Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome mec Types Among Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Northern Iran

Background Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a common cause of nosocomial and community-acquired infections around the world. Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing methods are often used to study MRSA molecular epidemiology. Objectives The current study was designed to explore the distribution profiles of different SCCmec types among methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains isolated from hospitals in Gorgan, in northern Iran, and to correlate the types into observed bacterial virulence factors. Materials and Methods Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec typing of 62 MRSA strains isolated from patients and health-care workers in Gorgan was performed using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. The prevalence of the strains was then compared according to isolation source, antibiotic susceptibility profiles, biofilm production, and the presence of the Panton-Valentine gene in isolates. Results The most common SCCmec type was type III, with a frequency rate of 76%, followed by types IV, I, and V, with frequency rates of 11.2%, 4.8%, and 3.2%, respectively; three isolates (4.8%) were not typeable by this method. SCCmec type I was only isolated from blood culture, and types IV and V were mainly isolated from wounds and urine samples; SCCmec type III was isolated from all of the clinically samples. All of the MRSA strains that were isolated from healthy carriers were type III. Multidrug resistance in the type III strains was higher compared to the other types. The frequencies of Panton-Valentine and biofilm production were significantly lower in the type III strains compared to the other SCCmec types (P < 0.05). Conclusions Similarly to other geographical regions of Iran, the SCCmec type III MRSA strain was the most frequently isolated strain from patients in Gorgan. Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec type III showed fewer virulence factors compared to other SCCmec types.
Potential Additional Effect of Omentectomy on Metabolic Syndrome, Acute-Phase Reactants, and Inflammatory Mediators in Grade III Obese Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

OBJECTIVE To assess the additional effect of sudden visceral fat reduction by omentectomy on metabolic syndrome, acute-phase reactants, and inflammatory mediators in patients with grade III obesity (G-III O) undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Twenty-two patients were randomized into two groups, LRYGB alone or with omentectomy. Levels of interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-α, leptin, adiponectin, glucose, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, as well as clinical characteristics, were evaluated before surgery and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Results were compared between groups. RESULTS Baseline characteristics were comparable in both groups. Mean operative time was significantly higher in the group of patients who underwent omentectomy (P < 0.001). Median weight of the omentum was 795 ± 341 g. In one patient, a duodenal perforation occurred at the time of omentectomy. BMI, blood pressure, glucose, total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides significantly improved in both groups at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months of follow-up when compared with basal values. However, there were no consistent statistically significant differences among the groups in terms of metabolic syndrome components, acute-phase reactants, and inflammatory mediators. CONCLUSIONS Omentectomy does not have an ancillary short-term significant impact on the components of metabolic syndrome and does not induce important changes in the inflammatory mediators in patients undergoing LRYGB. Operative time is more prolonged when omentectomy is performed.
Trends in Social Capital: Membership of Associations in Great Britain, 1991 98

This Note uses the British Household Panel Study (BHPS) to consider the changing volume and distribution of voluntary association membership (and hence social capital) in Great Britain. We aim to supplement Hall's study of trends in social capital published in this Journal with more recent and longitudinal data. This allows us to show that whilst the volume of social capital is not declining, it is becoming increasingly class specific, and that its relative aggregate stability masks considerable turnover at the individual level. These findings are significant for current debates on social capital.
Unsupervised Feature Learning Based on Deep Models for Environmental Audio Tagging

Environmental audio tagging aims to predict only the presence or absence of certain acoustic events in the interested acoustic scene. In this paper, we make contributions to audio tagging in two parts, respectively, acoustic modeling and feature learning. We propose to use a shrinking deep neural network (DNN) framework incorporating unsupervised feature learning to handle the multilabel classification task. For the acoustic modeling, a large set of contextual frames of the chunk are fed into the DNN to perform a multilabel classification for the expected tags, considering that only chunk (or utterance) level rather than frame-level labels are available. Dropout and background noise aware training are also adopted to improve the generalization capability of the DNNs. For the unsupervised feature learning, we propose to use a symmetric or asymmetric deep denoising auto-encoder (syDAE or asyDAE) to generate new data-driven features from the logarithmic Mel-filter banks features. The new features, which are smoothed against background noise and more compact with contextual information, can further improve the performance of the DNN baseline. Compared with the standard Gaussian mixture model baseline of the DCASE 2016 audio tagging challenge, our proposed method obtains a significant equal error rate (EER) reduction from 0.21 to 0.13 on the development set. The proposed asyDAE system can get a relative 6.7% EER reduction compared with the strong DNN baseline on the development set. Finally, the results also show that our approach obtains the state-of-the-art performance with 0.15 EER on the evaluation set of the DCASE 2016 audio tagging task while EER of the first prize of this challenge is 0.17.
The Na+/H+ exchanger contributes to increased smooth muscle proliferation and migration in a rat model of pulmonary arterial hypertension

Increased muscularity of small pulmonary vessels, involving enhanced proliferation and migration of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), is a key component of the vascular remodeling underlying the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Stimuli such as growth factors and hypoxia induce PASMC alkalinization, proliferation, and migration through upregulation of the Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE), inhibition of which prevents the development of hypoxia‐induced vascular remodeling and PH. We wanted to explore whether NHE was also necessary for pathologic PASMC proliferation and migration in a model of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a severe form of PH not associated with persistent hypoxia. PASMCs were isolated from rats exposed to SU5416‐hypoxia (SuHx) followed by return to normoxia and from vehicle controls. We measured resting intracellular pH (pHi) and NHE activity using the pH‐sensitive fluorescent dye BCECF‐AM. PASMC proliferation and migration were assessed using BrdU incorporation and transwell filters, respectively. NHE activity was increased in SuHx PASMCs, although resting pHi was unchanged. SuHx PASMCs also exhibited increased proliferation and migration relative to controls, which was attenuated in the setting of pharmacologic inhibition of NHE. Our findings suggest that increased NHE activity contributes to pathologic PASMC function in the SuHx model of PAH, although this effect does not appear to be mediated by global changes in pHi homeostasis.
Analyst Forecast, Accounting Conservatism and the Related Valuation Implications

This study investigates whether financial analysts incorporate accounting conservatism into their earnings forecasts and whether it is more difficult for them to forecast earnings for less conservative firms, and then examines the impact of the findings on the return predictability of the value-to-price (V/P) ratio. After controlling for the other factors affecting forecast accuracy, such as earnings predictability and information uncertainty, I find that analysts incorporate accounting conservatism into their earnings forecasts and that forecasting earnings is more difficult for less conservative firms. Consequently, the return predictability of the V/P ratio is stronger for more conservative firms, and previously reported return predictability of the V/P ratio is an average across firms with differing levels of conservatism.
Dorsal and Ventral Attention Systems Underlie Social and Symbolic Cueing

Eye gaze is a powerful cue for orienting attention in space. Studies examining whether gaze and symbolic cues recruit the same neural mechanisms have found mixed results. We tested whether there is a specialized attentional mechanism for social cues. We separately measured BOLD activity during orienting and reorienting attention following predictive gaze and symbolic cues. Results showed that gaze and symbolic cues exerted their influence through the same neural networks but also produced some differential modulations. Dorsal frontoparietal regions in left intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and bilateral MT+/lateral occipital cortex only showed orienting effects for symbolic cues, whereas right posterior IPS showed larger validity effects following gaze cues. Both exceptions may reflect the greater automaticity of gaze cues: Symbolic orienting may require more effort, while disengaging attention during reorienting may be more difficult following gaze cues. Face-selective regions, identified with a face localizer, showed selective activations for gaze cues reflecting sensory processing but no attentional modulations. Therefore, no evidence was found linking face-selective regions to a hypothetical, specialized mechanism for orienting attention to gaze cues. However, a functional connectivity analysis showed greater connectivity between face-selective regions and right posterior IPS, posterior STS, and inferior frontal gyrus during gaze cueing, consistent with proposals that face-selective regions may send gaze signals to parts of the dorsal and ventral frontoparietal attention networks. Finally, although the default-mode network is thought to be involved in social cognition, this role does not extend to gaze orienting as these regions were more deactivated following gaze cues and showed less functional connectivity with face-selective regions during gaze cues.
Universal connection and curvature for statistical manifold geometry

Statistical manifolds are representations of smooth families of probability density functions that allow dierential geometric methods to be applied to problems in stochastic processes, mathematical statistics and information theory. It is common to have to consider a number of linear connections on a given statistical manifold and so it is important to know the corresponding universal connection and curvature; then all linear connections and their curvatures are pullbacks. An important class of statistical manifolds is that arising from the exponential families and one particular family is that of gamma distributions, which we showed recently to have important uniqueness properties in stochastic processes. Here we provide formulae for universal connections and curvatures on exponential families and give an explicit example for the manifold of gamma distributions.
Mclndoe Neovagina in patients with Mullerian Agenesis: A single center experience

Objectives: To evaluate the surgical feasibility and the long-term anatomical and functional results and complication rates in patients with Mullerian aplasia who underwent vaginal reconstruction. Methods: A retrospective observational case series study over 8 years was conducted in King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. All cases diagnosed as Mullerian aplasia and who underwent surgical correction were included. Painless and satisfactory vaginal intercourse after surgery were the main outcome measured. Results: A total of 19 patients were diagnosed with Mullerian agenesis and underwent vaginal reconstruction by Mclndoe technique with minor modification. All of our patients who were sexually active and were compliant with mold use postoperatively were able to achieve 100% painless and satisfactory sexual intercourse. Conclusions: Minor modification in McIndoe technique provides easier, safer and deeper dissection that minimizes the complications and helps in maximizing the vaginal length. It provides satisfactory and functional vagina in the majority of the patients.
Demand-Driven Financial Development

The historical record suggests that economic development is associated with the rise of the financial sector. This rise is often triggered by exogenous events such as large budget deficits generated by wars or the availability of large investment projects such as railroads. This paper discusses the role played by such demand factors in financial development and how they favour growth.
Effects of a High vs Moderate Volume of Aerobic Exercise on Adiposity Outcomes in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

IMPORTANCE Body fat increases postmenopausal breast cancer risk. Physical activity may decrease risk through adiposity changes, but the optimal dose of activity is unknown. OBJECTIVE To compare the effects of 300 vs 150 min/wk of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise on body fat in postmenopausal women. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS The Breast Cancer and Exercise Trial in Alberta was a 12-month, 2-armed, 2-center randomized dose-comparison trial conducted from June 2010 through June 2013. Participants were 400 inactive postmenopausal women with body mass index 22 to 40, disease-free, nonsmokers, and nonusers of exogenous hormones. INTERVENTIONS Five d/wk of aerobic exercise (3 d/wk supervised, 2 d/wk unsupervised) for 30 min/session (moderate-volume) or 60 min/session (high volume) achieving 65% to 75% of heart rate reserve for at least 50% of each session. Participants were asked not to change usual diet. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Total body fat, measured from dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scans, was the primary outcome. Other measures included subcutaneous and intra-abdominal fat from computed tomography scans, weight, and waist and hip circumferences. RESULTS Of 400 women, 384 provided baseline and follow-up adiposity measurements. Median (interquartile range) adherence at full prescription for the high- and moderate-volume groups was 254 (166-290) and 137 (111-150) min/wk, respectively. Mean reductions in total fat were significantly larger in the high- vs moderate-volume group (least-squares mean difference, -1.0% [95% CI, -1.6% to -0.4%], P = .002). Subcutaneous abdominal fat and waist to hip ratio decreased significantly more in the high-volume group (least-squares mean difference, -10.8 [95% CI, -19.5 to -2.2] cm², P = .01, and -0.01 [95% CI, -0.02 to 0.00], P = .04, respectively). Changes in weight and intra-abdominal fat were not significantly different between groups (least-squares mean difference, -0.7 [95% CI, -1.6 to 0.2] kg, P = .11, and -1.5 [95% CI, -5.9 to 2.9] cm², P = .50, respectively). Some dose-response effects were stronger for obese women. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In previously inactive postmenopausal women, a 1-year prescription of moderate to vigorous exercise for 300 min/wk was superior to 150 min/wk for reducing total fat and other adiposity measures, especially in obese women. These results suggest additional benefit of higher-volume aerobic exercise for adiposity outcomes and possibly a lower risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01435005.
Principals' Perceptions of Their Responsibilities and Practices Related to English Language Learners

The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine principals’ perceptions of their responsibilities for English language learners (ELLs) and their beliefs about what contributes to these students’ academic success. The growing population of ELLs in the US face increased risk for underachievement, as recorded by traditional measures, yet little research investigates the critical role of the principal in the education of ELLs. This study focuses on 7 principals (nominated by other educators as exemplary) in public schools with high enrollments of ELLs found in rural, suburban, and urban districts in a northeastern state. Data came from individual open-ended initial interviews and member-checking interviews. Thematic analysis of the data revealed 5 themes: (a) Student Progress, (b) Fostering Relationships, (c) Parents and Community, (d) Having “The Right People,” and (e) Language Development. These themes describe the research participants’ self-reported responsibilities for ELLs and their perceptions of what contributes to ELLs’ academic success. Twenty-two subthemes were identified, called Key Administrative Practices (KAPs). These KAPs are the ways in which the participants reported carrying out their
What affects the discount to net asset value in the UK-listed property companies?

This paper investigates empirically the factors that have affected the discount to net asset value (NAV) in the UK-listed property companies between 2005 and 2013. The prime focus has been on the impact of corporate governance mechanisms. The test results show significantly positive relations of the discount to NAV with firm-specific characteristics such as debt-to-asset ratio, tax and risk, but negative relations with firm size and stock return. Companies with a focused investment strategy have a lower level of discount, while those with an international property portfolio have a higher discount. Market sentiment and property share liquidity also have a significant impact on the discount. It was found that board independence can reduce the level of discount to NAV. The level of insider ownership has a positive relation with discount, indicating the existence of the entrenchment effect. The firm with higher level of insider ownership is usually small and less liquid, thus has higher level of discount.
Employment and Productivity in the European Union and Comparison with the USA, 1985-2005: Analysis of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom

The main emphasis of labour policies in several EU countries seem to have been addressed during the period 1985-2005 to contain the increases of real wages, under the misleading belief that lower wages could lead the policies to get higher employment rates. We show that the main policies to increase employment rates are not opposite to the increase of wages, and even the best labour policies, addressed to increase simultaneously labour productivity and employment, usually get both goals, as to say an increase in real wages and in the employment rate. We also analyse the main econometric approaches to the explanation of the evolution of these variables and present a comparison of their evolution in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.
The Role of Neutrophils during Mild and Severe Influenza Virus Infections of Mice

Neutrophils have been implicated in both protective and pathological responses following influenza virus infections. We have used mAb 1A8 (anti-Ly6G) to specifically deplete LyG6high neutrophils and induce neutropenia in mice infected with virus strains known to differ in virulence. Mice were also treated with mAb RB6-8C5 (anti-Ly6C/G or anti-Gr-1), a mAb widely used to investigate the role of neutrophils in mice that has been shown to bind and deplete additional leukocyte subsets. Using mAb 1A8, we confirm the beneficial role of neutrophils in mice infected with virus strains of intermediate (HKx31; H3N2) or high (PR8; H1N1) virulence whereas treatment of mice infected with an avirulent strain (BJx109; H3N2) did not affect disease or virus replication. Treatment of BJx109-infected mice with mAb RB6-8C5 was, however, associated with significant weight loss and enhanced virus replication indicating that other Gr-1+ cells, not neutrophils, limit disease severity during mild influenza infections.
The responses of white blood cells to weight loss among young male judoists

The purpose of this study was the assessment of white blood cells in response to acute and gradual weight loss among young male judoists. Material and Methods—Twenty four healthy young judoists aged 17.0±1.2 years (mean ± SD), with one year of experience in judo training, selected and they were randomly classified in two groups of acute weight loss and gradual weight loss. Blood sampling was conducted in three stages: 1) before weight loss, 2) 18 hours after weight loss, and 3) after the last phase of physical exercise performance tests. Results— The average amount of white blood cells in the phase 2 for both groups didn't increase meaningfully (Acute: P=0. 53, Gradual: P=0.48) but the increase in the phase 3 for both groups was significant (P<0.01). Conclusion— This study concludes that acute weight loss can result in changing the level of white blood cells which are determined in immunity system and related disease.
Generic circumscriptions in Geoglossomycetes

The class Geoglossomycetes is a recently created class of Ascomycota, currently comprised of one family (Geoglossaceae) and five genera (Geoglossum, Nothomitra, Sarcoleotia, Thuemenidium and Trichoglossum). These fungi, commonly known as earth tongues, have long been a subject of mycological research. However, the taxonomy within the group has historically been hindered by the lack of reliable morphological characters, uncertain ecological associations, and the inability to grow these fungi in culture. The phylogenetic relationships of Geoglossomycetes were investigated by conducting maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses using a 4-gene dataset (ITS, LSU, MCM7, RPB1). Five well-supported monophyletic clades were found that did not correspond exactly with the currently recognised genera, necessitating a taxonomic revision of the group. Two new genera are proposed: Glutinoglossum to accommodate G. glutinosum and the newly described species G. heptaseptatum, and Sabuloglossum to accommodate S. arenarium. The type species of Thuemenidium, traditionally included within the Geoglossaceae, is confirmed as belonging to a separate lineage that is only distantly related to Geoglossomycetes.
Constrained Finite Receding Horizon Linear

Issues of feasibility, stability and performance are considered for a nite horizon formulation of receding horizon control for linear systems under mixed linear state and control constraints. It is shown that for a suu-ciently long horizon, a receding horizon policy will remain feasible and result in stability, even when no end constraint is imposed. In addition, an eecient oo-line computational scheme is presented which provides not only a stabilizing horizon length, but guaranteed performance bounds for the receding horizon policy. These calculations are demonstrated on both an open-loop stable and an open-loop unstable example.