Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Writing Media: Mobile Story-Sharing Apps as New Learning Ecologies

Author(s): Korobkova, Ksenia A. | Advisor(s): Collins, Penelope | Abstract: In a three-article format, this dissertation investigates the literate identities and practices of 40 multilingual, dispersed adolescents engaged in production within the newly popular story-sharing apps. Exemplifying the logic of the networked web, these apps foster literate engagement that is mobile, social, multimodal, and public. Story-sharing apps serve as literacy sponsors (Brandt, 2001) for these youth, furnishing a literacy infrastructure that provides affordances and constraints for literate development and participation. Involved youth, on their end, variably take up, contest, and negotiate with these affordances and constraints, leading to new forms of practice in the digital extracurriculum (Shultz, 2010). Data collected for this project over a three-year period include surveys, semi-structured interviews, sustained observations, literacy artifacts, screen captures, and public relations materials. Applying multiple methods of data collection and analysis, this project comprises a mixed-method instrumental case study (Stake, 2005; Tashakori a Teddlie, 2003), offering a telling case of adolescent networked literacy practices. Findings are presented in three articles that vary in lens, method, and unit of analysis. The first article presents an in-depth content analysis that queries the available print literacy and new literacy affordances of the most popular story-sharing platform, Wattpad. Findings show that hybrid print and new literacy affordances were built into the site infrastructure and that users innovated upon that infrastructure to develop a wide array of practices. The second article focuses on results from the background surveys of 40 purposively sampled story-sharing app users, which examined users’ demographics, identity stances, device use, and practices. Although “adolescents” and “users” get painted with a broad brush, findings from survey analyses show variance in participants’ practices, patterns of use, and identity stances with respect to engagement on these platforms. The third article analyzes youth narratives of participation on story-sharing apps. Young authors’ discourses reveal that they consider reading, writing, and communicating on these apps as simultaneously self-initiated, audience-centric, and in conversation with the rules of engagement of the specific platform. This article presents a model of syncretic sponsorship to study the digital extracurriculum in a nuanced and power-laden way. Together, the three studies attend to key debates in literacy and media studies and gain new ground in conceptualizing contemporary adolescent literacies. Implications for future research and practice are provided
Individual differences in decision making and reward processing predict changes in cannabis use: a prospective functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Decision‐making deficits are thought to play an important role in the development and persistence of substance use disorders. Individual differences in decision‐making abilities and their underlying neurocircuitry may, therefore, constitute an important predictor for the course of substance use and the development of substance use disorders. Here, we investigate the predictive value of decision making and neural mechanisms underlying decision making for future cannabis use and problem severity in a sample of heavy cannabis users. Brain activity during a monetary decision‐making task (Iowa gambling task) was compared between 32 heavy cannabis users and 41 matched non‐using controls using functional magnetic resonance imaging. In addition, within the group of heavy cannabis users, associations were examined between task‐related brain activations, cannabis use and cannabis use‐related problems at baseline, and change in cannabis use and problem severity after a 6‐month follow‐up. Despite normal task performance, heavy cannabis users compared with controls showed higher activation during wins in core areas associated with decision making. Moreover, within the group of heavy cannabis users, win‐related activity and activity anticipating loss outcomes in areas generally involved in executive functions predicted change in cannabis use after 6 months. These findings are consistent with previous studies and point to abnormal processing of motivational information in heavy cannabis users. A new finding is that individuals who are biased toward immediate rewards have a higher probability of increasing drug use, highlighting the importance of the relative balance between motivational processes and regulatory executive processes in the development of substance use disorders.
Differential spatial and structural organization of the X chromosome underlies dosage compensation in C. elegans

In C. elegans, dosage compensation is achieved by twofold down-regulation of gene expression from both X chromosomes in hermaphrodites. Sharma et al. show that in males, the single X chromosome interacts with nuclear pore proteins, while in hermaphrodites, the dosage compensation complex impairs this interaction and alters X localization.
Toward human-like lane following behavior in urban environment with a learning-based behavior-induction potential map

In order to achieve harmony in the mixed traffic, it is crucial to have autonomous vehicles behave like human drivers. This work addresses a vision-based approach toward human-like lane following behavior in complex urban environment. At first, a deep architecture is adopted to generate a set of vehicle hypotheses. Subsequently, a hybrid merging procedure is performed to jointly output the final detection results based on both the image evidence and the statistical support of vehicle hypotheses. After that, the detected vehicles are classified into six categories by Bayesian Network, i.e., leader vehicle, parking vehicle, tail-end vehicle, exiting vehicle, merging vehicle and other vehicle. With this information, a learning-based instance-level behavior-induction potential map is constructed to generate a safe as well as reasonable local path for following a predefined lane-level route. Experimental results in various typical but challenging urban traffic scenes substantiated the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Real-world data on paliperidone palmitate for the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders: a systematic review of randomized and nonrandomized studies

The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of the effects of 1-month paliperidone palmitate (PP1M) for the treatment of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders in terms of outcomes reported in real-world evidence studies. A systematic review of real-world randomized and nonrandomized studies with PP1M was performed and is reported according to PRISMA guidelines. Comparative effectiveness data with oral antipsychotics indicate that PP1M has a lower likelihood of relapse-related events, including rehospitalization, and these differences are clinically relevant. A randomized, double-blind study showed that PP1M has no advantage over haloperidol decanoate in the time to treatment failure. Although there was a marked variability across studies, PP1M was not superior to other antipsychotics in terms of study completion rates. Pharmacoeconomic data show that, during a follow-up period of 12 months, the mean total healthcare cost was not significantly different in patients treated with PP1M compared with those receiving oral antipsychotics. The mean maximum prolactin levels were significantly higher with PP1M than with haloperidol decanoate; however, neither drug differs in the frequency of prolactin-related adverse events. Results on prolactin-related adverse events were inconsistent in two randomized comparisons with oral antipsychotics and were not reported in a randomized comparison with aripiprazole. There were no significant differences between haloperidol decanoate and PP1M in the severity of abnormal involuntary movements and parkinsonism, or in the incidence of tardive dyskinesia; however, patients treated with haloperidol decanoate showed greater worsening of akathisia and required treatment for parkinsonism and akathisia significantly more frequently than patients who received PP1M. In conclusion, real-world data that originate from both pragmatic randomized clinical trials and observational studies indicate that PP1M is superior to oral antipsychotics in delaying the time to relapse or treatment failure. Furthermore, the pharmacoeconomic data reviewed for this article suggest that the advantages of PP1M compared with oral antipsychotics are not associated with an increased total cost for healthcare providers.
Introducing Information Technology in the Clinical Setting: Lessons Learned in a Trauma Center

Abstract Using a case study methodology, we examined the implementation of a nursing flow sheet system in the trauma center of a large, not-for-profit, teaching hospital. Findings add new insights to the existing body of knowledge in the information technology and medical informatics fields. First, results reveal that the success of clinical information systems requires a proactive stance where key actors anticipate and address the challenges ahead and capitalize on opportunities. Second, empirical evidence indicates that project outcomes ultimately depend on how the implementation process is managed and what the organization and its members do with the system once it is introduced. Finally, the case at hand shows that the nature and overall quality of the implementation strategy can be largely predicted by the key actors involved in the project, given their own background, skills, interest, and level of motivation.
Simplified Computation of Electromagnetic Band-Gap Properties of Via-Holed Metal Patches

A simple analytical method for the analysis and design of electromagnetic band-gap (EBG) structures formed by via-holed metal patches is presented. Contrary to a known approach, this technique correctly predicts the first stopband, which is often utilized in printed antenna applications, and significantly extends the frequency range of analysis by including complex propagation constants. The approach is verified by comparisons with results of commercially available software.
S4MPLE - Sampler For Multiple Protein-Ligand Entities: Simultaneous Docking of Several Entities

S4MPLE is a conformational sampling tool, based on a hybrid genetic algorithm, simulating one (conformer enumeration) or more molecules (docking). Energy calculations are based on the AMBER force field [Cornell et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1995, 117, 5179. ] for biological macromolecules and its generalized version GAFF [Wang et al. J. Comput. Chem. 2004 , 25, 1157. ] for ligands. This paper describes more advanced, specific applications of S4MPLE to problems more complex than classical redocking of drug-like compounds [Hoffer et al. J. Mol. Graphics Modell. 2012, submitted for publication. ]. Here, simultaneous docking of multiple entities is addressed in two different important contexts. First, simultaneous docking of two fragment-like ligands was attempted, as such ternary complexes are the basis of fragment-based drug design by linkage of the independent binders. As a preliminary, the capacity of S4MPLE to dock fragment-like compounds has been assessed, since this class of small probes used in fragment-based drug design covers a different chemical space than drug-like molecules. Herein reported success rates from fragments redocking are as good as classical benchmarking results on drug-like compounds (Astex Diverse Set [Hartshorn et al. J. Med. Chem. 2007, 50, 726.]). Then, S4MPLE is successfully challenged to predict locations of fragments involved in ternary complexes by means of multientity docking. Second, the key problem of predicting water-mediated interaction is addressed by considering explicit water molecules as additional entities to be docked in the presence of the "main" ligand. Blind prediction of solvent molecule positions, reproducing relevant ligand-water-site mediated interactions, is achieved in 76% cases over saved poses. S4MPLE was also successful to predict crystallographic water displacement by a therefore tailored functional group in the optimized ligand. However, water localization is an extremely delicate issue in terms of weighing of electrostatic and desolvation terms and also introduces a significant increase of required sampling efforts. Yet, the herein reported results - not making use of massively parallel deployment of the software - are very encouraging.
Maternal antibody at delivery protects neonates from early onset group B streptococcal disease.

BACKGROUND Further reduction in the group B streptococcal (GBS) disease burden in neonates in the United States awaits an additional prevention strategy, such as maternal immunization. METHODS We performed a prospective, multicenter, case-control study of 33 mothers delivering neonates with early onset GBS infection (cases), and 99 age- and ethnicity-matched mothers colonized with the same capsular polysaccharide (CPS) types delivering healthy neonates (controls). Relative risk and absolute risk were calculated for early onset disease associated with concentrations of type Ia, III, or V CPS-specific antibody in maternal serum. RESULTS For GBS types Ia and III, maternal CPS-specific antibody concentrations of ≥ 0.5 µg/mL were associated with a relative risk of approximately 0.1 (95% confidence intervals [CIs], .01-.74 and 0-.72, respectively; P = .02 for each), corresponding to a 90% risk reduction (by logistic regression). For type V, the relative risk was 0.3 (95% CI, .01-3.1), corresponding to a 70% risk reduction. By Bayesian modeling, the risk of early onset disease would decrease by 70% if maternal CPS-specific antibody concentrations for these 3 GBS types were ≥ 1 µg/mL. CONCLUSIONS Maternal CPS-specific antibody serum concentrations of ≥ 1 μg/mL at the time of delivery appear to protect most neonates from early onset GBS type Ia and III disease.
Vertical disintegration and entrepreneurial opportunities: an historic analysis of the broadcasting sector

This paper presents a modified version of the product life cycle model in order to address how vertical disintegration emerges and how vertical disintegration provides entrepreneurial opportunities. It does this by redefining the concept of a dominant design as a set of multiple design decisions that include both alternative choices about technology and the definition of sub-problems in terms of independent modules. The degree of openness in the design rules that define the interactions between these modules determines the degree of independence for these modules and thus the level of opportunities for vertical disintegration and entrepreneurs. This paper uses historical analyses of the broadcasting sector to define these vertically disintegrated layers and the rules that determine the interactions between these layers. It uses data on the number of firms and revenues in each layer to show how the emergence of independent modules and vertical disintegration has led to entrepreneurial opportunities.
Effects of neonatal whisker lesions on mouse central trigeminal pathways

The mystacial vibrissae or whiskers on the face have a large representation in the rodent central nervous system. In rats and mice the projections arising from each vibrissa can be demonstrated histologically in five separate parts of the central trigeminal pathway. At every location, the pattern of the projections is isomorphic to the pattern of the facial vibrissae. For example, in the somatosensory cortex (SmI), multicellular cytoarchitectonic units in layer IV—termed barrels–correspond anatomically and functionally to the contralateral whiskers. The cortical barrels are absent at birth and their cytoarchitectonic pattern can be altered by neonatal whisker lesions. The effect is graded such that whisker damage on or after postnatal day (PND) 6 does not produce changes in the anatomical somatotopy. We undertook the present study to determine whether similar “critical periods” for susceptibility to vibrissa damage exist in the subcortical trigeminal stations of mice. In particular, we wished to find out whether subcortical projections are susceptible to whisker damage in a sequence which parallels other described developmental sequences, as has been concluded from previous work on the mouse (Woolsey et al., '79), or whether the “critical periods” are related to other aspects of development as has been concluded from work on the rat (Belford and Killackey, '80).
Historical changes in flowering phenology are governed by temperature × precipitation interactions in a widespread perennial herb in western North America.

For most species, a precise understanding of how climatic parameters determine the timing of seasonal life cycle stages is constrained by limited long-term data. Further, most long-term studies of plant phenology that have examined relationships between phenological timing and climate have been local in scale or have focused on single climatic parameters. Herbarium specimens, however, can expand the temporal and spatial coverage of phenological datasets. Using Trillium ovatum specimens collected over > 100 yr across its native range, we analyzed how seasonal climatic conditions (mean minimum temperature (Tmin ), mean maximum temperature and total precipitation (PPT)) affect flowering phenology. We then examined long-term changes in climatic conditions and in the timing of flowering across T. ovatum's range. Warmer Tmin advanced flowering, whereas higher PPT delayed flowering. However, Tmin and PPT were shown to interact: the advancing effect of warmer Tmin was strongest where PPT was highest, and the delaying effect of higher PPT was strongest where Tmin was coldest. The direction of temporal change in climatic parameters and in the timing of flowering was dependent on geographic location. Tmin , for example, decreased across the observation period in coastal regions, but increased in inland areas. Our results highlight the complex effects of climate and geographic location on phenology.
A Core Outcome Set for the Benefits and Adverse Events of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery: The BARIACT Project

Background Bariatric and metabolic surgery is used as a treatment for patients with severe and complex obesity. However, there is a need to improve outcome selection and reporting in bariatric surgery trials. A Core Outcome Set (COS), an agreed minimum set of outcomes reported in all studies of a specific condition, may achieve this. Here, we present the development of a COS for BARIAtric and metabolic surgery Clinical Trials—the BARIACT Study. Methods and Findings Outcomes identified from systematic reviews and patient interviews informed a questionnaire survey. Patients and health professionals were surveyed three times and asked to rate the importance of each item on a 1–9 scale. Delphi methods provided anonymised feedback to participants. Items not meeting predefined criteria were discarded between rounds. Remaining items were discussed at consensus meetings, held separately with patients and professionals, where the COS was agreed. Data sources identified 2,990 outcomes, which were used to develop a 130-item questionnaire. Round 1 response rates were moderate but subsequently improved to above 75% for other rounds. After rounds 2 and 3, 81 and 14 items were discarded, respectively, leaving 35 items for discussion at consensus meetings. The final COS included nine items: “weight,” “diabetes status,” “cardiovascular risk,” “overall quality of life (QOL),” “mortality,” “technical complications of the specific operation,” “any re-operation/re-intervention,” “dysphagia/regurgitation,” and “micronutrient status. ” The main limitation of this study was that it was based in the United Kingdom only. Conclusions The COS is recommended to be used as a minimum in all trials of bariatric and metabolic surgery. Adoption of the COS will improve data synthesis and the value of research data. Future work will establish methods for the measurement of the outcomes in the COS.
Gene transcripts as potential diagnostic markers for allergic contact dermatitis

The standard procedure for diagnosing allergic contact dermatitis is to perform a patch test. Because this has several disadvantages, the development of a new in vitro test system would be of immense value. Gene transcripts that distinguish allergics from non‐allergics may have the potential to serve as the molecular basis for such a diagnostic tool. In this study, we use the microarray technology in the identification of differentially expressed genes in allergen‐stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 3 chromium‐allergic patients versus 3 healthy controls. Using an Affymetrix GeneChip®, the gene expression was analysed in PBMC cultures grown with 100 µg/ml CrCl3 or in media alone for 24 hr. A total of 26 genes were differentially expressed by more than twofold (P < 0.01) in allergen‐activated PBMCs from patients compared with controls. 18 of these were upregulated, whereas 8 were downregulated. The expression of 1 downregulated gene, CASP8, was also found specifically and significantly reduced in an expanded population including 4 additional chromium allergic patients and 1 additional control subject by real‐time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) analysis. The expression of 2 upregulated genes, ETS2 and CISH, correlated with a high‐proliferative response following CrCl3 exposure. Additionally, real‐time RT‐PCR analysis indicated that the same gene expression changes are valid for nickel allergics, potentially making the expression profile more widely available. The 26 differentially expressed genes identified in this study may potentially function as diagnostic markers for contact sensitivity.
Methods for exploring treatment effect heterogeneity in subgroup analysis: an application to global clinical trials

Multi‐country randomised clinical trials (MRCTs) are common in the medical literature, and their interpretation has been the subject of extensive recent discussion. In many MRCTs, an evaluation of treatment effect homogeneity across countries or regions is conducted. Subgroup analysis principles require a significant test of interaction in order to claim heterogeneity of treatment effect across subgroups, such as countries in an MRCT. As clinical trials are typically underpowered for tests of interaction, overly optimistic expectations of treatment effect homogeneity can lead researchers, regulators and other stakeholders to over‐interpret apparent differences between subgroups even when heterogeneity tests are insignificant. In this paper, we consider some exploratory analysis tools to address this issue. We present three measures derived using the theory of order statistics, which can be used to understand the magnitude and the nature of the variation in treatment effects that can arise merely as an artefact of chance. These measures are not intended to replace a formal test of interaction but instead provide non‐inferential visual aids, which allow comparison of the observed and expected differences between regions or other subgroups and are a useful supplement to a formal test of interaction. We discuss how our methodology differs from recently published methods addressing the same issue. A case study of our approach is presented using data from the Study of Platelet Inhibition and Patient Outcomes (PLATO), which was a large cardiovascular MRCT that has been the subject of controversy in the literature. An R package is available that implements the proposed methods. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.