Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age-related variation in primary care-type presentations to emergency departments.

BACKGROUND A significant amount of attention has been paid to the increase in emergency department (ED) presentations in Australia. Questions have arisen regarding whether all of those presenting to the ED are actually in need of true emergency services. Under-standing the characteristics of those patients who may be cared for in non-emergency settings is important for future health system strategies. The aim of this study was to identify age-related variation in primary care type emergency department (ED) presentations over time. METHODS A secondary analysis of data from the Victorian emergency minimum dataset (VEMD) between 2002-13 was conducted. The main outcomes were patterns of primary care type ED presentations for different ages groups over time, age-specific patterns of specific primary care type exclusion criteria and primary care type ED presentations by residents from aged care facilities. RESULTS The proportion of triage category 4 or 5 ED presentations that met the criteria for a primary care type visit was greatest in the 0-4-year age group and tended to decrease as the age of the patient increased. Triage category 4 or 5 presentation by ambulance was uncommon in the younger age groups, surpassed 10% in the 50-54-year age group, and was >70% for those aged >90 years. The greater proportion of residential aged care facility patients who arrived by ambulance resulted in a much smaller proportion of primary care type visits. DISCUSSION There are marked differences by age in the proportion of triage category 4 or 5 ED presentations that met the criteria for primary care type visits. These results indicate it was primarily younger patients who presented to the ED with non-urgent conditions. Most might be able to safely receive care in a primary care setting.
What can Children Learn through Game-based Learning Systems?

In this talk, the author presents key ideas and underlying philosophies of our research projects. He also describes about several systems for supporting children's collaborative learning, such as CarettaKids, T-RHYTHM, and so on. Lessons learned through the design and evaluation of these systems, and some thoughts for DIGITEL researches are discussed.
An Investigation into Methods to Control Breakup and Droplet Formation in Single and Compound Liquid Jets

The disintegration of a thread of fluid into droplets is ubiquitous in modern engineering applications and research in this area stretches back over two centuries. However, understanding the mechanism, and as a consequence being able to control, the breakup and subsequent droplet formation of a liquid jet remains both an inherently interesting and challenging problem in modern science. Whilst the last few decades have seen a growth in novel techniques for droplet generation, in many such cases, these methods are poorly understood. In this thesis we investigate a number of techniques for controlling rupture of jets, including industrial prilling with non-Newtonian fluids, the use of insoluble surfactants, controlled insonification and thermal modulation. In addition we examine the dynamics of rupture in two-fluid or compound threads as well as the breakup of jets on the microscopic scale using the theory of interface formation. We find that in all these cases, a greater degree of control and ability to manipulate droplet sizes and breakup lengths can be achieved.
The Association Between Mental Health and Acute Infectious Illness Among a National Sample of 18- to 24-Year-Old College Students

Poor mental health is associated with physical illness, but this association is poorly characterized among college students. Objective and Participants: Using American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment data, the authors characterized poor mental health (depression, anxiety, negative affect) and examined the relationship between poor mental health and acute infectious illnesses (bronchitis, ear infection, sinusitis, strep throat) among 47,202 US college students. Methods: The authors used frequency and cross-tabulation analyses to characterize mental health and determine univariate associations among variables. They used binary logistic regression to determine the association between poor mental health and acute infectious illness, controlling for research-derived covariates. Results: The prevalence of acute infectious illness ranged from 8% to 29%. The prevalence of anxiety and depression ranged from 12% to 20%, respectively. Depression, anxiety, and exhaustion were associated with acute infectious illness across all dependent measures, with odds ratios ranging from . 56 to . 91. Conclusions: Poor mental health is associated with acute infectious illness among college students.
Subliminal priming of intentional inhibition q

Intentional choice is an important process underlying human behaviour. Intentional inhibition refers to the capacity to endogenously cancel an about-to-be-executed action at the last moment. Previous research suggested that such intentional inhibitory control requires conscious effort and awareness. Here we show that intentional decisions to inhibit are nevertheless influenced by unconscious processing. In a novel version of the Go/No-Go task, participants made speeded keypress actions to a Go target, or withheld responses to a No-Go target, or made free, spontaneous choices whether to execute or inhibit a keypress when presented with a free-choice target. Prior to each target, subliminal masked prime arrows were presented. Primes could be congruent with the Go or No-Go arrows, or neutral. Response times and proportion of action choices were measured. Primes were presented at latencies that would give either positive or negative compatibility effects (PCE, Experiment 1, and NCE, Experiment 2, respectively), based on previous literature. Go-primes at positive-compatibility latencies facilitated speeded response times as expected, but did not influence number of choices to act on free-choice trials. However, when Go primes were presented at negative-compatibility latencies, ‘‘free’’ decisions to inhibit were significantly increased. Decisions to act or not can be unconsciously manipulated, at least by inhibitory mechanisms. The cognitive mechanisms for intentionally withholding an action can be influenced by unconscious processing. We discuss possible moral and legal implications of these findings. 2013 The Auhors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
ORGANISATIONAL FACTORS, ANTICIPATED RENTS AND COMMERCIALISATION IN SMEs

The study investigates the relationship between organisational factors and the anticipated returns to the commercialisation of an innovation within small to medium enterprises (SMEs). Using a large multi-country sample, the analysis involved a structural equation model of seven organisational factors associated with the management of innovation, and their relationship with the anticipated volume of sales, profitability and lifecycle of the innovation. Significant relationships were found between the possession of an innovation strategy and formal commercialisation management, and optimism over sales volumes and lifecycle. The study provides new insights into the resource-based view and theory of entrepreneurial rents, strengthening SME owner-managers’ assessment on future investments in innovation and how to utilise their best capabilities. Policy makers also gain more insights into the commercialisation process within SMEs to foster the innovation orientation in both high and low tech sectors.
Inverse Problems in High Dimensional Stochastic Systems Under Uncertainty.

Inverse Problems in High-Dimensional Stochastic Systems Under Uncertainty by Patrick L. Harrington Jr. Chair: Alfred O. Hero III. Increasingly often, problems in modern medicine, quantitative finance, or socialnetworking involve tens of thousands of variables that interact with each other and jointly evolve over time. The states of these variables may correspond to the phenotype of a particular individual, the price of a security, or the current status of an individual’s social networking profile. If these states are hidden to a researcher, additional information must be obtained to infer these hidden states based upon measurements of other variables, knowledge of the interacting network structure, and any dynamics that model the evolution of these states. This dissertation is an attempt to address general problems regarding reasoning under uncertainty in such spatio-temporal models but with an emphasis to applications in predictive health and disease in a loosely monitored population of individuals. The motivation is highly interdisciplinary and draws on tools and concepts from machine learning, statistics, epidemiology, bioinformatics, and physics.
Minimum norm ellipsoids as a measure in high-cycle fatigue criteria

1. Abstract This paper focuses on the use of minimum norm ellipsoids in stress-based fatigue criteria. We consider both the theoretical issues involved in constructing mathematical models for high cycle fatigue endurance limits and the computational features concerning the application of the resulting fatigue criteria. In the present approach, the macroscopic level of continuum is enhanced with internal variables corresponding to the accommodated state at the mesoscopic level of a representative volume. That is, elastic shakedown in the representative volume is used in order to explain the mechanisms of fatigue endurance of a body undergoing elastic strain variations at the macroscopic level. We propose a scalar measure for the amplitude of shear stress variations based on the definition of an enclosing hyper-ellipsoid of minimum Frobenius norm. This equivalent shear amplitude is combined with the maximal mean stress, in both linear and quadratic functions, leading to two alternative fatigue criteria. The predictions of these criteria are compared with experimental data. The distinction between minimum norm enclosing ellipsoid and minimum volume enclosing ellipsoid is discussed. We argue in favor of using the Frobenius norm rather than the volume of the hyper-ellipsoid. The computation of the minimum norm ellipsoid is discussed and a practical algorithm is proposed. 2.
Canal wall reconstruction: A newer implantation technique

An innovative hydroxylapatite canal wall implant underlies a new technique for reconstructing canal wall defects in well-pneumatized "disease-free" mastoid cavities. Previous primary reconstruction involving soft-tissue techniques were not always optimal, depending on the size of the defect. The new hard implant provides lasting canal wall contour, and the implantation technique can be duplicated by other otolaryngologists. Our experience with the implant is described in 11 patients (implant duration 2 to 37 months) using a modification of the technique described by Grote (1986). The implant is biocompatible, being incorporated into surrounding tissues. Indications, contraindications (relative and absolute), and the intraoperative sculpturing method are presented. Long-term and short-term complications are reviewed with suggestions to minimize complications.
Refining the cheatgrass–fire cycle in the Great Basin: Precipitation timing and fine fuel composition predict wildfire trends

Larger, more frequent wildfires in arid and semi-arid ecosystems have been associated with invasion by non-native annual grasses, yet a complete understanding of fine fuel development and subsequent wildfire trends is lacking. We investigated the complex relationships among weather, fine fuels, and fire in the Great Basin, USA. We first modeled the annual and time-lagged effects of precipitation and temperature on herbaceous vegetation cover and litter accumulation over a 26-year period in the northern Great Basin. We then modeled how these fine fuels and weather patterns influence subsequent wildfires. We found that cheatgrass cover increased in years with higher precipitation and especially when one of the previous 3 years also was particularly wet. Cover of non-native forbs and native herbs also increased in wet years, but only after several dry years. The area burned by wildfire in a given year was mostly associated with native herb and non-native forb cover, whereas cheatgrass mainly influenced area burned in the form of litter derived from previous years' growth. Consequently, multiyear weather patterns, including precipitation in the previous 1-3 years, was a strong predictor of wildfire in a given year because of the time needed to develop these fine fuel loads. The strong relationship between precipitation and wildfire allowed us to expand our inference to 10,162 wildfires across the entire Great Basin over a 35-year period from 1980 to 2014. Our results suggest that the region's precipitation pattern of consecutive wet years followed by consecutive dry years results in a cycle of fuel accumulation followed by weather conditions that increase the probability of wildfire events in the year when the cycle transitions from wet to dry. These patterns varied regionally but were strong enough to allow us to model annual wildfire risk across the Great Basin based on precipitation alone.
Students' Perceptions of Learning Mode in Mathematics.

Blended courses or hybrid courses have gained popularity over the years due to the flexibility and convenience offered by such courses. Use of technology in the online component of the blended/hybrid courses is another influence particularly to the younger generation of learners who enjoy learning interactively in a virtual environment. However, depending on the subject matter and the type of learners, traditional classroom approach may be preferred to the hybrid approach. This paper discusses the perceptions of students of the face-to-face mode and the online mode in hybrid mathematics courses. Analysis shows that the students in this study preferred the face-to-face learning mode although they agree that the courses should be taught in a hybrid mode. In particular, they are more comfortable interacting with their peers and the instructor in the face-to-face learning mode and they find the face-to-face instructions enable them to learn and understand the mathematics concepts better.
Association of Pre-miR-146a rs2910164 Polymorphism with Papillary Thyroid Cancer

The incidence rate of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) has increased over the past decades, but the pathogenesis remains unclear. rs2910164, located in pre-miR-146a, has been studied in PTCs with different ethnicity, but the results were inconsistent. Here we evaluate the association between rs2910164 polymorphism and PTC and investigate the effect of this polymorphism on patients' clinicopathological characteristics. 1238 PTC patients and 1275 controls, all Han population, from Northern China, were included in our study. rs2910164 was genotyped using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Analysis of inheritance model was performed using the SNPStats program. Strength of association was assessed by odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Overall, no statistical difference in rs2910164 genotype distribution and allelic frequencies between cases and controls was found, and patients with different genotypes had similar clinicopathological characteristics in terms of stage, location, concurrent of benign thyroid tumor, and thyroiditis, while, as the number of G alleles increased, proportion of patients aged ≥45 years and those without metastasis increased (P trend < 0.001 and P trend = 0.003, resp.). However, no association remained significant after Bonferroni correction under any model of inheritance. Our results suggest no association between rs2910164 polymorphism with PTC and patients' clinicopathological characteristics.
Effects of Quercetin and Mannitol on Erythropoietin Levels in Rats Following Acute Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Objective The aim of this study to investigate the normal values of erythropoietin (EPO) and neuroprotective effects of quercetin and mannitol on EPO and hematocrit levels after acute severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rat model. Methods A weight-drop impact acceleration model of TBI was used on 40 male Wistar rats. The animals were divided into sham (group I), TBI (group II), TBI+quercetin (50 mg/kg intravenously) (group III), and TBI+mannitol (1 mg/kg intravenously) (group IV) groups. The malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, EPO, and hematocrit levels were measured 1 and 4 hour after injury. Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance and Tukey’s test were used for statistical analysis. Results The malondialdehyde levels decreased significantly after administration of quercetin and mannitol compared with those in group II. Catalase and glutathione peroxidase levels increased significantly in groups III and IV. Serum EPO levels decreased significantly after mannitol but not after quercetin administration. Serum hematocrit levels did not change significantly after quercetin and mannitol administration 1 hour after trauma. However, mannitol administration decreased serum hematocrit levels significantly after 4 hour. Conclusion This study suggests that quercetin may be a good alternative treatment for TBI, as it did not decrease the EPO levels.
Effect of Music on Intraoperative Haemodynamic Stability and Postoperative Pain Relief in Patients Undergoing Laproscopic Cholecystectomy under General Anaesthesia

1 Senior Resident, Department of Anaesthesiology, G.R. Medical College, Gwalior, M.P., India 2 Associate Professor, Department of Anaesthesiology, G.R. Medical College, Gwalior, M.P., India 3 Assistant Professor, Department of Anaesthesiology, G.R. Medical College, Gwalior, M.P., India 4 Postgraduate student, Department of Anaesthesiology, G.R. Medical College, Gwalior, M.P., India 5 Professor & Head, Department of Anaesthesiology, G.R. Medical College, Gwalior, M.P., India
BEECH AND CONIFER COMMUNITY INTERACTIONS IN MOAWHANGO ECOLOGICAL REGION, NORTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND

Relict forests within tussock grassland and abundant subsoil charcoal indicate that prior to Polynesian conflagrations, conifer forests dominated by kaikawaka covered the upper montane plateaux in Moawhango Ecological Region. Much forest remains in peripheral districts where the plateaux border the encircling Kaimanawa, Kaweka and Ruahine greywacke uplands; in these districts, beech forest of the ranges extends on to plateaux surfaces as a narrow, variable-width strip intermixed with conifer forest. Factors considered in an investigation of the dynamics of the boundary zone between beech and conifer forest include the distribution pattern of beech outlier stands within conifer forest, stand structure, tree architecture and age hierarchies at the boundary, spreading rates of beech, seedling microsite requirements and radial increment growth rates. The study shows a centripetal spread of beech from the ranges at the expense of the conifer community. Range expansion occurs by both the slow marginal spread of beech trees and the establishment of outlier stands of beech within the conifer community. Spreading rates are comparable to those deduced from South Island forests. The chief limitation to beech spreading is lack of opportunities for seedling establishment beneath the dense, lower canopy of small trees and shrubs of the conifer community. Population growth of beech in the late Holocene, which is evident in the palynological records from the adjacent Ruahine Range, has probably been regulated by slope and how closely regional environments approximate the optimum conditions for beech.
Contact-based aspectual restructuring: A critique of the Aspect Hypothesis

For two decades, second language acquisition research has focused narrowly on the universal influence of lexical aspect in accounting for the use of tense and aspect morphology in language contact (Lexical Aspect Hypothesis, LAH; see Andersen & Shirai 1996). This approach has tended to disregard potential L1-derived sensitivites in L2 speech. Furthermore, the approach is increasingly divergent from recent semantic theories of aspect that reject a dichotomy between lexical and grammatical aspect and argue for a uniform treatment of both phenomena in sentential predicates (de Swart 1998). This study assesses both lexical and sentential aspect hypotheses for aspectual restructuring in L2 Indian English. A multivariate analysis of overt past tense use shows sentential perfectivity to be a stronger conditioning factor than lexical aspect both in terms of strength and ordering, and progressive morphology is found to be robustly extended to all imperfective contexts. These findings (potentially overlooked under previous LAH methodologies) can be accounted for under an emergent perfectiveimperfective opposition. We propose a revision to the LAH that permits bilinguals to be sensitive to the aspectual class of the sentential predicate, rather than narrowly to lexical aspect alone. This revision subsumes lexical effects but covers a wider range of observations and, unlike the LAH, accommodates L1 and L2 cognitive influences, both of which are shown to be active in Indian English.
Best Practice in Road Safety Mass Media Campaigns: A Literature Review

This study reviewed the efficacy of mass media campaigns for highway safety. Both Australian and international literature were reviewed. The study tried to ascertain which elements of highway safety advertising were the most effective, and for which audience. Current psychological theories regarding social persuasion and behavior change were discussed. Designs of mass media campaigns were reviewed and message tailoring to specific audiences was also covered. The effects of threat appeals and positive emotional appeals was also described. The report concluded with best practices recommendations for highway safety campaigns that utilize mass media.
Symmetry and Asymmetry in Working and Commuting Arrangements between Partners in the Netherlands: Does the Residential Context Matter?

Time spent on work and commuting within dual-earner households is often analysed separately for individuals, but this does no justice to the reality of dual-earner households where decisions on work and commuting are made in a household context. This paper reports on a quantitative study of the impact of the residential context on working arrangements and commuting arrangements of partners in couple and family households. Using multinomial logistic regression, we analysed data from the 2002 Netherlands Housing Demand Survey and the 2004 ABF Real Estate Monitor. The results show a (gendered) effect of residential location in terms of degree of urbanisation and job access on both working and commuting arrangements. Good access to jobs makes it more likely that couples have a symmetric full-time working arrangement and also more likely that both partners work far away from home. Those in symmetric full-time working arrangements are also those most likely to be in symmetric close commuting arrangements. This finding reflects the substantial time pressure on such households.