Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Temperature and Humidity Effects on Off-Host Survival of the Northern Fowl Mite (Acari: Macronyssidae) and the Chicken Body Louse (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae)

Abstract Off-host survival of the northern fowl mite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Canestrini & Fanzago) (Acari: Macronyssidae), and the chicken body louse, Menacanthus stramineus (Nitzsch) (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae), was studied at 12 combinations of temperature (15, 21, 27, and 33°C) and humidity (31, 65, and 85% RH). Mite protonymphs and louse third instars survived longer on average than the respective adult stages. Higher temperatures significantly reduced survival of adult and immature stages of both ectoparasites, whereas relative humidity had significant effects on O. sylviarum (especially protonymphs) but not M. stramineus. The LT50 values for adult northern fowl mites ranged from 1.9 (at 33°C, 31%RH) to 8.3 d (at 15°C, 85%RH), LT50 values for mite protonymphs ranged from 2.0 (at 33°C, 31%RH) to 18.1 d (at 15°C, 85%RH), LT50 values for adult lice ranged from 0.5 (at 33°C, 31%RH) to 1.7 d (at 15°C, 65%RH), and LT50 values for nymphal lice ranged from 1.2 (at 33°C, 65%RH) to 3.3 d (at 21°C, 31%RH). Maximum survival of the northern fowl mite was up to 35 d for adults and 29 d for protonymphs. Maximum survival for the chicken body louse was 3.3 d for adults and 5.8 d for nymphs. The data provide minimum guidelines for leaving poultry houses vacant long enough to allow ectoparasites to die before introduction of subsequent new flocks.
Return Linkages and Volatility Spillover Effect Between Stock Markets and Currency Markets

This article undertakes the analysis of volatility and volatility spillover between stock market and currency market in India. Daily closing levels of the benchmark indices are taken for the period 1 April 2003–31 December 2013. The data are analysed through unit root tests, Autoregressive Conditionally Heteroskedastic (ARCH) family models, Johansen’s cointergation test, vector error correction model and diagonal Vector Error Correction Heteroskedastic (VECH) model. The results indicate a bidirectional volatility spillover between the Indian stock market and a currency market. The findings of the study also suggest that both the markets move in tandem with each other and there is a long-run relationship between these two markets.
Factors associated with work satisfaction of registered nurses.

PURPOSE To examine the factors that influence the work satisfaction of a national sample of registered nurses in metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). DESIGN A cross-sectional mailed survey design was used. The sample consisted of RNs randomly selected from 40 MSAs in 29 states; 1,907 RNs responded (48%). The sample of 1,538 RNs working in nursing was used for analysis. METHODS The questionnaire included measures of work attitudes and demographic characteristics. The data were analyzed using ordinary least-squares regression. FINDINGS More than 40% of the variance in satisfaction was explained by the various work attitudes: supervisor support, work-group cohesion, variety of work, autonomy, organizational constraint, promotional opportunities, work and family conflict, and distributive justice. RNs who were White, self-perceived as healthy, and working in nursing education were more satisfied. RNs that were more career oriented were more satisfied. Of the benefits options, only paid time off was related to satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS Work-related factors were significantly related to RNs' work satisfaction.
Early Opioid Prescription and Subsequent Disability Among Workers With Back Injuries: The Disability Risk Identification Study Cohort

Study Design. Prospective, population-based cohort study. Objective. To examine whether prescription of opioids within 6 weeks of low back injury is associated with work disability at 1 year. Summary of Background Data. Factors related to early medical treatment have been little investigated as possible risk factors for development of long-term work disability among workers with back injuries. We have previously shown that about 1 of 3 of workers receive an opioid prescription early after a low back injury, and a recent study suggested that such prescriptions may increase risk for subsequent disability. Methods. We analyzed detailed data reflecting paid bills for opioids prescribed within 6 weeks of the first medical visit for a back injury among 1843 workers with lost work-time claims. Additional baseline measures included an injury severity rating from medical records, and demographic, psychosocial, pain, function, smoking, and alcohol measures from a worker survey conducted 18 days (median) after receipt of the back injury claim. Computerized database records of work disability 1 year after claim submission were obtained for the primary outcome measure. Results. Nearly 14% (254 of 1843) of the sample were receiving work disability compensation at 1 year. More than one-third of the workers (630 of 1843) received an opioid prescription within 6 weeks, and 50.7% of these (319 of 630) were received at the first medical visit. After adjustment for pain, function, injury severity, and other baseline covariates, receipt of opioids for more than 7 days (odds ratio = 2.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.5–3.1) and receipt of more than 1 opioid prescription were associated significantly with work disability at 1 year. Conclusion. Prescription of opioids for more than 7 days for workers with acute back injuries is a risk factor for long-term disability. Further research is needed to elucidate this association.
Classical and Nonclassical Class I Major Histocompatibility Complex Molecules Exhibit Subtle Conformational Differences That Affect Binding to CD8αα*

The cell surface molecules CD4 and CD8 greatly enhance the sensitivity of T-cell antigen recognition, acting as “co-receptors” by binding to the same major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules as the T-cell receptor (TCR). Here we use surface plasmon resonance to study the binding of CD8αα to class I MHC molecules. CD8αα bound the classical MHC molecules HLA-A*0201, -A*1101, -B*3501, and -C*0702 with dissociation constants (K d ) of 90–220 μm, a range of affinities distinctly lower than that of TCR/peptide-MHC interaction. We suggest such affinities apply to most CD8αα/classical class I MHC interactions and may be optimal for T-cell recognition. In contrast, CD8αα bound both HLA-A*6801 and B*4801 with a significantly lower affinity (≥1 mm), consistent with the finding that interactions with these alleles are unable to mediate cell-cell adhesion. Interestingly, CD8αα bound normally to the nonclassical MHC molecule HLA-G (K d ∼150 μm), but only weakly to the natural killer cell receptor ligand HLA-E (K d ≥ 1 mm). Site-directed mutagenesis experiments revealed that variation in CD8αα binding affinity can be explained by amino acid differences within the α3 domain. Taken together with crystallographic studies, these results indicate that subtle conformational changes in the solvent exposed α3 domain loop (residues 223–229) can account for the differential ability of both classical and nonclassical class I MHC molecules to bind CD8.
Dual-energy CT applications in the abdomen.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this article is to give a brief overview of the technical background of dual-energy CT (DECT) imaging and to review various DECT applications in the abdomen that are currently available for clinical practice. In a review of the recent literature, specific DECT applications available for abdominal organs, liver, pancreas, kidneys including renal stones, and adrenal glands, will be discussed in light of reliability and clinical usefulness in replacing true unenhanced imaging, increased lesion conspicuity, iodine extraction, and improved tissue/material characterization (e.g., renal stone composition). Radiation dose considerations will be addressed in comparison with standard abdominal imaging protocols. CONCLUSION Modern DECT applications for the abdomen expand the use of CT and enable advanced quantitative methods in the clinical routine on the basis of differences in material attenuation observed by imaging at two different distinct photon energies.
Sonographic findings after surgical ablation of the endometrium.

OBJECTIVE Endometrial ablation is a new surgical technique that is an alternative to hysterectomy in women with dysfunctional uterine bleeding. The endometrium is either coagulated or resected in an attempt to render the patient amenorrheic. Because of the newness of the procedure, no report of radiologic findings after endometrial ablation has been published. Accordingly, the sonographic appearance of the uterus after endometrial ablation is described. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using transvaginal sonography, we examined a select group of 16 women, seven of whom were symptomatic after endometrial ablation. All patients had a preoperative diagnosis of menorrhagia not responsive to conventional hormonal therapy and no evidence of cancer. RESULTS In the seven symptomatic patients, sonography showed that postoperatively two had hematometra, one had a nonviable intrauterine pregnancy, and four had residual islands of functioning endometrial tissue alone or in combination with hematometra. In nine asymptomatic patients, postoperative sonography showed seven had normal findings except for leiomyomata and two had residual islands of functioning endometrial tissue. CONCLUSION Sonographic examination of the uterus after endometrial ablation provides a method for evaluating symptomatic patients and for identifying any remaining endometrium that could later become symptomatic.
Illegitimacy Moderates the Effects of Power on Approach

A wealth of research has found that power leads to behavioral approach and action. Four experiments demonstrate that this link between power and approach is broken when the power relationship is illegitimate. When power was primed to be legitimate or when power positions were assigned legitimately, the powerful demonstrated more approach than the powerless. However, when power was experienced as illegitimate, the powerless displayed as much approach as, or even more approach than, the powerful. This moderating effect of legitimacy occurred regardless of whether power and legitimacy were manipulated through experiential primes, semantic primes, or role manipulations. It held true for behavioral approach (Experiment 1) and two effects associated with it: the propensity to negotiate (Experiment 2) and risk preferences (Experiments 3 and 4). These findings demonstrate that how power is conceptualized, acquired, and wielded determines its psychological consequences and add insight into not only when but also why power leads to approach.
Lessons from Effective Poverty Alleviation in Indonesia: the Role of Women Empowerment and Community Participation

Many literatures suggest that eliminating poverty especially in less developed and developing countries is strongly correlated with many factors such as household’s human capital endowment, its accessibility to basic services and sources of funding. This study puts special attention to spouse (women) as the key agent in household poverty eradication. It is hypothesized that women’s human capital directly determines household’s ability in escaping poverty through its own efforts as well as through its ability to better access and utilize resources. A Multinomial Logit Analysis using the Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS5) 2014 is utilized to capture the determinants of household poverty status. The dependent variables are household poverty status 2014, i.e. “poor and near poor”, “vulnerable” or “non-poor”. Our main estimator is Spouse Education as proxy of Women Human Capital. The model is controlled by variables representing household socioeconomic characteristics, district’s economic characteristics, poverty related government programs, community participation and community facilities. By performing interaction between women human capital level with community participation variable expected to bring household out of poverty. It is found that women’s human capital and its interaction with community participation has increased the probability of household’s in escaping poverty. Several policy implications related to women human capital improvement and empowerment together with poverty alleviation program follow.
Management Practices as Capabilities Leading to Superior Performance

This paper has three main contributions to the debate about the value of management practices. First, the empirical confirmation of a strong and significant relationship between the level of management practices and three major dimensions of firms' performance (profitability, growth and productivity). The value of this contribution is grounded on a survey of 124 companies in a focused and careful choice of context: packaging industry in an emerging country, Brazil. Second, our theoretical conceptualization of management practices as capabilities addresses recent criticism of the Resource-based Theory and suggests there is no need for a new theory as the proposed Practice-based View. The third main contribution relates to the factors that affect the development of management practices. We confirmed that larger firms tend to have higher levels of management practices, although no support was found for the influence of another factor, the family ownership. We also identified that managerial hubris can be seen as a new strong factor negatively affecting the development of higher levels of management practices. Finally, the findings of this paper can bring attention to management as a new, internal component of the so-called Custo Brasil (Brazilian Cost) and its practical effect on the competitiveness of the Brazilian firms.
Biochemical Predictors of Bone Mineral Density and Fracture Susceptibility: Results from a Maltese Study

Osteoporosis is a multifactorial skeletal disease characterised by low bone mass and micro architectural deterioration, leading to increased fracture susceptibility [1,2]. In Malta, 20% of women and 6% of men aged 50 years and older are estimated to be affected with Osteoporosis [3]. Fracture is the most significant clinical consequence of osteoporosis, with the most common, debilitating, and costly fractures being those of the spine, hip and wrist [1]. A number of environmental and genetic risk factors are known to affect bone mineral density (BMD), which in turn impacts fracture outcome [4,5]. Furthermore, other parameters reflecting calcium homeostasis, matrix mineralisation, and bone formation can also be targeted and measured in blood. Levels of serum calcium, serum albumin, and total serum alkaline phosphatase (sALP) are suggested as potential indicative markers of osteoporosis and/or fracture susceptibility, and increased frailty [5,6].
Arterial stiffness and the response to carotid sinus massage in older adults

Background and aims: Carotid sinus hypersensitivity (CSH) is a common cause of fainting and falls in the older adult population and is diagnosed by carotid sinus massage (CSM). Previous work has suggested that age-related stiffening of blood vessels reduces afferent input from the carotid sinus leading to central upregulation of the overall arterial baroreflex response. We examined the differences in arterial stiffness and baroreflex function in older adults at high cardiovascular risk (advanced age, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia) with and without CSH. Methods: Forty-three older adults (mean age 71.4±0.7) with Type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia and hypertension were recruited. After resting supine for 45 minutes prior to the start of data collection, each subject had arterial stiffness measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV, Complior SD), followed by spontaneous baroreflex measures (Baroreflex sensitivity, BRS) and CSM. Results: Of the 43 subjects tested, 10 subjects met the criteria for CSH (8 pure vasodepressor and 2 mixed CSH). CSH subjects had higher measures of arterial stiffness when compared to normal subjects for both radial PWV(11.5±0.6 vs 9.6±0.4 m/s, p=0.043) and femoral PWV(13.4±0.9 vs 11.0±0.5 m/s, p=0.036). The CSH group demonstrated significantly lower BRS as compared to the normal group (BRS, 6.73±0.58 vs 10.41±0.85 ms/mmHg, p=0.038). These results were unchanged when the analysis was repeated with only the VD subjects. Conclusions: Older adults with CSH have higher arterial stiffness and reduced arterial baroreflex sensitivity. There was no evidence to support upregulation of the arterial baroreflex in patients with CSH.
Differential Expression of CD44 in Malignant Cutaneous Epithelial Neoplasms

The CD44 antigen (ECMRIII, Hermes antigen) is a highly glycosylated cell-surface polypeptide involved in diverse cellular functions, including cell adhesion and lymphocyte-homing receptor activity. CD44 is also expressed in vivo by several tumors, including astrocytomas, menin-giomas, and colonic adenocarcinomas. In addition, it has been shown that expression of CD44 appears to confer metastatic potential to cell lines derived from certain adenocarcinomas. In the skin, CD44 is normally expressed in epidermal keratinocytes and hair follicular, sebaceous, and eccrine epithelial cells. However, there have been few data with regard to the expression in vivo of CD44 in primary cutaneous neoplasms. Furthermore, there have not been studies in vivo of the possible differential expression of CD44 in primary versus metastatic tumors in the skin. We have examined by immunohistochemistry the expression of CD44 in cutaneous invasive and metastatic squamous cell carcinomas, metastatic adenocarcinomas, and basal cell carcinomas. All invasive and metastatic squamous cell carcinomas, as well as metastatic adenocarcinomas, strongly expressed CD44; however, basal cell carcinomas were nonreactive or showed only focal, minimal reactivity. Adjacent normal skin demonstrated CD44 immunoreactivity throughout the epidermis, including the basal layer. In addition, hair follicles and sebaceous and eccrine glands expressed CD44. The results suggest that expression of CD44 in these cutaneous epithelial tumors is not related to malignant transformation, but instead may be related to tumor progression and the ability to metastasize.
Dynamic conic finance: No-arbitrage pricing and no-good-deal pricing for dividend-paying securities in discrete-time markets with transaction costs

This thesis studies no-arbitrage pricing and dynamic conic finance for dividend-paying securities in discrete-time markets with transaction costs. The first part investigates no-arbitrage pricing for dividend-paying securities in discrete-time markets with transaction costs. We introduce the value process and the self-financing condition in our context. Then, we prove a version of First Fundamental Theorem of Asset Pricing. Specifically, we prove that the no-arbitrage condition under the efficient friction assumption is equivalent to the existence of a risk-neutral measure. We formulate an appropriate notion of a consistent pricing system in our set-up, and we prove that if there are no transaction costs on the dividends paid by the securities, then the no-arbitrage condition under the efficient friction assumption is equivalent to the existence of a consistent pricing system. We finish the chapter by deriving dual representations for the superhedging ask price and subhedging bid price of a derivative contract. The second part studies dynamic conic finance in the set-up introduced in the first part. We formulate the no-good-deal condition in terms of a family of dynamic coherent risk measures, and then we prove a version of the Fundamental Theorem of No-Good-Deal Pricing. The Fundamental Theorem of No-Good-Deal Pricing provides a necessary and sufficient condition for the no-good-deal condition to hold. Next, we study the no-good-deal ask and bid prices of a derivative contract. We particularize our results to the dynamic Gain-Loss Ratio, and compute the no-good-deal prices of European-style Asian options in a market with transaction costs.
Metabolic effects of L-carnitine on type 2 diabetes mellitus: systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION Carnitine is an endogenous metabolite and exogenous nutrient with a pivotal role in lipid metabolism. Plasma levels of carnitine are reduced in type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). The aim was to evaluate the metabolic effects of the administration of L-carnitine in T2DM. METHOD A systematic review was performed. Relevant randomized, controlled-trials trials were searched in Pubmed, Trip Database and Cochrane Library, and selected when they had enough methodological quality assessed with the Jadad scale. Article search strategy included "Carnitine" OR "L-carnitine" AND "Diabetes -Mellitus" OR "Diabetes mellitus, type 2" OR "Noninsulindependent-diabetes mellitus". Meta-analysis was performed, and the difference of means calculated with a 95% confidence interval. Heterogeneity was evaluated with the Q statistic. RESULTS The systematic review included 4 trials with 284 patients. Oral L-carnitine lowered fasting plasma glucose [-14.3 mg/dl (CI95% - 23.2 to -5.4); p=0,002], total cholesterol [-7.8 mg/dL (95%CI -15.5 to -0.1); p=0.09], low density lipoprotein [-8.8 mg/dl (CI95% -12.2 to -8.5), p<0.0001], apolipoprotein-B100 [-7.6 mg/dl (CI95% -13.6 to -1.6); p=0.013] and apolipoprotein-A1 [-6.0 mg/dl (CI95% -10.5 a -1.5); p=0.523]. There was no significant heterogeneity. The changes in triglycerides, lipoprotein (a) or HbA(1c) were not significant. CONCLUSION The administration of L-carnitine in type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with an improvement in glycaemia and plasma lipids.
Analgesic Effect of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation After Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the effect of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) on pain, nausea, and emesis in patients submitted to surgery for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. DesignA clinical single-masked randomized study assessed patients submitted to laparoscopic cholecystectomy, who were divided into two groups: placebo TENS (G1) and active TENS (G2). The intensity of pain was determined using the visual analog scale and the 11-point Verbal Numerical Scale, applied to the participants before (M1) and 30 mins after (M2) TENS. A conventional biphasic square pulse TENS current was used, at a frequency of 150 Hz and a pulse width of 75 &mgr;secs. The relative risks of the occurrence of nausea and emesis were calculated for groups G1 and G2. Determination of the effect of TENS on analgesia used the Mann-Whitney U test, at a significance level of 5%, to compare independent samples (Dif G1 and Dif G2). ResultsThe relative risk of nausea and/or emesis was 2.17 times greater for patients from the placebo group. Pain evaluation using the visual analog scale showed median differences between M1 and M2 of 0.4 and 2.4 for groups G1 and G2, respectively. The values obtained using Verbal Numerical Scale were 0.7 (G1) and 3.0 (G2). The active TENS significantly reduced postoperative pain compared with the placebo (P < 0.016). ConclusionsActive TENS promoted significant postoperative pain relief, and fewer complaints of nausea and emesis, in patients submitted to laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery.