Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sustained reductions in invasive pneumococcal disease in the era of conjugate vaccine.

BACKGROUND Changes in invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) incidence were evaluated after 7 years of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) use in US children. METHODS Laboratory-confirmed IPD cases were identified during 1998-2007 by 8 active population-based surveillance sites. We compared overall, age group-specific, syndrome-specific, and serotype group-specific IPD incidence in 2007 with that in 1998-1999 (before PCV7) and assessed potential serotype coverage of new conjugate vaccine formulations. RESULTS Overall and PCV7-type IPD incidence declined by 45% (from 24.4 to 13.5 cases per 100,000 population) and 94% (from 15.5 to 1.0 cases per 100,000 population), respectively (P< .01 all age groups). The incidence of IPD caused by serotype 19A and other non-PCV7 types increased from 0.8 to 2.7 cases per 100,000 population and from 6.1 to 7.9 cases per 100,000 population, respectively (P< .01 for all age groups). The rates of meningitis and invasive pneumonia caused by non-PCV7 types increased for all age groups (P< .05), whereas the rates of primary bacteremia caused by these serotypes did not change. In 2006-2007, PCV7 types caused 2% of IPD cases, and the 6 additional serotypes included in an investigational 13-valent conjugate vaccine caused 63% of IPD cases among children <5 years-old. CONCLUSIONS Dramatic reductions in IPD after PCV7 introduction in the United States remain evident 7 years later. IPD rates caused by serotype 19A and other non-PCV7 types have increased but remain low relative to decreases in PCV7-type IPD.
Investigation of burnout in a sample of British general practitioners.

BACKGROUND Recent changes in the general practitioner contract have produced increased workload and stress, poorer mental health and reduced job satisfaction. These factors might combine to increase the level of 'burnout' among general practitioners. AIM This study set out to examine the extent of burnout among general practitioners. METHOD A questionnaire was sent to all 295 Northamptonshire general practitioners seeking demographic details and including the Maslach burnout inventory. The results for the inventory were compared with the results from a sample of physicians and nurses in North America. RESULTS There was a significantly higher level of burnout among the Northamptonshire doctors compared with the North American sample. There was virtually no association between age and the level of burnout, although a small negative correlation was found between age and the depersonalization of others subscale. Part-time general practitioners showed lower levels of burnout than full-time general practitioners. CONCLUSION This study highlights the need to look both at the extent of burnout in young doctors during their training and at those characteristics of part-time general practitioners which might prevent burnout.
An Exploratory Survey of Nurses' Perceptions of Phase I Clinical Trials in Pediatric Oncology

This study suggests that nurses' perceptions of pediatric oncology phase I clinical trials are diverse and mixed but are more likely to be positive than negative. Improving future treatments, medical benefit, improved quality of life, and hope were cited as potential benefits of phase I clinical trials, but nurses felt that families were hoping for a cure. Toxicities, false hope, and decreased quality of life were perceived as potential negative outcomes. Acting as a patient advocate was viewed as the most important nursing role, and providing information was identified to be the most important purpose of informed consent. Although not statistically significant, data suggest that age, experience, and practice setting may influence nurses' perceptions. Younger or less experienced nurses were more likely to report either positive or negative perceptions, whereas older or more experienced nurses expressed mixed or moderate perceptions. Inpatient nurses reported more negative perceptions compared with outpatient nurses. The respondents report that caring for patients on phase I had both positive and negative effects on their quality of nursing work life.
Activated human CD4+ T cells induced by dendritic cell stimulation are most sensitive to transforming growth factor-beta: implications for dendritic cell immunization against cancer.

The secretion of immunosuppressive factors like transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) by tumor cells has been recognized as one of the mechanisms involved in tumor immunological escape. This study aimed to examine whether dendritic cell (DC) immunization could reverse TGF-beta-induced immunosuppression by simulating the in vivo interaction among infused DCs, host T cells, and tumor-secreted TGF-beta in an in vitro study. We found that both immature and mature DCs were relatively resistant to TGF-beta. The addition of TGF-beta to naive human CD4+ T cells, which are required by genetically modified DC to elicit antitumor immunity, resulted in their hyporesponsiveness to DC stimulation in a dose-dependent manner. When activated by allogeneic DCs in the presence of TGF-beta, CD4+ T cells displayed a reduced capacity to proliferate. More importantly, activated CD4+ T cells induced by DC stimulation were very sensitive to TGF-beta, and this susceptibility was enhanced by their previous exposure to TGF-beta. The underlying mechanism was linked to TGF-beta-induced apoptosis of activated T cells. However, the presence of stimulation from DC or antibodies to CD3 plus CD28 could partly reverse the immunosuppressive effect of TGF-beta on activated CD4+ T cells. Taken together, our results indicate that the efficacy of DC immunization may be impaired by tumor-derived TGF-beta.
Paper miR-145 and miR-133 a function as tumour suppressors and directly regulate FSCN 1 expression in bladder cancer

T Chiyomaru, H Enokida*, S Tatarano, K Kawahara, Y Uchida, K Nishiyama, L Fujimura, N Kikkawa, N Seki and M Nakagawa Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan; Kawahara Nephro-urology Clinic, Kagoshima, Japan; Biomedical Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Functional Genomics, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
Discourses of Volunteer Farm Tourism in Nepal: A Methodological Approach to World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms

In this research note, I propose an appropriate methodology to study discourses around the volunteer farm exchange programme World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) in Nepal. WWOOF is an international movement that connects organic farmers and international travellers who wish to exchange their labour for food and accommodation. Previously WWOOF was described as volunteer tourism, alternative tourism or as an alternative to tourism. As a non-profi t exchange programme WWOOF abodes the commercialisation of tourism and attracts long-term international travellers who do not describe themselves as tourists and see WWOOF as a way to explore the destinations off the beaten track. As such, WWOOF members share different philosophy or discourse of travel from commercial farm tourism. Thus, it is essential to understand what drives farm hosts and volunteers to participate in this unique exchange programme in Nepal.
A Hybrid Method for Finite Model Search in Equational Theories

Finite model and counter model generation is a potential alternative in automated theorem proving. In this paper, we introduce a system called FMSET which generates finite structures representing models of equational theories. FMSET performs a satisfiability test over a set of special first order clauses called “simple clauses”. The algorithm's originality stems from the combination of a standard enumeration technique and the use of first order resolution. Our objective is to obtain more propagations and still achieve good space and time complexity. Several experiments over a variety of problems have been pursued. FMSET uses symmetry to prune from the search tree unwanted isomorphic branches.
Health, science, and complexity

The challenge is for the fields of planning and public health to learn from each other and combine the best practices of each to foster fruitful collaboration in the future. I was asked to give an urban planner’s perspective on the article in this issue of the journal by Li et al . 1 What is most striking about this article is the fact it was written at all. It represents the engagement of two fields (heading toward marriage) that were hardly aware of each other 10 years ago, and barely speaking five years ago. For about 20 years, the urban and transportation planning fields have been researching the relation between the built environment and travel choices, including the choice to walk or cycle.2–4 The built environment has been measured in objective terms, using gross measures such as population density, land use mix, and street connectivity. In recent years, measurements have relied heavily on geographical information system (GIS) technology. The behaviour of …
The Importance of the Identification of Ankyloglossia (Short Lingual Frenulum) as a Cause of Breastfeeding Problems

The short lingual frenulum can be a cause of breastfeeding problems, including sore and damaged nipples and inadequate feedings. This article describes two cases, discusses the difficulty in recognizing the condition, and describes the role of primary care providers in the recognition, diagnosis, and surgical treatment of the short lingual frenulum.
Infant endotracheal tube resistance: effects of changing length, diameter, and gas density

Endotracheal tube resistance may increase upper airway resistance and the work of breathing beyond the normal range in adults or children who are chronically intubated and receiving intermittent mandatory ventilation. The purpose of this study was to measure the resistance of infant endotracheal tubes (IETTs) over the range of normal infant respiratory flows while systematically changing length, diameter, and carrier gas density. Resistance was measured in IETTs of 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5 mm inner diameter at flows increasing from 10–150 ml/sec, using both air and 80% helium 20% oxygen (He-O2) as the carrier gases. Tube length was progressively shortened from full length to 4.8 cm in 2-cm increments, and resistance to both air and He-O2 was measured at all lengths. Reynolds' number calculations and the relationship of resistance to flow showed the flow regime in IETTs to be transitional in nature. Increasing tube diameter, decreasing length, or decreasing gas density led to large decreases in IETT flow resistance. Over the range of normal infant flows, IETT resistance is equal to or higher than that of the normal upper airway. IETT resistance might increase the work of breathing in some infants to the point of respiratory failure, and such resistance may be lowered by systematic changes in IETT diameter, length, or carrier gas density.
STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

This article describes the Human Resource Management system in place at Herman Miller,Inc. (HMI). HMI’s HR strategy is comprised of three primary goals: (1) building employeecapabilities, (2) building employee commitment, and (3) improving the professional capa-bilities of the HR function itself. Key emphases of HMI’s HR management infrastructureinclude (1) employee competency identification and development, (2) building employeeparticipation, (3) building business literacy, (4) creating a “corporate community” throughstrong values and a sense of “belonging”, (5) community responsibility and environmentalprotection, (6) competently delivering the HR “fundamentals”, and (7) developing innova-tive partnerships with suppliers. Key challenges for the future include (1) change manage-ment, (2) clarifying HR’s strategic role throughout the firm, and (3) attracting and retaininga diverse workforce. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Evidence for lytic infection by Epstein‐Barr virus in mucosal lymphocytes instead of nasopharyngeal epithelial cells in normal individuals.

Normal nasopharyngeal tissues from 23 individuals who died of causes unrelated to the upper respiratory system and had no evidence of Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV)‐related diseases were studied using in situ hybridisation (ISH) and immunohistochemistry for the detection of EBV RNA and expression of EBV proteins, respectively. ISH using 35S‐labelled riboprobe for EBV EBER RNA showed occasional to a few EBER + lymphocytes in the stroma of nasopharyngeal mucosa in 14/16 cases with available paraffin‐embedded tissues. In addition, very rare intraep‐ithelial EBER+ lymphocytes were also detected in 3/16 cases. However, in none of these cases was EBER detected in the epithelial cells. Similar results were obtained using a nonradioactive ISH method for EBER (Dako). In 3/23 cases, im‐munostaining using monoclonal antibodies for EBV proteins on cryostat sections showed occasional cells in the stroma expressing EBV nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2), latent membrane protein‐1 (LMP), and switch protein encoded by BZLF1 gene (ZEBRA) in two cases and only very rare LMP+ and ZEBRA+ cells in one other case. Double immuno‐staining combining alkaline phosphatase anti‐alkaline phosphatase (APAAP) for CD markers and indirect immunofluorescence for LMP showed that the LMP+ cells were either CD19+ or less frequently CD3+, but none were CD68+. These results show that both B and T lymphocytes harbouring EBV can be found in the normal nasopharyngeal tissues. Interestingly, EBV proteins associated with lytic viral replication—diffuse early antigen (EA‐D), viral capsid antigen (VCA), or membrane antigen (MA)—were also detected in rare cells in the stroma in one case, and in another case only one MA+ cell was detected. These results provide evidence for a lytic type of infection by EBV in the normal nasopharynx involving a very small proportion of stromal lymphocytes and support the view that nasopharyngeal lymphocytes can act as a reservoir for EBV in normal individuals. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The extent of segmental reporting and its value relevance: cross-country evidence

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent of segmental reporting disclosure and its value relevance to a sample of Qatari and Jordanian listed companies following the implementation review of the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 8. This was the first standard to be subjected to a post-implementation review. Annual reports are initially analyzed to investigate the level of segmental information that was published by companies in these two countries. Design/methodology/approach Using the Ohlson (1995) model, the study employs regression analysis to test the hypotheses relating to the value relevance of the segmental disclosures uncovered. In addition, one-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests are used to investigate any variation in segmental reporting among sectors. Findings The findings indicate that the amount of segmental information disclosed by the sample firms differs across sectors. Moreover, the segmental information provided (including the number of segments and the amounts of disclosure) is value relevant and can explain the variations in firms’ share prices. Practical implications The results of the current investigation have implications for policy makers, including the International Accounting Standards Board, as well as for accounting regulators in Jordan and Qatar. They suggest that the segmental disclosures supplied under IFRS 8 are value relevant for equity prices in a developing country context. Compliance with IFRS 8 should thus be monitored to ensure that all firms provide the segmental disclosures that they are meant to supply under the terms of the standard. Originality/value This paper is one of the few to provide empirical evidence on the role of segmental reporting following the post-implementation review that was conducted for IFRS 8.
Line-Polar Graphs: Characterization and Recognition

A graph is polar if its vertex set can be partitioned into A and B in such a way that A induces a complete multipartite graph and B induces a disjoint union of cliques (i.e., the complement of a complete multipartite graph). Polar graphs naturally generalize several classes of graphs such as bipartite, cobipartite, and split graphs. The problem of recognizing polar graphs is NP-complete in general. However, it has been shown to be polynomial for several classes of graphs, including cographs and chordal graphs. In this paper, we study the problem of recognizing graphs whose line graphs are polar. It turns out that the core part of this problem lies in determining whether the edge set of a graph admits a partition (A,B) so that A induces a P3-free subgraph (i.e., a matching) and B induces a P4-free subgraph. We give a structural characterization of such graphs. The characterization enables us to devise an O(n) time algorithm to solve the stated recognition problem.
Novel criteria of uniqueness for signal reconstruction from phase

An approach for ascertaining whether a signal is uniquely determined by its Fourier transform phase is proposed. It is shown that uniqueness corresponds to the nonsingularity of a matrix which can be formed from the finite-length real sequence. The criterion of uniqueness for reconstructing a one-dimensional finite-length sequence from its phase is discussed. The criterion of uniqueness for reconstructing a multidimensional finite-length sequence is presented. >
A Different Focus and Content for the Core Information Systems Course for Business School Majors

Changing business practices and expectations suggest it may be time to rethink the contents and emphases of the introductory information systems course typically required of all undergraduate business majors. With increasing business emphases on processes and revived interest within schools of business on integration of functional common body of knowledge (CBK) content, an alternative to the traditional IS course seems desirable. This article presents an approach that enhances students’ understanding of the entirety of business operations and their critical interdependencies. They learn about business processes, how later CBK courses and functions relate to processes, and how IT and IS are critical to development of effective processes. It is argued that this approach adds more value to the general business student than the required course (2002.1) in the IS 2002 Curriculum of AIS. Further, it is argued that a new approach could strengthen faculty and student perceptions about the importance of IS in the core curriculum in schools of business.
Reliable and time-constrained communication in wireless sensor networks

Les reseaux de capteurs sans fils (WSN) sont composes d'un tres grand nombre de capteurs, capables de mesurer des parametres physiques de l'environnement, de mettre en forme l'information obtenue et de la communiquer aux autres capteurs grâce a une interface radio. Les capteurs etant en general deployes sur de tres grandes etendues geographiques, l'energie necessaire pour les faire fonctionner est fournie par une batterie embarquee sur le capteur. En general, il est difficile de recharger les batteries une fois les capteurs deployes. Economiser l'energie est donc une preoccupation constante lors de la conception des capteurs et des protocoles de communication utilises, de maniere a prolonger la duree de vie du reseau. Dans ce but, les capteurs transmettent leurs donnees avec des puissances d'emission tres faibles. Avec de telles puissances d'emission, un message ne peut etre transmis que sur quelques dizaine de metres. De ce fait, lorsqu'un capteur detecte un evenement, le message est transmis en mode ad-hoc multisauts jusqu'au puits, un nœud specifique du reseau, qui recolte toutes les informations et est capable de reagir de maniere adequate. Dans cette these, nous donnons d'abord un etat de l'art avance sur les WSN. Ensuite nous analysons l'impact du cycle d'endormissement et des liens non fiable sur la couche de routage. A partir des resultats analytiques, nous proposons trois methodes originales, simples et efficaces pour construire des coordonnees virtuelles en prenant en compte la non fiabilite des liens dans les WSN. En prenant en compte le cycle d'endormissement et les contraintes temps-reel, nous proposons deux protocoles cross-layer qui ont de bons taux de livraison et qui permettent de respecter des contraintes temporelles. Pour pallier a la dynamicite des reseaux de capteurs sans fil, nous proposons un protocole de routage robuste qui adapte ses parametres quand la topologie change. Enfin, nous concluons et donnons quelques perspectives.
Younger age of onset of gout in Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE To study the clinical features of gout in the community and in medical centres, and to describe the recent changes in gout in Chinese patients. METHODS We analysed retrospectively the clinical features of 1079 Chinese gout patients seen by a rheumatologist between 1993 and 2000. These included 558 patients from a private clinic and 521 patients from a medical centre. The data were compared with those in previous reports of large Caucasian and non-Caucasian series. RESULTS The mean age of onset was 41.6 yr and the mean disease duration before first visit was 4.2 yr. For medical centre patients, the mean age of onset was 43.0 yr and mean disease duration before the first visit was 4.8 yr. For private clinic patients, the mean age of onset was 40.2 yr and mean disease duration before the first visit was 3.6 yr. Young patients with gout, with onset before age 30, constituted 23.3 and 26.7% of the medical centre and private clinic patients respectively. Female patients constituted 10.6 and 5.6% respectively, the family history was positive in 27.1 and 28.7%, and urolithiasis occurred in 11.5 and 10.9%. Tophi were found in 21.1% of medical centre and 12.7% of private clinic patients. The mean time from first gouty attack to visible tophi was 6.6 yr in those who developed tophi. CONCLUSIONS The age at onset of gout was much earlier than in previous reports. Twenty-five per cent of patients had their first gouty attack before age 30. The first attack frequently occurred between the third and fifth decades (68.2%) rather than between the fourth and sixth decades, as reported in previous papers. The incidence of gout in females had increased (8.0% of the patients were female) and the incidence of tophi was high (16.8%). Besides, our patients had more frequent gouty attacks and the interval from the first attack to visible tophi was shorter than in previous reports of the disease in Caucasians.
Investigating morphological decomposition for transcription of Arabic broadcast news and broadcast conversation data

One of the challenges of Arabic speech recognition is to deal with the huge lexical variety. Morphological decomposition has been proposed to address this problem by increasing lexical coverage, thereby reducing errors that are due to words that are unknown to the system. In our previous attempts to develop an Arabic speech-to-text (STT) transcription system with morphological decomposition, an increase in word error rate of about 2% absolute was observed relative to a comparable word based system. Based on an error analysis and a comparison of our approach with that of other sites, two modifications were made. The first modification was to not decompose the most frequent words; and the second to not decompose the prefix ’Al’ for words starting with a solar consonant since due to assimilation with the following consonant, deletion of the prefix was one of the most frequent errors. Comparable recognition performance was achieved using word-based and morphologically decomposed language models, and since the errors made by the systems are different, combining the two gave a performance gain.