Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chapter 4. Nutritional Assessment and Interventions

Nutritional measures have not yet been proven to have a clinically important impact on elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs) in children. However, children with EBLLs are often at risk for poor nutrition, and their caregivers should receive nutritional counseling to help these children obtain a well-balanced and age-appropriate diet. Assessment • Test children at risk for anemia (e.g., those from low income, migrant, or recently arrived refugee families, or those qualifying for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children [WIC]). -Between ages 9 and 12 months-6 months later-Annually from ages 2 to 5 years • Evaluate the diet of children at risk for anemia, paying particular attention to dietary iron, vitamin C, and calcium. Interventions • Evaluate the WIC eligibility of children with EBLLs and ensure their access to this program if eligible. • Advise caregivers to provide children with an adequate intake of iron-containing foods. Recommend that they:-Introduce pureed meats as soon as the child is developmentally ready. -Provide one serving of lean red meat per day to older children. -Provide supplements only under the supervision of a physician or nutritionist and only when anemia or iron deficiency is documented. • Encourage caregivers to provide children with adequate intake of vitamin C-containing foods. Recommend that they:-Provide two servings of fruit juices or fruits per day. -Provide supplements only under the supervision of a physician or nutritionist. • Encourage caregivers to provide children with adequate intake of calcium (500 mg/day @ 1-3 years; 800 mg/day @ 4-8 years). Recommend that they:-Provide two servings per day of dairy products or other calcium-rich foods. -Provide supplements only under the supervision of a physician or nutritionist. Always keep recommended interventions within the ability of the caregiver to implement them.
A Quasi-Experimental Analysis of Fraternity or Sorority Membership and College Student Success

Despite considerable debate about the effects of fraternities and sororities on college campuses, the extent to which these organizations promote or detract from student success is unclear. Therefore, we used propensity score analyses to examine the link between membership in a social fraternity or sorority and several student success outcomes. For female students, membership is associated with greater college satisfaction, grades, retention, and 4-year graduation, whereas the findings are mixed and mostly nonsignificant for male students. The results are similar regardless of students’ race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and precollege academic ability.
Analysis of cardiovascular dynamics in pulmonary hypertensive C57BL6/J mice

A computer model was used to analyze data on cardiac and vascular mechanics from C57BL6/J mice exposed to 0 (n = 4), 14 (n = 6), 21 (n = 8) and 28 (n = 7) days of chronic hypoxia and treatment with the VEGF receptor inhibitor SUGEN (HySu) to induce pulmonary hypertension. Data on right ventricular pressure and volume, and systemic arterial pressure obtained before, during, and after inferior vena cava occlusion were analyzed using a mathematical model of realistic ventricular mechanics coupled with a simple model of the pulmonary and systemic vascular systems. The model invokes a total of 26 adjustable parameters, which were estimated based on least-squares fitting of the data. Of the 26 adjustable parameters, 14 were set to globally constant values for the entire data set. It was necessary to adjust the remaining 12 parameters to match data from all experimental groups. Of these 12 individually adjusted parameters, three parameters representing pulmonary vascular resistance, pulmonary arterial elastance, and pulmonary arterial narrowing were found to significantly change in HySu-induced remodeling. Model analysis shows a monotonic change in these parameters as disease progressed, with approximately 130% increase in pulmonary resistance, 70% decrease in unstressed pulmonary arterial volume, and 110% increase in pulmonary arterial elastance in the 28-day group compared to the control group. These changes are consistent with prior experimental measurements. Furthermore, the 28-day data could be explained only after increasing the passive elastance of the right free wall compared to the value used for the other data sets, which is likely a consequence of the increased RV collagen accumulation found experimentally. These findings may indicate a compensatory remodeling followed by pathological remodeling of the right ventricle in HySu-induced pulmonary hypertension.
Prime ideals in certain quantum determinantal rings

The ideal I generated by the 2x2 quantum minors in the algebra A = O_q(M_{m,n}(k)) (the quantized coordinate algebra of mxn matrices) is investigated. Analogues of the First and Second Fundamental Theorems of Invariant Theory are proved. In particular, it is shown that I is a completely prime ideal, that is, A/I is an integral domain, and that A/I is the ring of coinvariants of a coaction of k[x,x^{-1}] on O_q(k^m) tensor O_q(k^n), a tensor product of two quantum affine spaces. (That the ideal of A generated by the txt quantum minors, for any t, is completely prime is proved in the authors' paper `Quantum determinantal ideals'.) There is a natural torus action on A/I induced by an (m+n)-torus action on A. We identify the invariant prime ideals for this action and deduce consequences for the prime spectrum of A/I.
A new approach to estimation of the R&D–innovation–productivity relationship

ABSTRACT We apply a generalized structural equation model approach to the estimation of the relationship between R&D, innovation and productivity that focuses on the potentially crucial heterogeneity across sectors. The model accounts for selectivity and handles the endogeneity of this relationship in a recursive framework which allows for feedback effects from productivity to future R&D investment. Our approach enables the estimation of the different equations as one system, allowing the coefficients to differ across sectors, and also permits us to take cross-equation correlation of the errors into account. Employing a panel of Swedish manufacturing and service firms observed in three consecutive Community Innovation Surveys in the period 2008–2012, our full-information maximum likelihood estimates show that many key channels of influence among the model's components vary meaningfully in their statistical significance and magnitude across six different sectors based on the OECD classification on technological and knowledge intensity. These results cast doubt on earlier research which does not allow for sectoral heterogeneity.
Improving Passive Packet Capture : Beyond Device Polling

Passive packet capture is necessary for many activities including network debugging and monitoring. With the advent of fast gigabit networks, packet capture is becoming a problem even on PCs due to the poor performance of popular operating systems. The introduction of device polling has improved the capture process quite a bit but not really solved the problem. This paper proposes a new approach to passive packet capture that combined with device polling allows packets to be captured and analyzed using the NetFlow protocol at (almost) wire speed on Gbit networks using a commodity PC.
Cardiac condition monitoring through photoplethysmogram signal denoising using wearables: Can we detect coronary artery disease with higher performance efficacy?

For affordable cardiac health monitoring, it is required to ensure accurate cardiac condition detection from smartphone or wearable-extracted photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals through precise identification, and removal of signal corruption. Presence of noise particularly due to motion artifacts strongly impacts the outcome of analysis. We establish that denoising of PPG signal would pave ways for better clinical prediction than analyzing the signal in presence of noise. In this paper, we prove that analyzing on cleaned (denoised) PPG signal yields significant performance efficacy improvement while performing Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) identification. The proposed method is independent on the clinical analytics and CAD detection is considered to be a use case to justify our claim that physiological signal pre-processing, specifically denoising can substantially improve the overall performance effectiveness and clinical utility.
Confocal pH imaging of microscopic specimens using fluorescence lifetimes and phase fluorometry: influence of parameter choice on system performance

We investigate the performance of confocal pH imaging when using phase fluorometry and fluorophores with pH‐dependent lifetimes. In these experiments, the specimen is illuminated by a laser beam, whose intensity is sinusoidally modulated. The lifetime‐dependent phase shift in the fluorescent signal is detected by a lock‐in amplifier, and converted into a pH value through a calibration procedure. A theoretical investigation is made of how the different system parameters will influence the results concerning sensitivity and noise. Experiments carried out with the fluorophore SNAFL‐2 support these theoretical predictions. It is found that, under realistic experimental conditions, we can expect a pH change of 0.1 units to be easily detected in an 8‐bit digital image. However, the pixel‐to‐pixel root mean square noise is often of the order of one pH unit. This comparatively high level of noise has its origin in photon quantum noise. pH measurements on living cells show a systematic deviation from expected values. This discrepancy appears to be the result of fluorophore interaction with various cell constituents, and is the subject of further investigation.
A Comparative Analysis of the Effects of Dynamic Optical Circuit Provisioning on IP Routing

We analyze the effects of dynamic optical circuit setup on IP routing in general and on two routing mechanisms in particular, i.e., explicit routing and shortest-path-first routing. We present analytical models for computing the size and placement of optical circuits and propose model adaptations driven by the IP router system design. The results show that without careful consideration of intrinsic capabilities of IP routing protocol and forwarding, the size and location of optical circuits used can be vastly underestimated, also leading to significant disruptions in real networks. We present the Optical Bypass mechanisms and show that these methods, unlike traditional IP routing-based solutions, affect a comparatively lower number of IP routes and can be computed near-optimally, even under unknown traffic matrix conditions, making them effective and feasible.
Gender-based differences in the relationship between fatty liver disease and atherosclerosis

Summary Background Carotid intima–media thickness (CIMT) is a surrogate of subclinical atherosclerosis. Fatty liver disease is also linked to increased risk of cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between fatty liver disease and CIMT according to gender. Methods Patients who had undergone carotid and abdominal ultrasound between June 2011 and December 2013 were retrospectively evaluated. The differences between the CIMT values measured in the common carotid artery and the prevalence of carotid plaque in patients with fatty liver disease and those with normal livers were investigated. Results Out of a total of 1 121 patients, the men had more fatty liver disease than the women. The mean CIMT of the men was significantly higher than that of the women, and the men had more plaque than the women. The women with fatty liver disease had a significantly higher mean CIMT value and more plaque than the women with normal livers. The differences between the men with fatty liver and those with normal livers in mean CIMT values and in the prevalence of plaque were not significant. In the women, multivariate analysis showed that fatty liver disease was independently associated with subclinical atherosclerosis [adjusted hazards ratio (HR) 1.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.007–2.697, p = 0.047]. Conclusions The men had more fatty liver disease, carotid plaque and higher CIMT values than the women. Fatty liver disease was a useful predictor of atherosclerosis, especially for the female study patients.
Test Score Stability and Construct Validity of the Adult Manifest Anxiety Scale-College Version Scores Among College Students: A Brief Report

Abstract The authors investigated the temporal stability and construct validity of the Adult Manifest Anxiety Scale-College Version (AMAS-C; C. R. Reynolds, B. O. Richmond, & P. A. Lowe. 2003b) scores Results indicated that the AMAS-C scores had adequate to excellent test score stability, and evidence supported the construct validity of the AMAS-C test scores. Implications for counselors are discussed.
On Adaptation, Life-Extension Possibilities and the Demand for Health

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the impacts of adaptation to a falling health state on the demand for health and medical care. This is done by integrating adaptation processes in the pure consumption model of Grossman. We also modify the model in another direction by introducing an uncertain lifetime. Model simulations show that adaptation affects the health variables by lowering the incentives to invest in health, as well as smoothening the optimal health stock path over the life cycle. Whether or not the risk of mortality is an object of choice has important effects on the joint development of the health variables.
Longitudinal Changes of Metabolites in Frontal Lobes After Hemorrhagic Stroke of Basal Ganglia: A Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study

Background and Purpose— We investigated serial metabolic changes in frontal lobes of patients with deep intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) to examine the correlation between N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and degree of motor impairment or clinical outcome. Methods— Twenty patients with deep ICH were examined with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy with the application of a multivoxel method (1 voxel=10×10×20 mm; 64 voxels). NAA/creatine ratios in the white matter of the primary motor and premotor areas on both sides were measured sequentially: within 48 hours, at 2 weeks, and 1 month after onset. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and Barthel Index for disability were measured for each patient. Results— In the primary motor area on the affected side, where the hematoma did not extend, the NAA/creatine ratio decreased sequentially. At 48 hours and 2 weeks after onset, a negative correlation was detected between NAA/creatine and hematoma volume, but there was no correlation 1 month later. At 2 weeks, NAA/creatine correlated negatively with motor impairment (r =−0.750), and there was a significant correlation with clinical outcome as early as 2 weeks after onset (r =0.954). These sequential changes of NAA/creatine varied according to patients’ long-term clinical outcome. Patients with poor outcome demonstrated notable reduction of NAA/creatine over the bilateral frontal lobes. Conclusions— The delayed gradual reduction of NAA/creatine ratio in the frontal lobes correlates with motor deficit and clinical outcome after deep ICH, suggesting that the neural networks in the frontal lobe could be important for recovery.
Serum Cytokine Concentrations in a Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis on Etanercept Therapy Who Subsequently Developed Pneumocystis Pneumonia: A Case Report

We report a rheumatoid arthritis patient who was treated with etanercept. Serum levels of tumor-necrosis-factor- (TNF-) alpha, soluble-tumor-necrosis-factor receptor- (sTNFR-) I and -II, interleukin- (IL-) 6, and IL-1 beta were measured by ELISA before and during the course of therapy. While the serum levels of IL-6 and IL-1 beta dropped rapidly following the initiation of therapy, the concentrations of TNF-alpha and sTNFR-II steadily increased to a plateau. Although significant clinical efficacy was observed, etanercept had to be discontinued when after 12 weeks of therapy the patient was found to have pneumocystis pneumonia.
Linking Shyness With Social and School Adjustment in Early Childhood: The Moderating Role of Inhibitory Control

ABSTRACT Research Findings: The aim of the present study was to examine the moderating role of inhibitory control (IC) in the associations between shyness and young children’s social and school adjustment. Participants were 112 Italian children (M = 56.85 months, SD = 10.14) enrolled in preschool. Parents and teachers assessed child shyness and IC as well as indices of social and school adjustment. Children were interviewed to assess vocabulary. Results from hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed several significant interaction effects between shyness and IC in the prediction of outcome variables. Follow-up simple slope analyses indicated that among children with higher levels of IC, shyness was negatively related to prosocial behavior and popularity. In contrast, among children with lower levels of IC, shyness was positively associated with regulated school behaviors. Practice or Policy: The findings provide evidence to suggest that the combination of shyness and IC may contribute to children’s behavioral rigidity, which in turn may promote social and school adjustment difficulties.
Post-positivism: an effective paradigm for social and educational research

This paper attempts to justify the position of post-positivism as a rich paradigm for educational research, specifically pedagogical research. It aim to discuss how educational research has been dominated by constructivist or interpretivist approaches thus, ignored in the context of scientific investigations. In the context education, scientific methods such as the use of quantitative approaches are not very much emphasised and the focus is mostly on qualitative data. Therefore, it is discussed that how post-positivism could be helpful in addressing the problem of the lack of the more scientific research approach in education. The position of post-positivism and its connection to educational research has been clarified and critically discussed. The article further goes on enumerating the advantages of post­ positivism in education research specifically focusing on its pluralistic and critical multiplistic aspects. For example, despite the fact that post-positivism uses various instrument to examine a phenomenon clearly and closely, it still believes that no universal truth is found and post-positivist research is only an attempt to explore a phenomenon as much as possible. Finally, the article also discusses how post-positivism is suggestive of mixed methods research and it is different from pragmatism as a paradigm.
The Role of p21 in Apoptosis, Proliferation, Cell Cycle Arrest, and Antioxidant Activity in UVB-Irradiated Human HaCaT Keratinocytes

Background Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation-induced DNA damage is the major environmental factor underlying skin cancer development. p21, a p53-inducible protein, plays a key role in the cellular response to UVB-induced DNA damage. Material/Methods Through p21 silencing and overexpression, we investigated the role of p21 in apoptosis, proliferation, cell cycle arrest, and oxidative stress in UVB-irradiated HaCaT keratinocytes. Results We found that UVB exposure induced significant p21 downregulation (p<0.05) and was associated with significantly increased apoptosis, significantly decreased proliferation, and significantly increased G2 phase arrest (p<0.05) in UVB-irradiated HaCaT keratinocytes. p21 silencing significantly promoted apoptosis, significantly inhibited G2 phase arrest, and significantly inhibited proliferation (p<0.05), but after UVB irradiation, p21 silencing demonstrated a less significant pro-apoptotic effect and a more significant inhibition of G2 phase arrest (p<0.05), which was reflected in significantly higher proliferative activity (p<0.05). p21 overexpression acted in an anti-apoptotic manner in the absence of UVB-induced DNA damage but acted in a pro-apoptotic manner in the presence of UVB-induced DNA damage, displaying an “antagonistic duality” similar to other growth-promoting oncoproteins. p53 expression mirrored p21 expression, suggesting a regulatory feedback mechanism between p21 and p53 expression. p21 overexpression significantly downregulated glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase antioxidant activity (p<0.05) while significantly upregulating hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde content (p<0.05), suggesting a role in decreasing antioxidant defense capabilities in UVB-irradiated HaCaT keratinocytes. Conclusions These findings reveal that p21 may play a key role in HaCaT keratinocytes’ response to UVB exposure.
Ethical Decision Making: A Process Influenced by Moral Intensity

Understanding the process in which individuals engage in ethical decision making and the factors influencing this process may be important for developing more effective ethics education and leader development programs. This study investigated three components of ethical decision making: moral awareness, moral judgment, and moral intention, and their relationship with five components of moral intensity: Social Consensus, Magnitude of Consequences, Temporal Immediacy, Proximity and Probability of Effect. The results suggest that as individuals face morally charged situations, their awareness of the moral dilemma, judgments about potential consequences, and intention to act are significantly affected by characteristics of the moral situation.
Representing hierarchies using multiple synthetic voices

This work reports on ongoing work related to the representation of hierarchical structures using multiple synthetic voices. We manipulated three synthetic voice parameters, average pitch, pitch range and speech rate, to represent nodes in a hierarchy. We created hierarchies containing 10 nodes and three levels deep. A within-subjects design (N=12) was conducted to compare the effect of multiple synthetic voices to single synthetic voices for locating the positions of items in a hierarchy. Subjects were trained with the set of rules we used for constructing the multiple synthetic voices. In a node-finding task, participants identified the position of a previously listened-to node. Our results show that subjects recalled the nodes' positions in the hierarchy significantly better when the hierarchies were equipped with multiple synthetic voices than without.
The effects of Social Comparison on Intention to Use Mobile Messaging Services

Mobile messaging services continue gaining high demand and the adoption of mobile messaging has been academically investigated for decades. However, there is a lack of an understanding of how psychological perspective of social comparison–a central feature of human life for self-evaluation– affects individuals’ adoption of mobile messaging services. This study proposes a new model of individuals’ intentions to use a mobile messaging service under the influence of social comparison. The model is empirically tested using the structural equation modeling technique. The results show that social comparison has an effect on individuals' intentions to use the service through the influences of information seeking and perceived values (social, hedonic and utilitarian values). Social comparison significantly affects information seeking and social value, while perceived values affect individuals’ attitudes and intentions to use mobile messaging services. Further discussions on the analysis results and the implications for theory and practice are presented. This study fills the gap in technology adoption literature and provides guidance for service providers to enhance customers’ intentions to use their mobile services. The paper concludes with limitations of the study and direction of the future studies.