Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Methicillin-resistant-Staphylococcus aureus colonization and infection in a rehabilitation facility

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization and infection in a rehabilitation hospital (Rancho Los Amigos Hospital [RLAH]) were studied from October 1977 to May 1980. Eighty-four episodes of MRSA colonization or infection were observed in 81 patients (attack rate, 0.44 per 100 admissions). The MRSA was considered to have been acquired at RLAH in 65% of the episodes and from transferring hospitals in 34%. The infection rate was 35% among MRSA-colonized patients, and only one death was attributed to MRSA infection. Colonization for more than 100 days occurred most frequently in wounds and anterior nares. All but two of the MRSA isolates were resistant to aminoglycosides, and 80% of those typed belonged to phage type 83A. The patients were allowed to continue participation in rehabilitation programs. Spread of the MRSA occurred in wards where intensive medical and nursing care was being practiced. There was no evidence of MRSA spread in the services with less intense medical and nursing care and where physical and occupational therapy was continued. Patients in a rehabilitation hospital with MRSA colonization may receive intensive physical and occupational therapy as long as special precautions are observed to prevent MRSA spread.
Observing the development of the temporomandibular joint in embryonic and post-natal mice using various staining methods

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a specialized synovial joint that is essential for the movement and function of the mammalian jaw. The TMJ develops from two mesenchymal condensations, and is composed of the glenoid fossa that originates from the otic capsule by intramembranous ossification, the mandibular condyle of the temporal bone and a fibrocartilagenous articular disc derived from a secondary cartilaginous joint by endochondral ossification. However, the development of the TMJ remains unclear. In the present study, the formation and development of the mouse TMJ was investigated between embryonic day 13.5 and post-natal day 180 in order to elucidate the morphological and molecular alterations that occur during this period. TMJ formation appeared to proceed in three stages: Initiation or blastema stage; growth and cavitation stage; and the maturation or completion stage. In order to investigate the activity of certain transcription factors on TMJ formation and development, the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM), sex determining region Y-box 9, runt-related transcription factor 2, Indian hedgehog homolog, Osterix, collagen I, collagen II, aggrecan, total matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), MMP-9 and MMP-13 were detected in the TMJ using in situ and/or immunohistochemistry. The results indicate that the transcription factors, ECM and MMP serve critical functions in the formation and development of the mouse TMJ. In summary, the development of the mouse TMJ was investigated, and the molecular regulation of mouse TMJ formation was partially characterized. The results of the present study may aid the systematic understanding of the physiological processes underlying TMJ formation and development in mice.
Links Between Parent-Teacher Relationships and Kindergartners' Social Skills: Do Child Ethnicity and Family Income Matter?

This study uses National Center for Early Development and Learning (NCEDL) data to examine the moderating effects of child ethnicity and family income on the links between parent-teacher relationships and kindergartners' social skills. This study includes 481 Caucasian, African American, and Latino children from low-income households. Overall, there were no ethnic differences in parents' or teachers' reports of their relationships with each other. However, when parents and teachers reported that they had strong relationships, African American children were more likely to be rated as more socially competent and less aggressive than Caucasian children. Teachers reported stronger relationships with higher-income parents than lower-income parents and rated children from lower-income homes as less socially competent and more aggressive than children from higher-income homes. The findings highlight the unique contributions of ethnicity and family income in parent-teacher relationships and ratings of children's social skills.
Viability of the nonculturable Vibrio cholerae O1 and O139.

Vibrio cholerae is capable of transforming into a viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state, and, in doing so, undergoes alteration in cell morphology. In the study reported here, Vibrio cholerae O1 and O139 cells were maintained in laboratory microcosms prepared with 1% Instant Ocean and incubated at 4 degrees C, i.e., conditions which induce the VBNC state. Cells were fixed at different stages during entry into the VBNC state and, when no growth was detectable on solid or in liquid media, the ultrastructure of these cells was examined, using both transmission and scanning electron microscopy. As shown in earlier studies, the cells became smaller in size and changed from rod to ovoid or coccoid morphology, with the central region of the cells becoming compressed and surrounded by denser cytoplasm. Because the coccoid morphology, indicative of the VBNC state is common for Vibrio cholerae in the natural environment, as well as in starved cells (Baker et al., 1983; Hood et al., 1986) viability of the coccoid, viable but nonculturable cell was investigated. The percentage of coccoid (VBNC) cells showing metabolic activity and retention of membrane integrity was monitored using direct fluorescence staining (LIVE/DEAD BacLight Bacterial Viability kit), with 75 to 90% of the viable but nonculturable coccoid cells found to be metabolically active by this test. Furthermore, the proportion of actively respiring cells, using the redox dye, 5-cyano-2, 3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride (CTC), relative to total cells, the latter determined by DAPI staining, ranged from 10 to 50%. VBNC coccoid cells retained the antigenic determinants of Vibrio cholerae O1 and O139, respectively, evidenced by positive reaction with monoclonal fluorescent antibody. Viability was further established by susceptibility of the VBNC cells to chlorine, copper sulfate, zinc sulfate, and formaldehyde. Since retention of cell membrane integrity is a determining characteristic of viable cells, DNA was extracted from VBNC cells in microcosms maintained for two months and for one year. Conservation of cholera toxin and toxin-associated genes, ctxA, toxR, tcpA, and zot in chromosomal DNA of VBNC cells was demonstrated using PCR and employing specific primers. It is concluded that not only do VBNC V cholerae O1 and O139 retain viability up to one year, but genes associated with pathogenicity are retained, along with chromosomal integrity.
Azithromycin Selectively Reduces Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Levels in Cystic Fibrosis Airway Epithelial Cells

ABSTRACT Azithromycin (AZM) ameliorates lung function in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. This macrolide has been suggested to have anti-inflammatory properties as well as other effects potentially relevant for therapy of CF. In this study, we utilized three CF (IB3-1, 16HBE14o- AS3, and 2CFSMEo-) and two isogenic non-CF (C38 and 16HBE14o- S1) airway epithelial cell lines to investigate whether AZM could reduce tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) mRNA and protein levels by real-time quantitative PCR analysis and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. We studied the effects on the DNA binding of NF-κB and specificity protein 1 (Sp1) by an ELISA. Non-CF cells express significantly lower TNF-α mRNA and protein levels than an isogenic CF cell line. In CF cells, AZM treatment causes a 30% reduction of TNF-α mRNA levels (P < 0.05) and a 45% decrease in TNF-α secretion (P < 0.05), reaching approximately the levels of the untreated isogenic non-CF cells. In CF cells, NF-κB and Sp1 DNA binding activities were also significantly decreased (about 45 and 60%, respectively; P < 0.05) after AZM treatment. Josamycin, a macrolide lacking clinically described anti-inflammatory effects, was ineffective. Finally, AZM did not alter the mRNA expression levels of interleukin-6, a proinflammatory molecule not differentially expressed in CF and isogenic non-CF cells. The results of our study support the anti-inflammatory activities of this macrolide, since we show that AZM reduced the levels of TNF-α and propose inhibitions of NF-κB and Sp1 DNA binding as possible mechanisms of this effect.
Efficient Rescue of Recombinant Lassa Virus Reveals the Influence of S Segment Noncoding Regions on Virus Replication and Virulence

ABSTRACT Lassa virus (LASV), is a significant cause of severe, often fatal, hemorrhagic fever in humans throughout western Africa, with an estimated 100,000 infections each year. No vaccines are commercially available. We report the development of an efficient reverse genetics system to rescue recombinant LASV and to investigate the contributions of the long 5′ and 3′ noncoding regions (NCRs) of the S genomic segment to in vitro growth and in vivo virulence. This work demonstrates that deletions of large portions of these NCRs confer an attenuated phenotype and are a first step toward further insights into the high virulence of LASV.
Hyperglycemia Alters the Physico-Chemical Properties of Proteins in Erythrocyte Membranes of Diabetic Patients

We measured the absorption spectra of erythrocyte ghosts in the interval of 180-250 nm wavelength and calculated an index order/disorder (Io/d) by the ratio of the absorbances determined at 225 and at 195 nm, i.e. the higher this ratio, the better the structure order of the erythrocyte membrane proteins examined. The Io/d was significantly lower in nonregulated diabetics (n=24) than in normals (n=14) (12.14±0.32 versus 14.98±0.20, 2p< 0.001). In diabetics the Io/d correlated inversely with the mean daily plasma glucose (r= -0.51, 2p< 0.02). The correlation was better with percent stable HbAI (r= -0.62, 2p< 0.005). In 4 initially non regulated diabetics the Io/d was measured 4-5 times over a two month period while on an appropriate insulin regimen which resulted in a fair glycemic control. The Io/d and percent stable HbAI slowly and parallely changed towards normal values. The Io/d was measured also 0, 12, 36, 60, and 108 hours after incubation in vitro of erythrocyte ghosts at 0, 20, and 37°C at different glucose concentrations (0, 25, and 100 mmol/l). A decrease in the Io/d was observed, which was more pronounced at the latest times, at 37°C, and at the highest glucose concentrations. Finally, the incubation of erythrocyte ghosts with labeled D-(14C)-glucose resulted in a linkage with all membrane proteins, as assessed by the radioactivity found in all the bands obtained after SDS gel electrophoresis. Our data suggest that erythrocyte ghosts exposed to an abnormally high glucose concentration, as in non regulated diabetics, undergo alterations of physico-chemical properties of membrane proteins. These alterations can be precisely measured and seem to be a direct consequence not only of a slow process of glycosylation of membrane proteins, but also of a short-term interacion between glucose and proteins. The demonstration of such a “glucotoxicity” could be important to explain the abnormalities reported in the red cells of diabetics.
Pengaruh Pengalaman, Otonomi,Profesionalisme,Ambiguitas Peran, Dan Motivasi Terhadap Kinerja Auditor (Studi Empiris pada Kantor Akuntan Publik di Surakarta dan Semarang)

Penelitian ini memiliki tujuan yaitu untuk mengetahui pengaruh pengalaman, otonomi, profesionalisme, ambiguitas peran dan motivasi terhadap kinerja auditor. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah seluruh auditor yang bekerja pada Kantor Akuntan Publik di Surakarta dan Semarang yang terdaftar pada IAPI tahun 2015. Metode pengumpulan sampel dengan menggunakan teknik convenience sampling. Sampel pada penelitian ini adalah auditor yang bekerja di kantor akuntan publik di Surakarta dan Semarang yang bersedia menjadi responden penelitian ini. Dalam penelitian ini untuk menganalisis data dilakukan menggunakan analisis regresi berganda. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa R² diperoleh nilai 0,619. Hal ini berarti bahwa 61,9% variasi kinerja auditor dapat dijelaskan oleh pengalaman, otonomi, profesionalisme, ambiguitas peran dan motivasi. Sedangkan sisanya yaitu 38,1% dijelaskan oleh faktor-faktor lain diluar model yang diteliti. Hasil uji t menunjukkan bahwa pengalaman, profesionalisme tidak berpengaruh terhadap kinerja auditor, sedangkan ambiguitas peran, otonomi dan motivasi berpengaruh terhadap kinerja auditor. Kata kunci: pengalaman, otonomi, profesionalisme, ambiguitas peran, motivasi dan kinerja auditor.
Facebook use and adolescents emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress

Background: Facebook (FB) is becoming an increasingly salient feature in peoples’ lives and has grown into a bastion in our current society with over 1 billion users worldwide –the majority of which are college students. However, recent studies conducted suggest that the use of Facebook may impacts individuals’ well being. Thus, this paper aimed to explore the effects of Facebook usage on adolescents’ emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress. Method and Material: A cross - sectional design was utilized in this investigation. The study population included 76 students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program from a government university in Samar, Philippines. Facebook Intensity Scale (FIS) and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) were the primary instruments used in this study. Results: Findings indicated correlation coefficients of 0.11 (p=0.336), 0.07 (p=0.536), and 0.10 (p=0.377) between Facebook Intensity Scale (FIS) and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress scales in the DASS. Time spent on FBcorrelated significantly with depression (r=0.233, p=0.041) and anxiety (r=0.259, p=0.023). Similarly, the three emotional states (depression, anxiety, and stress) correlated significantly. Conclusions: Intensity of Facebook use is not directly related to negative emotional states. However, time spent on Facebooking increases depression and anxiety scores. Implications of the findings to the fields of counseling and psychology are discussed.
Separation of product associating E. coli host cell proteins OppA and DppA from recombinant apolipoprotein A‐IMilano in an industrial HIC unit operation

We have shown how product associating E. coli host cell proteins (HCPs) OppA and DppA can be substantially separated from apolipoprotein A‐IMilano (apo A‐IM) using Butyl Sepharose hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC). This work illustrates the complex problems that frequently arise during development and scale‐up of biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes. Product association of the HCPs is confirmed using co‐immunoprecipitation and Western blotting techniques. Two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry techniques are used to confirm the identity of OppA and DppA. In this example, clearance of these difficult to separate HCPs decreased significantly when the process was scaled to a 1.4 m diameter column. Laboratory‐scale experimentation and trouble shooting identified several key parameters that could be further optimized to improve HCP clearance. The key parameters included resin loading, peak cut point on the ascending side, wash volume, and wash salt concentration. By implementing all of the process improvements that were identified, it was possible to obtain adequate HCP clearance so as to meet the final specification. Although it remains speculative, it is believed that viscosity effects may have contributed to the lower HCP clearance observed early in the manufacturing campaign. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog. , 2009
Investigating influences on the choice of mathematics at GCE A-level : a gender perspective

This research investigates influences on student choice of Mathematics at General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Level (A-level) from a gender perspective. One of the main aims of this study is to investigate the reasons why fewer girls than boys chose to study A-level Mathematics between 2005 and 2011 in the UK. The theoretical perspective of this study is the General Model of Academic Choice (Eccles, 2011). This model helped to make links between my analysis and existing concepts relating to gender, choice and performance in Mathematics. Three main kinds of data were collected and analysed in this case study involving three schools: face-to-face interviews with students and teachers, self-completed questionnaires with students, and the published examination results of the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), in the UK. The study found that although proportionately more girls than boys attained grades A*-B at General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) level 2005-2011, within the same period, more boys than girls chose A-level Mathematics. This is important because courses in which either males or females at GCSE level performed well, demonstrated a correspondingly higher rate of participation for the same gender in the same or similar courses at GCE A-level, with Mathematics being the exception. Evidence in my study suggests that improving girls’ confidence, positive attitudes and perceptions towards Mathematics could encourage girls’ participation in A-level Mathematics; but more importantly girls are more likely to continue to study Mathematics if their previous good performance is a direct effect of their enjoyment of Mathematics. Early engagement of girls with algebra can enhance confidence, positive attitude and perception of Mathematics, build a strong foundation in algebra and may subsequently increase their participation in A-level Mathematics. Finally, gender equity in Mathematics education should not only be about attaining equal outcome, but should work towards the elimination of obstacles inhibiting equal participation. I therefore propose that gender equity in Mathematics education should lead to less disparity in both performance and participation.
Appraising a Dichotomy: A Review of ‘Part‐time/Full‐time’ in the Study of Women's Employment in Britain

A key theme in women's studies is the move away from an over-reliance on treating the sexes as two separate groups onto theorizing diversity amongst women. The limitations of a ‘sexual dichotomism’ in the face of diversity is well-recognized, yet in mainstream research into women's experiences diversity is far from being a popular area of study. The tendency in the literature on women's employment is still to oversimplify any divisions into broad groupings, and in particular into dichotomies. Focusing on the popular dichotomy of part-time/full-time employment, the paper highlights two roles that the dichotomy has been expected to perform. The success it has achieved and the problems it has faced in performing these two roles are examined. The conclusion is that whilst the part-time/full-time dichotomy is particularly valuable in depicting two differentiated labour market positions, a move beyond the dichotomy would facilitate a greater understanding of the variations in women's employment experiences over the life-course. The theoretical progression from dichotomizing to disaggregation is ready to happen in the field of women's employment.
A Collaborative Location Based Travel Recommendation System through Enhanced Rating Prediction for the Group of Users

Rapid growth of web and its applications has created a colossal importance for recommender systems. Being applied in various domains, recommender systems were designed to generate suggestions such as items or services based on user interests. Basically, recommender systems experience many issues which reflects dwindled effectiveness. Integrating powerful data management techniques to recommender systems can address such issues and the recommendations quality can be increased significantly. Recent research on recommender systems reveals an idea of utilizing social network data to enhance traditional recommender system with better prediction and improved accuracy. This paper expresses views on social network data based recommender systems by considering usage of various recommendation algorithms, functionalities of systems, different types of interfaces, filtering techniques, and artificial intelligence techniques. After examining the depths of objectives, methodologies, and data sources of the existing models, the paper helps anyone interested in the development of travel recommendation systems and facilitates future research direction. We have also proposed a location recommendation system based on social pertinent trust walker (SPTW) and compared the results with the existing baseline random walk models. Later, we have enhanced the SPTW model for group of users recommendations. The results obtained from the experiments have been presented.
Detection of Crystalline Silicates around the T Tauri Star Hen 3-600A

We have carried out mid-infrared N-band spectroscopic observations of the T Tauri star Hen 3-600A in the TW Hydra association with the Cooled Mid-Infrared Camera and Spectrometer on the 8.2 m Subaru Telescope and found structured features in its spectrum. These structured features are well explained by a combination of crystalline forsterite, crystalline enstatite, silica, and glassy olivine grains. Among intermediate-mass young stellar objects (YSOs), crystalline silicates have already been detected, but no firm detection has been reported so far for low-mass YSOs such as T Tauri stars. This is the first clear detection of crystalline silicates in low-mass YSOs, and it shows that the crystallization event occurs even in the protoplanetary disk of low-mass YSOs in the T Tauri phase. The physical processes leading to the inferred dust composition in the Hen 3-600A system may be analogous to those that occurred in the early epoch of the solar system.
Genetic polymorphisms in 15 q 25 and 19 q 13 loci , cotinine levels and risk of lung cancer in EPIC Running title : 15 q 25 and 19 q 13 loci , cotinine levels and lung cancer risk

Maria N. Timofeeva, James D. McKay, George Davey Smith, Mattias Johansson, Graham B. Byrnes, Amélie Chabrier, Caroline Relton, Per Magne Ueland, Stein Emil Vollset, Øivind Midttun, Ottar Nygård, Nadia Slimani, Isabelle Romieu, Françoise ClavelChapelon, Marie-Christine Boutron-Ruault , Guy Fagherazzi 8,9,10 Rudolf Kaaks, Birgit Teucher, Heiner Boeing, Cornelia Weikert, H Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita, Carla van Gils, Petra HM Peeters, Antonio Agudo, Aurelio Barricarte, Jose-Maria Huerta, Laudina Rodríguez, Maria-José Sánchez, Nerea Larrañaga, Kay-Tee Khaw, Nick Wareham, Naomi E Allen, Ruth C Travis, Valentina Gallo, Teresa Norat, Vittorio Krogh, Giovanna Masala, Salvatore Panico, Carlotta Sacerdote, Rosario Tumino, Antonia Trichopoulou, Pagona Lagiou, Dimitrios Trichopoulos, Torgny Rasmuson, Göran Hallmans, Elio Riboli, Paolo Vineis , Paul Brennan
On being a university head of department

This article describes the role of the head of department in chartered and statutory British universities, drawing upon five research studies carried out over the past eight years. It describes how heads are appointed, their main activities, their main problems and how the role compares in chartered and statutory universities. The role is a crucial one for universities and is characterised by complexity and long working hours. Lack of preparedness for, and inadequate induction into, the role is problematic, especially in chartered universities where heads are often elected for relatively short fixed terms. The main problems encountered by heads relate to staffing issues and to being at the interface between the university and the department. Many heads feel inadequately supported either by senior managers or by the university’s non-academic ‘support’ departments.The most significant difference between the role in the two types of university is the different emphases on research.