Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploratory study of the effectiveness of a professional development program on the academic achievement and classroom behavior of students with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in British Columbia, Canada

Clark, E. , George, M. , Hardy, C. , Hall, W. , MacMillan, P., Wakabayashi, S. , & Hughes, K. (2014). Exploratory study of the effectiveness of a professional development program on the academic achievement and classroom behavior of students with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in British Columbia, Canada. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 3(1), 25-34 . doi:10.7895/ijadr.v3i1. 119 Aim: Exploratory assessment of a professional development program for teachers supporting students with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Design: A mixed-method research design, using qualitative descriptive and quasi-experimental methods, was employed. Setting: The study occurred in selected public elementary schools in a British Columbia school district. Participants: Elementary school teachers and students with FASD. Measures: For the quasi-experimental component, the Behavior Assessment System for Children, 2nd edition (BASC-2) Teacher Rating Scale (TRS), and Student Observation System assessed classroom behavior. The Curriculum-Based Measure (CBM) assessed reading, writing, and mathematics skills of children with FASD. Inductive thematic analysis was used to derive themes from teachers’ interviews. Findings: A statistically significant improvement in intervention students’ classroom behavior was observed. An improvement of moderate effect size was seen for academic achievement, although the changes were not statistically significant. Teachers reported that the professional development program changed their teaching practice. Intervention teachers described how they redefined students’ behaviors and adapted their teaching practice to accommodate students’ neurological deficits. Conclusions: The results provide preliminary support for the effectiveness of the professional development program for elementary school teachers teaching students with FASD. Further research is needed with a larger sample size to reduce type II error.
Design, development and validation of the workplace cyberbullying measure (WCM)

Cyberbullying research is beginning to expand from its roots in the youth context into the organisational realm. However, a lack of psychometrically sound scales that capture the diverse features of technological communication has hindered workplace cyberbullying research. The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable measure to assess cyberbullying across disparate working populations. Three separate studies involving a total of 944 respondents from different work settings were conducted to establish a 17-item workplace cyberbullying measure (WCM). Further validation of the WCM was established by assessing correlations with a wide range of variables. Regression analysis demonstrated that the measure explained significant incremental variance in emotional exhaustion over and above existing harassment constructs. Justification for developing the WCM is presented, along with implications for research and practise.
Didactic Innovations through YouTube and Gigapan: Teachers' Perceptions in Classrooms in Southern Chile

There are few experiences using Social Web (or Web 2.0) for collaborative learning in public schools of Chile; therefore this is an emerging challenge for professors of the techno-pedagogical units. This article describes innovation strategies that incorporate Social Web tools in the formal education process in Chile. Using scholar ethnographies we describe 26 different classrooms experiences (between 2010 and 2012) using YouTube (for secondary schools) and GigaPan (for primary schools) to teach history and language contents, respectively. The main conclusions show the motivational drive that the Social Web provides in the regular classroom setting. The teachers valued positively the result of the students work groups, and the exchange of experiences among groups.
Analysis of Long Term Temperature Trend for Madhya Pradesh, India (1901-2005)

The paper examines the impact of climatic change on the mean temperature time series for Pre-monsoon (Mar-May), Monsoon (Jun-Sept), Post-monsoon (Oct-Nov), winter (Dec-Feb) and Annual (Jan-Dec) at 45 stations in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. Impact detection is accomplished by using the Mann-Kendall method to find out the monotonic trend and Sen’s slope is method is to identify the grandeur of trend for the period 1901 to 2005 (105 years). Prior to the trend analysis prominence of eloquent lag-1 serial correlation are eradicated from data by the pre-whitening method. In addition, shift year change has also been examined in the study using Pettitt’s test. From 45 stations, most of the station show symbolic hike trend at 5% significance level in the mean temperature time series for Madhya Pradesh region. During peak summer months the maximum temperature touches 40°C in the entire Madhya Pradesh. The magnitudes of annual increase in temperature in the majority of the stations are about 0.01°C.The analysis in the present study indicated that the change point year of the significant upward shift changes was 1963 for annual mean temperature time series, which can be very useful for water resources planners in the study area. The finding of the study provides more insights and inputs for the better understanding of regional temperature and shift behavior in the study area. keywords: Monotonic trend analysis, Sen’s slope, Mann-Kendall test, Pettit’s test, serial correlation, Temperature.
Establishment of High-Efficiency Agro bacterium-Mediated Transformation of Callus Derived From Sehima Nervosum, An Important Range Grass Species

Part of the Plant Sciences Commons, and the Soil Science Commons This document is available at https://uknowledge.uky. edu/igc/23/4-1-4/10 The XXIII International Grassland Congress (Sustainable use of Grassland Resources for Forage Production, Biodiversity and Environmental Protection) took place in New Delhi, India from November 20 through November 24, 2015. Proceedings Editors: M. M. Roy, D. R. Malaviya, V. K. Yadav, Tejveer Singh, R. P. Sah, D. Vijay, and A. Radhakrishna Published by Range Management Society of India
Science teachers’ construction of concept maps: A case study

Abraham Motlhabane College of Education, University Of South Africa Email: motlhat@unisa.ac. za Abstract One of the challenges in the teaching of science is the construction of valid scientific relationships between concepts. An investigation was done with 15 General Education and training (GET) science teachers to determine the challenges they have to deal with in constructing concept maps. Knowledge of how to construct concept maps is crucial since it can help teachers to plan the execution of instruction. The challenge to teachers was to arrange concepts in a hierarchy, the use of propositional linkages as well as cross-linking of concepts. The article suggests that interventions geared at addressing the challenges faced by teachers may include the teaching and learning strategies dealing with concept relations like concept mapping.
Modeling and Force-Position Controller Design of Rehabilitation Robot for Human Arm Movements

Physical disabilities such as full or partial loss of function in the shoulder, elbow or wrist is a common impairment in the elderly, and can also be a secondary effect due to strokes, trauma, sports injuries, and occupational injuries. Rehabilitation programs are the main method to promote functional recovery in these subjects. This work focuses on designing and nonlinear modeling of 3DOF nonwearable rehabilitation robot for rehabilitee the upper limbs in human body. The structure of this robot will eliminate singularity problem by depending on articulated configuration through adding shoulder offset to the robot base. The nonlinear modeling of a rehabilitation robot including kinematic and dynamic models is done for three degrees of freedom, with the effect of friction term in robot actuator. Three Intelligent Force-Position controllers, PD-like Fuzzy logic controllers are designed for position control and P controllers for force control, for moving the shoulder and elbow joints of the rehabilitation robot at desired trajectories. These controllers were tuned in order to make the robot end effecter tracking the desired medical trajectories in a specific time with minimum overshoot, minimum settling time and minimum steady state error. Each controller is tested by applying different trajectories with the application of external disturbances on the robot body. A comparison between the proposed intelligent controllers and conventional PD Force-Position controllers shows superior of the intelligent type of controller to make the end effecter follow the desired trajectory compared with the use of conventional controllers.
Implementation of Incentive Mechanism in Participatory Sensing-Based River Management System

The illegal dumping of garbage, flooding, and embankment and bridge failures are some of the common problems related to rivers. To be able to tackle these issues effectively, it is necessary to understand and respond to them with speed. In addition, future measures are required. However, since river basins can be very large, it is difficult for the river management staff to notice and respond to all river-related issues promptly. In order to improve the system used in Japan for monitoring the areas around rivers, we collaborated with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Chubu Regional Development Bureau Shonai River Office. In particular, to enable river administrators to quickly understand the issues occurring around rivers and to help them resolve these issues quickly, we developed a River Information Management System (RIMS) that promotes information sharing by the local residents through smartphones. This RIMS consists of a River Information Application (RIA) and a Post Management System (PMS). The RIA is an application for posting river-related problems using a smartphone. On the other hand, the PMS can be used by the river administrators to view the problems posted and respond to them. The developed system was tested successfully by the river ad-ministrators and patrol staff of the river office in the Shonai River basin.
Liposomal drug delivery in an in vitro 3D bone marrow model for multiple myeloma

Purpose Liposomal drug delivery can improve the therapeutic index of treatments for multiple myeloma. However, an appropriate 3D model for the in vitro evaluation of liposomal drug delivery is lacking. In this study, we applied a previously developed 3D bone marrow (BM) myeloma model to examine liposomal drug therapy. Material and methods Liposomes of different sizes (~75–200 nm) were tested in a 3D BM myeloma model, based on multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells, endothelial progenitor cells, and myeloma cells cocultured in hydrogel. The behavior and efficacy of liposomal drug therapy was investigated, evaluating the feasibility of testing liposomal drug delivery in 3D in vitro. Intracellular uptake of untargeted and integrin α4β1 (very late antigen-4) targeted liposomes was compared in myeloma and supporting cells, as well as the effectivity of free and liposome-encapsulated chemotherapy (bortezomib, doxorubicin). Either cocultured myeloma cell lines or primary CD138+ myeloma cells received the treatments. Results Liposomes (~75–110 nm) passively diffused throughout the heterogeneously porous (~80–850 nm) 3D hydrogel model after insertion. Cellular uptake of liposomes was observed and was increased by targeting very late antigen-4. Liposomal bortezomib and doxorubicin showed increased cytotoxic effects toward myeloma cells compared with the free drugs, using either a cell line or primary myeloma cells. Cytotoxicity toward supporting BM cells was reduced using liposomes. Conclusion The 3D model allows the study of liposome-encapsulated molecules on multiple myeloma and supporting BM cells, looking at cellular targeting, and general efficacy of the given therapy. The advantages of liposomal drug delivery were demonstrated in a primary myeloma model, enabling the study of patient-to-patient responses to potential drugs and treatment regimes.
Technical Note: A proposal for ice nucleation terminology

Abstract. Terminology dealing with ice nucleation in the atmosphere, in biological systems, and in other areas has not kept pace with the growth of empirical evidence and the development of new ideas over recent decades. Ambiguities and misinterpretations could be seen in the literature. This paper offers a set of definitions for various terms in common use, adds some qualifications, and introduces some new ones. Input has been received on the interpretation of various terms from a fair number of researchers; diverse views have been accommodated with some success. It is anticipated that the terminology proposed here will be helpful both to those who adopt it and to those who wish to explain a different perspective.
PEGylated Gold Nanoparticles as a Biocompatible Contrast Agent in X-ray Imaging of Breast Tumor in Mouse Model

Objective: Though biopsy is ultimately the gold standard for breast cancer detection, medical imaging can be a valuable tool for gathering information in vivo for both screening and diagnosis. In this study, we propose the use of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a biocompatible contrast agent in X- ray imaging of breast cancer in mouse model. Methods: Gold nanoparticles in spherical shape were coated with PEG and the interaction was investigated by UV/vis spectroscopy. The UV/vis analysis was performed to check the stability of PEG-GNPs complex in human blood serum. The biodistribution and X–ray imaging studies were performed to evaluate the localization of PEGylated GNPs in xenografted breast tumor in mouse model. Results: The interaction of PEG with GNPs was confirmed by UV–vis spectroscopy. The stability of PEG-GNPs was found high at human blood serum with no aggregation. The biodistribution study showed the accumulation of PEGylated GNPs in the site of tumor. The tumor was properly visualized in X-ray images in mouse model. Conclusions: The results showed the potential of PEGylated gold nanoparticles as a contrast agent for X-ray imaging of breast cancer in humans that needs further investigations.
Mass Spectrometry of Chlorophylls from Phototrophic Prokaryotes

Background: Phototrophic prokaryotes inhabit a diverse array of environments on our planet and also contain a wide range of chlorophylls and bacteriochlorophylls, encompassing both chlorin and bacteriochorin structures. Objective: This review considers the ecological niches of the phototrophic prokaryotes, together with the mass spectrometric study of their chlorophyll and bacteriochlorophyll pigments. Methods: A thorough review of the mass spectrometry literature on chlorophylls from phototrophic prokaryotes has been carried out. Results: Mass spectrometry, particularly coupled with liquid chromatography and used in conjunction with soft ionization techniques, has been pivotal in the assignment of closely related chlorophyll and bacteriochlorophyll structures from these organisms. Conclusion: Exploration of our natural environment continues to find previously uncharacterized photosynthetic prokaryotes, utilizing subtle but significant modifications to the chlorophyll and bacteriochlorophyll structures in our current knowledge.
Aural dictation affects high achievement in sight singing, performance and composition skills

The nature of skill acquisition has long been of interest to music educators. This study considers the research context for relationships between aural dictation, sight singing, performance and composition skills. Then, relationships between these skill areas are quantitatively investigated using data from the Australian New South Wales Music 2 2010 and 2011 HSC examination tasks, which take place in the final year of secondary schooling. The results from the HSC data were analysed in three ways: raw results for each isolated skill, correlation analysis for each skill combination and comparative analysis of only top-achieving students. The study found that the highest correlations were between aural dictation and sight singing. Further analysis of top achieving students found that high achievement in multi-part aural dictation was the best predictor of high achievement in the other skill areas.
The Inhibition of DNA Damage Response Contributes to Cancer Radiotherapy

The DNA damage response (DDR) is essential for maintaining the genomic integrity of the cell, and its disruption is one of the hallmarks of cancer. More than 50 % of cancer patients will receive some kinds of radiotherapy during their treatment process, either alone or in combination with other treatment modalities. Targeted therapy based on inhibiting the DDR in cancers offers a greater treatment pathway to patients with tumors by impeding DSBs repair. These have led to the development of radiotherapy combined with pharmacological interventions, which are more specifically targeting tumor, leading to the improvements in cancer therapeutic efficacy. This review highlights the different target DDR proteins’ inhibitors in cancer and how this can provide significant opportunities for DDR-based sensitivity of radiotherapies in the future.
The social cost of carbon: Valuation estimates and their use in UK policy.

There is an increasing interest in the economics of climate change, and the marginal damage costs of emissions, known as the Social Cost of Carbon (SCC). In 2002, the UK Government recommended an SCC for policy appraisal. A recent review of this SCC was commissioned and summarised in this paper. The authors conclude that SCC estimates span at least three orders of magnitude, reflecting uncertainties in climate change and choices of key parameters/variables (discount rate, equity weighting and risk aversion). Estimates also vary due to their coverage, and a risk matrix was developed to compare climate change eects (predictable to major events) against impacts (market, non-market and socially contingent). From several lines of evidence, the current lower SCC value is considered a reasonable lower benchmark for a global decision committed to reducing the threat of dangerous climate change. An upper benchmark was more dicult to deduce, though the risk of high values was considered significant. It is currently impossible to provide a central value with confidence. The study also reviewed the use of the SCC in policy, from project appraisal to long-term climate policy, and used stakeholder interviews to elicit views. A wide diversity of responses was found: whilst most considered some values are needed for policy appraisal, nearly all had reservations for long-term policy. From this, the authors propose a two tier approach. The economic benefits of climate change should be considered when setting long-term policy, but a wider framework is needed (i.e. than cost-benefit analysis). This should include a disaggregated analysis of economic winners and losers by region and sector, and key impact indicators such as health and ecosystems. It should also consider the full risk matrix (i.e. non-marginal/irreversible eects). Once long-term policy is set, shadow prices for appraisal across Government are useful, provided they are consistent with the long-term goal, and are applied consistently.
A diagram drawing tool for semi–automatic assessment of conceptual database diagrams

The increased number of diagram based questions in higher education has recently attracted researchers to look into marking diagrams automatically. Student diagrammatic solutions are naturally very dissimilar to each others. However, it has been observed that there are a number of identical diagram components. This observation forms the basis of our semi–automatic assessment. Identifying identical diagram components in student diagrams needs contextual information about each component. This paper proposes a diagram tool which obtains the contextual information of each component in a conceptual database diagram.
APPLICATION OF MEAN NORMALIZED STOCHASTIC GRADIENT DESCENT FOR SPEECH RECOGNITION

The artificial neural networks are on the rise in recent years. One possible optimization technique is mean-normalized stochastic gradient descent recently proposes by Wiesler et al. [16]. This work further explains and examines this method on phoneme classification task. Not all findings of Wiesler et al. can be confirmed. The mean-normalized SGD is helpful only if the network is large enough (but not too deep) and if the sigmoid non-linear function is used. Otherwise, the mean-normalized SGD slightly impairs the network performance and therefore cannot be recommended as a general optimization technique. Klíčová slova Neuronové sítě, strojové učení, rozpoznávání řeči, stochastic gradient descent.
Investigating the motivations for non-suicidal self-injury and interpersonal conflict in individuals with and without borderline characteristics

The aim of the study was to explore the differences in the psychophysiological and subjective responses to non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and interpersonal conflict (IC) of individuals with and without Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) characteristics. Specifically, this study aimed to provide further evidence for a potential self-stimulatory function of NSSI and to extend the findings to interpersonal relationships for those with BPD. A personalised staged guided imagery methodology was used to investigate processes at the time of NSSI and IC. Contrary to expectations, the results indicated that interpersonal conflict was generally associated with higher arousal and more distress for both groups. However, and not as expected, only the BPD group reported significantly higher tension during the incident stage of IC than during NSSI. This finding is consistent with prior reports that individuals with borderline personalities have increased emotional reactivity to interpersonal distress. In contrast, subjective responses to NSSI revealed a significant tension reduction following the self-injurious act. This tension reduction model was only significantly evident for the BPD group, therefore and as not expected, providing further support for the affect regulatory function of NSSI in adults with borderline characteristics.
Applying lessons learned from counselling : On nurturing relations in design projects

In their 2004 paper Hevner et. al proposed a set of guidelines for conducting design science research projects in the IS discipline. While useful, these guidelines have a relatively high level of abstraction. However, various IT artifacts such as models, methods, techniques and implementations require IS researchers to apply differing methods in order to construct and evaluate purposeful artifacts respectively. In this paper we discuss a particular class of IT artifacts: conceptual modeling languages. As constituent parts of software development methods, a multitude of such languages has been proposed and discussed. Yet, in the related literature on method design only little guidance is provided on how to derive appropriate conceptual modeling languages from empirical data. We believe that “good methods” need to be rigorously grounded in empirical findings. Taking a look at the related literature on inductive theory building reveals that at there are prominent similarities between the elements that constitute theories and those that constitute conceptual modeling languages: whereas theories comprise of constructs and relationships between these, conceptual modeling languages comprise of language constructs and relationships among these. We draw from the body of literature on grounded theory building and propose a new approach to designing conceptual modeling languages.