Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of intervention programs using flatscreen virtual reality

Virtual reality (VR) has the potential to offer experiences which are engaging and rewarding. In VR, the focus is shifted from the person's efforts in producing a movement or completing a task to that of interaction with the virtual environment. We have found that participants place value and meaning on and enjoy the activities programmed. Virtual reality interventions have been shown to improve cognitive function and concentration through an individual's interaction with a pleasant activity. Importantly, the enjoyment experienced while working with VR may increase the level of participation. In addition to generating realistic situations for testing, intervention and collection of data, the provision of immediate and positive feedback through VR has been shown to increase self esteem and empowerment. We will report outcomes from several intervention and feasibility trials using a flat screen virtual reality system with survivors of traumatic brain injury, community living older adults and children with spastic cerebral palsy. Gross motor movements were elicited through various game-like VR applications without the need for head-mounted displays or other peripherals. The impact of VR exercise participation ranged from improvements in clinical measures of functional balance and mobility, time on task, as well as participant and care provider perceptions of enjoyment, independence and confidence. Although still preliminary, our data suggest that simple applications of virtual reality have significant impacts on physical and psychosocial variables. Possibilities for and benefits of home and community-based access to virtual reality based programs will be explored.
Management of fumonisin contamination in maize kernels through the timing of insecticide application against the European corn borer Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner

The European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis, is the principal pest of maize in Central and South Europe. It is known to promote Fusarium verticillioides infection in maize grain, a recognized producer of fumonisins. Field experiments were performed in 2006 and 2007 in two sites in NW Italy to determine the effects of the timing of insecticide application on ECB damage, fungal ear rot and fumonisin contamination under natural conditions. Different insecticide application timings were compared, from maize flowering to approximately 15 days after the flight peak of adult ECB. At harvest, the ears were rated for incidence and severity of ECB damage, fungal ear rot symptoms and fumonisin (FB1 + FB2) contamination. In all years/sites, treatments applied at the beginning of consistent ECB flight activity were most effective in controlling insect damage on ears. Fungal ear rot and fumonisin contamination were significantly affected by ECB control. The efficacy of the best timing of insecticide application in controlling fumonisin contamination was, on average, 93% compared to the untreated control. Contamination levels of these mycotoxins increased with either an earlier or later treatment. Furthermore, an earlier insecticide application showed lower fumonisin contamination than a treatment applied after the adult flight peak. Production of maize kernels and maize-based foods that do not exceed the maximum international and EU permitted levels for fumonisins could be enhanced by appropriate insecticide treatment against second generation ECB. The optimum time for insecticide application is between the beginning of consistent adult flight activity and the flight peak.
Gender, Social Ties, and Cancer Screening Among Elderly Persons

Objective: This study examines the association of social ties and cancer screening. Method: Data from the Longitudinal Study on Aging II include 4,419 respondents (70 to 85) who completed Wave 2. The dependent variable is receipt of screening within the past 2 years, measured at Wave 2. Social network variables include marital status, interaction with friends, relatives, and children, and church attendance. Results: Women were higher on most social tie measures, except marriage, and less likely to have mammography than men were to have prostate cancer screening. Also, the decline of screening with age was greater for women. For women, screening was related to contact with friends, relatives, and children but not marital status or church attendance. For men, screening was higher in the married and church attendees, but contact with friends, relatives, and children was not associated with screening. Discussion: Cancer screening interventions that use interpersonal communication channels should target distinct relationships for older women and men.
Paradoxical promise and threat: Reviewing the Melbourne Goals Abstract Paradoxically the Australian Curriculum holds out both promise and threat for educational communities in Australia. A Steiner educational perspective suggests that the forward looking aspects of the Australian Curriculum as expre

Paradoxically the Australian Curriculum holds out both promise and threat for educational communities in Australia. A Steiner educational perspective suggests that the forward looking aspects of the Australian Curriculum as expressed in the Melbourne Goals may be jeopardised by other more retrogressive elements. This paper proposes various ways to achieve the learning objectives outlined in the Melbourne Goals. Recommendations focus on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and moral development and the way in which these are supported by creative arts learning, developmental theories and methodological approaches. Particularly in the areas of art and creativity, where research indicates learning objectives deliver in terms of critical and creative thinking, self-esteem and empathy, the method and steps of implementation of curriculum content matter greatly. If we accept the objectives expressed in the Melbourne Goals as the best way to move forward into the 21st century then we need to embrace the expanding science of qualitative research and place higher value on descriptive reporting.
Impact of temperature and humidity of carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum on body temperature and peritoneal morphology.

BACKGROUND The insufflation of cold gas during laparoscopic surgery exposes patients to the risk for hypothermia. The objectives of this study were to investigate whether heating or humidification of insufflation gas could prevent peroperative hypothermia in a rat model, and to assess whether the peritoneum was affected by heating or humidification of the insufflation gas. METHODS Rats were exposed to insufflation with either cold, dry carbon dioxide CO2 (group I); cold, humidified CO2 (group II); warm, dry CO2 (group III); or warm, humidified CO2 (group IV); another group underwent gasless laparoscopy (group V). Core temperature and intraperitoneal temperature were registered in all animals during 120 minutes. Specimens of the parietal peritoneum were taken directly after desufflation and 2 and 24 hours after the procedure. All specimens were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). RESULTS During the 120-minute study period, core temperature and intraperitoneal temperature were significantly reduced in groups I, II, and III. In the animals that underwent warm, humidified insufflation (group IV) and the gasless controls (group V), intraoperative hypothermia did not develop. At SEM, retraction and bulging of mesothelial cells and exposure of the basal lamina were seen in the four insufflation groups (groups I-IV) and also in the gasless controls (group V). CONCLUSION Insufflation with cold, dry CO2 may lower the body temperature during laparoscopic surgery. Hypothermia can be prevented by both heating and humidifying the insufflation gas. Changes of the peritoneal surface occur after CO2 insufflation, despite heating or humidifying, and also after gasless surgery.
Financial restatement trends in Brazil from 1997-2012

This study analyzes the characteristics of the financial restatements issued by Brazilian companies listed on the BM&FBovespa stock exchange from 1997 through 2012. The study, descriptive in nature, employed a mixed, qualitative and quantitative approach in which data from 5608 financial statements and audit reports were analyzed using content analysis and descriptive statistics. The results evidenced that on average 25% of financial statements are republished. Only 17% of these restatements, however, are of the mandatory type and only 8.40% involve quantitative changes to the original financial statements. An increasing tendency to issue restatements was identified, accompanying the increase in the number of listed companies. However, 77.13% of the total restatements issued during the period involved qualitative data changes. This study contributes to the literature on the topic, revealing the movement undergone with respect to financial restatements during a period in which relevant changes were experienced in the regulatory environment, in particular the promulgation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) and the adoption of International Standards (IFRS).
Development of Guidelines for Determining Frequency of Therapy Services in a Pediatric Medical Setting

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to describe guidelines for frequency of therapy services that were developed to help physical therapists and occupational therapists determine appropriate utilization of therapy services in a pediatric medical setting. Description: The guidelines were developed for use by physical and occupational therapists when treating inpatients and outpatients at a large urban Midwest pediatric teaching hospital. Factors for consideration when determining frequency of therapy were adapted from the existing literature. Four modes of service delivery were developed; intensive (3 to 11 times a week), weekly or bimonthly (1 to 2 times a week to every other week), periodic (monthly or less often but at regularly scheduled intervals), and consultative (episodic or as needed). Descriptions are provided in a table format with factors to consider when making treatment frequency decisions. Importance: These guidelines have been helpful to therapists in this medical setting when communicating therapy needs and goals to families and other professionals.
Quantitative Impact of Reducing Barriers to Skilled Labor Immigration: The Case of the US H-1B Visa

In this paper, I develop a novel two-country general equilibrium model of immigration and return migration with incomplete markets and heterogeneous agents. I use the model to quan-tify the short-run and the long-run macroeconomic impacts of permanently doubling the US H-1B visa quota. In the short-run, I find huge endogenous increase in visa application by less talented skilled foreigners, which increases the probability of obtaining the H-1B visa by only 11 percentage points. In the long-run, US experiences a modest gain in output per capita. Most importantly, I find that there exists a sizable mass of US native skilled workers who—despite the decrease in their equilibrium wage—gain in welfare because of their accumulated capital holdings. Furthermore, I highlight the importance of including return migration in a quantita-tive model of international labor mobility by showing that shutting down return migration in my model results in overestimating the magnitude of the welfare changes by more than sixfold for certain cohorts. JEL Classification: E13, E24, F22, O11, J61 Key words: Immigration, heterogeneous agent model, H-1B visa quota, welfare, transition path, human capital, return migration
Response Hand Differentially Affects Action Word Processing

Recent approaches in the tradition of theories of semantic and conceptual “grounding” emphasize the role of perceptual and motor knowledge in language as well as action understanding. However, the role of the two cerebral hemispheres in integrating action-motor and language processes is not clear yet. The present study looked at the influence of a simultaneous motor tapping task on word processing. In a lexical decision task, uni-manual and bi-manual hand-related, and foot-related action verbs were presented in the left and right visual half-field. A group of healthy participants performed tapping with the left hand and lexical decisions with their right hand. In a second group of participants, the reversed hand response pattern was applied. The results showed that response hand had an influence on functional lateralization of word processing when responses were executed with the non-dominant hand. Projecting words to the ipsilateral hemisphere relative to the hemisphere performing lexical decisions led to significantly decreased performance. The results showed that left hand responses led to an increased accuracy for hand-related in contrast to foot-related action verbs. The findings suggest an influence of response hand on action word processing.
High-Dose Calcitriol, Docetaxel and Zoledronic Acid in Patients with Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: A Phase II Study

Introduction: Docetaxel has become the standard chemotherapy for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). We wanted to assess the efficacy and safety of a weekly high-dose calcitriol, docetaxel and zoledronic acid combination in CRPC. Patients and Methods: Thirty patients were enrolled to receive calcitriol 0.5 µg/kg orally in 4 divided doses over 4 h on day 1 of each treatment week, docetaxel 36 mg/m2 i.v. infusion on day 2 of each treatment week and zoledronic acid 4 mg i.v. on day 2 of the first and fifth week of each cycle. Treatment was administered weekly for 6 consecutive weeks on an 8-week cycle. Results: Out of 23 evaluable patients, there was a response of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in 11 patients (47.8%); 6 (26.1%) had a stable PSA level for a median of 4.2 months. The median survival time was 15 months (95% confidence interval 13.9–16.1 months). The regimen was generally tolerated; anemia was the only grade 3/4 hematological toxicity in 2 patients. Conclusions: This regimen was tolerated, and half of the patients had a PSA response. Although our response rates are inferior to some studies using docetaxel, we believe our response rates are acceptable knowing that we are treating CRPC, which still has variable outcomes.
Business cycle accounting for New Zealand

ABSTRACT Business cycle accounting is performed to identify the kinds of macroeconomic models that best explain economic fluctuations in New Zealand. We estimate four wedges and then create counterfactuals to distinguish the wedges that are important in accounting for fluctuations. The labour wedge plays the main role in explaining output and hours worked, while the net export wedge remains largely irrelevant. An existing equivalence result relates different kinds of macroeconomic dynamic stochastic general equilibrium models to the different wedges. Models that incorporate foreign shocks in the standard manner are equivalent to the wedge relating to net exports. The implication is that while foreign shocks may be important in explaining New Zealand's economic fluctuations, macroeconomists need to move away from modelling them in ways that work via the net export wedge.
Comparative study of the fluid dynamics of bottom spray fluid bed coaters

Fluid dynamics of pellets processed in bottom spray traditional Wurster coating and swirl accelerated air (precision) coating were compared with the intent to understand and facilitate improvements in the coating processes. Fluid dynamics was described by pellet mass flow rate (MFR) obtained using a pellet collection system and images captured using high speed photography. Pellet flow within the partition column was found to be denser and slower in Wurster coating than in precision coating, suggesting a higher tendency of agglomeration during the coating process. The influence of partition gap and load on the MFR indicated that the mechanism of transport of pellets into the coating zone in precision coating depended on a strong suction, whereas in Wurster coating, pellets were transported by a combination of peripheral fluidization, gravity, and weak suction pressure. In precision coating, MFR was found to increase uniformly with air flow rate and atomizing pressure, whereas MFR in Wurster coating did not correlate as well with air flow rate and atomizing pressure. This demonstration showed that transport in precision coating was air dominated. In conclusion, fluid dynamics in precision coating was found to be air dominated and dependent on pressure differential, thus it is more responsive to changes in operational variables than Wurster coating.
Niche pork: Comparing pig performance and understanding producer benefits, barriers and labeling interest

Abstract Opportunities for alternative swine production and marketing are emerging across the value chain. Given the developing nature of the differentiated pork industry, measurements of niche performance and success are not yet fully known. For this reason, the objectives of this study were to determine performance metrics across all major life phases for niche pork production and compare such metrics with national averages of conventional commodity pork production. Additionally, this study aimed to quantify producers’ reasoning and barriers to successfully raising niche swine. Niche meat producers in the USA self-identified for this study (n = 176); their swine production had alternative characteristics that included small- to mid-sized farms, farrow-to-finish operations, heritage breeds, housing with bedding and outdoor or pasture access, no use of antibiotics (sub-therapeutic for growth promotion or no antibiotics ever), vegetarian feed, diverse agricultural enterprises and alternative marketing avenues. This study focused on the metric categories regarding reproduction, mortality, culling and growth characteristics. The niche system produced approximately 15% fewer weaned piglets per bred sow per year than the conventional system due to fewer breeding cycles, smaller litters and higher piglet mortality in alternative production. Similarly, niche production finished 12% fewer hogs per bred sow per year than conventional production. Regarding age benchmarks of finishing and breeding, the niche system averaged 18 additional days to finish hogs at a standardized market weight of 124 kg. Likewise, niche production gilts were first bred at 283 days, whereas conventional production breeds gilts at 225 days. All directly comparable metrics were found to be statistically significant with 95% confidence for the one-sample test of means. Regarding farmer attitudes toward niche pork, survey participants shared personal reasons for raising swine and barriers to successful niche production. Choosing niche over commodity swine, participants’ reasons were grouped into three intra-related categories: (1) farm and producer viability, (2) animal and environmental welfare, and (3) consumer preference and taste. Despite these benefits, participants were faced with numerous challenges, which were organized into four intra-related categories: (1) alternative production requirements, restrictions and knowledge; (2) access and affordability of credit and inputs; (3) alternative supply chain for processing, marketing and customers; and (4) non-niche production competition and governmental policies. In sum, the success of these niche pork operations equates to high welfare for the pigs, economic viability for the operation, personal enjoyment for the farmer, customer satisfaction with meat flavor and quality, and responsible environmental practices, inclusive of many components of an alternative food system.
Well-being of migrant and left-behind children in China

II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . IV DEDICATION . V LIST OF TABLES . VIII LIST OF FIGURES . IX CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION . 1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY . 2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM . 6 PURPOSE OF RESEARCH . 8 RESEARCH QUESTIONS . 9 IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL WORK . 9 CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK . 11 BIOECOLOGICAL THEORY . 11 RISK/RESILIENCE THEORY . 14 CHAPTER III: LITERATURE REVIEW . 18 FAMILY MIGRATION AND MIGRANT CHILDREN’S WELL-BEING . 18 PARENTAL MIGRATION AND LEFT-BEHIND CHILDREN’S WELL-BEING . 20 LIMITATIONS TO EXISTING LITERATURE . 22 CHAPTER IV: METHOD . 24 RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES . 24 METHODS . 24 Phase I. Quantitative study: . 25 Data. 25 Sample. 25 Measures. 26 Analytic strategy. 33 Phase II. Qualitative study: . 35 Participants. 35 Procedures. 37 Analytic approach. 39 CHAPTER V: QUANTITATIVE FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS . 41 DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS . 41 Outcome variables. 41 Independent variables. 42 BIVARIATE RESULTS . 45 MULTIVARIATE RESULTS . 60 DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS . 76 Effects of migration and residency status. 76 Effects of ecological systems. 80 Risk/resilience factors in ecological systems. 82 Microsystem. 82 Mesosystem. 84 Exosystem. 85 Macrosystem. 86 SUMMARY . 89 vii LIMITATIONS . 90 CHAPTER VI: QUALITATIVE FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS . 93 INTERVIEWEES’ DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS . 93 RISK/RESILIENCE FACTORS . 96 The individual level: . 97 Independence. 97 Personal growth from new life experiences. 98 Future aspiration. 99 Stress of study. 99 The interpersonal and social level: . 100 Parental emotional/financial/daily-life support. 100 Insufficient parental company and supervision. 101 Caring relationship with siblings. 102 Extended family support. 102 Peer support. 103 Loss of meaningful relationship. 104 The environmental
Removal of the eye in a tertiary care center of China: a retrospective study on 573 cases in 20 years.

AIM To investigate the original protopathy, direct indications, clinical characteristics, complications of orbit plants and visual conditions of eye enucleation/evisceration. METHODS A retrospective study of 573 eyes removed (573 inpatients) at Ophthalmology Department in a tertiary care center of China from January 1993 to December 2012 was completed. RESULTS Cases underwent removal of the eye accounted for 2.15% of total ophthalmology inpatients, whose annual frequency declined from 3.80% to 0.52%. There were 167 eyes (29.14%) being enucleated and 406 (70.86%) eviscerated. Annual proportion of evisceration rose from 16.67% in 1993 to 90.48% in later years. Trauma was the top one (65.62%) in original protopathies followed by neoplasm (13.44%) and ocular infections (5.76%). Phthisis bulbi (45.20%) was the most common direct indication, succeeded by malignant tumor (12.57%), loss/unreconstructed of intraocular tissues due to trauma (11.00%), untreatable inflammation (9.60%), intractable glaucoma (8.55%) and sclerocorneal staphyloma (5.24%). Exenteration was underwent in 20 (25.97%) cases (40% for recurrent carcinoma). Following evisceration, secondary prosthesis implantation was more and earlier, implant exposure occurred in less but earlier and infection and extraction/exchange of implants were more than those following enucleation. Male, phthisis bulbi, evisceration and secondary implantation meant lower risk of implant exposure; eyes removed within 24h following trauma was an independent risk factor. There were 14.37% of eyes with vision of light perception at least as been removed. In the residual contralateral eyes, low vision accounted 5.58% and blindness 3.14%. CONCLUSION Ocular trauma, tumor and infections were great threats to eyeball preservation. Early and effective controlling of any original protopathies was vital. Generally evisceration presented more superior and safe outcomes than enucleation did. Visual conditions of the sufferers should be focused on.