bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Neurodegeneration on Network Connectivity: A Study of Change Detection in Frontotemporal Dementia
Authors: Hughes Laura E. , Rowe James B. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractThe neural response to unpredictable auditory events is suggested to depend on frontotemporal interactions. We used magnetoencephalography in patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia to study change detection and to examine the impact of disease on macroscopic network connectivity underlying this core cognitive function. In patients, the amplitudes of auditory cortical responses to predictable standard tones were normal but were reduced for unpredictable deviant tones. Network connectivity, in terms of coherence among frontal, temporal, and parietal sources, was also abnormal in patients. In the beta frequency range, left frontotemporal coherence was reduced. In the gamma frequency range, frontal interhemispheric coherence was reduced whereas parietal interhemispheric coherence was enhanced. These results suggest impaired change detection resulting from dysfunctional frontotemporal interactions. They also provide evidence of a rostro-caudal reorganization of brain networks in disease. The sensitivity of magnetoencephalography to cortical network changes in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia enriches the understanding of neurocognitive systems as well as showing potential for studies of experimental therapies for neurodegenerative disease.
Precipitation Extremes in CMIP5 Simulations on Different Time Scales
Authors: Zhang Huan , Fraedrich Klaus , Blender Richard , Zhu Xiuhua 
Published: March 2013

AbstractPrecipitation maxima in global climate model (GCM) simulations are compared with observations in terms of resolution dependence and climate change. The analysis shows the following results: (i) the observed scaling law relating precipitation maxima to duration is basically reproduced but exhibits resolution dependence, (ii) the intensity of precipitation extremes is up to one order of magnitude smaller in the model data, and (iii) the increase of precipitation maxima on short time scales in the warmer climate simulations [representative concentration pathway 8.5 (RCP8.5)] vanishes for monthly time scales.
Exploring the Benefits of Using CryoSat-2's Cross-Track Interferometry to Improve the Resolution of Multisatellite Mesoscale Fields
Authors: Dibarboure G. , Le Traon P. Y. , Galin N. 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
Sea surface height (SSH) measurements provided by pulse-limited radar altimeters are one-dimensional profiles along the satellite's nadir track, with no information whatsoever in the cross-track direction. The anisotropy of resulting SSH profiles is the most limiting factor of mesoscale SSH maps that merge the 1D profiles.
This paper explores the potential of the cross-track slope derived from the Cryosphere Satellite-2 (CryoSat-2)'s synthetic aperture radar interferometry (SARin) mode to increase the resolution of mesoscale fields in the cross-track direction. Through idealized 1D simulations, this study shows that it is possible to exploit the dual SARin measurement (cross-track slope and SSH profile) in order to constrain mesoscale mapping in the cross-track direction.
An error-free SSH slope allows a single SARin instrument to recover almost as much SSH variance as two coordinated altimeters. Noise-corrupted slopes can also be exploited to improve the mapping, and a breakthrough is observed for SARin errors ranging from 1 to 5 μrad for 150-km-radius features in strong currents, and 0.1–0.5 μrad for global mesoscale.
Although only limited experiments might be possible with the error level of current CryoSat-2 data, this paper shows the potential of the SAR interferometry technology to reduce the anisotropy of altimeter measurements if the SARin error is significantly reduced in the future, and in particular in the context of a prospective SARin demonstrator optimized for oceanography.
Error Characteristics of Two Grid Refinement Approaches in Aquaplanet Simulations: MPAS-A and WRF
Authors: Hagos Samson , Leung Ruby , Rauscher Sara A. , Ringler Todd 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
This study compares the error characteristics associated with two grid refinement approaches including global variable resolution and nesting for high-resolution regional climate modeling. The global variable-resolution model, Model for Prediction Across Scales-Atmosphere (MPAS-A), and the limited-area model, Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF), are compared in an idealized aquaplanet context. For MPAS-A, simulations have been performed with a quasi-uniform-resolution global domain at coarse (1°) and high (0.25°) resolution, and a variable-resolution domain with a high-resolution region at 0.25° configured inside a coarse-resolution global domain at 1° resolution. Similarly, WRF has been configured to run on a coarse (1°) and high (0.25°) tropical channel domain as well as a nested domain with a high-resolution region at 0.25° nested two-way inside the coarse-resolution (1°) tropical channel. The variable-resolution or nested simulations are compared against the high-resolution simulations. Both models respond to increased resolution with enhanced precipitation and significant reduction in the ratio of convective to nonconvective precipitation. The limited-area grid refinement induces zonal asymmetry in precipitation (heating), accompanied by zonal anomalous Walker-like circulations and standing Rossby wave signals. Within the high-resolution limited area, the zonal distribution of precipitation is affected by advection in MPAS-A and by the nesting strategy in WRF. In both models, the propagation characteristics of equatorial waves are not significantly affected by the variations in resolution.
Moving Schools: Antecedents, Impact on Students and Interventions
Authors: Sorin Reesa , Iloste Rosemary 
Published: March 2013

Mobility in education can be caused by families moving from city to city or state to state as employment and housing changes for them; however, it can also be the result of families moving their children from one school to another within the same area, for other, more personal reasons. As the student mobility rate rises, concerns about its impact on the young learner increase (Wright, 1999). This research investigated student mobility in a regional area in northern Queensland where the mobility rate increases each year. Through interviews with school personnel and some parents, a number of issues surrounding student mobility were examined. These included antecedents to mobility, perceived impact of mobility on students and strategies to address issues of mobility.
Conceptualising and Evaluating Teacher Quality: Substantive and Methodological Issues
Authors: Ingvarson Lawrence , Rowe Ken 
Published: March 2013

Whereas findings from recent research highlight the importance of teacher quality in improving students' academic performances and experiences of schooling, substantive and methodological issues surrounding the conceptualisation and evaluation of teacher quality are not well understood. Such deficiencies are particularly evident in claims for ‘findings’ derived from econometric research—especially from those studies that merely employ conceptualisations and proxy ‘measures’ of quality in terms of teachers' qualifications, experience, and students' academic outcomes. Moreover, the econometric models fitted to the available, mostly aggregated data, typically fail to conceptualise and ‘measure’ teacher quality in terms of what teachers should know (subject-matter knowledge) and be able to do (pedagogical skill). Nor do such models account for the measurement, distributional and structural properties of the data for response and explanatory variables—failings that all too frequently yield misleading interpretations of findings for both policy and practice. After brief introductory comments related to current contexts, the paper focuses on two approaches towards the resolution current deficiencies—both of which have important implications for conceptualising and evaluating teacher quality: (1) capacity building in teacher professionalism grounded in evidence-based pre-service teacher education content and subsequent in-service professional development and (2) the specification and evaluation of teaching standards. The paper concludes by arguing that, since the most valuable resource available to any school are its teachers, there is a crucial need for both a substantive and methodological refocus of the prevailing economic teacher-quality/student-performance/merit-pay research and policy agenda to one that focuses on the need for capacity building in teacher professionalism (and its evaluation) in terms of teaching standards related to what teachers should know and be able to do.
The Validity of Taxonomic Classifications Used by a National Item Pool
Authors: Dunstan M. 
Published: March 2013

The success of examiners in classifying test items in terms of the levels of a taxonomy of educational skills and curriculum core categories in a national item pool is examined by comparing examiner's classifications with item difficulty. The relation between taxonomy level and difficulty was found to be greater than for core categories but in neither case was it very marked. The implications of this finding are discussed.
Some Implications of Population Growth for Senior Secondary School Enrolments
Authors: Sheehan Barry A. 
Published: March 2013

The marked post-war expansion in the secondary school population is explained by both the growth in the overall population and by the heightened aspirations and expectations which have resulted in an increasing rate of retention. It is here demonstrated on the basis of a number of apparently tenable assumptions that in the approaching decades both tendencies will continue to put heavy strains upon the school system. A strong case can be put for an appeal to demographers to apply themselves to the problems of educational planning. The area of greatest growth and greatest uncertainty is the 15–18 age group. This is largely a ‘new’ school population, coming from a different socio-economic stratum than the pre-war 8–10 per cent of the age-group from middle-class educated homes who were generally destined for university, or for a predetermined career, and may have very different expectations. Many important policy decisions must be made in relation to this expanded group, but the research evidence available and upon which these can be based, is fragmented and scanty. It is to help alleviate this situation that the research project from which this report is an early product is directed.
Teacher-Principal Interaction Leading to Feelings of Concern or Pleasure
Authors: Simpson T. A. 
Published: March 2013

This investigation was concerned with the detection and study of types of behaviour of principals with teachers which led to teachers experiencing concern or pleasure. From free response data in an initial phase of the study, common sources of teacher concern and pleasure in teacher-principal interaction were derived. In the main phase of the study, the 13 concern-causing types of behaviour and 12 pleasure-giving types derived were investigated further. These items were scored by 232 teachers from 14 Queensland state high schools for degree of pleasure or concern experienced and frequency of occurrence. Principal axis analyses and subsequent rotation of the axes yielded three concern-causing factors, “Aloofness”, “Hindrance”, and “Lacking Consideration”, and two pleasure-giving factors, “Leadership” and “Support”.
Models for Tertiary Teaching Units
Authors: Hall William C. 
Published: March 2013

The majority of Australia's universities and many colleges of advanced education now have tertiary teaching units. Existing statements, such as the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee published guidelines for the setting up of tertiary teaching units have failed to suggest appropriate models for teaching units or to propose adequate criteria for evaluating existing units. In the present analysis the functions of tertiary teaching units are examined. Six models for tertiary teaching units are identified together with suggested criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of such units.
Pupil Evaluation of Teachers
Authors: Biggs John , Chopra Pran 
Published: March 2013

Pupil feedback as formative evaluation of teaching has been widely used at the tertiary level, but relatively little in the school situation, and scarcely at all with student teachers. The present investigation is concerned with (a) constructing a pupil evaluation of teachers (PET) scale, for use throughout years 7 to 11, incorporating certain areas of teaching behaviour, and affective pupil responses to teachers; and (b) using the scale as a source of feedback to both regular and student teachers for improving teaching behaviour. After a series of studies, PET was reduced to four areas of teaching behaviour (Management, Negative Focusing, Faulty Verbalization and Teaching Clarity) and one scale of Pupil Reaction to the teacher. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were high in all scales for regular and student teachers, while between-class agreement was high for regular teachers but somewhat lower for student teachers. Ratings were little affected by sex of pupil or teaching year of pupil or ability level. PET was used in two feedback studies involving 19 regular and 23 student teachers but no evidence was obtained in either case that teaching behaviour had changed in a way perceptible to pupil raters.
Parental Attitudes to Cultural and Linguistic Pluralism in Australia: A Humanistic Sociological Approach
Authors: Smolicz J. J. , Lean R. 
Published: March 2013

Over the last thirty years a major shift has occurred in the ethnic composition of Australian society. Although the initial policy of Anglo-assimilation has been officially rejected, there have been relatively few changes in school curricula to reflect the cultural complexion of the population. The failure of the assimilationist approach has led many individuals to re-examine their attitudes to cultural diversity. In this paper the extent of this change in value orientation towards cultural and linguistic pluralism is considered from a humanistic sociological perspective. Empirical data are drawn from an extensive survey of parents of all year 10 students in all Catholic secondary schools in South Australia. It was found that while there was very considerable support for cultural pluralism and language maintenance, there remains a significant minority, especially among British- and Irish-Australians, who opposed the continued presence in Australia of any ethnic languages and cultures.
If Art is Knowledge, Then …
Authors: Chambers John H. 
Published: March 2013

It is argued that visual art makes statements analogous to the statements of science, morals, etc. Such art statements are provided by entities like Guernica, The Fighting Temeraire, and pictures on the walls of the local gallery, and concern themselves with things-in-themselves. The whole point of art criticism is to make clearer this thing-in-itself. In the way that other sorts of statement shape the world, so art statements shape the world. We do not know the world and then superimpose art statements upon it; we know the world through the art statements. This thesis has curriculum implications. It indicates the need for art encounters and techniques of various sorts, since the knowledge of art statements can only be apprehended through engaging in art and from intense verbal communication with teachers about art and its qualities.
Education and Social Change: A Critique of Contextualism
Authors: Seddon Terri 
Published: March 2013

The concept ‘social context’ has become increasingly common in educational research. But unproblematic use of the concept has masked significant differences in its conceptualization. This paper examines the ‘social context’ and hence the trend to contextualism, as a locus of conceptual conflict. The origins of the concept are traced and competing contemporary conceptualizations are critically examined. The analysis indicates that different conceptualizations are underpinned by different philosophical assumptions and theoretical frameworks. These give rise to quite different analyses and understandings of educational phenomena. The paper argues that such conceptual conflict should not be ignored. The already valuable trend to contextualism would be enhanced by confronting and evaluating the competing conceptualizations. By highlighting the limitations and potential of different positions their explanatory adequacy would be revealed, thereby setting an agenda of necessary critical work for their advocates.
Sex Differences in Attitudes, Achievement and Use of Computers
Authors: Hattie John , Fitzgerald Donald 
Published: March 2013

While there is much literature suggesting reasons why there are differences between males and females with respect to computer usage, achievement and attitudes, there is a paucity of empirical research. This study discusses a meta-analysis or synthesis of empirical studies and finds small differences in attitude and no differences in achievement between males and females. Two Australian studies are then reported. One study investigated differences between male and female students, parents, and teachers in 32 schools that have been involved with computers for some time. The second study was based on a representative sample of 1000 schools throughout Australia. The research supported the conclusion of small differences in attitudes, but pointed to a polarity in that as many males as females liked computers, but many more girls ardently disliked computers. There were no differences between primary male and female students in usage and attitudes towards computers, but as the students progressed through secondary schools, the differences became marked. Various reasons for these findings are evaluated and some strategies suggested to encourage girls to use computers.
Reshaping School Mathematics in Australia 1788–1988
Authors: Ellerton N. F. , Clements M. A. 
Published: March 2013

An examination of nineteenth and early twentieth century events reveals the origins of the following three traditions of school mathematics in Australia: 1. Many groups in society will not benefit from having access to any branch of mathematics other than elementary arithmetic. Such groups include females, working-class children, and Aboriginal and other children whose cultures differ from the dominant Anglo-Saxon culture. 2. The main purpose of school mathematics is to prepare students for tertiary courses. 3. Rote teaching and learning procedures associated with rigidly defined courses of study, prescribed text books, and written examinations are desirable. Over the last 25 years the validity of these traditions has been questioned. This paper argues that the heavy dependence on overseas ideas, and the acceptance of tertiary mathematicians' views on school mathematics, which characterised earlier times, have diminished because of the greater involvement of school teachers, and tertiary and government mathematics educators, in discussions on school mathematics.
Association of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and fatty acid binding protein 2 (FABP2) genes polymorphism with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Northern India
Authors: Raza Syed Tasleem , Fatima Jalees , Ahmed Faisal , Abbas Shania , Zaidi Zeashan Haider , Singh Seema , Mahdi Farzana 
Published: March 2013

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is growing in an epidemic manner across the world with an expected doubling of the incidence to millions of affected individuals in the last decades. At present, adequate data are not available regarding the ACE and FABP2 polymorphisms and their susceptibility with T2DM cases in the North Indian population. Thus we conceived the need for further study of ACE (I/D) and FABP2 (Ala54Thr) genes polymorphism and its susceptibility to T2DM in the North Indian population. Materials and methods: In this study, a total of 300 subjects (including 190 T2DM cases and 110 controls) participated. ACE and FABP2 gene polymorphisms in the cases and controls were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results: The frequencies of ACE I/I, I/D and D/D genotypes in T2DM cases and controls were 28.73%, 55.17%, 16.09% and 13.63%, 57.95%, 28.40%, respectively. The frequencies of FABP2 Ala54Ala, Ala54Thr and Thr54Thr in T2DM cases were 18.39%, 66.66%, 14.94% and 22.72%, 61.36%, 15.90% in controls, respectively. ACE I/I genotype was significantly more frequent in cases as compared to controls ( p = 0.003, χ2 = 9.13). Conclusion: It appears that the ACE I/I genotype frequency was significantly higher in the T2DM cases as compared to the controls.
Digital sorting of complex tissues for cell type-specific gene expression profiles
Authors: Zhong Yi , Wan Ying-Wooi , Pang Kaifang , Chow Lionel ML , Liu Zhandong 
Published: March 2013

Abstract

Background
Cellular heterogeneity is present in almost all gene expression profiles. However, transcriptome analysis of tissue specimens often ignores the cellular heterogeneity present in these samples. Standard deconvolution algorithms require prior knowledge of the cell type frequencies within a tissue or their in vitro expression profiles. Furthermore, these algorithms tend to report biased estimations.

Results
Here, we describe a Digital Sorting Algorithm (DSA) for extracting cell-type specific gene expression profiles from mixed tissue samples that is unbiased and does not require prior knowledge of cell type frequencies.

Conclusions
The results suggest that DSA is a specific and sensitivity algorithm in gene expression profile deconvolution and will be useful in studying individual cell types of complex tissues.
BRCA1 and ERCC1mRNA levels are associated with lymph node metastasis in Chinese patients with colorectal cancer
Authors: Yuanming Lu , Lineng Zhang , Baorong Song , Junjie Peng , Sanjun Cai 
Published: March 2013

Abstract

Background
Although both excision repair cross-complementing group 1 (ERCC1) and breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1) can be effective biomarkers for chemosensitivity in primary malignant tumors, their applicability to metastases is poorly understood. Here, ERCC1 and BRCA1, which are linked to lymph node metastasis (LNM) in colorectal cancer (CRC), were evaluated in primary CRC samples from Chinese patients with LNM (LNM CRC) or without LNM (non-LNM CRC). mRNA levels of ERCC1 and BRCA1 in CRC samples, and their relationships to primary CRC and LNM, were also examined.

Methods
Differences in BRCA1 and ERCC1 gene expression between primary CRC with or without LNM were assessed in CRC samples from 120 Chinese patients, using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Relationships between ERCC1 and BRCA1 expression and clinicopathological parameters and prognoses were also examined.

Results
ERCC1 and BRCA1 were significantly down-regulated in LNM CRC compared with non-LNM CRC. Down-expression of ERCC1 and BRCA1 was significantly associated with LNM (P < 0.001), advanced TNM stage (P < 0.001), and decreased 5-year overall survival rate (P < 0.001). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed ERCC1 and BRCA1 expression as independent predictors of recurrence and survival in CRC patients (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

ERCC1 and BRCA1 mRNA expression levels correlate inversely to CRC metastasis. ERCC1 and BRCA1 might serve as biomarkers for LNM and as prognostic indicators for CRC; their down-expressions are predictors of poor outcome in CRC patients.