Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Molecular Survey of Rickettsia felis in Fleas from Cats and Dogs in Sicily (Southern Italy)

Rickettsia felis, the agent of flea-borne spotted fever, has a cosmopolitan distribution. Its pathogenic role in humans has been demonstrated through molecular and serologic tests in several cases. The cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) is considered the main reservoir and the biological vector. The aim of this study was to assess the presence and occurrence of R. felis in fleas collected from dogs and cats in various sites of Palermo (Sicily). Between August and October 2012, 134 fleas were collected from 42 animals: 37 fleas from 13 dogs and 97 fleas from 29 cats. Two species of fleas were identified: 132 Ctenocephalides felis (98.51%) collected on all animals and only two C. canis (1.49%) on one dog. Out of 132 C. felis, 34 (25.76%), 12 from dogs (32.43%) and 22 (22.68%) from cats, were positive for R. felis DNA by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), confirmed by sequencing. The only two C. canis fleas were negative. About half of examined animals (47.62%, 20/42) were infested with at least one infected flea; in particular 46.15% of dogs (6/13) and 48.28% of cats (14/29). It seems that in the Palermo district there is a peri-domestic cycle, with a relatively high prevalence of R. felis infection in the cat flea, an insect widely diffused in home environments and which can frequently bite humans. The results also suggest that R. felis should be considered in the human differential diagnosis of any spotted-like fever or febrile illness without a clear source of infection in Sicily, especially if the patient is known to have been exposed to flea bites.
Relativistic nuclear structure effects in(e,e′p→)

Results for recoil nucleon induced polarization for ${(e,e}^{\ensuremath{'}}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{p})$ are presented using various approximations for the relativistic nucleonic current, at the kinematics of a recent experiment at Bates. We see that the dynamical relativistic effects improve the agreement with the data. We make predictions for the induced normal polarization and responses for TJNAF 89-033 and Mainz A1/2-93 experiments.
Reduced Gray Matter Volume of Auditory Cortical and Subcortical Areas in Congenitally Deaf Adolescents: A Voxel-Based Morphometric Study

To investigate brain abnormalities in congenitally deaf people, several morphometric This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Received: December 9, 2014 Revised: January 16, 2015 Accepted: January 27, 2015
Glutamate Transporter Protein Subtypes Are Expressed Differentially during Rat CNS Development

Extracellular glutamate concentrations are regulated by glial and neuronal transporter proteins. Four glutamate transporter subtypes have been identified in rat brain; GLAST and GLT-1 are primarily astrocytic, whereas EAAC1 and EAAT4 are neuronal. Using immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry with subtype-specific antipeptide antibodies, we examined the protein expression and regional and cellular localization of each glutamate transporter subtype in embryonic and postnatal rat CNS. Each transporter had a specific pattern of expression. GLAST immunoreactivity was low prenatally but became enriched in cerebellar Bergmann glia early postnatally and then was also present in forebrain later postnatally. The post-translational modification of GLAST was unique among the subtypes; glycosylated GLAST increased with maturation, whereas nonglycosylated protein decreased in abundance postnatally. GLT-1 was present in fetal brain and spinal cord, with expression progressively increasing to adult levels throughout the neuraxis by postnatal day 26. Transient expression of GLT-1 immunoreactivity along axonal pathways was observed prenatally, in contrast to the exclusive localization of GLT-1 to astrocytes in the adult CNS. EAAC1, localized to neurons, was enriched in forebrain, diencephalon, and hindbrain during prenatal and postnatal development. EAAC1 expression was greater in newborn brain compared with adult brain. EAAT4 had a region-specific distribution; EAAT4 was mainly in cerebellum, localized to Purkinje cells, with much lower levels in forebrain. EAAT4 levels increased in cerebellum with age. We conclude that during CNS development the expression of glutamate transporter subtypes is differentially regulated, regionally segregated, and coordinated.
Efficacy of Theory‐Based Activities for Behavioral Symptoms of Dementia

BackgroundAgitation and passivity are behavioral symptoms exhibited by 90% of nursing home residents with dementia. They account for many poor health outcomes, caregiver burden, and increased costs of long-term care. ObjectivesThis study tested the efficacy of recreational activities derived from the Need-driven Dementia-compromised Behavior (NDB) model: activities matched to skill level only; activities matched to style of interest only; and a combination of both (NDB-derived) for responding to the behavioral symptoms of dementia. MethodsThirty participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 possible order-of-condition presentations in this crossover experimental design with repeated measures of dependent variables. Trained research assistants, blind to condition match, implemented each condition for 12 consecutive days. Measures of engagement (time on task and participation), affect, and behavioral symptoms (agitation and passivity) were taken from videotape recordings of each session. Mood was measured with the Dementia Mood Picture Test. The primary analysis method was mixed-model analysis of variance. ResultsSignificantly more time on task, greater participation, more positive affect, and less passivity were found under NDB-derived and matched to interest only treatments compared with the matched to skill level only treatment or baseline. Agitation and negative affect improved under all treatments compared with baseline. There was no significant change in mood. DiscussionThe NDB-derived activities are tailored to meet individual needs and improve behavioral symptoms associated with dementia. These findings help to explain factors that produce behavioral symptoms and the mechanisms that underlie their successful treatment.
Cognitive strategies in sight-singing: The development of an inventory for aural skills pedagogy

This research aimed to identify, describe and categorize cognitive strategies related to sight-singing within aural skills education. Using a constant comparative method, we carried out a thematic content analysis using NVivo to categorize strategies in a broad range of sources, including six interviews, five scientific publications, two professional books, and two ear-training manuals. Findings revealed 72 cognitive strategies grouped into four main categories and 14 subcategories: reading mechanisms (pitch decoding, pattern building, validation), sight-singing (preparation, performance), reading skills acquisition (musical vocabulary enrichment, symbolic associations, internalization, rehearsal techniques) and learning support (self-regulation, attention, time management, motivation, stress). Our cognitive strategy inventory provides a new framework for the study of cognitive strategies in aural skills research, and offers new insights for teachers who implement explicit cognitive strategies within their sight-singing pedagogy.
Potential Polyunsaturated Aldehydes in the Strait of Gibraltar under Two Tidal Regimes

Diatoms, a major component of the large-sized phytoplankton, are able to produce and release polyunsaturated aldehydes after cell disruption (potential PUAs or pPUA). These organisms are dominant in the large phytoplankton fraction (>10 µm) in the Strait of Gibraltar, the only connection between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. In this area, the hydrodynamics exerts a strong control on the composition and physiological state of the phytoplankton. This environment offers a great opportunity to analyze and compare the little known distribution of larger sized PUA producers in nature and, moreover, to study how environmental variables could affect the ranges and potential distribution of these compounds. Our results showed that, at both tidal regimes studied (Spring and Neap tides), diatoms in the Strait of Gibraltar are able to produce three aldehydes: Heptadienal, Octadienal and Decadienal, with a significant dominance of Decadienal production. The PUA released by mechanical cell disruption of large-sized collected cells (pPUA) ranged from 0.01 to 12.3 pmol from cells in 1 L, and from 0.1 to 9.8 fmol cell−1. Tidal regime affected the abundance, distribution and the level of physiological stress of diatoms in the Strait. During Spring tides, diatoms were more abundant, usually grouped nearer the coastal basin and showed less physiological stress than during Neap tides. Our results suggest a significant general increase in the pPUA productivity with increasing physiological stress for the cell also significantly associated to low nitrate availability.
Competência motora associada à atividade física e obesidade em crianças pré-escolares.

XIX LISTA DE ABREVIATURAS . XXI [Capítulo I . ] . 1 INTRODUÇÃO E OBJETIVOS . 3 REVISÂO DA LITERATURA . 7 Competência motora . 7 Coordenação motora . 9 Desordens coordenativas no desenvolvimento motor . 11 Avaliação da coordenação motora em crianças: A bateria – MABC-2 . 12 Coordenação motora, Atividade física e Obesidade . 15 [Capítulo I I . ] . 21 MÉTODOS . 23 Desenho do estudo e amostra . 23 Procedimentos e instrumentos . 24 Avaliação antropométrica . 24 Atividade Física e Comportamento Sedentário . 24 Coordenação Motora . 25 Aptidão Motora . 26 Análise estatística . 26 [Capítulo I I I . ] . 29
Institutional Ownership Activism, Market Performance, and Financial Crisis: Evidence From an Emerging Market

This paper investigates the trading and investment behavior of the institutional investors in the Indian capital market post-financial crisis and their effect on the market performance. The study is based on the panel data sets drawn from the NIFTY 500 companies for eight years from FY 2008 –09 to FY 2015–16, employing panel data econometric models (fixed effect and random effect) analysis. The results suggest that foreign institutional investors (FII) are having the edge over the domestic institutional investors (DII) in the Indian market. FIIs enhance the market performance, whereas DIIs dampen the market performance. Subsequently, we find that equity investment from banks and insurance companies have a detrimental effect, while mutual fund investment has no significant impact on the market performance of the Indian firms. These results imply that FIIs are better-informed players and follow the positive feedback trading behavior. On the other hand, DIIs, banks, and insurance companies are contrary investors and act as negative feedback traders.
Constructing Image-Based Culture Definitions Using Metaphors: Impact of a Cross-Cultural Immersive Experience

ABSTRACT This study provides an approach to teaching and learning in the international business (IB) classroom about cultural values, beliefs, attitudes, and norms through the study of cultural metaphor. The methodology is based on established qualitative methods by using participants’ visual pictures and written explanations—representative of their initial perspectives of another culture—as units of analysis. Prior to and after a cross-cultural immersion experience in China, students are asked to contribute a tangible visual image of their impression of Chinese culture and briefly write about it. Upon their return, students are once again asked to submit another image of culture along with an additional written explanation in order to explicate their further understanding of culture’s role in cross-border interactions. Findings point to the increased capacity to construct redefinitions of culture based upon their experiences. They also reveal a glimpse into the ideas, imaginings, and attitudes of students as they attempt to make sense of unfamiliar world views, practices, and norms in light of the increasing interconnection in our world.
The triple network model of mental disorders: disease-specific characterization of cognitive large-scale brain networks via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

The aim of this thesis was to investigate a potential functional reorganization of cognitive large-scale brain networks in mental disorders via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The default mode-, salience-, and central executive network were reorganized in patients with schizophrenia and major depressive disorder and correlated with severity of symptoms. These results link current large-scale brain network theories with established cognitive models of psychopathology.
The ISL RT04 Mandarin Broadcast News Evaluation System

This paper describes our effort in developing a Mandarin Broadcast News system for the RT-04f (Rich Transcription) evaluation. Starting from a legacy system, we revisited all the issues including partitioning, acoustic modeling, language modeling, decoding and system combination strategies. We have achieved a sizable improvement, from 21.2% to 5.2% on the development set, from 42.7% to 22.4% measured on the RT-04f evaluation set, over a period of three months.
Monetary Policy and Self-Fulfilling Expectations: The Danger of Forecasts

What rule should a central bank interested in inflation stability follow? Because monetary policy tends to work with lags, it is tempting to use inflation forecasts to generate policy advice. This article, however, suggests that the use of forecasts to drive policy is potentially destabilizing. The problem with forecast-based policy is that the economy becomes vulnerable to what economists term â€œsunspotâ€ fluctuations. These welfare-reducing fluctuations can be avoided by using a policy that puts greater weight on past, realized inflation rates rather than forecasted, future rates.
Genetic Interactions between the Members of the SMN-Gemins Complex in Drosophila

The SMN-Gemins complex is composed of Gemins 2–8, Unrip and the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein. Limiting levels of SMN result in the neuromuscular disorder, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), which is presently untreatable. The most-documented function of the SMN-Gemins complex concerns the assembly of spliceosomal small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs). Despite multiple genetic studies, the Gemin proteins have not been identified as prominent modifiers of SMN-associated mutant phenotypes. In the present report, we make use of the Drosophila model organism to investigate whether viability and motor phenotypes associated with a hypomorphic Gemin3 mutant are enhanced by changes in the levels of SMN, Gemin2 and Gemin5 brought about by various genetic manipulations. We show a modifier effect by all three members of the minimalistic fly SMN-Gemins complex within the muscle compartment of the motor unit. Interestingly, muscle-specific overexpression of Gemin2 was by itself sufficient to depress normal motor function and its enhanced upregulation in all tissues leads to a decline in fly viability. The toxicity associated with increased Gemin2 levels is conserved in the yeast S. pombe in which we find that the cytoplasmic retention of Sm proteins, likely reflecting a block in the snRNP assembly pathway, is a contributing factor. We propose that a disruption in the normal stoichiometry of the SMN-Gemins complex depresses its function with consequences that are detrimental to the motor system.
Application of autoregressive spectral analysis to missing data problems

Time series solutions for spectral analysis in missing data problems use reconstruction of the missing data, or a maximum likelihood approach that analyzes only the available measured data. Maximum likelihood estimation yields the most accurate spectra. An approximate maximum likelihood algorithm is presented that uses only previous observations falling in a finite interval to compute the likelihood, instead of all previous observations. The resulting nonlinear estimation algorithm requires no user-provided initial solution, is suited for order selection, and can give very accurate spectra even if less than 10% of the data remains.
Familial confounding of the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and ADHD in offspring.

BACKGROUND Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy (SDP) has consistently been associated with increased risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in offspring, but recent studies indicate that this association might be due to unmeasured familial confounding. METHODS A total of 813,030 individuals born in Sweden between 1992 and 2000 were included in this nationwide population-based cohort study. Data on maternal SDP and ADHD diagnosis were obtained from national registers and patients were followed up from the age of 3 to the end of 2009. Hazard Ratios (HRs) were estimated using stratified Cox regression models. Cousin and sibling data were used to control for unmeasured familial confounding. RESULTS At the population level maternal SDP predicted ADHD in offspring (HR(ModerateSDP) = 1.89; HR(HighSDP)= 2.50). This estimate gradually attenuated toward the null when adjusting for measured confounders (HR(ModerateSDP)= 1.62; HR(HighSDP)= 2.04), unmeasured confounders shared within the extended family (i.e., cousin comparison) (HR(ModerateSDP)= 1.45; HR(HighSDP)= 1.69), and unmeasured confounders within the nuclear family (i.e., sibling comparison) (HR(ModerateSDP)= 0.88; HR(HighSDP)= 0.84). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the association between maternal SDP and offspring ADHD are due to unmeasured familial confounding.
Cross-National Variation of Gender Differences in Environmental Concern: Testing the Sociocultural Hindrance Hypothesis

Although it is widely accepted that women are more pro-environmental than men, findings regarding gender differences in environmental concern have actually been mixed. In this study, we attempt to reconcile these mixed findings by considering the influence of sociocultural contexts. Specifically, we propose that some sociocultural contexts tend to hinder the psychological process that underlies gender differences in environmental concern. We tested this sociocultural hindrance hypothesis with an international survey data set (International Social Survey Programme) that involved respondents from 32 countries. We found that gender differences in environmental concern were smaller in societies with higher levels of gender inequality, economic scarcity, power distance, and collectivism. These results highlight the need to examine both the “why” and “when” questions for gender differences in environmental concern. They also indicate the importance of considering not only individual-level variables but also societal-level factors in the study of environmental concern.
Developing a Vocabulary Size Test for Japanese EFL Learners

'I'he purpose of this study is to analyze LT) to check its validity, to develop a vocabulary size test for and to give a portion of it to a sample of learners to compute the reliabiLity of the newly surveys of VLT, feur problems were pointed out; too high a ratio of djfficulty in understancling the diefinitions of words, of employing counting, and the use of classical vocabulary version ol vocabu]ar}, and given to students Ievels. results of this test showed that and a relatively high reliability coefficicnt, while and
Theoretical and Crosslinguistic Approaches to the Semantics of Aspect

1. Introduction (by Rothstein, Susan D.) 2. Part I. Tense, aspect and Vendler classes 3. 1. Lexicalized meaning and the internal temporal structure of events (by Hovav, Malka Rappaport) 4. 2. Telicity, atomicity and the Vendler classification of verbs (by Rothstein, Susan D.) 5. 3. Aspects of a typology of direction (by Zwarts, Joost) 6. 4. 1066: On the differences between the tense-perspective-aspect systems of English and Dutch (by Landman, Fred) 7. 5. Tenses for the living and the dead: Lifetime inferences reconsidered (by Mittwoch, Anita) 8. Part II. Issues in Slavic aspect 9. 6. Formal and informal semantics of telicity (by Paducheva, Elena) 10. 7. Events and maximalization: The case of telicity and perfectivity (by Filip, Hana) 11. 8. Aspect and bounded quantity complements in Russian (by Mehlig, Hans Robert) 12. 9. Negation, intensionality, and aspect: Interaction with NP semantics (by Partee, Barbara H.) 13. Part III. Aspect in non-Indoeuropean languages 14. 10. Habituality and the habitual aspect (by Boneh, Nora) 15. 11. Aspectual universals of temporal anaphora (by Bittner, Maria) 16. 12. The syntax and semantics of change/transition: Evidence from Mandarin Chinese (by Soh, Hooi Ling) 17. 13. Bare nouns and telicity in Japanese (by Yoshida, Keiko)
Traditional Dietary Pattern Increases Risk of Prostate Cancer in Argentina: Results of a Multilevel Modeling and Bias Analysis from a Case-Control Study

There is increasing evidence that dietary habits play a role in prostate cancer (PC) occurrence. Argentinean cancer risk studies require additional attention because of the singular dietary pattern of this population. A case-control study (147 PC cases, 300 controls) was conducted in Córdoba (Argentina) throughout 2008–2013. A principal component factor analysis was performed to identify dietary patterns. A mixed logistic regression model was applied, taking into account family history of cancer. Possible bias was evaluated by probabilistic bias analysis. Four dietary patterns were identified: Traditional (fatty red meats, offal, processed meat, starchy vegetables, added sugars and sweets, candies, fats, and vegetable oils), Prudent (nonstarchy vegetables, whole grains), Carbohydrate (sodas/juices and bakery products), and Cheese (cheeses). High adherence to the Traditional (OR 2.82, 95%CI: 1.569–5.099) and Carbohydrate Patterns (OR 2.14, 95%CI: 1.470–3.128) showed a promoting effect for PC, whereas the Prudent and Cheese Patterns were independent factors. PC occurrence was also associated with family history of PC. Bias adjusted ORs indicate that the validity of the present study is acceptable. High adherence to characteristic Argentinean dietary patterns was associated with increased PC risk. Our results incorporate original contributions to knowledge about scenarios in South American dietary patterns and PC occurrence.
IMPROVING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE THROUGH WORK MOTIVATION AND SELF-EFFICACY MEDIATED BY JOB SATISFACTION

The research aims to find out whether there is any significant correlation between work motivation and self–efficacy and employee performance, mediated by job satisfaction in Regional Licensing and Investment Agency of East Kalimantan Province. The research method used in this research is a quantitative method. The data was collected using questionnaires and the sampling technique used in this research is saturated-sampling. Population and sample in this research is all employees working in Regional Licensing and Investment Agency of East Kalimantan Province with a total of 77 respondents. Data analysis method used in this research is Partial Least Square (PLS) method, using 3.0 SmartPLS program. The result of the research shows that motivation influences job satisfaction, self– efficacy influences job satisfaction, job satisfaction influences employee performance, self– efficacy influences employee performance, motivation influences employee performance mediated by job satisfaction, and self–efficacy influences employee performance mediated by job satisfaction.