Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Studying complex interactions among determinants of healthcare-seeking behaviours: self-medication for sexually transmitted infection symptoms in female sex workers

Objectives To describe the frequency and determinants of self-medication for symptoms of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in a female sex worker (FSW) population. To present a methodology exploring the best predictors as well as the interactions between determinants of self-medication. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 4153 FSW carried out in Peru. The prevalence of self-medication was estimated from the subsample of participants who had experienced symptoms of STI in the past 12 months (n=1601), and used successive logistic regression models to explore the determinants. Results Self-medication prevalence for a reported symptomatic episode during the past 12 months was 32.1% (95% CI 29.8 to 34.6). It was negatively correlated with work in brothels (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.51, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.93; p=0.028) and awareness of STI services available for FSW (adjusted OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.81; p=0.006). Other determinants were organised at different levels of proximity to the outcome creating pathways leading to self-medication. Conclusions The importance of the staggered analysis presented in this study resides in its potential to improve the understanding of associations between determinants and, consequently, the targeting of interventions. The awareness of STI services available for FSW increases access to health care, which in turn decreases self-medication. In addition, the sharing of information that takes place between brothel-based FSW was also related to a diminishing prevalence of self-medication. These two main predictors provide an opportunity for prevention programmes, in particular those designed to be led by peers.
Hans-Georg Gadamer

Why Gadamer? Key Ideas. 1. Hermeneutics in Theory: From Schleiermacher to Heidegger 2. The Greeks (1): Plato and Dialogue 3. The Greeks (2): Aristotle and Phronesis 4. Situation and Horizon, Prejudice and Tradition, Language and Play 5. Hermeneutics in Practice: Reading Texts After Gadamer Further Reading
Ligation of B and T Lymphocyte Attenuator Prevents the Genesis of Experimental Cerebral Malaria1

B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA; CD272) is a coinhibitory receptor that is predominantly expressed on T and B cells and dampens T cell activation. In this study, we analyzed the function of BTLA during infection with Plasmodium berghei ANKA. Infection of C57BL/6 mice with this strain leads to sequestration of leukocytes in brain capillaries that is associated with a pathology resembling cerebral malaria in humans. During the course of infection, we found an induction of BTLA in several organs, which was either due to up-regulation of BTLA expression on T cells in the spleen or due to infiltration of BTLA-expressing T cells into the brain. In the brain, we observed a marked induction of BTLA and its ligand herpesvirus entry mediator during cerebral malaria, which was accompanied by an accumulation of predominantly CD8+ T cells, but also CD4+ T cells. Application of an agonistic anti-BTLA mAb caused a significantly reduced incidence of cerebral malaria compared with control mice. Treatment with this Ab also led to a decreased number of T cells that were sequestered in the brain of P. berghei ANKA-infected mice. Our findings indicate that BTLA-herpesvirus entry mediator interactions are functionally involved in T cell regulation during P. berghei ANKA infection of mice and that BTLA is a potential target for therapeutic interventions in severe malaria.
Performance of time switching based energy harvesting for amplify-and-forward half-duplex relaying with hardware impairment

In this paper, we derive the formulas for outage probability and system throughput of an amplify-and-forward half-duplex relay network, in which the relay node is equipped with time switching based energy harvesting capability. It can be learnt from the analysis that the throughput performance of the system of interest is maximized only at an appropriate choice of the time-switching factor. This optimal value can be found by numerical algorithm. The analysis also clarifies the effect of other parameters such as transmitted-power-to-noise ratio and the data rate, to the system performance. All these above results are confirmed by Monte-Carlo simulation.
Single Copies of Subunits d, Oligomycin-sensitivity Conferring Protein, and b Are Present in the Saccharomyces cerevisiaeMitochondrial ATP Synthase*

In the mitochondrial ATP synthase (mtATPase) of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the stoichiometry of subunits d, oligomycin-sensitivity conferring protein (OSCP), and b is poorly defined. We have investigated the stoichiometry of these subunits by the application of hexahistidine affinity purification technology. We have previously demonstrated that intact mtATPase complexes incorporating a Hex6-tagged subunit can be isolated via Ni2+-nitrilotriacetic acid affinity chromatography (Bateson, M., Devenish, R. J., Nagley, P., and Prescott, M. (1996) Anal. Biochem. 238, 14–18). Strains were constructed in which Hex6-tagged versions of subunits d, OSCP, and b were coexpressed with the corresponding wild-type subunit. This coexpression resulted in a mixed population of mtATPase complexes containing untagged wild-type and Hex6-tagged subunits. The stoichiometry of each subunit was then assessed by determining whether or not the untagged wild-type subunit could be recovered from Ni2+-nitrilotriacetic acid purifications as an integral component of those complexes absorbed by virtue of the Hex6-tagged subunit. As only the Hex6-tagged subunit was recovered from such purifications, we demonstrate that the stoichiometry of subunits d, OSCP, and b in yeast is 1 in each case.
Resistance training reduces subclinical inflammation in obese, postmenopausal women.

PURPOSE Aerobic exercise is frequently prescribed to reduce inflammatory-related disease (cardiovascular disease and diabetes) risk. Resistance training (RT), however, may be key to maximizing anti-inflammatory benefits of consistent exercise. We examined the influence of RT on inflammatory biomarkers in obese, postmenopausal women. METHODS Twenty-three women (65.6 ± 2.6 yr; body mass index, 33 kg·m) underwent 12 wk of RT (3 sets, 10 exercises, 3× per week, 8-12 repetition maximum (RM), resistance exercise (EX), N = 11) or social interaction intervention (SI, stretching, knitting, health lectures, 2× per week, control group (CON), N = 12). Both before (BT) and after (AT) RT or SI, blood was collected before (PR), immediately (PO), 2 h (2H), and 24 h (24H) after a single resistance exercise bout (RE) in EX and at the same time points in nonexercise, resting CON. For all time points, blood was analyzed for IL-6, leptin, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (LPS-TNF) and IL-10 (LPS-IL10). PR samples were also examined for C-reactive protein, TNF-α, and adiponectin, and mRNA expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and MC1R. Subcutaneous adipose tissue was extracted BT and AT and analyzed for mRNA expression of monocyte chemotactic protein-1, leptin, CD68, and TLR4. RESULTS RT improved strength (44%) and reduced circulating C-reactive protein (-33%), leptin (-18%) and TNF-α (-29%) with no change in body composition. IL-6 decreased after SI in CON (-17%). LPS-TNF increased after SI or RT (CON +26%, EX +67%, respectively), whereas LPS-IL10 decreased in CON (-28%) but increased in EX (+20%). RT did not influence inflammatory biomarker gene expression in whole blood or subcutaneous adipose tissue. A single RE bout augmented LPS-TNF and LPS-IL10 at 24H in EX, particularly AT. CONCLUSION RT reduced markers of subclinical inflammation in circulation in obese, postmenopausal women in the absence of changes in body composition. Chronic RT also enhanced response to endotoxin challenge both at rest (PR) and 24 h after an acute RE bout (24H).
Improved virological outcomes in British Columbia concomitant with decreasing incidence of HIV type 1 drug resistance detection.

BACKGROUND There have been limited studies evaluating temporal changes in the incidence of detection of drug resistance among human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates and concomitant changes in plasma HIV load for treated individuals in a population-wide setting. METHODS Longitudinal plasma viral load and genotypic resistance data were obtained from patients receiving antiretroviral therapy from the British Columbia Drug Treatment Program from July 1996 through December 2008. A total of 24,652 resistance tests were available from 5422 individuals. The incidence of successful plasma viral load suppression and of resistance to each of 3 antiretroviral categories (nucleoside/nucleotide reverse-transcriptase inhibitors, nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and protease inhibitors) was calculated for the population receiving therapy. RESULTS There has been a drastic decrease in the incidence of new cases of HIV-1 drug resistance in individuals followed during 1996-2008. In 1997, the incidence rate of any newly detected resistance was 1.73 cases per 100 person-months of therapy, and by 2008, the incidence rate had decreased >12-fold, to 0.13 cases per 100 person-months of therapy. This decrease in the incidence of resistance has occurred at an exponential rate, with half-times on the order of 2-3 years. Concomitantly, the proportion of individuals with plasma viral load suppression has increased linearly over time (from 64.7% with HIV RNA levels <50 copies/mL in 2000 to 87.0% in 2008; R2=0.97; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest an increasing effectiveness of highly active antiretroviral therapy at the populational level. The vast majority of treated patients in British Columbia now have either suppressed plasma viral load or drug-susceptible HIV-1, according to their most recent test results.
Muscle ultrasound in neuromuscular disorders

Muscle ultrasound is a useful tool in the diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders, as these disorders result in muscle atrophy and intramuscular fibrosis and fatty infiltration, which can be visualized with ultrasound. Several prospective studies have reported high sensitivities and specificities in the detection of neuromuscular disorders. Although not investigated in large series of patients, different neuromuscular disorders tend to show specific changes on muscle ultrasound, which can be helpful in differential diagnosis. For example, Duchenne muscular dystrophy results in a severe, homogeneous increase of muscle echo intensity with normal muscle thickness, whereas spinal muscular atrophy shows an inhomogeneous increase of echo intensity with severe atrophy. A major advantage of muscle ultrasound, compared to other imaging techniques, is its ability to visualize muscle movements, such as muscle contractions and fasciculations. This study reviews the possibilities and limitations of ultrasound in muscle imaging and its value as a diagnostic tool in neuromuscular disorders. Muscle Nerve, 2008
Foreign Bribery and Takeovers: International Evidence

While much attention has been paid to the role of foreign bribery in cross-border mergers and acquisitions, the evidence to date has been primarily anecdotal. I provide the first large-sample evidence that acquirers’ ability to bribe determines their engagement in the cross-border transactions. Using the OECD Anti-bribery Convention as an exogenous shock that limits acquirers’ ability to pay bribes in foreign markets, I find that deal frequency decreases significantly from affected countries after the law enactment. More corrupt target countries experience a greater decline in cross-border deals. However, the effect of the anti-bribery legislation is mainly concentrated on public acquirers. Postlegislation acquirers are on average smaller and more competitive. Finally, I argue that anti-bribery laws are costly – this is evident from deal value destruction that can be as high as 28% of the total transaction synergy.
Consumers’ Intentions for the Usage of Mobile Payments: Extending UTAUT with Innovativeness, Trust and Network Effect

하는 사용자들의 지속사용의도에 영향을 미쳤는지 살펴보았다. 구체적으로 개인 의 혁신성, 모바일 간편결제에 대한 지각된 신뢰, 네트워크 효과에 대한 기대가 사용자들의 지속사용의도에 미치는 영향을 분석하였다. 이를 위해, 본 연구에서 는 Venkatesh et al. (2003)의 UTAUT모형(Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology)을 적용하여 새로운 기술을 수용하는 사용자의 지속사용의도를 설명하 고자 한다. 207명의 대학생을 대상으로 설문을 실시했으며, smartPLS를 통해 분석 한 결과, UTAUT모형으로부터 성과기대, 노력기대, 사회적영향이 모바일 간편결제 사용자의 지속사용의도에 긍정적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났으며, 본 연구를 통해 추가된 지각된 신뢰, 네트워크 효과에 대한 기대가 모바일 간편결제 사용자 의 지속사용의도에 긍정적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 하지만, 모바일 간편
Does Organizational Learning and Innovation Influence Performance?

This research aims to examine relations among organizational learning, innovation and organization’s performance in Banking sector of developing country. A survey questionnaire was analyzed by Partial least squares. The results show that organizational learning has an effect on performance. Understanding the importance of organizational learning will provide more insight on how Banking sector can achieve better performance. Most of the empirical studies were conducted in manufacturing ﬁrms and ignored Banking sector. The contribution of this research is a better understanding by exploring the relationship between Organizational Learning, Innovation and organization’s Performance.
A Conceptual Review on Behavioural Intention to Revisit of Heritage Tourist

There were plenty studies have been conducted to investigate the tourist behavioural intention to revisit and emerged some factors influencing. However, most of them were applied with difference perspective and in the various contexts. This paper aims to discuss the factors influencing heritage tourist’s behavioural intention to revisit a destination by applying the new conceptual framework. This paper uses a document reviews and provides a synthesis on the previous studies findings to find out the potential conceptual framework. The results emerged that some of factors were specified as antecedent variables of heritage tourist’s behavioural intention to revisit. Those variables were service quality, experience quality, destination image, promotion, and satisfaction. However, the relationship between variables still becomes a hot issue to debate in particularly the role of those variables to encourage the intention of tourits to behave. This paper proposes service quality and experience quality as a predictor on criterion of heritage tourist’s behavioural intention to revisit and on the other hand, service quality influences experience quality. Furthermore, satisfaction can be proposed as a mediating variable of the relationship between predictors and the criterion. Finally, destination image and promotion play a role as moderating variables between satisfaction and heritage tourist’s behavioural intention to revisit. As conclusion, this paper provided a new conceptual framework based on the previous literatures. For further researchers, this paper’s finding could be applied by conducting a quantitative or a mixed method approach for additional benefit.
Influence of movements on contaminant transport in an operating room.

UNLABELLED The influence of persons' movements on contaminant transport during an orthopedic surgical operation is examined. Orthopedic surgical operations require an ultra clean environment usually provided by a LAF device (laminar airflow). During hip replacements bone cement is sometimes applied. Due to practical reasons cement mixing is performed outside the LAF area. During the cement transport from the mixing location to the surgeon there is a potential risk of bacterial transport to the clean zone. This phenomenon is examined by smoke visualization and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The movements are modeled by CFD using distributed momentum sources as well as a turbulent kinetic energy source. A significant risk of contaminant transport from the less clean zone to the ultra clean zone is found. The results indicate that it is possible to simulate the influence of movements using a relatively simple CFD model that considers the significant influence of a transient phenomenon in an approximate way. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS In real-life ventilated enclosures like operating rooms movements take place. Persons' movements may influence the local flow field as well as the contaminant field substantially. Most often movements are ignored in simulations due to the complexity of the phenomenon. This paper presents an indirect and simple method to consider the influence of movements that may enable modelers to include this important phenomenon in the engineering application of CFD. This may improve practical risk assessment--for instance risk assessment of unintended transport of bacteria during orthopedic surgical operations that may jeopardize the hygiene.
Small signal stability analysis of an AC/DC hybrid power electronic system

Power electronic circuits are now widely used in latest technologies that range from automobiles to mobile phones and many more such areas encountering our day to day life. Small signal methods are widely used for modeling power electronic circuits. This modeling technique gives an exact model which is quite suitable for analyzing a circuit sampled at switching frequency. The target of this research is analysis of the accuracy of small signal method while analyzing the stability of simulated circuits. This paper presents a case study using different parameters for small signal modeling of different modules of a power electronic circuit including power source, conversion and load.
Ca2+ and mitochondria as substrates for deficits in synaptic plasticity in normal brain ageing

Normal brain ageing is associated with a degree of functional impairment of neuronal activity that results in a reduction in memory and cognitive functions. One mechanism proposed to explain the age‐dependent changes was the “Ca2+ hypothesis of ageing” but data accumulated in the last decade revealed a number of inconsistencies. Two important questions were raised: (a) which are, if any, the most reliable age‐associated change in neuronal Ca2+ homeostasis and (b) are these changes primary, and thus determinant of the ageing phenotype, or are they secondary to other changes in the physiology of the aged neurones. After a brief review of the evidence accumulated for the age‐induced changes in synaptic plasticity, we assess the proposal that these changes are, ultimately, determined by changes in the metabolic state of the aged neurones, that are manifest particularly after neuronal stimulation. In this context, it appears that the changes in mitochondrial status and function are of primary importance.
Confidence Estimation and Reputation Analysis in Aspect Extraction

Extracting product aspects and their associated sentiments is one of the key tasks in sentiment analysis. Estimating the confidences of extracted aspects is important to ensure the performance. To tackle the issue, this paper proposes a two-step estimation method. Collocations of product features and opinion words are initially extracted through pattern bootstrapping. A criterion synthesizing two measurements, Popularity and Reliability, is novelly exploited to assess both patterns and features. Then the features are further clustered into aspects based on path similarities in the Word Net. Each cluster is assigned a weight based on its Compactness and Texture, and the light ones are filtered out. In addition, this paper also captures global aspect reputations by aggregating sentiment strengths through opinion collocations. Experimental results on a benchmark data set with 5 products demonstrate the effectiveness and reliability of our proposed method.
An Efficient and Flexible Parallel I / O implementation for the CFD General Notation System

One important, often overlooked, issue for large, three dimensional time-dependent computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations is the input and output performance of the CFD solver, especially for large time-dependent simulations. The development of the CFD General Notation System (CGNS) has brought a standardized and robust data format to the CFD community, enabling the exchange of information between the various stages of numerical simulations. Application of this standard data format to large parallel simulations is hindered by the reliance of most applications on the CGNS Mid-Level Library. This library has only supported serialized I/O. By moving to HDF5 as the recommended low level data storage format, the CGNS standards committee has created the opportunity to support parallel I/O. In our work, we present the parallel implementation of the CGNS Mid-Level Library and an I/O request-queuing approach to overcome some limitations of HDF5. We also present detailed benchmarks on a parallel file system for typical structured and unstructured CFD application I/O patterns.
Localization and Coverage in Wireless Ad Hoc Networks

Localization and coverage are two important and closely related problems in wireless ad hoc networks. Localization aims to determine the physical locations of devices in a network, while coverage determines if a region of interest is sufficiently monitored by devices. Localization systems require a high degree of coverage for correct functioning, while coverage schemes typically require accurate location information. This thesis investigates the relationship between localization and coverage such that new schemes can be devised which integrate approaches found in each of these well studied problems. This work begins with a thorough review of the current literature on the subjects of localization and coverage. The localization scheduling problem is then introduced with the goal to allow as many devices as possible to enter deep sleep states to conserve energy and reduce message overhead, while maintaining sufficient network coverage for high localization accuracy. Initially this sufficient coverage level for localization is simply a minimum connectivity condition. An analytical method is then proposed to estimate the amount of localization error within a certain probability based on the theoretical lower bounds of location estimation. Error estimates can then be integrated into location dependent schemes to improve on their robustness to localization error. Location error estimation is then used by an improved scheduling scheme to determine the minimum number of reference devices required for accurate localization. Finally, an optimal coverage preserving sleep scheduling scheme is proposed which is robust to localization error, a condition which is ignored by most existing solutions. Simulation results show that with localization scheduling network lifetimes can be increased by several times and message overhead is reduced while maintaining negligible differences in localization error. Furthermore, results show that the proposed coverage preserving sleep scheduling scheme results in fewer active devices and coverage holes under the presence of localization error.