Measuring Entrainment in Spontaneous Code-switched Speech

It is well-known that interlocutors who entrain to one another have more successful conversations than those who do not. Previous research has shown that interlocutors entrain on linguistic features in both written and spoken monolingual domains. More recent work on code-switched communication has also shown preliminary evidence of entrainment on certain aspects of code-switching (CSW). However, such studies of entrainment in code-switched domains have been extremely few and restricted to human-machine textual interactions. Our work studies code-switched spontaneous speech between humans by answering the following questions: 1) Do patterns of written and spoken entrainment in monolingual settings generalize to code-switched settings? 2) Do patterns of entrainment on code-switching in generated text generalize to spontaneous code-switched speech? We find evidence of affirmative answers to both of these questions, with important implications for the potentially "universal" nature of entrainment as a communication phenomenon, and potential applications in inclusive and interactive speech technology

The Landscape of Inappropriate Laboratory Testing: A 15-Year Meta-Analysis

Background: Laboratory testing is the single highest-volume medical activity and drives clinical decision-making across medicine. However, the overall landscape of inappropriate testing, which is thought to be dominated by repeat testing, is unclear. Systematic differences in initial vs. repeat testing, measurement criteria, and other factors would suggest new priorities for improving laboratory testing. Methods: A multi-database systematic review was performed on published studies from 1997–2012 using strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Over- vs. underutilization, initial vs. repeat testing, low- vs. high-volume testing, subjective vs. objective appropriateness criteria, and restrictive vs. permissive appropriateness criteria, among other factors, were assessed. Results: Overall mean rates of over- and underutilization were 20.6% (95% CI 16.2–24.9%) and 44.8% (95% CI 33.8–55.8%). Overutilization during initial testing (43.9%; 95% CI 35.4–52.5%) was six times higher than during repeat testing (7.4%; 95% CI 2.5–12.3%; P for stratum difference <0.001). Overutilization of low-volume tests (32.2%; 95% CI 25.0–39.4%) was three times that of high-volume tests (10.2%; 95% CI 2.6–17.7%; P<0.001). Overutilization measured according to restrictive criteria (44.2%; 95% CI 36.8–51.6%) was three times higher than for permissive criteria (12.0%; 95% CI 8.0–16.0%; P<0.001). Overutilization measured using subjective criteria (29.0%; 95% CI 21.9–36.1%) was nearly twice as high as for objective criteria (16.1%; 95% CI 11.0–21.2%; P = 0.004). Together, these factors explained over half (54%) of the overall variability in overutilization. There were no statistically significant differences between studies from the United States vs. elsewhere (P = 0.38) or among chemistry, hematology, microbiology, and molecular tests (P = 0.05–0.65) and no robust statistically significant trends over time. Conclusions: The landscape of overutilization varies systematically by clinical setting (initial vs. repeat), test volume, and measurement criteria. Underutilization is also widespread, but understudied. Expanding the current focus on reducing repeat testing to include ordering the right test during initial evaluation may lead to fewer errors and better care

Effect of sprouting temperature on selected properties of wheat flour and direct expanded extrudates

The effect of the sprouting temperature on wheat sprouting and on the properties of expanded extrudates produced from sprouted wheat flour was studied. Therefore, wheat was sprouted at five different temperatures and subsequently dried, milled, and the resulting flour was used to produce extrudates using a twin‐screw extruder. In order to understand the sprouting temperature effect, the degree of sprouting (DoS) of the differently sprouted samples and characteristic properties of flour and extrudates were studied and compared. During sprouting of wheat with increasing temperature and time an increase of the α‐amylase activity, the vitamin C and reducing sugar content, and a decrease of the peak viscosity was observed. The greatest effect was found at 20°C. Furthermore, the lowering of the viscosity of the flour suspension results in a reduction of the pressure and temperature in the extruder die. The extrudates of sprouted wheat flour were found to be easier to break, had a lower density, an increased longitudinal expansion index, and an improved cold‐water solubility. A good correlation between the DoS and other properties of flour and extrudates was found, indicating a good predictive power and applicability of the DoS concept for wheat samples and their product development and specification.TU Berlin, Open-Access-Mittel - 202

Regulation of Transgenic Class II Major Histocompatibility Genes in Murine Langerhans Cells

I-E is a class II major histocompatibility complex molecule normally expressed by Langerhans cells, A series of transgenic mice were developed previously that carry Eαd gene constructs with promoter-region deletions that cause expression of I-E by different cell types when maintained on a B6 (I-E[–]) genetic background. To study cis-acting gene sequences that regulate expression of class II proteins by Langerhans cells, we identified trans genie I-E expression by tissue immunoperoxidase staining and by epidermal cell suspension lmmunofluorescence cytometry. Mice with a transgene containing 1.4 kilobase pairs (kb) of flanking sequence 5' to the Eα initiation site expressed barely detectable levels of I-E on a tiny percentage of Langerhans cells, indicating that sequences promoting Langerhans cell expression of Eα exist between 2.0 and 1.4 kb 5' of the Eα initiation site. Removal of an additional 170 bp of 5' flanking sequence caused near-normal levels of expression by approximately one third of epidermal Langerhans cells, which contrasts with studies that showed minimal transgene expression by splenic dendritic cells in these animals, Thus, sequences between 1.4 and 1.23 kb 5' of the Eα initiation site decrease expression of I-E by epidermal Laugerhans cells, but enable I-E expression by splenic dendritic cells, These studies identify Langerhans cell-specific regulatory sequences and genetic regions controlling major histocompatibility complex class II gene expression in Langerhans cells and splenic dendritic cells. The genetic regions identified may be particularly important because differential regulation of class II major histocompatibility complex protein synthesis by Langerhans cells and dendritic cells may be crucial to immune functions of intact animals

Random Style Transfer based Domain Generalization Networks Integrating Shape and Spatial Information

Deep learning (DL)-based models have demonstrated good performance in medical image segmentation. However, the models trained on a known dataset often fail when performed on an unseen dataset collected from different centers, vendors and disease populations. In this work, we present a random style transfer network to tackle the domain generalization problem for multi-vendor and center cardiac image segmentation. Style transfer is used to generate training data with a wider distribution/ heterogeneity, namely domain augmentation. As the target domain could be unknown, we randomly generate a modality vector for the target modality in the style transfer stage, to simulate the domain shift for unknown domains. The model can be trained in a semi-supervised manner by simultaneously optimizing a supervised segmentation and an unsupervised style translation objective. Besides, the framework incorporates the spatial information and shape prior of the target by introducing two regularization terms. We evaluated the proposed framework on 40 subjects from the M\&Ms challenge2020, and obtained promising performance in the segmentation for data from unknown vendors and centers.Comment: 11 page

Linking young men who have sex with men (YMSM) to STI physicians: a nationwide cross-sectional survey in China.

BACKGROUND: Many young men who have sex with men (YMSM) are reluctant to seek health services and trust local physicians. Online information seeking may encourage YMSM to identify and see trustworthy physicians, obtain sexual health services, and obtain testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This study examined online STI information seeking behaviors among Chinese YMSM and its association with offline physician visits. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide online survey among YMSM through WeChat, the largest social media platform in China. We collected information on individual demographics, sexual behaviors, online STI information seeking, offline STI testing, and STI physician visits. We examined the most commonly used platforms (search engines, governmental websites, counseling websites, generic social media, gay mobile apps, and mobile medical apps) and their trustworthiness. We assessed interest and willingness to use an MSM-friendly physician finder function embedded within a gay mobile app. Logistic regression models were used to examine the correlation between online STI information searching and offline physician visits. RESULTS: A total of 503 men completed the survey. Most men (425/503, 84.5%) searched for STI information online. The most commonly used platform to obtain STI information were search engines (402/425, 94.5%), followed by gay mobile apps (201/425, 47.3%). Men reported high trustworthiness of information received from gay mobile apps. Men also reported high interest (465/503, 92.4%) and willingness (463/503, 92.0%) to use a MSM-friendly physician finder function within such apps. Both using general social media (aOR =1.14, 95%CI: 1.04-1.26) and mobile medical apps (aOR =1.16, 95%CI: 1.01-1.34) for online information seeking were associated with visiting a physician. CONCLUSION: Online STI information seeking is common and correlated with visiting a physician among YMSM. Cultivating partnerships with the emerging mobile medical apps may be useful for disseminating STI information and providing better physician services to YMSM

Inhibition of phosphorylated c-Met in rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines by a small molecule inhibitor SU11274

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>c-Met is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) that is over-expressed in a variety of cancers and involved in cell growth, invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis. In this study, we investigated the role of c-Met in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) using its small molecule inhibitor SU11274, which has been hypothesized to be a potential therapeutic target for RMS.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The expression level of phosphorylated c-Met in RMS cell lines (RD, CW9019 and RH30) and tumor tissues was assessed by phospho-RTK array and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The inhibition effects of SU11274 on RMS cells were studied with regard to intracellular signaling, cell proliferation, cell cycle and cell migration.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A high level of phosphorylated c-Met was detected in 2 alveolar RMS cell lines (CW9019 and RH30) and 14 out of 24 RMS tissue samples, whereas relatively low levels of phospho-c-Met were observed in the embryonic RMS cell line (RD). The small molecule SU11274 could significantly reduce the phosphorylation of c-Met, resulting in inhibition of cell proliferation, G1 phase arrest of cell cycle and blocking of cell migration in CW9019 and RH30 cell lines.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results might support the role of c-Met in the development and progression of RMS. Furthermore, the inhibitor of c-Met, SU11274, could be an effective targeting therapy reagent for RMS, especially alveolar RMS.</p

A Comparative Analysis of COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Efforts in India and Mongolia through Data Visualization

COVID-19 vaccine allocation efforts have posed challenges and offered opportunities to alleviate the ongoing pandemic. Nations have employed varying approaches for COVID-19 vaccine distribution; in particular, Mongolia and India have differed in approaches to vaccine allocation efforts. As of June 2021, Mongolia has vaccinated more than 60% of its population, whereas India has only vaccinated about 7.5%. This disparity highlights the need for the present study, which utilizes a mixed-method approach to examine the two countries\u27 vaccine distribution strategies and COVID-19 containment policies from January to July 2021. The study has three major components: 1) policy analysis to highlight core differences between legislative approaches for containment, 2) dissemination of a survey to both nations to assess public perception of vaccine allocation and distribution efforts, and 3) mathematical vaccine modeling to analyze vaccination coverage in both countries. For the survey, 311 responses from India and 307 responses from Mongolia were analyzed using the statistical software JASP and SPSS. Results showed that Mongolian and Indian respondents had similar views regarding vaccine effectiveness, but that country and region influenced whether distance from a vaccination center was an obstacle for getting the vaccine. Policy analysis revealed key factors—such as early response policies, vaccine diplomacy, and resource allocation—had significant implications on the two nations\u27 distribution efforts. Vaccine distribution pipeline modeling was based on the critical vaccination coverage fraction in each country and revealed that India would not have enough doses to achieve critical vaccination coverage at the current rate of administration.https://digitalcommons.imsa.edu/external_student_research/1002/thumbnail.jp