Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Validation of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short among Blacks.

BACKGROUND The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-S) has been evaluated against accelerometer-determined physical activity measures in small homogenous samples of adults in the United States. There is limited information about the validity of the IPAQ-S in diverse US samples. METHODS 142 Blacks residing in low-income housing completed the IPAQ-S and wore an accelerometer for up to 6 days. Both 1- and 10-minute accelerometer bouts were used to define time spent in light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity. RESULTS We found fair agreement between the IPAQ-S and accelerometer-determined physical activity (r=.26 for 10-minute bout, r=.36 for 1-minute bout). Correlations were higher among men than women. When we classified participants as meeting physical activity recommendations, agreement was low (kappa=.04, 10-minute; kappa=.21, 1-minute); only 25% of individuals were classified the same by both instruments (10-minute bout). CONCLUSIONS In one of the few studies to assess the validity of a self-reported physical activity measure among Blacks, we found moderate correlations with accelerometer data, though correlations were weaker for women. Correlations were smaller when IPAQ-S data were compared using a 10- versus a 1-minute bout definition. There was limited evidence for agreement between the instruments when classifying participants as meeting physical activity recommendations.
Habitat quality assessment through a multifaceted approach : the case of the habitat 2130 * in Italy

Sand dune perennial grasslands are valuable coastal habitats, considered among those with major conservation concerns. The priority EU habitat 2130* has an almost continuous distribution area along the coasts of Northern Europe and the Black Sea. In the Mediterranean basin it is found only along the North Adriatic coast, isolated from the rest of the distribution area, thereby representing a unique aspect of the habitat variability. The first aim of this study was to evaluate the conservation status of the EU habitat 2130* by using the concept of ‘diagnostic species pool’ and a ‘reference state’ approach by comparing extant plant community attributes to the expected condition in the absence of major environmental and anthropogenic disturbances. The second aim was to investigate the effects of natural and anthropogenic factors on EU habitat 2130* conservation status. Our study allowed to evidence an overall bad conservation status of the habitat, with a generalized decrease in the average species richness and modifications of the habitat structure. The concepts of ‘diagnostic species pool’ and ‘reference state’ turned out as the most straightforward tools to assess the conservation status. While geomorphological features, in particular dune width, and human disturbance revealed significant correlation with the conservation status, sedimentological data were not useful to detect community’s quality changes. To preserve the EU 2130* priority habitat, representing a peculiar element of the North Adriatic coast, the entire dune system integrity should be pursued, avoiding direct foredune destruction and other actions preventing dune development. In addition to this, the access to the dune system should be managed in order to protect the sensitive dune vegetation from trampling impacts.
STUDY OF DAM-RESERVOIR DYNAMIC INTERACTION USING VIBRATION TESTS ON A PHYSICAL MODEL

This paper presents the main results of a water-structure dynamic interaction experiment under ambient excitation and impact-hammer excitation. Experimental tests were conducted on a physical model of a wall clumped at the base and submitted to water pressure. The main dynamic parameters of this system (natural frequencies, mode shapes and modal damping) were identified for different water levels. Test results are compared with the numerical results of a 2D finite element model. Test results lead to the conclusion that the Young modulus to be used on structural dynamic analysis should be evaluated by ultrasonic tests. On the other hand, it is concluded that the water effect on the dynamic behaviour of the structural system can either be simulated using added water masses or water finite elements.
Review of 10 years of lightning measurement at the Gaisberg Tower in Austria

First instrumentation for lightning measurements at the Gaisberg Tower (GBT) has been installed in 1998. During the 10-years period from 2000 – 2009 a total of 652 lightning events have been recorded. Fast majority of the lightning to the GBT was upward initiated and only very few records are candidates for downward flashes when the recorded current waveform is used for discrimination between upward and downward lightning. Most of the lightning to the GBT (about 60%) is observed during cold season, comparable to winter lightning in Japan. 3% (21/652) of the flashes were bipolar and 4% (26/652) were positive. Maximum measured charge transfer to ground in a single flash was 546 C. 10 out of the 652 flashes (1.5 %) transferred charge values exceeding 300 C and all those events occurred during cold season. Median peak current of return strokes following the initial continuing current is 9.2 kA and similar to values observed in triggered lightning and to peak current estimates for subsequent strokes from lightning location systems.
Phonemic length and phrasal accent in Slovak consonantal and vocalic nuclei

Slovak allows us to compare vowels and consonants (/l/ and /r/) in nuclear position for their implementation of phonemic length contrast in stressed as well as unstressed syllables of accented as well as unaccented words. We analyzed the acoustic data of seven speakers for the changes in the duration of the vocalic and consonantal nuclei induced by phonemic length contrast and phrasal accent for both, stressed and unstressed syllables. The difference between long and short nuclei was always robust, while phrasal accent only affected the long nuclei. Whether the nucleus was a vowel or a consonant did not matter except for the long nuclei in the unstressed syllable, where /l/ differed significantly from /e/ or /r/. Results are discussed also by taking into account what is known from the articulatory stand point.
Comparative analysis of population genetic structure in Athyrium distentifolium (Pteridophyta) using AFLPs and SSRs from anonymous and transcribed gene regions

To examine the performance and information content of different marker systems, comparative assessment of population genetic diversity was undertaken in nine populations of Athyrium distentifolium using nine genomic and 10 expressed sequence tag (EST) microsatellite (SSR) loci, and 265 amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) loci from two primer combinations. In range‐wide comparisons (European vs. North American populations), the EST‐SSR loci showed more reliable amplification and produced more easily scorable bands than genomic simple sequence repeats (SSRs). Genomic SSRs showed significantly higher levels of allelic diversity than EST‐SSRs, but there was a significant correlation in the rank order of population diversities revealed by both marker types. When AFLPs, genomic SSRs, and EST‐SSRs are considered, comparisons of different population diversity metrics/markers revealed a mixture of significant and nonsignificant rank–order correlations. However, no hard incongruence was detected (in no pairwise comparison of populations did different marker systems or metrics detect opposingly significant different amounts of variation). Comparable population pairwise estimates of FST were obtained for all marker types, but whilst absolute values for genomic and EST‐SSRs were very similar (FST = 0.355 and 0.342, respectively), differentiation was consistently higher for AFLPs in pairwise and global comparisons (global AFLP FST = 0.496). The two AFLP primer combinations outperformed 18 SSR loci in assignment tests and discriminatory power in phenetic cluster analyses. The results from marker comparisons on A. distentifolium are discussed in the context of the few other studies on natural plant populations comparing microsatellite and AFLP variability.
Evaluation of high blood pressure , body mass index and blood lipids in obese , athletes and sedentary children in terms of cardiovascular risk factors

The prevalence of obesity in children has been increasing so much quickly. The study was carried out for evaluating in terms of Cardiovascular Risk Factors (CRF), Body Mass Index (BMI), High Blood Pressure (BP), and some blood parameters. A total of 56 male children between the ages of 11 and 14, 20 of them athlete (mean age 12.80 ± 0.77 years), 19 obese (mean age 12.04 ± 1.18 years), and 17 in the sedentary control group (mean age 11.87 ± 1.18 years) participated in the study to assess the obesity-related risk factors. Of the participants, body weight, height, Body Mass Index (BMI), Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), Energy Requirement, body fat mass, lean body mass, Systolic Blood Pressure (mmHg), Diastolic Blood (mmHg), Blood Sugar (mg/dL), insulin (mU/mL), CPeptide (ng/mL), HbA1c (%), Cholesterol (mg/dL), Triglyceride, LDL (mg/dL), HDL (mg/dL), CRP (mg/L), hemoglobin (g/dL), Hematocrit (%), and WBC (ml) were measured and recorded accordingly. The calculations and evaluations on the research, therefore, were accomplished using the program package, SPSS 18 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois). Negatively significant difference (p <0.05) were found in the systolic and diastolic blood pressure of obese children when compared both to the control group and the athlete group. The BMI values of the obesity group, therefore, were found meaningfully different from both the athlete and the control groups (p <0.017). Meaningful differences were determined, against the obese children, on blood lipids (p <0.05), and (p <0.017). That obtaining higher CRF levels in child obese than the sedentary and athlete groups shows the necessity of making sports in order to reduce down the CRF level. Some precautions, meanwhile, are needed to be taken in order to prevent the sedentary children from becoming obese adults in their future life. [EKER H. Evaluation of high blood pressure, body mass index and blood lipids in obese, athletes and sedentary children in terms of cardiovascular risk factors. Life Sci J 2013;10(5s):344-349] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite. com. 62
Sinusitis (acute).

INTRODUCTION Acute sinusitis is defined pathologically, by transient inflammation of the mucosal lining of the paranasal sinuses lasting less than 4 weeks. Clinically, it is characterised by nasal congestion, rhinorrhoea, facial pain, hyposmia, sneezing, and, if more severe, additional malaise and fever. It affects 1-5% of the adult population each year in Europe. METHODS AND OUTCOMES We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of treatments in people with clinically diagnosed acute sinusitis, and with radiologically or bacteriologically confirmed acute sinusitis? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library and other important databases up to August 2007 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). RESULTS We found 19 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions. CONCLUSIONS In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: antibiotics (amoxicillin, co-amoxiclav, doxycycline, cephalosporins, macrolides, different doses [amoxicillin, co-amoxiclav, doxycycline, cephalosporins, macrolides], long-course regimens), antihistamines, cephalosporins or macrolides, decongestants (xylometazoline, phenylephrine, pseudoephedrine), doxycycline, saline nasal washes, steam inhalation, and topical corticosteroids (intra-nasal).
Psychosocial determinants of cigarette smoking among university students in Jordan

The objectives of this study were to describe the prevalence of cigarette use and water pipe smoking in Jordanian university students and to analyze differences in determinants between cigarette smokers and non-smokers. A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to a random sample of 400 students (18–24 years, 51% males). Smokers were compared with non-smokers on several smoking-related determinants. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, χ 2 test and binary logistic regression analysis. The prevalence rates of cigarette use and water pipe smoking were 25.9% and 23.3%, respectively. Cigarette smokers differed significantly from non-smokers on almost all of the assessed determinants. The I-Change model explained 85% of the total variance of cigarette-smoking behavior. Cigarette smoking was determined by being male and older, having more depressive symptoms, having less Muslim identity, being more emancipated, perceiving more pros of smoking, having more modeling from peers and having lower self-efficacy. The popularity of cigarette use and water pipe smoking among Jordanian students necessitates health promotion interventions that motivate students not to engage in smoking behaviors by clearly outlining the outcomes of smoking and the healthier alternatives, how to cope with social influences and difficult situations in order to increase self-efficacy.
Effects of sodium-hyaluronate and glucosamine-chondroitin sulfate on remodeling stage of tenotomized superficial digital flexor tendon in rabbits: a clinical, histopathological, ultrastructural, and biomechanical study

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of sodium-hyaluronate (NaH) combined with glucosamine HCl-chondroitin sulfate (GlcN-CS) on the post-surgical repair of tendon rupture on day 84 post injury. Twenty white New Zealand female rabbits were divided randomly into two equal groups of injured treated and injured untreated. After tenotomy and surgical repair, using the modified Kessler technique and running pattern, the injured legs were casted for 14 days. NaH was injected subcutaneously over the lesion on days 3, 7, and 10 and was followed by daily oral administration of GlcN-CS on days 3 to 23 post injury. The control animals received normal saline injection and oral placebo similarly. The weight of the animals, tendon diameter, clinical manifestations, and radiographic and ultrasonographic evaluations were conducted for 12 weeks. The rabbits were euthanized 84 days post injury and the tendons were evaluated at macroscopic, histopathologic, and ultrastructural level and were assessed for biomechanical and percentage dry-weight parameters. Treatment significantly reduced the tendon diameter and ultimate and yield strain, and increased the echogenicity, dry-weight content, ultimate and yield strength, and stress and stiffness of the injured tendons compared to those of the untreated ones. Treatment also significantly enhanced the maturation rate of the tenoblasts, fibrillogenesis, the diameters of the collagen fibrils, and fibrillar density. These findings suggest that a combined treatment of NaH and GlcN-CS could be effective in restoring the morphological and biomechanical properties of injured superficial digital flexor tendon of rabbits and might be helpful for future clinical trial studies in tendon ruptures.
Integron frequency of Escherichia coli strains from patients with urinary tract infection in Southwest of Iran

Objective: To investigate the frequency of integrase genes intI1, intI2 and intI3 of Escherichia coli strains, and their association with resistance to routinely used antibiotics. Methods: A total of 120 Escherichia coli strains were collected from patients with urinary tract infection in Ahvaz, Southwest of Iran. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed. The presence of intI1, intI2, and intI3 genes was determined by polymerase chain reaction. Results: Antibiotic susceptibility testing disclosed the highest resistance rate to ampicillin (91.7%) followed by trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (65.8%), and ceftazidime (56.7%). The imipenem susceptibility rate was 91.7%. IntIl and intI2 were identified in 74 (61.6%) and 8 (6.6%) of Escherichia coli strains, respectively, but intI3 was not found in any isolates. The presence of integrons was significantly associated with resistance to ampicillin, trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole, ceftazidime, and ciprofloxacin antibiotics (P<0.05). Conclusions: The high resistant Escherichia coli isolates harboring class 1 integrons (intI1) were detected in patients with urinary tract infection in our region. Therefore, preventive strategies are necessary to restrict further dissemination of resistant strains.
Comparison of Horizontal Accuracy, Shape Similarity and Cost of Three Different Road Mapping Techniques

Accurate spatial information on forest roads is important for forest management and harvest operations. This study evaluated the positional accuracy, shape similarity, and cost of three mapping techniques: GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) mapping, CAD file conversion (as-built drawing), and image warping. We chose five road routes within the national forest road system in the Republic of Korea and made digital road maps using each technique. We then compared map accuracy to reference maps made from field surveys. The mapping and field-survey results were compared using point-correspondence, buffering analysis, shape index, and turning function methods. The comparisons indicate that GNSS mapping is the best technique because it generated the highest accuracy (Root Mean Square Error: GNSS mapping 1.28, image warping 7.13, CAD file conversion 13.35), the narrowest buffering width for 95% of the routes overlapped (buffering width: GNSS mapping 1.5 m, image warping 18 m, CAD file conversion 24 m), highest shape similarity (shape index: GNSS mapping 19.6–28.9, image warping 7.2–10.8, CAD file conversion 6.5–7.4), and smallest area size difference in turning function analysis (GNSS mapping 2814–4949, image warping 7972–26,256, CAD file conversion 8661–27,845). However, GNSS requires more time (236 min/km) and costs more ($139.64/km) to produce a digital road map as compared to CAD file conversion (99 min/km and $40.90/km) and image warping (180 min/km and $81.84/km). Managers must decide on the trade-off between accuracy and cost while considering the demand and purpose of maps. GNSS mapping can be used for small-scale mapping or short-haul routes that require a small error range. Image warping was the lowest cost and produced low-accuracy maps, but may be suitable for large-scale mapping at the regional or national level. CAD file conversion was expected to be the most accurate method, because it converted as-built drawings to a map. However, we found that it was the least accurate method, indicating low accuracy of the as-built drawings. Efforts should be made to improve the accuracy of the as-built drawings in Korea.
Maternal depression, changing public assistance, food security, and child health status.

OBJECTIVE To examine the association of positive report on a maternal depression screen (PDS) with loss or reduction of welfare support and foods stamps, household food insecurity, and child health measures among children aged < or =36 months at 6 urban hospitals and clinics. METHODS A convenience sample of 5306 mothers, whose children <36 months old were being seen in hospital general clinics or emergency departments (EDs) at medical centers in 5 states and Washington, District of Columbia, were interviewed from January 1, 2000 until December 31, 2001. Questions included items on sociodemographic characteristics, federal program participation and changes in federal benefits, child health status rating, child's history of hospitalizations since birth, household food security status, and a 3-question PDS. For a subsample interviewed in the ED, whether the child was admitted to the hospital that day was recorded. RESULTS PDS status was associated with loss or reduction of welfare support and food stamps, household food insecurity, fair/poor child health rating, and history of child hospitalization since birth but not low child growth status measures or admission to the hospital at the time of ED visit. After controlling for study site, maternal race, education, and insurance type as well as child low birth weight status, mothers with PDS were more likely to report fair/poor child health (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.58; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33-1.88) and hospitalizations during the child's lifetime (AOR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.03-1.39), compared with mothers without PDS. Controlling for the same variables, mothers with PDS were more likely to report decreased welfare support (AOR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.03-2.25), to have lost food stamps (AOR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.06-2.30), and reported more household food insecurity (AOR: 2.69; 95% CI: 2.33-3.11) than mothers without PDS. CONCLUSION Positive maternal depression screen status noted in pediatric clinical samples of infants and toddlers is associated with poorer reported child health status, household food insecurity, and loss of federal financial support and food stamps. Although the direction of effects cannot be determined in this cross-sectional survey, child health providers and policy makers should be aware of the potential impact of maternal depression on child health in the context of welfare reform.
Sexual use of the internet: Perceived impact on MSM’s views of self and others

An ongoing scientific and cultural debate has questioned whether using the internet has changed users in relevant ways. We investigated whether men who have sex with men and who use the internet to meet sexual partners consequently perceived any changes in themselves and in others. We interviewed 36 men and conducted a thematic analysis of the interview transcripts. Results suggest that many men perceived both sexual and non-sexual self-changes, such as a greater acceptance of their sexuality, the exploration of new sexual possibilities, more assertive communication styles and, for a few, the occurrence of an excessive online behavior and diminished emotional availability towards others. Some also tended to be more suspicious of others both on- and offline. We believe our results help build a strong case for the existence of a subjectively perceived internet-related impact on these men’s selves and their perception of others.