Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Social injustice, human rights-based education and citizens’ direct action to promote social transformation in the Philippines

This article opens with a proposed framework for human rights education (HRE), which synthesizes ideas drawn from Zinn’s people’s history, Sen’s theory of justice and Freire’s critical pedagogy. A review of the literature on HRE and human rights-based learning suggests three existent interrelated models of HRE. Drawing on human rights-based programmes designed to benefit Philippine society, this article then presents case studies in which programme participants actively struggle against social injustice. As an integral part of the learning process, co-learners envision a just and peaceful society, plan for change and engage in direct social action. New volunteers are continually mobilized to participate in community service and contribute to social action that benefits and empowers hitherto oppressed people and minorities. The article concludes with a proposal for an interactive model of human rights-based learning which aims to build on the HRE framework inspired by Zinn, Sen and Freire.
Comparing Information Diffusion Structure in Weblogs and Microblogs

To better understand and characterize the emerging social medium of microblogging we conducted a comparison between Twitter and a weblog network for their respective information diffusion structures. We found systematic differences between the two social media in their contribution, navigation, and interactive structural patterns. Findings revealed the unique role and characteristics of microblogs in the social media design space. Implications are discussed.
Edinburgh Research Explorer Genetic analysis of postpartum measures of luteal activity in dairy cows

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for measures of luteal activity during the ﬁrst 60 d postpartum. Analyses were made with different sampling intervals to investigate the possibility of combining progesterone measurement with routinely performed milk recording. Progesterone level in milk as an indicator of female fertility when selecting sires in a progeny-testing scheme was also examined. Data were collected from 1996 to 1999, and comprised 1,212 lactations from 1,080 British Holstein-Friesian cows at 8 commercial dairy farms in the United Kingdom. Milk samples for progesterone analysis were collected thrice weekly. Mixed linear animal models were used to ana-lyze the data. Heritability for the percentage of samples with luteal activity during the ﬁrst 60 d postpartum (PLA) was 0.30 and decreased with more infrequent sampling to 0.25, 0.20, and 0.14 for weekly, twice-monthly, and monthly sampling, respectively. Measures of PLA had a high negative genetic correlation with prolonged anovulation ( − 0.53 for monthly sampling, < − 0.87 otherwise) and a moderate positive genetic correlation with persistent corpus luteum in the ﬁrst estrus cycle ( > 0.65 if at least twice-monthly sam-pling). Genetic correlations with interval from calving to commencement of luteal activity were close to − 1 for all PLA measurements and the selection index calculations showed that monthly progesterone sampling could be used with high accuracy (0.80 with 50 daughters per bull) to predict breeding values for commencement of luteal activity. Progesterone analysis at the time of regular milk recording could thereby be used to select for an early interval from calving to commencement of luteal activity and, at the same time, a decreased fre-Received quency of prolonged anovulation during the postpartum period.
The exceptionally bright Type Ib supernova 1991D

Photometric and spectroscopic observations of the peculiar Type Ib supernova 1991D are presented. SN 1991D was exceptionally bright for a Type Ib supernova. The He i lines were rather weak and the velocity at the photosphere as a function of time was unusually low. Comparison of the observed and synthetic spectra indicates that either hydrogen was ejected with a minimum velocity of 12 000 km s−1 or the spectrum contained features caused by lines of Ne i. Light curve modelling suggests that the progenitor probably had a very large radius (∼1014 cm) and that a considerable amount of 56Ni was synthesized during the explosion (∼0.7 M⊙). We suggest a progenitor model of SN 1991D that involves a binary system.
Supporting Model Maintenance in Component-based Product Lines

Software product line engineering aims at increasing software quality and development productivity by mastering the variability of large software systems. Models are frequently used to define the reusable assets and the restrictions regarding asset composition in different products. However, product line engineering is challenged by evolution. Reusable assets such as software components need to be adapted to meet new customer or market requirements as well as technological needs. In this paper we present an approach that supports the maintenance of product line models by checking their consistency with the available components. We describe algorithms and heuristics for creating and updating the models defining a product line's features and components. We evaluate our approach using realistic change scenarios from a product line of time recorder applications.
Sexual dysfunctions in urban china: a population-based national survey of men and women.

INTRODUCTION While sexual dysfunctions are closely related to overall well-being, epidemiological data based on population-based surveys remain scant. AIM To investigate the prevalence and correlates for sexual dysfunctions in urban China. METHODS Of the 4,157 urbanites sampled nationally, 3,159 participants completed the interview, giving a response rate of 76%. The focus was on 78% of these participants (2,478 adults aged 20-64) who were sexually active within a stable sexual relationship, typically with the spouse. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Prevalence and correlates for sexual dysfunctions. RESULTS Fully 35% of women and 21% of men had at least one persistent sexual dysfunction. Prevalence by age was similar to the results from Western developed countries. With sharp differences for men and women, the correlates for distress in China were multiple, with aging and physical issues accounting for only a portion of the total set of mental health, stress, relationship, and values and knowledge issues related to reports of sexual dysfunctions. CONCLUSIONS Both the prevalence and correlates for sexual dysfunctions in urban China were similar to those in other societies. Mental distress, age, and poor communication (producing the report that "my partner does not understand my sexual needs") were the correlates shared by both men and women. Other correlates were more distinct by gender. The multiplicity of correlates for men and women suggests a need for a holistic approach to sexual dysfunctions.
Students and the Governance of Higher Education: A UK perspective

In the United Kingdom, the higher education landscape has undergone a transformation since the late 1980s as seen in the “massification” of higher education and the “quality revolution”. These changes have resulted in an increased sense of accountability, to principle stakeholders: the government, the taxpayer and students themselves. This paper looks at the structures for student involvement in governance in the UK higher education system, the relationships between student unions and these structures and the role of student feedback questionnaires.
Science and the Public—What should people know?

The public understanding of science is a term now considered somewhat narrow and carrying connotations of a ‘deficit model’ of the public. Since the late 1980s, however, regular public surveys have been conducted to find out what facts about science the public knows. These include such questions as whether the Earth goes round the Sun, which is frequently quoted as an indication of public knowledge. The results of the surveys have been used as comparative measures of public understanding across time and across countries since their inception. Concurrently, however, there have been questions raised in the literature about the validity and meaning of these surveys. In this paper we review that literature. We also describe the results of administering the survey to over 500 scientists. The scientists found the questions problematic, especially if the topic of the question lay within their own discipline, and in many cases did not remember the correct answer. We discuss the implications of the findings for using such questions in public surveys and recommend that current assessments of public knowledge which use these questions be revised, recognising that such measures are not meaningful as indicators of public engagement with science.
The Evaluation of Group Therapy in the Treatment of Schizophrenia

of need is encouraging to many involved in the treatment of people afflicted with schizophrenia. However, in a field in which &dquo;cures&dquo; are continually announced, careful evaluations are necessary to assess the value of each reasonable new mode of therapy presented by researchers and practitioners. Group therapy is not new to the treatment of schizophrenia; it was first reported by Lazell in 1921. However, controlled studies designed to evaluate its effectiveness are a recent development. Within the following is an examination of research evaluating the effectiveness of group psychotherapy with schizophrenics. The aim of this review and analysis is to answer the following questions: (1) Is group therapy of value in the treatment of schizophrenia in general? (2) Is it an effective treatment mode for
Optimal power scheduling in a Virtual Power Plant

This paper proposes a novel approach where the Energy Management System of a Virtual Power Plant decides the optimal power scheduling not on the basis of some predefined policies, but upon the solution of an optimisation problem. The scheduling decision is dynamic as it depends on variable factors, not fully predictable, such as renewable sources availability, electrical energy price, controllable and uncontrollable loads demand and possibility of storing or releasing stored energy. The optimal solution is computed according to a novel cost function that explicitly takes into account only direct costs. Theoretical findings and expectations are proved through simulations of a realistic scenario.
Evidence from unilateral visual neglect

Abstract We report the case of a patient, JR, who manifests left neglect in reading single words but right neglect in copying and drawing tasks. We show that left neglect is not confined to reading, but is also found in picture naming and in line-bisection tasks. In each of these tasks, JR neglected the right side of multiple stimulus displays. We show that neglect is manifest on the left or right side as a function of whether visual stimuli are encoded as parts of a single perceptual object or as separate perceptual objects. JR's left neglect in reading words can be switched to right neglect by having him read aloud all the letters in the string. He also showed left neglect in a search task in which the visual elements configure into a coherent object, but right neglect in displays using similar elements which did not so configure. JR's case demonstrates that the visual system employs separate representations to encode the spatial relations between the parts of single objects (within-object spatial codin.
Permutation Arrays Under the Chebyshev Distance

An (n,d) permutation array (PA) is a subset of Sn with the property that the distance (under some metric) between any two permutations in the array is at least d. They became popular recently for communication over power lines. Motivated by an application to flash memories, in this paper, the metric used is the Chebyshev metric. A number of different constructions are given, as well as bounds on the size of such PA.
Comparison of 2 Exercise Rehabilitation Programs for Multidirectional Instability of the Glenohumeral Joint: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: The recommended initial treatment for multidirectional instability (MDI) of the shoulder is a rehabilitation program, yet there is very low-quality evidence to support this approach. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose was to compare the Watson MDI program and Rockwood Instability program among patients with nontraumatic, nonstructural MDI. The hypothesis was that the Watson MDI program would produce clinically and statistically superior outcomes over the Rockwood Instability program. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Forty-one participants with MDI were randomly allocated to the Watson MDI or Rockwood Instability program. Participants attended 12 weekly physiotherapy sessions for exercise prescription. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and 6, 12, and 24 weeks after randomization. Primary outcomes were the Melbourne Instability Shoulder Score (MISS) and the Western Ontario Shoulder Index (WOSI). Secondary outcomes included the Orebro Musculoskeletal Pain Questionnaire, pain, muscle strength, scapular upward rotation, scapular coordinates, global rating of change, satisfaction scales, limiting angle in abduction range, limiting factor in abduction range, and incidence of dislocation. Primary analysis was by intention to treat based on linear mixed models. Results: Between-group differences showed significant effects favoring the Watson program for the WOSI (effect size [ES], 11.1; 95% CI, 1.9-20.2; P = .018) and for the limiting factor in abduction (ES, 0.1; 95% CI, 0.0-1.6; P = .023) at 12 weeks, and for the WOSI (ES, 12.6; 95% CI, 3.4-21.9; P =. 008), MISS (ES, 15.4; 95% CI, 5.9-24.8; P = .002), and pain (ES, -2.0; CI: -2.3 to -0.7, P = .003) at 24 weeks. Conclusion: For people with MDI, 12 sessions of the Watson MDI program were more effective than the Rockwood program at 12- and 24-week follow-up. Registration: ACTRN12613001240730 (Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry).
Emergence of axons from distal dendrites of adult mammalian neurons following a permanent axotomy

The distinctive features of axons and dendrites divide most neurons into two compartments. This polarity is fundamental to the ability of most neurons to integrate synaptic signals and transmit action potentials. It is not known, however, if the polarity of neurons in the adult mammalian nervous system is fixed or plastic. Following axotomy, some distal dendrites of neck motoneurons in the adult cat give rise to unusual processes that, at a light microscopic level, resemble axons (Rose, P.K. & Odlozinski, M., J. Comp. Neurol., 1998, 390, 392). The goal of the present experiments was to characterize these unusual processes using well‐established ultrastructural and molecular criteria that differentiate dendrites and axons. These processes were immunoreactive for growth‐associated protein‐43 (GAP‐43), a protein that is normally confined to axons. In contrast, immunoreactivity for a protein that is widely used as a marker for dendrites, microtubule‐associated protein (MAP)‐2a/b, could not be detected in the unusual distal arborizations. At the electron microscopic level, unusual distal processes contained dense collections of neurofilaments and were frequently myelinated. These molecular and structural characteristics are typical of axons and suggest that the polarity of adult neurons in the mammalian nervous system can be disrupted by axotomy. If this transformation in neuronal polarity is common to other types of neurons, axon‐like processes emerging from distal dendrites may represent a mechanism for replacing connections lost due to injury. Alternatively, the connections formed by these axons may be aberrant and therefore maladaptive.
Dielectric breakdown of an epoxy/quartz composite and a nanostructured epoxy/quartz/Montmorillonite composite. Influence of electrode geometry

Microcomposites epoxies are widely used as high voltage insulation. A new way to improve such materials is to add nanoparticles to the epoxy matrix, thus forming a nanostructured microcomposite. For this study, epoxy composites films filled with 60% wt of quartz microparticles were prepared, reinforced or not by 0.45% wt of organically modified Montmorillonite C30B. The dielectric breakdown strength of the samples was studied using two types of electrode and the statistical analysis of the breakdown data was performed using the Weibull distribution. The use of different electrode geometries implied a different distribution of the electrical field magnitude both in the dielectric sample and in the surrounding medium. Rigid films with a typical thickness of 1 mm are set between electrodes embedded in oil and AC voltage was increased at a constant rate until breakdown occurs. No significant difference was found in the breakdown data for microcomposites and nanostructured composites. The use of a more uniform electrical field decreases slightly the measured dielectric breakdown strength. The shape factor associated with the distribution dispersion is unchanged for both studied cases, but very low compared to classical industrial materials. Finally, the thus obtained results warrant the use of smaller-area samples if non-uniform field conditions are used.
The Effects of Social Context and Acute Stress on Decision Making Under Uncertainty

Uncertainty preferences are typically studied in neutral, nonsocial contexts. This approach, however, fails to capture the dynamic factors that influence choices under uncertainty in the real world. Our goal was twofold: to test whether uncertainty valuation is similar across social and nonsocial contexts, and to investigate the effects of acute stress on uncertainty preferences. Subjects completed matched gambling and trust games following either a control or a stress manipulation. Those who were not under stress exhibited no differences between the amount of money gambled and the amount of money entrusted to partners. In comparison, stressed subjects gambled more money but entrusted less money to partners. We further found that irrespective of stress, subjects were highly attuned to irrelevant feedback in the nonsocial, gambling context, believing that every loss led to a greater chance of winning (the gamblers’ fallacy). However, when deciding to trust a stranger, control subjects behaved rationally, treating each new interaction as independent. Stress compromised this adaptive behavior, increasing sensitivity to irrelevant social feedback.
Reconfigurable analogue hardware evolution of adaptive spiking neural network controllers

This paper details the hardware evolution of adaptive Spiking Neural Network (SNN) controllers, implemented on a network of cascaded Field Programmable Analogue Arrays (FPAAs). The fixed architecture, feed forward SNNs are trained using a Genetic Algorithm (GA). An obstacle avoidance simulated robotics controller application is chosen to test the FPAA reconfigurable hardware evolution platform. Evolved behaviours, resulting from FPAA-based SNN controllers, are compared with those obtained using software-based SNN implementations. Results presented indicate the emergence of effective behaviours and adaptation to environmental change.
Effects of combinations of ethanolic extracts of Blighia sapida and X ylopia aethiopica on progesterone, estradiol and lipid profile levels in pregnant rabbits

th to 25th day of gestation after which they were fasted for 18 h. Serum levels of reproductive hormones (progesterone and estradiol) and lipids (triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and HDLcholesterol) were determined at the end of the treatment. Results showed significant reductions (p < 0.05) in progesterone and estradiol levels, significant elevations of triglycerides (p < 0.05) and no statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in the levels of total cholesterol in all the treated groups compared with the control (group A). There was a statistically significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the levels of HDL-cholesterol in Group B, a significant increase in group C and no significant reduction in group D compared with the control (group A). The levels of LDL-cholesterol in all the treated groups did not differ significantly (p < 0.05) from the control (group A). The results suggest that ethanolic extracts of X. aethiopica alone or in combination with B. sapida may actually lead to termination of pregnancy due to reduction of progesterone and estradiol. The results also suggest that there is increased risk of hypertriglyceridemia in the users of these plants but this may not predispose them to arteriosclerosis because of the insignificant differences in the levels of LDL-cholesterol in all the treated groups compared with the control.
The impact of early reading interventions delivered by classroom assistants on attainment at the end of Year 2

Previous research has shown that training teaching assistants to deliver early phonic reading interventions can have measurable effects at immediate post‐test. This study explored whether the effects of interventions delivered by classroom assistants (CAs) were still evident at the end of the first phase of schooling, 16 months after the early intervention finished. Children were divided into ‘treatment responder’ and ‘treatment non‐responder’ groups based upon post‐test decoding skills. The treatment responder group was significantly more likely to achieve average results in nationally administered tests (end of Key Stage 1 tests) and teacher ratings of attainment than the treatment non‐responders. Treatment responders were indistinguishable from national averages on the mathematics test, writing test and reading task performance, but differed on reading comprehension test and on teacher‐assessed attainment. Gains in reading delivered following early phonic reading interventions delivered by CAs are main.
Involvement of an organic anion transporter (canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter/multidrug resistance-associated protein 2) in gastrointestinal secretion of glutathione conjugates in rats.

We investigated the role of cMOAT/MRP2 (canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter/multidrug resistance-associated protein 2) in the intestinal secretion of organic anions by comparing the behavior in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and Eisai hyperbilirubinemic rat (EHBR) whose cMOAT/MRP2 is hereditarily defective. After i.v. administration of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (30 micromol/kg), the biliary and intestinal excretion of its glutathione conjugate 2, 4-dinitrophenyl-S-glutathione (DNP-SG), a substrate for cMOAT/MRP2, was significantly reduced in EHBR compared with SD rats. This result also was confirmed by Ussing chamber studies; DNP-SG showed 1.5-fold greater serosal-to-mucosal flux compared with the mucosal-to-serosal flux in SD rats, whereas a similar flux was observed in both directions in EHBR. In addition, metabolic inhibitors reduced the preferential serosal-to-mucosal flux of DNP-SG in SD rats. In everted sac studies, intestinal secretion clearance, defined as the efflux rate of DNP-SG into the mucosal side divided by the area under the curve on the serosal side, was significantly lower in the jejunum of EHBR than that in SD rats. Northern blot analyses demonstrated the highest mRNA level of cMOAT/MRP2 in the jejunum, which is in good agreement with the results of the everted sac studies. These results suggest that cMOAT/MRP2 is involved in the secretion of organic anions in the small intestine.