Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
School by design : how members of one school community create (and recreate) student success through inquiry

Research has documented well the failure of most educational change initiatives and instructional technology innovations as well as the inadequacy of teacher professional development practices and traditional school structures to improve teaching and learning in K-12 schools. This failure has fostered the growing disempowerment of teachers. Instructional technology innovation research and educational change theories have identified the teacher as the lynchpin to the successful integration of teaching and learning improvements into practice. Teachers must be central actors in educational innovation. New educational change theories and school-based practices suggest that a school which focuses on improving teaching and learning through processes of shared leadership and critical study may build the capacity of the school community to innovate in ways that advance student learning. Further, new ideas regarding professional development and practice that position educators as collaborative and critical researcher-practitioners may foster the innovative capacity of teachers. A social theory of learning may provide an organizing theoretical framework. However, the research base is thin. Inquiry is required to establish a theoretical framework firmly rooted in research. The purpose of this study was to explore the dimensions that foster and sustain teachers as innovators and schools as innovative places for improved teaching and learning by studying an exemplary elementary school known for its innovative practices in teaching and learning. The study used an ethnographic, single case design. Data collection methods included individual and focus group interviews, observation, document analysis, and researcher self-interviews. Findings revealed the school to be a continuously self-renewing community that employs a covenant of teaching and learning, a shared decision-making model, and a critical study process to pursue its central enterprise, student success in learning. Further, findings revealed alignment, connectedness, and inquiry as the three key dimensions that enable the school to create and recreate the school community it set out to be. Alignment means school community members are side by side in agreement in terms of the outcomes they are seeking. Inquiry provides the means for staff and students to enact new and imaginative approaches for teaching and learning. Connectedness ensures the pursuit of student success through inquiry together as a community through public discourse and practice. INDEX WORDS: Educational innovation, Teacher professional development, Social learning theory, Instructional technology, Elementary education, K12 school, Community of practice, Learning community SCHOOL BY DESIGN: HOW MEMBERS OF ONE SCHOOL COMMUNITY CREATE (AND RECREATE) STUDENT SUCCESS THROUGH INQUIRY
Performance Analysis of Trust-Based Node Evaluation Schemes in Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

As the use of mobile ad hoc networks spreads beyond personal networks to practical military and commercial applications, addressing security issues becomes extremely important in this area. However, mobile networks are more susceptible to malicious behavior; thus, an effective node evaluation mechanism can prevent malicious nodes from initiating attacks and tampering the data communications process in these networks. In this article, we formalize the node evaluation problem, discuss its challenges, and present possible solutions. Moreover, we propose a novel node evaluation solution with the assistance of trustworthy neighboring nodes, which allows a mobile node to more effectively evaluate its neighbors based on the additional trust information from selected neighboring nodes. Our schemes can thus enhance the security of a network and improve the effectiveness of node evaluation. Finally, we evaluate our node evaluation strategies and analyze their advantages when compared to existing node evaluation mechanisms used in wireless communications.
Lived Experiences of Unemployed Women in Toronto and Halifax, Canada Who Were Previously Precariously Employed

Over the past few years, there has been an increase in the number of workers in Canada who are not in standard employment relations but are instead in contract, part-time, or otherwise precarious employment. At the same time, the neoliberal policy paradigm has replaced the belief that we should support workers through full-time stable employment with an idea that labour can be utilized whenever and however required, as dictated by the economy’s needs. The detrimental effects of neoliberal market policies are well known. Further exploration is needed on the differential impacts of these policies on women with intersectional identities, particularly in an era of increasing employment precarity. Based on a qualitative study of unemployed women’s lived experiences in Toronto and Halifax, this article explores the issues surrounding unemployment, including financial impacts, job searching, retraining, and health impacts of unemployment and employment precarity. The results were analyzed using intersectional and grounded theory. The study concludes with key results related to the impact of precarity in the labour market: Neoliberal erosion of the welfare state is manifested in a lack of supports for workers.
Feed and strain effects on the use of outdoor areas by broilers

1. The use of outdoor areas by two broiler strains, known to have different growth rates and with access to either moderate (M) or low (L) energy feeds, was examined to assess the consequences for production, meat quality, health and welfare. 2. Sixteen groups of either Ross 208 (ROSS) or a Labresse cross (LAB) were fed either feed M or L. They were raised indoors until 42 d of age when groups of 102 birds were moved to outdoor houses with free access to an outdoor area. 3. The number of chickens standing and lying, respectively, in each of 5 zones in the outdoor area were recorded at intervals throughout the outdoor growth period until slaughter at 84 d of age. Production variables were measured, and gait, feather condition, litter quality, and dermal lesions on foot-pads and hocks were scored together with objective meat quality measures. 4. Both strains showed a diurnal rhythm with most birds observed outside around sunrise and before sunset. Feed and strain both affected the distribution of the birds on the outdoor area, with more birds on feed M than L observed outside, and with more LAB birds outside and using more of the outdoor area than ROSS. This was reflected in some of the carcase and meat quality measures. Feather pecking and cannibalism only occurred in LAB. 5. ROSS was found to have a faster growth rate, poorer litter quality, more dermal lesions and impaired mobility, reflected in low usage of outdoor area and poor gait score compared with LAB. 6. This together with the presence of pectoral myopathies make ROSS unsuitable for 12 week growth in free range production systems. The occurrence of feather pecking and cannibalism in LAB make this particular Labresse cross questionable for meat-type poultry production.
Follower emotional intelligence

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the impact of transformational leadership (TL) on follower emotional intelligence (EI) and examine the potential mediation role played by follower EI in the relationship between TL and follower outcomes (i.e. growth satisfaction in the job and job stress (JS)). Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained through survey using questionnaire collected from 908 employees who worked across six different sectors, i.e. manufacturing, IT, healthcare, hospitality, educational and public services in Southern India. The mediation model proposed in this study was tested using structural equation modelling and bootstrapping method. Findings The relationship between TL and Follower EI was significant. Follower EI was found to partially mediate the relationship between TL and followers’ growth satisfaction in job. Contrary to expectations, the follower EI did not significantly predict JS in this study and hence the follower EI did not mediate in the proposed model. However, follower EI and growth satisfaction in the job jointly mediated the relationship between TL and follower JS fully. Research limitations/implications Self-report bias about supervisors’ TL behaviours and followers’ own EI assessment and collection of data from the mono-source (subordinate self-report) might have impacted the results of this study. Moreover, some items were negatively worded and reverse coded as cognitive speed bumps to restrain the respondent’s tendency to rush through answering the survey questionnaire. Practical implications This study established a partial and joint mediation of follower EI on the relationship between TL and follower outcomes. Basing on these findings, this study highlights the need for the practitioners to better understand the importance of EI training for the leaders in the organisations for obtaining better outcomes in the followers. Social implications The study establishes the fact that the attunement of transformational leaders’ EI and follower EI help leaders as well as followers to guide their behaviour towards positive outcomes. Originality/value This study is among the first to examine the impact of TL on follower EI and the potential mediation of follower EI between TL and follower outcomes. From a theoretical perspective, this study is one step closer to fully understand the intervening process between TL and follower outcomes.
Australian Nursing Informatics Competency Project

A study of Australian nurses on their use of information technology in the workplace was undertaken by the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) in 2007. This study of over 4000 nurses highlighted that nurses recognise benefits to adopting more information technology in the workplace although there are significant barriers to their use. It also identified gross deficits in the capacity of the nursing workforce to engage in the digital processing of information. Following the release of the study last year, the ANF commenced work on a number of key recommendations from the report in order to overcome identified barriers and provide opportunities for nurses to better utilise information technology and information management systems. One of these recommendations was to seek research funding to develop national information technology and information management competency standards for nurses. This project has now received Federal Government funding to undertake this development. This project is being developed in collaboration with the ANF and the Queensland University of Technology. This paper will discuss the methodology, development and publication of the Australian Nursing Informatics Competency Standards Project which is currently underway and due for completion in May 2009. The Australian Nursing Informatics Competencies will be presented at the conference.
Early-Termination Compensation in Public–Private Partnership Projects

AbstractPublic–private partnerships (PPPs) have been widely applied around the world in the provision of public works and services. Although a large number of PPP projects in different sectors have been successfully developed with increased value for money to governmental departments and the general public, concessions of many other projects in both developed and developing countries have been terminated before the originally scheduled date because of various unforeseen risks. To address the key issue of compensation to the concessionaire in such an early-terminated concession, this paper develops a compensation estimation framework and a corresponding mathematical model through a market value approach. A compensation model is developed using the discounted cash flow technique, which integrates multiple input and output variables and probabilistic techniques, such as regression analysis, maximum likelihood analysis, and Monte Carlo simulation, to analyze and tackle the uncertainties of social-economic var.
Bladder function impairment in aquaporin-2 defective nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to describe the urological complications associated with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) due to a mutation in aquaporin-2 (AQP2), a collecting-duct protein activated by ADH signalling. METHODS We provide a case series description of a group of seven patients with autosomal recessive NDI due to AQP2 gene mutation, receiving routine medical management since diagnosis in the first months of life. RESULTS Mean urine osmolarity at diagnosis and last follow-up was 89+/-25 and 83+/-18 mosm/l, respectively. Hydroureteronephrosis was observed in all children, beginning at age 3 years. Two children have daytime enuresis at ages 7 and 10 years and all children older than 6 years continue to have nocturnal enuresis. Markedly enlarged bladders were observed as early as age 4 years in all patients. Trabeculated bladder walls were found in three children. Urodynamic studies performed in two daytime incontinent children revealed a hypotonic-large-capacity type of neurogenic bladder. No impairment in kidney function is currently observed. CONCLUSIONS The severe renal concentrating defect in this type of NDI is associated with the development of hydroureteronephrosis followed by bladder enlargement and dysfunction. Careful follow-up is needed in order to assure that no bladder outlet obstruction and/or renal insufficiency develop.
Modeling and thermal analysis of cylindrical solar ThermoPhotoVoltaic system

This paper focuses on the design and theoretical modeling of a Solar ThermoPhotoVoltaic (STPV) system. Different emitter design options are explored and finally an optimum design is presented with minimum TPV cell area requirement. Concentrated sunlight is used to heat up the Silicon Carbide (SiC) emitter. Effect of Sunlight concentration on emitter temperature is also investigated. GaSb cell is used in simulation and its external quantum efficiency (EQE) is modeled by 10th degree polynomial equation. A complete thermal analysis is performed to evaluate the conditions for optimum system performance. Theoretical system efficiency is also calculated for the proposed STPV system.
Hardware Implementation of Filtering Based Sidelobe Suppression for Spectrally Agile Multicarrier based Cognitive Radio Systems

Due to the ever increasing dependency on existing wireless technologies and the growing usage of sophisticated wireless devices, the demand for bandwidth is rising exponentially. Also, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has reserved a considerable amount of spectrum for licensed users. As a result, the unlicensed spectrum usage is constrained to the overcrowded unlicensed spectrum. Various spectral management surveys have indicated inefficient spectrum utilization in the licensed spectral bands. The congested unlicensed spectrum and inefficiently used licensed frequency bands calls for an approach to use the available spectrum opportunistically. Therefore, the concept of “Spectrum Pooling”, which is based on Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA), was proposed to make the unused sections of licensed spectrum available to the unlicensed users. In Spectrum Pooling, an empty section of licensed spectrum is borrowed by a secondary user for certain period of time without interfering with the licensed user. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a transmission scheme that is a candidate for Spectrum Pooling since it is capable of forming an adaptive spectral shape that allows coexistence of licensed and unlicensed users while attemting to minimize any interference. Subcarriers in the OFDM signal can be deactivated to generate Non-Contiguous OFDM (NC-OFDM). Even though NC-OFDM allows efficient use of available spectrum, it causes out of band (OOB) radiation, which adversely affects the performance of adjacent user. This thesis presents two novel techniques for combat the effects of OOB radiation generated by NC-OFDM. The proposed techniques employ a filtering-based approach combined with the technique of windowing in order to suppress the unwanted sidelobes by around 35dB-40dB. The attenuation is achieved without affecting other transmission parameters of the secondary user significantly.
Recent Research on the Centrifugal Visual System in Mammalian Species

Ample evidence indicates that both retinofugal (classical visual and the retino-hypothalamic pathways) and retinopetal connections (centrifugal visual system) are found between the eye and the central nervous system. More than hundred years ago Ramon Y Cajal and Dogiel, whose names are very well known by neuro-anatomists, described the termination pattern of the fibers deriving from the avian central nervous system. However, the location of nerve cell bodies was not known at that time. In the last century many data accumulated about these neurons not only in lower vertebrates but in mammals as well. The structures where the neurons give rise to the centrifugal visual fibres in mammals are the following: reticular formation and raphe nuclei of the midbrain, superior colliculus, pretectum, gray matter of the midbrain, dentate gyrus, CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus, olfactory tubercle, habenula, indusium griseum, hypothalamic supraoptic, Para ventricular and arcuate nuclei, and the lateral hypothalamus. The centrifugal visual fibers enter the optic nerve layer, then reach the inner plexiform layer and terminate in the inner nulear layer of the retina in the vicinity of the amacrine cells. A series of neuropeptides and neurotransmitters was described in the origin of the centrifugal visual system. These are the followings: luteinizing hormone releasing hormone, pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, serotonin, histamine and leu-enkephalin. Several hypotheses arose on the function of this system. Centrifugal visual system arising from the histaminergic mammillary neurons modifies the sleep/wake cycle. Hallucinogenic drugs through the limbic system may cause disturbance of visual function and result in seeing visual hallucinations or distorted images.
The normalized inhibitory quotient of boosted protease inhibitors is predictive of viral load response in treatment-experienced HIV-1-infected individuals

Objective:The normalized inhibitory quotient (NIQ) has been proposed as a measure for refining the precision of HIV resistance testing when selecting antiretroviral therapy (ART). We undertook an assessment of NIQ and 48-week virological outcome in patients commencing ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor (PI) regimens. Design:A cohort of 87 HIV-infected individuals who all had extensive prior exposure to ART were assigned a new boosted PI regimen following resistance testing. PI therapy consisted of lopinavir, indinavir, saquinavir and amprenavir at 50, 32, 11 and 6%, respectively. Fold change (FC) for each PI was determined from the resistance test at baseline. Trough drug concentration (Cmin) was determined at week 4. Methods:NIQ was derived individually by taking the logarithm of the ratio of Cmin/FC divided by the fixed ratio of population mean trough drug concentration/clinical cut off. Associations between viral load (VL) response over 48 weeks with baseline VL, FC, Cmin, NIQ and selected PI were assessed. Results:Mean change from baseline VL reduced by 0.83 log at week 48. In multivariate analyses, baseline VL and NIQ were the parameters most associated with change from baseline VL at week 48 (P = 0.012 and 0.003, respectively). FC, Cmin and selected PI were not significantly associated with VL changes. Conclusion:In this cohort of highly treatment-experienced individuals treated with boosted PI regimens, baseline VL and NIQ were significantly predictive of virological response over 48 weeks whereas FC and Cmin were not. These results support the use of a NIQ at week 4, as a tool for predicting response to therapy in this setting.
Evaluation of p16INK4α Hypermethylation from Liquid-based Pap Test Samples in Vietnamese Population

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been considered as main cause of cervical cancer. Recently, aberrant DNA methylation at tumor suppressor genes (TSGs), leading to inactivation, has also been an early epigenetic event and cofactor in cervical carcinogenesis. This study was performed to evaluate an association between the hypermethylation of p16INK4α gene’s promoter and HPV exposure in non-invasive samples (liquid-based papanicolaous samples) in Vietnamese population. Methods: 109 liquid-based papanicolaous test samples were archived and admitted from the Medic Medical Center and Au Lac Clinic Laboratory, Vietnam, from 2011–2014. Methylation-Specific-PCR (MSP) was performed to analyze methylation status from the liquid-based papanicolaous test samples identified whether HPV/or non-HPV, high-risk/low-risk HPV infection. Results: An upward trend was observed concerning the p16INK4α hypermethylation frequency in high-risk HPV infection, counting for 55.6%, and the low methylation frequency in low-risk and non-HPV infected samples, counting for 22.9%, 8.0%, respectively. The significant correlation between candidate p16INK4α hypermethylation and HPV exposure was observed (P<0.0001). Moreover, the odds ratio (OR) and relative risk (RR) were found in statistical significant value. (OR=5.76, 95%CI: 2.36 – 14.04, P<0.01; RR=3.11, 95%CI: 1.75–5.53, P<0.01). Conclusion: Presence of p16INK4α hypermethylation was the specific characteristic of high-risk HPV infected samples in Vietnamese population. The OR and RR values showed that the strong correlation between p16INK4α hypermethylation and high-risk HPV infection, in which increased the risk of cervical cancer. The combination of p16INK4α hyper-methylation and HPV detection based biomarker could be used in non-invasive samples obtained from high-risk cancer patients, offer significant practical advantages.
A case study of RFID data management in steel transform company

Over the recent years, many industries have started to implement Radio Frequency Identification or RFID as their new track-and-trace tool to enhance the management processes. These can also be seen from the increase number of RFID implementation in the steel industry around the world. Meanwhile, a pilot project on RFID deployment in one steel transform company in Thailand has also been conducted by the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC). The integration of RFID into the existing management system based on barcode technology has raised several challenges concerning the data management of the RFID system. One is the data consistency between the barcode system and the RFID system. Others are caused by the characteristics of RFID data such as data redundancy and data inaccuracy. In this paper, we present the integration of RFID technology into the steel traceability and the middleware design for data filtering and data management for the entire steel production line.
Helicobacter pylori and Gastric Cancer: The Causal Relationship

Gastric cancer has been recognized as an important cause of morbidity and mortality all over the world. Helicobacter pylori has been shown to have a causal relationship to gastric cancer. The knowledge into the mechanisms related to this has advanced considerably over the last few years thereby unarguably defining the role of this host-pathogen interaction. Epidemiological studies, research in animal models, molecular pathways involving host and bacterial factors, environmental factors and recent work on stem cells have contributed to understanding the origin and progress of this neoplasia. These form part of the myriad of interplaying factors resulting in the causal relationship. Nevertheless, current evidence is insufficient to accurately identify a definitive population where prevention or treatment strategies have to be targeted. Future trials will have to define the people at risk and shed more light in these areas.