Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fire Interest, Fire Setting and Psychopathology in Australian Children: a Normative Study

Objective: Child and adolescent fire setting is associated with a broad pattern of antisocial behaviour and is associated with huge costs to the Australian community. Assessment and treatment options have principally been tested in clinically referred or incarcerated children and adolescents. Little information is available about fire setting in normal populations and thus opportunities for screening and early intervention are not well developed. Method: In this study, a large sample of 4- to 9-year-old children were assessed using a seven-item fire interest history screen with other measures of antisocial behaviour, children's mental health, parenting style and quality and parenting stress. These were followed-up with parent and teacher report measures and a diagnostic interview at 12 months. Results: The fire history screening tool demonstrated utility in screening for early signs of fire setting. Prevalences of fire interest, and match- and fire-play were low overall but consistently higher for boys than for girls across ages. As expected, fire setting was associated with parental stress and a range of antisocial behaviours including conduct problems, hyperactivity, cruelty to animals and thrill-seeking temperament. In girls, it was also associated with anxiety/depression problems. Conclusions: Fire behaviours in children are related to broader psychopathology and family stress, and can be effectively identified in young children using a brief screening measure.
A New Binarization Algorithm for Historical 2 Documents 3

Monochromatic documents claim for much less computer bandwidth for network 8 transmission and storage space than their color or even grayscale equivalent. The binarization of 9 historical documents is far more complex than recent ones as paper aging, color, texture, 10 translucidity, stains, back-to-front interference, kind and color of ink used in handwritting, printing 11 process, digitalization process, etc. are some of the factors that affect binarization. This article 12 presents a new binarization algorithm for historical documents. The new global filter proposed is 13 performed in four steps: filtering the image using a bilateral filter, splitting image into the RGB 14 components, decision-making for each RGB channel based on an adaptive binarization method 15 inspired by Otsu's method with a choice of the threshold level, and classification of the binarized 16 images to decide which of the RGB components best preserved the document information in the 17 foreground. The quantitative and qualitative assessment made with 21 binarization algorithms in 18 three sets of “real world” documents showed very good results. 19
Ethnicity, Culture, and Disaster Response: Identifying and Explaining Ethnic Differences in PTSD Six Months After Hurricane Andrew

Abstract A sample of 404 residents of southern Florida were interviewed in their own homes six months after Hurricane Andrew. The sample was composed of equal numbers of hispanics, non-Hispanic blacks, and Caucasians. Most Latinos (n = 97) elected to complete the interview in Spanish; all other interviews were conducted in English. Ethnic groups differed strongly in the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Caucasian disaster victims showed the lowest rate (15%), Spanish-preferring Latinos showed the highest rate (38%), and African-Americans showed a rate (23%) between these two extremes. Additional analyses attempted to explain these symptom differences in terms of differential exposure and differential vulnerability to trauma. Both explanations had merit but neither completely accounted for observed ethnic differences. Cultural-specific responses to Hurricane Andrew suggest the need to view psychological symptoms in light of the possible adaptive nature of the behaviors due to political, s.
Conversion From Vagal to Sympathetic Predominance With Strenuous Training in High-Performance World Class Athletes

Background—Benefits of moderate endurance training include increases in parasympathetic activity and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and a relative decrease in sympathetic tone. However, the effect of very intensive training load on neural cardiovascular regulation is not known. We tested the hypothesis that strenuous endurance training, like in high-performance athletes, would enhance sympathetic activation and reduce vagal inhibition. Methods and Results—We studied the entire Italian junior national team of rowing (n=7) at increasing training loads up to 75% and 100% of maximum, the latter ∼20 days before the Rowing World Championship. Autoregressive power spectral analysis was used to investigate RR interval and blood pressure (BP) variabilities. BRS was assessed by the sequences method. Increasing training load up to 75% of maximum was associated with a progressive resting bradycardia and increased indexes of cardiac vagal modulation and BRS. However, at 100% training load these effects were reversed, with increases in resting heart rate, diastolic BP, low-frequency RR interval, and BP variabilities and decreases in high-frequency RR variability and BRS. Three athletes later won medals in the World Championship. Conclusions—This study indicates that very intensive endurance training shifted the cardiovascular autonomic modulation from a parasympathetic toward a sympathetic predominance. This finding should be interpreted within the context of the substantial role played by the sympathetic nervous system in increasing cardiovascular performance at peak training. Whether the altered BP and autonomic function shown in this study might be in time hazardous to human cardiovascular system remains to be established.
Toward low-NEP room-temperature THz MOSFET direct detectors in CMOS technology

This paper reports on the impact of antenna impedance frequency characteristics on a broadband low-NEP operation of THz MOSFET direct detectors. New Si-lens integrated high-impedance on-chip ring antennas were developed based on a systematic co-design procedure with MOSFET device. They allowed achieving the world record values both in terms of responsivity and noise equivalent power for detector arrays implemented in a bulk 65 nm CMOS technology. Only few representative design examples out of the complete test array are presented. A peak optical voltage responsivity (Rv) of 2200 and a minimum noise equivalent power (NEP) of 14 pW/√Hz at 200 Hz chopping frequency were measured at 724 GHz for one of the detectors, whereas some other demonstrated broadband operation with an optical NEP below 50 pW/√Hz for at least 650-970 GHz.
Learning to Reduce Risk in Child Protection

This article argues for a systems approach to learning how to improve performance, conceptualising child protection services as complex, adaptive systems. This requires an acceptance of the complexity of the work, the essential role of professional judgement and the need for feedback loops in the system where lower-level workers are not afraid to communicate honestly about their experiences, both good and bad, and senior managers treat their feedback as a valuable source of learning. It is argued that current strategies to manage risk in child protection are, paradoxically, making it harder for professionals to learn how to protect children better. Three factors are identified as combining in such a way that they promote a culture in which professional practice is being excessively controlled and proceduralised: the person-centred approach to investigating child deaths, the blame culture and the performance management system. The way they reduce the opportunities for learning are explored.
Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis: The Processes Underlying Programme Success

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is caused by filarial worms that live in the lymphatic system and commonly lead to lymphoedema, elephantiasis, and hydrocele. LF is recognized as endemic in 73 countries and territories; an estimated 1.39 billion (thousand million) people live in areas where filariasis has been endemic and is now targeted for treatment [1]. Global momentum to eliminate LF has developed over the past 15 years as a result not only of research demonstrating the value of single-dose treatment strategies and point-of-care diagnostic tools, but also of both the generous donations of medicines from the following committed pharmaceutical companies: GlaxoSmithKline (albendazole), Merck (ivermectin), and Eisai (diethylcarbamazine; DEC), and the essential financial support for programme implementation from the donor community [2]. During 2011, more than 50 countries carried out LF elimination programmes, and more than 500 million people received mass treatment [1]. A principal reason for the programme's dramatic expansion and success to date has been the galvanizing of efforts of all key partners around a common policy framework created and coordinated through the World Health Organization's Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF). This report, rather than highlighting the very considerable contributions of each individual partner or even chronicling most of the specific achievements of the GPELF, instead focuses on the details of the underlying processes themselves and their importance in determining programme success.
The Relationship of Hope and Strength's Self-Efficacy to the Social Change Model of Leadership

The social change model of leadership (SCM) is a widely used leadership model in higher education. StrengthsQuest is conceptually similar to the individual values of the SCM in its aim to identify and grow individual talents. This model is based on the idea that individuals perform at higher levels when they build upon their identified talents (Clifton & Harter, 2003). Prior studies have not examined the relationship of hope or one’s belief in their identified StrengthsQuest talents to the individual values of the SCM. This study examines that relationship using the adult-trait hope and strengths self-efficacy scales. The relationship between these constructs along and other predictors of social change capacity were explored using canonical correlation analysis. Strengths self-efficacy, hope, and student engagement were statistically significant (73% of the variability among the individual values of the SCM). Gender, race, and community service were not statistically significant in this study.
Impaired cognitive functioning during spontaneous dieting

SYNOPSIS In one of a continuing series of studies, the cognitive performance of normal weight female dieters was compared on two sessions, 3 weeks apart. Those who reported themselves as being on a weight-reducing diet on only one of the two sessions displayed poorer vigilance performance, slower reaction times and poorer immediate recall of words when they were dieting. In contrast, performance on a low processing load tapping task was unaffected. Self-report measures showed that dietary restraint, but not state anxiety or depression was increased during dieting. These results are interpreted in terms of an association between dieting behaviour and high levels of distractibility, and extend earlier findings by demonstrating that these deficits in cognitive performance are closely related to dieting or the perceived need to diet per se.
Investigating the Degradation Behaviors of a Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibody Associated with pH and Buffer Species

This study aimed in understanding the degradation behaviors of an IgG 1 subtype therapeutic monoclonal antibody A (mAb-A) associated with pH and buffer species. The information obtained in this study can augment conventional, stability-based screening paradigms by providing the direction necessary for efficient experimental design. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used for studying conformational stability. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was utilized to generate B22*, a modified second virial coefficient for the character of protein-protein interaction. Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) were employed to separate degradation products. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was used for determining the molecular size and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) were used for identifying the sequence of the separated fragments. The results showed that both pH and buffer species played the roles in controlling the degradation behaviors of mAb-A, but the pH was more significant. In particular, pH 4.5 induced additional thermal transition peaks occurring at a low temperature compared with pH 6.5. A continual temperature-stress study illustrated that the additional thermal transition peaks related to the least stable structure and a greater fragmentation. Although mAb-A showed the comparable conformational structures and an identical amount of aggregates at time zero between the different types of buffer species at pH 6.5, the aggregation formation rate showed a buffer species-dependent discrepancy over a temperature-stress period. It was found that the levels of aggregations associated with the magnitudes of protein-protein interaction forces.
Mesoscopic and macroscopic optoacoustic imaging of cancer.

Optoacoustic imaging combines the rich contrast of optical methods with the resolution of ultrasound imaging. It can therefore deliver optical visualization of cancer far deeper in tissue than optical microscopy and other conventional optical imaging methods. Technological progress and novel contrast media have resulted in optoacoustic imaging being propagated to basic cancer research and in clinical translation projects. We briefly review recent technological advances, showcase the ability to resolve unique cancer biomarkers based on spectral features at different imaging scales, and highlight the imaging performance achieved in preclinical and clinical imaging applications.
Insulin-dependent diabetes induced by pancreatic beta cell expression of IL-15 and IL-15Rα

Increased serum levels of IL-15 are reported in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Here we report elevated serum soluble IL-15Rα levels in human T1D. To investigate the role of IL-15/IL-15Rα in the pathogenesis of T1D, we generated double transgenic mice with pancreatic β-cell expression of IL-15 and IL-15Rα. The mice developed hyperglycemia, marked mononuclear cell infiltration, β-cell destruction, and anti-insulin autoantibodies that mimic early human T1D. The diabetes in this model was reversed by inhibiting IL-15 signaling with anti-IL2/IL15Rβ (anti-CD122), which blocks IL-15 transpresentation. Furthermore, the diabetes could be reversed by administration of the Janus kinase 2/3 inhibitor tofacitinib, which blocks IL-15 signaling. In an alternative diabetes model, nonobese diabetic mice, IL15/IL-15Rα expression was increased in islet cells in the prediabetic stage, and inhibition of IL-15 signaling with anti-CD122 at the prediabetic stage delayed diabetes development. In support of the view that these observations reflect the conditions in humans, we demonstrated pancreatic islet expression of both IL-15 and IL-15Rα in human T1D. Taken together our data suggest that disordered IL-15 and IL-15Rα may be involved in T1D pathogenesis and the IL-15/IL15Rα system and its signaling pathway may be rational therapeutic targets for early T1D.
Correlations between Polyacetylene Concentrations in Carrot (Daucus carota L.) and Various Soil Parameters

This study assessed the concentrations of three falcarinol-type polyacetylenes (falcarinol, falcarindiol, falcarindiol-3-acetate) in carrots and the correlations between these and different soil traits. A total of 144 carrot samples, from three different harvests taken a single season, were analysed in terms of their polyacetylene concentrations and root development. On one of the harvesting occasions, 48 soil samples were also taken and analysed. The chemical composition of the soil was found to influence the concentrations of falcarinol-type polyacetylenes in carrots. When the total soil potassium level was 200 mg/100 g soil, the concentration of falcarindiol (FaDOH) in the carrot samples was 630 μg/g DW, but when carrots were grown in soil with a total potassium level of 300 mg/100 g soil, the FaDOH concentration in the carrots fell to 445 μg/g DW. Carrots grown in soils generally low in available phosphorus exhibited higher levels of falcarindiol if the soil was also low in available magnesium and calcium. The concentrations of polyacetylenes in carrots were positively correlated with total soil phosphorus level, but negatively correlated with total soil potassium level. Of the three polyacetylenes analysed, FaDOH concentrations were influenced most by changes in soil chemical composition.
Women on the move: the mobile phone as a gender technology

Our lives are increasingly performed within a mobile context. The mobile phone is with us every step we take, from the moment we wake up to its alarm function to dropping off to sleep after sending our last text message and even during our sleep as it stands (turned on) awaiting on our bedside table. There is unanimity over the profound impact mobile communications is having on the way we live, interact with others and perceive the world. The mobile phone also acquires symbolic aspects in different cultures and groups and is closely related to aesthetics and fashion, rendered a cultural object. Building on the theory of the social shaping of technology, when technologies change or emerge “we can expect contest over social categories such as gender” (Lerman et al., 2003). Grounding this research in previous findings and feminist theory, this paper presents a view of the mobile phone as a new media and a “technology of gender”, a place of gender construction and transformation.
Evaluation of Geographic Origin of Torrontés Wines by Chemometrics

This work discusses the determination of the provenance of commercial Torrontes wines from different Argentinean provinces (Mendoza, San Juan, Salta and Rio Negro) by the use of UV-vis spectroscopy and chemometric techniques. In order to find classification models, wines (n = 80) were analyzed using UV-Vis region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Principal component analysis (PCA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were used to classify Torrontes wines according to their geographical origin. Classification rates obtained were highly satisfactory. The PLS-DA and LDA calibration models showed that 100% of the Mendoza, San Juan, Salta and Rio Negro Torrontes wine samples had been correctly classified. These results demonstrate the potential use of UV spectroscopy with chemometric data analysis as a method to classify Torrontes wines according to their geographical origin, a procedure which requires low-cost equipment and short-time analysis in comparison with other techniques.
The importance of crustacean zooplankton in structuring rotifer and phytoplankton communities; an enclosure study

During the spring clear-water phase of 1993, an enclosure experiment was performed in the mesotrophic Schohsee (Plon, FRG) in order to assess the impact of crustacean zooplankton on the rotifer and phytoplankton community. Among the crustacean plankton, calanoid and cyclopoid cope- pods were abundant, but Daphnia 'longispina' reached the highest densities in this experiment. The colonial rotifer Conochilus unicomis was not affected by crustacean plankton. The two most abundant species, Synchaeta peclinata and Keratella cochlearis, increased exponentially when macrozooplankton had been excluded from the enclosures, but did not increase when crustaceans were present. Birth and death rates of K.cochlearis could be reliably determined in this field experiment, suggesting that this rotifer species was mainly controlled by exploitative competition rather than by mechanical interfer- ence or predation. Daphnia 'longispina' generally grazed selectively on the smaller ciliates and algae, thus depriving the rotifers of their phytoplankton resources. The dominant alga, the chrysophycean Dinobryon, increased, whether crustaceans were present or not, but appeared to be grazed upon to a certain extent despite its considerable cell size and colonial organization.
he interplay between stress and growth in solid tumors

A number of biological phenomena are interlaced with classical mechanics. In this review we discuss the role of mechanics in tumor growth, namely the avascular phase of solid tumors. While a growing mass produces a traction of the surrounding tissues, a feedback mechanism controls the proliferation of the malignant cells depending on the tensional state. The formalism of continuum mechanics, possibly accompanied by numerical simulations, is able to shed light on biological controversial subjects. The
Encodage neuronal des sons de parole : développements méthodologiques, générateurs neuronaux et application au malentendant appareillé

A ce jour, six millions de francais sont atteints de troubles de l'audition. Face a ce probleme de sante publique, des outils performants d'exploration de la fonction auditive sont indispensables. La Speech ABR (Speech Auditory Brainstem Response ou Reponse du tronc cerebral auditif a la parole) est un outil prometteur, comme marqueur electrophysiologique fin de l'encodage neuronal de la parole. Cependant, sa methodologie reste peu developpee, son origine neuronale incertaine et elle n'a jamais ete enregistree chez le malentendant porteur d'aides auditives. Le premier axe de cette these porte sur les generateurs neuronaux de la Speech ABR. Le developpement d'une methodologie de recueil topographique de cette reponse jusqu'alors decrite comme strictement sous-corticale, a d'abord suggere la possibilite d'un generateur cortical. Une etude en stereo-electroencephalographie a ensuite confirme l'existence d'une activite Speech ABR dans les cortex auditifs primaires bilateraux. Ce resultat apporte un eclairage nouveau sur la representation des sons de parole par systeme nerveux auditif. Le second axe concerne l'etude de la Speech ABR chez le malentendant appareille. Apres avoir developpe une methodologie de stimulation acoustique directement au travers des aides auditives, nous avons etudie la plasticite neuronale induite par le port d'aides auditives. Les resultats montrent une amelioration de l'identification des phonemes amplifies, liee a une representation corticale modifiee et a un encodage frequentiel reequilibre. Ces toutes premieres preuves de plasticite neuronales des les 4 premiers mois d'utilisation des aides auditives ouvrent de nouveaux espoirs therapeutiques
Nerve Growth Factor Accelerates Seizure Development, Enhances Mossy Fiber Sprouting, and Attenuates Seizure-Induced Decreases in Neuronal Density in the Kindling Model of Epilepsy

Recurrent seizure activity induced during kindling has been reported to produce a functional synaptic reorganization of the mossy fibers in the hippocampus. To date, it is unclear whether this kindling-induced growth is secondary to decreases in hilar neuron density, which are presumed to reflect hilar neuronal cell loss, or whether it is related specifically to an activation-dependent plasticity. We recently demonstrated that blocking nerve growth factor (NGF) biological activity retards seizure development and inhibits the sprouting of mossy fibers. We now demonstrate that intraventricular administration of NGF itself accelerates the progression of kindling epileptogenesis, increases mossy fiber sprouting in the CA3 region and in the inner molecular layer (IML), but reduces seizure-induced decreases in hilar cell density. These findings provide support for a role of NGF in kindling and kindling-induced mossy fiber sprouting. In addition, the results dissociate this form of epileptogenesis from hilar cell loss or decreases in hilar cell density attributable to increases in hilar area, thereby supporting seizure-induced mossy fiber sprouting as being primarily attributable to the combined effects of neuronal activation and the activation-induced upregulation of growth factors.