Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Controlled Comparative Evaluation of BacT/Alert FAN and ESP 80A Aerobic Media as Means for Detecting Bacteremia and Fungemia

ABSTRACT During a one-year period, a total of 6,305 blood cultures were processed in a tertiary-care teaching hospital; 6 to 12 ml of blood was inoculated into both a BacT/Alert Fan aerobic bottle and an ESP 80A aerobic bottle. The FAN aerobic bottle contains an antimicrobial-absorbing material; the 80A aerobic bottle does not. Bottles were processed on their respective continuous-monitoring blood culture instruments for up to five days of incubation. Four hundred thirty-three cultures (6.9%) representing 301 septic episodes in 235 different patients yielded 490 bacteria or yeasts thought to be clinically significant. Two hundred seventy-five of the 433 presumed clinically significant positive cultures (63.5%) representing 195 septic episodes and yielding 301 isolates were positive in both FAN and 80A bottles. One hundred nine significant positive cultures (25.2%) (i.e., cultures positive with an organism judged to be of probable clinical significance) from 70 septic episodes yielded 126 isolates only in FAN bottles. Conversely, the 80A bottle was exclusively positive in 49 instances (11.3%), representing 36 septic episodes and yielding 63 isolates. The higher rates of significant positive blood cultures, numbers of septic episodes documented, and numbers of isolates recovered in FAN bottles versus 80A bottles were all statistically significant (P < 0.05). Enhanced rates of detection of presumed clinically significant isolates in FAN bottles were largely accounted for by Staphylococcus aureus, members of the Enterobacteriaceae, and non-Pseudomonas aeruginosa miscellaneous gram-negative bacilli from patients receiving antimicrobial therapy at the time blood cultures were obtained. Enhanced recovery of one organism group, the β-hemolytic streptococci, occurred in 80A. With one exception, detection times were essentially equivalent in the two systems. The single exception pertained to streptococci and enterococci, which were recovered significantly faster in 80A bottles. Three hundred thirty-eight of the 6,305 blood cultures evaluated in this study (5.4%) were judged likely to be contaminated. The percentages of probable contaminated cultures were as follows: 26.6% FAN and 80A; 42.3% FAN only; 31.1% 80A only (P < 0.05). Finally, the instrument false-positive rates for the two systems were 0.7% with FAN and 3.0% with 80A (P < 0.05). We conclude that while contamination rates were slightly higher with FAN than with 80A, use of FAN aerobic bottles in conjunction with the BacT/Alert system will yield significantly higher numbers of clinically significant blood culture isolates than 80A bottles and the ESP system. Furthermore, this enhanced detection is most conspicuous in patients receiving antimicrobial therapy at the time blood cultures are performed, probably due to the presence of an antimicrobial-absorbing material in FAN aerobic bottles.
Ultrasonographic screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms in Iranian candidates for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

BACKGROUND To evaluate the prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysm in Iranian candidates for coronary artery bypass graft surgery and its associated factors. METHODS Totally, 2843 consecutive candidates for coronary artery bypass graft surgery underwent ultrasonography of abdominal aorta. The relation between abdominal aortic aneurysm with gender, age, smoking, dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, and carotid and coronary stenosis was evaluated. RESULTS The prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysm was 2.7% and 0.7% in men and women subgroups, respectively. The prevalence was 3.8% in men older than 65 years. The largest diameter of abdominal aortic aneurysm was 61.7 mm. Only two men had aneurysm larger than 55 mm, which led to changing their surgery schedule to stenting. Gender, age, smoking, smoking more than 40 years, diabetes , hypertension, and significant carotid stenosis were associated factors of abdominal aortic aneurysm. CONCLUSION Compared with the results sited in Western studies, the prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysm is lower in Iran (P<0.0001). Its associated factors in our study were similar to previously published studies. Significant carotid stenosis, a factor not reported previously, was an associated factor in our study. Because of the low prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysm in our population, screening the candidates for coronary artery bypass graft surgery is not recommended.
Poor sleep in adolescents: A study of 869 17‐year‐old Italian secondary school students

Subjective sleep quality and its related factors were investigated in 869 (530 F, 339 M) 17‐year‐old adolescents, who were selected from the pupils of state‐run secondary schools in the city of Pavia in the north west of Italy. The study was conducted cross sectionally, and it consisted of a questionnaire based survey. One hundred and forty‐two subjects (16.5% of the whole sample, 19% of the females and 11.7% of the males) met the criteria chosen for definition as poor sleepers (namely, a complaint of «non restorative nocturnal sleep», «often» or «always» over the previous 12 mo). A significant association was found between chronic poor sleep and (1) gender (female) (2) emotional factors, such as worries, anxiety and depression (3) poor sleep hygiene (4) arousal related parasomnia. Only 4% of poor sleepers took sleep promoting drugs (including benzodiazepines, homeopathic products and other medications), generally without seeking medical advice.
Market Structure and Media Diversity

type="main" xml:id="ecin12153-abs-0001"> We estimate a mixed logit model of the demand for local news service. Results provide evidence that suggest the representative consumer values more diverse news, more coverage of multicultural issues, and more information on community news, and has a distaste for advertising. Demand estimates are used to calculate the impact on consumer welfare from a marginal decrease in the number of independent television stations that lowers the amount of diversity, multiculturalism, community news, and advertising. Consumer welfare decreases, but the losses are smaller in large markets. For example, small-market consumers lose $45 million annually while large-market consumers lose $13 million . ( JEL C9, C25, L13, L82, L96)
Percutaneous Closure of Perimembranous Ventricular Septal Defect with Modified Double-disk Occluder: What Is the Outcome at 10-year Follow-up?

OBJECTIVE Percutaneous closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect is one of the greatest challenges in interventional cardiology. The long-term follow-up data are still limited. This report presents our experience in percutaneous closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect with modified double-disk occluder. DESIGN The study is a retrospective analysis of cases from the Changhai Hospital clinic database. SETTING We reviewed the clinic database from December 2001 to December 2005. PATIENTS We included 117 patients who underwent percutaneous closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects. OUTCOME MEASURES Procedural data and complications were assessed by an expert panel of cardiologists. RESULTS Device implantation was successfully accomplished in 113 of a total 117 patients (96.6%). The mean age was 31.1 ± 12.5 years (range 2-56 years). The patients were followed for a period of 86-134 months. The diameter of defect was 2-15 mm (mean 4.9 ± 2.9 mm). The ventricular septal defect rim below the aortic valve was 1-5 mm. The mean diameter of device used was 6.9 ± 3.7 (range 4-24 mm). Four patients presented complete atrio-ventricular block within 1 week after the procedure and recovered within 3 weeks. No other patient encountered serious adverse events during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Percutaneous closure of ventricular septal defect is safe and effective in most selected patients with modified double-disk occluder. Additional studies with larger cohorts and longer follow-up are needed to evaluate its safety.
AN EMPIRICAL DISSEMINATION OF THE PERSONAL INCOME TAX REGIME IN SOUTH AFRICA USING A MICROSIMULATION TAX MODEL

This article is primarily concerned with the profile of the tax liability of individual taxpayers in South Africa as well as the impact of tax reform policies since the mid-nineties on the progressivity of their tax liability using a static microsimulation tax model. Using the 2005/06 Income and Expenditure survey data from Statistics South Africa, the revenue base had to be determined and aligned to the official figures published by the South African Revenue Services and the National Treasury. This exercise required substantial manipulation of the data but the outcome is surprisingly close to the official R104 billion compared to the published SARS figure of R96 billion. The model allows for the dissemination of individual taxpayers by income groups, gender, educational level, age group, etc. Testing for progressivity, the results show that although still more progressive than most other tax structures world-wide, the level of skewness has marginally declined over the past few years with the share of those in the lower income groups gradually increasing. This phenomenon is also enhanced by relatively more taxpayers entering the tax net at this level. With the top marginal rates already at the current high levels little can be done at the higher end of the scale to expand the revenue base and therefore the solution lies in raising the contribution of those in the lower but especially the middle income groups. As far as gender is concerned, disparities in the labour market require an examination of tax policy that may contribute towards a more equal distribution of individual tax on a gender basis. The results also show that tax policy adjustments that contribute towards the improvement of the quality of education would also be a positive investment for future revenue collection.
Estimating a Simultaneous Search Model

The primary goal of this article is to specify and estimate a structural simultaneous search model and then determine the empirical importance of simultaneous search. The results indicate that new labor force entrants search simultaneously. A secondary goal is to identify and estimate job offer arrival rates and wage offer rejection probabilities separately. The results indicate that a significant portion of unemployment spells are caused by slow arrival rates, but policies intended to speed arrival rates would increase the average length of unemployment spells.
The European Commission and the public governance of interest groups in the European Union: Seeking a Niche between accreditation and laissez-faire

Abstract As interest groups participate in public policy, so demands arise for the regulation of their input. These vary between purposeful laissez-faire, and accreditation in return for norm observance, with attempts to find points between these often focusing on supervised and/or incentivised self-regulation. We classify the EU system as ‘de-facto’ accreditation, based around generalised and ill-defined notions, and on preferences for the simplification of consultative life and to screen out outsider groups with a narrow membership basis that don't follow the ‘rules of the game’. The operationalisation of ‘representativity’ criteria carries with it the danger of privileging certain categories of groups over other types of groups. A wider legitimacy basis is suggested by a limited comparative literature, a sharpening of the concept of accountability and types of interest groups.
Sensitivity studies of dust ice nuclei effect on cirrus clouds with the Community Atmosphere Model CAM5

Abstract. In this study the effect of dust aerosol on upper tropospheric cirrus clouds through heterogeneous ice nucleation is investigated in the Community Atmospheric Model version 5 (CAM5) with two ice nucleation parameterizations. Both parameterizations consider homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation and the competition between the two mechanisms in cirrus clouds, but differ significantly in the number concentration of heterogeneous ice nuclei (IN) from dust. Heterogeneous nucleation on dust aerosol reduces the occurrence frequency of homogeneous nucleation and thus the ice crystal number concentration in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) cirrus clouds compared to simulations with pure homogeneous nucleation. Global and annual mean shortwave and longwave cloud forcing are reduced by up to 2.0 ± 0.1 W m−2 (1σ uncertainty) and 2.4 ± 0.1 W m−2, respectively due to the presence of dust IN, with the net cloud forcing change of −0.40 ± 0.20 W m−2. Comparison of model simulations with in situ aircraft data obtained in NH mid-latitudes suggests that homogeneous ice nucleation may play an important role in the ice nucleation at these regions with temperatures of 205–230 K. However, simulations overestimate observed ice crystal number concentrations in the tropical tropopause regions with temperatures of 190–205 K, and overestimate the frequency of occurrence of high ice crystal number concentration (> 200 L−1) and underestimate the frequency of low ice crystal number concentration (
Board roles and strategic orientation among Taiwanese nonprofit sport organisations

This paper examines the relationship between strategic orientation and board roles. In particular, the research looks at how board roles of nonprofit sport organisations with a dual board structure are associated with organisational strategy in 25 summer Olympic sport organisations in Taiwan. The study found that the majority of board roles for both directors and supervisors can be statistically distinguished from each other in relation to organisational strategic orientation. The study advances the understanding of nonprofit board roles and practices by differentiating between board of directors and board of supervisors. Furthermore, the findings support using specific recruitment practices that should strengthen nonprofit boards. This finding can also support further research into the relationship between an organisation's strategic orientation and other governance elements, including board composition, structure and culture.
Financial Status, Corporate Governance Quality, and the Likelihood of Managers Using Discretionary Accruals

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate, using data on US manufacturing firms, how and when corporate governance affects managers' decisions to use discretionary accruals and thereby artificially influence company financial reports. Design/methodology/approach - Three-stage least squares is employed to study the relationship between financial status, corporate governance and financial reporting discretion. The sample spans the years 2001-2003 during a severe downturn in the US stock market. Financial status is measured with the Altman Findings - A significant difference is found between firms not classified as healthy or failed (i.e. the mid-range group) and the two extreme categories when examining governance quotient using a well-known index. A positive relationship is found between discretionary accruals and the governance index. Strong governance appears to reduce the incidence of mid-range firms engaging in accruals management. The least healthy and the most distressed companies have the weakest relationship with discretionary accruals. By contrast, mid-range firms are more likely to resort to discretionary accruals. Practical implications - Non-executive members of boards of directors are warned to be particularly vigilant about discretionary accruals with firms transitioning between healthy and high-failure risk. Originality/value - The relationship between firms' financial health and discretionary accruals reveals an agency problem in credit markets with financially stressed firms. More attention is required on firms whose financial condition is uncertain. Also, it is documented that significant findings of importance to the earnings quality and corporate governance literature by documenting the role of corporate governance on discretionary accruals and financial status.
Inward Technology Licensing and Firm Performance: A Longitudinal Study

Inward technology licensing (ITL) is often viewed as an important strategy adopted by firms to achieve innovation. However, relatively limited research has focused on evaluating the contribution of ITL to firm performance. The gap is all the more surprising since the benefits of external technology acquisition on innovation output have been emphasized in a lot of the literature. This study therefore sets out to investigate the extent to which the investment of ITL by firms affects their performance. In view of the relative abundance of data on variables for a longitudinal investigation, this analysis concentrates on the electronics-manufacturing industry. The longitudinal sample allows this examination to control the more extraneous effects and to provide more convincing evidence for examining the relationship of ITL and firm performance. A total of 341 Taiwanese electronics-manufacturing firms balanced over the period from 1998 to 2002 is taken as the analytical sample. The basic statistics indicate that acquiring technology externally shows an increasing tendency within the firms. The analyses, from the least square dummy variable method, reveal that ITL per se does not provide a significant contribution to firm performance; however, the positive impact of ITL on their performance increases with the level of the firms' internal research and development (R&D) efforts. Both the checks for robustness and the split-sample analyses validate the results. The findings not only highlight the importance of internal R&D efforts but also suggest that firms had better use ITL as a complement rather than a substitute of internal R&D for their competence.
Immunological aspects of Giardia muris and Spironucleus muris infections in inbred and outbred strains of laboratory mice: a comparative study

SUMMARY The intestinal flagellates, Giardia muris and Spironucleus muris, cause similar infections in CBA mice as determined by trophozoite and cyst counts. Both parasites occur all along the small intestine with G. muris, being mainly present in the anterior part and S. muris towards the posterior. The early stages of infection are similar in all strains of mice examined and peak levels of both trophozoites and cysts occur 1–2 weeks after infection. All strains of mice overcome the infection but the rate of recovery varies considerably between strains, being most rapid in BALB/c and slowest in A and C57BL.B10. Outbred mice are more variable in their recovery than inbred mice. After recovery, mice are partially resistant to reinfection with the homologous but not the heterologous parasite. Resistance to reinfection with S. muris is greatest in those strains that eliminate the primary infection most rapidly. Giardia muris and S. muris cause similar changes in the mucosa of the small intestine of BALB/c mice with increased intra-epithelial lymphocyte counts from 3 weeks onwards corresponding with the start of the elimination of the parasites from the gut. A reduction in villus height and increase in crypt depth is also characteristic of these infections.
Preinjury characteristics of children with mild traumatic brain injury: Is “other injury” an appropriate comparison group”?

ABSTRACT Background: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) has been associated with ongoing problems in children and young people. However, there remains to be considerable debate regarding whether outcomes are a result of brain impairment, or simply reflect preinjury characteristics of the child or family. To reliably assess outcomes, an appropriate control group is required. Aims: This study aimed to identify the preinjury characteristics of children with mTBI, and to examine whether an “other injury to the head” group is an appropriate comparison to control for preinjury characteristics of children with mTBI. Method: Parents of 290 children admitted to the emergency department with either a diagnosis of mTBI (n = 186, M = 6.44 years) or a superficial injury to the head (SIH) (n = 104, M = 5.40 years) were assessed. Parents completed three questionnaires examining behavioral problems (Clinical Assessment of Behavior), parental stress (Parenting Stress Index), and background variables (e.g., medical issues, socioeconomic factors). Results: A series of chi-square analyses and multivariate analysis of variance tests revealed no differences for behavior, parental stress, and other preexisting problems between children with mTBI and those with SIH. Conclusions: Children who experience a mTBI event present similarly to individuals with a SIH, and SIH is an appropriate comparison group to examine the outcomes of childhood mTBI, as it may help minimize any confounding effects of preexisting issues associated with mTBI.
Methods of modelling viral disease dynamics across the within- and between-host scales: the impact of virus dose on host population immunity

We study the epidemiology of a viral disease with dose-dependent replication and transmission by nesting a differential-equation model of the within-host viral dynamics inside a between-host epidemiological model. We use two complementary approaches for nesting the models: an agent-based (AB) simulation and a mean-field approximation called the growth-matrix (GM) model. We find that although infection rates and predicted case loads are somewhat different between the AB and GM models, several epidemiological parameters, e.g. mean immunity in the population and mean dose received, behave similarly across the methods. Further, through a comparison of our dose-dependent replication model against two control models that uncouple dose-dependent replication from transmission, we find that host immunity in a population after an epidemic is qualitatively different than when transmission depends on time-varying viral abundances within hosts. These results show that within-host dynamics and viral dose should not be neglected in epidemiological models, and that the simpler GM approach to model nesting provides a reasonable tradeoff between model complexity and accuracy of results.
Lisofylline ameliorates intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction caused by ischemia and ischemia/reperfusion.

In an effort to determine whether treatment with lisofylline (LSF) ameliorates intestinal barrier dysfunction in rats subjected to mesenteric ischemia and reperfusion (I/R), regional mesenteric vessels were occluded for 60 min and then unclamped for 60 min more. In Protocol 1, intravenous LSF (15 mg/kg bolus then 10 mg/kg/h) was administered 5 min before ischemia. In Protocol 2, LSF (same dose) was given 1 min before reperfusion. Controls received an equivalent volume of Ringer's lactate solution. Permeability was assessed by determining the mucosal-to-serosal clearance of fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated dextran (4 kDa) in everted ileal gut sacs incubated ex vivo. In Protocol 1, LSF treatment during ischemia ameliorated mucosal barrier dysfunction; mean +/- SEM clearances for the LSF and Ringer's lactate solution groups after 60 min of ischemia were 34.4+/-6.1 and 64+/-7.1 nL/min/cm2, respectively; p = . 007. Clearances after reperfusion were the same in the two groups. In Protocol 2, LSF treatment just before reperfusion ameliorated barrier dysfunction measured 60 min after the restoration of blood flow; clearances for the LSF and Ringer's lactate solution groups were 23.1+/-3.8 and 40.2+/-4.5 nL/min/cm2, respectively; p = . 012. Treatment with LSF did not affect intestinal levels of reduced glutathione or adenosine triphosphate or the extent of histological damage to the mucosa after I/R. Nevertheless, villus height was greater in animals treated with LSF than RLS prior to ischemia in Protocol 1 (250+/-37 and 160+/-15 microm, respectively; p = .04) and during reperfusion in Protocol 2 (170+/-21 and 82+/-7 microm, respectively; p = .002). We conclude that LSF is effective in reducing both ischemia- and I/R-induced gut barrier dysfunction, possibly due to a mechanism related to preservation of villus height.