Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Student Pioneers and Educational Innovations

Summary Recruitment of students into gerontological social work is an increasingly important issue as the population of older adults grows. This article describes one initiative designed to aid in the promotion of geriatric social work: the University of Michigan's Geriatric Fellowship Program. Using qualitative in-depth interviews with 13 MSW Fellows as well as survey data of 219 MSW students, the authors examine the moti-vating factors that led students to specialize in geriatric social work and to apply for a geriatric fellowship. Family exposure to aging issues, “accidental” exposure through volunteer work, enthusiastic role models, job opportunities, and recognition of a social problem frequently instigated student's interest in gerontological social work. Incentives for application to the Geriatric Fellowship Program include: the unique field placement rotation model, financial support, individualized attention, group learning opportunities, and assistance with job placement. Directions for future recruitment efforts are discussed.
Culture-specific programs for children and adults from minority groups who have asthma.

BACKGROUND People with asthma who come from minority groups have poorer asthma outcomes and more asthma related visits to Emergency Departments (ED). Various programmes are used to educate and empower people with asthma and these have previously been shown to improve certain asthma outcomes. Models of care for chronic diseases in minority groups usually include a focus of the cultural context of the individual and not just the symptoms of the disease. Therefore, questions about whether culturally specific asthma education programmes for people from minority groups are effective at improving asthma outcomes, are feasible and are cost-effective need to be answered. OBJECTIVES To determine whether culture-specific asthma programmes, in comparison to generic asthma education programmes or usual care, improve asthma related outcomes in children and adults with asthma who belong to minority groups. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the Cochrane Airways Group Specialised Register, MEDLINE, EMBASE, review articles and reference lists of relevant articles. The latest search was performed in May 2008. SELECTION CRITERIA All randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the use of culture-specific asthma education programmes with generic asthma education programmes, or usual care, in adults or children from minority groups who suffer from asthma. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently selected, extracted and assessed the data for inclusion. We contacted authors for further information if required. MAIN RESULTS Four studies were eligible for inclusion in the review. A total of 617 patients, aged from 5 to 59 years were included in the meta-analysis of data. Use of a culture-specific programme was superior to generic programmes or usual care, in improving asthma quality of life scores in adults, pooled WMD 0.25 (95% CI 0.09 to 0.41), asthma knowledge scores in children, WMD 3.30 (95% CI 1.07 to 5.53), and in a single study, reducing asthma exacerbation in children (risk ratio for hospitalisations 0.32, 95%CI 0.15, 0.70). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Current limited data show that culture-specific programmes for adults and children from minority groups with asthma, are more effective than generic programmes in improving most (quality of life, asthma knowledge, asthma exacerbations, asthma control) but not all asthma outcomes. This evidence is limited by the small number of included studies and the lack of reported outcomes. Further trials are required to answer this question conclusively.
Selective Siphon Control for Deadlock Prevention in Petri Nets

Deadlock prevention is a crucial step in the modeling of flexible manufacturing systems. In the Petri net framework, deadlock prevention policies based on siphon control are often employed, since it is easy to specify generalized mutual exclusion constraints that avoid the emptying of siphons. However, such policies may require an excessive computational load and result in impractical oversized control subnets. This is often a consequence of the redundancy in the control conditions derived from siphons. In this paper, a novel method is proposed that provides small size controllers, based on a set covering approach that conveniently relates siphons and markings. Some examples are provided to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach and to compare it with other methods proposed in the literature.
SAFETY AND PHARMACOKINETICS OF A PRESERVATIVE-FREE TRIAMCINOLONE ACETONIDE FORMULATION FOR INTRAVITREAL ADMINISTRATION

Purpose: The safety and pharmacokinetics of a triamcinolone acetonide (TA) preservative-free (TA-PF) formulation were investigated after intravitreal administration in rabbits. Methods: A TA-PF formulation was prepared as a sterile 40-mg/mL or 160-mg/mL suspension in single-use vials by adding TA powder to 0.5% hydroxypropyl methylcellulose in normal saline. TA-PF (4-mg and 16-mg doses) and Kenalog (Bristol-Myers-Squibb, Princeton, NJ) (4-mg dose) were injected into the vitreous of separate groups of rabbits, and drug levels were measured in the vitreous over time with HPLC. Ocular toxicology (clinical examination, serial electroretinography, and histopathologic analysis) was evaluated in a separate group of animals after intravitreal TA-PF injection. Results: The half-lives of the injection amount in the vitreous, 4-mg TA-PF, 16-mg TA-PF, and 4-mg Kenalog, were found to be 24 days, 39 days, and 23 days, respectively. There were no signs of toxicities by clinical examination after TA-PF injection. Serial electroretinograms of rabbits receiving either 4-mg or 16-mg intravitreal TA-PF injections remained normal over time. Histopathologic analysis showed normal ocular tissues in animals receiving either 4-mg or 16-mg intravitreal TA-PF injections. Conclusion: The half-life of TA in the vitreous after a 4-mg injection of either TA-PF or Kenalog was comparable. A 16-mg dose of TA-PF produced a long vitreous half-life, and this may be of clinical benefit in patients requiring 6 months of drug exposure in the eye for a chronic disease.
Beyond a single critical-band in TRAP based ASR

TRAP based ASR attempts to extract information from rather long (as long as 1 s) and narrow (one critical-band) patches (tem-poralpatterns)fromtime-frequencyplane. Weinvestigatetheef-fect of combining temporal patterns of logarithmic critical-band energies from several adjacent bands. The frequency context is gradually increased from one critical-band to several critical-bands by using temporal patterns jointly from adjacent bands as input to the class-posterior estimators. We show that up to three critical-bands of frequency context is required for achieving higher recognition performance. This work also indicates that local bands interaction is important for improved speech recognition performance.
Globus Pallidus External Segment Neuron Classification in Freely Moving Rats: A Comparison to Primates

Globus Pallidus external segment (GPe) neurons are well-characterized in behaving primates. Based on their firing properties, these neurons are commonly divided into two distinct groups: high frequency pausers (HFP) and low frequency bursters (LFB). However, no such characterization has been made for behaving rats. The current study characterizes and categorizes extracellularly recorded GPe neurons in freely moving rats, and compares these results to those obtained by extracellular recordings in behaving primates using the same analysis methods. Analysis of our data recorded in rats revealed two distinct neuronal populations exhibiting firing-pattern characteristics that are similar to those obtained in primates. These characteristic firing patterns are conserved between species although the firing rate is significantly lower in rats than in primates. Significant differences in waveform duration and shape were insufficient to create a reliable waveform-based classification in either species. The firing pattern analogy may emphasize conserved processing properties over firing rate per-se. Given the similarity in GPe neuronal activity between human and non-human primates in different pathologies, our results encourage information transfer using complementary studies across species in the GPe to acquire a better understanding of the function of this nucleus in health and disease.
A retrospective evaluation of the association of celiac disease and growth hormone deficiency: more than a casual association?

BACKGROUND A transient dysfunction of the endocrine growth axis has been reported in celiac disease (CD). This apparent growth hormone deficiency (GHD) generally normalizes with the institution of a gluten-free diet (GFD). However, in few cases, the dysfunction of the GH axis persists despite a good adherence to the GFD. Aims of this study were to investigate pediatric patients with concurrent CD and GHD and to compare them with patients with isolated CD. METHODS Data regarding CD patients with and without associated GHD were retrospectively collected. Inclusion criteria were availability of anthropometric and laboratory data at baseline and regularly at the reference center up to a 2-year follow-up. In case of poor catch-up growth despite a good adherence to the GFD, endocrinological investigation was carried on. RESULTS Fifty-three patients with CD were included. Four (7.5%) out of 53 CD patients had a concurrent GHD. In two cases, firstly diagnosed with CD, GHD was suspected because of a poor catch-up growth despite a good adherence to the GFD. In two other cases, firstly diagnosed with GHD, gastrointestinal symptoms revealed the diagnosis of CD. Normalization of height velocity was achieved by GH treatment in all cases. No statistical significant difference between the two groups of patients was found as regard laboratory and histological features of CD. It is to note that 2 out of 4 patients with concomitant CD and GHD had thyroiditis compared to 6% of patients with isolated CD (P=0.004). CONCLUSIONS A high prevalence of CD and GHD association was found. CD patients with poor catch-up growth despite a good adherence to the GFD should be carefully investigated for endocrine disorders.
Leadership Experience and Leadership Performance

Abstract : This report summarizes the major findings of a 20-year program of research on the role and function of cognitive resources in organizational performance. Although there is no generally accepted definition of the term, leadership experience is one of the most important factors in selection and promotion decisions. In common usage, experience most often refers to time in service (TIS) at an organization, a job, or occupation (e.g., "How long have you been a manager here? "). Other definitions may also refer to diversity, richness, or relevance of previous jobs. However, all definitions imply skills, knowledge and behavior acquired in the course of time on the job rather than by formal training. This report is based on data from over 1,200 leaders and task groups in military and civilian organizations and laboratory settings. Most of the studies were part of a larger project on the utilization of "cognitive resources," that is, the leaders' intellectual abilities, experience, and job-relevant knowledge and skills. Three specific points should be kept in mind in reading this report: 1. Our research focuses on leadership experience, not individual experience (e.g., conducting an orchestra, not playing a violin). 2. "High" or "low" leadership experience, intelligence, expertise, etc., in this report is almost always based on a comparison within a particular sample. A platoon sergeant has high or low intelligence in comparison with other platoon sergeants, regardless of his or her score on a standardized intelligence test. 3. The "effective utilization" of a cognitive resource (e.g., experience) is inferred from the correlation between that resource and the performance of the leader or the group. Thus, a correlation of . 80 between time in service (TIS) and performance implies that experience contributed strongly to performance; . 00 implies that experience had no influence; and -. 80 implies that experience was detrimental to performance.
Shelving Justice: The Discovery of Thousands of Untested Rape Kits in Detroit

In August 2009, approximately 11,000 sexual assault kits (SAKs; “rape kits”) were found in a Detroit police department storage facility, the vast majority of which had never been tested for DNA evidence. To address this problem, a multidisciplinary action research project was formed to bring together researchers and practitioners from law enforcement, prosecution, forensic sciences, medicine/nursing, and victim advocacy to develop evidence–based response strategies. In this paper, we will draw upon qualitative interviews with Detroit stakeholders, archival records, and ethnographic observations to examine the events surrounding the discovery of the rape kits and why police personnel did not view the accumulation of so many untested SAKs as a problem. Over the course of this three–year action research project, Detroit stakeholders worked together to enact local– and state–level reforms to test these kits and to prevent this problem from happening again.
Distinct progression‐associated expression of tumor and stromal MMPs in HaCaT skin SCCs correlates with onset of invasion

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are critically involved in tumor invasion and metastasis. However, failure of broad spectrum MMP inhibitors in clinical trials emphasizes the need for detailed analyses of the specific role of different MMPs in tumor malignancy. Using HaCaT‐keratinocyte clones representing distinct stages in skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) progression, we demonstrate the expression of specific tumor and stroma‐derived MMPs with the onset and maintenance of tumor invasion. Although MMP‐9‐positive leukocytes are present in benign and malignant tumor transplants at the onset of stromal activation and angiogenesis, mRNA expression of stroma‐derived MMP‐9 as well as MMP‐2, −13 and −14 is exclusively found in enhanced malignant tumor transplants. Their expression initiates with the onset of invasion, whereas being absent in early noninvasive stages of malignant transplants. In addition, a high expression of tumor‐derived MMP‐1, −2 and −14 contributes to malignant and invasive tumor growth. However, stroma‐derived MMP‐3 is exclusively restricted to very late‐stage invasive and malignant transplants. The functional contribution of these proteases to invasive growth is supported by the gelatinolytic activity in the tumor transplants that again initiates with the onset of invasive growth suggesting a crucial role of MMP‐2, −9, −13 and −14 for the establishment of a reactive stroma that promotes tumor invasion. These data demonstrate a complex cooperation of distinct tumor and stroma‐derived MMPs in the establishment of malignant tumors and provide the basis for a more specific use of highly selective MMP inhibitors during distinct stages of tumor progression. © 2009 UICC
Analyzing Forged SSL Certificates in the Wild

The SSL man-in-the-middle attack uses forged SSL certificates to intercept encrypted connections between clients and servers. However, due to a lack of reliable indicators, it is still unclear how commonplace these attacks occur in the wild. In this work, we have designed and implemented a method to detect the occurrence of SSL man-in-the-middle attack on a top global website, Facebook. Over 3 million real-world SSL connections to this website were analyzed. Our results indicate that 0.2% of the SSL connections analyzed were tampered with forged SSL certificates, most of them related to antivirus software and corporate-scale content filters. We have also identified some SSL connections intercepted by malware. Limitations of the method and possible defenses to such attacks are also discussed.
Evaluation of Interlaboratory Proficiency Surveys of Bilirubin Determinations in Sera of Newborns

We evaluated the results of two surveys of neonatal bilirubin determinations in 66 Slovakian clinical chemistry laboratories. Identical control samples prepared as described by Vink (Clin. Chem. 33 (1987) 1817-1821) and commercially available control serum were used for both surveys. These control samples were analysed in the participating laboratories using various modifications of diazo techniques based on the Grof-Jendrassik principle, and direct two-wavelength spectrophotometry according to Vink (Clin. Chem. 34 (1988) 67-70). The interlaboratory precision and accuracy of these two different analytical principles were compared. For diazo techniques the CVs varied from +/- 6.8% to +/- 10.3%, while the CVs for direct spectrophotometry were between +/- 5.3% and +/- 6.4%. Better results were obtained by recalculating the raw data of the analyses from all laboratories, using the reported results for the analysis of an identical calibrant. Accuracy was evaluated as the percentage of acceptable results (within +/- 7% of the reference values). About 60% of the results obtained with diazo methods were considered acceptable, compared with about 22% of those obtained by direct spectrophotometry. However, results recalculated on the basis of the identical calibrant showed greater accuracy; acceptable results then varied between 74% and 82% of the total for the diazo techniques and from 83% to 91% for direct spectrophotometry.
An Investigation of Twitter and Facebook Abandonment

The use of social media is spreading and today, there are various social media platforms such as blogs, microblogs, and social networking sites. While its use and adoption is well-studied, the same cannot be said for abandonment. This study examines the reasons for the abandonment of two popular social media platforms, namely Face book and Twitter. A survey questionnaire was developed and distributed to abandoners of Twitter and Face book. The findings indicate that Face book is preferred over Twitter and the reasons for the abandonment of both platforms are similar, with privacy concerns being one of the main reasons.
An Assistive and Research Framework Methodology for Ships’ Upkeep and Repair Organisational Learning Performance

The Omani Dockyard (OD) requires the development of a research methodology, which encompasses an assistive framework to maintain the research boundary to support a research framework. A research framework is developed to understand the behaviour of variables. A deductive / quantitative – survey questionnaire is employed in the main research to statistically understand the ‘mindsets / opinions’ of a large population and an inductive / qualitative – semi-structured interview using selected senior managers for the total research. Another questionnaire was used to critically learn from the agreement of the senior managers if the proposed contributions were in line with the ships’ upkeep and repair ‘organisational performance’. The initial and most definitive requirement is also to understand the strength of independent and mediation constructs applicability for the enhancement of performance. The problem is in the area of ‘enhancement of organisational learning on knowledge and competencies’ to underpin ships’ upkeep and repair support performance for better availability of operational ships. This research methodology was designed for a ‘major piece of research’ involving a doctorate dissertation in ships’ support performance. The conclusion and recommendation for a ‘major piece of research’ formulated the framework / model to underpin performance. This study concentrates on the research methodology that was used for ships’ upkeep and repair performance of the Omani dockyard with a compressive description of the total results, which can be generalized for other studies.
The Gender Pay Gap Beyond Human Capital: Heterogeneity in Noncognitive Skills and in Labor Market Tastes

Focused on human capital, economists typically explain about half of the gender earnings gap. For a national sample of MBAs, we account for 82 percent of the gap by incorporating noncognitive skills (for example, confidence and assertiveness) and preferences regarding family, career, and jobs. Those two sources of gender heterogeneity account for a quarter of the "explained" pay gap, with half due to human capital variables and the other quarter due to hours worked and current job characteristics. Female MBAs appear to pay a penalty for "good citizen" behavior (choosing jobs that contribute to society) and characteristics (higher ethical standards).
Serum Antibodies to Individual Cytomegalovirus Structural Polypeptides in Renal Transplant Recipients during Viral Infection

In a longitudinal study we examined by immunoblotting (IB) the development and the evolution of the humoral immune response against individual cytomegalovirus (CMV) structural polypeptides in a total of 80 serum samples from 13 renal transplant recipients showing serological evidence of CMV infection and five renal transplant recipients with an anti‐CMV antibody level unchanged over the observation period. The results showed that the IB reactivity at the time of transplantation may be a good index of the host's humoral immune status against CMV; by using this procedure it is possible to identify a seroconversion by the detection of antibodies reacting with some intermediate molecular weight proteins in sera examined at high dilution. Furthermore, IB is a very sensitive procedure also for IgM detection as it anticipates the positivity of the enzyme immune assay for IgM.
Detection of a 63° Cold Stellar Stream in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

We report on the detection in Sloan Digital Sky Survey data of a 63°-long tidal stream of stars, extending from Ursa Major to Cancer. The stream has no obvious association with the orbit of any known cluster or galaxy. The contrast of the detected stream is greatest when using a star count filter that is matched to the color-magnitude distribution of stars in M13, which suggests that the stars making up the stream are old and metal-poor. The visible portion of the stream is very narrow and about 8.5 kpc above the Galactic disk, suggesting that the progenitor is or was a globular cluster. While the surface density of the stream varies considerably along its length, its path on the sky is very smooth and uniform, showing no evidence of perturbations by large mass concentrations in the nearby halo. While definitive constraints cannot be established without radial velocity information, the stream's projected path and estimates of its distance suggest that we are observing the stream near the perigalacticon of its orbit.
Environmental dynamism and entrepreneurial orientation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the antecedents of entrepreneurial orientation (EO). Specifically, the authors aim to analyze how firms' capabilities influence the relationship between firm environmental dynamism and entrepreneurial orientation. The study seeks to provide a better understanding of antecedents of EO, helping to fill in the gap that exists in the EO literature and explain how certain internal and external factors, independently and jointly, influence EO.Design/methodology/approach – The empirical study is conducted on a sample of 253 firms from the information and communication technology (ICT) industry. In order to test the proposed model, a hierarchical regression analysis was developed.Findings – A positive effect of environmental dynamism, technological capabilities and marketing capabilities on EO was detected and it was possible to observe how technology capabilities improve the positive effect of environment dynamism on EO.Originality/value – The most important contri.