Your search

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent sleep disorder that affects approximately 3–7% of males and 2–5% of females. In the United States alone, 50–70 million adults suffer from various sleep disorders. OSA is characterized by recurrent episodes of breathing cessation during sleep, thereby leading to adverse effects such as daytime sleepiness, cognitive impairment, and reduced concentration. It also contributes to an increased risk of cardiovascular conditions and adversely impacts patient overall quality of life. As a result, numerous researchers have focused on developing automated detection models to identify OSA and address these limitations effectively and accurately. This study explored the potential benefits of utilizing machine learning methods based on demographic information for diagnosing the OSA syndrome. We gathered a comprehensive dataset from the Torr Sleep Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, USA. The dataset comprises 31 features, including demographic characteristics such as race, age, sex, BMI, Epworth score, M. Friedman tongue position, snoring, and more. We devised a novel process encompassing pre-processing, data grouping, feature selection, and machine learning classification methods to achieve the research objectives. The classification methods employed in this study encompass decision tree (DT), naive Bayes (NB), k-nearest neighbor (kNN), support vector machine (SVM), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), logistic regression (LR), and subspace discriminant (Ensemble) classifiers. Through rigorous experimentation, the results indicated the superior performance of the optimized kNN and SVM classifiers for accurately classifying sleep apnea. Moreover, significant enhancements in model accuracy were observed when utilizing the selected demographic variables and employing data grouping techniques. For instance, the accuracy percentage demonstrated an approximate improvement of 4.5%, 5%, and 10% with the feature selection approach when applied to the grouped data of Caucasians, females, and individuals aged 50 or below, respectively. Furthermore, a comparison with prior studies confirmed that effective data grouping and proper feature selection yielded superior performance in OSA detection when combined with an appropriate classification method. Overall, the findings of this research highlight the importance of leveraging demographic information, employing proper feature selection techniques, and utilizing optimized classification models for accurate and efficient OSA diagnosis.

Abstract It is clear that there is an increasing proportion of the United Kingdom (UK) population who are suffering with food allergies and this combined with an increase in the frequency of eating away from home (where there is less control over the content of food) poses a significant risk. In December 2014, the European Union (EU) introduced legislation which aimed to ensure that customers with food allergens could make informed choices and safely consume food, without the risk of a potentially life-threatening reaction. The research used semi-structured interviews with staff from a BCB, located in the North West of the UK, as the aim of the research was to explore food handlers’ knowledge, attitudes and understanding of food allergens. The findings of the semi-structured interviews identified five themes: E-learning training programmes: the staff felt that these were ineffective and did not take into account individual learning styles. Responsibility: there is a lack of clarity as to who is responsible, with staff believing the key responsibility lies with the customer. Communication: similarly, communication, both within the kitchen and within the company was not clear and likely to give rise to confusion. Need to make a profit: the staff felt that the drive for profit meant that customer safety was being compromised, especially when staff numbers were reduced. Staff awareness: the staff felt confident in their own ability to prepare a safe meal but indicated that staff may be dismissive towards claims of allergen sufferers. In conclusion, these themes illustrate that a significant risk exists for allergen suffers, who rely upon the knowledge, attitudes and understanding of BCB staff to ensure their meals are safely prepared.

The consequences of adolescent drug and alcohol use may be serious and far-reaching, forecasting problematic use or addictive behaviors into adulthood. School counselors are particularly well suited to understand the needs of the school community and to seamlessly deliver sustainable substance use prevention. This pilot study with 46 ninth-grade students investigates the impact of the Making Choices and Reducing Risk (MCARR) program, a drug and alcohol use prevention program for the school setting. The MCARR curriculum addresses general knowledge of substances and their related risks, methods for evaluating risk, and skills for avoiding or coping with drug and alcohol use. Using a motivational interviewing framework, MCARR empowers students to choose freely how they wish to behave in relation to drugs and alcohol and to contribute to the health of others in the school community. The authors hypothesized that the implementation of the MCARR curriculum would influence student attitudes, knowledge, and use of substances. Results suggest that the MCARR had a beneficial impact on student attitudes and knowledge. Further, no appreciable increases in substance use during the program were observed. Initial results point to the promise of program feasibility and further research with larger samples including assessment of longitudinal impact.

This study extends research on adult narrative identity in two major ways. First, it focuses on Adult Third Culture Kids (ATCKs), which refer to individuals who spent a part of their early developmental years abroad. In spite of the fact that they are an important demographic to study in this rapidly globalizing world, they have tended to be neglected in the field of psychology. Second, this study incorporates the cutting-edge tools of automated language analysis to extract developmental themes from autobiographical narratives using a bottom-up exploratory approach, as well as to identify psychological patterns and processes associated with the themes. The participants (N = 350; 18–80 + years old) were recruited from an alumni office of an international school and asked to write a narrative about the impact their international experiences had on their development. The meaning extraction method (MEM) yielded four developmental themes, which were remarkably consistent with the recurring themes that emerge from past research on adult narrative identity as well as ATCKs: past focus, communion, agency, and global focus. These four developmental themes, in turn, showed theoretically coherent patterns of relations with the demographic variables, linguistic markers of psychological patterns and processes, as well as self-reports of dimensions of well-being.

Research demonstrates discriminatory and inequitable practices related to students identified with (disabilities). Inequitable practices and discrimination reveal the necessity of collaboration and advocacy as an integral part of the pedagogy of professional development for members of the IEP team. Providing pre-service (or preparing) teachers simulated experiences of individualized education program (IEP) meetings can support PSTs understanding of how ableism and racism can manifest in schools, develop skills in collaborating with families, and begin to develop advocacy practices that support students that are marginalized at the intersection of their race and ability status. This chapter focuses on how to develop materials that leverage critical theoretical frameworks, provide learning experiences that mirror teacher practice in schools, and provide authentic representations of families of color to develop PSTs collaborative and advocacy practices. © 2023 by IGI Global. All rights reserved.

The book is a handbook of cultural discourse analysis, a theory developed by Donal Carbaugh, and celebration of his work. The book features an explanation of the theory and sixteen chapters using ...

This book was designed with student nurses in mind. It is intended to serve as a tool to provide practice, enhance learning, and increase the propensity for retention and application of basic concepts of health and physical assessment. The book can be used by early-career nursing students who have just begun to cover its concepts as well as by pre-licensure exam students who may benefit from reiteration and reinforcement of concepts learned early on in nursing school and from practicing applying these concepts to more complex scenarios.Divided into 13 chapters, all of which are geared toward a particular subject matter. Chapters 1 and 2 introduce the concept of an unfolding case study and the nursing process. Chapter 3 provides an in-depth guide to answering NCLEX-style questions. There are several NCLEX-style questions broken down and analyzed within this chapter and several practice questions for your benefit. The remainder of the chapters are subject-based and cover assessment of the major body systems in a systematic and learner-friendly way. Readers will notice that while each chapter covers different content matter, the chapters are structured in similar ways so the reader can begin to develop a feel for and familiarity with an unfolding case study analysis.Goals for the book are:*Increased comfort level and confidence in analyzing patient scenarios in regards to basic health assessment *A more in-depth knowledge of basic health assessment concepts *Ample chances to practice applying concepts learned in your health assessment course to solidify the information you have learned*Increased confidence in answering NCLEX-style questions *Increased knowledge, skill levels, and confidence in assessing and managing patients with a variety of healthcare needsThe chapters of the book do not have to be completed in any particular order, as they are each individualized to certain subject matter categories. The authors recommend you use these unfolding case studies as a means of evaluating the ability to think critically and apply the concepts learned in health assessment classes to realistic patient scenarios. The book can be used as a study tool during health assessment classes, a health assessment refresher tool during other classes, and an NCLEX study tool after finishing nursing school.

Women faculty often view academic leadership as incompatible with their work-life balance, detracting from research and teaching commitments, resulting in a loss of autonomy and an abandonment of discipline, promoting change in their relationships with colleagues, and placing an increased emphasis on budgeting, regulations and compliance (DeZure et al., 2014).  Many researchers suggest that institutional culture works against leadership development for faculty, making the transition from faculty to administrator unlikely (Barden & Curry, 2013). It is increasingly important to identify the key factors that make the difference for women faculty to assume these roles.  As such, in this study qualitative methods were employed to examine the experiences and career trajectories of 16 academic women who held tenured, fully promoted faculty positions prior to becoming administrators.  The researcher found evidence to support future recruitment and retention in higher education leadership.

This comprehensive second edition inspires therapists to utilize clinical work to pragmatically address intersectional oppressions, lessen the burden of minority stress, and implement effective LGBTQ affirmative therapy. A unique and important contribution to LGBTQ literature, this handbook includes both new and updated chapters reflecting cutting-edge intersectional themes like race, ethnicity, polyamory, and monosexual normativity. A host of expert contributors outline the best practices in affirmative therapy, inspiring therapists to guide LGBTQ clients into deconstructing the heteronormative power imbalances that undermine LGBTQ relationships and families. There is also an increased focus on clinical application, with fresh vignettes included throughout to highlight effective treatment strategies. Couple and family therapists and clinicians working with LGBTQ clients, and those interested in implementing affirmative therapy in their practice, will find this updated handbook essential.

As the impacts of climate change intensify, potential relocation is becoming more of a reality for coastal communities throughout the world. This is furthering the demand for the implementation of governance relocation frameworks. In order to stay true to the principles of environmental justice while at the same time ensuring an effective policy that meets the needs and wants of affected communities, an adaptive relocation framework requires collaboration between state and non-state actors. It is thus important to pay attention to how non-state actors are incorporated into public participatory climate change adaptation efforts. In order to affectively address previous limitations of public participation, stakeholders must pay attention to already existing power systems. Through a case study approach of a village relocation project in Fiji, I examine the role of power in a climate change adaptation plan that involved the community of Vunidogoloa, local government, and national government stakeholders. I employ Steven Lukes’s three-dimensional framework of power to the case of Vunidogoloa, a Fijian village that relocated inland due to coastal erosion and shoreline flooding, to illustrate how the political arrangement of participation reinforced existing hierarchies between the village and the government.

How can religion help to understand and contend with the challenges of climate change?Understanding Climate Change through Religious Lifeworld,edited by David Haberman, presents a unique collection of essays that detail how the effects of human-related climate change are actively reshaping religious ideas and practices, even as religious groups and communities endeavor to bring their traditions to bear on mounting climate challenges.People of faith from the low-lying islands of the South Pacific to the glacial regions of the Himalayas are influencing how their communities understand earthly problems and develop meaningful responses to them. This collection focuses on a variety of different aspects of this critical interaction, including the role of religion in ongoing debates about climate change, religious sources of environmental knowledge and how this knowledge informs community responses to climate change, and the ways that climate change is in turn driving religious change.Understanding Climate Change through Religious Lifeworlds offers a transnational view of how religion reconciles the concepts of the global and the local and influences the challenges of climate change.

Mental health practitioners often overlook initial stabilization strategies and interventions when providing evidence-informed approaches in order to get to the so-called “important” or “interesting” part of treatment. For many mental health practitioners, the “important” or “interesting” component...

Bilingual professionals are considered an asset in the workplace. However, bilingual professionals at times perceive their language skills as a liability. This paper examined bilingual professionals’ perceptions of their language skills and the factors that influence their views. Focus groups were used to capture the perspectives of 15 bilingual professionals who speak English and Spanish and work in a court system in the eastern region of the United States. Findings reveal challenges rooted in discrimination that convert bilingual professionals’ perceptions of their language skills from an asset to a liability. Participants highlight unfair practices affecting Limited English Proficiency (LEP) clients. These practices force bilingual professionals to become protectors and gatekeepers to prevent adverse outcomes and provide access to services in the court and across social service systems. Ultimately, bilingual professionals’ perceptions of their language skills depended on how others used their language skills in the workplace. To support bilingual professionals and provide quality services to LEP clients, social work administrators must evaluate structural supports and provide training specific to the cultural aspect of language for all employees.

Oh So Yum! Volume 1 is a little bit gourmet and a little bit every day. With recipes for non-dairy cheeses, savory entrees, sweet treats and so much more, there is something to satisfy every craving and the most discriminating palates.Whether you're new to plant-based nutrition or a seasoned veteran, you can continue to enjoy your favorite flavors while benefitting animals, the planet and your health. This book will show you how and will quickly become your most reached for resource for quick and easy, tasty and satisfying, crowd-pleasing meals.Praise for Oh So Yum!“Oh So Yum is not just the title of this wonderful book. It is exactly what this book is about—creating delicious and surprisingly easy foods that have all the taste and none of the regrets that often accompany tasty meals. The instructions are simple, and the results are spectacular.” - Neal D. Barnard, MD, FACCAdjunct Professor, George Washington University School of MedicinePresident, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine“Anyone who thinks plant-based eating means sacrificing foods you love, this book will quickly change your mind! Written from a clear place of passion—Lori has created the ultimate introduction and delicious guide full of many classic dishes and favorite desserts, plus lots of staple recipes to keep stocked in your fridge and use a thousand different ways!”- Natalie ThomasRecipe and Video Creator, Feasting on Fruit“Lori’s Feta cheese is FANTASTIC!!! She could start up a business selling vegan cheeses. I bet there are a lot of people looking for good alternatives – this one is the best!- Dawn Duval, Area Supervisor“Wow! Lori’s aged blue cheese is delicious. I was going to let it sit in the cellar to age a bit longer but couldn’t resist trying it with some marinated eggplant!!! Thank you again!!!!!!”- Cindy Schrank Kane, Maven of Moderation“The ricotta recipe turned out great! Very easy. I usually make a cashew ricotta but will be replacing it with this recipe because this tastes a lot more like real ricotta to me. I bet I could swap this for dairy ricotta in any stuffed/layered pasta recipe without my non-veg friends and family noticing. I made the red pepper-fennel pasta with it too and liked how easy it was to transform the ricotta into a creamy pasta sauce.”- Melissa McBerkowitz, Recipe Testing Team, USA“The gelato is absolutely delicious! I took a portion to my mother who is vegetarian and trying to reduce her dairy intake and she said if she could buy vegan ice cream like this in the shops she would be very happy!”- Caroline Christian, Recipe Testing Team, UKWhat’s inside: 50+ whole food plant-based recipes including…Fresh, cultured and aged cheeses including feta, ricotta, mozzarella and cream cheese, plus REAL aged cheeses such as Camembert and Blue cheese.Veganized versions of popular dishes including stuffed shells, spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie) and zucchini pad Thai.Dressings, sauces, appetizers and sides such as gourmet blue cheese dressing, marinated feta, mushroom antipasto, marinated eggplant and even potato salad.Weekend fun foods including smoked portobello CrunchWrap, jackfruit caritas and pizzeria style pizza.Fabulous desserts such as cheesecake, cashew cream parfaits, chocolate peanut butter pie and gelato.

Quantifying the factors that predict variability in speech-in-speech recognition represents a fundamental challenge in auditory science. Stimulus factors associated with energetic and informational masking (IM) modulate variability in speech-in-speech recognition, but energetic effects can be difficult to estimate in spectro-temporally dynamic speech maskers. The current experiment characterized the effects of short-term audibility and differences in target and masker location (or perceived location) on the horizontal plane for sentence recognition in two-talker speech. Thirty young adults with normal hearing (NH) participated. Speech reception thresholds and keyword recognition at a fixed signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were measured in each spatial condition. Short-term audibility for each keyword was quantified using a glimpsing model. Results revealed that speech-in-speech recognition depended on the proportion of audible glimpses available in the target + masker keyword stimulus in each spatial condition, even across stimuli presented at a fixed global SNR. Short-term audibility requirements were greater for colocated than spatially separated speech-in-speech recognition, and keyword recognition improved more rapidly as a function of increases in target audibility with spatial separation. Results indicate that spatial cues enhance glimpsing efficiency in competing speech for young adults with NH and provide a quantitative framework for estimating IM for speech-in-speech recognition in different spatial configurations. © 2023 Acoustical Society of America.

With Death, an Orange Segment Between Our TeethMarie-Claire BancquartTranslated from the French by Wendeline A. Hardenberg *Available for pre-order.* Orison Bookspaper / 178 pp. / $18.00bilingualISBN: 978-1-949039-42-9Distributed to the trade by Itasca Books952-223-8373 / orders@itascabooks.comPublication Date: November 7, 2023 ABOUT THE BOOK Marie-Claire Bancquart (1932–2019) was a prolific and prize-winning French poet, novelist, essayist, and critic. In her poetry, she combines an erudite vocabulary and references to classical literature with an earthy sensibility and a fascination with experiencing the smallest moments of everyday life fully. The deceptive simplicity of her poems lays bare the mysteries underlying the world we inhabit and our very existence. Wendeline A. Hardenberg’s careful and skillful translations are sure to broaden the audience for this significant poet as yet too little known outside of France. PRAISE Deeply philosophical, these poems, originally published in French when the author was in her seventies, focus on the meaning of existence. The poet reminds us that our lives—“seven liters of water wrapped in skin”—are “small,” but “the universe [is] in us / us in the universe.” From our “ephemeral perch on the earth,” writing achieves a kind of immortality, producing “a few words warmed by the journey, / that scatter outside, vouching / that you gave them a little extra life.” Readers will be grateful to Hardenberg for carefully shepherding these provocative poems into English. —Nancy Naomi Carlson, recipient of The Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize Strange and wonderful translations of strange and wonderful poems... Marie-Claire Bancquart’s voice is utterly unique; her poems—by turns lyrical and jarring, mystical and forthright, tender and brutal—sing and clamor in your head long after you’ve read them. Like their French originals, Hardenberg’s excellent translations glitter and dart and unsettle; they dodge like wrestlers, then they grab you by the throat and won’t let go. This is rich writing to come back to again and again; each time you’re ambushed by some startling image or phrase or notion that you hadn’t noticed before. A vital book, both in the sense of its aliveness and its urgency.—Bill Johnston, recipient of The PEN Translation Prize ABOUT THE AUTHOR & TRANSLATOR Marie-Claire Bancquart (1932–2019) was a prolific and prize-winning French poet, novelist, essayist, and critic, as well as a Professor Emerita of French literature at the Sorbonne. Her final book, De l'improbable, précédé de Mo(r)t, was published by Éditions Arfuyen in 2020. Wendeline A. Hardenberg studied at Smith College and Indiana University, where she earned master’s degrees in Comparative Literature with a focus on translation and Library Science. She is the translator of numerous books, including The Bookshop of Forgotten Dreams by Emily Blaine, Will You Ever Change? by Aurélie Valognes, and Project Anastasis by Jacques Vandroux. Hardenberg’s translations have been published in Asymptote, Columbia Journal, Metamorphoses, Tupelo Quarterly, Two Lines, and other places. She lives in New Haven, Connecticut. SAMPLE POEM Close The blackberriesare clotted profusely in the bushes we are so close to the secret of this worldthat it seems to be awaitingjusta small steplike onto a balcony, to smell a flower. We don’t move that would be to wound the beingalmost managing to bein view of the fruits’ black boiling.

The aims of this paper are twofold: (1) to study the application of project-based learning ten-step process framework suggested by Alan and Stoller (2005) to boost English speaking ability of undergraduate students at the University of Da Nang, and (2) to investigate the levels of undergraduate students’ satisfaction. The subjects were 24 final year undergraduate engineering students at the university of Da Nang during the first semester of the 2019/2020 academic year. The instruments used in this experiment included lesson plans, a project evaluation form, a student’s self-assessment form, a satisfaction questionnaire and interviews