Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An evaluation of a brief school-based cognitive behavioural therapy programme for children with ASD

Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterised by difficulties with social interactions, communication and rigid / stereotyped behaviours, with a prevalence of around 1% within the population. Research has shown that children with ASD also have heightened feelings of anxiety compared to typically developing peers, particularity with social anxiety. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has empirical evidence that demonstrates its efficacy in supporting children with ASD to manage their anxiety. However, these studies have only shown improvements in the children's anxiety using standardised questionnaires. As such, it is difficult to infer whether the gains made using CBT are long-term, or whether it leads to a qualitative improvement in children's interactions with their community. Typically, CBT is typically delivered by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, which can be inaccessible to some children and their families. This study employed a mixed methods approach to understand the effectiveness of a six week, group administered, secondary schoolbased CBT programme. 28 children took part in the research, with 14 in the treatment-as-usual group and 14 in the experimental group. All children completed the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, the Social Responsiveness Scale, Spence Children's Anxiety Scale - parent and child versions (SCAS-P/C), the Coping Scale for Children and Youth (CSCY). Qualitative data was also collected through parent and child interviews using a semi-structured technique. Postintervention data consisted of the SCAS-P/C and the CSCY and further parent and child interviews. Follow-up measures were taken six to eight weeks after post-intervention using the SCAS-Parent and child versions and the CSCY. Results suggest children who took part in the intervention had reduced levels of anxiety compared to the TaU group, both at post — intervention and follow-up. However, these improvements were not at a clinically significant level. Interview data, analysed using Thematic Analysis, provided unique insight into the process of cognitive change, the nature of anxiety in children with ASD and highlighted potential barriers to change for these children. Furthermore, the parents identified a lack of post diagnostic support and the view of their child's constantly changing profile of needs. The results are related to their implications for the professional educational psychologist, who is considered to be well placed to respond to the identified needs of this group and to implement CBT programmes in schools. Methodological issues and weaknesses are discussed as well as implications for further study.
Subcutaneous glucagon-like peptide-1 improves postprandial glycaemic control over a 3-week period in patients with early type 2 diabetes.

1.Glucagon-like peptide-1 (7-36) amide (GLP-1) is released into the circulation after meals and is the most potent physiological insulinotropic hormone in man. GLP-1 has the advantages over other therapeutic agents for Type 2 diabetes of also suppressing glucagon secretion and delaying gastric emptying. One of the initial abnormalities of Type 2 diabetes is the loss of the first-phase insulin response, leading to postprandial hyperglycaemia.2. To investigate the therapeutic potential of GLP-1 in Type 2 diabetes, six patients were entered into a 6-week, double-blind crossover trial during which each received 3 weeks treatment with subcutaneous GLP-1 or saline, self-administered three times a day immediately before meals. A standard test meal was given at the beginning and end of each treatment period.3. GLP-1 reduced plasma glucose area under the curve (AUC) after the standard test meal by 58% (AUC, 0-240 min: GLP-1 start of treatment, 196+/-141 mmol.min-1.l-1; saline start of treatment, 469+/-124 mmol.min-1.l-1; F=16.4, P<0.05). The plasma insulin excursions were significantly higher with GLP-1 compared with saline over the initial postprandial 30 min, the time period during which the GLP-1 concentration was considerably elevated. The plasma glucagon levels were significantly lower over the 240-min postprandial period with GLP-1 treatment. The beneficial effects of GLP-1 on plasma glucose, insulin and glucagon concentrations were fully maintained for the 3-week treatment period. 4. We have demonstrated a significant improvement in postprandial glycaemic control with subcutaneous GLP-1 treatment. GLP-1 improves glycaemic control partially by restoring the first-phase insulin response and suppressing glucagon and is a potential treatment for Type 2 diabetes.
Visual Psychophysics and Physiological Optics Flicker Adaptation Desensitizes the Magnocellular but Not the Parvocellular Pathway

Citation: Zhuang X, Pokorny J, Cao D. Flicker adaptation desensitizes the magnocellular but not the parvocellular pathway. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2015;56:2901–2908. DOI:10.1167/iovs.14-16067 PURPOSE. Anatomical and physiological studies show that in primates, visual information is conveyed through two parallel pathways, including the magnocellular (MC-) and parvocellular (PC-) pathways. However, the functional separation between the two pathways remains controversial and challenging. To resolve this, we show a psychophysical approach to desensitize the inferred MC-pathway of human observers independently of the inferred PCpathway.
Hand grip strength in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Purpose Hand grip strength (HGS) is a simple way of predicting the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in the general population. However, the practical significance of grip strength in patients with COPD is uncertain. The aim of this study was to compare HGS between subjects with and without COPD and to evaluate its clinical relevance in patients with COPD by using a national survey. Methods Data were collected from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The study included 421 adults with COPD and 2,542 controls who completed questionnaires, spirometry, and a HGS test. HGS was compared between subjects with and without COPD, and the association between grip strength, lung function, and quality of life (QoL) was evaluated. Results The mean HGS was 33.3±9.1 kg in the COPD group and 29.9±9.5 kg in the non-COPD group; adjusted HGS was 30.9±0.33 kg and 30.9±0.11 kg, respectively (P=0.99). HGS was not related to forced vital capacity (β=0.04, P=0.70) or forced expiratory volume in 1 second (β=0.11, P=0.24) in multivariable analysis. HGS was independently associated with the EQ-5D index, but the relationship was stronger in the COPD group (β=0.30, P<0.001) than in the non-COPD group (β=0.21, P<0.001). The results were similar for each component of the EQ-5D, including mobility (β=−0.25, P<0.001), daily activity (β=−0.19, P=0.01), pain/discomfort (β=−0.32, P<0.001), and anxiety/depression (β=−0.16, P=0.01). Conclusion HGS was not different between subjects with and without COPD, but was associated with QoL – including mobility, daily activity, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression – in patients with COPD. The HGS test could be used as a marker of QoL in patients with COPD and could assist risk stratification in clinical practice.
Physical and Functional Association of the Src Family Kinases Fyn and Lyn with the Collagen Receptor Glycoprotein VI-Fc Receptor γ Chain Complex on Human Platelets

We have previously shown that uncharacterized glycoprotein VI (GPVI), which is constitutively associated and coexpressed with Fc receptor γ chain (FcRγ) in human platelets, is essential for collagen-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of FcRγ, Syk, and phospholipase Cγ2 (PLCγ2), leading to platelet activation. Here we investigated involvement of the Src family in the proximal signals through the GPVI–FcRγ complex, using the snake venom convulxin from Crotalus durissus terrificus, which specifically recognizes GPVI and activates platelets through cross-linking GPVI. Convulxin-coupled beads precipitated the GPVI–FcRγ complex from platelet lysates. Collagen and convulxin induced tyrosine phosphorylation of FcRγ, Syk, and PLCγ2 and recruited tyrosine-phosphorylated Syk to the GPVI–FcRγ complex. Using coprecipitation methods with convulxin-coupled beads and antibodies against FcRγ and the Src family, we showed that Fyn and Lyn, but not Yes, Src, Fgr, Hck, and Lck, were physically associated with the GPVI–FcRγ complex irrespective of stimulation. Furthermore, Fyn was rapidly activated by collagen or cross-linking GPVI. The Src family–specific inhibitor PP1 dose-dependently inhibited collagen- or convulxin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins including FcRγ, Syk, and PLCγ2, accompanied by a loss of aggregation and ATP release reaction. These results indicate that the Src family plays a critical role in platelet activation via the collagen receptor GPVI–FcRγ complex.
Revisiting a Watermark-Based Detection Scheme to Handle Cyber-Physical Attacks

We address detection of attacks against cyber-physical systems. Cyber-physical systems are industrial control systems upgraded with novel computing, communication and interconnection capabilities. In this paper we reexamine the security of a detection scheme proposed by Mo and Sinopoli (2009) and Mo et al. (2015). The approach complements the use of Kalman filters and linear quadratic regulators, by adding an authentication watermark signal for the detection of integrity attacks. We show that the approach only detects cyber adversaries, i.e., attackers with the ability to eavesdrop information from the system, but that do not attempt to acquire any knowledge about the system model itself. The detector fails at covering cyber-physical adversaries, i.e., attackers that, in addition to the capabilities of the cyber adversary, are also able to infer the system model to evade the detection. We discuss an enhanced scheme, based on a multi-watermark authentication signal, that properly detects the two adversary models.
Visual servoing of an airplane for auto-landing

In this paper, a visual servoing scheme is proposed to control an airplane during its landing. A linearized model of the airplane dynamics and decoupled visual features are used to build the control scheme. A desired trajectory which takes into account the airplane dynamic is designed. Coupling this trajectory and the control law enables the airplane to join its desired path. Then the airplane is controlled to follow the glide path, realize the flare manoeuvre and finally touchdown. Simulation results are obtained with a quite realistic flight simulator which is based on a non linear airplane dynamic model. They show that the airplane is able to land automatically by using visual data.
Vascular Spasm in Cat Cerebral Cortex Following Ischemia

The reaction of brain parenchymal vessels in areas of no-reflow following ischemia in cats was evaluated. A method was devised by which brain biopsies following ischemia were quickly frozen at −170°C, sections were cut and stained and vessel internal and external diameter measured. Vessels in the no-reflow areas had smaller internal and external diameters and thicker walls when compared to adjacent reflow areas as well as to normal control animals. By utilizing a 2-way analysis of variance in which reflow versus noreflow vessel diameters were compared by region the differences were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). The data raise the possibility that there may exist normal regional differences in the size of cerebral vessels.
A test of the rational expectations hypothesis using data from a natural experiment

Data on contestants’ choices in Italian Game Show Affari Tuoi are analysed in a way that separates the effect of risk attitude (preferences) from that of beliefs concerning the amount of money that will be offered to contestants in future rounds. This separate identification is possible by virtue of the fact that, at a certain stage of the game, beliefs are not relevant, and risk attitude is the sole determinant of choice. The rational expectations hypothesis is tested by comparing the estimated belief function with the ‘true’ offer function which is estimated extraneously using data on offers actually made to contestants. We find a close correspondence, leading us to accept the rational expectations hypothesis. The importance of belief formation is confirmed by the estimation of a mixture model which establishes that the vast majority of contestants are forward looking as opposed to myopic.
Eurographics Symposium on Rendering (2007) Rapid Acquisition of Specular and Diffuse Normal Maps from Polarized Spherical Gradient Illumination

We estimate surface normal maps of an object from either its diffuse or specular reflectance using four spherical gradient illumination patterns. In contrast to traditional photometric stereo, the spherical patterns allow normals to be estimated simultaneously from any number of viewpoints. We present two polarized lighting techniques that allow the diffuse and specular normal maps of an object to be measured independently. For scattering materials, we show that the specular normal maps yield the best record of detailed surface shape while the diffuse normals deviate from the true surface normal due to subsurface scattering, and that this effect is dependent on wavelength. We show several applications of this acquisition technique. First, we capture normal maps of a facial performance simultaneously from several viewing positions using time-multiplexed illumination. Second, we show that high-resolution normal maps based on the specular component can be used with structured light 3D scanning to quickly acquire high-resolution facial surface geometry using off-the-shelf digital still cameras. Finally, we present a real-time shading model that uses independently estimated normal maps for the specular and diffuse color channels to reproduce some of the perceptually important effects of subsurface scattering.
MEHRP: An efficient hybrid routing protocol for MANET using Direction Dependent Bordercasting

In this paper "an efficient hybrid routing protocol for MANET using direction dependent bordercasting (MEHRP)rdquo with high data delivery ratio has been proposed. The major problems of reactive routing viz. flooding of route request packets and link breakage is reduced by this algorithm. The frequency of location update is reduced in this algorithm compared to the existing location based routing protocols. The end-to-end delay of this routing protocol is less than the pure reactive routing protocols. Simulation results shows that the data delivery ratio of this routing algorithm is high with least packet loss compared to existing reactive and proactive routing protocols.
Technological Innovations in Disease Management: Text Mining US Patent Data From 1995 to 2017

Background Patents are important intellectual property protecting technological innovations that inspire efficient research and development in biomedicine. The number of awarded patents serves as an important indicator of economic growth and technological innovation. Researchers have mined patents to characterize the focuses and trends of technological innovations in many fields. Objective To expand patent mining to biomedicine and facilitate future resource allocation in biomedical research for the United States, we analyzed US patent documents to determine the focuses and trends of protected technological innovations across the entire disease landscape. Methods We analyzed more than 5 million US patent documents between 1995 and 2017, using summary statistics and dynamic topic modeling. More specifically, we investigated the disease coverage and latent topics in patent documents over time. We also incorporated the patent data into the calculation of our recently developed Research Opportunity Index (ROI) and Public Health Index (PHI), to recalibrate the resource allocation in biomedical research. Results Our analysis showed that protected technological innovations have been primarily focused on socioeconomically critical diseases such as “other cancers” (malignant neoplasm of head, face, neck, abdomen, pelvis, or limb; disseminated malignant neoplasm; Merkel cell carcinoma; and malignant neoplasm, malignant carcinoid tumors, neuroendocrine tumor, and carcinoma in situ of an unspecified site), diabetes mellitus, and obesity. The United States has significantly improved resource allocation to biomedical research and development over the past 17 years, as illustrated by the decreasing PHI. Diseases with positive ROI, such as ankle and foot fracture, indicate potential research opportunities for the future. Development of novel chemical or biological drugs and electrical devices for diagnosis and disease management is the dominating topic in patented inventions. Conclusions This multifaceted analysis of patent documents provides a deep understanding of the focuses and trends of technological innovations in disease management in patents. Our findings offer insights into future research and innovation opportunities and provide actionable information to facilitate policy makers, payers, and investors to make better evidence-based decisions regarding resource allocation in biomedicine.
Heart Rate Variability Changes in Business Process Outsourcing Employees Working in Shifts

Background and Objectives Irregular and poor quality sleep is common in business process outsourcing (BPO) employees due to continuous shift working. The influence of this on the cardiac autonomic activity was investigated by the spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV). Methods 36 night shift BPO employees (working from 22:00 to 06:00h) and 36 age and sex matched day shift BPO employees (working from 08:00 to 16:00h) were recruited for the study. Five minute electrocardiogram (ECG) was recorded in all the subjects. Heart rate variability was analyzed by fast Fourier transformation using RMS Vagus HRV software. The results were analyzed using Mann Whitney U test, Student t-test, Wilcoxon signed rank test and were expressed as mean ± SD. Results Sleepiness was significantly higher among night shift workers as measured by Epworth Sleepiness Scale (p<0.001). Night shift BPO employees were found to have a trend towards lower values of vagal parameters - HF power (ms2), and higher values of sympathovagal parameters like LF Power (ms2) and the LF/HF power (%) suggesting decreased vagal activity and sympathetic over activity, when compared to day shift employees. However, HRV parameters did not vary significantly between the day shift employees and night shift workers baseline values, and also within the night shift group. Interpretation and Conclusion Night shift working increased the heart rate and shifted the sympathovagal balance towards sympathetic dominance and decreased vagal parameters of HRV. This is an indicator of unfavorable change in the myocardial system, and thus shows increased risk of cardiovascular disease among the night shift employees.
SYNERGY: A game-theoretical approach for cooperative key generation in wireless networks

This paper studies secret key establishment between two adjacent mobile nodes, which is crucial for securing emerging device-to-device (D2D) communication. As a promising method, cooperative key generation allows two mobile nodes to select some common neighbors as relays and directly extract a secret key from the wireless channels among them. A challenging issue that has been overlooked is that mobile nodes are often self-interested and reluctant to act as relays without adequate reward in return. We propose SYNERGY, a game-theoretical approach for stimulating cooperative key generation. The underlying idea of SYNERGY is to partition a group of mobile nodes into disjoint coalitions such that the nodes in each coalition fully collaborate on cooperative key generation. We formulate the group partitioning as a coalitional game and design centralized and also distributed protocols for obtaining the core solution to the game. The performance of SYNERGY is evaluated by extensive simulations.
Study on the performance of neuromorphic adiabatic quantum computation algorithms

Quantum computation algorithms indicate possibility that non-deterministic polynomial time (NP-time) problems can be solved much faster than by classical methods. Farhi et al., have proposed an adiabatic quantum computation (AQC) for solving the three-satisfiability problem (3-SAT). We have proposed a neuromorphic quantum computation algorithm based on AQC, in which an analogy to an artificial neural network (ANN) is considered in order to design a Hamiltonian. However, in the neuromorphic AQC, the relation between its computation time and the probability of correct answers is not clear yet. In this paper, we study both of residual energy and the probability of finding solution as a function of computation time. The results show that the performance of the neuromorphic AQC depends on the characteristic of Hamiltonians.
Change Risk Assessment: Understanding Risks Involved in Changing Software Requirements

One certainty in software development is that all projects will have to deal with change. Being able to effectively handle proposed changes is crucial for allowing continued development of a software project to occur. In order to effectively manage the changes and their effects, developers must first assess the risks involved in making the change. To understand the risks, the project manager must determine how the change will affect not only the source code, but also the entire project. These risks may affect a project’s schedule, budget, and quality factors. Risk assessment will help to determine if the desired change can be implemented into the system. This paper identifies risks associated with late changes to the software requirements. Late changes are those changes that occur after one cycle of the development process has been completed and a working version of the system exists. It is important to understand late changes, because late changes to requirements often result in the most cost to an ongoing development project both in time and money. In this paper we identify several key risks that must be addressed when dealing with late changes to requirements. Then we provide a discussion of techniques for handling
The Exponomial Choice Model: A New Alternative for Assortment and Price Optimization

We investigate the use of a canonical version of a discrete choice model due to Daganzo (1979) in optimal pricing and assortment planning. In contrast to multinomial and nested logit (the prevailing choice models used for optimizing prices and assortments), this model assumes a negatively skewed distribution of consumer utilities, an assumption we motivate by conceptual arguments as well as published work. The choice probabilities in this model can be derived in closed-form as an exponomial (a linear function of exponential terms). The pricing and assortment planning insights we obtain from the Exponomial Choice (EC) model differ from the literature in two important ways. First, the EC model allows variable markups in optimal prices that increase with expected utilities. Second, when prices are exogenous, the optimal assortment may exhibit leapfrogging in prices, i.e., a product can be skipped in favor of a lower-priced one depending on the utility positions of neighboring products. These two plausible pricing and assortment patterns are ruled out by multinomial logit (and by nested logit within each nest). We provide structural results on optimal pricing for monopoly and oligopoly cases, and on the optimal assortments for both exogenous and endogenous prices. We also demonstrate how the EC model can be easily estimated---by establishing that the loglikelihood function is concave in model parameters and detailing an estimation example using real data.