Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gender, Occupational, and Socioeconomic Correlates of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Among U.S. Rural, Metropolitan, and Urban Residents

Objective. To estimate the prevalence and correlates of alcohol and drug abuse and dependence among rural, urban, and metropolitan U.S. residents. Methods. The National Comorbidity Survey (NCS) (1990–1992) yielded lifetime risks of psychiatric disorders in a probability sample of 8098 respondents in the 48 contiguous states using DSM‐III‐R for diagnosis. Logistic regressions of alcohol and drug disorders were performed to compare their correlates in rural, urban, and metropolitan areas after stratifying by demographic and socioeconomic variables. Results. Household income was protective only in rural areas. High occupation strata were positively associated with alcohol disorders. Urban and metropolitan women were less likely to report drug disorders. There was no gender difference in rural drug abuse and dependence. Also, high occupation strata were positively associated with drug disorders. Conclusion. Lack of gender differences in rural drug disorders may indicate an increase in drug availability, access, and use among rural women. Workplace alcohol and drug disorders, especially among metropolitan sales, crafts, and service workers should be of concern to policymakers. These results underline the usefulness of using multiple indicators of socioeconomic positions in epidemiologic studies of substance use disorders.
Cancer Support Groups: Client Outcome and the Context of Group Process

Objective: This project had two questions: (a) To what extent did clients improve after participation in the cancer support groups? and (b) What was the relationship between outcome and clients’ perceptions of group process? Method: Clients participating in 12 cancer support groups were administered the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), a consumer satisfaction questionnaire, and a self-report version of Yalom’s Curative Factors Questionnaire. Results: BSI results pointed to statistically significant reductions in emotional distress. About one third of the clients moved into the normative distribution of the BSI from the distressed distribution. The group processes with the highest mean scores were cohesion, existential factors, instillation of hope, altruism, and universality. There were no significant correlations between BSI scores and group processes. Conclusion: These results are discussed in terms of the need to identify both the outcome and process of support group participation as well as establish an empirical link between the two.
The moderating role of perceived risk in loyalty intentions: an investigation in a service context

Purpose – The objectives of this study are twofold: to investigate the impact of service encounter quality dimensions on perceived value, customer satisfaction, and loyalty, and to examine the moderating effect of perceived risk on the relationship of loyalty with perceived value and customer satisfaction in high contact services.Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire survey was adopted. Data were collected from customers who had used either hairdressing services or health care services in the past three months. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the validity of the measures and structural equation modeling was used to assess the hypothesized relationships.Findings – Technical quality and empathy were found to display a positive effect on satisfaction in both hairstylist and physician samples. Physical environment was found to display a positive effect on satisfaction in the physician sample, but not in the hairstylist sample, and its effect on perceived value was non‐significant in .
Cross-Domain Sentiment Classification via Topic-Related TrAdaBoost

Cross-domain sentiment classification aims to tag sentiments for a target domain by labeled data from a source domain. Due to the difference between domains, the accuracy of a trained classifier may be very low. In this paper, we propose a boosting-based learning framework named TR-TrAdaBoost for cross-domain sentiment classification. We firstly explore the topic distribution of documents, and then combine it with the unigram TrAdaBoost. The topic distribution captures the domain information of documents, which is valuable for cross-domain sentiment classification. Experimental results indicate that TR-TrAdaBoost represents documents well and boost the performance and robustness of TrAdaBoost.
A novel small animal model for HIV‐1 infection

Lethally irradiated normal BALB/c mice, reconstituted with murine SCID bone marrow and engrafted with human PBMC (Trimera mice), were used to establish a novel murine model for HIV‐1 infection. The Trimera mice were successfully infected with different clades and primary isolates of T‐ and M‐tropic HIV‐1, with the infection persisting in the animals for 4–6 wk. Rapid loss of the human CD4+ T cells, decrease in CD4/CD8 ratio, and increased T cell activation accompanied the viral infection. All HIV‐1 infected animals were able to generate both primary and secondary immune responses, including HIV specific human humoral and cellular responses. In addition to testing the efficacy of new antiviral compounds, this new murine HIV‐1 model may be used for studying host‐virus interactions and, most importantly, for screening and developing potential HIV‐1 protective vaccines and adjuvants (Ayash‐Rashkovsky et al., http://www.fasebj.org/cgi/doi/10.1096/fj.04‐3185fje; doi:10.1096/fj.04‐3185fje.).
Educational productivity in higher education: An examination of part of the Walberg educational productivity model

Several factors in the H. J. Walberg Educational Productivity Model, which assumes that 9 factors affect academic achievement, were examined with a limited sample of 1st-year students in the University of Groningen. Information concerning 8 of these factors—grades, motivation, age, prior achievement, home environment, support from peers, classroom environment, quality of instruction, and quantity of instruction—was collected through the departmental administration, self-report questionnaires, rating questionnaires, and through paper sources. A multilevel analysis showed that the model with 8 productivity factors explained 23% of the variance found in achievement, as well as the variables prior achievement and expectancy, the classroom environment, the quality of assessment, and the quantity of instruction affected achievement.
Homeless families, singles, and others: Findings from the 1996 national survey of homeless assistance providers and clients

Abstract The first question people typically ask about homelessness is, “How many people are homeless? ” After that, questions usually turn to characteristics: “What are they like? ” Basic demographic characteristics such as sex, age, family status, and race have always been of interest, in part because the homeless population appears to be very different from the general public and even from most poor people who are housed with respect to these characteristics. Often, because these differences are so dramatic, demographic characteristics are overinterpreted as representing the reasons for homelessness. But as various studies have documented, most demographic factors quickly disappear as proximate causes when other factors representing personal vulnerabilities are available for examination. The underlying causes of homelessness, the structural conditions of housing and labor markets that turn vulnerabilities into loss of housing, do not lie within individuals at all and are thus difficult to include in analyses based on individual data.
Structural identification through continuous monitoring: data cleansing using temperature variations

The aim of structural performance monitoring is to infer the state of a structure from measurements and thereby support decisions related to structural management. Complex structures may be equipped with hundreds of sensors that measure quantities such as temperature, acceleration and strain. However, meaningful interpretation of data collected from continuous monitoring remains a challenge. MPCA (Moving principal component analysis) is a model-free data interpretation method which compares characteristics of a moving window of measurements against those derived from a reference period. This paper explores a data cleansing approach to improve the performance of MPCA. The approach uses a smoothing procedure or a low-pass filter (moving average) to exclude the effects of seasonal temperature variations. Consequently MPCA can use a smaller moving window and therefore detect anomalies more rapidly. Measurements from a numerical model and a prestressed beam are used to illustrate the approach. Results show that removal of seasonal temperature effects can improve the performance of MPCA. However, improvement may not be significant and there remains a trade off when choosing the window size. A small window increases the risk of false-positives while a large window increases the time to detect damage.
The (Real) Neurogenic/Gliogenic Potential of the Postnatal and Adult Brain Parenchyma

During the last two decades basic research in neuroscience has remarkably expanded due to the discovery of neural stem cells (NSCs) and adult neurogenesis in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). The existence of such unexpected plasticity triggered hopes for alternative approaches to brain repair, yet deeper investigation showed that constitutive mammalian neurogenesis is restricted to two small “neurogenic sites” hosting NSCs as remnants of embryonic germinal layers and subserving homeostatic roles in specific neural systems. The fact that in other classes of vertebrates adult neurogenesis is widespread in the CNS and useful for brain repair sometimes creates misunderstandings about the real reparative potential in mammals. Nevertheless, in the mammalian CNS parenchyma, which is commonly considered as “nonneurogenic,” some processes of gliogenesis and, to a lesser extent, neurogenesis also occur. This “parenchymal” cell genesis is highly heterogeneous as to the position, identity, and fate of the progenitors. In addition, even the regional outcomes are different. In this paper the heterogeneity of mammalian parenchymal neurogliogenesis will be addressed, also discussing the most common pitfalls and misunderstandings of this growing and promising research field.
Theoretical study of BOLD response to sinusoidal input

This is a theoretical study of a compelling model of blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response dynamics, measured in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The novelty of this study involves the way the model is driven sinusoidally, in order to avoid onset and offset transients that pose difficulties in data analysis and interpretation. The driving frequency ranges over the natural time scales of the hemodynamic response (0.01-1 Hz), which also corresponds to the period in typical boxcar stimulus designs. At low stimulus amplitude, the predicted BOLD response is quasi-linear. The amplitude exhibits a mild peak near the modulation frequency 0.1 Hz, and falls rapidly for higher frequencies. The phase lag relative to the stimulus is a monotonically increasing function of the modulation frequency. These findings illustrate the dynamical nature of the BOLD response, and could be used to optimize experimental designs that admit sinusoidal modulation. Higher stimulus amplitude elicits nonlinear behavior characterized by a double peak during the positive deflection of the BOLD response. This finding is particularly interesting, because similar double peaks are seen frequently in BOLD data.
Beliefs about Causes of Poverty and Psychological Well-Being of Parents and Adolescents Experiencing Economic Disadvantage in Hong Kong

Parents and their adolescent children from 199 poor families in Hong Kong responded to the Chinese Perceived Causes of Poverty Scale (that assesses beliefs about causes of poverty in terms of personal problems, exploitation, lack of opportunities, fate, and external causes) and measures of psychological well-being over two consecutive years. Results showed that measures of beliefs about causes of poverty (particularly beliefs in terms of fate and external factors over which one has little control) were concurrently and longitudinally related to psychological well-being. Prospective analyses further showed that the relations between these two domains were bi-directional in nature. Parent-adolescent differences (parents vs. adolescents) and parental differences (fathers vs. mothers) in the linkages between beliefs about causes of poverty and psychological well-being were found. The present findings suggest that family therapists and allied helping professionals should be sensitive to the role played by beliefs about causes of poverty held by family members when they work with families experiencing economic disadvantage.
The Theory of Planned Behavior Within the Stages of the Transtheoretical Model: Latent Structural Modeling of Stage-Specific Prediction Patterns in Physical Activity

This is the first study to test whether the stages of change of the transtheoretical model are qualitatively different through exploring discontinuity patterns in theory of planned behavior (TPB) variables using latent multigroup structural equation modeling (MSEM) with AMOS. Discontinuity patterns in terms of latent means and prediction patterns for the different stage groups were examined. Adults (n = 3,462) were assessed on their physical activity stages of change and TPB variables. The TPB was separately examined within the five stage groups. The TPB measurement model fit was acceptable. Latent mean analyses with post-hoc contrast and MSEM indicated discontinuity patterns. Results underscore the qualitative differences between the stages that may guide further research and the design of interventions integrating the approaches.
A near-infrared interferometric survey of debris-disk stars

Context. Hot exozodiacal dust has been shown to be present in the innermost regions of an increasing number of main sequence stars over the past 15 yr. However, the origin of hot exozodiacal dust and its connection with outer dust reservoirs remains unclear. Aims. We aim to explore the possible connection between hot exozodiacal dust and warm dust reservoirs (≥100 K) in asteroid belts. Methods. We use precision near-infrared interferometry with VLTI/PIONIER to search for resolved emission at H-band around a selected sample of 62 nearby stars that show possible signs of warm dust populations. Results. Our observations reveal the presence of resolved near-infrared emission around 17 out of 52 stars with sufficient data quality. For four of these, the emission is shown to be due to a previously unknown stellar companion. The 13 other H-band excesses are thought to originate from the thermal emission of hot dust grains, close to their sublimation temperature. Taking into account earlier PIONIER observations, where some stars with warm dust were also observed, and after re-evaluating the warm dust content of all our PIONIER targets through spectral energy distribution modeling, we find a detection rate of 17.1−4.6+8.1% for H-band excess around main sequence stars hosting warm dust belts, which is statistically compatible with the occurrence rate of 14.6−2.8+4.3% found around stars showing no signs of warm dust. After correcting for the sensitivity loss due to partly unresolved hot disks, under the assumption that they are arranged in a thin ring around their sublimation radius, we find tentative evidence at the 3σ level that H-band excesses around stars with outer dust reservoirs (warm or cold) could be statistically larger than H-band excesses around stars with no detectable outer dust. Conclusions. Our observations do not suggest a direct connection between warm and hot dust populations at the sensitivity level of the considered instruments, although they bring to light a possible correlation between the level of H-band excess and the presence of outer dust reservoirs in general.
Stacked Sequential Learning

We describe a new sequential learning scheme called "stacked sequential learning". Stacked sequential learning is a meta-learning algorithm, in which an arbitrary base learner is augmented so as to make it aware of the labels of nearby examples. We evaluate the method on several "sequential partitioning problems", which are characterized by long runs of identical labels. We demonstrate that on these problems, sequential stacking consistently improves the performance of nonsequential base learners; that sequential stacking often improves performance of learners (such as CRFs) that are designed specifically for sequential tasks; and that a sequentially stacked maximum-entropy learner generally outperforms CRFs.
Men, Sport, Spinal Cord Injury and Narrative Time

Based on life history data, this article explores how time is experienced by three men who have become disabled through playing sport. Comparisons are made between their experiences of time at the following periods in their lives: (a) pre-spinal cord injury (SCI) when they inhabited able bodied, sporting, disciplined and dominating bodies; (b) immediately following SCI during rehabilitation; and (c) as they live at the moment post-SCI. The ways in which three different narratives operate to shape the post-SCI experiences of time for these men are highlighted, and the implications of this process for their identity (re)construction as disabled men is discussed.
Edinburgh Research Explorer Absence of alpha-synuclein affects dopamine metabolism and synaptic markers in the striatum of aging mice

Despitenumerousevidencesforneurotoxicityofoverexpressed (cid:2) -synuclein,aprotectivefunctionwassuggestedforendogenous (cid:2) -synuclein and other members of the synuclein family. This protective role is most important for and evident in presynaptic terminals, where synucleins are normally accumulated. However, mice lacking synucleins display no adverse phenotype. In particular, no signiﬁcant changes in striatal dopamine metabolism and only subtle deﬁcit of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra were found in juvenile or adult mice. To assess whether aging and synuclein deﬁciency may have additive detrimental effect on the nigrostriatal system, we studied dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra and their striatal synapses in 24–26-month-old (cid:2) -synuclein and (cid:3) -synuclein null mutant mice. Signiﬁcant ∼ 36% reduction of the striatal dopamine was found in aging (cid:2) -synuclein, but not (cid:3) -synuclein null mutant mice when compared to age-matching wild type mice. This was accompanied by the reduction of TH-positive ﬁbers in the striatum and decrease of striatal levels of TH and DAT. However, no progressive loss of TH-positive neurons was revealed in the substantia nigra of synuclein-deﬁcient aging animals. Our results are consistent with a hypothesis that (cid:2) -synuclein is important for normal function and integrity of synapses, and suggest that in the aging nervous system dysfunction of this protein could become a predisposition factor for the development of nigrostriatal pathology. dopaminergic
Interventions for children's language and literacy difficulties

Against a backdrop of research on individual differences in reading disorders, this review considers a range of effective interventions to promote reading and language skills evaluated by our group. The review begins by contrasting the reading profiles seen in dyslexia and reading comprehension impairment and then argues that different interventions will be required. It is well established that effective interventions for decoding deficits (dyslexia) involve work on letter–sound knowledge, phonological awareness and reading practice to reinforce emergent skills. In contrast, effective interventions for reading comprehension difficulties involve training to promote oral language skills and text comprehension strategies. Together the findings of controlled trials provide a robust evidence base that can be used to devise plans for the management of pre-school and school-aged children with language learning difficulties.
Are men really more 'oriented' toward short-term mating than women? A critical review of theory and research

According to Sexual Strategies Theory (D.M. Buss and D.P.Schmitt 1993), both men and women possess psychological adaptations for short-term mating. However, men may possess three adaptations that make it seem as though they are generally more 'oriented' toward short-term mating than women: (1) Men possess greater desire for short-term sexual relationships than women; (2) Men prefer larger numbers of sexual partners over time than women; and (3) Men require less time before consenting to sex than women. We review a wide body of psychological theory and evidence that corroborates the presence of these adaptations in men's short-term sexual psychology. We also correct some recurring misinterpretations of Sexual Strategies Theory, such as the mistaken notion that women are designed solely for long-term mating. Finally, we document how the observed sex differences in short-term mating complement some feminist theories and refute competing evolutionary theories of human sexuality.
To Float or to Fix: Evidence on the Impact of Exchange Rate Regimes on Growth

We study the relationship between exchange rate regimes and economic growth for a sample of 183 countries over the post-Bretton Woods period, using a new de facto classification of regimes based on the actual behavior of the relevant macroeconomic variables. In contrast with previous studies, we find that, for developing countries, less flexible exchange rate regimes are associated with slower growth, as well as with greater output volatility. For industrial countries, regimes do not appear to have any significant impact on growth. The results are robust to endogeneity corrections and a number of alternative specifications borrowed from the growth literature. (JEL F31, F41)
Insufficient sleep predicts clinical burnout.

The present prospective study aimed to identify risk factors for subsequent clinical burnout. Three hundred eighty-eight working individuals completed a baseline questionnaire regarding work stress, sleep, mood, health, and so forth. During a 2-year period, 15 subjects (7 women and 8 men) of the total sample were identified as "burnout cases," as they were assessed and referred to treatment for clinical burnout. Questionnaire data from the baseline measurement were used as independent variables in a series of logistic regression analyses to predict clinical burnout. The results identified "too little sleep (< 6 h)" as the main risk factor for burnout development, with adjustment for "work demands," "thoughts of work during leisure time," and "sleep quality. " The first two factors were significant predictors in earlier steps of the multivariate regression. The results indicate that insufficient sleep, preoccupation with thoughts of work during leisure time, and high work demands are risk factors for subsequent burnout. The results suggest a chain of causation.