Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In-Vitro Activity of Polymyxin B, Rifampicin, Tigecycline Alone and in Combination against Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in Singapore

Objective Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CR-AB) is an emerging cause of nosocomial infections worldwide. Combination therapy may be the only viable option until new antibiotics become available. The objective of this study is to identify potential antimicrobial combinations against CR-AB isolated from our local hospitals. Methods AB isolates from all public hospitals in Singapore were systematically collected between 2006 and 2007. MICs were determined according to CLSI guidelines. All CR-AB isolates were genotyped using a PCR-based method. Clonal relationship was elucidated. Time-kill studies (TKS) were conducted with polymyxin B, rifampicin and tigecycline alone and in combination using clinically relevant (achievable) unbound concentrations. Results 31 CR AB isolates were identified. They are multidrug-resistant, but are susceptible to polymyxin B. From clonal typing, 8 clonal groups were identified and 11 isolates exhibited clonal diversity. In single TKS, polymyxin B, rifampicin and tigecycline alone did not exhibit bactericidal activity at 24 hours. In combination TKS, polymyxin plus rifampicin, polymyxin B plus tigecycline and tigecycline plus rifampicin exhibited bactericidal killing in 13/31, 9/31 and 7/31 isolates respectively at 24 hours. Within a clonal group, there may be no consensus with the types of antibiotics combinations that could still kill effectively. Conclusion Monotherapy with polymyxin B may not be adequate against polymyxin B susceptible AB isolates. These findings demonstrate that in-vitro synergy of antibiotic combinations in CR AB may be strain dependant. It may guide us in choosing a pre-emptive therapy for CR AB infections and warrants further investigations.
Leaking Pipeline: Issues Impacting Latino/A College Student Retention

The continued growth of the Latino college-going population challenges college and university pesonnel to become better informed on the issues that affect persistence of this diverse group of students. This article reviews the current understanding of those personal, environmental, involvement, and socio-cultural factors influencing student retention. Specific recommendations to increase Latino persistence in higher education are included throughout the article.
Analysis of immune cell populations in atrial myocardium of patients with atrial fibrillation or sinus rhythm

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia and despite obvious clinical importance remains its pathogenesis only partially explained. A relation between inflammation and AF has been suggested by findings of increased inflammatory markers in AF patients. Objective The goal of this study was to characterize morphologically and functionally CD45-positive inflammatory cell populations in atrial myocardium of patients with AF as compared to sinus rhythm (SR). Methods We examined 46 subjects (19 with AF, and 27 in SR) undergoing coronary bypass or valve surgery. Peroperative bioptic samples of the left and the right atrial tissue were examined using immunohistochemistry. Results The number of CD3+ T-lymphocytes and CD68-KP1+ cells were elevated in the left atrial myocardium of patients with AF compared to those in SR. Immune cell infiltration of LA was related to the rhythm, but not to age, body size, LA size, mitral regurgitation grade, type of surgery, systemic markers of inflammation or presence of diabetes or hypertension. Most of CD68-KP1+ cells corresponded to dendritic cell population based on their morphology and immunoreactivity for DC-SIGN. The numbers of mast cells and CD20+ B-lymphocytes did not differ between AF and SR patients. No foci of inflammation were detected in any sample. Conclusions An immunohistochemical analysis of samples from patients undergoing open heart surgery showed moderate and site-specific increase of inflammatory cells in the atrial myocardium of patients with AF compared to those in SR, with prevailing population of monocyte-macrophage lineage. These cells and their cytokine products may play a role in atrial remodeling and AF persistence.
Kinematic and Kinetic Improvements Associated With Action Observation Facilitated Learning of the Power Clean in Australian Footballers

Abstract Sakadjian, A, Panchuk, D, and Pearce, AJ. Kinematic and kinetic improvements associated with action observation facilitated learning of the power clean in Australian footballers. J Strength Cond Res 28(6): 1613–1625, 2014—This study investigated the effectiveness of action observation (AO) on facilitating learning of the power clean technique (kinematics) compared with traditional strength coaching methods and whether improvements in performance (kinetics) were associated with an improvement in lifting technique. Fifteen subjects (age, 20.9 ± 2.3 years) with no experience in performing the power clean exercise attended 12 training and testing sessions over a 4-week period. Subjects were assigned to 2 matched groups, based on preintervention power clean performance and performed 3 sets of 5 repetitions of the power clean exercise at each training session. Subjects in the traditional coaching group (TC; n = 7) received the standard coaching feedback (verbal cues and physical practice), whereas subjects in the AO group (n = 8) received similar verbal coaching cues and physical practice but also observed a video of a skilled model before performing each set. Kinematic data were collected from video recordings of subjects who were fitted with joint center markings during testing, whereas kinetic data were collected from a weightlifting analyzer attached to the barbell. Subjects were tested before intervention, at the end of weeks 2 and 3, and at after intervention at the end of week 4. Faster improvements (3%) were observed in power clean technique with AO-facilitated learning in the first week and performance improvements (mean peak power of the subject's 15 repetitions) over time were significant (p < 0.001). In addition, performance improvement was significantly associated (R2 = 0.215) with technique improvements. In conclusion, AO combined with verbal coaching and physical practice of the power clean exercise resulted in significantly faster technique improvements and improvement in performance compared with traditional coaching methods.
Physical Therapy and Athletic Training 2012 Aging , Neuromuscular Decline , and the Change in Physiological and Behavioral Complexity of Upper-Limb Movement Dynamics

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Physical Therapy and Athletic Training at ODU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Physical Therapy and Athletic Training Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of ODU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@odu.edu. Repository Citation Morrison, S. and Newell, K. M. , "Aging, Neuromuscular Decline, and the Change in Physiological and Behavioral Complexity of Upper-Limb Movement Dynamics" (2012). Physical Therapy and Athletic Training Faculty Publications. 19. http://digitalcommons.odu.edu/pt_pubs/19
TEACHING THE RHYTHMS OF ENGLISH: A NEW THEORETICAL BASE

Obwohl bei der Beschreibung des englischen Sprechrhythmus in letzter Zeit bedeutsame Fortschritte gemacht wurden, findet sich in den meisten Englischlehrbüchern kaum etwas darüber. Fehler beim englischen Sprechrhythmus fuhren aber nachweislich zu Kommunikationsschwierigkeiten mit englischen Muttersprachlern. Der Autor des vorliegenden Artikels lehnt die weit verbreitete Theorie des stress-timing und syllable-timing für den englischen Sprechrhythmus ab. Statt dessen zeigt er die Vorteile der von Bolinger entwickelten Rhythmustheorie für den Unterricht von Englisch als Fremdsprache auf.
Genes for Emotion-Enhanced Remembering Are Linked to Enhanced Perceiving

Emotionally enhanced memory and susceptibility to intrusive memories after trauma have been linked to a deletion variant (i.e., a form of a gene in which certain amino acids are missing) of ADRA2B, the gene encoding subtype B of the α2-adrenergic receptor, which influences norepinephrine activity. We examined in 207 participants whether variations in this gene are responsible for individual differences in affective influences on initial encoding that alter perceptual awareness. We examined the attentional blink, an attentional impairment during rapid serial visual presentation, for negatively arousing, positively arousing, and neutral target words. Overall, the attentional blink was reduced for emotional targets for ADRA2B-deletion carriers and noncarriers alike, which reveals emotional sparing (i.e., reduction of the attentional impairment for words that are emotionally significant). However, deletion carriers demonstrated a further, more pronounced emotional sparing for negative targets. This finding demonstrates a contribution of genetics to individual differences in the emotional subjectivity of perception, which in turn may be linked to biases in later memory.
The effect of prophylactic platelet transfusions on point-of-care coagulation parameters in conjunction to central venous catheter insertion—what effect do transfusions have and are they necessary?

Introduction: Platelet transfusions are often used when thrombocytopenic patients are facing a central venous catheter (CVC) insertion, but their use has been up to debate. Point-of-care devices such as thromboelastometry (ROTEM) and platelet aggregometry (Multiplate) better reflect in vivo haemostasis than routine coagulation tests. Aim of the study was to investigate the effects of platelet transfusions administered before CVC insertion, using ROTEM and Multiplate. Materials and methods: Informed and signed consent was attained from all patients. Patients with a platelet count < 50 ∙ 109/L received platelet transfusion before CVC insertion (transfusion group, n=14). The patients' blood was analysed with routine coagulation and point-of-care tests (ROTEM, Multiplate) before as well as one and four hours after transfusion. A reference group with non- thrombocytopenic patients (≥ 50 ∙ 109/L) scheduled for CVC insertion was also analysed (n=32). Clinical data for patients as well as the age of the platelet units and the number of units used were recorded. Results: The ROTEM clot firmness parameter, Extem MCF increased after platelet transfusion, with a sustained response after four hours. The increments in Extem MCF were significantly higher in women and when using two platelet units. The increments in Multiplate parameters after transfusion did not reach significance. The Multiplate adenosine diphosphate-agonised assay indicated severe platelet dysfunction before and after transfusion, and the values were significantly lower in women . Conclusion: In patients with haematological malignancies and thrombocytopenia, ROTEM can be used to monitor the effect of a prophylactic platelet transfusion. Platelet transfusion strategies involving ROTEM and Multiplate should be tested in a larger study. The clinical significance of very low Multiplate values before and after platelet transfusions in severely thrombocytopenic patients needs to be verified with flow cytometry.
Learning , Persistent Overconfidence , and the Impact of Training Contracts

Since workers may quit, firms will under-invest in training. This paper studies in detail a common mechanism used to overcome this hold-up problem: training contracts, where firms provide training, but fine workers for leaving within some period of time. I study training contracts in the context of the US trucking industry where they are widely used. I document that firms that train almost ubiquitously use training contracts, and, exploiting a pair of plausibly exogenous contract changes implemented in different parts of a leading trucking firm at different times, I show that training contracts significantly affect turnover. Given the importance of worker beliefs in theories of turnover, I analyze high-frequency data on worker productivity beliefs. Subjective productivity beliefs are highly informative. However, the data also reveal that workers are persistently overconfident with only gradual learning. Worker overconfidence raises important issues about the welfare consequences and optimal design of training contracts. To examine these issues, I develop a structural model of belief formation and turnover. A learning model with biased beliefs can parsimoniously account for many key features of the data. Counterfactually restricting workers’ ability to take on training contracts may increase welfare for very overconfident workers, but would significantly reduce average worker welfare. Alternatively, reducing worker overconfidence would raise worker welfare, but would also reduce worker retention and firm profits. Overall, training contracts appear to increase the profitability of training; however, even when firms use training contracts, training may not be profitable unless workers are also overconfident. PRELIMINARYDO NOT CITE OR CIRCULATE. Address: 549 Evans Hall #3880, Berkeley, CA 94720, email: hoffman@econ.berkeley. edu. I am indebted to David Card, Stefano DellaVigna, Steve Tadelis, and especially John Morgan for their advice and encouragement. I am extremely grateful to Stephen Burks for sharing his data with me and for his continuous support and advice throughout this project. I also thank Firm A and Firm B for sharing data with me, as well as the numerous trucking industry managers and drivers who shared their insights with me. Thanks also to Ben Handel, Ben Hermalin, Ken Judd, Pat Kline, Botond Koszegi, Jonathan Leonard, Ulrike Malmendier, Don Moore, Enrico Moretti, Denis Nekipelov, Matthew Rabin, Jesse Rothstein, Felix Vardy, and seminar participants at Berkeley, RAND, University of Chicago, the Washington University Graduate Conference, the North American Summer Meeting of the Econometric Society, and Firm A for helpful comments. Christina Chew, Sandrena Frischer, Will Kuffel, Amol Lingnurkar, and Irina Titova provided outstanding research assistance. Financial support from the National Science Foundation IGERT Fellowship and the Kauffman Foundation is gratefully acknowledged.
Engulfment‐regulated proteolysis of SpoIIQ: evidence that dual checkpoints control σK activity

During Bacillus subtilis sporulation, the engulfment checkpoint is thought to directly regulate late forespore transcription but to indirectly regulate late mother cell transcription, via the σG‐produced protease SpoIVB. We here demonstrate that SpoIIQ is subject to σG‐independent, but engulfment‐dependent, proteolysis that depends on SpoIVB. Thus, SpoIVB produced before engulfment supports some SpoIVB‐dependent events, suggesting that its activity or access to substrates must be regulated by engulfment. Furthermore, a mutation (bofA) that allows σK to be active without σG does not allow σK activity in engulfment mutants, although the pro‐σK processing enzyme (SpoIVFB) is localized to the septum in engulfment mutants, suggesting that engulfment comprises a second checkpoint for σK Finally, we find that SpoIIQ and another protein required for σG activity (SpoIIIAH), which directly interact and assemble helical structures around the forespore, recruit the σK‐processing enzyme SpoIVFB to the forespore and these structures. We suggest that these foci serve a synapse‐like role, allowing engulfment to simultaneously control both σG and σK, and integrating multiple checkpoints and signalling pathways.
DNA barcode divergence among species and genera of birds and fishes

COI DNA barcoding is increasingly recognized as a significant new tool for the recognition and identification of animal species. Here, publicly available barcode data are compiled and analysed for birds (657 species) and fishes (1088 species). The proportion of species that cannot be barcode‐distinguished by this marker is approximately 6.4% for birds and 2.1–2.5% for fishes. At all hierarchical taxonomic levels (species, genera, family, order, class), fish show greater mean COI divergence than birds. If two samples are barcode‐identical, then for both birds and fishes, the probability that they are from the same species is 98–99%. The probability of conspecificity rapidly drops as divergence increases. At 2% COI divergence, this probability approximates to 1% for birds and 3% for fishes. The apparent difference between birds and fishes might partially reflect currently unrecognized cryptic species complexes in the latter. These probability estimates derive from pooled samples of birds and pooled samples of fishes, and will not apply in all situations. Recently evolved species complexes will have higher proportions of species that are barcode‐identical. As barcode data accumulate, more refined statistical analyses will become possible.
Realistic Major Previews in the School-to-College Transition of Italian High School Students

Industrial/organizational researchers have reported that realistic job previews diminish prospective workers' expectations but promote the satisfaction and persistence of those who ultimately accept a job assignment. The authors applied this strategy to the context of school-to-college transition; 354 Italian high school students were provided with a 2-hour lecture designed to simulate exposure to a college major of their choice. Students showed moderate pre-post increases in subject matter knowledge but reported small decreases in interests and outcome expectations (but not self-efficacy) related to the academic major to which they were exposed.
The Organizationally Induced Helplessness Syndrome: A Preliminary Model

The concept of learned helplessness is applied to organizations. It is argued that certain cognitions, behaviours, and affective responses constitute a syndrome of organizationally induced helplessness. Self-report data from 206 nonsupervisory production employees suggest that global helplessness, universal helplessness, hopelessness, defensiveness, and a lack of job satisfaction, job involvement, and organizational involvement indeed covary, and that this syndrome is positively related to a lack of autonomy and negatively related to the predictability of task operations. Resume L'auteur applique aux organisations le concept d' incapacite acquise. Selon lui, certaines reponses cognitives, comportementales et affcctives constituent le syndrome d'une incapacite engendree par I'organisation. Des donnees recueillies aupres de 206 salaries non cadres membres du personnel de production indiquent que I'on peut etablir une correlation entre, d'une part, I'incapacite globale, I'incapacite universelle, le desespoir et I'attitude defensive et, d'autre part, la triple absence de satisfaction au travail, d'engagement dans le travail et d'engagement an sein de I'organisation. Ce syndrome est associe positivement a un manque d'autonomie et negativement a la previsibilite de I'execution des tâches.
Den Entry Behavior in Scandinavian Brown Bears: Implications for Preventing Human Injuries

Encounters between Scandinavian brown bears (Ursus arctos) and humans that result in human injuries and fatalities typically coincide with den entry in October and November, and commonly occur near a den. Our aim was to determine when bears arrive at their dens, identify potential predictors of this event, document behavior and activity associated with this period, and attempt to explain the increased risk of bear-caused human injuries in this period. We analyzed global positioning system (GPS) location and activity data from brown bears in south-central Sweden, using generalized linear mixed models, statistical process control, and activity analyses. Bears arrived at their den sites between 6 October and 1 December. Timing varied by reproductive category, bear age, and year. Half of all bears significantly reduced their activity before arriving at the den area: on average 2,169 m away from the den and 1.8 days before arrival. The other half reduced their activity after arriving at the den area. The latter bears took longer time to reach hibernation activity levels, but we did not find a difference in the start date of hibernation between the 2 groups. Bears also appeared to be sensitive to disturbance in this period, with higher den abandonment rates than later in winter, particularly for males and for bears that had not visited their den sites previously. Den entry occurred from October to December, with high variability and poor predictability of its timing. Therefore, restricting hunting or other recreation activities to reduce risk of injury by bears and disturbing bears probably would be both impractical and ineffective. Our findings can be used to educate hunters about bear behavior at this time of year. Many people associate dens with an increased risk of a bear responding aggressively to disturbance to defend its den, but our results indicate that other behavioral, and possibly physiological, changes in this period also may be involved. © 2014 The Authors. The Journal of Wildlife Management published by The Wildlife Society.
The Spatial Heterogeneity between Japanese Encephalitis Incidence Distribution and Environmental Variables in Nepal

Background To identify potential environmental drivers of Japanese Encephalitis virus (JE) transmission in Nepal, we conducted an ecological study to determine the spatial association between 2005 Nepal JE incidence, and climate, agricultural, and land-cover variables at district level. Methods District-level data on JE cases were examined using Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) analysis to identify spatial clusters from 2004 to 2008 and 2005 data was used to fit a spatial lag regression model with climate, agriculture and land-cover variables. Results Prior to 2006, there was a single large cluster of JE cases located in the Far-West and Mid-West terai regions of Nepal. After 2005, the distribution of JE cases in Nepal shifted with clusters found in the central hill areas. JE incidence during the 2005 epidemic had a stronger association with May mean monthly temperature and April mean monthly total precipitation compared to mean annual temperature and precipitation. A parsimonious spatial lag regression model revealed, 1) a significant negative relationship between JE incidence and April precipitation, 2) a significant positive relationship between JE incidence and percentage of irrigated land 3) a non-significant negative relationship between JE incidence and percentage of grassland cover, and 4) a unimodal non-significant relationship between JE Incidence and pig-to-human ratio. Conclusion JE cases clustered in the terai prior to 2006 where it seemed to shift to the Kathmandu region in subsequent years. The spatial pattern of JE cases during the 2005 epidemic in Nepal was significantly associated with low precipitation and the percentage of irrigated land. Despite the availability of an effective vaccine, it is still important to understand environmental drivers of JEV transmission since the enzootic cycle of JEV transmission is not likely to be totally interrupted. Understanding the spatial dynamics of JE risk factors may be useful in providing important information to the Nepal immunization program.