Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
NEUROLOGICAL ASPECTS OF TROPICAL DISEASE Neurocysticercosis and epilepsy in developing countries

Neurocysticercosis is a disease of poverty and underdevelopment. Little is known about the natural history of the infection in humans, but some of the mechanisms whereby the parasite remains silent and evades the host immune response are understood. Symptomatic neurocysticercosis usually results from host inflammatory response after parasite death, and the clinical manifestations can be diverse. There is no evidence that cysticidal treatment does more good than harm in addition to conventional antiepileptic treatment. Population control measures involving immunisation or mass treatment have not shown long term eVectiveness. Epilepsy, similarly to neurocysticercosis, is a largely unrecognised but increasing burden on the welfare and economies of developing countries. The technology of drug treatment and psychosocial rehabilitation is well known but requires widespread and eVective dissemination at low cost. There is little epidemiological data on risk factors for epilepsy in developing countries on which to base prevention strategies. The public health prioritisation of chronic disorders such as epilepsy remains a challenge for policy and practice in developing countries. For both neurocysticercosis and epilepsy, there is a dilemma about whether limited public resources would better be spent on general economic development, which would be expected to have a broad impact on the health and welfare of communities, or on specific programmes to help individual aVected people with neurocysticercosis and epilepsy. Either approach requires detailed economic evaluation. (J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2000;68:137–143)
[Control or involvement? Relationship between parenting style and adolescent depression].

BACKGROUND AND AIMS OF THE STUDY A number of studies have pointed out that parenting style has a longstanding impact on psychological health. Besides parental/familial risk factors certain aspects of the parent-adolescent relationship may serve as a protective factor and help prevent adolescent depression such as the authoritative parenting style. The aim of the present study has been to analyze interrelationships between adolescent depressive symptomatology, authoritative parenting style, negative and positive parental links. METHOD The study was carried out on in all primary and secondary schools in Mako and the surrounding region in the spring of 2010, students of grades 7-12 (N = 2072), 49.2% of the sample were males and 50.8% females; 38.1% primary school pupils and 61.9% high school students. Self-administered questionnaires contained items of measuring depressive symptoms (CDI) and parental variables beyond sociodemographics. After descripive statistics, correlation and multiple linear regression analyses have been used to detect interrelationships. RESULTS Data support the protective effect of authoritative parenting style in relation to adolescent depression, particularly among girls. Among boys, only mother's responsive behavior proved to be a protective factor. Among girls, however, both elements of the father's authoritative parenting style were decisive; not only responsiveness but also demandingness. The parenting style of the opposite-sex parent was prevailing in both sexes. Negative family interactions served as a risk factor, whereas positive parental identification was a protective factor during adolescence as well. CONCLUSION There is a need to strengthen the role of the authoritative parenting style and to guarantee the presence of the opposite-sex parents in the adolescents' lives. Nowadays there are family-oriented interventions which put forward the effectiveness of parenting and problem-solving and aiming at harmonizing the parent-adolescent relationship.
Aspek-aspek Kuantitatif yang Mempengaruhi Kebijakan Pinjaman Daerah (Studi Kasus Kabupaten/Kota di Propinsi Jawa Timur)

This paper analyzes the impact of GDP per-capita, populasi, economic growth, PAD, DAU, capital expenditure, and surplus/deficit non financial faktor on mu¬nicipal debt behavior. With this aim, we have obtained stratified random sample of 21 cities during a third year period. These data have been used to configure a micro panel to obtain accurate estimates and control for problem such as un¬observed heterogeneity. The main conclusion obtained from this process is that all independ varible are the variable s that best explain the indebtedness of this type of entities Keyword : GDP, economic growth, indebtedness
Morphology of P2X3‐immunoreactive nerve endings in the rat tracheal mucosa

Nerve endings with immunoreactivity for the P2X3 purinoreceptor (P2X3) in the rat tracheal mucosa were examined by immunohistochemistry of whole‐mount preparations with confocal scanning laser microscopy. P2X3 immunoreactivity was observed in ramified endings distributed in the whole length of the trachea. The myelinated parent axons of P2X3‐immunoreactive nerve endings ramified into several branches that extended two‐dimensionally in every direction at the interface between the epithelial layer and lamina propria. The axonal branches of P2X3‐immunoreactive endings branched off many twigs located just beneath the epithelium, and continued to intraepithelial axon terminals. The axon terminals of P2X3‐immunoreactive endings were beaded, rounded, or club‐like in shape and terminated between tracheal epithelial cells. Flat axon terminals sometimes partly ensheathed neuroendocrine cells with immunoreactivity for SNAP25 or CGRP. Some axons and axon terminals with P2X3 immunoreactivity were immunoreactive for P2X2, while some terminals were immunoreactive for vGLUT2. Furthermore, a retrograde tracing method using fast blue (FB) revealed that 88.4% of FB‐labeled cells with P2X3 immunoreactivity originated from the nodose ganglion. In conclusion, P2X3‐immunoreactive nerve endings in the rat tracheal mucosa have unique morphological characteristics, and these endings may be rapidly adapting receptors and/or irritant receptors that are activated by mucosal irritant stimuli.
Playing at school, learning at home? Exploring the effects of social context on educational game experience

Academic interest in the relation between social co ntext and digital games has grown in recent years. The concept of social context of gaming is a complex one as digital games pull players into a virtual environment while game and player(s) emain embedded in a ‘real’, tangible world (Mäyrä, 2007). This gives rise to a multitude of in terdependent social contexts. De Kort & IJselsteijn (2008) distinguish between effects of l oca (Jansz & Martens, 2005; Yee, 2006; Cole & Griffiths, 2007; Schultheis, 2007), mediated (Gri ffiths, Davies & Chapell, 2003; Sherry & Lucas, 2003; Kolo & Baur, 2004; Yee, 2005) and virt ual (Ravaja, Saari, Turpeinen, Laarni, Slamineen, Kivikangas, 2006) co-presence on game ex p rience. Others have explored the effect of local co-presence in a classroom setting and fou nd that motivation and performance are higher when students play in small groups rather than indi v dually (Inkpen, Booth, Klawe & Upitis, 1995). As to the learning context itself, however, little is known about how different contexts affect the playing and learning experiences. Typica lly, educational games are played either in a domestic or in a classroom setting, so insight into the effects of these contexts is of the utmost importance for using educational games effectively in the curriculum.
The role of progesterone receptors in the management of advanced breast cancer

The identification of steroid receptors in human breast cancer tissues has provided biochemical markers to predict hormone responsiveness. Analysis of tumors from 328 patients for the estrogen receptor protein (ERP) revealed significant levels in 225 patients (68%). Fifty‐five patients with advanced disease were subjected to hormonal manipulation. Thirty patients underwent ablative surgery consisting of adrenalectomy or adrenalectomy and oophorectomy. Twenty‐five patients were treated with additive therapy utilizing the new antiestrogen Tamoxifen. The ECOG criteria for an objective response were applied to all patients. Fifteen of the 24 estrogen receptor‐positive patients (63%) subjected to endocrine ablation responded. Eleven of twenty (55%) ERP‐positive patients responded to Tamoxifen therapy. Only one ERP‐negative patient responded in the total group. Simultaneous analysis of these same specimens for the progesterone receptor protein (PgRP) revealed that 151 patients were ERP and PgRP positive (46%); 74 (23%) were ERP positive and PgRP negative; 90 (27%) were ERP and PgRP negative, and 13 (4%) were ERP negative and PgRP positive. In the two treatment groups the overall response rate when both receptors were positive was 77% with a higher percentage of responders in the endocrine ablative group (88% vs. 64%). In addition, a greater duration of response was achieved in those patients treated with endocrine ablation.
Effects of magnetic shear on magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability

The magnetized liner inertial fusion concept [S. A. Slutz et al., Phys. Plasmas 17, 056303 (2010)] consists of a cylindrical metal liner enclosing a preheated plasma that is embedded in an axial magnetic field. Because of its diffusion into the liner, the pulsed azimuthal magnetic field may exhibit a strong magnetic shear within the liner, offering the interesting possibility of shear stabilization of the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability. Here, we use the ideal MHD model to study this effect of magnetic shear in a finite slab. It is found that magnetic shear reduces the MRT growth rate in general. The feedthrough factor is virtually independent of magnetic shear. In the limit of infinite magnetic shear, all MRT modes are stable if bu > 1, where bu is the ratio of the perturbed magnetic tension in the liner’s interior region to the acceleration during implosion.
Mayo's Older African American Normative Studies: Auditory Verbal Learning Test norms for African American Elders

ABSTRACT The Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) is frequently used in clinical practice to assess for memory dysfunction in the elderly. As part of the Mayo Older African Americans Normative Studies (MOAANS), we provide age and education adjusted normative data for the AVLT. The sample consists of 306 self-identified African Americans who are cognitively normal, community-dwelling and ranging in age from 56 through 94. Additional summary indices are included in the normative data, including learning efficiency, delayed recall, percent retention, and an index representing recognition memory corrected for false-positive identifications. Given the importance of using a normative reference sample that closely represents the population of interest, the current norms should provide clinically useful data for evaluating African American elders, especially those who were educated in the southern United States.
A Preliminary Study on Normalized Pattern-Reversal Peripheral Field SSVEPs as a Potential Objective Indicator of Useful Field of View Performance.

PURPOSE Currently, the test for useful field of view (UFOV) typically relies on subjective feedback for detecting peripheral targets while attending to a central target. Steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) recorded from the occipital region of the brain has been frequently used as an objective alternative to replace subjective responses. Our aim was to investigate if a short screening test can approximate UFOV performance objectively. METHODS We recorded SSVEPs during a simple peripheral task and a UFOV task with and without distractors as well as 30-second offline SSVEPs for eight participants. In all tasks, a peripheral annulus ring of checkered reversal pattern was concurrently presented to the participants to elicit SSVEPs. RESULTS Orthogonal linear regression analysis found that normalized SSVEP during the UFOV task is predictive of peripheral target detection accuracy (F(1,6) = 16.250, P < 0.01, n = 8) for a task with peripheral distractors. However, this is not the case for a task without distractors (F(1,6) = 0.397, P = 0.552), possibly due to near-perfect accuracy across most participants. Offline normalized SSVEPs also only predicted the peripheral target detection accuracy (F(1,6) = 26.799, P < 0.01) for the UFOV task with peripheral distractors. CONCLUSIONS Difficult peripheral target detection with distractors is required to differentiate UFOV performance in healthy young adults. The results suggested that offline normalized SSVEPs elicited by 30 seconds of pattern-reversal checkered annulus from the peripheral vision field can identify individuals with good UFOV performance under the stress of a difficult peripheral task.
Effects of Valproate on Vestibular Symptoms and Electronystagmographic Findings in Migraine Patients

Objectives: To investigate the effects of valproic acid on vestibular symptoms and electronystagmography (ENG) findings in patients with migraine-related vestibulopathy. Methods: Thirty-seven patients with migraine (13 with vertigo, 13 with dizziness, and 11 without vestibular symptoms) were included in the study. Slow-released valproic acid (500 mg/d) was given for 3 months. Frequency of headache and vestibular symptoms in the first, second, and third months of the therapy were recorded and compared with the pretreatment values. The ENG findings were also evaluated before and 2 months after the therapy. Results: We determined that prophylactic low-dose valproic acid decreased the frequency of headache and vestibular symptoms, although it does not cause any statistically meaningful change in ENG findings. Conclusions: Valproate can be used satisfactorily for patients with migraine who have vestibular complaints. Ineffectiveness of valproic acid on ENG findings can be clarified by the permanent effect of migraine on the vestibular system.
Specific Inhibitors of p38 Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Block 3T3-L1 Adipogenesis*

SB203580 and SB202190, pyridinyl imidazoles that selectively inhibit p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, are widely utilized to assess the physiological roles of p38. Here, we demonstrate that treatment of 3T3-L1 fibroblasts with these p38 MAP kinase inhibitors prevents their differentiation into adipocytes as judged by an absence of lipid accumulation, a lack of expression of adipocyte-specific genes, and a fibroblastic morphological appearance. In 3T3-L1 fibroblasts and developing adipocytes, p38 is active. p38 activity decreases dramatically during later stages of differentiation. In accordance with the time course of p38 activity, p38 inhibitor treatment during only the early stages of differentiation is sufficient to block adipogenesis. In addition, we constructed a 3T3-L1 cell line harboring an inducible dominant negative p38 mutant. The induction of this dominant negative mutant of p38 prevents adipocyte differentiation. Thus, it is likely that the antiadipogenic activity of SB203580 and SB202190 is indeed due to inhibition of p38 MAP kinase. This study points out that CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ), a transcription factor critical for the initial stages of 3T3-L1 adipogenesis, bears a consensus site for p38 phosphorylation and serves as a substrate for p38 MAP kinase in vitro. Although the induction of C/EBPβ is not significantly altered in the presence of the p38 inhibitor, the amount of in vivo phosphorylated C/EBPβ is reduced by SB203580. The transcriptional induction of PPARγ, a gene whose expression is induced by C/EBPβ, and a factor critically involved in terminal differentiation of adipocytes, is impaired in the presence of p38 inhibitors. Thus, transcription factors such as C/EBPβ that promote adipocyte differentiation may be p38 targets during adipogenesis. Collectively, the data in this study suggest that p38 MAP kinase activity is important for proper 3T3-L1 differentiation.
Real exchange rate misalignment in Algeria (1980 – 2012)

The purpose of this paper is to estimate the Equilibrium real exchange rate (ERER) of the Algerian Dinar, from 1980 to 2012 by applying the Edward's model (1989) and Elbadawi (1994) and asses the degree of misalignment. We will use a co-integration method in order to see whether there is a long run relationship between the ERER and its fundamentals such as : terms of trade, import tariffs or openness and for the adjustment in the short run the Error Correction Model (ECM) is used. Our (.)
Changes in fatty acid composition of various full fat crushed oilseeds and their free oils when incubated with rumen liquor in vitro

The fatty acid pattern of dietary lipids can be modified during rumen biohydrogenation (BH). The objective of the present study was to assess changes in the FA pattern of different oilseed products supplied either as crushed full fat oilseed or as free oil after in vitro incubation with buffered rumen liquor. The FA patterns were determined at the beginning and compared with those measured after 24 h of incubation. The contents of fatty acids (FA) < C18 increased (p < 0.05) in nearly all treatments, eventually due to microbial de novo synthesis and fermentation of carbohydrates and proteins during incubation. In contrast, the contents of the dominating C18 FA, (oleic acid – C18:1c9, linoleic acid – C18:2c9,12, linolenic acid – C18:3c9,12,15) were reduced due to BH, resulting in the accumulation of characteristic BH intermediates, such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomer C18:2c9t11 (rumenic acid). However, both for crushed full fat oilseeds and their free oils the process of BH was not completed at the end of incubation. The disappearance was highest for C18:3c9,12,15, followed by C18:2c9,12 and C18:1c9. The rate of BH of unsaturated FA was higher in the crushed form compared to the oil form. Higher amounts of BH intermediates accumulated in the crushed form. Obviously, the physical form affects the degree of BH in vitro. The current results suggest that feeding crushed full fat seeds instead of their free oils to dairy cows might stimulate the formation of beneficial BH intermediates such as CLA in the rumen.
Enabling "new" practices of renewable energy sharing : A cross-cultural approach

Local generation, distribution and consumption of renewable energy within neighborhood is an emerging application context for the concept of `sharing'. This position paper introduces a cross-cultural approach to enable `new' social practices of renewable energy sharing in neighborhoods. The approach is being developed based on ongoing field-research on Energy Cooperative in The Netherlands and solar-lamp sharing service in rural India. The approach is theoretically grounded in Social Practice Theory. In this paper, we briefly discuss the role of digital interactive technology to support the cross-cultural approach to enable `new' energy sharing practices.
SLA negotiation: Experimental observations on learning policies

The Internet has moved to content broadcasting and one might anticipate future evolutions of the supported applications. Meanwhile, the Internet business model remains the same from the early-days. While, on the technological side, many discussions assess the ossification of the Internet, the Internet traded good is still reachability. Some authors argue that the technical ossification is a consequence of the economic one. But adopting a clean-slate economic model is as challenging as adopting a clean-slate architecture. The new system must meet requirements on profitability and stability while tackling complex issues. In this paper, we focus on the proposal of enriching Service Level Agreements (SLAs), which are contracts among Network Service Providers (NSPs) with Quality of Service (QoS) information. We propose a game model of the SLA negotiation among NSPs in order to study how some learning algorithms converge to stable conditions, which are mixed Nash Equilibria in this case. Computing a mixed Nash equilibrium is PPAD-complete; the corresponding algorithms are thus quite complex. In previous works, some authors studied the convergence of Reinforcement Learning techniques to pure and mixed Nash Equilibria. Learning mixed Nash Equilibria seems harder. Hence, we rather experimentally observe how such algorithms can, according to different policies, converge to mixed Nash Equilibria, and also how profitable they are for the NSPs.
Influence of obesity on the results of minimally invasive spine surgery to minimize surgical risks in patients with degenerative Lumbar disc disease

It is known that overweight / obesity is a factor of risk demonstrated for a multitude of diseases metabolic, cardiovascular, visceral and osteoarticular. In addition, there is growing literature evidence that relates obesity with an acceleration of the process of lumbar disc degeneration and this with the presence of chronic low back pain. Currently, obesity is defined based on the BMI, which can be calculated by means of a simple formula that relates the weight of the individual in kilograms with its height in meters raised to square (BMI = Kg /m2) [1-3].
Prognostic significance of cardiopulmonary exercise testing for 10-year survival in patients with mild to moderate heart failure.

Although a number of studies have investigated the prognostic significance of exercise variables, they have focused only on short-term prognosis in relatively severe heart failure. This study was carried out to determine whether the indices obtained during cardiopulmonary exercise testing have prognostic significance during a 10-year follow-up in mild to moderate heart failure. Three hundred and sixty-four consecutive patients with cardiac disease performed 4 min of 20-W warm-up, followed by a symptom-limited incremental exercise test on a cycle ergometer. In addition to the measurements of peak oxygen uptake (VO2) and gas exchange (anaerobic) threshold, the time constant of VO2 kinetics during the onset of warm-up exercise was calculated using a single exponential equation. Data on mortality were available for follow-up in 260 patients. After 3,331+/-610 days of follow-up, 29 cardiovascular-related deaths occurred. The time constant of VO2 in the nonsurvivors was 76.7+/-43.3 s and was significantly prolonged compared with that of survivors (55.3+/-30.6 s, p=0.001). Peak VO2 and gas exchange threshold were both significantly lower in nonsurvivors than in survivors. Kaplan-Meier survival curves for 10 years of follow-up demonstrated a survival rate of 89.0% for patients with a normal VO2 time constant (< 80 s) and 71.7% for those with a longer time constant (> or = 80 s), showing a significant difference in survival (p=0.0028). Respiratory gas parameters obtained during exercise testing, particularly the time constant of VO2 kinetics, were found to be useful for predicting long-term prognosis in patients with chronic heart failure. These results suggest that cardiopulmonary exercise testing could be more applicable in ambulatory patients with minimal symptoms or minimal functional impairment.
Leukemia Inhibitory Factor and Human Endometrial Receptivity

Embryo implantation requires both an activated blastocyst and a receptive endometrium. The human endometrium undergoes extensive remodeling in each menstrual cycle to prepare the endometrium for implantation, should conception occur in that cycle. For most of the cycle, the endometrium is retained in a non-receptive or refractory state and it will support implantation of the blastocyst for only about 4 days commencing around 6 days after the luteinizing hormone (LH) peak (during the mid secretory phase) of a normal menstrual cycle, a time known as the ‘window of implantation’ (1). The preparation for pregnancy includes differentiation of the glands into a highly secretory state and changes in cell surface proteins and adhesion molecules on the apical and basolateral surfaces of the luminal epithelium. In the stromal compartment, changes are initiated in the fibroblasts close to the spiral arterioles, that lead to differentiation (decidualization) of these cells into decidual cells – this process continues as pregnancy is established to form the decidua of pregnancy.