Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the C-MAC®, Airtraq®, and Macintosh laryngoscopes in patients undergoing tracheal intubation with cervical spine immobilization.

BACKGROUND We aimed at comparing the performance of the C-MAC®, Airtraq®, and Macintosh laryngoscopes when performing tracheal intubation in patients undergoing neck immobilization using manual inline axial cervical spine stabilization. METHODS Ninety consenting patients presenting for surgery requiring tracheal intubation were randomly assigned to undergo intubation using a C-MAC® (n=30), Airtraq® (n=29), or Macintosh (n=31) laryngoscope. All patients were intubated by one anaesthetist experienced in the use of each laryngoscope. RESULTS The Airtraq® laryngoscope performed best in these patients, reducing the Intubation Difficulty Scale score, improving the Cormack and Lehane glottic view, and reducing the need for optimization manoeuvres, compared with both the Macintosh and the C-MAC®. The C-MAC® and Macintosh laryngoscopes performed similarly. There were no differences in success rates or haemodynamic profiles post-intubation between any of the devices tested. CONCLUSIONS The Airtraq® laryngoscope performed better than the C-MAC® and Macintosh laryngoscopes in patients undergoing cervical immobilization.
Lightning occurrence data observed with lightning location systems of electric power companies in Japan: 1992–2008

17 years of lightning data from 1992 to 2008 obtained with lightning location system of 9 electric power companies in Japan have been summarized and analyzed. The recent annual number of lightning flashes of which current is more than 10 kA in Japan is around one million and the 50% value of cumulative distribution of lightning peak currents is about 20kA. The variation of lightning occurrence characteristics by areas, seasons and so on are clarified. The relationship between lightning occurrence and climate, detection efficiency and the version of lightning detection systems are discussed.
Clonal Analysis of Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup B Strains in South Africa, 2002 to 2006: Emergence of New Clone ST-4240/6688

ABSTRACT From August 1999 through July 2002, hyperinvasive Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MenB) clonal complexes (CCs), namely, ST-32/ET-5 (CC32) and ST-41/44/lineage 3 (CC41/44), were predominant in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. This study analyzed MenB invasive isolates from a national laboratory-based surveillance system that were collected from January 2002 through December 2006. Isolates were characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) (n = 302), and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and PorA and FetA typing were performed on randomly selected isolates (34/302, 11%). In total, 2,400 cases were reported, with the highest numbers from Gauteng Province (1,307/2,400, 54%) and Western Cape Province (393/2,400, 16%); 67% (1,617/2,400) had viable isolates and 19% (307/1,617) were identified as serogroup B. MenB incidence remained stable over time (P = 0.77) (average incidence, 0.13/100,000 population [range, 0.10 to 0.16/100,000 population]). PFGE (302/307, 98%) divided isolates (206/302, 68%) into 13 clusters and 96 outliers. The largest cluster, B1, accounted for 25% of isolates (76/302) over the study period; its prevalence decreased from 43% (20/47) in 2002 to 13% (8/62) in 2006 (P < 0.001), and it was common in the Western Cape (58/76, 76%). Clusters B2 and B3 accounted for 10% (31/302) and 6% (19/302), respectively, and showed no significant change over time and were predominant in Gauteng. Randomly selected isolates from clusters B1, B2, and B3 belonged to CC32, CC41/44, and the new CC4240/6688, respectively. Overall, 15 PorA and 12 FetA types were identified. MenB isolates were mostly diverse with no single dominant clone; however, CC32 and CC41/44 accounted for 35% and the new CC4240/6688 was the third most prevalent clone.
The Langmuir-Blodgett Technique as a Tool for Homeotropic Alignment of Fluorinated Liquid Crystals Mixed with Arachidic Acid

Some fluoro-substituted liquid crystals mixed with arachidic acid in monolayers formed at air-liquid (Langmuir films) and air-solid substrate (Langmuir-Blodgett films) interfaces were investigated. Molecular organization in Langmuir films was determined on the basis of the analysis of the shape of the surface pressure-mean molecular area isotherm and observations made by means of a Brewster angle microscope. It was found that in the compression process the liquid crystal molecules are pushed out towards the top of the first monolayer being in direct contact with the subphase. Langmuir films were transferred onto the quartz substrates at various surface pressures and mono- and multilayered Langmuir-Blodgett films were obtained. The films were characterized using electronic absorption measurements. The conditions for obtaining the homeotropic orientation of the liquid crystal molecules were determined.
Evolutionary biology and personality psychology. Toward a conception of human nature and individual differences.

Although personality psychology sub- sumes the study of both individual differences and species-typical characteristics, the field has not yet resolved several key concerns: (a) what are the most important species-typical characteristics; (b) what are the most important ways in which individuals differ; and (c) how can species-typical characteristics and individual differences be reconciled within a general theory of personality. Evolutionary biology provides one set of criteria for identifying these characteristics and for designating relative importance among them. Genotypic universality, automaticity, and adaptation are examined as potential criteria for identifying important species-typical characteris- tics. Heritability, inclusive fitness, sexual selection, and assortative mating are evaluated as criteria for designating important individual differences. Sug- gestions are made for resolving some of the conceptual and operational difficulties entailed by implementing these criteria. It is argued that, although substantial problems remain, evolutionary biology can provide one means for identifying relations between individual differences and species-typical characteristics. Evolutionary biology and personality psychology, broadly conceived, share several common concerns. Both fields seek to identify enduring organismic characteristics and to locate their origins and func- tional significance in environments. Both fields deal with past and present adaptation. And both grant a central role to individual variation, which is the focus of most personality research and the sine qua non of evolution. These shared concerns suggest intriguing potential connections. This article attempts to offer directions for an integrative effort, while identifying some of the difficulties of this endeavor. The first section of the article identifies several key issues in personality psychology, with particular attention given to the separation between approaches emphasizing species-typical tendencies and those focusing on systematic variation around those ten- dencies. The second section identifies themes in evolutionary biology that parallel those in personality psychology, typological and population approaches, and highlights some of the alternative aims, assump- tions, methods, and limitations of each. The third section outlines three major directions for linking evolutionary biology and personality psychology. The final section attempts to identify some of the most promising programs for future research. Some Key Concerns in Personality Psychology
Online supervised spam filter evaluation

Eleven variants of six widely used open-source spam filters are tested on a chronological sequence of 49086 e-mail messages received by an individual from August 2003 through March 2004. Our approach differs from those previously reported in that the test set is large, comprises uncensored raw messages, and is presented to each filter sequentially with incremental feedback. Misclassification rates and Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve measurements are reported, with statistical confidence intervals. Quantitative results indicate that content-based filters can eliminate 98% of spam while incurring 0.1% legitimate email loss. Qualitative results indicate that the risk of loss depends on the nature of the message, and that messages likely to be lost may be those that are less critical. More generally, our methodology has been encapsulated in a free software toolkit, which may used to conduct similar experiments.
Quantile Treatment Effects of College Quality on Earnings

We use administrative data from Texas to estimate how graduating from a state flagship or a community college relative to a nonflagship university affects the distribution of earnings. We control for the selection of students across sectors using a rich set of observable ability and background characteristics and find evidence of substantial heterogeneity in the returns to quality. Returns increase with earnings among UT–Austin graduates but decline among Texas A&M graduates. For community colleges, returns are negative for lower earners but go to zero for higher earners. Our estimates also point to differences in the distribution of returns by race/ethnicity.
Normative Standards for Coral Reef Conditions: A Comparison of SCUBA Divers by Specialization Level

Abstract Previous research suggests that recreationists develop preferences for certain resource characteristics as they become more specialized. In this study, normative standards for resource conditions at coral reefs in the Florida Keys were compared among three specialization groups of SCUBA divers. Norm intensity was significantly greater among more specialized divers for three of four resource conditions studied—coral bleaching, algae cover, and presence of fish. Likewise, evaluations for individual conditions were generally more extreme among specialized divers for the same three resource conditions. However, divers differed significantly by specialization in their evaluations of just one underwater visibility condition. Study findings point to a connection between specialization level and social norms for resource conditions that are compatible with a healthy reef ecosystem.
Inappropriate Vancomycin Prescribing Based on Criteria from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Increasing reports of vancomycin resistance have raised concerns about the future effectiveness of this drug in treatment of critically ill patients with gram‐positive infections. Due to these concerns the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published criteria that delineate the prudent use of vancomycin. Using these criteria, we attempted to determine the appropriateness of vancomycin prescribing patterns at our institution. A retrospective chart review was performed for 135 hospitalized patients treated between May 1993 and April 1994. Inappropriate empiric vancomycin use was documented in 81 (60%) of these patients. When culture results were available, 28 (21%) patients inappropriately received the drug. Results of this study are similar to those of other studies of vancomycin use in hospitals based on non‐CDC criteria. If CDC criteria are to have a positive impact on physicians' vancomycin prescribing patterns, significant educational efforts will be required.
Coping with Reading Disability: Portrait of an Adult Disabled Reader.

acy has grown dramatically in recent years (e.g., Bowren and Zintz, 1977; Cook, 1977; Cranney, 1983a; Hunter and Harman, 1979; Johnson, 1980). Although "success stories" about the development of reading skills in college students (e.g., Watson, 1982) as well as research on effective college/ adult reading strategies (e.g., Cranney, 1983b; Educational Gerontology, 1979; Mikulecky, 1982; Mikulecky and Diehl, 1980; Park, 1981) are encouraging, little has been written about adults who have learned to
The Effect of Dalcroze Eurhythmics on the Melodic Musical Growth of First Grade Students.

The primary purpose of the study was to determine the effect of Dalcroze Eurhythmies on the melodic musical growth of first grade stu­ dents. The secondary purposes of the study were to determine the dif­ ferences between boys and girls in the ability to discriminate pitch register and melodic contours and to determine the differences created by the interaction of method, sex, and time. Seventy-six first grade students in four intact classes partici­ pated in the study. Two classes, control group, used the melodic units of the 1978 Silver Burdett Music (SBM). Two classes, experimental group, used Silver Burdett Music and Dalcroze Eurhythmic activities (DE). The eight-week study included six weeks of instruction and two weeks for testing. The investigator-designed Melodic Achievement Test, consisting of two sub-tests, was administered as the pretest and posttest measures for both groups. Sub-test A consisted of twenty-five items of two tones each. The students answered if the second tone was higher than, lower than, or the same as the first tone. Sub-test B consisted of twentyfive items of five tones each. The students answered if the tones were moving higher, lower, or higher and lower. All directions and test items were recorded on cassette tape for administration. The data were subjected to a Three-Way Analysis of Variance with a repeated measure on time. The results indicated that SBM scored sig­ nificantly higher than DE on the pretest (]> ̂ . 05). There was a signi-
Cryptococcal skin test antigen: preparation variables and characterization

Antigen capable of eliciting delayed hypersensitivity reactions in the skin of sensitized guinea pigs could be extracted from Cryptococcus neoformans cells by stirring the cells from 3 to 5 days in concentrated urea or guanidine. Hydrolysis of urea to ammonia by cryptococcal urease accompanied urea extraction, but alkalinity appeared neither necessary nor sufficient for extraction. Antigen from live cells gave larger delayed skin reactions than did antigen from Formalin-killed cells. Peak skin test reactivity appeared to reside in protein-rich fraction having an elution volume on Sephadex G50 corresponding to a molecular weight of 10(4). Activity precipitated with half-saturated ammonium sulfate and could be detected in a single, narrow, rapidly migrating band on disc electrophoresis. Dialyzable proteinaceous antigen and high-molecular-weight, serologically active polysaccharide were present in the antigen, but not active in the delayed hypersensitivity reactions.
To go deep or wide in learning?

To achieve acceptable performance for AI tasks, one can either use sophisticated feature extraction methods as the first layer in a two-layered supervised learning model, or learn the features directly using a deep (multi-layered) model. While the first approach is very problem-specific, the second approach has computational overheads in learning multiple layers and fine-tuning of the model. In this paper, we propose an approach called wide learning based on arc-cosine kernels, that learns a single layer of infinite width. We propose exact and inexact learning strategies for wide learning and show that wide learning with single layer outperforms single layer as well as deep architectures of finite width for some benchmark datasets.
Efficient scanning algorithm for integrated mobile and nomadic systems: a hierarchical approach

We consider a wireless communication environment in which a large number of local area cells are deployed within the coverage of wide area cells. In this environment, a scanning operation to detect a suitable local area cell for handoff can degrade the performance of a mobile station, because repeated scanning trials are likely to cause disruption of service and require considerable consumption of power. Therefore, we propose and analyze a hierarchical scanning algorithm that is capable of providing MS-specific neighbor cell information. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can significantly reduce the number of scanning trials required to detect a suitable local area cell for handoff.
Microglia Regulate the Number of Neural Precursor Cells in the Developing Cerebral Cortex

Neurogenesis must be properly regulated to ensure that cell production does not exceed the requirements of the growing cerebral cortex, yet our understanding of mechanisms that restrain neuron production remains incomplete. We investigated the function of microglial cells in the developing cerebral cortex of prenatal and postnatal macaques and rats and show that microglia limit the production of cortical neurons by phagocytosing neural precursor cells. We show that microglia selectively colonize the cortical proliferative zones and phagocytose neural precursor cells as neurogenesis nears completion. We found that deactivating microglia in utero with tetracyclines or eliminating microglia from the fetal cerebral cortex with liposomal clodronate significantly increased the number of neural precursor cells, while activating microglia in utero through maternal immune activation significantly decreased the number of neural precursor cells. These data demonstrate that microglia play a fundamental role in regulating the size of the precursor cell pool in the developing cerebral cortex, expanding our understanding of the mechanisms that regulate cortical development. Furthermore, our data suggest that any factor that alters the number or activation state of microglia in utero can profoundly affect neural development and affect behavioral outcomes.
Characterization of Plasmid-Mediated Quinolone Resistance (PMQR) Genes in Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae Pediatric Clinical Isolates in Mexico

This work describes the characterization of plasmid-mediated quinolone-resistance (PMQR) genes from a multicenter study of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae pediatric clinical isolates in Mexico. The PMQR gene-positive isolates were characterized with respect to ESBLs, and mutations in the GyrA and ParC proteins were determined. The phylogenetic relationship was established by PFGE and the transfer of PMQR genes was determined by mating assays. The prevalence of the PMQR genes was 32.1%, and the rate of qnr-positive isolates was 15.1%; 93.3% of the latter were qnrB and 6.4% were qnrA1. The distribution of isolates in terms of bacterial species was as follows: 23.5% (4/17) corresponded to E. cloacae, 13.7% (7/51) to K. pneumoniae, and 13.6% (6/44) to E. coli. In addition, the prevalence of aac(6’)-Ib-cr and qepA was 15.1% and 1.7%, respectively. The molecular characteristics of qnr- and qepA-positive isolates pointed to extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) CTX-M-15 as the most prevalent one (70.5%), and to SHV-12 in the case of aac(6’)-Ib-cr-positive isolates. GyrA mutations at codons Ser-83 and Asp-87, and ParC mutations at codons Ser-80 were observed in 41.1% and 35.2% of the qnr-positive isolates, respectively. The analysis of the transconjugants revealed a co-transmission of blaCTX-M-15 with the qnrB alleles. In general, the prevalence of PMQR genes (qnr and aac(6’)-Ib-cr) presented in this work was much lower in the pediatric isolates, in comparison to the adult isolates in Mexico. Also, ESBL CTX-M-15 was the main ESBL identified in the pediatric isolates, whereas in the adult ones, ESBLs corresponded to the CTX-M and the SHV families. In comparison with other studies, among the PMQR-genes identified in this study, the qnrB-alleles and the aac(6’)-Ib-cr gene were the most prevalent, whereas the qnrS1, qnrA1 and qnrB-like alleles were the most prevalent in China and Uruguay.
Quantitative MR imaging R2 relaxometry in elderly participants reporting memory loss.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In Alzheimer disease (AD), elevated brain iron concentrations in gray matter suggest a disruption in iron homeostasis, while demyelination processes in white matter increase the water content. Our aim was to assess whether the transverse proton relaxation rate, or R2, an MR imaging parameter affected by changes in brain iron concentration and water content, was different in elderly participants with mild to severe levels of cognitive impairment compared with healthy controls. METHODS Twelve elderly participants reporting memory problems and 11 healthy volunteers underwent single-spin-echo MR imaging in a 1.5T scanner, with subsequent neuropsychological testing. R2 data were collected from 14 brain regions in cortical and subcortical gray and white matter. Those with memory complaints were separated into 2 further subgroups: MC1 (no objective cognitive impairment) and MC2 (mild to severe objective cognitive impairment). RESULTS Mean brain R2 values from the 11 controls correlated strongly (r = 0.94, P < .0001) with reference brain iron concentrations for healthy adults. R2 values in the MC1 and MC2 subgroups were significantly higher in the right temporal cortex and significantly lower in the left internal capsule, compared with healthy controls. R2 values in the MC2 subgroup were significantly lower in the left temporal and frontal white matter, compared with healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS R2 differences between both subgroups and the healthy controls suggest iron has increased in the temporal cortex, and myelin has been lost from several white matter regions in those with memory complaints, consistent with incipient AD pathogenesis and biochemical data.
Influence of Owners’ Attachment Style and Personality on Their Dogs’ (Canis familiaris) Separation-Related Disorder

Previous research has suggested that owners’ attitude to their family dogs may contribute to a variety of behaviour problems in the dog, and authors assume that dogs with separation-related disorder (SRD) attach differently to the owner than typical dogs do. Our previous research suggested that these dogs may have an insecure attachment style. In the present study we have investigated whether owners’ attachment style, personality traits and the personality of the dog influence the occurrence of SRD in the dog. In an internet-based survey 1508 (1185 German and 323 Hungarian) dog-owners filled in five questionnaires: Demographic questions, Separation Behaviour Questionnaire (to determine SRD), Human and Dog Big Five Inventory and Adult Attachment Scale. We found that with owners’ higher score on attachment avoidance the occurrence of SRD in the dog increases. Dogs scoring higher on the neuroticism scale were more prone to develop SRD. Our results suggest that owners’ attachment avoidance may facilitate the development of SRD in dogs. We assume that avoidant owners are less responsive to the dog’s needs and do not provide a secure base for the dog when needed. As a result dogs form an insecure attachment and may develop SRD. However, there may be alternative explanations of our findings that we also discuss.
Walking efficiency in children with cerebral palsy: relation to muscular strength and gait parameters

last minute of a 6-minute walking test, performed at selfselected speed, and the walking speed during the test. From the gait analysis, the outcome measures were the sagittal RoM and the maximal power generated at the hip, knee and ankle during gait. Prior to the gait analysis, the maximal isometric strength of the hip abductors and the hip and knee flexors and extensors was measured using a hand-held dynamometer. Normality of the distributions was determined using the Kolmogorov‐Smirnov test. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to quantify the relationship among all the measures. A linear regression model was fitted to predict gait efficiency using kinetic and kinematic gait parameters.