Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antistaphylococcal Activity of DX-619, a New Des-F(6)-Quinolone, Compared to Those of Other Agents

ABSTRACT The in vitro activity of DX-619, a new des-F(6)-quinolone, was tested against staphylococci and compared to those of other antimicrobials. DX-619 had the lowest MIC ranges/MIC50s/MIC90s (μg/ml) against 131 Staphylococcus aureus strains (≤0.002 to 2.0/0.06/0.5) and 128 coagulase-negative staphylococci (0.004 to 0.25/0.016/0.125). Among strains tested, 76 S. aureus strains and 51 coagulase-negative staphylococci were resistant to ciprofloxacin. DX-619 had the lowest MIC50/MIC90 values against 127 quinolone-resistant staphylococci (0.125/0.5), followed by sitafloxacin (0.5/4), moxifloxacin (2/8), gatifloxacin (4/16), levofloxacin (16/>32), and ciprofloxacin (>32/>32). Raised quinolone MICs were associated with mutations in GyrA (S84L) and single or double mutations in GrlA (S80F or Y; E84K, G, or V) in all S. aureus strains tested. A recent vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA) strain (Hershey) was resistant to available quinolones and was inhibited by DX-619 at 0.25 μg/ml and sitafloxacin at 1.0 μg/ml. Vancomycin (except VRSA), linezolid, ranbezolid, tigecycline, and quinupristin-dalfopristin were active against all strains, and teicoplanin was active against S. aureus but less active against coagulase-negative staphylococci. DX-619 produced resistant mutants with MICs of 1 to >32μ g/ml after <50 days of selection compared to 16 to> 32 μg/ml for ciprofloxacin, sitafloxacin, moxifloxacin, and gatifloxacin. DX-619 and sitafloxacin were also more active than other tested drugs against selected mutants and had the lowest mutation frequencies in single-step resistance selection. DX-619 and sitafloxacin were bactericidal against six quinolone-resistant (including the VRSA) and seven quinolone-susceptible strains tested, whereas gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin were bactericidal against 11, 10, 7, and 5 strains at 4× MIC after 24 h, respectively. DX-619 was also bactericidal against one other VRSA strain, five vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus strains, and four vancomycin-intermediate coagulase-negative staphylococci. Linezolid, ranbezolid, and tigecycline were bacteriostatic and quinupristin-dalfopristin, teicoplanin, and vancomycin were bactericidal against two, eight, and nine strains, and daptomycin and oritavancin were rapidly bactericidal against all strains, including the VRSA. DX-619 has potent in vitro activity against staphylococci, including methicillin-, ciprofloxacin-, and vancomycin-resistant strains.
Transcriptome sequencing as a platform to elucidate molecular components of the diapause response in the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus

Diapause has long been recognized as a crucial ecological adaptation to spatio‐temporal environmental variation. More recently, rapid evolution of the diapause response has been implicated in response to contemporary global warming and during the range expansion of invasive species. Although the molecular regulation of diapause remains largely unresolved, rapidly emerging next‐generation sequencing (NGS) technologies provide exciting opportunities for addressing this longstanding question. In the present study, a new assembly from life‐history stages relevant to diapause in the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus (Skuse) is reported, along with unique methods for the analysis of NGS data and transcriptome assembly. A digital normalization procedure that significantly reduces the computational resources required for transcriptome assembly is evaluated. Additionally, a method for protein reference‐based and genomic reference‐based merged assembly of 454 and Illumina reads is described. Finally, a gene ontology analysis is presented, which creates a platform for identifying the physiological processes associated with diapause. Taken together, these methods provide valuable tools for analyzing the transcriptional underpinnings of many complex phenotypes, including diapause, and provide a basis for determining the molecular regulation of diapause in Ae. albopictus.
Topographic organization of cortical input to striate cortex in the Cebus monkey: A fluorescent tracer study

Cortical afferents to area V1 were studied in seven Cebus monkeys by means of retrograde fluorescent tracers. Injections were placed in V1, under electrophysiological guidance, in the regions of representation of both the upper and lower visual quadrants, at eccentricities that ranged from 0.5 to 64 degrees.
What is the future of siRNA therapeutics

RNA interference (RNAi) – gene silencing by double-stranded RNA, is a Nobel Prize winning discovery by Fire and Mellow [1]. Since RNAi was found to occur in mammalian cells, it has been intensively investigated as a new therapeutic strategy. RNAi can be triggered by the introduction of synthetic sequence-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA), which is able to target and cleave complementary messenger RNA (mRNA) to achieve specific gene silencing. SiRNA is short double-stranded RNA molecule (21-25 base pairs) with a characteristic 2 nucleotide 3’ overhang that allows it to be recognized by the machinery of RNAi that eventually leads to degradation of target mRNA. The mechanism involving siRNA in order to achieve RNAi has been extensively reviewed [2-4]. According to the database of clinical trials (ClinicalTrials. gov), over 30 siRNA-based therapeutics have reached the clinical trial stage for the treatment of a wide variety of diseases including cancers, infections, cardiovascular diseases and genetic disorders [5-7]. Despite the huge therapeutic potential, siRNAbased therapeutics is yet to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). To move siRNA therapeutics into the clinic, two major bottlenecks must be overcome: abrogation of off-target silencing effects and efficient delivery of siRNA.
CROSS COUNTRY INDUSTRY BETAS

Abstract We study the differences in the industrial composition between two stock market indices, the Italian FTSE MIB and the Chinese Shanghai Composite Stock Exchange. We argue that differences in the set of industry weights, measured through market capitalization, on different stock markets carry valuable information required for adjusting industry betas in an emerging market context. On the basis of 256 weekly observations of 1,020 companies belonging to 10 industrial sectors on the Italian and Chinese stock markets, we test the hypotheses that statistically significant cross-country differences in industry betas and industry weights exist and that cross-country differences in industry betas are linearly related to cross-country differences in industry weights. The empirical evidence gathered confirms the existence of cross-country structural differences in industry betas and industry weights, but confutes the hypothesis of a linear relationship between the two.
Audit quality differences amongst audit firms in a developing economy: The case of Uganda

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report findings of audit quality differences amongst audit firms in a developing country. Specifically, the authors examine the assumption of marked audit quality differences amongst large audit firms (Big 4s) and the small and medium practices (SMPs). Design/methodology/approach – First, the authors develop scales for assessing perceived audit quality in the financial services sector based on qualitative data obtained from 106 audit practitioners, 31 credit analysts and 13 board members. The authors use NVivo© to analyse the 13 transcribed interviews and follow “cross-case analysis” to visualize dimensions and scales of audit quality. Then the authors use measurement scales developed and obtain quantitative data from 183 board members and top executives in the financial services sector and test for perceived audit quality differences amongst audit firms using a Mann-Whitney U test. Findings – The findings suggest that audit quality is a multi-dimensional construc.
Hospice and palliative medicine.

OVERALL EDUCATIONAL GOAL OF ELECTIVE  Introduce medical students to the concepts of palliative medicine and hospice including, interdisciplinary care: team members include clergy, social worker, physical and occupational therapy, nurses and physicians.  Introduction to various communications skills via observations and readings  Gain exposure to some of the social and ethical considerations  Understanding delivery of palliative care: in an inpatient and outpatient setting  Introduce the concepts of symptom management
An fMRI Study to Analyze Neural Correlates of Presence during Virtual Reality Experiences

This study was funded by the Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia Spain, Project Game Teen (TIN2010-20187) and partially by projects Consolider-C (SEJ2006-14301/PSIC), ‘CIBER of Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition, an initiative of ISCIII’, the Excellence Research Program PROMETEO (Generalitat Valenciana. Conselleria de Educacion, 2008-157) and the Consolider INGENIO program (CSD2007-00012). The work of Miriam Clemente was supported by the Generalitat Valenciana under a VALi+d Grant.
Adoption de référentiels de sécurité sanitaire dans la filière dattes en Tunisie: portées et limites pour l’accès aux marchés d’exportation

EnglishThe present study tries to examine the general trends in the Tunisian dates export industry. The analysis aims at showing the scopes and limits of access to foreign market in the case of adoption of food safety standards whose proliferation and strengthening continue to characterize the trade of agricultural and food products. The empirical analysis is based on the results of a field survey conducted with 42 dates processing and exporting units that are providing nearly 75% of total dates exports. The results revealed that the majority of interviewed firms (74%) have adopted the ISO 22000 standard, while only 14% have adopted, in addition, private standards (IFS, BRC, etc.). In view of the existence of organizational and strategic heterogeneity that characterizes these firms, some of them still consider these standards as a “passport” facilitating the access of their produce to foreign markets, especially for the most demanding ones, while others have shown a limited acceptability level to adopt food safety standards and revealed their concern to invest more in such private standards, particularly for less demanding markets. francaisLe present travail se propose d’examiner les tendances generales qui caracterisent le maillon exportation de dattes en Tunisie. Le but est de retracer les portees et limites d’acces aux marches exterieurs lies a l’adoption de referentiels de securite sanitaire des aliments, dont la proliferation et le durcissement des exigences en la matiere ne cessent de caracteriser les echanges de produits agricoles et agro-alimentaires. L’analyse empirique est basee sur les resultats d’une enquete menee aupres de 42 unites de conditionnement et d’exportation de dattes, assurant pres de 75% des exportations nationales. Il en decoule qu’une majorite de 74% ont adopte le standard ISO 22000, alors que seulement 14% ont adopte, en plus, des normes privees (IFS, BRC, etc.). Compte tenu de l’existence d’heterogeneite de point de vue organisationnel et strategique qui caracterise ce type d’entreprises, certains exportateurs considerent ces referentiels comme etant un « passeport » facilitant l’acces de leurs dattes aux marches exterieurs, en particulier pour le cas des marches qualifies d’exigeants, alors que d’autres montrent un niveau d’acceptabilite d’adoption de referentiels de SSA limite et expriment une crainte d’investir davantage dans des referentiels du type prive, comme dans le cas des exportateurs approvisionnant des marches a exigence moyenne en termes de securite sanitaire des aliments.
Higher Education, Innovation and Growth

Language English (US) Title of host publication Education and Training in Europe Publisher Oxford University Press ISBN (Electronic) 9780191705786 ISBN (Print) 9780199210978 State Published May 17 2007 Abstract This chapter presents an overview and presents some suggestive evidence about the role of highly educated workers in promoting technological and scientific progress and as a consequence economic growth in Europe. The evidence on education and growth is reviewed, followed by a discussion on international migrations with an emphasis on highly-skilled scientists and engineers. Migration of human capital could be a viable and effective way of increasing supply of skills in Europe. However the migration channel in most cases has not worked to improve the skills of the European labour force. Finally, estimates on a so-called 'dynamic effect' of highly-educated and talented workers on the rate of scientific and technological innovation is discussed.
Is Presurgical Nasoalveolar Molding Therapy More Effective in Unilateral or Bilateral Cleft Lip–Cleft Palate Patients?

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of presurgical nasoalveolar molding in treating unilateral versus bilateral cleft lip–cleft palate patients. Methods: A blinded, retrospective study was conducted with 16 unilateral and 13 bilateral cleft lip–cleft palate patients. Pretreatment and posttreatment facial and intraoral impressions were used to compare soft- and hard-tissue changes. Results: Nasoalveolar molding therapy improves nasal angle in unilateral (p = 0.010) and bilateral cleft lip–cleft palate (p = 0.001) patients, and improves nostril width in unilateral (p = 0.005) and bilateral cleft lip–cleft palate (p = 0.028) patients. Treatment significantly improves nostril breadth only in unilateral cleft lip–cleft palate patients (p = 0.005). Compared with bilateral cleft lip–cleft palate patients, unilaterally affected patients were more asymmetric before and after nasoalveolar molding therapy. Nasoalveolar molding more effectively increases columellar height (p = 0.002) and columellar width (p = 0.002) in the bilateral cleft lip–cleft palate group. Although starting bialar widths did not significantly differ between the two groups, nasoalveolar molding significantly decreased bialar width only in unilateral cleft lip–cleft palate patients (p = 0.032). When the intersegment alveolar cleft distances of the bilateral cleft lip–cleft palate patients were summed, an improvement similar to that in unilateral cleft lip–cleft palate patients was observed. Furthermore, nasoalveolar molding appeared to prevent alveolar width widening as patients continued to grow. Conclusions: There are differences in efficacy between unilateral and bilateral cleft lip–cleft palate patients undergoing nasoalveolar molding. Understanding these differences may help physicians and dentists better shape expectations.
Partial rupture of the patellar ligament

Eighty-one patients with 91 partial ruptures of the pa tellar ligament verified by ultrasonography were treated conservatively with a standardized training program based on the principles of eccentric loading. The partial ruptures were quantified by measuring the length of the hypoechoic lesion using ultrasonography in longi tudinal projection. The partial ruptures were then di vided into three groups: Grade I (<10 mm), Grade II (10 to 20 mm), and Grade III (>20 mm). The results after the training program were significantly better in Grade I ruptures than in Grades II and III. The overall need for surgery was 29.6%: highest in Grade III ruptures (38.5%) and lowest in Grade I ruptures (6.6%). The outcome of conservative management, as well as the need for surgery of partial ruptures of the patellar ligament, may to some extent be predicted by the use of ultrasonography.
Updated mtCOI reference dataset for the Bemisia tabaci species complex

Members of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci species complex cause millions of dollars of damage globally and are considered one of the world’s most invasive species. They are capable of causing extensive damage to major vegetable, grain legume and fiber crops. All member of the species complex are morphologically identical therefore, data from the partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (mtCOI) gene sequence has been used to identify the various species. The current reference dataset that is widely used is found on the CSIRO data portal. However, the reference set stored on the CSIRO data does not include newly added sequences (2013-2017), therefore an updated reference dataset is needed. All mtCOI data for the Bemisia tabaci species complex were downloaded on 22 May 2017 from GenBank and after quality checking, a dataset of 1,071 unique sequences and 696 base pairs was generated (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.5437420.v1).
Gynaecological morbidities among ever married women: A community based study in Nanded city, India.

Background: Women’s health has always remained neglected because of the traditional reductionist approach to women health research . A significant lacuna persists in understanding the factors influencing gynaecological morbidity as well as consequences for women’s lives. Gynaecological diseases cover a range of conditions with a wide spectrum of lethality, chronicity and a substantial impact on women’s quality of life. Objectives: To study the prevalence of gynaecological morbidities and its association with some socio demographic and reproductive factors among ever married women of reproductive age group Methodology: Study Design: Community based cross sectional descriptive study. Study Period: January 2011 to June 2012. Sampling Procedure: Probability proportionate sampling using 30 stage cluster sampling technique. Sample Size: 750 ever married women from 15 – 49 years age group Results: Prevalence of gynaecological morbidities was 568(75.73%). Mean gynaecological morbidities were 1.22. Majority 281(37.47%) study subjects had one gynaecological morbidity. Menstrual disorders 351(46.8%) was the most common gynaecological morbidity. There was a significant difference between the proportions of study subjects with gynaecological morbidities with respect to their age, educational status, age at menarche and duration marriage.Conclusions: There was high prevalence of gynaecological morbidities among study subjects with about 50% suffering from more than one gynaecological morbidities.
Depth- and breadth-first processing of search result lists

Three types of strategy distinguished Cf. graph for Experiment 1 Explanation of look−ahead index (Experiment 2) Each time a subject opened document M after having looked as far ahead as document N, (N − M) was added to her look−ahead index for the task in question Documents opened after the subject had reached the bottom of the search result list in a depth−first manner were not taken into account in the computation of this index Experiment 2
Historical control data on reproductive abilities and incidences of spontaneous fetal malformations in Wistar Hannover GALAS rats

ABSTRACT Wistar Hannover rats, which have recently been introduced into Japan, are expected to be used in reproductive and developmental toxicity studies, yet the accumulation of background data is insufficient. This paper describes our historical data on the reproductive ability of this strain of rat Three lots of sexually matured females (40 each) were received from CLEA JAPAN, Inc. with males of the same strain (30 or 36 each) and mated. A total of 47 dams were killed on gestation day 20 to examine their fetuses. The remaining 71 pregnant females were allowed to deliver spontaneously and observed for common reproductive parameters. The mating and fertility indices of females were both 99.2%. Overall mean numbers of implants and live fetuses at cesarean sectioning were 12.5 and 11.5, respectively. Fetal resorptions and deaths occurred at an incidence of 8.6%. Morphological examinations of fetuses revealed low incidences of spontaneous malformations (each one case of double aortic arch and absent cervical vertebral arch) and a variety of common variations. The followings are overall means of major reproductive parameters obtained from females with live birth: no. of implants, 12.5; no. of pups delivered, 11.8; viability index of pups at birth, 99.8%; and days of age at sexual maturation (vaginal opening and preputial separation), 30.3 and 42.8, respectively. Our present observations confirmed a minimal deviation among 3 lots of animals in terms of reproductive abilities. These results suggest that this strain of rat can be used in reproductive and developmental toxicity studies, although the sensitivity to toxicants remains to be elucidated.
SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES USING AQUEOUS EXTRACT GOAT FAECAL PELLETS

1 Post-graduate & Research Department of Zoology, ANJA College (Autonomous), Sivakasi, India. *Corresponding Author E-mail: karthithangam123@gmail.com Abstract The present study deals with synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles using aqueous extract of goat faecal pellets. The production of silver nanoparticles was analyzed by preliminary changes of colour from pale yellow to dark brown and it indicates the formation of silver nanoparticles. Further, the nanoparticle was characterized by Surface Plasmon Resonance through UV-Visible spectroscopic analysis. The observation of strong peak at 535.00 nm and it was achieved at 24 hrs. Functional groups of these silver nanoparticles were confirmed by using FTIR. The XRD spectrum also confirmed the formation of silver nanoparticles and the nanoparticle size is 7 nm and shape proved to be spherical nature by SEM analysis. Elemental silver was confirmed by using EDAX analysis.
Enuresis in Seven‐Year‐Old Children

ABSTRACT. A random sample of 3 206 seven‐year‐old children was studied in order to examine the prevalence of enuresis and associated somatic and genetic risk factors. The overall prevalence of enuresis was 9.8% and the figures for nightwetting, day wetting and mixed day and night wetting 6.4%, 1.8% and 1.6% respectively. The prevalence was 9.5% among primary school children, 24.8% among children whose entry to school had been postponed and 26.6% among handicapped and mentally retarded children. If the father had been enuretic after 4 years of age the risk of the child being enuretic was 7.1 times greater than otherwise (95% confidence limits of the risk ratio 5.1–9.8, p < 0.001), the corresponding risk ratio when the mother had been enuretic being 5.2 (3.9–7.0, p < 0.001). Low birth‐weight children were enuretic more often than children of normal birth‐weight. It seems that there are at least two aetiologically significant groups of enuretic children: cases with neurological damage and mixed day and night wetting and cases with delayed maturation, with nightwetting which shows a clear sex and genetic dependency.
Homeostatic Control of Antibody Responses: A Model Based on the Recognition of Cell‐Associated Antibody by Regulatory T Cells

Co-operation between thymus-derived helper cells (helper T cells) and bone marrow-derived precursors of antibody-forming cells (B cells) has not been found to be essential for a normal antibody response to Type n i pneumococcal polysaccharide (SSS-in), a linear polymer composed of identical disaccharide repeating xmits (Humphrey et al. 1964, Davies et al. 1970, Howard et al. 1971, Manning et al. 1972, Baker et al. 1973, How et al. 1964). Consequently, the antibody response to this antigen has been considered to be largely a B cell response in which the antibody produced is predominantly of the yM class (Howard et al. 1971, Baker & Stashak 1969, Barthold et al. 1974a). It has also been shown that the avidity of antibody specific for SSS-DI remains essentially constant over a 10,000-fold range of immunizing doses, and also after reimmunization with high or low doses of antigen, indicating the lack of an antigen-driven cell selection process (Baker et al. 1971b, Siskind & Benacerraf 1969). These findings imply that the antibody response of inbred mice to SSS-III is the result of the direct stimulation by this antigen of a highly restricted population of B cells. Since, for the past few years, the main objective of our work has been to clarify the mechanisms by which antibody synthesis is initiated and controlled following immunization, an antibody response with these character-