Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of restless legs syndrome and associated risk factors among middle-aged Saudi population

Background and Aim: The prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in the general population ranges from 5 to 15%; however, locally, such data are scarce. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of RLS in the middle-aged Saudi population. Methods : This was a cross-sectional study that was conducted from February 2013 to June 2013 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The target study population was Saudi school employees. Saudi employees aged 30-60 years were randomly selected and interviewed individually. Trained interviewers completed the Wisconsin Sleep Questionnaire, questions about demographics, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale to measure daytime sleepiness, and questions regarding symptoms of RLS based on the criteria defined by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG). Results: This survey revealed that 8.4% (95% confidence interval (CI): (7.35-9.45)) of the 2,682 participants (62.5% of them were males) had RLS. There was no age effect on the prevalence of RLS. RLS was found to be significantly associated with other sleep disorders, including excessive daytime sleepiness and habitual snoring. A univariate analysis revealed significant correlation of many factors with the RLS, including gender, consanguinity, snoring, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and smoking. However, when a multivariate logistic regression analysis performed, RLS continued to be associated with male gender, diabetes, asthma, and habitual snoring only. Conclusion: The prevalence of RLS is 8.4%, which is within the range reported by Western studies. However, unlike findings of most studies, RLS significantly affects males more than females. In addition, snoring, asthma, and consanguinity are potential new risk factors for RLS.
Heparan Sulfate Modulates Kinin Release by Trypanosoma cruzi through the Activity of Cruzipain*

Trypanosoma cruzi activates the kinin pathway through the activity of its major cysteine proteinase, cruzipain. Because kininogen molecules may be displayed on cell surfaces by binding to glycosaminoglycans, we examined whether the ability of cruzipain to release kinins from high molecular weight kininogen (HK) is modulated by heparan sulfate (HS). Kinetic assays show that HS reduces the cysteine proteinase inhibitory activity (K i app) of HK about 10-fold. Conversely, the catalytic efficiency of cruzipain on kinin-related synthetic fluorogenic substrates is enhanced up to 6-fold in the presence of HS. Analysis of the HK breakdown products generated by cruzipain indicated that HS changes the pattern of HK cleavage products. Direct measurements of bradykinin demonstrated an up to 35-fold increase in cruzipain-mediated kinin liberation in the presence of HS. Similarly, kinin release by living trypomastigotes increased up to 10-fold in the presence of HS. These studies suggest that the efficiency of T. cruzi to initiate kinin release is potently enhanced by the mutual interactions between cruzipain, HK, and heparan sulfate proteoglycans.
The Researcher Gave the Subject a Test about Himself: Problems of Ambiguity and Preference in the Investigation of Reflexive Binding

There are methodological difficulties in investigating second language (L2) learners' knowledge of reflexive binding, particularly in the case of potentially ambiguous sentences where the learner or native speaker may have a preference for one interpretation over the other. In this paper, we compare two truth-value judgment tasks, one involving stories and the other pictures. In both tasks, we provided contexts for different interpretations of potentially ambiguous sentences. We tested a variety of sentence types, including monoclausal sentences with subject or object antecedents (ambiguous in English) and biclausal sentences with local or long-distance antecedents (ambiguous in Japanese). Participants were intermediate-level Japanese-speaking and French-speaking learners of English as a second language (ESL), as well as native speaker controls. The story task yielded a significantly higher proportion of correct acceptances of object antecedents for reflexives, both in the case of ESL learners and native speakers. These results suggest that certain tasks can lead to an underestimation of learners' L2 competence and that one must be cautious in making assumptions about the nature of the interlanguage grammar on the basis of single tasks.
Prevalence of asthma in the Federal District of Brasília, Brazil.

I congratulate the authors on their article “Prevalence of bronchial asthma and related symptoms in schoolchildren in the Federal District of Brazil: correlations with socioeconomic levels” which enriches the knowledge of the epidemiology of asthma in Brazil. (1) I would like to make a few comments regarding the article. First, despite the fact that the sampling was probabilistic and the sample was apparently representative, the substitution of incomplete questionnaires with those from other students from the same schools could have created a selection bias, creating a sample consisting of participants that were more interested in filling out the questionnaires, whether because they were more well educated or because they were asthmatic. Second, the interaction between asthma and socioeconomic condition, as seen for other risk factors, appears in a multicausal form, and the association found in this study was not corrected for confounding factors. Third, the authors apparently made a mistake when citing our study of asthma prevalence in Recife, stating that we had found an association between greater asthma prevalence and lower level of maternal education. What we found was in fact the opposite, that greater asthma prevalence was associated with a higher level of maternal education. (2) This is in agreement with the observations made by Chew et al.(3) in Singapore using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood protocol. Wandalsen,(4) studying school children in the south-central region of the city of São Paulo, found no association between asthma symptoms and maternal schooling, a finding echoed by Moraes et al.(5) in a case control study conducted in Cuiabá. According to the hygiene theory, children exposed to unhygienic conditions at an early age
Effects of Reduced Juice Allowances in Food Packages for the Women, Infants, and Children Program

OBJECTIVES: In 2009, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) implemented revisions to the composition and quantities of WIC food packages. Juice allowances were reduced by approximately half. This report describes changes in purchases of 100% juice and other beverages among WIC participants after the WIC revisions. METHODS: Scanner data from a New England supermarket chain were used to assess juice and other beverage purchases among 2137 WIC-participating households during a 2-year period (N = 36 051 household-months). Purchased beverage amounts were compared before (January–September 2009) and after (January–September 2010) implementation of the revised WIC packages. Generalized estimating equation models were used. RESULTS: Before the revisions, WIC juice accounted for two-thirds of purchased juice volume among WIC households. After implementation of the revisions, WIC juice purchases were reduced on par with allowance changes (43.5% of juice volume, 95% confidence interval [CI] 41.9%–45.1%). This reduction was only partly compensated for by an increase of 13.6% (8.4%–19.0%) in juice purchases using personal and other non-WIC funds. In total, juice purchases declined by 23.5% (21.4%–25.4%) from an adjusted monthly total of 238 oz to 182 oz per household. WIC households increased purchases of fruit drinks by 20.9% (14.9%–27.3%) and other noncarbonated beverages by 21.3% (12.1%–31.2%) but purchased 12.1% (8.1%–15.0%) less soft drinks. CONCLUSIONS: After the WIC revisions, total purchases of 100% juice among WIC households declined by about a quarter, with little compensation occurring from non-WIC funds for juice and other beverages. The public health impact of the shift in beverage purchase patterns could be significant.
Epidemiological assessment of levodopa use in Spain, 1990–1995. Persistent, low consumption in the south

Parkinson's disease (PD) is considerably underdiagnosed in Spain and its treatment relies mainly on levodopa (LD), a drug enjoying good access country‐wide. In order to identify regions with the highest potential for improvement in the quality of life of PD patients, we evaluated total sales of levodopa in Spanish provinces during the period 1990–1995, using a reported method. Total annual crude sales in the country were medium–low and increased with time. When adjusted for age and infant mortality rates (IMRs), taken as an index of socio‐sanitary development, annual LD sales become stable and similar to those in the reference population, Sweden 1994. Provincial LD use (LDU) showed a wide variation in annual levels and time trends, with a north–south gradient in evidence. Statistically significant clustering was seen, with the lowest crude age‐adjusted and age‐ and IMR‐adjusted LD sales in the south‐west and moderately high levels in north‐central and north‐west provinces. The results show that LDU in Spain is medium–low, and that demographic and social factors may underlie geographical differences in LD sales. The remarkably low LDU in selected provinces in the south‐west of the country might reflect deficient PD detection and/or treatment amenable to control. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Increasing distributed generation penetration using soft normally-open points

This paper considers the effects of various voltage control solutions on facilitating an increase in allowable levels of distributed generation installation before voltage violations occur. In particular, the voltage control solution that is focused on is the implementation of ‘soft’ normally-open points (SNOPs), a term which refers to power electronic devices installed in place of a normally-open point in a medium-voltage distribution network which allows for control of real and reactive power flows between each end point of its installation sites. While other benefits of SNOP installation are discussed, the intent of this paper is to determine whether SNOPs are a viable alternative to other voltage control strategies for this particular application. As such, the SNOPs ability to affect the voltage profile along feeders within a distribution system is focused on with other voltage control options used for comparative purposes. Results from studies on multiple network models with varying topologies are presented and a case study which considers economic benefits of increasing feasible DG penetration is also given.
Meal Patterns and Frequencies: Do They Affect Body Weight in Children and Adolescents?

Some previous studies reported a higher meal frequency associated with a lower body weight both in obese and in normal weight adults. We review recent studies addressing the relation between meal frequency and obesity risk in children and adolescents. In a Medline search, we identified 5 observational studies published between 2004 and 2009 that reviewed data on a total of 13,998 children and adolescents from the United States, Germany, and Portugal. Three of the five studies found a significant reduction of obesity risk with increasing number of meals, which persisted after adjustment for confounders, while the two other studies found a non-significant trend in the same direction. Given the consistent association of skipping meals with an increased obesity risk in children, it appears prudent to promote a regular meal pattern with 5 meals per day with adequate composition to children and their families. Prospective controlled trials to assess the protective potential of promoting regular and frequent meals in children and their families are highly desirable to strengthen the evidence base for such preventive approaches, which should explore the feasibility and effects of interventions.
A multidimensional scale for assessing positive and negative social influences on physical activity in older adults.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to develop a multidimensional scale for assessing social influences specific to the physical activity contexts of older adults. The proposed scale was designed to jointly assess types of both positive and negative social influences, and the sources of these influences. METHODS A series of confirmatory factor analyses was conducted to test a hypothesized multidimensional model using 479 survey responses from community-dwelling adults aged 55 and older. RESULTS Three separate analyses of family, friend, and health professional data sets demonstrated that the positive and negative social influences were independent domains, and each dimension was further divided into three subdimensions. The factor subscales revealed adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability. A series of regression analyses indicated that the positive influence subscales were all positively associated with a series of physical activity variables, and that the negative influence subscales were all negatively associated with these variables. Moreover, the magnitude of the positive and negative associations changed according to the sources of the influences. DISCUSSION These findings supported the importance of a joint assessment that takes into account the subdimensions of both positive and negative influences, as well as the sources of these influences, in order to understand the full range of ways in which social relationships can affect the physical activity of older adults.
Standard 4: Determining Adequate Sample Sizes

* Abbreviations: CINV — : chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting RCT — : randomized controlled trial RSV — : respiratory syncytial virus There are many challenges to be faced when conducting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in pediatric research. One important challenge is the determination of an appropriate sample size. Recruiting more children than necessary risks unnecessary overexposure of children to an inferior treatment, whereas underestimating the sample required will lead to inconclusive or unreliable results. Both options pose important ethical dilemmas for the pediatric researcher. Reviews have concluded that sample size calculations are frequently based on inaccurate assumptions regarding the key pieces of information needed.1,2 For example, a recent “failed” pediatric RCT highlighted the commonly encountered problem of underestimating the SD of a continuous primary outcome variable.3 This leads to underestimation of the necessary sample size, inadequate statistical power, and, consequently, an unanswered study question. Similarly, an incorrect estimation of the frequency with which a dichotomous outcome, or event, occurs in the control group of a trial (known as the control or baseline event rate) will also lead to incorrect sample size estimation. This standards article uses a series of scenarios to assist pediatric researchers in not only determining an adequate trial sample size but also how to proceed when this sample size may be difficult to achieve. Recommendations for practice are summarized in Table 1. View this table: TABLE 1 Recommendations for Practice Methods to calculate adequate sample sizes are described for superiority, noninferiority, and cluster-randomized trials with various types of primary outcome variables, including continuous, dichotomous, or time-to-event data.4–10 In this article, we focus primarily on superiority trial designs with continuous or dichotomous outcomes. Information on noninferiority or equivalence designs, as well as on cluster-randomized designs, can be found in the literature.9,10 RCTs generally have many outcomes of interest, but the number of patients required (and the main statistical analysis) should be based on … Address correspondence to Martin Offringa, MD, PhD, Senior Scientist and Program Head, Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8. E-mail: martin.offringa{at}sickkids.ca
On understanding the energy consumption of ARM-based multicore servers

There is growing interest to replace traditional servers with low-power multicore systems such as ARM Cortex-A9. However, such systems are typically provisioned for mobile applications that have lower memory and I/O requirements than server application. Thus, the impact and extent of the imbalance between application and system resources in exploiting energy efficient execution of server workloads is unclear. This paper proposes a trace-driven analytical model for understanding the energy performance of server workloads on ARM Cortex-A9 multicore systems. Key to our approach is the modeling of the degrees of CPU core, memory and I/O resource overlap, and in estimating the number of cores and clock frequency that optimizes energy performance without compromising execution time. Since energy usage is the product of utilized power and execution time, the model first estimates the execution time of a program. CPU time, which accounts for both cores and memory response time, is modeled as an M/G/1 queuing system. Workload characterization of high performance computing, web hosting and financial computing applications shows that bursty memory traffic fits a Pareto distribution, and non-bursty memory traffic is exponentially distributed. Our analysis using these server workloads reveals that not all server workloads might benefit from higher number of cores or clock frequencies. Applying our model, we predict the configurations that increase energy efficiency by 10% without turning off cores, and up to one third with shutting down unutilized cores. For memory-bounded programs, we show that the limited memory bandwidth might increase both execution time and energy usage, to the point where energy cost might be higher than on a typical x64 multicore system. Lastly, we show that increasing memory and I/O bandwidth can improve both the execution time and the energy usage of server workloads on ARM Cortex-A9 systems.
On the desecration of Nehru's "temples": Bhilai and Rourkela compared

The major steel towns built in the wake of the Second Five-Year Plan were to be “temples” to India’s industrial future and secular “modernity”; but soon they were desecrated by ethnic and communal violence. Focusing on two of them, this article shows that the extent of the violence was markedly different, and asks “why? ”. Attention is drawn to the kind of ethnic mix in their workforces, to their different experiences of “modernity”, shop floor cultures and histories of displacement, and to the different agendas of state governments and the way they shaped civil society institutions.
Asymptotic theory of greedy approximations to minimal k-point random graphs

Let /spl chi//sub n/=(x/sub 1/,.,x/sub n/), be an independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) sample having multivariate distribution P. We derive almost sure (a.s.) limits for the power-weighted edge weight function of greedy approximations to a class of minimal graphs spanning k of the n samples. The class includes minimal k-point graphs constructed by the partitioning method of Ravi, Sundaram, Marathe, Rosenkrantz, and Ravi (see Proc. 5th Annu. ACM-SIAM Symp. Discrete Algorithms, Arlington, VA, p.546-55, 1994), where the edge weight function satisfies the quasi-additive property of Redmond and Yukich (see Ann. Appl. Probab., vol.4, no.4, p.1057-73, 1994). In particular, this includes greedy approximations to the k-point minimal spanning tree (k-MST), Steiner tree (k-ST), and the traveling salesman problem (k-TSP). An expression for the influence function of the minimal-weight function is given which characterizes the asymptotic sensitivity of the graph weight to perturbations in the underlying distribution. The influence function takes a form which indicates that the k-point minimal graph in d>1 dimensions has robustness properties in R/sup d/ which are analogous to those of rank-order statistics in one dimension. A direct result of our theory is that the log-weight of the k-point minimal graph is a consistent nonparametric estimate of the Renyi entropy of the distribution P. Possible applications of this work include: analysis of random communication network topologies, estimation of the mixing coefficient in /spl epsiv/-contaminated mixture models, outlier discrimination and rejection, clustering, and pattern recognition, robust nonparametric regression, two-sample matching, and image registration.
Computer Equivalency of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised in a Nonincarcerated Population

This study is designed to test the equivalency of the paper format of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPIR) with a computerized (online) version. It is hypothesized that the psychometric properties of the PPI-R would continue to hold when the administration format was changed from paper to computer. A total of 124 respondents participate in the study. Participant scores on all 15 of the PPI-R scales are found to be similar, as are all internal scale consistencies. Test-retest reliabilities for scores on the PPI-R Overall Total, Factors, and Content scales range from r = . 76 (Coldheartedness) to r = . 93 (PPI-R Total). The computerized format also allows for both more efficient scoring (i.e., no hand coding) and more complete responding (i.e., less missing data).
Effect of Speaking Rate Manipulations on Acoustic and Perceptual Aspects of the Dysarthria in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

The current study explored the acoustic and perceptual effects of speaking rate adjustments in persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and in neurologically normal individuals. Sentence utterances were obtained from the participants at two self-selected speaking rates: habitual and fast. Total utterance durations, segment durations, and vowel formant frequencies comprised the acoustic measures, whereas magnitude estimates of speech intelligibility and severity of speech involvement were the perceptual measures. Results showed that participants in both the neurologically normal and ALS groups were able to increase their speaking rate when asked to do so, but that the participants with ALS were significantly slower than the neurologically normal participants at both rates. Both groups of participants also showed compression of the acoustic vowel space with increased speaking rate, with the vowel spaces of participants with ALS generally being more compressed than the vowel spaces of neurologically normal participants, at either rate. Most importantly, the perceptual measures failed to show any effect of the speaking rate adjustment on scaled intelligibility or severity, for either group. These findings are discussed relative to the general issue of slow habitual speaking rates among many speakers with dysarthria, and possible explanations for the slowness. The lack of an effect of increased rate on the perception of the speech deficit among speakers with ALS argues against the idea that the habitually slow rates are a form of compensation to reduce the complexity of speech production.