Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploratory behaviour and adaptation to novelty in preschool children with autism – a preliminary report

The purpose of this study was to compare exploratory behaviours in children with autism and typically developing preschool children and the course of their adaptation to novelty. A series of fi ve repeated trials was conducted, during which children were allowed to freely explore the experimental room. The results revealed differences between study groups in the overall rate of exploratory activity, which was lower in children with autism. Patterns of time characteristics of exploratory activity showed both similarities and differences between the groups. In both groups, the rate of simple exploratory behaviours (i.e. looking at an object, touching the object, manipulating one object) decreased with time, while the levels of diversive exploration (i.e. touching the wall or fl oor) increased. Children with autism engaged in less complex object manipulation than their peers. Similarly, their adaptation and habituation to a novel environment proceeded in a different way in the low stimulation zone than in the high stimulation zone. In the low and medium stimulation zones, the rate of exploration decreased with time, while in the high stimulation zone it remained relatively constant. In typically developing children, habituation occurred in all stimulation zones. These results suggest the presence of some differences between the patterns of adaptation to novelty in the two groups, which emerge in a stimulation-rich environment. Due to the limitations of the study, in particular the small number of subjects, the present paper should be treated as a preliminary report.
Attribute-based proxy re-encryption method for revocation in cloud storage: Reduction of communication cost at re-encryption

In recent years, many users have uploaded data to the cloud for easy storage and sharing with other users. At the same time, security and privacy concerns for the data are growing. Attribute-based encryption (ABE) enables both data security and access control by defining users with attributes so that only those users who have matching attributes can decrypt them. For real-world applications of ABE, revocation of users or their attributes is necessary so that revoked users can no longer decrypt the data. In actual implementations, ABE is used in hybrid with a symmetric encryption scheme such as the advanced encryption standard (AES) where data is encrypted with AES and the AES key is encrypted with ABE. The hybrid encryption scheme requires re-encryption of the data upon revocation to ensure that the revoked users can no longer decrypt that data. To re-encrypt the data, the data owner (DO) must download the data from the cloud, then decrypt, encrypt, and upload the data back to the cloud, resulting in both huge communication costs and computational burden on the DO depending on the size of the data to be re-encrypted. In this paper, we propose an attribute-based proxy re-encryption method in which data can be re-encrypted in the cloud without downloading any data by adopting both ABE and Syalim's encryption scheme. Our proposed scheme reduces the communication cost between the DO and cloud storage. Experimental results show that the proposed method reduces the communication cost by as much as one quarter compared to that of the trivial solution.
Association between overweight and asthma or allergy: Results from aprospective 27-year post-bronchiolitis follow-up.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between weight status and asthma, allergy and respiratory symptoms in young adults with bronchiolitis in infancy. At age 26-29 years, a questionnaire was sent to 78 study subjects hospitalized for bronchiolitis at age 25 kg/m2) and 8(13.6%) obese (BMI >30 kg/m2) at age 26-29 years. Overweight was present in 21/52 study subjects (40.4%) at age 18-20 years. Overweight or obesity had no association with doctordiagnosed or self-reported asthma or allergy, or the use of inhaled corticosteroids, at either age. The negative results were confirmed by adjusted analyses at age 26-29 years. Overweight or obesity at age 18-20 years did not predict asthma 8 years later. Overweight or obesity had no association with asthma or allergy in young adults hospitalized for bronchiolitis in infancy.
R EVIEW Animal Models of Graves ’ Hyperthyroidism

Graves’ disease is a common organ-specific autoimmune disease characterized by overstimulation of the thyroid gland with agonistic anti-thyrotropin (TSH) receptor autoantibodies, which leads to hyperthyroidism and diffuse hyperplasia of the thyroid gland. Several groups including us have recently established several animal models of Graves’ hyperthyroidism using novel immunization approaches, such as in vivo expression of the TSH receptor by injecting syngeneic living cells coexpressing the TSH receptor, the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigen and a costimulatory molecule, or genetic immunization using plasmid or adenovirus vectors coding the TSH receptor. This breakthrough has made it possible for us to study the pathogenesis of Graves’ disease in more detail and has provided important insights into our understanding of disease pathogenesis. The important new findings that have emerged include: (i) the shed A subunit being the major autoantigen for TSAb, (ii) the significant role played by dendritic cells (DCs) as professional antigen-presenting cells in initiating disease development, (iii) contribution of MHC and particularly nonMHC genetic backgrounds in disease susceptibility, and (iv) influence of some particular infectious pathogens on disease development. However, the data regarding Th1/Th2 balance of TSH receptor-specific immune response or the association of Graves’ hyperthyroidism with intrathyroidal lymphocytic infiltration are rather inconsistent. Future studies with these models will hopefully lead to better understanding of disease pathogenesis and help develop novel strategies for treatment and ultimately prevention of Graves’ disease in humans.
Growing Land‐Sea Temperature Contrast and the Intensification of Arctic Cyclones

Cyclones play an important role in the coupled dynamics of the Arctic climate system on a range of time scales. Modeling studies suggest that storminess will increase in Arctic summer due to enhanced land‐sea thermal contrast along the Arctic coastline, in a region known as the Arctic Frontal Zone (AFZ). However, the climate models used in these studies are poor at reproducing the present‐day Arctic summer cyclone climatology and so their projections of Arctic cyclones and related quantities, such as sea ice, may not be reliable. In this study we perform composite analysis of Arctic cyclone statistics using AFZ variability as an analog for climate change. High AFZ years are characterized both by increased cyclone frequency and dynamical intensity, compared to low years. Importantly, the size of the response in this analog suggests that General Circulation Models may underestimate the response of Arctic cyclones to climate change, given a similar change in baroclinicity.
Cellular Controlled Cooperative Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Networks with Sense-and-Send Protocol

In this paper, we consider a cellular controlled unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sensing network in which multiple UAVs cooperatively complete each sensing task. We first propose a sense-and-send protocol where the UAVs collect sensory data of the tasks and transmit the collected data to the base station. We then formulate a joint trajectory, sensing location, and UAV scheduling optimization problem that minimizes the completion time for all the sensing tasks in the network. To solve this NP-hard problem efficiently, we decouple it into three sub-problems: trajectory optimization, sensing location optimization, and UAV scheduling. An iterative trajectory, sensing, and scheduling optimization (ITSSO) algorithm is proposed to solve these sub-problems jointly. The convergence and complexity of the ITSSO algorithm, together with the system performance are analysed. Simulation results show that the proposed ITSSO algorithm saves the task completion time by 15% compared to the non-cooperative scheme.
Tree Containment With Soft Polytomies

The Tree Containment problem has many important applications in the study of evolutionary history. Given a phylogenetic network N and a phylogenetic tree T whose leaves are labeled by a set of taxa, it asks if N and T are consistent. While the case of binary N and T has received considerable attention, the more practically relevant variant dealing with biological uncertainty has not. Such uncertainty manifests itself as high-degree vertices ("polytomies") that are "jokers" in the sense that they are compatible with any binary resolution of their children. Contrasting the binary case, we show that this problem, called Soft Tree Containment, is NP-hard, even if N is a binary, multi-labeled tree in which each taxon occurs at most thrice. On the other hand, we reduce the case that each label occurs at most twice to solving a 2-SAT instance of size O(|T|^3). This implies NP-hardness and polynomial-time solvability on reticulation-visible networks in which the maximum in-degree is bounded by three and two, respectively.
Pricing competition of rollover data plan

Today, many mobile network operators (MNOs) provide data services through a three-part tariff data plan, which involves a fixed subscription fee, a data cap, and a per-unit fee for the data over-usage exceeding the data cap. To increase their market competitiveness, MNOs have been trying to provide more time flexibility in the data plans. One of such innovations is the rollover data plan, which allows a subscriber to use the unused data of the previous month in the current month. Depending on the consumption priority of the rollover data, different rollover data plans can have different levels of time flexibility. The interactions among multiple MNOs offering rollover data plans, however, are quite complicated and sometimes counter-intuitive. To examine this issue, in this paper we build a simple market model of two MNOs competing to serve the same pool of heterogeneous users. We formulate the market competition as a two-stage game: in Stage I, the MNOs simultaneously decide their pricing strategies of their chosen data mechanisms; In Stage II, users make their subscription decisions among the two MNOs. We characterize the sub-game perfect equilibrium (SPE) of the two-stage game through backward induction. Comparing with a monopoly market where a better time flexibility always improves the MNO's profit, our analysis reveals a rather complicated story in the duopoly market: (i) with a mild competition, the stronger MNO will increase both MNOs' profits by adopting a data plan with a better time flexibility, while the weaker MNO will decrease both MNOs' profits by adopting a data plan with a better time flexibility; (ii) with a fierce competition, any MNO will increase its profit and decrease the competitor's profit by adopting a data plan with a better time flexibility.
Mesozooplankton Distribution and Copepod Grazing in the Subtropical Atlantic Near the Azores: Influence of Mesoscale Structures

Mesozooplankton distribution and copepod grazing were investigated in the Subtropical Atlantic Ocean near the Azores during the AZORES I (August) and II (April-May) cruises. Mesozoo- plankton biomass and abundance remained low throughout the region, but significant increases were found related to the presence of the Azores Front. The Azores Front also exhibited maximum values of copepod community ingestion, reaching 250 mg C m-2 ingested daily. This increase in ingestion was related to increases in copepod abundance, but not in copepod gut contents. No relationship was found between gut contents, or ingestion, and phytoplankton biomass or production. Daily cycles were found in copepod gut contents, being higher during the night, but not in copepod abundance. Multi- dimensional scaling analysis revealed differences in copepod taxonomic composition between both sides of the front. During spring, daily copepod ingestion represents an average of 6% of the integrated chlorophyll (Chl) a concentration and 22% of the primary production. These percentages increase to 15% of Chl and 61% of production if we only consider large (>2 µm) phytoplankton. No clear influence of the cyclonic eddy LETICIA was found in mesozooplankton biomass or grazing. A sig- nificant effect of the Great Meteor Tablemount was found in copepod abundance and grazing, with higher values located west of the mount.
Automatically Selecting the Best Dependency Annotation Design with Dynamic Oracles

This work introduces a new strategy to compare the numerous conventions that have been proposed over the years for expressing dependency structures and discover the one for which a parser will achieve the highest parsing performance. Instead of associating each sentence in the training set with a single gold reference we propose to consider a set of references encoding alternative syntactic representations. Training a parser with a dynamic oracle will then automatically select among all alternatives the reference that will be predicted with the highest accuracy. Experiments on the UD corpora show the validity of this approach.
Steroids and Survival in Critically Ill Adult Patients: A Meta-analysis of 135 Randomized Trials.

OBJECTIVE Corticosteroids have important effects on intermediate outcomes in critically ill patients, but their effect on survival is unknown. The objective of this meta-analysis was to analyze the effect on mortality of corticosteroids in critical and perioperative settings. DESIGN A meta-analysis of randomized trials. SETTING PubMed, Embase, BioMed Central, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched to February 1, 2018, for randomized trials comparing corticosteroids with placebo or standard care. PARTICIPANTS Critically ill or surgical adult patients. INTERVENTIONS Corticosteroids compared with placebo or standard care. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS A total of 44,553 patients from 135 studies were included. Overall, mortality in the corticosteroid group and in the control group were similar (16% v 16%; p = 0.9). Subanalyses identified a beneficial effect of corticosteroids on survival in patients with respiratory system diseases (9% v 13%; p < 0.001) and bacterial meningitis (28% v 32%; p= 0.04), and a detrimental effect on survival in patients with traumatic brain injury (22% v 19%; p < 0.001). No differences in mortality were found in patients with cardiac diseases (7% v 6%; p = 0.7), in patients undergoing cardiac surgery (2.8% v 3.2% p = 0.14), and when treatment duration or patient age were considered. CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis documents the safety of corticosteroids in the overall critically ill population with the notable exception of brain injury patients, a setting where the authors confirmed their detrimental effect on survival. A possible beneficial effect of corticosteroids on survival was found among patients with respiratory diseases and in patients with bacterial meningitis.
Effects of Mild Cognitive Impairment on the Event-Related Brain Potential Components Elicited in Executive Control Tasks

We summarize here the findings of several studies in which we analyzed the event-related brain potentials (ERPs) elicited in participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and in healthy controls during performance of executive tasks. The objective of these studies was to investigate the neural functioning associated with executive processes in MCI. With this aim, we recorded the brain electrical activity generated in response to stimuli in three executive control tasks (Stroop, Simon, and Go/NoGo) adapted for use with the ERP technique. We found that the latencies of the ERP components associated with the evaluation and categorization of the stimuli were longer in participants with amnestic MCI than in the paired controls, particularly those with multiple-domain amnestic MCI, and that the allocation of neural resources for attending to the stimuli was weaker in participants with amnestic MCI. The MCI participants also showed deficient functioning of the response selection and preparation processes demanded by each task.
The Flesh Fly Sarcophaga (Liopygia) crassipalpis Macquart 1839 as an Invader of a Corpse in Calabria (Southern Italy)

Abstract We present an indoor forensic case that occurred in spring 2013 in Cosenza (southern Italy). The entomological evidence col-lected at the scene consisted of Calliphoridae ( Calliphora vicina, Lucilia sericata ), Sarcophagidae ( Sarcophaga crassipalpis ), Fanniidae ( Fannia scalaris ) and Muscidae ( Hydrotaea ignava ). The minimum Post Mortem Interval (mPMI) was calculated by relating the entomological evidence to data available for Diptera species in the area and to our knowledge of the development of flies used as forensic indicators in Calabria. We report S. crassipalpis as a corpse invader for the first time in Italy. Introduction The Flesh Fly Sarcophaga (Liopygia) crassipalpis Macquart 1839 as an Invader of a Corpse in Calabria (Southern Italy) Bonacci T 1* , Greco S 1 , Cavalcanti B 2 , Brandmayr P 1 and Vercillo V 2 1 Department DiBEST, University of Calabria, 87036 – Rende (CS), Italy 2 Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale di Cosenza, Sezione di Medicina Legale, 87100 – Cosenza, Italy
Reorganization of the Y Chromosomes Enhances Divergence in Israeli Mole Rats Nannospalax ehrenbergi (Spalacidae, Rodentia): Comparative Analysis of Meiotic and Mitotic Chromosomes

The Y chromosome in mammals is variable, even in closely related species. Middle East blind mole rats Nannospalax ehrenbergi demonstrate autosomal variability, which probably leads to speciation. Here, we compare the mitotic and meiotic chromosomes of mole rats. For the first time, we studied the behavior of their sex chromosomes in the meiotic prophase I using electron microscopy and immunocytochemical analysis. Unexpectedly, the sex chromosomes of the 52- and 60-chromosome forms of mole rats showed different synaptic and recombination patterns due to distinct locations of the centromeres on the Y chromosomes. The absence of recombination in the 60-chromosome form, the asymmetric synapsis, and the short-term disturbance in the synaptic co-orientation of the telomeric regions of the X and Y chromosomes were revealed as specific features of mole rat sex bivalents. We suggest several scenarios of Y chromosome alteration in connection with species differentiation in mole rats.
Eagerness and Optimistically Biased Metaperception: The More Eager to Learn Others’ Evaluations, the Higher the Estimation of Others’ Evaluations

People frequently judge how they are viewed by others during social interactions. These judgments are called metaperceptions. This study investigates the relationship between eagerness to determine the evaluation of others and metaperceptions. We propose that eagerness, which reflects approach motivation, induces positive emotions. We apply feelings-as-information theory and hypothesize that positive emotions cause optimistic self-evaluations and metaperceptions. Participants in three studies interact with judges during a singing contest (Study 1), a speech (Study 2), and an interview (Study 3). Results corroborate that eagerness to learn the evaluation of others is overall related to optimistically biased metaperceptions. This effect is mediated sequentially by positive emotions, optimistic self-evaluations, and increased metaperceptions.
Present Bias in Renewable Resource Management and Agent’s Welfare

This article analyses the effects of myopic and present-biased preferences on the welfare of a naive agent when he/she is engaged in an intertemporal harvesting activity from a stock of renewable resources. The analysis is conducted by also taking into account the nature of present-biased behaviours as phenomena that is derived from a dual system of discounting and of response to short and long-term stimuli. In the task of harvesting from a stock of renewable resources, the present biased preferences of a naive agent create a conflict between the long-run benefit of the agent and the short-run desire. Thus, this article demonstrates and argues that in the decision-making, which involves intertemporal choices in renewable resources management, the prevalence of naive behaviour, strongly influenced by the emotional-affective system, can lead to a reduction in the overall utility enjoyed by the individual due to the present bias. JEL: D15, D90, Q20
Disruptive behaviour in the Foundation Phase of schooling

Since the passage of legislation banning corporal punishment in South African schools, disruptive behaviour in schools has become an issue of national concern. Against this background a research project was undertaken in which the types and causes of disruptive behaviour occurring most frequently in the Foundation Phase of schooling were identified, with a view to providing strategies for teachers to manage behaviour of this kind. A qualitative research approach was applied. Data collection was done by conducting interviews comprising semistructured questions with Foundation Phase teachers. Strategies purposely devised to deal specifically with the identified types and causes of disruptive behaviour are explained. Keywords : disciplinary procedures; discipline problems; disruptive behaviour; disruptive behaviour strategies; human dignity; misbehaviour
Th1/Th17/Th22 immune response and their association with joint pain, imagenological bone loss, RANKL expression and osteoclast activity in temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis: A preliminary report

It is well accepted that the presence of cytokines belonging to the Th1/Th17/Th22 axis of immuno-inflammatory response in the joint environment, such as IL-1β, IL-17 and IL-22, respectively, are associated with pathogenesis of several synovial joint degenerative disorders. During temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ-OA), IL-1β and IL-17 have been implicated in the inflammation and resorption of sub-chondral bone; however, the role of Th22 response in the TMJ-OA pathophysiology has not been established. This study aimed to compare the expression of Th1/Th17/Th22-type cytokines, chemokines and chemokine receptors in synovial fluid samples obtained from TMJ-OA or disk displacement with reduction (DDWR) patients. In addition, it aimed to associate these levels with joint pain, imagenological signs of bone degeneration, RANKL production, osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast-induced bone resorption. Higher levels of IL-1β, IL-17 and IL-22 were expressed in TMJ-OA compared with DDWR subjects, and these increased levels significantly correlated with RANKL expression, joint pain and articular bone degeneration. Higher levels of CCR5, CCR6 and CCR7, as well as their respective ligands CCL5 and CCL20, responsible for recruitment of IL-1β, IL-17 and IL-22-producing cells, were over-expressed in TMJ-OA compared with DDWR subjects. Osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast-induced bone resorption were significantly greater in presence of synovial fluid from TMJ-OA compared with DDWR subjects. These data demonstrate that cytokines, CCLs and CCRs associated with the Th1/Th17/Th22 axis of immuno-inflammatory response are involved in TMJ-OA pathogenesis. These findings suggest that IL-22 is involved in the RANKL expression in TMJ-OA, which in turn induces differentiation of osteoclasts and subsequent resorption of sub-chondral bone.