Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ultrasound biofeedback treatment for persisting childhood apraxia of speech.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a treatment program that includes ultrasound biofeedback for children with persisting speech sound errors associated with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). METHOD Six children ages 9-15 years participated in a multiple baseline experiment for 18 treatment sessions during which treatment focused on producing sequences involving lingual sounds. Children were cued to modify their tongue movements using visual feedback from real-time ultrasound images. Probe data were collected before, during, and after treatment to assess word-level accuracy for treated and untreated sound sequences. As participants reached preestablished performance criteria, new sequences were introduced into treatment. RESULTS All participants met the performance criterion (80% accuracy for 2 consecutive sessions) on at least 2 treated sound sequences. Across the 6 participants, performance criterion was met for 23 of 31 treated sequences in an average of 5 sessions. Some participants showed no improvement in untreated sequences, whereas others showed generalization to untreated sequences that were phonetically similar to the treated sequences. Most gains were maintained 2 months after the end of treatment. The percentage of phonemes correct increased significantly from pretreatment to the 2-month follow-up. CONCLUSION A treatment program including ultrasound biofeedback is a viable option for improving speech sound accuracy in children with persisting speech sound errors associated with CAS.
Deep Modeling of the Evolution of User Preferences and Item Attributes in Dynamic Social Networks

Modeling the evolution of user preferences and item attributes in a dynamic social network is important because it is the basis for many applications, including recommendation systems and user behavior analysis. This study introduces a comprehensive general neural framework with several optimal strategies to jointly model the evolution of user preferences and item attributes in dynamic social networks. Preliminary experimental results conducted on real-world datasets demonstrate that our model performs better than the state-of-the-art methods.
Omnisc'IO: A Grammar-Based Approach to Spatial and Temporal I/O Patterns Prediction

The increasing gap between the computation performance of post-petascale machines and the performance of their I/O subsystem has motivated many I/O optimizations including prefetching, caching, and scheduling techniques. In order to further improve these techniques, modeling and predicting spatial and temporal I/O patterns of HPC applications as they run has became crucial. In this paper we present Omnisc'IO, an approach that builds a grammar-based model of the I/O behavior of HPC applications and uses it to predict when future I/O operations will occur, and where and how much data will be accessed. Omnisc'IO is transparently integrated into the POSIX and MPI I/O stacks and does not require any modification in applications or higher level I/O libraries. It works without any prior knowledge of the application and converges to accurate predictions within a couple of iterations only. Its implementation is efficient in both computation time and memory footprint.
Multiple feature models for image matching

The common approach to image matching is to detect spatial features present in both images and create a mapping that relates both images. The main drawback of this method takes place when more than one matching is likely. A first simplification to this ambiguity is to represent with a parametric model the point locus where the matching is highly likely, and then use a POCS (projection onto convex sets) procedure combined with Tikhonov regularization that results in the mapping vectors. However, if there is more than one model per pixel, the regularization and constraint-forcing process faces a multiple-choice dilemma that has no easy solution. This work proposes a framework to overcome this drawback: the combined projection over multiple models based on the L/sub k/, norm of the projection-point distance. This approach is tested on a stereo-pair that presents multiple choices of similar likelihood.
Spatial distribution and functional significance of activated vinculin in living cells

Conformational change is believed to be important to vinculin's function at sites of cell adhesion. However, nothing is known about vinculin's conformation in living cells. Using a Forster resonance energy transfer probe that reports on changes in vinculin's conformation, we find that vinculin is in the actin-binding conformation in a peripheral band of adhesive puncta in spreading cells. However, in fully spread cells with established polarity, vinculin's conformation is variable at focal adhesions. Time-lapse imaging reveals a gradient of conformational change that precedes loss of vinculin from focal adhesions in retracting regions. At stable or protruding regions, recruitment of vinculin is not necessarily coupled to the actin-binding conformation. However, a different measure of vinculin conformation, the recruitment of vinexin β by activated vinculin, shows that autoinhibition of endogenous vinculin is relaxed at focal adhesions. Beyond providing direct evidence that vinculin is activated at focal adhesions, this study shows that the specific functional conformation correlates with regional cellular dynamics.
High Interstitial Fluid Pressure Is Associated with Tumor-Line Specific Vascular Abnormalities in Human Melanoma Xenografts

Purpose Interstitial fluid pressure (IFP) is highly elevated in many solid tumors. High IFP has been associated with low radiocurability and high metastatic frequency in human melanoma xenografts and with poor survival after radiation therapy in cervical cancer patients. Abnormalities in tumor vascular networks have been identified as an important cause of elevated tumor IFP. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between tumor IFP and the functional and morphological properties of tumor vascular networks. Materials and Methods A-07-GFP and R-18-GFP human melanomas growing in dorsal window chambers in BALB/c nu/nu mice were used as preclinical tumor models. Functional and morphological parameters of the vascular network were assessed from first-pass imaging movies and vascular maps recorded after intravenous bolus injection of 155-kDa tetramethylrhodamine isothiocyanate-labeled dextran. IFP was measured in the center of the tumors using a Millar catheter. Angiogenic profiles of A-07-GFP and R-18-GFP cells were obtained with a quantitative PCR array. Results High IFP was associated with low growth rate and low vascular density in A-07-GFP tumors, and with high growth rate and high vascular density in R-18-GFP tumors. A-07-GFP tumors showed chaotic and highly disorganized vascular networks, while R-18-GFP tumors showed more organized vascular networks with supplying arterioles in the tumor center and draining venules in the tumor periphery. Furthermore, A-07-GFP and R-18-GFP cells differed substantially in angiogenic profiles. A-07-GFP tumors with high IFP showed high geometric resistance to blood flow due to high vessel tortuosity. R-18-GFP tumors with high IFP showed high geometric resistance to blood flow due to a large number of narrow tumor capillaries. Conclusions High IFP in A-07-GFP and R-18-GFP human melanoma xenografts was primarily a consequence of high blood flow resistance caused by tumor-line specific vascular abnormalities.
Transforming Organizational Capabilities into Agile IT Adoption: A Case Study of Beijing International Airport

In this increasingly hypercompetitive environment, agile IT adoption practices constitute the foundation that drives the speed and extent of the adoption of appropriate IT systems especially in times of urgency. These practices are a priori conditions that enable enterprise agility that is becoming an imperative competitive requirement for firm’s survival. The main contribution of this study is it provides an explanation of how agile IT adoption practices can be developed within an organization. It also highlights the various types of agile IT adoption practices that can be developed within an organization. It achieves this by using a single embedded case study design that investigates into four large IT system implementations during the construction of Beijing’s International Terminal 3 Airport for the 2008 Olympics Games. Looking through the theoretical lens of the coevolutionary of organizational control and trust upon the collected data, several inductively derived models which detail the development of the four agile IT adoption practices consisting of 2 sensing practices: preemptive-based and precision-based; and 2 responding practices: adeptness-based and improvement-based, are presented. This paper concludes with a discussion of the implications and potential theoretical and practical contributions of these models.
Evaluation of Indian Rural Health Care Centre Programs: By the Application of Data Envelopment Analysis Technique

India's achievements in the field of rural health care delivery have been less than satisfactory and that burden of diseases among the rural Indian population remains high. Recognizing the importance of rural health in the process of economic and social development and necessary architectural correction in the rural health care delivery system to improve the quality of life of the citizens, the government of India has resolved to launch the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). Indian rural health policies and programs do not address significantly to improve the health status to the desired level due to lack of efficient evaluation system. This study uses Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to evaluate relative efficiency of rural health care programs. A typical statistical approach is characterized has a central tendency approach and it evaluates producers relative to an average producer. DEA is commonly used to evaluate the efficiency of a number of producers. In contrast, DEA compares each producer with only the "best" producers. The technique optimizes the relative efficiency ratio of current inputs over current outputs for each decision-making unit (DMU). The multiple inputs and outputs of heterogeneous rural health programs would be assessed simultaneously and helps to identify whether the programs are performing efficiently or inefficiently when compared to the other existing programs. In this paper, we have focused on the evaluation of programs with particular reference to Chikmagalur District, Karnataka, India.
Attack Distribution Modeling and Its Applications in Sensor Network Security

Defending against attack is the key successful factor for sensor network security. There are many approaches that can be used to detect and defend against attacks, yet few are focused on modeling attack distribution. Knowing the distribution models of attacks can help system estimate the attack probability and thus defend against them effectively and efficiently. In this paper, we use probability theory to develop a basic uniform model, a basic gradient model, an intelligent uniform model and an intelligent gradient model of attack distribution in order to adapt to different application environments. These models allow systems to estimate the attack probability of each node under a given position and time. Applying these models in system security designs can improve system security performance and decrease the overheads in nearly every security area. Based on these models, we describe a novel probability secure routing algorithm that is effective to defend against attacks whether they are detected or not. Besides this application, we also introduce some other applications, such as secure routing that can save systems available energy and resources while still providing enough security, detecting attack, and key management.
Does Welfare Inhibit Success? the Long-Term Effects of Removing Low-Income Youth from Disability Insurance

I estimate the long-term effects of removing low-income youth with disabilities from Supplemental Security Income (SSI) on the level and variance of their earnings and income in adulthood. Using administrative data from the Social Security Administration, I implement a regression discontinuity design based on a change in the probability of SSI removal at age 18 created by the welfare reform law of 1996. I find that SSI youth who are removed earn on average $4,000 per year, an increase of just $2,600 relative to those who remain on SSI. This increase in earnings covers only one-third of the $7,700 they lose in annual SSI income, and they lose an additional 10% each year in other transfer income. As a result, removed SSI youth experience a present discounted income loss of $73,000, or 80% of the original SSI income loss, over the 16 years following removal. In addition to the large drop in income levels, the within-person variance of income quadruples as a result of the SSI loss. Based on back-of-the-envelope calculations assuming risk aversion and limited intertemporal consumption smoothing, I find that up to one-quarter of the recipient’s welfare loss from SSI removal is attributable to the increase in income volatility rather than to the fall in income levels. This result suggests that ignoring the income stabilization effects of welfare and disability programs could substantially underestimate their value to recipients.
Fabrication of Microfiber Patterns with Ivy Shoot-Like Geometries Using Improved Electrospinning

Fibers and fibrous structures are used extensively in various fields due to their many advantages. Microfibers, as well as nanofibers, are considered to be some of the most valuable forms of advanced materials. Accordingly, various methods for fabricating microfibers have been developed. Electrospinning is a useful fabrication method for continuous polymeric nano- and microfibers with attractive merits. However, this technique has limitations in its ability to control the geometry of fibrous structures. Herein, advanced electrospinning with direct-writing functionality was used to fabricate microfiber patterns with ivy shoot-like geometries after experimentally investigating the effects of the process conditions on the fiber formation. The surface properties of the fibers were also modified by introducing nanoscale pores through the use of higher levels of humidity during the fabrication process.
GENDER AND COMMUNICATION IN NIGERIA : IS THIS THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY ?

1. BACKGROUND Gender communication is intercultural communication. In every society, there are sufficient differences in the distinct behaviour patterns of men and women to qualify them as belonging to two different cultures/subcultures. As Mulvaney (1994:3) points out, “Literature on intercultural communication often includes discussions of subcultures. ” Citing Porter and Samovar (1991), she explains a subculture as “a racial, ethnic, regional, economic or social community exhibiting characteristic patterns of behaviour sufficient to distinguish it from others within an embracing culture or society. ” From all indications, men and women belong to two such different social communities or categories.
Gravitational Microlensing with the Space Interferometry Mission

The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM), with its launch date planned for 2005, has as its goal astrometry with ~1 μas accuracy for stars as faint as 20 mag. If the SIM lives up to expectations, it can be used to measure astrometric displacements in the light centroid caused by gravitational microlensing in the events detected photometrically from the ground. The effect is typically ~0.1 mas, i.e., 2 orders of magnitude larger than planned for SIM's accuracy. Therefore, it will be possible to determine the mass, the distance, and the proper motion of almost any MACHO capable of inducing a photometric microlensing event toward the Galactic bulge or the Magellanic Clouds, even though no light from the MACHO has to be detected. For strong microlensing events in which the source is photometrically resolved, like the recent MACHO 95-30 event, SIM's astrometry combined with accurate ground-based photometry will allow the determination of the angular stellar radii, and therefore the effective temperature of the source. The effective astrometric cross sections for gravitational lensing by nearby high proper-motion stars and brown dwarfs are ~(1'')2, and the effective timescales are ~1 yr. SIM will provide the only practical way to measure masses of single nearby objects with ~1% accuracy. The times of lensing events can be predicted years in advance.
Designing for usability—key principles and what designers think

Any system designed for people to use should be (a) easy to learn; (b) useful, i.e., contain functions people really need in their work; (c) easy to use; and (d) pleasant to use. In this note we present theoretical considerations and empirical data relevant to attaining these goals. First, we mention four principles for system design which we believe are necessary to attain these goals; Then we present survey results that demonstrate that our principles are not really all that obvious, but just seem obvious once presented. The responses of designers suggest they may sometimes think they are doing what we recommend when in fact they are not. This is consistent with the experience that systems designers do not often recommend or use them themselves. We contrast some of these responses with what we have in mind in order to provide a more useful description of our principles. Lastly, we consider why this might be so. These sections are summaries of those in a longer paper to appear elsewhere (Gould & Lewis, 1983). In that paper we elaborate on our four principles, showing how they form the basis for a general methodology of design, and we describe a successful example of using them in actual system design (IBM's Audio Distribution System).
Anti-Microbial and Physico-Chemical Properties of Processed and Raw Honeys of Mauritius

Among the panoply of food products used in treatment of various ailments, honey has been used since prehistoric times as an effective antimicrobial therapy. Being first of its kind, honeys with specific botanical origin from Mauritius were examined. In this study, three commercially processed-enhanced v/s three unprocessed honeys were evaluated for possible antimicrobial activities against clinical bacterial (Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Pseudomonas aeroguinosa (ATCC 27853)) and fungal (Aspergillus niger (ATCC 16404) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231)) isolates in vitro. Research findings showed that the respective physicochemical parameters of the samples ranged from; pH: 3.28 - 4.67, H2O: 17.63% - 24.87%, reducing sugar 42.95 - 60.31 g/100g, density 1.11 - 1.55 g/ml and viscosity: 1.85 - 26.24 Pa·s at 20°C. Physicochemical parameters of different honeys were observed to vary significantly with respect to their floral origin (P P < 0.05). The honey samples used in this study can be considered as valuable food products from their antimicrobial properties’ point of view and can have clinical potential.
The Fat Self in Virtual Communities: Success and Failure in Weight-Loss Blogging

Weight and weight loss are major cultural preoccupations in the United States today, and stigma stemming from being socially categorized as fat appears to be steadily worsening. Online spaces and, more specifically, blogs (weblogs) provide a potentially safe and empowering space in which people struggling with weight issues can create new, virtual selves. We report on cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of the narratives of 234 US-based weight-loss bloggers. Using a novel approach to sample online texts systematically through coding of key themes, we identify some ways in which online narratives resist and cope with weight-related forms of social rejection and marginalization. However, apart from a small subsample of explicitly stigma-challenging, fat-accepting blogs, the majority of the narratives painfully document long-term weight-loss failure. Rather than being empowering, virtual performances of weight-loss struggles reflected in online blogs mostly mirror and reinforce larger antifat social trends.
1 Enhancing Location-related Hydrogeological 2 Knowledge 3

1) Background: We analyzed the corpus of three geoscientific journals to investigate if 12 there are enough locational references in research articles to apply a geographical search method, 13 on the example of New Zealand. 2) Methods: Based on all available abstracts and all freely available 14 papers of the New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, the New Zealand Journal of Marine 15 and Freshwater Research, and the Journal of Hydrology, New Zealand, we searched title, abstracts 16 and full texts for place name occurrences that match records from the official Land Information New 17 Zealand (LINZ) gazetteer. We generated ISO standard compliant metadata records for each article 18 including the spatial references and make them available in a public catalogue service. This 19 catalogue can be queried for articles based on authors, titles, keywords, topics as well as by spatial 20 reference. We visualize the results in a map to show which area the research articles are about. 21 3) Results: We outline the methodology and technical framework for the geo-referencing of the 22 journal articles and the platform design for this knowledge inventory. The results indicate that the 23 use of well-crafted abstracts for journal articles with carefully chosen place names of relevance for 24 the article provides a guideline for geographically referencing unstructured information like journal 25 articles and reports in order to make such resources discoverable through geographical queries. 4) 26 Conclusion: This approach can actively support integrated holistic assessment of water resources 27 and support decision making. 28
Transpiration and stomatal conductance in a young secondary tropical montane forest: contrasts between native trees and invasive understorey shrubs

It has been suggested that vigorous secondary tropical forests can have very high transpiration rates, but sap flow and stomatal conductance dynamics of trees and shrubs in these forests are understudied. In an effort to address this knowledge gap, sap flow (thermal dissipation method, 12 trees) and stomatal conductance (porometry, six trees) were measured for young (5-7 years) Psiadia altissima (DC.) Drake trees, a widely occurring species dominating young regrowth following abandonment of swidden agriculture in upland eastern Madagascar. In addition, stomatal conductance (gs) was determined for three individuals of two locally common invasive shrubs (Lantana camara L. and Rubus moluccanus L.) during three periods with contrasting soil moisture conditions. Values of gs for the three investigated species were significantly higher and more sensitive to climatic conditions during the wet period compared with the dry period. Further, gs of the understorey shrubs was much more sensitive to soil moisture content than that of the trees. Tree transpiration rates (Ec) were relatively stable during the dry season and were only affected somewhat by soil water content at the end of the dry season, suggesting the trees had continued access to soil water despite drying out of the topsoil. The Ec exhibited a plateau-shaped relation with vapour pressure deficit (VPD), which was attributed to stomatal closure at high VPD. Vapour pressure deficit was the major driver of variation in Ec, during both the wet and the dry season. Overall water use of the trees was modest, possibly reflecting low site fertility after three swidden cultivation cycles. The observed contrast in gs response to soil water and climatic conditions for the trees and shrubs underscores the need to take root distributions into account when modelling transpiration from regenerating tropical forests.