Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mapping higher education for sustainable development in Portugal

Abstract Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) addresses sustainable development issues, in the economic, environmental, and social dimensions. The positive role of higher education institutions (HEIs), such as Universities and Polytechnic Institutes, in educating decision makers and leaders, and therefore contributing to progress and the public good, has been widely acknowledged. This investigation aims to map the BSc and MSc courses offered by Portuguese HEIs that address Sustainability (or Social Responsibility, or Ethics) in their curricula with the aim of proving their graduates with the right knowledge and competencies to overcome the Sustainable Development challenges. A systematic review utilizing a structured approach was used to analyze Portuguese HEIs BSc and MSc courses and the content analysis of their curricular units. The conclusions show that Sustainability (or Social Responsibility, or Ethics) is covered in most Social Sciences, Engineering, and Management, BSc and MSc courses, offered by the top 8 Portuguese Higher Education Institutions. However, ESD is fragmented by different approaches, issues, methodologies, and implications, lacking a consistent body of knowledge. Some courses focus more on the Social dimension, while others are more directed to the Environment or the Economic one. Sometimes the chosen approach is more normative (do what is right to do; the ethical way) and in other cases is more instrumental (do what is good for the business; the business case). Social Sciences, Engineering and Science, and Management and Economics are the three top clusters that address Sustainability related syllabus in their curricula, with 49 hours teaching hours in average for the curricular units covering Sustainability (with considerable variation). Universities have more curricular units addressing the topic while Polytechnic Institutes show a higher number of hours per curricular unit and most are of compulsory nature (while in Universities more than 50% of the curricular units are of optional nature). As the collected information was in some cases of generic nature, additional research should be used to confirm and detail these results and evaluate the effectiveness of this education to empower students to act as change agents for Sustainable Development. Benchmarking with other countries (e.g., from the European Union) is also an interesting avenue to pursue this investigation.
Does preschool education attendance matter? Evidence from a natural experiment in Spain

ABSTRACT The non-compulsory and non-free of charge character of preschool education level before 3 years old in Spain raises some doubts about the exogenous nature of this variable. This article provides new evidence about the impact of preschool years on educational outcomes by exploiting a peculiar Spanish database that supplies information on two classrooms at fourth grade in primary schools where students were randomly allocated into each group. Using an identification strategy that reproduces a natural experiment, we find that belonging to the group with more average years of preschool education significantly and positively impacts on fourth-grade students’ average outcomes. Particularly, an increase of one standard deviation in the difference in years of preschool attendance results in an increase of 0.16 (0.13) standard deviations in the group achievement for mathematics (reading). In view of the importance of preschool education and considering that preschool attendance before 3 years old is related with socio-economic variables, we conclude that extending free preschool education to the 2-year-old age group in Spain should be considered especially for students in families with less favourable backgrounds.
Return and Volatility Spillovers Effects: Study of Asian Emerging Stock Markets

This paper examines the extent of contagion and interdependence across the six Asian emerging countries stock markets (e.g., Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, the Philippine, and South Korea) and then try to quantify the extent of the Asian emerging market fluctuations which are described by intra-regional contagion effect. These markets experienced both fast growth and key upheaval during the sample period, and thus, provide potentially rich information on the nature of border market interactions. Using the daily stock market index data from January 2002 to December 2016 (breaking the 15 years data set into three sub periods; pre-crisis, crisis, and post crisis periods); particularly make attention to the global financial crisis of 2007∼2008. The return and volatility spillovers are modeled through the GARCH (generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity), pairwise Granger causality tests, and the forecast error variance decomposition in a generalized VAR (vector auto regression) models. This paper shows that volatility and return spillovers behave very differently over time, during the pre-crisis, crisis, and post crisis periods. Importantly, Asian emerging stock markets interaction is less before the global financial crisis period. The return and volatility spillover indices touch their respective historical peaks during the global financial crisis 2007∼2008, however Bangladeshi market faces this condition in 2009∼2010.
Pathogenesis of highly pathogenic avian influenza A virus (H7N1) infection in chickens inoculated with three different doses

To study the pathogenesis of a H7N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus strain, specific pathogen free chickens were inoculated with decreasing concentrations of virus: 105.5 median embryo lethal dose (ELD50) (G1), 103.5 ELD50 (G2) and 101.5 ELD50 (G3). Disease progression was monitored over a period of 16 days and sequential necropsies and tissue samples were collected for histological and immunohistochemical examination. Viral RNA loads were also quantified in different tissues, blood, oropharyngeal swabs, and cloacal swabs using quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Clinical signs of depression, apathy, listlessness, huddling and ruffled feathers were recorded in G1 and a few G2 birds, whilst neurological signs were only observed in chickens inoculated with the highest dose. Gross lesions of haemorrhages were observed in the unfeathered skin of the comb and legs, and skeletal muscle, lung, pancreas and kidneys of birds inoculated with 105.5 ELD50 and 103.5 ELD50 doses. Microscopic lesions and viral antigen were demonstrated in cells of the nasal cavity, lung, heart, skeletal muscle, brain, spinal cord, gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, liver, bone marrow, thymus, bursa of Fabricius, spleen, kidney, adrenal gland and skin. Viral RNA was detected by RT-qPCR in kidney, lung, intestine, and brain samples of G1 and G2 birds. However, in birds infected with the lowest dose, viral RNA was detected only in brain and lung samples in low amounts at 5 and 7 days post infection. Interestingly, viral shedding was observed in oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs with proportionate decrease with the inoculation dose. We conclude that although an adequate infectious dose is critical in reproducing the clinical infection, chickens exposed to lower doses can be infected and shed virus representing a risk for the dissemination of the viral agent.
Gene expression variability in clonal populations: Causes and consequences

Abstract During the last decade it has been shown that among cell variation in gene expression plays an important role within clonal populations. Here, we provide an overview of the different mechanisms contributing to gene expression variability in clonal populations. These are ranging from inherent variations in the biochemical process of gene expression itself, such as intrinsic noise, extrinsic noise and bistability to individual responses to variations in the local micro-environment, a phenomenon called phenotypic plasticity. Also genotypic variations caused by clonal evolution and phase variation can contribute to gene expression variability. Consequently, gene expression studies need to take these fluctuations in expression into account. However, frequently used techniques for expression quantification, such as microarrays, RNA sequencing, quantitative PCR and gene reporter fusions classically determine the population average of gene expression. Here, we discuss how these techniques can be adapted towards single cell analysis by integration with single cell isolation, RNA amplification and microscopy. Alternatively more qualitative selection-based techniques, such as mutant screenings, in vivo expression technology (IVET) and recombination-based IVET (RIVET) can be applied for detection of genes expressed only within a subpopulation. Finally, differential fluorescence induction (DFI), a protocol specially designed for single cell expression is discussed.
Precaution and equivalence - the critical interplay in EU biotech foods

Scientific uncertainty surrounds biotech foods. To regulate such foods and to ensure consumer choice and safety, the EU has adopted a precautionary approach based on premarket authorization and mandatory labelling. Despite these regulatory requirements, the controversial concept of substantial equivalence is still present within the existing regimes for GM and cloned foods. The concept uses a comparative analysis of conventional and biotech foods to assess their safety. If substantial equivalence is present, biotech foods are regulated in the same manner as conventional foods. The concept restricts consumer choice and calls into question the safety of such foods because it requires no specific mandatory labelling or traceability and only minimal premarket authorization. The dynamic between substantial equivalence and the precautionary principle is problematic as the two concepts seem contradictory. This situation prevents the existence of an adequate and efficient regulatory environment for EU biotech foods regulation and undermines a comprehensive precautionary approach towards such foods and the EU food system in general.
The New leadership Challenge: Creating the Future of Nursing

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Mechanisms of tinnitus generation

Purpose of reviewThe current understanding of mechanisms of tinnitus generation is continuing to advance. This review is intended to outline new knowledge in the areas of neuroanatomy, physiology, psychophysics, and brain imaging that are revealing novel mechanisms of tinnitus development. Advances in these areas will open new avenues for effective treatment of tinnitus. Recent findingsApplication of high-pulse train electrical stimulation to the cochlea may be effective in restoring the normal pattern of spontaneous activity from the periphery that is interpreted by the auditory brainstem as coding for silence. Clinical and laboratory evidence for a significant interaction between the somatosensory and auditory systems has important implications for understanding and treating tinnitus. Application of principles of neuroplasticity and novel imaging techniques has expanded our understanding of tinnitus through analogous approaches to phantom limb pain. Finally, a novel receptor type recently located in auditory neurovascular structures has opened a new field of study of inflammatory mechanisms contributing to tinnitus. SummaryOur understanding of the mechanisms that lead to a phantom auditory perception, and the associated debilitating consequences of this sensory experience, is continuing to improve. Tinnitus appears to be significantly affected in complex ways by somatosensory, limbic, and motor influences. Effective treatments will certainly emerge from these new areas of research.
Alcohol and cognitive performance: a longitudinal study of older Japanese Americans. The Kame Project

Background: Recent data demonstrate that moderate consumption of alcohol (13–52 grams of ethanol per day) may be beneficial to cognitive functioning among older adults. Methods: Longitudinal growth curve analyses controlling for baseline age, body mass index (BMI), education/income, migrant status, smoking, history of diagnosed stroke, hypertension, coronary heart disease (CHD), depression, diabetes and stroke (time-varying) were used to examine the relationship between alcohol consumption, gender and cognitive performance over an 8-year follow-up period. The sample included 1624 Japanese American community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older who were cognitively intact at baseline and participated in at least one follow-up examination. Cognitive performance was measured using the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI; 0–100 point scale), a global test of cognitive function. Results: Current consumers (n=480) scored significantly (p<0.05) higher on CASI (mean rate of change−1.22 CASI units) over the 8-year follow-up period than past consumers or abstainers (n=1144; mean rate of change−3.77 CASI units). There was no significant main effect for gender, or an alcohol and gender interaction. Conclusions: This study provides further support regarding the beneficial effects of moderate alcohol consumption on cognitive performance over time. Observed benefits were not modified by gender. Future studies need to determine whether alcohol preserves cognition directly or whether other factors such as physiology or cultural drinking practices are driving the observed association.
Asymptotic Throughput and Throughput-Delay Scaling in Wireless Networks: The Impact of Error Propagation

This paper analyzes the impact of error propagation on the achievable throughput and throughput-delay tradeoff in wireless networks. It addresses the particular class of multihop routing schemes for parallel unicast that achieve a throughput scaling of Θ(n-1/2) per node in a network of n nodes. It is shown that in the finite-block-length case, necessitated by finite decoding memory at the nodes, the guaranteed per-node throughput in the network cannot scale better than o (n-r) per node for any r > 0. This bound on the guaranteed per-node throughput is tighter than the O (1/n) bound shown previously. Instead of focusing on the probability of error for each link, which is intractable, an approach of bounding mutual information is employed to show tight results on the achievable throughput and throughput-delay tradeoffs. It is shown that for multihop transmission protocols, error propagation leads to significant changes in the tradeoff between the throughput T(n) and the delay D(n), compared to previous results. The best known scaling behavior is only D(n) = Θ (n (log n) T(n)) under maximum throughput scaling, where the block length required scales as Ω (log n). When decoding memory at nodes is constrained to be O (log log n), the achievable tradeoff worsens to D(n) = Θ (n (log n)2 T(n)).
Analysis of the presynaptic signaling mechanisms underlying the inhibition of LTP in rat dentate gyrus by the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein

A great deal of recent evidence points to a role for tyrosine kinase in expression of LTP. Data have been presented that are consistent with the idea that tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins occurs in both the presynaptic and postsynaptic areas. In this study, we set out to investigate the role that tyrosine kinase might play presynaptically to modulate release of glutamate in an effort to understand the mechanism underlying the persistent increase in release that accompanies LTP in perforant path–granule cell synapses. We report that LTP was associated with increased calcium influx and glutamate release. LTP was also associated with an increase in phosphorylation of the α-subunit of calcium channels and ERK in synaptosomes prepared from dentate gyrus, and these effects were inhibited when LTP was blocked by the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein. LTP was accompanied by increased protein synthesis and increased phosphorylation of CREB in entorhinal cortex, effects that were also blocked by genistein. We conclude that tetanic stimulation leads to enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of certain presynaptically located proteins that modulate glutamate release and contribute to expression of LTP. Hippocampus 2002;12:377–385. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Small signal stability analysis of renewable source connected power system and identification of oscillatory modes using wavelet transform

This paper analyzes the impact of integration of solar PV and wind power generation on small signal stability of the power system. Standard benchmark IEEE 09 bus system is used for study. The impact has been analyzed by replacing the conventional synchronous generator with solar photo-voltaic generation (SPVG) and doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) wind turbines separately. The effect of varying penetration level of solar and wind power is also investigated. Eigenvalue analysis is used to compute the frequency and damping factor of oscillatory components that arise due to small disturbances. The oscillatory modes are identified using discrete wavelet transform (DWT), a spectral analysis technique. Power spectral density and time frequency curves are used to extract hidden frequency information from the signal. The different cases have simulated in MATLAB based PSAT, wavelet, and time frequency signal analysis toolboxes.
The WHO 2016 verbal autopsy instrument: An international standard suitable for automated analysis by InterVA, InSilicoVA, and Tariff 2.0

Background Verbal autopsy (VA) is a practical method for determining probable causes of death at the population level in places where systems for medical certification of cause of death are weak. VA methods suitable for use in routine settings, such as civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems, have developed rapidly in the last decade. These developments have been part of a growing global momentum to strengthen CRVS systems in low-income countries. With this momentum have come pressure for continued research and development of VA methods and the need for a single standard VA instrument on which multiple automated diagnostic methods can be developed. Methods and findings In 2016, partners harmonized a WHO VA standard instrument that fully incorporates the indicators necessary to run currently available automated diagnostic algorithms. The WHO 2016 VA instrument, together with validated approaches to analyzing VA data, offers countries solutions to improving information about patterns of cause-specific mortality. This VA instrument offers the opportunity to harmonize the automated diagnostic algorithms in the future. Conclusions Despite all improvements in design and technology, VA is only recommended where medical certification of cause of death is not possible. The method can nevertheless provide sufficient information to guide public health priorities in communities in which physician certification of deaths is largely unavailable. The WHO 2016 VA instrument, together with validated approaches to analyzing VA data, offers countries solutions to improving information about patterns of cause-specific mortality.
Smoking habits, current symptoms, and premorbid characteristics of schizophrenic patients in Nithsdale, Scotland.

OBJECTIVE Previous studies of smoking habits of schizophrenic patients have found rates as high as 88%. The authors report the smoking habits of all known schizophrenic patients within a discrete geographical area and compare them with the smoking habits of a general population sample. METHOD All known schizophrenic patients in Nithsdale in South-West Scotland (N = 168) were invited to complete a questionnaire on smoking habits. Also assessed were mental state, drug-related side effects, and premorbid childhood personality and social adjustment. RESULTS One hundred thirty-five of the 168 patients returned the questionnaires. The rate of smoking among the patients was 58% (N = 78), compared with 28% in the general population. Sixty-eight percent of the patients who smoked (N = 53) had 25 or more cigarettes per day. The mean age at starting smoking was 17 years in both patients and normal subjects. Ninety percent of the patients who smoked (N = 70) started smoking before the onset of schizophrenia. Patients who smoked were younger than nonsmokers, and more of them were male. They had had more hospitalizations, and more were in contact with psychiatric services. More were receiving intramuscular antipsychotic medication. Smokers had poorer childhood social adjustment. Among the female patients, there was a positive correlation between age at starting smoking and age at onset of schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS The rate of smoking and level of nicotine addiction are greater in schizophrenic patients than in the general population. Smoking may be a marker for the neurodevelopmental form of the illness and may be another environmental risk factor for schizophrenia in vulnerable individuals.
Eye dominance and response latency in area V1 of the monkey

We measured the latency of 35 cells from V1 in two rhesus monkeys, to dynamic random dot stimuli monocular and binocularly presented. Mean latencies after non-dominant eye stimulation (97.9 ms) were longer than those for dominant eye (78.2 ms) and binocular (70.7 ms) stimulation. Differences between latencies for dominant eye and binocular stimulation were not statistically significant. For dominant eye, there was a significant statistical correlation between dominance strength and latency (R = −0.36; p = 0.03). We failed to find significant statistical differences between latencies for cells with temporal and nasal dominant receptive-field. We conclude that, in V1, the response latency is largely determined by the dominant eye, whereas interocular interactions do not seem to play a relevant role regarding response latency.