Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Augmentative and alternative communication supports for adults with autism spectrum disorders

Many adults with autism spectrum disorders have complex communication needs and may benefit from the use of augmentative and alternative communication. However, there is a lack of research examining the specific communication needs of these adults, let alone the outcomes of interventions aimed at addressing them. The aim of this study was to explore the views and experiences of support workers and family members regarding the outcomes of providing low-technology communication aids to adults with autism spectrum disorders. The participants were six support workers and two family members of six men and women with autism spectrum disorders, who had received low-technology communication aids. Using semi-structured, in-depth interviews and following thematic analysis, the results revealed strong support for, and the potential benefits of, augmentative and alternative communication for both adults with autism spectrum disorders and their communication partners. The results also revealed inconsistencies in the actions taken to support the use of the prescribed augmentative and alternative communication systems, pointing to the clinical need to address common barriers to the provision of augmentative and alternative communication support. These barriers include organisational practices and limitations in the knowledge and skills of key stakeholders, as well as problematic attitudes.
Fabrication of silicon quantum wires by anisotropic wet chemical etching and thermal oxidation

Ultrafine silicon quantum wires with high‐quality Si/SiO2 heterointerfaces are successfully fabricated by utilizing anisotropic wet chemical etching and subsequent thermal oxidation. It is also found that the lateral dimensions of silicon quantum wires can be well controlled by selecting the temperature of the thermal oxidation process. The cross‐sectional image from a scanning electron microscope shows silicon quantum wires of high quality with the linewidth down to 20 nm.
Tracking and handoff between multiple perspective camera views

We present a system for tracking objects between multiple uncalibrated widely varying perspective view cameras. The spatial relationships between multiple perspective views are established using a simple setup by using tracks of objects moving in and out of individual camera views. A parameterized Edge of Field of View (EoFOV) map augmented with internal overlap region boundaries is generated based on the detected object trajectories in each view. This EoFOV map is then used to associate multiple objects entering and leaving a particular camera's FOV into and out of another camera view providing uninterrupted object tracking between multiple cameras. The main focus of the paper is robust tracking and handoff of objects between omni-directional and regular narrow FOV surveillance video cameras without the need for formal camera calibration. The system tracks objects in both omni-directional and narrow field camera views employing adaptive background subtraction followed by foreground object segmentation using gradient and region correspondence.
Genetic Variation and Structure of Rhododendron brachycarpum D. Don, a Rare and Endangered Tree Species in Korea

Summary Rare and endangered plant species are commonly hypothesized to have little genetic variation because of inbreeding, genetic drifts, genetic bottlenecks and/or other factors. We investigated genetic variation in Rhododendron brachycarpum D. Don, a rare and endangered evergreen tree species in Korea, by examining allozyme variation at 13 loci in 200 individuals distributed among 6 populations. As expected, low level of genetic diversity was observed (A = 1.3, P = 29.5 %, He = 0.075). While a single allele was the most common in almost all the polymorphic loci, two allele frequencies were completely or nearly intermediate at the locus Pgi-2 in all populations, suggesting a selection effect on the Pgi-2. The Uleung Island population (R. brachycarpum var. roseum) had a unique genetic structure and was most distinctive from the inland populations.
Evaluation of an Optimal Gestational Age Cut-Off for the Definition of Early- and Late-Onset Fetal Growth Restriction

Objective: The terms early- and late-onset fetal growth restriction (FGR) are commonly used to distinguish two phenotypes characterized by differences in onset, fetoplacental Doppler, association with preeclampsia (PE) and severity. We evaluated the optimal gestational age (GA) cut-off maximizing differences among these two forms. Patients and Methods: A cohort of 656 consecutive singleton pregnancies with FGR was created. We used the decision tree analysis to evaluate the GA cut-off that best discriminated perinatal mortality, association with PE and adverse perinatal outcome (fetal demise, early neonatal death, neonatal acidosis at birth, and 5-min Apgar score <7). Results: We identified 32 weeks at diagnosis as the optimal cut-off, resulting in two groups with 7.1 and 0%, p < 0.001 perinatal mortality, 35.1 and 12.1%, p < 0.001 association with PE, and 13.4 and 4.6%, p < 0.001 composite adverse perinatal outcome. Abnormal versus normal umbilical artery (UA) Doppler classified two groups with 10.6 and 0.2%, p < 0.001 perinatal mortality, 50.0 and 11.8%, p < 0.001 association with PE, and 18.2 and 4.2%, p < 0.001 composite adverse perinatal outcome. Conclusions: UA Doppler discriminated better the two forms of FGR with average early- and late-onset presentation, higher association with PE and poorer outcome. In the absence of UA information, a GA cut-off of 32 weeks at diagnosis maximizes differences between early- and late-onset FGR.
Treatment of hepatic coma by exchange blood transfusion.

IN recent years numerous publications have dealt with the pathogenesis and treatment of hepatic coma. The protean nature of the neurologic disturbances associated with liver failure and the absence of specific neuropathological findings suggest that "hepatic coma" is metabolic in origin.1 Although deranged nitrogen metabolism and the effects of ammonia and amines on brain cells have been implicated in the pathogenesis of this encephalopathy2 it is clear that the syndrome is not due to any single agent. However, the management of these patients is based upon the known biochemical abnormalities3 and includes the elimination of all protein from the diet .
Early to bed: a study of adaptation among sexually active urban adolescent girls younger than age sixteen.

OBJECTIVE To examine the association between sexual activity among urban adolescent girls and four global measures of psychosocial adaptation (academic motivation, school achievement, depressive symptoms, and expectations about the future). METHOD Data derived from the Social and Health Assessment, a self-report survey administered in 1998 to students in the public school system in New Haven, CT (149 classes at 17 middle and high schools). RESULTS Of 1,413 respondents (57% black, 28% Hispanic; mean age 13.4 +/- 1.7 years), 414 (29%) acknowledged prior sexual intercourse; the proportions of sexually active girls in 6th, 8th, and 10th grades were 14%, 30%, and 50%, respectively. In multivariate analyses of covariance, sexual activity was significantly associated with all four measures of psychosocial adaptation (p < .001). Other correlates of at least one measure of maladaptation included socioeconomic status, sensation seeking, and lower school grade (p < .001 for each), peer pressure (p < .01), and black ethnicity, and the interaction of sexual activity by lower school grade (p < .05 for each). CONCLUSIONS Compared with their sexually naive peers, sexually active adolescent girls had lower scores on global measures of psychosocial adaptation. These findings have clinical, policy, and research relevance to a vulnerable population at high risk of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
Effects Exerted by Transcriptional Regulator PcaU from Acinetobacter sp. Strain ADP1

ABSTRACT Protocatechuate degradation is accomplished in a multistep inducible catabolic pathway in Acinetobacter sp. strain ADP1. The induction is brought about by the transcriptional regulator PcaU in concert with the inducer protocatechuate. PcaU, a member of the new IclR family of transcriptional regulators, was shown to play a role in the activation of transcription at the promoter for the structuralpca genes, leaving open the participation of additional activators. In this work we show that there is no PcaU-independent transcriptional activation at the pca gene promoter. The minimal inducer concentration leading to an induction response is 10−5 M protocatechuate. The extent of expression of thepca genes was observed to depend on the nature of the inducing carbon source, and this is assumed to be caused by different internal levels of protocatechuate in the cells. The basal level of expression was shown to be comparatively high and to vary depending on the noninducing carbon source independent of PcaU. In addition to the activating function, in vivo results suggest a repressing function for PcaU at the pca gene promoter in the absence of an elevated inducer concentration. Expression at the pcaU gene promoter is independent of the growth condition but is subject to strong negative autoregulation. We propose a model in which PcaU exerts a repressor function both at its own promoter and at the structural gene promoter and in addition functions as an activator of transcription at the structural gene promoter at elevated inducer concentration.
Efficient Discovery of Multiple-level Patterns

In the context of frequent pattern discovery, the availability of concept hierarchies over objects of interest requires the development of ad-hoc algorithms for dealing with multiple levels of description granularity. We present a novel framework that allows a uni ed approach to both relational and structural features of data. Patterns are intended as unary conjunctive queries and ordered according to the relation of query subsumption. A re nement operator for searching these pattern spaces is de ned and eAEciently implemented in the candidate generation phase of SPADA, a system for mining multiple-level association rules from spatial data. Experimental results show a remarkable improvement of the overall performance of the system.
The Natural History of Health and Symptoms in Narcolepsy: a 10 year Longitudinal Study

The aim of the study was to compare, over a 10 year period (1991/2001), reported changes in people with narcolepsy in terms of (1) life impact of symptoms (2) sleep propensity (3) body mass index, and (4) concomitant illnesses. Also, to document, using retrospective report, (5) environmental factors influencing narcolepsy severity, and (6) reported time of worst symptom severity following narcolepsy onset. In 1991 127 people with diagnosed narcolepsy and cataplexy completed a wide ranging questionnaire. In 2001 attempts were made to recontact these participants and 67 were traceable. Of these, 47 people, (18 males, 29 females; mean age 61.76 years, age range 31-86 years) returned a revised questionnaire. The reported impact of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) on the ability to carry out day to day activities showed minor increases in severity over the 10 year period in this older narcolepsy sample, and this could not be attributed to major changes in medication status. It is argued that the underlying severity of EDS does not increase with time, but rather that the interaction of EDS with the aging process increases its detrimental impact. There was no evidence that any narcolepsy symptom became substantially worse with time for most people with the disorder. The influence of environmental factors on symptoms was inconsistent within the group. In terms of other health issues, the elevated BMI, stable over time, suggested that excess weight may be a trait often associated with narcolepsy, possibly linked to hypocretin deficiency. A high prevalence rate of diabetes was noted in the sample.
Changes in the ascertainment of multiple sclerosis

Objective: With diagnostic criteria alterations, increased MRI availability, and awareness of therapies, temporal changes in incidence and prevalence rates may occur, with an increase in the proportion of mildly affected persons diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). The authors assessed temporal trends in the delay from symptom onset to diagnosis (DONDX), and determined whether the degree of disability at diagnosis differs by year of symptom onset (YONSET), using the NARCOMS Registry. Methods: The authors selected US participants with an age at symptom onset of 10 to 60 years, and YONSET ≥ 1980 (n = 16,581). The authors divided YONSET into 5-year groups and compared DONDX between groups using multivariate Cox regression. The authors classified participants enrolled within 2 years of diagnosis (n = 5,548) as having mild, moderate, or severe disability using Patient Determined Disease Steps, and assessed the association of disability with YONSET using polytomous logistic regression. Results: DONDX decreased with later YONSET (r = –0.43, p < 0.0001). This association remained after adjustment for demographic factors in a multivariate Cox model. Later YONSET was associated with increased odds of having mild disability at diagnosis as compared to severe disability (OR = 1.10 per year; 1.09 to 1.11). Conclusion: The delay from symptom onset to diagnosis is steadily decreasing in MS. An increasing proportion of patients with MS have mild disability at diagnosis after accounting for confounders. As the effectiveness of therapies is influenced by disease duration, this has implications for comparison of treatment effects in modern clinical trials to earlier study results.
Endosome-Associated CRT1 Functions Early in Resistance Gene–Mediated Defense Signaling in Arabidopsis and Tobacco[W]

This work shows that the Arabidopsis CRT1 (for compromised for recognition of turnip crinkle virus) protein, a general resistance (R) protein-interacting protein, functions early in R gene–mediated defense responses. Moreover, reduction of the CRT1 family's activity compromises resistance to bacterial and oomycete pathogens and programmed cell death in Arabidopsis and Nicotiana benthamiana. Resistance gene–mediated immunity confers protection against pathogen infection in a wide range of plants. A genetic screen for Arabidopsis thaliana mutants compromised for recognition of turnip crinkle virus previously identified CRT1, a member of the GHKL ATPase/kinase superfamily. Here, we demonstrate that CRT1 interacts with various resistance proteins from different structural classes, and this interaction is disrupted when these resistance proteins are activated. The Arabidopsis mutant crt1-2 crh1-1, which lacks CRT1 and its closest homolog, displayed compromised resistance to avirulent Pseudomonas syringae and Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis. Additionally, resistance-associated hypersensitive cell death was suppressed in Nicotiana benthamiana silenced for expression of CRT1 homolog(s). Thus, CRT1 appears to be a general factor for resistance gene–mediated immunity. Since elevation of cytosolic calcium triggered by avirulent P. syringae was compromised in crt1-2 crh1-1 plants, but cell death triggered by Nt MEK2DD was unaffected in CRT1-silenced N. benthamiana, CRT1 likely functions at an early step in this pathway. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis led to identification of CRT1-Associated genes, many of which are associated with transport processes, responses to (a)biotic stress, and the endomembrane system. Confocal microscopy and subcellular fractionation revealed that CRT1 localizes to endosome-like vesicles, suggesting a key process in resistance protein activation/signaling occurs in this subcellular compartment.
Strong mobile authentication

Our main contribution is a protocol that provides strong mobile authentication with non-repudiation using SMS messages. For ensuring these properties, governmentally controlled PKI, and SIM cards with electronic identity application are used. Moreover, our protocol provides confidentiality and integrity of transferred content. An application that implements this protocol was developed and tested in a partly simulated environment. Furthermore, we developed a protocol for mobile payment for vending machines. In comparison to current systems, this protocol contains several enhancements in security, usability and cost both from the client as well as from the service provider point of view.
SpoIVB‐mediated cleavage of SpoIVFA could provide the intercellular signal to activate processing of Pro‐σK in Bacillus subtilis

SpoIVB is the critical determinant for intercompartmental signalling of pro‐σK processing during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. We show here that the SpoIVB serine peptidase can cleave the SpoIVFA protein, which is one component of the pro‐σK processing complex. SpoIVFA has been shown elsewhere (Rudner, D.Z., and Losick, R., 2002, Genes Dev 16: 1007–1018) to tether BofA and SpoIVFB in a membrane‐embedded heteroligomeric complex in which BofA directly inhibits the activity of SpoIVFB. Cleavage of SpoIVFA would provide the necessary signal to dissolve this complex and release BofA‐mediated inhibition on the zinc metalloprotease, SpoIVFB, that is responsible for cleaving pro‐σK to its mature form. We also show that the SpoIVB PDZ domain is required for self‐recognition and trans cleavage of SpoIVB and is probably also used to target an internal motif within the C‐terminal region of SpoIVFA exposed in the space between the inner and outer forespore membranes. This work reveals the mechanism of intercompartmental signalling and provides a unified model as to how σK‐directed gene expression in the mother cell is co‐ordinated with events in the forespore chamber.
Estimating the size of key populations: current status and future possibilities

Purpose of reviewEstimation of key population sizes is essential for advocacy, program planning, and monitoring of HIV epidemics in these populations. A review of recent publications on population size estimation among key populations including MSM, people who inject drugs, and male and female sex workers was conducted to identify and assess current practices at the global level. Recent findingsStudies have used multiple methods including capture–recapture, service multiplier, and unique object multiplier. Other studies apply census and enumeration, often before implementation of a behavioral survey. Network scale-up is used infrequently. Newer methods or variations of existing size estimation methods have emerged that are applied solely within surveys. SummaryA range of size estimation methods is available. All methods rely on theoretical assumptions that are difficult to meet in practice, are logistically difficult to conduct, or have yet to be fully validated. Accurate and valid key population size estimates remain as necessary as they are challenging to undertake; the concurrent use of multiple methods may be justified to facilitate the triangulation and interpretation of the resulting estimates. Formative assessment can help inform the appropriateness and feasibility of different size estimation methods.
Evaluating Skill Acquisition in Motivational Interviewing: The Development of an Instrument to Measure Practice Skills

Social work education has long emphasized the need to provide competence-based education. However, little work has been done to identify, validate and evaluate competencies in specific fields such as addictions. The purpose of this study was to isolate a set of substance abuse intervention competencies using Motivational Interviewing that could be used to teach and evaluate students. The research proceeded in three stages. First, a modified Delphi approach involving social work practitioners was used to discern a set of positive and dysfunctional skills related to Motivational Interviewing. The primary researcher taught a graduate social work class aimed at teaching students theory and skills related to this model. Students demonstrated these skills with simulated clients through videotaped interviews. Finally, three observers rated the student interviews using this developed instrument. While inter-observer agreement was lower than anticipated, this study does provide early support for the development of competencies related to specific theoretical frameworks.
Clustering the Dominant Defective Patterns in Semiconductor Wafer Maps

Identifying defect patterns on wafers is crucial for understanding the root causes and for attributing such patterns to specific steps in the fabrication process. We propose in this paper a system called Dominant Defective Patterns Finder (DDPfinder) that clusters the patterns of defective chips on wafers based on their spatial dependence across wafer maps. Such clustering enables the identification of the dominant defect patterns. DDPfinder clusters chip defects based on how dominant are their spatial patterns across all wafer maps. A chip defect is considered dominant, if: 1) it has a systematic defect pattern arising from a specific assignable cause and 2) it displays spatial dependence across a larger number of wafer maps when compared with other defects. The spatial dependence of a chip defect is determined based on the contiguity ratio of the defect pattern across wafer maps. DDPfinder uses the dominant chip defects to serve as seeds for clustering the patterns of defective chips. This clustering procedure allows process engineers to prioritize their investigation of chip defects based on the dominance status of their clusters. It allows them to pay more attention to the ongoing manufacturing processes that caused the dominant defects. We evaluated the quality and performance of DDPfinder by comparing it experimentally with eight existing clustering models. Results showed marked improvement.
1,3-Beta-D-glucan antigenemia for early diagnosis of invasive fungal infections in neutropenic patients with acute leukemia.

BACKGROUND Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are life-threatening complications in neutropenic patients with hematological malignancies. Because early diagnosis of IFI is difficult, new noninvasive, culture-independent diagnostic tools are needed to improve clinical management. Recent studies have reported that detection of 1,3-beta-D-glucan (BG) antigenemia may be useful for diagnosis of IFI. The aim of the present prospective study was to evaluate the usefulness of monitoring BG in patients undergoing chemotherapy for acute leukemia. METHODS BG antigenemia was measured by a colorimetric assay twice weekly in the absence of fever and daily in the presence of fever. IFIs were classified according to the criteria of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group. RESULTS During 190 consecutive neutropenic episodes (median duration, 22 days; range, 7-113 days) in 95 patients, 30 proven or probable IFIs (13 aspergillosis, 15 candidiasis, and 2 mixed IFIs) were diagnosed. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and efficiency of 2 consecutive BG values > or =7 pg/mL for diagnosis of proven or probable IFI was 0.63 (95% confidence interval, 0.44-0.79), 0.96 (95% confidence interval, 0.89-0.98), 0.79 (95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.92), 0.91 (95% confidence interval, 0.84-0.95), and 0.89, respectively. The time interval between onset of fever as first sign of IFI and BG antigenemia was significantly shorter than the time to diagnosis of IFI by clinical, microbiological, radiological, and/or histopathological criteria (P < .001). BG values >50 pg/mL were observed in only 2 patients, both of whom experienced failure of antifungal therapy. CONCLUSION Monitoring of BG antigenemia is a useful noninvasive method for early diagnosis of IFI in patients with acute leukemia.