Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using ground reaction force to predict knee kinetic asymmetry following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Asymmetries in sagittal plane knee kinetics have been identified as a risk factor for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) re‐injury. Clinical tools are needed to identify the asymmetries. This study examined the relationships between knee kinetic asymmetries and ground reaction force (GRF) asymmetries during athletic tasks in adolescent patients following ACL reconstruction (ACL‐R). Kinematic and GRF data were collected during a stop‐jump task and a side‐cutting task for 23 patients. Asymmetry indices between the surgical and non‐surgical limbs were calculated for GRF and knee kinetic variables. For the stop‐jump task, knee kinetics asymmetry indices were correlated with all GRF asymmetry indices (P < 0.05), except for loading rate. Vertical GRF impulse asymmetry index predicted peak knee moment, average knee moment, and knee work (R2 ≥ 0.78, P < 0.01) asymmetry indices. For the side‐cutting tasks, knee kinetic asymmetry indices were correlated with the peak propulsion vertical GRF and vertical GRF impulse asymmetry indices (P < 0.05). Vertical GRF impulse asymmetry index predicted peak knee moment, average knee moment, and knee work (R2 ≥ 0.55, P < 0.01) asymmetry indices. The vertical GRF asymmetries may be a viable surrogate for knee kinetic asymmetries and therefore may assist in optimizing rehabilitation outcomes and minimizing re‐injury rates.
Scores on a Statistics Test and Scores on the Defense Style Questionnaire

Scores for 21 men and 41 women on a university statistics test were compared with scores on the 1993 Defense Style Questionnaire of Andrews, et al. The significant negative association between higher scores on the statistics test and higher scores on the measure of the defence mechanism of projection suggested the latter construct be considered when examining statistical achievement.
Awarding teaching excellence: ‘what is it supposed to achieve?’ Teacher perceptions of student-led awards

ABSTRACT Although there is lack of agreement as to what constitutes teaching excellence, there remains a steady effort to make an intangible, ambiguous, multifaceted concept incarnate in the form of ‘student-led’ teaching awards schemes within higher education institutions. What teaching staff say about such schemes have largely been ignored. This article attempts to address this gap in knowledge by accounting for the extent that academic teaching staff at one higher education institution in the UK value and perceive their teaching awards scheme. At the same time, this article presents some challenges in implementing a student-led teaching awards scheme for higher education institutions.
Coping strategies, time perspective and psychological well-being: a comparative study in belarusian and portuguese university students

In this literature review the description of such constructs as coping strategies, time perspective, and psychological well-being as well as their correlates were given. Further, an issue of particular concern, bivariate links of all these three constructs were considered. Finally, the necessity of the further research on interaction of coping, time perspective and psychological well-being was grounded.
Re-emergence of bluetongue, African horse sickness, and other Orbivirus diseases

Arthropod-transmitted viruses (Arboviruses) are important causes of disease in humans and animals, and it is proposed that climate change will increase the distribution and severity of arboviral diseases. Orbiviruses are the cause of important and apparently emerging arboviral diseases of livestock, including bluetongue virus (BTV), African horse sickness virus (AHSV), equine encephalosis virus (EEV), and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) that are all transmitted by haematophagous Culicoides insects. Recent changes in the global distribution and nature of BTV infection have been especially dramatic, with spread of multiple serotypes of the virus throughout extensive portions of Europe and invasion of the south-eastern USA with previously exotic virus serotypes. Although climate change has been incriminated in the emergence of BTV infection of ungulates, the precise role of anthropogenic factors and the like is less certain. Similarly, although there have been somewhat less dramatic recent alterations in the distribution of EHDV, AHSV, and EEV, it is not yet clear what the future holds in terms of these diseases, nor of other potentially important but poorly characterized Orbiviruses such as Peruvian horse sickness virus.
A clinical review of 128 cases of head and neck tuberculosis presenting over a 10-year period in Bradford, UK.

AIMS To analyse the epidemiology, presentation and diagnosis of head and neck tuberculosis (TB). METHODS We conducted a 10-year retrospective study of all cases of tuberculosis of the head and neck region occurring in Bradford, UK. RESULTS Of a total of 1315 cases of TB, 128 presented with head and neck TB (12 per cent of which (15/128) were in children). Cervical lymph nodes were most commonly involved (87 per cent, 111/128), other sites being: salivary glands (five cases); larynx, oral cavity, eyes and ears (two cases each); and skin, thyroid, nasopharynx and retropharyngeal space (one case each). Patients' ethnic origins were Asian (89 per cent, 114/128), Caucasian (10 per cent, 13/128) and African (one case). Only 26 per cent (33/128) had constitutional symptoms, and 20 per cent (25/128) had a coexistent site of TB. Only 39 per cent (40/105) of surgical specimens were sent for culture. CONCLUSIONS Isolated head and neck TB is not uncommon. Atypical presentations render diagnosis challenging, so awareness aids early diagnosis. Mycobacterial cultures should be performed, where possible, for diagnosis.
Detecting individual memories through the neural decoding of memory states and past experience

A wealth of neuroscientific evidence indicates that our brains respond differently to previously encountered than to novel stimuli. There has been an upswell of interest in the prospect that functional MRI (fMRI), when coupled with multivariate data analysis techniques, might allow the presence or absence of individual memories to be detected from brain activity patterns. This could have profound implications for forensic investigations and legal proceedings, and thus the merits and limitations of such an approach are in critical need of empirical evaluation. We conducted two experiments to investigate whether neural signatures of recognition memory can be reliably decoded from fMRI data. In Exp. 1, participants were scanned while making explicit recognition judgments for studied and novel faces. Multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA) revealed a robust ability to classify whether a given face was subjectively experienced as old or new, as well as whether recognition was accompanied by recollection, strong familiarity, or weak familiarity. Moreover, a participant's subjective mnemonic experiences could be reliably decoded even when the classifier was trained on the brain data from other individuals. In contrast, the ability to classify a face's objective old/new status, when holding subjective status constant, was severely limited. This important boundary condition was further evidenced in Exp. 2, which demonstrated that mnemonic decoding is poor when memory is indirectly (implicitly) probed. Thus, although subjective memory states can be decoded quite accurately under controlled experimental conditions, fMRI has uncertain utility for objectively detecting an individual's past experiences.
Estimating Size and Trend of the North Interlake Woodland Caribou Population Using Fecal-DNA and Capture–Recapture Models

A critical step in recovery efforts for endangered and threatened species is the monitoring of population demographic parameters. As part of these efforts, we evaluated the use of fecal-DNA based capture–recapture methods to estimate population sizes and population rate of change for the North Interlake woodland caribou herd (Rangifer tarandus caribou), Manitoba, Canada. This herd is part of the boreal population of woodland caribou, listed as threatened under the federal Species at Risk Act (2003) and the provincial Manitoba Endangered Species Act (2006). Between 2004 and 2009 (9 surveys), we collected 1,080 fecal samples and identified 180 unique genotypes (102 females and 78 males). We used a robust design survey plan with 2 surveys in most years and analysed the data with Program MARK to estimate encounter rates (p), apparent survival rates (ϕ), rates of population change (λ), and population sizes (N). We estimated these demographic parameters for males and females and for 2 genetic clusters within the North Interlake. The population size estimates were larger for the Lower than the Upper North Interlake area and the proportion of males was lower in the Lower (33%) than the Upper North Interlake (49%). Population rate of change for the entire North Interlake area (2005–2009) using the robust design Pradel model was significantly <1.0 (λ = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.82–0.99) and varied between sex and area with the highest being for males in Lower North Interlake (λ = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.83–1.13) and the lowest being for females in Upper North Interlake (λ = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.69–0.97). The additivity of λ between sex and area is supported on the log scale and translates into males having a λ that is 0.09 greater than females and independent of sex, Lower North Interlake having a λ that is 0.06 greater than Upper North Interlake. Population estimates paralleled these declining trends, which correspond to trends observed in other fragmented populations of woodland caribou along the southern part of their range. The results of this study clearly demonstrate the applicability and success of non-invasive genetic sampling in monitoring populations of woodland caribou. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.
Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2): a review of its role and significance as a cardiovascular biomarker

Objective: To conduct a comprehensive, systematic review of studies assessing the significance of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Material and methods: A review of the literature was performed using the search term “Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2)” and each of the following terms: “cardiovascular risk,” “cardiovascular death,” “atherosclerotic disease,” “coronary events,” “transient ischemic attack (TIA),” “stroke,” and “heart failure. ” The searches were performed on Medline, Google Scholar and ClinicalTrails.gov. Results: The majority of published studies showed a significant association between Lp-PLA2 levels and cardiovascular events after multivariate adjustment. The association was consistent across a wide variety of subjects of both sexes and different ethnic backgrounds. Conclusions: The role of Lp-PLA2 as a significant biomarker of vascular inflammation was confirmed, and Lp-PLA2 seems to be closely correlated to cardiovascular events. It may be an important therapeutic target and may have an important role in prevention, risk stratification and personalised medicine.
Scorpion Toxin, BmP01, Induces Pain by Targeting TRPV1 Channel

The intense pain induced by scorpion sting is a frequent clinical manifestation. To date, there is no established protocol with significant efficacy to alleviate the pain induced by scorpion envenomation. One of the important reasons is that, little information on pain-inducing compound from scorpion venoms is available. Here, a pain-inducing peptide (BmP01) has been identified and characterized from the venoms of scorpion (Mesobuthus martensii). In an animal model, intraplantar injection of BmP01 in mouse hind paw showed significant acute pain in wild type (WT) mice but not in TRPV1 knock-out (TRPV1 KO) mice during 30 min recording. BmP01 evoked currents in WT dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons but had no effect on DRG neurons of TRPV1 KO mice. Furthermore, BmP01 evoked currents on TRPV1-expressed HEK293T cells, but not on HEK293T cells without TRPV1. These results suggest that (1) BmP01 is one of the pain-inducing agents in scorpion venoms; and (2) BmP01 induces pain by acting on TRPV1. To our knowledge, this is the first report about a scorpion toxin that produces pain by targeting TRPV1. Identification of a pain-inducing compound may facilitate treating pain induced by scorpion envenomation.
Diverging or Emerging from Law? The Practice of Youth Justice in Ireland

The Children Act 2001 is the statutory framework for youth justice in Ireland. Fully in force since 2007, aspects of the Act appear to be unimplemented while in other areas practice has diverged from the Act’s provisions. Three areas are used to show where youth justice practice has diverged from the legislation: the operation of the Children Court; the use of community sanctions and the use of family conferences and restorative justice. This article studies the disconnect between the law and practice in these three areas, offers some explanation as to why it has occurred and proposes some solutions for how it might be addressed.
Microbiology of HIV associated bacteraemia and diarrhoea in adults from Nairobi, Kenya

Summary We undertook a retrospective descriptive comparison of the spectrum of pathogens responsible for bacteraemia and diarrhoea in HIV antibody positive and negative patients over 4 years (1988–92), in Nairobi, Kenya. The study population was recruited from primary to tertiary centers of clinical care and consisted of 2858 adults (15 years or older). There were 415 significant blood culture isolates, 192 from 1785 HIV negative patients and 223 from 953 HIV positive patients. There were 233 significant faecal isolates, 22 from 115 HIV negative patients and 211 from 531 HIV positive patients. The most common pathogens detected in blood were Streptococcus pneumoniae and Salmonella typhimurium and in faeces Shigella flexneri, S. typhimurium and Cryptosporidium parvum. The agents causing illness in HIV positive patients in Nairobi are similar to those prevalent in the HIV negative community and the investigation of a febrile illness with or wothout diarrhoea in an HIV positive patient should reflect this.
The regulation of the yolk protein genes, a family of sex differentiation genes in Drosophila melanogaster

There are many obvious morphological and behavioural differences between male and female Drosophila, whose differing phenotypes are produced by a hierarchy of sex determination genes. These genes have been well characterised at the genetic and molecular level. Similarly, a number of sex‐specific differentiation genes have been characterised, such as the chorion and vitelline membrane genes in females and the sex peptide and other accessory gland proteins in males. Despite the depth of these parallel studies, there is only one example of a direct link between the sex determination pathway and the downstream sex differentiation genes, namely the regulation of the female‐specific yolk protein genes. The yolk proteins are synthesised in the fat body and ovarian follicle cells of the adult female and are subsequently transported to the oocyte where they are stored for utilization during embrygenesis. The expression of the yolk protein genes is not entirely controlled by the sex determination hierarchy, as several different regulatory pathways must interact to direct their correct sexual, temporal and spatial regulation during development.
Determinants of Dividend Initiation by IPO Issuing Firms

This article studies the determinants of dividend initiations by newly public firms. We compare the post-IPO patterns in sales growth, capital intensity and profit margins between dividend and non-dividend initiating firms to assess whether significant differences exist in their external financing needs. In addition to size, profitability, and investment opportunities, we analyze the impact of variables unique to the IPO market in influencing the probability of post-IPO dividend initiation. We also examine factors influencing the timing of the dividend initiation decision and compare the characteristics of early versus late dividend initiators. We find that industry technological status, venture capital participation, number of uses of IPO proceeds, initial returns, and pre-IPO capital expenditures are significantly related to the probability of post-IPO dividend initiation. In addition, the duration between IPO and dividend initiation increases with venture capital participation, initial returns, investment bank prestige, and use of proceeds for general corporate purposes and decreases with stage of development of issuing firm at the IPO and size of offering.
Named Entity Recognition with Word Embeddings and Wikipedia Categories for a Low-Resource Language

In this article, we propose a word embedding--based named entity recognition (NER) approach. NER is commonly approached as a sequence labeling task with the application of methods such as conditional random field (CRF). However, for low-resource languages without the presence of sufficiently large training data, methods such as CRF do not perform well. In our work, we make use of the proximity of the vector embeddings of words to approach the NER problem. The hypothesis is that word vectors belonging to the same name category, such as a person’s name, occur in close vicinity in the abstract vector space of the embedded words. Assuming that this clustering hypothesis is true, we apply a standard classification approach on the vectors of words to learn a decision boundary between the NER classes. Our NER experiments are conducted on a morphologically rich and low-resource language, namely Bengali. Our approach significantly outperforms standard baseline CRF approaches that use cluster labels of word embeddings and gazetteers constructed from Wikipedia. Further, we propose an unsupervised approach (that uses an automatically created named entity (NE) gazetteer from Wikipedia in the absence of training data). For a low-resource language, the word vectors obtained from Wikipedia are not sufficient to train a classifier. As a result, we propose to make use of the distance measure between the vector embeddings of words to expand the set of Wikipedia training examples with additional NEs extracted from a monolingual corpus that yield significant improvement in the unsupervised NER performance. In fact, our expansion method performs better than the traditional CRF-based (supervised) approach (i.e., F-score of 65.4% vs. 64.2%). Finally, we compare our proposed approach to the official submission for the IJCNLP-2008 Bengali NER shared task and achieve an overall improvement of F-score 11.26% with respect to the best official system.
China's Decentralized Privatization and Change of Control Rights

A distinct feature of China’s privatization is that both its design and its implementation are highly decentralized and are administered by the local governments. Based on a survey of 3,000 firms in over 100 Chinese cities, this paper studies how city governments choose among various privatization methods, how these different methods transfer control rights from the government to private owners, and how various privatization methods lead to different restructuring and performance. Our data indicate that although privatization in China has made substantial progress in reallocating control rights from the government to private owners, the degree of remaining government influence in corporate decisions across different privatization methods varies significantly. More importantly, political and fiscal constraints critically determine city governments’ decisions on how to privatize. Cities with less political opposition to labor shedding and where the government has stronger fiscal capacity tend to choose direct sales to insiders (MBOs) as the privatization method, which transfers control rights to private owners most completely. As a result, MBO firms restructure most effectively and achieve the greatest performance improvement.
Managing older workers during a period of tight labour supply

ABSTRACT This article reports on a recent survey of employer attitudes and policies towards older workers in Australia at a time of sustained economic growth and ongoing concerns about labour shortages. Findings from a survey of 590 employers with more than 50 employees in the State of Queensland point to an unusually strong orientation towards the recruitment of older workers among respondents, although the retraining of older workers is not prioritised by the majority. The issue of workforce ageing is viewed as being of medium-term importance by the majority of respondents, although for a substantial number the issue is of immediate concern. Both sector and organisation size are predictive of the application of a broad range of policies targeting older workers, with public-sector and larger organisations more likely to be active. Concerns about workforce ageing and labour supply are predictive of employer behaviours regarding older workers, suggesting that sustained policy making may be emerging in response to population ageing over and above more immediate concerns about labour shortages and that this broad thrust of organisational policy making may be immune to the point in the economic cycle. This study found no evidence that the flexible firm will not countenance an ageing workforce.
Stage-Specific Secretion of HMGB1 in Cartilage Regulates Endochondral Ossification

ABSTRACT High mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) is a chromatin protein that has a dual function as a nuclear factor and as an extracellular factor. Extracellular HMGB1 released by damaged cells acts as a chemoattractant, as well as a proinflammatory cytokine, suggesting that HMGB1 is tightly connected to the process of tissue organization. However, the role of HMGB1 in bone and cartilage that undergo remodeling during embryogenesis, tissue repair, and disease is largely unknown. We show here that the stage-specific secretion of HMGB1 in cartilage regulates endochondral ossification. We analyzed the skeletal development of Hmgb1−/− mice during embryogenesis and found that endochondral ossification is significantly impaired due to the delay of cartilage invasion by osteoclasts, osteoblasts, and blood vessels. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that HMGB1 protein accumulated in the cytosol of hypertrophic chondrocytes at growth plates, and its extracellular release from the chondrocytes was verified by organ culture. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the chondrocyte-secreted HMGB1 functions as a chemoattractant for osteoclasts and osteoblasts, as well as for endothelial cells, further supporting the conclusion that Hmgb1−/− mice are defective in cell invasion. Collectively, these findings suggest that HMGB1 released from differentiating chondrocytes acts, at least in part, as a regulator of endochondral ossification during osteogenesis.