Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Etiology of aseptic meningitis and encephalitis in an adult population

Objective: To investigate the etiology of aseptic meningitis and encephalitis in an adult population using modern microbiologic methods. Methods: Consecutive patients (ages ≥16) with aseptic meningitis or encephalitis treated in Turku University Hospital, Finland, during 1999 to 2003 were included in the study. Microbiologic tests were performed, including CSF PCR tests for enteroviruses, herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1, HSV-2, and varicella zoster virus (VZV), as well as serum and CSF antibody analysis for these viruses. Antibody testing was also performed for other pathogens commonly involved in neurologic infections. Virus culture was performed on CSF, fecal, and throat swab specimens. Results: Etiology was defined in 95 of 144 (66%) patients with aseptic meningitis. Enteroviruses were the major causative agents (26%), followed by HSV-2 (17% of all, 25% of females) and VZV (8%). Etiology was identified in 15 of 42 (36%) patients with encephalitis, VZV (12%), HSV-1 (9%), and tick-borne encephalitis virus (9%) being the most commonly involved pathogens. Etiologic diagnosis was achieved by PCR in 43% of the patients with meningitis and in 17% of those with encephalitis. Conclusions: Enteroviruses and HSV-2 are the leading causes of adult aseptic meningitis, and PCR is of diagnostic value. However, in most cases of encephalitis, the etiology remains undefined.
The Impact of Dyadic Social Support on Self-Efficacy and Depression After Radical Prostatectomy

Objectives: To assess the effect of one-on-one peer support at enhancing self-efficacy and decreasing depression in older men treated by radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. Methods: Six weeks after surgery, 72 men (M age = 60) were randomly assigned to a treatment (n = 37) or control group ( n = 35). Treatment group participants were paired to form dyads with a trained support partner who had similar treatment and related side effects; control group participants received usual health care. Dyads met 8 times over 8 weeks to discuss concerns and coping strategies. Results: At posttest, the treatment group had significantly higher self-efficacy than the controls (M = 328.89 and M = 304.54, respectively) and significantly less depression (M = 0.92 and M = 2.49, respectively). Depression outcomes remained significant when controlling baseline self-efficacy and social support (F = 4.845, p = .032). Discussion: Findings confirm pilot study results and are theoretically consistent with the self-efficacy enhancing nature of vicarious experience described by Bandura in self-efficacy theory.
Gross Motor Milestones and Subsequent Development

OBJECTIVE: We examined the longitudinal associations of age at achieving gross motor milestones and children’s development in a US cohort of singletons and twins. METHODS: In the Upstate KIDS study, a population-based study of children born between 2008 and 2010, information on age at achievement of motor milestones and developmental skills was available in 599 children (314 singletons, 259 twins, and 26 triplets). Mothers reported their children’s major motor milestones at ∼4, 8, 12, 18, and 24 months. At age 4 years, children’s development was clinically assessed by using the Battelle Developmental Inventory, Second Edition (BDI-2). Primary analyses by using multivariate linear regressions were conducted in singletons. We also examined the associations in twins. RESULTS: Later achievement of standing with assistance predicted lower BDI-2 scores in singletons in adjusted models (B per SD of age at achievement, –21.9 [95% confidence interval (CI), –41.5 to –2.2]). Post hoc analysis on age of standing with assistance showed that associations were driven by differences in adaptive skills (B = –5.3 [95% CI, –9.0 to –1.6]) and cognitive skills (B = –5.9 [95% CI, –11.5 to –0.4]). Analyses restricted to twins suggested no association between the age at achievement of milestones and total BDI-2 score after adjustment for gestational age and birth weight. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that the age of achieving motor milestones may be an important basis for various aspects of later child development. In twins, key predictors of later development (eg, perinatal factors) overshadow the predictive role of milestones in infancy.
Haemophilus influenzae type b infection, vaccination, and H. influenzae carriage in children in Minnesota, 2008–2009

SUMMARY An increase in invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) cases occurred in Minnesota in 2008 after the recommended deferral of the 12–15 months Hib vaccine boosters during a US vaccine shortage. Five invasive Hib cases (one death) occurred in children; four had incomplete Hib vaccination (three refused/delayed); one was immunodeficient. Subsequently, we evaluated Hib carriage and vaccination. From 18 clinics near Hib cases, children (aged 4 weeks–60 months) were surveyed for pharyngeal Hib carriage. Records were compared for Hib, diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTaP), and pneumococcal (PCV-7) vaccination. Parents completed questionnaires on carriage risk factors and vaccination beliefs. In 1631 children (February–March 2009), no Hib carriage was detected; Hib vaccination was less likely to be completed than DTaP and PCV-7. Non-type b H. influenzae, detected in 245 (15%) children, was associated with: male sex, age 24–60 months, daycare attendance >15 h/week, a household smoker, and Asian/Pacific Islander race/ethnicity. In 2009, invasive Hib disease occurred in two children caused by the same strain that circulated in 2008. Hib remains a risk for vulnerable/unvaccinated children, although Hib carriage is not widespread in young children.
Sales Promotion and Brand Loyalty: Some New Insights

Sales promotions have become one of the preferred methods of marketing communication. The purpose of this study is to establish the impact of different types of monetary and nonmonetary promotions on brand loyalty and its relationship to product involvement. A comprehensive literature review of sales promotion was undertaken to inform this study. A study of consumers in Puerto Rico was undertaken that includes both nonmonetary and monetary promotions and reports the impact on long-term effects, such as brand loyalty and the type of risk associated with a product or service. We report our findings for both high and low involvement products. Our results show that both monetary and nonmonetary promotions can enhance brand loyalty, contrary to findings of previous studies. Finally we make some recommendations.
Regulation of ilvEDA expression occurs upstream of ilvG in Escherichia coli: additional evidence for an ilvGEDA operon

A low-copy-number plasmid was prepared that contained the entire ilv gene cluster of Escherichia coli. The introduction of an ilvO mutation allowed the ilvG gene of the plasmid to be expressed and imparted valine resistance to strains carrying it. Insertion of Tn10 into the ilvG gene of the plasmid resulted in a strong polar effect on ilv genes E, D, and A. Replacement of a region of ilv deoxyribonucleic acid between two KpnI sites on the high-copy-number plasmid carrying the entire ilv gene cluster with a KpnI fragment carrying an ilv-lac fusion but not extending into the ilv-specific control region resulted in a plasmid expressing the lacZ gene under ilv control when the fusion had been inserted in its normal orientation but not when it had been inserted in the opposite orientation. These experiments indicate that ilv-specific control over ilvE, ilvD, and ilvA expression is dependent on these genes being continguous with deoxyribonucleic acid that lies upstream of ilvG. The results also add further support to the concept of an ilvGEDA operon in E. coli.
Streptococcus pneumoniae and Noncapsular Haemophilus influenzae Nasal Carriage and Hand Contamination in Children: A Comparison of Two Populations at Risk of Otitis Media

Background: Australian Indigenous children living in remote areas have rates of tympanic membrane perforation as high as 60%, almost 100 times the prevalence in urban child care settings (<1%). Relative rates of pneumococcal nasal carriage do not reflect this difference in disease risk. Methods: Cross-sectional comparison of nasal carriage and hand contamination in children younger than 4 years of age from urban child-care centers and Indigenous children 3–7 years of age from a remote community. Almost identical methods of nasal swab collection, transport and culture were used. Data on pneumococcal antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and serotypes are also reported. Results: For Indigenous children compared with children in child care, the relative risk of nasal carriage of either pneumococcus or noncapsular Haemophilus influenzae was <2-fold [relative risk, 1.7; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.5, 1.9], the risk of simultaneous nasal carriage was almost 3-fold (78% versus 28%; relative risk, 2.9; 95% CI 2.3, 3.5), and the risk of pneumococcal hand contamination was 8-fold higher (37% versus 4%; relative risk, 8.4; 95% CI 4.6, 15.2). For simultaneous hand contamination, the risk was 23-fold (8% versus 0.3%; relative risk, 23.1; 95% CI 2.9, 185.4). Remote Indigenous children also had a more diverse serotype distribution (25 versus 14 serotypes identified). Conclusions: Simultaneous nasal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae and H. influenzae and hand contamination are simple indicators of risk for use in studies of otitis media in populations at risk for tympanic membrane perforation.
The neglected cranial nerve: Nervus terminalis (cranial nerve N)

The nervus terminalis (NT; terminal nerve) was clearly identified as an additional cranial nerve in humans more than a century ago yet remains mostly undescribed in modern anatomy textbooks. The nerve is referred to as the nervus terminalis because in species initially examined its fibers were seen entering the brain in the region of the lamina terminalis. It has also been referred to as cranial nerve 0, but because there is no Roman symbol for zero, an N for the Latin word nulla is a better numerical designation. This nerve is very distinct in human fetuses and infants but also has been repeatedly identified in adult human brains. The NT fibers are unmyelinated and emanate from ganglia. The fibers pass through the cribriform plate medial to those of the olfactory nerve fila. The fibers end in the nasal mucosa and probably arise from autonomic/neuromodulatory as well as sensory neurons. The NT has been demonstrated to release luteinizing‐releasing luteinizing hormone and is therefore thought to play a role in reproductive behavior. Based on the available evidence, the NT appears to be functional in adult humans and should be taught in medical schools and incorporated into anatomy/neuroanatomy textbooks. Clin. Anat. 27:46–53, 2014. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate-schedule performance and nicotine administration: a systematic investigation of dose, dose-regimen, and schedule requirement

Differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate (DRL) schedules have been used to evaluate the effects of a wide variety of drugs, including amphetamines, cannabanoids, and antidepressant medication. To earn a reinforcer, organisms operating under a DRL schedule are required to withhold a response for a predetermined amount of time before responding, and therefore this schedule maintains a low rate of responding and can be viewed as a response-inhibition task. In experiment 1, three different DRL schedules (4.5, 9.5, and 29.5 s) were used to evaluate systematically a range of nicotine doses (0.0, 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 mg/kg). The dose–response effect of nicotine then was compared with the effects of increased reinforcer magnitude on responding. Both the administration of nicotine and increased reinforcer magnitude engendered less accurate DRL-schedule performance compared with baseline conditions, and the dose and magnitude-dependent shifts were most evident on the DRL 29.5-s schedule. Experiment 2 compared the differences between acute and chronic dosing regimens (0.3 mg/kg nicotine) on DRL 29.5-s schedule responding. After 20 consecutive sessions of nicotine dosing, accuracy deteriorated significantly, demonstrating that chronic nicotine dosing leads to a behavioral sensitization apparent on the DRL 29.5-s schedule. The results from both experiments suggest that responding on the DRL 29.5-s schedule is sensitive to both dose–response and regimen-dependent effects of nicotine.
Socioeconomic Deprivation and Cortical Morphology: Psychological, Social, and Biological Determinants of Ill Health Study

Objective Neighborhood-level socioeconomic deprivation has been associated with poor cognitive function pertaining to language and the executive control. Few studies have explored the cortical morphology of regions most commonly associated with these functions. The aim of this study was to examine the association between neighborhood-level deprivation and the morphology of cortical regions associated with language and executive control in adults. Methods Using a cross-sectional study design, we compared the cortical morphology of 42 neurologically healthy adult men from the least deprived and most deprived neighborhoods of Glasgow. We performed surface-based morphometry on 3-T structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images to extract the cortical morphology—volume, thickness (CT), and surface area (SA) of regions commonly associated with language and executive control. Cortical morphology was compared between the two groups. We used mediation analysis to examine whether cardiometabolic risk factors mediated the relationship between deprivation status and cortical morphology. Results Intracranial volume and mean total CT did not differ between groups. The deprived group had significantly smaller left posterior parietal cortex SA (Cohen d = 0.89) and fusiform cortex SA (Cohen d = 1.05). They also had thinner left Wernicke’s area (Cohen d =0.93) and its right homologue (Cohen d = 1.12). Among the cardiometabolic markers, a composite factor comprising inflammatory markers mediated the relationship between deprivation status and Wernicke’s area CT. Conclusions A group of neurologically healthy men from deprived neighborhoods showed significantly smaller cortical morphology—both SA and CT—in regions of the brain pertaining to language and executive function. We provide additional evidence of a relationship between socioeconomic deprivation and cortical morphology.
Association of level of education and utilization of restorative dental care among rural women in India: Cross-sectional study

Background: The utilization of restorative dental care is very scarce in rural India. Association between level of education and health of a person has been well-documented in many countries and time periods with a range of potential factors shaping the connection between both. Objectives: This cross-sectional survey was conducted to evaluate an association between the level of education (educational qualification) and utilization of restorative dental care among rural women associated with self-help groups. Materials and Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was administrated to 660 rural women associated with self-help group by trained research assistants. The 604 completed questionnaires were received and reviewed. The education levels were divided into three groups: Group 1 - illiterates (17.2%), Group 2 - school educated (69.4%), and Group 3 - college educated (13.4%). Chi-square test was applied to evaluate the utilization of dental services by rural women, and logistic regression was applied to evaluate the influence of their educational qualifications on utilization. Results: A total of 604 properly filled questionnaires out of 660 (91.51% response rate) were included in the analysis. Only 56.9% of the sampled rural women indicated that they have visited dentists earlier. The maximum number of individuals who have never visited the dentist belonged to illiterate group (55.7%), and the association was statistically significant (0.004) when compared with educated individuals. Conclusion: The results of this study concluded that the level of education has a significant influence on the utilization of dental care.
A wind speed estimation method using adaptive Kalman filtering for a variable speed stall regulated wind turbine

This paper presents a method for the estimation of the effective wind speed acting on the rotor of a wind turbine in order to be used for the control of a variable speed stall regulated wind turbine. The estimation algorithm consists of a Kalman filter, estimating the aerodynamic torque acting on the rotor of the turbine, and a Newton-Raphson method, which derives the effective wind speed from the aerodynamic torque. The Kalman filter is enhanced with adaptive algorithms that estimate the unknown covariances of the measurement and process noise respectively, keeping the filter continuously tuned close to its optimal behavior. The presented algorithm and results are based on a full model of a wind turbine, which entails the presence of two flexible shafts and three moments of inertia. From software and hardware simulation results it can be seen that the method is quite promising.
Innovation, Efficiency, Productivity and Intellectual Property Rights: Evidence from a BRIC Economy

The innovation, efficiency and productivity responses to the stronger protection of intellectual property rights post-TRIPs, with reference to manufacturing industry in India is studied. The fact that the post-TRIPs strengthening of IPRs in India were largely exogenous enables us to correct for endogeneity bias in estimation. Using 1995-2011 data, a significant increase is found in the annual rates of technical change, efficiency change, and productivity growth â€“ about 3, 8 and 0.8 percentage points, respectively â€“ post-reform. [CDE Working Paper No. 230]. URL:[http://www.cdedse. org/pdf/work230.pdf].
Volatility Forecasting: The Illusion of Choosing One Model in All Cases

The volatility prediction is the most important issue in finance, as it is the key ingredient variable in forecasting the prices of options, the VaR number and, in general, the risk that investors face. By estimating not only inter-day volatility models that capture the main characteristics of asset returns, such as the non-zero skewness, the excess kurtosis relative to that of the normal distribution and the fractional integration of the conditional variance, but also an intra-day model, we investigate their forecasting performance for three European equity indices. We find out that there is no consistent relation between the examined models and the specific purpose of volatility forecasts. Researchers cannot apply, not even for the same equity index, one model for all the forecasting purposes. However, if they want to choose one model, they must prefer an inter-day specification that accounts at least for volatility clustering and the leverage effect.
Developmental Regulation of Angiotensinogen Gene Expression in Sheep

ABSTRACT: It has been suggested that the liver is not the main source of angiotensinogen during fetal life in rats, but that the kidney is an important site of fetal angiotensinogen synthesis. In an effort to determine if this phenomenon is specific to the rat or applicable to other species, we compared the ontogenic changes in hepatic and renal angiotensinogen mRNA expression in fetal (60, 90, 118, and 138 d of gestation, term being 145 d), newborn (7 d postnatal), and adult sheep. Total RNA was extracted, subjected to Northern blotting and hybridized using a full-length rat radiolabeled antisense RNA. Angiotensinogen mRNA sequences were detected in all fetal liver samples and appeared to increase 3-fold from 60 to 138 d gestation and then to decrease after birth. In contrast, angiotensiogen mRNA could not be detected in renal cortical tissue of 118 or 138 d fetuses, or newborn or adult sheep. We conclude that, unlike in the rat, liver angiotensinogen gene expression is detectable during the 2nd trimester of gestation in sheep and is developmentally regulated. Furthermore, in contrast to the fetal rat, angiotensinogen mRNA sequences were undetectable in fetal sheep kidney.
Police Misconduct and Crime: A Gender Study of Crime Types From Court Cases

This article is based on empirical research of criminal behavior in the Norwegian police force. Norway has a total of 13,000 police employees, out of which 8,000 are police officers and 5,000 are civilians. While the majority of police officers are male, the majority of civilians are female. In total, almost half of the police population consists of women, while a little more than half are men. However, out of 60 prosecuted police employees from 2005 to 2010, 52 were men and only 8 were women. Out of those 52 men, 51 were police officers and 1 was a civilian. Out of 8 women, 4 were police officers and 4 were civilians. Both female and male officers committed crime mainly at the individual rather than group or organization level.
Ecotypic variation in the response of Arabidopsis thaliana to Phytophthora cinnamomi

A variety of reactions to inoculation with Phytophthora cinnamomi ranging from high susceptibility to moderate resistance were found in 20 ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana. P. cinnamomi zoospores successfully colonised both root and leaf tissue of Arabidopsis and sporulation in the form of chlamydospores and sporangia occurred in leaves and roots of each ecotype but the number varied considerably between ecotypes. In the more susceptible ecotypes, colonisation was characterised by rapid intercellular growth and sporulation of the pathogen from 48 h post inoculation. In less susceptible ecotypes, P. cinnamomi was limited to a defined region within tissues. In response to P. cinnamomi infection, several ecotypes expressed active defence responses in both root and leaf tissue. Callose formation was close ly associated with lesion restriction as was the production of the reactive oxygen species, hydrogen peroxide. The oxidative burst was not limited to the site of pathogen ingress but also occurred in distant, uninfected tissues. We have characterised an Arabidopsis—P. cinnamomi system that will be useful for further studies of active resistance mechanisms.
Does Students' Financial Behaviour Differ Based on Their Family Income?

This study investigates the differences on Financial Behaviour among Albanian university students based on their family income. The main objectives of this study are: i) firstly, to assess the level of financial behaviour of Albanian university students; ii) to examine whether the financial behaviour differs based on the level of students family income; and ii) finally, , to provide some conclusions and policy implications with regard to financial behaviour. An instrument comprised of specific and personal questions is administered to 637 students from five public and two private universities in Albania. Factor analysing and Cronbach Alpha test are utilized to assess the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. Data analysis is conducted based on the One Way Welch Anova technique. The outcomes discover that Albanian university students show almost a good financial behaviour which differs based on household income. Students with low or middle family income are revealed to show better financial behaviour in comparison with those who reported to have high level of family income. This study paves the way for future research in Albania and for taking incentives for helping students to shape healthy spending habits.