Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
School climate and leadership: research into three secondary schools

Draws on the findings of a major research project funded by the New South Wales Department of School Education in Australia which sought to examine the school‐community interface and communication in government comprehensive high schools in that state. Data were drawn initially from nine schools in Western Sydney with three of these schools being the subject of in‐depth follow‐up study. These studies revealed the significant role played by senior school executives, particularly the principal, in the development of communication methods in schools and their influence on school culture and climate. Examines decision making and communication methods in the three schools within the context of each school′s environment and draws implications for school leadership, staff morale, and staff, student and community attitudes. A key finding is that there is no “recipe” for success as a principal. Rather, a contingency approach is advocated whereby individual principals adopt a personal position across a range of imp.
Supervised Feature Selection for Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease Based on Genetic Algorithm

Feature Selection (FS) has become the focus of much research on decision support systems areas for which datasets with tremendous number of variables are analyzed. In this paper we present a new method for the diagnosis of Coronary Artery Diseases (CAD) founded on Genetic Algorithm (GA) wrapped Bayes Naive (BN) based FS. Basically, CAD dataset contains two classes defined with 13 features. In GA–BN algorithm, GA generates in each iteration a subset of attributes that will be evaluated using the BN in the second step of the selection procedure. The final set of attribute contains the most relevant feature model that increases the accuracy. The algorithm in this case produces 85.50% classification accuracy in the diagnosis of CAD. Thus, the asset of the Algorithm is then compared with the use of Support Vector Machine (SVM), Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) and C4.5 decision tree Algorithm. The result of classification accuracy for those algorithms are respectively 83.5%, 83.16% and 80.85%. Consequently, the GA wrapped BN Algorithm is correspondingly compared with other FS algorithms. The Obtained results have shown very promising outcomes for the diagnosis of CAD.
Genomic diversity and molecular differentiation of Riemerella anatipestifer associated with eight outbreaks in five farms

Riemerella anatipestifer causes infectious serositis of ducks and geese. The genomic diversity of R. anatipestifer associated with outbreaks in waterfowls was studied using 24 multidrug-resistant R. anatipestifer isolates collected from the visceral organs of ducks and geese from seven outbreaks in four goose farms and one outbreak in one duck farm. Seven methods were used to differentiate these isolates. Plasmid patterns differed in plasmid number and size, ranging from 2.9 kb to 20 kb, and provided seven profiles. Divergent nucleotide sequences (predominant in 670 to 830 base pairs) of the ompA gene categorized the 24 isolates into three groups based on cluster analysis and polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism. Repetitive-sequence polymerase chain reaction and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis revealed the highest genotypic variations among the isolates. Genotypes and serotypes differed among farms and within the same farm and even within a single goose. In conclusion, a difference in R. anatipestifer genotypes and serotypes was observed for multiple outbreaks in waterfowls.
Primary Aldosteronism and Hypertensive Disease

Abstract—Recent studies in hypertensive populations that have used the serum aldosterone (SA) to plasma renin activity (PRA) ratio as a screening test have demonstrated a high prevalence of primary aldosteronism (PA). This frequency is higher than that previously described when hypokalemia was used as a screening tool. However, other factors, such as the characteristics of hypertensive disease, could also influence the prevalence of PA. We studied 609 essential hypertensive patients, classified according to the Joint National Committee VI (JNC VI), in 3 different stages depending on the severity of their hypertensive disease. We measured SA and PRA and calculated the SA-PRA ratio for all patients. An SA-PRA ratio >25 was detected in 63 of 609 patients, and the fludrocortisone test confirmed the PA diagnoses in 37 of 609 (6.1%) cases. PA prevalence according to hypertension stage was as follows: stage 1, 6 of 301 cases (1.99%); stage 2, 15 of 187 cases (8.02%); and stage 3, 16 of 121 cases (13.2%). PA patients were slightly younger than the other hypertensive patients (48.4±10.5 vs 53.6±10.2 years; P <0.05). Serum potassium levels were normal in 36 of 37 PA patients; only 1 patient had minor hypokalemia. Computed tomography scans showed bilateral adrenal enlargement in 7 and an adrenal nodule in 2 cases. In summary, we found a high frequency of PA in essential hypertensives classified in stages 2 and 3 according to the JNC VI. The low frequency of computed tomography scan abnormalities and hypokalemia suggests that the diagnosis for most PA patients corresponds to attenuated forms of the disease.
The use of combination therapy in pulmonary arterial hypertension: new developments

There is a strong clinical rationale for combination therapy in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), as several pathological pathways have been implicated in its pathogenesis and no single agent has yet been shown to deliver completely satisfactory results. Registry data indicate that use of combination therapy is in fact common in existing clinical practice, even though support has been largely empirical or derived from small-scale observational studies. Data from large, adequately powered, randomised controlled trials of combination therapy in PAH are now emerging and suggest that combination therapy may be clinically beneficial. Studies of bosentan in combination with prostanoids and phosphodiesterase (PDE)-5 inhibitors show consistent evidence of improvements in exercise capacity compared with placebo. Similar improvements have been observed with PDE-5 inhibitors in combination with prostanoids. The appropriate timing of combination therapy requires further evaluation but goal-oriented therapy using combinations of oral and inhaled drugs has been shown to provide acceptable long-term results in patients with advanced PAH. Monitoring should be performed regularly and be based on repeatable, noninvasive, measurable parameters that have prognostic value.
Robustness Analysis of Stochastic Jumps and Design of Resource-Optimal Switching Policies for Cyber-Physical Systems

This paper focuses on the robustness analysis of real-time embedded control systems that are common in many cyber-physical systems. Uncertainty in any of them induces asynchrony in the system such as communication delays or packet losses and its effects are commonly analysed in the framework of Markov jump linear systems. In this paper, we present new results that enable uncertainty quantification for general stochastic jump linear systems, not necessarily Markov process. Robustness is quantified via Wasserstein distance that assesses robustness based on shapes of state probability density functions. We show that convergence in this metric is equivalent to mean square stability. Both the transient and steady-state performance of the systems with given initial state uncertainties can be analysed in this framework. Finally, we also present new algorithms with stability guarantees that can be used to synthesize a switching policy for resource-optimal implementation of control algorithms, without significant degradation in performance. The proposed methods are also verified through numerical examples relevant to cyber-physical systems.
Finger module design based on dual-mode twisting actuation for explosive ordnance disposal gripper

In this paper, a gripper for explosive ordnance disposal manipulator is designed to carry 60 mm cannonball. For compact and light design, underactuated system based on dual-mode twisting actuation is adopted. The dual-mode twisting actuation is a sort of transmission system which generates high speed and large actuating force depending on the operation modes. To achieve design goals, the gripper is designed and its specification is determined by parameter study and simulation. Additionally, through experiments, utility of proposed gripper is verified by grasping target object successfully.
Anatomy of a conference

This paper presents an anatomy of Hypertext 2011 -- focusing on the dynamic and static behavior of the participants. We consider data collected by the CONFERATOR system at the conference, and provide statistics concerning participants, presenters, session chairs, different communities, and according roles. Additionally, we perform an in-depth analysis of these actors during the conference concerning their communication and track visiting behavior.
Heterogeneity of tetracycline resistance determinants in Streptococcus

We found that naturally occurring tetracycline resistance in streptococci is encoded by more than one genetic determinant. Two of these distinct determinants were cloned, and the regions that are necessary and sufficient for expression of tetracycline resistance were defined by deletion analysis. These cloned determinants were further characterized by DNA-DNA hybridization experiments which also identified a third genetically unrelated tetracycline resistance determinant. Some of these genetic differences appear to represent mechanistic differences. The tetL determinant was associated with small nonconjugative plasmids and mediated resistance to tetracycline. The tetM determinant was most often "nonplasmid" associated and mediated resistance to minocycline as well as tetracycline. The tetN determinant was represented on a large conjugative plasmid and was genetically distinct from tetL and tetM, although phenotypically it resembled tetM.
Interprocedural Compilation of Irregular Applications for Distributed Memory Machines

Data parallel languages like High Performance Fortran (HPF) are emerging as the architecture independent mode of programming distributed memory parallel machines. In this paper, we present the interprocedural optimizations required for compiling applications having irregular data access patterns, when coded in such data parallel languages. We have developed an Interprocedural Partial Redundancy Elimination (IPRE) algorithm for optimized placement of runtime preprocessing routine and collective communication routines inserted for managing communication in such codes. We also present two new interprocedural optimizations, placement of scatter routines and use of coalescing and incremental routines. We then describe how program slicing can be used for further applying IPRE in more complex scenarios. We have done a preliminary implementation of the schemes presented here using the Fortran D compilation system as the necessary infrastructure. We present experimental results from two codes compiled using our system to demonstrate the efficacy of the presented schemes.
Low Serum Levels of Myeloid Progenitor Inhibitory Factor-1 Predict Good Response to Methotrexate in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background. Although the benchmark in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis remains methotrexate, only 70% of patients respond. Thus, there is a need for predictive biomarkers. This study planned to evaluate serum levels of myeloid progenitor inhibitory factor-1 (MPIF-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein 2 (MCP-2)—as biomarkers. Methods. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) having high disease activity (DAS28-3v ≥ 5.1) were treated with oral methotrexate (MTX) for 12 weeks. Disease activity was measured by DAS28-3v (Modified Disease Activity Score 3 variables). Serum samples were stored at baseline and 12 weeks. Results. This study included 46 patients (F : M = 35 : 11) having mean (±SD) age of 42.6 ± 11.3 yrs, disease duration of 4.7 ± 4.5 yrs, and DAS28-3v of 6.1 ± 0.8. Serum MPIF1 was elevated in patients compared to controls (1636.7 ± 1009.7, 441.2 ± 173.8 pg/mL, P < 0.001), but there was no difference in MCP2 levels (31.4 ± 11.9, 33.8 ± 24.0 pg/mL). Baseline MPIF-1 level was lower in good responders (ΔDAS28-3v ≥ 1.2, N = 9) compared to poor responders (ΔDAS28-3v < 0.6, N = 27) (1171.0 ± 670.8, 1816.7 ± 1154.1 pg/mL, P = 0.05). On ROC analysis, baseline MPIF1 performed reasonably to predict good response; that is, ΔDAS28-3v ≥ 1.2 (AUC 0.68, 95% CI 0.50–0.87). Conclusions. Lower baseline MPIF1 level predicted a good response to methotrexate at 12 weeks.
Effect of antithrombotic therapy in patients with mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation: a sub-analysis of NASPEAF randomized trial.

AIMS The randomized NASPEAF study included non-valvular with prior embolism and mitral stenosis patients in the same group. This is a sub-study to specially focus on the antithrombotic therapy in mitral stenosis. METHODS AND RESULTS We analysed 311 patients with mitral stenosis, compared with 175 non-valvular atrial fibrillation patients with prior embolism, stratified by a history of previous embolism and assigned to anticoagulant therapy [target international normalized ratio (INR) = 2.0-3.0] or combined antiplatelet plus moderate intensity anticoagulant therapy. Median follow-up was 2.9 years. Outcomes were fatal and non-fatal embolism, stroke and myocardial infarction, sudden death, and death from bleeding. Combined therapy in mitral stenosis patients, compared with anticoagulant alone therapy, reduced the risk of vascular events by 58.3%. During equal therapy, the outcome annual rates were essentially the same in non-valvular and valvular patients [hazard ratio 0.90 (95% confidence interval 0.37-2.16), P = 0.81]. During anticoagulant alone therapy, the annual event rate in mitral stenosis patients without prior embolism was low (2.5%) and it was very high in patients with prior embolism (6.6%). CONCLUSION Combined therapy was effective in mitral stenosis patients. Prior embolism patients are not efficiently protected with anticoagulant alone therapy for an INR of 2.0-3.0.
Profiles of School Administrators in South Korea

Research literature considering school administrators in South Korea is disappointingly sparse. A central focus of this article is to investigate vital descriptors of Korean school administrators, including demographic profiles, entry perspectives, pre-service and in-service training and career commitment. Secondarily, the findings are compared to research conducted by Su et al. of school administrators in the USA and China. Using survey data collected from over 400 South Korean administrators, this study makes international comparisons, and at the same time, exposes the unreflective tendency to lump together nations and systems based on ethnic or geographic distinctions. The study highlights the present and vital need for South Korea to redefine its educational system and practice as the national identity moves toward a new equilibrium that reconciles tradition and (post-) modernity.
Interventional multi-spectral photoacoustic imaging in laparoscopic surgery

Laparoscopic procedures can be an attractive treatment option for liver resection, with a shortened hospital stay and reduced morbidity compared to open surgery. One of the central challenges of this technique is visualisation of concealed structures within the liver, particularly the vasculature and tumourous tissue. As photoacoustic (PA) imaging can provide contrast for haemoglobin in real time, it may be well suited to guiding laparoscopic procedures in order to avoid inadvertent trauma to vascular structures. In this study, a clinical laparoscopic ultrasound probe was used to receive ultrasound for PA imaging and to obtain co-registered B-mode ultrasound (US) images. Pulsed excitation light was delivered to the tissue via a fibre bundle in dark-field mode. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to optimise the light delivery geometry for imaging targets at depths of 1 cm, 2 cm and 3 cm, and 3D-printed mounts were used to position the fibre bundle relative to the transducer according to the simulation results. The performance of the photoacoustic laparoscope system was evaluated with phantoms and tissue models. The clinical potential of hybrid PA/US imaging to improve the guidance of laparoscopic surgery is discussed.
Zeta functions and ideal classes of quaternion orders

Inspired by Stark’s analytic proof of the finiteness of the class number of a ring of integers in an algebraic number field, we give a new proof of the finiteness of the number of classes of ideals in a maximal order of a quaternion division algebra over a totally real number field. Previous proofs of this well-known result have used adeles or geometry of numbers, while our proof uses the classical analytic theory of zeta functions. We also note that this approach leads to alternative proofs of Eichler’s mass formula and the even parity of the number of ramified primes in the quaternion algebra.
Annual and semiannual variations of vertical total electron content during high solar activity based on GPS observations

Abstract. Annual, semiannual and seasonal variations of the Vertical Total Electron Content (VTEC) have been investigated during high solar activity in 2000. In this work we use Global IGS VTEC maps and Principal Component Analysis to study spatial and temporal ionospheric variability. The behavior of VTEC variations at two-hour periods, at noon and at night is analyzed. Particular characteristics associated with each period and the geomagnetic regions are highlighted. The variations at night are smaller than those obtained at noon. At noon it is possible to see patterns of the seasonal variation at high latitude, and patterns of the semiannual anomaly at low latitudes with a slow decrease towards mid latitudes. At night there is no evidence of seasonal or annual anomaly for any region, but it was possible to see the semiannual anomaly at low latitudes with a sudden decrease towards mid latitudes. In general, the semiannual behavior shows March–April equinox at least 40 % higher than September one. Similarities and differences are analyzed also with regard to the same analysis done for a period of low solar activity.
DNA regions bound at low occupancy by transcription factors do not drive patterned reporter gene expression in Drosophila

In animals, each sequence-specific transcription factor typically binds to thousands of genomic regions in vivo. Our previous studies of 20 transcription factors show that most genomic regions bound at high levels in Drosophila blastoderm embryos are known or probable functional targets, but genomic regions occupied only at low levels have characteristics suggesting that most are not involved in the cis-regulation of transcription. Here we use transgenic reporter gene assays to directly test the transcriptional activity of 104 genomic regions bound at different levels by the 20 transcription factors. Fifteen genomic regions were selected based solely on the DNA occupancy level of the transcription factor Kruppel. Five of the six most highly bound regions drive blastoderm patterns of reporter transcription. In contrast, only one of the nine lowly bound regions drives transcription at this stage and four of them are not detectably active at any stage of embryogenesis. A larger set of 89 genomic regions chosen using criteria designed to identify functional cis-regulatory regions supports the same trend: genomic regions occupied at high levels by transcription factors in vivo drive patterned gene expression, whereas those occupied only at lower levels mostly do not. These results support studies that indicate that the high cellular concentrations of sequence-specific transcription factors drive extensive, low-occupancy, nonfunctional interactions within the accessible portions of the genome.
Miscoded Visual Processing in Degenerative Retinal Disorder

Standard electrophysiological procedures for visual testing were applied to record the retinal and cortical electrophysiological responses to contrast stimulation from 35 subjects with unambiguously diagnosed retinitis pigmentosa and severe impairment of visual acuity and field. Stimuli (central 9° of visual field) were sinusoidal bars with spatial frequencies of 0.6–1.2 cycle/degree and 1.3–5.0 cycle/degree for the retinal (pattern-ERG) and cortical (pattern-VEP) responses, respectively; contrast was 80%; reversal at 2.13 Hz. Structured pattern-ERG above noise level was recorded from 29 subjects at 0.6 cycle/degree and from 24 subjects at 1.2 cycle/degree; latencies were increased and amplitude reduced. Pattern-VEP responses above noise level, with increased latencies and reduced amplitude, were observed in 92% of subjects with unilateral and in all subjects with bilateral retinal response. Both responses were phase-locked to stimulus. No correlation with the residual visual acuity or field was detected.
Supporting Teachers on Science‐focused School Trips: Towards an integrated framework of theory and practice

Although science centres and museums are important educational resources, school trips to these places are not often conducted in a manner that could maximise learning. In addressing this issue, a Framework for Museum Practice (FMP) is proposed, derived from the perspectives of Cultural Historical Activity Theory, theories of intrinsic motivation, and research into conceptual learning. It is hypothesised that this theoretically derived framework, if implemented by museum educators, can potentially lead to the creation of resources for teachers that would enable them to make better use of the learning opportunities afforded by school trips, and to maximise the impact on pupil learning, including their affective experience. This paper also describes how the framework was used to guide the development of resources to be used in conjunction with a science museum trip. The resources were tested by two primary school teachers and their classes, and the data were analysed for evidence of teacher and student behaviour consistent with the design principles in the FMP. Findings lend some empirical support for the FMP and suggest that it may offer a guide for the development of museum‐provided resources, which would have the potential to improve the utilisation by teachers of informal science institutions and, consequently, their impact on pupil learning.
Short-Term Blood Pressure, Noradrenergic, and Vascular Effects of Nocturnal Home Hemodialysis

Abstract—Long-term nocturnal hemodialysis, which uses longer and more frequent sessions than conventional hemodialysis, lowers clinic blood pressure and left ventricular mass. We tested the hypotheses that short-term nocturnal hemodialysis would (1) reduce ambulatory blood pressure; (2) cause peripheral vasodilation; (3) lower plasma norepinephrine concentration; and (4) improve the arterial response to reactive hyperemia (a marker of endothelium-dependent vasodilation). We studied 18 consecutive patients (age, 41±2; [mean±SEM]) before and 1 and 2 months after conversion from conventional (three 4-hour sessions per week) to nocturnal (six 8-hour sessions per week) hemodialysis. As the dialysis dose per session (Kt/V) increased from 1.24±0.06 to 2.04±0.08 after 2 months (P =0.02), symptomatic hypotension developed and most antihypertensive medications were withdrawn. Nocturnal hemodialysis nonetheless lowered 24-hour mean arterial pressure (from 102±3 to 90±2 mm Hg after 2 months; P =0.01), total peripheral resistance (from 1967±235 to 1499±191 dyne · s · cm−5; P <0.01) and plasma norepinephrine (from 2.66±0.4 to 1.96±0.2 nmol; P =0.04). Endothelium-dependent vasodilation could not be elicited during conventional hemodialysis (−2.7±1.8%) but was restored (+8.0±1.0%; P =0.001) after 2 months of nocturnal hemodialysis. The brachial artery response to nitroglycerin also improved (from 6.9±2.8 to 15.7±1.6%; P <0.05). Nocturnal hemodialysis had no effect on weight or on stroke volume. Rapid reversal of these markers of adverse cardiovascular events with more intense hemodialysis may translate into improved outcome in this high-risk group of patients.