Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Conducting critical ethnography in long-term residential care: experiences of a novice researcher in the field.

AIM In this paper, I describe my experiences as a novice researcher doing a critical ethnography in long-term residential care. I reflect upon the challenges and lessons learned in navigating trust and power relations in this complex sociopolitical field. BACKGROUND Critical ethnography is an important method of inquiry that can lead to disruptions in the status quo and empowerment of disenfranchised groups. In nursing scholarship, there is a body of literature about this method of inquiry. This paper further contributes to this scholarship by describing my experiences in the field, with particular attention to the linkages between the study's theoretical perspective, method of inquiry, and criteria for trustworthiness, and how these elements guided my actions in the field. DATA SOURCES The study that provides the context for this paper was a critical ethnography that examined the organization of long-term residential care in British Columbia, Canada. The method of inquiry was underpinned by a theoretical perspective that wove together a postcolonial feminist approach with Foucauldian epistemology. The study's criteria for trustworthiness were: credibility, reflexivity, reciprocity, voice and praxis. DISCUSSION Throughout the study, I found myself navigating issues related to building trust in the researcher/participant relationship and navigating power relations. Using examples, I describe how I approached these issues using the criteria for trustworthiness and theoretical perspective as guides. CONCLUSION Critical ethnography is a method of inquiry that can enrich nursing research and educational scholarship by generating greater understanding about the complex fields in which nurses practise.
Anti‐tumor Activity of Arginine Deiminase from Mycoplasma arginini and Its Growth‐inhibitory Mechanism

Two kinds of arginine deiminase (AD, EC 3.5.3.6) were purified from cell extracts of Mycoplasma arginini (a‐AD) and Mycoplasma hominis (h‐AD), and their enzymic properties and anti‐tumor activities were compared. The a‐AD enzyme strongly inhibited the growth of mouse hepatoma cell line MH134 in vitro, and its concentration required for 50% growth inhibition (IC50) was estimated to be about 10 ng/ml. The IC50 value of h‐AD against the same cell line was estimated to be ahout 100 ng/ml, due to its low enzyme activity under the physiological pH condition, i.e., pH 7.4. These results show that the reaction pH profile of the a‐AD was superior to that of the h‐AD as an anti‐tumor enzyme. Moreover, the effects of l‐arginine metabolism‐related substances on the anti‐tumor activity of the a‐AD were examined to study the growth‐inhibitory mechanism of this enzyme. The addition of 2 or 4 mMl‐arginine restored, in a dose‐dependent manner, the growth of mouse MH134 hepatoma and Meth A fibrosarcoma cell lines that had been inhibited by 20 ng/ml of the a‐AD. The addition of 2 or 4 mMl‐ornithine, which is biosynthesized from l‐arginine in the urea cycle and is the starting material in the polyamine‐biosynthesis pathway, also partially restored it in a dose‐dependent manner. These results indicate that the tumor cell growth inhibition caused by a‐AD originates from the depletion of the essential nutrient l‐arginine, and that the resulting block of the polyamine‐biosynthesis pathway is involved in part in the inhibitory mechanism.
Altar-Making with Latino Families

Summary This paper explores the uses of making altars in family therapy. Offering artistic expression in the form of altar-making can serve as a creative resource for clients, especially for many Latinos/Hispanics familiar with Catholicism, altars, and/or folk healing beliefs. Altar- making can have many uses. Specifically, altar-making can help people explore spiritual themes in their lives, cope with bereavement and grief, help clients remember their loved ones (White, 1997), memorialize the living, unify families, help families and couples learn to work collaboratively, and strengthen blended families. Suggestions for creating an altar are discussed from a narrative therapy perspective. A case illustration and an artist's perspective are also provided.
Approximation of Conditional Preferences Networks fiCP-netsfl in Possibilistic Logic

This paper proposes a first comparative study of the expressive power of two approaches to the representation of preferences: conditional preferences networks (CP-nets) and a logical preference representation framework, namely possibilistic logic. It is shown that possibilistic logic, using a method for handling symbolic priority weights, can always provide complete preorders compatible with the partial CP-net order. Although CP-nets provide an intuitive appealing setting for expressing preferences, possibilistic logic appears to be somewhat more flexible for that purpose.
Age Dependent Spatial Characteristics of Epileptiform Activity in Malformed Cortex

AGE DEPENDENT SPATIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF EPILEPTIFORM ACTIVITY IN MALFORMED CORTEX by L. Andrew Bell A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2011 Director: Kimberle Jacobs, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology Developmental cortical malformations are a major cause of intractable seizures. Determining the location and timing of susceptibility for epileptiform activity is critical to identifying what mechanisms contribute to epileptogenesis in any model. Using the freeze lesion rat model of polymicrogyria, we have identified, in lesioned cortex, these two aspects of epileptogenesis. Previous studies have demonstrated that epileptiform activity cannot be evoked prior to postnatal day (P) 12, but the malformed cortex is more susceptible to seizures as early as P10. An increase in excitatory afferents to the epileptogenic zone occurs before the onset of network epileptiform activity. Whether or not these afferents are a major contributor to the hyperexcitability of the malformed cortex can be investigated by determining if they specifically create a susceptibility for epileptiform activity. We have examined that here by measuring
Neural activation while perceiving biological motion in dynamic facial expressions and point-light body action animations

The interpretation of non-verbal social signals relies heavily on the ability to perceive biological motion. The posterior superior temporal sulcus is an important part of a network involved in biological motion processing. However, the underlying functional organization remains poorly understood. Several studies have suggested topographical representation of motion from different body parts within this region. However, other studies have shown that the posterior superior temporal sulcus responds equally to any body part. OBJECTIVE: Through the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging, the effects of socially relevant biological motion stimuli to activate a specific cortical area within posterior superior temporal sulcus, even if different body parts are involved in motion, will be analyzed. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: A functional magnetic resonance imaging, block-design was performed at the Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Surgical Medical Investigation Center, Havana, Cuba between 2004 and 2005. PARTICIPANTS: Thirteen healthy volunteers, from 19 to 55 years of age and comprising eight males and five females, were included in the study. METHODS: A conjunction analysis of responses to natural, dynamic, fearful, facial expressions and point-light, body-motion animations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The corresponding functionally specialized areas, as well as neural areas significant for both types of stimuli, were identified. RESULTS: One region within the posterior superior temporal sulcus of the right hemisphere was equally activated by facial and body complex motion. CONCLUSION: A site of common neural activity existed within the posterior superior temporal sulcus, which was not specific to a biological motion type. In addition, the activity was not related to a topographically organized body-part map, which suggested high-level visual representation of biological motion in this region.
Mental health problems in adolescents with cochlear implants: peer problems persist after controlling for additional handicaps

The aims of the present multi-center study were to investigate the extent of mental health problems in adolescents with a hearing loss and cochlear implants (CIs) in comparison to normal hearing (NH) peers and to investigate possible relations between the extent of mental health problems of young CI users and hearing variables, such as age at implantation, or functional gain of CI. The survey included 140 adolescents with CI (mean age = 14.7, SD = 1.5 years) and 140 NH adolescents (mean age = 14.8, SD = 1.4 years), their parents and teachers. Participants were matched by age, gender and social background. Within the CI group, 35 adolescents were identified as “risk cases” due to possible and manifest additional handicaps, and 11 adolescents were non-classifiable. Mental health problems were assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in the versions “Self,” “Parent,” and “Teacher. ” The CI group showed significantly more “Peer Problems” than the NH group. When the CI group was split into a “risk-group” (35 “risk cases” and 11 non-classifiable persons) and a “non-risk group” (n = 94), increased peer problems were perceived in both CI subgroups by adolescents themselves. However, no further differences between the CI non-risk group and the NH group were observed in any rater. The CI risk-group showed significantly more hyperactivity compared to the NH group and more hyperactivity and conduct problems compared to the CI non-risk group. Cluster analyses confirmed that there were significantly more adolescents with high problems in the CI risk-group compared to the CI non-risk group and the NH group. Adolescents with CI, who were able to understand speech in noise had significantly less difficulties compared to constricted CI users. Parents, teachers, and clinicians should be aware that CI users with additionally special needs may have mental health problems. However, peer problems were also experienced by CI adolescents without additional handicaps.
FAMILY ENVIRONMENT AND SUBSTANCE USE IN ADOLESCENT MALES

OF THESIS FAMILY ENVIRONMENT AND SUBSTANCE USE IN ADOLESCENT MALES The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between several aspects of family environment and adolescent substance use. Participants included 372 (M = 15.45 years, range = 15-17) adolescent males with and without a paternal history of Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Participants completed measures of family functioning, family communication, parentadolescent communication, living arrangement, temperament, and substance use. Results indicated that family functioning and communication predicted a significant reduction in the number of drugs used, frequency of drug use, and problems associated with drug use beyond the effects of demographic covariates. Additionally, temperament and family history of SUD were examined as moderators of the associations between family environment and adolescent substance use. Neither temperament nor family history of SUD significantly altered these relationships. The results of this study highlight the importance of elucidating family environment and the role it may play in prevention and interventions efforts for adolescent substance use.
God Save the Red Queen! Competition in Co-Evolutionary Robotics

In the simplest scenario of two co-evolving populations in competition with each other, fitness progress is achieved at disadvantage of the other population's fitness. The everchanging fitness landscape caused by the competing species (named the "Red Queen effect") makes the system dynamics more complex, but it also provides a set of advantages with respect to single-population evolution. Here we present results from an experiment with two mobile robots, a predator equipped with vision and a much faster prey with simpler sensors. Without any effort in fitness design, a set of interesting behaviors emerged in relatively short time, such as obstacle avoidance, straight navigation, visual tracking, object discrimination (robot vs. wall), object following, and others. Although such experiments cannot yet be performed in real-time on populations of robots for technical reasons, the approach seems promising.
Approximation and Fixed Parameter Subquadratic Algorithms for Radius and Diameter

The radius and diameter are fundamental graph parameters. They are defined as the minimum and maximum of the eccentricities in a graph, respectively, where the eccentricity of a vertex is the largest distance from the vertex to another node. In directed graphs, there are several versions of these problems. For instance, one may choose to define the eccentricity of a node in terms of the largest distance into the node, out of the node, the sum of the two directions (i.e. roundtrip) and so on. All versions of diameter and radius can be solved via solving all-pairs shortest paths (APSP), followed by a fast postprocessing step. Solving APSP, however, on $n$-node graphs requires $\Omega(n^2)$ time even in sparse graphs, as one needs to output $n^2$ distances. Motivated by known and new negative results on the impossibility of computing these measures exactly in general graphs in truly subquadratic time, under plausible assumptions, we search for \emph{approximation} and \emph{fixed parameter subquadratic} algorithms, and for reasons why they do not exist. Our results include: - Truly subquadratic approximation algorithms for most of the versions of Diameter and Radius with \emph{optimal} approximation guarantees (given truly subquadratic time), under plausible assumptions. In particular, there is a $2$-approximation algorithm for directed Radius with one-way distances that runs in $\tilde{O}(m\sqrt{n})$ time, while a $(2-\delta)$-approximation algorithm in $O(n^{2-\epsilon})$ time is unlikely. - On graphs with treewidth $k$, we can solve the problems in $2^{O(k\log{k})}n^{1+o(1)}$ time. We show that these algorithms are near optimal since even a $(3/2-\delta)$-approximation algorithm that runs in time $2^{o(k)}n^{2-\epsilon}$ would refute the plausible assumptions.
Error-Correcting Ouput Codes Library

In this paper, we present an open source Error-Correcting Output Codes (ECOC) library. The ECOC framework is a powerful tool to deal with multi-class categorization problems. This library contains both state-of-the-art coding (one-versus-one, one-versus-all, dense random, sparse random, DECOC, forest-ECOC, and ECOC-ONE) and decoding designs (hamming, euclidean, inverse hamming, laplacian, β-density, attenuated, loss-based, probabilistic kernel-based, and loss-weighted) with the parameters defined by the authors, as well as the option to include your own coding, decoding, and base classifier.
Channel Formation by CarO, the Carbapenem Resistance-Associated Outer Membrane Protein of Acinetobacter baumannii

ABSTRACT It has been recently shown that resistance to both imipenem and meropenem in multidrug-resistant clinical strains of Acinetobacter baumannii is associated with the loss of a heat-modifiable 25/29-kDa outer membrane protein, called CarO. This study aimed to investigate the channel-forming properties of CarO. Mass spectrometry analyses of this protein band detected another 25-kDa protein (called Omp25), together with CarO. Both proteins presented similar physicochemical parameters (Mw and pI). We overproduced and purified the two polypeptides as His-tagged recombinant proteins. Circular dichroism analyses demonstrated that the secondary structure of these proteins was mainly a β-strand conformation with spectra typical of porins. We studied the channel-forming properties of proteins by reconstitution into artificial lipid bilayers. In these conditions, CarO induced ion channels with a conductance value of 110 pS in 1 M KCl, whereas the Omp25 protein did not form any channels, despite its suggested porin function. The pores formed by CarO showed a slight cationic selectivity and no voltage closure. No specific imipenem binding site was found in CarO, and this protein would rather form unspecific monomeric channels.
Solubility parameters of hypromellose acetate succinate and plasticization in dry coating procedures

Abstract Solubility parameters of HPMCAS have not yet been investigated intensively. On this account, total and three-dimensional solubility parameters of HPMCAS were determined by using different experimental as well as computational methods. In addition, solubility properties of HPMCAS in a huge number of solvents were tested and a Teas plot for HPMCAS was created. The total solubility parameter of about 24 MPa0.5 was confirmed by various procedures and compared with values of plasticizers. Twenty common pharmaceutical plasticizers were evaluated in terms of their suitability for supporting film formation of HPMCAS under dry coating conditions. Therefore, glass transition temperatures of mixtures of polymer and plasticizers were inspected and film formation of potential ones was further investigated in dry coating of pellets. Contact angles of plasticizers on HPMCAS were determined in order to give a hint of achievable coating efficiencies in dry coating, but none was found to spread on HPMCAS. A few common substances, e.g. dimethyl phthalate, glycerol monocaprylate, and polyethylene glycol 400, enabled plasticization of HPMCAS; however, only triethyl citrate and triacetin were found to be suitable for use in dry coating. Addition of acetylated monoglycerides to triacetin increased coating efficiency, which was likewise previously demonstrated for triethyl citrate.
Unsupervised speaker change detection using probabilistic pattern matching

This letter presents an investigation into the use of a probabilistic pattern matching approach for detecting speaker changes in audio streams. The experiments are conducted using clean speech as well as broadcast news material. It is shown that, in the proposed approach, the use of bilateral scoring is considerably more effective than unilateral scoring. Appropriate score normalization methods are considered in the study. It is observed that in all the cases, the bilateral scoring approach outperforms the currently popular method of Bayesian information criterion (BIC) for speaker change detection. This letter discusses the principles of the proposed approach and details the experimental investigations
Quantitative diffusion-tensor anisotropy brain MR imaging: normative human data and anatomic analysis.

PURPOSE To obtain normative human cerebral data and evaluate the anatomic information in quantitative diffusion anisotropy magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS Quantitative diffusion anisotropy MR images were obtained in 13 healthy adults by using single-shot echo-planar MR imaging and a combination of tetrahedral and orthogonal gradient encoding (whole-brain coverage in about 1 minute). White matter (WM) anatomy was assessed at visual inspection, and values were measured in various brain regions. Different anisotropy measures, including total anisotropy (A sigma), were compared on the basis of information content, rotational invariance, and susceptibility to noise. Partial volume and noise effects were simulated. RESULTS Anisotropy MR images depicted WM features not typically seen on conventional MR images (e.g., external capsule, thalamic substructures, basal ganglia, occipital WM, thickness of the internal capsule). Statistically significant anisotropy differences occurred across brain regions, which were reproducible within and across subjects. A sigma was highest in commissural WM and progressively lower in projection and association WM. This order paralleled that of known resistance to spread of vasogenic edema, which suggested that anisotropy may be sensitive to WM histologic structure. Gray matter (GM) A sigma data were consistent with zero anisotropy, and partial volume WM-GM effects were approximately linear. A sigma image quality could be effectively improved by means of averaging. CONCLUSION Quantitative diffusion anisotropy images can be obtained rapidly and demonstrate subtle WM anatomy. Different histologic types of WM have significant and reproducible anisotropy differences.
A strong upper limit on the pulsed radio luminosity of the compact object 1RXS J141256.0+792204

Context: The ROSAT X-ray source 1RXS J141256.0+792204 has recently been identified as a likely compact object whose properties suggest it could be a very nearby radio millisecond pulsar at d = 80-260 pc. Aims: We investigated this hypothesis by searching for radio pulsations using the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope. Methods: We observed 1RXS J141256.0+792204 at 385 and 1380 MHz, recording at high time and frequency resolution in order to maintain sensitivity to millisecond pulsations. These data were searched both for dispersed single pulses and using Fourier techniques sensitive to constant and orbitally modulated periodicities. Results: No radio pulsations were detected in these observations, resulting in pulsed radio luminosity limits of L400^max â‰ˆ 0.3 (d/250 pc)2 mJy kpc2 and L1400^max â‰ˆ 0.03 (d/250 pc)2 mJy kpc2 at 400 and 1400 MHz respectively. Conclusions: The lack of detectable radio pulsations from 1RXS J141256.0+792204 brings into question its identification as a nearby radio pulsar, though, because the pulsar could be beamed away from us, this hypothesis cannot be strictly ruled out.
Decentralized Q-Learning for Stochastic Dynamic Games

There are only a few learning algorithms applicable to stochastic dynamic games. Learning in games is generally difficult because of the non-stationary environment in which each decision maker aims to learn its optimal decisions with minimal information in the presence of the other decision makers who are also learning. In the case of dynamic games, learning is more challenging because, while learning, the decision makers alter the state of the system and hence the future cost. In this paper, we present decentralized Q-learning algorithms for stochastic dynamic games, and study their convergence for the weakly acyclic case. We show that the decision makers employing these algorithms would eventually be using equilibrium policies almost surely in large classes of stochastic dynamic games.
(3R)-7-Hydroxy-N-((1S)-1-{((3R,4R)-4-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-3, 4-dimethyl-1-piperidinyl)methyl}-2-methylpropyl)-1,2,3, 4-tetrahydro-3-isoquinolinecarboxamide (JDTic) to reduce U50,488-induced diuresis and stress-induced cocaine reinstatement in rats

Rationale The kappa opioid receptor (KOR) antagonist, JDTic, was reported to prevent stress-induced reinstatement of cocaine-maintained responding and to have antidepressantlike effects. Objectives Our objectives were to determine whether analogs of JDTic retained KOR antagonist activity and whether an orally effective analog prevented footshockinduced cocaine reinstatement.
Towards the Automatically Semantic Scoring in Language Proficiency Evaluation

Many features have been proposed to evaluate examineespsila language proficiency. However, few of them are semantic based. In this paper, a novel feature for semantic scoring is presented. It is designed for a typical question type in language tests, namely reading-answering-problem. The proposed feature extraction process involves several operations: transcribing the speech data, automatically tagging the transcribed text and scoring the tagged text. The pattern based tagging is performed on the pre-designed Finite State Machines (FSMs) and the scoring fusion is based on the semantic calculations in a knowledge database. Experiment on Mandarin data validates the effectiveness of the semantic feature in the language proficiency evaluation.