Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Psychological Factors Explaining the Referral Behavior of Iranian Family Physicians

Background: The recently developed policy of the family practice program in rural regions of Iran faced some challenges such as inefficient referral system. The health insurance organizations (purchaser) and health policy makers are concerned about the high rate of patient referrals from family physicians to specialists due to imposing unnecessary services and costs. Objectives: This study examined utility of the theory of planned behavior to explain intention of Iranian family physicians to reduce referral rate of patients with respiratory diseases to medical specialist. Patients and Methods: An exploratory cross-sectional study, employing a correlational design directed by the theory of planned behavior was conducted. A questionnaire was developed based on an eliciting study and review of literature. One hundred and seventy-four family physicians working at primary care centers in two provinces of Iran completed the questionnaire (response rate of 86%). Results: The finding revealed that intention of family physicians to reduce referral rate of patients to specialists was significantly related to two theory-based variables of subjective norms (r = 0.38, P < 0.001) and perceived behavioral control (r = 0.43, P < 0.001), and not to attitudes. A stepwise regression entering direct measures of the theory variables explained 35% of the variance on the intention, with perceived behavioral control being the strongest predictor. Adding background variables to the model achieved further 5% by variables of practice size and past referral rate behavior. Conclusions: The results indicated that psychological variables of the theory of planned behavior could explain a noticeable proportion of variance in family physician's intention to decrease the rate of referring patients with respiratory diseases to medical specialists. The intention is primarily influenced by normative and control considerations. These findings contribute to a better understanding of referral decisions by family physicians and are of great value in developing interventions to reduce the variation in referral rate of patients to medical specialists at primary care health centers.
PENGARUH PENGETAHUAN, RELIGIUSITAS DAN TINGKAT PENDAPATAN TERHADAP MINAT MASYARAKAT MENABUNG DI BANK SYARIAH BOYOLALI

ABSTRAK Purwanto, Aris. 2016. Pengaruh pengetahuan, Religiusitas,Tingkat Pendapatan Terhadap Minat Masyarakat Menabung diBank Syariah (Studi Kasus di Kabupaten Boyolali). Skripsi, Jurusan S1 Perbankan Syariah, Fakultas Ekonomi dan Bisnis Islam, Institut Agama Islam Negeri Salatiga. Pembimbing: Ahmad Mifdlol Muthohar, Lc. , M.SI Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui apakah pengetahuan mempengaruhi minat masyarakat menabung di bank syariah, untuk mengetahui apakah religiusitas mempengaruhi minat masyarakat menabung di bank syariah, untuk mengetahui apakah tingkat pendapatan mempengaruhi minat masyarakat menabung di bank syariah, dan untuk mengetahui apakah pengetahuan, religiusitas dan tingkat pendapatan bersama-sama mempengaruhi minat masyarakat menabung di bank syariah. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kuantitatif karena bertujuan untuk mengkonfirmasi data yang didapatkan di lapangan dengan teori yang ada. Objek penelitian yang digunakan adalah masyarakat di Kabupaten Boyolali dengan jumlah sampel 100 responden. Sedangkan untuk tekhnik pengumpulan data menggunakan metode kuesioner, wawancara. Data diolah menggunakan uji reabilitas, validitas, statistik dan asumsi klasik. Hasil penelitianmenunjukan bahwa pengetahuan berpengaruh negatif dan signifikan terhadap minat masyarakat menabung di bank syariah, religiusitas berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap minat masyarakat menabung di bank syariah, tingkat pendapatan berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap minat masyarakat menabung di bank syariah penegtahuan, religiusitas dan tingkat pendapatan berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap minat masyarakat menabung di bank syariah. Kata Kunci: Pengetahuan, Religiusitas, Tingkat Pendapatan, Minat Menabung
Assessing Unemployment Traps in Belgium Using Panel Data Sample Selection Models

In this paper we investigate whether unemployment traps exist and are significant in the transition from unemployment into employment in Belgium. In order to assess them, we use panel data sample selection models. Specifically, we estimate a parametric random effects models composed by a wage equation and a selection equation by maximum likelihood techniques. The income ratios have been computed for every individual in the sample by using the predicted wages obtained from the estimation of the wage equation corrected for sample selectivity. The empirical analyses has exploited the data extracted from the waves 1993-1997 of the Panel Study of Belgian Household and has been led separately on (unbalanced) samples of men and women. The estimation results suggest significant differences in the behaviour of these two groups. The experience of long periods of unemployment in the past is particularly important: long-term unemployed people have difficulties in re-integrating the labour market and they obtain low salaries when they succeed in finding employment. Long unemployment spells are likely to have a “scarring” effect on subsequent earnings. Moreover, the computation of income ratios for all individuals highlights the importance of unemployment traps for the women present in the sample. Indeed, their expected wage is often lower than their income while being unemployed. A significant proportion of the available samples (men and women) is shown to enter employment although this transition is accompanied by a substantial loss in their disposable income.
Planning Collision‐Free Reaching Motions for Interactive Object Manipulation and Grasping

We present new techniques that use motion planning algorithms based on probabilistic roadmaps to control 22 degrees of freedom (DOFs) of human‐like characters in interactive applications. Our main purpose is the automatic synthesis of collision‐free reaching motions for both arms, with automatic column control and leg flexion. Generated motions are collision‐free, in equilibrium, and respect articulation range limits. In order to deal with the high (22) dimension of our configuration space, we bias the random distribution of configurations to favor postures most useful for reaching and grasping. In addition, extensions are presented in order to interactively generate object manipulation sequences: a probabilistic inverse kinematics solver for proposing goal postures matching pre‐designed grasps; dynamic update of roadmaps when obstacles change position; online planning of object location transfer; and an automatic stepping control to enlarge the character's reachable space. This is, to our knowledge, the first time probabilistic planning techniques are used to automatically generate collision‐free reaching motions involving the entire body of a human‐like character at interactive frame rates.
The influence of controllers on immersion in mobile games

The controls for digital games understandably have an important part in building up the gaming experiences that people have. Whilst there is substantial work on innovative controllers for consoles, like the XBox Kinect, relatively little has been done to understand the effect of the different control mechanisms that can be used to play games on mobile devices like smartphones. A well-defined framework of naturalness has emerged as potentially useful concept in area of game controllers. This paper reports two experiments that look at how the naturalness of the game controls influences the experience of immersion in mobile games. It seems that where there is an a prior natural mapping, this will improve immersion in the game but in the absence of a prior mapping, naturalness alone is not sufficient to account for immersion. This opens up the need for a more thorough investigation of this area.
Current clinical application of deep-brain stimulation for essential tremor

Background Deep-brain stimulation (DBS) is an established treatment for medically refractory essential tremor (ET). This article reviews the current evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of DBS targets, including the ventral intermediate (VIM) nucleus and posterior subthalamic area (PSA) in treatment of ET. Methods A structured PubMed search was performed through December 2012 with keywords “deep brain stimulation (DBS),” “essential tremor (ET),” “ventral intermediate (VIM) nucleus,” “posterior subthalamic area (PSA),” “safety,” and “efficacy. ” Results Based on level IV evidence, both VIM and PSA DBS targets appear to be safe and efficacious in ET patients in tremor reduction and improving activities of daily living, though the literature on PSA DBS is limited in terms of bilateral stimulation and long-term follow-up. DBS-related adverse effects are typically mild and stimulation-related. Hardware-related complications after DBS may not be uncommon, and often require additional surgical procedures. Few studies assessed quality-of-life and cognition outcomes in ET patients undergoing DBS stimulation. Conclusion DBS appears to be a safe and effective treatment for medically refractory ET. More systematic studies comparing VIM and PSA targets are needed to ascertain the most safe and effective DBS treatment for medically refractory ET. More research is warranted to assess quality-of-life and cognition outcomes in ET patients undergoing DBS.
A model of the impact of mission statements on firm performance

A relationship between mission and organizational performance was modeled by drawing on prevlous research. The model was tested with data from 83 large Canadian and US organizations. We found that mission statements can affect financial performance, however, not as one might have anticipated initially. Several mediating elements were observed t o exist. For instance. "commitment t o the mission" and the "degree t o which an organization aligns i ts internal structure, policies and procedures with ~ t s mission" were both found to be positively associated with "employee behavior". I t was this latter variable which was observed, in turn, t o have the most direct relationship with financial
Stimulus Encoding and Feature Extraction by Multiple Sensory Neurons

Neighboring cells in topographical sensory maps may transmit similar information to the next higher level of processing. How information transmission by groups of nearby neurons compares with the performance of single cells is a very important question for understanding the functioning of the nervous system. To tackle this problem, we quantified stimulus-encoding and feature extraction performance by pairs of simultaneously recorded electrosensory pyramidal cells in the hindbrain of weakly electric fish. These cells constitute the output neurons of the first central nervous stage of electrosensory processing. Using random amplitude modulations (RAMs) of a mimic of the fish's own electric field within behaviorally relevant frequency bands, we found that pyramidal cells with overlapping receptive fields exhibit strong stimulus-induced correlations. To quantify the encoding of the RAM time course, we estimated the stimuli from simultaneously recorded spike trains and found significant improvements over single spike trains. The quality of stimulus reconstruction, however, was still inferior to the one measured for single primary sensory afferents. In an analysis of feature extraction, we found that spikes of pyramidal cell pairs coinciding within a time window of a few milliseconds performed significantly better at detecting upstrokes and downstrokes of the stimulus compared with isolated spikes and even spike bursts of single cells. Coincident spikes can thus be considered “distributed bursts. ” Our results suggest that stimulus encoding by primary sensory afferents is transformed into feature extraction at the next processing stage. There, stimulus-induced coincident activity can improve the extraction of behaviorally relevant features from the stimulus.
Representing spatially explicit Directional Virtual Fencing ( DVFTM ) data

Distributing free-ranging animals across a landscape to facilitate proper forage utilization is universally challenging to range livestock managers. By combining Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, Geographical Information System (GIS) methodology and a practical knowledge of animal behavior we have developed a device that autonomously controls animal distribution without conventional wire fencing or herding. Directional Virtual Fencing (DVF) uses sensory cues administered at the proper time and in the correct location on the animal to keep animals within a Virtual Paddock (VP) that can move in time and space using programmable Virtual Boundaries (VB). Analyzing the resulting geospatial animal data obtained from the device using Tracking Analyst® Software, provides essential information for understanding and subsequently managing animal distribution.
MAPK inactivation is required for the G2 to M‐phase transition of the first mitotic cell cycle

Down‐regulation of MAP kinase (MAPK) is a universal consequence of fertilization in the animal kingdom, although its role is not known. Here we show that MAPK inactivation is essential for embryos, both vertebrate and invertebrate, to enter first mitosis. Suppressing down‐regulation of MAPK at fertilization, for example by constitutively activating the upstream MAPK cascade, specifically suppresses cyclin B‐cdc2 kinase activation and its consequence, entry into first mitosis. It thus appears that MAPK functions in meiotic maturation by preventing unfertilized eggs from proceeding into parthenogenetic development. The most general effect of artificially maintaining MAPK activity after fertilization is prevention of the G2 to M‐phase transition in the first mitotic cell cycle, even though inappropriate reactivation of MAPK after fertilization may lead to metaphase arrest in vertebrates. Advancing the time of MAPK inactivation in fertilized eggs does not, however, speed up their entry into first mitosis. Thus, sustained activity of MAPK during part of the first mitotic cell cycle is not responsible for late entry of fertilized eggs into first mitosis.
Depression and Attempted Suicide among LGBTQ College Students: Fostering Resilience to the Effects of Heterosexism and Cisgenderism on Campus

Abstract:Little is known is about the impacts of covert and overt discrimination and the protective factors for depression and suicide among LGBTQ students. Using multivariable regression analyses of a national sample of cisgender lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer students and trans* students (n = 776), we examined the association between mental health and microaggressions, victimization, psychological resilience, pride, and outness. In models of all risk and protective factors, interpersonal microaggressions was a risk factor for depression and attempted suicide among cisgender LGBQ students and was also a risk factor among trans* students for depression. In all but 1 model, resilience was a protective factor. Resilience moderated the microaggressions–suicide relationship among cisgender LGBQ students, whereas pride moderated the victimization– depression relationship among trans* students.
Chemical Inhibition of Histone Deacetylases 1 and 2 Induces Fetal Hemoglobin through Activation of GATA2

Therapeutic intervention aimed at reactivation of fetal hemoglobin protein (HbF) is a promising approach for ameliorating sickle cell disease (SCD) and β-thalassemia. Previous studies showed genetic knockdown of histone deacetylase (HDAC) 1 or 2 is sufficient to induce HbF. Here we show that ACY-957, a selective chemical inhibitor of HDAC1 and 2 (HDAC1/2), elicits a dose and time dependent induction of γ-globin mRNA (HBG) and HbF in cultured primary cells derived from healthy individuals and sickle cell patients. Gene expression profiling of erythroid progenitors treated with ACY-957 identified global changes in gene expression that were significantly enriched in genes previously shown to be affected by HDAC1 or 2 knockdown. These genes included GATA2, which was induced greater than 3-fold. Lentiviral overexpression of GATA2 in primary erythroid progenitors increased HBG, and reduced adult β-globin mRNA (HBB). Furthermore, knockdown of GATA2 attenuated HBG induction by ACY-957. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and sequencing (ChIP-Seq) of primary erythroid progenitors demonstrated that HDAC1 and 2 occupancy was highly correlated throughout the GATA2 locus and that HDAC1/2 inhibition led to elevated histone acetylation at well-known GATA2 autoregulatory regions. The GATA2 protein itself also showed increased binding at these regions in response to ACY-957 treatment. These data show that chemical inhibition of HDAC1/2 induces HBG and suggest that this effect is mediated, at least in part, by histone acetylation-induced activation of the GATA2 gene.
Circulating leptin concentrations and ovarian function in polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by ovarian dysfunction. Although the role of leptin in the control of reproduction is unclear, it may be involved in the control of ovulation. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the relationship between circulating leptin concentrations, and anthropometric, metabolic and endocrine variables as well as to examine a possible role of leptin in ovarian dysfunction associated with PCOS. DESIGN Prospective observational study. METHODS Seventy-one subjects with PCOS and 23 body mass index (BMI)-matched control subjects were recruited from infertility clinics. The association between serum leptin concentrations and the above variables was measured outwith the luteal phase. A subgroup of 24 PCOS subjects underwent more frequent blood sampling to monitor follicular growth and ovulation. The association between variables was measured by univariate, multivariate and partial correlation analyses. RESULTS Serum leptin concentrations were not different in subjects with PCOS and controls, and were strongly associated with BMI in both groups. Twelve patients ovulated during the study period. There was no significant difference in serum leptin concentrations between ovulatory and anovulatory subjects. The relationship between BMI and leptin was similar in both groups. CONCLUSION The results indicated that circulating leptin concentrations relate principally to total body fat in subjects with PCOS and controls, and that this is not associated with the facility for follicular development and ovulation in these patients.
Synergistic Photothermal and Antibiotic Killing of Biofilm-Associated Staphylococcus aureus Using Targeted Antibiotic-Loaded Gold Nanoconstructs

Resistance to conventional antibiotics is a growing public health concern that is quickly outpacing the development of new antibiotics. This has led the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) to designate Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species as “ESKAPE pathogens” on the basis of the rapidly decreasing availability of useful antibiotics. This emphasizes the urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies to combat infections caused by these and other bacterial pathogens. In this study, we used Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) as a proof-of-principle ESKAPE pathogen to demonstrate that an appropriate antibiotic (daptomycin) can be incorporated into polydopamine-coated gold nanocages (AuNC@PDA) and that daptomycin-loaded AuNC@PDA can be conjugated to antibodies targeting a species-specific surface protein (staphylococcal protein A; Spa) as a means of achieving selective delivery of the nanoconstructs directly to the bacterial cell surface. Targeting specificity was confirmed by demonstrating a lack of binding to mammalian cells, reduced photothermal and antibiotic killing of the Spa-negative species Staphylococcus epidermidis, and reduced killing of S. aureus in the presence of unconjugated anti-Spa antibodies. We demonstrate that laser irradiation at levels within the current safety standard for use in humans can be used to achieve both a lethal photothermal effect and controlled release of the antibiotic, thus resulting in a degree of therapeutic synergy capable of eradicating viable S. aureus cells. The system was validated using planktonic bacterial cultures of both methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains and subsequently shown to be effective in the context of an established biofilm, thus indicating that this approach could be used to facilitate the effective treatment of intrinsically resistant biofilm infections.
Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with seizure occurrence in older adults with epilepsy

Background: Although epileptic seizures occur more commonly in older adults, their occurrence in this age group is often unexplained. One unexplored precipitant of seizures in older adults is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is also more common in this age group. Our objective was to investigate whether OSA is associated with seizure exacerbation in older adults with epilepsy. Methods: Polysomnography was performed in older adult patients with late-onset or worsening seizures (Group 1, n = 11) and those who were seizure-free or who had improvement of seizures (Group 2, n = 10). Results: Patients in Group 1 had a significantly higher apnea-hypopnea index than patients in Group 2 (p = 0.002). Group 1 patients also had higher Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores (p = 0.009) and higher scores on the Sleep Apnea Scale of the Sleep Disorders Questionnaire (p = 0.04). The two groups were similar in age, body mass index, neck circumference, number of antiepileptic drugs currently used, and frequency of nocturnal seizures. Conclusions: Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with seizure exacerbation in older adults with epilepsy, and its treatment may represent an important avenue for improving seizure control in this population. GLOSSARY: AED = antiepileptic drug; AHI = apnea-hypopnea index; CPAP = continuous positive airway pressure; EDS = excessive daytime sleepiness; ESS = Epworth Sleepiness Scale; OSA = obstructive sleep apnea; PSG = polysomnography; SA-SDQ = Sleep Apnea section of the Sleep Disorder Questionnaire.
Essays in economics of education and econometric theory

This doctoral thesis is composed of three chapters on economics of education and econometric theory. Chapter 2 studies how students interact in teams and gives some guidance to educators how to group students to increase their academic knowledge obtained from teamwork. Chapter 3 provides some initial analysis which will be used in future research to investigate whether teachers’ subjective assessments are driven by superior information about pupils or by their biases and mistaken beliefs. It is important to disentangle these two forms of teacher discretion, because they have different policy implications. If teacher discretion stems from their biases or mistaken beliefs, educational institutions may want to minimize the reliance on teachers’ assessments. On the other hand, if teachers take into account abilities not captured by the standardized test, educational institutions may prefer to give more weight to their assessments. Chapter 4 proposes a new estimator for spatial sample selection models.