Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hope dies last … A qualitative study into the meaning of hope for people with cancer in the palliative phase.

Palliative patients may have strong hope, even hope for a cure, despite knowing their prognosis. Health professionals do not always understand patients who have this kind of hope. The aim of this article was to explore the meaning of hope among patients with cancer in the palliative phase. A secondary analysis was conducted including a constant comparative analysis to uncover the processes underlying the maintenance of hope, of previously collected interview data (n = 76). The meaning of hope is related to the importance of the object it is attached to, rather than to a real chance of achieving this object. Hope has a dual function: patients hope because they cannot forsake it and because they benefit so much from it. Hope can spring from many sources and is influenced by various factors. If there are fewer potent sources to tap into, people create hope themselves and this type of self-created hope takes more effort to maintain. Patients use different strategies to increase their hope, described as the 'the work of hope'. A better understanding of the work of hope can lead to better psychosocial support by health professionals. Health professionals convey many messages that affect the work of hope.
Predictive Value of Urinary Neopterin in Patients with Lung Cancer

Concentrations of neopterin, which is produced by human monocytes/macrophages when stimulated by gamma-interferon, were measured in urine specimens from 72 patients with lung cancer at diagnosis. Other routine clinical and laboratory variables were concomitantly determined. Neither neopterin nor any other laboratory variable studied showed a significant correlation with clinical indicators of the disease (morphologic type, tumour stage, grading, lymph node status, presence of distant metastases). The cancer patients were followed up for up to 10 years, and the abilities of all variable to predict fatal outcome were assessed. In univariate survival analyses, all clinical indicators except morphologic type (P = 0.86) were significant predictors of survival (P < 0.002), but of all the laboratory variables studies, only neopterin was significantly predictive (P = 0.0013). By multivariate survival analysis, a combination of four variables was found to jointly predict survival: lymph node status (P = 0.003), multivariate model), tumour stage (P = 0.0006), grading (P = 0.0047) and neopterin (P = 0.0047). The data suggest that certain aspects of immune activation may have adverse consequences for the prognosis of patients with lung cancer.
Spontaneous Lesions of the Cardiovascular System in Purpose-Bred Laboratory Nonhuman Primates

This retrospective study was performed to determine the range, occurrence and incidence of spontaneously arising histopathological findings of the cardiovascular system in purpose-bred laboratory nonhuman primates. Data were collected from 84 controlled toxicological studies with equal numbers of male and female animals and full tissue lists. Attempts were also made to standardize pathological terms used by various original pathologists. Tissue sections from 2464 animals, which included 2050 cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis), 284 common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) and 130 rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were examined. The most common cardiac finding was focal myocardial inflammation, subcategorized as either “inflammatory cell infiltration” (339) or “focal myocarditis” (131). Other cardiac findings included mineralization (29), endocarditis (16), pericarditis (10), squamous cysts (6) and ectopic thyroid tissue (5). Perivasculitis/vasculitis in the kidney, lung, meninges, sciatic nerve, and other tissues (206) was the most common vascular lesion. Focal myocarditis was more common in male (60%) than female (40%) animals. Cardiac mineralization and extramedullary hematopoiesis were more common in marmosets than other species while ectopic thyroid tissue was present in marmosets and cynomolgus monkeys. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the range and incidence of spontaneous cardiovascular lesions in laboratory nonhuman primates.
A Fuzzy Approach Based on Heterogeneous Metrics for Scaling Out Public Clouds

Thanks to resource elasticity, cloud systems allow to build high performance applications by dynamically adapting resources to workload dynamics. In this paper, we present a novel approach for horizontally scaling cloud resources. The approach is based on an optimized feedback control scheme that leverages fuzzy logic to self-adjust its parameters in order to cope with unpredictable and highly time-varying public-cloud operating conditions. The proposed approach takes as input heterogeneous monitoring metrics related to distinct aspects of interest (i.e., CPU and network load) merged through a fitness function. Therefore, it is able to accomplish the application needs from different viewpoints. The extensive experimental evaluation performed in the Amazon EC2 environment showed how the proposed approach is robust against a number of realistic workloads—also when VM failures happen— and that it is flexible, as being suitable for applications with different needs. Finally, it also achieves better performance when compared to previously proposed solutions.
Use Ecology and Drug Use Motivations of Methamphetamine Users Admitted to Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities in Los Angeles

Abstract Who are methamphetamine (MA) users and what are the circumstances that surround their drug use? This article provides a foundation for future ethnographic studies and collaborative clinician-researcher assessments of MA use by describing use ecology and drug use motivation for 260 MA users admitted to treatment at public Los Angeles County facilities in 1996. Use ecology data include MA varieties and street names, first introductions to use, drug use histories, access, selling and manufacturing, routes of administration, unwanted results of use, and participants' use behavior in the year before the 1996 treatment. Use motivation data describe clients using MA as a substitute for other stimulants; to cope with mental distress; to stay awake; to enhance sexual experience; and to lose weight. Qualitative case studies illustrate the findings and demonstrate the complex inter-relations of society, culture, psyche and soma shaping MA use over time.
How open innovation performance responds to partner heterogeneity in China

Purpose The link between openness and innovative performance has been established as an inverted U-shape relationship, namely, the openness-performance connection is not always positive. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of partner heterogeneity to characterize the influence of “quality” changes in partners on innovative performance, that is, the focus of this paper. Given that partner heterogeneity is crucial in explaining open innovative performance, it is also worth placing the examination of this key construct in emerging regions such as China. Design/methodology/approach The sample selection of this study covers a wide range of industries, but requires that the sample firms be manufacturing enterprises with an open innovation strategy. With opportunities and challenges associated with partner collaboration toward open innovation, the Chinese province of Zhejiang has established its reputation. Thus, empirical data were collected randomly from data pool of Zhejiang Province Economic and Information Commission, as well as a survey questionnaire. Data were using a cross-sectional survey methodology encompassing diverse organizations, industries, and nations. Findings Empirical testing of this assumption in a sample of 217 manufacturing firms indicates that partner heterogeneities, which are classified as organizational heterogeneity, industry heterogeneity, and national heterogeneity are all positively associated with innovative performance, but the strength of this association is influenced by environmental turbulence. Technological turbulence significantly and positively modulates the relationships of organizational and national heterogeneities with innovative performance. Market turbulence also plays a significant positive role on the relationship between national heterogeneity and innovative performance, while technological and market turbulence roles on the relationship between industry heterogeneity and innovative performance are not confirmed. Originality/value This paper refines the connotative dimensions of partner heterogeneity around the core concept of partner heterogeneity in open innovation in the context of emerging region, China. The study presents a systematic, in-depth analysis, and verifies the impact mechanisms of partner heterogeneity in open innovation on innovative performance by integrating the resource-based view, organizational learning theory, and transaction cost theory.
Resolution of low-velocity control in golf putting differentiates professionals from amateurs

ABSTRACT It is difficult for humans to apply small amounts of force precisely during motor control. However, experts who have undergone extended training are thought to be able to control low-velocity movement with precision. We investigated the resolution of motor control in golf putting. A total of 10 professional and 10 high-level amateur golfers participated. Putting distances were 0.6–3.3 m, in increments of 0.3 m. We measured the impact velocity and the club-face angle at impact, and the acceleration profile of the downswing. The professionals showed significantly smaller coefficients of variation with respect to impact velocity and smaller root mean square errors in relation to acceleration profiles than did the amateurs. To examine the resolution of motor control for impact velocity, we investigated intra-participant differences in the impact velocity of the club head at two adjacent distances. We found that professionals had higher velocity precision when putting small distance intervals than did amateurs. That is, professionals had higher resolution of low-velocity control than did high-level amateurs. Our results suggest that outstanding performance at a task involves the ability to recognise small distinctions and to produce appropriate movements.
Epiphyseal Ewing Sarcoma

Ewing sarcoma is the second most common pediatric malignant bone neoplasm after osteosarcoma. Ewing sarcoma comprises “small, round, blue-cell” tumors thought to arise from neural crest cells. The authors report the case of a 14-year-old boy that presented with a nonpainful circumscribed lesion. The radiographs showed a lytic lesion at the tibial epiphysis with a large soft tissue mass, best depicted in the magnetic resonance imaging scan that suggested an aggressive lesion. A needle biopsy of the lesion was performed. The diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma was made based on microscopic, immunohistochemical, polymerase chain reaction, and fluorescence in situ hybridization. This is the third case report about a primary epiphyseal Ewing sarcoma and the fist one with molecular confirmation.
Promoter‐specific alterations of APC are a rare cause for mutation‐negative familial adenomatous polyposis

In familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), 20% of classical and 70% of attenuated/atypical (AFAP) cases remain mutation‐negative after routine testing; yet, allelic expression imbalance may suggest an APC alteration. Our aim was to determine the proportion of families attributable to genetic or epigenetic changes in the APC promoter region. We studied 51 unrelated families/cases (26 with classical FAP and 25 with AFAP) with no point mutations in the exons and exon/intron borders and no rearrangements by multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification (MLPA, P043‐B1). Promoter‐specific events of APC were addressed by targeted resequencing, MLPA (P043‐C1), methylation‐specific MLPA, and Sanger sequencing of promoter regions. A novel 132‐kb deletion encompassing the APC promoter 1B and upstream sequence occurred in a classical FAP family with allele‐specific APC expression. No promoter‐specific point mutations or hypermethylation were present in any family. In conclusion, promoter‐specific alterations are a rare cause for mutation‐negative FAP (1/51, 2%). The frequency and clinical correlations of promoter 1B deletions are poorly defined. This investigation provides frequencies of 1/26 (4%) for classical FAP, 0/25 (0%) for AFAP, and 1/7 (14%) for families with allele‐specific expression of APC. Clinically, promoter 1B deletions may associate with classical FAP without extracolonic manifestations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Relationship Between District Concert Band Music Performance Assessment Participation and Student Achievement in Miami-Dade County Public Middle Schools

DOI: 10.25148/etd.FIDC006579 Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.fiu. edu/etd Part of the Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons, Music Education Commons, Music Performance Commons, Other Educational Administration and Supervision Commons, and the Urban Education Commons
Application of Enhanced Phase-Locked Loop System to the Computation of Synchrophasors

This paper introduces the application of an enhanced phase-locked loop (EPLL) system to the estimation of synchrophasors in a phasor measurement unit (PMU). The major concern is accurate estimation within off-nominal frequency operation of the system. The well-known technique based on discrete Fourier transform (DFT) can provide accurate estimation of the phasors in a three-phase balanced system. However, the negative-sequence component causes errors to the DFT estimates. The DFT cannot accomplish this task in a single-phase system. The EPLL is shown to be a solution for those shortcomings of the DFT technique, both in single-phase and in unbalanced three-phase systems, at the expense of some more complicated structure. Extensive steady-state and dynamic tests are performed and the results are presented and discussed.
Turkey: a further country concerned by community-acquired Escherichia coli clone O25-ST131 producing CTX-M-15.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to assess the frequency and diversity of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) produced by exclusively community-acquired Escherichia coli isolates in Izmir (Turkey) and to search for isolates producing CTX-M-15 and belonging to the pandemic clone E. coli O25-ST131. METHODS The patients with E. coli urinary tract infections (UTIs) and no hospitalization in the last 12 months, and no transfer from hospital, no stay in nursing home and no antimicrobial treatment in the previous 3 months were prospectively included over a 1 year period. Those E. coli detected positive for ESBL were characterized and compared with a representative of E. coli clone O25-ST131 with regard to bla genes, antibiotic resistance, phylogenetic groups, PFGE profiles and virulence factor genes (n = 17). O serotyping, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and AmpC typing were performed to confirm that the Turkish isolate belonged to the clone O25-ST131. RESULTS Among the 3108 UTIs diagnosed, 82 (2.6%) were due to community E. coli isolates and followed the strict inclusion criteria. Seventeen of them (21%) produced an ESBL, of which CTX-M-15 was predominant (53%). These ESBL-positive isolates, distributed equally into three phylogenetic groups, displayed 13 PFGE profiles and three clusters. A Turkish CTX-M-15-producing isolate as a member of the clone ST131 was suggested by a high similarity of its PFGE profile to that of the clone representative and was confirmed by O serotyping, AmpC typing and MLST. CONCLUSIONS This study describes the community emergence of CTX-M-15-producing E. coli isolates, including an isolate of clone O25-ST131, in Turkey.
Environmental identity and ecotourism behaviours: examination of the direct and indirect effects

PurposeThe paper aims to contribute to theory and practice by investigating into the role of environmental identity in explaining ecotourism attitudes and behaviours by first, testing its direct effects on ecotourism attitude and ecotourism interest, and second, testing its direct and mediated effects on ecotourism intention and willingness to pay a premium.Design/methodology/approachThe study relies on primary data collected from tourists visiting the island of Mauritius. Data collection took place at several popular tourist sites located in different parts of the island. The questionnaire was self-administered and was immediately collected after completion. A total of 512 usable questionnaires were collected. A two-stage approach to structural equation modelling was used for data analysis.FindingsThe results demonstrate empirically that stronger environmental identity leads directly to more positive ecotourism attitude, greater interest towards ecotourism and a higher willingness to pay a premium. While evidence was not found between the direct link between environmental identity and ecotourism behavioural intentions, the confirmation of full mediating effects shows that stronger environmental identity also leads to an increase in tourists’ intention to engage in ecotourism activities by first influencing their attitude which then results in more favourable behaviours towards ecotourism.Originality/valueWhile the contributions of the tourists’ attitude and interest in predicting their behaviours towards ecotourism have been well established by past research, the importance of environmental identity has remained uncertain as to date, given the lack of empirical studies. This present research provides evidence that environmental identity has a major role to play in explaining the behaviours of tourists towards ecotourism products and services.
Citadels in cyberspace

Cyberwarefare remains a sparsely explored domain of cyber security research, most often involving targeted attacks by one nation against another, using botnets. These botnets use malwares to launch various kinds of attacks against their targets – ranging from exploiting vulnerabilities, launching Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, to various forms of traffic interception attacks. A powerful nation could use network cartography based techniques to identify key locations within its own nation, where it could install defenders that involve interception of illegitimate traffic. More specifically, the government may use network tomography to identify a relatively small number of Autonomous Systems(ASes) such that they can intercept large fraction of network paths (and potentially a large fraction of network traffic). In our research, we use network tomography to construct such large scale network maps which could be used to identify Cyber Defense Line (viz., collection of strategically important ASes that intercept all the network paths of the country) for installing defenders to prevent various kinds of targeted attacks (like DDoS). These defenders would intercept traffic of large fraction of users based on their location, intercepting large fraction of network traffic. We study how well these defenders can prevent the attacker from crippling the critical networked services, such as financial institutions, defense sites etc. based on their networked locations. For our analysis we selected 9 different countries (including China and India) and found “Cyber defense line” for aforementioned network services, DNS infrastructure and for full country network map. We found that, countries are significantly similar in network structures viz., all have hierarchical structure. For all sample countries, we found that handful ASes, intercept more than ≈ 90% of all intra country AS paths. For example, in India only 4 ASes capture more than 95% of the network paths. Interestingly, this holds true, if we select ASes based on different AS properties (like customer degree, cone size, and peer degree etc.) Finding cuts in country’s AS topology is only meaningful, when one aims for intercepting 100% paths by the cut. Our results reveal that,for majority of our sample countries, all boundary ASes (that have peering relationship with foreign ASes of the country) capture more than 99% paths, whereas for 100% paths interception we require considerably very large number of ASes (for example, in China 9 ASes intercepts over 90% of the paths, 90 ASes for 99% of paths and 213 ASes for 100% paths).
Child Welfare Caseworkers: A Pivotal Role in the Uptake of Evidence-based Practices

Despite the proliferation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for children and families, some children and families are not utilizing EBPs in the child welfare (CW) system. This may be caused by a lack of CW caseworker referrals since children and families access services through their caseworker. Theory-based research that uses an explanatory model is needed to elucidate areas of intervention to increase CW referrals to EBPs. Therefore, this mixed method study seeks to examine factors that influence caseworkers’ decisions to refer and to develop an adapted Theory of Planned Behavior model explaining caseworker referral decisions. Participants (N=110) were caseworkers and support staff at two privately contracted child welfare agencies that could refer families to an EBP, the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P). Poisson regression was used to determine the impact of caseworker demographic variables and intention to refer on the number of referrals to Triple P. A subset of the sample (N=12), participated in one-on-one interviews focused on factors that influenced their decision to refer to Triple P. Directed content analyses was used to determine whether participant data supported an adapted TPB model, inclusive of information-sharing and intra-organizational relationships. Regression results showed that participants from Agency A were more likely to refer to Triple P than participants from Agency B (b=3.25, p<.05). Additionally, participants who identified as AfricanAmerican were less likely to refer to Triple P than those who did not (b=-3.38, p<.05). Intention to refer was not a significant predictor of caseworker referral to Triple P. Qualitative data revealed that 1) beliefs about Triple P’s effectiveness, 2) conflicting court mandates, and 3) information about and agency support around Triple P, impacted caseworkers’ decision to refer. Qualitative results lent support to an adapted TPB model and corroborated quantitative findings. Recommendations include increasing communication and training for caseworkers and court officials, fostering intra-organizational relationships, and increasing agency support for Triple P. Future studies that examine organizational variables such as supervisory buy-in and system-level variables such as court mandates are needed to further elucidate the factors that affect caseworker referrals to EBPs and EBP implementation in CW settings. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Social Welfare First Advisor Antonio R. Garcia
The use of new‐media marketing in the green industry: Analysis of social media use and impact on sales

During the recession, the decline in home value and home ownership reduced the demand for ornamental plants, lawn and garden products, and related services, which resulted in significantly negative effect on the green industry revenues. Postrecession consolidation in the United States green industry has forced smaller firms to re‐evaluate their marketing strategies. New‐media marketing has gained attention as a relatively low‐cost and high‐exposure marketing strategy. This paper utilizes binary logit and interval censored regression to examine the use and the impact of social‐media marketing in the green industry. The analysis was based on primary data from a survey of US nurseries and garden centers. The findings reveal that the daily use of social‐media marketing is largely driven by the network effect and the managers’ attitudes. They also indicate that the small‐sized firms receive higher returns from social media use in terms of increased sales compared with larger firms.