ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal data entails data generated from repeated measurements carried out on the same unit such as human beings, plots, or plants. Therefore, a lot of efforts go into longitudinal research studies in terms of making observations to ensure that the same observation/response involving one unit is measured repeatedly. For instance, a researcher may wish to repeatedly measure the viral load on the same subject. Thus, unlike cross-sectional research studies, longitudinal studies are designed not only to address scientific questions as to how the mean of individual responses varies across various treatments, but also to measure the change involving mean responses over time and the link between individual responses and time (Singer & Willett, 2003, p. 1-10). This review aims at describing the statistical models and methods for analyzing longitudinal data. There are two major statistical models namely level-1 and level-2 models, which are suitable for longitudinal data analysis. However, some researchers prefer to treat the two models as a pair that is the core of the multilevel model for longitudinal data analysis. In a level-1 model, one expects the research question to address inter-individual changes over a given period while in a level-2 model; predictors of inter-individual differences involving change are addressed (Singer & Willett, 2003). Therefore, a scientific study suitable for longitudinal data analysis is characterized by multiple waves of data, a sensible metric for time, and a continuous outcome/response, which changes systematically over time. As a result, it is wise for researchers to conduct descriptive exploratory data analyses before using any statistical model. Accordingly, the first step in longitudinal data analysis involves creating a longitudinal data set that fits the analysis. Here, there are two major formats for data arrangement namely a person-level and person-period data sets. In a person-level data set, the observations of each subject are organized into one record containing multiple variables for each measurement. Conversely, in a person-period data set, the observations made on each subject are recorded in multiple records for each measurement. Arrangement of longitudinal data can be achieved through the use of different statistical software packages such as SAS, SPSS, and STATA (Singer & Willett, 2003, p. 20). After data arrangement, the second step should entail exploratory analyses aimed at describing how each individual changes occur over time in the preferred data set. This step generates patterns of change for each individual through examining an empirical growth plot for that particular person. Conversely, one can use various smooth trajectories to summarize the patterns observed for individual empiri
Introduction The use of technology to support users of health and social care has grown over the years due to a series of benefits such as making life easy for the user, boosting self-esteem, guaranteeing active daily life, and eliminating several discomforts. However, there are several barriers in the use of technology to support the users of health and social care such as budget constraints, frequency of making adjustments to the devices, unavailability of a supportive device, limited internal resources, limited technical know-how, and resistance to technology. This treatise discusses these barriers about the case study, Supporting Independent Living . Barrier to the Use of Technology Budget constraints In most of the social care environments within the health care sector, the providers often operate within inflexible budgets that may not accommodate the cost of most the technologies needed. Besides, the patients may not be able to afford some of the devises needed (Scherer & Stefano 2012). In the case of Sally, she may need financial assistance to sustain the technological support as the devises become ore advanced and expensive. Frequency of making adjustments to the devises In application of technological support, the recommended devises may need adjustments and changes depending on observation reports. Constant adjustments may react negatively to some patients and social care supporters (Scherer & Stefano 2012). For instance, in the case of Sally, she has undergone series of adjustments in driving skills, typing, vision, and stability. In the long term, she may start getting very uncomfortable when the situation worsens. Unavailability of a supportive devise Technological support is vital and may become a lifeline for a patient in need of some devises to make his or her life easy. In applying technological support, a service provider may lack certain devise that is needed due to unavailability in the market or high cost of procuring such a devise. In the end, the service provider may resort to a lesser efficient alternative (Burns & Pauly 2012). Limited internal resources In provision of technological support in the health care environment, the demand for proper IT team, monitoring systems, and structured workforce is very high since implementation of technology and subsequent support is a continuous process (Robitaille 2010). Unfortunately, many small social service organizations may not have the capacity to support technological implementation in health care service provision. Limited technical know-how In the health care provision environment, most of the personnel lack the needed skills to implement and continuously monitor different technological applications used to assist patients. The limited skills are as a result of the constant changes in technological applications and ineffective technology-based training modules. Besides, many personnel are ignorant of literature available for different technology-based applications needed in the health care environment (Burns & Pauly 2012). Therefore, lack of skills makes it very difficult to establish the range of technology-based products available in social service provisio
The use of genetically modified products has become widely spread in the present day food industry (Gerasimova 531). The most alarming issue connected with it is the fact that many potential consumers of these products are totally unaware of their side effects. Besides, a lot of companies conceal the presence of genetically modified components in their products (Miller 13). Thus, the consumer is forced to eat GMO without giving his/her consent to this. This creates a serious ethical dilemma. The case at hand concerns Green Acres Inc., which is one of the largest multinational producers of canned fruit and vegetables, known for the use of organic suppliers of their products. Recently, the company has made a decision to use GMO and sell such goods at a lower price. However, customers continue to believe that Green Acres uses only natural materials. Thus, the ethical issue in this case is the dilemma whether the producer should inform consumers of GMO and put its reputation and profit at stake or it should continue making money on people’s misperception (taking into account that no cheating has ever taken place as the company has never claimed to use only organic products). There are three main parties involved in the case:   * Green Acres that has to choose the course of further action that would allow preserving both reputation and turnover;   * potential consumers, who are deluded about the use of organic products by Green Acres;   * the company’s competitors in the industry that can benefit from revealing this secret to the general public. The possible negative financial consequences for the company are evident as well as benefits that can be derived from the situation by its competitors. The most complex issue is possible health impacts for those who continue buying these products without knowing that they contain GMO. With the introduction of GMO in 1996 a number of health problems in the USA has increased dramatically (Shiva 270). A lot of people were diagnosed with chronic diseases, cancer of various types, food allergies, digestive distortions, problems with reproduction, and even such mental disorders as autism. Children run the risk of abnormal physical and psychological development (Bawa and Anilakumar 1037). If I were an employee of Green Acres I would face the same dilemma, whether I should or should not made public that the company uses GMO. The problem is that if I did, I could lose my job, which would be undesirable for me. On the other hand, concealing the information would threaten other people’s health and even life. I suppose that I would discuss this with the CEO in order to understand what course of action the company is determined to take. If they continued deluding people, I would probable opt for revealing their secret as human lives are more important than staying loyal to the company. As the CEO, I could either fire all those who disagree with the policy or try to reach a compromise with them. I think I would discuss the issue with the employees and inform them about the solution the company is going to implement. Green Acres should fin
Abstract Extensive reading is regarded as one of the most effective approaches of how students may improve their language knowledge. There are not many researchers who contribute extensive reading taking into consideration current technological progress, and this issue remains to be unclear and poorly investigated. In this paper, the works of Dale Brown and Juan Pino-Silva are evaluated. The authors introduce different methods to improve extensive reading and use different researches to evaluate information: Brown’s attention to textbooks through the analysis as a part of qualitative research and Pino-Silva’s attention to the Internet by means of questionnaires in the chosen quantitative research. Though the authors’ ideas have many differences, their results contribute the chosen sphere of extensive reading a lot. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the methods chosen by the authors and define their strong and weak sides. Introduction Extensive reading is one of the most effective approaches that may improve students’ knowledge considerably. In this paper, two articles about extensive reading are taken into consideration within the frames of which the authors make use of different research methods to investigate the same sphere. The work by Juan Pino-Silva is based on the current investigations of extensive reading and the effects on the Internet programs which may be implemented in educational processes. He relies of the quantitative research in order to classify the issues, count positive and negative aspects of the topic, and introduce a model according to which extensive reading may be analyzed. The main purpose of this author is to identify whether it is worthwhile to use the Internet in order to promote extensive reading and how this type of reading may be organized. It is obligatory to count and integrate the information obtained by means of constant counting and comparison. Another article is written by Dale Brown and devoted to the ideas of extensive reading through textbooks. As the idea of extensive reading through the textbooks is frequently ignored, the author finds it interesting to evaluate language proficiency by means of such perspective. Brown offers the qualitative research in order to introduce a complete and detailed description of the problem and to prove the urgency of the theme. In fact, the ideas of Brown and Pino-Silva have a lot in common: they identify extensive reading as an important factor of student education and they prove that reading may be developed in a variety of ways; the chosen methods are different as Brown focuses on analysis and meta-analysis during the whole paper that is an extensive part of qualitative research, and Pino-Silva makes conclusions after a number of questionnaires are conducted which remain to be a part of quantitative research; still, the offered ideas to use textbooks and the Internet help to realize how rich and overwhelming extensive reading could be. Extensive Reading: Objectives of the Two Authors Definitions offered by both authors show that their intentions
Introduction An operating system is a software program that facilitates communication between the computer hardware and computer software. Over the years, computers have been going through periods of transformations and so are the operating systems. They can be classified according to technology, usage, licensing, among other characteristics. There are three types of operating systems; windows, apple, and Linux. A review is carried out to find the best-operating systems to use. In this report, a comparison between operating system windows and apple will be discussed at length in regards to price, design, features, pros and cons, and compatibility with 3rd party software. Criteria for Purchasing a Laptop Computer Laptops are increasingly being preferred to desktop computers by business professionals and academicians. They are light in weight, portable, and have a longer battery life as opposed to desktops. Before one goes for a laptop from the shops, it is good to investigate the laptop that is efficient for the purpose it is being bought. There are many types of laptops with different prices, weights, performance, and designs. Some are compatible with 3rd party software while others are not (Anon. “Laptop and Notebook Buying Guide” 3). It is, therefore, appropriate to seek help from a professional who is well conversant with the different types of laptops that are offered in the market. This may take quite some time but the results are worth it. Laptops come in different shapes and weights and most people prefer the light ones which can fit in their briefcase. It is good to first determine the reason behind buying the laptops before making the decision. In case it is a home-based laptop, the weight cannot be a big issue while for office use, the light ones are better. Laptops have a long battery life but there are some which can stay longer than others and this should be noted before a decision is reached. Regarding the prices, it is true that some are cheap than others but should not form a major ground for deciding to purchase. Windows Operating System Windows operating system was introduced by Microsoft in November 1985. Windows 1.0 was then released which was in use until 1987 when Windows 2.0 was released. Unlike windows 1.0, windows 2.0 could allow windows to overlap and the use of keyboard shortcuts was introduced. Several versions of windows were then released in the years that followed. In 1995, Windows 95 was released with a new user interface and could support long file names. Windows 98 was released in 1998 and the second version of it was released in 1999. An updated version of Windows 98 was released in 2000 which was referred to as windows Me. Microsoft later released windows XP and in 2003 windows server 2003 was released (Anon. “Windows Overview & History 2008” 2). A more developed version of windows called windows vista was released in 2006 and its server (windows server 2008) was released in 2008. It is an upgraded system from windows XP. Many argue about the
Introduction Cancers of the penis are relatively rare but present one of the biggest challenges in terms of proper diagnosis and treatment. The main reason for its late diagnosis lies in the late presentation of the patient to the clinician, and even if it takes place, the treatment is largely symptomatic at the beginning. Carcinomas are expected at later stages of the lesion development. This is thought to affect negatively the outcomes and procedures of resection can be extended to include the whole penis. The association of penile cancer with circumcision has been found to be very suggestive. For circumcised males, especially in childhood, have a very less chance of getting penile cancer than non circumcised males. This is perhaps the reason why penile cancers are more common in India, where circumcision practice is relatively less carried out. The decision of carrying out penectomy is a very long and difficult decision to reach based on the person’s psychological response to the news as well as the present state of the condition. Although penectomy is also carried out in other conditions as well, this topic is mainly focused on cancer therapy and the role of penectomy in the achievement of goals. Anatomy and physiology of the penis The general organization of the penis consists of the following components. The glans penis, corpus spongiosum, the bulb of the penis, the paired corpora cavernosa which is comprised of skeletal muscles and tunica albugenia surround the smooth muscles (Hsu et al, 2004). The anatomy gives it an appearance of an independent organ. This organ is different due to the unique interplay of the skeletal, smooth muscles and the skeletal structures that form it. It is attached to the pubic ramus and ischium with the help of the periosteum, and is supported by the suspensory ligaments (Hsu et al, 2004). The tunica albuginia is a biolayered structure that is composed of two layers of smooth muscles. The smooth muscles make up the sinusoids of the corpora cavernosa, corpus spongiosum and the glans penis. It is considered that penis is also among the 2 end artery organs of the body. It is these arteries that are assumed to play an important role in the erectile function (Hsu et al, 2004). Figure 1.”Schematic illustration of the human penis. (A) Lateral aspect. The penis leans on and is supported by a suspensory ligament, which is an extension of the linea alba. It is capped by the glans penis. Proximally, the corpus spongiosum (CS) is held by the bulbospongiosus muscle in which the fibers are mostly transverse. The corpora cavernosa (CC) is surrounded by the tunica albuginea, which is a bilayered structure (an inner circular and an outer longitudinal layer with multiple sublayers). The intracavernosal pillars, which may be considerably larger distally, are a continuation of the inner circu
Introduction: Identifying Population   * Population – families with chronically ill children;   * Rationale for selecting this population:   *        + They face numerous emotional and behavioral issues;       + Desire to point to effective intervention;       + Strive for helping overcome faced challenges;       + Looking for addressing related social issues. This research aims at addressing main challenges faced by families with children with chronic illnesses. They make up the population under consideration. The rationale for selecting this group among the others it the desire to address significant social issues related to treating kids suffering from chronic health conditions. The need for social change can be explained by the fact that families with chronically ill children commonly experience numerous behavioral and emotional issues. Therefore, it is critical to identify and describe the most effective family therapy interventions in order to help them. Common Chronic Illnesses among Children The concept of chronic illnesses:   * Any condition preventing from regular activities   * Activities: attending school regularly, common childhood activities   * Any condition demanding regular medication intake   * Features: prolonged duration, no complete cure or spontaneous resolution (Compas, Jaser, Dunn, & Rodriguez, 2012) Examples: diabetes, asthma, cancer, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, mental illnesses (Torpy, Campbell, & Glass, 2010). Before reviewing efficient intervention practices and family therapy, it is essential to become familiar with the concept of chronic illnesses among children in order to apprehend what is being addressed. In general terms, chronic illness stands for any condition – either physical or mental – that affects regular childhood activities or precludes from attending school regularly and demand regular intake of medication and special treatment. They have several main features, such as prolonged duration and no complete cure or spontaneous resolution. Some of the examples include (but are not limited to) diabetes, asthma, cancer, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and mental illnesses. Issues Facing Families   * Common for both mental and physical conditions;   * Caused by need to address treatment needs;   * Related to challenges with integrating treatment needs;   * Associated with failing to manage treatment;   * Immediate issues follow diagnosis stage;   * Become more aggravated over treatment period (Smith, Cheater, & Bekker, 2013). Regardless of physical or mental chronic condition of a child, most families face the same challenges. They are commonly associated with the need to address specific treatment needs of a kid. However, what is even more critical, they are caused by failing to integrate them properly into family life, thus making it impossible to manage home treatment accurately. In this way, usual challenges follow diagnosis stage immediately and become more aggravated over the treatment period, especially if
I would like to use Redbubble and Zazzle as the benchmark of my business devoted to selling digital art. These companies embody perfect platforms with social engagement where a person can sell their craft (Jurriëns, 2017). Redbubble has a clearly stated mission statement (bringing more creativity into the world), which reflects its goals (Entrepreneur, 2003). Although both platforms lack any mentions of a purpose or a vision, a customer or a seller can understand such aspects by interacting with them (Prior, 2009). The statements are implicit, highlighting the need for user participation in all stages of a transaction (Lee & Lee, 2019). Overall, the businesses are aware of the trade’s inherent features and shape the platforms accordingly, making them good examples. Each company has something I would like to borrow for my business. For instance, Zazzle provides a list of values to which the company adheres, which may help a person determine whether they want to cooperate with it (Vantrappen & de Jong, 2018). I am still unsure about what I want to bring into digital art selling, so determining my moral orienteers could be crucial. Both businesses have websites as the primary platform, which complies with the product’s nature, and my business plan should include some points regarding a digital marketplace, as one requires certain investments (Entrepreneur, n.d.). Redbubble emphasizes transaction security, the refund policy, and the presence of constant support, which are also important points. I considered the first two, but it appears that more people will have to be hired to maintain the business. Another interesting element is that digital art platforms tend to have short and memorable names, so I have to currently change the one in the business plan (Segal, 2017). Overall, the companies offer some fresh ideas to improve my business focused on selling digital arts.