Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evidence of increased circulation of Bordetella pertussis in the Italian adult population from seroprevalence data (2012-2013).

Incidence data on pertussis cases in Italy do not show pertussis resurgence as recently described in other European countries. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of IgG antibodies to pertussis toxin (PT-IgG) in selected adult age groups, who can serve as a reservoir of Bordetella pertussis and be responsible for onward transmission to vulnerable infants. The seroprevalence of PT-IgG was studied in sera collected in 2012-2013 in three age groups: 20-29 years and 30-39 years (reproductive age), and ≥60 years. These data were compared to those from sera collected in similar age groups in 1996-1997. More than 80 % of the adult population analysed in the 2012-2013 group presented detectable levels of PT-IgG (>5 IU ml-1). PT-IgG titres of 50-99 IU ml-1, considered indicative of infection in the last few years, and PT-IgG titres of ≥100 IU ml-1, considered indicative of recent infection (i.e.within the last year), reached 9.1 % [95 % confidence interval (CI) 6.9-11.3‌ %; 58/639] and 5 % (95 % CI 3.3-6.7 %; 32/639) seroprevalence, respectively. Notably, the proportion of subjects with a seroprevalence indicative of recent infection increased significantly from 9.3 % (95 % CI 7.5-11.1 %; 96/1037) in 1996-1997 to 14.1 % (95 % CI 11.4-16.8 %; 90/639) in 2012-2013. Overall, our data clearly indicate a significant increase in the circulation of B. pertussis in adults in Italy; therefore, it is likely that the statutory notification system underestimates the real incidence of the disease. These findings have implications for preventive strategies.
CHILDREN'S BELIEFS IN THEIR OWN CONTROL OF REINFORCEMENTS IN INTELLECTUAL-ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT SITUATIONS.

This study describes a scale for assessing children's beliefs that they, rather than other people, are responsible for their intellectual-academic successes and failures. Subscale scores assessing responsibility for successes and for failures were generally independent of each other. Split-half and test-retest reliabilities were moderately high. Normative data on 923 Ss in grades 3-12 indicate that self-responsibility is already established by third grade, that older girls give more self-responsible answers than older boys, and that slight but significant age changes occur in subscale scores dependent upon the sex of the child. Responsibility scores were moderately related to intelligence, ordinal position, and size of family, and inconsistently related to social class. Evidence of prediction to intellectual-achievement performance is presented.
Burnout in female educators

The purpose of this study was the determination of burnout in female educators. The study population were all female educators in the North West Province in secondary schools and with teaching experience of three years and longer. Political changes in South Africa and in the education system, together with conditions at school and other work-related obligations have led to much stress in educators. Two standardised questionnaires were applied to empirically determine to what extent female educators are suffering from burnout. The study indicated how female educators who differ with regard to home language, medium of instruction in their schools, years of experience and the area where the school is situated, also differ with regard to the degree of burnout they experience. It was found that female educators with 16-20 years experience, with Afrikaans as home language, in schools where Afrikaans is the medium of instruction, and those in urban/suburban schools, experience a higher degree of burnout than their colleagues in other biographic and demographic categories. There is concern that burnout in female educators may have a negative effect on the quality of teaching and learning in schools.
Subthreshold Behavior and Phenomenological Impedance of the Squid Giant Axon

The oscillatory behavior of the cephalopod giant axons in response to an applied current has been established by previous investigators. In the study reported here the relationship between the familiar "RC" electrotonic response and the oscillatory behavior is examined experimentally and shown to be dependent on the membrane potential. Computations based on the three-current system which was inferred from electrical measurements by Hodgkin and Huxley yield subthreshold responses in good agreement with experimental data. The point which is developed explicitly is that since the three currents, in general, have nonzero resting values and two currents, the "Na" system and the "K" system, are controlled by voltage-dependent time-variant conductances, the subthreshold behavior of the squid axon in the small-signal range can be looked upon as arising from phenomenological inductance or capacitance. The total phenomenological impedance as a function of membrane potential is derived by linearizing the empirically fitted equations which describe the time-variant conductances. At the resting potential the impedance consists of three structures in parallel, namely, two series RL elements and one series RC element. The true membrane capacitance acts in parallel with the phenomenological elements, to give a total impedance which is, in effect, a parallel R, L, C system with a "natural frequency" of oscillation. At relatively hyperpolarized levels the impedance "degenerates" to an RC system.
Efficacy of prolonged entecavir monotherapy in treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B patients exhibiting a partial virologic response to entecavir

Background/Aims The optimal management of patients exhibiting a partial virologic response (PVR) to entecavir (ETV) has not been determined. The aim of this study was to determine the long-term efficacy of prolonged ETV monotherapy in treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients exhibiting a PVR to ETV therapy. Methods This study included 364 treatment-naïve CHB patients treated with ETV for ≥48 weeks and who received continuous ETV monotherapy for ≥96 weeks. PVR was defined as a decrease in serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA of more than 2 log10 IU/mL from baseline but with detectable HBV DNA by real-time PCR assay at week 48. Results Fifty-two of the 364 patients (14.3%) showed a PVR. Among them, 41 patients received continuous ETV monotherapy for ≥96 weeks (median duration 144 weeks, range 96-312 weeks), and 40 of these patients (95%) achieved a virologic response (VR, HBV DNA <20 IU/mL) during prolonged ETV monotherapy (median duration 78 weeks, range 60-288 weeks). The cumulative probabilities of a VR at weeks 96, 144, and 192 from treatment initiation were 78.0%, 92.7%, and 95.1%, respectively. The VR rate was 97.2% (35/36) in HBeAg-positive patients and 100% (5/5) in HBeAg-negative patients. In multivariate analysis, HBeAg positivity (odds ratio [OR], 9.231; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-82.91; P=0.047) and a high baseline HBV DNA level (OR, 0.170; 95% CI, 0.08-0.37; P=0.000) were independently associated with a delayed virologic response. No patient developed genotypic resistance to ETV during follow-up. Conclusions Long-term ETV monotherapy is effective for achieving a VR in treatment-naïve CHB patients exhibiting a PVR to ETV. HBeAg positivity and high baseline HBV DNA level were independently associated with a delayed virologic response.
Hong Kong and U.S. Teachers’ Perceptions of Mathematical Disagreements and their Resolution Processes

Mathematical disagreements occur when students challenge each other’s ideas related to a mathematical concept. In this research, we examined Hong Kong and U.S. elementary teachers’ perceptions of mathematical disagreements and their resolutions using a video-stimulated survey. Participants were directed to give particular attention to the mathematics embedded within the disagreement and approaches for resolving the disagreement. Results revealed incomplete knowledge structures for the selected mathematical topic for both Hong Kong and U.S. participants. Differences existed between the two groups regarding the resolution of the disagreement, as Hong Kong participants focused on the content within the resolution process while U.S. participants focused on the form of the resolution process. Both groups found value in mathematical disagreements but for different reasons. Hong Kong participants indicated that the mathematical disagreements supported them in identifying students’ misunderstandings. In contrast, U.S. participants reported that mathematical disagreements helped to identify areas in which students lacked prerequisite knowledge. Implications for future work are provided.
Nanodomains of Cytochrome b6f and Photosystem II Complexes in Spinach Grana Thylakoid Membranes[W][OPEN]

Colocalization of cytochrome b6f and photosystem II complexes creates nanodomains that facilitate rapid exchange of the lipophilic electron carrier plastoquinone in the crowded thylakoid grana membrane. The cytochrome b6f (cytb6f) complex plays a central role in photosynthesis, coupling electron transport between photosystem II (PSII) and photosystem I to the generation of a transmembrane proton gradient used for the biosynthesis of ATP. Photosynthesis relies on rapid shuttling of electrons by plastoquinone (PQ) molecules between PSII and cytb6f complexes in the lipid phase of the thylakoid membrane. Thus, the relative membrane location of these complexes is crucial, yet remains unknown. Here, we exploit the selective binding of the electron transfer protein plastocyanin (Pc) to the lumenal membrane surface of the cytb6f complex using a Pc-functionalized atomic force microscope (AFM) probe to identify the position of cytb6f complexes in grana thylakoid membranes from spinach (Spinacia oleracea). This affinity-mapping AFM method directly correlates membrane surface topography with Pc-cytb6f interactions, allowing us to construct a map of the grana thylakoid membrane that reveals nanodomains of colocalized PSII and cytb6f complexes. We suggest that the close proximity between PSII and cytb6f complexes integrates solar energy conversion and electron transfer by fostering short-range diffusion of PQ in the protein-crowded thylakoid membrane, thereby optimizing photosynthetic efficiency.
Calibration for high-definition camera rigs with marker chessboard

The geometrical calibration of a high-definition camera rig is an important step for 3D film making and computer vision applications. Due to the large amount of image data in high-definition, maintaining execution speeds appropriate for on-set, on-line adjustment procedures is one of the biggest challenges for machine vision based calibration methods. Our aims are to provide a low-cost, fast and accurate system to calibrate both the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of a stereo camera rig. We first propose a novel calibration target that we call marker chessboard to speed up the corner detection. Then we develop an automatic key frame selection algorithm to optimize frames used in calibration. We also propose a bundle adjustment method to overcome the geometrical inaccuracy of the chessboard. Finally we introduce an online stereo camera calibration system based on the above improvements.
Iranian EFL Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices on Effective Teaching: The Case of Gender and Level of Experience

This study was an attempt to investigate Iranian EFL teachers’ beliefs about effective teaching in foreign language classrooms. More specifically, the study addresses the need for a clear understanding of the role of teaching effectiveness in EFL classrooms by looking at Iranian EFL teachers’ own beliefs. To this end, 90 Iranian EFL instructors of the English language voluntarily participated in the study. A closed-ended questionnaire was employed as a prime quantitative data collection tool to investigate teachers’ beliefs about effective teaching in EFL classrooms. The respondents answered the three parts of the “Effective Teacher” questionnaire. The data analysis indicated 1) there was no significant difference in teaching effectiveness between male and female Iranian EFL teachers, 2) there was no significant difference between experienced and novice Iranian EFL teachers’ stated beliefs regarding their effective teaching, and 3) there was no significant relationship between Iranian EFL teachers’ beliefs about effective teaching and their practice of effective teaching.
Genetics of Intracranial Aneurysms.

Intracranial aneurysms (IAs) are localized dilatations of intracranial arteries that are because of weaknesses of the endothelial layer. These dilations vary in size (small aneurysms, 25 mm) and are classified according to their shapes: either localized sac-like pouches or long dilatations that increase the vessels diameter; these shapes are referred to, respectively, as saccular or berry aneurysms and fusiform aneurysms. Most IAs are saccular and typically occur at the arterial branching sites of the circle of Willis. Common sites of saccular IAs include the anterior communicating artery, the posterior communicating artery, internal carotid artery, the middle cerebral artery, and the basilar artery bifurcation. Although the exact pathogenesis of IA remains to be established, several hypotheses have highlighted the contribution of maladaptive vascular remodeling triggered by hemodynamic stress and inflammatory response1—a chain of events that would ultimately damage blood vessel walls and lead to IA. The worldwide prevalence of IA is estimated to be ≈3.2%. 2 Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) accounts for ≈5% of all strokes, and 85% of SAHs are because of aneurysmal ruptures. SAH has an incidence rate of 9 per 10 000 persons per year and a fatality rate ≈50%. 3 The incidence of SAH is markedly higher in the Finnish and Japanese populations, but surprisingly, this is not because of the prevalence of IA in these populations.2 The most common clinical symptoms of aneurysmal SAH are a sudden onset of severe headache with stiff neck, vomiting, and photophobia. Unruptured IAs are usually asymptomatic and are identified through the screening of high-risk individuals or as incidental findings of magnetic resonance imaging, particularly magnetic resonance angiogram, or computerized tomographic studies. The diagnosis of IA is made by magnetic resonance angiogram, computerized tomographic angiography, or classical angiography. The diagnosis of …
Effects of the Valsalva Maneuver on Myocardial Ischemia in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

The influence of the Valsalva maneuver (VM) on myocardial ischemia was evaluated in 24 patients with coronary heart disease. Clinical and hemodynamic responses to the VM were studied during acute ischemia manifested by angina pectoris with transient left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and compared with responses during nonischemic intervals.In the absence of evidence for acute ischemia (angina and increased LV end-diastolic pressure), six patients had abnormal hemodynamic responses to the VM. Five had lack of systolic pressure overshoot and in one, systolic pressure did not decline during straining. When the VM was performed during an ischemic episode, 14 patients had abnormal responses (12 with lack of overshoot in phase IV and two with lack of systolic pressure decline in phase II). In 18 patients a prompt decline in LV end-diastolic pressure occurred with the disappearance of angina during the VM. These changes uniformly occurred during the latter part of straining (VM phase II) as cardiac size and systolic pressure declined. No adverse effects occurred when a VM was performed during acute ischemia.Our observations suggest that the VM abruptly reduces determinants of cardiac oxygen demand, relieving acute ischemia without harmful effects.
Modeling Traffic Flows with Queueing Models: a Review

In this paper, an overview of different analytic queueing models for traffic on road networks is presented. In the literature, it has been shown that queueing models can be used to adequately model uninterrupted traffic flows. This paper gives a broad review on this literature. Moreover, it is shown that the developed published methodologies (which are mainly single node oriented) can be extended towards queueing networks. First, an extension towards queueing networks with infinite buffer sizes is evaluated. Secondly, the assumption of infinite buffer sizes is dropped leading to queueing networks with finite buffer sizes. The impact of the buffer size when comparing the different queueing network methodologies is studied in detail. The paper ends with an analytical application tool to facilitate the optimal positioning of the counting points on a highway.
Self-efficacy as a mediator for the relationship between secure attachment style and employment status in individuals with spinal cord injuries

PURPOSE: To evaluate the mediation effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between secure attachment and employment status of people with spinal cord injuries (SCI). DESIGN: Quantitative descriptive research design using logistic regression, multiple regression, and correlational techniques. METHODS: One hundred and ninety individuals with SCI were recruited from the Canadian Paraplegic Association. Only individuals ages between 25–54 years (prime working age) were selected for this study. RESULTS: Secure attachment and self-efficacy were significantly related to employment status. Self-efficacy was found to be a significant mediator of the relationship between secure attachment and employment status. CONCLUSION: Results provide support for the importance of building a strong working alliance and helping individuals with SCI in the professional practice of rehabilitation counseling.
Types, frequency and impact of asthma triggers on patients’ lives: a quantitative study in five European countries

Abstract Objective: To identify the types, frequency and impact of asthma triggers and the relationship to asthma control among adults with asthma in Europe. Methods: Adults with self-reported physician-diagnosed asthma receiving maintenance asthma treatment and self-reported exposure to known asthma triggers completed an online questionnaire; a subset completed a diary over 3–4 weeks. Information on asthma control (Asthma Control Test™ [ACT]), asthma triggers, frequency of exposure and behaviours in response or to avoid asthma triggers and the perceived impact on daily life was captured. A post-hoc analysis evaluated the impact of high trigger burden on the frequency of severe asthma exacerbations, hospitalisations and days lost at work/study. Results: A total of 1202 adults participated and 177 completed the diary. Asthma was uncontrolled for the majority (76%) of participants and most (52%) reported exposure to 6–15 asthma triggers. As trigger burden increased, behavioural changes to manage trigger exposure had a significantly increased impact on daily life (p < 0.0001) and job choice (p = 0.002). Participants reporting a high trigger burden (>16) were more likely to report uncontrolled asthma than those with a low trigger burden (1–5). Participants with a high trigger burden had previously experienced on average two more severe asthma attacks during a lifetime (p < 0.001), two more hospitalisations (p < 0.001) and 3.5 more missed days at work or study in the last year due to their asthma (p < 0.001) than those with a low trigger burden. Conclusions: Adults with asthma reporting a high trigger burden (>16 different triggers) experience more severe asthma attacks than those reporting lower trigger burdens.
Original Contribution Association between Serum trans-Monounsaturated Fatty Acids and Breast Cancer Risk in the E3N-EPIC Study

The authors assessed the association between serum phospholipid fatty acids as biomarkers of fatty acid intake and breast cancer risk among women in the E3N Study (1989–2002), the French component of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. During an average of 7 years of follow-up, 363 cases of incident invasive breast cancer were documented among 19,934 women who, at baseline (1995–1998), had completed a diet history questionnaire and provided serum samples. Controls were randomly matched to cases by age, menopausal status at blood collection, fasting status at blood collection, date, and collection center. Serum phospholipid fatty acid composition was assessed by gas chromatography. Adjusted odds ratios for risk of breast cancer with increasing levels of fatty acids were calculated using conditional logistic regression. An increased risk of breast cancer was associated with increasing levels of the trans-monounsaturated fatty acids palmitoleic acid and elaidic acid (highest quintile vs. lowest: odds ratio 1⁄4 1.75, 95% confidence interval: 1.08, 2.83; p-trend 1⁄4 0.018). cis-Monounsaturated fatty acids were unrelated to breast cancer risk. A high serum level of transmonounsaturated fatty acids, presumably reflecting a high intake of industrially processed foods, is probably one factor contributing to increased risk of invasive breast cancer in women.
Ecological Factors Influencing Emotional/Behavioral Problems and Self-Concept in Adolescents from Low-Income Families in South Korea

ABSTRACT In this study, we examined emotional/behavioral problems and self-concept in adolescents from low-income families in Korea; additionally, we identified ecological factors associated with these traits. This descriptive study employed an ecological model to analyze data from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey. A nationwide stratified multistage cluster sampling methodology was used. Overall, 2534 first-year middle school students were included in the survey, and the survey was conducted from 2010 to 2016. Hierarchical multiple regression models were generated. The mean score of emotional/behavioral problem has been changed from 2.20 (2011), 2.15 (2013), to 2.11 (2015) out of 4, and the mean score of self-concept has been changed from 2.73 (2012), 2.73 (2014), to 2.77 (2015) out of 4. Factors that influenced emotional/behavioral problems and self-concept among adolescents were health perception and academic achievement (only associated with self-concept) at the intrapersonal level and parenting style, peer attachment (only associated with self-concept), and relationships with teachers at the interpersonal level. These results may be used to inform the development of interventions designed to decrease emotional/behavioral problems and improve positive self-concept in adolescents from low-income families.
Data Triangulation in Action: Using Comment Analysis to Refine Web Quality Metrics

This paper focuses on the evaluation of quality perceptions from users of an electronic government website. As government organizations have begun to enhance transparency, communicate and interact with citizens via the Web, developing appropriate online services has demanded heightened understanding of the requirements of users and appropriate tailoring of solutions. The site examined in the paper enables the online submission of self-assessed tax returns in the UK. Survey data collected via the eQual instrument were used to statistically model the perceptions of site users. However, in addition to quantitative data, we also collected open comments from respondents, and it is these comments that provide the crux of this paper. Such comments, via data triangulation, provided much more insight into the perceptions of site quality than the statistical data alone. The results of the comment analysis both support the instrument and point to additional factors determining the perceptions of quality of such e-government services requiring attention in the instrument development. The paper rounds off with a conclusions and an agenda for future research in this area.