Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ambidexterity†, Puzzlement, Confusion and a Community of Faith? A Response to My Friends

Abstract This short paper is a response to the four personal and affectionate, if not quite eulogistic, essays that accompany this volume. These essays from David Owen, Lee Parker, Richard Laughlin and Jane Broadbent offer a range of themes about my work, about CSEAR and about social and environmental accounting which I seek to pick up and develop here. The essay is both by way of a personal reflection stimulated by the comments made and a reflection on the ‘success’ (or otherwise) of both social and environmental accounting and social science research more generally. The paper concludes with some speculative suggestions for how the social and environmental accounting community might look to the future.
Antiviral Activity of Total Flavonoid Extracts from Selaginella moellendorffii Hieron against Coxsackie Virus B3 In Vitro and In Vivo

The antiviral activity of total flavonoid extracts from Selaginella moellendorffii Hieron and its main constituents amentoflavone were investigated against coxsackie virus B3 (CVB3). When added during or after viral infection, the extracts and amentoflavone prevented the cytopathic effect (CPE) of CVB3, as demonstrated in a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay, with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) from 19 ± 1.6 to 41 ± 1.2 μg/mL and 25 ± 1.2 to 52 ± 0.8 μg/mL, respectively. KM mice were used as animal models to test the extracts' activity in vivo. Oral administration of the total flavonoid extracts at 300 mg/kg/day significantly reduced mean viral titers in the heart and kidneys as well as mortality after infection for 15 days. The experimental results demonstrate that in vitro and in vivo the model mice infected with CVB3 can be effectively treated by the total flavonoid extracts from Selaginella moellendorffii Hieron.
Robust linear regression methods in association studies

MOTIVATION It is well known that data deficiencies, such as coding/rounding errors, outliers or missing values, may lead to misleading results for many statistical methods. Robust statistical methods are designed to accommodate certain types of those deficiencies, allowing for reliable results under various conditions. We analyze the case of statistical tests to detect associations between genomic individual variations (SNP) and quantitative traits when deviations from the normality assumption are observed. We consider the classical analysis of variance tests for the parameters of the appropriate linear model and a robust version of those tests based on M-regression. We then compare their empirical power and level using simulated data with several degrees of contamination. RESULTS Data normality is nothing but a mathematical convenience. In practice, experiments usually yield data with non-conforming observations. In the presence of this type of data, classical least squares statistical methods perform poorly, giving biased estimates, raising the number of spurious associations and often failing to detect true ones. We show through a simulation study and a real data example, that the robust methodology can be more powerful and thus more adequate for association studies than the classical approach. AVAILABILITY The code of the robustified version of function lmekin() from the R package kinship is provided as Supplementary Material.
A Pooled-Data Analysis of Three Randomized, Double-Masked, Six-Month Clinical Studies Comparing the Intraocular Pressure Reducing Effect of Latanoprost and Timolol

Purpose To compare the intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction by latanoprost and timolol, and to study factors of prognostic value for assessing this reduction. Methods We analyzed 829 patients included in three phase III studies comparing six months' treatment with 0.005% latanoprost once daily and 0.5% timolol twice daily in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Analysis of covariance controlled for differences in baseline IOP and sex was used to assess the IOP reduction. Results Latanoprost reduced diurnal IOP (average of morning, noon and afternoon assessments) by 7.7 mmHg (31%) and timolol by 6.5 mmHg (26%) after six months of treatment. Thus the diurnal IOP was reduced 1.2 mmHg (18%) more with latanoprost than with timolol (p<0.001). Latanoprost-treated patients showed a further decrease in morning IOP of 0.7 mmHg (9%, p<0.001) from the initial morning IOP reduction obtained at two weeks. No such further decrease in IOP was seen with timolol. Higher baseline diurnal IOP resulted in a larger diurnal reduction during treatment with both drugs (p<0.001). Diurnal IOP in women was reduced 0.7 mmHg (11%) less than males with both drugs (p<0.001). Conclusions Latanoprost was more effective than timolol in reducing mean diurnal IOP. The effect after two weeks was maintained for timolol while with latanoprost there was a further, significant IOP reduction from two weeks to six months. Baseline IOP was the only factor of clinical importance found to be of prognostic value for assessing the IOP reduction.
Channel Diversity in Cable Television.

Deregulation in the cable industry has been based largely on the assumption of existing diversity and competition, and on the promise of promoting diversity. While anecdotal evidence supports these conclusions, empirical confirmation of either the assumption or promise of diversity in cable has been lacking. This study examined levels of channel diversity for a sample of cable systems over time, finding that although there have been significant increases in channel diversity, there is still considerable room for improvement.
Urinary Incontinence in Women: A Review

Importance Urinary incontinence, the involuntary loss of urine, is a common health condition that may decrease quality of life. Ten to twenty percent of women and up to 77% of women residing in nursing homes have urinary incontinence, yet only 25% seek or receive treatment. Observations This review summarizes the evaluation and therapeutic options for women affected by urinary incontinence. The initial assessment should focus on understanding the effect of incontinence on quality of life, the patient’s goals and preferences for treatment, the results of previous treatments, and the presence of concomitant conditions, such as advanced pelvic organ prolapse, that may require referral. Infection and hematuria need to be ruled out. In the absence of urinary infection or serious underlying pathology (such as cancer or serious neurologic disease) associated with urinary incontinence, the clinician should initiate unsupervised pelvic muscle exercises and lifestyle modifications appropriate to the patient to reduce her symptoms. These recommendations can include weight loss, adequate hydration, avoidance of excessive fluids, and regular voiding intervals that reduce urgency incontinence episodes. Urgency incontinence medications, with timely reassessment of symptoms, can be started without extensive evaluation. Specialist treatments for urgency incontinence include onabotulinumtoxinA and percutaneous or implanted neuromodulators. Stress incontinence surgery, the midurethral sling, is associated with symptom improvement in 48% to 90% of women and has low rates of mesh complications (<5%). Conclusions and Relevance Urinary incontinence is common in women, although few seek care despite many effective treatment options. Clinicians should prioritize urinary incontinence detection, identify and treat modifiable factors, incorporate patient preference into evaluation and treatment, initiate conservative and medical therapy, and refer to specialists when underlying pathology is identified or conservative measures are ineffective.
Moving beyond tourists’ concepts of authenticity: place-based tourism differentiation within rural zones of Chilean Patagonia

This paper explores the potential for rural and remote zones of emergent destinations to base their tourism development on endogenous resources and place-based differentiation through analysis of a two-phase case study within the geographic zone known as Patagonia. The first phase of the research explored independent tourism consumption within a new independent travel circuit designed to integrate rural zones of the Aysén Region of Chile with adjacent tourism zones in the Santa Cruz Province of Argentina, including the iconic Mount Fitz Roy and the town of El Chalten. This phase sought to understand perceptions and preferences relating to authenticity. Results highlighted differences between host and guest concepts of welcomeness; which, negatively impacted consumption in the rural Chilean zones of the circuit. The second phase explored local service provider perspectives within these zones, surfacing place-based customs and practices that; while authentic, were not recognized, understood, or valued by the visitors who participated in phase one. Discussion proposes that subtle aspects of local cultures, such as those identified by the current study, represent unrecognized endogenous assets that can be leveraged within differentiation strategies for place-based development, thus providing emergent destinations with alternatives to place-neutral strategies, like commodification and standardization.
Optimization of culture condition for ACEI and GABA production by lactic acid bacteria.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) are compounds which can influence hypertension. The goal of this study is to optimize the culture condition for GABA and ACEI production by Lactobacillus plantarum NTU 102 fermented skim milk. In this study, we used 3-factor-3-level Box-Behnken design combining with response surface methodology, where the 3 factors represent the concentration of skim milk, the concentration of monosodium glutamate, and culture temperature. Best conditions for GABA and ACEI production differed. The results indicated that L. plantarum NTU 102 produced the highest combined levels of GABA and ACEI at 37 °C, in milk having 8% to 12% nonfat solids supplemented with 0.6% to 1% MSG. Agitation of the medium during fermentation had no effect on GABA or ACEI production but extended incubation (up to 6 d) increases levels of the bioactive compounds. L. plantarum NTU 102 fermented products may be a potential functional food source for regulating hypertension.
Psychometric Validation of a Condom Self-efficacy Scale in Korean

Background: When an instrument is translated for use in cross-cultural research, it needs to account for cultural factors without distorting the psychometric properties of the instrument. Objectives: To validate the psychometric properties of the condom self-efficacy scale (CSE) originally developed for American adolescents and young adults after translating the scale to Korean (CSE-K) to determine its suitability for cross-cultural research among Korean college students. Methods: A cross-sectional, correlational design was used with an exploratory survey methodology through self-report questionnaires. A convenience sample of 351 students, aged 18 to 25 years, were recruited at a university in Seoul, Korea. The participants completed the CSE-K and the intention of condom use scales after they were translated from English to Korean using a combined translation technique. A demographic and sex history questionnaire, which included an item to assess actual condom usage, was also administered. Mean, variance, reliability, criterion validity, and factorial validity using confirmatory factor analysis were assessed in the CSE-K. Results: Norms for the CSE-K were similar, but not identical, to norms for the English version. The means of all three subscales were lower for the CSE-K than for the original CSE; however, the obtained variance in CSE-K was roughly similar with the original CSE. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the total scale was higher for the CSE-K (.91) than that for either the CSE (.85) or CSE in Thai (.85). Criterion validity and construct validity of the CSE-K were confirmed. Discussion: The CSE-K was a reliable and valid scale in measuring condom self-efficacy among Korean college students. The findings suggest that the CSE was an appropriate instrument to conduct cross-cultural research on sexual behavior in adolescents and young adults.
The effects of adult learning on self-efficacy

We use quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate the links between participation in adult learning and self‐efficacy, particularly for the subgroup of adults who had low levels of achievement at school. We focus on self‐efficacy because it translates into a range of wider benefits and because it may afford protection from depression and other forms of social exclusion. Quantitative analyses of data from the National Child Development Study (NCDS) provide evidence for an association between taking courses and transformations in self‐efficacy for all cohort members, but the association is greatest and the evidence is strongest for our subgroup. A related fieldwork project involving in depth interviews with 15 women with poor school attainment sampled from the NCDS provides insights into some of the processes that underlie the associations found: (i) perceptions of achievement in adult education increase self‐efficacy; (ii) adult education leads to more challenging occupations, which build self‐efficacy; (iii) resistance to participation in adult education is reduced as self‐efficacy increases; and (iv) learning on the job can build self‐efficacy, and although participation in employer‐provided training courses does not appear to play an important role, it reflects engagement in occupations where the value of learning is recognized. The interviews also illustrate how school impacts on self‐efficacy and motivation to learn throughout the life course, and how important background and life circumstances can be in shaping the impacts of adult learning on self‐efficacy.
Comparison of Plateletpheresis on the Fenwal Amicus and Fresenius Com.Tec Cell Separators

Background: A variety of apheresis devices are now available on the market for plateletapheresis. We compared two apheresis instruments (Fenwal Amicus and Fresenius COM.TEC) with regard to processing time, platelet (PLT) yield and efficiency, and white blood cell (WBC) content. Material and Methods: Donors undergoing plateletpheresis were randomly separated into two groups (either the Amicus or the COM.TEC cell separator). Results: In the pre-apheresis setting, 32 plateletpheresis procedures performed with each instrument revealed no significant differences in donors’ sex, age, weight, height and total blood volume between the two groups. However, the preapheresis PLT count was higher with the COM.TEC than with the Amicus (198 ×103/µl vs. 223 ×103/µl; p = 0.035). The blood volume processed to reach a target PLT yield of ≧3.3 ×1011 was higher in the COM.TEC compared to the Amicus (3,481 vs. 2,850 ml; p < 0.001). The median separation time was also significantly longer in the COM.TEC than in the Amicus (61 vs. 44 min; p < 0.001). 91 and 88% of the PLT products collected with the Amicus and the COM.TEC, respectively, had a PLT count of ≧3.3 ×1011 (p = 0.325). All products obtained with both instruments had WBC counts lower than 5 ↔106, as required. There was no statistical difference with regard to collection efficiency between the devices (55 ± 15 vs. 57 ± 15%; p = 0.477). However, the collection rate was significantly higher with the Amicus compared to the COM.TEC instrument (0.077 ± 0.012 ×1011 vs. 0.057 ± 0.008 ×1011 PLT/min; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Both instruments collected platelets efficiently. Additionally, consistent leukoreduction was obtained with both instruments; however, compared with the COM.TEC instrument, the Amicus reached the PLT target yield more quickly.
The Effects of Performance-Contingent Financial Incentives in Online Labor Markets

Online labor markets such as Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) have emerged as platforms that facilitate the allocation of productive effort across global economies. Many of these markets compensate workers with monetary payments. We study the effects of performance-contingent financial rewards on work quality and worker effort in MTurk via two experiments. We find that the magnitude of performance-contingent financial rewards alone affects neither quality nor effort. However, when workers working on two tasks of the same type in a sequence, the change in the magnitude of the reward over the two tasks affects both. In particular, both work quality and worker effort increase (alternatively decrease) as the reward increases (alternatively decreases) for the second task. This suggests the existence of the anchoring effect on workers’ perception of incentives in MTurk and that this effect can be leveraged in workflow design to increase the effectiveness of financial incentives.
Eclipsing Binaries in the MACHO Database: New Periods and Classifications for 3031 Systems in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Eclipsing binaries offer a unique opportunity to determine fundamental physical parameters of stars by using the constraints on the geometry of the systems. Here we present a reanalysis of publicly available two-color observations of about 6800 stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud obtained by the MACHO Project between 1992 and 2000 and classified as eclipsing variables. Of these, fewer than half are genuine eclipsing binaries. We determined new periods and classified the stars, 3031 in total, using the Fourier parameters of the phased light curves. The period distribution is clearly bimodal, reflecting separate groups of more massive blue main-sequence objects and low-mass red giants. The latter resemble contact binaries and obey a period-luminosity relation. Using evolutionary models, we identified foreground stars. The presented database has been cleaned of artifacts and misclassified variables, thus allowing searches for apsidal motion, tertiary components, pulsating stars in binary systems, and secular variations with timescales of several years.
Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Associations between Knee Joint Effusion Synovitis and Knee Pain in Older Adults

Objective. To describe the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between knee regional effusion synovitis and knee pain in older adults. Methods. Data from a population-based random sample (n = 880, mean age 62 yrs, 50% women) were used. Baseline knee joint effusion synovitis was graded (0–3) using T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the suprapatellar pouch, central portion, posterior femoral recess, and subpopliteal recess. Effusion synovitis of the whole joint was defined as a score of ≥ 2 in any subregion. Other knee structural (including cartilage, bone marrow, and menisci) lesions were assessed by MRI at baseline. Knee pain was assessed by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index questionnaire at baseline and 2.6 years later. Multivariable analyses were performed after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, and other structural lesions. Results. The prevalence of effusion synovitis was 67%. Suprapatellar pouch effusion synovitis was significantly and independently associated with increased total and nonweight-bearing knee pain in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses (for an increase in total knee pain of ≥ 5, RR 1.26 per grade, 95% CI 1.04–1.52), and increased weight-bearing knee pain in longitudinal analysis only. Effusion synovitis in posterior femoral recess and central portion were independently associated with increases in nonweight-bearing pain (RR 1.63 per grade, 95% CI 1.32–2.01 and RR 1.29 per grade, 95% CI 1.01–1.65, respectively) in longitudinal analyses only. Conclusion. Knee joint effusion synovitis has independent associations with knee pain in older adults. Suprapatellar pouch effusion synovitis is associated with nonweight-bearing and weight-bearing knee pain, while posterior femoral recess and central portion effusion synovitis are only associated with nonweight-bearing pain.
Social Cognitive Theory

Basic principles of social cognitive theory were set in eralier works of Julian Rotter, Neal Miller and John Dollard. Bandura’s social learning theory starts from evolved assumption that we can learn by observing others. Key processes during this type of learning are observation, imitation, and modeling which as such involve attention, memory, and motivation. People learn through observing others’ behavior, attitudes, and outcomes of those behaviors.
All that Glistens: Water Connotations in Surface Finishes

For perhaps the last 5 million years, natural selection has acted on any failure by our hominid ancestors to find terrestrial sources of drinking water. The result of such selection might be manifested today in the strong preferences of children and adults for landscape scenes with water and observations of selective mouthing and licking of mirrored surfaces by infants and toddlers. Because the optical information about water can be ambiguous, this study examined whether glossy and glittery surface textures connote wetness. Four whitish surface finishes (mat, glossy, sandy, and sparkling) were selected for study. These surface finishes were mounted on panels that were held and tilted in different directions by 139 participants who then rated the panels using a semantic differential questionnaire that assessed wet and dry connotations as well as other physical and cultural attributes. Analyses of data showed that the glossy surface finish appeared wetter than the sparkling surface finish and that these sur.
Direct Observation of Psychology Supervisees' Clinical Work: A Snapshot of Current Practice

Supervisory methods that allow for direct observation of supervisee performance have been noted to contribute to supervisee satisfaction with supervision, and contribute to supervisors’ ability to perform their supervisory responsibilities thoroughly and ethically. However, there is little data available on how frequently observational methods are employed in clinical supervisory practice. In this study, surveys completed by 150 professional psychology supervisees at all levels of training (from beginning practicum through postdoctoral training) and from all regions of the country provided data on supervisory practices during a two-week snapshot period as well as from their longer supervisory relationships. Results demonstrated that methods permitting direct observation of supervisee work were used very infrequently, that the most frequent methods involved supervisee-initiated case presentations, that supervisees believed that their supervisors were very knowledgeable about supervisees’ clinical functioning, and that there was little variability associated with supervisee experience or level of training. Results are discussed in terms of how these supervisory practices limit supervisors’ ability to fulfill key elements of their professional responsibilities and may increase their ethical vulnerability.
Fast mode decision for multiview video coding

In the draft of multi-view coding (MVC), variable size motion estimation and disparity estimation are employed to select the best coding mode for each macroblock. These techniques achieve the highest possible coding efficiency, but they result in extremely large computation complexity which obstructs MVC from practical application. This paper proposes a fast mode size decision algorithm for MVC in inter-frame coding. It makes use of the mode distribution correlation between neighbor views to deduct the executions of unnecessary modes. Experimental results show that the proposed fast mode decision algorithm reduces the computational complexity significantly with negligible coding efficiency.