Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Aging on Implicit Covariation Learning

This study used a matrix-scanning task to investigate implicit covariation learning in an older adult population. Across 5 blocks of 60 trials, 72 older adults and 72 younger adults searched visual matrices and indicated the quadrant location of the target ‘6’. There were three conditions. In the constant covariation condition (AAAAA), the matrices systematically co-occurred with a unique location of the target throughout testing. In the changed and no covariation conditions, respectively, there was either a change in the covariation (AAABA) or the location of the target appeared randomly within the matrices. For the older adults, search times markedly improved following exposure to a covariation as compared to no covariation. Furthermore, changing the learned covariation significantly disrupted the participants’ performances with search times returning to normal following reinstatement of the learned covariation. Although older adults exhibited more impairment on explicit measures of learning compared to younger adults, both groups were able to use information provided in the visual displays to guide their search for the target. For both groups, these results occurred despite the participants’ inability to verbalize knowledge for the covariation. This study, therefore, generalizes the findings from other studies of implicit learning, particularly implicit motor sequence studies, and suggests that implicit processes, unlike explicit ones, may be relatively unaffected by aging.
Impact of foods with health logo on saturated fat, sodium and sugar intake of young Dutch adults

Abstract Objective Health logos are introduced to distinguish foods with ‘healthier’ nutrient composition from regular foods. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of changed food compositions according to health logo criteria on the intake of saturated fat, sugar and sodium in a Dutch population of young adults. Design Foods in the Dutch food composition table were evaluated against nutrient criteria for logo eligibility. Three replacement scenarios were compared with the nutrient intake ‘as measured’ in the Dutch consumption survey. The foods not complying with health logo criteria were replaced either by ‘virtual’ foods exactly complying with the health logo criteria, with real 2007 market shares (scenario I) and 100 % market shares (scenario II), or by existing similar foods with a composition that already complied with the health logo criteria (scenario III). Results The percentage reduction in nutrient intake with the current 2007 market shares of ‘health logo foods’ was −2·5 % for SFA, 0 % for sodium and −1 % for sugar. With a 100 % market share these reductions would be −10 % for SFA, −4 % for sodium and −6 % for sugar. This may lead to a reduction of −40 % for SFA, −23 % for sodium and −36 % for sugar in the most optimal replacement scenario. Conclusions With ‘health logo foods’, available in 2007 and current consumption patterns, small reductions can be achieved for SFA and sugar. For additional reductions, lowering the fat/sodium content of meat (products) towards health logo criteria and drinks without sugar towards limits far below health logo criteria would be the most effective reformulation strategy.
Learning Color Names for Real-World Applications

Color names are required in real-world applications such as image retrieval and image annotation. Traditionally, they are learned from a collection of labeled color chips. These color chips are labeled with color names within a well-defined experimental setup by human test subjects. However, naming colors in real-world images differs significantly from this experimental setting. In this paper, we investigate how color names learned from color chips compare to color names learned from real-world images. To avoid hand labeling real-world images with color names, we use Google image to collect a data set. Due to the limitations of Google image, this data set contains a substantial quantity of wrongly labeled data. We propose several variants of the PLSA model to learn color names from this noisy data. Experimental results show that color names learned from real-world images significantly outperform color names learned from labeled color chips for both image retrieval and image annotation.
Parents With Intellectual Disability and Their Children: Advances in Policy and Practice

In many countries, women and men with intellectual disability (ID) marry and have children of their own; however, in some countries, this is still taboo. Reproduction and parenting by people with ID is often a “hot” topic. Important questions related to this phenomenon include: Can people with ID provide “good enough” parenting? Can they be taught to be good parents? What about their children; should their children be taken away and cared for by someone else? Issues concerning healthcare that can support parenting, together with what supports are necessary for people to exercise the right to retain their fertility and to have their own family bear examination. In the Asia-Pacific region, an expanding focus on disability rights, deinstitutionalization, and inclusive policies means that there are more opportunities for people with ID to become parents. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Incheon Strategy to “Make the Right Real” for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific region both address these issues. Both promote disability-inclusive policies and practices derived from a rights-based framework; the right to reproduction is viewed as a fundamental human right and individual freedom. However, parenting rights and responsibilities are governed by cultural mores and societal traditions. Research primarily from high-income countries across the last four decades demonstrates that most parents with ID can provide sufficiently good parenting when appropriate supports are in place. Research on this topic to advance policy and practice needs to happen in specific national, geographical, cultural, and societal contexts. Furthermore, policy development is required to meet the goals and targets of the Incheon Strategy. Regional networks and national organizations of and for people with disabilities are challenged to include reproductive care and parenting programs in their policy and advocacy work.
Therapeutic effect of D1-like dopamine receptor antagonist on collagen-induced arthritis of mice

Dopamine activates D1-like and D2-like receptors (D1R and D2R). While D1R antagonists have ameliorated the severity of disease in some experimental autoimmune models of mice by promoting interferon (IFN)-γ and inhibiting interleukin (IL)-17 production by T cells, dopamine effects in the immune system are reportedly diverse. To investigate the impact of D1R blockade on an animal model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), DBA/1 mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) were treated with a selective D1R antagonist, SCH23390, after the primary immunization. This treatment suppressed the severity of the CIA. Nevertheless, serum levels of antibodies to type II collagen were not affected by the treatment. Th1/Th17 differentiation of splenic T cells in the treated animals was not biased. In vitro, when bone marrow-derived macrophages were stimulated in the presence of the D1R antagonist SCH23390, alteration of inflammatory cytokine expression was not observed, but their in vitro differentiation to osteoclasts was inhibited. Co-administration of a selective D1R agonist, A68930, abrogated the in vivo anti-arthritic effect and the in vitro suppression of osteoclastogenesis by the D1R antagonist. Our results argue that D1R blockade is potentially a new approach to the treatment of RA. Its effect could be partly attributable to the inhibition of osteoclastogenesis.
Expressive morphosyntactic development in three children with childhood apraxia of speech

Abstract The purpose of this research was to examine the expressive morphosyntactic development of three children aged 6 and 7 years with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) and language impairment. Participants' performance in normative assessments tapping expressive and receptive morphological and/or syntactic skills was examined. Their mean length of utterance, finite verb morphology, personal pronoun and irregular past tense use in a personal narrative task was also examined on three occasions over a year around participation in a phonological awareness intervention. At initial assessment the participants exhibited expressive morphosyntactic deficits when compared with a normative database and showed relative strength in receptive versus expressive morphosyntactic ability on standardized language assessment. The results showed that participants' expressive morphosyntactic difficulties were ongoing and could not be explained solely by their speech errors. The findings add to the growing body of evidence implicating linguistic (as well as motor speech production) difficulties in children with CAS.
Parents' Goals and the Early Cognitive Development of Economically Disadvantaged Children.

In contrast to the many studies that have examined parenting in low-income families from a deficit perspective, this study examines their strengths by proposing and testing a model of parenting goals derived from social and developmental theories on goal-orientation, motivation, attachment, and child socialization. The model posits two categories of parenting goals, empathy goals, and socialization goals, as described by Dix (1992), and extends previous theories of parenting, e.g., Darling's and Steinberg's (1993), by suggesting that empathy goals operate more distally to academic achievement, through the mediator of socialization goals. The model, tested in a sample of 220 Head Start pre-schoolers of largely African American descent, suggests that establishing an environment of responsiveness to a child's emotional needs is an important precursor to parents' efforts at improving academic performance. Based on the results of these tests, a number of theoretical and practical implications are offered regar.
Work-life balance among solo-living managers and professionals : exploring dynamics of structure, culture and agency

One result of substantial demographic and social change in the UK in recent decades has been a marked increase in the proportion of the population that live alone – including amongst the working-age population. Whilst the trend has often been linked to arguments about increased freedom and choice in modern society, and a second demographic transition (Lesthaeghe & vande Kaa, 1986), the possible influence of structures and cultures should not be overlooked, nor the experiences of solo-living individuals assumed to be without problems or constraint. Of particular interest in this thesis is the influence of the modern labour market and organisations which can be ‘greedy’ (Coser, 1974) when it comes to employee time and energy. Whilst there is a considerable body of knowledge on the work-life interface, research has focused almost entirely on employees in family households (Casper et al, 2007a), meaning very little is known about the situation for those who live alone. This thesis is based on the work-life attitudes and experiences of 36 young managers and professionals who live alone, and adopts a critical realist approach to analysing the interplay of structure, culture and agency over time (Archer, 1996). Following the identification of a range of work-life balance issues experienced by participants, and variation in levels of work-life satisfaction on the basis of participant gender and age, two theoretical lenses are used to explore the data. Firstly, distributive justice theory is used to understand variations in participant perceptions of the fairness of work-life balance support allocation in their organisations, and personal sense of entitlement to support. Secondly, broader elements of participant work-life experience are explored via the lens of individualisation theory, as conceptualised by Beck (1992) and Beck & Beck-Gernsheim (2002). The overall thesis is that young solo-living managers and professionals are both enabled and constrained by their structural and cultural environment. Whilst these individuals are in a relatively privileged position when it comes to career progression, they experience a number of constraints to the achievement of work-life balance. Whether participants are satisfied with their work-life experience or dissatisfied, there is little evidence of challenge to the structural/cultural environment – which is explained via the inclusion in a temporally embedded conceptualisation of agency (Emirbayer and Mische, 1998) the issue of risk, an issue that is central to something here termed ‘gendered individualisation’.
Obesity, Physical Activity, and Depressive Symptoms in a Cohort of Adults Aged 51 to 61

Objective: To determine associations between changes in obesity and vigorous physical activity (PA) status and depressive symptoms in a cohort aged 51 to 61 years at baseline. Method: Two waves (1992, 1998) of Health and Retirement Study data were used to divide participants into four obesity and four vigorous PA status categories based on change in or maintenance of their 1992 status in 1998. Depressive symptoms were defined as the upper quintile score (women ≥ 4, men ≥ 3) on the eight-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies—Depression Scale. Logistic regression determined adjusted odds ratios for depressive symptoms associated with obesity and vigorous PA status. Results: Among men, no significant associations were found. Among women, decreasing from high vigorous PA status and maintenance of obese status were independently associated with increased odds for depressive symptoms in 1998. Discussion: The findings illustrate the importance of examining gender differences in studies of risk factors for depression.
Sore Throat or Hoarse Voice with Bronchial Blockers or Double-Lumen Tubes for Lung Isolation: A Randomised, Prospective Trial

Double-lumen endotracheal tubes and bronchial blockers allow lung isolation for one-lung ventilation. Few studies, however, directly compare these devices. Further, a new endobronchial blocker (Coopdech) is available in some countries. Our primary hypothesis was that bronchial blockers would be associated with less sore throat or hoarse voice than double-lumen tubes. Secondary outcomes were successful one-lung ventilation and surgical access. In this prospective trial, 120 Chinese patients undergoing elective surgery were randomly assigned to one of four groups of 30 patients: Coopdech blocker, Arndt blocker, Univent tube or double-lumen tube. Postoperative sore throat and hoarse voice were assessed in the recovery room and 24 hours after surgery. The incidence and severity of sore throat or hoarse voice was less in the blocker groups than double-lumen tube group: Coopdech 13%, Arndt 20%, Univent 30% and double-lumen tube 60%, P <0.001. The blocker groups did not significantly differ, P=0.28. Compared to the double-lumen tubes the bronchial blockers took about two minutes less to position but five minutes longer for lung deflation. Surgical exposure was uniformly good across the four groups. We conclude that clinical use of the Coopdech endobronchial blocker is similar to the Arndt and Univent blockers and that all three are associated with less sore throat or hoarse voice than double-lumen tubes.
WHAT US PARENTS DON'T KNOW ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN'S TELEVISION USE

Sixty‐eight US children (ages 7–9 and 11–13) and their parents were surveyed on the children's television viewing the preceding day, as well as their television habits in general. Both parents and children reported that the children watched about 3.5 hours of television on the preceding day. However, when reporting about the amount, content, and context of the television exposure, there were big discrepancies between parents' and children's reports. In general, children reported being less aware of television rules and watching more age inappropriate programs. In general, parents reported more frequent use of restrictive mediation compared to active mediation. Lower socioeconomic status (SES) parents reported less effort to actively mediate their children's television exposure compared to higher SES parents. Lower SES parents were also less likely than higher SES parents to acknowledge that their children were influenced by the television content. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Asynchronous Filtering of Discrete-Time Switched Linear Systems With Average Dwell Time

Switched dynamical systems can be found in many practical electronic circuits, such as various kinds of power converters, chaos generators, etc. This paper is concerned with the filter design problem for a class of switched system with average dwell time switching. Mode-dependent full-order filters are designed taking a more practical phenomenon, the asynchronous switching into account, where “asynchronous” means that the switching of the filters to be designed has a lag to the switching of the system modes. New results on the stability and l2-gain analyses for the systems are first given where the Lyapunov-like functions during the running time of subsystems are allowed to increase. In light of the proposed Lyapunov-like functions, the desired mode-dependent filters can be designed in that the unmatched filters are allowed to perform in the interval of the asynchronous switching before the matched ones are applied. In H∞ sense, the problem of asynchronous filtering for the underlying systems in linear cases is formulated and the conditions of the existence of admissible asynchronous filters are obtained. Two examples are provided to show the potential of the developed results.
Leishmaniasis: Middle East and North Africa Research and Development Priorities

The US-MENA Leishmaniasis conference provided an unprecedented opportunity for scientists to interact and focus on leishmaniasis research issues specific to the MENA region and resulted in several successful grant proposals funded through the Civilian Research and Development Foundation. The collaborations that arose from this conference will certainly influence leishmaniasis control in the MENA region specifically; moreover, the discussions and recommendations also have implications for the leishmaniasis field as a whole.
Self-efficacy, interest, and task performance: Within-task changes, mutual relationships, and predictive effects

Abstract. The aim of this study was to examine how possible changes in self-efficacy and interest during a task relate to each other and whether such changes independently predict overall task performance. To achieve this, the participants, one hundred ninth-grade students, were repetitively asked to rate their efficacy judgments and interest while they were working on a complex problem-solving task. The results from a series of latent growth curve models showed a significant overall increase in students' self-efficacy during the task. Changes in interest and self-efficacy were positively correlated, and, after controlling for the effects of prior mathematics achievement, both the initial level of self-efficacy and the rate of change in interest independently predicted final task performance.
Systematic review of herbs and dietary supplements for glycemic control in diabetes.

OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic review of the published literature on the efficacy and safety of herbal therapies and vitamin/mineral supplements for glucose control in patients with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted an electronic literature search of MEDLINE, OLDMEDLINE, Cochrane Library Database, and HealthSTAR, from database inception to May 2002, in addition to performing hand searches and consulting with experts in the field. Available clinical studies published in the English language that used human participants and examined glycemic control were included. Data were extracted in a standardized manner, and two independent investigators assessed methodological quality of randomized controlled trials using the Jadad scale. RESULTS A total of 108 trials examining 36 herbs (single or in combination) and 9 vitamin/mineral supplements, involving 4,565 patients with diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance, met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. There were 58 controlled clinical trials involving individuals with diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance (42 randomized and 16 nonrandomized trials). Most studies involved patients with type 2 diabetes. Heterogeneity and the small number of studies per supplement precluded formal meta-analyses. Of these 58 trials, the direction of the evidence for improved glucose control was positive in 76% (44 of 58). Very few adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS There is still insufficient evidence to draw definitive conclusions about the efficacy of individual herbs and supplements for diabetes; however, they appear to be generally safe. The available data suggest that several supplements may warrant further study. The best evidence for efficacy from adequately designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is available for Coccinia indica and American ginseng. Chromium has been the most widely studied supplement. Other supplements with positive preliminary results include Gymnema sylvestre, Aloe vera, vanadium, Momordica charantia, and nopal.
Accurate adiabatic connection curve beyond the physical interaction strength

In order to better approximate and understand the exchange-correlation functional in density functional theory, the adiabatic connection curve is accurately calculated beyond the physical interaction strength using a simulated scaling method. This is done for Hooke’s atom, two interacting electrons in a harmonic well potential. Extrapolation of the accurate curve to the infinite-coupling limit agrees well with the strictly correlated electron hypothesis. The interaction strength interpolation is shown to be a good, but not perfect, fit to the adiabatic curve. Arguments about the locality of functionals and convexity of the adiabatic connection curve are examined in this regime.
Quality-of-life measurement in advanced cancer: assessing the individual.

PURPOSE Despite the increasing importance of assessing quality of life (QoL) in patients with advanced cancer, relatively little is known about individual patient's perceptions of the issues contributing to their QoL. The Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life (SEIQoL) and the shorter SEIQoL-Direct Weighting (SEIQoL-DW) assess individualized QoL using a semistructured interview technique. Here we report findings from the first administration of the SEIQoL and SEIQoL-DW to patients with advanced incurable cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS QoL was assessed on a single occasion using the SEIQoL and SEIQoL-DW in 80 patients with advanced incurable cancer. RESULTS All patients were able to complete the SEIQoL-DW, and 78% completed the SEIQoL. Of a possible score of 100, the median QoL global score was as follows: SEIQoL, 61 (range, 24 to 94); SEIQoL-DW, 60.5 (range, 6 to 95). Psychometric data for SEIQoL indicated very high levels of internal consistency (median r =.90) and internal validity (median R(2) = 0.88). Patients' judgments of their QoL were unique to the individual. Family concerns were almost universally rated as more important than health, the difference being significant when measured using the SEIQoL-DW (P =.002). CONCLUSION Patients with advanced incurable cancer were very good judges of their QoL, and many patients rated their QoL as good. Judgments were highly individual, with very high levels of consistency and validity. The primacy given to health in many QoL questionnaires may be questioned in this population. The implications of these findings are discussed with regard to clinical assessment and advance directives.