Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Realising the potential of school-based networks

Background: Formalised networks have become integral features of many education systems. Some networks have emerged organically as practitioners have sought to share and improve practice while others have been systematically planned and supported by policy makers in an attempt to raise the overall effectiveness of entire systems. However, despite their rising popularity the literature pertaining to their purposes, design and function remains limited. Furthermore, their impact on schools, teachers and students is even less clear. Purpose and sources of evidence: This article draws on the literature and the authors' research on school-based networks to explore their nature and contribution to school improvement. Main argument and conclusions: In conclusion, it is argued three specific areas warrant further investigation. First, the constitution or mix and balance of those involved in the network, second, the relationships or the interactions between those involved in the network, and third, the purpose and identity or the aims and objectives of the network and the identity those involved create for the network, and that a deeper understanding of these areas will go some way to realise the potential of school-based networks.
Rebanking CCGbank for Improved NP Interpretation

Once released, treebanks tend to remain unchanged despite any shortcomings in their depth of linguistic analysis or coverage of specific phenomena. Instead, separate resources are created to address such problems. In this paper we show how to improve the quality of a treebank, by integrating resources and implementing improved analyses for specific constructions. We demonstrate this rebanking process by creating an updated version of CCG-bank that includes the predicate-argument structure of both verbs and nouns, base-NP brackets, verb-particle constructions, and restrictive and non-restrictive nominal modifiers; and evaluate the impact of these changes on a statistical parser.
Application of the PTSD-alcohol expectancy questionnaire (P-AEQ) to sexually assaulted college women

Risk of alcohol use problems is an important clinical concern for women who have been sexually assaulted and experience PTSD symptoms. This study explored this risk by testing a factor structure of an alcohol expectancy questionnaire that assesses beliefs about alcohol's effects on posttraumatic stress symptoms (P-AEQ). Symptom-specific expectancy scores were then tested as predictors of alcohol consumption. Subjects were 96 female undergraduate women who reported being forced to have sex, 68 who experienced pressure to have sex, and 149 who denied any forced or pressured sex. Alternative factor models were tested using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. A four-factor model reflecting posttraumatic stress symptom domains (Intrusions, Avoidance, Arousal, and Numbing) was found. The numbing factor was correlated with drinking among assaulted women; however, no support was found for symptom-specific expectancies to moderate between assault and drinking. Findings supported a role for posttrauma symptom-specific alcohol expectancies as a potential link between sexual assault and alcohol consumption.
Economic Incentives as a Strategy for Responding to Teacher Staffing Problems

Background: Many district and school leaders experience difficulties staffing their classrooms with qualified teachers. Economic incentives may motivate teachers to enter and remain in the workforce and entice teachers to work in less desirable districts and schools. However, very little is known about incentives in use, how they are used to address teacher staffing challenges, or their relative effectiveness in meeting teacher staffing needs. Purpose: This article presents a typology that organizes and differentiates among economic incentive policies. The typology provides a framework for understanding the alignment between incentive policies and dimensions of the teacher staffing problem and interactions among incentive policies across levels of the educational system. Research Design: The typology is based on a broad review of scholarly literature, state and district documents and websites, and research and interest group reports and briefings. The typology was tested and refined using descriptive case studies in four districts in two states. Findings: The authors’ findings confirm the typology’s applicability, highlight patterns in the use of economic incentive policies, and point to the importance of considering the incentive “packages” to which teachers may be entitled in policy making and research. Conclusions: The study makes both conceptual and empirical contributions. Conceptually, the authors develop and test a tool policy makers, educational leaders, and researchers can use to examine economic incentive policies and align policies with teacher staffing problems. Empirically, the study identifies patterns that raise important questions about the ways in which economic incentive policies are implemented and evaluated.
Enabling BYOD through secure meta-market

Mobile security is a hot research topic. Yet most of available techniques focus on securing individual applications and therefore cannot possibly tackle security weaknesses stemming from the combined use of one or more applications (e.g. confused deputy attacks). Preventing these types of attacks is crucial in many important application scenarios. For instance, their prevention is a prerequisite for the widespread adoption of the BYOD paradigm in the corporate setting. To this aim, in this paper we propose a secure meta-market which supports the specification and enforcement of security policies spanning multiple applications. Moreover, the meta-market keeps track of the security state of devices and -through a functional combination of static analysis and code instrumentation techniques- supervises the installation of new applications thereby ensuring the enforcement of the security policies. Also, we developed a prototype implementation of the secure meta-market and we used it for validating a wide range of popular Android applications against a security policy drawn from the US Government BYOD Security Guidelines. Experimental results obtained by running the prototype confirm the effectiveness of the approach.
Contributions of Stratospheric Water Vapor to Decadal Changes in the Rate of Global Warming

Dropping a Notch Between 2000 and 2001, the concentration of water vapor in the stratosphere dropped by about 10%. Water vapor is an important greenhouse gas, so did the decrease affect climate and slow global warming? Solomon et al. (p. 1219, published online 28 January) used a combination of data and models to show that lower stratospheric water vapor probably has contributed to the flattening of global average temperatures since 2000, by acting to slow the rate of warming by about 25%. Furthermore, the amount of water vapor in the stratosphere probably increased between 1980 and 2000, a period of more rapid warming, suggesting how important the concentration of stratospheric water vapor might be to climate. Decreases in stratospheric water vapor after the year 2000 slowed the rate of increase in global surface temperature. Stratospheric water vapor concentrations decreased by about 10% after the year 2000. Here we show that this acted to slow the rate of increase in global surface temperature over 2000–2009 by about 25% compared to that which would have occurred due only to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. More limited data suggest that stratospheric water vapor probably increased between 1980 and 2000, which would have enhanced the decadal rate of surface warming during the 1990s by about 30% as compared to estimates neglecting this change. These findings show that stratospheric water vapor is an important driver of decadal global surface climate change.
On the modeling of WWW request arrivals

In this paper, access logs of two Web servers are analysed. The objectives of the analysis are to characterize the arrival process of a Web server, and to build an arrival model based on the characterization. Our analysis finds that the arrival process is actually formed by superimposing different users' request sessions which have an exponentially distributed inter-arrival time. Each session is also found to consist of one or more HTML document requests which is geometrically distributed, while the think time has a Weibull distribution. A number of requests are generated based on an HTML document which is found to be geometrically distributed, with their inter-arrival time having a Weibull distribution. Based on these characterizations a model on WWW request arrivals can be built easily. The validity of this model is verified by comparing the arrivals generated by the model to the two access logs. Our results show that the inter-arrival distribution of the generated arrivals match very well with those of the access logs.
A semi-blind channel estimation technique based on second-order blind method for CDMA systems

This paper aims at studying a semi-blind channel estimation scheme based on the subspace method or a carefully weighted linear prediction approach. The corresponding (composite) semi-blind cost functions result from a linear combination of the training-based cost function and a blind cost function. For each blind method, we show how to calculate the asymptotic estimation error. Therefore, by minimizing this error, we can properly tune the K-dimensional regularizing vector introduced in the composite semi-blind criterion (for K active users in the uplink). The asymptotic estimation error minimization is a K-variable minimization problem, which is a complex issue with which to deal. We explicitly show under what conditions this problem boils down to K single-variable minimization problems. Our discussion is not limited to theoretical analyses. Simulation results performed in a realistic context [Universal Mobile Telecommunication System-time division duplex (UMTS-TDD) mode] are provided. In particular, we conclude about the potential of the proposed approach in real communication systems.
Transcriptional Regulation of Renal Cytoprotective Genes by Nrf2 and Its Potential Use as a Therapeutic Target to Mitigate Cisplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity

The use of the chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin is limited in part by nephrotoxicity. Cisplatin causes renal DNA adducts and oxidative stress in rodents. The transcription factor Nrf2 (nuclear factor E2-related factor 2) induces expression of cytoprotective genes, including Nqo1 (NADPH:quinone oxidoreductase 1), Ho-1 (heme oxygenase-1), and Gclc (glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic subunit), in response to electrophilic and oxidative stress. In the present study, plasma and kidneys from wild-type and Nrf2-null mice were collected after receiving cisplatin for evaluation of renal injury, inflammation, mRNA, and protein expression. Compared with wild types, more extensive nephrotoxicity was observed in Nrf2-null mice after cisplatin treatment. Kidneys from Nrf2-null mice treated with cisplatin had more neutrophil infiltration accompanied by increased p65 nuclear factor κB binding and elevated inflammatory mediator mRNA levels. Cisplatin increased renal mRNA and protein expression of cytoprotective genes (Nqo1, Ho-1, Gclc) and transporters Mrp2 and Mrp4 in wild-type but not in Nrf2-null mice. Lastly, the Nrf2 activator, CDDO-Im [2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9-dien-28-oic imidazolide], increased Nrf2 signaling in kidneys from wild-type mice and protected them from cisplatin toxicity. Collectively, these data indicate that the absence of Nrf2 exacerbates cisplatin renal damage and that pharmacological activation of Nrf2 may represent a novel therapy to prevent kidney injury. Coordinated regulation of detoxification enzymes and drug transporters and suppression of inflammation by Nrf2 during cisplatin nephrotoxicity are probable defense mechanisms to eliminate toxic mediators and promote proximal tubule recovery.
Pregrasp Manipulation as Trajectory Optimization

We explore the combined planning of pregrasp manipulation and transport tasks. We formulate this problem as a simultaneous optimization of pregrasp and transport trajectories to minimize overall cost. Next, we reduce this simultaneous optimization problem to an optimization of the transport trajectory with start-point costs and demonstrate how to use physically realistic planners to compute the cost of bringing the object to these start-points. We show how to solve this optimization problem by extending functional gradient-descent methods and demonstrate our planner on two bimanual manipulation platforms.
Asymmetric Recommendations: The Interacting Effects of Social Ratings? Direction and Strength on Users' Ratings

In social recommendation systems, users often publicly rate objects such as photos, news articles or consumer products. When they appear in aggregate, these ratings carry social signals such as the direction and strength of the raters' average opinion about the product. Using a controlled experiment we manipulated two central social signals -- the direction and strength of social ratings of five popular consumer products -- and examined their interacting effects on users' ratings. The results show an asymmetric user behavior, where the direction of perceived social rating has a negative effect on users' ratings if the direction of perceived social rating is negative, but no effect if the direction is positive. The strength of perceived social ratings did not have a significant effect on users' ratings. The findings highlight the potential for cascading adverse effects of small number of negative user ratings on subsequent users' opinions.
Minimally invasive oesophagectomy in prone versus lateral decubitus position: A comparative study

Background: Thoracoscopic oesophageal mobilisation during a minimally invasive oesophagectomy (MIE) is most commonly performed with the patient placed in the lateral decubitus position (LDP). The prone position (PP) for thoracoscopic oesophageal mobilisation has been proposed as an alternative. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective, comparative study designed to compare early outcomes following a minimally invasive thoracolaparoscopic oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer in LDP and in PP. Results: During the study period, between January 2011 and February 2014, 104 patients underwent an oesophagectomy for cancer. Of these, 42 were open procedures (transhiatal and transthoracic oesophagectomy) and 62 were minimally invasive. The study group included patients who underwent thoracolaparoscopic oesophagectomy in LDP (n = 23) and in PP (n = 25). The median age of the study population was 55 (24-71) years, and there were 25 males. Twenty-one (21) patients had tumours in the middle third of the oesophagus, 24 in the lower third, and 3 arising from the gastro-oesophageal junction. The most common histology was squamous cell cancer (85.4%). The median duration of surgery was similar in the two groups; however, the estimated median intraoperative blood loss was less in the PP group [200 (50-400) mL vs 300 (100-600) mL; P = 0.01)]. In the post-operative period, 26.1% patients in the LDP group and 8% in the PP group (8%) developed respiratory complications. The incidence of other post-operative complications, including cervical oesophagogastric anastomosis, hoarseness of voice and chylothorax, was not different in the two groups. The T stage of the tumour was similar in the two groups, with the majority (37) having T3 disease. A mean of 8 lymph nodes (range 2-33) were retrieved in the LDP group, and 17.5 (range 5-41) lymph nodes were retrieved in the PP group (P = 0.0004). The number of patients with node-positive disease was also higher in the PP group (19 vs 10, P = 0.037). Conclusion: MIE in the PP is an effective alternative to LDP. The exposure obtained is excellent even without the need for a complete lung collapse, thereby obviating the need for a double-lumen endotracheal tube. A more meticulous dissection can be performed resulting in a higher lymph nodal yield.
Systemic Imidacloprid Affects Intraguild Parasitoids Differently

Toxoneuron nigriceps (Viereck) (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) and Campoletis sonorensis (Cameron) (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) are solitary endoparasitoids of the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae). They provide biological control of H. virescens populations in Southeastern US agricultural production systems. Field and greenhouse experiments conducted from 2011–2014 compared parasitism rates of parasitoids that developed inside H. virescens larvae fed on tobacco plants treated with and without imidacloprid. The parasitoids in our study did not have a similar response. Toxoneuron nigriceps had reduced parasitism rates, but parasitism rates of C. sonorensis were unaffected. Preliminary data indicate that adult female lifespans of T. nigriceps are also reduced. ELISA was used to measure concentrations of neonicotinoids, imidacloprid and imidacloprid metabolites in H. virescens larvae that fed on imidacloprid-treated plants and in the parasitoids that fed on these larvae. Concentrations were detectable in the whole bodies of parasitized H. virescens larvae, T. nigriceps larvae and T. nigriceps adults, but not in C. sonorensis larvae and adults. These findings suggest that there are effects of imidacloprid on multiple trophic levels, and that insecticide use may differentially affect natural enemies with similar feeding niches.
Five-Year Outcomes in Patients With Left Main Disease Treated With Either Percutaneous Coronary Intervention or Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in the Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery Trial

Background— Current guidelines recommend coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) when treating significant de novo left main coronary artery (LM) stenosis; however, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has a class IIa indication for unprotected LM disease in selected patients. This analysis compares 5-year clinical outcomes in PCI- and CABG-treated LM patients in the Synergy Between PCI With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) trial, the largest trial in this group to date. Methods and Results— The SYNTAX trial randomly assigned 1800 patients with LM or 3-vessel disease to receive either PCI (with TAXUS Express paclitaxel-eluting stents) or CABG. The unprotected LM cohort (N=705) was predefined and powered. Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event rates at 5 years was 36.9% in PCI patients and 31.0% in CABG patients (hazard ratio, 1.23 [95% confidence interval, 0.95–1.59]; P=0.12). Mortality rate was 12.8% and 14.6% in PCI and CABG patients, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.88 [95% confidence interval, 0.58–1.32]; P=0.53). Stroke was significantly increased in the CABG group (PCI 1.5% versus CABG 4.3%; hazard ratio, 0.33 [95% confidence interval, 0.12–0.92]; P=0.03) and repeat revascularization in the PCI arm (26.7% versus 15.5%; hazard ratio, 1.82 [95% confidence interval, 1.28–2.57]; P<0.01). Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events were similar between arms in patients with low/intermediate SYNTAX scores but significantly increased in PCI patients with high scores (≥33). Conclusions— At 5 years, no difference in overall major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events was found between treatment groups. PCI-treated patients had a lower stroke but a higher revascularization rate versus CABG. These results suggest that both treatments are valid options for LM patients. The extent of disease should accounted for when choosing between surgery and PCI, because patients with high SYNTAX scores seem to benefit more from surgery compared with those in the lower tertiles. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: http://www.clinicaltrials. gov. Unique identifier: NCT00114972.
Volunteers' Motivations: Findings from a National Survey

The present investigation used responses to Independent Sector's 1992 national survey of giving and volunteering in the United States to address several questions about the motivations of volunteers. Drawing on the functional approach to volunteers' motivations, and its operationalization in the Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI), relations between motivations and various aspects of volunteer behavior were examined, along with associations of motivations and demographic variables. Analyses revealed that current volunteers and nonvolunteers differed on motivations; people with different volunteering histories revealed different motivational patterns; unique combinations of motivations were associated with different types of volunteering activities; and motivational differences were associated with different demographic groups. The implications of these findings for understanding the nature and function of the motivations to volunteer, and the applications to the practice of volunteerism, are discussed.
Bacteriophage Therapy To Reduce Salmonella Colonization of Broiler Chickens

ABSTRACT Acute enteric infections caused by salmonellas remain a major public health burden worldwide. Poultry, particularly chickens, are known to be the main reservoir for this zoonotic pathogen. Although some progress has been made in reducing Salmonella colonization of broiler chickens by using biosecurity and antimicrobials, it still remains a considerable problem. The use of host-specific bacteriophages as a biocontrol is one possible intervention by which Salmonella colonization could be reduced. A total of 232 Salmonella bacteriophages were isolated from poultry farms, abattoirs, and wastewater in 2004 and 2005. Three phages exhibiting the broadest host ranges against Salmonella enterica serotypes Enteritidis, Hadar, and Typhimurium were characterized further by determining their morphology and lytic activity in vitro. These phages were then administered in antacid suspension to birds experimentally colonized with specific Salmonella host strains. The first phage reduced S. enterica serotype Enteritidis cecal colonization by ≥4.2 log10 CFU within 24 h compared with controls. Administration of the second phage reduced S. enterica serotype Typhimurium by ≥2.19 log10 CFU within 24 h. The third bacteriophage was ineffective at reducing S. enterica serotype Hadar colonization. Bacteriophage resistance occurred at a frequency commensurate with the titer of phage being administered, with larger phage titers resulting in a greater proportion of resistant salmonellas. The selection of appropriate bacteriophages and optimization of both the timing and method of phage delivery are key factors in the successful phage-mediated control of salmonellas in broiler chickens.