Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Practising Social Work: Meeting the Professional Challenge

Preface Introduction PART I: THE SOCIAL WORKER AS PROBLEM SOLVER Introduction Needs, Unmet Needs and Problems The Social Context of Personal Problems Promoting and Preventing Change: Developing vs. Sustaining Perspectives on Problems: Working in Partnership Conclusion PART II: THE SOCIAL WORKER AS THINKER Introduction Reflective Practice: Developing Critical Analysis Skills Social Work as Education Thinking and Feeling: Emotional Intelligence Narratives and Meaning Making Conclusion PART III: THE SOCIAL WORKER AS MANAGER Introduction Managing Self Managing Processes, Tasks and Outcomes Managing Risk and Resources Managing Expectations Conclusion PART IV: THE SOCIAL WORKER AS PROFESSIONAL Introduction Traditional Professionalism The Legacy of Anti-professionalism Developing Empowering Professionalism Professionalism in Practice Conclusion Guide to Further Learning References Index
Topic Discovery Based on LDA Model with Fast Gibbs Sampling

Topic discovery described here is used to determine the topic that a document or a segment discusses. It is very important for some applications of Natural Language Processing (NLP), such as information retrieval/extraction, summarization and topic analysis etc. The paper extracts topic words based on Shannon information, in which Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) is employed to represent word distribution. The estimation of the parameters is speeded up by fast Gibbs sampling. Words which do not appear in the analyzed document can be inferred as topic with the help of word clustering of background. Topics are represented by means of word groups. The experiment results show that our approach performs far better than other methods.
MULTI-COUNTRY ASSESSMENT OF BARRIERS TO ACCEPTANCE OF GM RICE

Genetically modified (GM) rice has been developed to confer pest resistance, herbicide tolerance and health benefits, yet regulatory, policy and market barriers prevent commercialization of GM rice. This study assesses factors based on consumer survey results that assess acceptance of GM rice in 5 selected countries, namely, Bangladesh, Colombia, Ghana, Honduras, and Tanzania.
Essays on macroeconomics, self-employment and small business in cities

The first essay studies the effects of exogenous and endogenous shocks on output sustainability in Central Eastern Europe and Russia during the 2000s. It expands traditional vector autoregressive model to a multi-country model that relates bank real lending, the cyclical component of output and spreads and accounts for cross-sectional dependence across the countries. Impulse response functions show that exogenous positive shock lead to a drop in output sustainability for nine over twelve Central Eastern European countries, when the endogenous shock is mild and ambiguous. Moreover the effect of the exogenous shock is more significant in the aftermath the crises. The second essay investigates variation in entrepreneurial activity, as proxied by the rate of self-employment, across 374 European cities during the period of 1989-2010. While controlling for various spillover effects across cities we find that the rate of self-employment is largely explained by the level of education, urbanisation economies, institutional environment and industrial structure of a city. Self-employment rates are higher in agriculture and fishing industry; trade, hotels and restaurants industry; meanwhile mining, manufacturing and energy sector with higher positive effect of scale abandon self-employment. At the same time a U-shaped relationship per resident income determines existence of both necessity driven and genuine self-employment. The third essay explains variation in entrepreneurship across cities of Commonwealth of Independent States during 1995-2008, utilizing a unique database and employing dynamic panel data analysis. The findings suggest that banking reform facilitates entrepreneurship, whereas the size of the state discourages it. A U-shaped relationship between per capita income and entrepreneurship is confirmed. It‘s established that a city with a higher concentration of universities is likely to have higher entrepreneurial entry that provides some evidence for the importance of agglomeration economies in terms of knowledge concentration which leads to intensified exchange of ideas and drive knowledge-based entrepreneurship.
Simultaneous Optical Recording in Multiple Cells by Digital Holographic Microscopy of Chloride Current Associated to Activation of the Ligand-Gated Chloride Channel GABAA Receptor

Chloride channels represent a group of targets for major clinical indications. However, molecular screening for chloride channel modulators has proven to be difficult and time-consuming as approaches essentially rely on the use of fluorescent dyes or invasive patch-clamp techniques which do not lend themselves to the screening of large sets of compounds. To address this problem, we have developed a non-invasive optical method, based on digital holographic microcopy (DHM), allowing monitoring of ion channel activity without using any electrode or fluorescent dye. To illustrate this approach, GABAA mediated chloride currents have been monitored with DHM. Practically, we show that DHM can non-invasively provide the quantitative determination of transmembrane chloride fluxes mediated by the activation of chloride channels associated with GABAA receptors. Indeed through an original algorithm, chloride currents elicited by application of appropriate agonists of the GABAA receptor can be derived from the quantitative phase signal recorded with DHM. Finally, chloride currents can be determined and pharmacologically characterized non-invasively simultaneously on a large cellular sampling by DHM.
Equilibrium yield curves under regime switching

This paper studies how inflation as a macroeconomic indicator affects nominal bond prices. I consider an economy with a representative agent with Epstein- Zin preferences. Regime switching affects the state-space capturing inflation and consumption growth. Thus, the agent is concerned about the intertemporal distribution of risk, which is affected by the persistence of the variables and the regimes. Regime switching allows for structural changes in the volatility of unexpected shocks. To the extent that inflationary unexpected shocks indicate lower consumption growth, nominal bond holders need to be compensated for these shocks. It follows that a switch in the regime state affecting the covariance of inflation and consumption growth can be interpreted as a change in the price of risk. I find coefficients of risk aversion from 40 to 90, and subjective discount factors above 0.99, depending on the exact specification of the model. The model yields have on average a positive slope, a consistent Principal Components decomposition, and predictability as in Cochrane and Piazzesi (2002).
Population Structure of and Conservation Strategies for Wild Pyrus ussuriensis Maxim. in China

Pyrus ussriensis Maxim. is native to the northern part of China, but whose habitats are currently being destroyed by environmental changes and human deforestation. An investigation of population structure and genetic diversity of wild Ussurian pear is a priority in order to acquire fundamental knowledge for conservation. A total of 153 individuals of wild Ussurian pear from the main habitats, Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Inner Mongolia in China, possessed low genetic diversity as a result of habitat fragmentation. The genetic diversity of the populations in Inner Mongolia and north east of Heilongjiang was especially low and there was the possibility of inbreeding. Wild Ussurian pears were divided into 5 groups based on the Bayesian clustering method using 20 nuclear SSRs (nSSRs) and 5 groups by haplotype distributions using 16 chloroplast SSRs (cpSSRs), and the populations in Inner Mongolia and north east of Heilongjiang represented unique genotypes. AMOVA indicated there was a 20.05% variation in nSSRs and a 44.40% variation in cpSSRs among populations. These values are relatively high when compared to those of other tree species. Haplotype E, positioned in the center of the cpSSR analysis network and showed the largest number of connections with other haplotypes, represented the most important haplotype. Inner Mongolia and the north east of Heilongjiang are two areas that need urgent conservation because of their genetic vulnerability and peculiarity. We determined 4 conservation units based on the clustering by nSSRs and cpSSRs, and geographic factor. This information is helpful in deciding the conservation strategies for wild Ussurian pear in China.
Seminal malondialdehyde concentration but not glutathione peroxidase activity is negatively correlated with seminal concentration and motility

Objectives: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced lipid peroxidation is associated with sperm function. Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity represent the lipid peroxidation and spermicidal antioxidant, respectively. We aimed to evaluate the relationship of MDA and GPx levels with sperm parameters. Patients and methods: Specimens were divided into two groups: group 1. normospermia (n=20); group 2. oligoasthenospermia (n=31). Seminal MDA concentration was measured by thiobarbituric acid reaction method. Seminal GPx activity was measured by oxidation of reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide. Seminal MDA levels and GPx activities in both groups were compared. Results: MDA concentrations in both groups were significantly different (1.52 ± 0.75 vs. 2.25 ± 0.88 nM, p = 0.0021). GPx activities in both groups were non-significantly different (0.48 ± 0.11 vs. 0.47 ± 0.12 U/ml). MDA levels were negatively correlated with the sperm motility (MDA = -0.014 x motility + 2.62, p =0.017) and concentration (MDA = -0.0045 x concentration + 2.23, p = 0.0166). GPx activities were positively but non-significantly correlated with the sperm concentration and sperm motility. Conclusions: Seminal MDA concentrations are negatively correlated with sperm concentration and motility, which might provide a simple and useful tool in predicting sperm parameters. GPx activity is non-significantly correlated with the seminal quality. Roles of seminal MDA upon spermatogenesis merits further surveys.
Optimal and near-optimal algorithms for multiple fault diagnosis with unreliable tests

In this paper, we consider the problem of constructing optimal and near-optimal multiple fault diagnosis (MFD) in bipartite systems with unreliable (imperfect) tests. It is known that exact computation of conditional probabilities for multiple fault diagnosis is NP-hard. The novel feature of our diagnostic algorithms is the use of Lagrangian relaxation and sub-gradient optimization methods to provide: (1) near optimal solutions for the MFD problem, and (2) upper bounds for an optimal branch-and-bound algorithm. The proposed method is illustrated using several examples. Computational results indicate that: (1) our algorithm has superior computational performance to the existing algorithms, (2) the near optimal algorithm generates the most likely candidates with a very high accuracy, and (3) our algorithm can find the most likely candidates in systems with as many as 1000 faults.
On Raptor Code Design for Inactivation Decoding

Based on a new vision of the inactivation decoding process, we set a new degree distribution design criterion for the LT part of Raptor codes. Under an infinite block length assumption, a family of degree distributions that satisfy the new design criterion is analytically derived. The finite length performance of this family is investigated by using computer simulations and is shown to outperform the conventional design.
The Association of Low Parental Monitoring With Early Substance Use in European American and African American Adolescent Girls.

OBJECTIVE Research indicates that low parental monitoring increases the risk for early substance use. Because low parental monitoring tends to co-occur with other familial and neighborhood factors, the specificity of the association is challenging to establish. Using logistic regression and propensity score analyses, we examined associations between low parental monitoring and early substance use in European American (EA) and African American (AA) girls, controlling for risk factors associated with low parental monitoring. METHOD Participants were 3,133 EA and 523 AA girls from the Missouri Adolescent Female Twin Study with data on parental monitoring assessed via self-report questionnaire, and with ages at first use of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis queried in at least one of three diagnostic interviews (median ages = 15, 22, and 24 years). RESULTS The rate of early alcohol use was greater in EA than AA girls, whereas the proportion of AA girls reporting low parental monitoring was higher than in EA girls. EA girls who experienced low parental monitoring were at elevated risk for early alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use, findings supported in both logistic regression and propensity score analyses. Evidence regarding associations between low parental monitoring and risk for early substance use was less definitive for AA girls. CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight the role of parental monitoring in modifying risk for early substance use in EA girls. However, we know little regarding the unique effects, if any, of low parental monitoring on the timing of first substance use in AA girls.
Language learning via ICT: uses, challenges and issues

The rapid growth and improvement in Information Communication Technology (ICT) has lead to the diffusion of technology in education. It is believed that ICT would bring many advantages to the students if it is use under the right circumstances. Although ICT offer more advantages and flexibility, this type of learning environment may not be conducive for all learners. This paper describes the use of ICT for learning English, the challenges faced by the students in using ICT for learning English and their attitude towards the use of ICT in learning English among the urban school students in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia. Data was collected via questionnaire survey of second language students. The results show that students are aware of the benefits of using ICT in learning language. However, students did not spend much of their time for the purpose of learning. Students spend only 1- 2 hours per weeks using ICT for learning activities. Most of the students use ICT for surfing internet to get information and for searching for words meaning and pronunciation. Students perceived themselves having high positive attitude towards the use of ICT in learning English. However, there are two main problems faced by the students which are lack of English proficiency and lack of training on ICT.
Persistence in US interest rates : is it stable over time?

This paper analyses persistence in US interest rates. It focuses on the Federal Funds effective rate, whose degree of persistence is modelled using fractional integration, monthly from July 1954 through March 2008. The full-sample estimates of the fractional differencing parameter appear to be very sensitive to the choice of the I(0) error term; specifically, the order of integration is strictly above 1 if the errors are uncorrelated, whilst it is strictly below 1 with autocorrelated disturbances. It is also found that the differencing parameter is not stable over the sample period examined, the degree of persistence of the series decreasing from the beginning of the 80s.
The development of an improved murine iontophoresis reactivation model for the study of HSV-1 latency.

The present study reviews the development of an effective murine iontophoresis reactivation model for the study of HSV-1 latency. In a series of experiments, Balb C mice latently infected with HSV-1 McKrae strain were iontophoresed with epinephrine X 3 days (EPI X 3/ION) or 6-hydroxydopamine X 1 day followed by topical epinephrine (6-HD ION/EPI). Reactivation and recovery of latent HSV-1 was determined by daily ocular swabs, titration, and neutralization. Additional studies determined the effect of topical ocular steroids on viral recovery rate. The results demonstrated no recovery of McKrae strain in Balb C (0%) with EPI X 3/ION, and no enhancement with topical steroids. 6-HD ION/EPI demonstrated a low recovery rate in mice (8%). However, the recovery rate was significantly increased to 50% by the addition of topical steroids to form the 6-HD ION/EPI/STEROID model, a useful experimental tool. The substitution of a clinical isolate, W strain, for McKrae strain further improved the model. The results demonstrated that, following the acute infection in mice, W strain was associated with a significantly higher (P = .001) survival rate than McKrae strain (81% vs. 52%). There was no statistically significant difference between the two strains, W vs McKrae, in Balb C mice comparing keratitis, establishment of latency (by co-cultivation), spontaneous shedding rate, or induced ocular shedding following iontophoresis. The development of an effective murine iontophoresis model offers an economical method which is uniquely suited for immunological and genetic studies of HSV-1 latency.
Suzaku observation of the metallicity distribution in the elliptical galaxy NGC 4636

NGC 4636, an X-ray bright elliptical galaxy, was observed for 70 ks with Suzaku. The low background and good energy resolution of the XIS enable us to estimate the foreground Galactic emission accurately and hence measure, for the first time, the O, Mg, Si and Fe abundances out to a radius of ~28 arcmin ($\simeq$ 140 kpc). These metal abundances are as high as $>$1 solar within the central 4' and decrease by ~50% towards the outer regions. Further, the O to Fe abundance ratio is about 0.60--1.0 solar in all regions analyzed, indicating that the products of both SNe II and SNe Ia have mixed and diffused to the outer regions of the galaxy. The O and Fe metal mass-to-light-ratios (MLR) of NGC 4636 are 2--3 times larger than those of NGC 1399 implying that metal distributions in NGC 4636 are less extended than those in NGC 1399, possibly due to environmental factors, such as frequency of galaxy interaction. We also found that the MLRs of NGC 4636 at 0.1 $r_{180}$ are $\sim$5 times smaller than those of clusters of galaxies, possibly consistent with the correlation between temperature and MLR of other spherically symmetric groups of galaxies. We also confirmed a resonant scattering signature in the Fe$_{XV II}}$ line in the central region, as previously reported using the XMM-Newton RGS.
Youth justice in England and Wales : exploring young offenders' perceptions of restorative and procedural justice in the referral order process

In recent years the government has introduced youth justice policy which claims to draw on the philosophy of restorative justice as an alternative to punitive sanctions. Referral orders were implemented nationally in 2002 and purportedly represent a significant policy commitment to restorative justice. Rather than incarcerating offenders or deterring them through punishment, referral orders aim to encourage them to understand the consequences of their behaviour, make amends and re-join the law abiding community. This is purportedly achieved through a youth offender panel (panel meeting) run by lay members of the local community along with a member of staff from the youth offending team (YOT). The panel meeting aims to provide a forum away from formal court proceedings to discuss the offence and to agree and construct a contract that the offender must follow. Referral orders therefore present a useful arena in which to explore young offenders’ experiences of restorative justice and to compare this with their experience of the more formal court process. Research has revealed that fair procedures are important in securing people’s compliance with the law and that offenders view restorative processes as fairer than court. However, the majority of research in this area has been done with adults and there is comparatively little research that focuses on young offenders’ perceptions of criminal justice processes. For children, procedural safeguards largely relate to the manner in which adults interact with them. My research therefore explores young people’s experiences with a range of authority figures including: teachers, police officers, magistrates, lay panel members and staff at the YOT. In doing this I aim to consider both how young people perceive the restorative elements of referral orders and more broadly, the way in which they form judgements of different criminal justice processes and sources of authority.
Demand Aggregation and the Weak Axiom of Stochastic Revealed Preference

Abstract We address the problem of aggregating demand across a group of consumers, who are identical in terms of wealth and face identical price vectors, but vary in their chosen consumption bundles. We show that, when a stochastic demand function is constructed to aggregate a number of deterministic demand functions, satisfaction of the weak axiom of stochastic revealed preference by this stochastic demand function is weaker than the restriction that every underlying deterministic demand function satisfy Samuelson's weak axiom of revealed preference. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Number: D11.
Interpreting Performance in Small Business Research

For obvious reasons, researchers and policy-makers alike have an interest in assessing the performance of small firms as well as in understanding the factors that contribute to it. Attaining such knowledge is not a trivial undertaking. Researchers have pointed out that the performance of small firms can be difficult to assess (Brush & Vanderwerf, 1992)—e.g., because reliable data cannot be obtained—and also difficult to predict (Cooper, 1995). In this paper I will discuss the equally important and difficult issue of how research results regarding small business performance and its predictors can or should be interpreted. In particular, I will discuss whether commonly used performance indicators like survival vs. non-survival and growth vs. non-growth really reflect ‘good’ vs. ‘bad’ performance, as is commonly assumed. Although theory and other researchers’ findings will also be used to some extent, my exposition will rely primarily on experiences and illustrations from a number of research projects I have been directly involved in during the last 20 years. The paper proceeds as follows. I will first question the assumption that business discontinuance—often called ‘failure’—is a ‘bad’ outcome that best should be avoided from the aggregate perspective of the economic system. I will then continue to discuss ‘failure’ from more of a micro-perspective, arguing that most instances of discontinuation of new or emerging firms are not associated with substantial financial losses and do not necessarily represent efforts that should have been avoided. Staying at the micro level I will then turn to the issue of firm growth and the conditions under which growth represents a ‘good’ outcome from the perspective of the firm’s principal stakeholders. I will then return to the aggregate level and discuss the extent to which firm level employment growth translates to net increases of employment in the economy. Finally, the implications of the issues raised in the paper will be restated and discussed in the concluding section of the paper.
EQUITY RETURNS AND INTEGRATION: IS EUROPE CHANGING?

This paper analyses the consequences of the process of financial and economic integration on European equity markets. It documents significant changes in fundamentals, notably an increased synchronisation of macroeconomic activities, and a non-negligible evolution in pricing, with a decrease in the cost of capital and converging equity premia. As to equity returns themselves, in the face of what could turn out to be long run upward trends in the correlations among both country and sector returns and a narrowing of the superiority of country factors, the stakes of searching for diversification opportunities at a higher level of disaggregation appear to be higher than ever.