Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Commitment and Practice: Key Ingredients for Achievement During the Early Stages of Learning a Musical Instrument*

Children 's expectancy and value beliefs have been found to be powerful predictors of achievement in academic subjects. This study investigated one component of expectancy-value motivations as evidenced in children 's perceptions of how long they thought they would learn their instrument immediately before they began instruction. The purpose was to examine whether this aspect of the children 's initial motivation coupled with their subsequent desire to practice might relate to their achievement nine months later. Subjects were 133 children from school years 3 and 4 (ages 7 to 9) who were learning an instrument in eight different school instrumental programs. Results from interviews show that the children were able to differentiate between their interest in learning a musical instrument, the importance to them of being good at music, whether they thought their learning would be useful to their short and long-term goals, and also the cost of their participation, in terms of the effort needed to continue improving. The children's commitment to learning their instrument and the amount of practice they undertook was useful in predicting their achievement after nine months of learning. Results have implications for studying the complex motivational issues that impact on the initial stages of learning a musical instrument.
A gradient method for realtime robot control

Despite many decades of research into mobile robot control, reliable, high-speed motion in complicated, uncertain environments remains an unachieved goal. In this paper we present a solution to realtime motion control that can competently maneuver a robot at optimal speed even as it explores a new region or encounters new obstacles. The method uses a navigation function to generate a gradient field that represents the optimal (lowest-cost) path to the goal at every point in the workspace. Additionally, we present an integrated sensor fusion system that allows incremental construction of an unknown or uncertain environment. Under modest assumptions, the robot is guaranteed to get to the goal in an arbitrary static unexplored environment, as long as such a path exists. We present preliminary experiments to show that the gradient method is better than expert human controllers in both known and unknown environments.
Dengue no Brasil: situação epidemiológica e contribuições para uma agenda de pesquisa

A situacao epidemiologica da dengue no Brasil e apresentada, mostrando-se a introducao e a dispersao do vetor e dos diferentes sorotipos do virus no Brasil. No presente momento, o Aedes aegypti, o vetor, encontra-se disseminado por praticamente todo o territorio nacional, bem como tres dos quatro sorotipos existentes do virus (DENV-1, DENV-2 e DENV-3). O quadro epidemiologico tem se caracterizado como epidemias recorrentes, mais visivel nos grandes centro urbanos. Um elemento novo no cenario e o crescimento da proporcao de casos graves, especialmente casos da febre hemorragica da dengue. As acoes de controle existentes, alem de custosas, tem se mostrado inefetivas. Com vistas a preencher as insuficiencias existentes no conhecimento, alguns elementos para uma agenda de pesquisa sao apresentados. Finalmente, nao devemos deixar de reconhecer que problemas como dengue tem suas raizes na forma explosiva como as populacoes urbanas em paises como o Brasil tem crescido, nas condicoes em que essas populacoes vivem e nos estilos de vida que adquirem.
Introduction to in vivo 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy of (human) skeletal muscle

31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) offers a unique non-invasive window on energy metabolism in skeletal muscle, with possibilities for longitudinal studies and of obtaining important bioenergetic data continuously and with sufficient time resolution during muscle exercise. The present paper provides an introductory overview of the current status of in vivo 31P MRS of skeletal muscle, focusing on human applications, but with some illustrative examples from studies on transgenic mice. Topics which are described in the present paper are the information content of the 31P magnetic resonance spectrum of skeletal muscle, some practical issues in the performance of this MRS methodology, related muscle biochemistry and the validity of interpreting results in terms of biochemical processes, the possibility of investigating reaction kinetics in vivo and some indications for fibre-type heterogeneity as seen in spectra obtained during exercise.
Challenges for a GPU-Accelerated Dynamic Programming Approach for Join-Order Optimization

Relational database management systems apply query optimization in order to determine efficient execution plans for declarative queries. Since the execution time of equivalent query execution plans can differ by several orders of magnitude based on the used join order, join-order optimization is one of the most important problems within query processing. Since the time-budget of query optimization is limited, efficient join-order optimization approaches are needed to determine execution plans with low execution times. The state of the art in commercial systems for determining optimal join orders is dynamic programming. Unfortunately, existing algorithms are mainly sequential algorithms, which do not benefit from current parallel system architectures. In current system architectures, specialized co-processors, such as GPUs, provide a higher computational power compared to CPUs. If the full potential of GPUs is used, query optimizer can provide optimal solutions for more complex problems. Unfortunately, adapting existing dynamic programming approaches for join-order optimization to GPUs is not straightforward. In this paper, we discuss the challenges for a GPU-accelerated dynamic programming approach for join-order optimization, and propose different ways to handle these challenges.
Community Health Needs Assessment: A Pathway to the Future and a Vision for Leaders

There is a need to implement evidence-based public health practice that integrates targeted and specific strategies and actions with community preferences to improve the health of populations. A community health needs assessment (CHNA) is vital to identifying the health concerns of communities, to learn about the factors that influence their health and the assets, resources, and challenges that impact those factors. It is required for tax-exempt entities to conduct a CHNA and adopt an implementation strategy to meet the identified community health needs. The goal of this article is to chart a pathway for health system leaders utilizing a CHNA process to address disparities in racial/ethnic groups and other medically underserved populations and to meet legal requirements. The efforts of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in developing its CHNA will be highlighted to provide clear evidence to health system leaders for why and how to conduct a thorough and compelling CHNA to meaningfully address health disparities locally and respond to longstanding historical health inequities at the health system level.
Dual-boost-NPC converter for a dual three-phase PMSG wind energy conversion system

The development of wind energy conversion systems (WECS) is currently focused in reaching higher power ratings (≈10MW). Medium voltage operation is at this power level, particularly at grid side, a desirable feature. Therefore, great attention has been given to high-power medium-voltage multilevel converters for WECS. Nevertheless, most modern multi-megawatt turbines use low-voltage multiphase permanent magnet synchronous generators (PMSG) operating at 690V, which requires the use of several converters connected in parallel to reach the multi-megawatt level. This paper presents a low- to medium-voltage converter interface for a dual three-phase PMSG based WECS. Two full bridge diode rectifiers followed by boost converters are used to control each set of three-phase windings of the dual PMSG. The boost converters elevate the voltage to feed each one of the capacitors of the dc-link of the medium voltage NPC grid-tied inverter. The generator side converter has high power density and is a cost effective solution compared to traditional back-to-back solutions. Simulation results are presented to provide a preliminary overview of the performance of the system.
Resuscitation Preferences in Community Patients With Heart Failure

Background—Little is known about the resuscitation preferences of patients with heart failure, how they may change over the course of the disease, and their association with mortality. Methods and Results—We enrolled consecutive Southeastern Minnesota residents with heart failure from October 2007 through September 2011 into a longitudinal study. Information on resuscitation preferences (Full Code or do-not-resuscitate [DNR]) was obtained from medical records through April 1, 2013. Of 608 patients enrolled, 237 died during follow-up. At enrollment, most patients (73.4%) were Full Code, whereas at death, most (78.5%) were DNR. The independent predictors of DNR status at enrollment were advanced age, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, previous malignancy, and decreased mobility. Patients who were DNR were at increased risk of death (unadjusted hazard ratio, 2.03; 95% confidence interval, 1.48–2.73; P<0.001), but this risk did not persist after adjusting for age, comorbidity, and self-perceived general health (hazard ratio, 0.97; 95% confidence interval, 0.74–1.30; P=0.83). Of 481 patients who were Full Code during follow-up, 22 (4.6%) received cardiopulmonary resuscitation for an in-hospital cardiac arrest. Eight patients survived to hospital discharge; only 2 (9.1% of those receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation) made a complete recovery and returned home. The median time from a final decision to be DNR until death was only 37 (7,70) days. Conclusions—The resuscitation preferences of patients with heart failure seem to be driven by the decline in clinical status that often accompanies advanced age and multimorbidity. Furthermore, these data suggest that electing DNR status does not independently affect a patient’s risk of death.
En los límites de la (des)cortesía: formas atenuadas de la agresividad verbal en el debate político español

A partir d'un corpus unique dans l'histoire de la recente democratie espagnole, l'A. analyse les debats en face a face tenus par les leaders des deux grands partis politiques espagnols, Felipe Gonzalez et Jose Maria Aznar, a l'occasion des elections de 1993. Il veut montrer que, dans ce contexte, les formes attenuees d'agressivite verbale ne sont pas des manifestations de politesse
Factors Contributing to Increased Platelet Reactivity in People With Diabetes

People with diabetes, particularly those with type 2 diabetes, exhibit increased platelet reactivity. Hyperglycemia contributes to greater platelet reactivity through direct effects and by promoting glycation of platelet proteins. Hypertriglyceridemia increases platelet reactivity. Both insulin resistance and insulin deficiency increase platelet reactivity. Insulin antagonizes activation of platelets. Thus, relative or absolute deficiency of insulin would be expected to increase platelet reactivity. Diabetes is associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. Resultant endothelial dysfunction promotes activation of platelets by decreasing production of nitric oxide (NO) that attenuates platelet reactivity. Oxidative stress accentuates this effect by attenuating activity of NO and promoting platelet activation. Inflammation and platelet activation are reciprocally related. Inflammation promotes platelet activation that, in turn, promotes inflammation. Accordingly, improved metabolic control achieved with regimens that improve insulin sensitivity and preserve pancreatic β-cell function is likely to decrease platelet reactivity and enhance effects of antiplatelet agents. Platelets from subjects with diabetes exhibit increased reactivity (i.e., increased propensity to activate in response to a stimulus) (1). This review highlights factors that contribute to increased platelet reactivity. Type 2 diabetes is more prevalent than type 1 diabetes and is associated with a substantially increased risk of macrovascular complications. Accordingly, this review focuses on platelet reactivity in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Key aspects of type 2 diabetes are insulin resistance, metabolic abnormalities including hyperglycemia, and systemic abnormalities including oxidative stress and inflammation. The influence of each of these abnormalities on platelet function is addressed. ### Metabolic abnormalities and platelet function Induction of hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia in healthy subjects without diabetes increases platelet reactivity (2). Consistent with this observation, improved glycemic control has been associated with decreased platelet …
A Study about Older African American Spousal Caregivers of Persons with Alzheimer's Disease

ii iii NOTICE TO BORROWERS All dissertations deposited in the Georgia State University Library must be used in accordance with the stipulations prescribed by the author in the preceding statement. Users of this dissertation not regularly enrolled as students at Georgia State University are required to attest acceptance of the preceding stipulations by signing below. Libraries borrowing this dissertation for use of their patrons are required to see that each user records here the information requested. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was threefold: (a) to assess the relationships between boundary ambiguity, spirituality, marital relationship quality, and caregiver strain and depression among older African American spousal caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's Disease (AD); (b) to identify which variables are the best predictors of caregiver strain; and (c) to identify which variables are the best predictors of depression. The sample consisted of 25 female and 15 male spouses, who were ages 60 to 87. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression. Marital relationship quality was correlated with the two dependent variables, caregiver strain and depression. In hierarchical multiple regression, a model containing gender, years since spouse's diagnosis with AD and marital relationship quality predicted 40% of the variance in caregiver strain. Marital relationship quality was the only significant predictor for depression. The model containing marital relationship quality predicted 22% of the variance in depression. Additional findings were that participants scored high on the spirituality measure, that years since diagnosis of AD was negatively correlated with boundary ambiguity, spirituality, and caregiver strain, that there was a significant decrease in the quality of the marital relationship since the spouse became a caregiver, and that almost half had no help with caregiving. There was limited support for the proposed conceptual model, therefore, vii a revised model was proposed. Based on the study results, in dealing with spouses who are providing caregiving to AD patients, nurses need to assess the quality of the marital relationship, and to recognize that the longer the spouse is a caregiver the greater the strain and depression, and that community resources need to be mobilized to assist the spouse with caregiving. A depression screen and marital assessment may provide cues regarding psychosocial needs of spousal caregivers. 2007 x ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I'd like to thank God for giving me the strength and endurance to complete such an awesome endeavor. I'd also like to thank …
A Hemodynamic Study of Left Ventricular Aneurysm

Thirteen patients with left ventricular aneurysm due to coronary heart disease were studied by left heart and coronary sinus catheterization, including cineventriculography and measurement of ventricular mechanics and energetics at rest, and in some subjects, during either isoproterenol infusion or supine leg exercise. Eight patients had an aneurysm estimated to comprise greater than 20% of the left ventricular surface area, associated with increased left ventricular end-diastolic volume and pressure and mean systolic force. Average isometric rate of pressure rise and mean fiber shortening velocity and distance were uniformly decreased. Five patients had an aneurysm, estimated to comprise less than 15% of the left ventricular surface, associated with normal or nearly-normal left ventricular end-diastolic volume and pressure and mean systolic force. Average isometric rate of pressure rise was normal, but fiber shortening velocity and distance were moderately depressed. Stroke output and cardiac output were reduced in both groups.Aneurysms exhibited either paradoxical systolic expansion or apparent lack of motion (akinesis), or both. A theoretical analysis presented indicated that when approximately 20 to 25% of left ventricular area is inactivated by any pathological process, the degree of shortening distance required of the myofiber to maintain stroke volume exceeds physiological limits, and cardiac enlargement (Starling mechanism) must ensue to maintain adequate ejection of blood. The magnitude of the salutary response of isoproterenol coupled with an increase in mechanical efficiency during catecholamine infusion suggested that myocardial catecholamines were depleted with additional aggravation of heart failure in this disease.
Intrinsic Xenobiotic Metabolizing Enzyme Activities in Early Life Stages of Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Early life stages of zebrafish (Danio rerio, zf) are gaining attention as an alternative invivo test system for drug discovery, early developmental toxicity screenings and chemical testing in ecotoxicological and toxicological testing strategies. Previous studies have demonstrated transcriptional evidence for xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes (XME) during early zf development. However, elaborate experiments on XME activities during development are incomplete. In this work, the intrinsic activities of representative phase I and II XME were monitored by transformation of putative zf model substrates analyzed using photometry and high pressure liquid chromatography techniques. Six different defined stages of zf development (between 2.5 h postfertilization (hpf) to 120 hpf) were investigated by preparing a subcellular fraction from whole organism homogenates. We demonstrated that zf embryos as early as 2.5 hpf possess intrinsic metabolic activities for esterase, Aldh, Gst, and Cyp1a above the methodological detection limit. The activities of the enzymes Cyp3a and Nat were measurable during later stages in development. Activities represent dynamic patterns during development. The role of XME activities revealed in this work is relevant for the assessing toxicity in this test system and therefore contributes to a valuable characterization of zf embryos as an alternative testing organism in toxicology.
Self-Relevance Does Not Moderate Choice Blindness in Adolescents and Children

In two experiments we tested the choice blindness phenomenon in adolescents aged 11–16 years (Experiment 1, N = 87) and children aged 7–10 years (Experiment 2, N = 117) for the first time. Analogous to previously reported findings with adult participants, we expected to replicate the robust effect in these age groups. Furthermore, we investigated the hypothesis that self-relevance of choices, defined as the extent to which the self is implicated in a choice, moderates the choice blindness effect in adolescents and children. To this end, we directly compared high and low self-relevance conditions. As expected, the choice blindness effect was robust across age groups. Little support was found for the idea that self-relevance moderates the choice blindness effect. Specifically, no effect of self-relevance on choice blindness was found in adolescents, while the findings in the child sample were inconsistent. Different possible interpretations of the results as well as the possible role of ambiguity for the choice blindness effect are discussed.
Evaluating Location Privacy in Vehicular Communications and Applications

Vehicular ad hoc networks may one day prevent injuries and reduce transportation costs by enabling new safety and traffic management applications, but these networks raise privacy concerns because they could enable applications to perform unwanted surveillance. Researchers have proposed privacy protocols, measuring privacy performance based on metrics such as k-anonymity. Because of the frequency and precision of location of queries in vehicular applications, privacy measurement may be improved by considering additional factors. This paper defines continuous network location privacy; presents KDT-anonymity, which is a composite metric including average anonymity set size, i.e., K, average distance deviation, i.e., D, and anonymity duration, i.e., T; derives formulas to calculate theoretical values of K, D, and T; evaluates five privacy protocols under realistic vehicle mobility patterns using KDT-anonymity; and compares KDT-anonymity with prior metrics.
Minimizing misclassification of damage using extreme values statistics

Structural health monitoring is a process of evaluating and ensuring the safety and integrity of structural systems by converting sensor data into structural health monitoring information. The first and most important objective of structural health monitoring is to ascertain with confidence if damage is present or not. The idea is to characterize only the normal condition of a structure and the baseline data are used as a reference. When data are measured during continuous monitoring, the new data are compared with the reference. A significant deviation from the reference will signal damage. This decision-making procedure necessitates the establishment of a decision boundary. Choosing the decision boundary is often based on the assumption that the distribution of the data is Gaussian in nature. While the problem of damage detection focuses attention on the outliers or extreme values of the data, i.e. those points in the tails of the distribution, the establishment of the decision boundary based on the normality assumption weighs the central population of the data. This unwarranted assumption about the nature of the data distribution can significantly impair the performance of a structural health monitoring system by increasing false positive and negative indications of damage. In this study, a robust and automated damage classifier is developed by properly modeling the tails of the distribution using extreme value statistics. 1 Assistant Professor 2 Research Associate 3 Professor 4 Technical Staff Member
Toward a New Model of the Information Professions: Embracing Empowerment.

In redefining the information professions for the twenty-first century, it is important to consider the core values embraced by these fields and to examine the relationship of professionals to their clients and to other professions. Because other models have failed to take account of professional-client interaction, this paper presents a new client-centered typology of the professions. Special emphasis is given to the empowering professions (such as psychology, social work, education, and librarianship), which all share the goal of enabling their clients to use knowledge for the purpose of taking control of their own lives. After offering a critique of the unquestioned assumptions and androcentric biases underlying modern theories of professionaliza-tion, this article presents a feminist perspective that validates the ethic of care in professional practice and acknowledges the importance of those professional activities whose goal is to diffuse knowledge, not to guard or control it.