Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association Study of a Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Val66Met Polymorphism and Personality Trait and Intelligence in Healthy Young Females

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the nerve-growth-factor family, plays an important role in neuronal survival and development, and it can modulate serotonergic activity. Further, BDNF has been implicated in the expression of personality traits and in cognitive function. We tested the associations between functional BDNF Val66Met genetic variants, and personality trait and intelligence in a cohort of 114 healthy young Chinese females. Subjects with the Val/Val genotype had a significantly higher mean performance IQ than Val/Met carriers, especially for the Object Assembly subtest. No significant association was demonstrated for the BDNF polymorphism and any of the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire personality-factor scores, including harm avoidance. These results suggest that genetic variants of the BDNF gene may play a role in specific cognitive functions, but not in overall intelligence. In contrast to a recent report, however, this polymorphism does not appear to be associated with the neuroticism-related personality trait.
Cognitive Strategy Use in School-Aged Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder

Over the past decade, cognitive approaches with children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) have been investigated. Although studies have focused on intervention outcomes, few have documented the components of the approach that support the enhancement of children's performance. This study used systematic observation of videotaped intervention sessions to identify the frequency and type of strategies that four children with DCD used during a cognitive intervention (CO-OP). The strategies used by younger and older children were compared, with differences found in verbal-based strategy use. Cognitive strategy use appears to be more related to the individual child and intervention goal than to age.
Vector competence of Culicoides species and the seroprevalence of homologous neutralizing antibody in horses for six serotypes of equine encephalosis virus (EEV) in South Africa

Abstract. Field‐collected Culicoides species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) were fed on horse blood–virus mixtures containing one of the six serotypes of equine encephalosis virus (EEV1 to EEV6). The virus mean titres in the bloodmeals varied between 6.1 and 7.0 log10TCID50/mL. Of 19 Culicoides species assayed after 10 days extrinsic incubation at 23.5°C, five yielded the challenge virus, namely Culicoides (Avaritia) imicola Kieffer (EEV1–6), C. (A.) bolitinos Meiswinkel (EEV1, 2, 4, 6), C. (Meijerehelea) leucostictus Kiefer (EEV1, 2), C. (Culicoides) magnus Colaço (EEV1) and C. (Hoffmania) zuluensis de Meillon (EEV2). Virus recovery rates ranged from 0.5 to 13%. The mean levels of viral replication differed between serotypes and Culicoides species and ranged from 1.0 to 2.3 log10TCID50/midge. Culicoides midges shown in this study to be susceptible to oral infection with EEV are widely distributed in South Africa but differ considerably in their abundance, host preference and breeding sites. Of 1456 horses tested, 1144 (77%) had antibody to EEV. Homologous virus‐neutralizing antibodies to all six serotypes were detected in individual horses from all eight geographical provinces of South Africa. The distribution, prevalence, and the rate of exposure to individual serotypes varied significantly between regions. The potential for vectoring of EEV in the field by several Culicoides species with unique ecologies and lack of cross‐protection to re‐infection with multiple serotypes highlights some of the mechanisms that are likely to play a role in the virus' natural maintenance cycle and the highly efficient level of countrywide transmission amongst South African horses.
Outcomes After Combined Radical Resection and Targeted Biologic Therapy for the Management of Recalcitrant Hidradenitis Suppurativa

BackgroundTrials demonstrating the efficacy of biologic therapy for moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) have inspired new multidisciplinary treatment strategies. We present our experience with combined biologic and surgical therapy for recalcitrant HS. MethodsBetween 2011 and 2014, 21 patients (57 cases) with Hurley Stage III HS underwent radical resection with delayed primary closure alone, or in combination with adjuvant biologic therapy. Demographic data, treatment regimen, outcomes, and complications were retrospectively reviewed for all cases. ResultsEleven patients underwent combined surgical and biologic therapy, whereas radical resection alone was performed in 10 patients. The average soft tissue deficit, before closure, for the combined and surgery-only patients was 56 cm2 and 48.5 cm2, respectively (P = 0.66). Biologic agents including infliximab (n = 8) and ustekinumab (n = 3) were initiated 2 to 3 weeks after closure and were continued for an average of 10.5 months. Recurrence was noted in 19% (4/29) and 38.5% (10/26) of previously treated sites for combined and surgery-only patients (P < 0.01). For the combined cohort, the disease-free interval was approximately 1 year longer on average (P < 0.001); however, this difference was reduced to 4.5 months when considering time to recurrence after cessation of biologic therapy (P = 0.09). New disease developed in 18% (2/11) and 50% (5/10) of combined and surgery-only patients, respectively (P < 001). No adverse events were noted among patients who received biologic therapy. ConclusionsLower rates of recurrence and disease progression, as well as a longer disease-free interval may be achieved with the use of adjuvant biologic therapy after radical resection for recalcitrant HS.
Across the Scales of Time: Artifacts, Activities, and Meanings in Ecosocial Systems

Every human action, all human activity takes place on one or more characteristic timescales. A heartbeat, a breath, a step, a spoken word takes but a moment; a stroll, a conversation extends over many such moments; and an education or a relationship may be a lifetime project. The great cathedrals of Europe were built over many human lifetimes, and the languages and discourse patterns of our communities have developed over still longer times. And yet a conversation consists of many momentary utterances; a relationship may be built of many strolls and conversations together; a building or a social institution is erected by the sum of many individual actions in a community. How? How do actions or events on one timescale come to add up to more than just a series of isolated happenings? How does a languageemerge from many utterances? How does a community emerge from many people-in-action? On how many different timescales is our social life organized? How does persistent organization on longer timescales constrain the likelihood of events on shorter timescales? How do organizational units and processes on shorter timescales make possible the emergent patternings we recognize on longer timescales? Why time? Our material world is organized on many scales: space, time, matter, energy, and information transfer. In many natural systems there is a strong correlation among these scales: the quick is also small and light and weak and simple; however, in more complex systems, especially those in whichsignsandmeaningplay a role in behavior and system dynamics, these simple correlations break down. Classical systems theory is rooted in spatial metaphors and the reductionist project: large systems are to be understood by analyzing them in terms of interactions among smaller component MIND, CULTURE, AND ACTIVITY, 7(4), 273–290 Copyright © 2000, Regents of the University of California on behalf of the Laboratory of Comparative Human Cognition
Dexamethasone treatment for bacterial meningitis in children and adults

Four hundred twenty-nine patients with bacterial meningitis were assigned on a nonselective alternating basis into one of two therapeutic regimens. Patients in Group I received dexamethasone in addition to standard antibacterial chemotherapy of ampicillin and chloramphenicol whereas those in Group II received antibacterial chemotherapy alone. Dexamethasone was given intramuscularly (8 mg to children younger than 12 years and 12 mg to adults every 12 hours for 3 days). Both treatment groups were comparable with regard to age, sex, duration of symptoms and state of consciousness at the time of hospitalization. A significant reduction in the case fatality rate (P < 0.01) was observed in patients with pneumococcal meningitis receiving dexamethasone; only 7 of 52 patients died compared with 22 of 54 patients not receiving dexamethasone. A reduction in the overall neurologic sequelae (hearing impairment and paresis) was observed in patients receiving dexamethasone. This reduction was significant only in patients with Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis; none of the 45 surviving patients receiving steroids had hearing loss whereas 4 of 32 patients not receiving dexamethasone had severe hearing loss (P < 0.05). No significant difference was observed between the two groups with regard to time for patients to become afebrile or to regain consciousness or in the mean admission and 24− to 36-hour cerebrospinal fluid leukocyte count, glucose or protein content.
Rap1 induces cytokine production in pro-inflammatory macrophages through NFκB signaling and is highly expressed in human atherosclerotic lesions

Repressor activator protein 1 (Rap1) is essential for maintaining telomere length and structural integrity, but it also exerts other non-telomeric functions. The present study tested the hypothesis that Rap1 is released into the cytoplasm and induces production of pro-inflammatory cytokines via nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) signaling in macrophages, a cell type involved in the development and progression of atherosclerotic lesions. Western blotting analysis confirmed that Rap1 was present in the cytoplasm of differentiated human monocytic leukemia cells (THP-1, a macrophage-like cell line). Co-immunoprecipitation assay revealed a direct interaction between Rap1 and I kappa B kinase (IKK). Knockdown of Rap1 suppressed lipopolysaccharide-mediated activation of NFκB, and phosphorylation of inhibitor of kappa B α (IκBα) and p65 in THP-1 macrophages. The reduction of NFκB activity was paralleled by a decreased production of NFκB-dependent pro-inflammatory cytokines and an increased expression of IκBα (native NFκB inhibitor) in various macrophage models with pro-inflammatory phenotype, including THP-1, mouse peritoneal macrophages and bone marrow-derived M1 macrophages. These changes were observed selectively in pro-inflammatory macrophages but not in bone marrow-derived M2 macrophages (with an anti-inflammatory phenotype), mouse lung endothelial cells, human umbilical vein endothelial cells or human aortic smooth muscle cells. Immunostaining revealed that Rap1 was localized mainly in macrophage-rich areas in human atherosclerotic plaques and that the presence of Rap1 was positively correlated with the advancement of the disease process. In pro-inflammatory macrophages, Rap1 promotes cytokine production via NFκB activation favoring a pro-inflammatory environment which may contribute to the development and progression of atherosclerosis.
Drinking at a southern university: its description and correlates.

A sample of 100 undergraduate students at a southern college campus were employed to answer computer-administered questions once a week for 20 weeks. This facility was used to collect both intensive and comprehensive data to describe respondents' drinking and its correlates. Although women were somewhat less likely to be abstainers than were men, women were disproportionately represented among moderate-only drinkers and men were overrepresented among heavy drinkers. The data indicate that the change in respondents' reported drinking was quite volatile in the transition from high school to college. Heavy-drinking college students reported that they drank in bars accompanied by friends. Different types of drinkers (e.g., moderate, infrequent, heavy) attributed different motives to drinking as well as to sometimes abstaining, but they held similar antialcohol beliefs. The drinking-related variables of friends explained more of the variance in respondents' drinking than did those of their parents. However, the variance explained by the parents' drinking-related variables was increased when statistical interactions involving family cohesion and control were included. The variance explained by the friends' drinking-related variables was also greater when interactions with respondents' spending money were included. There was a small positive correlation between socioeconomic status and drinking. The only variables to decrease this relationship when statistically controlled were the drinking-related variables of significant others.
Physical Characteristics of Ultrafine Particles Emitted from Different Gas Cooking Methods

ABSTRACTGas cooking is a significant source of airborne particles indoors. In order to assess health risk due to exposure from indoor particulate air pollution and to identify effective control strategies, data on size-differentiated aerosol particles released from different cooking methods are critically needed. In this study, controlled experiments were carried out in a domestic kitchen using a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) to investigate the size distribution of ultrafine particles emitted from cooking. Five different cooking methods were studied: steaming, boiling, stir-frying, pan-frying, and deep-frying. During the course of these experiments, the amount and type of food, and the heat setting on the gas stove were kept constant. Results showed that deep-frying caused the largest increase (a 24-fold increase) in particle number concentration to 6.0 × 105 cm-3 compared to a background concentration of 2.5 × 104 cm-3 and contained the highest proportion of nanoparticles (90%). This increase was then followed by pan-frying (1.1 × 105 cm-3, 78%), stir-frying (9.3 × 104 cm-3, 69%), boiling (6.9 × 104 cm-3, 62%), and steaming (5.4 × 104 cm-3, 55%), implying that cooking with oil produced more particles than cooking with water. It was also observed that steaming and boiling produced a peak in the number concentration of particles at < 10 nm with a second peak at 70 to 80 nm which can be attributed to condensation of water vapor on pre-existing particles. Particle distribution profiles obtained during frying operations were less-distinct compared to steaming and boiling, and demonstrated a modal diameter between 10 and 25 nm. Overall, this study provided comprehensive data on the physical characteristics of particles emitted from cooking, and could be used to evaluate the potential health impacts resulting from exposure to particles indoors.
Oviposition site selection and survival of susceptible and resistant larvae of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Bt and non-Bt cotton

Abstract In Australia Bt cotton has been planted since 1996, and has greatly improved the control of its key target Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner). There is no strong evidence that genetically modified cotton has been selected for significant physiological resistance to Bt toxin in field populations. There are many possible explanations for the lack of apparent selection that range from high compliance with the resistance management strategy for this technology to a lack of behavioral preference in key traits such as oviposition that could favor survival. To date most experiments that test oviposition of H. armigera on Bt cotton vs. conventional cotton have been done with susceptible moths. We determine the oviposition preference of a field isolated Bt resistant line of H. armigera and a susceptible counterpart when given a choice of non-Bt cotton and Bt-cotton with the same genetic background, and test whether there is any relationship between oviposition site selection (different plant structures) and the survival of the first instar larvae. Within cotton plants, our experiments consistently showed that both resistant and susceptible moths did not choose plants or plant parts that were less toxic in terms of Bt toxin on which to lay eggs. There was one exception in that susceptible moths were more likely to lay eggs on squares of Bt cotton plants than squares of non-Bt cotton. As expected, the mortality of susceptible H. armigera neonates was significantly higher on structures of Bt cotton plants than on those structures of conventional cotton, and survival was greater on flowers than on other structures of Bt cotton. This confirms opportunities for selection for resistance, and demonstrates no advantage in this respect to carrying resistance genes that might overcome the Bt toxins.
Beyond light and mild: cigarette brand descriptors and perceptions of risk in the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Four Country Survey.

AIMS To examine perceptions of risk related to type of cigarette brand. DESIGN AND SETTING Cross-sectional findings from wave 5 of the ITC Four Country Survey, conducted with nationally representative samples of smokers in 2006. PARTICIPANTS A total of 8243 current and former adult (≥18 years) smokers from Canada (n=2022), the United States (n=2034), the United Kingdom (n=2019) and Australia (n=2168). MEASUREMENTS Outcomes included beliefs about the relative risks of cigarettes, including perceptions of 'own' brand. Correlates included socio-demographic, smoking-related covariates and brand characteristics. FINDINGS One-fifth of smokers believed incorrectly that 'some cigarette brands could be less harmful' than others. False beliefs were higher in both the United States and United Kingdom compared to Canada and Australia. Smokers of 'light/mild', 'slim' and 100 mm/120 mm cigarettes were more likely to believe that some cigarettes could be less harmful [odds ratio (OR)=1.29, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.12-1.48 and that their own brand might be a little less harmful (OR=2.61, 95% CI=2.01-3.41). Smokers of 'gold', 'silver', 'blue' or 'purple' brands were more likely to believe that their 'own brand might be a little less harmful' compared to smokers of 'red' or 'black' brands (OR=12.48, 95% CI=1.45-107.31). CONCLUSIONS Despite current prohibitions on the words 'light' and 'mild', smokers in western countries continue to falsely believe that some cigarette brands may be less harmful than others. These beliefs are associated with descriptive words and elements of package design that have yet to be prohibited, including the names of colours and long, slim cigarettes.
Evaluation of Toxicity of Some New Insecticides against Egg Parasitoid Trichogramma chilonis (Ishii) (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammitidae)

Toxicity of some new insecticides viz., spinosad, lufenuron, flubendiamide, chlorantraniliprole, emamectin benzoate and imidacloprid were tested against immature and adult stages of Trichogramma chilonis (Ishii) (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammitidae) under laboratory conditions. Exposure of spinosad to T. chilonis resulted in the lowest emergence at all the parasitism situations. The application of emamectin benzoate and lufenuron after 1 st day parasitism, imidacloprid, emamectin benzoate and lufenuron after 3 rd day parasitism, imidacloprid, emamectin benzoate, flubendiamide and lufenuron after 4, 5 and 7 days of parasitism, respectively showed minimum effect on the emergence of T. chilonis and were found to be safe to the parasitoid. After 8-days parasitism, chlorantraniliprole resulted in maximum emergence of T. chilonis and did not show significant difference with lufenuron and emamectin benzoate. Chlorantraniliprole showed maximum survival (42%) and did not differ significantly with lufenuron with 36% survival at 3 h post application. Emamectin benzoate was found to be a toxic insecticide which resulted in minimum survival of the parasitoid with 18.0% and did not show significant differences to those of imidacloprid with 22.0% survival. All the insecticides showed non-significant difference with one another on the survival of T. chilonis adults recorded 24 h post application and found toxic to the adults of T. chilonis regarding survival range between 8.0 to 14.0% as against control treatment with 92.0% survival of T. chilonis adult.
Recruitment procedures of EPIC-Germany. European Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.

EPIC is among the largest cohort studies, with approximately 475,000 study participants, on the etiological influence of diet and chronic diseases. During a 4-year recruitment period, two German EPIC centers, located in Heidelberg and Potsdam, aimed to recruit a total of 60,000 study participants from the local populations. The recruitment process was based on addresses from general population registries and started 4-5 weeks in advance with an initial invitation by mail to the basic examination for this study. Subjects not responding within 2 weeks were reminded. In Potsdam, this was done by mail and telephone, and in Heidelberg by telephone. During the recruitment phase, from 1994 to 1998, 53,162 subjects in total were examined for the cohort studies in Heidelberg (n = 25,546) and Potsdam (n = 27,616). The participation rate, compared to the invited number of subjects, was 22.7% in Potsdam and 38.3% in Heidelberg, with a considerable variation by municipality and gender. A comparison with data from the National Health Survey 1991/1992 revealed that the cohort populations were of higher socio-economic status and were healthier than the source population. We concluded that the selective participation would help to ensure high maintenance of the cohort during active follow-up. Selective participation does not harm etiological conclusions because disease associations are derived internally as relative risk. The relative risk estimates can be used to calculate population-attributable risk and preventable proportion, based on exposure prevalence derived by surveys and other studies.
Ankle dorsiflexion among healthy men with different qualities of lower extremity movement.

CONTEXT Lower extremity movement patterns have been implicated as a risk factor for various knee disorders. Ankle-dorsiflexion (DF) range of motion (ROM) has previously been associated with a faulty movement pattern among healthy female participants. OBJECTIVE To determine the association between ankle DF ROM and the quality of lower extremity movement during the lateral step-down test among healthy male participants. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Training facility of the Israel Defense Forces. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS Fifty-five healthy male Israeli military recruits (age = 19.7 ± 1.1 years, height = 175.4 ± 6.4 cm, mass = 72.0 ± 7.6 kg). INTERVENTION(S) Dorsiflexion ROM was measured in weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing conditions using a fluid-filled inclinometer and a universal goniometer, respectively. Lower extremity movement pattern was assessed visually using the lateral step-down test and classified categorically as good or moderate. All measurements were performed bilaterally. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing DF ROM were more limited among participants with moderate quality of movement than in those with good quality of movement on the dominant side (P = .01 and P = .02 for weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing DF, respectively). Non-weight-bearing DF demonstrated a trend toward a decreased range among participants with moderate compared with participants with good quality of movement on the nondominant side (P = .03 [adjusted P = .025]). Weight-bearing DF was not different between participants with good and moderate movement patterns on the nondominant side (P = .10). Weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing ankle DF ROM correlated significantly with the quality of movement on both sides (P < .01 and P < .05 on the dominant and nondominant side, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Ankle DF ROM was associated with quality of movement among healthy male participants. The association seemed weaker in males than in females.