Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Deliberative mapping: a novel analytic-deliberative methodology to support contested science-policy decisions

This paper discusses the methodological development of Deliberative Mapping (DM), a participatory, multi-criteria, option appraisal process that combines a novel approach to the use of quantitative decision analysis techniques with some significant innovations in the field of participatory deliberation. DM is a symmetrical process, engaging “specialists” and “citizens” in the same appraisal process, providing for consistency of framing, mutual inter-linkage and interrogation, and substantial opportunities for face-to-face discussion. Through a detailed case study of organ transplantation options, the paper discusses the steps in DM. The analysis shows that DM is able to elicit and document consensual judgments as well as divergent views by integrating analytic and deliberative components in a transparent, auditable process that creates many opportunities for personal learning, and provides a robust decision-support tool for contested science-policy issues.
The Characteristics and Tradeoffs of Households Choosing to Live in Gated Communities

Gated communities have grown in importance in the United States in recent years and they are also common in many other countries. Relatively little is known about the factors and tradeoffs associated with the preferences of households to live in such communities. There is a popular perception of gated communities being refuges for higher income and higher status predominantly white households in the United States but this appears to be largely incorrect. The profile of those who live in gated communities is the focus of this study. Homeowners living in gated communities are analyzed separately from renters, and are compared with those living in nongated communities, with special attention to location within the metropolitan statistical area and housing features. The factors that affect their respective decisions appear to be different. Residence in gated communities is ‘purchased’ both in the form of higher prices and rents, but also in the form of trading off some housing features, such as settling for smaller units with fewer bedrooms, for ‘gatedness’. The role of other factors in affecting likelihood of living in gated communities, including income, education, and some other factors associated with socioeconomic status, is explored using logit analysis. Those living in the urban subregions of the metropolitan statistical areas (the central city and secondary cities) have the highest likelihood of choosing gated communities, other things being equal. Somewhat surprisingly, people do not seem to be choosing gated communities in order to shorten their commuting distances. Despite the media stereotypes, racial minorities are often over-represented in gated communities for all minority groups for both forms of housing tenure (ownership and renting). Income disparities between whites and blacks are generally narrower within gated communities than they are outside of them. Within racial groups, income diversity, as measured by standard deviations, is greater in gated communities than outside of them, indicating greater heterogeneity.
Does electronic journal access affect document delivery requests? Some data from Glasgow University Library

This article looks at the experience of a single institution – University of Glasgow – concerning the influence of growing e‐journal availability on the volume of document delivery requests. The number of requests for Elsevier journal articles before and after the implementation of ScienceDirect is compared. The effects of, and reasons for, broader trends of document delivery demand at Glasgow are analysed. Differential demand and supply by faculty, relating to document delivery and e‐journals, are briefly considered.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Use and Intraoperative Bleeding in Urologic Surgery

Background: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are frequently prescribed. The prescribing information for SSRIs acknowledges these medications may increase the risk of bleeding. However, few studies on SSRI use and intra operative bleeding have been conducted. The goal of this study is to determine if bleeding is increased in urologic surgical patients on SSRIs and if those patients have an increased need for blood transfusions. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed to collect age, preoperative hemoglobin, whether they were prescribed a SSRI (fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, citalopram, or escitalopram) or aspirin (ASA) at the time of surgery, if intra operative colloids were used, their estimated blood loss, and the amount of blood transfused (if applicable). Results: The study included 181 patients, of which 20 were SSRI users. The average age was 62 years old, mean preoperative hemoglobin was 13.6g/dL, and 25% were ASA users. There was no significant difference in mean blood loss (877.5mL SSRIs; 873.6mL non-SSRIs; p=0.9814) or blood transfusions between groups (p=0.6130). ASA or intra operative colloid use significantly affected the amount of blood loss (p= <0.0001). There was a significantly lower preoperative hemoglobin in patients requiring transfusions (p=0.0021) and a significantly higher percentage of transfusions required in ASA users (p=0.0024). Conclusion: No association was found between the use of SSRIs and perioperative blood loss or blood transfusions. However, ASA or intra operative colloid use could increase the amount of blood loss, and lower preoperative hemoglobin levels or ASA use may increase patients’ need for blood transfusion.
THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACTS ON BUYER-SELLER RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS INSTITUTIONALLY DISTANT MARKETS

This study contributes to existing knowledge on the relational view of export performance, focusing specifically on the export venture. Our model takes account of the influence of psychological contracts on the different dimensions of trust within international buyer-seller relationships and export venture performance across institutionally distant markets. Using qualitative analysis the model is supported with data collected from five exporting firms. The findings on psychological contract suggest that the dimension of perceived promises are not always met, which appears to have a negative influence on competence trust. However, the degree of breach of the promise is not sufficient to have a negative influence on the affective dimension of trust or relational orientation of the contract. Furthermore, the findings also support the negative influence of institutional distance on the competence and contractual trust dimensions within exporter-importer relationships. It was also discovered that firms corroborated information from other sources (verification of trust), even with their highly trusted partners, in order to safeguard themselves and their export venture.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression and its Outcomes in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease (CHD): A Literature Review

Background: Studies suggested that there is an association between depression and CHD. Some studies indicated that diagnosis and treatment of depression in patients with CHD would result in a better diagnosis. Purpose: The main purpose of this review is to answer this question: does diagnosis and treatment of depression result in better health outcomes in Coronary Heart Disease’ (CHD) patients? Design: The design of this review was based on the relationship between depression as an independent variable, and CHD as a dependent variable. Plus, the link between them was discussed in details suggesting that there is a strong evidence for association between depression and CHD. Diagnosis and Treatment Methods: Different studies have used a variety of measures to diagnose depression, such as DSM-IV, PHQ-2, and PHQ-9. In addition, they have also treated depressive symptoms by using several methods, including invasive and non-invasive procedures.
Evaluating the effects of image filtering in short‐term radar rainfall forecasting for hydrological applications

Radar rainfall nowcasting at short lead times has important hydrometeorological applications in the fields of weather prediction and flood forecasting. The predictability of rainfall events can vary significantly with scale as smaller storm features are less predictable than the storm envelope motion. As a result, various techniques have been developed for filtering a radar image and deriving short‐term forecasts from the more predictable, larger storm scales. In this study, the effects of image filtering on radar nowcasting performance using the Storm Tracker Nowcasting Model (STNM) are evaluated. Radar rainfall nowcasts are evaluated for three storms exhibiting varying degrees of organisation over the Arkansas‐Red River basin. In each case, it is found that the nowcast skill decreases with the forecast lead time, increases with the verification area used around a forecast location, and decreases with higher rainfall thresholds. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that a set of properly tuned filtering nowcasts are superior to simple ‘persistence’ and slightly better than ‘uniform advection’. At the scale of a large hydrologic basin (∼6000 km2), filter‐based nowcasting is shown to capture the temporal variation in rainfall amount and its spatial distribution based on a set of catchment‐based metrics. Finally, a method for relating changes in nowcasting skill to errors associated with storm dynamics not captured by image filtering techniques is evaluated. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Aggregate corporate insider trading and analyst forecast accuracy

We provide consistent evidence that financial analysts employ publicly-available insider-trading information in the six months prior to making their earnings forecasts to enhance the accuracy of their forecasts. Specifically, we document that firms with insider-ownership increases in the six months leading to the forecast issues enjoy significantly better recommendation from analysts compared to firms with unchanged or decreased insider ownership. The results uncover a relevant source of information which complements analysts’ independent opinion and increases the value of their forecast. Through this process capital markets become more efficient as insiders’ beliefs are disseminated to the public through an additional channel in the form of analysts’ guidance; thereby supporting prior work positing that insider-trading enhances market efficiency. The influence of insider trading on forecast accuracy is more robust among non-high-tech sectors, which dissipates during the post-Galleon period (2009-2012). JEL Codes: G14, G17, G18, K22.
PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF RESERVOIR DYNAMICS MONITORED THROUGH COMBINED SURFACE DEFORMATION AND MICRO-EARTHQUAKE ACTIVITY : BRADY ’ S GEOTHERMAL FIELD , NEVADA

Fluid pressure change accompanying pumping in the Bradys Geothermal Field is associated with two complimentary deformation responses: (1) surface deformations sensible by InSAR corresponding to thermo-poroelastic deformations resulting in volume changes and (2) seismic slip on fractures induced by either changes in effective normal stress or solid stress with minimal impact to volume but potential impact on permeability structure due to dilation or compaction. We present an integrated data set that compares the impulse from pumping to the deformation response in order to investigate the coupling of these behaviors, and to constrain the geometry and rheology of the reservoir and surrounding crust. We find that surface deformation is strongly associated with the location of the production wells, with associated subsidence concentrated within a bend in the Bradys normal fault. A broader region of minor subsidence extends several kilometers to the NNE and SSW along the fault trend. Interestingly, MEQs are absent within the region of intense subsidence where effective stress stabilizing fractures are expected to be high but are broadly distributed in and around the margins of the region of minor subsidence below the reservoir depth. MEQs are also densely distributed along the Bradys fault from injectors to producers where effective stresses are expected to be lower. Initial modeling indicates that the pattern of subsidence is consistent with fluid extraction along a vertical conduit from shallow depths to approximately 1 km within the fault bend and then extraction at ~1 km along the entire length of the mapped Brady‟s fault indicating a reservoir much larger than would be expected from the footprint of the production wells. The planned EGS stimulation well 15-12ST1 is located SSW of this permeable volume associated with production along the direction of SHmax , which is also the anticipated direction of stimulation growth, and east of the deeper reservoir volume in a low permeability volume adjacent to the reservoir. Although the spatial patterns provide relatively clear insights, we find that temporal correlations are complex and that both surface deformation and seismicity rates are highly variable in time, but that simple correlations to changes in pumping rate, which varies by ~15-20%, are not yet obvious. This complexity, and resulting limitations on predicting responses, is expected given the long history of stressing by production and geologic complexity and will be addressed in a future study modeling the pressure diffusion due to pumping and related deformation response.
Marriage Markets and the Rise of Dowry in India

Dowry payments are common in many marriage markets. This paper uses data from India on over 70,000 marriages to explain why dowry emerges and how the institution evolves over time. Between 1930 and 1975, the proportion of Indian marriages with dowry doubled, and the average real value of payments tripled. We test whether five prominent theories of dowry can explain this rise, and find support for only one: dowry emerges due to increased differentiation in groom quality during modernization. We then show how a search model explains changes in dowry in later periods, including post-1975 declines in average dowry size.
Haptic Data Visualization and Creative Thought

Recently, there has been a large push for the use of multimodal interfaces to enhance data visualization. However, supporting data visualization displays with haptic feedback has been slower to develop. In the current paper, we argue that the variables traditionally used by human factors practitioners to assess performance of visualization displays will unfairly bias researchers and designers away from the haptic modality. Instead, researchers will be better served to assess the influence of haptic displays on some of the core strengths of visualization: the depth at which the underlying data may be synthesized and the level to which the display enhances novel or creative hypothesis generation.
Existence and stability of periodic solution to the 3D Ginzburg-Landau equation in weighted Sobolev spaces

We prove the existence of time periodic solution to the 3D Ginzburg-Landau equation in weighted Sobolev spaces. We consider the cubic Ginzburg-Landau equation with an external force $g$ satisfying the oddness condition $g(-x,t)=-g(x,t)$. The existence of the periodic solution is proved for small time-periodic external force. The stability of the time periodic solution is also considered.
Iron intake and iron status of preschool children: associations with breakfast cereals, vitamin C and meat

Objective: To examine associations between breakfast cereal consumption and iron status and identify dietary patterns that might improve iron status in this vulnerable group. Design: Analysis of data from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) of children aged 1.5–4.5 years, including dietary intakes calculated from 4-day weighed records. Subjects: Data were used from 904 children with haematological measurements, excluding those taking iron supplements; 20% had low iron stores (ferritin −1 ) while 8% were anaemic (Hb −1 ). Results: High cereal consumers had significantly higher iron intakes than low cereal consumers (classified by tertiles) but the 10% difference in mean ferritin levels was not significant ( P = 0.067). Lower intakes of vitamin C and meat among high consumers of cereal may have diluted the impact of cereal iron on iron status. When children were reclassified according to their intakes of vitamin C and iron from meat and breakfast cereals, the group with high (above median) intakes of two or more factors had a higher mean haemoglobin (Hb) level and a lower prevalence of anaemia compared with the group with low (below median) intakes of all three dietary constituents. Conclusions: Nutritional advice that aims to improve iron status should emphasize not only rich sources of iron but also factors that may enhance or inhibit absorption. Strategies to optimize iron status in this vulnerable age group include consuming an iron-fortified breakfast cereal, vitamin C-rich fruit or drink at breakfast, and avoiding tea with (or after) meals.
Oral colonisation and infection by Candida sp. in diabetic and non-diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease on dialysis.

INTRODUCTION Oral candidiasis (OC) is a common opportunistic infection in immunocompromised patients. Species identification is sometimes important for treatment. objective: to determine the prevalence of different Candida species colonising or infecting the oral mucosa (OM) of diabetic (DM) and non-diabetic (non-DM) chronic kidney disease patients, comparing both groups and exploring potential risk factors. METHODS 56 DM and 80 non-DM patients on chronic dialysis were examined. OM swabs were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar plates. Candida species were identified with API® galleries. OC was confirmed by exfoliative cytology. Statistical associations were analysed using χ2, Fisher's exact test (ET), and multiple logistic regression. RESULTS Candida prevalence was 43.4%: 53.6% DM and 36.3% non-DM, (p=.045). The species identified were C. albicans 74.6%, C. glabrata 22.0%, C. tropicalis 15.2%, C. parapsilosis 3.4 %, C. kefyr 3.4% and C. famata 1.7% without difference between groups. DM patients had a higher xerostomia prevalence (p=.002) and lower salivary flow (p=.008) and lower serum albumin (p=.018). 16.9% of patients had OC, 23.2% DM compared with 12.5% non-DM, (p=.101). The following were associated with the presence of Candida in the OM: the use of dental prostheses (odds ratio [OR] 25.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.5 to 253, P=.001), xerostomia (OR 9.6, 95% CI 2.4 to 38.1, P=.001) and low serum albumin values (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.98, P=.044). CONCLUSIONS The presence of Candida sp. in the OM was associated with dental prostheses, xerostomia and low serum albumin.
New method to enhance overlay tool performance

New methods to enhance and improve algorithm performance and data analysis are being developed at NIST for overlay measurement applications. Both experimental data and improved theoretical optical scattering models have been used for the study. We have identified error sources that arise from (i) the optical cross talk between neighboring lines on an overlay target (ii) the selection of the window size used in the auto-correlation and (iii) the portion of the intensity profile that is used in the overlay calculation (defined as a truncated profile). Further, we suggest methods to optimally minimize these error sources. We also present a relationship between tool-induced shift (TIS) and the asymmetry in the intensity profile.
The rise of Big Data: what does it mean for education, technology, and media research?

The interest in Big Data is growing exponentially. Research calls, commercial insights, and government initiatives all seem to be focused on exploiting the potential of technology to capture and analyse massive amounts of data in increasingly powerful ways. Big Data, that is, data that are too big for standard database software to process, or the more future-proof, ‘capacity to search, aggregate, and cross-reference large data sets’ (boyd and Crawford 2012, 663), is everywhere. For some, Big Data represents a paradigm shift in the ways that we understand and study our world, and at the very least it is seen as a way to better utilise and creatively analyse fine grained data for public and private benefit. In some ways, this is not a new phenomenon. Those working in the commercial sector have been collecting and combing large data sets to improve segmentation of goods to customers and better understand their market for many years (Manyika et al. 2011). Nor is it particularly big news to those working in certain fields in the natural sciences. Yet, in recent years, a far wider range of stakeholders have become more involved and more excited about the potential of Big Data. In the field of education, Big Data is still a relatively niche topic, but it is clearly beginning to grow. The areas of Educational Data Mining and Learning Analytics are both developing a number of identifiers characteristic of an established field of study (for a very useful overview see Romero and Ventura 2010; Ferguson 2012); and governments are beginning to produce reports on the potential of Big Data for education (see, for example, the 2012 consultation report by the US Office of Educational Technology, Department of Education). However, perhaps unsurprisingly, the pervading discourse around Big Data and education is increasingly one of efficiency and cost-effectiveness, both in terms of the use of the data to improve education ‘delivery’ and as a means of carrying out research in our field. While there is some merit in these claims, it is important that discussions of using data to enhance efficiency, increase transparency, support competiveness, and as a tool to evaluate performance (of schools and teachers) are tempered with considered academic debate. In times of austerity, commercial discourses become more significant in our debates about education. Thus, in some quarters Big Data is increasingly promoted as a form of ‘technical fix’ for education research and practice (Robins and Webster 1989), rather than a focus on using these same tools to empower, support, and facilitate practice and critical research.
Alphabetic Input on a Telephone Keypad

With the growing use of the telephone as an input device, human factors designers need more human performance data on how quickly and accurately users can learn and execute alternative data-entry input strategies, as well as indications of what strategies users prefer. This study assesses five different strategies for entering alphabetic codes from a telephone keypad.
A maximal ratio combining frequency diversity ARQ scheme for OFDM signals

This paper proposes a maximal ratio combining (MRC) frequency diversity automatic-repeat-request (ARQ) scheme which is suitable for high data rate orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signals. The proposed scheme regularly changes the subcarrier assignment pattern at every retransmission. This scheme sharply reduces the number of ARQ retransmissions in slow fading environments by virtue of the frequency diversity effect. Computer simulation results show that the proposed scheme reduces the number of retransmissions to about 3 at the accumulative correct packet reception rate (ACPRR) of 0.99 while the conventional schemes lead to more than 10.