Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of naturalistic and peer mediated conversation skills training for young adults with ASD

Purpose: This pilot study sought to examine the efficacy of a naturalistic and peer-supported group language and social skills intervention program called Training for Adults in Language and Other Key Skills (TALKS). This group therapy is offered at the University of Texas at Austin Speech and Hearing Center each semester. The researcher hypothesized that individuals participating in the program would present with increased production of total utterances and decreased productions of off-topic comments and questions during conversations. Methods: Two adult English-speaking males diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder participated in weekly 10-minute Skype conversations both before and during participation in the group therapy. Each 10-minute Skype conversation was recorded and coded to determine ratio of utterances, total comment and off-topic comment production, and total question and off-topic question production. Each Skype video was double coded to ensure accuracy of the data. Results: Participants presented with overall increases in total utterance production and ratio of total utterances across treatment phases. Data indicated a decrease in both off-vii
Relationship between Serum Antibodies and Taenia solium Larvae Burden in Pigs Raised in Field Conditions

Background Serological tests have been used for the diagnosis of Taenia solium infection in pigs. However, those serological results do not necessarily correlate with the actual infection burden after performing pig necropsy. This study aimed to evaluate the Electro Immuno Transfer Blot (EITB) seropositivity with infection burden in naturally infected pigs. Methodology/Principal Findings In an endemic area of Peru, 476 pigs were sampled. Seroprevalence was 60.5±4.5% with a statistically higher proportion of positive older pigs (>8 months) than young pigs. The logistic model showed that pigs >8 month of age were 2.5 times more likely to be EITB-positive than ≤8 months. A subset of 84 seropositive pigs were necropsied, with 45.2% (38/84) positive to 1–2 bands, 46.4% (39/84) to 3 bands, and 8.3% (7/84) to 4+ bands. 41 out of 84 positive pigs were negative to necropsy (48.8%) and 43 (51%) had one or more cysts (positive predictive value). Older pigs showed more moderate and heavy infection burdens compared to younger pigs. In general, regardless of the age of the pig, the probability of having more cysts (parasite burden) increases proportionally with the number of EITB bands. Conclusions/Significance The probability of being necropsy-positive increased with the number of bands, and age. Therefore, the EITB is a measure of exposure rather than a test to determine the real prevalence of cysticercosis infection.
Runx1 is required for progression of CD41+ embryonic precursors into HSCs but not prior to this

Haematopoiesis in adult animals is maintained by haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which self-renew and can give rise to all blood cell lineages. The AGM region is an important intra-embryonic site of HSC development and a wealth of evidence indicates that HSCs emerge from the endothelium of the embryonic dorsal aorta and extra-embryonic large arteries. This, however, is a stepwise process that occurs through sequential upregulation of CD41 and CD45 followed by emergence of fully functional definitive HSCs. Although largely dispensable at later stages, the Runx1 transcription factor is crucially important during developmental maturation of HSCs; however, exact points of crucial involvement of Runx1 in this multi-step developmental maturation process remain unclear. Here, we have investigated requirements for Runx1 using a conditional reversible knockout strategy. We report that Runx1 deficiency does not preclude formation of VE-cad+CD45−CD41+ cells, which are phenotypically equivalent to precursors of definitive HSCs (pre-HSC Type I) but blocks transition to the subsequent CD45+ stage (pre-HSC Type II). These data emphasise that developmental progression of HSCs during a very short period of time is regulated by precise stage-specific molecular mechanisms.
Multiple independent introductions of Plasmodium falciparum in South America

The origin of Plasmodium falciparum in South America is controversial. Some studies suggest a recent introduction during the European colonizations and the transatlantic slave trade. Other evidence—archeological and genetic—suggests a much older origin. We collected and analyzed P. falciparum isolates from different regions of the world, encompassing the distribution range of the parasite, including populations from sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and South America. Analyses of microsatellite and SNP polymorphisms show that the populations of P. falciparum in South America are subdivided in two main genetic clusters (northern and southern). Phylogenetic analyses, as well as Approximate Bayesian Computation methods suggest independent introductions of the two clusters from African sources. Our estimates of divergence time between the South American populations and their likely sources favor a likely introduction from Africa during the transatlantic slave trade.
Pharmacological Characterization of the αvβ6 Integrin Binding and Internalization Kinetics of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Derived Peptide A20FMDV2

A20FMDV2 is a peptide derived from the foot-and-mouth disease virus with a high affinity and selectivity for the alpha-v beta-6 (αvβ6) arginyl-glycinyl-aspartic acid (RGD)-binding integrin. It has been shown to be an informative tool ligand in pre-clinical imaging studies for selective labelling of the αvβ6 integrin in a number of disease models. In a radioligand binding assay using a radiolabelled form of the peptide ([3H]A20FMDV2), its high affinity (KD: 0.22 nmol/l) and selectivity (at least 85-fold) for αvβ6 over the other members of the RGD integrin family was confirmed. [3H]A20FMDV2 αvβ6 binding could be fully reversed only in the presence of EDTA, whereas a partial reversal was observed in the presence of excess concentrations of an RGD-mimetic small molecule (SC-68448) or unlabelled A20FMDV2. Using flow cytometry on bronchial epithelial cells, the ligand-induced internalization of αvβ6 by A20FMDV2 and latency-associated peptide-1 was shown to be fast (t1/2: 1.5 and 3.1 min, respectively), concentration-dependent (EC50: values 1.1 and 3.6 nmol/l, respectively) and was followed by a moderately slow return of integrin to the surface. The results of the radioligand binding studies suggest that the binding of A20FMDV2 to the RGD-binding site on αvβ6 is required to maintain its engagement with the hypothesised A20FMDV2 synergy site on the integrin. In addition, there is evidence from flow cytometric studies that the RGD-ligand engagement of αvβ6 post-internalization plays a role in delaying recycling of the integrin to the cell surface. This mechanism may act as a homeostatic control of membrane αvβ6 following RGD ligand engagement.
Variation in Access to Health Care for Different Racial/Ethnic Groups by the Racial/Ethnic Composition of an Individual's County of Residence

Background:Although the majority of studies examining racial/ethnic disparities in health care have focused on the characteristics of the individual, more recently there has been growing attention to the notion that an individual's health practices could be influenced by the characteristics of the place where they reside. Objective:The objective of this study was to examine whether access to care for individuals of different racial/ethnic groups varies by the prevalence of blacks and the prevalence of Latinos in their county of residence. Study Design:We conducted a cross-sectional cohort. Participants:Individuals from the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, a nationally representative sample of U.S. households, who described their race/ethnicity as white, black, or Latino, and who resided in 1 of 677 counties (n = 14,740) were studied. Measures:Counties were assigned to 6 groups based on the prevalence of blacks and Latinos who resided there (<6% referred to as “low prevalence,” 6–39% referred to as “midprevalence,” ≥40% referred to as “high prevalence” separately for both blacks and Latinos). Outcomes included whether during the past year any family members: 1) experienced difficulty obtaining any type of health care, delayed obtaining care, or did not receive health care they thought they needed (referred to as “difficulty obtaining care”); or (2) did not receive a doctor's care or a prescription medication because the family needed money to buy food, clothing, or pay for housing (referred to as “financial barriers”). Results:After controlling for other individual and area-level covariates, blacks reported lower rates of both outcome variables when they lived in a county with a high prevalence of blacks compared with blacks who lived in a county with a low prevalence of blacks (difficulty obtaining care: 4.3% vs. 18.8%, P <0.005; financial barriers: 1.6% vs. 10.5%, P <0.005). There was a similar association for Latinos by the prevalence of Latinos in the county for difficulty obtaining care (high: 5.0% vs. low: 13.4%, P <0.05), but not the financial barriers outcome (high: 2.2% vs. low: 2.4%, P = 0.90). Whites who lived in an area with a high prevalence of Latinos were more likely to report both outcomes compared with whites who lived in a county with a low prevalence of Latinos (difficulty obtaining care: 17.7% vs. 9.4%, P <0.05; financial barriers: 8.5% vs. 3.2%, P <0.005) Conclusions:Blacks and Latinos may perceive fewer barriers to care when they live in a county with a high prevalence of people of similar race/ethnicity. Conversely, whites may perceive more difficulty receiving care when they live in an area with a high prevalence of Latinos. Diminishing disparities in access to health care may require interventions that extend beyond the individual.
Natural Language Query Recommendation in Conversation Systems

In this paper, we address a critical problem in conversation systems: limited input interpretation capabilities. When an interpretation error occurs, users often get stuck and cannot recover due to a lack of guidance from the system. To solve this problem, we present a hybrid natural language query recommendation framework that combines natural language generation with query retrieval. When receiving a problematic user query, our system dynamically recommends valid queries that are most relevant to the current user request so that the user can revise his request accordingly. Compared with existing methods, our approach offers two main contributions: first, improving query recommendation quality by combining query generation with query retrieval; second, adapting generated recommendations dynamically so that they are syntactically and lexically consistent with the original user input. Our evaluation results demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach.
An interactive training programme to treat body image disturbance

Objectives Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a life‐threatening mental health condition. A core feature is a disturbance of body image, such that sufferers see themselves as fatter than they actually are. Design We tested the effectiveness of a novel training programme to recalibrate our participants’ perception of body size. Methods In a novel adaptation of a cognitive bias training programme, participants judged the body size of a series of female bodies and were given feedback to improve their accuracy over four daily training sessions. In Study 1, we recruited young women with high concerns about their body size for a randomized controlled study. In Study 2, we then applied the training programme to a case series of women with atypical AN. Results In Study 1, the training programme significantly improved the body size judgements of women with high body concerns compared to controls. We also found evidence of improved body image and reduced eating concerns in this group. In Study 2, the programme again recalibrated the body size judgements of women with atypical AN. We also saw evidence of a clinically meaningful reduction in their body size and eating‐disordered concerns. Conclusions This training has the potential to be a valuable treatment used together with more traditional talking therapies. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? A core feature of anorexia nervosa (AN) is an overestimation of body size; sufferers believe themselves to be larger than they are in reality. This study shows that an individual's perceptual boundary between what they classify as a fat versus a thin body is not immutable; it can be changed through a cognitive bias training programme. What does this study add? This means that body size overestimation may now be treatable. Critically, as well as improving the accuracy of body size judgements, we also found a clinically significant improvement in participants’ eating‐disordered concerns. This demonstrates that a targeted behavioural training regime can change body perception, and the central role that body overestimation has in eating‐disordered beliefs.
Post-treatment control or treated controllers? Viral remission in treated and untreated primary HIV infection

Objective(s):An HIV cure will impose aviraemia that is sustained following the withdrawal of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Understanding the efficacy of novel interventions aimed at curing HIV requires characterization of both natural viral control and the effect of ART on viral control after treatment interruption. Design:Analysis of transient viral control in recent seroconverters in the Short Pulse AntiRetroviral Therapy at Acute Seroconversion trial. Methods:We compared untreated and treated HIV seroconverters (n = 292) and identified periods of control (plasma HIV RNA < 400 copies/ml for ≥16 weeks off therapy) in 7.9% of ART-naive participants, and in 12.0% overall. HIV DNA was measured by qPCR, and HIV-specific CD8+ responses were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay (ELISpot). T-cell activation and exhaustion were measured by flow cytometry. Results:At baseline, future controllers had lower HIV DNA, lower plasma HIV RNA, higher CD4+ : CD8+ ratios (all P < 0.001) and higher CD4+ cell counts (P < 0.05) than noncontrollers. Among controllers, the only difference between the untreated and those who received ART was higher baseline HIV RNA in the latter (P = 0.003), supporting an added ART effect. Conclusion:Consideration of spontaneous remission in untreated individuals will be critical to avoid overestimating the effect size of new interventions used in HIV cure studies.
A Framework for Community Detection in Heterogeneous Multi-Relational Networks

There has been a surge of interest in community detection in homogeneous single-relational networks which contain only one type of nodes and edges. However, many real-world systems are naturally described as heterogeneous multi-relational networks which contain multiple types of nodes and edges. In this paper, we propose a new method for detecting communities in such networks. Our method is based on optimizing the composite modularity, which is a new modularity proposed for evaluating partitions of a heterogeneous multi-relational network into communities. Our method is parameter-free, scalable, and suitable for various networks with general structure. We demonstrate that it outperforms the state-of-the-art techniques in detecting pre-planted communities in synthetic networks. Applied to a real-world Digg network, it successfully detects meaningful communities.
Effective interventions in overweight or obese young children: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND Treatment programs for overweight and obese young children are of variable effectiveness, and the characteristics of effective programs are unknown. In this systematic review with meta-analysis, the effectiveness of treatment programs for these children is summarized. METHODS PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases were searched up to April 2012. Articles reporting the effect of treatment on the body weight of overweight or obese children with a mean age in the range of 3-<8 years are included. Studies reporting the change in BMI z-score with standard error were included in a meta-analysis. For this purpose, a random-effects model was used. RESULTS The search identified 11,250 articles, of which 27 were included in this review. Eleven studies, including 20 treatment programs with 1015 participants, were eligible for the meta-analysis. The pooled intervention effect showed high heterogeneity; therefore, subgroup analysis was performed. Subgroup analysis showed that program intensity and used components partly explained the heterogeneity. The subgroup with two studies using multicomponent treatment programs (combining dietary and physical activity education and behavioral therapy) of moderate or high intensity showed the largest pooled change in BMI z-score (-0.46; I2, 0%). CONCLUSION Although the subgroup multicomponent treatment programs of moderate to high intensity contained only two studies, these treatment programs appeared to be most effective in treating overweight young children.
Package heat dissipation with integrated carbon nanotube micro heat sink

Micro-channel cooler is a very promising approach to meet the requirements of microelectronics package cooling. A lot of investigations about micro-channels have been undertaken in the past years. A silicon micro-channel can remove 790W/cm2 heat with a temperature rise of 71 degrees between the substrate and the coolant. The width and height of the silicon channel are 50um and 302um separately [1]. However, as the trends in the electronics industry moves towards higher packaging density, the high-pressure drop problem limits the performance of traditional silicon heat sink. Replacing the silicon fins with nanotube fins to enhance the thermal exchange rate between cooling liquid and substrate is one way to overcome this problem. Growing aligned nanotubes on the whole substrate is another one [2]. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are a new form of carbon which was discovered in 1991 by Iijima [3]. CNTs can be grown directly on the surface of silicon accurately according to predefined small-scale catalyst patterns normally transferred by standard photolithography processes. It was reported that nanotubes have an extremely high thermal conductivity over 3000W/(km) [4], so in the present work, the thermo physical properties of CNTs are obtained via molecular dynamics (MD) method. Fig.1 shows one single-wall CNT simulation by LAMMPS. Several CNTs-fin heat sinks (1cm∗1cm) with different fin width varied from 2um to 200um are tested (Fig.2). Then the aligned CNTs heat sink is also simulated to compare with the long CNTs-fin model. The heat transfer coefficients and pressure drop of these structures are computed. Results indicate replacing the silicon-fin with CNTs-fin is a promising method and the long CNT-fin model shows better performance than the aligned CNTs for generating little pressure drop. Among the models, the best one is chosen for experiments in next work.
Multiple Sclerosis and Schizophrenia

The psychiatric and neurological aspects of health may present methodological challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. This is especially true for patients whose symptoms indicate the coexistence of multiple sclerosis (MS) and schizophrenia (SCZ). These cases raise critical questions regarding the relationship between the mind and the brain. Studies have noted that patients with MS have an increased risk of developing SCZ or bipolar disorder (BD). It is suggested here that MS and a subgroup of SCZ have similar etiologies. Factors such as gender, ethnicity, geography and season also have an influence on the occurrence of MS and SCZ. This paper aims to examine the differences and similarities between SCZ and MS. For this purpose, scientific papers examining various factors associated with these disorders were reviewed, and similarities and differences in genetic, immunological, seasonal, geographical, and gender-related risk factors and limited similarities in ethnic factors between the two diseases were identified. The findings suggest that subgroups of these two diseases may belong to the same class of disorders.
Can we detect speakers' empathy?: A real-life case study

In the context of automatic behavioral analysis, we aim to classify empathy in human-human spoken conversations. Empathy underlies to the human ability to recognize, understand and to react to emotions, attitudes, and beliefs of others. While empathy and its different manifestations (e.g., sympathy, compassion) have been widely studied in psychology, very little has been done in the computational research literature. In this paper, we present a case study where we investigate the occurrences of empathy in call-centers human-human conversations. In order to propose an operational definition of empathy, we adopt the modal model of emotions, where the appraisal processes of the unfolding of emotional states are modeled sequentially. We have designed a binary classification system to detect the presence of empathic manifestations in spoken conversations. The automatic classification system has been evaluated using spoken conversations by exploiting and comparing performances of the lexical, acoustic and psycholinguistic features.
Optimizing Average Performance of OFDM Systems Using Limited-Rate Feedback

Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) is the most popular modulation in modern wireless communication systems. Among other features, OFDM has been able to successfully exploit channel state information (CSI) at the transmitter, allowing to implement dynamic resource allocation schemes that improve spectral efficiency and error resilience. Nevertheless, in most wireless communication systems achieving a perfect CSI at the transmitter is difficult. For this reason a limited-rate feedback mode has been proposed, in which only quantized CSI at the transmitter is available. In this paper we design joint channel quantization and resource allocation schemes for single-user OFDM systems, that use limited-rate feedback and do not assume any structure on the channel quantizer. The new schemes are obtained by solving an optimization problem that maximizes average ergodic rate subject to average power and bit error rate constraints. Necessary optimality conditions for the quantization and resource allocation schemes are derived and algorithms to find a solution satisfying such conditions are discussed. Since finding the overall global optimal solution is computationally cumbersome, suboptimal yet simple schemes are also explored. Three simplifications are investigated, namely: a worst-case robust design that reduces the dimensionality of the problem; optimal and provably convergent stochastic schemes that catch the average behavior of the system on-the-fly; and schemes that reduce the amount of feedback required from the receiver by exploiting the channel correlation among subcarriers. The signalling and computational costs associated to the implementation of the developed schemes and their extension to multiple user systems are also discussed. Numerical examples corroborate analytical claims and reveal that significant gains result even when suboptimal schemes based on affordable limited-rate feedback are used.