Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Data Literacy for Educators: Making It Count in Teacher Preparation and Practice. Technology, Education--Connections (The TEC Series).

Data Literacy for Educators: Making it Count in Teacher Preparation and Practice, written by Ellen Mandinach and Edith Gummer (Teachers College Press), tackles a salient aspect of modern teaching practice: the use of data to inform decision-making. Over the past decade and a half, new and diverse sources and forms of data have proliferated within the education sector (e.g., interim/benchmark assessments, school climate data), as have new technologies (e.g., data management systems) by which to manage, access, and analyze such data. Mandinach and Gummer argue that this influx of data and the availability of tools to work with them necessitate new teacher competencies, namely a construct the authors term “data literacy for teachers” (DLFT).
The competitiveness clusters
in Croatia

This study explores the perceptions of members of 13 competitiveness clusters in Croatia (CCC) towards clusters’ objectives, processes, setting and performance. Survey data (n=250) were analysed using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis and regression analysis. Results indicate that progress of CCCs is not visible in the observed period and they are lagging behind successful cluster initiatives in the world. The most important reasons for underperformance are related to weaknesses inherited in cluster development framework, poor implementation of activities, inadequate resources for pursuing more ambitious objectives, lack of consensus and weaknesses in strategy formulation. The paper contributes to the literature by evaluating the program of competitiveness clusters for the first time. It examines the factors that contribute to performance of clusters, and compares CCCs with best practices of similar associations in the world. Although this research is based on perceptions of members, it has valuable implications for clusters and policy-makers. In order to strengthen existing clusters, changes in the national framework are needed, while clusters should have more resources at their disposal to reach more ambitious objectives in the future.
Evidence of extraesophageal reflux in idiopathic subglottic stenosis

Idiopathic subglottic stenosis (iSGS) is a disease predominantly of females that, by definition, has no known etiology. Collagen–vascular disease, localized trauma, extraesophageal reflux (EER), and hormonal alterations have all been postulated as potential etiologies of iSGS. It is hypothesized that iSGS is a reflux mediated disease and that evidence of EER exists in affected patients.
Autoregulation of the MisR/MisS Two-Component Signal Transduction System in Neisseria meningitidis

ABSTRACT Two-component regulatory systems are involved in processes important for bacterial pathogenesis. The proposed misR/misS (or phoP/phoQ) system is one of four two-component systems of the obligate human pathogen Neisseria meningitidis. Inactivation of this system results in loss of phosphorylation of the lipooligosaccharide inner core and causes attenuation in a mouse model of meningococcal infection. MisR and the cytoplasmic domain of MisS were purified as His6 and maltose binding protein fusion proteins, respectively. The MisS fusion was shown to be autophosphorylated in the presence of ATP, and the phosphoryl group was subsequently transferred to MisR. The phosphotransfer reaction was halted with a MisR/D52A mutation, while a MisS/H246A mutation prevented autophosphorylation. Specific interaction of phosphorylated MisR (MisR∼P) and MisR with the misR promoter was demonstrated by gel mobility shift assays, where MisR∼P exhibited higher affinity than did the nonphosphorylated protein. The transcriptional start site of the misRS operon was mapped, and DNase I protection assays revealed that MisR interacted with a 15-bp region upstream of the transcriptional start site that shared no similarity to binding motifs of other two-component systems. Transcriptional reporter studies suggested that MisR phosphorylation is critical for the autoinduction of the misRS operon. Limited Mg2+ concentration failed to induce expression of the misRS operon, which is the only operon now proven to be under the direct control of the MisRS two-component system. Thus, these results indicate that the meningococcal MisRS system constitutes a functional signal transduction circuit and that both components are critical in the autoregulation of their expression.
Acute-phase and 1-year follow-up results of a randomized controlled trial of CBT versus Befriending for first-episode psychosis: the ACE project

Background The ACE project involved 62 participants with a first episode of psychosis randomly assigned to either a cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) intervention known as Active Cognitive Therapy for Early Psychosis (ACE) or a control condition known as Befriending. The study hypotheses were that: (1) treating participants with ACE in the acute phase would lead to faster reductions in positive and negative symptoms and more rapid improvement in functioning than Befriending; (2) these improvements in symptoms and functioning would be sustained at a 1-year follow-up; and (3) ACE would lead to fewer hospitalizations than Befriending as assessed at the 1-year follow-up. Method Two therapists treated the participants across both conditions. Participants could not receive any more than 20 sessions within 14 weeks. Participants were assessed by independent raters on four primary outcome measures of symptoms and functioning: at pretreatment, the middle of treatment, the end of treatment and at 1-year follow-up. An independent pair of raters assessed treatment integrity. Results Both groups improved significantly over time. ACE significantly outperformed Befriending by improving functioning at mid-treatment, but it did not improve positive or negative symptoms. Past the mid-treatment assessment, Befriending caught up with the ACE group and there were no significant differences in any outcome measure and in hospital admissions at follow-up. Conclusions There is some preliminary evidence that ACE promotes better early recovery in functioning and this finding needs to be replicated in other independent research centres with larger samples.
The reproducibility of transcranial Doppler middle cerebral artery velocity measurements: Implications for clinical practice

Use of transcranial Doppler (TCD) to diagnose vasospasm has been criticised. We examined reproducibility of TCD middle cerebral artery (MCA) velocity measurements. Thirty-six healthy adult volunteers were recruited. Four operators, two experienced and two inexperienced, participated. MCA velocity was measured twice by one operator and once by a second operator. Mean (95% limits of agreement) interoperator agreement was 2.4(±36.7) cm/s. Experienced vs. inexperienced, inexperienced vs. inexperienced, and experienced vs. experienced operators were −2.8(±39.3), −5.6(±40.1), 1.8(±22.1) cm/s, respectively. Intraoperator agreement across all operators, experienced and inexperienced were −0.5(±16.9), −1.6(±19.3), 0.7(±13.7) cm/s, respectively. Interoperator limits of agreement for experienced operators were almost half that of inexperienced operators. Intraoperator reproducibility was much better, regardless of level of experience, but aberrant results did occur even with experienced operators. If TCD measurements are used to guide management it is essential that operators are adequately trained, and readings repeated before potentially harmful treatments are instituted.
COMPETITIVIDAD DE DESTINOS TURÍSTICOS. ESTUDIO DE CASO DE FOZ DO IGUAÇU (PARANÁ, BRASIL)

Competitiveness of Tourism Destinations. Competitiveness has been a priority in the reference literature related to economics, management and strategic management. This paper addresses the specific topic of study of the competitiveness of tourist destinations. The focus of the research study focuses on the municipality of Foz do Iguacu - Parana
Research on the effects of command-and-control and market-oriented policy tools on China’s energy conservation and emissions reduction innovation

ABSTRACT The impact of environmental regulation on technology innovation is a hot spot in current research where a large number of empirical studies are based on Porter Hypothesis (PH). However, there are still controversies in academia about the establishment of “weak” and “narrow” versions of PH. Based on the panel data of application for patent of energy conservation and emission reduction (ECER) technology of Chinese city scale during 2008–2014, comprehensive energy price, pollutant emission, etc., mixed regression model and systematic generalized method of moments method were adopted, respectively, to study the impact of market-oriented and command-and-control policy tool on China’s ECER technology innovation. The results show that the environmental regulation hindered the technological innovation in the immediate phase; however, it turned out to be positive in the first-lag phase. Hence, the establishment of “weak” PH is time-bounded. The command-and-control policy tool played a more positive role in promoting technological innovation in the first-lag phase than market-oriented policy tool. Therefore, “narrow” PH is not tenable. The reason is that the main participants of China’s ECER technology innovation are state-owned companies and public institutions. Regionally speaking, the impact which command-and-control policy tool has on technological innovation at sight was non-significant in the eastern, the central, and the western regions of China whilst market-oriented policy tool had a negative effect. And market-oriented policy tool in the central region had strongest negative effect, which would diminish in the eastern region and become weakest in the western region. This was related to regional energy consumption level and the market economic vitality.
Ascending Aortic and Main Pulmonary Artery Areas Derived From Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance as Reference Values for Normal Subjects and Repaired Tetralogy of Fallot

Background—Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is an important clinical tool for serial follow-up of patients with congenital heart disease, but normative data for great vessel dimensions in pediatric subjects are scarce. We investigated the ascending aortic (AO) and main pulmonary artery dimensions in normal children and young adults in comparison with a cohort of patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). Methods and Results—Subjects were prospectively enrolled for cardiac magnetic resonance after a standardized protocol in 14 participating centers of the German Competence Network for Congenital Heart Defects. All studies were performed in 1.5-T scanners and used single-slice multiphase acquisitions steady-state free precession and velocity-encoded cine. AO and main pulmonary artery areas were measured. The cohort consisted of 483 subjects: 105 normal controls (55 men; 50 women; and median age, 14 years) and 378 patients with repaired TOF (210 men; 168 women; and median age, 16 years). Among TOF, 35 (9%) had pulmonary atresia, 98 (26%) had a palliative procedure before repair, the mean age at repair was 2.9 years, and 82 (23%) used a transannular patch repair. Great vessel areas correlated well with body surface area and age in controls and reference Z-score values were derived. Z scores for ascending AO areas were larger in TOF compared with controls (mean Z score =1.95, P=0.001). In TOF, pulmonary atresia (P=0.003), male sex (P=0.01) and previous palliations (P=0.046) were associated with larger AO areas. Main pulmonary artery area Z scores in surgically modified TOF were smaller on an average than controls (mean Z score =−0.293 P=0.001) but not small to the same extent as the AO was large. Conclusions—This study provides cardiac magnetic resonance reference Z scores for great vessel areas in normal children and adolescents in comparison with a large contemporary cohort of repaired TOF. Male sex, pulmonary atresia, and previous palliations emerged as predictors for larger AO dimensions in TOF. Clinical Trial Registration—URL: http://www.clinicaltrials. gov. Unique identifier: NCT00266188.
Effects of Using Nintendo Wii™ Exergames in Older Adults

Objective: The purpose of this review is to summarize and synthesize the impact of using the Nintendo Wii™ exergames in older adults. Method: A database search was conducted to identify relevant studies. The search was limited to empirical studies, with particular attention paid to the effects of Wii exergames intervention on cognition, physical function, and psychosocial outcomes in older adults. Results: A total of 22 empirical studies met inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Positive effects included improving physical function, decreasing depression, and increasing cognition and quality of life in older adults. Improved socialization and motivation to exercise were also reported. Discussion: Using Wii exergames does show promise as an intervention to improve physical function, cognition, and psychosocial outcomes in older adults. Evidence supports that Wii exergames is a safe and feasible tool to encourage older adults to engage in exercise.
Deficits in the posterior pharyngeal endoderm in the absence of retinoids

Recent studies have shown that the pharyngeal endoderm plays a critically important role in directing the development of the pharyngeal region of the vertebrate embryo. We have, however, had few insights into how the pharyngeal endoderm itself is patterned. Recently, several studies have suggested that retinoic acid is required for the development of the pharyngeal endoderm. To study this proposal in greater depth, we have examined the development of the pharyngeal endoderm in the absence of retinoid signalling, by using the vitamin A– deficient (VAD) quail model system. We find in early stages that, in the absence of retinoids, this territory extends further caudally than normal. Furthermore, as development proceeds, we find that the first pouch invariably forms, that the second pouch is abnormal, and that the third and fourth pharyngeal pouches never form. We do find, however, that dorsoventral patterning of the pharyngeal endoderm is unaffected. Finally, we have examined the expression patterns of RALDH2 before and during early development of the pharyngeal pouches. We find that this enzyme is expressed adjacent to the pharyngeal endoderm in tissues around the regressing anterior intestinal portal and that from stage 12 onward its anterior limit of expression lies at the level of the second pouch. This finding helps explain why the first pouch always forms in the absence of retinoids, and why defects are seen starting with the second and most evidently in the caudal pouches. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effects of EDTA- and Sulfite-containing Formulations of Propofol on Respiratory System Resistance after Tracheal Intubation in Smokers

Background The formulation of sulfite-containing propofol (SCP) has not been thoroughly investigated in patients with the extensive smoking history for the effects on the total respiratory system resistance after tracheal intubation. However adverse effects, including acute asthma and bronchospasm, have been reported with several other parenteral formulations of drugs containing sulfite as preservative. Therefore, the aim of this prospective randomized and double blind study was to investigate the effects of EDTA-containing propofol (ECP) and SCP on total respiratory system resistance (Rrs) in patients with the prolonged smoking history and undergoing propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia with tracheal intubation. Methods 40 patients scheduled for general anesthesia were enrolled into the study. Anesthesia was induced with either 2 mg/kg ECP, or 2 mg/kg SCP followed by vecuronium (0.1 mg/kg) to ensure complete neuromuscular relaxation for the time of the study. Maintenance anesthesia was continued with propofol infusion at 0.15 mg/kg/min for the first 15 min after intubation. Total respiratory system resistance (Rrs), was measured continuously for 10 min postintubation. Results The analysis of repeated Rrs measurements taken every minute for 10 min postintubation revealed trend consisting of higher Rrs in the SCP group when compared to the ECP group. The statistical analysis of the data performed using repeated measures analysis of covariance demonstrated statistically significant effect (P < 0.05) of the treatment group factor (SCP vs. ECP) and the time factor (time after intubation) on the postintubation Rrs. Conclusion The total respiratory system resistance measured repeatedly for 10 min after tracheal intubation in patients with smoking history is significantly elevated after induction with SCP than after induction with ECP. The preservative used for propofol formulation may alter the effects of propofol on the total respiratory system resistance in smokers.
Do Oil Prices Affect Kuwait Sectoral Stock Prices? Non-Linear Cointegration Evidence

This paper tests the asymmetric long-run dynamics between oil price changes and Kuwait stock prices at the sectoral level. Our daily data on Brent and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) nominal spot crude oil prices spans from January 3, 2000 to December 9, 2015 for some sectors, and from May 14, 2012 to December 9, 2015 for others. We used a nonlinear cointegration methodology in which the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lags is utilized to allow for estimating asymmetric long- and short-run coefficients in a cointegration framework. The findings show asymmetric long-run effects between oil prices and some Kuwait sectoral stock prices. As for the short run, the findings show an asymmetric effect in case of WTI price measure, but symmetric effect in case of Brent price measure. The paper shows that using nonlinear models contributes to better understanding the long-run relationships, hence serving more in policy-making. Finally, the causality tests show that there is bidirectional causality between the Brent positive oil price shock and the stock prices of the following sectors: Banking, Consumer Goods, Consumer Services, Industrials and Real Estate. On the other hand, they show a unidirectional causality running from the Brent negative oil price shock to the stock prices of the Banking, Consumer Goods, Consumer Services, Industrials and Real Estate sectors. As for the WTI price measure, we find bidirectional causality between the WTI positive oil price shock and the stock prices of the Consumer Services and Industrials sectors, and unidirectional causality from the WTI negative oil price shock to the stock prices of the Consumer Services and Industrials sectors.
A Review of Turkish Sentiment Analysis and Opinion Mining

Social Media is one of the most frequently used platforms today. Users can easily share their views, ideas, and thoughts on this platform. The data shared on social media platforms is actually a great deal that can be transformed into meaningful information. The obtained big data can be analyzed and evaluated by various data analysis methods. Whether or not the data contain a feeling, if it is included; the type of the feeling (i.e. positive, negative or neutral) can be determined by emotion analysis methods. Sentiment Analysis studies in later times began to turn to analysis indicating different sentiments. Thus the foundations of Opinion Mining were laid. When ideas conveyed by social media information are presented semantically, they are expressed by Opinion Mining. The purpose of this paper is to explain the relationship between the concepts of Sentiment Analysis and Opinion Mining. The terms used in Sentiment Analysis and Opinion Mining are explained and examples of Turkish Sentiment Analysis are given. It has been tried to suggest solutions for the problems encountered in Turkish studies.
Th1/Th2 Cytokine Profile of the Immune Response in Limb Component Transplantation

Background: The purpose of this study was to define the cytokine secretion pattern during limb allograft rejection and to determine its correlation to differential tissue antigenicity of limb allograft components. Methods: Twenty-five C57Bl/6 mice (H-2Kb) were randomized to six groups. The experimental groups were recipients of vascularized Balb/c mice (H-2Kd) allografts consisting of skin, muscle, whole limb, or limb with the skin removed or nonvascularized nerve allografts. The unmodified rejection response was studied by histology, flow cytometry, and ELISPOT assay to quantify IFN-γ (Th1) and IL-4 (Th2) production. Results: The greatest Th1 response was seen in the recipients of allografts composed of skin (973.3 ± 93 spots/million spleen cells; mean ± SEM), followed by whole limb (961.3 ± 86/million), nerve (613.3 ± 245/million), limb with skin removed (483 ± 246/million), and then muscle (460 ± 234/million). Recipients of skin, whole limb, and nerve allografts had the highest IFN-γ:IL-4 ratios, or greatest Th1 deviation, of 3.1 ± 0.4, 3.0 ± 0.2, and 2.9 ± 0.6, respectively. These were significantly greater than those that received muscle (0.9 ± 0.3) and limb allografts with skin removed (1.0 ± 0.4) (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The skin component produced the greatest Th1 activation of the immune response and appears to be a critical component of the overall antigenicity of the whole limb allograft, as evidenced by the Th2 shift seen when the skin was removed. Muscle produced the least Th1 differentiation, with nerve being intermediate.
Evaluation of the Protective Effects of Quinacrine Against Bacillus anthracis Ames

Bacillus anthracis has gained notoriety as a dangerous biological weapon because of its virulence and ability to produce highly resistant spores. In addition, the ability of this organism to produce plasmid-encoded edema toxin (EdTx) and lethal toxin (LeTx) plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of anthrax. In this study, the efficacy of quinacrine was evaluated against the effects of anthrax toxins in vitro and its ability to provide protection against challenge with B. anthracis Ames strain spores in an intranasal mouse and guinea pig model. Quinacrine protected murine macrophages in vitro against cytotoxicity and cAMP production induced by LeTx and EdTx, respectively, at concentrations of 40–80 μM, most likely by preventing acidification of the endosomes. However, animals dosed with human equivalent doses of quinacrine were not protected against respiratory spore challenge. The failure of quinacrine to provide protection against inhalation anthrax was attributed to our inability to attain inhibitory concentrations of the drug in the serum or tissues. After daily administration of 43.3 mg quinacrine to guinea pigs (300 g), serum levels after 96 h were only 9.9 μM, a concentration not sufficient to protect macrophages in vitro. Administration of high doses of quinacrine (86.6 mg/kg) was toxic to the animals. These results illustrate some of the difficulties in developing protective therapeutic strategies against inhalation anthrax even when antitoxic drugs appear effective in vitro. This work was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (U01AI5385802) and U.S. Army (DAMD170210699). Jason E. Comer, a predoctoral fellow, was supported by National Institutes of Health T32 Predoctoral Training Grants in Emerging and Tropical Infectious Disease (2T32A8007526) and in Biodefense (1T32AI060549). Bacillus anthracis Ames strain was generously provided by C. Richard Lyons at the University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM, and duly registered with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The authors appreciate the editorial assistance of Mardelle Susman.