Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Did we take the same test? Differing accounts of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test by first and second language test‐takers

Within the context of increasing numbers of second language (L2) learners in Canadian schools and expanding standards‐driven testing frameworks, a passing score on the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) is a recently imposed secondary school graduation requirement in Ontario. There is evidence, however, that tests designed on the basis of first language (L1) populations may have lower reliability and validity for L2 students. This study elicited accounts of the OSSLT in 33 focus groups of 22 L1 students and 136 L2 students, attending 7 Ontario secondary schools, prior to and immediately after the March 2006 test administration. The results suggest important differences in L1 and L2 accounts of test constructs and suggest a gap between what is valued as literacy on the test and what is valued in classroom literacy practice, raising some concern regarding the test’s consequential validity. By examining how different groups of test‐takers interpret test constructs and the interaction between these interpretations, test design, and accounts of classroom practice, we may better address issues of fidelity in test construct representation (i.e., understand what may constitute construct under‐representation and construct‐irrelevant variance). This study highlights what may make a test more L2‐friendly, i.e. what supports (or impedes) L2 test performance. Although in the washback literature test‐taker accounts of tests have been the least researched, the results of this study suggest that such accounts have the potential to increase test fairness, enhance the validity of inferences drawn from test performance, improve the effectiveness of accommodation strategies, and promote positive washback.
Research on Group-Based Mastery Learning Programs: A Meta-Analysis

AbstractThis paper presents a synthesis of findings from 46 studies on group-based applications of mastery learning strategies. Meta-analytic procedures were used to combine the results of the studies and to calculate estimates of the effects of group-based applications. Results show that such applications yield consistently positive effects on both cognitive and affective student learning outcomes, as well as several teacher variables. Variation in the size of the effect across studies was found to be quite large, however, and homogeneity tests indicated that the studies do not share a common effect size. Several factors were explored as possible explanations for this variation, including the subject area to which mastery learning was applied, the grade level of students involved, and the duration of the study. Other possible explanations for this variation are discussed, along with implications for future directions in the research.
Performance of a simple architecture of an analog CMOS detector for MB-UWB receiver

This paper presents an implementation study of an analog CMOS pulse detector. The detector includes four stages: squarer, current amplification, an integrator and a sample and hold. The main objective is to realize the pulse detection function with less complexity design, low power consumption and low mass fabrication cost. Also, it must operates in the 3.1–10.6 GHz UWB band for a multi-band impulse radio receiver. The noise performance of the detector is studied. Transistors mismatches and imperfection of the current amplifier are theoretically studied in order to evaluate their effects on the global circuit performances. CADENCE's spectre simulation results in 0.35 µm CMOS technology are presented to validate this approach. Monte-Carlo simulation results are equally given in order to enforce the analytical studies. The proposed detector consumes only 2 mW with a ±1.8 V supply.
A multi-objective model for the hazardous materials transportation problem based on lane reservation

This paper presents an application of the lane reservation strategy in the hazardous materials transportation. Once an accident of hazardous materials transportation happens, its effect is significant. Lane reservation can reduce the hazardous materials transportation risk enormously; however, it will also impact on the normal traffic. The proposed problem is to choose lanes to be reserved on the network and select the path for each hazardous materials shipment among the reserved lanes in order to make a trade-off between the impact on the normal traffic and the total risk of the hazardous materials transportation. We first develop a multi-objective integer linear programming model for the problem with multiple types of hazardous materials and multiple origin-destination pairs. Then we adopt the ε-constraint method to solve the multi-objective model. The performance of the method is evaluated on a large set of randomly generated instances. Computational results show that the ε-constraint method can not only solve the proposed problems within reasonable time but also generate candidate solutions that can shape an efficient Pareto front for the multi-objective optimization problem.
Adaptive Sleep Mode Mechanism for 3G WiMax Networks

The proliferation of wireless services and anytime anywhere communication providing always-on connectivity, mobile devices are getting smaller and smarter. Therefore, third-generation (3G) wireless standards IEEE 802.16e should provide very efficient energy conservation mechanisms to achieve longer battery life while providing enhanced user experience and quality of service (QoS). The emerging IEEE 802.16e standard provides a new sleep mode operation for Mobile Stations (MS) to address energy efficiency. In Sleep mode, the energy consumption of MS may be reduced by introducing a sleep cycle. However, a longer sleep cycle usually incurs higher response time. So there is a tradeoff between energy conservation and response time. Hence, we propose an Adaptive Sleep Mode Mechanism (ASMM) which adjusts an MS's sleep cycle in an adaptive manner based on online monitoring and estimation of the traffic condition. The goal is to minimize the response time of the MS while reducing the energy consumption. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by simulation results. Keywords: Adaptive Sleep Mode Mechanism, IEEE 802.16e, Mobile Station, Response Time, Sleep Mode, Third Generation.
Destination brand personality: searching for personality traits on golf-related websites

This research uses promotional texts in golf-related websites as a source to identify potential brand personality traits. Promotional texts were extracted from 144 golf-related websites, divided into three categories. In order to reduce the number of items in the list, a criteria of 2% of the overall frequencies (n = 963) was adopted and 10 items were selected as potential golf destination brand personality traits. These items were validated and allocated to the components of the relational brand personality by a panel of judges. None of the selected items belonged to the “Big-Five” model of personality and only two items belong to Aaker's scale. These results show that there is not a strong presence of “human characteristics” when promoting golf destinations online.
Endothelial FAK is essential for vascular network stability, cell survival, and lamellipodial formation

Morphogenesis of a vascular network requires dynamic vessel growth and regression. To investigate the cellular mechanism underlying this process, we deleted focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a key signaling mediator, in endothelial cells (ECs) using Tie2-Cre mice. Targeted FAK depletion occurred efficiently early in development, where mutants exhibited a distinctive and irregular vasculature, resulting in hemorrhage and lethality between embryonic day (e) 10.5 and 11.5. Capillaries and intercapillary spaces in yolk sacs were dilated before any other detectable abnormalities at e9.5, and explants demonstrate that the defects resulted from the loss of FAK and not from organ failure. Time-lapse microscopy monitoring EC behavior during vascular formation in explants revealed no apparent decrease in proliferation or migration but revealed increases in cell retraction and death leading to reduced vessel growth and increased vessel regression. Consistent with this phenotype, ECs derived from mutant embryos exhibited aberrant lamellipodial extensions, altered actin cytoskeleton, and nonpolarized cell movement. This study reveals that FAK is crucial for vascular morphogenesis and the regulation of EC survival and morphology.
Barriers to healthcare coordination in market-based and decentralized public health systems: a qualitative study in healthcare networks of Colombia and Brazil

Although integrated healthcare networks (IHNs) are promoted in Latin America in response to health system fragmentation, few analyses on the coordination of care across levels in these networks have been conducted in the region. The aim is to analyse the existence of healthcare coordination across levels of care and the factors influencing it from the health personnel’ perspective in healthcare networks of two countries with different health systems: Colombia, with a social security system based on managed competition and Brazil, with a decentralized national health system. A qualitative, exploratory and descriptive–interpretative study was conducted, based on a case study of healthcare networks in four municipalities. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with a three stage theoretical sample of (a) health (112) and administrative (66) professionals of different care levels, and (b) managers of providers (42) and insurers (14). A thematic content analysis was conducted, segmented by cases, informant groups and themes. The results reveal poor clinical information transfer between healthcare levels in all networks analysed, with added deficiencies in Brazil in the coordination of access and clinical management. The obstacles to care coordination are related to the organization of both the health system and the healthcare networks. In the health system, there is the existence of economic incentives to compete (exacerbated in Brazil by partisan political interests), the fragmentation and instability of networks in Colombia and weak planning and evaluation in Brazil. In the healthcare networks, there are inadequate working conditions (temporary and/or part-time contracts) which hinder the use of coordination mechanisms, and inadequate professional training for implementing a healthcare model in which primary care should act as coordinator in patient care. Reforms are needed in these health systems and networks in order to modify incentives, strengthen the state planning and supervision functions and improve professional working conditions and skills.
A user study on public health events detected within the medical ecosystem

The great influx of Medical-Web data makes the task of computer-assisted gathering and interpretation of Social Media-based Epidemic Intelligence (SM-EI) a very challenging one. State-of-the-art approaches usually use supervised machine learning algorithms to gather data from a variety of sources in this medical ecosystem, mining this data for specific event patterns and information discovery. Supervised approaches not only limit the type of detectable events, but also requires learning examples be given to the machine learning algorithm in advance. On the other hand, the more generic and flexible unsupervised machine learning methods currently produce such complex results, that the domain experts are not capable of assessing the results in a natural and efficient manner. In this paper, we present a novel framework with which SM-EI field practitioners can interact with medical ecosystem data, and assess the results of such complex unsupervised SM-EI algorithms. The assessment framework and the unsupervised epidemic event detection algorithm have been fully implemented and a quantitative study is presented to show the validity of the new approach to SM-EI.
Creating America's ‘Czech Capital’: ethnic identity and heritage tourism in Wilber, Nebraska

European American ethnic festivals play an important role in the maintenance of folk traditions and ethnic identity in America. Many of these festivals were established during a mid-twentieth-century period of diminishing Old World identity among second and third generation immigrants. The celebrations sought not only to revive ethnic identification by highlighting customs such as cuisine, music and dance, but also to boost the local economy by tapping into a burgeoning tourism destination market. Wilber, Nebraska, home to a large population of Czech Americans, resurrected such a festival in 1962 that had not been celebrated since 1937, and this paper explores a number of geographical, historical, cultural and political factors contributing to its initial and continued popularity as a regional ethnic festival. Also discussed are the commodified cultural items, including food, polka music, craftwork and traditional clothing that provide Czech Americans a means to engage in and maintain a satisfying level of ethnic identity without exerting significant amounts of money and time. The Czech Festival continues to benefit Wilber economically with tens of thousands of tourist visits each year, and surveys indicate that the maintenance of ethnic customs and identity in the community is increasingly becoming dependent on the festival.
Activation of Notch-Mediated Protective Signaling in the Myocardium

The Notch network regulates multiple cellular processes, including cell fate determination, development, differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and regeneration. These processes are regulated via Notch-mediated activity that involves hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-Met receptor and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling cascades. The impact of HGF on Notch signaling was assessed following myocardial infarction as well as in cultured cardiomyocytes. Notch1 is activated in border zone cardiomyocytes coincident with nuclear c-Met following infarction. Intramyocardial injection of HGF enhances Notch1 and Akt activation in adult mouse myocardium. Corroborating evidence in cultured cardiomyocytes shows treatment with HGF or insulin increases levels of Notch effector Hes1 in immunoblots, whereas overexpression of activated Notch intracellular domain prompts a 3-fold increase in phosphorylated Akt. Infarcted hearts injected with adenoviral vector expressing Notch intracellular domain treatment exhibit improved hemodynamic function in comparison with control mice after 4 weeks, implicating Notch signaling in a cardioprotective role following cardiac injury. These results indicate Notch activation in cardiomyocytes is mediated through c-Met and Akt survival signaling pathways, and Notch1 signaling in turn enhances Akt activity. This mutually supportive crosstalk suggests a positive survival feedback mechanism between Notch and Akt signaling in adult myocardium following injury.
Rapunzel syndrome: a rare cause of hypoproteinaemia and review of literature

Rapunzel syndrome is an extremely rare condition associated with trichophagia (hair eating disorder) secondary to a psychiatric illness called trichotillomania (hair-pulling behaviour). It is most commonly seen in children and adolescents. Untreated cases can lead to a number of complications. We present a case of a middle-aged woman with sudden intractable vomiting and constipation associated with bilateral pedal oedema and significant weight loss. Laboratory investigations revealed low serum protein levels. Laparotomy was performed, and a hairball was removed from her stomach and ileum. The patient was managed with the help of a psychiatrist and was given nutritional support. We performed a comprehensive search and summarised data for a total of 88 cases. No time or language limit was placed. The purpose of this discussion is to highlight the clinical spectrum of Rapunzel syndrome and also to report its rare association with hypoproteinaemia.
Blended E-health module on return to work embedded in collaborative occupational health care for common mental disorders: design of a cluster randomized controlled trial

Background Common mental disorders (CMD) have a major impact on both society and individual workers, so return to work (RTW) is an important issue. In The Netherlands, the occupational physician plays a central role in the guidance of sick-listed workers with respect to RTW. Evidence-based guidelines are available, but seem not to be effective in improving RTW in people with CMD. An intervention supporting the occupational physician in guidance of sick-listed workers combined with specific guidance regarding RTW is needed. A blended E-health module embedded in collaborative occupational health care is now available, and comprises a decision aid supporting the occupational physician and an E-health module, Return@Work, to support sick-listed workers in the RTW process. The cost-effectiveness of this intervention will be evaluated in this study and compared with that of care as usual. Methods This study is a two-armed cluster randomized controlled trial, with randomization done at the level of occupational physicians. Two hundred workers with CMD on sickness absence for 4–26 weeks will be included in the study. Workers whose occupational physician is allocated to the intervention group will receive the collaborative occupational health care intervention. Occupational physicians allocated to the care as usual group will give conventional sickness guidance. Follow-up assessments will be done at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after baseline. The primary outcome is duration until RTW. The secondary outcome is severity of symptoms of CMD. An economic evaluation will be performed as part of this trial. Conclusion It is hypothesized that collaborative occupational health care intervention will be more (cost)-effective than care as usual. This intervention is innovative in its combination of a decision aid by email sent to the occupational physician and an E-health module aimed at RTW for the sick-listed worker.
52Fe Translocation in Barley as Monitored by a Positron-Emitting Tracer Imaging System (PETIS): Evidence for the Direct Translocation of Fe from Roots to Young Leaves via Phloem

The real-time translocation of iron (Fe) in barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Ehimehadaka no. 1) was visualized using the positron-emitting tracer 52Fe and a positron-emitting tracer imaging system (PETIS). PETIS allowed us to monitor Fe translocation in barley non-destructively under various conditions. In all cases, 52Fe first accumulated at the basal part of the shoot, suggesting that this region may play an important role in Fe distribution in graminaceous plants. Fe-deficient barley showed greater translocation of 52Fe from roots to shoots than did Fe-sufficient barley, demonstrating that Fe deficiency causes enhanced 52Fe uptake and translocation to shoots. In the dark, translocation of 52Fe to the youngest leaf was equivalent to or higher than that under the light condition, while the translocation of 52Fe to the older leaves was decreased, in both Fe-deficient and Fe-sufficient barley. This suggests the possibility that the mechanism and/or pathway of Fe translocation to the youngest leaf may be different from that to the older leaves. When phloem transport in the leaf was blocked by steam treatment, 52Fe translocation from the roots to older leaves was not affected, while 52Fe translocation to the youngest leaf was reduced, indicating that Fe is translocated to the youngest leaf via phloem in addition to xylem. We propose a novel model in which root-absorbed Fe is translocated from the basal part of the shoots and/or roots to the youngest leaf via phloem in graminaceous plants.
Unraveling the rationale for a one-stop service under the Family and Child Protection Services Units in Hong Kong

English This article examines issues associated with the reorganized Family and Child Protection Services Units in Hong Kong, arguing that wife abuse problems are degenderized and marginalized in this initiative. It points out that the multi-agency approach is the basis for providing a one-stop service for victims of domestic violence. French Cet article examine des questions associées à la nouvelle réorganisation des unités de services pour la protection de l'enfance et de la famille à Hong Kong. Les questions liées aux abus envers les conjointes ont principalement fait l'objet de débats, les arguments présentés exprimant une marginalisation et une désexualisation du problème de violence conjugale découlant de cette initiative. Il est noté qu'une approche de type multi-agences se trouve à la';base d'un service `à guichet unique' offert aux victimes de violence domestique. Spanish Se examinan los asuntos asociados con la nueva reorganización de las Unidades de Servicios de Protección a la Familia y al Niño en Hong Kong. Se arguye que con esta iniciativa el problema del maltrato de la mujer se marginaliza y se `des-genera'. Se señala que la agencia múltiple es la base para abordad el problema de la violencia doméstica.
RESEARCH-IN-PROGRESS : DYNAMIC PERSONAL FEEDBACK IN ACQUIRING INFORMATION TO MANAGE YOUR HEALTH by

This paper makes two contributions at two different levels: one is about a design principle of HCI, namely the provision of personalized and dynamic feedback in interactive applications; the second contribution is a demonstration of the need for visual and dynamic representations to explain the design of interactive interfaces. At the first level, in the context of patients managing their health behavior, we analyze the design of feedback that builds on Visualization, Personalization, and Interactivity. Utilizing these elements DPF creates the right atmosphere for a unique InfoVis experience. We argue that such feedback will increase comprehension, participation in planning health behavior and self-efficacy. These three factors positively affect intentions to change behavior as recommended by the medical staff. A pilot study demonstrates the feasibility and impact of personalized and dynamic feedback. At the second level, we demonstrate how to use, contingently, three forms of visuals: static, dynamic distilled visuals and dynamic visuals in context (film)
Trafficking in Bodily Perfection: Examining the Late‐Modern Steroid Marketplace and Its Criminalization

Illicit steroid and human growth hormone use by professional athletes has received significant media and political attention in the last five years. The resulting political pressure has compelled federal law enforcement to prosecute serious new control initiatives. To date, no academic research inquiring into the nature of this illicit industry exists. This study fills this void through the mixed methods approach—employing both ethnographic field research and quantitative content analysis. The ethnographic data demonstrate a fascinating late‐modern trafficking scheme where the central informant established an apartment‐based manufacturing operation, converting raw steroid chemical compounds ordered off the Internet into injectable solutions. Content analysis of 186 websites that supply anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) demonstrates that these grounded findings are indicative of a much larger phenomenon. Our final analysis examines the broader theoretical relevance of the ethnographic findings through contextualizing them within macro‐structural (supply) and macro‐cultural (demand) social forces.