Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inbound Technical Support in Contact Centers of Northern Mindanao, Philippines: Toward a Grounded Theory

The contact center industry is a vast and rapidly expanding information technology-enabled services (ITES) industry. Deloitte has identified the Philippines together with India as the top contact center destinations of Asia. IBM Global Services has also singled out the Philippines as one of Asia's global leader in business process outsourcing (BPO), the biggest revenue-earning subsector of which is the contact center subsector. This study aim to explore, using the Glaserian or classic grounded theory method (GTM), the main concern of the ITES workforce in contact centers, particularly inbound technical support representatives, and how they resolve their main concern. GTM goes beyond the descriptive approach of most qualitative methods by generating from data a theory of the substantive area. The theory that will be generated by this research can be used to inform the development of systems, processes, structures, and policies that will support inbound technical support representatives.
A case of heat-related illness

Although heat-related illnesses are relatively uncommon in the UK, nonetheless, this can pose serious dangers to military personnel posted to the Middle East as well as tourists who are not acclimatised to the hot weather of a tropical country. This article illustrates some common presentations of heat-related illnesses by highlighting the case of a man who suffered from heat exhaustion after he lost consciousness in his car. This case happened in the authors' home country, Malaysia.
Performance Analysis of Chrominance Red & Chrominance Blue in JPEG

still image files is almost a necessity. A typical image takes up much more storage than a typical text message and without compression images would be extremely clumsy to store and distribute. The amount of information required to store pictures on modern computers is quite large in relation to the amount of bandwidth commonly available to transmit them over the Internet and applications. Image compression addresses the problem of reducing the amount of data required to represent a digital image. Performance of any image compression method can be evaluated by measuring the root-mean-square-error & peak signal to noise ratio. The method of image compression that will be analyzed in this paper is based on the lossy JPEG image compression technique, the most popular compression technique for color images. JPEG compression is able to greatly reduce file size with minimal image degradation by throwing away the least " important " information. In JPEG, both color components are downsampled simultaneously, but in this paper we will compare the results when the compression is done by downsampling the single chroma part. In this paper we will demonstrate more compression ratio is achieved when the chrominance blue is downsampled as compared to downsampling the chrominance red in JPEG compression. But the peak signal to noise ratio is more when the chrominance red is downsampled as compared to downsampling the chrominance blue in JPEG compression. In particular we will use the hats.jpg as a demonstration of JPEG compression using low pass filter and demonstrate that the image is compressed with barely any visual differences with both methods.
Genetic regulation of gene expression in the lung identifies CST3 and CD22 as potential causal genes for airflow obstruction

Background COPD is a complex chronic disease with poorly understood pathogenesis. Integrative genomic approaches have the potential to elucidate the biological networks underlying COPD and lung function. We recently combined genome-wide genotyping and gene expression in 1111 human lung specimens to map expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL). Objective To determine causal associations between COPD and lung function-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and lung tissue gene expression changes in our lung eQTL dataset. Methods We evaluated causality between SNPs and gene expression for three COPD phenotypes: FEV1% predicted, FEV1/FVC and COPD as a categorical variable. Different models were assessed in the three cohorts independently and in a meta-analysis. SNPs associated with a COPD phenotype and gene expression were subjected to causal pathway modelling and manual curation. In silico analyses evaluated functional enrichment of biological pathways among newly identified causal genes. Biologically relevant causal genes were validated in two separate gene expression datasets of lung tissues and bronchial airway brushings. Results High reliability causal relations were found in SNP–mRNA–phenotype triplets for FEV1% predicted (n=169) and FEV1/FVC (n=80). Several genes of potential biological relevance for COPD were revealed. eQTL-SNPs upregulating cystatin C (CST3) and CD22 were associated with worse lung function. Signalling pathways enriched with causal genes included xenobiotic metabolism, apoptosis, protease–antiprotease and oxidant–antioxidant balance. Conclusions By using integrative genomics and analysing the relationships of COPD phenotypes with SNPs and gene expression in lung tissue, we identified CST3 and CD22 as potential causal genes for airflow obstruction. This study also augmented the understanding of previously described COPD pathways.
Speech and swallowing disorders in Parkinson disease

Purpose of reviewTo review recent research and clinical studies pertaining to the nature, diagnosis, and treatment of speech and swallowing disorders in Parkinson disease. Recent findingsAlthough some studies indicate improvement in voice and speech with dopamine therapy and deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus, others show minimal or adverse effects. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the mouth motor cortex and injection of collagen in the vocal folds have preliminary data supporting improvement in phonation in people with Parkinson disease. Treatments focusing on vocal loudness, specifically LSVT LOUD (Lee Silverman Voice Treatment), have been effective for the treatment of speech disorders in Parkinson disease. Changes in brain activity due to LSVT LOUD provide preliminary evidence for neural plasticity. Computer-based technology makes the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment available to a large number of users. A rat model for studying neuropharmacologic effects on vocalization in Parkinson disease has been developed. New diagnostic methods of speech and swallowing are also available as the result of recent studies. SummarySpeech rehabilitation with the LSVT LOUD is highly efficacious and scientifically tested. There is a need for more studies to improve understanding, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of speech and swallowing disorders in Parkinson disease.
A comparative study of the immunogenicity of pneumococcal type 4 polysaccharide and oligosaccharide tetanus toxoid conjugates in adult mice.

A number of pneumococcal type 4 poly- and oligosaccharide tetanus toxoid conjugates were prepared using identical conjugation methods. Purified conjugates with similar m.w. were injected in mice; polysaccharide conjugates (PS4TT) were more immunogenic than oligosaccharide conjugates (OS4TT). Polysaccharide conjugates with a PS4:TT ratio less than 1 (w/w) appeared to be the most immunogenic conjugates. This was observed in both NIH (outbred) and BALB/c (inbred) strains of mice. Oligosaccharide tetanus toxoid conjugates required w/w ratios of greater than 1 to acquire optimal immunogenicity. Oligosaccharides (12 repeating units) of pneumococcal type 4, obtained by periodate cleavage, appeared to retain full antigenicity as measured by competition ELISA. Both PS4TT and OS4TT conjugates induced an antibody response with the characteristics of a T cell-dependent type of immune response. An anti-PS4 IgG and IgM booster effect could be demonstrated for all conjugates. The IgG subclass response induced by PS4TT and OS4TT conjugates is primarily IgG1 but IgG3 is also detectable. However, the amounts of anti-PS4 IgG3 differed for the various conjugates. We conclude that the immune response induced by pneumococcal type 4 saccharide tetanus toxoid conjugates can be manipulated by variation of the saccharide:protein ratio and the saccharide chain length, whereas keeping the m.w. of such conjugates at constant values.
The Logistic Regression Model for Gene–Environment Interactions Using Both Case‐Parent Trios and Unrelated Case–Controls

One of the greatest challenges in genetic studies is the determination of gene–environment interactions due to underlying complications and inadequate statistical power. With the increased sample size gained by using case‐parent trios and unrelated cases and controls, the performance may be much improved. Focusing on a dichotomous trait, a two‐stage approach was previously proposed to deal with gene–environment interaction when utilizing mixed study samples. Theoretically, the two‐stage association analysis uses likelihood functions such that the computational algorithms may not converge in the maximum likelihood estimation with small study samples. In an effort to avoid such convergence issues, we propose a logistic regression framework model, based on the combined haplotype relative risk (CHRR) method, which intuitively pools the case‐parent trios and unrelated subjects in a two by two table. A positive feature of the logistic regression model is the effortless adjustment for either discrete or continuous covariates. According to computer simulations, under the circumstances in which the two‐stage test converges in larger sample sizes, we discovered that the performances of the two tests were quite similar; the two‐stage test is more powerful under the dominant and additive disease models, but the extended CHRR is more powerful under the recessive disease model.
FORM AND CONTENT IN TOTEMISM1

W HILE the definition of totemism proposed in "Totemism, an Analytical Study" 2 must be pronounced as anything but illuminating, it serves to emphasize the two essential elements in totemism which have to a different degree been insisted upon in all theoretical discussions of the subject. For, if totemism may be designated as a specific socialization of emotional values,3 it contains the two basic factors, the emotional values and the specific socialization. The former constitute the content of totemism, the latter the form. The content of totemic phenomena, that is, the actual beliefs, practices, attitudes involved, were first to arouse the attention of investigators. In McLennan's now obsolete articles on The Worship of Animals and Plants totemism is discussed as an aspect of zoilatric and phytolatric phenomena. That the content of totemism is uppermost in the mind of Frazer of the original Totemism, appears from his classification of the subject into "clan, sex, and individual totemism. " The same applies to Andrew Lang. While the significance, in fact, basic character of exogamy in connection with totemism, was recognized by these authors, exogamy, although in those days often referred to as "the social aspect of totemism," really constitutes but part of the totemic content, thus in no sense corresponding to that specific kind of socialization of cultural features, which in recent years has been discussed as the formal aspect of totemism. No essential departure from the older standpoint is noticeable in the work of van Gennep, or in the systematizations of S. Reinach. Similarly oriented are the studies of Jevons, Gomme, Wundt, and Durkheim, for whom totemism is primarily a
Homelies Pascales II, Trois homelies dans la tradition d'Origene

Apres la publication d'un premier volume d'Homelies Pascales, contenant une homelie qui serait inspiree du trait6 sur la Paque d'Hippolyte, M. P. Nautin, continuant ses etudes sur la collection pseudo-chrysostomienne dite ,,les petites trompettes" (rd arackyyta), nous en presente un deuxieme, contenant les homelies I-III de la meme collection. L'auteur constate que celle-ci est, contrairement A ce qu'on a cru, un assemblage artificiel de pieces qui avaient des origines fort diverses, mais qui ont ete reunies pour cette seule raison qu'elles traitent du meme sujet. Les trois homelies en question se font suite et elles constituent ensemble un commentaire complet de la loi de Paque promulguee au chapitre XII de l'Exode. Elles sont tres diff6rentes de l'homelie publiee dans le premier volume et on ne saurait les attribuer au meme auteur. A l'oppose de l'homelie inspiree par Hippolyte qui est d'un caractere declamatoire et lyrique, celles-ci sont nettement didactiques. L'auteur est un homme de doctrine qui ne veut pas emouvoir ses auditeurs, mais les instruire d'une theologie precise. M. Nautin croit y reconnaitre, pour l'exegese du chap. XII de 1'Exode, une tradition qui remonte ' Origene et que nous allons bientot connaitre un peu mieux par les deux h om6lies sur la Paque trouvees recemment dans les papyrus de Toura.1 Le texte de ces deux homelies, fortement mutilees d'ailleurs, n'ayant pas encore paru, M. Nautin en cite plusieurs passages, extremement interessants, qui lui ont ete communiques par M. Gueraud, charge de l'edition. 11 croit reconnaitre que les points les plus notables par lesquels ces homelies se distinguent de la tradition d'Hippolyte proviennent d'Origene. L'influence exerce par celui-ci est manifeste, mais, comme j'espere le montrer dans la suite de ce compterendu, elle n'est pas si profonde que M. Nautin le pense. Il a vu d'ailleurs lui-meme que l'homeliste, tout en s'inspirant d'Origene, l'abandonne sur un point essentiel: tandis qu'Origene appliquait le plus souvent ce qui etait dit des chairs de l'agneau aux Saintes Ecritures, lui ne parle jamais que de l'Eucharistie. I1 s'agit 1l d'un changement dans l'exegese de la loi pascale qui s'est produit semble-t-il au cours du IVe siecle, et qui est significatif d'une evolution dans la theologie et la piete chretiennes. Cette tendance est caracterisee, comme M. Nautin le formule a la p. 44, par une attention plus grande portee sur 'efficacite que le corps du Christ avait par lui-meme et, en consequence, par une plus grande importance accordee a la communion eucharistique pour la sanctification personnelle du chretien. M. Nautin met cette evolution en relation avec le developpement de la
Service quality in health care setting.

PURPOSE This paper attempts to explore the concept of service quality in a health care setting. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH This paper probes the definition of service quality from technical and functional aspects for a better understanding on how consumers evaluate the quality of health care. It adopts the conceptual model of service quality frequently used by the most researchers in the health care sector. The paper also discusses several service quality dimensions and service quality problems in order to provide a more holistic conception of hospital service quality. FINDINGS The paper finds that service quality in health care is very complex as compared to other services because this sector highly involves risk. ORIGINALITY/VALUE The paper adds a new perspective towards understanding how the concept of service quality is adopted in a health care setting.
Optimal Card Payment Systems

This paper presents a model of a card payment system to address the pricing and rules that govern such systems. It evaluates the social optimality of privately set interchange fees and the adoption of a rule by payment systems to prevent merchants surcharging for card transactions using two extremes of merchant pricing - monopolistic pricing and perfect competition. Both types of merchant pricing constrain the ability of card schemes to use interchange fees and the no-surcharge rule in anticompetitive ways, although for quite different reasons. The positive role of the no-surcharge rule in preventing excessive merchant surcharging is also highlighted.
Magnetite in the human body: Biogenic vs. anthropogenic

Magnetite is an iron-oxide mineral that occurs naturally on Earth. Because it is also an important component of many anthropogenic materials (e.g., coal fly ash) and synthetic products (e.g., black toner powders), magnetite can be released to the environment through human activities (1). In PNAS, Maher et al. (2) describe the abundant presence in the human brain of magnetite nanoparticles, some of which they attribute to air pollution. This finding could have major implications. Magnetite belongs to the spinel group. It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system (Fig. 1) and can be described by the general formula Fe2+Fe3+2O4 (3). Magnetite is a common natural phase, occurring in various geological environments, ranging from igneous (e.g., layered ultrabasic rocks, basalts) to sedimentary (e.g., banded iron formations, beach sands) rocks, and to high-grade metamorphic rocks (e.g., schists, skarns), where it can be produced through a multitude of chemical reactions. Due to its tendency to react with oxygen to form hematite (Fe2O3) and various iron oxyhydroxides (e.g., ferrihydrite, goethite), magnetite can be used as a powerful tool to explore oxygen concentrations in rocks during geological processes, changes in the oxygen content of the atmosphere (e.g., early Earth), and redox conditions in near-surface environments (e.g., oxic-anoxic transition zone). Because magnetite is ferrimagnetic, it represents a phase that is essential for paleomagnetic investigations, which help in reconstructing plate tectonics through Earth’s history. Fig. 1. Crystal structure of magnetite as viewed along the [111] direction (diagonal through the cube). Green tetrahedra contain ferrous iron (Fe2+), yellowish octahedra contain ferric iron (Fe3+ … [↵][1]1Email: giere{at}sas.upenn. edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Ginzburg-Landau theory of oil-water-surfactant mixtures.

A simple Ginzburg-Landau free-energy functional for oil-water-surfactant mixtures, with a single, scalar order parameter, is studied in detail. We show that the free energy of swollen spherical and cylindrical micelles obtained from this model can be described in terms of the Helfrich Hamiltonian of surfactant monolayers. The surface tension a, the spontaneous curvature modulus λ, the saddle-splay modulus k, and the bending rigidity k of the surfactant sheet at the oil-water interface can all be calculated from the order-parameter profile of the planar oil-water interface
Numerical study of the effective degree theory on two-layered complex networks

Epidemic is a hot issue in the public safety field. In this paper, we construct a two-layered networks to analyze that how the information diffusion prevents an epidemic spreading in the population. We used the effective degree theory to analyze the the spreading process which shows the results in high accuracy. Compared with the result of the mean field theory, we find our results obtained from the effective degree theory is highly accord to the numerical simulations, where regular networks, random networks, and scale free networks are examined. We therefore conclude that the effective degree theory could be successfully extended to two-layered networks with high accuracy and reliability.
Les cartes cognitives : quelles utilisations en soins infirmiers ?

Les cartes conceptuelles puis les cartes heuristiques sont presentees en realisant des liens avec le nouveau programme de formation des professions de sante.Cet article se veut etre une aide pour les formateurs et etudiants infirmiers qui voudraient s’initier a ces outils. Des cartes illustrent les propos pour etre en plus grande coherence avec le contenu theorique de cet ecrit.
Next Generation House Call

Editor’s Note: Just as online shopping is supplanting visits to the mall, and distance learning is part of the new wave in higher education, so is health care coming to a computer or mobile device near you. In the next few years, telehealth will increasingly become part of psychiatric and neurological care. Still to overcome is an unwieldy health care system that will need to adapt to practices that have the potential to lower costs and improve care.
VTLN based on the linear interpolation of contiguous mel filter-bank energies

This paper describes a novel feature-space VTLN method that models frequency warping as a linear interpolation of contiguous Mel filter-bank energies. The presented technique aims to reduce the distortion in the Mel filter-bank energy estimation due to the harmonic composition of voiced speech intervals and DFT sampling when the central frequency of band-pass filters is shifted. The presented interpolated filter-bank energy-based VTLN leads to relative reductions in WER as high as 11.2% and 7.6% when compared with the baseline system and standard VTLN, respectively, in a medium-vocabulary continuous speech recognition task. Also, this new scheme provides significant reductions in WER equal to 7% when compared with state-of-the-art VTLN methods based on linear transforms in the cepstral space. The warping factor estimated here shows more dependence on the speaker and more independence of the acoustic-phonetic content than the warping factor in state-of-the-art VTLN techniques.
Radiographic evaluation of scoliosis: review.

Despite enormous advances in cross-sectional imaging over the past few decades, radiography remains the main-stay of diagnosis and evaluation of scoliosis. Knowledge of technical factors, measurement error, and measurement techniques is important in the comparison of serial radiographs and affects surgical decision making. This article focuses on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis as a framework for understanding the general concepts in the radiographic evaluation of the scoliotic spine.
Recent Excavations at Nahal Oren, Israel

The site of Nahal Oren is 10 km south of Haifa in the Wadi Fellah at its junction with the old Tel Aviv-Haifa road, Israel. The first excavations at Nahal Oren were made by Professor Stekelis in 1941, when the cave was emptied; a Natufian industry was found (Stekelis 1942). In 1954–9 there were further excavations in front of the cave (Stekelis and Yisraeli 1963). Numerous fine artefacts indicated the presence of two phases of the Kebaran, Natufian and ‘pre Pottery Neolithic A and B’ industries. The well known complex of house foundations on artificial platforms or terraces was exposed during this work. The industrial succession indicated that the site was suitable for the study of late Palaeolithic cultures and their associated economies. The recent excavations, supported by the British Museum and carried out by Cambridge University and the Israel Museum, had the following objectives: to attempt the total collection of artefacts from restricted areas, to establish the relevant stratigraphy, and to collect a broad spectrum of organic remains, by methods developed by the British Academy's Major Research Project, the History of Early Agriculture.