Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Condoms and Contradictions: Assessing Sexual Health Knowledge in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer Youth Labelled with Intellectual Disabilities

Background: Accessible, culturally relevant data collection tools to assess the sexual health knowledge of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) young people labelled with intellectual disabilities are sparse. Materials and Methods: Using community-based participatory research (CBPR) we piloted a variety of interactive activities designed to assess the sexual health knowledge and decision making skills of LGBTQ young people with intellectual disabilities. Results: Posters created by youth participants suggested substantial sexual health knowledge and empowerment, while individual knowledge assessment scores indicated a range in understanding of risks and strategies to avoid pregnancy, HIV and herpes. Conclusions: These findings reinforce the importance of using multiple strategies to assess sexual knowledge with this population. Creative evaluation strategies catering to the cultural specificities, sexual experiences, and cognitive abilities of diverse youth help to clarify gaps in knowledge and areas for renewed attention. Keywords: HIV/AIDS; community-based participatory research; intellectual disabilities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans (LGBT); sexual health Les outils de collecte des donnees, accessibles et culturellement appropries, afin d’evaluer les connaissances sur la sante sexuelle des jeunes LGBT (Lesbiennes, Gais, Bisexuel-les et Trans) ayant des handicaps intellectuels sont rares. Nous avons pilotes une variete d’activites interactives ayant pour but l’evaluation des connaissances en sante sexuelle et des competences pour la prise de decision de jeunes LGBT ayant des handicaps intellectuels. Les affiches creees par les jeunes participants indiquent une responsabilisation et une connaissance approfondie de la sante sexuelle. Les resultats des evaluations de la connaissance en sante sexuelle indiquent une bonne comprehension des risques et des strategies pour eviter la grossesse, Le VIH et l’herpes. Les resultats obtenus renforcent l’importance d’utiliser diverses strategies pour evaluer la connaissance en sante sexuelle de cette population. Des strategies d’evaluation creatives qui adressent les specificites culturelles, les experiences sexuelles et les habilites cognitives de differents jeunes aident a clarifier les lacunes en connaissance et les domaines qui necessitent une attention accrue. Mots-cles: VIH/SIDA; recherche participative axee sur la communaute; handicaps intellectuels; (LGBT) lesbiennes, gais, bisexuel-les et trans; sante sexuelle
Selective review of cognitive aging

Abstract Research concerned with relations between adult age and cognitive functioning is briefly reviewed. The coverage is necessarily selective, and is organized in terms of five major questions. These are what abilities are related to age, how many distinct influences are contributing to the relations between age and cognitive functioning, do the differences between people increase with advancing age, what is responsible for the discrepancies between cross-sectional and longitudinal age comparisons of cognitive functioning, and what methods can be used to identify causes of age-related influences on cognition. Although definitive answers are not yet possible, quite a bit of information relevant to the questions is now available. Moreover, the existing information has implications for the design, analysis, and interpretation of cognitive and neuropsychological research concerned with aging. (JINS, 2010, 16, 754–760.)
Mixture of formic and propionic acid as additives in broiler feeds

The presence of Salmonella species in feeds and ingredients is an important source of salmonella contamination for animals. Organic acid mixtures have shown to be an effective alternative to eliminate salmonellas in feeds and chickens. In the present study, the performance of male broiler chickens receiving levels (0, 0.25, 0.50, 1.0 and 2.0%) of a mixture of organic acids (OAs) (70% formic acid and 30% propionic acid) in the diet was evaluated from the age one to 42 days, in a completely randomized experimental design with five treatments and five replications of 40 birds each. Diets were based on corn, soybean meal and soybean oil. Body weight, weight gain and feed intake from the age one to 21 days were affected by the treatments; 2% OAs in the diet reduced body weight and weight gain. Feed intake increased with concentrations of 0.25 and 0.5% and was reduced with 2% of OAs. From the age one to 42 days, only feed intake was affected, showing a quadratic effect, increasing at the levels of 0.25 and 0.5% and decreasing at 2% of OAs. The mixture of OAs at doses which are effective for the control of salmonella did not affect chicken performance, and the inclusion of 1% OAs in the diet resulted in a performance similar to that of untreated birds.
Concurrent and Predictive Validity of the Raven Progressive Matrices and the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test

The concurrent and predictive validities of the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) and Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices (CPM) were investigated in a large group of Italian third-and fifth-grade students with different sociocultural levels evaluated at the beginning and end of the school year. CPM and NNAT scores were related to math and reading comprehension tests. The CPM and NNAT concurrent and predictive validity coefficients were moderate, and there were no differences between concurrent and predictive validities with reading scores. The mutual incremental concurrent validity of the NNAT with the math test was significantly higher than the corresponding CPM validity. Finally, via step-down hierarchical regression analysis, the authors found that the predictive validity of both nonverbal tests is independent from the participants’ sociocultural level. These two relatively simple nonverbal tests are commonly used to assess general ability; however, the present study shows that they can also provide useful information for predicting the academic performance of students with different sociocultural levels.
Stealthy Footsteps to the Boardroom: Executives' Backgrounds, Sophisticated Interpersonal Influence Behavior, and Board Appointments

Drawing from theory and research on interpersonal attraction, as well as interviews with 42 directors of large U.S. industrial and service firms, we identified a set of social influence tactics that are less likely to be interpreted by the influence target as manipulative or political in intent and are therefore more likely to engender social influence. We consider who among top managers and directors of large firms is most likely to exercise such tactics and how their use affects the likelihood of garnering board appointments at other firms. An analysis of survey data on interpersonal influence behavior from a large sample of managers and chief executive officers (CEOs) at Forbes 500 companies strongly supports our theoretical arguments: managers' and directors' ingratiatory behavior toward colleagues is more likely to yield board appointments at other firms to the extent that it comprises relatively subtle forms of flattery and opinion conformity, which our theory suggests are less likely to elicit cynical attributions of motive. Supplementary analyses also indicate that these relationships are mediated by an increased likelihood of receiving a colleague's recommendation for the appointment. Moreover, we theorize and find that managers and directors who have a background in politics, law, or sales, or an upper-class background, are more sophisticated and successful in their ingratiatory behavior.
Resiliency and Robustness of Complex, Multi-Genre Networks

We explore the resiliency and robustness of systems while viewing them as complex, multi-genre networks. The term "complex, multi-genre networks" refers to networks that combine several distinct genres - networks of physical resources, communication networks, information networks, and social and cognitive networks. We show that this perspective is fruitful and adds to our understanding of fundamental challenges and tradeoffs in robustness and resiliency, as well as potential solutions to the challenges. Study of systems as multi-genre networks is relatively uncommon; instead, it is customary in research and engineering literature to focus on a view of a network comprised of homogeneous elements, (e.g., a network of communication devices, or a network of social beings). Yet, most if not all real-world networks are multi-genre - it is hard to find any real system of a significant complexity that does not include a combination of interconnected physical elements, communication devices and channels, data collections, and human users forming an integrated, inter-dependent whole. Most approaches to improving resiliency and robustness involve compromises, and the key challenge is to find a favorable compromise. Such compromises involve reducing or managing the complexity of the network: coupling, rigidity and dependency. We discuss several of these compromises, e.g., performance vs resiliency; resiliency to one type of disruption vs resiliency to another disruption type; and complexity vs resiliency.
Asperger Syndrome

Asperger syndrome (AS) is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by social dysfunction and idiosyncratic interests in the presence of normal intelligence. There is no history of language delay. Persons with AS are often described as being active but odd, with a pedantic manner of speaking. In addition, they often present with a variety of medical and psychiatric conditions, a topic that has not received systematic study. This review summarizes the literature on this topic, with particular reference to publications in the last two decades. The purpose is to underscore the need for early identification and treatment of these conditions.
Opening Pandora’s Box: How Does Defendant Race Influence Plea Bargaining?

Minority overrepresentation in the criminal justice system has long been an important topic of research and policy debate. In New York City, recent changes in the Rockefeller Drug Laws and the controversy around police stop-and-frisk practices have placed an even greater emphasis on the need for studying the possible impact of defendants’ race and ethnicity on criminal justice outcomes. Relatively little contemporary research, though, examines plea-bargaining outcomes. Using unique data on misdemeanor marijuana cases, this study examines the impact of defendants’ race on prosecutors’ decisions to make (a) plea offers for a lesser charge and (b) sentence offers for non-custodial punishments. Preliminary findings indicated that black defendants were less likely to receive reduced charge offers, and both black and Latino defendants were more likely to receive custodial sentence offers. However, these disparities were largely explained by legal factors, evidence, arrest circumstances, and court actor characteristics, though black defendants were still more likely to receive custodial sentence offers after including these controls. No differences were found between white and Asian defendants. Implications for research and prosecutorial practices are discussed.
Sponges do not make their own water: student engagement through dialogue and the development of reflective consciousness

We uncover some of the practical issues and problems experienced when implementing a dialogic approach to teaching which is designed to encourage the active engagement of first-year students making a transition into higher education (HE) and to develop their capacity for reflective practice. Our approach draws on dialogic practice to promote critical thinking and active engagement of students. Dialogue is also addressed within Freirian principles and enshrined within the wider democratic framework which calls for student voices to be listened to and taken seriously. Consequently, we give attention to the power dynamics which set the parameters for active engagement and consider to what extent students are treated as participants in the production of their own knowledge.
The effects of a volunteer mentoring programme on reading outcomes among eight- to nine-year-old children: A follow up randomized controlled trial

This article presents the findings of a randomized controlled trial evaluation of the effects of a revised version of the volunteer mentoring programme, Time to Read. Participating children received two 30-minute mentoring sessions per week from volunteer mentors who carried out paired reading activities with the children. The current trial involved 512 children aged eight to nine years from 50 primary schools. The programme was found to be effective in improving decoding skills (d=+.15), reading rate (d=+.22) and reading fluency (d=+.14) and there was some evidence of a positive effect in relation to the children’s aspirations for the future (d=+.11). However, no evidence was found of the programme having an effect on reading comprehension or reading confidence and enjoyment of reading. The article concludes by suggesting that mentoring programmes using non-specialist volunteers can be effective in improving foundational reading skills but would appear to be less effective in terms of improving higher-order skills such as comprehension. The article also suggests that such programmes are likely to be most effective if concentrating on core reading activities rather than attempting to address reading outcomes indirectly through improving children’s confidence or wider enjoyment of reading.
Warmth in Advertising: Measurement, Impact, and Sequence Effects

The impact of the feeling of warmth created by a commercial, as measured by the “warmth monitor,” is explored in a series of three studies. The first study examines the relationship between warmth and arousal as measured by skin response. The other studies explore the relationship between warmth and advertising responses such as liking of the ad and purchase likelihood through testing ads with warm and other execution strategies. They also test the effects of sequences of commercials on warmth responses and on the impact of the ad.
Self-Questioning Instructional Research: A Review

Studies in self-questioning designed to improve students’ prose processing are reviewed in the context of theoretical issues and instructional implications that stem from three theoretical perspectives: the active processing perspective, metacognitive theory, and schema theory. The review indicates that the effects of self-questioning training on students’ prose processing are successful. Moreover, it indicates the need to consider the issue of constraints in self-questioning. The constraints of content knowledge and metacognitive deficiencies on self-questioning are illustrated. Subsequently, methodological problems underlying instructional failures in self-questioning research are examined. These include level of criterion in training, processing time allowed the subjects, explicitness in instruction, and maintenance and transfer tests. Last, potential directions of future research are discussed.
Semantic Compositional Networks for Visual Captioning

A Semantic Compositional Network (SCN) is developed for image captioning, in which semantic concepts (i.e., tags) are detected from the image, and the probability of each tag is used to compose the parameters in a long short-term memory (LSTM) network. The SCN extends each weight matrix of the LSTM to an ensemble of tag-dependent weight matrices. The degree to which each member of the ensemble is used to generate an image caption is tied to the image-dependent probability of the corresponding tag. In addition to captioning images, we also extend the SCN to generate captions for video clips. We qualitatively analyze semantic composition in SCNs, and quantitatively evaluate the algorithm on three benchmark datasets: COCO, Flickr30k, and Youtube2Text. Experimental results show that the proposed method significantly outperforms prior state-of-the-art approaches, across multiple evaluation metrics.
Fate map of the developing chick face: Analysis of expansion of facial primordia and establishment of the primary palate

Developing facial primordia change shape substantially in stages leading up to primary palate formation. We investigated expansion of cell populations within each of the four facial primordia of chick embryos between HH‐stages 20 and 28, by using DiI labelling. Populations of cells centred around the nasal pits in the upper face, the midline of the paired mandibular primordia in the lower face, and at sites of fusion contribute most to overall expansion. Abundant Msx‐1 transcripts are found in regions of high expansion, and Fgf‐8 transcripts are seen in ectoderm associated with some of these regions. Many cell populations display preferential expansion along one axis. Maxillary and mandibular primordia cell populations expand along the proximodistal axis, whereas at the distal tip of the frontonasal mass, cell populations expand mediolaterally. Thus outgrowth occurs at the tips of mandibular and maxillary primordia, but at the base of the frontonasal mass. At regions where adjacent primordia abut each other, we found bidirectional movement of cells between primordia, unidirectional movement or could detect no movement at all. Regions of highest expansion in each primordium have the highest percentage of S phase labelled cells. Cell death occurs in some regions of low expansion but it seems likely that cell rearrangements and intercalations also contribute to shaping. These rearrangements could be associated with stretching of the primordia by neighbouring tissues. Treatment of chick embryos with retinoic acid causes clefts of the primary palate (Tamarin et al. [1984] J. Embryol. Exp. Morphol. 84:105–123). We found a decrease in expansion of cell populations that normally contribute to primary palate formation but surprisingly little ectopic cell death. Expansion of other cell populations in the treated upper face was more even rather than directed. This further supports the idea that tension exerted by neighbouring tissues plays a major role in global shaping of the upper face. Dev. Dyn. 1998;212:102–118. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Assessing Public Support for Three-Strikes-and-You're-Out Laws: Global versus Specific Attitudes

In the recent movement to pass “three-strikes-and-you're-out” laws, policymakers often cite opinion polls that ostensibly show widespread public support for these initiatives. Our community survey, however, reveals that support for three-strikes laws is high when citizens are asked broad single-item questions, but diminishes greatly when citizens are presented with specific situations covered under the law. Further, the public appears willing to make exceptions to three-strikes laws. Taken together, these findings suggest that citizens would endorse three-strikes policies that focus on only the most serious offenders and that allow for flexible application.
Detection of the plasmid-mediated colistin-resistance gene mcr-1 in faecal metagenomes of Dutch travellers.

BACKGROUND Recently, the first plasmid-mediated colistin-resistance gene, mcr-1, was reported. Colistin is increasingly used as an antibiotic of last resort for the treatment of infections caused by carbapenem-resistant bacteria, which have been rapidly disseminating worldwide in recent years. OBJECTIVES The reported carriage rate of mcr-1 in humans remains sporadic thus far, except for those reported in Chinese populations. We aimed to determine its presence in the faecal metagenomes of healthy Dutch travellers between 2010 and 2012. METHODS Faecal metagenomic DNA of pre- and post-travel samples from 122 healthy Dutch long-distance travellers was screened for the presence of mcr-1 using a TaqMan quantitative PCR assay, which was designed in this study. All positive samples were confirmed by sequencing of the amplicons. RESULTS The mcr-1 gene was detected in 6 (4.9%, 95% CI = 2.1%-10.5%) of 122 healthy Dutch long-distance travellers after they had visited destinations in South(-east) Asia or southern Africa between 2011 and 2012. One of these participants was already found to be positive before travel. CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights the potential of PCR-based targeted metagenomics as an unbiased and sensitive method to screen for the carriage of the mcr-1 gene and suggests that mcr-1 is widespread in various parts of the world. The observation that one participant was found to be positive before travel suggests that mcr-1 may already have disseminated to the microbiomes of Dutch residents at a low prevalence, warranting a more extensive investigation of its prevalence in the general population and possible sources.
Doing Reflective Supervision with Student Teachers in a Professional Development School Culture

This paper describes a developing model of student teaching supervision that centers on reflective practice for student teachers, co-operating teachers, and supervisors as members of a community of learners. The model emerged as a result of collaborative efforts between a professor, principal, and co-operating teachers in a Professional Development School site over a period of three years. The collaborative school culture has been crucial to supporting every cohort of student teachers in learning to become reflective practitioners. Student teachers in this newly developing program are expected to take an active role in their professional development and evaluation. The specific working dimensions of the model depicted can provide practitioners with a framework that may be adapted to their own contexts.
Effects on erythropoiesis of alemtuzumab‐containing reduced intensity and standard conditioning regimens

Haemopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) with reduced‐intensity conditioning (RIC) has been associated with delayed disappearance of host anti‐A and anti‐B isohaemaglutinins and hindrance of donor erythropoiesis in major ABO mismatched transplants. Erythroid recovery, disappearance of recipient type and appearance of donor‐type isohaemaglutinins was compared in 84 patients undergoing RIC and 50 patients with standard‐conditioning (SCo) HCT. All patients received alemtuzumab as part of their conditioning. The incidence of immune‐mediated anaemia and red cell transfusion usage were also compared. Immune factors affecting post‐transplant erythroid kinetics showed little variance between different conditioning regimens. Disappearance of recipient isohaemaglutinins and emergence of donor red cells proceeded at similar rates in RIC and SCo transplants; the effects of ABO mismatch were marginal. Pure red cell aplasia, alloimmune haemolysis and autoimmune haemolytic anaemia were not more common in RIC transplants. We believe that alemtuzumab played a critical role in dampening immune reactions of both the host and the donor. Patients in both conditioning groups had similar post‐transplant erythroid burst‐forming unit (BFU‐E) counts; BFU‐E chimaerism analysis showed that 90–100% progenitors were of donor origin. However, transfusion requirements were significantly higher in the SCo group, due at least partly to earlier onset of bone marrow hypoplasia.