Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CARRIAGE OF MULTIDRUG RESISTANT ENTEROCOCCUS FAECIUM AND ENTEROCOCCUS FAECALIS AMONG APPARENTLY HEALTHY HUMANS

Background: Enterococci are indigenous flora of the gastro-intestinal tracts of animals and humans. Recently, interest in two major species, E. faecium and E. faecalis, has heightened because of their ability to cause serious infections and their intrinsic resistance to antimicrobials. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of E. faecium and E. faecalis in human faecal samples and evaluating the susceptibility of the isolates to antibiotics. Materials and Methods: One hundred faecal samples were collected from apparently healthy individuals and analysed using conventionalbacteriological methods. The susceptibility profile of the isolates to nine antibiotics were determined using disk diffusion method. Results: Seventy-three (73) Enterococcus were phenotypically identified and 65 of the isolates were differentiated into 36 (55.4%) E. faecium and 29 (44.6%) E. faecalis. Eight (8) isolates could not be identified by the conventional biochemical methods employed. No dual colonization by the E. faecalis and E. faecium was observed and isolation rate was not dependent on sex of the participants. All the isolates were resistant to ceftriaxone, cefuroxime and ceftizoxime. Enterococcus faecium exhibited resistance toerythromycin (88.9%), gentamicin (77.8%), amoxicillin-clavulanate (63.9%), ofloxacin (44.4%), teicoplanin (19.4%) and vancomycin (16.7%). Enterococcus faecalis showed the least resistance to vancomycin (13.8%) and teicoplanin (27.7%). Remarkable multiple antibiotic resistances to the classes of antibiotic tested were observed among the two species. Conclusion: The high carriage rate of antibiotic resistant E. faecium and E. faecalis in this study provides information on the local antibiotic patterns of our enterococci isolates thereby suggesting that they could present as important reservoir and vehicle for dissemination of resistant genes in our community.
DISPOSITION AND METABOLISM OF [2-14C]QUERCETIN-4′-GLUCOSIDE IN RATS

Quercetin-4′-glucoside is a major flavonol in onions, and this study investigated the absorption and fate of radiolabeled quercetin-4′-glucoside in rats. Rats ingested [2-14C]quercetin-4′-glucoside and the distribution of radioactivity throughout the body was determined after 0.5, 1, 2, and 5 h. The gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidney, and plasma were extracted, and radiolabeled components were identified and quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography with on-line radioactivity detection and tandem mass spectrometry. Two hours after dosing, all the [2-14C]quercetin-4′-glucoside had been metabolized. More than 85% of the ingested radioactivity was present in the gastrointestinal tract at all time points with ∼6% being absorbed and present in blood and internal organs, primarily the liver and kidneys. More than 95% of the absorbed radioactivity was in the form of >20 different methylated glucuronated and/or sulfated quercetin conjugates. Five hours after ingestion, the main radiolabeled metabolites were quercetin diglucuronides in the gut, liver, and kidneys and glucuronyl sulfates of methylated quercetin in plasma. The main site of quercetin metabolism seemed to be the gastrointestinal tract. Quercetin metabolites may have a major influence on the gut mucosal epithelium and on colonic disease.
Cohort Default Rates in Context.

The issues of student debt and CDRs are of particular concern for Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), which have a legacy of providing increased access to some of the nation’s most underserved students. Students who enroll at MSIs are more often low-income, first-generation, and underprepared—all student characteristics that indicate a greater likelihood of loan default (Fletcher 2010; McMillon 2004; Volkwein and Cabrera 1998; Woo 2002). Additionally, many MSIs are located in regions with high unemployment rates; as such, some MSIs have higher than average CDRs. A number of MSIs are working to develop and implement sound solutions to manage default, particularly by way of financial literacy initiatives (IHEP 2008, 2009, 2010; Looney 2011; USA Funds 2011).
Market Sentiment, IPO Underpricing, and Valuation

We examine IPO underpricing, valuation, and wealth allocation in relation to investor sentiment, information asymmetry, and underwriter reputation. We find that underpricing is significantly higher for overvalued IPOs than for undervalued IPOs, and is positively correlated to investor sentiment. Information asymmetry is also positively correlated to the magnitude of underpricing but only for undervalued IPOs. We find no evidence of systematic over or undervaluation of IPOs based on peer firm accounting ratios. Change in market sentiment and information asymmetry is positively correlated to overvalued IPOs but not for undervalued. Better underwriter reputation leads to higher IPO valuation for all IPOs. Further, roughly 70% of the wealth from overvaluing IPOs is retained by the issuers. For overvalued IPOs with positive first day returns, we find the proportion of total overvaluation that occurs in the after market trading, i.e., wealth allocated to IPO subscribers, is negatively correlated to underwriter reputation. We conclude underwriters selectively overvalue some IPOs after observing investor sentiment and take advantage of their information to maximize the benefit for issuers and indirectly themselves.
Trust, Learning and Cross-border Entrepreneurship

In recent years, there has been a growth of interest in the role of trust in business behaviour, because of its potential influence on reducing transaction costs (for example, Fukuyama, 1995; Williamson, 1993; Hohmann and Welter, 2005; Welter and Smallbone, 2006). Related to business behaviour, trust is based on a perception of the probability that other agents will behave in a way that is expected (Gambetta, 1988). In a cross-border context, trust might be expected to play a particularly important role because of the risks inherent in cross border transactions. For example, implementation gaps in the legal framework leave scope for discretionary actions of officials. In such a context, trust assists individuals in controlling these risks and reducing the costs connected with each border crossing. Also, trust and learning are closely linked, with recursive relations. Although learning happens independently of trust, it also can be an outcome of trust and its context, and it influences trust-building. Overall, the topic of trust and learning in relation to cross-border entrepreneurship has not been researched systematically, with most of the literature focusing on (inter)organisational and personal trust in the context of multinationals, but neglecting the regional component of international entrepreneurship.1 As such, a conceptual and empirical investigation of the topic can contribute to greater understanding of the role of different forms of trust on cross-border entrepreneurial activities. This chapter reviews some empirical evidence from the project CBCED (‘Challenges and Prospects of Cross-Border Cooperation in the Context of EU Enlargement’, 2006–2008) in order to discuss factors influencing trust and learning in a cross-border context.
Essays on Asset Market comovements

• A submitted manuscript is the version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences between the submitted version and the official published version of record. People interested in the research are advised to contact the author for the final version of the publication, or visit the DOI to the publisher's website. • The final author version and the galley proof are versions of the publication after peer review. • The final published version features the final layout of the paper including the volume, issue and page numbers. Link to publication
EQUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR ALL: THE ENFORCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS IN MINORITY AND LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES

This project evaluates whether regulatory agencies perform fewer environmental enforcement actions at facilities with large minority and low-income populations. Specifically, I examine the number of inspections, informal enforcement actions, and formal enforcement actions at major facilities permitted under the Clean Water Act to test whether there is a disparity relative to the minority and poverty rates within a three-mile radius. Although there has been significant research on general environmental justice issues such as pollution exposure and facility siting in minority and low-income communities, few researchers have focused on enforcement actions in particular. I conduct Poisson regressions on a series of models with inspection and enforcement count variables, minority and poverty rate explanatory variables, and a number of control variables. My empirical results find evidence of disparities in the number of inspections in both minority and low-income communities, and evidence of inequalities in the number of enforcement actions in minority communities.
ETIOPATHOLOGICAL FACTORS RELATED TO HYDROCEPHALUS ASSOCIATED WITH VESTIBULAR SCHWANNOMA

OBJECTIVEWe retrospectively analyzed various clinical factors to determine whether or not these factors are etiopathologically related to the development of hydrocephalus in patients with vestibular schwannomas. METHODSThere were 68 patients (29 men, 39 women) in this study who underwent resection of a vestibular schwannoma. The age at the time of surgery ranged from 19 to 76 years (mean age, 51.4 yr). The maximum diameter of the tumor in the cerebellopontine cistern ranged from 0 (localized within the internal auditory canal) to 56 mm (mean, 32.0 ± 12.9 mm). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein concentration in the cerebellomedullary cistern was measured intraoperatively in all patients. RESULTSSixteen (23.5%) of the 68 patients exhibited radiographic evidence of hydrocephalus. Univariate analysis of various factors revealed that both tumor size and CSF protein concentration were positively related to development of hydrocephalus (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). However, in multiple logistic regression analysis, only the CSF protein concentration was predictive for development of hydrocephalus (P = 0.022). There was a trend toward increased CSF protein concentration in patients with a large tumor (≥40 mm) compared with those with a small tumor (<40 mm) (P = 0.06). CONCLUSIONA high CSF protein concentration in fluid from the cerebellomedullary cistern is one of the most important factors contributing to hydrocephalus associated with vestibular schwannoma. It is important to judge whether or not any further treatment is required for hydrocephalus, in addition to tumor resection, especially in patients with communicating hydrocephalus.
Chemical acylation of water-soluble antioxidant of bamboo leaves (AOB-w) and functional evaluation of oil-soluble AOB (cAOB-o).

UNLABELLED Antioxidant of bamboo leaves (AOB) is a novel natural food antioxidant approved in China since 2004. Natural phenolics contained in the current AOB are usually polyhydroxy derivatives exhibiting hydrophilic character, which has been marked as water-soluble AOB (AOB-w). In order to broaden the application fields, oil-soluble AOB (cAOB-o) was obtained by chemical acylation of AOB-w with different chain-length fatty acids varying from C8 to C18. Results indicated that the yield and solubility of cAOB-o in 1-octanol solvent depended on the carbon chain length of acyl donor, and cAOB-o derived from C12 fatty acid exhibited the more powerful antioxidant activity evaluated by β-carotene/linoleic acid bleaching assay. Total phenolic content decreased by Folin-Ciocalteu assay. Fourier transform infrared spectra showed the increase of a carbonyl (C = O) peak at 1701 cm(-1) and a decrease in the intensity of the absorption at 3400 cm(-1) (O-H stretching) in cAOB-o. Acylation was inferred to mainly occur on the hydroxyl groups of flavones C-glycosides according to the change of high-performance liquid chromatography spectra and the contents of total flavonoids and phenolic acids. cAOB-o with the addition of 0.02% significantly increased oxidative stability of palm oil 1.59 times, lard 3.74 times, and fried potato chips 2.08 times, which was better than the effect of oil-soluble tea polyphenol (P < 0.01). Moreover, cAOB-o was identified to be actually nontoxicity by an acute oral toxicity test. All the above results indicated that cAOB-o could be used as a novel and effective oil-soluble antioxidant in the food industry. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Oil-soluble antioxidant of bamboo leaves (cAOB-o) was obtained by chemical acylation with water-soluble AOB (AOB-w) and different chain-length fatty acids. The solubility of cAOB-o in 1-octanol solvent increased sharply. cAOB-o was able to increase the oxidative stability of palm oil, lard, and fried potato chips. cAOB-o has been identified to be actually not toxic by acute oral toxicity test. All the results indicated that cAOB-o could be used as an effective oil-soluble antioxidant in the food industry.
Assessment of the tricuspid valve: a comparison of four transesophageal echocardiographic windows.

OBJECTIVE Tricuspid valve annular dilation is associated with persistent tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR) after cardiac surgery. The purpose of this study is to compare assessment of the tricuspid valve annulus from 4 different echocardiographic windows. DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING Single tertiary care hospital. PATIENTS Twenty patients undergoing cardiac surgery, including right atriotomy. METHODS Measurements of the tricuspid valve annular diameter during ventricular diastole (TVADd) and of TR jet dimensions, obtained from 3 different transesophageal and 1 transgastric echocardiographic window, were compared with each other and with that measured by the surgeon during cardiopulmonary bypass. Data were compared using correlation statistics, bias analysis, and analysis of variance for repeated measures. RESULTS TVAD measured by the surgeon both agreed and correlated best with TVADd measured from the transgastric right ventricular inflow/outflow window (r = 0.98; mean bias 0.04 cm). The proximal TR jet widths and TR jet lengths were larger when measured from midesophageal 4-chamber and midesophageal right ventricular inflow/outflow windows compared with other windows (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION TVADd was more accurately measured from transgastric windows, whereas the measurements of the TR jet were greater from esophageal windows. These data support imaging from multiple windows to obtain a more comprehensive assessment of the tricuspid valve anatomy and function.
Effects of single layer centrifugation (SLC) on bull spermatozoa prior to freezing on post-thaw semen characteristics.

Single layer centrifugation (SLC) has been shown to select the most robust spermatozoa from the ejaculate in several species. Here the effects of SLC prior to freezing on various parameters of frozen-thawed bovine sperm quality are reported. Semen from 8 bulls was layered on top of a species-specific colloid, Bovicoll. After centrifugation for 20 min at 300 g, the resulting sperm pellet was resuspended in OPTIXcell® (IMV Technologies, l'Aigle, France); the SLC-selected sperm samples and uncentrifuged controls were frozen. On thawing, all sperm samples were analysed for membrane integrity, production of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and chromatin integrity. The SLC-treated samples had a higher percentage of live, superoxide-positive spermatozoa than uncentrifuged samples (27.9 ± 5.1% versus 21.7 ± 6.7%; p = .03). They had a higher proportion of spermatozoa with high mitochondrial membrane potential than uncentrifuged samples (55.9 ± 8.2% versus 40.5 ± 15.1%; p = .03) and also a lower proportion of spermatozoa with low mitochondrial membrane potential than non-treated samples (42.0 ± 8.5% versus 55.9 ± 14.4%; p = .04). No significant effects of treatment were found for membrane integrity or chromatin integrity. The effect of bull was significant on the proportions of dead, superoxide-positive spermatozoa and live, hydrogen peroxide-negative spermatozoa, as well as on membrane integrity, but it was not significant for mitochondrial membrane potential or chromatin integrity. These results suggest that SLC selects the most metabolically active bull spermatozoa from the rest of the population in normal ejaculates; the pattern of reactive oxygen species production may be different in SLC-selected spermatozoa compared to unselected samples.
The Asian Financial Crisis and Banking Reform in China and Vietnam

The collapse of financial markets and exchange rates across Southeast and East Asia in 1997 and 1998 affected the economies of China and Vietnam much less than those of most other Asian countries. Ironically, the two transitional economies were protected to a great extent by the incomplete nature of their banking reforms and financial market development. The yuan and the dong were not yet traded internationally, securities markets were in very early stages of development, and tax codes, trade regulations, and accounting standards in the two countries did not yet fully conform to international norms. Yet the non-convertibility of their currencies served to shield the Chinese and Vietnamese economies from the sharp declines in exchange rates and securities prices that devastated the incomes of millions of people in Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia, and Malaysia.This paper examines the implications for future policy reforms in China and Vietnam of the impact of the Asian financial crisis. The relative immunity of the two economies calls into question some central assumptions of conventional economic development theory. It is no longer clear that full currency convertibility should be sought at the earliest opportunity. The experiences of the Asian economies in the late 1990s suggest that emphasis on development of stable, efficient domestic banking systems and mature financial markets should take priority over full integration with international financial markets. This argument has been developed by Pan Yotopoulos in his book, Exchange Rate Parity for Trade and Development (Cambridge, 1996), and merits further consideration with respect to the financial policies of Vietnam and China.
Circadian variation of sleep tendency in elderly and young adult subjects.

Since its introduction (1) and validation as an objective measure of sleepiness (2-4), the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) has been employed as a measure of sleep tendency in over 200 normal adult subjects. From this large pool of data, a consensus picture of the diurnal1 variation of sleepiness has emerged in which sleep tendency exhibits a biphasic pattern, minimal both in the morning and in the evening, and maximal in the early afternoon (5). Although it has long been realized that similar diurnal patterns are seen in some measures of human performance (6), this complex trend remains difficult to reconcile with existing theories regarding the possible physiological components of sleepiness, alertness, and cognitive function. In particular, circadian rhythms of physiological variables such as body temperature (7) or subjectively assessed alertness (8) show no evidence of a midday decline paralleling the observed increase in sleep tendency. The significance of the complex diurnal pattern of sleep tendency cannot be completely assessed without the perspective of the complete 24-h pattern. However, determination of the entire 24-h pattern requires the measurement of sleep tendency outside of normal waking hours, and this necessity presents obvious methodological problems. One approach has been to use altered sleep-wake schedules to allow measurement of sleep and waking variables throughout the 24-h day (9-12). Retrospective analysis of one such study using sleep latency measurements at each sleep period as a measure analogous to the MSLT (3) demonstrated.a circadian variation in sleep tendency without an obvious midday peak. However, the cumulative sleep deprivation inherent in such manipulations and also the altered schedule itself preclude generalization of these findings to normal sleep-wake schedules. Quantification of the entire 24-h pattern of sleep tendency under normal conditions would clearly be relevant to current models for a number of sleep-wake disorders. In particular, age-related changes in sleep-wake distribution appear to involve some alteration of underlying mechanisms controlling the expression of sleep state. Otherwise normal elderly individuals show increased diurnal napping (13,14) and increased nocturnal awakenings (15,16), a pattern described as a de-
A New Orally Bioavailable Synthetic Androstene Inhibits Collagen‐Induced Arthritis in the Mouse

Abstract: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) has attracted much interest because of its many antiaging, metabolic and immune‐modulating effects in rodents. Synthetic derivatives, such as 5‐androstene‐16α‐fluoro‐17‐one (HE2500) and certain natural metabolites also provide benefit in various animal models of autoimmune and metabolic diseases. But, like DHEA, low potency and low oral bioavailability suggested limited usefulness of these compounds in humans. We hypothesized that HE3286, a novel 17‐ethynyl derivative would be orally bioavailable, more potent, and chemically more useful in man than its parent compound. We found that on a dose/mass basis, HE3286 demonstrated up to 25% oral bioavailability in mice. In the DBA mouse model of collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA), animals receiving oral treatment with HE3286 (50 mg/kg), beginning at onset of disease, significantly decreased CIA peak scores and daily severity of arthritis scores. Benefit was associated with decreases in: (1) production of TNF‐α, IL‐6, and IL‐17; and (2) decreases in joint inflammation, erosion, and synovial proliferation as judged by histological analysis. HE3286 was not found to be immune suppressive in any of the classical models tested, including mitogen‐induced proliferation, delayed‐type hypersensitivity, or mixed lymphocyte reaction. Instead, benefit was associated with increases in numbers and function of CD4+CD25+FOXp3+CD127– regulatory T cells (Treg). To our knowledge, this is probably the first study to report that an orally bioavailable synthetic analogue of DHEA can ameliorate ongoing disease in a CIA mouse model with relevance to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to correlate that finding with decreases in proinflammatory cytokines and increases in Treg cells. Hormones targeting Treg cells hold the intriguing potential to treat autoimmune, infectious, and neoplastic diseases.
Prevalence and Serovars of Leptospira Involved in Equine Abortions in Central Kentucky during the 1990 Foaling Season

A study to determine the prevalence of leptospira-induced abortions in the central Kentucky equine population during the 1990 foaling season and to determine the leptospira serovars responsible was conducted. From July 1, 1989 through June 30, 1990, 32 (4.4%) of 726 submissions (fetuses, stillborn foals, and/or placentas) were diagnosed as leptospirosis by the fluorescent antibody test and/or microscopic agglutination test. Attempts were made to isolate leptospires from the fetal tissues and/or the dam's urine in 31 of these cases. Leptospira interrogans serovar kennewicki was isolated from 11 (35.5%) and serovar grippotyphosa from 2 (6.5%) of the 31 cases. Of 12 cases that were culture negative with serologically positive fetal fluids, 8 had titers against serovar pomona, 1 against bratislava, 1 against grippotyphosa, 1 against hardjo, and 1 against both bratislava and pomona.
Isocapnic hyperventilation shortens washout time for sevoflurane – an experimental in vivo study

Isocapnic hyperventilation (IHV) is a method that fastens weaning from inhalation anaesthesia by increasing airway concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) during hyperventilation (HV). In an animal model, we evaluated a technique of adding CO2 directly to the breathing circuit of a standard anaesthesia apparatus.