Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Keepin' It R.E.A.L.!: Results of a Mother-Adolescent HIV Prevention Program

Background: The concern that adolescents may be placing themselves at risk for contracting HIV has led to widespread public and parental support for HIV prevention programs. Several programs on increasing communication between parents and teenagers have been tested, but the study of the impact of these programs on resulting sexual behavior is lacking. Objective: To test the efficacy of two interventions for mothers and their adolescents in delaying initiation of sexual intercourse for youth who are not sexually active and encouraging the use of condoms among sexually active youth. Methods: Employed were a control group and two treatment groups: one based on social cognitive theory (SCT) and the other a life skills program (LSK) based on problem behavior theory. Assessments were conducted before the intervention (baseline) and at 4, 12, and 24 months after the baseline assessment. Results: Adolescents and their mothers (total N = 582) enrolled in the trial. At baseline, the adolescents ranged in age 11-14 years and were mostly male and African American. The mean age of the mothers was 37.9 years, and most were African American and single. The primary analyses showed no difference among groups in abstinence rates for adolescents. However, adolescents in the LSK group demonstrated an increase in the condom use rate, and those in the SCT and control groups scored higher on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) knowledge than those in the LSK group. Mothers showed substantial increases over time in comfort talking about sex and self-efficacy. For HIV knowledge, mothers in the SCT group scored significantly higher than those in the LSK and control groups. Conclusion: The results of this study are comparable to previous studies that have included mothers in the HIV education of their adolescents. Although the program did not demonstrate a substantial effect on abstinence rates, increases were observed in condom use among adolescents and in mother's sex-based discussions and comfort in talking about sexual issues.
Evaluation of the Role of IgE Responses to Der p 1 and Der p 2 in Chinese House Dust Mite-Allergic Patients

Background: The role of specific IgE (sIgE) against Der p 1 and Der p 2 in Chinese patients with house dust mite (HDM) allergy has not yet been well investigated. Methods: One hundred patients were enrolled, based on sensitization and doctor-diagnosed allergy to HDM. Questionnaires were administered to document demographic and clinical characteristics. Serum IgE reactivity to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp) extract, Der p 1, Der p 2 and Der p 10 was measured by ImmunoCAP. Results: Almost all patients were sensitized to Der p 1 (95%) and Der p 2 (93%), with both allergens together being largely responsible for the total anti-HDM IgE response. No evidence for a significant role of Der p 10 was found. Overall, IgE responses to HDM and its 2 major allergens were higher in children than in adults in this cross-sectional study. With increasing age, IgE responses to Der p 2 become more important. A positive correlation was observed between the reaction of sIgE against Dp, Der p 1 and Der p 2 and the number of organs (including the eyes, nose, lungs and skin) that were affected in patients. Conclusions: In China, Der p 1 and Der p 2 are the dominant allergens in patients with HDM allergy. The relative importance of Der p 1 and Der p 2 changes with age, in favor of Der p 2. Overall, sIgE titers were positively associated with the number of organs affected.
Effect of pre-cooling injection site on pain perception in pediatric dentistry: “A randomized clinical trial”

Background: Injection of local anesthesia is one of the most important reasons for development of avoidance behavior in children. Efforts have been performed to decrease pain perception of injection. The present research evaluated the effect of cooling the injection site on pain perception before infiltration of local anesthetics. Materials and Methods: A prospective single-blind crossover clinical trial was used to investigate pain perception in 50 healthy pediatric patients who needed bilateral buccal infiltration of local anesthetics for dental treatment. They received a topical anesthetic agent (Benzocaine) on one side (control) for 1 min and topical anesthetic agent plus one minute of ice pack on the other side (trial) prior to the injection. A dentist blind to the study assessed the patients’ reaction during injection. Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for statistical analysis. Statistical significance was defined at P < 0.05. Results: The means of sound, eye, and motor scales (SEM) were 4.06 ± 1.32 and 5.44 ± 1.79 for the study and control groups, respectively. The means of visual analogue scales (VAS) for the study and control groups were 42.20 ± 12.70 and 58.40 ± 16.83, respectively; with statistically significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Cooling the injection site before infiltration of local anesthetics in the buccal mucosa for 1 min, reduced pain perceived by pediatric patients.
Vaginohysteroscopy, a patient-friendly technique for outpatient hysteroscopy: experience of the first 100 cases.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the feasibility and tolerability of the vaginoscopic approach for office hysteroscopy. DESIGN Prospective observational study. SETTING Tertiary care hospital. SUBJECTS Unselected, consecutive 100 patients scheduled for diagnostic hysteroscopy. INTERVENTION Hysteroscopy with a vaginoscopic approach using a 5-mm rigid hysteroscope with single inflow channel, and normal saline for distension. OUTCOME MEASURES Successful hysteroscopy by the vaginoscopic approach; operative time; and degree of pain experienced. RESULTS The vaginoscopic technique was successful in 79% of the patients. The median operative time was 120 seconds in successful cases and 360 seconds in those in which the vaginoscopic approach was unsuccessful and had to be performed by the conventional technique with or without dilatation, the difference being statistically significant (P < 0.001). The procedure took < or = 2 minutes in 91.1% (72/79) of the successful cases. No pain or mild pain was experienced by 97.5% (77/79) of patients in whom vaginohysteroscopy was successful. CONCLUSION Hysteroscopy with the vaginoscopic approach is the ideal method for outpatient hysteroscopy. It is feasible, quick, and very well tolerated, obviating the need for any analgesia or local anesthesia.
Three handy tips and a practical guide to improve your propensity score models

Real-world data are increasingly available to investigate ‘real-world’ safety and efficacy. However, since treatment in observational studies is not randomly allocated, confounding by indication may occur, in which differences in patient characteristics may influence both treatment choices and treatment responses. A popular method to adjust for this type of bias is the use of propensity scores (PS). The PS is a score between 0 and 1 that reflects the likelihood per patient of receiving one of the treatment categories of interest conditional on a set of variables. At least in theory, in patients with similar PS, the treatment prescribed will be independent of these variables (pseudorandomisation). But researchers using PS sometimes fail to recognise important methodological flaws which can lead to spurious conclusions. These include perfect prediction of treatment allocation, untied observations and lack of generalisability due to oversimplification of complex clinical scenarios. In this viewpoint we will discuss the most commonly encountered flaws and provide a stepwise description on the estimation and use of PS, such that in future publications these flaws can be avoided.
Cluster dynamics and policy implications

Abstract Local clusters are widely discussed in the economic and geographic literature. After a short overview on the mathematical literature, this paper presents a theoretical model of cluster formation that allows to deduce advice for policy intervention. The model is mathematically and numerically analysed and different policy measures are examined. It is shown that the timing of policy measures is important and that for different measures different time windows of opportunity exist.
Dose conversion coefficients for paediatric CT examinations with automatic tube current modulation

A common dose-saving technique used in modern CT devices is automatic tube current modulation (TCM), which was originally designed to also reduce the dose in paediatric CT patients. In order to be able to deduce detailed organ doses of paediatric models, dose conversion coefficients normalized to CTDIvol for an eight-week-old baby and seven- and eight-year-old children have been computed accounting for TCM. The relative difference in organ dose conversion coefficients with and without TCM is for many organs and examinations less than 10%, but can in some cases amount up to 30%, e.g., for the thyroid in the chest CT of the seven-year-old child. Overall, the impact of TCM on the conversion coefficients increases with increasing age. Besides TCM, also the effect of collimation and tube voltage on organ dose conversion coefficients has been investigated. It could be shown that the normalization to CTDIvol leads to conversion coefficients that can in most cases be considered to be independent of collimation and tube voltage.
Narratives with Robots: The Impact of Interaction Context and Individual Differences on Story Recall and Emotional Understanding

Role-play scenarios have been considered a successful learning space for children to develop their social and emotional abilities. In this paper, we investigate whether socially assistive robots in role-playing settings are as effective with small groups of children as they are with a single child, and whether individual factors such as gender, grade level (first vs. second), perception of the robots (peer vs. adult), and empathy level (low vs. high) play a role in these two interaction contexts. We conducted a three-week repeated exposure experiment where 40 children interacted with socially assistive robotic characters that acted out interactive stories around words that contribute to expanding children's emotional vocabulary. Our results showed that although participants who interacted alone with the robots recalled the stories better than participants in the group condition, no significant differences were found in children's emotional interpretation of the narratives. With regard to individual differences, we found that a single child setting appeared more appropriate to first graders than a group setting, empathy level is an important predictor for emotional understanding of the narratives, and children's performance varies depending on their perception of the robots (peer vs. adult) in the two conditions.
Domestic institutions, leader tenure and the duration of civil war

Why do some civil wars end sooner than others? Extant theory focuses on how exogenous factors, such as resources or third parties, exacerbate the commitment problem faced by belligerents. In explaining the duration of civil war, we focus on factors endogenous to the disputing parties. We advance a theory suggesting that the tenure of a state’s leader influences war duration. Specifically, we argue that longer-tenured leaders tend to fight longer civil wars. This is because long-tenured leaders have a more predictable policy reputation. Based on this predictable reputation, opposition groups have decided to fight the leader rather than bargain peacefully. Therefore, they will be unlikely to believe any policy concessions the leader might offer. This commitment problem looms larger for leaders who do not have domestic institutions that can credibly commit the leader to policy changes. We find robust statistical support for our conjecture. The findings have important implications for leader-centric studies of conflict, as well as for our understanding of bargaining during war.
Predictors of success with methotrexate treatment of tubal ectopic pregnancy at Grady Memorial Hospital.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine our institutional success rate with single-dose intramuscular methotrexate therapy for the treatment of ectopic pregnancy and to identify predictors of treatment outcome. STUDY DESIGN This was a retrospective review of consecutive patients who were treated with methotrexate from January 2000 until April 2002. Successful treatment was defined as the resolution of the ectopic pregnancy without surgical intervention. RESULTS Our overall success rate was 85% (69/81 patients). The median pretreatment serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin level was lower in those women in whom treatment was successful compared with those women with treatment failure (793 vs 3804 mIU/mL, P <.002). The presence of a yolk sac that was visualized on vaginal ultrasonography was the only significant predictor of treatment failure (adjusted odds ratio, 19.3; P <.002). CONCLUSION Our institutional success rate (85%) with methotrexate for treatment of tubal ectopic pregnancy is comparable with other published results. However, a finding unique to this study was that visualization of a yolk sac was a risk factor for failure.
Activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors parallels changes in cellular and synaptic properties of dentate gyrus granule cells after kindling.

1. The cellular and synaptic properties of rat dentate gyrus granule cells (GCs) were examined using intra-/extracellular and Ca2+-sensitive microelectrode recordings following epilepsy induced by kindling of the hippocampal commissures or amygdala. 2. The recordings were made in hippocampal slices prepared from sham-stimulated controls and animals that have received daily stimuli to reach stage IV-V of kindling. The average number of stimulation trials (60 Hz/1 s, 100-150 microA) required to reach full motor seizures (stage V) was 23 +/- 2 for commissural kindling and 14 +/- 1 for amygdala kindling. 3. The resting membrane potential of GCs following kindling (RMP; -72 +/- 3 mV) was not significantly different from the RMP of control GCs (-70 +/- 2 mV). Similarly, action potential height and threshold were unaffected by kindling. However, kindling altered other cellular properties of GCs regardless of the site of stimulation (hippocampal commissures or amygdala), the stage of kindling reached (IV or V), or the time elapsed between the last kindling stimulus and preparation of the hippocampal slices (24 h-6 wk). The input resistance of kindled GCs (55 +/- 4 M omega) was significantly higher than that of controls (40 +/- 3 M omega). In contrast to most control GCs, the slope conductance (GS) of kindled neurons, measured with constant-amplitude current injections at various membrane potentials, generally increased at membrane potentials more negative than rest. Furthermore, other voltage-dependent ionic conductances (see below), that were not normally encountered in control GCs, were present in kindled neurons. 4. The intracellularly recorded monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) of kindled GCs, evoked through the stimulation of the lateral perforant pathway, differed significantly from the EPSPs of control GCs. The amplitudes of control EPSPs increased upon hyperpolarizations and decreased following depolarizations of the membrane, as expected for conventional EPSPs without contribution from voltage-dependent conductances. In contrast, the EPSPs of kindled GCs invariably increased in amplitude and duration at membrane potentials 5-20 mV depolarized from rest, indicating the presence of a characteristic voltage-dependent component. Frequently, following the synaptically triggered action potentials, kindled GCs displayed depolarizing afterpotentials. 5. Perfusion of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV; 30 microM) had no effect on the EPSPs of control GCs, but consistently reduced the amplitude and duration of EPSPs in kindled GCs. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Comments on a ‘critical examination of the recommendations of the Commission on Integration and Cohesion’

A previous article in People, Place & Policy Online by Derek McGhee was highly critical of the work of the independent Commission on Integration and Cohesion, which reported to the government in July 2007. This paper reviews the criticisms, and concludes that many are either unfair or fail to take account of evidence in support of the Commission’s approach. While there are valid criticisms of the Commission and the policy outcome from its work, the strengths in its analysis should not go unrecognised. There are key differences with early policy reports on community cohesion which fairly respond to a changed environment in which migration has become a much more important issue.
Microwave characterization of as-grown MgB/sub 2/ thin films prepared by molecular beam epitaxy

The MgB/sub 2/ superconductor with T/sub C/ of 39 K has great potential to replace some LTS materials in superconducting electronics. Thin films with low surface resistance, (R/sub S/) and negligible nonlinear effects are necessary to realize MgB/sub 2/ circuits for microwave applications. The R/sub S/ of MgB/sub 2/ thin films varies significantly depending on the method of deposition and deposition conditions. We have investigated microwave properties of MgB/sub 2/ thin films grown on MgO substrate by the Molecular Beam Epitaxy method with novel co-evaporation conditions at low deposition rate in ultra-high vacuum. The R/sub S/ of as-grown MgB/sub 2/ thin films have been measured using the Hakki-Coleman Sapphire dielectric resonator technique. High measurement accuracy was accomplished by using multifrequency measurements of S-parameters and the Transmission Mode Q-Factor technique for data processing to obtain the unloaded Q/sub o/-factor and resonant frequency of the dielectric resonator. Measured R/sub s/ of the MgB/sub 2/ films of 400 /spl mu//spl Omega/ was obtained at frequency of 24.6 GHz and temperature of 13 K. Microwave power characteristics of R/sub s/ indicates stable operation of MgB/sub 2/ devices for the input power up to 10 dBm.
Inclusion of Eccentric Actions on Net Caloric Cost Resulting From Isoinertial Resistance Exercise

Net O2 uptake was measured from maximal-effort 3-set, 8-repetition seated leg press protocols on an isoinertial ergom-eter. Subjects (25 women, 9 men) did 2 workouts each exerting concentric-eccentric (CE) and concentric-only (CO) knee extensor forces to measure work and net caloric cost. Significant (p < 0.05) relationships between work and net caloric cost resulted from CE and CO workouts for the male, female, and total subject sample. Two-way repeated-measures analyses of variance showed CE workouts resulted in significantly higher work but not net caloric cost and values. CE workouts likely relied on the knee extensors series elastic element to perform an additional ∼3,600 J of eccentric work at no additional net caloric cost. Unlike other exercise modes, maximal-effort eccentric actions on the isoinertial ergometer, as done in the current study, provide no additional net caloric cost and is thus safe to administer to populations in whom metabolic cost is a concern.
Design of a Low-Profile Dual-Polarized Stepped Slot Antenna Array for Base Station

In this letter, a microstrip-fed dual-polarized stepped-impedance (SI) slot antenna element with a low profile is first proposed. The antenna is composed of two pairs of SI slots excited by two orthogonal stepped microstrip feedlines. The broadband characteristic is achieved by combining the fundamental and spurious resonances of the SI slot resonators, while the good cross polarization is mainly due to the introduction of the shorting pins. Secondly, based on the proposed antenna, a four-element antenna array is designed, constructed, and measured for base-station applications. Measured results demonstrate the bandwidths (return loss ) of the antenna array are 46.9% (1.55-2.5 GHz) and 38.7% (1.69-2.5 GHz) for Port 1 and Port 2, respectively. The isolation between the two ports is greater than 35 dB, whereas the cross-polarization level maintains lower than -27 dB across the entire operating band. In addition, the antenna array prototype achieves average gains of 13.5 and 13.9 dBi for horizontal polarization and vertical polarization, respectively.
The Nuclear Exosome Contributes to Autogenous Control of NAB2 mRNA Levels

ABSTRACT The RNA-processing exosome is a complex of riboexonucleases required for 3′-end formation of some noncoding RNAs and for the degradation of mRNAs in eukaryotes. The nuclear form of the exosome functions in an mRNA surveillance pathway that retains and degrades improperly processed precursor mRNAs within the nucleus. We report here that the nuclear exosome controls the level of NAB2 mRNA, encoding the nuclear poly(A)+-RNA-binding protein Nab2p. Mutations affecting the activity of the nuclear, but not the cytoplasmic, exosome cause an increase in the amount of NAB2 mRNA. Cis- and trans-acting mutations that inhibit degradation by the nuclear-exosome subunit Rrp6p result in elevated levels of NAB2 mRNA. Control of NAB2 mRNA levels occurs posttranscriptionally and requires a sequence of 26 consecutive adenosines (A26) in the NAB2 3′ untranslated region, which represses NAB2 3′-end formation and sensitizes the transcript to degradation by Rrp6p. Analysis of NAB2 mRNA levels in a nab2-1 mutant and in the presence of excess Nab2p indicates that Nab2p activity negatively controls NAB2 mRNA levels in an A26- and Rrp6p-dependent manner. These findings suggest a novel regulatory circuit in which the nuclear exosome controls the level of NAB2 mRNA in response to changes in the activity of Nab2 protein.
Cost-effectiveness of evidence-based pharmacotherapy or cognitive behavior therapy compared with community referral for major depression in predominantly low-income minority women.

BACKGROUND Few clinical trials have evaluated interventions for major depressive disorder in samples of low-income minority women, and little is known about the cost-effectiveness of depression interventions for this population. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of pharmacotherapy or cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) compared with community referral for major depression in low-income minority women. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A randomized clinical trial was conducted in 267 women with current major depression. INTERVENTIONS Participants were randomly assigned to pharmacotherapy (paroxetine hydrochloride or bupropion hydrochloride) (n = 88), CBT (n = 90), or community referral (n = 89). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The main outcomes were intervention and health care costs, depression-free days, and quality-adjusted life years based on Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores and Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey summary scores for 12 months. Cost-effectiveness ratios were estimated to compare incremental patient outcomes with incremental costs for pharmacotherapy relative to community referral and for CBT relative to community referral. RESULTS Compared with the community referral group, the pharmacotherapy group had significantly lower adjusted mean Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores from the 3rd month through the 10th month (P = .04 to P<.001) of the study, and the CBT group had significantly lower adjusted mean scores from the 5th month through the 10th month (P = .03 to P = .049). There were significantly more depression-free days in the pharmacotherapy group (mean, 39.7; 95% confidence interval, 12.9-66.5) and the CBT group (mean, 25.80; 95% confidence interval, 0.04-51.50) than in the community referral group. The cost per additional depression-free day was USD 24.65 for pharmacotherapy and USD 27.04 for CBT compared with community referral. CONCLUSIONS Effective treatment for depression in low-income minority women reduces depressive symptoms but increases costs compared with community referral. The pharmacotherapy and CBT interventions were cost-effective relative to community referral for the health care system.