Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diabetes Intrusiveness and Wellness Among Elders: A Test of the Illness Intrusiveness Model

Using data collected from 147 predominately African American senior citizens in Arkansas, this research examined the Illness Intrusiveness Model (Devins, 1991; Devins & Seland, 1987; Devins & Shnek, 2000) to explain variations in wellness specifically related to participants' adaptation to diabetes. The theoretical model hypothesized that the relationships between five explanatory variables and wellness would be mediated through illness intrusiveness and personal control. Moreover, it was hypothesized that illness intrusiveness would be directly related to wellness, as well as indirectly related to wellness, mediated through personal control. Partial support for the model was observed with some hypotheses supported and others not supported. Limitations and implications of this study for both future research and practice are discussed.
Analysis of Ego Network Structure in Online Social Networks

Results about offline social networks demonstrated that the social relationships that an individual (ego) maintains with other people (alters) can be organised into different groups according to the ego network model. In this model the ego can be seen as the centre of a series of layers of increasing size. Social relationships between ego and alters in layers close to ego are stronger than those belonging to more external layers. Online Social Networks are becoming a fundamental medium for humans to manage their social life, however the structure of ego networks in these virtual environments has not been investigated yet. In this work we contribute to fill this gap by analysing a large data set of Facebook relationships. We filter the data to obtain the frequency of contact of the relationships, and we check - by using different clustering techniques - whether structures similar to those found in offline social networks can be observed. The results show a strikingly similarity between the social structures in offline and Online Social Networks. In particular, the social relationships in Facebook share three of the most important features highlighted in offline ego networks: (i) they appear to be organised in four hierarchical layers, (ii) the sizes of the layers follow a scaling factor near to three, and (iii) the number of active social relationships is close to the well-known Dunbar's number. These results strongly suggest that, even if the ways to communicate and to maintain social relationships are changing due to the diffusion of Online Social Networks, the way people organise their social relationships seems to remain unaltered.
Attitudes towards soccer coaches’ use of punishment in Japan and England: A cross-cultural study

Punishment serves a wide variety of functions, including retribution, deterrence, incapacitation, rehabilitation and behavioural shaping to comply with cultural norms. These uses, and the appropriateness of various forms of punishment, have been widely debated from practical, legal and ethical standpoints. Research demonstrates cross-cultural differences in the prevalence of types of punishment and societal attitudes towards punitive behaviour; these are known to exist in home, educational, work and sports environments. The present study used a 2 × 2 × 2 design in which Japanese and English football (soccer) players and coaches read a vignette describing a coach who used either physical or verbal punishment in response to a troublesome player. Participants then rated the coach on items measuring acceptance of the coach's behaviour and perceptions of his popularity. The results showed that the English and Japanese coaches and players viewed the coach similarly when he used verbal punishment. However, statistical interactions revealed that the English groups saw the coach as significantly more popular and acceptable when he used verbal rather than physical punishment, whereas the Japanese participants did not distinguish between the two forms of punishment. The Japanese group also scored higher on scales measuring Sensitivity to Punishment (SP) and Attitudes towards Punishment. The results are interpreted in terms of cross-cultural differences in these characteristics as well as to related variations in concepts of individualism versus collectivism, shame and guilt, and attitudes towards leadership.
Comparing Single and Double Sayings of the German Response Token ja and the Role of Prosody: A Conversation Analytic Perspective

In this article, we argue that although single ja (yes) is typically analyzed as an acknowledgment token, confirmation marker, or continuer, a doubled ja, either produced as ^jaja. or ja^ja. , cannot be considered a more intense version of the same action. Moreover, the two forms ^jaja. and ja^ja. systematically accomplish separate interactional goals. Both forms are produced when the prior speaker utters something that is obvious and/or known by the jaja speaker. However, by uttering ^jaja. (with pitch peak on the first syllable), the speaker merely indicates that the prior utterance contains already known information and that therefore the current action should be stopped. In contrast, with a ja^ja. (with pitch peak on the second syllable), its speaker treats the action/content of the previous speaker's utterance as either unwarranted or self-evident and takes issue with it. With a ^jaja. , its speaker indicates “I already got it, so stop,” whereas with a ja^ja. , its speaker indicates “hold on, you didn't get it. ” In this article, we corroborate the work of others who have argued against grouping response tokens into one single category. Moreover, in this article, we contribute to the growing body of work on grammar and interaction by demonstrating that the linguistic shape (prosody) of an utterance is intertwined with the interactional contingencies of a given situation.
Modified Soft Output Viterbi Error Correcting Algorithm

Summary In Turbo coding Soft Output Viterbi Algorithm (SOVA) may be employed for decoding digital signals. Bit Error Rate (BER) performance obtained using SOVA is very close to Shannon’s capacity limit in Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) channel. The SOVA is three times less in complexity compared with Maximum a Posteriori (MAP) algorithm. Introducing a common scaling factor in the extrinsic information can improve performance of SOVA with minimal iteration. This paper presents the results of simulation of SOVA and a modified SOVA in AWGN and fading channel. The BER performance of Turbo codes is found to improve even in fading environment on using the modified SOVA. Input here the part of summary.
Characterization of the antigenic, immunogenic, and pathogenic variation of infectious bursal disease virus due to propagation in different host systems (bursa, embryo, and cell culture). III. Pathogenicity

Differences in the relative pathogenicity of variant (1084 E and GLS) and standard (Edgar and STC) infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) strains were observed after propagation in the bursa of Fabricius, embryos, or cell cultures. Bursa-derived IBDV induced the most severe lesions in the bursa of Fabricius when compared with strains propagated in embryos or cell cultures. Embryo-derived IBDV induced moderate gross bursal lesions, whereas cell culture-derived IBDV did not damage the bursa grossly. A high frequency of virus re-isolations was obtained from bursal, spleen, and thymic samples collected from birds inoculated with bursa-derived or embryo-derived IBDV. Virus re-isolation occurred much less frequently from birds inoculated with cell culture-adapted IBDV. Serological evaluations demonstrated that bursa-derived IBDV strains induced a higher neutralizing antibody response than did embryo-derived or cell culture-derived strains. These results document that the relative pathogenicity and immunogenicity of IBDV is reduced following propagation in embryos or cell cultures.
Cultural Differences in Distributive and Procedural Justice

The purpose of this study was to examine cultural differences in perceptions of distributive and procedural justice. Four different structural equation models of the relationship between distributive and procedural justice and their impact on systemic and individual outcome variables were tested. The models are similar to those tested by Sweeney and McFarlin, who found support for a two-factor model in a sample of employees from the United States. The models in the current study were tested on a sample of full-time employees working in Hong Kong. Support for cultural differences was found, as the two-factor model did not fit for Hong Kong employees. The distributive-halo model was the most appropriate and showed that distributive justice impacted perceptions of both fairness outcomes and procedural justice. In addition, gender did not significantly impact outcomes.
Pseudo-random Number Generators for Massively Parallel Discrete-event Simulation

A significant problem faced by scientific investigation of complex modern systems is that credible simulation studies of such systems on single computers can frequently not be finished in a feasible time. Discrete-event simulation of dynamic stochastic systems, allowing multiple replications in parallel (MRIP) to speed up simulation time, has become one of the most popular paradigms of investigation in many areas of science and engineering. One of the general problems related with distributed simulation is the need of parallel generation of multiple sequences of pseudo-random numbers across cooperating processors, with the number of known, good parallel generators being very limited. This report assesses currently known techniques proposed for generation of pseudo-random numbers in processing systems, particularly the statistical properties of multiple sequences of numbers generated in parallel, and the speed of generation of these parallel streams and also the pseudo-random numbers themselves. Parallel implementations of the MRG32k3a and DX-120-2 generators are found to be the most suitable of those tested.
Promoting children's positive intergroup attitudes towards stigmatized groups: Extended contact and multiple classification skills training

Two studies were conducted to evaluate interventions, based upon the extended contact hypothesis and multiple classification skills training, which aimed to promote children's positive intergroup attitudes towards two stigmatized groups. Study 1 tested whether extended contact and multiple classification skills training changed out-group attitudes towards the disabled among 6—9 year-old children. Out-group attitudes were significantly more positive only in the extended contact condition compared to the control. Study 2 involved four conditions: control, extended contact, modified multiple classification skills training and a combination of both interventions. Again, only the 6—11 year-old children who experienced the extended contact interventions (extended contact and combined) showed significantly more positive attitudes towards the refugee out-group compared to the control. The implications of these findings for the development of prejudice-reduction strategies in children will be discussed.
Art Judgment: A Measure Related to Both Personality and Intelligence?

The link between personality (Big Five and typical intellectual engagement) and intelligence (Wonderlic and Raven scores) with a measure of art judgment was examined in a sample of 102 university students. Participants' art interests were also assessed through a self-report inventory of art experience, art activities, and particular painting style recognition. Regression analyses revealed that Openness and typical intellectual engagement were significantly and positively related to art interests, but not to art judgment scores. Personality traits accounted for 22% of the variance in art interests (whereas intelligence accounted for 4%). On the other hand, art interests were significantly related to art judgment scores (people who reported higher interests in arts tended to score significantly higher on art judgment and vice-versa). Art judgment was significantly related to both personality (low Extraversion and Conscientiousness) and intelligence (high IQ). When combined, personality and intelligence accounted for almost 25% of the variance in art judgment scores. These findings replicate recent studies on art judgment, suggesting that the measure is related to both personality and intelligence.
Matters arising. Australian University Quality Agency feedback in relation to the academic engagement of international students enrolled in onshore university programmes

It is now commonplace to find quality audit processes being applied in universities internationally as a means of assessing the quality of teaching and learning. This article draws upon a thematic analysis of 14 second-round Australian Universities Quality Agency reports in order to explore matters arising from the academic engagement of international students against the backdrop of ‘internationalisation’. Given rising international enrolments in universities globally, the discussion in this article is likely to be relevant to other national contexts. The study reveals that university reports and Australian Universities Quality Agency feedback tend to focus discussion of international student engagement and internationalisation around three areas: institutional approaches to defining and responding to internationalisation; the internationalisation of the curriculum; and, in relation to progress, attrition, performance and academic support.
Origins of Spatial Working Memory Deficits in Schizophrenia: An Event-Related fMRI and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study

Abnormal prefrontal functioning plays a central role in the working memory (WM) deficits of schizophrenic patients, but the nature of the relationship between WM and prefrontal activation remains undetermined. Using two functional neuroimaging methods, we investigated the neural correlates of remembering and forgetting in schizophrenic and healthy participants. We focused on the brain activation during WM maintenance phase with event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We also examined oxygenated hemoglobin changes in relation to memory performance with the near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) using the same spatial WM task. Distinct types of correct and error trials were segregated for analysis. fMRI data indicated that prefrontal activation was increased during WM maintenance on correct trials in both schizophrenic and healthy subjects. However, a significant difference was observed in the functional asymmetry of frontal activation pattern. Healthy subjects showed increased activation in the right frontal, temporal and cingulate regions. Schizophrenic patients showed greater activation compared with control subjects in left frontal, temporal and parietal regions as well as in right frontal regions. We also observed increased 'false memory' errors in schizophrenic patients, associated with increased prefrontal activation and resembling the activation pattern observed on the correct trials. NIRS data replicated the fMRI results. Thus, increased frontal activity was correlated with the accuracy of WM in both healthy control and schizophrenic participants. The major difference between the two groups concerned functional asymmetry; healthy subjects recruited right frontal regions during spatial WM maintenance whereas schizophrenic subjects recruited a wider network in both hemispheres to achieve the same level of memory performance. Increased "false memory" errors and accompanying bilateral prefrontal activation in schizophrenia suggest that the etiology of memory errors must be considered when comparing group performances. Finally, the concordance of fMRI and NIRS data supports NIRS as an alternative functional neuroimaging method for psychiatric research.
Predictors of embolization during protected renal artery angioplasty and stenting: Role of antiplatelet therapy

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify the predictors of distal embolization (DE) during protected renal artery angioplasty and stenting. Background: DE may contribute to worsening renal function after renal artery stenting. The factors associated with DE, rates of platelet‐rich emboli, and treatments that may prevent DE during renal stenting have not been evaluated. Methods: The current study evaluated patients randomized to receive an embolic protection device (EPD) in the RESIST trial. Forty‐two patients were identified for inclusion in this study. These patients were further randomized to abcizimab (N = 22) or placebo (N = 20). Modification in Diet in Renal Disease glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was used as the primary measure of renal function. Creatinine was measured by a modified Jaffe reaction using the IDMS‐traceable assay. The primary endpoint was capture of platelet rich emboli in the angioguard basket. Results: DE occurred in 15/42 (35%) of the patients and platelet rich DE in 10 (24%) of the patients who received an EPD. Of the angiographic characteristics only lesion length was significantly higher in patients with DE (16 ± 7 mm vs. 10 ± 5 mm, P = 0.04). Preprocedural abciximab reduced DE from 42 to 8% (P = 0.02). The rate of platelet rich emboli was 50% with neither abciximab nor a thienopyridine, 36% with thienopyridine only, 15% abciximab only, and 0% in patients who received both a thienopyridine and abciximab. Only Abciximab use was associated with improved renal function at 1‐month, thienopyridine was not. Angiographic characteristics including percent stenosis, minimal luminal diameter (MLD), reference diameter, change in MLD, contrast volume, and procedure time were not predictors of DE during renal stenting. Conclusion: Capture of DE and specifically platelet DE are common during protected renal stenting using a filter‐type EPD. Abciximab use, and potentially combined thienopyridine and abciximab use, decreased the rate of platelet rich DE; however, only abciximab improved renal function at 1‐month. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Correction to the Casimir force due to the anomalous skin effect (12 pages)

The surface impedance approach is discussed in connection with the precise calculation of the Casimir force between metallic plates. It allows us to take into account the nonlocal connection between the current density and electric field inside of metals. In general, a material has to be described by two impedances Zs(omega,q) and Zp(omega,q) corresponding to two different polarization states. In contrast with the approximate Leontovich impedance they depend not only on frequency omega but also on the wave vector along the plate q. In this paper only the nonlocal effects happening at frequencies omega<omegap (plasma frequency) are analyzed. We refer to all of them as the anomalous skin effect. The impedances are calculated for the propagating and evanescent fields in the Boltzmann approximation. It is found that Zp significantly deviates from the local impedance as a result of the Thomas-Fermi screening. The nonlocal correction to the Casimir force is calculated at zero temperature. This correction is small but observable at small separations between bodies. The same theory can be used to find more significant nonlocal contribution at omega~omegap due to the plasmon excitation
Research note: Leisure satisfaction and subjective wellbeing

Abstract The Personal Wellbeing Index (International Wellbeing Group, 2006), along with an item evaluating leisure satisfaction, was administered to 487 adults from the general population (274 women; 207 men; 6 unidentified). Multiple regression analyses confirmed that leisure satisfaction predicts unique variance in life satisfaction, thus supporting its inclusion as a distinct life domain contributing to subjective wellbeing. Additionally, participants’ relationship status (married, de facto or living together; never married; separated or divorced) was found to interact with age group and gender on differences in leisure satisfaction. The relationship between leisure satisfaction and life satisfaction, however, was substantially reduced by the inclusion of core affect (feeling happy, content, or excited) in the regression equations. This is consistent with the proposition that leisure satisfaction is influenced by an individual's subjective wellbeing level as represented by core affect. It is recommended that the measurement of leisure satisfaction should control for the effects of this underlying psychological state.
The independence of eye movements in a stomatopod crustacean is task dependent

ABSTRACT Stomatopods have an extraordinary visual system, incorporating independent movement of their eyes in all three degrees of rotational freedom. In this work, we demonstrate that in the peacock mantis shrimp, Odontodactylus scyllarus, the level of ocular independence is task dependent. During gaze stabilization in the context of optokinesis, there is weak but significant correlation between the left and right eyes in the yaw degree of rotational freedom, but not in pitch and torsion. When one eye is completely occluded, the uncovered eye does not drive the covered eye during gaze stabilization. However, occluding one eye does significantly affect the uncovered eye, lowering its gaze stabilization performance. There is a lateral asymmetry, with the magnitude of the effect depending on the eye (left or right) combined with the direction of motion of the visual field. In contrast, during a startle saccade, the uncovered eye does drive a covered eye. Such disparate levels of independence between the two eyes suggest that responses to individual visual tasks are likely to follow different neural pathways. Summary: The level of independence between the eyes of mantis shrimps (stomatopods) is task dependent, suggesting variability in neural processing of visual information.
Diurnal pattern of stomatal conductance in the large-leaved temperate liana Aristolochia macrophylla depends on spatial position within the leaf lamina.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The large distance between peripheral leaf regions and the petiole in large leaves is expected to cause stronger negative water potentials at the leaf apex and marginal zones compared with more central or basal leaf regions. Leaf zone-specific differences in water supply and/or gas exchange may therefore be anticipated. In this study, an investigation was made to see whether zonal differences in gas exchange regulation can be detected in large leaves. METHODS The diurnal course of stomatal conductance, gs, was monitored at defined lamina zones during two consecutive vegetation periods in the liana Aristolochia macrophylla that has large leaves. Local climate and stem water potential were also monitored to include parameters involved in stomatal response. Additionally, leaf zonal vein densities were measured to assess possible trends in local hydraulic supply. KEY RESULTS It was found that the diurnal pattern of gs depends on the position within a leaf in A. macrophylla. The highest values during the early morning were shown by the apical region, with subsequent decline later in the morning and a further gradual decline towards the evening. The diurnal pattern of gs at the marginal regions was similar to that of the leaf tip but showed a time lag of about 1 h. At the leaf base, the diurnal pattern of gs was similar to that of the margins but with lower maximum gs. At the the leaf centre regions, gs tended to show quite constant moderate values during most of the day. Densities of minor veins were lower at the margin and tip compared with the centre and base. CONCLUSIONS Gas exchange regulation appears to be zone specific in A. macrophylla leaves. It is suggested that the spatial-diurnal pattern of gs expressed by A. macrophylla leaves represents a strategy to prevent leaf zonal water stress and subsequent vein embolism.