Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Subclinical bovine mastitis in Muzaffar Garh District of Punjab (Pakistan).

The present study was carried out to determine the quarter -wise and animal-wise prevalence of sub -clinical mastitis in crossbred cowsin four tehsils i.e., Muzaf far Garh, Kot Addu, Ali pur and Jatoi of District Muzaffar Garh of Punjab. Milk samples were collected from apparently mastitis free 2000 quarters of 500 crossbred cows. The samples were subjected to Surf Field Mastitis Test (SFMT). The overall quarter -wise prevalence was 35.25% while animal -wise prevalence was 36%. The maximum quarter-wise prevalence was found to be 9% in tehsil Jatoi followed by 7, 8 and 7.8% in the tehsils Muzaffar Garh, Kot Addu, and Ali pur, respectively. While the maximum animal -wiseprevalence was 60% in tehsil Jatoi followed by 48, 41.6 and 30.4% in the tehsils Muzaffar Garh, Kot Addu and Ali pur, respectively.
A common genetic background for inflammatory bowel disease and ankylosing spondylitis: a genealogic study in Iceland.

OBJECTIVE Patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and approximately 50% of their first-degree relatives may have a genetic abnormality that results in subclinical intestinal inflammation. This study was undertaken to examine the familial occurrence and cosegregation of AS and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in order to determine whether there is a shared genetic risk factor in families. METHODS The Icelandic genealogy database and population-wide data on all living Icelanders diagnosed as having AS (n = 205) and/or IBD (n = 1,352) were used to estimate the risk ratios of AS for relatives of patients with AS, the risk ratios of IBD for relatives of patients with IBD, and the cross-risk ratios of AS for relatives of patients with IBD or of IBD for relatives of patients with AS. The mean kinship coefficients for each disease were calculated. The control population for disease risk calculations comprised 10,000-100,000 sets of matched Icelandic subjects. RESULTS First-, second-, and third-degree relatives of patients with AS had risk ratios of 94, 25, and 3.5, respectively, indicating an increased risk of developing AS (each P < 0.0005), while first-, second-, and third-degree relatives of patients with IBD had risk ratios for IBD of 4.4, 2.2, and 1.4, respectively (each P < 0.0001). The cross-risk ratios of IBD were 3.0 and 2.1 in first- and second-degree relatives of patients with AS, respectively, and were the same for AS in first- and second-degree relatives of patients with IBD. With the exception of Crohn's disease, the risk of having AS, ulcerative colitis, or IBD in spouses of patients with these diseases did not differ significantly from that in controls. Calculation of the kinship coefficients confirmed these patterns of familial risk. CONCLUSION Patients with AS or IBD in Iceland are significantly more related to each other than are randomly sampled control subjects, in terms of an increased risk of either or both conditions developing in third-degree relatives. These findings suggest that one or more undiscovered genetic variants may underlie the risk of both diseases.
“A Twenty-Hour-a-Day Job”

In the growing field of research on the consequences of criminal justice contact for family life, a heavy emphasis has been placed on how imprisonment influences the emotional, physical, and socioeconomic well-being of prisoners’ loved ones. In this article, I elaborate on and analyze the experiences of family members of people with frequent, low-level criminal justice involvement. I draw on ethnographic data collected in partnership with a clinical social worker over the course of a three-year study of an intensive case management intervention for HIV-positive individuals. Findings indicate that loved ones’ brief jail stays and community supervision through probation and parole pose hardships for family members that are distinct from those hardships that arise during imprisonment. These experiences are uniquely destabilizing, may confer specific risks to family members’ well-being, and merit further study to inform programs, social services, and public policy.
Effect of tiotropium on sputum and serum inflammatory markers and exacerbations in COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients experiencing frequent exacerbations demonstrate increased stable-state airway inflammation. Tiotropium has been shown to reduce exacerbation frequency, but its effect on airway inflammation is unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of tiotropium on sputum inflammatory markers and exacerbation frequency. Patients (n = 142) were randomised to receive tiotropium or placebo in addition to their usual medication for 1 yr. Sputum and serum cytokines were assayed by ELISA and exacerbation frequency calculated using a symptom-based diary. There was no difference in the area under the curve for sputum interleukin (IL)-6 or myeloperoxidase between the groups, but sputum IL-8 level was increased in the tiotropium arm. There was no difference between start and end of study in serum IL-6 or C-reactive protein level. Tiotropium was associated with a 52% reduction in exacerbation frequency (1.17 versus 2.46 exacerbations·yr−1). Of patients on tiotropium, 43% experienced at least one exacerbation, compared with 64% on placebo. The total number of exacerbation days was reduced compared with placebo (17.3 versus 34.5 days). Tiotropium reduces exacerbation frequency in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but this effect does not appear to be due to a reduction in airway or systemic inflammation.
Stroke Volume Variation and Pulse Pressure Variation Are Not Useful for Predicting Fluid Responsiveness in Thoracic Surgery

BACKGROUND: Stroke volume variation (SVV) and pulse pressure variation (PPV) are used as indicators of fluid responsiveness, but little is known about the usefulness of these dynamic preload indicators in thoracic surgery, which involves an open thoracic cavity and 1-lung ventilation (OLV). Therefore, we investigated whether SVV and PPV could predict fluid responsiveness, and whether the thresholds of these parameters should be adjusted for thoracic surgery. METHODS: This was a prospective, controlled study conducted in a tertiary care center. Eighty patients scheduled for an elective lobectomy requiring OLV were included (n = 40, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS); n = 40, open thoracotomy). Twenty minutes after opening the thoracic cavity, 7 mL/kg hydroxyethyl starch was administered for 30 minutes. Various hemodynamic parameters were measured before and after fluid challenge. RESULTS: Among the 80 patients enrolled in this study, 37% were fluid responders (increase in stroke volume index ≥10%). SVV before fluid challenge was not different between nonresponders and responders (mean ± SD: 7.1 ± 2.7% vs 7.4 ± 2.6%, P = .68). This finding was true regardless of whether the surgery involved open thoracotomy or VATS. PPV before fluid challenge showed the difference between nonresponders and responders (mean ± SD: 6.9 ± 3.0% vs 8.4 ± 3.2%; P = .045); however, the sensitivity and specificity of the threshold value (PPV = 7%) were low (58% and 62%, respectively) and the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve was only 0.63 (95% confidence interval, 0.52–0.74; P = .041). CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic preload indicators are not useful for predicting fluid responsiveness in VATS or open thoracic surgery.
The Adult Spine

This is a comprehensive and excellent text and reference book on spinal disorders. It consists of two volumes which total 2,422 pages and are lavishly illustrated. I t is difficult to provide a complete review for so extensive a textbook, but a number of highlights are worth mentioning. The first is that the chapters on epidemiology and societal impact provide a great deal of information not normally available in orthopedic or neurosurgical textbooks. The chapters on rehabilitation also provide material that is not easily accessible to surgeons. The chapters on imagingof the spine are complete and cover most of the advances that have occurred in spinal imaging in the past few years. One of the highlights of the book is the extensive use of pictorial material, particularly in the chapters that deal with surgical technique. I have two specific criticisms of this otherwise excellent book. The first is that the chapter on the history of spinal disorders concentrates mostly on the orthopedic contribution and ignores the contributions of a number of neurosurgeons. The other is that space is given to certain procedures (ie, cervical discography) that are, at the very least, controversial. It might have been helpful to have editorial comment with opposing views to balance the proponents of some of these procedures. This book will be of particular interest to neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons who operate on the spine. I t is probably less valuable for the practicing neurologist, who probably will not need to own it but may wish to consult a library copy from time to time.
Aerobic exercise training improves Ca2+ handling and redox status of skeletal muscle in mice

Exercise training is known to promote relevant changes in the properties of skeletal muscle contractility toward powerful fibers. However, there are few studies showing the effect of a well-established exercise training protocol on Ca2+ handling and redox status in skeletal muscles with different fiber-type compositions. We have previously standardized a valid and reliable protocol to improve endurance exercise capacity in mice based on maximal lactate steady-state workload (MLSSw). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of exercise training, performed at MLSSw, on the skeletal muscle Ca2+ handling-related protein levels and cellular redox status in soleus and plantaris. Male C57BL/6J mice performed treadmill training at MLSSw over a period of eight weeks. Muscle fiber-typing was determined by myosin ATPase histochemistry, citrate synthase activity by spectrophotometric assay, Ca2+ handling-related protein levels by Western blot and reduced to oxidized glutathione ratio (GSH:GSSG) by high-performance liquid chromatography. Trained mice displayed higher running performance and citrate synthase activity compared with untrained mice. Improved running performance in trained mice was paralleled by fast-to-slow fiber-type shift and increased capillary density in both plantaris and soleus. Exercise training increased dihydropyridine receptor (DHPR) α2 subunit, ryanodine receptor and Na+/Ca2+ exchanger levels in plantaris and soleus. Moreover, exercise training elevated DHPR β1 subunit and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) 1 levels in plantaris and SERCA2 levels in soleus of trained mice. Skeletal muscle GSH content and GSH:GSSG ratio was increased in plantaris and soleus of trained mice. Taken together, our findings indicate that MLSSw exercise-induced better running performance is, in part, due to increased levels of proteins involved in skeletal muscle Ca2+ handling, whereas this response is partially dependent on specificity of skeletal muscle fiber-type composition. Finally, we demonstrated an augmented cellular redox status and GSH antioxidant capacity in trained mice.
The Role of Perceived Organizational Support and Supportive Human Resource Practices in the Turnover Process

A model investigating antecedents of perceived organizational support (POS) and the role of POS in predicting voluntary turnover was developed and tested in two samples via structural equation modeling. Both samples of employees (N = 215 department store salespeople; N = 197 insurance agents) completed attitude surveys that were related to turnover data collected approximately 1 year later. Results suggest that perceptions of supportive human resources practices (participation in decision making, fairness of rewards, and growth opportunities) contribute to the development of POS, and POS mediates their relationships with organizational commitment and job satisfaction. Further, POS is negatively related to withdrawal, but the relationships are also mediated.
The Compromise Game: Two-Sided Adverse Selection in the Laboratory

We analyze a game of two-sided private information characterized by extreme adverse selection, and study a special case in the laboratory. Each player has a privately known "strength" and can decide to fight or compromise. If either chooses to fight, there is a conflict; the stronger player receives a high payoff and the weaker player receives a low payoff. If both choose to compromise, conflict is avoided and each receives an intermediate payoff. The only equilibrium in both the sequential and simultaneous versions of the game is for players to always fight, independent of their own strength. In our experiment, we observe among other things (i) frequent compromise, (ii) little evidence of learning, and (iii) different behavior between first, second and simultaneous movers. We explore several models in an attempt to understand the reasons underlying these anomalous choices, including quantal response equilibrium, cognitive hierarchy, and cursed equilibrium.
Insomnia related to sleep apnoea: effect of long-term auto-adjusting positive airway pressure treatment

Insomnia related to sleep apnoea (IA) is highly prevalent, and its proper treatment is still debated. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that long-term auto-adjusting positive airway pressure (APAP) treatment improves IA symptoms. 80 patients (mean±sd age 54.9±10.6 yrs, respiratory disturbance index (RDI) 45.0±24.6 events·h−1) receiving APAP treatment were followed prospectively for 24 months. Somnolence and depression were assessed at baseline (T0) with the Epworth and the QD2A scales, respectively. Nightly APAP use was measured after 24 months of treatment (T24). The assessment of insomnia at T0 and T24 used the insomnia severity index (ISI). The combination of ISIT0 ≥15 and ISIT0–ISIT24 ≥9 defined the APAP-responding insomnia (APAP-RI) group. A logistic regression analysis identified the factors independently associated with the APAP-RI group. The ISI (13.7±5.7 versus 8.2±6.3) decreased significantly from T0 to T24 (p = 0.0001) for the patients as a whole, with a mean decrease of 13.5±2.9. Among the 39 insomniac subjects (T0), 20 belonged to the APAP-RI group (51%). The Epworth score (OR 1.536, 95% CI 1.093–2.159; p = 0.01) and the RDI (OR 1.080, 95% CI 1.010–1.154; p = 0.02) increased the risk of belonging to the APAP-RI group. IA symptoms improved with APAP treatment, and improvement was associated with the initial severity of the disease and somnolence in our population.
Microscopic dynamics and topological constraints in polymer melts: A neutron-spin-echo study.

We have studied the dynamic self- and pair-correlation function on appropriately labeled polydimethylsiloxane melts. For small decays of the scattering function or for small values of the Rouse scaling variable both the results for self and pair correlations are in very good agreement with the Rouse model. For larger values, strong deviations from Rouse dynamics are found indicating the importance of topological constraints. However, no indication for the existence of an intermediate length scale corresponding to the tube diameter of the reptation concept is observed.
Maximizing ESY Services: Teaching Pre-Service Teachers to Assess Communication Skills and Implement Picture Exchange With Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Disabilities

The authors supervised and trained pre-service teachers while conducting extended school year (ESY) services for pre-kindergarten and elementary students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities (DD). Each classroom was responsible for conducting communication assessments and developing interventions focused on increasing functional communication. One intervention, the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS™), was taught to three pre-service teachers and staff who implemented PECS™ with four students who lacked functional communication skills. The teachers were mentored as they implemented the appropriate level of PECS™ and developed communication books for the students to use in school, home, and other settings.
Judging Under Political Pressure: An Empirical Analysis of Constitutional Review Voting in the Spanish Constitutional Court

In this article, we study the extent to which decisions by the Spanish Constitutional Court are explained by political variables. Our theory proposes that party alignment should play an important role in explaining the behavior of the Spanish constitutional judges, but with some limitations given the institutional constraints faced by the court. Therefore, we do not propose pure party alignment but a more sophisticated strategy approach based on the interaction between the advancement of ideological goals with the limitations imposed essentially by the civil law tradition of consensual courts. Using a unique data set of abstract review cases in 1980--2006, we conclude that the patterns of political influence in the Spanish Constitutional Court are complex and cannot be easily framed merely as the pure reflection of the attitudinal model and of left/right alignment (JEL K0). The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Yale University. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com, Oxford University Press.
Social and Emotional Decision-making Following Frontal Lobe Injury

Abstract Neuropsychological, psychophysiological and functional imaging research has begun to offer insights into the everyday difficulties in decision-making experienced by some patients with frontal lobe damage. It is widely accepted that the ventral prefrontal cortex plays a pivotal role in social and emotional decision-making. This article will review experimental findings using the Iowa Gambling Task and the Cambridge Gamble Task that explore the brain mechanisms of decision-making. Convergent evidence from the two tasks confirms the importance of ventral PFC, but also highlights the relevance of lesion laterality, lesion aetiology, and the contribution of other brain regions (including the dorsal prefrontal cortex and amygdala) to decision-making abilities. The extent to which disrupted decision-making can be separated from the broader domain of executive function is discussed.
The effects of job autonomy, customer demandingness, and trait competitiveness on salesperson learning, self-efficacy, and performance

Although self-efficacy has been demonstrated to be positively associated with performance-related variables, few studies have looked at its possible antecedents in the context of personal selling. Applying social cognitive theory, this study posits that while self-efficacy positively affects performance, the salesperson's learning effort directly affects self-efficacy. Furthermore, two task-related factors (perceived job autonomy and customer demandingness) and one individual difference variable (trait competitiveness) are proposed to affect salesperson learning effort and self-efficacy. Two empirical studies show consistent results regarding the positive effects of learning on efficacy and efficacy on performance as well as the influences of three exogenous constructs on learning and efficacy. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
Antecedents of knowledge sharing in communities of practice

Purpose – Communities of practice (CoPs) have gained a great deal of attention from practitioners and scholars alike. However, critical antecedents of knowledge sharing in CoPs have not been fully researched yet. Particularly, empirical results are still scarce. The aim of this paper is to analyse the role of community members' motivation to participate in CoPs, the importance of the community leader and the influence of management support.Design/methodology/approach – In order to test the proposed hypotheses data from 222 CoP members from different communities of a multinational company gathered in a large sample quantitative survey, using partial least square structural equations modelling.Findings – The research results show that a leading facilitator and an appropriate managerial support influence interaction processes in CoPs positively.Research limitations/implications – The impact of motivational and managerial factors on knowledge sharing processes in CoPs is conceptualized and tested. With regard.
High Levels of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases in a Major Teaching Hospital in Ghana: The Need for Regular Monitoring and Evaluation of Antibiotic Resistance

Infections with bacteria producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) are increasing across Africa. This study reports on ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae as significant causes of infections and antibiotic resistance at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana. Of 300 isolates examined, 49.3% produced ESBLs. The prevalence of ESBLs was significantly high among isolates from neonates (28 of 43, 65.1%; relative risk = 1.62, 95% confidence interval = 1.33–2.13, P = 0.002) and adult patients > 65 years of age (36 of 51, 70.5%; relative risk = 1.89, 95% confidence interval = 1.41–2.40, P = 0.001). A marked increase in minimum inhibitory concentrations of ESBL-positive species was noticed compared with those for the other strains. Using these concentrations, we found that 26 (17%) ESBL producers were resistant to two or more antibiotics (aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, sulfonamide, and carbapenems) whereas 5 (3.2%) non–ESBL producers were multidrug resistant. Regular ESBL detection and evaluation of antibiotic resistance may help reduce the spread of ESBLs and antibiotic resistance in Ghana.
“I can now apologize to you twice from the bottom of my heart”: Apologies in Greek reality TV

Abstract While the speech act of apology has been investigated in a number of languages and cultures, there has been little research into apologies in Greek. Apology studies have tended to identify apology strategies, without taking into account the effect of the wider cultural context on apologies motivation and strategies, and have also tended not to include apology responses in their analyses. Remedial work, however, involves both apologies and replies to them (Goffman 1971). Based on data from a recent Greek TV reality game show, this paper looks at apologies and apology responses (“remedial interchanges”, Goffman 1971), analyzing in detail the context in which they occurred and the relationship between interactants. The main aims are to identify: (1) the constituent elements of an offence and the factors that determine its weightiness; (2) the degree to which face, social distance and power determine the weightiness of an offence, the recipients' responses, and the strategies and language used in the remedial interchanges, and (3) the degree to which these are culturally determined. This involves an investigation of the components of face and relations of power and solidarity in Greek society as well as of the ways the game show manipulates interpersonal relations and foregrounds Greek traditions and cultural values by explicitly attempting to contravene them.
Counting rational points on ruled varieties over function fields

Let K be the function field of an algebraic curve C defined over a finite field Fq. Let V ⊂ PK be a projective variety which is a union of lines. We prove a general result computing the number of rational points of bounded height on V/K. We first compute the number of rational points on a general line defined over K, and then sum over the lines covering V . Mathematics Subject Classification: 11D04 (11G35, 11G50, 11D45, 14G05, 14G25)