Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of interpretive criteria and quality control limits for macrolide and clindamycin susceptibility testing of Streptococcus pneumoniae

A six-laboratory collaborative study was conducted to develop MIC and zone diameter quality control limits and interpretive criteria for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Streptococcus pneumoniae with azithromycin, clarithromycin, dirithromycin, and clindamycin. The MICs of all of the agents plus erythromycin for 302 clinical isolates of pneumococci that had been selected with an emphasis on resistant strains were determined by use of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS)-recommended broth microdilution procedure. The zone diameters of the isolates were also determined for the same agents except erythromycin by the NCCLS disk diffusion test procedure. Repeated testing of S. pneumoniae ATCC 49619 with different sources and lots of media and disks allowed development of MIC and zone diameter quality control ranges for these agents. Interpretive criteria for the MIC of azithromycin were established and were as follows: susceptible, < or = 0.5 microgram/ml; intermediate, 1 microgram/ml; and resistant, > or = 2 micrograms/ml. The interpretive criteria advocated for the MICs of clarithromycin and clindamycin were as follows: susceptible, < or = 0.25 microgram/ml; intermediate, 0.5 microgram/ml; and resistant, > or = 1 microgram/ml. Comparison of MICs and disk diffusion zone diameters led to the development of interpretive criteria for the zone diameters for azithromycin, clarithromycin, and clindamycin that correlated well with these MIC breakpoints. Testing of this organism collection also led to the reestablishment of the erythromycin MIC breakpoints as being identical to those of clarithromycin, which resulted in equivalent cross-susceptibility and cross-resistance for the three macrolides that are currently marketed in the United States. Thus, the susceptibility of pneumococci to azithromycin and clarithromycin can be predicted accurately by testing only erythromycin in clinical laboratories. This recommendation, as well as the interpretive and quality control criteria that are described, have been accepted by NCCLS and are included in the latest NCCLS susceptibility testing guidelines.
A survey paper on big data analytics

In recent years, the internet application and communication have seen a lot of development and reputation in the field of Information Technology. These internet applications and communication are continually generating the large size, different variety and with some genuine difficult multifaceted structure data called big data. As a consequence, we are now in the era of massive automatic data collection, systematically obtaining many measurements, not knowing which one will be relevant to the phenomenon of interest. For example, E-commerce transactions include activities such as online buying, selling or investing. Thus they generate the data which are high in dimensional and complex in structure. The traditional data storage techniques are not adequate to store and analyses those huge volume of data. Many researchers are doing their research in dimensionality reduction of the big data for effective and better analytics report and data visualization. Hence, the aim of the survey paper is to provide the overview of the big data analytics, issues, challenges and various technologies related with Big Data.
Smart phone usage and addiction among dental students in Saudi Arabia: a cross sectional study

Abstract Purpose The main aim of this research is to explore measures of smart phone usage, smart phone addiction, and their associations with demographic and health behavior-related variables among dental students in Saudi Arabia. Methods A Cross sectional study involving sample of 205 dental students from Qaseem Private College were surveyed for smart phone use and addiction using the short version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale for Adolescents (SAS-SV). Results Smart phone addiction was seen in 136 (71.9%) of the 189 students. The findings from our study revealed that high stress levels, low physical activity, higher body mass index (BMI), longer duration of smart phone usage, higher frequency of usage, shorter time period until first smart phone use in the morning and social networking sites (SNS) were associated significantly with the smart phone addiction. Conclusion The current research gives the information about the extent of smart phone over usage and addiction among the dental students in Saudi Arabia with indication of the predictors of addiction and the need for further research in the area with comprehensible interpretation to spread the awareness of the smart phone addiction.
Extending color psychology to the personality realm: interpersonal hostility varies by red preferences and perceptual biases.

The color psychology literature has made a convincing case that color is not just about aesthetics, but also about meaning. This work has involved situational manipulations of color, rendering it uncertain as to whether color-meaning associations can be used to characterize how people differ from each other. The present research focuses on the idea that the color red is linked to, or associated with, individual differences in interpersonal hostility. Across four studies (N = 376 undergraduates), red preferences and perceptual biases were measured along with individual differences in interpersonal hostility. It was found that (a) a preference for the color red was higher as interpersonal hostility increased, (b) hostile people were biased to see the color red more frequently than nonhostile people, and (c) there was a relationship between a preference for the color red and hostile social decision making. These studies represent an important extension of the color psychology literature, highlighting the need to attend to person-based, as well as situation-based, factors.
New Insight into Progenitor/Stem Cells in Dental Pulp Using Col1a1-GFP Transgenes

In recent years there has been increasing progress in identifying stem cells from adult tissues and their potential application in tissue engineering. These advances provide a promising future for tooth replacement/regeneration. Essential for this approach is the identification of donor stem cells for various components of the teeth. Our studies show that pOBCol3.6GFPtpz and pOBCol2.3GFPemd transgenic animals provide a unique model to gain insight into stem cells in the dental pulp. Our in vivo studies of the developing teeth of these transgenic lines show both Col1a1-GFP transgenes are expressed in functional and fully differentiated odontoblasts. The patterns of expression of Col1a1-GFP transgenes during odontoblast differentiation correlates with the expression of DSPP. In the developing craniofacial bones both Col1a1-GFP transgenes are also expressed in osteoblasts and osteocytes of alveolar and calvarial bones. In the alveolar bones, the expression of Col1a1-GFP in osteocytes correlates with the expression of Dmp1. Col1a1-3.6-GFP is expressed in the entire layer of the periosteum and in suture mesenchyme containing osteoprogenitor cells. On the other hand, Col1a1-2.3- GFP expression was limited to the osteoblastic layer of the periosteum and was not detected in the fibroblastic layer of the periosteum or in the suture mesenchyme. These observations indicate that Col1a1-3.6-GFP and Col1a1-2.3-GFP transgenes identify different subpopulations of cells during intramembranous ossification. By using the coronal portion of dental pulps isolated from postnatal transgenic mice our observations also provide direct evidence that the dental pulp contains progenitor/stem cells capable of giving rise to a new generation of odontoblast-like cells, as well as osteoblast-like cells.
HYBRID DYSFUNCTION IN FIRE‐BELLIED TOADS (BOMBINA)

Reproductive isolation between two taxa may be due to endogenous selection, which is generated by incompatibilities between the respective genomes, to exogenous selection, which is generated by differential adaptations to alternative environments, or to both. The continuing debate over the relative importance of either mode of selection has highlighted the need for unambiguous data on the fitness of hybrid genotypes. The hybrid zone between the fire‐bellied toad (Bombina bombina) and the yellow‐bellied toad (B. variegata) in central Europe involves adaptation to different environments, but evidence of hybrid dysfunction is equivocal. In this study, we followed the development under laboratory conditions of naturally laid eggs collected from a transect across the Bombina hybrid zone in Croatia. Fitness was significantly reduced in hybrid populations: Egg batches from the center of the hybrid zone showed significantly higher embryonic and larval mortality and higher frequencies of morphological abnormalities relative to either parental type. Overall mortality from day of egg collection to three weeks after hatching reached 20% in central hybrid populations, compared to 2% in pure populations. There was no significant difference in fitness between two parental types. Within hybrid populations, there was considerable variation in fitness, with some genotypes showing no evidence of reduced viability. We discuss the implications of these findings for our understanding of barriers to gene flow between species.
Beyond airflow limitation: another look at COPD

More than 40 years ago Benjamin Burrows and his colleagues1 described the distinctive clinical, functional, radiological and pathological characteristics of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) phenotypes that they called emphysematous and bronchial types of chronic airways obstruction. They identified a subgroup of patients who were “ thin ” and had evidence of emphysema on chest x ray, while another subgroup was found to be of “ stocky build ” and had chest x ray changes suggestive of previous pulmonary inflammatory disease. Postmortem anatomical emphysema severity was positively related to emphysema grade on chest x ray, and with total lung capacity and age. Anatomical emphysema was, on the other hand, inversely related to chronic inflammatory changes on chest x ray, and with sputum volume, carbon dioxide tension and diffusing capacity.1 All patients had severe irreversible airways obstruction and died of respiratory failure but, noticeably, reduction in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) was not significantly related to anatomical emphysema extent and severity. Burrows et al introduced the terms type A and type B to empirically differentiate patients with the emphysematous type from those with the bronchial type of chronic airways obstruction.1 This phenotypic differentiation of patients with COPD, without being not even seriously questioned or challenged, has never been widely accepted and in more recent times it has been almost totally neglected by the pulmonary scientific community. In this issue of Thorax , investigators from the Universities of Kyoto, Shiga, and Vancouver,2 continuing a long history of research activity in the field of the in vivo anatomical study of COPD by high resolution computed tomography (HRCT), elegantly bring back …
A Participatory Randomized Controlled Trial in Knowledge Translation (KT) to Promote the Adoption of Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients in An Urban District of Thailand.

OBJECTIVE To examine effectiveness of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) in glycemic control for poor control diabetes patients, and test whether the glycemic outcome for those with the 7-point SMBG was better than those with 5-point SMBG or usual care. MATERIAL AND METHOD Randomized-controlled trial (RCT) of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus aged 30 years or older HbA1c > 7. Patients were randomly allocated to one of three groups; 7-point SMBG 5-point SBMG and control group. Differences in HbA1c at 6 months and baseline were compared among groups. RESULTS A total of 191 patients with poor control of diabetes were included. Compared with baseline, at 6 months, average change in HbAlc among control, 7-point, and 5-point SMBG were -0.38, -0.87, and -0.99 (p = 0.04), respectively. The corresponding percentages of patients with reduced HbA1c were 57.1%, 77.6% and 75.5%, respectively (p = 0.03). Using different cut-off values for HbA1c (< 7 and < 7.5) resulted in different percentage distribution of T2DM patients among the 3 groups, yet the differences were not statistically significant. Reductions in body weight were observed in both SMBG groups but not in the control group. CONCLUSION Using RCT on participatory basis, SMBG with individual dietary counseling was effective in short term. Further engagement with the provider team, the patients/care takers and the health care financing agency to integrate SMBG in the care protocol for poor control diabetes should be considered.
Identification of nutritionally adequate mixtures of vegetable oils by linear programming.

OBJECTIVE To determine the types and proportions of vegetable oils to recommend for a healthy diet. METHODS Optimal vegetable oil combinations were designed, using linear programming and, as decision variables, nine single oils and 29 basic food items. 'Oil models' were run to determine whether reasonable amounts of individuals oils or oil mixtures satisfied a set of constraints on essential fatty acids and vitamin E. 'Meal models' were run to test whether selected mixtures could be used as the sole source of added fat in a meal that met micronutrient and macronutrient recommendations. RESULTS The cheapest mixture (0.97 euro L(-1)) that solved the oil models contained 81% rapeseed and 19% sunflower oils. About 10-15 g of this mixture, alone or with olive, soya bean, wheat germ or walnut oils, also solved the meal models. Mixtures that contained a high proportion (>or=50%) of the tasty olive and walnut oils also solved the models but were more expensive (4.9 euro L(-1) and 8.5 euro L(-1), respectively). CONCLUSIONS The consumption of a mixture composed of rapeseed and sunflower oils in a 4 : 1 proportion is an inexpensive and simple way to meet current dietary recommendations for essential fatty acids and vitamin E, favouring overall dietary nutrient adequacy.
Robust stability analysis of linear systems with parametric uncertainty

This article is concerned with the problem of robust stability analysis of linear systems with uncertain parameters. By constructing an equivalent system with positive uncertain parameters and using the properties of these parameters, a new stability analysis condition is derived. Due to making use of the properties of uncertain parameters, the new proposed method has potential to give less conservative results than the existing approaches. A numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
The relation between cholesterol absorption and cholesterol synthesis in the baboon.

To determine the relation between cholesterol absorption, total endogenous cholesterol synthesis, and hepatic cholesterol synthesis in a primate, cholesterol synthesis has been studied in biopsies of liver and ileum from normal baboons fed varying amounts of cholesterol and in biopsies of liver from baboons that had been subjected to ileal diversion. In addition, total cholesterol production rates, cholesterol absorption, and total endogenous cholesterol synthesis have been measured in these animals by a double isotope technique in which the animals were given a single injection of cholesterol-4-(14)C and fed constant amounts of cholesterol-1,2-(3)H for 4 months. From these studies, it has been concluded that on a low cholesterol intake cholesterol synthesis in the liver accounts for about three-fourths of total endogenous cholesterol production. The feeding of cholesterol produces complete inhibition of hepatic synthesis in the normal animal only when absorption approximates the amount synthesized by the liver when no cholesterol is fed, e.g., 400-500 mg/day. Finally, the intestine, which does not possess complete negative feedback control of cholesterol synthesis when cholesterol is fed, may be a significant site of nonhepatic cholesterol synthesis in these animals. In studies of four baboons subjected to ileal diversion, it was concluded that the regulation of cholesterol synthesis is distinctly different when the enterohepatic circulation is interrupted. These animals did not exhibit negative feedback of hepatic cholesterol synthesis when cholesterol was fed, despite the fact that cholesterol absorption approximated that of normal animals fed similar diets. The inference has been drawn that bile acids may be involved directly or indirectly in the regulation of hepatic cholesterol synthesis in this species or that the ileum itself may modulate the hepatic negative feedback.
Comparative analysis of hypertension and its causes among renal replacement therapy patients.

BACKGROUND In renal replacement therapy (RRT) patients, the target values of blood pressure (BP) are being continuously modified and excessive fat tissue may even have a protective impact on the risk of mortality due to cardiovascular causes - the "obesity paradox". The purpose of the study was to compare the occurrence of hypertension (HTN) and its underlying causes in patients in the first year after kidney transplantation (KTx), and hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. MATERIAL/METHODS A group of 120 RRT patients (PD, n=30; HD, n=40; KTx, n=50) was analyzed. The following research tools were used: (1) 24- or 44-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM); (2) bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA); (3) traditional method - office BP; (4) Morisky-Green test; and (5) disease history. The significance level was p<0.05. RESULTS The analysis revealed (HTN) (on the basis of ABPM values and anti-hypertensive treatment) in 90% of PD patients, 83% of HD patients in the first 24 h after hemodialysis, and in 95% of HD patients in the second 24 h after hemodialysis. In patients in the 12(th) month after KTx, BP values went up along with increased creatinine and hemoglobin concentration and urine protein presence (r=0.38; r=0.31; r=0.38; p<0.05). HD had a statistically significant impact of fat tissue growth on reducing BP (r=-0.34; p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Fat tissues play a cardioprotective role in the development of hypertension in HD patients. This shows the possibility of early noninvasive identification of patients exposed to development of chronic allograft nephropathy.
Religion, clinicians, and the integration of complementary and alternative medicines.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare religious characteristics of general internists, rheumatologists, naturopaths, and acupuncturists, as well as to examine associations between physicians' religious characteristics and their openness to integrating complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). DESIGN The design involved a national mail survey. The subjects were internists, rheumatologists, naturopaths, and acupuncturists. MEASURES Physician outcome measures were use of and attitudes toward six classes of CAM. Predictors were religious affiliation, intrinsic religiosity, spirituality, and religious traditionalism. RESULTS There was a 65% response. Naturopaths and acupuncturists were three times as likely as internists and rheumatologists to report no religious affiliation (35% versus 12%, p < 0.001), but were more likely to describe themselves as very spiritual (51% versus 20%, p < 0.001) and to agree they try to carry religious beliefs into life's dealings (51% versus 44%, p < 0.01). Among physicians, increased spirituality and religiosity coincided with more personal use of CAM and willingness to integrate CAM into a treatment program. CONCLUSIONS Current and future integrative medicine will be shaped in part by religious and spiritual characteristics of providers.
The imprint of warm dark matter on the cosmological 21-cm signal

We investigate the effects of warm dark matter (WDM) on the cosmic 21-cm signal. If dark matter exists as WDM instead of cold dark matter (CDM), its non-negligible velocities can inhibit the formation of low-mass halos that normally form first in CDM models, therefore delaying star-formation. The absence of early sources delays the build-up of UV and X-ray backgrounds that affect the 21-cm radiation signal produced by neutral hydrogen. With use of the 21CMFAST, code, we demonstrate that the pre-reionization 21-cm signal can be changed significantly in WDM models with a free-streaming length equivalent to that of a thermal relic with mass mx of up to ~10-20 keV. In such a WDM cosmology, the 21-cm signal traces the growth of more massive halos, resulting in a delay of the 21-cm absorption signature and followed by accelerated X-ray heating. CDM models where astrophysical sources have a suppressed photon-production efficiency can delay the 21-cm signal as well, although its subsequent evolution is not as rapid as compared to WDM. This motivates using the gradient of the global 21-cm signal to differentiate between some CDM and WDM models. Finally, we show that the degeneracy between the astrophysics and mx can be broken with the 21-cm power spectrum, as WDM models should have a bias-induced excess of power on large scales. This boost in power should be detectable with current interferometers for models with mx < 3 keV, while next generation instruments will easily be able to measure this difference for all relevant WDM models.
Comparison of MS clinical phenotypes using conventional and magnetization transfer MRI

Objective: To identify differences in pathology between the principal clinical phenotypes of MS using conventional and magnetization transfer (MT) MRI. Methods: T1-weighted and T2-weighted images as well as MT scans were obtained from 20 controls, 21 patients presenting with clinically isolated syndromes suggestive of MS, and 93 MS patients with relapsing-remitting, secondary progressive, benign, or primary progressive course. Metrics considered: hypointense T1 and T2 lesion volumes, average lesion MT ratio, average brain MT ratio, peak height and position from MT histograms. Results: MS patients had lower MT metrics than controls. Patients with clinically isolated syndromes had MT measures similar to controls, whereas primary progressive MS patients had lower histogram peak height with normal peak position. Relapsing-remitting MS patients had lower MT measures, higher T2 lesion load and ratio of hypointense T1 to T2 lesion volumes than patients with clinically isolated syndromes, and lower MT ratio and peak height than benign MS patients. Benign MS patients were similar to controls and patients with clinically isolated syndromes. Secondary progressive MS patients had the lowest MT measures and highest lesion loads. Conclusions: Pathology in patients with clinically isolated syndromes is confined to modest tissue damage in the lesions seen on T2-weighted scans. Severe damage is important for the later development of disability. However, microscopic damage in normal-appearing white matter may be a major contributor to disability in primary progressive MS.