Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Policy Delphi: A Method for Identifying Intended and Unintended Consequences of Educational Policy

This article highlights a rarely utilized but effective technique for identifying intended and unintended consequences of past or current policy or policy change. The author guides the reader through the process of identifying potential participants, contacting participants, developing the policy Delphi instrument, and analyzing the findings by sharing an example of a research study he recently completed. In addition, the author also shares other potential uses of this methodology.
Model and Analysis of the Interaction Dynamics in Cooperative Manipulation Tasks

Efficient coordination of a multirobot team is the key challenge in robotic application domains such as manufacturing, construction, and service robotics. In cooperative manipulation tasks, the system dynamics result from the complex interaction of several manipulators handling a common object. A comprehensive model is indispensable for a sophisticated model-based control design. An open problem is the modeling and analysis of the overall system dynamics including the manipulators' interaction wrenches. Based on the apparent end-effector dynamics in task space, in this paper we focus on the characterization of the interaction effects when manipulating a common object. We note the central role of the imposed kinematic constraints for the emerging system dynamics, their significance for the manipulator coordination in terms of control design, and the analysis of internal wrenches applied to the object. We derive fundamental properties of the cooperative manipulator system relevant to the manipulation task such as the apparent impedance with respect to external disturbances. An experimental study is conducted with two cooperating anthropomorphic manipulators supporting the relevance of our findings.
Impact of antiplatelet therapy in the development of severe ischemic complications and in the outcome of patients with giant cell arteritis.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether concomitant treatment with low-dose aspirin or other antiplatelet agents have an impact on the risk of severe ischemic complications and in the outcome of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA). METHODS A retrospective follow-up study of an unselected population of 121 patients with GCA. RESULTS Thirty-seven patients (30.5%) received antiplatelet therapy before the onset of GCA symptoms and continued taking it during the corticosteroid treatment (30 received aspirin and 7 other antiplatelet agents). No statistically significant reduction in the incidence of ischemic manifestations (including jaw claudication, visual manifestations, cerebrovascular accidents, ischemic heart disease, and limb claudication due to large artery stenosis) was observed in this group compared with the remaining patients. When we analyzed follow-up data, we found no significant differences between groups in terms of frequency of relapses and percentage of patients recovered from GCA. Corticosteroid requirements among patients in long-lasting remission were lower in those under antiplatelet therapy, but this reduction was fairly modest, statistically non significant and thus of uncertain clinical significance. Similar results were found when only aspirin exposed patients (n=30) were compared to non-exposed patients. Logistic regression analysis showed that antiplatelet therapy (p=0.54, OR 1.31; 95% CI: 0.54-3.19) had not an independent protective effect against ischemic events when adjusted for age, sex, and the presence of atherosclerotic risk factors. CONCLUSION We did not observe a significant benefit derived from the use of antiplatelet therapy in either the incidence of severe ischemic events or the disease outcome. Although our results do not discard a potential therapeutic effect of high-dose aspirin, they do not confirm its suggested protective effect in preventing ischemic complications when used at antiplatelet doses.
The affective profiles in the USA: happiness, depression, life satisfaction, and happiness-increasing strategies

Background. The affective profiles model categorizes individuals as self-fulfilling (high positive affect, low negative affect), high affective (high positive affect, high negative affect), low affective (low positive affect, low negative affect), and self-destructive (low positive affect, high negative affect). The model has been used extensively among Swedes to discern differences between profiles regarding happiness, depression, and also life satisfaction. The aim of the present study was to investigate such differences in a sample of residents of the USA. The study also investigated differences between profiles with regard to happiness-increasing strategies. Methods. In Study I, 900 participants reported affect (Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule; PANAS) and happiness (Happiness-Depression Scale). In Study II, 500 participants self-reported affect (PANAS), life satisfaction (Satisfaction With Life Scale), and how often they used specific strategies to increase their own happiness (Happiness-Increasing Strategies Scales). Results. The results showed that, compared to the other profiles, self-fulfilling individuals were less depressed, happier, and more satisfied with their lives. Nevertheless, self-destructive individuals were more depressed, unhappier, and less satisfied than all other profiles. The self-fulfilling individuals tended to use strategies related to agentic (e.g., instrumental goal-pursuit), communal (e.g., social affiliation), and spiritual (e.g., religion) values when pursuing happiness. Conclusion. These differences suggest that promoting positive emotions can positively influence a depressive-to-happy state as well as increasing life satisfaction. Moreover, the present study shows that pursuing happiness through strategies guided by agency, communion, and spirituality is related to a self-fulfilling experience described as high positive affect and low negative affect.
Student Thinking Processes While Constructing Graphic Representations of Textbook Content: What Insights Do Think-Alouds Provide?

This study examined the thinking processes students engage in while constructing graphic representations of textbook content. Twenty-eight students who either used graphic representations in a routine manner during social studies instruction or learned to construct graphic representations based on the rhetorical patterns used to organize textbook content produced think-aloud responses while constructing graphic representations. Responses indicated that both groups of students needed to restate text while writing, but knowledge of rhetorical patterns appeared to facilitate students' ability to discriminate between main ideas and details, understand relationships between ideas, and, generally, engage the text more deeply. Implications for instruction are discussed.
“You’re Asian; You’re supposed to be smart”: Adolescents’ experiences with the Model Minority Stereotype and longitudinal links with identity.

Asian Americans are frequently perceived as a model minority, which encompasses a multifaceted and stereotyped portrayal of hard work and success. This study examines developmental trends in adolescents’ experiences with the Model Minority Stereotype (MMS) during adolescence, the valence of feelings about the MMS, and the associations between experiences, feelings, and ethnic identity. Survey data were collected annually from 159 Asian American adolescents throughout high school. Results revealed that MMS experiences increased over time, but feelings remained consistent in valence. Experiences and feelings predicted ethnic identity both concurrently and longitudinally, but ethnic identity predicted experiences only concurrently and did not predict the valence of feelings. Discussion focuses on how adolescents’ attitudes toward a complex ethnic stereotype may evolve as they establish—or fail to establish—a connection to their cultural background.
Hypogonadism in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: Central or Peripheral?

There is conflicting evidence in the literature on the etiology of hypogonadism in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). A cross-sectional study was done to determine whether hypogonadism in male patients with SCD is due to primary testicular failure or secondary pituitary/hypothalamic dysfunction and assess the association between hypogonadism and serum ferritin levels. Hormonal assessment for serum concentrations of testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) was done for 34 men with SCD and their charts were reviewed for relevant clinical variables. Eight men (24%) were classified hypogonadal based on their serum testosterone levels. These men have significantly lower LH (p = 0.001) and FSH (p = 0.01) levels than normogonadal men, indicating a central etiology. There was no significant difference between hypogonadal and normogonadal men with respect to ferritin levels (p = 0.71). Our study indicates a central etiology of hypogonadism in patients with SCD. In this small study ferritin level was not significantly related to hypogonadism.
Assessment of dental caries prevention program applied to a cohort of elementary school children of Kebemer, a city in Senegal

Objective: Dental caries is frequently observed in children, particularly among those residing in developing countries. The most adapted strategies against this pathology remains prevention based on information, education, and communication (IEC), as well as on early diagnosis and treatment. We carried out a study that aimed to analyze the development of dental caries in a cohort of school children followed during their primary education. The objective was to assess the evolution of the dental status of a cohort of students during their elementary curriculum. Materials and Methods: A cohort of school children was followed during 6 years from the first grade to the sixth grade. Monitoring of these school children focused every year on IEC based on learning methods of brushing messages, dietary advice, systematic visits, fluoride use, and primary dental care. During the school year, the students were periodically subjected to education and communication briefings (IEC). Primary care consisted of extracting and descaling rhizalyzed teeth in the same period. The data from this review were collected using the World Health Organization questionnaire, and statistical analysis was performed with the software Epi-info version 6.04 d. Results: The mean age of the 171 school children was 6 years in the first grade and 11 years in the sixth grade. In the first grade, the decayed permanent teeth prevalence was 31.6% and the In permanent teeth: Decayed, missing or filled teeth (DMF/T) was 0.47. The decayed primary teeth prevalence was 75% and the in primary teeth: decayed or filled teeth (df/t) 2.23. In the sixth year, the prevalence of decayed permanent teeth was 51% and DMF/T 0.36 whereas the decayed primary teeth prevalence was 12% and the df/t was 0.19. The prevalence of decayed permanent teeth increased from 31.6 to 51% whereas the mean DMF/T was not statistically different between school children of the first and sixth grade class. Conclusion: The promotion of oral health by IEC messages and monitoring of children constitute an effective preventive method for children′s oral care.
Porcine Circovirus Type 2 and Porcine Circovirus‐Associated Disease

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) belongs to the viral family Circoviridae and to the genus Circovirus. Circoviruses are small, single‐stranded nonenveloped DNA viruses that have an unsegmented circular genome. PCV2 is the primary causative agent of several syndromes collectively known as porcine circovirus‐associated disease (PCVAD). Many of the syndromes associated with PCVAD are a result of coinfection with PCV2 virus and other agents such as Mycoplasma and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus. PCV2 infection is present in every major swine‐producing country in the world, and the number of identified cases of PCVAD is rapidly increasing. In the United States, the disease has cost producers an average of 3–4 dollars per pig with peak losses ranging up to 20 dollars per pig. The importance of this disease has stimulated investigations aimed at identifying risk factors associated with infection and minimizing these risks through modified management practices and development of vaccination strategies. This paper provides an overview of current knowledge relating to PCV2 and PCVAD with an emphasis on information relevant to the swine veterinarian.
Mood and Flow

We examined the benefits of a single session of narrative and poetry writing to determine the immediate effects of each on mood and flow. Following a sad mood induction, we randomly assigned participants to a narrative versus poetry format and to an express versus a distract condition. We measured affect before and after writing and asked participants to complete a flow and enjoyment questionnaire after writing. The distract condition improved affect (by increasing positive and decreasing negative affect) more than did the express condition, regardless of writing format. The poetry format resulted in greater enjoyment than the narrative format, but flow did not differ by condition. Results show that, parallel to findings with drawing, writing to distract is a more effective means of mood improvement than writing to express, at least in the short term. Distraction appears to be the driving force leading to greater mood improvement, regardless of writing format.
Working memory profiles of children with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) : a comparison with controls.

With 10% of the population being infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), South Africa has the highest number of infections in the world (StatsSA, 2013). HIV results in cognitive and motor deficits in children as the severe compromise of the immune system leads to neurodevelopmental dysfunction peri-natally (Ruel, Boivin, Boal, Bangirana, Charlebois, & Havlir, 2011). Neurocognitive deficits affect overall general intellectual abilities and include difficulties with attention and speed of information processing, verbal language, executive –abstraction, complex-perceptual motor function, memory and motor and sensory function (Dawes & Grant, 2007). Developmentally, it is evident that working memory provides a crucial interface between perception, attention, memory and action (Baddeley, 1996; Baddeley 2003). Therefore the purpose of the study was to investigate the working memory profiles of both an HIV positive children and a control sample, on cognitive tasks (Automated Working Memory Assessment), general intellect tasks (Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices) and language competence tasks (Sentence Repetition Test). The current study compared 26 HIV positive children (mean age = 6.58 years) to 26 matched controls (mean age = 6.73 years). It was found that both non-verbal IQ and language proficiency were correlated to HIV status and thus were used as covariates in the study. MANCOVA’s were conducted on the data and produced findings that showed that there were only significant differences in visuo-spatial short-term memory between the two groups. Furthermore, it was also found that there were significant differences between the groups on nonverbal IQ and language proficiency. Therefore, the results showed that HIV may have an overall effect on non-verbal ability and language proficiency and a few aspects of working memory such as visuo-spatial short-term memory. Together with future studies focused on larger sample sizes and children who are not currently on HAART, early developmental interventions can be formulated to assist South African HIV-infected children so that the neurocognitive effects are lessened and their overall lifestyle is improved.
Selective attention in peacocks during assessment of rival males

ABSTRACT Males in many species compete intensely for access to females. In order to minimize costly interactions, they can assess their rivals’ competitive abilities by evaluating traits and behaviors. We know little about how males selectively direct their attention to make these assessments. Using Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) as a model system, we examined how males visually assess their competitors by continuously tracking the gaze of freely moving peacocks during the mating season. When assessing rivals, peacocks selectively gazed toward the lower display regions of their rivals, including the lower eyespot and fishtail feathers, dense feathers, body and wings. Their attention was modified based on the rivals’ behavior such that they spent more time looking at rivals when rivals were shaking their wings and moving. The results indicate that peacocks selectively allocate their attention during rival assessment. The gaze patterns of males assessing rivals were largely similar to those of females evaluating mates, suggesting that some male traits serve a dual function in both intra- and intersexual selection. However, males spent more time than females looking at the upper eyespots and this could indicate that the upper eyespots function more in close-up rival assessment than mate choice. Summary: Peacocks selectively direct their attention toward the lower display regions of the train during rival assessment in a pattern similar to how peahens direct their attention toward potential mating partners.
Capital Inflows and Asset Prices: Evidence from Emerging Asia

The withdrawal of foreign capital from emerging countries at the height of the recent financial crisis and its quick return sparked a debate about the impact of capital flow surges on asset markets. This paper addresses the response of property prices to an inflow of foreign capital. For that purpose we estimate a panel VAR on a set of Asian emerging market economies, for which the waves of inflows were particularly pronounced, and identify capital inflow shocks based on sign restrictions. Our results suggest that capital inflow shocks have a significant effect on the appreciation of house prices and equity prices. Capital inflow shocks account for - roughly - twice the portion of overall house price changes they explain in OECD countries. We also address cross-country differences in the house price responses to shocks, which are most likely due to differences in the monetary policy response to capital inflows.
Hermes: A fast cross-ISA binary translator with post-optimization

In the era of mobile and cloud computing, cross-ISA (Instruction Set Architecture) binary translation attracts increasing attentions due to the ISA diversity of computing platforms. To easily adapt to vast guest- and host-ISAs with minimal porting efforts, existing cross-ISA binary translators (e.g., QEMU) are typically built upon ISA-independent Intermediate Representation (IR). Although IR conceals the architectural details of different IS As, it also prevents enforcing several effective ISA-specific optimizations, which results in severe performance degradation. To improve the performance of cross-ISA binary translation without loss of portability, we present a fast cross-ISA binary translator, Hermes, by conducting post-optimization on the translated code, rather than on the IR as conventional binary translators do. The proposed post-optimization technique uses Host-specific Data Dependence Graph (HDDG) to significantly eliminate redundant instructions, including arithmetic, load/store and call/return-emulation instructions. To validate our approach, we implement Hermes on a commercial MIPS host system for both ×86 and ARM guest. Compared with QEMU dynamic binary translator, HERMES improves the performance by a factor of 3.14× and 5.18× for ×86 and ARM guest, respectively. Compared with state-of-the-art static binary translator, HERMES achieves comparable performance, while it reduces the translation overhead by 185×.
EducaciÛn de los Padres y Tenis de Mesa: RevisiÛn TeÛrica y Orientaciones Pr·cticas Parental Education and Table Tennis: Theoretical Review and Practice Guidelines

The aim of this study was to determine the parental educational practices necessary for proper development of sport career of young players and clarify the role of parents in table tennis. The parental educational practices were analyzed and their link with the practice of table tennis. The theoretical analysis of the scientific literature showed that the children of democratic parents have the best psychological adjustment to practice table tennis, children of permissive parents showed poor psychological adjustment but good motivation and more hours of practice, and players who are children of authoritarian parents have the worst psychological adjustment for playing table tennis. Finally, parents should express support, they should never be a factor of pressure and initially they must not take out the sport context of an educational
Epidemiology of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Italian children

In Italy, data regarding the aetiological role, antibiotic resistance, and serotype distribution of isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae are scarce and based on very small population samples. We found that S. pneumoniae caused about 30% of lower respiratory tract infections and 15% of acute otitis media infections in Italian children. The incidence of S. pneumoniae meningitis in subjects aged 0–4y was 1.1 ± 100000. In children <5y of age with meningitis, the most common S. pneumoniae serotypes were, in rank order, 14, 6, 23, 1 and 4; among 53 nasopharyngeal carriers the most frequent serotypes were 6 and 19. The actual percentage of resistance of S. pneumoniae to penicillin is 10.2%, while for macrolides it reaches 25.5%. More data on the distribution of serotypes in Italian children are urgently needed in order to obtain a better understanding of the impact of the new pneumococcal vaccines.
Are Standard Instruments Valid for the Assessment of Quality of Life and Symptoms in Glaucoma?

Purpose. To determine if the impact of Visual Impairment Instrument (IVI) and Glaucoma Symptom Scale (GSS) are valid instruments to assess participation in daily living and ophthalmic complaints, respectively, in a glaucoma population. Methods. Patients with glaucoma were recruited from private and public clinics and completed the IVI and GSS questionnaires. The two scales were assessed for fit to the Rasch model. Unidimensionality, individual item and person fit to the model, response category performance (how respondents differentiate between the response options), differential item functioning (how subgroups, despite equal levels of the underlying trait, respond differently to an individual item), and targeting of items to patients (good spread of items across the full range of patients' scores) were assessed. Results. One hundred seventy-five participants (mean age = 71 year) were recruited. The majority (65%) had primary open angle glaucoma and good presenting visual acuity ≥6/9 in the better eye (87%). Only one-third of the participants had severe visual field loss in both eyes. Disordered thresholds were evident across all GSS items, indicating that the categories were difficult to discriminate and required category collapsing (5 to 3 categories). There was no evidence of person and item misfit, differential item functioning, and multidimensionality. However, both scales displayed ineffective person-item targeting as a large number of participants demonstrated little difficulty with the most difficult items. Conclusions. Because of unsatisfactory targeting, The IVI and GSS are suboptimal scales to assess patients with glaucoma but relatively good vision. It is likely that items could be added to optimize the performance of both instruments. There may however be a need to develop a glaucoma-specific instrument to assess Quality of Life in this population.