Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Infants learn baby signs from video.

There is little evidence that infants learn from infant-oriented educational videos and television programming. This 4-week longitudinal experiment investigated 15-month-olds' (N = 92) ability to learn American Sign Language signs (e.g., patting head for hat) from at-home viewing of instructional video, either with or without parent support, compared to traditional parent instruction and a no-exposure control condition. Forced-choice, elicited production, and parent report measures indicate learning across all three exposure conditions, with a trend toward more robust learning in the parent support conditions, regardless of medium. There were no differences between experimental and control conditions in the acquisition of corresponding verbal labels. This constitutes the first experimental evidence of infants' ability to learn expressive communication from commercially available educational videos.
Haploinsufficiency of BMP4 gene may be the underlying cause of Frías syndrome

In 2005, we reported on a family as having Frías syndrome (OMIM: 609640), with four affected members displaying a pattern of congenital defects nearly identical to those observed in a mother and son described by Frias [Frías et al. (1975). Birth Defects Orig Artic Ser 11:30–33]. These defects included growth deficiency, facial anomalies, and hand and foot alterations. We had the opportunity to study this family again due to the birth of another affected girl, who presented with similar facial characteristics to those of her elder half‐sister and the rest of affected relatives, which consisted of mild exophthalmia, bilateral palpebral ptosis, downslanting palpebral fissures, and hypertelorism. We performed array‐CGH, which identified an identical interstitial deletion of chromosome 14q22.1–q22.3 in the mother and two daughters. The deletion is 4.06 Mb in length and includes the BMP4 gene, a member of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family of secreted proteins. A review of the literature showed that deletions or mutations of this gene underlie congenital defects affecting brain, eye, teeth, and digit development. Although the clinical manifestations of the current family correlate with the defects observed in patients having either 14q22–q23 deletions or mutations of BMP4, they show a milder phenotype. In order to understand the clinical variability, we evaluated the already known functional characteristics of the BMP gene members. This gene family plays an important role during early embryogenesis, and the complex synergistic functions and redundancies of the BMPs led us to conclude that haploinsufficiency of BMP4 is likely to be responsible for the clinical expression of Frías syndrome. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
SMAX1-LIKE/D53 Family Members Enable Distinct MAX2-Dependent Responses to Strigolactones and Karrikins in Arabidopsis

Strigolactones regulate shoot branching through MAX2-mediated degradation of a clade of SMAX1-LIKE proteins. The plant hormones strigolactones and smoke-derived karrikins are butenolide signals that control distinct aspects of plant development. Perception of both molecules in Arabidopsis thaliana requires the F-box protein MORE AXILLARY GROWTH2 (MAX2). Recent studies suggest that the homologous SUPPRESSOR OF MAX2 1 (SMAX1) in Arabidopsis and DWARF53 (D53) in rice (Oryza sativa) are downstream targets of MAX2. Through an extensive analysis of loss-of-function mutants, we demonstrate that the Arabidopsis SMAX1-LIKE genes SMXL6, SMXL7, and SMXL8 are co-orthologs of rice D53 that promote shoot branching. SMXL7 is degraded rapidly after treatment with the synthetic strigolactone mixture rac-GR24. Like D53, SMXL7 degradation is MAX2- and D14-dependent and can be prevented by deletion of a putative P-loop. Loss of SMXL6,7,8 suppresses several other strigolactone-related phenotypes in max2, including increased auxin transport and PIN1 accumulation, and increased lateral root density. Although only SMAX1 regulates germination and hypocotyl elongation, SMAX1 and SMXL6,7,8 have complementary roles in the control of leaf morphology. Our data indicate that SMAX1 and SMXL6,7,8 repress karrikin and strigolactone signaling, respectively, and suggest that all MAX2-dependent growth effects are mediated by degradation of SMAX1/SMXL proteins. We propose that functional diversification within the SMXL family enabled responses to different butenolide signals through a shared regulatory mechanism.
Dynamic traitor tracing for arbitrary alphabets: Divide and conquer

We give a generic divide-and-conquer approach for constructing collusion-resistant probabilistic dynamic traitor tracing schemes with larger alphabets from schemes with smaller alphabets. This construction offers a linear tradeoff between the alphabet size and the codelength. In particular, we show that applying our results to the binary dynamic Tardos scheme of Laarhoven et al. leads to schemes that are shorter by a factor equal to half the alphabet size. Asymptotically, these codelengths correspond, up to a constant factor, to the fingerprinting capacity for static probabilistic schemes. This gives a hierarchy of probabilistic dynamic traitor tracing schemes, and bridges the gap between the low bandwidth, high codelength scheme of Laarhoven et al. and the high bandwidth, low codelength scheme of Fiat and Tassa.
Bodies and Pleasures: Foucault and the Politics of Sexual Normalization

AbbreviationsIntroduction: Foucault's Impact: Challenges and Transformations 1: Views from the Site of Political Oppression: Or, How I served as an Anchor Point for Power and Emerged as a Locus of Resistance 2: Genealogical Diversions: Wherein the Ascetic Priestess Loses Her Way and Begins to Wander Aimlessly Through Dem Ole Cotton Fields Back Home 3: Why I Shouldn't Like Foucault . So They Say 4: Disorientation: Or, Beyond Sex-Desire 5: Natural Bodies: Or, Ain't Nobody Here But Us Deviants 6: Self-Overcoming Through Ascetic Pleasures 7: Counterattack: An Ethics of StyleInconclusionNotes Index
Synthesis on switching lattices of Dimension-reducible Boolean functions

In this paper we study the switching lattice synthesis of a special class of regular Boolean functions called D-reducible functions. D-reducible functions are functions whose points are completely contained in an affine space A strictly smaller than the whole Boolean cube {0, 1}n. The D-reducibility of a function f can be exploited in the lattice synthesis process: the idea is to independently find lattice implementations for the characteristic function of the subspace A and for the projection of f onto A, and to compose them in order to construct the lattice for f. The overall lattice area can be further reduced exploiting the peculiar structure of the affine subspaces of {0, 1}n. To this aim, we propose a method for implementing compact lattice representations of affine subspaces whose characteristic function is represented by the product of single literals and EXOR factors of two literals. The experimental results validate the proposed approach.
Effect of Lid Debridement-Scaling in Sjögren Syndrome Dry Eye

Purpose To evaluate the effect of lid debridement-scaling (LDS) on dry eye signs and symptoms in subjects with Sjögren syndrome (SS). Methods This prospective randomized controlled study enrolled 14 female subjects with SS. Seven subjects were randomized into the treatment group where they were selected to receive LDS; the remainder did not receive LDS and served as control subjects. Lid debridement-scaling was conducted using a stainless steel golf club spud (Hilco Wilson Ophthalmics, Plainville, MA) on both the upper and lower eyelids of both eyes. Outcome variables were assessed before LDS and again 1 month later. The outcome variables were the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), Symptom Assessment iN Dry Eye (SANDE) visual analog scores, ocular staining (SICCA OSS [Sjögren’s International Collaborative Clinical Alliance Ocular Staining Score]), fluorescein tear breakup time (FLBUT), meibomian gland score (MGS), meibomian gland yielding liquid secretions (MGYLS) score, and line of Marx’s (LOM) position. Results Thirteen subjects completed the study. Data from only the right eye were analyzed. For the control group (n = 6; mean [±SD] age, 62.3 [±11.6] years), the pre-LDS, post-LDS, and significance level (pre-LDS mean [±SD] vs. post-LDS mean [±SD]; p value) were as follows: OSDI (58.3 [±22.1] vs. 48.3 [±29.0]; p = 0.051), SANDE (77.4 [±22.1] vs. 89.6 [±32.6]; p = 0.20), SICCA OSS (7.0 [±4.5] vs. 8.2 [±3.5]; p = 0.25), MGS (1.3 [±1.5] vs. 1.0 [±0.9]; p = 0.75), MGYLS (0.3 [±0.5] vs. 0.0 [±0.0]; p = 0.50), FLBUT (2.99 [±1.54] vs. 2.85 [±1.79]; p = 0.63), and LOM (2.0 [±0.0] vs. 2.0 [±0.0]; p = n/a). For the treatment group (n = 7; mean [±SD] age, 58.0 [±8.1] years), the pre-LDS, post-LDS, and significance level were as follows: OSDI (63.2 [±13.3] vs. 46.9 [±19.4]; p = 0.04), SANDE (72.6 [±17.1] vs. 77.0 [±28.0]; p = 0.54), SICCA OSS (6.6 [±2.9] vs. 5.0 [±3.9]; p = 0.02), MGS (1.0 [±1.2] vs. 3.1 [±1.7]; p = 0.01), MGYLS (0.0 [±0.0] vs. 0.6 [±1.0]; p = 0.50), FLBUT (3.13 [±0.81] vs. 3.45 [±1.03]; p = 0.53), and LOM (0.9 [±0.9] vs. 1.0 [±1.0]; p = 1.00). Conclusions This pilot study showed that LDS improved symptoms, ocular staining, and meibomian gland function for the group that received LDS. This indicates that LDS can aid in the management of SS dry eye.
Shape retrieval using pyramid matching with orientation features

We present a shape retrieval model using pyramid matching with orientation features. The orientation features have two kinds: one is for the edge of a shape, the other is for the angle of a shape. By capturing both edge and angle characteristics of a shape, combination of the two kinds of orientation features provides an efficient representation of a shape. Pyramid matching integrates the comparison between two shapes at different resolutions. So combination of the two kinds of orientation features and pyramid matching enhance the model's retrieval performance. Our model is tested on two well-known databases: Kimia's 99 database and MPEG7 CE shape-1 part B database, and achieves the effective performance compared with other methods.
Well-DefinedMelanoma Antigens as ProgressionMarkers for Melanoma : Insights into Differential Expression and Host Response Based on Stage 55 Commentary on Barrow et al . p . 764

Decades of investigation have sought the identification of melanoma antigens associated with immune-mediated tumor destruction. These efforts arose from a need for effective therapies as limited options for patients with advanced disease exist. Compelling evidence showed that melanoma stimulates endogenous immune responses that play a critical role in combating this disease and such can be manipulated in some individuals to result in clinically significant effects. The progression of melanoma from in situ to metastatic disease has been well described in clinical as well as pathologic terms. The molecular mechanisms responsible for this development, however, are only beginning to be appreciated. Technological advances in profiling cancer have brought attention to new genetic alterations involved with melanoma. These occur and are influenced by complex interactions with the host. As the result of these interactions, the changes that result with melanoma progression are likely selected, with the immune system playing a prominent role in this process.
How employees' perception of information technology application and their knowledge management capacity influence organisational performance

This study investigates how workers' gender, work experience, designated division, and appointment affect (i) their perception of information technology (IT) within the organisation, (ii) their self-perceived capacity in knowledge management (KM), and (iii) their perception of organisational performance (OP). Furthermore, the study also examines the correlation among the above three dimensions by using t-test, one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Pearson correlation and stepwise regression analysis. These results show a positive correlation among IT application, KM capacity, and OP. In addition, the study discovers that (i) adequate IT investment and acceptance will improve employees' KM capacity, (ii) appropriate IT investment and training and employees' knowledge replication ability can better predict organisational outcomes, and (iii) employees' KM capacity is a better predictor of OP than IT application. Results also show that personal factors do affect workers' perception of the organisation's IT application, their KM capacity, and overall OP.
High‐performance execution of service compositions: a multicore‐aware engine design

Although modern computer hardware offers an increasing number of processing elements organized in nonuniform memory access (NUMA) architectures, prevailing middleware engines for executing business processes, workflows, and Web service compositions have not been optimized for properly exploiting the abundant processing resources of such machines. Amongst others, factors limiting performance are inefficient thread scheduling by the operating system, which can result in suboptimal use of system memory and CPU caches, and sequential code sections that cannot take advantage of multiple available cores.
Dose effect of thiazolidinedione on cancer risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: a six‐year population‐based cohort study

Prior studies found that thiazolidinediones (TZDs) might have tumour‐suppressor activity mediated through cell‐cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis and inhibition of cell invasion. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of TZDs on the risk of cancer among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).
Getting Results Through Collaboration: Networks and Network Structures for Public Policy and Management

Preface Overview by Myrna P. Mandell Models and Typologies for Understanding the Nature and Management of Networks After the Network is Formed: Process, Power and Performance by Robert Agranoff and Michael McGuire From Subnet to Supranet: A Proposal for a Comparative Network Framework to Examine Network Interactions Across Borders by Matthew Mingus Assessing and Modeling Determinants of Capacity for Action in Networked Public Programs by Glenn W. Rainey Jr. and Terry Busson Multiorganizational, Multisector, and Multicommunity Organizations: Setting the Research Agenda by Beverly A. Cigler Behavioral Implications of Networks Environmental Networks: Relying on Process or Outcome for Motivation by Lisa S. Nelson Bringing About Change in a Public School System: An Interorganizational Network Approach by Rupert Chisholm Lessons from the Field: Extending Analytical Findings--Experiences from the United States The Impact of Network Structures on Community Building Efforts: The Los Angeles Roundtable for Children Community Studies by Myrna P. Mandell Creating Networks for Inter-Organizational Settings: A Two Year Follow-up Study on Determinants by Renu Khator and Nicole Ayers Brunson Experiences from the International Arena Cross-Sectoral Policy Networks: Lessons from Developing and Transitioning Countries by . Derick W. Brinkerhoff and Jennifer M. Brinkerhoff Will the People Really Speak? A Networking Perspective on Hong Kong as It Attempts to Build a Democratic Political Infrastructure by Robert W. Gage The New South Wales Demonstration Projects in Integrated Community Care by Michael Fine Lessons from the Field: Views of Practitioners--Views From the U.S. Neighborhood Networks in Worcester: Partnerships that Work by Richard Ford, Laurie Ross and Mardia Coleman Reaching Consensus on the Tampa Bay Estuary Program Interlocal Agreement: A Perspective by Richard Eckenrod Thoughts on Motivational Problems in Networks by Nina Burkardt Views from the International Arena Empowering Communities Through the Use of Place Management by Illana Halliday Getting Things Done Through Networks by Shayne Walker and Catherine Goodyear ISKM (Intergrated Systems for Knowledge Management): A Participatory Framework to Help Communities Identify and Adopt More Sustainable Resource Management Practices by Will Allen, Ockie Bosch, and Margaret Kilvington Index
Sources of Life Strengths Appraisal Scale: A Multidimensional Approach to Assessing Older Adults' Perceived Sources of Life Strengths

Both cognitive and psychosocial theories of adult development stress the fundamental role of older adults' appraisals of the diverse sources of cognitive and social-emotional strengths. This study reports the development of a new self-appraisal measure that incorporates key theoretical dimensions of internal and external sources of life strengths, as identified in the gerontological literature. Using a pilot study sample and three other independent samples to examine older adults' appraisals of their sources of life strengths which helped them in their daily functioning and to combat life challenges, adversity, and losses, a psychometric instrument having appropriate reliability and validity properties was developed. A 24-month followup of a randomly selected sample confirmed that the nine-scale appraisal measure (SLSAS) is a promising instrument for appraising older adults' sources of life strengths in dealing with stresses of daily life's functioning and also a robust measure for predicting outcomes of resilience, autonomy, and well-being for this age group. A unique strength of the appraisal instrument is its critically relevant features of brevity, simplicity of language, and ease of administration to frail older adults. Dedicated to the memory of Shanta Khurana whose assistance in the pilot work for the study was invaluable
Detection of Brucella abortus DNA in illegal cheese from São Paulo and Minas Gerais and differentiation of B19 vaccinal strain by means of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

A total of 192 samples of illegal cheese from different regions of the states of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais, Brazil, were analyzed for the isolation and detection of Brucella spp. DNA by means of microbiological culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively. Samples that yielded positive results were submitted to the analysis of the occurrence of Brucella abortus (biovars 1, 2 e 4), as well as to the differentiation of DNA in B19 vaccinal strain or Brucella abortus field strain using PCR. Although the microorganism was not isolated from any sample, PCR detected 37 positive samples (19.27%) using genus-specific primers. From these, all (100%) were Brucella abortus. Differentiation of the strain showed that 30/37 samples (81.08%) were vaccinal strain B19 and seven (18.92%) were Brucella abortus field strains. Results showed that diagnostic sensitivity of PCR was greater than that of microbiological culture. The standardization of the reaction for the differentiation of vaccinal and field strains enabled the analysis of all samples positive for Brucella abortus. It is, therefore, a reliable method, also applicable to natural infections caused by the microrganism.
Accelerating Large Scale Scientific Exploration through Data Diffusion

Scientific and data-intensive applications often require exploratory analysis on large datasets, which is often carried out on large scale distributed resources where data locality is crucial to achieve high system throughput and performance. We propose a “data diffusion” approach that acquires resources for data analysis dynamically, schedules computations as close to data as possible, and replicates data in response to workloads. As demand increases, more resources are acquired and “cached” to allow faster response to subsequent requests; resources are released when demand drops. This approach can provide the benefits of dedicated hardware without the associated high costs, depending on the application workloads and the performance characteristics of the underlying infrastructure. This data diffusion concept is reminiscent of cooperative Web-caching and peer-topeer storage systems. Other data-aware scheduling approaches assume static or dedicated resources, which can be expensive and inefficient if load varies significantly. The challenges to our approach are that we need to co-allocate storage resources with computation resources in order to enable the efficient analysis of possibly terabytes of data without prior knowledge of the characteristics of application workloads. To explore the proposed data diffusion, we have developed Falkon, which provides dynamic acquisition and release of resources and the dispatch of analysis tasks to those resources. We have extended Falkon to allow the compute resources to cache data to local disks, and perform task dispatch via a data-aware scheduler. The integration of Falkon and the Swift parallel programming system provides us with access to a large number of applications from astronomy, astro-physics, medicine, and other domains, with varying datasets, workloads, and analysis codes.
The non-stop road from concrete to abstract: high concreteness causes the activation of long-range networks

Current grounding theories propose that sensory-motor brain systems are not only modulated by the comprehension of concrete but also partly of abstract language. In order to investigate whether concrete or abstract language elicits similar or distinct brain activity, neuronal synchronization patterns were investigated by means of long-range EEG coherence analysis. Participants performed a semantic judgment task with concrete and abstract sentences. EEG coherence between distant electrodes was analyzed in various frequencies before and during sentence processing using a bivariate AR-model with time-varying parameters. The theta frequency band (3–7 Hz) reflected common and different synchronization networks related to working memory processes and memory-related lexico-semantic retrieval during processing of both sentence types. In contrast, the beta1 band (13–18 Hz) showed prominent differences between both sentence types, whereby concrete sentences were associated with higher coherence implicating a more widespread range and intensity of mental simulation processes. The gamma band (35–40 Hz) reflected the sentences' congruency and indicated the more difficult integration of incongruent final nouns into the sentence context. Most importantly, findings support the notion that different cognitive operations during sentence processing are associated with multiple brain oscillations.
New Invariants and Separability Criterion of the Mixed States: Multipartite Case

We introduce algebraic sets in the complex projective spaces for the mixed states in bipartite quantum systems as their invariants under local unitary operations. The algebraic sets of the mixed state have to be the union of the linear subspaces if the mixed state is separable. Some examples are given and studied based on our criterion