Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Peer interaction patterns among adolescents with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs) in mainstream school settings

The aim of the current study was to document the peer interaction patterns of students with autistic spectrum disorders in mainstream settings. Structured observations of a group of 38 adolescents with ASD drawn from 12 mainstream secondary schools were conducted over a two-day period and data compared with those of school, age, and gender matched comparison groups of 35 adolescents with dyslexia and 38 with no identified special educational needs (the ASD and dyslexia groups were also matched on SEN provision). Frequency and duration of peer interaction behaviours were coded. In terms of duration, multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) indicated that participants with ASD spent more time engaged in solitary behaviours, less time engaged in co-operative interaction with peers, and more time engaging in reactive aggression towards peers than either comparison group. In terms of frequency, similar patterns emerged, but additionally participants with ASD engaged in fewer instances of rough/vigorous play, and were subject to more instances of social initiation and instrumental verbal aggression by peers than either comparison group. The findings of the current study support the authors’ theoretical model of peer group interaction processes for individuals with ASD, and have implications for both social skills training and the development of peer awareness and sensitivity. Limitations are noted.
Theoretical and experimental investigation of langasite as material for wireless high temperature SAW sensors

Different cuts of langasite were investigated theoretically and experimentally as candidates for high temperature sensors utilizing SAW resonators and reflecting SAW tags. Single port SAW resonators with central frequencies close to 170, 200 and 433 MHz with W, Ir and Pt electrodes of different thickness were fabricated and their characteristics were measured as functions of temperature. An approach to SAW device encapsulation, which helps to avoid stress development during heating to high temperatures, was suggested and tested. The damage of the langasite surface during heating to high temperature is strong in the cut family with Euler angles (0°, 138.5°, ψ), while orientations with Euler angles (0°, 90°, ψ) and (0°, 22°, ψ) were found to be more resistant to heating. In the latter cut family, two cuts, (0°, 22°, 31.5°) and (0°, 22°, 90°) can provide zero power flow angle and sufficient piezoelectric coupling. COM parameters of SAW resonators with W, Ir and Pt electrodes, including complex reflection coefficient, were calculated as functions of electrode thickness and measured in the wide temperature range. The frequency responses were described by COM equations and the fitted COM-parameters were compared to their simulated values. Resonators show high Q and their performance is perfectly described by COM equations
Fatigue, anxiety, and depression in long-term survivors of testicular cancer.

PURPOSE To investigate the prevalence of chronic fatigue (CF), the levels of anxiety and depression, and the correlation between these conditions in long-term survivors of testicular cancer (TCSs). Occurrence of CF in TCSs is compared with findings in male survivors of Hodgkin's disease (HDSs) and in males from the general population (GenPop). METHODS TCSs, HDSs, and two cohorts of the GenPop completed the Fatigue Questionnaire (FQ) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) as part of a questionnaire survey. Cases of CF were identified according to published cut-offs, and the levels of anxiety (HADS-A) and depression (HADS-D) were calculated. RESULTS Among 791 TCSs, 16% displayed CF (HDSs, 24%; GenPop, 10%). In the age group younger than 30 years, the prevalence of CF was higher in TCSs than in the GenPop (P <.01). In TCSs, age, anxiety, depression, and comorbidity were independent predictors of CF. The mean HADS-A score in TCSs was significantly above the comparable figure of the GenPop and similar to that of HDSs. The mean HADS-D score in TCSs was below that of the GenPop. The highest and lowest mean scores of HADS-A and HADS-D were observed in the youngest TCSs. CONCLUSION The prevalence of CF is less in TCSs than in HDSs but exceeds that of the GenPop. Together with comorbidity and age, anxiety and depression predict CF in TCSs, warranting psychiatric intervention for cases of CF among TCSs. Anxiety is a larger problem in TCSs than depression, particularly among the youngest TCSs.
Analysis of the Impacts of EU Biofuels Programs using a GTAP model

Biofuels have the potential of playing an important role in the renewable energy sources panorama, ensuring the achievement of multiple goals such as security of supply, reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and development of business opportunities in the agricultural and rural sectors. Subsidies to the sector were rationalized on this basis. However, three potential impacts could offset any benefits biofuels may bring, and careful assessment and analysis of biofuels’ impacts are necessary. These possible consequences involve food prices and food security; economic distortions of subsidies; and environmental and ecological impacts on land-use and global GHG emissions. The present paper applies a general equilibrium model, an extended version of the GTAP model developed by Hertel, Tyner and Birur in 2010, to analyze the combined impacts of the US (US Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007) and EU (Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC) biofuels programs with a particular emphasis on the effects in the European Union in 2015. An alternative GTAP model closure has been used: unemployment in US and EU27 is introduced making endogenous the unskilled labor supply in both regions and fixing real wages. The results of the paper are presented in terms of socio-economic (prices, welfare and employment), and environmental (land use change and Co2 emissions) impacts.
Genome-Wide Association Study of Primary Dentition Pit-and-Fissure and Smooth Surface Caries

Dental caries continues to be the most common chronic disease in children today. Despite the substantial involvement of genetics in the process of caries development, the specific genes contributing to dental caries remain largely unknown. We performed separate genome-wide association studies of smooth and pit-and-fissure tooth surface caries experience in the primary dentitions of self-reported white children in two samples from Iowa and rural Appalachia. In total, 1,006 children (ages 3-12 years) were included for smooth surface analysis, and 979 children (ages 4-14 years) for pit-and-fissure surface analysis. Associations were tested for more than 1.2 million single nucleotide polymorphisms, either genotyped or imputed. We detected genome-wide significant signals in KPNA4 (p value = 2.0E-9), and suggestive signals in ITGAL (p value = 2.1E-7) and PLUNC family genes (p value = 2.0E-6), thus nominating these novel loci as putative caries susceptibility genes. We also replicated associations observed in previous studies for MPPED2 (p value = 6.9E-6), AJAP1 (p value = 1.6E-6) and RPS6KA2 (p value = 7.3E-6). Replication of these associations in additional samples, as well as experimental studies to determine the biological functions of associated genetic variants, are warranted. Ultimately, efforts such as this may lead to a better understanding of caries etiology, and could eventually facilitate the development of new interventions and preventive measures.
Semantic contestations and the meaning of politically significant terms

ABSTRACT Political disagreement and verbal derogation are both separately and jointly ubiquitous in our everyday lives. In contrast to philosophical discussions of slurring terms, not so much attention has been paid to otherwise politically significant terms, at least as far as semantics are concerned. This paper aims to account for the social complexity with regard to the meaning of politically significant terms. By the example of the race term ‘black,’ I shall show that different discursive practices among different communities sometimes have to be understood as semantic contestations. I develop a model of discursive sub-communities which explains the connections between political contestation, verbal derogation, and semantics in the case of ‘black’. Moreover, my discussion of politically significant terms has important consequences for a broad range of politically significant linguistic phenomena such as so-called politically correct language, the reclamation of slurring terms by the target group, or slurring terms more generally. This paper not only accounts for the political aspects of a linguistic phenomenon, but equally highlights and explains the oft-neglected but crucial role that language plays in social and political struggles. It thus contributes to ongoing discussions both in philosophy of language and in social and political philosophy.
Transcriptional organization of the F1845 fimbrial adhesin determinant of Escherichia coli

The transcriptional organization of the gene cluster encoding the F1845 fimbrial adhesin of a diarrhoea‐associated Escherichia coli was investigated. Genes daaA to daaE were determined to constitute a single transcriptional unit under the control of the daaA promoter. The nucleotide sequence of daaA and that of an upstream open reading frame encoded on the opposite strand, designated daaF, were determined to share limited homology with the papB and papi genes of the P fimbrial adhesin, respectively. The 5′ termini of the daaF and daaABCDE transcripts were mapped by primer extension and nuclease protection analyses. The promoters for these transcripts were associated with potential regulatory sequences including two consensus leucine‐responsive regulatory protein (Lrp)‐binding sites which contained differentially methylated GATC sequences, a cAMP‐CRP‐binding site, and an integration host factor (IHF)‐binding site. Expression of the daa locus was determined to be dependent on Lrp, subject to catabolite repression, and dependent on IHF.
Processor-Based Backlight Dimming Using Computation Reduction Technique

This paper proposes a new processor-based backlight dimming algorithm and hardware architecture. The processor-based design of the backlight dimming system requires low computation for real-time processing. The proposed algorithm calculates an average gray level of RGB signals and combines the histogram gray-level bins to reduce computation. Additionally, it uses scene change detection and adaptive binary search to decrease iterations of the clipped error control algorithm. In the simulation results, the proposed algorithm reduced computation time by up to 94.2%, compared to a conventional algorithm. Further, the proposed processor-based backlight dimming system drove a 32-inch LCD panel successfully.
Serotonin transporter function, but not expression, is dependent on brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF): in vivo studies in BDNF‐deficient mice

In the present study, we used high‐speed chronoamperometry to examine serotonin (5‐HT) transporter (5‐HTT) function in vivo in 2‐, 5‐, and 10‐month‐old brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)+/− mice. The rate of clearance of exogenously applied 5‐HT was measured in CA3 region of hippocampus. In 2‐month‐old mice, the rate of 5‐HT clearance did not differ between BDNF+/+ and BDNF+/− mice. In BDNF+/+ mice, 5‐HT clearance rate (Tc) increased markedly with age. In contrast, Tc remained relatively static in BDNF+/− mice across 2‐, 5‐, and 10‐month age groups. At 5 months of age, female BDNF+/+ mice had a lower maximal velocity (Vmax) for 5‐HT clearance than male BDNF+/+ mice. There was a similar trend in 5‐month‐old BDNF+/− mice, but this did not reach statistical significance. There was an age‐dependent increase in KT value for 5‐HT clearance (i.e., decreased in vivo affinity of 5‐HTT), but no significant effect of genotype or gender. 5‐HTT density, as measured by [3H]cyanoimipramine binding, was not different between BDNF+/+ and BDNF+/− mice, although there was a significant increase in 5‐HTT binding with age. The selective 5‐HT reuptake inhibitor fluvoxamine (50 and 100 pmol) significantly decreased 5‐HT clearance in BDNF+/+ mice, but not in BDNF+/− mice. Our data suggest that the profoundly reduced ability of 5‐ and 10‐month‐old BDNF+/− mice to clear 5‐HT is not because of a decrease in the total number of 5‐HTTs, but may be due to functional deficits in the 5‐HTT, e.g., in the machinery/signaling required for insertion of 5‐HTTs into the plasma membrane and/or activation of the 5‐HTT once it is positioned to take up 5‐HT from extracellular fluid.
Modeling and Simulation of Single-Event Effects in Digital Devices and ICs

This paper reviews the status of research in modeling and simulation of single-event effects (SEE) in digital devices and integrated circuits, with a special emphasis on the current challenges concerning the physical modeling of ultra-scaled devices (in the deca-nanometer range) and new device architectures (Silicon-on-insulator, multiple-gate, nanowire MOSFETs). After introducing the classification and the terminology used in this paper, we firstly present the basis of the different transport models used in device-level simulation (drift-diffusion, hydrodynamic, Monte-Carlo and some approximated and exact quantum-mechanical based approaches). We also focus on the main emerging physical phenomena affecting ultra-short MOSFETs (quantum effects, tunneling current, ballistic operation) and the methods envisaged for taking them into account at device simulation level. Several examples of device simulation are given at the end of this first part, including recent results on fully-depleted SOI and multiple-gate devices. In the second part, we briefly survey the different circuit-level modeling approaches (circuit-level simulation, Mixed-Mode, 3-D simulation of portions of circuits) of single-event effects in integrated circuits. The SEU in advanced SRAM and SEE mechanisms in logic circuits are reminded. The production and propagation of digital single-event transients (DSETs) in sequential and combinational logic, as well as the soft error rate trends with scaling are particularly addressed. Recent bibliographical examples of simulation in SRAMs and logic circuits are presented and discussed to illustrate these topics at circuit-level.
Delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea in women treated for breast cancer.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To describe the experience and intensity of delayed nausea in women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer since the advent of the 5-HT3 antagonists. DESIGN Multisite, longitudinal, descriptive. SETTING 7 outpatient oncology clinics situated in hospitals, 5 outpatient oncology clinics associated with major teaching universities, 27 private outpatient oncology practices, and 1 outpatient clinic located in a county hospital. SAMPLE Typical participants (N = 303) were 51.9 years old, Caucasian (79%), married or partnered (65%), born U.S. citizens (92%), heterosexual (96%), living with someone (83%), and high school graduates (82%). METHODS Baseline and poststudy questionnaires plus a daily diary of nausea through two cycles of chemotherapy (approximately two months) were used to collect data. The Rhodes Inventory of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching was used to assess the nausea experience. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Nausea. FINDINGS The worst nausea occurred on the third day after having chemotherapy for breast cancer. The types of oral antiemetics ordered for home use were changed between the two cycles of the study only 8% (n = 24) of the time. Younger, heavier women experienced more delayed nausea. Women who had a history of nausea with stress and women receiving cyclophosphamide experienced more delayed nausea during both time periods. CONCLUSIONS Delayed nausea is a significant problem for women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer. IMPLICATION FOR NURSING: Oncology nurses can use the results from this study to provide anticipatory guidance for patients undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer.
Additional Reviewers

A Bayesian hierarchical model is applied to the contextaware collaborative recommendation problem. The proposed method treats users, items, and contexts symmetrically, in contrast to existing contextaware extensions of collaborative filters, which treat them asymmetrically. Evaluation using internet questionnaire data demonstrates that the proposed method outperforms conventional collaborative filtering (CF) models and is very stable, even when the number of ratings is very small.
A COMPARISON OF SEVERAL SEROLOGIC TESTS TO DETECT ANTIBODIES TO TOXOPLASMA GONDII IN NATURALLY EXPOSED BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS (TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS)

Toxoplasma gondii infection in marine mammals is intriguing and indicative of contamination of the ocean environment and coastal waters with oocysts. In a previous study, 138 of 141 (97.8%) bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from the coasts of Florida and California had antibodies to T. gondii by the modified agglutination test (MAT). Although the MAT has been found to be highly sensitive and specific for T. gondii antibodies from several species of terrestrial animals, it has not yet been validated for T. gondii infections in marine mammals. Furthermore, T. gondii has yet not been isolated from dolphins. In the present study, sera from 146 (60 from the 2004 samples and 86 from the 2003 samples) T. truncatus from the coastal areas of South Carolina and Florida were tested for antibodies to T. gondii. Sera from 2004 were tested by the MAT, the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), the Sabin–Feldman dye test (DT), an indirect hemagglutination test (IHAT), an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and Western blot. All 60 dolphins were seropositive, with MAT titers of 1:20 in 3, 1:40 in 19, 1:80 in 29, 1:160 in 2, 1:1,280 in 3, 1:2,560 in 2, and 1:5,120 or higher in 2, and these results were confirmed in another laboratory. The DT titers of these dolphins were <1:10 in 53, 1:800 in 3, 1:1,600 in 2, and 1:3,200 in 2. The IHAT titers were <1:64 in 52, 1:128 in 1, 1:512 in 2, and 1:2,048 in 5. The IFAT titers were <1:20 in 3, 1:20 in 11, 1:40 in 36, 1:80 in 2, 1:160 in 1, and 1:320 or higher in 7. All 7 DT-positive dolphins had high MAT titers, but 2 were negative by the IHAT. Western blot results closely followed MAT results; ELISA results matched MAT results, which were 1:40 or higher. In sera from the 2003 samples, MAT antibodies were found in 86 of 86 dolphins with titers of 1:25 in 29, 1:50 in 23, 1:100 in 27, 1:200 in 3, 1:1,600 in 1, and 1:3,200 in 3; these sera were not tested by other means. Overall, MAT antibodies were found in all 146 dolphin sera tested. Because marine mammals are considered sentinel animals indicative of contamination of the coastal and marine waters by T. gondii oocysts, serologically positive infections need to be validated by the detection of T. gondii organisms in the tissues of seropositive animals.
Comparison of the live attenuated yellow fever vaccine 17D-204 strain to its virulent parental strain Asibi by deep sequencing.

BACKGROUND The first comparison of a live RNA viral vaccine strain to its wild-type parental strain by deep sequencing is presented using as a model the yellow fever virus (YFV) live vaccine strain 17D-204 and its wild-type parental strain, Asibi. METHODS The YFV 17D-204 vaccine genome was compared to that of the parental strain Asibi by massively parallel methods. Variability was compared on multiple scales of the viral genomes. A modeled exploration of small-frequency variants was performed to reconstruct plausible regions of mutational plasticity. RESULTS Overt quasispecies diversity is a feature of the parental strain, whereas the live vaccine strain lacks diversity according to multiple independent measurements. A lack of attenuating mutations in the Asibi population relative to that of 17D-204 was observed, demonstrating that the vaccine strain was derived by discrete mutation of Asibi and not by selection of genomes in the wild-type population. CONCLUSIONS Relative quasispecies structure is a plausible correlate of attenuation for live viral vaccines. Analyses such as these of attenuated viruses improve our understanding of the molecular basis of vaccine attenuation and provide critical information on the stability of live vaccines and the risk of reversion to virulence.
Flood Catastrophe Model for Designing Optimal Flood Insurance Program: Estimating Location‐Specific Premiums in the Netherlands

As flood risks grow worldwide, a well‐designed insurance program engaging various stakeholders becomes a vital instrument in flood risk management. The main challenge concerns the applicability of standard approaches for calculating insurance premiums of rare catastrophic losses. This article focuses on the design of a flood‐loss‐sharing program involving private insurance based on location‐specific exposures. The analysis is guided by a developed integrated catastrophe risk management (ICRM) model consisting of a GIS‐based flood model and a stochastic optimization procedure with respect to location‐specific risk exposures. To achieve the stability and robustness of the program towards floods with various recurrences, the ICRM uses stochastic optimization procedure, which relies on quantile‐related risk functions of a systemic insolvency involving overpayments and underpayments of the stakeholders. Two alternative ways of calculating insurance premiums are compared: the robust derived with the ICRM and the traditional average annual loss approach. The applicability of the proposed model is illustrated in a case study of a Rotterdam area outside the main flood protection system in the Netherlands. Our numerical experiments demonstrate essential advantages of the robust premiums, namely, that they: (1) guarantee the program's solvency under all relevant flood scenarios rather than one average event; (2) establish a tradeoff between the security of the program and the welfare of locations; and (3) decrease the need for other risk transfer and risk reduction measures.
Engineering Risk Analysis of a Hospital Oxygen Supply System

Reports from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) have emphasized the potential for injury to patients caused by failures in oxygen supply systems. This article presents a model of patient risk related to the process of supplying oxygen at a single university hospital. One of the goals of the article is to illustrate how probabilistic risk analysis (PRA) can be used by hospitals to assess and mitigate risk and, therefore, to meet JCAHO requirements. PRA techniques are useful to 1) model the reliability of a complex system and 2) assess the cost-effectiveness of different risk mitigation measures. The authors focus on the risk estimation step, describing in detail their modeling of the oxygen supply system and analysis of the results. For the hospital that the authors study (20,000 admissions yearly), the total expected number of fatalities from oxygen system failure is 44 over a 30-year time horizon. The greatest contribution to the risk (94% of the expected number of fatalities) comes from problems that involve the supply network (e.g., damage to structure and poisoning) as opposed to incidents that occur inside patient rooms. Although the threat to patient safety is not dramatic, health care organizations should be concerned about potential failures of their oxygen system because improving this system could avoid low-probability, high-consequence failures at a low cost