Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
IS THE EXTRACT FROM THE PLANT CATMINT (NEPETA CATARIA) REPELLENT TO MOSQUITOES IN AUSTRALIA?

ABSTRACT The repellency of Nepeta cataria (catmint or catnip) was tested against Aedes aegypti, Ae. vigilax, Culex annulirostris, and Cx. quinquefasciatus, and compared with a blend of natural plant extracts and N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (deet) on human skin. The catmint and natural plant extract blend did not provide the same level of protection from biting mosquitoes as deet. There were significant differences in the level of protection provided by catmint to the 4 species of mosquito, with mean protection times ranging from 0 min for Ae. aegypti up to 240 ± 60 min for Cx. quinquefasciatus. Significant differences in the mean landing rates of the 4 mosquito species on untreated forearms highlighted the difficulties in comparing laboratory tests of repellents between species.
Differential Functional Avidity of Dengue Virus-Specific T-Cell Clones for Variant Peptides Representing Heterologous and Previously Encountered Serotypes

ABSTRACT Proinflammatory cytokines secreted by memory CD8+ and CD4+ T cells are thought to play a direct role in the pathogenesis of dengue virus infection by increasing vascular permeability and thereby inducing the pathophysiologic events associated with dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. Severe disease is frequently observed in the setting of secondary infection with heterologous dengue virus serotypes, suggesting a role for cross-reactive memory T cells in the immunopathogenesis of severe disease. We used a large panel of well-characterized dengue virus-specific CD8+ T-cell clones isolated from Pacific Islanders previously infected with dengue virus 1 to examine effector memory function, focusing on a novel dominant HLA-B*5502-restricted NS5329-337 epitope, and assessed T-cell responses to stimulation with variant peptides representing heterologous serotypes. Variant peptides were differentially recognized by dengue virus 1-specific effector CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in a heterogeneous and clone-specific manner, in which cytolytic function and cytokine secretion could be enhanced, diminished, or abrogated compared with cognate peptide stimulation. Dengue virus-specific CTL stimulated with cognate and variant peptides demonstrated a cytokine response hierarchy of gamma IFN (IFN-γ) > tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) > interleukin-2 (IL-2), and a subset of clones also produced IL-4 and IL-6. Individual clones demonstrated greater avidity for variant peptides representing heterologous serotypes, including serotypes previously encountered by the subject, and IFN-γ and TNF-α secretion was enhanced by stimulation with these heterologous peptides. Altered antiviral T-cell responses in response to stimulation with heterologous dengue virus serotypes have implications for control of virus replication and for disease pathogenesis.
Enzymatic and histopathologic biomarkers in the flatfish Euryglossa orientalis from the northwestern Persian Gulf

Most of the chemicals in the petrochemical sewages cause oxidative stress in marine organisms. Antioxidant enzymes (catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)) as biomarkers of oxidative stress and liver histopathological alterations were investigated in the current study to evaluate the toxic effects of petrochemical pollutions in flatfish, Euryglossa orientalis. The enzymatic and histopathological changes were assessed in the liver of E. orientalis from Khowr-e Jafari (one of the creeks from Khowr-e Musa estuary) and Sajafi harbor as polluted and clean areas, respectively. A significant increase in the antioxidant enzyme activities was observed in response to aquatic pollutions of Khowr-e Jafari. Liver lesions were diagnosed and categorized using standard methods. The results of histopathological examinations showed more lesion scores in the fish from Khowr-e Jafari. Various histopathological changes including hepatocyte degeneration, inflammatory lesions, peliosis hepatis and pancreatic acinar cell adenoma, and increase in the number of pigmented macrophage aggregates were observed in the fish from polluted site. It is suggested that activities of CAT and SOD along with semi-quantitative histopathologic analysis of E. orientalis can be used for biomonitoring programs in Persian Gulf.
The EPPIC follow-up study of first-episode psychosis: longer-term clinical and functional outcome 7 years after index admission.

OBJECTIVE To describe the longer-term clinical and functional outcome of a large, epidemiologic representative cohort of individuals experiencing a first episode of psychosis. METHOD A naturalistic, prospective follow-up of an epidemiologic sample of 723 consecutive first-episode psychosis patients, followed between January 1998 and April 2005, at a median of 7.4 years after initial presentation to the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre (EPPIC) in Melbourne, Australia. EPPIC is a frontline public mental health early psychosis program, servicing a geographically defined catchment area with a population of about 800,000 people. The main outcome measures included the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, the Schedule for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale, the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale, the Quality of Life Scale, and the remission criteria developed by the Remission in Schizophrenia Working Group. RESULTS Follow-up information was collected on up to 90.0% (n = 651) of the baseline cohort of 723 participants, with 66.9% (n = 484) interviewed. In the last 2 years, 57% of individuals with schizophrenia/schizophreniform, 54% with schizoaffective disorder, 62% with affective psychosis, and 68% with other psychotic disorders reported some paid employment. Depending upon the criteria applied, symptomatic remission at follow-up was observed in 37%-59% of the cohort. Social/vocational recovery was observed in 31% of the cohort. Approximately a quarter achieved both symptomatic remission and social/vocational recovery. CONCLUSION The relatively positive outcomes are consistent with a beneficial effect of specialized early intervention programs; however it is premature to draw firm conclusions. There was no control group and there are many differences between the relevant comparison studies and the present one. Although difficult to conduct, large scale controlled health services research trials are required to definitively determine the impact and optimal duration of specialized early psychosis programs.
Price discovery on Bitcoin markets

Trading of Bitcoin is spread about multiple venues where buying and selling is offered in various currencies. However, all exchanges trade one common good and by the law of one price, the different prices should not deviate in the long run. In this context, we are interested in which platform is the most important one in terms of price discovery. To this end, we use a pairwise approach accounting for a potential impact of exchange rates. The contribution to price discovery is measured by Hasbrouck’s and Gonzalo and Granger’s information share. We then derive an ordering with respect to the importance of each market which reveals that the Chinese OKCoin platform is the leader in price discovery of Bitcoin, followed by BTC China. Overall, the exchange rate is neither affected by Bitcoin trading nor does it contribute decisively to its price discovery.
Characterization of cytokine production in murine Trypanosoma cruzi infection by in situ immunocytochemistry: Lack of association between susceptibility and type 2 cytokine production

Cytokine production in the spleens of mice infected with the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi was analyzed in three models which differ in the outcome of the infection. Using immunocytochemical techniques to detect cytokine‐producing cells, the production of type 1 [interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) and interferon (IFN)‐γ], type 2 (IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐10), inflammatory [tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, IL‐1α, IL‐6] and regulatory (transforming growth factor‐β) cytokines were examined. With the exception of IL‐4 and IL‐5, cells producing all of the cytokines assayed were detected in both the resistant and susceptible models of T. cruzi infection. Cells producing IL‐4 and IL‐5 were not detected until later in infection in the resistant mice (>34 days), at about the time animals of the susceptible strain succumb to the infection. Mice of the susceptible model showed a slight delay in the appearance of cells producing the type 1 cytokines IL‐2 and IFN‐γ and an earlier appearance of TNF‐producing cells, in comparison to resistant mice. Cells producing IL‐2 or IL‐10 were transient in their appearance in the spleen while cells producing IL‐1, IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐6, IFN‐γ, TNF, or TGF‐β were first detectable in either the acute or post‐acute stage of the infection and persisted up to 700 days post infection in two different resistant models of the infection. Cells producing IFN‐γ, TNF‐α and TGF‐β were particularly numerous even very late in the infection. Double‐staining techniques were used to show that the vast majority of the IFN‐γ‐producing cells in the spleen were CD4−, CD8− α/β TCR+ T cells. This study confirms the transience of IL‐2 production in the acute stage of T. cruzi infection and the persistent and simultaneous production of type 1 and type 2 cytokines during the late‐acute and chronic stages of the infection. Susceptibility or resistance to T. cruzi infection does not associate with a Th2 pattern of cytokine production in the three models examined in this study. The overlapping pattern of type 1 and type 2 cytokine‐producing cells in both the acute and chronic stages of T. cruzi infection demonstrates that longterm infections do not necessarily lead to a dominance of either type 1 or type 2 cytokine production.
Treatment of extra-articular and simple articular distal radial fractures with intramedullary nail versus volar locking plate

The purpose of this prospective, randomized and blinded study was to compare the clinical outcomes of distal radial fractures treated with either an intramedullary nail or a volar locking plate. Sixty two patients were enrolled in the study and randomized to treatment with a MICRONAILTM (Group 1, 31 patients) or an adaptive plate (Group 2, 31 patients). Fracture types included were unstable extra-articular metaphyseal distal radial fractures and simple or multifragmentary sagittal articular distal radial fractures (AO classification types A2, A3, B1.1 and B1.2). All patients were evaluated at 6 weeks, 3 months and 12 months after surgery. Outcome measures included standard radiographic parameters, active wrist range of motion, the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) and Mayo wrist scores. We concluded that treatment of this subset of distal radius fractures with minimally invasive intramedullary nailing gives better clinical outcomes at 6 weeks after surgery than treatment with a volar locking plate. By 3 and 12 months following surgery, there are no significant differences in outcome between the two treatment methods. Disadvantages of the MICRONAIL™ fixation system include risk of injury to the superficial branch of the radial nerve and a narrower spectrum of indications than volar locking plates.
Trajectories of disability in the last year of life.

To the Editor: In their study identifying five potentially useful trajectories of disability in activities of daily living during the last year of life, Gill et al. (April 1 issue)1 conclude that the illness leading to death does not predict a patient’s trajectory. Although their team adapted methods from our work,2 they addressed a different question. We had sought an evidence base for differentiating needs for health care services that were based on three population groups: short-term decline, long-term disability, and frequent decline– recovery cycles. Gill et al. might have identified the frequently fluctuating trajectory by using different analytic approaches.3 Like us, the authors were challenged to find indicators (other than dementia) to characterize patients who have sustained disabilities before death. Previous research had found a weak relationship between the frailty phenotype and disability.4 We continue to contend that clinical evaluations performed long ahead of death could help to anticipate and categorize needs and that prudent system design would align services for these three population groups, each of which has a set of similar needs at the end of life.5
Plantar malignant melanoma in a white Caucasian population

Fifty‐one white Caucasian patients from the west of Scotland, with stage I primary malignant melanoma arising on the plantar surface were studied. Subungual lesions were excluded from the study. Clinical and pathological features were related to survival, and compared with a group of 239 cases of clinical stage 1 melanoma of the lower limb, excluding the foot, collected in the same geographical area over the same period of time (1979–84). The average age of patients with plantar melanoma was 67 years and was significantly older than those with leg melanomas, in whom the mean age was 53 years.
Foreign Terrorist Fighters: Trends, Dynamics and Policy Responses

This paper, which was developed for the Global Counterterrorism Forum's Foreign Terrorist Fighters Working Group, takes stock of the current trends and dynamics related to the FTF phenomenon and identifies some of the gaps that still need to be addressed. The distinction between home-grown terrorists and (returning) FTFs is fading, the difference between ISIL/Da’esh inspired or directed terrorist attacks is becoming more fluid and the nexus between terrorism and crime is more prominent, which clearly indicates that terrorism can manifest itself in many different ways. The involvement of returning FTFs in some terrorist attacks is a stark reminder of the potential threat returning FTFs pose. The data also indicate a demographic change with a more prominent role of female FTFs and children being recruited and used in hostilities or involved in terrorist attacks. The current trends underline the need for a comprehensive, tailored and multidisciplinary approach including the involvement of stakeholders at the local level to adequately address the evolving aspects of the FTF phenomenon.
Spatially resolved energy analyzer measurements of an ion beam on the low potential side of a current-free double-layer

Spatially resolved measurements of a supersonic Ar/sup +/ ion beam are obtained using a movable retarding field energy analyzer positioned on the low potential side of a current-free helicon double-layer (DL). The DL is generated near the open end of the helicon source where the fairly "collisionless" argon plasma is expanding in a diverging magnetic field for a radio frequency power of 250 W and a pressure of about 0.35 mtorr. The potential drop of the DL induces ion acceleration and the formation of an ion beam which propagates downstream of the DL. An image showing the ion beam spatial properties 12 cm downstream of the DL is presented.
New and Old Thoughts on the Segmental Organization of the Forebrain in Lampreys

Ten years ago, we published the first detailed prosomeric map of the forebrain in lampreys. In the interim, the prosomeric model has been modified and simplified to better explain numerous data on the expression patterns of regulatory genes, as well as data from chemical, hodological and neuroembryological experiments, mostly in amniote vertebrates. In this report we first review the main historical concepts of lamprey forebrain organization, relating them to either columnar- or segmental-influenced models and explicit or implicit axial references. Next, our previous prosomeric model of the lamprey forebrain is updated, postulating some new hypotheses on the organization of the secondary prosencephalon.
Factors Associated With Outcomes of Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

The purpose of this article is to provide a general review of the current literature on the factors associated with the outcomes of hospitalizations, survival and health‐related quality of life in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD), highlighting the limitations and the complexities in interpretation of the results of current studies. There is no consensus definition for AECOPD; onsets may be difficult to define and the determination of duration elusive. The prevalence of acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) in the community appears to be underestimated as exacerbations are underreported by patients and their doctors. Hospitalization for COPD is due mainly to severe AECOPDs which drive the cost of care. There are few longitudinal epidemiological studies on factors associated with hospitalizations for AECOPD. The results of current studies do not allow clear differentiation between associations that are predictors of event, the consequences of the event, or indicators of severity. Strategies to reduce severe exacerbations of COPD include pharmacological treatment, vaccinations, pulmonary rehabilitation, and home care programs. The optimal strategy for the reduction of hospitalization in COPD remains unclear. Long-term interventional studies are needed to provide clearer information for the prevention of exacerbations and hospitalizations in COPD.
A conceptual framework to investigate the role of peer learning processes at on-farm demonstrations in the light of sustainable agriculture

Peer-to-peer approaches seem promising in enhancing sustainable agricultural systems. However, the kind of learning processes that underlie peer learning approaches have not been sufficiently studied in farmer-to-farmer settings. To answer the question how peer learning processes can foster farmer learning for sustainable agriculture, we will develop empirical research tools that can give us more insight into these processes as currently occurring in on-farm demonstration settings. In this explorative paper, we explore the common ground on how to design an integrative framework of effective farmer-to-farmer learning processes at on-farm demonstrations in the light of sustainable agriculture. During the in-depth literature search, we focussed on three main subfields in scientific literature addressing effective learning processes: peer assisted learning (PAL) process model, adult learning theory and education for sustainable development (ESD). We link effective learning processes supported by these three subfields with findings from previous research on farmer-to-farmer practices. The comparison of the three subfields led to a conceptual framework with core interacting effective learning processes defined as engagement, interactive knowledge creation and initiated communication, fostering cognitive conflict and critical reflection.
Between-country collaboration and consideration of costs increase conservation planning efficiency in the Mediterranean Basin

The importance of global and regional coordination in conservation is growing, although currently, the majority of conservation programs are applied at national and subnational scales. Nevertheless, multinational programs incur transaction costs and resources beyond what is required in national programs. Given the need to maximize returns on investment within limited conservation budgets, it is crucial to quantify how much more biodiversity can be protected by coordinating multinational conservation efforts when resources are fungible. Previous studies that compared different scales of conservation decision-making mostly ignored spatial variability in biodiversity threats and the cost of actions. Here, we developed a simple integrating metric, taking into account both the cost of conservation and threats to biodiversity. We examined the Mediterranean Basin biodiversity hotspot, which encompasses over 20 countries. We discovered that for vertebrates to achieve similar conservation benefits, one would need substantially more money and area if each country were to act independently as compared to fully coordinated action across the Basin. A fully coordinated conservation plan is expected to save approximately US$67 billion, 45% of total cost, compared with the uncoordinated plan; and if implemented over a 10-year period, the plan would cost ≈0.1% of the gross national income of all European Union (EU) countries annually. The initiative declared in the recent Paris Summit for the Mediterranean provides a political basis for such complex coordination. Surprisingly, because many conservation priority areas selected are located in EU countries, a partly coordinated solution incorporating only EU-Mediterranean countries is almost as efficient as the fully coordinated scenario.
Roads, Participation in Markets, and Benefits to Agricultural Households: Evidence from the Topography-Based Highway Network in Nepal

This paper identifies the role of roads in improving agricultural livelihoods and examines the key market mechanisms through which improved connectivity translates into economic gains for agricultural households. I use a rigorous identification strategy based on the rugged terrain that significantly influences the design and costs of constructing roads in Nepal, along with new geospatial data to find a positive impact of roads on farmland values. A 1% decrease in distance to a road raises the market price of an agricultural plot from 0.1% to 0.25%. This increase in land value is underpinned by increased participation by households in agricultural markets and improved farm production and incomes. The results also suggest that a decrease in the distance to a road contributes to the commercialization of agriculture and increases the use of fertilizer in agricultural production, thus reducing the unit cost of fertilizers.
Are the Aging Male’s Symptoms (AMS) scale and the Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Male (ADAM) questionnaire suitable for the screening of late-onset hypogonadism in aging Chinese men?

Abstract The Aging Male’s Symptoms (AMS) scale and the Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Male (ADAM) questionnaire have been widely used for screening men suspected of late-onset hypogonadism (LOH). We evaluated the consistency of the two questionnaires with sex hormone levels. A total of 985 men completed the two questionnaires, as well as an analysis of the serum levels of total testosterone (TT), bioavailable testosterone (BT), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), prolactin (PRL) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). No correlation was observed between any hormone level and the psychological or somatic section of the AMS score, whereas the sexual section was correlated with the levels of FT, LH, FSH, SHBG and BT. Significant correlations were observed between the result of the two questionnaires and these hormone levels. When LOH was defined as TT < 300 ng/dl and FT < 5 ng/dl, the sensitivity and specificity of the AMS scale were 54.0% and 41.2% compared with 78.7% and 14.8% for the ADAM questionnaire. Several sex hormone levels correlated with the two questionnaires, but neither of these questionnaires had sufficient sensitivity and specificity. It is necessary to provide a new questionnaire applicable to the Chinese population to screening LOH.