450 1A2*♦

Microsomal cytochrome P450 family 1 enzymes play prominent roles in xenobiotic detoxication and procarcinogen activation. P450 1A2 is the principal cytochrome P450 family 1 enzyme expressed in human liver and participates extensively in drug oxidations. This enzyme is also of great importance in the bioactivation of mutagens, including the N-hydroxylation of arylamines. P450-catalyzed reactions involve a wide range of substrates, and this versatility is reflected in a structural diversity evident in the active sites of available P450 structures. Here, we present the structure of human P450 1A2 in complex with the inhibitor α-naphthoflavone, determined to a resolution of 1.95 Å. α-Naphthoflavone is bound in the active site above the distal surface of the heme prosthetic group. The structure reveals a compact, closed active site cavity that is highly adapted for the positioning and oxidation of relatively large, planar substrates. This unique topology is clearly distinct from known active site architectures of P450 family 2 and 3 enzymes and demonstrates how P450 family 1 enzymes have evolved to catalyze efficiently polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon oxidation. This report provides the first structure of a microsomal P450 from family 1 and offers a template to study further structure-function relationships of alternative substrates and other cytochrome P450 family 1 members.
A Prospective Randomised Controlled Study on Efficacies of Acupuncture and Steroid in Treatment of Idiopathic Peripheral Facial Paralysis

Objective A randomised controlled trial was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture in comparison with steroid in treatment of idiopathic peripheral facial paralysis (Bell's palsy). Methods A total of 119 patients attending Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital from February 2003 to December 2005 were randomly allocated to groups of acupuncture, steroid and control (conventional expectant treatment). There were 53 in the steroid group, 28 in the acupuncture group and 38 in the control group. Patients were assessed weekly by blinded assessors, using the House–Brackmann facial nerve grading system. Results The efficacy of treatment in three groups was compared, in terms of degree of recovery and speed of recovery. Intention-to-treat analyses were performed. Results were analysed with SPSS software. Distribution of initial grade on presentation was analysed with the Pearson chi-square test and showed uneven distribution in the three groups in the intention-to-treat analysis. The overall improvement (grade 3 or better) was 86.9% in the steroid group, 96.4% in the acupuncture group and 89.5% in the control group respectively. However, the difference in degree of recovery and speed of recovery in the three groups was not statistically significant. Conclusion The efficacies of acupuncture, steroid and conventional expectant treatment (natural course of recovery) in idiopathic peripheral facial palsy (Bell's palsy) in the study were the same with respect to the degree of recovery and speed of recovery.
Land‐sharing versus land‐sparing logging: reconciling timber extraction with biodiversity conservation

Selective logging is a major driver of rainforest degradation across the tropics. Two competing logging strategies are proposed to meet timber demands with the least impact on biodiversity: land sharing, which combines timber extraction with biodiversity protection across the concession; and land sparing, in which higher intensity logging is combined with the protection of intact primary forest reserves. We evaluate these strategies by comparing the abundances and species richness of birds, dung beetles and ants in Borneo, using a protocol that allows us to control for both timber yield and net profit across strategies. Within each taxonomic group, more species had higher abundances with land‐sparing than land‐sharing logging, and this translated into significantly higher species richness within land‐sparing concessions. Our results are similar when focusing only on species found in primary forest and restricted in range to Sundaland, and they are independent of the scale of sampling. For each taxonomic group, land‐sparing logging was the most promising strategy for maximizing the biological value of logging operations.
Nck adaptors, besides promoting N-WASP mediated actin-nucleation activity at pedestals, influence the cellular levels of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Tir effector

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) binding to human intestinal cells triggers the formation of disease-associated actin rich structures called pedestals. The latter process requires the delivery, via a Type 3 secretion system, of the translocated Intimin receptor (Tir) protein into the host plasma membrane where binding of a host kinase-modified form to the bacterial surface protein Intimin triggers pedestal formation. Tir-Intimin interaction recruits the Nck adaptor to a Tir tyrosine phosphorylated residue where it activates neural Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP); initiating the major pathway to actin polymerization mediated by the actin-related protein (Arp) 2/3 complex. Previous studies with Nck-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) identified a key role for Nck in pedestal formation, presumed to reflect a lack of N-WASP activation. Here, we show the defect relates to reduced amounts of Tir within Nck-deficient cells. Indeed, Tir delivery and, thus, pedestal formation defects were much greater for MEFs than HeLa (human epithelial) cells. Crucially, the levels of two other effectors (EspB/EspF) within Nck-deficient MEFs were not reduced unlike that of Map (Mitochondrial associated protein) which, like Tir, requires CesT chaperone function for efficient delivery. Interestingly, drugs blocking various host protein degradation pathways failed to increase Tir cellular levels unlike an inhibitor of deacetylase activity (Trichostatin A; TSA). Treatments with TSA resulted in significant recovery of Tir levels, potentiation of actin polymerization and improvement in bacterial attachment to cells. Our findings have important implications for the current model of Tir-mediated actin polymerization and opens new lines of research in this area.
Advances in FDTD for dispersive and high frequency simulations

Recent advances in the treatment of dispersive materials in FDTD solvers have enabled the study of demanding multipole dispersion. For academic examples with simple geometries the average simulation time is still large compared to other numerical techniques. However, the increase in efficiency allows the exploitation of the advantages and strengths of FDTD in this area, and problems such as, for example, plasmonic resonant structures can be solved with a modest and inexpensive set of hardware in a common desktop computer.