Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards Sustainable and Democratic Urban Transport: Constructivism, Planning and Policy

This paper takes a constructivist technology studies approach to understand the changing shape of transport and mobility, tracing in particular the growing importance of discourses around sustainability and democratic involvement in transport and urban planning as well as in wider public debate. The concept of sociotechnical frames is used to capture the interaction between the technical, social and cultural dimensions of transport and mobility; sociotechnical change comes about when these different elements begin to pull apart from each other. In light of this framework, the paper examines shifts within the sociotechnology of transport and mobility since the late 1980s and draws on a case study of a controversial development dispute in the UK to examine how notions of sustainability and public involvement are constructed within local contexts. The case study highlights especially issues around the relative power to bring about change of different actors within a frame.
Effects of contraction level on the changes of surface electromyogram during fatiguing static contractions.

Changes of the surface electromyogram (EMG) during a fatiguing static contraction were studied at contraction levels of 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, and 50% of the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Seven subjects performed the static contractions of the elbow flexion and 6 subjects performed those of the planter flexion. Bipolar surface EMG was led from biceps brachii (BB) in the elbow flexion and from soleus in the planter flexion. Power spectra, mean amplitudes of EMG (AEMG) and durations of averaged waves classified by amplitude (AWCA) were calculated from EMG. The AWCA was calculated by averaging EMG waves separately for the 5 amplitude ranges of the trigger points. Relative power increased below 50 Hz in BB and 120 Hz in soleus during the contractions with time. Relative power in low frequencies (RPWL) increased with time even at the low contraction levels during one third part of the contraction from the start. But the RPWL decreased with time in some cases below and equal to 20% MVC. The increase in the RPWL was larger at 20-50% MVC than at 5-15% MVC contraction. The duration of AWCA increased with time at 30-50% MVC and decreased at 5-20% MVC. The duration, however, correlated positively with RPWL in part even at 5-20% MVC. The changes in the AWCA duration were attributed to the changes in conduction velocity (CV) of muscle action potential, since the relation between the changes in the duration by fatigue and the contraction levels was the same with the reported relation between changes in CV and the contraction levels. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
sec‐Butyl‐propylacetamide (SPD) and two of its stereoisomers rapidly terminate paraoxon‐induced status epilepticus in rats

Organophosphates (OPs) are commonly used insecticides for agriculture and domestic purposes, but may also serve as nerve agents. Exposure to OPs result in overstimulation of the cholinergic system and lead to status epilepticus (SE), a life‐threatening condition that is often resistant to treatment. SE is associated with significant neuronal damage, neurocognitive dysfunction, and the development of lifelong epilepsy. Therefore, rapid termination of SE and prevention of brain damage is of high interest. Here we tested the efficacy of sec‐butyl‐propylacetamide (SPD) and two of its individual stereoisomers, (2S,3S)‐SPD and (2R,3R)‐SPD, in discontinuing OP‐induced seizures. SPD is a one carbon homolog of valnoctamide, a central nervous system (CNS)–active constitutional isomer of valproic acid (VPA) corresponding amide valpromide.
A scale for measuring persistence in children.

Persistence and its assessment have been studied since the 1920s. One common approach in measuring persistence has been through testing the subject's ability to solve difficult or monotonous problems. Another approach has been through questionnaires. Although persistence is very important in academic achievement and in the general development of personality, no questionnaires have been developed for measuring persistence in children. The present research concerns the development of such a scale. It includes 40 items and was tested on 322 Israeli children aged 7-13. The internal reliability of the scale (Cronbach alpha) was . 66, and the test-retest reliability after 6 months was . 77. The scale differentiated active gymnasts from non-gymnasts as well as persistent gymnasts from dropout gymnasts. In addition, significant correlations were found between the scale and the need-persistence measure of the Rosenzweig Picture Frustration Study, Locus of Control, and other measures. We discuss these findings along with the significance of persistence in everyday life.
Suppression of erased state V/sub t/ drift in two-bit per cell SONOS memories

In this letter, we report on the suppression of the erased state threshold voltage drift (room temperature V/sub t/ drift) in cycled two-bit per cell silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon memory. Room temperature V/sub t/ drift is significantly decreased by using bottom oxide (BOX) with the thickness T/sub BOX/<50 /spl Aring/. Excellent retention properties are preserved for T/sub BOX/ up to 33 /spl Aring/. The results of single-cell studies were confirmed on 2 Mb memory arrays that underwent up to 1000 program/erase cycles. Peculiarities of hole injection into the nitride of oxide-nitride-oxide in the erase operation are considered for explanation of the observed results. The improvement is associated with a lesser amount of holes used in the erase.
Structure and function of an insect α-carboxylesterase (αEsterase7) associated with insecticide resistance

Insect carboxylesterases from the αEsterase gene cluster, such as αE7 (also known as E3) from the Australian sheep blowfly Lucilia cuprina (LcαE7), play an important physiological role in lipid metabolism and are implicated in the detoxification of organophosphate (OP) insecticides. Despite the importance of OPs to agriculture and the spread of insect-borne diseases, the molecular basis for the ability of α-carboxylesterases to confer OP resistance to insects is poorly understood. In this work, we used laboratory evolution to increase the thermal stability of LcαE7, allowing its overexpression in Escherichia coli and structure determination. The crystal structure reveals a canonical α/β-hydrolase fold that is very similar to the primary target of OPs (acetylcholinesterase) and a unique N-terminal α-helix that serves as a membrane anchor. Soaking of LcαE7 crystals in OPs led to the capture of a crystallographic snapshot of LcαE7 in its phosphorylated state, which allowed comparison with acetylcholinesterase and rationalization of its ability to protect insects against the effects of OPs. Finally, inspection of the active site of LcαE7 reveals an asymmetric and hydrophobic substrate binding cavity that is well-suited to fatty acid methyl esters, which are hydrolyzed by the enzyme with specificity constants (∼106 M−1 s−1) indicative of a natural substrate.
The Effects of Country Image on Quality Perception A Case of Major Appliances in Thailand

—The purposes of this research were to measure, rank, and compare the effects of country image on quality level of Major Appliances from Japan, South Korea, the United States, Sweden, and Germany. Five hundred fifty three questionnaires were answered by consumers in Bangkok. Statistical instruments such as mean, standard deviation, and One-Way-ANOVA with the significant level at 0.05 were selected to complete the process of data analysis. The results revealed that Thai consumers ranked the highest product quality of country image from Japan, South Korea, the United States, Sweden, and Germany respectively. The test of statistic hypothesis also found that the average quality perception of products from Japan was significantly higher than those of products from any other country. In contrast, the average quality perception of products from Germany was significantly lower than those of products from any other country, except Sweden.
Locking plates: tips and tricks.

Locking plates are fracture fixation devices with threaded screw holes, which allow screws to thread to the plate and function as a fixed-angle device1-3. These plates may have a mixture of holes that allow placement of both locking and traditional nonlocking screws (so-called combi plates)4,5. The first locking plates were introduced about two decades ago for use in spinal and maxillofacial surgery6-8. In the late 1980s and into the 1990s, experimentation with various types of internal fixation devices led to the development of locking plates for fracture care9-11. The initial emphasis was on developing stable fixation that would not require extensive soft-tissue stripping or disruption12. The clinical care impetus for development of these plates has been a combination of factors, including the increasing survival of patients with high-energy injuries, aging Western European and North American populations with an increasing rate of fragility fractures, and dissatisfaction of patients and surgeons with the outcomes of treatment of specific periarticular fractures. Nonclinical factors likely include a push by industry for new technology and new markets as well as the general interest of the public in “minimally invasive” surgery. While locking plates have been used for years in specialized research trials, they have been available in North America for general orthopaedic applications only in the last six or seven years13-15. Currently, numerous companies offer a variety of locking plate systems for treatment of extremity fractures. Many of these systems have been on the market for only a couple of years. Given the increased expense of these plates compared with that of traditional nonlocking equipment and the short time that they have been available for general use, it would seem fair to ask: …
The Time of Our Lives: The Experience of Temporality in Occupation

Background. This paper synthesizes research and theory on aspects of activities producing variations in perceived temporality and subjective experience. Synthesis. A proposed continuum of variations of six temporal experience are described: 1) protracted duration - elapsed time feels greater than actual elapsed clock time; 2) synchronicity - match of clock and perceived time; 3) compression - perceived time feels shorter than clock time; 4) flow - a sense of timelessness; 5) interstitial - perceived stoppage of clock time; and 6) temporal rupture - disruption of synchronicity of clock time. Five contextually situated steps that generate each of these temporal variations explain how these variations unfold in the experience of occupation. This synthesis is the basis for the Dynamic Occupation in Time (DOiT) Model which also incorporates the key occupational therapy concepts of human agency, personal engagement, context, and culture. Practice Implications. Investigating how occupations produce various temporalities and experiences will allow occupational scientists to investigate the underlying complexities of occupation-based practice. Also, by understanding more about the dynamic nature of occupations and appreciating the fluid quality of persons within their occupational context, occupational therapists can improve their design of occupation-based interventions.
I Don't Know Who I Am

SUMMARY We examine interviews from a qualitative study designed to examine HIV perceptions, risk, and risk management among Puerto Rican women who have sex with women (WSW) and who also have been diagnosed with major depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia. These women's stories challenge both the lesbian and the Latino communities to reexamine how and why they claim individuals as their own and they similarly challenge professional communities, including HIV educators, health researchers, and medical care providers, to develop effective HIV prevention programs and counseling approaches that facilitate patient/client self-disclosure and consider cultural and contextual barriers to both self-disclosure and the provision of services.
On the performance response of delay-bounded energy-aware bandwidth allocation scheme in wireless networks

This paper proposes a joint power and resource allocation methodology, by using a node-centric scheme. Each node estimates the throughput Θ(ts) and tunes the proposed path-aware energy conservation mechanism, according to requested delay constrained resources, as well as the bandwidth resources that the associated channels can handle in time. The combined power and frequency bandwidth allocation scheme is estimated for delay bounded streams, in order to provide the least power cost path to be traversed by the stream. The time-constrained transmissions are being manipulated in a collaborative manner through either the Radio Access Technologies or through the Peer-to-Peer mobile collaboration. The conducted simulation experiments and the results extracted, show that the proposed scheme could be applied to different Radio Access Technologies with variable delay-bound constraints, providing nodal and path-aware energy manipulation, whereas the proposed scheme minimizes the estimated power consumption of each device and prolongs the node's lifetime.
Subjective measurement of insomnia and quality of life in depressed inpatients

Insomnia and major depressive episodes (MDE) have each been associated with quality of life (QOL) deficits. In this study we examined insomnia as an independent predictor of QOL deficits during MDE, and used a secondary analysis of cross‐sectional data. The study was based at the inpatient psychiatric ward and included 88 adults (mean age 53; 78% women). We assessed insomnia severity with the 21‐item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Measurements of QOL in the week prior to admission included activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental ADLs (IADLs), daily living and role functioning, and relation to self and colleagues (the last two both subscales of the Basis 32). Linear regression models used the insomnia items as independent variables and the QOL measures as the dependent variables, after adjusting for age and nonsleep related depression severity. The results showed that 93% of patients endorsed insomnia on the observer‐rated HRSD, and 97% endorsed sleep disturbance in the self‐rated BDI. However, the insomnia items on the HRSD and BDI showed poor concurrent validity. Increasing severity of insomnia on the HDRS was associated with better QOL, while increasing severity of insomnia on the BDI was associated with worse QOL. We conclude that the BDI and HRSD do not produce equivalent measures of insomnia severity in depressed inpatients, and each insomnia measure has a unique relationship with QOL.
Contrast-enhanced CT and MRI for detecting neck metastasis of oral cancer: comparison between analyses performed by oral and medical radiologists.

OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to verify the concordance of contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) and MRI evaluation among four radiologists in detecting metastatic cervical lymph nodes of oral cancer patients. METHODS Ten patients underwent clinical and imaging examinations (CECT and MRI). Four radiologists, two oral and maxillofacial radiologists (OMRs) and two medical radiologists (MRs), independently analysed the images twice. Cohen's kappa index and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to verify the concordance between all analyses. RESULTS Regarding the interobserver agreement, the OMRs presented excellent kappa values for determining the regional lymph nodes (N-stage) in both CECT and MRI. The MRs presented moderate agreement for CECT evaluation at the first reading, but no concordance was found for the other analyses. When each imaging modality was analysed separately, kappa values were higher between all examiners. Greater variability was demonstrated between N-stage evaluation using different examinations. All radiologists were able to identify a greater number of metastatic lymph nodes in CECT than in MRI, except one MR, but no significant difference was found for all readers. The differences between the number of metastatic lymph nodes among all radiologists were not statistically significant. Moderate intraobserver agreement was observed for CECT and MRI evaluation, except for one MR. CONCLUSIONS The differences found between the N-stage performed by OMRs and MRs support the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach in the imaging evaluation of metastatic nodes. Further studies are necessary to confirm which imaging modality should be employed when evaluating neck areas.
Commuting and the role of flexible working practices

Considerable reductions in energy demand across society are necessary in order for the UK to achieve its decarbonisation targets by 2050. Significant attention has been given to challenging the carbon intensity of transport to help achieve these targets, with commuting of particular interest. Flexible working practices are promoted as desirable policies to intervene in these journeys; however cutting emissions and reducing demand has proved difficult. Limitations of these predominant individualistic perspectives illustrate why alternative mechanisms and perspectives are required to approach the sustainability challenge. Social practice theory can help in this endeavour, by decentralising the individual and instead placing the practices which constitute individual lives at the centre of analysis. Exploring and understanding transport as a system of practice draws attention to the ways in which practices bundle together in the organisation of everyday lives. It is through this understanding that alternative avenues for intervention arise; for example into the practice of flexible working, which engender the need for particular modes of mobility. To understand the influence of flexible working, analysis of 29 in-depth semi-structured interviews was conducted, which considered an understanding of work and its connections to other adjacent practices, particularly related to the household and the commute necessary. The results show that although technology has allowed work practices to change in many ways and to allow for greater spatial and temporal flexibility, it has not, in the sample investigated, led to a major shift in commute behaviours to lower carbon modes. The results also show that it is not the apparent flexibility of different types of work (‘creative’ vs ‘non-creative’) that is important, rather that the workplace, for many professions and for many people, seems to hold very strong social, material and professional attractions which influence what flexibilities exist and how they might be deployed or integrated.
Phytochemical analysis of Myrtus communis plant: Conventional versus microwave assisted-extraction procedures

Abstract Background Myrtle (Myrtus communis L) may constitute an interesting dietary source of health protective compounds. Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of total phenolic compounds (TPC) from myrtle leaf, stems, pericarp, and seeds was studied and the results were compared with those of the conventional method extraction (CME) in terms of extraction time. Methods Extraction yield/efficiency and antioxidant activity were measured using radical scavenging assay (DPPH•) and reducing power. Results The results show that the MAE was higher in terms of saving energy, extraction time (62 s) and extraction efficiency of bioactive compound compared to CME (2 h). Leaf presented the optimum content of total phenols (250 mg GAE.g−1 DW) and flavonoids (13.65 mg GAE.g−1 DW). However, the anthocyanin content was most important in pericarp extract (176.50±2.17 mg Cyd-3-glu g−1 DW). The antioxidant activity was important in all parts, mainly in leaves. The results indicated that appropriate microwave treatment could be an efficient process to phenolic compounds recovery and thus, better the antioxidant activity of myrtle extract. Conclusions Principal component analysis (PCA) applied to the experimental data shows that the distribution of the myrtle phenolic compounds depended on their plant part localization as well as the extraction method.
Epidemiology of cheerleading fall-related injuries in the United States.

CONTEXT Over the past several decades, cheerleaders have been performing fewer basic maneuvers and more gymnastic tumbling runs and stunts. As the difficulty of these maneuvers has increased, cheerleading injuries have also increased. OBJECTIVE To describe the epidemiology of cheerleading fall-related injuries by type of cheerleading team and event. DESIGN Prospective injury surveillance study. SETTING Participant exposure and injury data were collected from US cheerleading teams via the Cheerleading RIO (Reporting Information Online) surveillance tool. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS Athletes from 412 enrolled cheerleading teams who participated in official, organized cheerleading practices, pep rallies, athletic events, or cheerleading competitions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) The numbers and rates of cheerleading fall-related injuries during a 1-year period (2006-2007) are reported. RESULTS A total of 79 fall-related injuries were reported during the 1-year period. Most occurred during practice (85%, 67/79) and were sustained by high school cheerleaders (51%, 40/79). A stunt or pyramid was being attempted in 89% (70/79) of cases. Fall heights ranged from 1 to 11 ft (0.30-3.35 m) (mean = 4.7 + or - 2.0 ft [1.43 + or - 0.61 m]). Strains and sprains were the most common injuries (54%, 43/79), and 6% (5/79) of the injuries were concussions or closed head injuries. Of the 15 most serious injuries (concussions or closed head injuries, dislocations, fractures, and anterior cruciate ligament tears), 87% (13/15) were sustained while the cheerleader was performing on artificial turf, grass, a traditional foam floor, or a wood floor. The fall height ranged from 4 to 11 ft (1.22-1.52 m) for 87% of these cases (13/15). CONCLUSIONS Cheerleading-related falls may result in severe injuries and even death, although we report no deaths in the present study. The risk for serious injury increases as fall height increases or as the impact-absorbing capacity of the surfacing material decreases (or both).
Essays on the Role of Accounting Information in Governance and Valuation

My dissertation is focused on understanding how firm-level accounting information affects resource allocation in capital markets, by : (1) interacting with mechanisms through which investors govern managers and (2) facilitating investment decisions. To this end, I use both analytical, and empirical methods, using both international and US data. In the first essay I study shareholder activism, which is arguably the most salient corporate governance mechanism, currently. In particular, I examine the interaction of managerial incentives and reported performance, in the context of this phenomenon. I document that reporting better accounting performance at the onset of an activism campaign is associated with a lower likelihood of proxy fights and board turnover for target firms. Consequently managers, facing a threat to their control and careers, take actions to boost short-term earnings. Proxies of earnings management are significantly higher for target firms in the quarter following the launch of activism. Cross-sectional and time-series evidence suggests that this is driven by managers responding to the pressure of an activism campaign. Furthermore, target firms, which manage earnings, underperform over the next year, suggesting that the evidence is more consistent with costly short-term earnings management than improvement in operational efficiency due to activism. In the second essay, co-authored with Matthew Lyle and Charles Wang, we attempt to make progress in establishing a standard for estimating firm-level expected returns. Consistent with existing work, we show that under fairly general and economically motivated assumptions, expected stock returns can be expressed as a linear combination of two firm-level characteristics — book-to-market (value) and profitability. More interestingly,