Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Online Activities on Influence Maximization: A Random Walk Approach

With the popularity of OSNs, finding a set of most influential users so as to trigger the largest influence cascade is of significance. This task is usually modeled as an influence maximization problem, and it has been widely studied in the past decade. However, considering that users in OSNs may participate in various kinds of online activities, e.g., giving ratings to products, joining discussion groups, etc., influence diffusion through online activities becomes even more significant. Thus, it necessitates to revisit the influence maximization problem by taking online activities into consideration. In this paper, we study the impact of online activities by formulating the influence maximization problem for social-activity networks (SANs) containing both users and online activities. To address the computation challenge, we define an influence centrality via random walks on hypergraph to measure influence, then use the Monte Carlo framework to efficiently estimate the centrality in SANs, and use the Hoeffding inequality to bound the approximation error. Furthermore, we develop a greedy-based algorithm with two novel optimization techniques to find the most influential users. By conducting extensive experiments with real-world datasets, we show that compared to the state-of-the-art algorithm IMM [20], our approach improves the accuracy of selecting the top k most influential users in SANs by up to an order of magnitude, and our approach has a comparable computation time even though it needs to handle a large amount of online activities. Furthermore, our approach is also general enough to work under different diffusion models, e.g., IC and LT models, as well as heterogeneous systems, e.g., multiple types of users and online activities in SANs.
NLRP12 negatively regulates proinflammatory cytokine production and host defense against Brucella abortus

Brucella abortus is the causative agent of brucellosis, which causes abortion in domestic animals and undulant fever in humans. This bacterium infects and proliferates mainly in macrophages and dendritic cells, where it is recognized by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) including Nod‐like receptors (NLRs). Our group recently demonstrated the role of AIM2 and NLRP3 in Brucella recognition. Here, we investigated the participation of NLRP12 in innate immune response to B. abortus. We show that NLRP12 inhibits the early production of IL‐12 by bone marrow‐derived macrophages upon B. abortus infection. We also observed that NLRP12 suppresses in vitro NF‐κB and MAPK signaling in response to Brucella. Moreover, we show that NLRP12 modulates caspase‐1 activation and IL‐1β secretion in B. abortus infected‐macrophages. Furthermore, we show that mice lacking NLRP12 are more resistant in the early stages of B. abortus infection: NLRP12−/− infected‐mice have reduced bacterial burdens in the spleens and increased production of IFN‐γ and IL‐1β compared with wild‐type controls. In addition, NLRP12 deficiency leads to reduction in granuloma number and size in mouse livers. Altogether, our findings suggest that NLRP12 plays an important role in negatively regulating the early inflammatory responses against B. abortus.
Phonological Awareness Development of Preschool Children with Cochlear Implants

Purpose: The primary purpose of this study was to assess whether very early access to speech sounds provided by the cochlear implant enabled children with severe to profound hearing loss to develop age-appropriate phonological awareness abilities during their preschool years. A secondary purpose of this study was to examine whether preschoolage children with cochlear implants develop age-appropriate skills in speech perception, speech production, general language, receptive vocabulary, and print knowledge; skills that are assumed to provide the foundation for or, minimally, to covary with phonological awareness. A third purpose of this study was to examine which of these factors contribute uniquely to the variance in the phonological awareness abilities of these preschoolers. Method: 24 children ages 36 to 60 months who had been utilizing their cochlear implant(s) for a minimum of 18 months (CI group) and 26 normal hearing peers (NH group) were enrolled in this study. Phonological awareness and print knowledge were assessed via the Test of Preschool Early Literacy. Speech perception was assessed via the Play Assessment of Speech Pattern Contrasts test, a measure that examines perception of speech pattern contrasts. Speech production was assessed by calculating Percent Consonants Correct from children’s productions on the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation-2. Total language and receptive vocabulary were assessed using the Preschool Language Scale-4 and the Peabody-Picture Vocabulary Test-4, respectively. Results: Children in the CI group were outperformed by their NH peers in the areas of phonological awareness, speech production, general language, and receptive vocabulary, but not print knowledge. For speech perception, the CI group consisted of significantly more non-perceiving children (children who demonstrated limited ability on the speech perception measure) than did the NH group. These non-perceiving children evidenced
FGFR 4 Arg 388 genotype is associated with pathological complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for primary breast cancer

FGFR4 Arg388 genotype is associated with pathological complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for primary breast cancer F. Marmé*, W. Werft, A. Benner, B. Burwinkel, P. Sinn, C. Sohn, P. Lichter, M. Hahn & A. Schneeweiss Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Heidelberg; Departments of Molecular Genetics; Biostatistics and Molecular Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center and Institute of Pathology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
Attitudes towards persons with mental illness among university students

Objective: Globally, there is growing evidence of stigmatization of people with mental illnesses and mental illness is more stigmatizing than physical illnesses. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the attitudes of university students towards persons with mental illness. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among Management and Science University students during the academic year 2012. Prior ethical approval was taken for conducting the study. A total of 300 medical and health science students was recruited in this study and the response rate was 93%. The survey questionnaire was adopted from a previous study with 15 statements about attitude towards mental health illness and sociodemographic characteristics. Classes were chosen randomly and students also randomly selected. The inclusion criterion for this research was medical and health science students while the exclusion criterion was students from other faculties, staff and lecturers. Data was analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 13.0. Descriptive statistics were used for the analysis of the basic demographics and survey items of the questionnaire. T-test and multiple linear regression were used to explore the relationship between the socio-demographic and the attitude. Results: A total number of 279 students participated in this study. The majority of them were female, age 20 years and above, single, Malay, from International Medical School (IMS) and from urban areas (68.5%, 88.2%, 96.4%, 58.1%, 60.2%, 77.8% respectively). In this study, the majority of the participants showed a moderate to good attitude towards people with mental illness. Univariate analysis showed that marital status influenced the attitudes of university students towards people with mental illness (p=0.015). In multivariate analysis, multiple linear regression showed that gender, marital status, smoking and drinking alcohol significantly influenced the attitude of university students towards people with mental illness (p=0.014, p=0.012; p=0.009, p=0.013; respectively). Conclusion: This study showed that the undergraduate university students had a moderate to good attitude towards people with mental illness. Gender, marital status, smoking and drinking alcohol significantly influenced the attitude of undergraduate university students towards people with mental illness. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 14 (1): January - June 2013: XX XX .
Two distinct forms of functional lateralization in the human brain

Significance This study alters our fundamental understanding of the functional interactions between the cerebral hemispheres of the human brain by establishing that the left and right hemispheres have qualitatively different biases in how they dynamically interact with one another. Left-hemisphere regions are biased to interact more strongly within the same hemisphere, whereas right-hemisphere regions interact more strongly with both hemispheres. These two different patterns of interaction are associated with left-lateralized functions, such as language and motor abilities, and right-lateralized functions, such as visuospatial attention. Importantly, the magnitude of lateralization measured for individual participants in these regions predicted the level of cognitive ability for the respective function, demonstrating that lateralization of function is associated with improved cognitive ability. The hemispheric lateralization of certain faculties in the human brain has long been held to be beneficial for functioning. However, quantitative relationships between the degree of lateralization in particular brain regions and the level of functioning have yet to be established. Here we demonstrate that two distinct forms of functional lateralization are present in the left vs. the right cerebral hemisphere, with the left hemisphere showing a preference to interact more exclusively with itself, particularly for cortical regions involved in language and fine motor coordination. In contrast, right-hemisphere cortical regions involved in visuospatial and attentional processing interact in a more integrative fashion with both hemispheres. The degree of lateralization present in these distinct systems selectively predicted behavioral measures of verbal and visuospatial ability, providing direct evidence that lateralization is associated with enhanced cognitive ability.
Knowledge, attitudes and practices of private sector providers of tuberculosis care: a scoping review [Review article].

SETTING The past decade has seen a significant increase in private sector provision of tuberculosis (TB) care. While patients often seek and select treatment from private providers at significant out-of-pocket expense, treatment outcomes remain largely unknown. OBJECTIVE To investigate the knowledge, attitudes and practices of private sector TB care providers in high-burden countries. METHODS Medline, PubMed, Embase, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases were searched using Medical Subject Headings terms, Emtree terms and key words. Searches were limited to the English language and published between 1998 and week 2 of November 2009. Studies were included if they reported the knowledge, attitudes or practice behaviours of private health care providers working in one of 22 high-TB-burden countries. Each included study was critically assessed using a structured data extraction tool. Data extracted included the study setting, objective, design, sample, response rate, outcomes and limitations. RESULTS The 34 studies that met review inclusion criteria encompassed diverse study methods and designs. All categories of TB care providers lacked comprehensive knowledge of national treatment guidelines. Procedures for referral, treatment monitoring, record keeping and case holding were not systematically implemented. However, there was a high degree of willingness to collaborate with national TB programmes. CONCLUSION Research using standardised data collection methods may assist in identifying gaps in knowledge and practice among all providers of TB care. Further studies in developing and evaluating needs-based interventions should be undertaken; systematic reviews of such studies may then assist in strategic decision making in public-private mix DOTS expansion.
Biological Characterization of Ovulation-Inducing Factor (OIF) in Llama Seminal Plasma

The purpose of the studies reported in this thesis was to provide a better understanding of the effects of purified ovulation-inducing factor (OIF) from llama seminal plasma in reflex ovulators (lama glama) and spontaneous ovulators (Bos taurus). The objective of the first study was to determine if the dose of OIF of llama seminal plasma required to elicit ovulation is physiologically relevant, and to test the hypothesis that CL form and function is affected by OIF in a dose-dependent manner. Llamas were treated with four different doses (500 μg, 250 μg, 125 μg and 60 μg) based on knowledge that for every ejaculate there is approximately 3 mg of OIF. Results supported the hypothesis that OIF affects ovulation and CL form and function in a dose-dependent manner. The high dose of OIF (500 μg) was associated with the highest incidence of ovulation, maximum CL diameter, plasma progesterone concentrations and plasma LH concentrations. The low dose of OIF (60 μg) was minimally effective for induction of ovulation and associated with smaller CL diameter and lower plasma concentrations of progesterone and LH. The second study was carried out to test the hypotheses that OIF will induce ovulation and affects CL form and function in cattle (Experiment 1), and that OIF given at different stages of development of the first follicular wave will induce atresia of the dominant follicle and hasten emergence of a new follicular wave (Experiment 2). Heifers were treated on Day 5 (Day 0 = wave emergence; Experiment 1) or on Days 3, 6 and 9 (Experiment 2) with a) 1ml of saline, b) 100 μg of GnRH, or c) 1.0 mg purified OIF per 100 kg of body weight. Results of Experiment 1 demonstrated that OIF did not induce ovulation in cattle but it did induce atresia of the dominant follicle and earlier emergence of a new follicular wave. Results from the second study suggested that the effect previously demonstrated could be accomplished in sexually mature females after treatment on Day 6 corresponding to the late growing phase of the dominant follicle. In summary, the minimum dose of OIF necessary to induce ovulation in llamas was between 60 μg and 250 μg. This dose is physiologically relevant and represents less than 1/6 of what is normally present in a single llama ejaculate. In cattle OIF induced regression of the dominant follicle and early emergence of a new follicular wave in pre-
Barriers to and Facilitators of Inclusion for Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Education

In the New Zealand education system, as in other countries, legislation and early childhood policy has been developed to support equity, social justice and democratic participation for children with disabilities and their families. However, despite this non-discriminatory and inclusive policy and legislative environment, some children with disabilities and their families experience exclusionary and discriminatory early childhood settings and struggle to access quality education. In this article, the author examines some of the barriers to and facilitators of inclusion for children with disabilities and their families in early childhood education. The author also suggests some changes in cultures, policies and practices that may help create early childhood settings that would see all children included.
The Relative Importance of Home and School in the Development of Literacy Skills for Middle-Grade Students

Variations in the home environments of poor and middle-income children affect their literacy development, which leads to substantial differences in reading ability and behavior. Schools can mediate influences from home through the conditions that they foster and the instructional policies and procedures they promote. The result of schools' efforts may either ameliorate or magnify the inequities in reading development related to family economic conditions. This study tests these contentions in middle-grade schools by using a nationally representative sample of poor and middle-class eighth graders from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88). Home and school effects on our measure of literacy development--a standardized test of reading comprehension--are explored with multilevel methods (hierarchical linear modeling). While homes exert an important influence on this outcome, findings focusing on schools and classrooms are emphasized. The study also highlights school conditions and policies that foster social equity in the literacy development of young adolescents. Implications of current school reform efforts are discussed.
Personality and Work Behaviour

Interest in the role of personality in organizational behaviour has increased over recent years. To a large extent this is due to the emergence of the “Big Five” as a valid and reasonably generalizable taxonomy for personality structure. As far as individual work performance is concerned, several meta-analytic studies have explored the criterion-related validity of personality and shown that personality variables are associated with overall job proficiency. These developments are evaluated in the light of a broader theoretical framework and recent empirical results. Overall job proficiency is divided into two components: task performance and contextual performance. Studies on individual and group performance, and leader effectiveness, are presented to show that personality factors are more closely related to contextual performance. Research linking personality with job and work attitudes (e.g. job satisfaction) is also reviewed. The achievements and limitations of research so far are highlighted and sugge.
The Mothering of Women Abused by Their Partner: An Outcome Evaluation of a Group Intervention

Findings of an outcome evaluation of a mothering group intervention with women abused by their partners are presented, based on measurements of intervention and control groups before, immediately after, and 3 months after the intervention. At Time 1, both groups reported moderate well-being, high parental self-efficacy, and low mothering-related stress. Comparisons within the intervention group revealed an increase in parental self-efficacy and in emotional well-being at Time 2 and a decrease in mothering-related stress between Time 1 and Time 3. Moreover, in comparison with the control group, at Time 2, the parental self-efficacy of women in the intervention group increased, their mothering-related stress decreased, and they reported a greater optimism with regard to their predicted well-being, whereas the control group showed declines in parental self-efficacy and predicted well-being and a greater mothering-related stress. Yet, the improvement on the mothering-related stress was the only one maintained at Time 3.
Evaluating Effects of a Social Story Intervention on a Young Girl with Autism

There has been little evaluation of the effectiveness of social stories. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a social story intervention on the social behaviors of an 8-year-old girl with autism who attended an inclusive second-grade classroom. Several observations were used to establish a baseline level on her inappropriate social interactions that occurred during lunch (e.g., talking or singing to herself, making noises). Following baseline, individualized social stories that addressed her inappropriate social interactions, as well as appropriate alternative behaviors, were introduced to the girl. Although data were somewhat variable, her inappropriate social interactions during lunch decreased by approximately 50% from the first day to the last day of the social story intervention. This study provides insights into the relationship between a social story intervention and social behaviors occurring between a student with autism and her peers.
A β-catenin survival signal is required for normal lobular development in the mammary gland

The Wnt (wingless) family of secreted glycoproteins initiates a signalling pathway implicated in the regulation of both normal mouse mammary gland development and tumorigenesis. Multiple Wnt signals ultimately converge on the multifunctional protein β-catenin to activate the transcription of target genes. Although β-catenin plays a crucial role in canonical Wnt signalling, it also functions in epithelial cell-cell adhesion at the adherens junctions. This study was designed to isolate β-catenin's signalling function from its role in adherence during mouse mammary gland development. A transgenic dominant-negative β-catenin chimera (β-eng), which retains normal protein-binding properties of wild-type β-catenin but lacks its C-terminal signalling domain, was expressed preferentially in the mammary gland. Thus, β-eng inhibits the signalling capacity of endogenousβ -catenin, while preserving normal cell-cell adhesion properties. Analysis of the mammary gland in transgenic mice revealed a severe inhibition of lobuloalveolar development and a failure of the mice to nurse their young. Expression of β-eng resulted in an induction of apoptosis both in transgenic mice and in retrovirally transduced HC11 cells. Thus, endogenousβ -catenin expression appears to be required to provide a survival signal in mammary epithelial cells, which can be suppressed by transgenic expression of β-eng. Comparison of the timing of transgene expression with the transgenic phenotype suggested a model in which β-catenin's survival signal is required in lobular progenitors that later differentiate into lobuloalveolar clusters. This study illustrates the importance ofβ -catenin signalling in mammary lobuloalveolar development.
Of Ants and Men: Self-Organized Teams in Human and Insect Organizations

To cope with today’s complex, fast-paced, and ever-changing business environment, companies need to shift their overall structure to produce adaptive, highly responsive organizations. The use of teams, particularly self-organized teams with their reactive, emergent properties, may be one way of achieving this goal. Humans, however, are not the only creatures to use such teams: insect societies (ants, bees, wasps, and termites) are enormously successful in their domain, also live in complex, rapidly changing environments, yet achieve this without any centralized control or management. In this study, we examine fundamental issues of teamwork, and question whether such teams really are analogous. After detailing some of the striking similarities, we conclude that they are indeed equivalent and comparable. Thus, our work is a preliminary study into whether nature—specifically, insect societies—may provide not just a valid metaphor but, moreover, a model for organizational shift and effective function in human enterprise.