Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of influenza vaccine in aging and older adults: comprehensive analysis of the evidence

Foremost amongst the diseases preventable by vaccination is influenza. Worldwide, influenza virus infection is associated with serious adverse events leading to hospitalization, debilitating complications, and death in elderly individuals. Immunization is considered to be the cornerstone for preventing these adverse health outcomes, and vaccination programs are timed to optimize protection during the annual influenza season. Trivalent inactivated influenza virus vaccines are believed to be both effective and cost-saving; however, in spite of widespread influenza vaccination programs, rates of hospitalization for acute respiratory illness and cardiovascular diseases have been increasing in this population during recent annual influenza seasons. From meta-analyses summarizing estimates of influenza vaccine effectiveness from available observational clinical studies, this review aims to examine how effective current influenza vaccine strategies are in the aging and older adult population and to analyze which are the most important biases that interfere with measurements of influenza vaccine effectiveness. Furthermore, consideration is given to strategies that should be adopted in order to optimize influenza vaccine effectiveness in the face of immune exhaustion.
The Disproportionate Erosion of Local Control

This case study of an urban school board’s experiences under high-stakes accountability demonstrates how the district leaders eschewed democratic governance processes in favor of autocratic behaviors. They possessed narrowly defined goals for teaching and learning that emphasized competitive, individualized means of achievement. Their decision making was private; opportunities for local input were missing. They promoted centrally determined, standardized instructional and administrative practices, not locally driven ones. It concludes that accountability policies that are framed in terms of their potential to further democratic aims by granting greater liberty in exchange for results, and by holding all districts to the same high standards, may disproportionately reduce democratic control in urban settings.
After Further Sightings of the Heffalump

In 1971, Kilby likened research about the psychology of entrepreneurs to search for a “heffalump”, with no convincing descriptions resulting from the research. This paper surveys later research which compares entrepreneurs with other people, and concludes that more is now known about the psychology of entrepreneurs, but that entrepreneurs are not as different from other groups within the general population, managers included, as was once assumed.
Asthma is not a common cause of severe chronic respiratory failure in non-smokers: ALOT study.

BACKGROUND Little is known about the long-term natural history of asthma and the long-term clinical and functional consequences in non-smoking patients. From a functional point of view, non-smoking asthmatic patients may have a significantly greater decline in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) compared with non-asthmatic subjects and may develop chronic irreversible (fixed) airflow limitation. This has been related to the physiological consequences of chronic airway inflammation causing airway remodeling. However these lesions are all potentially reversible and there is little radiological evidence indicating lung destruction (pulmonary emphysema), which is potentially irreversible, in non-smoking asthmatics. Severe chronic respiratory failure is the major cause of mortality in patients with severe chronic lung diseases. Domiciliary long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) is an accepted treatment for patients with severe chronic respiratory failure. Our reasoning, therefore, was that if asthma is a cause of severe chronic respiratory failure in non-smokers we should be able to find non-smoking asthmatics within a large population of patients on LTOT. The aim of our study (Asthma and Long-term Oxygen Therapy, "ALOT") was to investigate the prevalence of non-smoking asthmatics in patients on LTOT in a multi-centre, cross-sectional study. METHODS Between June and September 2003 we screened all subjects on long-term domiciliary oxygen therapy in three different hospitals in the North-East area of Italy (within the provinces of Ferrara and Bologna). Taken collectively, we have found one-hundred and eighty-four patients on LTOT. We have reviewed their clinical data (age, sex, smoking, history and physical examination, arterial blood gas analysis, pulmonary function). RESULTS 114 patients (all smokers) fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for COPD. Seventy patients (all smokers) had other diseases. We were unable to find any non-smokers in our screened population of subjects on long-term domiciliary oxygen therapy. Furthermore, there was no past history of asthma and/or acute wheezing episodes in either of the patient groups. CONCLUSIONS This data suggests that asthma is an uncommon cause of severe chronic respiratory failure necessitating long-term domiciliary oxygen therapy in non-smokers and supports the current consensus that asthma and COPD are different diseases with differing stages of severity and the concept that long-term avoidance of active smoking is fundamental for the prevention of severe chronic respiratory failure.
Female entrepreneurs as managers: The role of social capital in facilitating a learning culture

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to use a social capital and learning organisation theoretical framework to clarify two issues: how female entrepreneurs manage interactions with employees and whether they learn about new business opportunities from workplace networks. The qualitative findings demonstrated that female entrepreneurs used a relational approach to manage their employees which social capital theory (SCT) predicts should have promoted a workplace environment‐based on trust and reciprocity of ideas, information and resources.Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained from semi‐structured phone and person‐to‐person interviews. The qualitative questions sought to solicit information about how female entrepreneurs managed (particularly their staff) and whether they used workplace processes to be innovative and learn about new venture opportunities from within their firms.Findings – The paper provides support to previous research that argues female entrepreneurs traditionally use a relat.
Recognition of Faces as a Function of Race, Attitudes, and Reported Cross-Racial Friendships

This study was conducted to assess the ability of 19 black male and 25 female college students to identify previously seen black and white male and female faces as a function of interracial experience, racial attitude, and cross-racial friendships. A significant own-race advantage in recognition was noted; concomitantly, more frequent false responses with white faces were recorded. Trends between performance and cross-racial friendship and interracial experience were noted for black males' recognition of white males' faces. No significant relationships between egalitarian attitude and recognition of white faces were observed. Measures of racial attitude and interracial experience were discussed.
Expressions of Aggression

Social learning theory suggests that factors that increase the risk of social reprisal and reprobation should inhibit unprovoked physical attacks. A factorial experiment employing 56 males and 56 females investigated the effects of anonymity to authority figures and potential retaliation from a victim upon aggression displayed by small groups (n = 4) of coacting aggressors. The results disclosed that anticipated negative consequences in the form of counteraggression from the victim combined with surveillance by an authority inhibited the expression of aggression among both males and females. These findings were interpreted in terms of social learning theory, which emphasizes the role of expected negative consequences of behavior violating norms of social propriety.
Family Holidays: A Research Review and Application to New Zealand

Abstract Holidays with children have largely been marginalised in research that examines leisure travel. This paper is a critical review of the available literature and presents a summary of themes relevant for the study of family holidays. Most tourism work is market-driven and from an adult perspective, with children treated as passive members of the family. Neglected areas include the social and cultural dimensions of the family holiday experience, such as social interactions and relationships, and the tangible and intangible benefits of holidays for family members. This discussion is contextualised within the current trends and issues relating to families in New Zealand. A research agenda is proposed that seeks to address the gaps in the tourism and travel literature, and particularly the need to lend a voice to children themselves, and recognise the experiences of all family members.
Liver phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) expression with a PLTP‐null background promotes very low‐density lipoprotein production in mice

It is known that plasma phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) activity influences lipoprotein metabolism. The liver is one of the major sites of lipoprotein production and degradation, as well as of PLTP expression. To address the impact of liver‐expressed PLTP on lipoprotein metabolism, we created a mouse model that expresses PLTP in the liver acutely and specifically, with a PLTP‐null background. This approach in mouse model preparations can also be used universally for evaluating the function of many other genes in the liver. We found that liver PLTP expression dramatically increases plasma levels of non–high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (2.7‐fold, P < 0.0001), non‐HDL phospholipid (2.5‐fold, P < 0.001), and triglyceride (51%, P < 0.01), but has no significant influence on plasma HDL lipids compared with controls. Plasma apolipoprotein (apo)B levels were also significantly increased in PLTP‐expressing mice (2.2‐fold, P < 0.001), but those of apoA‐I were not. To explore the mechanism involved, we examined the lipidation and secretion of nascent very low‐density lipoprotein (VLDL), finding that liver PLTP expression significantly increases VLDL lipidation in hepatocyte microsomal lumina, and also VLDL secretion into the plasma. Conclusion: It is possible to prepare a mouse model that expresses the gene of interest only in the liver, but not in other tissues. Our results suggest, for the first time, that the major function of liver PLTP is to drive VLDL production and makes a small contribution to plasma PLTP activity. (HEPATOLOGY 2012)
Nexus Analysis: Discourse and the Emerging Internet

1. Discourse Analysis and Social Action 2. Cycles of Discourse 3. From the Essay to Email: New Media Technology and Social Change 4. Engaging the Nexus of Practice: Oil, the Cold War, and Social Change in Alaska in the 1980's 5. Navigating the Nexus of Practice: Mapping the Circumferences and Timescales of Human Action 6. Navigating the Nexus of Practice: Discourse Analysis and Institutional Power 7. Changing the Nexus of Practice: Technology, Social Change, and Activist Discourse Analysis References Appendix: A Fieldguide for Nexus Analysis
From NoC security analysis to design solutions

This paper addresses a new kind of security vulnerable spots introduced by network-on-chip (NoC) use in system-on-chip (SoC) design. This study is based on the experience of a CAD framework for NoC design and proposes a classification of weaknesses with regard to usual routing and interface techniques. Finally design strategies are proposed and a new path routing technique (SCP) is introduced with the aim to enforce security.
Covariation of Psychosocial Characteristics Associated With Cardiovascular Disease: Genetic and Environmental Influences

Objective Three psychosocial characteristics associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD)—depression, hostility, and social support—tend to correlate with one another. However, the causes of each characteristic and why they tend to co-occur are not completely understood. Therefore, the current study used a twin design to examine the relative contributions of genetic and environmental influences to the variation and covariation of these three psychosocial characteristics. Methods The sources of variation and covariation among the Beck Depression Inventory, the Cook-Medley Hostility Scale, and the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List were examined in a young adult community sample of 157 monozygotic and 75 dizygotic twin pairs. Results Phenotypic confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a single latent factor could account for their moderate intercorrelations. Twin analyses indicated that the Beck Depression Inventory and Interpersonal Support Evaluation List were each influenced by genetic and nonshared environmental factors, whereas the Cook-Medley Hostility Scale was influenced by familial (genetic and/or shared environmental) and nonshared environmental factors. Bivariate associations between these scales were largely determined by common genetic effects and, to a lesser degree, common nonshared environmental effects. Covariation among the three scales could be explained by a single common genetic factor and a common nonshared environmental factor. Environmental factors shared within families did not contribute to covariation among the psychosocial characteristics. Conclusions The results challenge the conventional approach of examining these psychosocial variables as independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease and argue for the importance of investigating specific causes for their covariation.
Aspecto-Temporal Representation for Discourse Analysis: An Example of Formal Computation

This paper studies aspecto-temporal representation and the temporal relations of discourse. We give a formal definition of different aspectual operators from the formal notions of states, events and process which are necessary for adequate analysis of aspects and tenses in natural languages. The aim of this work is not to present a deep comparison of the two models (SDRT and CAG) but to focus on the presentation of a cognitive and computational architecture of the CAG. Our study is specifically based on the computational and cognitive architecture with 7 levels of representations in the CAG in using Combinatory Logic. This architecture allows relating by formal calculus abstract semantic representations and linguistic observables. We focus on temporal relations of discourse and the insertion of a predicative relation in different temporal frameworks.
Factor VIII is a positive regulator of platelet function

FVIII is an important cofactor in the tenase coagulation factor complex, lack of FVIII causes severe bleeding, whereas high FVIII levels seem to be associated with venous and arterial thromboembolism. Resting platelets do not bind FVIII, but activated platelets bind unactivated FVIII if vWF is not present. We investigated a possible influence of platelet bound FVIII on platelet function itself as it is unclear if there is a direct effect of FVIII on platelet function. The influence of FVIII on platelet function was investigated by flow cytometric analysis of P-selectin expression (CD62P) and PAC-1 binding before and after submaximal stimulation with TRAP-6 (5 µM final concentration), by confocal microscopy and by platelet aggregometry. For flow cytometry and confocal microscopy, washed platelets were incubated with human recombinant FVIII for 5 min at 37°C. Analysis of platelet surface area was measured by computerized image analysis. Treatment with FVIII only caused no changes in P-selectin expression or PAC-1 binding, respectively. Stimulation of platelets with TRAP-6 increased the expression of P-selectin (445%) and PAC-1 binding (934%) as expected. These effects were further increased when platelets were stimulated with TRAP-6 and FVIII (P-selectin 499%, difference not significant; PAC-1 1626%, P < 0.05. Values were expressed in%, related to unstimulated, buffer treated platelets). Platelet spreading on fibrinogen was significantly increased when platelets were treated with FVIII and TRAP-6 compared to TRAP-6 alone (368 vs. 307 average pixel/platelet, P<0.05). In addition platelet aggregation was enhanced when platelets were stimulated with FVIII and TRAP-6 compared to TRAP-6 alone. FVIII can act as a positive regulator of platelet function in TRAP-co-stimulated platelets. We hypothesize that FVIII induced increase in platelet activation might contribute to venous and even arterial thrombus formation in patients with high FVIII levels.
A Developmental Study of Children's Comprehension of Embedded Sentences with and without Semantic Constraints

Summary The present study aimed to test the hypothesis that children are able to comprehend embedded sentences with semantic constraints at an earlier age than they can understand embedded sentences without such constraints. A sentence-picture matching task was administered to 161 children ranging in age from 5:0 to 14:11. It was found that children were able to interpret correctly embedded sentences with semantic constraints by the age of seven and that they were only capable of doing so with sentences without such constraints from age 13 onwards. The types of errors in children's responses were analysed and discussed in terms of the implicit rule of proximity.
Identification of Exogenous Forms of Human-Tropic Porcine Endogenous Retrovirus in Miniature Swine

ABSTRACT The replication of porcine endogenous retrovirus subgroup A (PERV-A) and PERV-B in certain human cell lines indicates that PERV may pose an infectious risk in clinical xenotransplantation. We have previously reported that human-tropic PERVs isolated from infected human cells following cocultivation with miniature swine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) are recombinants of PERV-A with PERV-C. Here, we report that these recombinants are exogenous viruses in miniature swine; i.e., they are not present in the germ line DNA. These viruses were invariably present in miniature swine that transmitted PERV to human cells and were also identified in some miniature swine that lacked this ability. These data, together with the demonstration of the absence of both replication-competent PERV-A and recombinant PERV-A/C loci in the genome of miniature swine (L. Scobie, S. Taylor, J. C. Wood, K. M. Suling, G. Quinn, C. Patience, H.-J. Schuurman, and D. E. Onions, J. Virol. 78:2502-2509, 2004), indicate that exogenous PERV is the principal source of human-tropic virus in these animals. Interestingly, strong expression of PERV-C in PBMC correlated with an ability of the PBMC to transmit PERV-A/C recombinants in vitro, indicating that PERV-C may be an important factor affecting the production of human-tropic PERV. In light of these observations, the safety of clinical xenotransplantation from miniature swine will be most enhanced by the utilization of source animals that do not transmit PERV to either human or porcine cells. Such animals were identified within the miniature swine herd and may further enhance the safety of clinical xenotransplantation.
Aportaciones y Limitaciones del DSM-5 desde la Psicología Clínica

The recent release of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition) by the American Psychiatric Association has led to much debate. An effective classification requires a reliable and valid system for categorization of clinical phenomena in order to aid communication, select interventions, indicate aetiology, predict outcomes, and provide a basis for research. DSM-5 remains a categorical classification of separate disorders, but mental disorders do not always fit completely within the boundaries of a single disorder. There are some interesting contributions of DSM-5, such as the chapters of addictions and of personality disorders. Addiction label has also been given to behavioral excesses that have no external substance as a goal (e.g. gambling disorder). Personality disorders remain unchanged, but there is an alternative model in Section III based on a dimensional approach which might replace the current categories. The basic reason for controversy is the expansiveness of DSM-5 psychiatric diagnosis, both in terms of newly introduced categories and loosening the criteria for diagnosis in existing categories. Unanswered questions for future research in this field are commented upon.
Upright and inverted faces, and housefronts, in the two visual fields: A right and a Left hemisphere contribution

Abstract In the first experiment, schematic outline drawings of upright and inverted faces and house fronts, where nontargets differed from targets by all three features, were flashed to left and right visual fields (LVF and RVF, respectively), in a discriminatory manual RT task. An equally strong LVF superiority occurred for each type of stimulus. There was no evidence in this task of a specialist processor for upright faces in the right hemisphere over and above the latter's general mediation of complex visuospatial stimuli. The second experiment confirmed that a right hemisphere superiority is not an inevitable concommitant of processing face material. Upright faces which previously had been shown to generate a RVF superiority in the context of difficult, analytic, single-feature discriminations, and a LVF superiority in the context of an easy holistic match-mismatch, were combined into a single sequence to determine whether the perceived nature of the total task would change the magnitude or direction.
OSNR-aware dynamic lightpath allocation in Raman-amplified networks

A dynamic lightpath allocation algorithm that considers the impact of Raman amplification on the quality of the signal is proposed. To do so, an exhaustive theoretical model that includes fiber attenuation, Rayleigh scattering, stimulated Raman scattering (gain and depletion of channels and pumps) and spontaneous Stokes and anti-Stokes scattering caused by Distributed Fiber Raman Amplifiers (DFRAs) is used to quantify the Optical Signal to Noise Ratio (OSNR) of the lightpaths found by the lightpath allocation algorithm. The performance of the proposed algorithm was evaluated by means of computer simulation. Results show that, due to the rigorous modeling of the Raman amplification, the blocking probability of the proposed lightpath algorithm can be several orders of magnitude higher than that of classical Routing and Wavelength Assignment (RWA) algorithms or previous OSNR-aware algorithms applying a much simpler model for the signal power propagation of DFRAs. We expect these results help network operators to better design and operate their future Raman-amplified dynamic networks.
Mobilidade de Capitais e Crescimento Econômico: Uma Análise Empírica Dinâmica com Dados em Painel

O presente trabalho objetiva analisar empiricamente as relacoes entre crescimento economico e abertura da conta financeira do balanco de pagamentos, tendo como lementos centrais a restricao imposta pelo Balanco de Pagamentos ao crescimento economico, bem como s dificuldades associadas a mensuracao da mobilidade de capitais. A partir da utilizacao de indicadores alternativos para a mobilidade de capitais e empreendido um estudo em painel para 80 paises em diferentes estagios de desenvolvimento no periodo 1979-2003. Os resultados sugerem que maior abertura aos fluxos de capitais nos paises em desenvolvimento tem efeitos negativos sobre o crescimento economico, embora possam estimular o crescimento em paises desenvolvidos.