Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Aggressive behavior among girls and boys during middle childhood: predictors and sequelae of trajectory group membership

Using longitudinal data spanning early elementary through middle school, aggression behavior trajectory groups were identified for boys and girls. Early elementary school predictors of trajectory group membership were examined as well as whether trajectory group predicted physical aggression, covert delinquency, and substance use in 9th grade. Semiparametric group modeling identified aggression behavior trajectory groups. We identified four aggression trajectory groups for both genders described as "not involved," "low," "moderate," and "high. " Attention problems, family conflict, and low school commitment and attachment were predictors of membership in higher aggression groups for both boys and girls. Low family involvement and low parental education predicted membership in higher aggression groups for boys; while depression, low-income status, and having a single parent predicted higher aggression group membership for girls. For both boys and girls, few risk predictors distinguished between the moderate and high aggression trajectories except that low school commitment and having a teen mother were significant predictors of being in the high group for girls, and low parental education and income were significant predictors of being in the high group for boys. Membership in the higher aggression trajectory groups predicted involvement in violent behaviors, covert delinquency, and substance use in 9th grade. Findings suggest that children who display an early trajectory of high levels of aggressive behavior are more likely to continue involvement in later problem behaviors. Second-grade predictors suggest commonality of risk across genders and provide evidence of modifiable targets for preventive interventions. Language: en
Projecting future drug expenditures--2007.

PURPOSE Drug expenditure trends in 2005 and 2006, projected drug expenditures for 2007, and factors likely to influence drug costs are discussed. SUMMARY Various factors are likely to affect drug costs, including drug prices, drugs in development, and generic drugs. In 2005, there was a continued moderation of the increase in drug expenditures. Total prescription drug expenditures increased by 5.5% from 2004 to 2005, with total spending rising from $239 billion to $252 billion. Through the first nine months of 2006, hospital drug expenditures increased by only 3% compared with 2005. This moderation of the growth of prescription drug expenditures can be attributed to three major factors: availability of major prescription drugs in generic form, continued increase in cost sharing for employees in employer-sponsored health plans, and decreased use due to safety concerns. It is expected that expenditures in 2007 will be influenced by similar factors, with few costly new products reaching the market, increased concern over product safety reducing the use of older agents and slowing the diffusion of newer agents that do reach the market, and several important patent expirations, leading to slower growth in expenditures. CONCLUSION In 2007, we project a 5-7% increase in drug expenditures in outpatient settings, a 14-16% increase in clinics, and a 4-6% increase in hospitals.
Parenting among wealthy Danish families: a concerted civilising process

This article explores the parenting practices of wealthy Danish families and offers insight into the workings of dominant parenting norms within contemporary Danish society. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted among 15 families living north of Copenhagen, Denmark, this article identifies the parenting strategies of people with ample resources. Possessing strong economic capital, these families do not have to sell the full labour potential of the mother and are also able to afford help at home. This gives them free time that can be invested in developing the minds and talents of their children, as well as in socialising them and creating a network. Whereas existing Bourdieu-inspired family research emphasises the transmission of cultural capital as significant for members of the dominant classes, this article highlights social capital as a central aspect of wealthy families' parenting strategy. This latter can therefore be characterised as a ‘concerted civilising strategy’ where families – in cooperation with preschools and primary schools – not only cultivate the children academically but also train their sociability.
Role of low dose CT angiography in the follow-up after endovascular aneurysm repair of abdominal aorta

Background Computed tomography angiography (CTA) is the most employed modality in the follow-up after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of abdominal aorta (AA); repeated standard controls expose patients to a high cumulative radiation dose (RD). Purpose To compare image quality and RD between 100 kV and 120 kV protocols in the same group of patients, previously treated with EVAR. Material and Methods Thirty patients, who had performed a previous CTA at 120 kV, underwent a low dose CTA with the same 64-detector machine. Images were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively. The influence of body mass index (BMI), considering three groups of patients (normal weight, overweight, and obese) was also assessed. RD values (volume CT dose index and effective dose) were calculated. Results The mean qualitative score at 100 kV was worse than that at 120 kV, but the difference was not statistically significant and in all cases the image quality was satisfactory. At 100 kV the vessels mean attenuation value was significantly higher; signal-to-noise ratio significantly lower; contrast-to-noise ratio lower, but the difference was not significant. Regarding BMI, the difference in the qualitative score was significant in the obese group, but not in the other two groups; of the quantitative parameters only the signal-to-noise ratio presented a significant difference in the obese group. The average CTDIvol was reduced by 22% and the mean effective dose by 36% with the 100 kV protocol compared to the 120 kV protocol. Both differences were significant. Conclusion The 100 kV protocol allowed a consistent RD reduction, maintaining a satisfactory image quality in all patients.
Cuticle Biosynthesis in Tomato Leaves Is Developmentally Regulated by Abscisic Acid1[OPEN]

Abscisic acid regulates cutin and wax abundance and composition in the cuticles of tomato leaves. The expansion of aerial organs in plants is coupled with the synthesis and deposition of a hydrophobic cuticle, composed of cutin and waxes, which is critically important in limiting water loss. While the abiotic stress-related hormone abscisic acid (ABA) is known to up-regulate wax accumulation in response to drought, the hormonal regulation of cuticle biosynthesis during organ ontogeny is poorly understood. To address the hypothesis that ABA also mediates cuticle formation during organ development, we assessed the effect of ABA deficiency on cuticle formation in three ABA biosynthesis-impaired tomato mutants. The mutant leaf cuticles were thinner, had structural abnormalities, and had a substantial reduction in levels of cutin. ABA deficiency also consistently resulted in differences in the composition of leaf cutin and cuticular waxes. Exogenous application of ABA partially rescued these phenotypes, confirming that they were a consequence of reduced ABA levels. The ABA mutants also showed reduced expression of genes involved in cutin or wax formation. This difference was again countered by exogenous ABA, further indicating regulation of cuticle biosynthesis by ABA. The fruit cuticles were affected differently by the ABA-associated mutations, but in general were thicker. However, no structural abnormalities were observed, and the cutin and wax compositions were less affected than in leaf cuticles, suggesting that ABA action influences cuticle formation in an organ-dependent manner. These results suggest dual roles for ABA in regulating leaf cuticle formation: one that is fundamentally associated with leaf expansion, independent of abiotic stress, and another that is drought induced.
Increased prevalence of coronary plaque in patients with psoriatic arthritis without prior diagnosis of coronary artery disease

Objectives To evaluate coronary atherosclerosis in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and control subjects using coronary CT angiography (CCTA). Methods Ninety consecutive patients with PsA (male: 56(62.2%); 50.3±11.1 years) were recruited. 240 controls (male: 137(57.1%); 49.6±10.7 years) without known cardiovascular (CV) diseases who underwent CCTA due to chest pain and/or multiple CV risk factors were recruited for comparison. Results Patients with PsA and controls were matched in age, gender and traditional CV risk factors (all p>0.2). The prevalence of overall plaque (54(60%)/84(35%), p<0.001), calcified plaque (CP) (29(32%)/40(17%), p=0.002), mixed plaque (MP) (20(22%)/18(8%), p<0.001), non-calcified plaque (NCP) (39(43%)/53(22%), p<0.001) and combined MP/NCP (46(51%)/62(26%), p<0.001) were all significantly higher in patients with PsA. Three-vessel disease was diagnosed in 12(13%) patients with PsA and 7(3%) controls (p<0.001), while obstructive plaques (>50% stenosis) were observed in 8(9%) patients with PsA and 7(3%) controls (p=0.033). After adjusting for traditional CV risk factors, PsA remained an independent explanatory variable for all types of coronary plaques (OR: 2.730 to 4.064, all p<0.001). PsA was also an independent explanatory variable for three-vessel disease (OR: 10.798, p<0.001) and obstructive plaque (3.939, p=0.024). In patients with PsA, disease duration was the only disease-specific characteristic associated with more vulnerable plaques (MP/NCP) in multivariate analysis (1.063, p=0.031). The other independent explanatory variables were age ≥55 years (5.636, p=0.005) and male gender (8.197, p=0.001). Conclusions Patients with PsA have increased prevalence, burden and severity of coronary atherosclerosis as documented by CCTA. Longer disease duration was independently associated with the presence of vulnerable MP/NCP plaques in patients with PsA. Trial registration number NCT02232321.
Detecting dementia with the mini-mental state examination in highly educated individuals.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the utility of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores in detecting cognitive dysfunction in a sample of highly educated individuals. DESIGN Archival data were reviewed on 4248 participants enrolled in the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer Disease Research Center and Alzheimer Disease Patient Registry. PATIENTS A total of 1141 primarily white (93%) individuals with 16 or more years of self-reported education were identified. These included 307 (164 men and 143 women) patients with dementia (any type), 176 (106 men and 70 women) patients with mild cognitive impairment, and 658 (242 men and 416 women) control participants without dementia. SETTING Mayo Clinic Alzheimer Disease Research Center and Alzheimer Disease Patient Registry cohort. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Diagnostic accuracy estimates (sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive power) of MMSE cut scores in detecting cognitive dysfunction. RESULTS In this sample of highly educated, largely white older adults, the standard MMSE cut score of 24 (23 or below) yielded a sensitivity of 0.66, a specificity of 0.99, and an overall correct classification rate of 89% in detecting dementia. A cut score of up to 27 (26 or below) resulted in an optimal balance of sensitivity and specificity (0.89 and 0.91, respectively) with an overall correct classification rate of 90%. In a cognitively impaired group (dementia and mild cognitive impairment), a cut score of 27 (sensitivity, 0.69; specificity, 0.91) or 28 (sensitivity and specificity, 0.78) might be more appropriate. CONCLUSION Older patients with a college education who present with complaints of cognitive decline (reported by themselves or others) and score less than 27 on the MMSE are at a greater risk of being diagnosed with dementia and should be referred for a comprehensive dementia evaluation, including formal neuropsychological testing.
The past and possible futures of hope.

After briefly reviewing the historical views about hope, a hope model based on three components—goal, pathways, and agency thoughts—is presented. Accompanying measures of hope for adults and children are described, and the positive correlates of higher hope are reviewed. Future applications of hope theory are presented, including such topics as psychotherapy, trauma, pain tolerance, adherence to taking medications, health psychology, gender, suicide, developmental antecedents, aging issues, and work.
Social Dominance Orientation Attenuates Stereotype Change in the Face of Disconfirming Information

This study examined whether social dominance orientation (SDO) affects the malleability of group stereotypes in the face of disconfirmation. Data were collected at two time points: At Time 1, baseline stereotypes and SDO were assessed, and at Time 2, either moderately or extremely stereotype-inconsistent information was presented and stereotyping measures were repeated. Consistent with previous research, exposure to moderately inconsistent information resulted in greater stereotype change than exposure to extremely inconsistent information. As expected, SDO was negatively related to stereotype change, in particular after presentation of moderately inconsistent information. The judged typicality of the target exemplar mediated the effects of the manipulation but did not mediate the effects of SDO. Implications for future research and interventions to reduce stereotyping are discussed.
Interpersonal Attraction in the Absence of Explicit Attitudinal Information

An experiment was designed to investigate the role of perceived attitudinal similarity in attraction toward a stranger about whom no explicit information is provided. College students were provided with either no explicit information about another subject in the session (baseline-control condition) or with information indicating that another subject in the session was either attitudinally similar or dissimilar to them. They then expressed their perceived attitudinal similarity to the stranger and their attraction toward the stranger. Analysis of variance revealed that baseline-control subjects expressed a level of attraction equivalent to the level of attraction expressed by subjects in the attitudinal-similarity condition but higher than the level of attraction expressed by subjects in the attitudinal-dissimilarity condition. Moreover, structural equation modeling revealed that differences between the experimental groups and the baseline-control group could be accounted for by perceptions of attitudinal .
Self-Efficacy and Vocational Outcome Expectations for Adolescents of Lower Socioeconomic Status: A Pilot Study

Relationships between contextual support, perceived educational barriers, and vocational/educational self-efficacy and outcome expectations were examined for a group of 114 ninth graders from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Results of this exploratory pilot study indicated that sibling and peer support accounted for a significant amount of variance in vocational/educational self-efficacy beliefs. Vocational/educational self-efficacy beliefs also significantly predicted vocational outcome expectations, and contextual supports and barriers did not account for any unique variance associated with vocational outcome expectations. Results are discussed in relation to social cognitive career theory. Implications for counseling and future research are presented.
Trafficking in women and children in India: nature, dimensions and strategies for prevention

Trafficking in women and children is one of the worst abuses of human rights. But it is very difficult to estimate the scale of the phenomenon as trafficking is closely related to child labour, bonded labour, child marriage, kidnapping and abduction and prostitution even though these phenomena can exist also independent of trafficking. This paper has attempted to analyse the nature, causes, modes and volume of trafficking in a country that has recently become a soft target in the South Asian region for trafficking in persons. India has failed to comply with certain international standards to combat the crime. The paper highlights the need to develop a multidimensional approach and focuses attention on structural factors of trafficking for recommending meaningful stratagems to counter the social evil.
Beyond School-to-Prison Pipeline and Toward an Educational and Penal Realism

Much scholarly attention has been paid to the school-to-prison pipeline and the sanitized discourse of “death by education,” called the achievement gap. Additionally, there exists a longstanding discourse surrounding the alleged crisis of educational failure. This article offers no solutions to the crisis and suggests instead that the system is functioning as it was intended—to disenfranchise many (predominately people of color) for the benefit of some (mostly white), based on economic principals of the free market. We begin by tracing the economic interests of prisons and the prison industrial complex, juxtaposing considerations of what we call the “educational reform industrial complex. ” With a baseline in the economic interests of school failure and prison proliferation, we draw on the critical race theory concept of racial realism, to work toward a theory of educational and penal realism. Specifically, we outline seven working tenets of educational and penal realism that provide promise in redirecting the discourse about schools and prisons empowering those interested in critically engaging issues of racism that permeate U.S. orientations to education and justice.
A Stackelberg Game Approach for Incentivizing Participation in Online Educational Forums with Heterogeneous Student Population

Increased interest in web-based education has spurred the proliferation of online learning environments. However, these platforms suffer from high dropout rates due to lack of sustained motivation among the students taking the course. In an effort to address this problem, we propose an incentive-based, instructor-driven approach to orchestrate the interactions in online educational forums (OEFs). Our approach takes into account the heterogeneity in skills among the students as well as the limited budget available to the instructor. We first analytically model OEFs in a non-strategic setting using ideas from lumpable continuous time Markov chains and compute expected aggregate transient net-rewards for the instructor and the students. We next consider a strategic setting where we use the rewards computed above to set up a mixed-integer linear program which views an OEF as a single-leader-multiple-followers Stackelberg game and recommends an optimal plan to the instructor for maximizing student participation. Our experimental results reveal several interesting phenomena including a striking non-monotonicity in the level of participation of students vis-a-vis the instructor's arrival rate.
Extended Differential Unitary Space-Time Modulation: A Non-Coherent Scheme with Error Penalty Less Than 3DB

In this paper we propose an extended differential unitary space-time modulation (xDUSTM) scheme that can offer improved error performance over the differential unitary space-time modulation (DUSTM) scheme. DUSTM is well suited to rapidly time-varying unknown channels. It has a simple structure, but incurs an error performance penalty of about 3 dB compared to its coherent counterpart. The xDUSTM scheme considers moderately fast time-varying channels, and is designated to exploit such a characteristic for performance improvement. In xDUSTM, a problem that needs to be addressed is the complexity of its non-coherent maximum-likelihood (ML) receiver. We show that by choosing the orthogonal space-time block code (OSTBC) designs, the ML problem can be reduced to a Boolean quadratic program for which highly effective algorithms are available. Simulation results illustrate that the error performance penalty in xDUSTM can be reduced to 1 dB
Microwave-Induced Pressure Waves in Mammalian Brains

This paper presents direct measurements of acoustic pressure waves in brains of rats, cats, and guinea pigs irradiated with pulsed 2.450 and 5.655 GHz microwaves. A smal disk hydrophone transducer was surgically implanted in brains of anesthetized animals. Rectangular pulses (3 kW peak, 2.5 and 5.5 , us wide at 2.450 GHz and 200 kW peak, 0.5 ¿s wide at 5.655 GHz) were applied through horns, waveguides, and direct contact antennas. The results clearly indicate that pulsed microwaves induce acoustic pressure waves in the brain, confirming earlier theoretical predictions. Furthermore, hydrophone output waveforms and on-line analyzed spectra show that fundamental and second harmonics were nearly identical to those predicted by the thermoelastic theory. However, the hydrophone records show complex sequences of higher order vibrational modes which deviate from predictions based on a homogeneous spherical model of the head.
The Protection of a Statement? Permanent exclusions and the SEN Code of Practice

The number of pupils with Statements who are permanently excluded from school has been identified as an issue in several national studies. This paper reports on a small-scale research project within one local education authority (LEA), aimed at identifying common factors and issues around the exclusion of Statemented pupils from mainstream schools. Key findings include a high rate of significant literacy and numeracy difficulties in the sample, limited communication between some schools and LEA support services, the schools' predominant use of Statements to provide in-class support from a learning support assistant rather than other more targeted interventions, and teachers' perceptions that no amount of increased funding through the Statement would have prevented the exclusion.
Ancient Αναμνησία, National Μνήμη in the Poetry of Giorgos Seferis

Abstract:The aim of this essay is to explore memory in Seferis's poetry as a manifestation of variant modes of historical consciousness and in relation to various schemata that exemplify both European modernity and nationalist ideology. Building upon recent approaches to social and collective memory, the following reading bases itself on how memory operates within the text as an agon: between ancient and modern modes of anamnesis and mneme, between private remembrance and public recollection, between elements of memory that stem from cognition and those that derive from experience, particularly from nationalist ideological premises. Distinguishing, even further, the difference among empirical elements that surface in Seferis's poetry as modes of "lived history," to use Agnes Heller's formulation, highlights the residual function of the literary text in simulating a dominant form of historical experiencing. As such, it illustrates how literature in the case of Greece remained a popular medium through which memory continued to be preserved.Placing memory at the forefront, an alternative to previous discussions of Seferis's use of the classics, provides an interpretive model that extends beyond a mere "intertextual" reading, which, in Seferis's case, has often culminated in a conventional study of sources. Rather, the approach presented here views the relationship between ancient and modern texts as a dialogical one and offers the reader a number of interpretive paths that include similarities and differences between antiquity and modernity in terms of mnemonic concepts, modes of historical consciousness, and the function of the text in representing values privileged in collective consciousness.