Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploring Dimensions of Well-Being among Spouses of Active-Duty Service Members

EXPLORING DIMENSIONS OF WELL-BEING AMONG SPOUSES OF ACTIVEDUTY SERVICE MEMBERS By Lisa A. Gray, L.C. S.W. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2015 Major Director: Sarah Kye Price PhD, MSW Associate Professor, School of Social Work During an era when the United States has been engaged in the longest waging wars in U.S. history, military families have been exposed to extraordinary amounts of stress and have had to learn to adapt in a culture where repeated deployments, recurrent family separations, and frequent relocations have become the norm. A surge in research in recent years on the families of Service members has brought increased attention to the unique challenges and demands of spouses, raising concerns about how to best meet their needs. Despite the increased attention, few studies have focused on spousal well-being. Acknowledging this lack of research, the present dissertation study utilized a mixed-methods approach to explore various dimensions of well-being, as directly experienced by spouses of active-duty military personnel. Data was collected from a web-based survey completed by 300 spouses of active-duty Service members. Quantitative data included a wide range of demographic, family, military lifestyle, and service utilization questions along with a battery of standardized instruments measuring various risk and protective factors, which represent components of well-being. Qualitative data were collected from four open-ended questions and analyzed thematically. Qualitative and quantitative components were corroborated in the final analysis. Results of the study found significant differences in well-being scores among subsamples of participants divided by employment status, race, and Service member rank. However, subsamples divided on the basis of having children, education level, and Service member combat deployment history did not result in significantly different well-being scores. Separate hierarchical regression analyses were performed on the outcome scores for each component of well-being (social, mental, and physical). The findings revealed that selected risk & protective factor variables were significant predictors within each model. On the other hand, sociodemographic characteristics only added to the predictive power of outcomes scores in the mental component of well-being. Qualitative findings included data on participants’ perspectives of the rewards and challenges of military life, the impact of the military lifestyle on parenting experiences, and advice to spouses new to the military lifestyle. Implications and limitations of this study, as well as suggestions for future research to enhance the well-being of military spouses, are discussed.
Intron Framing Exonic Nucleotides: A Compromise Between Protein Coding and Splicing Constraints

Introns in eukaryotic genes are located either between codons (phase 0) or within codons (phase 1 and 2). Phase 0 introns are more frequent. Several factors might contribute to this phenomenon with codon usage bias playing a significant role. The nucleotides located at the very ends of intermediate exons are involved not only in protein coding but also in splicing regulation. This study indicates that phase 0 introns create more flexibility for protein coding without af- fecting splicing sensitive exonic nucleotides than the other two intron types. The canonic AG￻ G site, for instance, is par- ticularly frequent around phase 0 introns. In humans the observed frequency of AG￻ G sites framing phase 0 introns is at least 2 to 3 times higher than in phase 1 and 2 introns. It is possible that the higher flexibility of exonic nucleotides sur- rounding phase 0 introns may serve as a driving force increasing frequencies of sites like AG￻G and this could lead to more stable or efficient splicing without compromising protein coding. If so, this type of selection might also contribute to higher frequency of phase 0 introns.
Management of low back pain in computer users: A multidisciplinary approach

Background: Low back pain is a very common phenomenon in computer users. More than 80% people using computers for more than 4 h complain of back pain. Objective: To compare the effectiveness of multidisciplinary treatment approach and conventional treatment approach amongst computer users. Materials and Methods: A prospective interventional study was carried out at a private spine clinic amongst the computer users with the complaint of low back pain. The study participants were randomly distributed in two groups. The first group comprised the study participants treated by conventional approach and the second group was treated by multidisciplinary approach. Primary outcomes analyzed were pain intensity, sick leave availed, and quality of life. Statistical analysis was done using proportions, unpaired “t” test, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: Totally 44 study participants were randomly assigned to groups I and II, and each group had 22 study participants. Intensity of pain was reduced significantly in the group treated by multidisciplinary approach (t = 5.718; P = 0.0001). Similarly only 4 (19.19%) of the study participants of the group treated by multidisciplinary approach availed sick leave due to low back pain, while 14 (63.63%) study participants availed sick leave in the other group (P = 0.02). The quality of life amongst the study participants treated by multidisciplinary approach was significantly improved compared to the group treated by conventional approach (t = 7.037; P = 0.0001). Conclusion and Recommendation: The multidisciplinary treatment approach was better than the conventional treatment approach in low back pain cases when some factors like pain and quality of life were assessed. The multidisciplinary approach for treatment of low back pain should be promoted over conventional approach. Larger studies are required to confirm the findings in different settings.
What will be the impact of a warming of the surface waters of the ocean in high latitudes ?

A decrease in cloud cover over higher latitudes—a decrease in the extratropical albedo—especially over the Southern Ocean, can result in an extratropical and tropical warming with the intensity of the equatorial cold tongues in the Pacific and Atlantic basins decreasing. These results, obtained by means of a coupled ocean–atmosphere model of intermediate complexity that allow the prescription of atmospheric cloud cover, are relevant to future global warming, and also to conditions during the Pliocene some 3 million years ago. The mechanisms responsible for the response of the tropics to changes in the extra-tropics include atmospheric and oceanic connections. This tropical adjustment can be interpreted from the constraint of a balanced heat budget for the ocean: A change in the albedo of the Southern Hemisphere causes the ocean to lose less heat there, so that it has to gain less heat in the tropics. As a consequence the cold tongues are reduced, particularly in the eastern Pacific where a decrease in the zonal tilt of the equatorial thermocline significantly weakens the east-west sea surface temperature gradient. The total adjustment time scale of the equatorial Pacific to the extratropical perturbation is of the order of interdecadal to centennial time scales, and thus represents a new mechanism of rapid climate change.
IEEE 802.15.6 compliant WBSN: A case study

The advances in wireless low-power sensors and the increasing demand for portable healthcare monitoring systems have inspired the realization of Wireless Body Sensor Networks (WBSNs). IEEE Std. 802.15. 6 defines the communication protocol for WBSN applications in terms of physical and medium access layers. The high generality and flexibility of standard requirements poses the question of how WBSN parameters, i.e. sampling frequency, node priority, superframe duration, have to be carefully set to guarantee a given accuracy level for the extraction and estimation of the biomedical information of interest. In this context, the present paper focuses on the most suitable design of network configuration by considering how the occurrence of missing packets affects the resulting quality of service. Throughout numerical simulations in Matlab, we reproduce a plausible WBSN scenario for monitoring the cardiac activity during physical exercise. The effect of missing packets on the recovered electrocardiographic (ECG) time-series at receiver side has been finally investigated, in terms of root-mean-square error and accuracy of the estimated heart rate, thus providing some criteria for choosing the most suitable network configuration.
A new agent characterization model and grouping method for multi-agent system

In ubiquitous environment a number of agents dynamically collaborate with each other. Therefore, it is very important to effectively model their characteristics and group them accordingly. In this paper we introduce a new agent modeling and grouping method based on the supplier/demander model. The degree of matching between the agents is modeled by UoP (Utility of Predicate), UoA (Utility of Agent), and UoC (Utility of Community). An experiment reveals that the proposed scheme drastically decreases useless data stream and inter-broker communications compared to random grouping.
Mathematical yield estimation for two-dimensional-redundancy memory arrays

Defect repair has become a necessary process to enhance the overall yield for memories since manufacturing a natural good memory is difficult in current memory technologies. This paper presents an yield-estimation scheme, which utilizes an induction-based approach to calculate the probability that all defects in a memory can be successfully repaired by a two-dimensional redundancy design. Unlike previous works, which rely on a time-consuming simulation to estimate the expected yield, our yield-estimation scheme only requires scalable mathematical computation and can achieve a high accuracy with limited time and space complexity. Also, the proposed estimation scheme can consider the impact of single defects, column defects, and row defects simultaneously. With the help of the proposed yield-estimation scheme, we can effectively identify the most profitable redundancy configuration for large memory designs within few seconds while it may take several hours or even days by using conventional simulation approach.
Development of Organizational Commitment Based on the Social Exchange Theory

Previous studies have often neglected the important factor of risk perception in examining the development of organizational commitment. This is despite the fact that the employee-organization relationship has been recognized as a social exchange relationship and that organizational commitment is a behavior developed while the process of such exchange relationship is established. Based on related studies in economics and psychology, the key factors in the social exchange process such as risk perception and organizational trust were integrated into the development of employees' organizational commitment, which established a developmental mechanism model of organizational commitment based on the social exchange process.
Cardiac troponin and C-reactive protein for predicting all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease: A meta-analysis

Elevated serum levels of cardiac troponin and C-reactive protein are associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease. However, the relationship between these two biomarker levels and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease remains unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis to quantify the association of cardiac troponin and C-reactive protein levels with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease. Relevant studies were identified by searching the MEDLINE database through November 2013. Studies were included in the meta-analysis if they reported the long-term all-cause or cardiovascular mortality of chronic kidney disease patients with abnormally elevated serum levels of cardiac troponin or C-reactive protein. Summary estimates of association were obtained using a random-effects model. Thirty-two studies met our inclusion criteria. From the pooled analysis, cardiac troponin and C-reactive protein were significantly associated with all-cause (HR 2.93, 95% CI 1.97-4.33 and HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.14-1.29, respectively) and cardiovascular (HR 3.27, 95% CI 1.67-6.41 and HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.10-1.28, respectively) mortality. In the subgroup analysis of cardiac troponin and C-reactive protein, significant heterogeneities were found among the subgroups of population for renal replacement therapy and for the proportion of smokers and the C-reactive protein analysis method. Elevated serum levels of cardiac troponin and C-reactive protein are significant associated with higher risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease. Further studies are warranted to explore the risk stratification in chronic kidney disease patients.
Moving steganography and steganalysis from the laboratory into the real world

There has been an explosion of academic literature on steganography and steganalysis in the past two decades. With a few exceptions, such papers address abstractions of the hiding and detection problems, which arguably have become disconnected from the real world. Most published results, including by the authors of this paper, apply "in laboratory conditions" and some are heavily hedged by assumptions and caveats; significant challenges remain unsolved in order to implement good steganography and steganalysis in practice. This position paper sets out some of the important questions which have been left unanswered, as well as highlighting some that have already been addressed successfully, for steganography and steganalysis to be used in the real world.
Catalytic dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls.

Introduction Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) mixtures have been used worldwide as nonflammable oils and as lubricants for hightemperature applications ( I ) , and PCB contamination of soils and water is nowwidespread. Due to potential adverse human health and environmental effects, the use of PCBs has ceased, and remediation methodology for existing PCB contamination has become of substantial interest (1). We report herein a new method for the conversion of PCBs to readily biodegradable biphenyl, which succeeds in simple solution and, importantly, on contaminated soils. It involves reductive dechlorination and is accomplished through homogeneous catalysis under mild conditions. The dechlorination catalyst is prepared i n situ from the simple titanium complex titanocene dichloride, and easy-to-handle sodium borohydride is the ultimate reducing agent. Chemically, PCBs are a group of 209 simple, chlorinated aromatic congeners ( I ) , but many proposed chemical remediation processes for PCB contamination involve reactions that are typically not efficient for aromatic halides. Such procedures include, for example, substitution of chloride (2) or photolysis (3). In addition, although incineration or other oxidative procedures are widely discussed methodologies for PCB destruction (41, PCBs derive their widespread industrial use and environmental persistence from their resistance to oxidative degradation: The more highly chlorinated the congener, the greater its resistance to oxidation, and the longer it will persist in the environment. Furthermore, oxidation can lead to the formation of toxic dioxins (1). In contrast, reduction of a PCB congener should yield no dioxins and should be facilitated by high chlorine content. In fact, several reduction methodologies for PCB remediation have been described, including treatment with dissolving or molten metals (5, 6), through heterogeneous catalysis (3 , or by electrolysis (8). However their success with pure PCBs, these techniques may be impractical for remediation of PCB-contaminated materials such as soils.
Supporting smartphone-based behavioral activation: a simulation study

Behavioral activation has shown to be a simple yet effective therapy for depressive patients. The method relies on extensive collection of patient reported activity data on an hourly basis. We are currently in the process of designing a smartphone-based behavioral activation system for depressive disorders. However, it is an open question to what degree patients would use this approach given the high demand for user input. In order to investigate this question, we collected paper-based behavioral activation forms from 5 patients, covering in total 18 weeks, 115 days, and 1,614 hours of self-reported activity data. In this paper we present an analysis of this data and discuss the implications for the design of a smartphone-based system for behavioral activation.
Teachers as health workers: Patterns and imperatives of Australian teachers’ work

With increasing cross-sectoral relationships and partnerships and the blurring of the boundaries of the various service sectors (Westall 2009), the membrane that is assumed separate education and health in terms of young people’s wellbeing looks thinner than ever. In this project we are concerned to know what teachers do in terms of young people’s health, how much time they spend doing it, and to what extent this work might be considered as health work? The paper is informed by a Likert style survey and semi-structured interview data collected from a large cohort of teachers employed in different school sectors across Queensland, Australia and is framed by Bourdieu’s (1977) ideas around field, practice and doxa. The data suggest that teachers, often with a minimum of training undertake work that might be categorised as health work and do so with a high degree of commitment and with a growing sense of urgency but with concerns related to their competence. We consider it important to understand the reasons why and the extent to which teachers engage in work that might be more readily associated with public health and to ask “are teachers health workers? ”
An automated approach for identifying potential vulnerabilities in software

The paper presents results from analyzing the vulnerability of security-critical software applications to malicious threats and anomalous events using an automated fault injection analysis approach. The work is based on the well understood premise that a large proportion of security violations result from errors in software source code and configuration. The methodology employs software fault injection to force anomalous program states during the execution of software and observes their corresponding effects on system security. If insecure behaviour is detected, the perturbed location that resulted in the violation is isolated for further analysis and possibly retrofitting with fault tolerant mechanisms.
Expression of the Bacillus subtilis spoIVCA gene, which encodes a site-specific recombinase, depends on the spoIIGB product

The Bacillus subtilis spoIVCA gene encodes a site-specific recombinase which creates a sigK gene by DNA rearrangement. We have determined the transcription initiation point of the spoIVCA gene and found that (i) the spoIVCA promoter contains sequences which are similar to -10 and -35 regions of promoters recognized by sigma E and (ii) mutation of spoIIGB, which encodes pro-sigma E, blocked the expression of spoIVCA.
A grounded theory of moral reckoning in nursing

BACKGROUND: Moral distress is a pervasive problem in nursing, contributing to loss of nurses' ethical integrity, dissatisfaction with the work of nursing, and loss of nurses from the workforce. PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was twofold: to further elucidate the experiences and consequences of professional nurses' moral distress and to formulate a logical, systematic, and explanatory theory of moral distress and its consequences. METHODS: This Glasserian grounded theory study utilized volunteer and purposive sampling to recruit a sample of 21 registered nurses. RESULTS: The theory of moral reckoning in nursing illuminates a three-stage process. After a novice period, the nurse experiences a Stage of Ease in which there is comfort in the workplace and congruence of internal and external values. Unexpectedly, a situational bind occurs in which the nurse's core beliefs come into irreconcilable conflict with social norms. This constitutes a critical juncture, forcing the nurse out of the Stage of Ease into the Stage of Resolution, during which the nurse attempts to resolve the conflict by choosing among values. Resolution includes either giving up or making a stand. The nurse then moves into the Stage of Reflection in which beliefs, values, and actions are iteratively examined. The nurse tries to make sense of his or her experiences through remembering, telling the story, examining conflicts, and living with the consequences. CONCLUSIONS: The theory reaches further than moral distress, identifying a critical juncture and better explaining a process that includes motivation and conflict, resolution, and reflection.
Max vs Min: Tensor Decomposition and ICA with nearly Linear Sample Complexity

We present a simple, general technique for reducing the sample complexity of matrix and tensor decomposition algorithms applied to distributions. We use the technique to give a polynomial-time algorithm for standard ICA with sample complexity nearly linear in the dimension, thereby improving substantially on previous bounds. The analysis is based on properties of random polynomials, namely the spacings of an ensemble of polynomials. Our technique also applies to other applications of tensor decompositions, including spherical Gaussian mixture models.
Efficient L1-Norm Principal-Component Analysis via Bit Flipping

It was shown recently that the <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$K$</tex-math></inline-formula> L1-norm principal components (L1-PCs) of a real-valued data matrix <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathbf X \in \mathbb {R}^{D \times N}$</tex-math></inline-formula> (<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$N$</tex-math> </inline-formula> data samples of <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$D$</tex-math></inline-formula> dimensions) can be exactly calculated with cost <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {O}(2^{NK})$ </tex-math></inline-formula> or, when advantageous, <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {O}(N^{dK - K + 1})$</tex-math></inline-formula> where <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$d=\mathrm{rank}(\mathbf X)$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$K<d$</tex-math></inline-formula>. In applications where <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathbf X$</tex-math></inline-formula> is large (e.g., “big” data of large <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$N$</tex-math></inline-formula> and/or “heavy” data of large <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$d$</tex-math></inline-formula>), these costs are prohibitive. In this paper, we present a novel suboptimal algorithm for the calculation of the <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$K < d$</tex-math></inline-formula> L1-PCs of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathbf X$</tex-math></inline-formula> of cost <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX"> $\mathcal O (ND \mathrm{min} \lbrace N,D\rbrace + N^2K^2(K^2 + d))$</tex-math></inline-formula>, which is comparable to that of standard L2-norm PC analysis. Our theoretical and experimental studies show that the proposed algorithm calculates the exact optimal L1-PCs with high frequency and achieves higher value in the L1-PC optimization metric than any known alternative algorithm of comparable computational cost. The superiority of the calculated L1-PCs over standard L2-PCs (singular vectors) in characterizing potentially faulty data/measurements is demonstrated with experiments in data dimensionality reduction and disease diagnosis from genomic data.