Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis Infections in the Cornea

Purpose To describe the incidence and clinical management of corneal infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE). Methods The incidence of methicillin-resistant Stuphylococcus (MRS) at the Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, was reviewed during the 5-year period from January 1996 to December 2000. Clinical aspects of MRS colonization or infection in the eye were investigated. Results Methicillin-resistant S. aureus or MRSE was detected from 30 eyes with ocular diseases; post-keratoplasty (11 eyes), ocular surface disorders without operation (9 eyes), and others (10 eyes). Among the 30 eyes, 12 manifested keratitis. Eight cases (8 eyes) occurred after keratoplasty, including four postoperative cases in patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and two bilateral cases (4 eyes) in patients with acute-phase Stevens-Johnson syndrome. The degree of MRS keratitis was classified into 4 groups: asymptomatic carrier or conjunctivitis, intraepithelial infiltrations, superficial keratitis, and severe keratitis leading to corneal perforation. All cases of keratitis were treated successfully with topical ofloxacin (OFLX), vancomycin (VCM), or arbekacin (ABK). Conclusion Factors associated with ocular MRS colonization were long-term use of antibiotics and/or steroids, and hospitalization. Patients who had undergone keratoplasty or who had Stevens-Johnson syndrome were at increased risk of MRS keratitis. Superficial stromal infiltrations, minimal melting, and minimal stromal scarring are characteristic of MRS keratitis. Therapy for MRS keratitis is summarized. Ofloxacin, VCM, and ABK are effective in the treatment of MRS keratitis. Vancomycin eye ointment is effective as the final choice in serious cases.
Environmental and anthropogenic controls over bacterial communities in wetland soils

Soil bacteria regulate wetland biogeochemical processes, yet little is known about controls over their distribution and abundance. Bacteria in North Carolina swamps and bogs differ greatly from Florida Everglades fens, where communities studied were unexpectedly similar along a nutrient enrichment gradient. Bacterial composition and diversity corresponded strongly with soil pH, land use, and restoration status, but less to nutrient concentrations, and not with wetland type or soil carbon. Surprisingly, wetland restoration decreased bacterial diversity, a response opposite to that in terrestrial ecosystems. Community level patterns were underlain by responses of a few taxa, especially the Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria, suggesting promise for bacterial indicators of restoration and trophic status.
Context-Aware System Design for Remote Health Monitoring: An Application to Continuous Edema Assessment

Designing remote health monitoring systems requires a multi-faceted perspective that takes into account requirements and contexts imposed by the medical application, technology, and end-user. We study such a design perspective in the context of remote and real-time edema monitoring. Edema (accumulation of fluid in certain soft-tissues) is regarded as one of the most important symptoms for systematic diseases such as heart failure. Monitoring edema allows patients and caregivers to understand the state of sickness and effectiveness of the treatments. This article proposes a novel low-power context-aware and real-time wearable platform capable of continuous assessment of ankle edema in remote settings. Our system keeps track of changes in subject’s ankle circumference as well as current body posture. An examination of our system with 15 subjects demonstrates the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed force-sensitive-resistor-based edema sensor (with an <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R^2$</tex-math> <alternatives><inline-graphic xlink:href="fallahzadeh-ieq1-2616403.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> of 0.87 for our regression model and intraclass correlation of 0.97) as well as an over 96 percent accuracy in activity monitoring that provide the means to perform reliable data validation on ankle circumference measurements in a continuous manner. Furthermore, we devise a novel derivative-free power optimization approach to maximize the battery lifetime resulting in improvement in battery lifetime by a factor of 2.13.
Psychological Assessment Measuring Gratitude in Youth : Assessing the Psychometric Properties of Adult Gratitude Scales in Children and Adolescents

ness, and some youth reporting it difficult to understand. Third, researchers should not use the GRAT-short form with students in the 10to 13-year age range. Although there appear to be pros and cons with using either the GQ-6 or GAC, this study suggests that the GQ-6 is the more psychometrically sound scale for 10to 13-year-olds. If researchers attempt to measure gratitude in 10to 13-year-olds, they should probably use both the GQ-6 and GAC, looking for convergent findings. The reason the GRAT-short form performed poorly in the 10to 13-year age group relative to the GQ-6 and GAC may be due to the cognitive and experiential limitations of preadolescents and the items of this scale. For instance, “Although I think it’s important to feel good about your accomplishments, I think it’s also important to remember how others have contributed to my accomplishments” and “Although I’m basically in control of my life, I can’t help but think about all those who have supported me along the Table 4 Zero-Order Correlations Among the GQ-6, GAC, GRAT-Short Form, and Social-Emotional Well-Being Across Six Age Groups
Overconfidence in Phishing Email Detection

: This study examines overconfidence in phishing email detection. Researchers believe that overconfidence (i.e., where one’s judgmental confidence exceeds one’s actual performance in decision making) can lead to one’s adopting risky behavior in uncertain situations. This study focuses on what leads to overconfidence in phishing detection. We performed a survey experiment with 600 subjects to collect empirical data for the study. In the experiment, each subject judged a set of randomly selected phishing emails and authentic business emails. Specifically, we examined two metrics of overconfidence (i.e., overprecision and overestimation). Results show that cognitive effort decreased overconfidence, while variability in attention allocation, dispositional optimism, and familiarity with the business entities in the emails all increased overconfidence in phishing email detection. The effect of perceived self-efficacy of detecting phishing emails on overconfidence was marginal. In addition, all confidence beliefs poorly predicted detection accuracy and poorly explained its variance, which highlights the issue of relying on them to guide one’s behavior in detecting phishing. We discuss mechanisms to reduce overconfidence.
Cochlear Implant Generated Surface Potentials: Current Spread and Side Effects

Surface potentials were recorded in 16 users of the Cochlear (Nucleus) Mini System 22 in order to investigate the current flow resulting from the sequential stimulation of all paired combinations of 22 electrodes. In almost all patients the amplitude of the surface potentials increased with the distance between the stimulating electrodes along the scala tympani and decreased with the distance between the basal electrode and the round window. However, in two patients whose cause of deafness was otosclerosis, the largest surface potentials were seen when the stimulation was applied to electrodes which were approximately half a cochlear turn apart. These highly regular patterns suggested two different pathways for the currents that generated surface potentials: (1) through the fluid along the scala and not through the dense cochlear bone, leaving the cochlea only at the basally located openings; (2) through the very permeable cochlear bone in the case of otosclerosis. Stimulation of any electrodes that caused facial twitching and/or unpleasant sensations in the head (four patients) did not give rise to abnormal surface potential amplitudes. Two patients who suffered from frequent threshold and comfort level changes were tested repeatedly. As the recorded amplitudes did not change significantly over time, neurophysiological changes were a more likely cause than fluctuations of the stimulator output. (Ear & Hearing 1994;15;339-345
Emergency contraception in Senegal: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract Objectives This paper highlights lessons from introductory efforts and presents new data on community, provider and key opinion leader perspectives to support expanded use of emergency contraception (EC) in Senegal. Sources of information The paper draws on four data sources: (i) a literature review; (ii) a secondary analysis of a household survey conducted by the Urban Reproductive Health Initiative; (iii) in-depth interviews with key opinion leaders; and (iv) a quantitative survey of healthcare providers from a range of service delivery points. Analysis of data Knowledge of EC among women is low in urban areas, with only 20% of women having heard of the method and 4% having ever used it. There were serious gaps in providers’ technical knowledge about EC; only 57% knew its mode of action and 34% were aware of the need for timely use (within 120 h). Moreover, nearly half reported reluctance to provide EC to married women and even fewer were willing to provide it to youths, particularly to adolescent girls. Responses from key opinion leaders were mixed, demonstrating ambivalence about EC and how it could be offered. Conclusion In Senegal, the current positive political climate for family planning provides a good opportunity for strengthening EC programming to address knowledge and attitudinal barriers among providers, key opinion leaders and communities. Chinese Abstract 摘要 ：目的，这篇文章的亮点来自导言，尽力展示并且提供了社区、提供者及关键意见领袖支持紧急避孕药在塞内加尔的广泛使用的新数据。 资料来源 这篇文章的资料来源于四个数据：（1）文献综述；（2）一篇由城市生殖健康倡议进行的入户调查的二级分析。 （3）一个和关键意见领袖的深度的采访。 （4）很多医疗保健服务提供方从乡镇机构得到的量化调查结果。 数据分析 在城市地区的妇女对紧急避孕药的了解很少，仅有20%的女性听说过这种方法而只有4%的女性使用过。 供应者提供的紧急避孕药的技术知识存在缺口，只有57%的人知道其作用方式，34%的人知道要在120小时内及时地使用。 此外，据报道几乎有一半的情况愿意向已婚女性提供紧急避孕药，极少愿意提供给青年人尤其是青春期的女孩。 关键意见领袖的反应是不确定的，对于紧急避孕药及该如何提供存在着矛盾。 结论 在塞内加尔，当前计划生育积极的政治气候对于加强紧急避孕药的规划、对药物的供应者，关键意见领袖和社区介绍药品的知识和态度上的障碍提供了很好的机会，。
Comparison among sonography, double-tracer subtraction scintigraphy, and double-phase scintigraphy in the detection of parathyroid lesions.

OBJECTIVE This study prospectively evaluated the sensitivity of high-resolution sonography compared with double-tracer 201Tl-99mTc scintigraphy (Tl-Tc) subtractive scintigraphy and double-phase 99mTc-sestamibi (Tc-MIBI) scintigraphy prior to surgery in the assessment of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism in a geographic region where areas of endemic thyroid goiter are present. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Sonography and scintigraphy were used as first-step imaging procedures in 73 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. In 30 (41%) of 73 cases, we found an association with a thyroid abnormality. We compared sonography with double-tracer Tl-Tc scintigraphy in 41 cases, with Tc-MIBI scintigraphy in 22 other cases, and with both scintigraphic studies in 10 other cases. RESULTS Surgery demonstrated 68 solitary parathyroid lesions (66 adenomas, one hyperplasia, and one carcinoma), two adenomas in two patients, and multiple hyperplastic glands in two patients for a total of seven lesions. In one case no abnormal parathyroid gland was found. Overall sensitivity of sonography, Tl-Tc, and Tc-MIBI scintigraphy was 85%, 62%, and 82%, respectively. In patients with concomitant thyroid disease, the sensitivity of sonography, dual-tracer Tl-Tc, and Tc-MIBI was 77%, 67%, and 80%, respectively. CONCLUSION Our study proves that sonography and scintigraphy are equally able to detect parathyroid lesions before surgery in patients with concomitant thyroid diseases. In patients without thyroid abnormalities, detection rates of sonography and Tc-MIBI do not show any statistical difference, and the detection rate of Tl-Tc is significantly inferior to that of sonography. Sonography alone should be used as the first step for localization of abnormal parathyroid glands prior to surgery, and Tc-MIBI scintigraphy should be used as the second step when sonography is negative.
Prediction of functional outcome after stroke: comparison of the Orpington Prognostic Scale and the NIH Stroke Scale.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE This study compared the ability of 2 stroke impairment scales, Orpington Prognostic Scale and National Institutes of Health (NIH) Stroke Scale, to predict disability as measured by the Barthel activities of daily living (ADL) Index and higher level of self-reported physical functioning as measured by the SF-36 physical functioning index (PFI) at 1, 3, and 6 months after stroke. METHODS The participants in this ongoing study are 184 individuals who sustained an eligible stroke and were recruited for the Kansas City Stroke Study. All patients were prospectively evaluated using standardized assessments at enrollment (within 14 days of stroke onset) and followed at 1, 3, and 6 months after stroke. Coefficient of determination (R2) was used to assess the ability of the 2 stroke scales to prognosticate outcomes. RESULTS Means and SDs of the Orpington Prognostic Scale and NIH Stroke Scale measured at baseline were 3.6+/-1.31 and 5.5+/-4.58, respectively. The Spearman's rank correlation between the 2 baseline measures was 0.83 (P=0.0001). The Orpington Prognostic Scale and the NIH Stroke Scale explained well the variance in Barthel ADL Index (P<0.001). However, the Orpington Prognostic Scale explained more variance than did the NIH Stroke Scale. Similarly, the Orpington Prognostic Score explained more variance in higher level of physical function than did the NIH Stroke Scale. The amount of variance in Barthel ADL Index and SF-36 PFI, which were explained by both stroke severity measures, decreased over time. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that in a sample of mostly mild and moderate strokes, the Orpington Prognostic Scale compared with the NIH Stroke Scale is simpler to use and is a slightly better predictor of ADL and higher levels of physical function.
Changes in Continental Freshwater Discharge from 1948 to 2004

Abstract A new dataset of historical monthly streamflow at the farthest downstream stations for the world’s 925 largest ocean-reaching rivers has been created for community use. Available new gauge records are added to a network of gauges that covers ∼80 × 106 km2 or ∼80% of global ocean-draining land areas and accounts for about 73% of global total runoff. For most of the large rivers, the record for 1948–2004 is fairly complete. Data gaps in the records are filled through linear regression using streamflow simulated by a land surface model [Community Land Model, version 3 (CLM3)] forced with observed precipitation and other atmospheric forcings that are significantly (and often strongly) correlated with the observed streamflow for most rivers. Compared with previous studies, the new dataset has improved homogeneity and enables more reliable assessments of decadal and long-term changes in continental freshwater discharge into the oceans. The model-simulated runoff ratio over drainage areas with and witho.
Test Vector Leakage Assessment ( TVLA ) methodology in practice

Many security standards require cryptographic devices and modules to resist side-channel attacks such as Timing Analysis as well as Simple and Differential Power/Electromagnetic Analysis. These requirements have also been included in the draft FIPS 140-3 standard [1]. However, existing security certification standards mandating side-channel resistance, such as Common Criterion, require an evaluation style testing approach to verify compliance. Such evaluation style testing approaches are not suitable for a conformance style testing program such as CMVP, and effective, yet cost-efficient, conformance style testing for side-channel resistance has been seen as a challenge.
Activité anticoccidienne in vivo de l’extrait aqueux des inflorescences de Thonningia sanguinea (Balanophoraceae) chez la poule pondeuse

La coccidiose causee par des parasites du genre Eimeria, est a l’origine de la baisse des performances zootechniques des oiseaux parasites. Les effets de Thonningia sanguinea (THOS), extrait vegetal, ont ete evalues sur le gain de poids, l’indice de consommation (I.C), les indices lesionnels et aussi sur l’aspect clinique, a savoir la morbidite, l’aspect des matieres fecales et l’excretion des oocystes. Pour ce faire, 4 lots de 20 poules ont ete constitues. Trois lots de poules sont infectes via l’eau de boisson par 100000 oocystes (75% d’Eimeria tenella et 25% d’Eimeria necatrix) et un lot non contamine non traite. Deux des trois lots contamines (Lot 3 et Lot 4) ont recu chaque jour et pendant une semaine respectivement une solution de THOS a 10 g /L et une solution contenant un anticoccidien (Superhipracox-p) a la dose indiquee (1 g/L). Les poules ont ete infectees le 9eme jour et le traitement a debute le 24eme jour. Tous les 3 jours, les poules sont pesees et des autopsies sont effectuees. Les resultats montrent que THOS ameliore le gain de poids, l’indice de consommation, l’indice lesionnel et ainsi que les parametres cliniques tels que la morbidite, l’aspect des matieres fecales et le taux d’excretion des oocytes. © 2010 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved. Mots cles : Thonningia sanguinea - coccidiose – Eimeria - Superhipracox-p - poule
Importance of Risk Factor Clustering in Coronary Heart Disease Mortality and Incidence in Eastern Finland

Background: Smoking, a high serum cholesterol level and elevated blood pressure are the most important risk factors for coronary disease. Each of these major risk factors contributes independently to the risk of coronary disease, and clustering of the risk factors may increase the risk more than any of the factors alone. Methods: The study is a 12-year prospective follow-up of 7928 men and 8530 women examined in eastern Finland. Risk factor categories were created by combining smoking status and dichotomized values of serum cholesterol level and blood pressure. Endpoints for the follow-up were either coronary death or a first coronary event (fatal or non-fatal). The effect of risk factor clustering was analysed by assessing relative risks, mortality and incidence, and population-attributable risks in each of the risk-factor categories. Results: The relative risks for coronary death and first coronary event in men with all three risk factors (smoking, serum cholesterol ≥6.5mmol/l and either systolic blood pressure ≥160mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥95mmHg) were 11.8 and 7.3, respectively, compared with men with none of these risk factors. The corresponding risk ratios for women were 9.6 and 8.6. The 12-year coronary mortality varied between 10.0 deaths per 10000 person-years in men with none of the risk factors to 98.9 per 10 000 person-years in men with all three risk factors. The 12-year incidences in men were 37.4 and 206.3 per 10 000 person-years, respectively. The coronary mortality in women varied between 3.4 and 27.9 deaths per 10 000 person-years and the incidence between 13.3 and 110.8 per 10 000 person-years. Most of the population-attributable risk in men was associated with the combination of smoking with a high serum cholesterol level or with the combination of all three risk factors. In women, most of the population-attributable risk was associated with the combination of high serum cholesterol level with elevated blood pressure. Conclusion: The results illustrate the public-health importance of these major risk factors and indicate the need for a multifactorial approach to the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
Pax8 Expression in Thymic Epithelial Neoplasms: An Immunohistochemical Analysis

Pax8 is a transcription factor associated with the embryonic development of the thyroid gland, kidney, and the Müllerian system and plays a role in the tumorigenesis of these organs. Pax8 has been shown to be expressed immunohistochemically in a high percentage of tumors of thyroid, renal, and Müllerian origin in both primary and metastatic sites. The diagnostic utility of Pax8 protein expression in thymic epithelial neoplasms has not been comprehensively studied. This study examines the immunohistochemical expression of Pax8 in a series of thymic epithelial neoplasms, including 31 thymic carcinomas, 30 World Health Organization (WHO) type A thymomas, and 30 WHO type B thymomas (B1, B2, B3). Positive immunoreactivity for Pax8 was noted in 77% of thymic carcinomas, 100% of WHO type A thymomas, and 93% of WHO type B thymomas. Consistent but weaker staining for Pax8 was also identified in the epithelial cells of remnant thymic tissue located in the periphery of the tumors. This study expands the spectrum of tumors expressing Pax8 to include thymic epithelial neoplasms. The consistent expression of this marker in these tumors is a valuable diagnostic tool that can be of use in the differential diagnosis of anterior mediastinal neoplasms. As Pax8 expression has been demonstrated to be limited to organs the development of which depends on this transcription factor, the possibility that the organogenesis of the thymic gland also depends on this factor should be explored.
Anthropometric Surrogates for Screening of Low Birth Weight Newborns

In developing countries, where about 75% of births occur at home or in the community, logistic problems prevent the weighing of every newborn child. This study compares various anthropometric surrogates for identification of low birth weight neonates. A longitudinal community based study was done in an urban resettlement colony and 283 singleton neonates within 7 days of birth were examined for the anthropometric measurements such as head, chest, mid upper arm circumference and foot length as a screening tool for low birth weight. Chest circumference measured within 7 days of birth appeared to be the most appropriate surrogate of low birth weight with highest sensitivity (75.4%), specificity (78.4%), and positive predictive value (48.9%) as compared with other anthropometric parameters. Low birth weight neonates in absence of weighing scales can be early identified by using simple anthropometric measurements for enhanced home-based care and timely referral.
Molecular Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, and Clinical Manifestations of Respiratory Infections Due to Bordetella pertussis and Other Bordetella Subspecies

SUMMARY Bordetella respiratory infections are common in people (B. pertussis) and in animals (B. bronchiseptica). During the last two decades, much has been learned about the virulence determinants, pathogenesis, and immunity of Bordetella. Clinically, the full spectrum of disease due to B. pertussis infection is now understood, and infections in adolescents and adults are recognized as the reservoir for cyclic outbreaks of disease. DTaP vaccines, which are less reactogenic than DTP vaccines, are now in general use in many developed countries, and it is expected that the expansion of their use to adolescents and adults will have a significant impact on reducing pertussis and perhaps decrease the circulation of B. pertussis. Future studies should seek to determine the cause of the unique cough which is associated with Bordetella respiratory infections. It is also hoped that data gathered from molecular Bordetella research will lead to a new generation of DTaP vaccines which provide greater efficacy than is provided by today's vaccines.