Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hypoxia and Extraintestinal Dissemination of Candida Albicans Yeast Forms

Candida albicans is a pleomorphic fungus with budding yeast and filamentous forms, and is a frequent cause of complicating infections in patients who are postsurgical, in shock, and have trauma. Many cases of systemic candidiasis are thought to originate from the intestine, but it is unclear if the filament or the yeast is the more invasive form. Because C. albicans is relatively noninvasive and because mesenteric ischemia is thought to facilitate extraintestinal microbial dissemination, wild-type C. albicans CAF2 and mutant HLC54 (defective in filament formation) were orally inoculated into antibiotic-treated mice that were housed exclusively in room air, or were intermittently exposed to 10% oxygen for 1-h intervals. Both strains of C. albicans colonized the cecum in similar numbers (approximately 106.7/g). C. albicans translocation to the draining mesenteric lymph nodes was not detected in mice inoculated with CAF2 (normoxic or hypoxic) or in normoxic mice inoculated with HLC54, but was detected in 33% (P < 0.01) of hypoxic mice inoculated with HLC54. Using Caco-2 and HT-29 enterocytes cultivated on plastic dishes and pretreated for 48 h in 10% oxygen, adherence of C. albicans HLC54 was decreased compared with wild-type CAF2, and hypoxia had no noticeable effect on adherence of either CAF2 or HLC54. Using enterocytes cultivated on permeable 8-&mgr;m filters, transepithelial migration of C. albicans CAF2 and HLC54 appeared similar. Thus, C. albicans HLC54 (defective in filament formation) was more invasive in hypoxic mice compared with wild-type CAF2, and host factors (e.g., mesenteric ischemia) rather than an innate ability to interact with enterocytes might play a more important role in extraintestinal dissemination of C. albicans yeast forms.
Compensating Wage Differentials Among Self-Employed Workers: Evidence from Job Satisfaction Scores

Previous studies have found that self-employed workers with long business tenure earn less than other workers with similar characteristics. This difference in earnings can be explained by the compensating wage differential theory when self-employed jobs have attractive non-earnings aspects. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 79 (NLSY79), I test whether moves in and out of self-employment are associated with changes in recorded job satisfaction scores. By looking at changes in individualsf job satisfaction over time, I overcome the difficulty of interpreting differences in subjective job satisfaction scores across individuals associated with cross-sectional analysis. Using my estimates, I calculate the monetary value of the non-pecuniary aspects of self-employment and find that the value of self-employment in terms of job satisfaction is sufficiently high enough to support the compensating differential hypothesis as an explanation for lower earnings among self-employed workers.
Characterization of placenta accreta using transvaginal sonography and color Doppler imaging

The safe use of transvaginal sonography in patients with placenta previa has been confirmed, and has revolutionized precise placental localization. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of transvaginal sonography and color‐coded blood flow in the prediction of placenta accreta. Twenty‐one patients with persistent placenta previa were scanned using transvaginal sonography and color‐coded flow. Suspicion for placenta accreta consisted of total placenta previa at term with several placental lacunae exhibiting marked or turbulent blood flow, as seen with color Doppler transvaginal sonography from within the placenta, extending into the surrounding tissues. Five of the patients exhibited sonographic placental patterns suspicious for placenta accreta and one patient exhibited placental and cervical blood flow described as lacunar. Five Cesarean hysterectomies were performed for placenta accreta. Every placenta accreta was correctly diagnosed sonographically by the use of color flow studies. One patient with suspicion of placenta accreta delivered at another institution, a Cesarean hysterectomy was performed, and the pathology was confirmed. The one placenta previa exhibiting turbulent lacunar flow in the cervical area only was not confirmed to be an accreta at Cesarean section, although hemostasis was difficult at the placental bed. The remaining 15 patients with placenta previa and who on sonography were not suspicious for placenta accreta underwent uncomplicated Cesarean section. Transvaginal sonography and color Doppler imaging improve the diagnostic accuracy in the prediction of placenta accreta in patients with persistent placenta previa. A pattern of turbulent blood flow extending from the placenta into the surrounding tissues should alert the physician to the possibility of placenta accreta. Copyright © 1995 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Monthly pulses of vincristine and prednisone prevent bone marrow and testicular relapse in low-risk childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a report of the CCG-161 study by the Childrens Cancer Study Group.

On study CCG-161 of the Childrens Cancer Study Group (CCSG), 631 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at low risk for relapse were randomized to receive monthly pulses of vincristine-prednisone (VCR-PDN ) during maintenance therapy in addition to standard therapy with mercaptopurine (6MP) and methotrexate (MTX), and either cranial irradiation during consolidation or intrathecal (IT) MTX every 3 months during maintenance. All patients received six doses of IT MTX during induction and consolidation. With a minimum follow-up time of 4.25 years, 76.7% receiving VCR-PDN were in continuous complete remission at 5 years, in contrast to 63.9% receiving GMP-MTX alone (P = .002). The difference in relapse-free survival was due primarily to bone marrow relapse (P = .0008), and in boys also to testicular relapse (P = .003). Among the nonirradiated patients, the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) was 79.4% for patients randomized to the VCR-PDN pulses, in contrast to 61.2% for the patients randomized to receive 6MP-MTX alone (P = .0002). Among the irradiated patients, the DFS was not significantly different. Of the four combinations of maintenance and CNS therapy studied, the highest DFS was achieved with VCR-PDN pulses and maintenance IT MTX.
A Restricted Data Envelopment Analysis Application to Dairy Farming

In this study the technical efficiency level of dairy farms in Greece is estimated by imposing weight restrictions on the conventional data envelopment analysis (DEA) model. The assurance region approach is applied on farm record and accounting data from 165 dairy farms. The numerical values of the weight bounds are determined by placing limits on the estimated output elasticities and on the factors' cost share of the total production cost. The imposition of bounds on the DEA weights provides more persuasive efficiency scores and alters the structure of the efficient farms, verifying the importance of placing weight restrictions when dealing with real-life applications.
The role of volume in order book dynamics: a multivariate Hawkes process analysis

Abstract We show that multivariate Hawkes processes coupled with the nonparametric estimation procedure first proposed in Bacry and Muzy [IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory, 2016, 62, 2184–2202] can be successfully used to study complex interactions between the time of arrival of orders and their size observed in a limit order book market. We apply this methodology to high-frequency order book data of futures traded at EUREX. Specifically, we demonstrate how this approach is amenable not only to analyse interplay between different order types (market orders, limit orders, cancellations) but also to include other relevant quantities, such as the order size, into the analysis, showing also that simple models assuming the independence between volume and time are not suitable to describe the data.
Curcumin Labeling of Neuronal Fibrillar Tau Inclusions in Human Brain Samples

The study aimed to characterize curcumin (CCM) (fluorescent yellow curry pigment) labeling of neuronal fibrillar tau inclusions (FTIs) in representative cases of 3 main tauopathies: Alzheimer disease(AD), progressive supranuclear palsy, and Pick disease. After identification of FTIs in hematoxylin and eosin-stained brain sections, sequential labeling and signal colocalization image analysis were used to compare CCM with thioflavine S (ThS), monoclonal antibody AT8 immunofluorescence, and Gallyas silver staining by visualizing the same FTIs. Curcumin preference for specific tau isoforms was tested with 3-repeat tau and 4-repeat tau isoform-specific immunofluorescence. Curcumin proved highly comparable to ThS and Gallyas staining in its detection of FTIs. When comparing CCM with AT8, ThS, andGallyas staining in AD and progressive supranuclear palsy, 3 types of neuronal tau deposits were observed: nonfibrillar intracellular material labeled only with AT8, fibrillar intracellular inclusions labeled byall the methods, and fibrillar extracellular FTIs labeled with CCM, ThS, and Gallyas staining but not with AT8. Although CCM labeling overlapped with both 3-repeat tau and 4-repeat tau in AD, it did not label 3-repeat tau FTIs in Pick disease probably because of their different ultrastructural characteristics. In summary, CCM fluorescence reliably detected neuronal FTIs in AD and progressive supranuclear palsy and surpassed AT8 immunolabeling in visualizing later stages ofFTIs, including ghost tangles. These results provide the basis for potential future applications of CCM binding of tau aggregates in diagnostic pathology and in vivo.
Additional evidence on the incremental information content of cash flows and accruals: The impact

This study evaluates the relation between security returns and funds-based earnings components. We document that proxies for market expectations of the components that are based on measures of historical serial- and cross-dependencies are substantially more accurate than random-walk proxies. Moreover, we detect significantly higher valuations of the operating cash flow component of earnings, relative to current accruals when market expectations are represented using the dependency-based predictions. Such differential valuation is not detectable for random-walk representations. Contrary to results in Ali (1994), we find incremental information in unexpected cash flows over the whole spectrum (moderate and extreme) of unexpected cash flow realizations.
Does Central Clearing Benefit Risky Dealers?

We study the effect of the first introduction of central clearing to the credit default swap market using a data set of intraday quotes sent directly by the major dealers to the market. We find the event to eliminate counterparty risk and improve price information. Furthermore, we find riskier dealers to increase their trading activity. In fact, after the elimination of their counterparty risk premium they increase the number of competitive quotes both on the bid and ask sides but more pronounced on the ask side.
Physician well-being: prevalence of burnout and associated risk factors in a tertiary hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES This study is to determine level and factors associated with burnout among physicians in a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia. DESIGN AND SETTINGS This is a cross-sectional study, conducted at the King Fahad National Guard Hospital at in King Abdulaziz Medical City between October 2010 and November 2010. METHODS The Maslach Burnout Inventory questionnaire was used to measure burnout. Socio-demographic-, specialty-, and work-related characteristics were added to explore factors associated with burnout. RESULTS The study included 348 participants; 252 (72%) were males, 189 (54%) were consultants, and 159 (46%) were residents. The mean (SD) age was 35 (9.8) years. The burnout prevalence was 243/348 (70%); 136 (56%) of the 243 were residents and 107 (44%) were consultants. Age, female gender, marital status, number of years in practice, sleep deprivation, presence of back pain, and a negative effect of practice on family life were associated with burnout in the univariate logistic regression analysis. The factors independently associated with burnout in the final multivariate model were as follows: suffering from back pain (odds ratio [OR]=2.1, 95%CI 1.2–3.8, P=.01), sleep deprivation (OR=2.2, 95%CI 1.2–3.8, P=.009), being a resident physician/surgeon (OR=4.9, 95%CI 1.7–14.2, P=.004), and negative effect of practice on family life (OR=2.1, 95%CI 1.1–3.9, P=.02). CONCLUSION In this study, the prevalence of burnout was found to be higher than estimates documented in most other studies. Reported risk factors should be addressed to decrease the prevalence and consequences of burnout.
Flow Cytometry-Based Assay for Titrating Dengue Virus

ABSTRACT Plaque assays for titrating dengue virus (DENV) are time-consuming and not suitable for strains that do not plaque. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) has been used to detect DENV-infected cells. Here we describe a FACS-based assay for titrating DENV. We determined that at 24 h postinfection, the number of infected cells detected by FACS represented the first round of infection and therefore could be used as a readout of the number of infectious particles in the inoculum. When the titers of different laboratory and clinical strains of DENV were compared using FACS, plaque, and endpoint dilution assays, for most strains the FACS titers were comparable to titers obtained by plaque or endpoint dilution assays. The FACS assay is an improvement over the plaque assay because the infection period is reduced from 5 to 7 days to 24 h and the assay can be used to titrate clinical isolates that frequently do not form clear plaques on cell monolayers. The novel FACS-based methods described here will facilitate laboratory studies of dengue.
Cytotoxicity of Cheese and Cheddar Cheese food flavorings on Allim cepa L root meristems

Despite their great importance for the food industry, flavorings, in general, raise a number of questions regarding their cytotoxicity, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity, since, in the literature, there are few studies found evaluating the toxicity on the systemic and cellular level, of these chemical compounds. The root meristems of Allium cepa (onion) are widely used for the assessment of toxicity of chemical compounds of interest. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate, in A. cepa meristematic cells, individually and in combination at the cellular level, the toxicity of synthetic Cheese and Cheddar Cheese food flavorings, identical to the natural, at doses of 1.0 and 2.0 mL, at exposure times of 24 and 48 hours. In combination we used 0.5 mL of Cheese flavor associated with 0.5 mL of Cheddar flavor; and 1.0 mL of Cheese flavor associated with 1.0 mL of Cheddar flavor, at exposure times of 24 and 48 hours. For these evaluations, we used groups of five onion bulbs, which were first embedded in distilled water and then transferred to their respective doses. The root tips were collected and fixed in acetic acid (3:1) for 24 hours. The slides were prepared by crushing and were stained with 2% acetic orcein. Cells were analyzed throughout the cell cycle, totaling 5,000 for each control and exposure time. The mitotic indices calculated and cellular aberrations observed were subjected to statistical analysis using the chi-square test (p <0.05). No chromosomal abnormalities nor those of mitotic spindle were observed for the treatments performed. The results, both individually and in combination, showed that the flavorings under study significantly reduced the cell division rate of the test system cells used. Therefore, under the conditions studied, the two flavorings were cytotoxic.
Mitogen‐activated protein kinase phosphatase‐1 (MKP‐1) preferentially dephosphorylates p42/44MAPK but not p38MAPK in rat pinealocytes

We recently reported a diurnal and norepinephrine (NE) ‐induced expression of mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphatase‐1 (MKP‐1) in the rat pineal gland and postulated that this MKP‐1 expression might impact adrenergic‐regulated arylalkylamine‐N‐acetyltransferase (AA‐NAT) activity via modulation of MAPKs. In this study, we investigated the effect of depletion of MKP‐1 expression by using doxorubicin, a topoisomerase inhibitor that suppresses the expression of MKP‐1 in other cell types and small interfering RNA targeted against Mkp1 in NE‐stimulated pinealocytes. We found that both treatments were effective in inhibiting NE induction of MKP‐1 expression. Moreover, both treatments also resulted in a prolonged activation of p42/44MAPK and an increase in AA‐NAT induction by NE. In contrast, treatment of pinealocytes with PD98059, an inhibitor of MAPK kinase, reduced NE‐stimulated AA‐NAT activity. Interestingly, suppressing MKP‐1 expression had no effect on the time profile of NE‐stimulated p38MAPK activation. These results indicate that MKP‐1 modulates the profile of AA‐NAT activity by selectively shaping the activation profile of p42/44MAPK but not that of p38MAPK.
Pay for performance in primary care: proceed with caution, pitfalls ahead.

P AY FOR PERFORMANCE IN HEALTHCARE – THE CONCEPT THAT PAYMENT should reflect processes and outcomes of care – has generated growing interest, debate and action among policy makers, health system managers and health-care providers in Canada and internationally. With the introduction of its Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) for primary care in 2004, the United Kingdom raised pay for performance to a new level in both scale and scope (Roland 2004; Roland et al. 2006). The QOF is a voluntary program that provides financial incentives for general practices to meet performance criteria in four domains: clinical (80 indicators), organizational (43 indicators), patient experience (four indicators) and additional services (eight indicators) (National Health Service 2007). General practices can earn up to 1,050 points by meeting these criteria, which were chosen and weighted based on the prevalence and illness burden of the target conditions. Each point is worth approximately £120 ($240 CAD) to the average UK general practice (three GPs with 5,500 registered patients) (Roland 2004). GPs are allowed to exclude patients from eligibility for specific indicators on several grounds, including failure of the patient to respond to repeated invitations to attend for a health review and inappropriateness of an indicator because of terminal illness, extreme frailty or a medication allergy, adverse reaction or contraindication (Doran et al. 2006). Practice-level QOF data are published online (Majeed et al. 2007). The QOF is the product of negotiations between the National Health Service (NHS) and the British Medical Association, assisted by academic advisers. In the words of one of those advisers, " Professional representatives were willing to negotiate the provision of care that met higher standards in return for increased resources, and the government was willing to commit additional resources if there was evidence of improved performance " (Roland 2004). Conditions favourable to the QOF initiative included a period of sustained economic growth and increasing government revenues (Roland 2004), professional commitment to evidence-based practice (Wilson et al. 2006) and the availability of computerized clinical and administrative databases that could provide routine information on primary care performance (Majeed et al.
Animals as Disseminators of Hookworm Eggs and Larvæ

beings; second, by carrying fagcal matter containing eggs or larvae on their feet and dropping such material at some more or less distant place; and third, by devouring fresh faeces and evacuating the eggs contained in them in their own faeces, in an unchanged condition. As regards the first method, all the domestic animals except the pig may be eliminated. It is true that Ancylostoma duodenale will rarely develop to maturity in dogs and in cats, hut this is at best a rare occurrence. Among hundreds of ankylostomes obtained from dogs and. cats in Calcutta, not a single specimen of A. duodenale has been obtained. A. caninum is the predominating species in dogs, and A. braziliense (or ceylanicum) in cats. The question of the identity of Necator americanus of man and
Physical model of BTI, TDDB and SILC in HfO/sub 2/-based high-k gate dielectrics

The microscopic mechanism of the degradation occurring in HfO/sub 2/-based high-k/IL dual layer gate insulator has been investigated. The hole-injection-induced release of hydrogen from Si-H terminations causes IL-breakdown. This mechanism accelerates NBTI. Defects due to electron-trapped oxygen vacancies are the origin of trap-assisted tunneling, causing SILC in the electron current and PBTI.
Absence of gluten-specific T lymphocytes in the skin of patients with dermatitis herpetiformis.

Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH) is an immunobullous skin disease with an associated gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Withdrawal of gluten from the diet leads to the resolution of both the skin lesions and the enteropathy. A T cell-mediated immune response to gluten has been implicated in the damage to the gut; the possible gluten specificity of the T cell infiltrate in DH skin lesions has not, however, been investigated. T cell lines (TCL) were therefore established from the skin lesions of eight patients with DH by culturing skin fragments for 11-17 days with a medium supplemented with 20 U/ml of IL-2. In three cases, gliadin (fraction of gluten toxic to the DH gut) and irradiated, autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells were also added. The TCL were stained for CD3, CD4, CD8, TCR alpha beta and gamma delta expression by indirect immunofluorescence, and their proliferative responses to mitogens and gluten fraction III (a peptic-tryptic digest of gluten) investigated. Of the eight CD3+ TCL, four were predominantly CD4+ (82.1-98.8%), three predominantly CD8+ (92.6-98.6%) and one TCL contained both 87.6% CD4+ and 95.2% CD8+ T cells, a substantial proportion of which were presumably double-labelled CD4+, CD8+ T cells. All eight TCL, which were almost exclusively TCR alpha beta +, proliferated in response to PHA whilst six out of the eight were stimulated by Concanavalin A. None of the TCL proliferated to gluten fraction III alone; however, two TCL showed increased proliferation to the antigen in the presence of exogenous IL-2 or IL-4 (10 U/ml) compared to cytokine alone. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)