Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical Spectrum and Outcome of Nocardia Infection: Experience of 15-Year Period From a Single Tertiary Medical Center

Introduction:Nocardiosis, although very rare, is considered as an important opportunistic infection; however, recent literature is limited. This study describes all cases of nocardial infection treated in the authors' hospital to provide more information about clinical manifestations, species isolated, treatment and outcome of patients with nocardiosis. Methods:A retrospective review of the clinical features and outcome of nocardial infections was conducted during a 15-year period (1996–2010) at Rambam Health Care Campus. Results:The study included 53 patients with nocardial infection, 43 of them had underlying immunodeficiency. The most common clinical form was pulmonary nocardiosis with and without dissemination (60%), followed by skin and soft tissue infection (21%), bacteremia (11%) and pertonitis (5%). Resistance to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazile was detected in 15% of isolates; to imipenem in 5% and to ciprofloxacin in 65%. Overall mortality was 25% (13/53), mainly observed in patients with pulmonary involvement (37.5%). Conclusions:Nocardiosis is a rare infection and mainly affects immunocompromised patients. Higher index of suspicion is needed for earlier diagnosis and treatment to improve prognosis.
Controllability and controllable subspace of multi-agent systems with directed interconnection

In this paper, we investigate the controllability of leader-follower multi-agent systems, where the interconnection is directed and weighted. First, we give algebraic criteria to check controllability. Then we employ balanced partition to classify the interconnection graphs, and study the controllable subspaces with given nontrivial balanced partition. Moreover, we also reveal the equivalence of flow invariance and existence of balanced partition and give a necessary and sufficient graph condition of structural controllability. In addition, some illustrative examples are given.
Adversarial Feature Matching for Text Generation

The Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) has achieved great success in generating realistic (real-valued) synthetic data. However, convergence issues and difficulties dealing with discrete data hinder the applicability of GAN to text. We propose a framework for generating realistic text via adversarial training. We employ a long short-term memory network as generator, and a convolutional network as discriminator. Instead of using the standard objective of GAN, we propose matching the high-dimensional latent feature distributions of real and synthetic sentences, via a kernelized discrepancy metric. This eases adversarial training by alleviating the mode-collapsing problem. Our experiments show superior performance in quantitative evaluation, and demonstrate that our model can generate realistic-looking sentences.
Probable Interaction Between Warfarin and Torsemide

Objective: To report a case in which the anticoagulation effect of warfarin appeared to be potentiated by torsemide, possibly due to an interference of metabolism through competition for the CYP2C9 isoenzyme and protein-binding displacement of warfarin. Case Summary: A 43-year-old Hispanic female with congestive heart failure, hypothyroidism, anemia, atrial fibrillation, and a mitral mechanical valve replacement was effectively anticoagulated with a target international normalized ratio (INR) of 2.5–3.5 on a warfarin regimen of 50–52.5 mg/wk. One week following the initiation of torsemide 40 mg in the morning and 20 mg in the afternoon, a marked increase in the INR occurred (6.2), requiring a warfarin dosage reduction. Subsequent titrations over a 3-week period eventually resulted in the achievement of a therapeutic INR (from 3.3 to 2.9) with a new warfarin regimen of 47.5 mg/wk. Discussion: Both torsemide and warfarin are highly protein-bound to albumin and are major substrates for the CYP2C9 isoenzyme. Competition by multiple drugs for metabolism via CYP2C9 may decrease the clearance of the drugs from systemic circulation. Addition of a drug with high protein binding may result in the displacement of other drugs that circulate highly protein-bound. Therefore, it is possible that the addition of torsemide may potentiate the anticoagulant effect of warfarin by (1) competition for metabolism through CYP2C9, with a decrease in the clearance of warfarin, and (2) protein-binding displacement of warfarin from albumin, transiently potentiating anticoagulant activity. An objective causality assessment revealed that the interaction was probable. Cardiology records confirmed the absence of fluid and heart failure status changes; therefore, these were ruled out as potential etiologies. No levothyroxine dosage changes occurred over the previous 14 months; thus, this also was ruled out as a possible etiology. Conclusions: To our knowledge, an interaction between warfarin and torsemide has not been previously reported. While further research should be done to confirm this interaction, practitioners should be made aware of its possibility.
Modulation and Closed-Loop-Based DC Capacitor Voltage Control for MMC With Fundamental Switching Frequency

This paper presents a novel modulation and capacitor voltage control method for the modular multilevel converter (MMC) allowing the fixed switching frequency of 50 Hz. In the proposed modulation method, the switching angles are calculated through a new approach with reference to the nearest voltage level control. And then, every four pulse patterns are grouped together for averaging the dc and fundamental ac components in the output voltage of individual submodules. Accordingly, the absorbed power of each submodule could be self-balanced during few line periods simply by periodically swapping the pulse patterns. Moreover, the different power losses or different initial energy states of the submodules may also cause the dc capacitor voltage deviation although the absorbed power is equally distributed. Therefore, a closed-loop-based method of exchanging the leading or falling edges of pulse patterns is developed for dc capacitor voltage control. Simulation results show that the MMC circuit together with the proposed method functions very well in both rectifier and inverter modes. Experimental results on a single-phase MMC-based inverter with four submodules in one arm show the validity of the proposed method.
Gastro‐oesophageal reflux in cerebral palsy

postoperation the boy complained of scrotal pain. The left side of the scrotum was found to be swollen and inflamed. The cord structures were swollen and tender, as was the testicle. Testiculartorsion was diagnosed. Exploration of the scrotum produced pus in the tunica vaginalis, the testis and cord structures.No communication with the peritoneum could be demonstrated.Drainagewithprimary closure and placement ofYate's drain was under-taken. Postoperative recovery was slow but uneventful and complete. Culture swab from scrotal pus grew E. coli, as had the swab from the original operation. The organisms were sensitive to the antibiotics taken. On further enquiry the mother disclosed that at the age of 2 years there had been a queried leftsided inguinal hernia. This had been discounted on follow-up and there had since been no suggestion of a recurrent groin swelling. While inflamed appendix in a groin hernia is a well-described if uncommon condition, 1 scrotal sepsis after inflammation of a normally located appendix is less common. Inguino-scrotal suppuration is an ~ncomn:ion but :ecognised c_o1;1plic~t1on of mtrapentoneal sepsis. -· It 1s believed to be due to a persistent communication with the peritoneal cavity in the form of a patent processus vaginalis or the presence of an indirect hernia. 4 The process is similar to the development of intraperitoneal abscess. The incidence of this condition has decreased ue to widespread and effective antibiotic treatment. 4 In this patient there had previously been a suggestion of a left-sided hernia. This raises the possibility of a persistent communication, albeit at a subclinical level, allowing infected material to track into the tunica vaginalis. It has been suggested that peritoneal lavage might increase the chances of
Cute Little Puppies and Nice Cold Beers: An Information Theoretic Analysis of Prenominal Adjectives

A central goal of typological research is to characterize linguistic features in terms of both their functional role and their fit to social and cognitive systems. One longstanding puzzle concerns why certain languages employ grammatical gender. In an information theoretic analysis of German noun classification, Dye et al. (2017) enumerated a number of important processing advantages gender confers. Yet this raises a further puzzle: If gender systems are so beneficial to processing, what does this mean for languages that make do without them? Here, we compare the communicative function of gender marking in German (a deterministic system) to that of prenominal adjectives in English (a probabilistic one), finding that despite their differences, both systems act to efficiently smooth information over discourse, making nouns more equally predictable in context. We examine why evolutionary pressures may favor one system over another, and discuss the implications for compositional accounts of meaning and Gricean principles of communication.
Heterotrophic protists as a trophic link between picocyanobacteria and the pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera in the Takapoto lagoon (Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia)

Pearl oysters are farmed in oligotrophic tropical atoll lagoons where planktonic commu- nities are dominated by production from cyanobacteria smaller than 2 µm. Paradoxically, the pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera only retains particles larger than 2 µm. In this study, we assess the rel- ative contribution of hetero/mixotrophic microbiota to the available planktonic resource. In Takapoto Atoll, picocyanobacteria are the dominant biomass (20 µg C l -1 ). The carbon biomass of ciliates and dinoflagellates ranges from 1 to 24 and 0.5 to 5 µg C l -1 respectively, with a mean of 6 µg C l -1 for cil- iates and 2 µg C l -1 for dinoflagellates. The possible retention by P. margaritifera on a natural protist suspension was investigated. Due to its high clearance rates (ca 20 l h -1 g -1 ) the pearl oyster retained 85 µg C h -1 g -1 from ciliates and 65 µg C h -1 g -1 from dinoflagellates. Conversely, cyanobacteria were not efficiently retained by the bivalve and did not efficiently contribute to its diet. From our experi- ments, we concluded that hetero/mixotrophic protists rapidly and efficiently process the picoplank- tonic resource towards filter-feeders, particularly pearl oysters.
The nature and dissemination of UHMWPE wear debris retrieved from periprosthetic tissue of THR.

The role of wear debris in provoking joint replacement failure through bone resorption is now supported by much research. This study presents the analysis of 104 tissue samples using laser diffraction wear particle analysis in conjunction with standard histologic methods. The number and volume distributions were correlated to a range of joint and patient parameters. The median particle diameter by number was 0.69 microm. No particles smaller than 0.113 microm were resolved. No variation in terms of particle distribution was found among joint types. The ability of particles to migrate away from their point of origin was found to be inversely proportional to their size. The numbers of particles per gram of tissue found in various regions around the prosthesis varied little. Further, the numbers of particles in tissue samples shown to have a chronic foreign-body reaction was > 1 x 10(9) particles/gram.
Familial Transmission of Educational Plans and the Academic Self-Concept

This research investigates the social reproduction of inequality by drawing on prospective longitudinal data from three generations of Youth Development Study respondents. It examines intergenerational influence on the relatively unexplored academic self-concept as well as educational plans, a critical component of the status attainment model. A structural equation model, based on 422 three-generation triads, finds evidence that the sources giving rise to the development of children’s (Generation 3) achievement orientations do not only result from parental (Generation 2 [G2]) contemporaneous influence. Prior influences implicate grandparent (Generation 1) educational attainment and income, grandparental expectations for the G2 adolescent, the G2 academic self-concept and educational plans measured more than 20 years earlier (in G2’s adolescence), and G2 educational attainment. A familial culture emphasizing academic self-confidence and high educational expectations may be an important component of “family capital” that supports educational attainment and contributes to the maintenance of social class position in each successive generation.
The M4 muscarinic antagonist MT‐3 inhibits myopia in chick: evidence for site of action

Citation information: McBrien NA, Arumugam B, Gentle A, Chow A & Sahebjada S. The M4 muscarinic antagonist MT‐3 inhibits myopia in chick: evidence for site of action. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2011, 31, 529–539. doi:10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2011. 00841.x
Postmidnight chorus: A substorm phenomenon

The ELF (10–1500 Hz) electromagnetic emissions in the midnight sector of the outer magnetosphere have been studied using Ogo 5 search coil magnetometer data. Chorus was detected in conjunction with magnetospheric substorms throughout the region from L = 5 to L = 9 but only during postmidnight hours. No chorus was seen in the 3 hr preceding midnight even when substorms were in progress. The postmidnight chorus occurred only within ±15° of, and most frequently at, the geomagnetic equator. Time-averaged intensities varied from 10−8 to 10−6 γ²/Hz, which is more than an order below the maximum values reported previously for dayside chorus. The chorus occurred in narrow frequency bands having a bandwidth of 50–200 Hz. Chorus frequencies varied from less than one-fourth to as high as three-fourths of the equatorial electron gyrofrequency as determined by the on-board magnetometer. All frequencies in this range were detected except for a narrow band near one-half the electron gyrofrequency where the chorus appeared to be strongly attenuated. Chorus was often observed as two distinct bands above and below one-half the gyrofrequency. The two most common types of chorus were narrow band chorus without structure and falling tones. Rising tones and hooks were also observed. Chorus pulsations were observed often with quasi-periods of 5–15 s. A correlation was sought, but none was found, between the micropulsations in the ambient magnetic field and the chorus pulsations. Many features of postmidnight chorus can be explained by a cyclotron resonant interaction between the waves and the substorm electrons. The distribution of the chorus as a function of local time and L is strikingly similar to the distribution of enhanced, trapped, and precipitated substorm electrons with energies >40 keV. The postmidnight occurrence of chorus is attributable to the eastward curvature and gradient drift of the injected electrons. Cyclotron resonant interactions should be strongest near the equator, as was observed. The confinement to within 15° of the equator is attributed to Landau damping by low-energy (1–10 keV) auroral electrons. The attenuation band at one-half the electron gyrofrequency may result from Landau damping by electrons that have energy corresponding to cyclotron resonance but are traveling in the same direction as the waves. A close correspondence is expected between the occurrence of postmidnight and dayside chorus. The maximum in dayside chorus intensity at approximately 1000 LT, which is correlated with the dayside maximum of energetic electron precipitation, may represent further precipitation of the substorm electrons injected near midnight.
Color-Word Matching Stroop Task: Separating Interference and Response Conflict

The Stroop interference task requires a person to respond to a specific dimension of a stimulus while suppressing a competing stimulus dimension. Previous PET and fMRI studies using the Color Stroop paradigm have shown increased activity in the "cognitive division" of the cingulate cortex. In our fMRI study with nine subjects, we used a Color-Word Matching Stroop task. A frontoparietal network, including structures in the lateral prefrontal cortex, the frontopolar region, the intraparietal sulcus, as well as the lateral occipitotemporal gyrus, was activated when contrasting the incongruent vs the neutral condition. However, no substantial activation in either the right or left hemisphere of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) was detected. In accordance with a series of recent articles, we argue that the ACC is not specifically involved in interference processes. The ACC seems rather involved in motor preparation processes which were controlled in the present Color-Word Matching Stroop task. We argue that the region around the banks of the inferior frontal sulcus is required to solve interference problems, a concept which can also be seen as a component of task set management.
Understanding of Antecedents to Achieve Customer Trust and Customer Intention to Purchase E-Commerce in Social Media, an Empirical Assessment

This study aims to analyze empirically three factors antecedents of trust they are system quality, information quality, and service quality. Customer trust is used in determining customer intention to purchase of e-commerce in social media (facebook). A number of respondents were 451. The results of this study concluded that three factors antecedents of trust directly had a positive impact to customer trust and indirectly had positive impact on customer intention to purchase in e-commerce transactions on social media.
A longitudinal model of intake symptomatology, AA participation and outcome: retrospective study of the project MATCH outpatient and aftercare samples.

OBJECTIVE The present study used data gathered in Project MATCH to longitudinally assess intake symptomatology, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) participation, and outcome. Three primary constructs were considered: intake symptomatology, engagement in prescribed AA-related activities and functioning after engagement in AA-related behaviors. METHOD The participants were 480 outpatient and 434 aftercare clients who participated in Project MATCH. RESULTS Similar findings were found for each sample. Intake symptomatology positively predicted AA participation during the first 6 months following treatment. Although network support for drinking was negatively related to AA participation, such support did not mediate the relationship between intake symptomatology and subsequent AA participation. AA participation, in turn. positively predicted frequency of abstinent days in Months 7-12 posttreatment. This latter relationship was mediated by perceived self-efficacy to avoid drinking (Month 6). AA participation was positively related to self-efficacy to avoid drinking, which, in turn, predicted more days abstinent. One difference between the outpatient and aftercare samples emerged, involving the latent construct intake symptomatology. Intake symptomatology among outpatients was not predictive of percentage of abstinent days (Months 7-12), whereas intake symptomatology was negatively predictive of percentage of abstinent days in the aftercare sample. CONCLUSIONS Intake symptomatology positively predicted participation in AA, which predicted subsequent abstinent days. The positive relationship between AA participation and self-efficacy to avoid drinking may explain in part why AA engagement predicts subsequent increases in abstinence.
Chronology and Development of Juvenile Bluegill Parasite Communities

Abstract This study describes the parasite communities of juvenile bluegill and examines the development of parasite communities in juvenile bluegill from 2 Michigan lakes. Parasitological examination of 510 juvenile bluegill from 2 Michigan lakes (Three Lakes II [TL] and Gull Lake [GL]) demonstrated that TL bluegill harbored 19 parasite species and GL bluegill harbored 16 parasite species. Parasite communities of juvenile bluegill from both lakes were dominated by larval parasites, particularly larval trematodes. A nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis showed bluegill of similar lengths to have similar parasite communities. Relative influences of species richness on parasite infracommunities of juvenile bluegill suggest similar patterns of parasite community structure between TL and GL. Patterns in parasite colonization evident in both lakes suggest that the smallest juvenile bluegill are primarily vulnerable to colonization by parasites acquired through direct contact, particularly larval trematodes, while the majority of parasites acquired through ingestion are not acquired until juvenile bluegill are larger and less-gape limited.
Does the Effort of Processing Potential Incentives Influence the Adaption of Context Updating in Older Adults?

A number of aging studies suggest that older adults process positive and negative information differently. For instance, the socioemotional selectivity theory postulates that older adults preferably process positive information in service of emotional well-being (Reed and Carstensen, 2012). Moreover, recent research has started to investigate whether incentives like gains or losses can influence cognitive control in an ongoing task. In an earlier study (Schmitt et al., 2015), we examined whether incentive cues, indicating potential monetary gains, losses, or neutral outcomes for good performance in the following trial, would influence older adults’ ability to exert cognitive control. Cognitive control was measured in an AX-Continuous-Performance-Task (AX-CPT) in which participants had to select their responses to probe stimuli depending on a preceding context cue. In this study, we did not find support for a positivity effect in older adults, but both gains and losses led to enhanced context processing. As the trial-wise presentation mode may be too demanding on cognitive resources for such a bias to occur, the main goal of the present study was to examine whether motivational mindsets, induced by block-wise presentation of incentives, would result in a positivity effect. For this reason, we examined 17 older participants (65–76 years) in the AX-CPT using a block-wise presentation of incentive cues and compared them to 18 older adults (69–78 years) with the trial-wise presentation mode from our earlier study (Schmitt et al., 2015). Event-related potentials were recorded to the onset of the motivational cue and during the AX-CPT. Our results show that (a) older adults initially process cues signaling potential losses more strongly, but later during the AX-CPT invest more cognitive resources in preparatory processes like context updating in conditions with potential gains, and (b) block-wise and trial-wise presentation of incentive cues differentially influenced cognitive control. When incentives were presented block-wise, the above described valence effects were consistently found. In contrast, when incentives were presented trial-wise, the effects were mixed and salience as well as valence effects can be obtained. Hence, how positive and negative incentive cues influence cognitive control in older adults is dependent on demands of cue processing.