Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with sexual behaviour among students of Uganda Martyrs University

In this era of HIV and AIDS, issues of sexual behaviour especially among the young people who are sexually active have become increasingly important. University students are particularly important because they live in a mixed but relatively unregulated environment, which puts them at high risk of risky sexual activity. Yet, this is the group that constitutes future leaders. This study, which was an institutional survey, aimed to establish patterns of sexual behaviour and its associated factors among students of Uganda Martyrs University. The study was guided by three objectives; to determine the patterns of sexual behaviour of University students, to establish the influence of knowledge and attitudes of University students on sexual behaviour, and to establish the influence of social demographic factors on students’ sexual behavior. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey, which was mainly quantitative in approach. Data were collected using structured self administered questionnaires. The data were collected from Uganda Martyrs University Students who are fulltime residents on campus or reside in the nearby hostels. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS software version1.6 and excel computer programs while qualitative data were also analysed manually. The results showed that most students were sexually active, had started having sex before joining university, had multiple sexual partners, were mainly not using condoms and were engaging in sex under the influence of alcohol. The level of knowledge about risks involved in premarital and unprotected sex was very high and it somehow influenced students’ sexual behaviour. Socio-demographic factors such as if the previous school was mixed or single sex, if parents were alive or one was a total orphan and if parents disapproved of premarital sex were associated with sexual behaviour. Religious affiliation was only related with sexual behaviour to a small degree. We suggest to the university management to introduce behaviour change communication strategies such as peer-to-peer clubs and as health promotion strategies that minimise risks of unprotected sex. Universities should also restrict alcohol in the university campus and hostels because it contributes to risky sexual behaviour. Parents and secondary school head teachers are advised to be more vigilant about children’s sexual behaviour since sexual activity begin before university.
A Study on the Learning Efficiency of Multimedia-Presented, Computer-Based Science Information

This study investigated the effects of multimedia presentations on the efficiency of learning scientific information (i.e. information on basic anatomy of human brains and their functions, the definition of cognitive psychology, and the structure of human memory). Experiment 1 investigated whether the modality effect could be observed when the learning material contained auditory information and visuals altered in complexity, and whether the redundancy effect is caused by redundant information or by interference in information processing. In Experiment 2, verbal-only information was used to examine whether subjects could perform better with auditory rather than with on-screen textual information, and whether the length of the verbal information would exert an effect on learning. The results of Experiment 1 contradicted the prediction of the modality effect in that subjects learned no better or even worse with the audio-visual format of learning material than did subjects with the visual-only one. Besides, redundant information per se did not impair learning, which suggested that the redundancy effect could be rather caused by the interference in information processing. The results of Experiment 2 indicated a negative effect of auditory information on learning regardless of the length of the verbal information. No evidence supported the superiority of auditory instructional mode over the visual one.
Enhancement of tick‐borne encephalitis virus transmission by tick salivary gland extracts

Abstract. To investigate the role of ticks in TBE virus transmission, salivary gland extract (SGE) was derived from partially fed female Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor reticulatus and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks. Guinea‐pigs were infested with uninfected R.appendiculatus nymphs and inoculated with a mixture of TBE virus and SGE or with virus alone. The number of ticks which on average acquired virus from feeding on animals inoculated with TBE virus and SGE from partially fed ticks was 4‐fold greater than the number that became infected by feeding on animals inoculated with virus alone or virus plus SGE from unfed I.ricinus. Viraemia was detected in 67% of guinea‐pigs inoculated with virus plus SGE compared to 30% of guinea‐pigs inoculated with virus alone. Virus titres in the blood were similar for both groups of animals [range 2.0‐2.8 log10 plaque‐forming units (PFU)/ml of blood]; however, the number of ticks that became infected was significantly higher on animals inoculated with virus plus SGE from partially fed ticks. No significant difference was observed with respect to the tick species used to derive SGE. The results indicate that TBE virus transmission is enhanced by factor(s) associated with the salivary glands of feeding ticks, and that these factor(s) may facilitate efficient transmission of TBE virus between infected and uninfected ticks even when they feed on hosts that have no detectable viraemia.
How does attachment style influence the brand attachment – brand trust and brand loyalty chain in adolescents?

This study contributes to the growing body of literature investigating how and why consumers form connections to brands by applying an attachment theoretical framework. According to the attachment theory, children develop internal working models of the reliability of others in the interaction with the primary caregiver(s). It can be assumed that this attachment style, which is conceptualized along two dimensions (secure–anxious and dependent–independent), not only influences intimate relationships in the long run, but may also play an important role in customer relationships. The author investigates the influence of attachment style along the brand attachment – brand trust and brand loyalty chain. The sample consists of 216 adolescents. The results derived from structural equation modeling (SEM) by proposing a non-recursive model show that the dependent–independent dimension of parental attachment style positively influences the corresponding dimension of brand attachment predisposition and is important for all of the constructs along the brand attachment – brand trust and brand loyalty chain. However, this is not the case with the secure–anxious dimension of parental attachment style. The secure–anxious dimension of brand attachment predisposition does, on the other hand, have a significant impact at least on brand trust. The results are discussed from an attachment theoretical point of view and corroborate the suppositions of Rindfleisch, Burroughs, and Wong (2009), who grounded their findings on terror management theory. Several possible implications of these results for the theory and practice of brand management and advertising, especially in the light of the gamification of advertising, are discussed.
Predicting Post Traumatic Growth Based upon Self-Efficacy and Perceived Social Support in Cancer Patients

Background Despite the fact that being exposed to traumatic and stressful events could have severe consequences, studies have shown that even in the wake of negative events such as cancer diagnosis, we see some changes and positive impacts in scheme, philosophy of life and self-perception, a process which is called Post Traumatic Growth (PTG). The aim of the current research is to define share of self-efficacy and perceived social support in the prediction of PTG. Methods The research is a correlation type. For this aim, 95 patients with cancer came to Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital, Tehran, Vali-e-Asr Hospital, Zanjan, and Mehraneh Charity Institute, Zanjan in 2012 have been selec ted based on available sampling and evaluated regarding self-efficacy, and perceived social support and PTG. Results Data analysis using Pearson correlation and regression analysis (simple and multiple) showed that self-efficacy and Perceived Social Support in cancer patients have direct significant relation with variable of PTG and explain 13.5%, 10.6% and jointly 20.7% of PTG changes respectively. Conclusion The research findings show that the variables of self-efficacy and Perceived Social Support explain significantly the PTG and these psychological variables can be used to provide improvement plans and mental health and PTG facilities.
A novel assay method for measuring added plasma caesium and its application in the measurement of short-term kinetics

6 2. List of original articles Th is thesis is based on the following original articles, which are referred to in the text by their Roman numerals: I. Kaikkonen M. , Lehto J. 2000. Coprecipitating ammonium–iron(III)– hexacyanoferrate(II) from aqueous dispersion with albumin and trichloroacetic acid. Analyst, 125: 855–859. II. Kaikkonen M. , Lehto J. 2006. A simple assay method for added stable caesium in blood plasma. Radiochimica Acta, 94: 47-52. III. Kaikkonen M. , de Gritz B. , Eriksson L. 2005. Short-term distribution of 134Cs in relation to 51Cr-EDTA aft er intravenous dose in goats. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica, 183: 321–332. IV. Kaikkonen M. , Hyyppa S. 2005. Comparison on plasma caesium kinetics in goats and horses with special emphasis on exercising horses. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica, 185: 335–340. Reprints are reproduced with the kind permission of the following publishers: I: Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, United Kingdom II: Oldenbourg Wissenschaft sverlag, Munich, Germany III and IV: Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, United Kingdom List of original articles
Zisheng Shenqi decoction ameliorates monosodium urate crystal-induced gouty arthritis in rats through anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects

Based on traditional Chinese medicinal theories on gouty arthritis, Zisheng Shenqi decoction (ZSD), a novel Chinese medicinal formula, was developed due to its multiple functions, including reinforcing renal function, promoting blood circulation and relieving pain. In the present study, the effect of ZSD on monosodium urate (MSU) crystal-induced gouty arthritis in rats was investigated and the underlying mechanisms were examined. The data from these investigations showed that the injection of MSU crystals into the ankle joint cavity caused significant elevations in ankle swelling and inflammatory cell infiltration into the synovium, whereas these abnormal changes were markedly suppressed by oral administration of ZSD (40 mg/kg) for 7 days. Mechanically, ZSD treatment prevented MSU crystal-induced inflammatory responses, as evidenced by downregulation in the expression levels of NACHT domain, leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain containing protein (NALP) 1 and NALP6 inflammasomes, decreased serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β, and inhibited activation of nuclear factor-κB. In addition, ZSD administration markedly enhanced the anti-oxidant status in MSU crystal-induced rats by the increase in the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, and the levels of reduced glutathione. These results indicated that ZSD effectively prevented MSU crystal-induced gouty arthritis via modulating multiple anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory pathways, suggesting a promising herbal formula for the prevention and treatment of gouty arthritis.
The Quorum Sensing Peptides PhrG, CSP and EDF Promote Angiogenesis and Invasion of Breast Cancer Cells In Vitro

The role of the human microbiome on cancer progression remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the influence of some quorum sensing peptides, produced by diverse commensal or pathogenic bacteria, on breast cancer cell invasion and thus cancer outcome. Based on microscopy, transcriptome and Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) analyses, four peptides (PhrG from B. subtilis, CSP from S. mitis and EDF from E. coli, together with its tripeptide analogue) were found to promote tumour cell invasion and angiogenesis, thereby potentially influencing tumour metastasis. Our results offer not only new insights on the possible role of the microbiome, but also further opportunities in cancer prevention and therapy by competing with these endogenous molecules and/or by modifying people’s life style.
The Ability of Triple Antibiotic Paste and Calcium Hydroxide in Disinfection of Dentinal Tubules

Introduction: The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the ability of triple antibiotic paste (TAP) to calcium hydroxide (CH) in disinfecting dentinal tubules. Material and Methods: Sixty root blocks were obtained from extracted single-rooted human teeth. The root canals were enlarged with Gates-Glidden drills up to size 3 and were contaminated with Enterococcus. faecalis (E. faecalis), and then left for 21 days. The contaminated blocks were treated with saline (as negative control), CH or TAP. Dentin debris was obtained at the end of first and 7th days, using Gates-Glidden drills sizes 4 and 5 from two different depths of 100 and 200 µm. The vital bacterial load was assessed by counting the number of colony forming units (CFUs). The data was analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis H and Dunn Post-Hoc tests. The Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test was used to check for differences in bacterial growth at both depths (P<0.05). Results: In comparison with CH, the TAP significantly decreased the number of CFUs in both depths and time intervals (P<0.001), while the CH group showed a moderate antibacterial effect. Conclusion: TAP is more effective in disinfecting the canal against E. faecalis compared to CH.
Digital finite-precision controller realizations with sparseness considerations

Presents a study on the finite word length (FWL) implementation of digital controller structures. The relevant FWL closed-loop stability related measures are investigated, and an algorithm is provided to search for the sparse controller realization that yields a computationally efficient structure with good FWL closed-loop stability performance. A numerical example is included to illustrate the proposed design procedure.
Immersive authoring of tangible augmented reality applications

In this paper, we suggest a new approach for authoring tangible augmented reality applications, called 'immersive authoring. ' The approach allows the user to carry out the authoring tasks within the AR application being built, so that the development and testing of the application can be done concurrently throughout the development process. We describe the functionalities and the interaction design for the proposed authoring system that are specifically targeted for intuitive specification of scenes and various object behaviors. Several cases of applications developed using the authoring system are presented. A small pilot user study was conducted to compare the proposed method to a non-immersive approach, and the results have shown that the users generally found it easier and faster to carry out authoring tasks in the immersive environment.
Altered intrinsic regional brain activity in male patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Background Previous studies have demonstrated that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with abnormal brain structural deficits. However, little is known about the changes in local synchronization of spontaneous activity in patients with OSA. The primary aim of the present study was to investigate spontaneous brain activity in patients with OSA compared with good sleepers (GSs) using regional homogeneity (ReHo) analysis based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods Twenty-five untreated male patients with severe OSA and 25 male GSs matched for age and years of education were included in this study. The ReHo method was calculated to assess the strength of local signal synchrony and was compared between the two groups. The observed mean ReHo values were entered into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software to assess their correlation with behavioral performance. Results Compared with GSs, patients with OSA showed significantly lower ReHo in the right medial frontal gyrus (BA11), right superior frontal gyrus (BA10), right cluster of the precuneus and angular gyrus (BA39), and left superior parietal lobule (BA7), and higher ReHo in the right posterior lobe of the cerebellum, right cingulate gyrus (BA23), and bilateral cluster covering the lentiform nucleus, putamen, and insula (BA13). The lower mean ReHo value in the right cluster of the precuneus and angular gyrus had a significant negative correlation with sleep time (r=−0.430, P=0.032), and higher ReHo in the right posterior lobe of the cerebellum showed a significant positive correlation with stage 3 sleep (r=0.458, P=0.021) and in the right cingulate gyrus showed a significant positive correlation with percent rapid eye movement sleep (r=0.405, P=0.045). Conclusion Patients with OSA showed significant regional spontaneous activity deficits in default mode network areas. The ReHo method is a useful noninvasive imaging tool for detection of early changes in cerebral ReHo in patients with OSA.
Messenger RNAs under Differential Translational Control in Ki-ras–Transformed Cells

Microarrays have been used extensively to identify differential gene expression at the level of transcriptional control in oncogenesis. However, increasing evidence indicates that changes in translational control are critical to oncogenic transformation. This study identifies mRNA transcripts that are differentially regulated, primarily at the level of translation, in the immortalized human embryonic prostate epithelial cell line 267B1 and the v-Ki-ras–transformed counterpart by comparing total mRNA to polysome-bound mRNA by using Affymetrix oligonucleotide microarrays. Among the transcripts that were identified were those encoding proteins involved in DNA replication, cell cycle control, cell-to-cell interactions, electron transport, G protein signaling, and translation. Many of these proteins are known to contribute to oncogenesis or have the potential to contribute to oncogenesis. Differential expression of RNA-binding proteins and the presence of highly conserved motifs in the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the mRNAs are consistent with multiple pathways and mechanisms governing the changes in translational control. Although Alu sequences were found to be associated with increased translation in transformed cells, an evolutionarily conserved motif was identified in the 3′ untranslated regions of ephrinB1, calreticulin, integrinα3, and mucin3B that was associated with decreased polysome association in 267B1/Ki-ras. (Mol Cancer Res 2006;4(1):47–60)
Crystal structure of Pyrococcus horikoshii tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase and structure-based phylogenetic analysis suggest an archaeal origin of tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase

The ancient and ubiquitous aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases constitute a valuable model system for studying early evolutionary events. So far, the evolutionary relationship of tryptophanyl- and tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (TrpRS and TyrRS) remains controversial. As TrpRS and TyrRS share low sequence homology but high structural similarity, a structure-based method would be advantageous for phylogenetic analysis of the enzymes. Here, we present the first crystal structure of an archaeal TrpRS, the structure of Pyrococcus horikoshii TrpRS (pTrpRS) in complex with tryptophanyl-5′ AMP (TrpAMP) at 3.0 Å resolution which demonstrates more similarities to its eukaryotic counterparts. With the pTrpRS structure, we perform a more complete structure-based phylogenetic study of TrpRS and TyrRS, which for the first time includes representatives from all three domains of life. Individually, each enzyme shows a similar evolutionary profile as observed in the sequence-based phylogenetic studies. However, TyrRSs from Archaea/Eucarya cluster with TrpRSs rather than their bacterial counterparts, and the root of TrpRS locates in the archaeal branch of TyrRS, indicating the archaeal origin of TrpRS. Moreover, the short distance between TrpRS and archaeal TyrRS and that between bacterial and archaeal TrpRS, together with the wide distribution of TrpRS, suggest that the emergence of TrpRS and subsequent acquisition by Bacteria occurred at early stages of evolution.
Control of conscious contents in directed forgetting and thought suppression

Directed forgetting is a successful method for thought control whereas thought suppression is notoriously ineffective. We tested a specific hypothesis about what difference between the two paradigms causes the difference in outcomes. Both paradigms instruct participants to suppress certain thoughts, but in thought suppression experiments participants are also told to report intrusions of unwanted thoughts. We added a condition to the typical directed forgetting experiment that instructed participants to report intrusions. When participants tried to forget a word list but also reported intrusions, forgetting did not occur. The results are important for understanding control of conscious contents and have implications for practicable applications of individual thought control.
Candida albicans Delays HIV-1 Replication in Macrophages

Macrophages are one of the most important HIV-1 target cells. Unlike CD4+ T cells, macrophages are resistant to the cytophatic effect of HIV-1. They are able to produce and harbor the virus for long periods acting as a viral reservoir. Candida albicans (CA) is a commensal fungus that colonizes the portals of HIV-1 entry, such as the vagina and the rectum, and becomes an aggressive pathogen in AIDS patients. In this study, we analyzed the ability of CA to modulate the course of HIV-1 infection in human monocyte-derived macrophages. We found that CA abrogated HIV-1 replication in macrophages when it was evaluated 7 days after virus inoculation. A similar inhibitory effect was observed in monocyte-derived dendritic cells. The analysis of the mechanisms responsible for the inhibition of HIV-1 production in macrophages revealed that CA efficiently sequesters HIV-1 particles avoiding its infectivity. Moreover, by acting on macrophages themselves, CA diminishes their permissibility to HIV-1 infection by reducing the expression of CD4, enhancing the production of the CCR5-interacting chemokines CCL3/MIP-1α, CCL4/MIP-1β, and CCL5/RANTES, and stimulating the production of interferon-α and the restriction factors APOBEC3G, APOBEC3F, and tetherin. Interestingly, abrogation of HIV-1 replication was overcome when the infection of macrophages was evaluated 2-3 weeks after virus inoculation. However, this reactivation of HIV-1 infection could be silenced by CA when added periodically to HIV-1-challenged macrophages. The induction of a silent HIV-1 infection in macrophages at the periphery, where cells are continuously confronted with CA, might help HIV-1 to evade the immune response and to promote resistance to antiretroviral therapy.