Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dietary patterns and semen quality in young men.

STUDY QUESTION Are different dietary patterns associated with semen parameters in young men? STUDY ANSWER The consumption of a Prudent dietary pattern was significantly associated with higher progressive sperm motility and unrelated to sperm concentration and morphology. The consumption of a Western dietary pattern was unrelated to conventional semen quality parameters. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Over the past decades there has been evidence of a concomitant decline in sperm and diet quality. Yet whether diet composition influences semen quality remains largely unexplored. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION The Rochester Young Men's Study (n= 188) was a cross-sectional study conducted between 2009 and 2010 at the University of Rochester. PARTICIPANTS, SETTING, METHODS Men aged 18-22 years were included in this analysis. Diet was assessed via food frequency questionnaire and dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis. Linear regression was used to analyze the relation between diet patterns and conventional semen quality parameters (sperm concentration, progressive motility and morphology) adjusting for abstinence time, multivitamin use, race, smoking status, BMI, recruitment period, moderate-to-intense exercise and total calorie intake. RESULTS Two dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis. The 'Western' pattern was characterized by high intake of red and processed meat, refined grains, pizza, snacks, high-energy drinks and sweets. The 'Prudent' pattern was characterized by high intake of fish, chicken, fruit, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. The Prudent pattern was positively associated with percent progressively motile sperm in multivariate models (P-trend = 0.04). Men in the highest quartile of the Prudent diet had 11.3% (95% CI 1.3, 21.3) higher % progressively motile sperm compared with men in the lowest quartile. The Prudent pattern was unrelated to sperm concentration and morphology. The Western pattern was not associated with any semen parameter. LIMITATIONS This was a cross-sectional and observational study, which limited our ability to determine causality of diet on semen quality parameters. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Our findings support the suggestion that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, chicken, fish and whole grains may be an inexpensive and safe way to improve at least one measure of semen quality. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS The authors are supported by NIH grant T32DK007703-16 and P30DK46200 and European Union DEER Grant 212844. The authors have no competing interests to declare.
Problem Solving Strategies of Selected Pre-Service Secondary School Mathematics Teachers in Malaysia.

Problem solving strategies of eight pre‐service secondary school mathematics teachers (PSSMTs) were examined in this study. A case study research design was employed and clinical interview technique was used to collect the data. Materials collected for analysis consisted of audiotapes and videotapes of clinical interviews, subjects’ notes and drawings, and researchers’ notes during the interview. Strategies used by PSSMTs to solve a problem called “the fencing problem” were identified. Findings of the study suggest that the subjects used combinations of different strategies to solve problems. The implications of the finding were also discussed.
Detection of luciferase gene sequence in nonluminescent Vibrio cholerae by colony hybridization and polymerase chain reaction

Bioluminescence is a trait observed among approximately 10% of Vibrio cholerae isolates. We have demonstrated that not only do some strains of V. cholerae produce low levels of light, undetectable by the human eye, but the luciferase gene sequence is present in strains of V. cholerae which emit no detectable light, evidenced by hybridization with a luciferase DNA probe. Comparisons of the amino acid sequences of luciferase enzymes of marine species have shown that these proteins have diverged to the point where they have only short regions of amino acid identity. The polymerase chain reaction method of DNA amplification with oligonucleotide primers based on these regions was used to isolate a region of the luxA gene from both luminescent and nonluminescent V. cholerae strains. The nucleotide sequence of this region was determined and reveals that nonluminescent V. cholerae have 99.7% nucleotide sequence similarity in this region with the luminescent biovar V. cholerae bv. albensis as well as significant similarity to other species of bioluminescent bacteria, a finding that is in accord with the hypothesis that these species have a common luminescent ancestor, most probably from the marine environment.
Obstetric perineal injury: risk factors and prevalence in a resource-constrained setting

The prevalence of obstetric perineal injuries and risk factors vary between affluent and resource-constrained settings. This prospective observational study reports on the factors associated with perineal lacerations in a cohort of Black African and Indian women delivering at two regional hospitals in South Africa. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to test for associations between independent variables and the dependent variable on multivariate analysis. All variables significant on bivariate analysis (P < 0.05) were included in the multivariate model. There were 202 (16.2%) perineal tears. Variables significant with having a perineal tear on bivariate and multivariate analysis included: Black African race (OR: 2.4; 95% CI: 1.2–4.6); duration of labour ≥6.3h (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.1–2.1); and epidural analgesia (OR: 2.9; 95% CI: 1.9–4.7). Having an episiotomy was protective against perineal tears (OR: 0.06; 95% CI: 0.03–0.1). Obstetric perineal injury commonly occurs in our resourced-constrained setting and the risk factors are similar to those in well-resourced settings. Identification of those at risk may reduce obstetric perineal injury.
Send Orders of Reprints at Reprints@benthamscience.net Technological Overview of Ips Induction from Human Adult Somatic Cells

The unlimited proliferation capacity of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) combined with their pluripotent differentiation potential in various lineages raised great interest in both the scientific community and the public at large with hope for future prospects of regenerative medicine. However, since ESCs are derived from human embryos, their use is associated with significant ethical issues preventing broad studies and therapeutic applications. To get around this bottleneck, Takahashi and Yamanaka have recently achieved the conversion of adult somatic cells into ES-like cells via the forced expression of four transcription factors: Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc. This first demonstration attracted public attention and opened a new field of stem cells research with both cognitive – such as disease modeling-and therapeutic prospects. This pioneer work just received the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Many methods have been reported since 2006, for the generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. Most strategies currently under use are based on gene delivery via gamma-retroviral or lentiviral vectors; some experiments have also been successful using plasmids or transpos-ons-based systems and few with adenovirus. However, most experiments involve integration in the host cell genome with an identified risk for insertional mutagenesis and oncogenic transformation. To circumvent such risks which are deemed incompatible with therapeutic prospects, significant progress has been made with transgene-free reprogramming methods based on e.g.: sendaï virus or direct mRNA or protein delivery to achieve conversion of adult cells into iPS. In this review we aim to cover current knowledge relating to both delivery systems and combinations of inducing factors including chemicals which are used to generate human iPS cells. Finally, genetic instability resulting from the reprogramming process is also being considered as a safety bottleneck for future clinical translation and stem cell-therapy prospects based on iPS. INTRODUCTORY OUTLINE In 2006, Takahashi and Yamanaka achieved the conversion of mouse fibroblasts into ES-like cells, almost indistinguishable from mouse ES cells, via the viral transduction of four transcription factors (Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc). They demonstrated shared characteristics with embryonic stem cells including the ability to form chimeric mice and contribute to the germ line. These studies opened a new field of stem cell research: Shinya Yamanaka obtained the 2012 Medicine Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine, for pioneering this new field. Since these first demonstrations, many teams have succeeded in deriving iPS cells from human somatic cells. Significant progress has been made and many methods …
The measurement properties and factor structure of the Test of Visual-Perceptual Skills-Revised: implications for occupational therapy assessment and practice.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to examine the measurement properties of the Test of Visual-Perceptual Skills-Revised (TVPS-R). METHODS A group of 356 typically developing children 5-11 years of age completed the TVPS-R along with three criterion measures. RESULTS Several of the TVPS-R items had item-total subscale correlation coefficients were lower than the 0.20 correlation criteria. Cronbach's alpha coefficients varied between 0.74 and 0.84 for the seven subscales. The perceptual quotient (PQ) reliability coefficient for the age levels ranged between 0.79 and 0.91. The PQ total group reliability coefficient was 0.96. Results from the principal component analysis indicated that the majority of the TVPS-R items loaded on a dominant first factor. Confirmatory factor analytic models were assessed using four different goodness-of-fit indices. Two of the fit indices supported the unidimensional assumption (RMR and CFI ), while two of the fit indices did not support the TVPS-R one-factor model (chi-square and RMSEA). A unitary motor-free visual-perceptual factor was not found. CONCLUSION The TVPS-R PQ should not be used as an overall performance summary score. Of the seven TVPS-R subscales, five can be used with confidence (visual discrimination, visual-spatial relationships, visual-sequential memory, visual figure ground, and visual-closure) whereas the visual memory and visual form constancy [corrected] subscales are not recommended.
Occupational Exposure to Trichloramine and Trihalomethanes in Swedish Indoor Swimming Pools: Evaluation of Personal and Stationary Monitoring

Introduction: Chlorination is a method commonly used to keep indoor swimming pool water free from pathogens. However, chlorination of swimming pools produces several potentially hazardous by-products as the chlorine reacts with nitrogen containing organic matter. Up till now, exposure assessments in indoor swimming pools have relied on stationary measurements at the poolside, used as a proxy for personal exposure. However, measurements at fixed locations are known to differ from personal exposure. Methods: Eight public swimming pool facilities in four Swedish cities were included in this survey. Personal and stationary sampling was performed during day or evening shift. Samplers were placed at different fixed positions around the pool facilities, at ~1.5 m above the floor level and 0–1 m from the poolside. In total, 52 personal and 110 stationary samples of trichloramine and 51 personal and 109 stationary samples of trihalomethanes, were collected. Results: The average concentration of trichloramine for personal sampling was 71 µg m−3, ranging from 1 to 240 µg m−3 and for stationary samples 179 µg m−3, ranging from 1 to 640 µg m−3. The air concentrations of chloroform were well below the occupational exposure limit (OEL). For the linear regression analysis and prediction of personal exposure to trichloramine from stationary sampling, only data from personal that spent >50% of their workday in the pool area were included. The linear regression analysis showed a correlation coefficient (r 2) of 0.693 and a significant regression coefficient β of 0.621; (95% CI = 0.329–0.912, P = 0.001). Conclusion: The trichloramine exposure levels determined in this study were well below the recommended air concentration level of 500 µg m−3; a WHO reference value based on stationary sampling. Our regression data suggest a relation between personal exposure and area sampling of 1:2, implying an OEL of 250 µg m−3 based on personal sampling.
Allelic Variation of BnaC.TT2.a and Its Association with Seed Coat Color and Fatty Acids in Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)

Efficient molecular markers for the selection of rapeseed genetic materials with high seed oil content and ideal fatty acid (FA) composition are preferred by rapeseed breeders. Recently, we reported the molecular mechanism of TRANSPARENT TESTA 2 (TT2) in inhibiting seed FA biosynthesis in Arabidopsis. However, evidence showing the association of rapeseed TT2 homologs and seed FA production are still insufficient. In this study, we collected 83 rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) landraces from different geographical backgrounds to conduct association mapping of BnaC.TT2. a in relation to seed coat color and FA biosynthesis. Population background was corrected by 84 pairs of SSR markers that were uniformly distributed among the linkage groups of the Tapidor-Ningyou-7 DH population. A single copy of BnaC.TT2. a for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assay was cloned by a pair of previously reported specific primers. From the analysis of BnaC.TT2. a allelic variations using GLM+Q model, four SNPs on intron 1 of BnaC.TT2. a that were associated with seed FA were discovered. Moreover, an InDel at position 738 on exon 3 of BnaC.TT2. a indicated a change of protein function that was significantly associated with seed coat color, linoleic acid (C18:2), and total FA content. These findings revealed the role of BnaC.TT2. a in regulating the seed color formation and seed FA biosynthesis in rapeseed, thereby suggesting effective molecular markers for rapeseed breeding.
PERCEIVED CHILDHOOD ATTACHMENT PATTERNS AND PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS IN CELL PHONE DEPENDENCY

his study examined the relation of perceived childhood attachment and personality characteristics with cell phone dependency in high school students. Three hundred and thirty students (205 girls, 125 boys) were selected by multistage cluster sampling method from third and fourth junior high schools of Birjand city and answered Childhood Attachment to Each Parent Scale (Hazan & Shaver, 1986), Cell Phone Dependency Questionnaire (Jafarzade, 2010) and NEO-Personality Characteristics Inventory-Short form (Costa & McCrae, 1992). Path analysis method was used for data analysis. Findings Showed significant relationship between secure attachment styles to parents and personality characteristics (except extroversion and openness) with cell phone dependency in high school students. Furthermore, one's maternal insecure attachment style and neuroticism were predictive of students' vulnerability to cell phone dependency
Polypropylene-based wood-plastic composites: Effect of using a coupling agent derived from a renewable resource

In this work, post-consumer polypropylene and wood flour from Pinus elliottii were used to produce wood plastic composites. The effect of polypropylene grafted with itaconic acid used as a coupling agent on mechanical properties, thermal stability and morphology of the composites was investigated and compared with the composite developed with polypropylene grafted with maleic anhydride, commonly used as coupling agent in wood plastic composites. Composites with 30 wt% of wood flour and 2 wt% of coupling agent were produced in a co-rotating twin-screw extruder and after were injection molded. The mechanical properties showed that flexural strength improved on 29% and 35% with addition of polypropylene grafted with itaconic acid and polypropylene grafted with maleic anhydride respectively, when compared with the wood plastic composites without coupling agent. On the other hand, the incorporation of polypropylene grafted with itaconic acid does not change the impact strength values significantly. Additionally, the temperature corresponding to 3 wt% of weight loss determined by thermogravimetry for composites with polypropylene grafted with itaconic acid increased by 14°C when compared with wood plastic composites without coupling agent, while addition of polypropylene grafted with maleic anhydride increased approximately 6°C the composite thermal stability. A morphological study revealed the positive effect of the polypropylene grafted with itaconic acid on the interfacial bonding of recycled polypropylene and wood flour.
A PRELIMINARY LOOK AT THE STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES OF HIGHER EDUCATION CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES IN TRADITIONAL AND ALN COURSES

This preliminary study again provides evidence that it is the method and not the media that matters the most in learning effectiveness. The present work examines classroom community in order to determine how sense of community differs between students enrolled in traditional face-to-face and those enrolled in asynchronous learning network (ALN) courses. Subjects consist of 326 adult learners who were enrolled in a mix of 14 undergraduate and graduate courses at two urban universities. As operationalized by the Sense of Classroom Community Index (SCCI), there appears no significant difference in classroom community between the two groups of subjects. However, a discriminant analysis shows a significant overall difference in community structure between the two groups. Variations between groups on feelings of similarity of needs, recognition, importance of learning, connectedness, friendship, thinking critically, safety, acceptance, group identity, and absence of confusion are the characteristics contributing mostly to this difference in learning effectiveness.
“Covering our backs”: ambulance crews’ attitudes towards clinical documentation when emergency (999) patients are not conveyed to hospital

Background: Up to 30% of people who call for an emergency ambulance are, for various reasons, not conveyed to hospital. Across the UK, the majority of ambulance services have policies and procedures requiring ambulance crews to complete clinical documentation for these patients, as they do for patients who travel to hospital. However, studies have suggested that documentation does not get completed for a large proportion of non-conveyed patients. Methods: A qualitative study in one large ambulance service trust used focus groups to explore crew members’ attitudes towards clinical documentation and non-conveyed patients. Results: Considerable ambiguity was found: crews were aware of the need to “cover their backs” by completing clinical records, but at the same time expressed doubts about the value of this documentation. There appeared to be two main circumstances in which records were not completed. Firstly, there were the cases where crews may have been unable to obtain necessary information from patients who were intoxicated or otherwise uncooperative. Secondly, there were cases where the crews may not have recognised their encounter with a patient as having a clinical dimension, such as older people who had fallen but were apparently uninjured. These circumstances were combined with a lack of monitoring by managers of whether forms were being completed, and a disinclination on the part of some crew members to do what they regarded as unnecessary work. Conclusion: The low rates of completion of clinical records for non-conveyed patients appeared to result from crew members not believing they were important in every circumstance, combined with a lack of management focus. Low rates of completion may lead in turn to clinical risk and a risk of litigation if things go wrong.
Contrast and Assimilation in Aesthetic Judgments of Visual Artworks

Contrast effects occur when an individual judges a target stimulus as being further removed from its position on some dimension than it actually is, due to exposure to a context stimulus presenting an opposite value on this dimension. In assimilation effects, on the contrary, the reverse occurs such that judgment about the target is brought nearer to the context stimulus. The objective of this article is to verify whether assimilation and contrast can be observed in aesthetic evaluation of visual artworks. The results demonstrated that when the context stimulus was formally similar to one of two artworks used in the comparison (the target) but aesthetically slightly inferior to it, an assimilation effect was observed. In contrast, when the context stimulus was formally similar to the target but definitely of inferior aesthetic quality, a contrast effect was observed. These results demonstrate the impact of contextual factors on aesthetic judgment.
Design and Analysis of Heterogeneous Physical Layer Network Coding

In this paper, physical layer network coding with heterogeneous modulations (HePNC) is proposed for the asymmetric two-way relay channel (TWRC) scenario. The existing PNC solutions using the same modulation for signals transmitted from two source nodes may not be desirable for practical situations when traffic loads exchanged between the sources are unequal and channel conditions of source-relay links are heterogeneous. HePNC includes two stages: multiple access (MA) and broadcast (BC) stages. In the MA stage, the two source nodes transmit to the relay simultaneously with heterogeneous modulations selected according to the channel conditions and the ratio of traffic loads exchanged between the sources, and then the signals superimposed at the relay are mapped to a network-coded symbol by a mapping function adaptively; in the BC stage, the relay broadcasts the network-coded symbol back to both sources with a modulation selected according to the bottleneck link's channel condition. We present three HePNC designs, including QPSK-BPSK, 8PSK-BPSK and 16QAM-BPSK HePNC. How to design and optimize the mapping function is investigated and the error performance of QPSK-BPSK HePNC is analyzed. We further study the HePNC system performance, throughput upper bound and energy efficiency. Extensive simulations demonstrated that the proposed HePNC can substantially enhance the throughput and energy efficiency compared with the existing PNC.
Changes in attitudes towards restrictive alcohol policy measures: the mediating role of changes in beliefs

Aim: From 2005 to 2009, increased support for restrictive alcohol policy measures was observed in the Norwegian population. This article addresses whether this increase was mediated by changes in belief about the effectiveness of restrictive measures and belief about the harm caused by drinking. Method: The data were derived from five surveys conducted during the period 2005–2009 (N = 7244). In each survey, we used identical measures of attitudes towards regulation of price and availability, belief in the effectiveness of such measures and belief in the association between overall consumption and harm. Results: During the period, there was an increase in support for restrictive policy measures; in belief in the effectiveness of these measures and in belief in the harm caused by drinking. Increased support for restrictive measures was partly mediated by changes in beliefs in terms of statistically significant indirect effects from both belief in the effectiveness of such measures and belief in the harm caused by drinking. Half of the increased support for restrictive measures could be attributed to changes in beliefs. Conclusion: Strengthening people’s belief in the effectiveness of restrictive measures and in the harm caused by drinking may increase public support for restrictive alcohol policy measures.