Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Secret Agent Society Social-Emotional Skills Program for Children With a High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

This study evaluated a parent-delivered social and emotional skills intervention—the Secret Agent Society (SAS) for children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HF-ASD). The study was a pre–post follow-up design with an 8-week baseline period and 6-week follow-up period. Participants were 38 parents and 41 children recruited from regional/rural Queensland and metropolitan Brisbane, Australia. Child participants completed measures of social skills and emotion management, and parents completed measures related to child behavioral problems, parent self-efficacy, child anxiety, and parent emotional distress at pre-intervention, post intervention, and 6-week follow-up. Analyses of outcomes were conducted with a series of repeated-measures MANOVAs and one-way ANOVAs at post intervention and 6-week follow-up. There were significant improvements in child social skills reported by parents with gains maintained at 6-week follow-up with large effect sizes. Parent self-efficacy, child behavior, and child anxiety levels also improved significantly. In addition, outcomes from the SAS self-directed program were compared with the original clinic-based program conducted by Beaumont and Sofronoff. Results indicated greater changes in social skills outcomes in the clinic-based program and no difference between groups on emotional management strategies. The limitations of the study and clinical implications are discussed.
Unbiased analysis of RB-mediated transcriptional repression identifies novel targets and distinctions from E2F action.

The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor, RB, is thought to inhibit cell cycle progression through transcriptional repression. E2F-regulated genes have been viewed as presumptive targets of RB-mediated repression. However, we found that specific E2F targets were not regulated in a consistent manner by the action of a RB allele that is refractory to cyclin-dependent kinase/cyclin-mediated phosphorylation (PSM-RB) when compared with E2F2 overproduction. Therefore, we used Affymetrix GeneChips as an unbiased approach to identify RB targets. We found that expression of PSM-RB significantly attenuates >200 targets, the majority of which are involved in cell cycle control (DNA replication or G2-M), DNA repair, or transcription/chromatin structure. The observed repression was due to the action of RB and not merely a manifestation of altered cell cycle distribution. Additionally, the majority of RB repression targets were confirmed through the blockade of endogenous RB phosphorylation via p16ink4a overexpression. Thus, these results have utility in assigning RB pathway activation in more complex systems of cell cycle inhibition (e.g., mitogen withdrawal, senescence, or DNA damage checkpoint). As expected, a significant fraction of RB-repressed genes have promoters that are bound/regulated by E2F family members. However, targets were identified that are distinct from genes known to be stimulated by overexpression of specific E2F proteins. Moreover, the relative action of RB versus E2F2 overexpression on specific genes demonstrates that a simple opposition model does not explain the relative contribution of RB to gene regulation. Thus, this study provides the first unbiased description of RB-repressed genes, thereby delineating new aspects of RB-mediated transcriptional control and novel targets involved in diverse cellular processes.
Effect of irrigation on surface roughness and fatigue resistance of controlled memory wire nickel‐titanium instruments

AIM To investigate the effect of irrigation on the surface roughness and fatigue resistance of HyFlex and M3 controlled memory (CM) wire nickel-titanium instruments. METHODOLOGY Two new files of each brand were analysed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Then, the instruments were dynamically immersed in either 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) or 17% ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) solution for 10 min, followed by AFM analysis. The roughness average (Ra) and root mean square (RMS) values were analysed statistically using an independent sample t-test. Then, 36 files of each brand were randomly assigned to three groups (n = 12). Group 1 (the control group) was composed of new instruments. Groups 2 and 3 were dynamically immersed in 5.25% NaOCl and 17% EDTA solutions for 10 min, respectively. The number of rotations to failure for various groups was analysed using the one-way analysis of variance software. RESULTS For M3 files, the Ra and RMS values significantly increased (P < 0.05) after the immersion. For the HyFlex file, the Ra and RMS values significantly increased (P < 0.05) only in EDTA, but not (P > 0.05) NaOCl. The resistance to cyclic fatigue of both HyFlex and M3 files did not significantly decrease (P > 0.05) by immersing in 5.25% NaOCl and 17% EDTA solutions. CONCLUSIONS Except the HyFlex files immersed in NaOCl, the surface roughness of other files exposed to irrigants increased. However, a change in the surface tomography of CM wire instruments caused by contact with irrigants for 10 min did not trigger a decrease in cyclic fatigue resistance.
Knowledge Acquisition for Constructive Systems

Over the past ten years, significant progress has been made in understanding how the knowledge acquisition process for classification systems can be automated. But during this period little attention has been paid to the problem of how to automate the knowledge acquisition process for systems that solve problems by constructing solutions. This paper describes SALT, a tool designed to assist with knowledge acquisition for configuration tasks. SALT assumes a problem-solving strategy involving stages of generate, test, backup, modify, and regenerate. It exploits this problem-solving strategy to guide its interrogation of domain experts and to represent the knowledge they provide in a way that insures it will be brought to bear whenever relevant.
The Effects of Valence and Arousal on Hemispheric Asymmetry of Emotion Evidence From Event-Related Potentials

The independent influence of valence and arousal on emotional hemispheric brain asymmetry was investigated to decide between three contrasting hypotheses: the right hemisphere hypothesis, the valence hypothesis, and the integrative hypothesis. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while participants (N = 20) viewed positive high arousal, positive low arousal, negative high arousal, and negative low arousal pictures, following a baseline measure of ERPs while viewing gray squares. Self-ratings of emotional state in terms of valence and arousal were taken after each of the four emotion blocks. Valence and arousal effects on hemispheric asymmetry were analyzed for the time windows 130-170, 170-280, 280-450, and 450-600 ms. Right dominance on N2 during negative high arousal and left dominance on P3 and late positive potentials during negative low arousal were found over the frontal lobe. Right dominance on P2, P3, and late positive potentials over the parietal lobes appeared during high arousal. No frontal asymmetry was found in positive emotion. Our result partly supported the integrative hypothesis and did not provide evidence for the right hemisphere hypothesis or the valence hypothesis. These results suggested that arousal plays the main role in the ERPs' hemispheric asymmetry.
Brain Metastases

Purpose of Review: Brain metastases are the most common neurologic complication related to systemic cancer. With continued improvements in systemic treatment, the incidence is expected to increase. This article reviews the clinical presentation, pathophysiology, prognostic factors, and treatment of metastatic brain tumors. Recent Findings: Brain metastases from systemic cancer are up to 10 times more common than primary malignant brain tumors and are a significant burden in the management of patients with advanced cancer. Common presenting symptoms include headache, focal weakness or numbness, mental status change, and seizure. Management and treatment of metastatic brain tumors is complex and dependent on several factors, including age, performance status, number of metastases at presentation, and status of systemic disease. At the time of diagnosis, most patients have more than one brain metastasis, and treatment has traditionally consisted of whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT). For those patients with single brain metastases, aggressive local treatment with surgery or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) combined with WBRT has been shown to improve survival and neurologic outcomes compared with WBRT alone. In patients with a limited number of brain metastases, SRS alone is being increasingly explored as a treatment option that spares the upfront toxicity of WBRT. Currently, the role of chemotherapy is limited to experimental settings and salvage after radiation therapy. Summary: Patients with brain metastases have complex needs and require a multidisciplinary approach in order to optimize intracranial disease control while maximizing neurologic function and quality of life. Patients with multiple metastases, uncontrolled systemic disease, and poor functional status are typically treated with WBRT alone, whereas surgery and SRS may be used for additional local control in a subset of patients with fewer tumors and good functional status. The incorporation of neuropsychological outcomes, neurologic function, and quality of life as end points in future studies will offer further guidance for providing comprehensive care to patients with metastatic brain tumors.
Electrical detection of cancer biomarker using aptamers with nanogap break-junctions

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a cell surface protein overexpressed in cancerous cells. It is known to be the most common oncogene. EGFR concentration also increases in the serum of cancer patients. The detection of small changes in the concentration of EGFR can be critical for early diagnosis, resulting in better treatment and improved survival rate of cancer patients. This article reports an RNA aptamer based approach to selectively capture EGFR protein and an electrical scheme for its detection. Pairs of gold electrodes with nanometer separation were made through confluence of focused ion beam scratching and electromigration. The aptamer was hybridized to a single stranded DNA molecule, which in turn was immobilized on the SiO2 surface between the gold nanoelectrodes. The selectivity of the aptamer was demonstrated by using control chips with mutated non-selective aptamer and with no aptamer. Surface functionalization was characterized by optical detection and two orders of magnitude increase in direct current (DC) was measured when selective capture of EGFR occurred. This represents an electronic biosensor for the detection of proteins of interest for medical applications.
Induction of multidrug resistance-1 and cytochrome P450 mRNAs in human mononuclear cells by rifampin.

Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative, competitive RT-PCR were used to examine the capability of rifampin to induce the expression of mRNA derived from multidrug resistance-1 (MDR1) and drug-metabolizing cytochrome P450 (P450) genes in the mononuclear fraction (lymphocytes) of human blood. A total of 50 healthy volunteers (age, 18-74) participated in two studies in which 600 mg of rifampin was administered orally once daily in the evening for 7 days. Twenty of these individuals also received fexofenadine before and after rifampin dosing. MDR1 and CYP2C8 mRNAs were expressed in 100% (50 of 50) and 95% (35 of 37) of individuals, respectively, at baseline. A significant (P < 0.05; n = 37) increase in the expression of MDR1 mRNA from 176,900 +/- 122,000 to 248,500 +/- 162,300 molecules/microg of RNA was observed following rifampin administration in the human lymphocytes. There was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in MDR1 mRNA expression between males and females at baseline. Interestingly, 58% of the individuals (n = 29) demonstrated a 120% increase [95% confidence interval (CI); 120%; range, 81-153%; responders] in MDR1 mRNA expression. In contrast, the remaining 42% of individuals (n = 21) exhibited a mean decrease of -5.2% (95% CI; -5.2%; range, -15 to +4%; nonresponders). Rifampin steady-state trough serum concentrations were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between responders and nonresponders. Likewise, there was no relationship between the observed induction in MDR1 mRNA expression in lymphocytes and the observed increase in fexofenadine oral clearance in twenty volunteers. The mRNA of CYP2E1, CYP3A5, CYP3A7, CYP4A11, and CYP4B1 genes were variably expressed at baseline and following rifampin treatment. In contrast, CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 mRNAs were undetectable in lymphocytes both before and after rifampin dosing. Interindividual variability in baseline expression and inducibility of MDR1 and P450 mRNA in human lymphocytes appeared to be substantial and may not reflect the expression of these enzymes in other tissues.
Experiencing and Learning Politics by Acting

Various social and political developments and conditions seem to result in a process of ‘decivilization’ which impedes - rather than facilitates - the project of a human and democratic society. In order to make this project a successful one it is necessary to reclaim citizens as politically acting subjects. The ability to act as enlightened and autonomous citizens will be sustainably acquired by experiencing extensive participation in society and in politics. Public educational efforts, especially civic education, should foster this process of ‘revitalization of citizenship’ by offering young people meaningful participatory experiences of social and political relevance. The effects of experiential learning presumably depend upon the extent to which the integration of components like subject-, action-, problem-orientation as well as authenticity and political relevance can be accomplished.
Fielding student questions

Ronald T. Hyman Rutgers University There is one point of universal agreement about classroom teaching-questioning is essential. Questioning is essential for the teacher because questions are a prime and necessary means to spur student thought and involvement.I Indeed, research shows that teacher questions are frequent and a central part of classroom interaction.2 Yet there is some disagreement as to the number of questions a teacher should ask and the effects that teacher questions have on students.3
Building Better Theory by Bridging the Quantitative-Qualitative Divide

abstract Qualitative methods for data collection and analysis are not mystical, but they are powerful, particularly when used to build new or refine existing theories. This article provides an introduction to qualitative methods and an overview of tactics for ensuring rigor in qualitative research useful for the novice researcher, as well as more experienced researchers interested in expanding their methodological repertoire or seeking guidance on how to evaluate qualitative research. We focus our discussion on the qualitative analytical technique of grounded theory building, and suggest that organizational research has much to gain by coupling of use of qualitative and quantitative research methods.
Econometric analysis of flexibility rewards in electricity markets

The increasing share of electricity supply accounted for by sources of variable generation presents new challenges for system operators. Traditionally, generation investments were determined primarily based on the cost and availability of fuel [1] and the size of system demand. As variable generation (primarily from renewable sources) increases, flexible resources which can mitigate the effects of increased variability may become increasingly desirable [2], [3].
Automated Pointcut Extraction

Software refactoring consists of the modification of internal program structure without altering the external behavior (semantic preservation). It aims at improving internal quality factors, such as modularity, in order to make the code easier to understand and evolve in the future. Among the various refactorings, a category quite unexplored is refactoring Object Oriented Programming (OOP) to Aspect Oriented Programming (AOP). AOP is expected to improve the structure of existing code by offering modular units for functionalities whose implementation is otherwise scattered through many modules. An investigation of automated support for a programmer in the migration from OOP to AOP code is presented. In particular, the applicability of semantic-preserving code transformations to automate the migration task is considered. The contribution of this work is a list of refactorings, that are described together with the conditions under which they can be applied. Several variants of each refactoring are also considered. Supporting the refactoring activity by means of automated tools allows migration difficulties to be mitigated and thus the benefits of AOP become easier to achieve for legacy OOP applications.
Diclofenac and Its Acyl Glucuronide: Determination of In Vivo Exposure in Human Subjects and Characterization as Human Drug Transporter Substrates In Vitro

Although the metabolism and disposition of diclofenac (DF) has been studied extensively, information regarding the plasma levels of its acyl-β-d-glucuronide (DF-AG), a major metabolite, in human subjects is limited. Therefore, DF-AG concentrations were determined in plasma (acidified blood derived) of six healthy volunteers following a single oral DF dose (50 mg). Levels of DF-AG in plasma were high, as reflected by a DF-AG/DF ratio of 0.62 ± 0.21 (Cmax mean ± S.D.) and 0.84 ± 0.21 (area under the concentration-time curve mean ± S.D.). Both DF and DF-AG were also studied as substrates of different human drug transporters in vitro. DF was identified as a substrate of organic anion transporter (OAT) 2 only (Km = 46.8 µM). In contrast, DF-AG was identified as a substrate of numerous OATs (Km = 8.6, 60.2, 103.9, and 112 µM for OAT2, OAT1, OAT4, and OAT3, respectively), two organic anion–transporting polypeptides (OATP1B1, Km = 34 µM; OATP2B1, Km = 105 µM), breast cancer resistance protein (Km = 152 µM), and two multidrug resistance proteins (MRP2, Km = 145 µM; MRP3, Km = 196 µM). It is concluded that the disposition of DF-AG, once formed, can be mediated by various candidate transporters known to be expressed in the kidney (basolateral, OAT1, OAT2, and OAT3; apical, MRP2, BCRP, and OAT4) and liver (canalicular, MRP2 and BCRP; basolateral, OATP1B1, OATP2B1, OAT2, and MRP3). DF-AG is unstable in plasma and undergoes conversion to parent DF. Therefore, caution is warranted when assessing renal and hepatic transporter-mediated drug-drug interactions with DF and DF-AG.
Enhanced Output Power of Near-Ultraviolet InGaN/AlGaN LEDs With Patterned Distributed Bragg Reflectors

A 400-nm near-ultraviolet InGaN/AlGaN light-emitting diode (LED) with a patterned distributed Bragg reflector (PDBR) mask is the subject of this paper. The design of the PDBR mask on the GaN/sapphire substrate attempts to reduce the threading dislocation density in the epitaxial template and enhance light extraction efficiency via the reflective behavior of the DBR. Under an injection current of 20 mA, the forward voltages of the PDBR and conventional LEDs were 3.51 and 3.52 V, respectively. This result indicates that the operating voltage of the PDBR LED does not arise by this PDBR mask design. In addition, the leakage current of the PDBR LED sample (1.36 nA at -5 V) is found to be lower than that of the conventional LED (11 nA). We also discovered that the light output power for the PDBR LED was approximately 39% higher (at 20 mA) than the conventional LED, and this significant improvement in performance is attributed not only to the GaN template crystalline quality reform but also due to the light extraction enhancement via the PDBR mask.
Bureaucracies of Mass Deception: Institutional Review Boards and the Ethics of Ethnographic Research

Ethnographers have long been unhappy with the review of their research proposals by institutional review boards (IRBs). In this article, we offer a sociological view of the problems associated with prospective IRB review of ethnographic research. Compared with researchers in other fields, social scientists have been less willing to accommodate themselves to IRB oversight; we identify the reasons for this reluctance, and in an effort to promote such accommodation, we suggest several steps to reduce the frustration associated with IRB review of ethnographic research. We conclude by encouraging ethnographers to be alert to the ways the procedural and bureaucratic demands of IRBs can displace their efforts to solve the serious ethical dilemmas posed by ethnography.
Cognitive-Behavioral Group Treatment for Anxiety Symptoms in Children With High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are at increased risk for developing anxiety disorders relative to children without ASD and those with other developmental disabilities. Thirty-three children with high-functioning ASD and their parents participated in an original, manualized cognitive behavioral group treatment aimed at reducing severity of anxiety symptoms. Parent-child dyads entered into either an Active Treatment Condition or Wait List Control Condition. Results indicated significant reductions in parent report of anxiety symptoms after the delivery of the group treatment, compared with the Wait List Control Condition. The findings of this study are promising, particularly in light of the high rates of comorbidity between ASD and anxiety. Limitations and recommendations for future research directions are discussed.
Clathrin Light Chains Regulate Clathrin-Mediated Trafficking, Auxin Signaling, and Development in Arabidopsis[C][W][OA]

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis of the plasma membrane proteins is regulated by auxin and the extracellular auxin receptor ABP1. This work demonstrates that clathrin light chains are key regulators of clathrin heavy chain membrane localization and auxin-dependent clathrin-mediated trafficking from the plasma membrane and trans-Golgi network/early endosome downstream of ABP1-mediated signaling. Plant clathrin-mediated membrane trafficking is involved in many developmental processes as well as in responses to environmental cues. Previous studies have shown that clathrin-mediated endocytosis of the plasma membrane (PM) auxin transporter PIN-FORMED1 is regulated by the extracellular auxin receptor AUXIN BINDING PROTEIN1 (ABP1). However, the mechanisms by which ABP1 and other factors regulate clathrin-mediated trafficking are poorly understood. Here, we applied a genetic strategy and time-resolved imaging to dissect the role of clathrin light chains (CLCs) and ABP1 in auxin regulation of clathrin-mediated trafficking in Arabidopsis thaliana. Auxin was found to differentially regulate the PM and trans-Golgi network/early endosome (TGN/EE) association of CLCs and heavy chains (CHCs) in an ABP1-dependent but TRANSPORT INHIBITOR RESPONSE1/AUXIN-BINDING F-BOX PROTEIN (TIR1/AFB)-independent manner. Loss of CLC2 and CLC3 affected CHC membrane association, decreased both internalization and intracellular trafficking of PM proteins, and impaired auxin-regulated endocytosis. Consistent with these results, basipetal auxin transport, auxin sensitivity and distribution, and root gravitropism were also found to be dramatically altered in clc2 clc3 double mutants, resulting in pleiotropic defects in plant development. These results suggest that CLCs are key regulators in clathrin-mediated trafficking downstream of ABP1-mediated signaling and thus play a critical role in membrane trafficking from the TGN/EE and PM during plant development.