Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pathways to Ethnic-Racial Identity Development and Psychological Adjustment: The Differential Associations of Cultural Socialization by Parents and Peers

Ethnic-racial identity (ERI) development is a central developmental process for youth of color. Although a great deal of research establishes the importance of cultural socialization by parents to the development of ERI, limited empirical work has examined peers’ role in these processes. This study uses 4 cross-sectional data sets (N = 127, 312, 257, and 238, mean age = 17.96–18.24) followed by a meta-analytic summary to test a path model of ERI development and parent and peer cultural socialization and their associations with psychological adjustment in a diverse sample of emerging adults. The final sample size adjusted meta-analytic model indicated that parent ethnic socialization predicted both ERI exploration and commitment while only peer preparation for bias predicted ERI commitment. In turn, ERI commitment and exploration predicted more positive mental health. The findings of this study highlight the importance of both parents and peers to cultural socialization processes during emerging adulthood. In particular, this study suggests that the messages peers impart about prejudice play a unique role in the development of ERI. The findings have important implications about the unique role peers play in communicating messages about prejudice as well as for ERI and the psychological adjustment of youth of color at this developmental stage. Additionally, these cross-sectional findings provide a preliminary but robust model from which researchers can frame future longitudinal work in this area.
Critical Factors Affecting ERPs Implementation Success

We're living in the midst of an information era that is changing society, business and even our private lives.The information systems ( ISs ) used for success purpose are based on the idea that organizations and people have to plan carefully their use of information systems. To fulfill a broad range of goals in business matters, those goals are usually directed to minimize costs, maximize value, and achieve a competition advantage in the global market place as well. The objective of the study aims to measure and analyze the effects of critical factors affecting ERPs implementation success In Jordan. Stating a theoretical framework and developing a contribution related to the variables of the study through reviewing the related literature examined the factors that impact ERP system implementation success from the system users’ perspectives. The importance of the study comes from the new useage of ERPs in Jordanian business organizations which work in the Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZ) and there is a debate of the real use of these systems in the business organizations.
Predicting the availability of users' devices in decentralized online social networks

The understanding of the user temporal behavior is a crucial aspect for all those systems that rely on user resources for daily operations, such as decentralized online social networks (DOSNs). Indeed, DOSNs exploit the devices of their users to take on and share the tasks needed to provide services such as storing the published data. In the last years, the increasing popularity of DOSN services has changed the way of how people interact with each other by enabling users to connect to these services at any time by using their personal devices (such as notebooks or smartphones). As a result, the availability of data in these systems is strongly affected (or reflected) by the temporal behavior of their users in terms of connections to DOSNs. In this paper, we propose the use of linear predictors to address the problem of the availability of user devices and, hence, data in DOSNs. To validate the proposed approaches, we evaluated their performance conducting a set of simulations exploiting a dataset of temporal information concerning the connections to Facebook collected from a set of users.
Research on the Weighted Dynamic Evolution Model for Space Information Networks Based on Local-World

As an important national strategy infrastructure, the Space Information Network (SIN) is a powerful platform for future information support, and it plays an important role in many aspects such as national defense, people’s livelihood, etc. In this paper, we review typical and mainstream topology evolution models in different periods, and analyze the demand for studying the dynamic evolution model of SIN. Combining the concept and characteristics, we analyze the topology structure and local-world phenomenon of SIN, and define the dynamic topology model. Based on the system’s discussion of dynamic evolution rules, we propose a weighted local-world dynamic evolution model of SIN including the construction algorithm and implementation process. We achieve the quantitative analysis from four indicators including the node degree, node strength, edge weight, and correlation of strength and degree. Through the univariate control method, we analyze the impact on the network topology features of parameters: local-world M and extra traffic load α. Simulation results show that they have similar topology structure features with the theoretical analysis and real networks, and also verify the validity and feasibility of the proposed model. Finally, we summarize the advantages and disadvantages of the weighted local-world dynamic evolution model of SIN, and look forward to the future work. The research aim of this paper is to provide some methods and techniques to support the construction and management of SIN.
Magnetic resonance imaging of the anterior compartment of the lower leg is a biomarker for weakness, disability, and impaired gait in childhood Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease

Introduction: Biomarkers of disease severity in Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease (CMT) are required to evaluate early responses to treatment. In this study we used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate the relationship between muscle volume and intramuscular fat accumulation with weakness, disability, and impaired gait in affected children and adolescents. Methods: Fifty‐five participants underwent MRI of the anterior compartment of the lower leg. Muscle and fat volumes were calculated. Strength was measured using hand‐held dynamometry, disability using the CMT Pediatric Scale, and 3‐dimensional gait analysis using an 8‐camera Vicon Nexus motion capture system. Results: Lower muscle volume was significantly associated with reduced dorsiflexion strength, increased disability, impaired gait profile score, and foot drop. Intramuscular fat accumulation was associated with reduced dorsiflexion strength and impaired gait profile score. Discussion: The MRI protocol described was feasible, reliable, and sensitive to the magnitude of weakness, disability, and walking difficulties in children with CMT. Muscle Nerve 59:213–217, 2019
Neurological Soft Signs and Cognitive Performance in Early Childhood

Neurological soft signs (NSSs), minor neurological abnormalities, have been implicated as risk factors for poor cognitive performance in small-scale studies. Here we investigate the associations between NSSs and multiple domains of cognitive performance in a large, population-based cohort and evaluate sex differences in these associations. We analyzed data from 35,710 seven-year-old children in the Collaborative Perinatal Project to study the association between the number of NSSs and cognitive test scores using multiple linear regression models adjusting for risk factors for brain injury and aberrant neurodevelopment. NSSs were associated with lower scores on all domains of cognitive performance. Each additional soft sign was associated with lower full-scale IQ (b = −4.83, 95% CI [−5.06, −4.60]), performance IQ (b = −4.28, 95% CI [−4.54, −4.02]), and verbal IQ scores (b = −4.53, 95% CI [−4.76, −4.30]), as well as arithmetic (b = −4.06, 95% CI [−4.26, −3.85]), spelling (b = −3.53, 95% CI [−3.75, −3.30]), and reading (b = −4.00, 95% CI [−4.26, −3.75]) scores on the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT). Only one sex difference was observed: The association between NSS and the WRAT spelling test was somewhat stronger in girls (b = −4.01, 95% CI [−4.26, −3.36]) than in boys (b = −3.53, 95% CI [−3.75, −3.30]). There is an association between NSSs and poor cognitive performance that is not attributable to established risk factors for brain injury and aberrant neurodevelopment. Further research is needed to investigate the mechanisms underlying this association and to determine if interventions targeting NSS in children might have beneficial effects on neurocognitive development.
Net energy prediction and energy efficiency of feed for broiler chickens

ABSTRACT Global consumption of chicken meat has increased at a faster rate than any other animal protein source, and thus refinements in energy formulation techniques for feed have continued to gain importance. Formulation of animal feed based on net energy (NE) has been implemented in ruminants and pigs but not in poultry. A closed‐circuit respiratory calorimetry system was employed on 25‐ to 28‐day‐old broilers fed 19 diets formulated with varying nutrient composition to produce equations to predict NE and apparent metabolizable energy (AME) efficiency of feed for broiler chickens. Performance, energy and N balance, respiratory quotient, and energy utilization were measured in the birds. Linear regression analysis was performed to generate prediction equations for dietary energy content and AME efficiency. The NE content was positively related to AME and ether extract, but negatively to crude protein. The study generated equations that can accurately predict NE, and NE/AME using AME value and chemical composition of feeds. The NE prediction equations were further validated on a separate set of diets with high correlation (r = 0.99) and accuracy. The outcomes are an important step for the broiler industry to adapt to an NE system in place of AME systems for the formulation of broiler chicken feeds following robust validation experiments.
Isolation, Culture, and Differentiation of Mammary Epithelial Stem/Progenitor Cells from Fresh or Ex Vivo Cultured Human Breast Tissue

In vivo transplantation is the gold standard method for characterization of stem/progenitor cell self‐renewal, tissue regeneration, and tumorigenesis. The method requires an enriched population of stem cells that represent a small fraction of a given tissue. An enriched population of stem/progenitor cells increases the likelihood of engraftment and reduces the number of recipient animals needed for in vivo transplantation. Methods for mammosphere formation by mammary epithelial stem and progenitor cells have been widely adopted for enriching stem/progenitor cells, allowing researchers to study genetic and epigenetic properties, interaction with other cell types, and differentiation and oncogenic transformation. The generation of mammospheres is complex, however, involving many steps and requiring particular skill. Here we describe a detailed mammosphere protocol, including isolation and culture of human primary mammary epithelial stem/progenitor cells and their differentiation and passage in 3D organoid culture. We also describe a protocol for ex vivo culture of fresh human breast tissue for use in assays of clinical treatment. Step‐by‐step instructions detail tissue handling through passage of the stem/progenitor cell‐generated 3D organoids, which can be used to assess the properties, function, and neoplastic transformation of mammary stem/progenitor cells. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A directional remote-microphone for bimodal cochlear implant recipients

Abstract To evaluate whether speech recognition in noise differs according to whether a wireless remote microphone is connected to just the cochlear implant (CI) or to both the CI and to the hearing aid (HA) in bimodal CI users. The second aim was to evaluate the additional benefit of the directional microphone mode compared with the omnidirectional microphone mode of the wireless microphone. This prospective study measured Speech Recognition Thresholds (SRT) in babble noise in a ‘within-subjects repeated measures design’ for different listening conditions. Eighteen postlingually deafened adult bimodal CI users. No difference in speech recognition in noise in the bimodal listening condition was found between the wireless microphone connected to the CI only and to both the CI and the HA. An improvement of 4.1 dB was found for switching from the omnidirectional microphone mode to the directional mode in the CI only condition. The use of a wireless microphone improved speech recognition in noise for bimodal CI users. The use of the directional microphone mode led to a substantial additional improvement of speech perception in noise for situations with one target signal.
Health Impacts of Low-Dose Ionizing Radiation: Current Scientific Debates and Regulatory Issues

Health impacts of low-dose ionizing radiation are significant in important fields such as X-ray imaging, radiation therapy, nuclear power, and others. However, all existing and potential applications are currently challenged by public concerns and regulatory restrictions. We aimed to assess the validity of the linear no-threshold (LNT) model of radiation damage, which is the basis of current regulation, and to assess the justification for this regulation. We have conducted an extensive search in PubMed. Special attention has been given to papers cited in comprehensive reviews of the United States (2006) and French (2005) Academies of Sciences and in the United Nations Scientific Committee on Atomic Radiation 2016 report. Epidemiological data provide essentially no evidence for detrimental health effects below 100 mSv, and several studies suggest beneficial (hormetic) effects. Equally significant, many studies with in vitro and in animal models demonstrate that several mechanisms initiated by low-dose radiation have beneficial effects. Overall, although probably not yet proven to be untrue, LNT has certainly not been proven to be true. At this point, taking into account the high price tag (in both economic and human terms) borne by the LNT-inspired regulation, there is little doubt that the present regulatory burden should be reduced.
Suppressing Effect of Baclofen on Multiple Alcohol-Related Behaviors in Laboratory Animals

This paper summarizes the several lines of experimental evidence demonstrating the ability of the prototypic GABAB receptor agonist, baclofen, to suppress multiple alcohol-related behaviors in laboratory rodents and non-human primates exposed to validated experimental models of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Specifically, treatment with baclofen has repeatedly been reported to suppress alcohol-induced locomotor stimulation, alcohol drinking (including binge- and relapse-like drinking), operant oral alcohol self-administration, alcohol seeking, and reinstatement of alcohol seeking in rats and mice. Treatment with baclofen also reduced operant oral alcohol self-administration in baboons. Several of these effects appear to be mediated by GABAB receptors located in the ventral tegmental area. The often observed co-occurrence of “desired” pharmacological effects and “unwanted” sedative effects represents the major drawback of the preclinical, anti-alcohol profile of baclofen. Collectively, these data underline the role of the GABAB receptor in the mediation of several alcohol-related behaviors. These data possess remarkable translational value, as most of the above effects of baclofen have ultimately been reproduced in AUD patients.
Phototropins of the moss Physcomitrella patens function as blue-light receptors for phototropism in Arabidopsis

ABSTRACT Four phototropin genes (PHOTA1, PHOTA2, PHOTB1, PHOTB2) have been isolated in the moss Physcomitrella patens. These genes encode phototropins that mediate blue-light–induced chloroplast movement. However, the individual functions of these phototropins, including the function of mediating blue-light–induced phototropism, remain unclear. To elucidate the individual functions of P. patens phototropins, each of these phototropin genes was expressed in a phototropin-deficient mutant of Arabidopsis (phot1-5 phot2-1). In addition, fluorescence of GFP fused to these phototropins was examined to determine the subcellular localization of each phototropin. Our results demonstrate that all four P. patens phototropins mediate blue-light–induced phototropism and are associated with the plasma membrane in Arabidopsis. Abbreviations GFP: green fluorescent protein; Pp_phot: Physcomitrella patens phototropin
Compact, modular and in-plane AOSLO for high-resolution retinal imaging

The adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AOSLO) was first developed in 2002 and since then the technology has been adopted in several laboratories around the world, for both clinical and psychophysical research. There have been a few major design implementations of the AOSLO. The first used on-axis tilted spherical mirrors in a planar arrangement, and the second minimized the build up of astigmatism present in the first design by using a non-planar arrangement. Other designs have avoided astigmatism by using custom-made toroidal mirrors or by using lenses on-axis, rather than mirrors. We present a new design implementation for an AOSLO that maintains a planar optical alignment without the build up astigmatism using compact, reconfigurable modules based on an Offner relay system. We additionally use an off-the-shelf digital oscilloscope for data capture and custom-written Python code for generating and analyzing the retinal images. This design results in a compact system that is simple to align and, being composed of modular relays, has the potential for additional components to be added. We show that this system maintains diffraction-limited image quality across the field of view and that cones are clearly resolved in the central retina. The modular relay design is generally applicable to any system requiring one or more components in the pupil conjugate plane. This is likely to be useful for any point-scanned system, such as a standard scanning laser ophthalmoscope or non-ophthalmic confocal imaging system.
Virtual Interactive Environment for Low-Cost Treatment of Mechanical Strabismus and Amblyopia

This study presents a technique that uses an interactive virtual environment for the rehabilitation treatment of patients with mechanical strabismus and/or amblyopia who have lost eye movement. The relevant part of this treatment is the act of forcing the two eyes to cooperate with each other by increasing the level of adaptation of the brain and allowing the weak eye to see again. Accordingly, the game enables both eyes to work together, providing the patient with better visual comfort and life quality. In addition, the virtual environment is attractive and has the ability to overcome specific challenges with real-time feedback, coinciding with ideal approaches for use in ocular rehabilitation. The entire game was developed with free software and the 3D environment, which is made from low-cost virtual reality glasses, as well as Google Cardboard which uses a smartphone for the display of the game. The method presented was tested in 41 male and female patients, aged 8 to 39 years, and resulted in the success of 40 patients. The method proved to be feasible and accessible as a tool for the treatment of amblyopia and strabismus. The project was registered in the Brazil platform and approved by the ethics committee of the State University of Piaui—UESPI, with the CAAE identification code: 37802114.8. 0000.5209.
Frequency, Outcomes, and Associated Factors for Opioid-Induced Neurotoxicity in Patients with Advanced Cancer Receiving Opioids in Inpatient Palliative Care.

CONTEXT Opioid-induced neurotoxicity (OIN) is an underdiagnosed yet distressing symptom in palliative care patients receiving opioids. However, there have been only a limited number of studies on OIN. OBJECTIVES Our aim was to determine the frequency of and risk factors for OIN in patients receiving opioids during inpatient palliative care. METHODS We randomly selected 390 of 3014 eligible patients who had undergone palliative care consultations from January 2014 to December 2014. Delirium, drowsiness, hallucinations, myoclonus, seizures, and hyperalgesia were defined as OIN and were recorded. The other 10 common symptoms in cancer patients were assessed using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS). Patient demographics, morphine equivalent daily dose (MEDD), comorbidities, OIN management, and overall survival (OS) duration were also assessed. The associations between the incidence of OIN and MEDD, the other 10 symptoms, and OS were analyzed. RESULTS Fifty-seven (15%) patients had OIN. The most common symptom was delirium (n = 27). On multivariate analysis, a high MEDD (p = 0.020), high ESAS pain score (p = 0.043), drowsiness (p = 0.007), and a poor appetite (p = 0.014) were significantly associated with OIN. OIN was not significantly associated with a shorter OS duration (p = 0.80). CONCLUSIONS OIN was seen in 15% of patients receiving opioids as part of inpatient palliative care. Although OIN was not associated with OS, routine monitoring is especially needed in cancer patients.
Learning-Based Delay-Aware Caching in Wireless D2D Caching Networks

Recently, wireless caching techniques have been studied to satisfy lower delay requirements and offload traffic from peak periods. By storing parts of the popular files at the mobile users, users can locate some of their requested files in their own caches or the caches at their neighbors. In the latter case, when a user receives files from its neighbors, device-to-device (D2D) communication is performed. The D2D communication underlaid with cellular networks is also a new paradigm for the upcoming wireless systems. By allowing a pair of adjacent D2D users to communicate directly, D2D communication can achieve higher throughput, better energy efficiency, and lower traffic delay. In this paper, we propose an efficient learning-based caching algorithm operating together with a non-parametric estimator to minimize the average transmission delay in D2D-enabled cellular networks. It is assumed that the system does not have any prior information regarding the popularity of the files, and the non-parametric estimator is aimed at learning the intensity function of the file requests. An algorithm is devised to determine the best <file,user> pairs that provide the best delay improvement in each loop to form a caching policy with very low-transmission delay and high throughput. This algorithm is also extended to address a more general scenario, in which the distributions of fading coefficients and the values of system parameters potentially change over time. Via numerical results, the superiority of the proposed algorithm is verified by comparing it with a naive algorithm, in which all users simply cache their favorite files, and by comparing with a probabilistic algorithm, the users cache a file with a probability that is proportional to its popularity.