Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sexual Assertiveness Skills and Sexual Decision-Making in Adolescent Girls: Randomized Controlled Trial of an Online Program

Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of an interactive, Web-based sexual health program (Health Education and Relationship Training [HEART]) for developing sexual assertiveness skills and enhancing sexual decision-making in adolescent girls. Methods Participants were 222 tenth-grade girls (mean age = 15.2; 38% White, 29% Hispanic, 25% Black) in the Southeastern United States who were randomized in fall 2015 to the HEART intervention or an attention-matched control. We assessed participants at pretest, immediate posttest, and 4-month follow-up. Results Both groups had similar demographic and sexual behavior characteristics at pretest. At immediate posttest, girls who completed the HEART program demonstrated better sexual assertiveness skills measured with a behavioral task, higher self-reported assertiveness, intentions to communicate about sexual health, knowledge regarding HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), safer sex norms and attitudes, and condom self-efficacy compared with the control condition. At 4-month follow-up, group differences remained in knowledge regarding HIV and other STDs, condom attitudes, and condom self-efficacy. Conclusions This brief online sexual health program can improve short-term outcomes among adolescent girls and offers an exciting new option in the growing array of digital health interventions available to youths. Trial Registration Number NCT02579135.
Genetic relatedness and disrupted social structure in a poached population of African elephants

We use genetic measures of relatedness and observations of female bonding to examine the demographic signature of historically heavy poaching of a population of free‐ranging African elephants. We collected dung samples to obtain DNA and observed behaviour from 102 elephant families over a 25‐month period in 2003–2005 in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania. Poaching reduced the population by 75% in the decade prior to the 1989 ivory trade ban; park records indicate that poaching dropped significantly in Mikumi following the ban. Using 10 microsatellite loci, DNA was genotyped in 203 elephants and pair‐wise relatedness was calculated among adult females within and between groups. The Mikumi population is characterized by small group size, considerable variation in group relatedness, females with no first‐order adult relatives and females that form only weak social bonds. We used gene‐drop analysis and a model of a genetically intact pedigree to compare our observed Mikumi group relatedness to a simulated genetically intact unpoached expectation. The majority of groups in Mikumi contain 2 to 3 adults; of these, 45% were classified as genetically disrupted. Bonding, quantified with a pair‐wise association index, was significantly correlated with relatedness; however only half of the females formed strong bonds with other females, and relatedness was substantially lower for a given bond strength as compared to an unpoached population. Female African elephants without kin demonstrated considerable behavioural plasticity in this disturbed environment, grouping with other females lacking kin, with established groups, or remaining alone, unable to form any stable adult female‐bonds. We interpret these findings as the remaining effect of poaching disturbance in Mikumi, despite a drop in the level of poaching since the commercial trade in ivory was banned 15 years ago.
Extracranial thrombotically active carotid plaque as a risk factor for ischemic stroke.

CONTEXT Recent studies suggest that factors other than the degree of carotid stenosis are involved in ischemic stroke pathogenesis, especially modifications of plaque composition and related complications. OBJECTIVE To examine the role of carotid plaque rupture and thrombosis in ischemic stroke pathogenesis in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy, excluding those with possible cardiac embolization or with severe stenosis of the circle of Willis. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS A total of 269 carotid plaques selected from an Interinstitutional Carotid Tissue Bank were studied by histology after surgical endarterectomy between January 1995 and December 2002. A total of 96 plaques were from patients with ipsilateral major stroke, 91 plaques from patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA), and 82 plaques from patients without symptoms. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Differences in the frequency of thrombosis, cap rupture, cap erosion, inflammatory infiltrate, and major cardiovascular risk factors between study groups. RESULTS A thrombotically active carotid plaque associated with high inflammatory infiltrate was observed in 71 (74.0%) of 96 patients with ipsilateral major stroke (and in all 32 plaques from patients operated within 2 months of symptom onset) compared with 32 (35.2%) of 91 patients with TIA (P < .001) or 12 (14.6%) of 82 patients who were without symptoms (P < .001). In addition, a fresh thrombus was observed in 53.8% of patients with stroke operated 13 to 24 months after the cerebrovascular event. An acute thrombus was associated with cap rupture in 64 (90.1%) of 71 thrombosed plaques from patients with stroke and with cap erosion in the remaining 7 cases (9.9%). Ruptured plaques of patients affected by stroke were characterized by the presence of a more severe inflammatory infiltrate, constituted by monocytes, macrophages, and T lymphocyte cells compared with that observed in the TIA and asymptomatic groups (P = .001). There was no significant difference between groups in major cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSION These results demonstrate a major role of carotid thrombosis and inflammation in ischemic stroke in patients affected by carotid atherosclerotic disease.
Epidemiological implications of the contact network structure for cattle farms and the 20–80 rule

The network of movements of cattle between farm holdings is an important determinant of the potential rates and patterns of spread of infectious diseases. Because cattle movements are uni-directional, the network is unusual in that the risks of acquiring infection (by importing cattle) and of passing infection on (by exporting cattle) can be clearly distinguished, and there turns out to be no statistically significant correlation between the two. This means that the high observed degree of heterogeneity in numbers of contacts does not result in an increase in the basic reproduction number, R0, in contrast to findings from studies of other contact networks. Despite this, it is still the case that just 20% of holdings contribute at least 80% of the value of R0.
Relationships between milk culture results and composite milk somatic cell counts in Norwegian dairy cattle.

Associations between test-day composite milk somatic cell counts (CMSCC) and results from quarter milk cultures for various pathogens associated with mastitis, including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus spp. , coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), were investigated. S. aureus was dichotomized according to sparse (<or=1,500 colony forming units/mL of milk) or rich (>1,500 colony forming units/mL of milk) growth of the bacteria. Quarter milk samples were obtained on between 1 and 4 occasions from 2,714 cows in 354 Norwegian dairy herds, resulting in a total of 3,396 samples. Cows included in the study were randomly selected, without regard to current or previous udder health status. Measures of test-day CMSCC were obtained every second month, and related to 3528 microbiological diagnoses at the cow level. Mixed linear regression models incorporating a compound symmetry covariance structure accounting for repeated test-day CMSCC within cow, and a random effect variable on herd level, was used to quantify the relationship between a positive milk culture and the natural logarithm of test-day CMSCC (LnCMSCC). The material was stratified in time periods before 151 d in milk (DIM) and after 150 DIM. A positive diagnosis for any category of mastitis pathogen was significantly associated with elevated CMSCC. Pathogen positive cows sampled for microbiological diagnosis during the first 150 DIM had higher levels of CMSCC throughout lactation than cows with a positive diagnosis after 150 DIM. Streptococcus spp. -positive milk cultures were associated with steadily elevated values for CMSCC throughout lactation both when sampled before and after 150 DIM. Cows diagnosed with rich growth of S. aureus after 150 DIM experienced a characteristic and sharp increase in CMSCC, but this effect was not observed in cows with a positive diagnosis for rich growth of S. aureus during the first 150 DIM. A considerable increase in CMSCC in cows positive for CNS during the first part of the lactation period was also observed. The practicability of using CMSCC in a diagnostic test to identify cows with a positive milk culture for mastitis pathogens was also assessed. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values of the tests were regarded as low when sampling for milk culture was conducted, irrespective of cow level characteristics.
Tracking connections between striatum, and frontal and motor cortices using diffusion tensor imaging and tractography

The striatum contributes to several motor and executive functions, such as preparation for and execution of movement, and control of goal-directed and habitual behaviour. While the connections between the striatum and cortex have been extensively studied in animals, the routes and locations of the anatomical pathways in humans have been the focus of only a handful of experiments. In this thesis, the anatomical connections between the striatum (the caudate nucleus and putamen), and the frontal areas (the dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex) and the motor areas (the primary motor cortex, premotor cortex, supplementary motor area and presupplementary motor area) were tracked using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and tractography. Both the individual tracts and population maps of the connections at the group level were calculated. The found tracts held the same general shape in the different hemispheres and individuals, but the exact locations of the cortical connections and the routes of the tracts varied. This was especially notable in the tracts between the putamen and premotor cortex. All tracts at the individual level were bilaterally similar with only minor differences. The connections generally held the same shape and robustness when converted to the standard space in the group analysis, with the exception of tracts between the putamen and premotor area in both hemispheres and the tracts between the putamen and primary motor area in the right hemisphere. This thesis provides further evidence of the cortico-striatal circuits and demonstrates the power of the DTI and tractography in studying neural connections between the striatum and cortex. The routes and the locations of connections with the cortex were identified, and this information can be applied in further studies of the striatal function and connectivity, especially in tandem with TMS.
Stakeholders Selection Model for Software Requirements Elicitation

Requirements elicitation is the most critical phase in software requirements engineering. The process is resource intensive, as it concerns with a lot of dedicated stakeholders gathering purposefully to present and stipulate software requirements. The extent of effectiveness of the process is greatly influenced by the suitability of the stakeholders in the process of gathering the requirements. Previous studies indicate that improper stakeholder selection normally lead to unsuccessful requirements elicitation process. Such phenomena would later cause serious impacts to projects such as costly rework, overrun schedule and poor quality software. This study addresses this issue by proposing a model for selecting the suitable stakeholders during requirements elicitation process. The study adopts both the quantitative data collection and analysis. The data gathering was done through survey questionnaire among 300 project managers and analysts. The study employs the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to analyse the quantitative data. The results indicate that selecting stakeholders with appropriate characteristics such as stakeholders role, knowledge and communication skills have significant effects on the requirements elicitation phase. The results also reveal that requirements elicitation phase has significant influence on requirements quality. This model is useful for project managers to decide on appropriate stakeholders who are going to be chosen based on their characteristics during requirements elicitation phase.
Radioactivity of Drinking-Water in the Vicinity of Nuclear Power Plants in China Based on a Large-Scale Monitoring Study

The public concern for radioactivity of drinking-water has been increasing in recent years after the rapid development of nuclear power plants, and especially after the Fukushima nuclear accident. In this study, the radioactivity of water samples collected in the vicinity of nuclear facilities from seven provinces in China was measured and an average annual equivalent effective dose derived from drinking-water ingestion was calculated. The results showed that, in winter and spring, the activities of gross α and β ranged from 0.009 Bq/L to 0.200 Bq/L and from 0.067 Bq/L to 0.320 Bq/L, respectively. While, in summer and autumn, the activities of gross α and β varied from 0.002 Bq/L to 0.175 Bq/L and from 0.060 Bq/L to 0.334 Bq/L. Our results indicated that the gross α and β activities in these measured water samples were below the WHO recommended values (0.5 Bq/L for gross α and 1.0 Bq/L for gross β) and the annual equivalent effective dose derived from drinking-water ingestion was at a safe level.
A comparison of techniques for obturating oval-shaped root canals.

This study compared the effectiveness of three obturation techniques for oval-shaped canals. Roots of 42 extracted teeth with oval canals were randomly divided into three groups: (1) ProTaper canal preparation and single cone obturation with matching gutta-percha point; (2) ProTaper preparation plus thermoplastic obturation (Thermafil); (3) Profile . 06 taper and matching master cone with lateral condensation. Cross-sectional area of the canal space occupied by sealer cement and gutta-percha was measured in the coronal, middle, and apical thirds using an image analysis software. The percentage of the cross-sectional shape occupied by sealer cement was calculated. The Thermafil group was significantly lower than the single cone group or the lateral condensation group in the middle third (p<0.01) and lower than the single cone group in the coronal third (p<0.05). There were no significant differences between the single cone obturation group and the lateral condensation group in each level.
N‐terminal methionine removal and methionine metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Methionine aminopeptidase (MetAP) catalyzes removal of the initiator methionine from nascent polypeptides. In eukaryotes, there are two forms of MetAP, type 1 and type 2, whose combined activities are essential, but whose relative intracellular roles are unclear. Methionine metabolism is an important aspect of cellular physiology, involved in oxidative stress, methylation, and cell cycle. Due to the potential of MetAP activity to provide a methionine salvage pathway, we evaluated the relationship between methionine metabolism and MetAP activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We provide the first demonstration that yeast MetAP1 plays a significant role in methionine metabolism, namely, preventing premature activation of MET genes through MetAP function in methionine salvage. Interestingly, in cells lacking MetAP1, excess methionine dramatically inhibits cell growth. Growth inhibition is independent of the ability of methionine to repress MET genes and does not result from inhibition of synthesis of another metabolite, rather it results from product inhibition of MetAP2. Inhibition by methionine is selective for MetAP2 over MetAP1. These results provide an explanation for the previously observed dominance of MetAP1 in terms of N‐terminal processing and cell growth in yeast. Additionally, differential regulation of the two isoforms may be indicative of different intracellular roles for the two enzymes. J. Cell. Biochem. 89: 964–974, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF ERYTHROPOIETIN AND DARBEPOETIN ALFA AFTER EXPERIMENTAL INTRACEREBRAL HEMORRHAGE

OBJECTIVEIntracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating clinical syndrome for which no truly efficacious therapy has yet been identified. In preclinical studies, erythropoietin (EPO) and its long-lasting analog, darbepoetin alfa, have been demonstrated to be neuroprotective in several models of neuronal insult. The objectives of this study were to analyze whether the systemic administration of recombinant human EPO (rHuEPO) and its long-lasting derivative darbepoetin alfa expedited functional recovery and brain damage in a rat model of ICH. METHODSExperimental ICH was induced in rats by injecting autologous blood into the right striatum under stereotactic guidance. Subsequently, animals underwent placebo treatment, daily injections of rHuEPO, or weekly injections of darbepoetin alfa. Animals were killed 14 days after injury. RESULTSBoth rHuEPO and darbepoetin alfa were effective in reducing neurological impairment after injury, as assessed by the neurological tasks performed. rHuEPO- and darbepoetin alfa–treated animals exhibited a restricted brain injury with nearly normal parenchymal architecture. In contrast, the saline-treated group exhibited extensive cerebral cytoarchitectural disruption and edema. The number of surviving NeuN-positive neurons was significantly higher in the rats treated with rHuEPO and darbepoetin alfa compared with those that received saline (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONThese results demonstrate that weekly administered darbepoetin alfa confers behavioral and histological neuroprotection after ICH in rats similar to that of daily EPO administration. Administration of EPO and its long-lasting recombinant forms affords significant neuroprotection in an ICH model and may hold promise for future clinical applications.
Association of IL4 Gene Polymorphisms with Asthma in North Indians

Background: Asthma is a complex airway disorder, and a number of genetic loci have been found to be associated with asthma. The 5q31–33 region is one of the most important loci linked to asthma and atopic disorders. However, association studies with candidate genes in this region, such as IL4, were inconclusive, as both positive and negative results were obtained in several populations studied. The aim of our case-control study was to determine the association between IL4 and asthma in North Indians. Patients and Methods: Polymorphisms in the promoter and a dinucleotide repeat in the 2nd intron in IL4 were genotyped by sequencing and GeneScan analysis, respectively, in ethnically matched, unrelated patients (n = 171) and controls (n = 128), following the guidelines of the American Thoracic Society. Results: The proximal promoter region of the IL4 gene was found to be invariant. Previously reported polymorphisms, –590 C/T and +33 C/T, were found to be absent in our population. The χ2 test using only large expected cell counts (more than 5% of the sample size) showed a significant association between allele size and disease status (χ2 = 38.08, d.f. = 6, p < 0.05). In addition, a significant difference was observed for the allele and genotype frequencies (p < 0.0005 and p = 0.0009, respectively) in the patient and the control groups using the Fisher-Freeman-Halton test. Conclusion: Our studies indicate that the promoter of the IL4 gene is invariant in our population. The case-control studies on the CA repeat polymorphism in the 2nd intron of the IL4 gene have shown interesting results and indicate the need for further family-based studies.
Infections and Diabetes: Mechanisms and Prospects for Prevention

Infections remain a serious hazard for the diabetic patient. Good metabolic control is a major factor in limiting the development and spread of infections and, most importantly, the development of diabetic complications which predispose to infections. In some patients recurrent infections can pose a problem, particularly if there is evidence of secondary immunodeficiency. In these patients adjuvant therapies, including Biological Response Modifiers (BRMS) should be considered. Several factors could predispose diabetic patients to infections. These factors include: genetic susceptibility to infection; altered cellular and humoral immune defence mechanisms; local factors including poor blood supply and nerve damage, and alterations in metabolism associated with diabetes. In the context of a diabetic patient all or some of these factors may operate. The purpose of this review is to assess the relative contribution of these potential mechanisms in leading to infection in patients with diabetes.
Pathological Risk Factors and Outcomes in Women With Stage IB2 Cervical Cancer Treated With Primary Radical Surgery Versus Chemoradiotherapy

Objective Both radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy and primary chemoradiotherapy have been shown to be effective in the management of women with stage IB2 cervical cancer. This study aims to review the outcomes related to each treatment modality and the effects of pathological risk factors on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival. Methods We performed a retrospective study of 92 women with stage IB2 cervical cancer who were treated at the Northern Gynecological Oncology Center (Gateshead, United Kingdom) across a 22-year period between January 1991 and July 2013. Women were divided into those undergoing primary surgery and those undergoing primary radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy. The main outcome measures were OS and progression-free survival (PFS). Pathological risk factors of survival were assessed using multivariate analysis. Results Sixty-seven women (72.8%) underwent primary surgery, and 25 women (27.2%) had primary radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy. Thirty-one of 67 women (46.3%) required adjuvant radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy after surgery because of positive lymph nodes in 77.4% of cases. The median follow-up was 57.5 months (range, 3–137 months). Thirty-two women (34.8%) had disease recurrence: 6 women (16.7%) in the group undergoing surgery alone, 15 women (48.4%) in the group requiring adjuvant treatment after surgery, and 11 women (44%) in the group having primary radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy. Overall survival and PFS were higher for women undergoing surgery alone (91.7% and 83.3%) compared with women requiring adjuvant treatment after surgery (54.8% and 51.4%) and those having primary radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy (60% and 56%) (P = 0.0004 and P = 0.005, respectively). Lymph node metastasis was a significant pathological risk factor of OS and PFS in multivariate analysis. Conclusions Most women require adjuvant treatment after surgery because of positive lymph nodes. Because survival outcomes for women requiring dual treatment are similar to those for women undergoing primary chemoradiotherapy, nodal assessment before definitive treatment should guide the management of these women and identify a low-risk group that can be treated with surgery alone.