Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Beliefs Concerning Death, Dying, and Hastening Death Among Older, Functionally Impaired Dutch Adults: A One‐Year Longitudinal Study

OBJECTIVES: Population surveys have documented increasing public support for euthanasia and assisted suicide but have not focused on the population of chronically ill older persons, obtained detailed sociocultural or health status information, or performed repeat assessments. This study seeks to describe the views of functionally‐impaired Dutch elders on death, dying, and hastened death and to relate these to sociocultural and health status.
Logarithmic Regret Algorithms for Strongly Convex Repeated Games

Many problems arising in machine learning can be cast as a convex optimization problem, in which a sum of a loss term and a regularization term is minimized. For example, in Support Vector Machines the loss term is the average hinge-loss of a vector over a training set of examples and the regularization term is the squared Euclidean norm of this vector. In this paper we study an algorithmic framework for strongly convex repeated games and apply it for solving regularized loss minimization problems. In a convex repeated game, a predictor chooses a sequence of vectors from a convex set. After each vector is chosen, the opponent responds with a convex loss function and the predictor pays for applying the loss function to the vector she chose. The regret of the predictor is the difference between her cumulative loss and the minimal cumulative loss achievable by a fixed vector, even one that is chosen in hindsight. In strongly convex repeated games, the opponent is forced to choose loss functions that are strongly convex. We describe a family of prediction algorithms for strongly convex repeated games that attain logarithmic regret.
Lidocaine Induces a Reversible Decrease in Alveolar Epithelial Fluid Clearance in Rats

Background Lidocaine is widely used in patients with acute cardiac disorders and has also been recently implicated as a possible cause of pulmonary edema after liposuction. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of lidocaine on alveolar fluid clearance, the primary mechanism responsible for the resolution of alveolar edema. Methods Alveolar fluid clearance was measured in 29 ventilated rats using our well-validated method over 1 h using a 5% albumin solution instilled into the distal air spaces of the lung. Lidocaine was added to the instilled albumin solution (10−5 m) or administered intravenously at a dose estimated to achieve a clinically relevant plasma concentration of 10−5 m. Standard agonists and antagonists were used to determine the effect of lidocaine on alveolar fluid clearance. To determine whether lidocaine acted predominantly on the apical or basal surface, we also used QX314, lidocaine n-ethyl bromide quaternary salt, an analog of lidocaine, which is unable to cross the alveolar epithelium. The effect of lidocaine on the apical epithelial sodium channel transfected in Xenopus oocytes was also studied. Results Alveolar or intravenous lidocaine decreased alveolar fluid clearance by 50%, an effect that was reversible with the &bgr;2 agonist, terbutaline. Lidocaine acted predominantly on the basal surface of the epithelium because n-ethyl bromide quaternary salt decreased alveolar fluid clearance only when it was given intravenously and because lidocaine did not inhibit the apical epithelial sodium channel when expressed in oocytes. Conclusions Lidocaine decreased alveolar fluid clearance by 50%, an effect that may have major clinical implications in the care of patients with cardiac disease or during the perioperative period in some patients. Importantly, the effect of lidocaine was completely reversible with &bgr;2-adrenergic therapy.
Why is it that university grades do not predict very-long-term retention?

Bahrick (1992) argued that Conway, Cohen, and Stanhope's (1991) failure to find a strong relation between grade and very-long-term retention may, in part, be due to the learning schedules underlying knowledge acquisition in different types of knowledge domains. As an alternative it is proposed that grade is a multicomponent measure that is sensitive to both the amount of knowledge acquired and a learner's ability to use that knowledge-the learner's understanding of the acquired knowledge. A new analysis shows that the course-work component of grade reliably predicts very-long-term retention of knowledge, whereas the final examination component does not
An Object-Oriented Framework for Distributed Computational Simulation of Aerospace Propulsion Systems

Designing and developing new aerospace propulsion systems is time-consuming and expensive. Computational simulation is a promising means for alleviating this cost, but requires a flexible software simulation system capable of integrating advanced multidisciplinary and multifidelity analysis methods, dynamically constructing arbitrary simulation models, and distributing computationally complex tasks. To address these issues, we have developed Onyx, a Java-based object-oriented application framework for aerospace propulsion system simulation. The Onyx framework defines a common component object model which provides a consistent component interface for the construction of hierarchal object models. Because Onyx is a framework, component analysis models may be changed dynamically to adapt simulation behavior as required. A customizable visual interface provides high-level symbolic control of propulsion system construction and execution. For computationally-intensive analysis, components may be distributed across heterogeneous computing architectures and operating systems. This paper describes the design concepts and object-oriented architecture of Onyx. As a representative simulation, a set of lumped-parameter gas turbine engine components are developed and used to simulate a turbojet engine.
Noteworthy matters for attention in reflective journal writing

The principles advocated in the widely acclaimed keynote texts on reflection have nominally been followed for over 30 years in educational programmes and schemes for professional development. This article was prompted by the impression that practice and theorising reported in publications about journal writing does not consistently endorse the advice in the seminal literature, and is potentially confusing for those who seek advice and direction. In particular, some writers tolerate or encourage narrative reporting without significant reflection thereon; many articles only feature aspects of the reflective cycle, and metacognitive forward planning that aims to validate the emerging generalisation is often neglected. Noteworthy matters are identified for attention and suggestions made for an approach that today’s journal writers and their mentors may find useful to employ, in order to better focus reflections and validate their generalisations.
Onion Extract Gel Versus Petrolatum Emollient on New Surgical Scars: a Prospective Double‐Blinded Study

BACKGROUND Cutaneous scars resulting from surgical procedures can be erythematous, hypertrophic, pruritic, painful, or cosmetically unacceptable. An onion extract-based topical gel (Mederma, Merz Pharmaceuticals) has been marketed as a product to improve scar appearance and texture. However, few data are available to substantiate these claims. OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy between the onion extract gel and a petrolatum-based emollient (Aquaphor, Beiersdorf, Inc.) in improving the appearance and symptoms of new surgical scars. METHODS Twenty-four patients with new surgical wounds at least 4 cm in length were enrolled in the study. Using a randomized, double-blinded, split-scar study design, each scar was divided into two equal portions, and each half was assigned treatment with either onion extract gel or petrolatum ointment at the time of suture removal. Each product was applied three times daily for 8 weeks, and patients were evaluated at 2, 8, and 12 weeks following initiation of treatment. A follow-up phone interview was conducted at least 11 months postoperatively. RESULTS Scar halves were evaluated by blinded investigators for overall cosmetic appearance, erythema, and hypertrophy. Patients also independently rated side-specific erythema, pruritus, burning, and pain. Using the paired t-test and the Wilcoxon sign-rank test, we found no statistically significant difference (p <.1) between the two treatment groups in any of the outcome variables studied. CONCLUSION Petrolatum-based topical agents constitute standard therapy in the management of postoperative wounds. In this side-by-side, randomized, double-blinded, split-scar study, the onion extract gel did not improve scar cosmesis or symptomatology when compared with a petrolatum-based ointment.
Exploring teachers' definitions of bullying

This paper is based upon detailed research over a two‐year period into primary school teachers' attitudes and approaches to bullying. All the teaching staff in a single school contributed to the research and they were thoughtful and reflective in their engagement with the research. The project focuses on the key issue of how teachers define bullying and begins with a consideration of factors that might influence their definition before moving on to develop a framework of key concepts that inform definitions and the problems that emerge from that framework. Teachers' own understanding and the differing forms of definition that developed are discussed. What emerges is a picture of a shared vocabulary and a strong personal understanding about what is meant by ‘bullying’, but little consensus is evident. It leads to a conclusion that endorses the importance of shared understanding amongst the professionals within an institution, and those who work alongside them, that are often called upon to resolve bullying issues.
High and Low Achievers' Perceptions and Cooperative Learning in Two Small Groups

This study focuses on the thought processes of 8 American third graders who are learning mathematics in a small-group cooperative learning model known as "groups-of-four. " Using stimulated recall methodology, thought processes from 2 groups, each consisting of 2 high-achieving and 2 low-achieving students, were obtained across 4 mathematics lessons in a single classroom. Results revealed that, although low achievers were active in the learning process, the small-group model did not reduce greatly the differential status effects between high and low achievers. High-achieving students assumed dominant roles in the undertaking of group tasks, in group decision making, and in the frequency and quality of contributions to group efforts. The findings suggest that low achievers are generally passive during small-group work. Suggestions for reducing passivity of low achievers are discussed.
Intersection of Child Abuse and Children's Exposure to Domestic Violence

This review addresses research on the overlap in physical child abuse and domestic violence, the prediction of child outcomes, and resilience in children exposed to family violence. The authors explore current findings on the intersection of physical child abuse and domestic violence within the context of other risk factors, including community violence and related family and environmental stressors. Evidence from the studies reviewed suggests considerable overlap, compounding effects, and possible gender differences in outcomes of violence exposure. The data indicate a need to apply a broad conceptualization of risk to the study of family violence and its effects on children. Further testing of competing theoretical models will advance understanding of the pathways through which exposure leads to later problems in youth, as well as protective factors and processes through which resilience unfolds.
Therapeutic Implications for Adolescent Deaf Identity and Self-Concept

Abstract This study explored the interrelationship between Deaf identity and self-concept. Very little research has explored Deaf identity and none has explored how perceptions of fit with the Deaf culture and Hearing culture influence self-concept. Conceptually, this study looks at cultural identification as falling along two dimensions-identification with the Deaf culture and identification with the Hearing (majority) culture, resulting in four categorical descriptorsculturally hearing, marginal, immersed, and bicultural. It was hypothesized that those who identify with both the hearing and Deaf culture (bicultural individuals) would have the best self-concept while those who identified as marginal would have the worst self-concept. The participants consisted of 46 students enrolled in a transitional program for the deaf and deaf and hard of hearing university students. Results supported the hypotheses (bicultural individuals had the highest self-concept and marginal individuals had the lowest). Additional tentative and exploratory hypotheses are also discussed. Clinical implications for family therapists of this research are presented.
Indicators of esteem: gender and prestige in academic work

The continued gender imbalance in senior positions in higher education is a problem that persists despite decades of feminist research and publications in the area, as well as interventions in many countries to promote the advancement of women. In this article we view the issue of gender inequality through the lens of the prestige economy, which suggests that academics are motivated by prestige factors accrued through advancement in their careers. Prestige, authority and status, we suggest, may be more easily acquired by male academics. We draw on a case study of one institution in the Republic of Ireland, including data from a survey on academic careers (n = 269), to explore how the concept of prestige is gendered. We explore the cumulative effect of four themes: homosociability; non-transparency of criteria; academic workload balance; and self-promotion.
Do parents play different roles in drinking behaviours of male and female adolescents? A longitudinal follow-up study

Objective Gender differences in the associations between adolescent drinking behaviour, and perceived parental drinking behaviours and attitudes towards underage drinking, were investigated. Methods Data were drawn from two cohorts in the Child and Adolescent Behaviours in Long-term Evolution project. We used data from 2009 to 2006, when cohorts 1 and 2, respectively, were in grade 9. No cohort effect was found, so the two cohorts were pooled; 3972 students (1999 boys and 1973 girls) participated in the study. The major variables included adolescent drinking behaviours over the last month, and perceived parental drinking behaviours and parental attitudes towards underage drinking. The effects of the combination of parental drinking behaviours, and attitudes on the drinking behaviours of male and female adolescents, were analysed by logistic regression. Results The drinking behaviour of boys was correlated with the drinking behaviours and attitudes of their fathers but not with those of their mothers. Among boys, having a non-drinking father who was against underage drinking (OR=0.27, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.46), a non-drinking father who was favourable towards underage drinking (OR=0.61, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.94), or a drinking father who was against underage drinking (OR=0.44, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.85) significantly decreased the likelihood of alcohol consumption, whereas maternal behaviour and attitude were not significant influences. Among girls, having a non-drinking father who was against underage drinking (OR=0.52, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.91) or a non-drinking father who was favourable towards underage drinking (OR=0.51, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.83) significantly decreased the likelihood of alcohol consumption, as did having a non-drinking mother who was against underage drinking (OR=0.23, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.60). Conclusions The influences of fathers and mothers on the drinking behaviour of their adolescent children differed by offspring gender.
PERIODONTAL DISEASE IN FERAL PIGS (SUS SCROFA) FROM QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

Periodontal lesions were present in 26 of 107 feral pigs (Sus scrofa) that were shot in southern Queensland. The severity of the lesions varied from gingivitis to extensive destruction of the alveolus and its contents. Examination of slaughtered domestic pigs revealed a similar prevalence of lesions (12 of 52). Only cheek teeth were affected, and molars were affected more frequently than premolars. In both feral and domestic pigs, prevalence of periodontal disease affecting bone increased with age. Although periodontal disease is recognized as a common and often serious problem in many mammalian species, both domestic and wild, it has rarely been recorded in the pig. It is considered that the most severe lesions would have interfered with mastication but that the contribution of the disease to mortality of feral pigs in Australia is probably not great.
Heterogeneous Patterns of Variation Among Multiple Human X-Linked Loci

Studies of human DNA sequence polymorphism reveal a range of diversity patterns throughout the genome. This variation among loci may be due to natural selection, demographic influences, and/or different sampling strategies. Here we build on a continuing study of noncoding regions on the X chromosome in a panel of 41 globally sampled humans representing African and non-African populations by examining patterns of DNA sequence variation at four loci (APXL, AMELX, TNFSF5, and RRM2P4) and comparing these patterns with those previously reported at six loci in the same panel of 41 individuals. We also include comparisons with patterns of noncoding variation seen at five additional X-linked loci that were sequenced in similar global panels. We find that, while almost all loci show a reduction in non-African diversity, the magnitude of the reduction varies substantially across loci. The large observed variance in non-African levels of diversity results in the rejection of a neutral model of molecular evolution with a multi-locus HKA test under both a constant size and a bottleneck model. In non-Africans, some loci harbor an excess of rare mutations over neutral equilibrium predictions, while other loci show no such deviation in the distribution of mutation frequencies. We also observe a positive relationship between recombination rate and frequency spectra in our non-African, but not in our African, sample. These results indicate that a simple out-of-Africa bottleneck model is not sufficient to explain the observed patterns of sequence variation and that diversity-reducing selection acting at a subset of loci and/or a more complex neutral model must be invoked.
The effect of moral intensity on ethical decision making in accounting

The purpose of this study was to examine the dimensionality of a moral intensity construct in four ethical accounting scenarios and how the dimensions directly affect the specific processes of moral decision making of accounting students. A survey was conducted with 233 accounting students enrolled in the school of accounting in a university of mainland China. Results indicated that the dimensions of moral intensity were significantly related to moral recognition, moral judgement and moral intention in relation to moral issues. The mediational analyses revealed that moral judgement partly mediated the relation between moral recognition and moral intention and implied that the effect of moral recognition on moral intention was significantly reduced by a combination of moral recognition and moral judgement.
Towards a New Typology of Urban Planning Theories

Urban planning theory has been widely criticised by academics and practitioners as being confused and impractical. In this review paper a tentative first step to remedy the situation is proposed, outlining a new typology of urban planning theories with an aim to clarify the academic discourse and to provide a useful guide for practising planners. Three major ‘debates’ are identified as forming the main streams of thought in the development of urban planning. These are termed the ‘analytical’, ‘urban form’, and ‘procedural’ debates, which are shown to have developed in parallel. The three debates are also shown to focus on different stages of the planning process and to be mainly based on explanatory or prescriptive theories. Hence, it is argued that approaches which have often been described as irreconcilable can constructively coexist under the umbrella of urban planning theories without sacrificing their theoretical underpinnings. In this paper a general evolutionary trend from consensus to diversity is identified across the three streams of thought, and it is shown that, in the future, planning theories are likely to become more explicitly divided between openly politicised approaches and persisting technical-neutral orientations. The structure and evolution of the planning discipline outlined in this paper provide a framework for advancing towards a more clearly defined and coherent body of urban planning knowledge.
Recommended Test Panel for Differentiation of Klebsiella Species on the Basis of a Trilateral Interlaboratory Evaluation of 18 Biochemical Tests

ABSTRACT Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca are the two most frequently encountered Klebsiella species giving rise to infections in humans, but other Klebsiella species can also be found in clinical specimens: Klebsiella ozaenae, Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis, Klebsiella terrigena, Klebsiella planticola, Klebsiella ornithinolytica, and Enterobacter aerogenes (Klebsiella mobilis). However, many of these species are indistinguishable by the conventional methods employed routinely in the clinical microbiological laboratory. Several investigators have suggested various additional tests, but as yet there is no standardized test panel for identifying all Klebsiella species and subspecies. In the present study, performed in three national Klebsiella reference laboratories, we have evaluated a test panel consisting of 18 biochemical tests on 242 strains comprising all Klebsiella species and subspecies. The test panel was designed to identify organisms preliminarily identified as belonging to the genus Klebsiella on the basis of conventional methods or automated identification systems. With the described test panel it is possible to find one or more positive test results differentiating any Klebsiella species, except Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis, from its closest relative.
Petunia Floral Defensins with Unique Prodomains as Novel Candidates for Development of Fusarium Wilt Resistance in Transgenic Banana Plants

Antimicrobial peptides are a potent group of defense active molecules that have been utilized in developing resistance against a multitude of plant pathogens. Floral defensins constitute a group of cysteine-rich peptides showing potent growth inhibition of pathogenic filamentous fungi especially Fusarium oxysporum in vitro. Full length genes coding for two Petunia floral defensins, PhDef1 and PhDef2 having unique C- terminal 31 and 27 amino acid long predicted prodomains, were overexpressed in transgenic banana plants using embryogenic cells as explants for Agrobacterium–mediated genetic transformation. High level constitutive expression of these defensins in elite banana cv. Rasthali led to significant resistance against infection of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense as shown by in vitro and ex vivo bioassay studies. Transgenic banana lines expressing either of the two defensins were clearly less chlorotic and had significantly less infestation and discoloration in the vital corm region of the plant as compared to untransformed controls. Transgenic banana plants expressing high level of full-length PhDef1 and PhDef2 were phenotypically normal and no stunting was observed. In conclusion, our results suggest that high-level constitutive expression of floral defensins having distinctive prodomains is an efficient strategy for development of fungal resistance in economically important fruit crops like banana.