Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Validity and reliability of the Arabic translation of the child oral-health-related quality of life questionnaire (CPQ11-14) in Saudi Arabia.

AIM The purpose of this study was to test the validity and reliability of an Arabic translation and adaptation of the child oral-health-related quality of life questionnaire (CPQ(11-14)) in Saudi Arabia. DESIGN The modified questionnaire included two global ratings (oral health and oral-health-related well-being), and a battery of 36 questions in four domains (oral symptoms, functional limitations, emotional well-being and social well-being). The study population consisted of 174, 11-14-year-old children (65% healthy and 35% medically compromised). Clinical data on caries status and malocclusion were collected for 138 of the children, and 47 completed the questionnaire a second time. RESULTS There was a significant difference in mean total scale scores between children with and without malocclusions (P < 0.05). Significant relationships were identified between caries status and oral symptoms subscale scores, and between malocclusion and total scale and social well-being subscale scores (P < 0.05). Correlation was highly significant between scale scores and global ratings (P < 0.01). Cronbach's alpha was 0.81 and the test-retest reliability was substantial (r = 0.65, P < 0.001). However, problems were encountered in Saudi Arabia regarding self-reporting of age, and the questionnaire was too long for many of the medically compromised patients. CONCLUSIONS The questionnaire is valid and reliable for use in Saudi Arabia, although development of a shorter version is recommended.
Personality structure as derived from parental ratings of free descriptions of children: the inventory of child individual differences.

Based on over 50,000 parental descriptors of children gathered in eight different countries, we used a combination of focus group sorting of descriptors in each country and factor analyses of instruments developed in four of the countries (United States, China, Greece, and the Netherlands) to describe children ages 3 to 12 years to select items for an instrument that would work well across countries to access personality. Through many factor analyses of indigenous items in each country, a core set of 141 items was used in three of the countries, with over 3000 parents responding to our instruments in China, Greece, and the United States. Much cross-comparative research analysis has resulted in 15 robust midlevel scales that describe the structures of parental descriptors that are common to the three countries. The data on the English (U.S.) sample are presented in detail. Links to temperament and behavior problems are presented and discussed.
Accounting for farm heterogeneity in the assessment of agricultural policy impacts on structural change

This study aims at investigating the impact of agricultural policies on structural change process in the French farming sector. As farms may behave differently, a mixture modeling approach is applied in order to account for unobserved farm heterogeneity. A multinomial logit specification is used for the transition probabilities and the parameters of the model are estimated by maximum likelihood method using the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. An empirical application to an unbalanced panel over 2000-2013 shows that the French farming sector consists of a mixture of two types of farms with transition processes very different. The results also show that the impact of subsidies from the First and the Second Pillars of the Common Agricultural policy (CAP) depends on the type membership of farms. I thus argued that agricultural policy assessment should pay more attention on potential unobserved heterogeneity in farms’ behavior.
Age and Sex Differences for Anxiety in Relation to Family Size, Birth Order, and Religiosity among Kuwaiti Adolescents

Differences in rated anxiety among 2,453 boys (n = 1,229) and girls (n = 1,224), Kuwaiti secondary school students, were reported for five age groups from 14 to 18 years. For girls at all ages but 14 years, mean rated anxiety was significantly higher than the means for the boys. Mean anxiety scores increased across age groups from 14 to 18 years. Not all comparisons between age groups with the same sex, however, were significant. Analysis showed nonsignificant correlations for anxiety with both family size and number of siblings, but significant and positive correlations for anxiety with birth order were found for boys (r = .10, p < .01) and girls (r = .06, p < .05). The predictive and practical values of these very small correlations are negligible, being significant merely because N is so large. Pearson correlations between anxiety and self-rating of religiosity were –. 22 and –. 22 (p < .01) for boys and girls, respectively. This result was interpreted in the light of high intrinsic religious orientation among Kuwaitis. In the Islam proper, multiple practices are said to relieve anxiety.
Engaging Decentralization in an Uncertain Political Context: Lessons from Liberia

This study uses a Diagnostic Framework for Local Governance to evaluate the current capacity for administrative decentralization at the county level in Liberia, as well as to identify political economy challenges and opportunities surrounding decentralization. Applying the Problemâ€ Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) framework to our findings, we offer recommendations for moving decentralization reform forward. We find strong demand for administrative decentralization among local officials, and propose that decentralization reform can be enhanced through incremental implementation that focuses on strengthening the existing structures and capacity of local administration, and through the creation of stronger accountability and participatory mechanisms. The triangulated research design includes focus group and interview data in eight Liberian counties, analyzed using NVivo Qualitative Data Analysis Software.
RNase-L-dependent Destabilization of Interferon-induced mRNAs

The 2–5A system is an interferon-regulated RNA degradation pathway with antiviral, growth-inhibitory, and pro-apoptotic activities. RNase-L mediates the antiviral activity through the degradation of viral RNAs, and the anticellular effects of the 2–5A system are thought to be similarly mediated through the degradation of cellular transcripts. However, specific RNase-L-regulated cellular RNAs have not been identified. To isolate candidate RNase-L substrates, differential display was used to identify mRNAs that exhibited increased expression in RNase-L-deficient N1E-115 cells as compared with RNase-L-transfected cells. A novel interferon-stimulated gene encoding a 43-kDa ubiquitin-specific protease, designated ISG43, was identified in this screen. ISG43 expression is induced by interferon and negatively regulated by RNase-L. ISG43 induction is a primary response to interferon treatment and requires a functional JAK/STAT signaling pathway. The kinetics of ISG43 induction were identical in wild type and RNase-L knock-out fibroblasts; however, the decline in ISG43 mRNA following interferon treatment was markedly attenuated in RNase-L knock-out fibroblasts. The delayed shut-off kinetics of ISG43 mRNA corresponded to an increase in its half-life in RNase-L-deficient cells. ISG15 mRNA also displayed RNase-L-dependent regulation. These findings identify a novel role for the 2–5A system in the attenuation of the interferon response.
The Role of House Prices in the Monetary Policy Transmission Mechanism in Iran:SVAR Approach and Counterfactual Simulation

The role of house prices in transmission of the monetary shocks to consumption, as the largest component of aggregate demands, and residential investments in Iran has been studied. A structural vector autoregressive (SVAR) is developed based on 1990Q1-2009Q2 data and counterfactual simulation approach. The results show that changes in house prices can cause about 38% of the rise in consumption and about 67% of the rise in residential investment followed by a monetary shock. Therefore, house prices can be considered as an important indicator of the assessment of the effects of monetary changes on the real activity.
Naturally acquired cellular and humoral immune responses to the major merozoite surface antigen (Pf MSP1) of Plasmodium falciparum are associated with reduced malaria morbidity

Summary We have investigated the pattern of acquired immune responses to the major surface protein of Plasmodium falciparum merozoites (gp 190, Pf MSP1) in a malaria endemic population in West Africa. A prospective longitudinal study in 3‐ to 8‐year‐old children was conducted to examine the relationship between naturally acquired immune responses to Pf MSP1 and subsequent susceptibility to malaria infection and clinical disease. A population cross‐sectional survey was performed to investigate changes in immune response with age. The prevalence and concentration of antibodies to all regions of the molecule increased with age with the highest prevalence of antibodies being detected against regions of the molecule which are highly conserved between parasite isolates. In vitro lymphoproliferation and interferon‐gamma production in response to recombinant proteins representing polymorphic regions of the molecule also increased with age. Interestingly, proliferative responses to some regions of the molecule, including some highly conserved sequences, were highest in young children and decreased markedly with increasing age. Significant associations were observed between antibody and lymphoproliferative responses to proteins from the C terminus of the molecule and resistance to episodes of fever associated with high parasitaemia in partially immune children. In addition, high concentrations of antibodies to a conserved region close to the N terminus of Pf MSP1 were also significantly associated with protection.
A randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial of botulinum toxin in the treatment of spastic foot in hemiparetic patients.

OBJECTIVE: To confirm the apparent effectiveness of botulinum toxin (BTX) in hemiparetic patients with ankle plantar flexors and foot invertor spasticity. METHODS: Twenty three hemiparetic patients with spasticity of the ankle plantar flexors and foot invertors were included in a randomised double blind, placebo controlled study with BTX. Patients were examined on days 0, 30, 90, and 120 and received one injection of BTX and one of placebo in a random order at day 0 and day 90. RESULTS: Patients reported a clear subjective improvement in foot spasticity after BTX (P = 0.0014) but not after placebo. Significant changes were noted in Ashworth scale values for ankle extensors (P < 0.0001) and invertors (P = 0.0002), and for active ankle dorsiflexion (P = 0.0001). Gait velocity was slightly but not significantly (P = 0.0731) improved after BTX injections. The severity of spasticity did not modify treatment efficacy, but BTX was less effective in patients with longer duration of spasticity (P = 0.0081). CONCLUSION: The efficacy of BTX injections in the treatment of spastic foot suggests that BTX may be particularly useful during the first year after a stroke.
Effects of glucagon, insulin, amylin and CGRP on feeding

The roles of the pancreatic peptides glucagon, insulin, and amylin in the inhibitory control of feeding are reviewed. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is also included because it is structurally and functionally related to amylin and because known amylin and CRRP receptors are activated by both peptides. Glucagon-like peptide 1, in contrast, is structurally distinct from pancreatic glucagon and does not cross-react with glucagon receptors, so it is not considered. Several detailed reviews of the feeding effects of these peptides have appeared recently; where appropriate, these are cited rather than the primary literature.
Effects of lung volume reduction surgery on exercise pulmonary hemodynamics in severe emphysema.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To clarify the effects of lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) on pulmonary hemodynamics in severe emphysema and to evaluate the role of pulmonary circulation in the increased exercise performance after LVRS. DESIGN In eight male patients with severe emphysema, we measured pulmonary artery (Ppa) and occlusion (Pop) pressures and cardiac output through a Swan-Ganz thermodilution catheter, and we calculated cardiac index (CI), pulmonary vascular resistance index, and driving pressure. The study was performed at rest and during exercise using a supine bicycle ergometer at 25 W, under room air and O2 inhalation. Exercise performance was expressed as endurance time in minutes. Pulmonary function tests were performed. The patients underwent an identical study before and 6 months after LVRS. RESULTS The patients' exercise performance was significantly increased after LVRS (5.9+/-1.8 min) compared with that before LVRS (3.6+/-0.9 min). LVRS resulted in a significant increase in FEV1 and a significant decrease in residual volume. Before LVRS, Ppa was increased both at rest and during exercise. LVRS did not change rest or exercise Ppa. LVRS significantly decreased Pop during exercise from 24+/-10 mm Hg to 18+/-7 mm Hg. CI at rest and during exercise were significantly increased after LVRS. O2 administration significantly decreased Ppa during exercise both before and after LVRS. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that LVRS does not improve pulmonary hypertension at rest or during exercise in patients with severe emphysema and that elevated Pop during exercise before LVRS is probably related to lung mechanic abnormalities.
The Role of Noradrenergic Nerves in the Development of the Lymphoproliferative Disease in Fas-Deficient, lpr/lpr Mice1

Lpr/lpr mice develop a lymphoproliferative, autoimmune, lupus-like disease. These mice lack functional Fas (CD95) expression and are resistant to Fas ligand (CD178)-mediated apoptosis, a critical mechanism for the maintenance of peripheral tolerance. In this study, we show that noradrenaline (NA), the main sympathetic neurotransmitter, can induce apoptosis of lymphoid cells independently of functional Fas. Based on this finding, we used lpr/lpr mice as model to study the role of noradrenergic nerves in the expression of a lymphoproliferative disease. Early in ontogeny, the concentration of NA was significantly increased in the spleen of lpr/lpr mice, compared with normal littermates. However, splenic sympathetic innervation gradually declined as the disease progressed, and IgM blood levels and splenic NA concentration inversely correlated when the disease was overtly manifested. When the loss of noradrenergic fibers that occurred naturally during adult life in lpr/lpr mice was experimentally advanced by neonatal sympathectomy, the concentration of IgM and IgG2a in blood was markedly higher than that of control lpr/lpr mice, and the appearance of lymphadenopathy was accelerated. Furthermore, although neonatal denervation did not affect the life span of normal animals, it shortened significantly the survival time of lpr/lpr mice. These data show that, in addition to defects in the Fas pathway, an altered sympathetic innervation in lpr/lpr mice also contributes to the pathogenesis of the autoimmune disease, and strongly support the hypothesis that the sympathetic nervous system can modulate the expression of lymphoproliferative diseases.
1249G>A polymorphism of ABCC2 (MRP2) is associated with altered gene expression in human liver.

13072 Background: MRP2, encoded by ABCC2, is an ATP-binding cassette transporter that plays a critical role in the biliary elimination of various drugs and xenobiotics. Although SNPs in this gene have been identified and reported, their functions are not fully understood. T he purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of polymorphisms/haplotypes of the ABCC2 gene on its mRNA expression in human liver. METHODS Two hundred human liver samples were genotyped for the following polymorphisms: -1549G>A, -1019A>G, -24C>T, 1249G>A (V417I), -34T>C (intron 27) and 3972C>T. Haplotypes and diplotypes were predicted and assigned to each individual. Haplotype-specific expression was then tested using 3972C>T and 1249G>A as markers. Heterozygous Caucasian samples for 3972C>T and 1249G>A were selected and the two SNPs were genotyped in the PCR and/or RT-PCR products from both DNA and the corresponding mRNA. The minisequencing-based SNaPshot method was used to genotype and quantify the expression level of each allele. The relative expression of both alleles in the mRNA was normalized to that in the DNA. RESULTS There is no haplotype-specific expression discriminated by the 3972C>T polymorphism. However, when using 1249G>A as a marker, the haplotypes containing the 1249A allele had significantly higher mRNA levels when compared with haplotypes containing the 1249G allele (one sample t test, p < 0.001, n = 37). CONCLUSIONS The 1249G>A substitution in the ABCC2 gene may be associated with gene expression in human liver. Significant variability of the relative expression of ABCC2 in the population suggests that other functional polymorphisms and environmental factors may also be involved in the regulation of ABCC2 expression. No significant financial relationships to disclose.
The Effects of Passive Warm-Up Vs. Whole-Body Vibration on High-Intensity Performance During Sprint Cycle Exercise

Abstract Avelar, NCP, Costa, SJ, da Fonseca, SF, Tossige-Gomes, R, Gripp, FJ, Coimbra, CC, and Lacerda, ACR. The effects of passive warm-up vs. whole-body vibration on high-intensity performance during sprint cycle exercise. J Strength Cond Res 26(11): 2997–3003, 2012—The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of passive warm-up (PW), whole-body vibration (WBV), and control (C) on high-intensity performance during sprint cycle exercise. Six recreationally trained men performed a 30-second sprint cycle test after the 3 aforementioned conditions; each test was carried out on a different day after balanced-order experimental tests. The WBV consisted of 5 minutes of squats associated with WBV (45 Hz, 2 mm). The PW consisted of 30 minutes of PW using a thermal blanket on the thighs and legs (35 W). The C consisted of 30 minutes of no warm-up with the subject lying down. Motor neuron excitability from the vastus lateralis muscle, evaluated by electromyography (EMG), was determined before exercise at rest and during sprint cycle exercise. Blood lactate levels (BLs), evaluated by spectroscopy, and muscle temperature (MT) of the thigh, estimated indirectly by measuring skin temperature, were determined at following time points: before exercise at rest (before and after experimental conditions), immediately, and 3 minutes after the 30-second sprint cycle test. Peak power, relative power, relative work, time of peak power, and pedaling cadence were significantly higher in the WBV compared with that for C (p < 0.05). Although MT was significantly greater in PW compared with that in WBV and C before exercise (p < 0.01), no significant differences were observed between the experimental conditions for BL immediately after sprint cycle exercise (p = 0.35) and in EMG during sprint cycle exercise (p = 0.16). Thus, it is plausible to suggest WBV as a method for an acute increase in high-intensity performance during sprint cycle exercise for athletes immediately before competition or training.
Biodiversity of Amoebae and Amoeba-Resisting Bacteria in a Hospital Water Network

ABSTRACT Free-living amoebae (FLA) are ubiquitous organisms that have been isolated from various domestic water systems, such as cooling towers and hospital water networks. In addition to their own pathogenicity, FLA can also act as Trojan horses and be naturally infected with amoeba-resisting bacteria (ARB) that may be involved in human infections, such as pneumonia. We investigated the biodiversity of bacteria and their amoebal hosts in a hospital water network. Using amoebal enrichment on nonnutrient agar, we isolated 15 protist strains from 200 (7.5%) samples. One thermotolerant Hartmannella vermiformis isolate harbored both Legionella pneumophila and Bradyrhizobium japonicum. By using amoebal coculture with axenic Acanthamoeba castellanii as the cellular background, we recovered at least one ARB from 45.5% of the samples. Four new ARB isolates were recovered by culture, and one of these isolates was widely present in the water network. Alphaproteobacteria (such as Rhodoplanes, Methylobacterium, Bradyrhizobium, Afipia, and Bosea) were recovered from 30.5% of the samples, mycobacteria (Mycobacterium gordonae, Mycobacterium kansasii, and Mycobacterium xenopi) were recovered from 20.5% of the samples, and Gammaproteobacteria (Legionella) were recovered from 5.5% of the samples. No Chlamydia or Chlamydia-like organisms were recovered by amoebal coculture or detected by PCR. The observed strong association between the presence of amoebae and the presence of Legionella (P < 0.001) and mycobacteria (P = 0.009) further suggests that FLA are a reservoir for these ARB and underlines the importance of considering amoebae when water control measures are designed.
Medication errors: the impact of prescribing and transcribing errors on preventable harm in hospitalised patients

Background: Medication errors (MEs) affect patient safety to a significant extent. Because these errors can lead to preventable adverse drug events (pADEs), it is important to know what type of ME is the most prevalent cause of these pADEs. This study determined the impact of the various types of prescribing (administrative, dosing and therapeutic) and transcribing errors on pADEs in hospitalised patients. Methods: During a 5-month period, data for patients admitted to a total of five internal medicine wards of one university and one teaching hospital in The Netherlands were prospectively collected by chart review. In each hospital, MEs were detected and classified by the same pharmacist, using the classification scheme for MEs developed by The Netherlands Association of Hospital Pharmacists. The primary outcome measure was the prevalence of pADEs during hospital stay. In consensus meetings, five pharmacists assessed the causal relationship between MEs and pADEs. The association between type of ME and pADEs was determined by a multivariate regression analysis taking into account potential confounders. Results: The study included 592 hospital admissions with 7286 medication orders (MOs), of which 60% contained at least one prescribing or transcribing error. 1.4% of all MOs led to pADEs, concerning 14.8% of all admitted patients. The total number of pADEs was 103, and in 92 of these cases patients experienced temporary harm, in eight cases hospital admission was prolongued, two cases were life-threatening, and one was fatal. Therapeutic errors were most strongly associated with pADEs (OR 1.98; 95% CI 1.53 to 2.56). Conclusions: Although many prescribing and transcribing errors occur in the process of medication use of hospitalised patients, a minority lead to pADEs. In particular, therapeutic errors are the cause of these pADEs and are therefore clinically relevant. Intervention and prevention programmes should primarily focus on this type of medication error.