Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the use of psychiatric hospitalization by residential treatment centers.

OBJECTIVE To examine differences in risk levels of psychiatric hospital referrals received from residential treatment centers (RTCs) as a measure of service quality. METHOD This prospective study used the Childhood Severity of Psychiatric Illness (CSPI), a reliable measure of psychiatric severity and factors thought to affect decision-making. Psychiatric referrals were wards of the state from the 10 largest RTCs in one metropolitan county and were screened by mobile crisis workers for admission appropriateness. After interviewing clients, the independent crisis workers completed the CSPI. RESULTS Referrals were placed into 1 of 2 categories based on CSPI ratings: high-risk or low-risk. Referrals were deemed high-risk if they displayed moderate or severe levels of suicidality, dangerousness to others, or psychotic symptoms on the CSPI. Results showed statistically significant variation in the level of risk of referrals received from the 10 RTCs. In addition, RTCs that had high rates of low-risk referrals were rated by crisis workers as demonstrating poorer supervision of their clients. CONCLUSIONS The residential treatment providers in our sample are expected to provide intensive treatment to children and adolescents with serious emotional and behavioral problems. Our finding that some RTCs are making low-risk referrals suggests that they are struggling to meet the needs of some of their clients. Our findings can be used to inform quality improvement efforts at RTCs that are currently struggling.
Accurate runtime thermal prediction scheme for 3D NoC systems with noisy thermal sensors

Thermal sensor noise has great impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of a dynamic thermal management (DTM) strategy. Conventional reactive thermal management techniques suffer significant performance degradation due to the pessimistic reaction. In this paper, to address the problem of forecasting temperatures based on noisy thermal readings, we propose a Kalman predictor based runtime thermal prediction scheme, which can predict temperatures N step ahead. An activity-based power model for 3D NoC power estimation is also proposed; the model is an essential prerequisite of accurate temperature predictions. Besides that, we propose a distributed multi-input single-output (MISO) thermal model for 3D NoC systems, which reduces the computational complexity of temperature updating from m2 to m compared with the centralized multi-input multi-output (MIMO) model for the system with m units. The experimental results show that the proposed prediction scheme reduces the mean absolute error (MAE) by 42.8%-72.6% compared with the auto-regressive (AR) based prediction scheme.
Beginning High School Teachers' Perceptions of Involvement in Professional Learning Communities and its Impact on Teacher Retention

LOVETT, HELEN TOMLINSON. Beginning High School Teachers’ Perceptions of Involvement in Professional Learning Communities and its Impact on Teacher Retention. (Under the direction of Dr. Lance D. Fusarelli). The purpose of this study was to examine beginning high school teachers’ perceptions of involvement in Professional Learning Communities in southeastern North Carolina and to determine whether beginning teachers’ perceptions of involvement in Professional Learning Communities influenced their decisions to move to another location, stay in teaching, or leave the profession altogether. This study examined the perceptions of novice high school teachers whose school was functioning as a Professional Learning Community to determine how beginning teachers’ decisions were influenced by their perceptions of involvement with Professional Learning Communities. The researcher used qualitative methods of research that included interviews, analysis of content and document analysis that was later utilized to interpret, analyze and present data. Eight beginning teachers were interviewed in a southeastern high school in North Carolina. The interviews were one on one and face to face. Interviews were semi-structured and allowed flexibility during the interview process. Recording devices were used to record the interviews and the researcher also engaged in note taking. Participants’ responses were coded and analyzed and resulted in the emergence of patterns and themes. The process used in collecting data provided for anonymity of all participants. This study adds to the body of literature as it relates to beginning teachers’ retention rates and how beginning teachers involvement with and perceptions of Professional Learning Communities influence retention and attrition issues. Information gleaned from the study may be helpful to educational leaders and policy makers as they seek solutions and engage in establishing policies and procedures related to teacher retention. Beginning High School Teachers’ Perceptions of Involvement in Professional Learning Communities and its Impact on Teacher Retention by Helen Tomlinson Lovett A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of North Carolina State University in partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Educational Administration and Supervision Raleigh, North Carolina 2013
Finger identification for touch panel operation using tapping fluctuation

In recent years, user interface for touch input on mobile devices with touch panels has spread. In general, each target on a touch panel is designed to be finger size or larger to avoid selection mistake, however, such design slows down complex tasks. This paper presents a finger identification method for touch panel operations. When a user taps with a finger on the touch panel, the detected coordinates changes while the finger contacts with touch panel, and it differs in each finger. We call it tapping fluctuation, and we use it for finger identification. The proposed method has advantage that it doesn't need additional device or hardware revision. By associating each finger to different function, more complex tasks become possible. We conducted an experiment of identifying to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method. Additionally, we develop a filer application as an example with user interface using finger identification.
Impact of Switching from an Open to a Closed Infusion System on Rates of Central Line–Associated Bloodstream Infection: A Meta-analysis of Time-Sequence Cohort Studies in 4 Countries

Background. We report a meta-analysis of 4 identical time-series cohort studies of the impact of switching from use of open infusion containers (glass bottle, burette, or semirigid plastic bottle) to closed infusion containers (fully collapsible plastic containers) on central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates and all-cause intensive care unit (ICU) mortality in 15 adult ICUs in Argentina, Brazil, Italy, and Mexico. Methods. All ICUs used open infusion containers for 6–12 months, followed by switching to closed containers. Patient characteristics, adherence to infection control practices, CLABSI rates, and ICU mortality during the 2 periods were compared by χ2 test for each country, and the results were combined using meta-analysis. Results. Similar numbers of patients participated in 2 periods (2,237 and 2,136). Patients in each period had comparable Average Severity of Illness Scores, risk factors for CLABSI, hand hygiene adherence, central line care, and mean duration of central line placement. CLABSI incidence dropped markedly in all 4 countries after switching from an open to a closed infusion container (pooled results, from 10.1 to 3.3 CLABSIs per 1,000 central line-days; relative risk [RR], 0.33 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.24-0.46]; P<.001). All-cause ICU mortality also decreased significantiy, from 22.0 to 16.9 deaths per 100 patients (RR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.68-0.87]; P<.001). Conclusions. Switching from an open to a closed infusion container resulted in a striking reduction in the overall CLABSI incidence and all-cause ICU mortality. Data suggest that open infusion containers are associated with a greatiy increased risk of infusion-related bloodstream infection and increased ICU mortality that have been unrecognized. Furthermore, data suggest CLABSIs are associated with significant attributable mortality.
Clinical relevance of discourse characteristics after right hemisphere brain damage.

PURPOSE Discourse characteristics of adults with right hemisphere brain damage are similar to those reported for healthy older adults, prompting the question of whether changes are due to neurological lesions or normal aging processes. The clinical relevance of potential differences across groups was examined through ratings by speech-language pathologists. METHOD A thinking-out-loud task was used to elicit discourse from 8 individuals with right brain damage and 8 healthy older adults. Speech-language pathologists rated discourse transcripts on content and quantity variables and then classified them as belonging to a participant with or without brain damage. Subjective ratings were validated against corroborating measures. RESULTS Discourse produced by adults with right brain damage was rated as more tangential and egocentric than that from healthy older adults. Extreme verbosity or paucity of speech was attributed to people with right brain damage. One third of the speech-language pathologists accurately classified discourse samples according to group, whereas the others displayed biases toward one group or the other. CONCLUSIONS Tangentiality, egocentrism, and extremes of quantity are clinically relevant characteristics of discourse produced by adults with right brain damage. Speech-language pathologists must be aware of potential biases that influence their perception of "normal" discourse production.
Estimating Quarterly National Accounts: An Analysis of the Spanish Procedure.

In recent times, economic analysts have paid increasing attention to short-term analysis of economic cycles. As a result, Official Statistical Agencies in most western countries have to deal with the problem of estimating Quarterly National Accounts congruently with Annual National Accounts (for an overlook see OCDE 1996). The Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE) estimates the Quarterly National Accounts for Spain using a methodoly developed by Chow and Lin (1971). Chow and Lin dealt with the problem of interpolation, distribution and extrapolation of economic time series. They obtained the BLUE for missing monthly observations from a quarterly observed series and a set of related monthly indicators. As they noted, the solution extends straightforward to any other pair of frequencies. This paper aims at answering the following question: Do Chow-Lin’s procedure give robust quarterly estimates? The problem may be addressed by examining the following issues through simulation: Do the temporal characteristics of indicators influence the quality of the estimates? What is the influence of the relative weight corresponding to the error term over the estimates? Do the value of the autorregresive coefficient in the error term affect the estimates? Is the number of indicators relevant? What happen if the AR(1) hypothesis is not admissible? Do the estimates have similar quality over the sample period?
Genome-wide methylation profiling identifies an essential role of reactive oxygen species in pediatric glioblastoma multiforme and validates a methylome specific for H3 histone family 3A with absence of G-CIMP/isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutation.

BACKGROUND Pediatric glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is rare, and there is a single study, a seminal discovery showing association of histone H3.3 and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)1 mutation with a DNA methylation signature. The present study aims to validate these findings in an independent cohort of pediatric GBM, compare it with adult GBM, and evaluate the involvement of important functionally altered pathways. METHODS Genome-wide methylation profiling of 21 pediatric GBM cases was done and compared with adult GBM data (GSE22867). We performed gene mutation analysis of IDH1 and H3 histone family 3A (H3F3A), status evaluation of glioma cytosine-phosphate-guanine island methylator phenotype (G-CIMP), and Gene Ontology analysis. Experimental evaluation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) association was also done. RESULTS Distinct differences were noted between methylomes of pediatric and adult GBM. Pediatric GBM was characterized by 94 hypermethylated and 1206 hypomethylated cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) islands, with 3 distinct clusters, having a trend to prognostic correlation. Interestingly, none of the pediatric GBM cases showed G-CIMP/IDH1 mutation. Gene Ontology analysis identified ROS association in pediatric GBM, which was experimentally validated. H3F3A mutants (36.4%; all K27M) harbored distinct methylomes and showed enrichment of processes related to neuronal development, differentiation, and cell-fate commitment. CONCLUSIONS Our study confirms that pediatric GBM has a distinct methylome compared with that of adults. Presence of distinct clusters and an H3F3A mutation-specific methylome indicate existence of epigenetic subgroups within pediatric GBM. Absence of IDH1/G-CIMP status further indicates that findings in adult GBM cannot be simply extrapolated to pediatric GBM and that there is a strong need for identification of separate prognostic markers. A possible role of ROS in pediatric GBM pathogenesis is demonstrated for the first time and needs further evaluation.
On the use of LiF:Mg,Ti thermoluminescence dosemeters in space--a critical review.

The use of LiF:Mg,Ti thermoluminescence dosemeters (TLDs) in space radiation fields is reviewed. It is demonstrated in the context of modified track structure theory and microdosimetric track structure theory that there is no unique correlation between the relative thermoluminescence (TL) efficiency of heavy charged particles, neutrons of all energies and linear energy transfer (LET). Many experimental measurements dating back more than two decades also demonstrate the multivalued, non-universal, relationship between relative TL efficiency and LET. It is further demonstrated that the relative intensities of the dosimetric peaks and especially the high-temperature structure are dependent on a large number of variables, some controllable, some not. It is concluded that TL techniques employing the concept of LET (e.g. measurement of total dose, the high-temperature ratio (HTR) methods and other combinations of the relative TL efficiency of the various peaks used to estimate average Q or simulate Q-LET relationships) should be regarded as lacking a sound theoretical basis, highly prone to error and, as well, lack of reproducibility/universality due to the absence of a standardised experimental protocol essential to reliable experimental methodology.
Ages & Stages Questionnaire–Brazil–2011

Introduction. Professionals who assess early childhood development highly benefit from reliable development screening measures. The Ages & Stages Questionnaire was adapted Brazil in 2010 and named ASQ-BR. Modifications in some items were required to improve the instrument’s psychometric properties. The present study modified the ASQ-BR to verify if those changes increase its characteristics. Method. This study researched 67 522 children from 972 public day care centers and preschools. Changes in items were made considering Cronbach’s α and item-to-total correlations. Reliability, dimensionality, and item-to-total correlations were calculated. Results. Regarding dimensionality, 86.2% of the scales in ASQ-BR-2011 were unidimensional. Internal consistency showed improvement from 2010 to 2011: 53.8% of the scales increased the α statistics against 41.2% that decreased, and 5.0% remained the same. Finally, 65.2% of the modified items showed improvement. Conclusions. Overall, the instrument’s psychometrics improved from 2010 to 2011, especially in the personal/social domain. However, it still leaves room for improvement in future studies.
Modeling of Fuel Cell/microturbine generation scheme with battery storage

This paper describes a proposed distributed generation scheme employing a microturbine driving a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator (PMSG). The ac power generated from the PMSG is rectified and, along with a Fuel Cell, is connected to the dc-link together with a battery bank. A PWM inverter delivers ac power to the load. The dynamic and steady state models of the distributed generation scheme will be derived and the simulation results will be presented for different load variations.
Diurnal Rhythm of Muscular Strength Depends on Temporal Specificity of Self-Resistance Training

Abstract Zbidi, S, Zinoubi, B, Vandewalle, H, and Driss, T. Diurnal rhythm of muscular strength depends on temporal specificity of self-resistance training. J Strength Cond Res 30(3): 717–724, 2016—The study investigated the effect of the time-of-day at which maximal isometric voluntary co-contraction (MIVCC) training is conducted on the adaptation and diurnal variation of maximal and explosive force production. Twenty active men underwent a 6-week (3 times per week) MIVCC training of the right elbow joint. The participants were randomly assigned to a morning training group (MTG, 07:00–08:00 hours) and evening training group (ETG, 17:00–18:00 hours). The maximal voluntary force (MVF) and maximal rate of force development (MRFD) during isometric elbow flexion (MVFF and MRFDF) and extension (MVFE and MRFDE) were recorded before (T0) and after (T1) training in the morning and evening. At T0, MVF and MRFD were higher in the evening compared with those in the morning for the MTG and ETG (p ⩽ 0.05). At T1, MVFF and MVFE increased in the morning and evening for both groups (p < 0.001). The MRFDF and MRFDE increased only if training and test session were scheduled at the same time. The relative increase of MVF was greater at the specific time of training for the MTG (12 and 17.6% in MVFF and MVFE, respectively) and ETG (9.8 and 13.4% in MVFF and MVFE, respectively). The diurnal variations in MVF and MRFD during flexion and extension disappeared in the MTG and persisted in the ETG. Maximal isometric voluntary co-contraction training enhanced muscle strength whatever the time-of-day at which the training was scheduled without alteration of explosive force. In contrast, to optimize the muscle strength, our results suggested that morning training may be accompanied by the greatest muscle strength gain and blunted muscle strength variation observed between the morning and evening.
Fund Performance Appraisal Using DEA

This article gives further appraisal for 39 funds using data envelopment analysis(DEA), which belong to three classifies and are regarded good performance by the latest silver river in everyday fund net in past one year. The statistical indexes, mean and variance which embody risk and reward of fund very well, are chosen, then DEA efficiency theorem is employed to compare and analysis the technical efficiency and return to scale. And some benchmarks are given to follow by inefficiency funds.
Assessment of human exposure to environmental heavy metals in soils and bryophytes of the central region of Portugal

This study intends to identify the spatial patterns of variation for some metals and metalloids, in soils and mosses, in the central region of Portugal. The purposes were: (i) to identify relationships amongst five elements (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr and As) in three different media (topsoil, bottom soil and bryophytes) and with some site-specific characteristics, using Multiple Correspondence Analysis; (ii) to define spatial patterns of variation for the associations identified by Multiple Correspondence Analysis using Variography and Ordinary Kriging; and (iii) to assess atmospheric deposition as a source of heavy metals to the topsoil by crossing results with the biomonitors. The results indicated relatively low metal concentrations in soils and mosses. Some metal associations and dissociations were identified. The spatial patterns of variation of bottom and topsoil are distinct. There is some evidence that different site-specific characteristics control the spatial distribution of different elements. The areas within the central region of Portugal with a higher vulnerability to metal contamination were identified.
Smad3-Smad4 and AP-1 Complexes Synergize in Transcriptional Activation of the c-Jun Promoter by Transforming Growth Factor β

ABSTRACT Transcriptional regulation by transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is a complex process which is likely to involve cross talk between different DNA responsive elements and transcription factors to achieve maximal promoter activation and specificity. Here, we describe a concurrent requirement for two discrete responsive elements in the regulation of the c-Jun promoter, one a binding site for a Smad3-Smad4 complex and the other an AP-1 binding site. The two elements are located 120 bp apart in the proximal c-Jun promoter, and each was able to independently bind its corresponding transcription factor complex. The effects of independently mutating each of these elements were nonadditive; disruption of either sequence resulted in complete or severe reductions in TGF-β responsiveness. This simultaneous requirement for two distinct and independent DNA binding elements suggests that Smad and AP-1 complexes function synergistically to mediate TGF-β-induced transcriptional activation of the c-Jun promoter.
A Comparative Study of Essential Oils of Cymbopogon Citratus and Some Members of the Genus Citrus

Steam distilled oils of some species of the genus Citrus and Cymbopogon citratus were analyzed by GC-MS. It is observed that citral b was the most common constituent of the oils, which could be a good inhibitor of β-glucuronidase as all the tested essential oils showed significant inhibition of β-glucuronidase. IC50 values of a mixture of citral a and b also proved the hypothesis. The same oils also exhibited positive response against tested microbes.
Defining conditions for covalent immobilization of angiogenic growth factors onto scaffolds for tissue engineering

Rapid vascularization of engineered tissues in vitro and in vivo remains one of the key limitations in tissue engineering. We propose that angiogenic growth factors covalently immobilized on scaffolds for tissue engineering can be used to accomplish this goal. The main objectives of this work were: (a) to derive desirable experimental conditions for the covalent immobilization of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin‐1 (Ang1) on porous collagen scaffolds; and (b) to determine whether primary endothelial cells respond to these scaffolds with covalently immobilized angiogenic factors. VEGF and Ang1 were covalently immobilized onto porous collagen scaffolds, using 1‐ethyl‐3‐(3‐dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) chemistry. To improve covalent immobilization conditions: (a) different reaction buffers [phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS), distilled water, or 2‐(N‐morpholino)ethanesulphonic acid (MES)] were used; and (b) step immobilization was compared to bulk immobilization. In step immobilization, growth factors are applied after EDC activation of the scaffold, while in bulk immobilization, reagents are simultaneously applied to the scaffold. PBS as the reaction buffer resulted in higher amounts of VEGF and Ang1 immobilized (ELISA), higher cell proliferation rates (XTT) and increased lactate metabolism compared to water and MES as the reaction buffers. Step immobilization in PBS buffer was also more effective than bulk immobilization. Immobilized growth factors resulted in higher cell proliferation and lactate metabolism compared to soluble growth factors used at comparable concentrations. Tube formation by CD31‐positive cells was also observed in collagen scaffolds with immobilized VEGF or Ang1 using H5V and primary rat aortic endothelial cells but not on control scaffolds. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.