Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bayesian and likelihood-based methods in multilevel modeling 1 A comparison of Bayesian and likelihood-based methods for fitting multilevel models

We use simulation studies, whose design is realistic for educational andmedicalresearch(aswellasotherfleldsofinquiry),tocompareBayesianand likelihood-basedmethodsforflttingvariance-components(VC)andrandom-efiects logistic regression (RELR) models. The likelihood (and approximate likelihood) approachesweexaminearebasedonthemethodsmostwidelyusedincurrentap- plied multilevel (hierarchical) analyses: maximum likelihood (ML) and restricted ML(REML)forGaussianoutcomes,andmarginalandpenalizedquasi-likelihood (MQL and PQL) for Bernoulli outcomes. Our Bayesian methods use Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimation, with adaptive hybrid Metropolis-Gibbs sampling for RELR models, and several difiuse prior distributions (i i1 (†;†) and U(0; 1 ) priors for variance components). For evaluation criteria we consider bias of point estimates and nominal versus actual coverage of interval estimates in re- peated sampling. In two-level VC models we flnd that (a) both likelihood-based and Bayesian approaches can be made to produce approximately unbiased esti- mates, although the automatic manner in which REML accomplishes this is an advantage, but (b) both approaches had di-culty achieving nominal coverage in smallsamplesandwithsmallvaluesoftheintraclasscorrelation. Withthethree- levelRELRmodelsweexamineweflndthat(c)quasi-likelihoodmethodsforesti- mating random-efiects variances perform badly with respect to bias and coverage intheexamplewesimulated,and(d)Bayesiandifiuse-priormethodsleadtowell- calibratedpointandintervalRELRestimates. Whileitistruethatthelikelihood- based methods we study are considerably faster computationally than MCMC, (i) steady improvements in recent years in both hardware speed and e-ciency of MonteCarloalgorithmsand(ii)thelackofcalibrationoflikelihood-basedmethods insomecommonhierarchicalsettingscombinetomakeMCMC-basedBayesianflt- tingofmultilevelmodelsanattractiveapproach,evenwithratherlargedatasets. Other analytic strategies based on less approximate likelihood methods are also possible butwouldbeneflt fromfurtherstudy ofthe type summarized here.
Furries from A to Z (Anthropomorphism to Zoomorphism)

Th is study explored the furry identity. Furries are humans interested in anthropomorphic art and cartoons. Some furries have zoomorphic tendencies. Furries often identify with, and/or assume, characteristics of a special/totem species of nonhuman animal. Th is research surveyed both furries (n = 217) and non-furry individuals (n = 29) attending a furry convention and a comparison group of college students (n = 68). Furries commonly indicated dragons and various canine and feline species as their alternate-species identity; none reported a nonhuman-primate identity. Dichotomous responses (“yes” or “no”) to two key furry-identity questions (“do you consider yourself to be less than 100% human” and “if you could become 0% human, would you”) produced a two-by-two furry typology. Th ese two independent dimensions are self-perception (undistorted versus distorted) and species identity (attained versus unattained). One-quarter of the furry sample answered “yes” to both questions, placing them in the “Distorted Unattained” quadrant. Th is type of furry has certain characteristics paralleling gender-identity disorder. To explore this parallel, the furry typology, and the proposed construct of “Species Identity Disorder” needs further research.
Accomplishment in the multitude of counsellors : peer feedback in translation training

The study probes into translation students’ perception of the value of online peer feedback in improving translation skills. Students enrolled in a translation degree in Australia translated a 250-word text on two separate occasions. On each occasion, the students were given another fellow student’s translation of the same text to mark and provide anonymous peer feedback. The original translations from all the students, together with any peer feedback, were uploaded onto an online forum. The students were encouraged to download their own translation to review the peer feedback in it. They were also encouraged to download and peruse other students’ peer reviewed translations for comparison. Upon completion of the project, the students were surveyed about their perceptions and appreciation of their engagement in the process in the following three capacities: (i) as a feedback provider, (ii) as a feedback recipient, and (iii) as a peruser of other students’ work and the peer feedback therein. Results suggest that translation students appreciate online peer feedback as a valuable activity that facilitates improvement. The students found receiving peer feedback on their own translation especially rewarding, as it offered alternative approaches and perspectives on tackling linguistic/translation issues. In comparing the three capacities, students perceived reviewing feedback on their own work and perusing other students’ work as more beneficial than engaging in giving feedback to others.
Egg-dumping lace bugs preferentially oviposit with kin

Egg dumping, or abandoning eggs and young to the care of other conspecifics, results in an extreme form of alloparental care. It is unclear, however, if egg dumpers discriminate among kin and nonkin egg recipients. In the lace bug Gargaphia solani (Heteroptera: Tingidae), some females with eggs (guards) also accept and defend eggs of conspecifics. Other females (egg dumpers) abandon their offspring after oviposition, leaving a single guard as the caregiver. We asked if egg dumpers preferentially dump their eggs among unguarded eggs of kin or nonkin. When given a choice between dumping among eggs of full siblings and eggs of nonsiblings, most eggs (67%) were dumped with full siblings' eggs. Furthermore, egg dumpers were just as likely to oviposit among eggs of kin with whom they had interacted on a shared host plant during juvenile development as they were to oviposit with kin reared on different host plants. Thus, egg dumpers discriminate kin by using cues associated with eggs, and such cues are not likely to be acquired through interaction on a common host plant environment. Copyright 2000 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
A Computerized Stroop Experiment that Demonstrates the Interaction in a 2 × 3 Factorial Design

This article describes a computerized Stroop-type experiment that demonstrates the effects of an interaction in a factorial design. The independent variables in this experiment are (a) the presentation of a congruent color word with a color bar or the presentation of a conflicting color word with a color bar and (b) the spatial placement of the color word above, on, or below the color bar. The dependent variable is the reaction time for the subject to say the color of the bar. Data for six semesters of an experimental psychology lab course indicate a significant difference between the conflicting and congruent conditions and a consistent significant interaction between the two independent variables. The computer program that runs this experiment is described, and explanations for the interaction are discussed.
Heparin-Free DALI LDL-Apheresis in Hyperlipidemic Patients: Efficacy, Safety and Biocompatibility

Background and Aim of Study In routine DALI apheresis - the first technique for direct adsorption of lipoproteins from whole blood - heparin plus citrate (ACD-A) is used as anticoagulation regimen. However, recently several publications have warned of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia as a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of heparin administration (HIT type 2). The aim of the present study was therefore to test the efficacy and biocompatibility of DALI using a heparin-free anticoagulation regimen consisting exclusively of citrate. Methods Four symptomatic hypercholesterolemic patients on regular DALI apheresis were switched to the heparin-free protocol for two sessions each. Two of the patients were on oral anticoagulation using phenprocoumon. In the weekly sessions, 1.3 patient blood volumes were processed at a blood flow rate of 60 ml/min using ACD-A at a ratio of 1:20 (v/v) during adsorber priming and the session. Results Clinically, all sessions were essentially uneventful. Uncorrected lipoprotein reductions amounted to 65% for LDL-C, 62% for Lp(a), 53% for VLDL-C, 24% for HDL-C, 17% for triglycerides and 19% for fibrinogen. Cell counts remained virtually constant. No signs of hemolysis or clotting could be detected. Thromboplastin time (Quick) was slightly prolonged and partial thromboplastin time (PTT) moderately elevated in all patients. In constrast, whole blood coagulation time acc. to Lee-White and activated clotting times were increased only in orally anticoagulated patients. Biocompatibility in terms of complement, leukocyte and thrombocyte activation was excellent. Bradykinin activation was moderate peaking at 3038 pg/ml in the efferent line. Systemic thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT) reflected perfect anticoagulation in orally anticoagulated patients and adequate anticoagulation in the patients without phenprocoumon. Conclusion In this pilot study, heparin-free DALI apheresis was safe and effective and may thus be performed in LDL-apheresis dependent patients who suffer from heparin intolerance.
The Effects of Explicitly Teaching Story Structure to Primary Grade Children

The importance of emergentliteracy skills as a foundation for proficientreading has led to the developmentof interventions to teach these skills. These interventions are particularly important for children from disadvantaged homes because they often lack the home literacy experiences necessary for building foundational literacy skills prior to school entry. While previous interventions have been successful in developing literacy skills, noticeably absent has been instruction to develop comprehension. In this study, teachers explicitly taught the narrative structure to kindergarten and first grade children in high poverty schools to increase their comprehension of children’s literature. Instruction was delivered as children listened to stories during daily story time. The findings indicate that children who learned story structures recalled more ideas from new stories and answered more questions about structural elements of those stories (e.g., who is the main character? ). The results suggest that teachers can deliver effective comprehension instruction to emergent and beginning readers in the context of listening comprehension activities.
Managing Joint Disease in the Racehorse in the Face of Stricter Drug Restrictions

Intra-articular use of corticosteroids has become a recent focus (or re-focus) of attention in the Thoroughbred racing industry. The clinical use and scientific basis of intra-articular corticosteroid administration including catastrophic injury, articular cartilage degradation, and the development of osteoarthritis (OA) as well as the timing of injection relative to racing have been reviewed. Most recently, there has been very specific examination by the Racing, Medication, and Testing Consortium (RMTC). At the time of that press release, the RMTC had approved (1) minimal withdrawal time recommendations for corticosteroids on the basis of both recently completed work funded in part by the RMTC and conducted at the University of Pennsylvania, University of California-Davis, Kenneth L. Maddy Laboratory, and HFL Laboratory-Kentucky and other corticosteroid research conducted both in the United States and abroad and (2) recommendations were developed during an RMTC-hosted Corticosteroid Experts Conference in Anaheim, California, on November 30, 2012. This meeting brought together qualified individuals with professional expertise in key areas with the goal of providing a comprehensive plan for regulating corticosteroid use in horse racing to protect equine health and welfare. Participants included analytical chemists, veterinary pharmacologists, veterinary surgeons, racing regulatory veterinarians, and practicing racetrack veterinarians. Among the recommendations was a prohibition on intra-articular use of corticosteroids within 7 days of a race, taking into consideration the concerns expressed by many participants about the proximity of intra-articular injections to race day. The experts also recommended a 72-hour withdrawal time for dexamethasone, a commonly used short-acting corticosteroid that can be administered intravenously, intramuscularly and orally. Other short-acting corticosteroids would have similar restrictions. It was also noted that the recommendations would fundamentally change the use of corticosteroids in veterinary practice in racing in the United States and therefore recommended a grace period to allow veterinarians time to adjust their veterinary practices and to allow trainers time to adjust their training practices to comply with the new regulations. Further details regarding these recommendations are discussed below (Table 1). The purpose of this review is to offer possible modifications and alternatives with the intra-articular and systemic therapy for traumatic joint injury
Retrieving Leaf and Canopy Water Content of Winter Wheat Using Vegetation Water Indices

This study investigates the capability of spectral indices for estimating winter wheat leaf and canopy water content using radiative transfer modeling and field measurements. An irrigation treatment experiment was conducted to investigate response of crop growth to water supply in 2014 and 2015. Plant sampling and canopy spectral reflectance were measured in the two growing seasons. The main goal was to evaluate the potential of selected spectral indices formulated with the Sentinel-2 bands for winter wheat water status assessment. A global sensitivity analysis using reflectance simulated by the PROSPECT-5 and SAILH models showed that leaf water contributed the most to the variation of spectral water indices derived from leaf reflectance but had reduced contribution when the indices were derived from canopy reflectance. Correlation between canopy water content (<italic>C<sub>w, C</sub></italic>) and canopy spectral water indices was significant, although it was impacted by canopy structural descriptors such as the leaf inclination angle and the leaf area index. Satisfactory estimation of <italic><sub>w, C</sub></italic> could be achieved using the normalized difference water index (NDWI) (<italic>R</italic><sup>2</sup> = 0.68, RMSE<sub>cv </sub> = 0.148 kg⋅m<sup>−2</sup>, and <italic>n</italic> = 463). The estimated <italic>C<sub> w, C</sub></italic> at the jointing stage was significantly correlated with grain yield. A map of <italic>C<sub>w, C </sub></italic> was generated from Sentinel-2 image acquired on March 30, 2016, showing spatial variation of winter wheat canopy water status comparable with the drought indicators reported by the Meteorological Bureau at the regional scale. It also showed variations at the field scale. Hence, there is a great potential to use the NDWI derived from Sentinel-2 data for detecting crop response to water stress and provide support to irrigation decision.
Combined time-domain harmonic compression and CVSD for 7.2 kbit/s transmission of speech signals

In this presentation we report on preliminary results obtained with a speech encoding scheme which combines time-domain harmonic compression (TDHC) and CVSD for digital transmission of speech signals at 7.2 kbit/s. The harmonic compression at the transmitter and the harmonic expansion at the receiver are performed with the recently developed time-domain harmonic scaling (TDHS) algorithms. By using a frequency-scaling factor of 2 and the encoding of the frequency-divided signal with a 7.2 kbit/s CVSD coder, the reconstructed speech has a quality close to that achieved by a 14.4 kbit/s plain CVSD. The complexity of the proposed system is significantly lower than more elaborate waveform coders or vocoders which can operate at 7.2 kbit/s. Issues involved in the proposed combination are discussed and computer simulation results are presented.
Mothers' and Daughters' Paternalism Beliefs and Caregiving Decision Making

The study investigated whether both mothers' and daughters' paternalism beliefs influenced the daughters' paternalistic caregiving decision making. Fifty mother-daughter dyads (mothers' age was 82.6, daughters' age was 54.9), where daughters provided at least 10 hours of caregiving help weekly and mothers retained their cognitive functioning, were interviewed individually. Each was assessed on paternalism beliefs, instrumental activities of daily living, the number of paternalistic caregiving decisions made by the daughter, conflict over caregiving decisions, and satisfaction with the decisions. Both mother's and daughter's paternalism beliefs were related to the number of the daughter's paternalistic decisions, as was the degree of the mother's dependency (p < .05). Daughters'reports of conflict over decisions were related to differences in mothers' and daughters' paternalism beliefs, whereas mothers' reports of conflict were related only to the daughters' paternalism beliefs. Decision satisfaction was unrelated to beliefs. Implications for practitioners are suggested.
Active disks: programming model, algorithms and evaluation

Several application and technology trends indicate that it might be both profitable and feasible to move computation closer to the data that it processes. In this paper, we evaluate Active Disk architectures which integrate significant processing power and memory into a disk drive and allow application-specific code to be downloaded and executed on the data that is being read from (written to) disk. The key idea is to offload bulk of the processing to the diskresident processors and to use the host processor primarily for coordination, scheduling and combination of results from individual disks. To program Active Disks, we propose a stream-based programming model which allows disklets to be executed efficiently and safely. Simulation results for a suite of six algorithms from three application domains (commercial data warehouses, image processing and satellite data processing) indicate that for these algorithms, Active Disks outperform conventional-disk architectures.
Intra-European Migration and the Mobility—Enclosure Dialectic

European migrants to Spain's coastal areas could be described as the archetypal elite transmigrant. Embodying Papastergiadis' spectre of placeless capital and the homeless subject, `residential tourists' make creative use of modern communication technologies and increasingly accessible air travel to construct fluid migration trajectories, employing transnational affective and instrumental networks. However, research on British migrants to Spain has revealed a high incidence of social, cultural, economic, and political exclusion. Following a dream of star ting a new life in a new place, some migrants do not wish to transcend the assimilationist model, nor have the resources to depend on transnational ties. Their dream is integration, but the tensions inherent in the mobility—enclosure dialectic — the contradictions between freedom of movement and the reasser tion of the nation state, an ambiguous status in Spanish society, their own ambivalent attitudes — constrain both assimilation and their ability to transcend it and lead to marginalization.
Retinopathy in Pregnancy Induced Hypertension

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out at Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi from July 2013 to July 2015. 168 patients with Pregnancy Induced Hypertension were examined for any fundus changes. Patient’s age, number of pregnancies, gestation period, blood pressure and proteinuria were noted. Pupils were dilated and fundus examination was done by direct ophthalmoscope. The data was analyzed by SPSS program.
Faculty & Research Working Paper Identity as Narrative: Overcoming Identity Gaps during Work Role Transitions

Self-narratives, defined as accounts of the relationship among self-relevant events over time, play a critical role in helping people adapt, revise and reconstruct identities during work role transitions. Role transitions pose two challenges to a person’s sense of self: they create gaps between past and future work identities, and between identities claimed and identities granted in social interactions. Drawing from the literature on narrative and narration, we identify elements of narrative form and the narrating process that may help overcome these challenges by generating coherence, legitimacy and audience engagement. These, in turn, create feelings of consistency and authenticity and increase the likelihood that claimed identities are granted. With repeated interaction and revision, a more compelling narrative develops, one that helps the narrator incorporate new identity elements into a revised self-concept and gain full membership in the new work group.
US Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and European Cystic Fibrosis Society consensus recommendations for the management of non-tuberculous mycobacteria in individuals with cystic fibrosis: executive summary

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous environmental organisms that can cause chronic pulmonary infection, particularly in individuals with pre-existing inflammatory lung disease, such as cystic fibrosis (CF). Pulmonary disease (PD) caused by NTM has emerged as a major threat to the health of individuals with CF, but remains difficult to diagnose and problematic to treat. In response to this challenge, the US Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) and the European Cystic Fibrosis Society (ECFS) convened a panel of 19 experts to develop consensus recommendations for the screening, investigation, diagnosis and management of NTM-PD in individuals with CF. PICO (population, intervention, comparison, outcome) methodology and systematic literature reviews were employed to inform draft recommendations, which were then modified to achieve consensus and subsequently circulated for public consultation within the USA and European CF communities. We have thus generated a series of pragmatic, evidence-based recommendations as an initial step in optimising management for this challenging condition.
Circulating Fibrocytes Are Increased in Neonates with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Background Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is characterized by the aberrant remodeling of the lung parenchyma, resulting from accumulation of fibroblasts or myofibroblasts. Circulating fibrocytes are implied in pulmonary fibrosis, but whether these cells are associated with the development of BPD or the progressive fibrosis is unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of fibrocytes in peripheral venous blood and explore whether these cells might be associated with severity of BPD. Methods We investigated circulating fibrocytes in 66 patients with BPD, 23 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) and 11 normal subjects. Circulating fibrocytes were defined and quantified as cells positive for CD45 andcollagen-1 by flow cytometry. Furthermore, serum SDF-1/CXCL12 and TGF-β1 were evaluated using ELISA methods. We also investigated the clinical value of fibrocyte counts by comparison with standard clinical parameters. Results The patients with BPD had significantly increased numbers of fibrocytes compared to the controls (p < 0.01). Patients with ARDS were not different from healthy control subjects. There was a correlation between the number of fibrocytes and pulmonary hypertension or oxygen saturation (p < 0.05). Fibrocyte numbers were not correlated with other clinical or functional variables or radiologic severity scores. The fibrocyte attractant chemokine CXCL12 increased in plasma (p < 0.05) and was detectable in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of 40% of the patients but not in controls. Conclusion These findings indicate that circulating fibrocytes are increased in patients with BPD and may contribute to pulmonary fibrosis in BPD. Circulating fibrocytes, likely recruited through the CXCR4/CXCL12 axis, might contribute to the production of TGF-β1 for the expansion of fibroblast/myofibroblast population in BPD.