Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Survey on ‘lumpy jaw’ on deer farms in western Canada: Prevalence and distribution, and identification of associated factors

Abstract AIM: To investigate the prevalence and geographical distribution of ‘lumpy jaw’ (LJ) in a population of white-tailed deer (WTD; Odocoileus virginianus) and mule deer (MD; Odocoileus hemionus) farms from the western Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta, and to identify factors associated with its occurrence. METHODS: A cross-sectional study, in which the target population was all farmers of WTD and MD registered in Saskatchewan and Alberta, was conducted between July 2004 and January 2005. A questionnaire was mailed to all farmers requesting information about the presence of LJ and other necrobacillois-related syndromes (footrot and fawn death syndrome), and various farm characteristics, during 2002, 2003 and 2004. Herd and within-herd incidences of disease were estimated. Global and local spatial analyses were performed to identify possible clusters of occurrence of LJ in the region. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with the occurrence of LJ. RESULTS: A total of 139/268 (52%) deer farmers responded to the survey. Over the entire study period, 108/139 (78%) of farmers reported having cases of LJ in their herds, and in any given year the incidence amongst herds was about 40%. The presence of footrot was not associated with the presence of LJ. The proportion of fawns dying suddenly in 2004 was higher on farms affected by LJ than in those considered LJ-free (median of 11.1% and 0%, respectively; p<0.001). Two areas in Saskatchewan were identified as having a higher herd prevalence of LJ (clusters) than all other areas. Density of animals, moving and handling animals, lack of basic hygiene measures, and bottle-feeding of fawns increased the odds of a herd being affected by LJ. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: LJ should be considered a common disease in farmed deer in western Canada. The observed relationship between the occurrence of LJ and acute mortality of fawns emphasises the potential of this infection to result in significant economic loss. Intensive management of deer, characterised by high densities and frequent moving and handling of animals, may contribute significantly to the occurrence of LJ. Observed geographical clusters may reflect areas where management of deer was more intensive or the trading of deer more common.
Penalization and augmented Lagrangian for O-D demand matrix estimation from transit segment counts

ABSTRACT In this paper we consider some penalized quadratic models to update Origin-Destination (O-D) matrices in transit networks from observed flows. These models look for the closest O-D matrix to an outdated one, which reproduces some observed segment flows. We demonstrate that the solution of these penalized models converges to the solution of the Spiess model when the penalty parameter increases to infinity. Another contribution is the introduction of an augmented Lagrangian model and its iterative solution by a dual ascent technique and the method of multipliers. This approach yields high-quality solutions with low CPU time and it is tested with two networks: the Winnipeg transit network, which has 23716 O-D pairs; and the transit network of the metropolitan area of the Valley of Mexico with more than 2 million of O-D pairs. For some instances, extracting the null coefficients from the old O-D matrix reduces the computational cost even further.
HIV Prevalence and Related Behaviors Among Sex Workers in Jamaica

Background: The aims of the study were to estimate HIV prevalence among sex workers (SWs) in Jamaica and to identify risk factors associated with HIV infection. Method: Face to face interviews and HIV testing of 450 SWs across Jamaica were conducted in 2005. Participants were identified by key informants. Results: About 9% of SWs were HIV-positive. HIV-positive SWs tended to be older, less educated, have a history of crack/cocaine use, and were less likely to be aware of the Ministry of Health's prevention programme. More than 90% of SWs reported having easy access to condoms and using condoms at last sex with local and tourist clients. However, 30% of SWs used condoms with nonpaying partners. Knowledge of HIV prevention methods was high but only 38.6% of SWs appropriately rejected myths about HIV transmission by mosquito bites and meal sharing. Conclusion: Prevention programmes targeting SWs must emphasize the risk associated with both paying and nonpaying sexual partners while providing knowledge about HIV prevention. Increased access to prevention programmes is likely to reduce HIV prevalence among this population.
Sensorimotor Cortex Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Concentration Correlates with Impaired Performance in Patients with MS

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Abnormalities in GABA concentration [GABA] have been associated with several neuropsychiatric disorders, and research has suggested that GABA may play a role in sensorimotor cortex function. We sought to determine whether identifying a change in [GABA] within the sensorimotor cortex of patients with MS has any effect on motor function and would provide information about the adaptive/compensatory mechanisms involved in the attempt to maintain motor function during disease progression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 19 healthy controls and 30 patients with MS, we assessed task performance with the MS Functional Composite scale and its components (T25FW test, 9HPT, and PASAT). With in vivo MR spectroscopy, we measured [GABA] in the sensorimotor cortex and determined correlations between [GABA] and task performance. We also assessed the association between [GABA] and cortical activation volume after a bilateral finger-tapping task. RESULTS: [GABA] was inversely correlated with 9HPT scores in patients with MS, indicating a worsening of performance with increased [GABA]. No significant correlation was observed between [GABA] and T25FW or PASAT scores. [GABA] was directly correlated with primary motor cortex activation volume after the finger-tapping task in patients with MS. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that cortical [GABA] may be a marker of function and reorganization/adaptation of cortical gray matter in MS.
Turnover of AU‐rich‐containing mRNAs during stress: a matter of survival

Cells undergo various adaptive measures in response to stress. Among these are specific changes in the posttranscriptional regulation of various genes. In particular, the turnover of mRNA is modified to either increase or decrease the abundance of certain target messages. Some of the best‐studied mRNAs that are affected by stress are those that contain adenine/uridine‐rich elements (AREs) in their 3′‐untranslated regions. ARE‐containing mRNAs are involved in many important cellular processes and are normally labile, but in response to stress they are differentially regulated through the concerted efforts of ARE‐binding proteins (AUBPs) such as HuR, AUF1, tristetraprolin, BRF1, and KSRP, along with microRNA‐mediated effects. Additionally, the fate of ARE‐containing mRNAs is modified by inducing their localization to stress granules or mRNA processing bodies. Coordination of these various mechanisms controls the turnover of ARE‐containing mRNAs, and thereby enables proper responses to cellular stress. In this review, we discuss how AUBPs regulate their target mRNAs in response to stress, along with the involvement of cytoplasmic granules in this process. WIREs RNA 2011 2 336–347 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.55
Examining Vulnerability Factors to Natural Disasters with a Spatial Autoregressive Model: The Case of South Korea

Socially and economically marginalized people and environmentally vulnerable areas are disproportionately affected by natural hazards. Identifying populations and places vulnerable to disasters is important for disaster management, and crucial for mitigating their economic consequences. From the fields of geography, emergency management, and urban planning, several approaches and methodologies have been used to identify significant vulnerability factors affecting the incidence and impact of disasters. This study performs a regression analysis to examine several factors associated with disaster damage in 230 local communities in South Korea, using ten vulnerability indicators for social, economic, and environmental aspects, and a single indicator for disaster characteristics. A Lagrange Multiplier diagnostic test-based spatial autoregressive model (SAM) was applied to assess the potential spatial autocorrelation in the ordinary least squares (OLS) residuals. This study compared the OLS regression results with those of a spatial autoregressive model, for both presence of spatial autocorrelation, and model performance. The conclusion of this study is that Korean communities with a higher vulnerability to disasters, as a result of their socioeconomic and environmental characteristics, are more likely to experience economic losses from natural disasters.
Are there differences in social capital related to corporate regional engagement in dynamic and less dynamic non-core regions?

ABSTRACT This article explores corporate regional engagement and related social capital in non-core regions. Corporate regional engagement comprises various activities of firms to influence regional contexts, which are challenging in non-core regions (e.g. on account of their organizational or institutional thinness). Corporate regional engagement engenders positive effects for regional development when firms collaborate among themselves (bonding social capital) and with other actors (bridging social capital) to improve regional endowments. We assume that dynamic regions have at their disposal higher levels of inclusive social capital in terms of collaboration networks for regional concerns and trust, while less dynamic regions have more exclusive and fragmented social capital. Consequently, less dynamic regions in particular appear to have potential to develop in a more social sense by activating the endogenous potential of region-wide collaboration. Those assumptions are tested based on a survey with Chief Executive Officers from the manufacturing industry from three dynamic and three less dynamic Swiss regions. The findings show that in dynamic regions, more firms are members of regional cross-industry associations, favouring regional collaboration; in less dynamic regions, meanwhile, more firms are members of industry-specific associations and service clubs, where benefits seem to be higher for individual firms than for the regional business environment.
Monitoring of low molecular weight heparin anticoagulation during haemodialysis with a Sonoclot Analyzer

Objectives: Sonoclot was used in this study to monitor low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) during haemodialysis. Material and Methods: Two different intravenous doses (standard / half-dose) of dalteparin were studied in eight patients. Blood was sampled for coagulation analyses with Sonoclot, thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) and anti-Xa. A visual fibrin deposition score (VFS) in the venous drip chamber was also evaluated. Results: All patients completed their dialysis. There was a progressive increase in TAT levels, which correlated to the dalteparin dose. Significant differences (p<0.05) were found for TAT, VFS and Sonoclot celite-activated clotting time (SonACT) between the different LMWH dosages. TAT and Sonoclot correlated to each other, but not to the VFS. SonACT was significantly increased at two hours, with the high dalteparin dose compared to the lower dose. Conclusion: Both Sonoclot and TAT failed to predict the VFS. No patient had any clinical clotting events and all dialyses were completed successfully.
Nonmarital childbearing in the United States: a government report.

This article summarizes a 1995 report to the US Congress from a working groups at the Department of Health and Human Services. This paper describes trends in nonmarital childbearing by age, race, education, residence, and parents' background. Several explanations are provided for the observed changes in nonmarital fertility. Pregnancy outcomes are described. Other issues are discussed pertaining to subsequent fertility, public assistance, and a comparison with international trends. It is argued that a narrow view of the problem obscures the key issues. Although 66% of nonmarital childbearing occurs among women aged older than 20 years, most research and programs target adolescent nonmarital childbearing. In 1993 there were 1.2 million infants born to unmarried women, a substantial increase over several decades. The increase was highest during the 1970s. Trends stabilized in the 1990s. The rate of nonmarital childbearing was the highest among women aged 20-24 years in 1993, followed closely by women aged 18-19 years. Nonmarital childbearing included 30% of births to teenagers, 54% to women aged in their 20s, and 16% to women aged 30 years and older. In 1970 teenage nonmarital childbearing comprised the largest proportion of nonmarital births (50%); 42% of births were to women aged 20-29 years. Hispanic women were found to be more likely to have nonmarital births. Over 60% of nonmarital births were to White women (42% to White women aged 20-29 years). Declines in marriage explained most of the growth during 1968-84 for Black women; thereafter increases in the rate of nonmarital births and the proportion of women married accounted for the Black nonmarital birth ratio. For White women during 1968-93, the deciding factors have been the same factors as for Blacks after 1984. Other trends include the lesser likelihood of both married and unmarried women to terminate pregnancies. About 80% of children receiving public assistance lived in families headed by never married mothers.
Role of economic instruments in water allocation reform: lessons from Europe

Abstract A growing number of countries are reforming their water allocation regimes through the use of economic instruments. This article analyzes the performance of economic instruments in water allocation reforms compared against their original design objectives in five European countries: England, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. We identify the strengths of, barriers to and unintended consequences of economic instruments in the varying socio-economic, legal, institutional and biophysical context in each case study area, and use this evidence to draw out underlying common guidelines and recommendations. These lessons will help improve the effectiveness of future reforms while supporting more efficient water resources allocation.
Three-Dimensional Motion Analysis Validation of a Clinic-Based Nomogram Designed to Identify High ACL Injury Risk in Female Athletes

Abstract Aims: Prospective measures of high knee abduction moment (KAM) during landing identify female athletes at increased risk for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Laboratory-driven measurements predict high KAM with 90% accuracy. This study aimed to validate the clinic-based variables against 3-dimensional motion analysis measurements. Methods: Twenty female basketball, soccer, and volleyball players (age, 15.9 ± 1.3 years; height, 163.6 ± 9.9 cm; body mass, 57.0 ± 12.1 kg) were tested using 3-dimensional motion analysis and clinic-based techniques simultaneously. Multiple logistic regression models have been developed to predict high KAM (a surrogate for ACL injury risk) using both measurement techniques. Clinic-based measurements were validated against 3-dimensional motion analysis measures, which were recorded simultaneously, using within- and between-method reliability as well as sensitivity and specificity comparisons. Results: The within-variable analysis showed excellent inter-rater reliability for all variables using both 3-dimensional motion analysis and clinic-based methods, with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) that ranged from moderate to high (0.60-0.97). In addition, moderate-to-high agreement was observed between 3-dimensional motion analysis and clinic-based measures, with ICCs ranging from 0.66 to 0.99. Bland-Altman plots confirmed that each variable provided no systematic shift between 3-dimensional motion analysis and clinic-based methods, and there was no association between difference and average. A developed regression equation also supported model validity with > 75% prediction accuracy of high KAM using both the 3-dimensional motion analysis and clinic-based techniques. Conclusion: The current validation provides the critical next step to merge the gap between laboratory identification of injury risk factors and clinical practice. Implementation of the developed prediction tool to identify female athletes with high KAM may facilitate the entry of female athletes with high ACL injury risk into appropriate injury-prevention programs.
Influence of gender on prevention of myocardial infarction by antihypertensives and acetylsalicylic acid: the HOT study.

OBJECTIVE The aims of the Hypertension Optimal Treatment (HOT) Study were to investigate the relationship between three levels of target office diastolic blood pressure (BP; < or = 90, < or = 85, and < or = 80 mm Hg) and cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke in hypertensive patients, and to examine the effects of 75 mg of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) daily versus placebo. DESIGN Randomized, double-blind study. This substudy assessed the influence of gender on the incidence of MI. SUBJECTS A total of 18,790 patients (mean age, 61.5 years; range, 50-80 years). METHODS Patients were randomized and followed for an average of 3.8 years until 71,051 patient-years had elapsed and 683 events, including 215 MIs, had occurred. RESULTS There were significantly fewer MIs in the lowest diastolic BP target group (P = .034) in women (n = 8883); a similar but smaller trend was not statistically significant in men. The effect of ASA on preventing MI was also influenced by gender (P = .38 in women; P = .001 in men [lowered by 42%]). CONCLUSION Lowering diastolic BP to about 80 mm Hg in hypertensive women and administering 75 mg of ASA daily to well-treated hypertensive men reduces MI in patients with essential hypertension.
Tariff Liberalization and the Intensive and Extensive Margins of Trade: The Case for the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement

This paper is the first in its attempt to analyse the effect of tariff liberalization on the intensive- and extensive margins of trade for the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA). The extensive margin is examined by investigating to what extent preferential tariff changes between 1996 and 2008 contribute to the probability of importing a new HS 6-digit product category. For the intensive margin, the paper analyses to what extent these tariff changes impact the import value of already imported product categories. To alleviate the endogeneity problem encountered when analysing tariff changes in relation to import status and import value, the paper estimates the relationship using an instrumental variable approach. As such, implemented preferential tariffs are instrumented with the scheduled preferential tariffs, which member countries negotiated on before the agreement went into force in 1993. This paper finds robust evidence that tariff reductions significantly increase both the intensive- and extensive margins of trade. In addition, the paper finds that for the extensive margin this effect is smaller when the elasticity of substitution between varieties is high. For the intensive margin, the reverse is found, as a higher elasticity of substitution between varieties leads to a larger effect.
Corporate social responsibility and earnings management of South African companies

L.A. J. (University of South Africa) was responsible for generating the idea, gathering the data, performing the analyses, concluding and writing the article. M.D.K. (University of Pretoria) and C.J.D.V. (University of Auckland, New Zealand and University of Pretoria) were involved in providing guidance throughout the process.
Creating a Heritage Tourism Experience. The Power of the Senses

This article discusses the conditions required for meaningful and memorable tourist experiences to occur and for increasing the competitiveness of heritage tourism projects. The aim of this article is to examine whether the theoretical principles of experience creation (the principles of Pine and Gilmore, Timothy and Boyd, Tilden and Schouten) apply to the chosen three case studies (Museum of Broken Relationships, Zagreb; Krapina Neanderthal Museum; and Batana Eco-Museum, Rovinj), drawing on recent developments in creative tourism and the use of cultural/creative industries. The principles of the experience economy are related to heritage tourism so as to showcase its successful use in contemporary heritage displays.
Regulation of ciaXRH Operon Expression and Identification of the CiaR Regulon in Streptococcus mutans

ABSTRACT The ciaRH operon in Streptococcus mutans contains 3 contiguous genes, ciaXRH. Unlike the CiaRH system in other streptococci, only the ciaH-null mutant displays defective phenotypes, while the ciaR-null mutant behaves like the wild type. The objective of this study was to determine the mechanism of this unusual property. We demonstrate that the ciaH mutation caused a >20-fold increase in ciaR transcript synthesis. A ciaRH double deletion reversed the ciaH phenotype, suggesting that overexpressed ciaR might be responsible for the observed ciaH phenotypes. When ciaR was forced to be overexpressed by a transcriptional fusion to the ldh promoter in the wild-type background, the same ciaH phenotypes were restored, confirming the involvement of overexpressed ciaR in the ciaH phenotypes. The ciaH mutation and ciaR overexpression also caused transcriptional alterations in 100 genes, with 15 genes upregulated >5-fold. Bioinformatics analysis identified a putative CiaR regulon consisting of 8 genes/operons, including the ciaXRH operon itself, all of which were upregulated. In vitro footprinting on 4 of the 8 promoters revealed a protected region of 26 to 28 bp encompassing two direct repeats, NTTAAG-n5-WTTAAG, 10 bp upstream of the −10 region, indicating direct binding of the CiaR protein to these promoters. Taken together, we conclude that overexpressed CiaR, as a result of either ciaH deletion or forced expression from a constitutive promoter, is a mediator in the CiaH-regulated phenotypes.
System development issues concerning integration of wind generation in Great Britain

The European Union has committed itself to sourcing 20% of its energy from renewables by 2020. Britain's excellent wind resource is expected to make a significant contribution to this target, not least from Scotland and the north of England. However, exploitation of this resource requires appropriate and timely development of the GB electricity transmission system. This depends on appropriate market signals that communicate the need for transmission investment, something that many in the industry in Britain believe current arrangements do not adequately provide. This paper describes a number of proposals currently under discussion, outlines their interactions and highlights some of the key issues currently being debated.