Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Different Levels of Genetic Homogeneity in Vancomycin-Resistant and -Susceptible Enterococcus faecium Isolates from Different Human and Animal Sources Analyzed by Amplified-Fragment Length Polymorphism

ABSTRACT The genetic relationship among fecal vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF) and vancomycin-susceptible E. faecium (VSEF) isolates (n = 178) from the same populations of pigs, human healthy volunteers, and hospitalized patients (from The Netherlands) and chickens (from The Netherlands and Greece) was studied by amplified-fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). The majority of VREF isolates from pigs, healthy volunteers, and hospitalized patients grouped together (genetic similarity, ≥65%). In a previous AFLP study by our group the VREF isolates from hospitalized patients grouped separately, most likely because these were clinical and not fecal isolates as in the present study. Furthermore, VSEF isolates from humans and pigs were found much more genetically diverse than VREF isolates, whereas VREF and VSEF isolates from chickens clustered together in a separate genogroup (genetic similarity, ≥65%), a pattern clearly distinct from the patterns for human and pig isolates. The present study suggests that pigs are a more important source of VREF for humans than chickens and that human- and pig-derived VSEF isolates seem much more heterogeneous than VREF isolates.
Stress Management Techniques in the Prison Setting

Background: The percentage of incarcerated individuals in the United States is currently close to an all time high, and more stressful places than prisons are hard to find. Because registered nurses and advance practice nurses are often the only healthcare providers readily available to prison inmates, nurses need a repertoire of effective strategies to minimize prisoners’ stress-related symptoms and behaviors. Purpose: The purpose of this critical literature review was to identify the state of knowledge about using stress management techniques (SMTs) in the prison setting for reducing psychological problems and/or behavioral problems in male and female adult prison populations. Methods: A comprehensive, systematic integrated literature search was performed using multiple relevant databases to identify studies using various SMTs for incarcerated adults. Findings: Although clinical practice recommendations for the use of SMTs in the prison setting cannot be made with strong certainty, nurses working in the prison setting should continue to incorporate muscle relaxation, Transcendental Meditation, and certain Eastern meditative practices in the care of their clients because of the safety and possible positive impacts and practicality these methods have in this setting.
Acetaminophen (paracetamol) improves pain and well-being in people with advanced cancer already receiving a strong opioid regimen: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over trial.

PURPOSE To determine whether adding regular acetaminophen (paracetamol) could improve pain and well-being in people with advanced cancer and pain despite strong opioids. PATIENTS AND METHODS Participants took acetaminophen for 48 hours and placebo for 48 hours. The order (acetaminophen or placebo first) was randomly allocated. Pain was the primary outcome. Preferences, number of opioid breakthrough doses, overall well-being, nausea and vomiting, drowsiness, constipation, and cold sweats were secondary outcomes. Patients rated themselves daily with visual analog scales (VAS) and a verbal numeric scale (VNS) for pain, all scaled from 0 to 10. RESULTS Thirty patients completed the trial. The oral opioid was morphine in 23 patients and hydromorphone in seven patients. The median daily opioid dose in oral morphine equivalents was 200 mg (range, 20 to 2,100 mg). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, or both were used by 16 patients. Pain and overall well-being were better for patients receiving acetaminophen than for those receiving placebo. The mean difference was 0.4 (95% CI, 0.1 to 0.8; P =.03) in VNS for pain, 0.6 (95% CI, -0.1 to 1.3; P =.09) in VAS for pain, and 0.7 (95% CI, 0.0 to 1.4; P =.05) in VAS for overall well-being. More patients preferred the period they took acetaminophen (n = 14) than the period they took placebo (n = 8), but many had no preference (n = 8). There were no differences in the other outcomes. CONCLUSION Acetaminophen improved pain and well-being without major side effects in patients with cancer and persistent pain despite a strong opioid regimen. Its addition is worth considering in all such patients.
Determinants of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Disclosure in Developed and Developing Countries: A Literature Review

Based on a survey and content analysis of 76 empirical research articles, this article reviews the factors driving Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) disclosure in both developed and developing countries. We find that firm characteristics such as company size, industry sector, profitability, and corporate governance mechanisms predominantly appear to drive the CSR reporting agenda. Furthermore, political, social, and cultural factors influence the CSR disclosure agenda. We find crucial differences between the determinants of CSR disclosure in developed and developing countries. In developed countries, the concerns of specific stakeholders, for example, regulators, shareholders, creditors, investors, environmentalists and the media are considered very important in disclosing CSR information. In developing countries, CSR reporting is more heavily influenced by the external forces/powerful stakeholders such as international buyers, foreign investors, international media and international regulatory bodies (e.g. the World Bank). Furthermore, in contrast to developed countries, firms in developing countries perceive relatively little pressure from the public with regards to CSR disclosure. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Glycosylated hemoglobin levels and clinical outcomes in nondiabetic patients with coronary artery disease

Abstract A number of studies assessed the prognostic value of HbA1c level in nondiabetic patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the association between the HbA1c level and clinical outcomes. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library from their inception to 10 April 2016. Studies evaluated the outcomes according to HbA1c levels in CAD patients without diabetes mellitus were eligible. Twenty studies involving 22,428 patients were included. In nondiabetic patients with CAD, a high HbA1c level was associated with a higher rate of long-term death (odds ratio 1.76, 95% confidence interval 1.44–2.16, P < .001), and myocardial infarction (MI, odds ratio 1.69, 95% confidence interval 1.07–2.67, P = .026), but not a higher rate of early deaths (odds ratio 1.08, 95% confidence interval 0.92–1.27, P = .359). These findings for death remained the same after sensitivity analyses and the trim and fill method, but the risk difference for MI became nonsignificant after adjustment for potential publication bias. Elevated HbA1c level increased the risks of long-term mortality and MI, but not the risk for early deaths in nondiabetic patients with CAD. High-quality large-scale studies with less bias are needed to confirm these findings.
Green Long Pepper Growth under Different Saline and Water Regime Conditions and Usability of Water Consumption in Plant Salt Tolerance

Both electrical conductivity of soil saturation paste extract (ECe) and plant water consumption (ET) should be considered for assessing crop yield tolerances to salinity since ET decreases by increased salinity effects. In this study, conducted in a greenhouse under controlled conditions, it was afforded to use soil salinity and water consumption for the purpose of assessing plant responses to salinity. Additionally, growth and yield of green long pepper (Capsicum annuum L. Demre) under different saline and water regime conditions were examined. For these purposes, the green long pepper were exposed to six water salinity levels (S1= 0.65; S2= 2.0; S3= 3.0; S4= 4.0; S5= 5.0 and S6= 7.0 dS m-1) and four water application rates (IR1= 1.43; IR2= 1.0; IR3= 0.75 and IR4= 0.50 times of depleted water). The yield response factor (Ky), is 1.56 for salinity stress and 1.66 for water stress. Water consumption of the plant exponentially decreased (ET= 0.83×ECe-0.17) whereas relative fruit yield decreased linearly (7.03%) for unit increase in soil salinity after a threshold value of 1.20 dS m-1. A stronger three-dimensional relation was found among relative yield, relative water consumption and soil salinity (R2= 0.94). Using water consumption as a second factor in evaluation of plant response to salinity may be useful for reflecting effects of different climatic conditions
Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia in renal transplantation: time to review our practice?

Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PJP) is a feared opprtunistic infection in the renal transplant population. The unicellular fungus is ubiquitous in the environment but has an untreated mortality of 90–100% in immunocompromised HIV-negative patients [1]. This falls to 35% with treatment [2]. Many, but not all, transplant centres routinely prescribe PJP prophylaxis. Current European Best Practice Guidelines recommend at least 4 months of PJP prophylaxis post-renal transplantation [3], while KDIGO guidelines suggest 3–6 months [4]. Both guidelines advocate additional prophylaxis during and following the treatment of acute rejection [3, 4].
Type 1 astrocytes and oligodendrocyte‐type 2 astrocyte glial progenitors migrate toward distinct molecules

During central nervous system (CNS) development, glial precursors proliferate in subventricular zones and then migrate throughout the CNS to adopt their final destinations and differentiate into various types of mature glial cells. Although several growth factors promoting the proliferation and/or differentiation of glial precursors have been identified, very little is known about the nature of signals that guide glial cell migration in the CNS. Therefore, we have investigated whether polypeptide growth factors and/or extracellular matrix molecules may mediate the migration of two major glial cell types, type 1 astrocytes and oligodendrocyte‐type 2 astrocyte (O‐2A) progenitor cells. We show that, in a microchemotaxis chamber assay, type 1 astrocytes move toward laminin and complement‐derived C5a. Astrocyte migration toward laminin is inhibited by a laminin‐specific pentapeptide, YIGSR‐NH2. In contrast, O‐2A progenitors migrate toward platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF), which also functions as a mitogen for these cells. Using a new method to simultaneously assay migration and DNA synthesis, we also demonstrate that O‐2A progenitors can migrate toward PDGF even when DNA replication is inhibited with an antimitotic agent. Thus, migration of different types of glial cells can be induced in vitro by specific signaling molecules, which are present in the developing brain and may stimulate migration of glial cells prior to CNS myelination.
Cortisol Responses in Adults Who Stutter: Coping Preferences and Apprehension about Communication

This study evaluated the moderating effects of individuals' coping styles for physiological reactivity to a stressor in the laboratory in 11 persons who stuttered and 11 persons who did not stutter. Reactivity was defined as changes in levels of salivary Cortisol after a stressor. Subjects were grouped according to scores on apprehension about communication. Individuals scoring high on Communication Apprehension showed significantly elevated Cortisol levels compared to those scoring low on Communication Apprehension. Stuttering subjects who scored high on Communication Apprehension and used emotion-based coping strategies showed the largest elevations in Cortisol levels.
Resection of entire ascending aorta in fusiform aneurysm using cardiac bypass.

Fusiform aneurysm of the ascending aorta is a common form of aortic disease and is associated with a grave prognosis. Although excisional therapy is now established as the method of choice for aneurysms of the aorta, this form of treatment for aneurysms of the ascending aorta has been limited until the present time to sacciform lesions in which the neck is relatively small. In such instances tangential excision of the aneurysm with lateral aortorrhaphy may be curative if the adjacent aortic wall is not also involved by the degenerative process. In fusiform aneurysms and in most extensive sacciform lesions this method of treatment cannot be utilized and segmental resection of the ascending aorta with homograft replacement is necessary. Because of the fatal consequences from even brief occlusion of the ascending aorta, no aneurysm in this anatomic location has been treated successfully by segmental aortic resection. This report is concerned with
Islamic Governance, National Governance, and Bank Risk Management and Disclosure in MENA Countries

We examine the relationships among religious governance, especially Islamic governance quality (IGQ), national governance quality (NGQ), and risk management and disclosure practices (RDPs), and consequently ascertain whether NGQ has a moderating influence on the IGQ–RDPs nexus. Using one of the largest data sets relating to Islamic banks from 10 Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries from 2006 to 2013, our findings are threefold. First, we find that RDPs are higher in banks with higher IGQ. Second, we find that RDPs are higher in banks from countries with higher NGQ. Finally, we find that NGQ has a moderating effect on the IGQ–RDPs nexus. Our findings are robust to alternative RDP measures and estimation techniques. These results imply that the quality of disclosure depends on the nature of the macro-social-level factors, such as religion that have remained largely unexplored in business and society research, and, therefore, have important implications for policy makers.
D1-like and D2-like dopamine receptors synergistically activate rotation and c-fos expression in the dopamine-depleted striatum in a rat model of Parkinson's disease

Selective agonists for D1-like and D2-like dopamine receptors can interact synergistically to enhance each other's actions on locomotion and behavior in experimental animals. Clinically, the combination of the D2 agonist bromocriptine with L-dopa (which has pronounced D1 effects) is a highly effective treatment for Parkinson's disease. The mechanisms underlying this important receptor interaction are poorly understood and are the subject of intense study in vitro. In rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions of the nigrostriatal pathway, D1-selective (but not D2-selective) dopamine agonists produce a marked increase in expression of the immediate-early gene c-fos in the striatum ipsilateral to the 6-OHDA lesion. In the experiments reported here, we have used this in vivo model to explore the possibility that combinations of D1-selective and D2-selective agonists might have effects on c-fos transcription that are different from those exhibited by D1 or D2 agonists administered alone. We examined the effects of the D1-selective agonist SKF-38393 and the D2-selective agonist quinpirole (LY 171555) on the expression of Fos-like protein and c-fos mRNA in the caudoputamen and made parallel behavioral observations in the same animals. A low dose of SKF-38393 produced little contraversive rotation and little induction of Fos-like immunoreactivity in the striatum. A low dose of quinpirole elicited contralateral rotation but little or no induction of Fos-like immunoreactivity in the caudoputamen; there was, however, induction of Fos in the globus pallidus ipsilateral to the 6-OHDA lesion. Combination of the low dose of SKF-38393 and quinpirole produced a synergistic effect on rotation and elicited, in the dopamine-depleted caudoputamen, a striking pattern of Fos-like protein expression in which Fos-positive neurons were concentrated in striosomes and in the dorsolateral caudoputamen. Northern blot analysis showed that c-fos mRNA was expressed following combined agonist treatment but was not detectable after the single-agonist treatments. Both the contraversive rotation and the induction of Fos-like immunoreactivity were blocked by the preadministration of the D1-preferring antagonist SCH-23390 and the D2-selective antagonist raclopride in combination. Pretreatment with the glutamate NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 also blocked the induction of Fos-like immunoreactivity, and it reversed the rotation. These findings suggest a D1/D2 synergistic mechanism that involves the participation of D1-responsive striatonigral and D2-responsive striatopallidal output pathways, and that is sensitive to glutamatergic modulation.
Brazilian bibliometric coauthorship networks

The Brazilian Lattes Platform is an important academic/résumé data set that registers all academic activities of researchers associated with different major knowledge areas. The academic information collected in this data set is used to evaluate, analyze, and document the scientific production of research groups. Information about the interactions between Brazilian researchers in the form of coauthorships, however, has not been analyzed. In this article, we identified and characterized Brazilian academic coauthorship networks of researchers registered in the Lattes Platform using topological properties of graphs. For this purpose, we explored (a) strategies to develop a large Lattes curricula vitae data set, (b) an algorithm for identifying automatic coauthorships based on bibliographic information, and (c) topological metrics to investigate interactions among researchers. This study characterized coauthorship networks to gain an in‐depth understanding of the network structures and dynamics (social behavior) among researchers in all available major Brazilian knowledge areas. In this study, we evaluated information from a total of 1,131,912 researchers associated with the eight major Brazilian knowledge areas: agricultural sciences; biological sciences; exact and earth sciences; humanities; applied social sciences; health sciences; engineering; and linguistics, letters, and arts.
Incentives for Dishonesty: An Experimental Study with Internal Auditors

This study examines experimentally how dishonest behavior in the form of misreporting others' performance depends on the nature of provided incentives. We conduct a 'lab in the field' experiment with internal auditors during two large conferences in Germany and evaluate their performance and objectivity, measured as the extent to which they truthfully report the performance of other participants a real-effort task. It has been suggested in the literature that incentive-pay compensation for auditors has the potential to lead to dishonest behavior on their part, for instance when their payoff depends on the performance of the unit that they are auditing. We vary incentives in the experiment from individual (piece rate) to competitive (tournament against another auditor) and collective (based on performance within a team). In line with our hypotheses, we find that incentive-based compensation increases dishonest behavior among internal auditors: competitive incentives lead to under-reporting of other participants' performance, while collective incentives lead to over-reporting of performance.
Age-related changes in glucocorticoid fast feedback inhibition of adrenocorticotropin in man.

A decrease in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis sensitivity to glucocorticoid feedback suppression seems to occur with aging. To investigate possible abnormalities in the inhibitory effect of glucocorticoids on ACTH secretion in the elderly, we evaluated the endogenous ACTH response to hydrocortisone (25 mg as an i.v. bolus) in 15 healthy aged (65-88 yr) and 15 healthy young (18-26 yr) men. Blood samples for ACTH and cortisol determinations were collected at -15, 0, 2, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, and 180 min. Hydrocortisone injection produced a rapid increase in plasma cortisol levels within the first 2 min in both groups. In old men, in concomitance with the cortisol increase, ACTH levels showed only a slight and nonsignificant decrease within the first 15 min, followed by a pronounced and significant decline thereafter. In young subjects, in concomitance with the plasma cortisol increase, a marked decrease in ACTH levels was observed within the first 15 min, followed by a less pronounced decline thereafter. The response curve of ACTH inhibition could be arbitrarily divided in two parts. The first part (from 0-60 min) showed a significant difference between old and young men, whereas the remaining part of the curve (from 60-180 min) showed no differences between the two groups. The slower response in glucocorticoid feedback inhibition of ACTH in old men supports the concept of some alteration in the central regulation by steroids in aging. Age-related vascular factors affecting cortisol penetration through the blood-brain barrier more than hippocampus-hypothalamus receptor abnormalities could be involved in the fast component of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis feedback regulation.
Investigating Thai accommodation managers’ environmental management practices: a behavioural intentions approach

Tourism is one of the most important businesses in many countries. It has often led to environmental problems, particularly in developing countries (Alexander, 2002; Kasim, 2007). Environmental impacts from the tourism industry have become a serious issue in developing countries such as Thailand. This is particularly evident in the Thai hotel industry, which consumes a huge amount of natural resources and is a major contributor to such environmental impacts. Over the past two decades, the Thai hotel industry has begun to implement environmental management practices (EMP) in the form of ‘Green Leaf Certification’ (GLC) an industry and government driven environmental certification program as a way to address their environmental impacts. Despite the potential benefits from adopting environmental certification, environmental management practices and the GLC, they are still not popular in the Thai hotel industry, with only 203 out of 5,420 accommodation establishments (National Statistical Office, 2010) which are Green Leaf certified (Green Leaf Foundation, 2013b). This study recognises that hotel managers in Thailand may play a central role in increasing the uptake of GLC. The purpose of this thesis was to examine the behavioural intentions of the hotel managers in Thailand to adopt the GLC. Specifically, this study considers how the perceived benefits of adopting the GLC, in conjunction with social pressures, the barriers to adoption and general environmental attitudes influence the managers’ behavioural intentions. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was used as the theoretical framework for this study. The data for this study was collected from a sample of hotels registered with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) through an online survey distributed to
Structural Analysis of Substrate Binding by the Molecular Chaperone DnaK

DnaK and other members of the 70-kilodalton heat-shock protein (hsp70) family promote protein folding, interaction, and translocation, both constitutively and in response to stress, by binding to unfolded polypeptide segments. These proteins have two functional units: a substrate-binding portion binds the polypeptide, and an adenosine triphosphatase portion facilitates substrate exchange. The crystal structure of a peptide complex with the substrate-binding unit of DnaK has now been determined at 2.0 Å resolution. The structure consists of a β-sandwich subdomain followed by α-helical segments. The peptide is bound to DnaK in an extended conformation through a channel defined by loops from the β sandwich. An α-helical domain stabilizes the complex, but does not contact the peptide directly. This domain is rotated in the molecules of a second crystal lattice, which suggests a model of conformation-dependent substrate binding that features a latch mechanism for maintaining long lifetime complexes.