Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Accuracy and precision of no instrument is guaranteed: a reply to Rosenstock et al.

Photoacoustic infrared spectroscopy (PAS) is increasingly used for measurement of N2O and CO2 fluxes at the soil surface. However, PAS calibration is complex. Water vapor, CO2, and temperature interfere with accurate N2O measurement. To accurately measure N2O, PAS calibrations must compensate for these interferences. Our article, ‘Evaluation of photoacoustic infrared spectroscopy for the simultaneous measurement of N2O and CO2 gas concentrations and fluxes at the soil surface’ (Iqbal et al., 2013), compared PAS and gas chromatography (GC) analytical procedures. Results demonstrated that PAS can measure N2O concentrations (ca. 0.5–3.0 ppm) and fluxes (ca. 0.5–5.0 ppm min ) with accuracy and precision similar to GC without interferences from H2O vapor or CO2 concentrations typically encountered in static flux chambers at the soil surface. In response, Rosenstock et al. (2013) initiated a valuable dialogue by reminding readers that analytical instrument accuracy and precision are not guaranteed. Although we agree with this primary assertion, several other assertions in the authors’ letter are flawed. Based on two PAS evaluations that produced inaccurate N2O measurements at low concentrations (ca. 0.0–0.7 ppm), Rosenstock et al. (2013) suggested that the results of Iqbal et al. (2013) were limited to unique experimental conditions including relatively high N2O concentrations and fluxes. Ultimately, the authors questioned the ability of PAS to be calibrated for accurate measurement of N2O concentrations and fluxes across the ranges encountered during standard operating conditions. We highlight published data, new experimental results, and differences in calibration procedures that indicate Rosenstock et al. (2013) evaluated improperly calibrated instruments. We extend the experiments of Iqbal et al. (2013) to low N2O concentrations and clarify the importance of evaluating high N2O concentrations and fluxes. Finally, we suggest procedures to avoid faulty PAS calibrations. The PAS evaluations conducted by Rosenstock et al. (2013) demonstrated: (i) two PAS units did not accurately measure three N2O concentrations in analytical standards (hereafter PAS 1 and PAS 2); and (ii) measurements of N2O concentrations with a third PAS unit experienced significant interferences from H2O vapor and/or temperature (hereafter PAS 3). Relative to our evaluations, they stated:
Particular Features of Surgical Site Infection in Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion

Background Previous reports have observed differences only in infection rates between posterolateral fusion and posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF). There have been no reports that describe the particular features of surgical site infection (SSI) in PLIF. In this study, we endeavor to identify the distinguishing characteristics and risk factors of SSI in PLIF. Methods Our study undertook a review of a case series of an institute. Patients who had undergone PLIF consecutively in the author's hospital were reviewed. Two proactive procedures were introduced during the study period. One was irrigation of the autolocal bone, and the other was the intradiscal space irrigation with a nozzle. Infection rate and risk factors were analyzed. For subgroup analysis, the elapsed time to a diagnosis (ETD), clinical manifestations, hematologic findings, and causative bacteria were examined in patients with SSI. Results In a total of 1,831 cases, there were 30 cases of SSI (1.6%). Long operation time was an independent risk factor (p = 0.008), and local bone irrigation was an independent protective factor (p = 0.001). Two cases of referred SSI were included in the subgroup analysis. There were 6/32 (19%) superficial incisional infections (SII), 6/32 (19%) deep incisional infections (DII), and 20/32 (62%) organ/space infections (O/SI). The difference of incidence among three groups was significant (p = 0.002). The most common bacteria encountered were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis followed by methicillin-resistant S. aureus in incisional infections, and no growth followed by S. epidermidis in O/SI. ETD was 8.5 ± 2.3 days in SII, 8.7 ± 2.3 days in DII and 164.5 ± 131.1 days in O/SI (p = 0.013). Conclusions The rate of SSI in PLIF was 1.6%, with the most common type being O/SI. The causative bacteria of O/SI was of lower virulence than in the incisional infection, and thus diagnosis was delayed due to its latent and insidious feature. Contamination of auto-local bone was presumed attributable to the progression of SSI. Irrigation of auto-local bone helped in the reduction of SSI.
Evaluación de la homofobia en los futuros docentes de Educación Secundaria

This paper aimed at measuring for the first time homophobia levels (inter alia) among Secondary Education teachers in Spain. The sample was composed of 214 students (n=214) of the University´s Master´s Degree in Teacher Training: Secondary and Upper Secondary Education, Vocational Training and Language Teaching (MFPS). For this purpose, a survey validated by a committee of experts and a pilot study were conducted. The findings suggest that 20 % of prospective teachers showed a homophobic attitude, especially at cognitive and affective levels.
Money and Power: How Goldman Sachs Came to Rule the World

William D. Cohan's "Money and Power: How Goldman Sachs Came to Rule the World" is a chronicle of the most successful, iconic bank on Wall Street, from the firm's founding in 1869 to the present day. Goldman Sachs are the investment bank all other banks - and most businesses - want to emulate; the firm with the best talent, the best clients, the best strategy. But is their success just down to the gilded magic of the 'Goldman way'? William D. Cohan has gained unprecedented access to Goldman's inner circle - both on and off the record. In an astonishing story of clashing egos, backstabbing, sex scandals, private investigators, court cases and government cabals, he reveals what really lies beneath their gold-plated image. "The best analysis yet of Goldman's increasingly tangled web of conflicts". ("Economist"). "Startling . lifts the lid on Goldman's pivotal role in the meltdown". ("Mail on Sunday"). "Cohan portrays a firm that has grown so large and hungry that it's no longer long-term greedy but short-term vicious. And that's the wonder - and horror - of Goldman Sachs". ("Businessweek"). "Cohan's book tells of bitter power struggles and business cock-ups". ("Guardian"). "A definitive account of the most profitable and influential investment bank of the modern era". ("The New York Times Book Review"). William D. Cohan was an award-winning investigative journalist before embarking on a seventeen-year career as an investment banker on Wall Street. His first book, "The Last Tycoons, about Lazard", won the 2007 "Financial Times"/Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award and was a "New York Times" bestseller. His second book, "House of Cards", also a bestseller, is an account of the last days of Bear Stearns & Co.
Regional variation of intracortical porosity in the midshaft of the human femur: age and sex differences

This study investigated age and sex differences in patterns of porosity distribution in the midshaft of the human femur. Cross‐sections were obtained from 168 individuals from a modern Australian population. The sample comprised 73 females and 95 males, aged between 20 and 97 years. Microradiographs were made of 100‐µm sections and pore and bone areas were determined using image processing software. Initially the sample was divided by age: young (20–44 years), middle (45–64 years) and old (65+ years), but it was found that analysis on the basis of the ratio of medullary area to total subperiosteal area gave clearer results. The cortex was divided into three rings radially and into octants circumferentially and the porosity of each segment was calculated. Results showed that a pattern with raised porosity in the posterior and anterolateral regions, and with greater porosity in the inner parts of the cortex, becomes more pronounced with age. In males this pattern develops steadily; in females there are much greater differences between the middle and older groups than earlier in life. The patterns observed are consistent with progressive bone loss occurring along a neutral axis of the cortex where bending stress is lowest and the mechanical advantage of the bone is least.
Using Curriculum Compacting to Challenge the Above-Average.

As the dialogue about better ways to restructure our schools goes on, teachers still face the challenge of providing equitably for the broad differences in students’ abilities, interests, and learning styles. Just as teachers experience frustration trying to adapt the curriculum for students who experience difficulty in learning, frustration also exists for students who have already mastered a good deal of the material or could easily master it in a fraction of the time required by other students. These students, who are academically ahead of their classmates, are held accountable for repetitious daily requirements that often lead to boredom, underdeveloped study skills, and disenchantment with school in general.
Ability of College Students to Simulate ADHD on Objective Measures of Attention

Objective: The authors examined the ability of college students to simulate ADHD symptoms on objective and self-report measures and the relationship between knowledge of ADHD and ability to simulate ADHD. Method: Undergraduate students were assigned to a control or a simulated ADHD malingering condition and compared with a clinical AD/HD group. The authors used several clinical attentional measures and symptom validity tests to differentiate experimental groups via a series of multivariate procedures. Results: Simulators successfully feigned ADHD symptoms on a retrospective self-report measure. Moreover, knowledge of ADHD was unrelated to objective attentional measure performance. Overall, participants who simulated ADHD on some objective measures (i.e., specific Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—III [WAIS-III] subtests) showed similar performance to the clinical ADHD comparison sample. Conclusion: The implications of these findings highlight the importance of relying on multiple vectors of information, be it objective, observational, self-report, or reports by others, when diagnosing ADHD and assessing factors related to potential secondary gain. (J. of Att. Dis. 2010; 13(4) 325-338)
Instituting Universal Secondary Education: Caribbean Students' Perceptions of their Schooling Experiences

As Caribbean governments continue to invest heavily in education as a major strategy for national and economic development, the question of student achievement and the need for increasing the effectiveness of schools in producing maximum student learning remains a dominant feature on the regional educational agenda, especially given recent education reforms which have mandated secondary educational provisions for every student in most Caribbean territories. However, despite this no Caribbean study thus far has examined Universal Secondary Education (USE) from the perspective of the students in the Caribbean who have now been afforded access to secondary education. This study takes an in-depth look at students’ experiences at eight secondary classrooms in the tri-island state of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique with the inception of Universal Secondary Education (USE). The study sought to examine the experiences of students in the lower performing secondary schools most affected by USE. Data were collected through a mixed method approach which included a survey of fifty (50) students and one (1) student focus group from each of the eight targeted schools. Student responses were grouped according to the following categories derived from data coding and analysis: classroom relationships, classroom teaching and learning, school curriculum, and school infrastructure. The findings present students’ explanations for the causes of poor student-teacher relationships, and inadequacies in teaching and learning, curriculum organization and physical infrastructure at the secondary level. This study therefore adds students’ voices to the persevering debate on educational improvement in the Caribbean in the 21 st century of universal access to education. Keywords: universal secondary education, secondary schooling, caribbean education, access to education, student voice, schooling experience, student-teacher relationship, teaching and learning
Entropy and Entropy Production: Old Misconceptions and New Breakthroughs

Persistent misconceptions existing for dozens of years and influencing progress in various fields of science are sometimes encountered in the scientific and especially, the popular-science literature. The present brief review deals with two such interrelated misconceptions (misunderstandings). The first misunderstanding: entropy is a measure of disorder. This is an old and very common opinion. The second misconception is that the entropy production minimizes in the evolution of nonequilibrium systems. However, as it has recently become clear, evolution (progress) in Nature demonstrates the opposite, i.e., maximization of the entropy production. The principal questions connected with this maximization are considered herein. The two misconceptions mentioned above can lead to the apparent contradiction between the conclusions of modern thermodynamics and the basic conceptions of evolution existing in biology. In this regard, the analysis of these issues seems extremely important and timely as it contributes to the deeper understanding of the laws of development of the surrounding World and the place of humans in it.
A Neural Network for Automatic Vehicles Guidance

The purpose of this work involves the application and the evaluation of a Reinforcement Learning (RL) based approach to address the problem of controlling the steering of a vehicle. The car is required to drive autonomously on unknown tracks without never going out of the way. The problem has been solved by using a simple neural network with two neurons, and according to the ASE-ACE algorithm. The evaluation has been carried out with referring to The Open Racing Car Simulator (TORCS).
Sequential Monte Carlo methods for filtering of unobservable components of multidimensional diffusion Markov processes

Abstract The problem of filtering of unobservable components x(t) of a multidimensional continuous diffusion Markov process , given the observations of the (multidimensional) process y(t) taken at discrete consecutive times with small time steps, is analytically investigated. On the base of that investigation the new algorithms for simulation of unobservable components, x(t), and the new algorithms of nonlinear filtering with the use of sequential Monte Carlo methods, or particle filters, are developed and suggested. The analytical investigation of observed quadratic variations is also developed. The new closed-form analytical formulae are obtained, which characterize dispersions of deviations of the observed quadratic variations and the accuracy of some estimates for x(t). As an illustrative example, estimation of volatility (for the problems of financial mathematics) is considered. The obtained new algorithms extend the range of applications of sequential Monte Carlo methods, or particle filters, beyond the hidden Markov models and improve their performance.
Epidemiological characteristics of corneal ulcers in South sharqiya region.

OBJECTIVES To understand the epidemiology, predisposing factors, etiology and the outcome of management of corneal ulcers in South Sharqiya Region of Oman. METHODS 188 patients who presented to us in eye Ophthalmology Department of Sur regional hospital with corneal ulcers were analyzed retrospectively. The historical aspects including the systemic and local predisposing factors, clinical picture of the ulcer which was noted on slit lamp at the time of presentation, results of culture for which material was taken by scraping of the ulcer, and its sensitivity pattern, type of management, and its outcome, were noted and the results were interpreted. RESULTS 60.83% were males above the age of 60 years. Severe ulcers were seen in 36.17% of cases. 43.18% of cases showed positive culture of which 88.2% were bacteria and rest were fungal isolates. Of the bacteria 53.84% were pseudomonas, and 20% staphylococcus. 83.5% were put on fortified gentamycin and 68.61% were on cefuroxime in the initial dual therapy. 37.23% were on ciprofloxacin one time or another during the course of the ulcer. 69.14% of cases recovered fully and 9.57% improved. 54.25% needed hospitalization for less than 1 week and 34% for less than 2 weeks. 58.76% of cases recovered in less than 3 weeks. As local predisposing factors 45 cases (24%) were post surgery, and 29 cases (15.4%) were having CDK (climatic droplet keratopathy). Diabetes was seen in 8.5% of cases. CONCLUSION Corneal ulcer was seen predominantly in males above the age of 60 years, pseudomonas being the main etiological organism. Dual therapy was the commonest empirical therapy. No major systemic risk factor was identified. Post surgical and CDK were the predominant local risk factors.
Inducing Customers to Disclose Personal Information to Internet Businesses with Social Adjustment Benefits

To effectively pursue a strategy of focused marketing, Internet businesses need to solicit personal information from consumers. Indeed, many Internet businesses have been offering consumers economic benefits (like monetary rewards) in exchange for their personal information. However, a more cost-effective way to solicit such personal information may be to use psychological benefits. This study investigates how social adjustment benefits (a type of psychological benefits based on human need for affiliation) can be used by Internet businesses to induce consumers to disclose their personal information. Drawing on psychology literature, this study focuses on the match between consumer characteristics (extraversion) and the media (electronic and traditional) used to offer social adjustment benefits. Results from a research experiment reveal that (1) consumers who are extraverts tend to be willing to disclose personal information when social adjustment benefits are offered via either traditional or electronic media and (2) consumers who are introverts tend to be willing to disclose personal information only when social adjustment benefits are offered via electronic media. Besides contributing to a theory on how Internet businesses can motivate consumers to disclose their personal information through psychological benefits, these results guide Internet businesses on how to more effectively induce consumers to disclose their personal information.
Adrenocortical Oncocytoma: A True Nonfunctioning Adrenocortical Tumor

We studied three cases of adrenocortical neoplasms that were detected incidentally after radiological examination of the abdomen. These cases did not demonstrate any clinical evidence of adrenocortical abnormalities, such as virilization. Macroscopically, the tumors were light to dark tan on cut surface. Light-microscopic examination revealed compact cells with abundant lipid-sparse eosinophilic cytoplasm and occasional enlarged nuclei. In one case, ultrastructural observation demonstrated abundant mitochondria. Immunohistochemical examination of all of the adrenocortical steroidogenic enzymes showed that none of the cases had immunoreactivity. No mitotic activity and no vascular invasion was observed. The postoperative course were uneventful. The follow-up interval varied from 8 to 27 months. These three neoplasms apparently represent the first reported cases of adrenocortical oncocytoma. They can be considered true nonfunctioning adrenocortical neoplasms because steroidogenic enzymes required for corticosteroid biosynthesis were not expressed in the tumor cells.
Disagreement and Opposition in Social Networks: Does Disagreement Discourage Turnout?

Scholars studying the effects of political disagreement on participation have advanced competing propositions and mixed evidence to bear on whether disagreement in discussion networks either mobilizes or demobilizes voters. This article proposes that the seeming contradiction is due to different conceptual definitions of disagreement. Briefly, researchers have implicitly defined and measured disagreement in the respondents' political discussion network as either: (a) competition between points of view; or (b) opposition to a person's view. This article clarifies a distinction between two forms of disagreement, integrates past insights on its effects on turnout and tests the hypothesized effects of network composition on voting, in a nationally representative sample of US adults. Results demonstrate the differential effects of supportive, mixed and oppositional discussion networks on the likelihood of participation. Implications for future research are discussed in conclusion.
The Impact of Calcification on the Biomechanical Stability of Atherosclerotic Plaques

Background —Increased biomechanical stresses in the fibrous cap of atherosclerotic plaques contribute to plaque rupture and, consequently, to thrombosis and myocardial infarction. Thin fibrous caps and large lipid pools are important determinants of increased plaque stresses. Although coronary calcification is associated with worse cardiovascular prognosis, the relationship between atheroma calcification and stresses is incompletely described. Methods and Results —To test the hypothesis that calcification impacts biomechanical stresses in human atherosclerotic lesions, we studied 20 human coronary lesions with techniques that have previously been shown to predict plaque rupture locations accurately. Ten ruptured and 10 stable lesions derived from post mortem coronary arteries were studied using large-strain finite element analysis. Maximum stress was not correlated with percentage of calcification, but it was positively correlated with the percentage of lipid (P =0.024). When calcification was eliminated and replaced with fibrous plaque, stress changed insignificantly; the median increase in stress for all specimens was 0.1% (range, 0% to 8%;P =0.85). In contrast, stress decreased by a median of 26% (range, 1% to 78%;P =0.02) when lipid was replaced with fibrous plaque. Conclusions —Calcification does not increase fibrous cap stress in typical ruptured or stable human coronary atherosclerotic lesions. In contrast to lipid pools, which dramatically increase stresses, calcification does not seem to decrease the mechanical stability of the coronary atheroma.