Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of tigecycline activity in clinical isolates among Indian medical centers.

BACKGROUND Resistance to multiple antibiotics among Gram-positive cocci (GPC) and Gram negative bacilli (GNB) is high in India. Tigecycline, a glycylcycline antibiotic is a newer treatment option for emerging single or multidrug-resistant (MDR) GPC and GNB. MATERIAL AND METHOD We evaluated the in vitro activity of tigecycline and compared it against other antimicrobials. Between 2005-2007, seven Indian medical centers from diverse geographic regions forwarded 727 isolates [Escherichia coli (166), Staphylococcus aureus (125), Klebsiella spp (120), Streptococcus pneumoniae (102), Enterococcus spp. (100), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (50), Acinetobacter spp. (50) and Enterobacter spp. (14)] from patients with blood stream (BSI), skin and soft tissue (SSTI) including surgical site, urinary tract and respiratory infections to our reference laboratory. Susceptibility to 11 antimicrobials besides tigecycline included: vancomycin, linezolid, teicoplanin, quinopristin-dalfopristin, daptomycin, amikacin, imipenem, levofloxacin, meropenem, and piperacillin/tazobactam was determined by agar dilution and Etest method. RESULT Tigecycline was active against all GPC (MIC 90 < 0.25 μg/ml), E. coli and Klebsiella spp. (MIC 90 ≤1 μg/ml). MDR Acinetobacter spp. showed lower susceptibility (70.6%) to tigecycline. Tigecycline MIC 90 values were not influenced by oxacillin resistance among S. aureus, S. pneumoniae, vancomycin resistance in Enterococci (VRE) and ESBL producing E. coli, Klebsiella spp. and Enterobacter spp. Increased resistance was seen to other antimicrobials among ESBL producing E. coli, Klebsiella spp. , Metallo Beta Lactamase (MBL) producing P. aeruginosa and VRE. CONCLUSION Tigecycline is an alternative option for emerging multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens exhibiting promising spectrum/potency exceeding currently available agents seen in India.
Taxes, Budget Deficits Ad Consumer Spending: Some New Evidence

Because of the restrictive assumptions required to establish the theory of Ricardian equivalence, its relevance in practice is essentially an empirical question. The strongest direct evidence in favor of Ricardian equivalence is Roger Kormendi's (1983) article in the American Economic Review. That paper appeared to provide strong empirical support for Ricardian equivalence by showing that increases in government spending on goods and services depress consumer spending while changes in tax receipts have no effect on consumer spending. The present study shows that Kormendi's results are a misleading implication of the experience during World War I1 when shortages, rationing and patriotic appeals to self-restraint caused an abnormally high rate of saving at the same time that the government deficit-financed a uniquely massive increase in defense spending. When those years are excluded from the sample, Kormendi's results are reversed. The estimates presented here show that in the equation specified by Kormendi, but with the years 1941 through 1946 excluded, increases in tax receipts have had a substantial negative effect on consumption while increases in government spending on goods and services have had essentially no effect on consumption. This evidence is exactly the opposite of the implications of Ricardian equivalence. This conclusion is robust with respect to a variety of modifications in the way that the basic equation is estimated: using an AR1 correction to deal with serial correlation; limiting the analysis to the Federal government's fiscal variables; respecifying the variables as ratios to net national product to reduce collinearity; estimating for the most recent 35 years instead of for the period since 1931; and using an instrumental variable procedure to reduce the problem of endogeneity. In each of these specifications, the results indicate that taxes depress consumer spending while government outlays on goods and services have either a smaller or a totally insignificant effect.
Prevalence and risk factors for microalbuminuria in a cross-sectional study of type-2 diabetic patients in Indonesia : a subset of DEMAND study

Aims Microalbuminuria (MA) is a strong predictor of diabetic nephropathy and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with type-2 DM. The present study aimed to gather information on the prevalence and risk factors for MA in Indonesian patients with type-2 DM. Methods The DEMAND study was an international open cross-sectional 1-day survey on microalbuminuria prevalence and its risk factors in type-2 diabetic patients. This study reports the results of the Indonesian survey which was performed in primary care practice in Indonesia from June to December 2003. Normotensive or hypertensive adult patients of both genders with type-2 DM without known proteinuria and/or kidney disease were recruited into the study. Patients with known pregnancy, having menstruation or acute fever were excluded. A single urinary albumin/creatinine test was carried out in all patients. Results A total of 770 patients were eligible for analysis. Approximately 80% of the patients had micro-/ macroalbuminuria, while renal insufficiency was detected in about 36% of the 433 patients with available data. Target HbA1c (< 7%) was reached by only 40% of the 118 patients who had HbA1c values. Most antidiabetic treatment prescribed was oral (82%), while insulin was used by only 14% of patients. Goal BP (< 130/80 mm Hg) was achieved in only 9% of patients. The frequency of patients receiving antihypertensives was 52%, statins 18%, and aspirin 26%. The most frequently used antihypertensives were RAS blockers (45%), while diuretics were used in 7 % of the patients. The family history of DM was found in 43% of patients, the history of retinopathy in 16%, diabetic foot 9%, and history of smoking in 20% of patients. Conclusion These data reveal that Indonesia has one of the highest frequencies of silent diabetic kidney disease seen in any national group in the global DEMAND Study. Early detection, monitoring of vascular complications, and more aggressive multifactorial treatment aiming at renal and vascular protection are urgently needed for Indonesian patients with type-2 diabetes. (Med J Indones 2009; 18: 124-30) Key words: microalbuminuria, type-2 DM, Indonesia, DEMAND study
Risks and benefits of phytoestrogens: where are we now?

Purpose of reviewThe estrogenic effects of genistein, as reconfirmed by the American National Toxicology Program (USA-NTP), have led to several new clinical studies being undertaken. Here, we highlight the most relevant recent data, reporting either beneficial or adverse effects. Recent findingsPhytoestrogens are natural molecules from edible plants exhibiting estrogenic activities. Post-USA-NTP studies investigated both human and animal reproductive and other physiological issues. These studies showed that estrogens can be either deleterious for reproduction and estrogen-dependent diseases, or beneficial for those with steroid deficiencies, that is more than 50. The specific outcome depends on exposure level and on the estrogenic status of the patients exposed. Recently, it was reported that, with the industrialization of soybean process, phytoestrogen exposure dramatically increased in both humans and cattle, whereas traditional Asian soy-food-processing empirically removed isoflavones. Phytoestrogen exposure has also become more widespread with the progressive internationalization of soybean use in human and cattle food. SummaryPhytoestrogens should be considered as modern endocrine disruptors and studied as such.
Comparative study of the size and shape of human anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments

As an important step toward determination of the function of cruciate ligaments, the cross‐sectional shapes and areas of the anterior cruciate, posterior cruciate, and meniscofemoral ligaments were evaluated in situ within the same knee with use of a laser micrometer system. Measurements were made in eight human cadaveric knees at five levels along the midsubstance of each ligament, with the knee at 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90° of flexion. The posterior cruciate ligament was found to be widest in the medial‐lateral direction, whereas the anterior cruciate ligament usually was larger in the anterior‐posterior direction. The cross‐sectional shapes of the anterior cruciate ligament generally were noted to be more circular along the entire midsubstance than were those of the posterior cruciate ligament. In contrast, the cross‐sectional shapes of the posterior cruciate ligament were more circular near the tibia, becoming progressively more elongated toward the femur. The meniscofemoral ligaments were more circular than the cruciate ligaments, with an occasional medial‐lateral widening similar to that of the posterior cruciate ligament. The cross‐sectional area of both the cruciate ligaments changed along the length of the midsubstance, with the anterior cruciate ligament becoming slightly larger distally and the posterior cruciate ligament enlarging proximally. The angle of flexion of the knee was not found to have a significant effect on the cross‐sectional areas of the ligaments but was noted to alter the cross‐sectional shapes. Using within‐specimen comparisons, the cross‐sectional area of the posterior cruciate ligament was found to be approximately 1.5 times larger than that of the anterior cruciate ligament at the proximal and midsubstance levels but was only 1.2 times larger at the most distal level. The total cross‐sectional area of the meniscofemoral ligaments was approximately 22% that of the posterior cruciate ligament.
Reporting More but Moving Less? The Complex Relationship between Acculturation and Physical Activity Among US Adults

Purpose: To investigate the association between acculturation and physical activity (PA). Design: Cross sectional. Setting: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) 2003 to 2006. Subjects: A total of 4029 adults (aged 20-64), including 2063 men and 1966 women. Measures: The outcome measures included both self-reported PA and device-assessed PA. The acculturation measure was constructed based on nativity, language use at home, and length of residence in the United States. Analysis: Regressions with domain analysis were conducted to adjust for the influence of confounding factors and complex survey design. Results: For men, self-reported PA increased with acculturation, especially leisure-time PA. However, device-assessed PA decreased with acculturation. For women, the results were more mixed. Conclusion: All evidence considered, we concluded that PA decreased with acculturation for US men.
The US as a Net Debtor: The Sustainability of the US External Imbalances

Executive Summary Recent headlines touting the latest upswing in the monthly trade deficit have underscored the size of the United States trade deficit. A trade deficit of around $420 billion in 2003 became a deficit of roughly $500 billion in 2004 and, if oil prices stay high, is on track – extrapolating from recent monthly trade data – to reach $550-560 billion for 2004. Imports are currently growing slightly faster than exports (in percentage terms). Yet even if imports grew at the same pace as exports, the large gap between the size of the U.S. import base and size of the U.S. export base would lead the U.S. trade balance to deteriorate. These trade deficits are large absolutely, large relative to U.S. GDP and large relative to the United States' small export base. They imply an even larger deficit in the broader measure of the United States' external balance, the current account. 1 These large current account deficits and the resulting increase in the net foreign liabilities of the U.S. has led to increasing concerns about the sustainability of these external imbalances. components of expenditure have been growing faster than U.S. income in the last decade. In mid-late 1990s, the current account deficits reflected a combination of low private savings and strong private investment, not large budget deficits. The financial resources needed to support a surge in private investment were imported from abroad, allowing both consumption and investment to rise. Since 2001, however, the current account deficit has reflected a widening government deficit, not strong private investment. The U.S. now borrows from abroad to allow the government to run a large fiscal deficit without crowding out private investment, even as growing consumption (and necessarily, very low private savings) reduce the United States' ability to finance the fiscal deficit and private investment domestically. No matter what their cause, large ongoing deficits have to be financed by borrowing from abroad (or by foreign direct investment or net foreign purchases of U.S. stocks). Sustained deficits have made the United States a major net debtor. The broadest measure of the amount the United States owes the rest of the world – the net international investment position or NIIP – has gone from negative $360 billion in 1997 to negative $2.65 trillion in 2003. At the end of 2004, we estimate the net international position will be negative $3.25 trillion. Relative to GDP, net debt …
Screening of lactobacillus strains against salmonella both isolated from Malaysian free-range chicken intestine for use as probiotic

A total of eight strains of Lactobacillus and two strains of Salmonella were isolated from free-range Malaysian chickens intestine. Evaluation based on in vitro studies included aggregation, co-aggregation, growth with bile salts, tolerance to acidic pH, and inhibitory activity were carried out. The isolated Lactobacillus were Lactobacillus fermentum IA, Lactobacillus fermentum IB, Lactobacillus fermentum IC, Lactobacillus fermentum ID, Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salicinus IE, Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salicinus IF, Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius IG, and Lactobacillus spp. IH. The corresponding isolated Salmonella were Salmonella spp. 3B21 and Salmonella spp. 1A12. The ability of aggregation and also tolerance to pH 2.5 are found in Lactobacillus fermentum ID, Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salicinus IF, Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius IG, and Lactobacillus spp. IH. The isolate most resistance to 1% bile salts is Lactobacillus fermentum ID but observed to be weak in inhibitory activity against Salmonella spp. The best co-aggregation and strongest inhibitory activity against Salmonella spp. was observed in Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius IG. Despite being not so resistant in the presence of bile salts 0.5 and 1% (w/v), the lag time in the presence of bile salts 0.3% (w/v) of Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius IG and also for Lactobacillus spp. IH are the shortest. Based on good aggregation properties, the best co-aggregation, tolerance to acidic pH 2.5 and bile salts 0.3% (w/v) and strongest inhibitory activity against Salmonella spp. , Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius IG comes out as the best candidate as probiotic for chicken.
Poor Places, Poor Prospects? Counterfactual Models of Neighbourhood Effects on Social Exclusion in Stockholm, Sweden

This study utilises Swedish longitudinal data from the 'golden era' of Swedish welfare policy to evaluate the impact of neighbourhood poverty during adolescence on a wide range of social exclusion outcomes (including but not limited to educational and employment status) within a counterfactual approach based on matched sampling. With certain caveats regarding inter alia the lack of dynamism in the counterfactual methodology, the empirical analyses show that, when two groups of children who are identical according to observed factors before age 10 (including household income, family structure and welfare receipt) live in different types of neighbourhood in adolescence, the outcome for those who grow up in a poor neighbourhood is not more likely to be worse than for those who grow up in a more affluent neighbourhood.
Assessing the Probability of Bankruptcy

We assess whether two popular accounting-based measures, Altman’s (1968) Z-Score and Ohlson’s (1980) O-Score, effectively summarize publicly-available information about the probability of bankruptcy. We compare the relative information content of these Scores to a market-based measure of the probability of bankruptcy that we develop based on the Black–Scholes–Merton option-pricing model, BSM-Prob. Our tests show that BSM-Prob provides significantly more information than either of the two accounting-based measures. This finding is robust to various modifications of Z-Score and O-Score, including updating the coefficients, making industry adjustments, and decomposing them into their lagged levels and changes. We recommend that researchers use BSM-Prob instead of Z-Score and O-Score in their studies and provide the SAS code to calculate BSM-Prob.
The Effects of Three Participative Goal Setting Strategies on Task Goal Attributes and Perfor Mance

Historically, goal-setting research has included attempts to gauge the importance of participation on perfor Mance and other task-goal attributes such as satisfaction. But much of the prevailing research has failed to recognise the dynamics of the process itself. In an attempt to determine if variation in the level of participation would have any impact, a laboratory experiment using clerical-type tasks was conducted with 72 students separated into participative and assigned goal-setting conditions. Those in the participative condition were assigned to one of three strategies which varied the actual participation allowed. It was hypothesized that both condition and strategies would affect such factors as perfor Mance and satisfaction. Results indicated that the participative condition did not have a significant impact but that there were some differences created by using different participative strategies. Discussion centered on the implications for organisations considering a participative management philosophy and suggestions for further research.
Tourism Trends Among Generation Y in Poland

Abstract On the basis of empirical studies and available sources, the author presents tourism as undertaken by young Poles from Generation Y, with reference to demographic, and above all generational changes. She focuses on presenting tourism preferences and typical behaviour. The analysis shows that their behaviour is similar to those observed by Generation Y globally. The similarities are also visible in tourism - new, post-modernist trends, such as gap year and internet couch surfing portals, as forms of independent travel organization, are becoming more and more popular. On the other hand, the consumptionist habits of Generation Y (preferences for comfort and entertainment), as well as an orientation towards family and friends, frequently travelling companions, can also be observed
Serum total bilirubin as a predictive factor for severe neutropenia in lung cancer patients treated with cisplatin and irinotecan.

OBJECTIVE To clarify the association between pre-treatment total bilirubin (PTB) level and severe toxicity in patients receiving cisplatin and irinotecan. METHODS We analyzed retrospectively the relationships of grade 4 neutropenia or grade 3-4 diarrhea and clinical variables including PTB and pre-treatment neutrophil counts (PNC) using a logistic regression model. RESULTS One hundred and twenty-seven patients (93 men, 34 women; median age: 61 years; range: 24-74 years) received cisplatin (60 or 80 mg/m2) on day 1 and irinotecan (60 mg/m2) on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks or on days 1, 8 and 15 every 4 weeks. Grade 4 neutropenia occurred in 29 patients (23%) and grade 3-4 diarrhea occurred in 13 patients (10%). Grade 4 neutropenia was associated with a higher PTB level (odds ratio: 4.9; 95% confidence interval: 1.4-17.7), a higher cisplatin dose (2.8, 1.0-7.8) and a lower PNC (1.5, 1.0-2.3). Grade 3-4 diarrhea was associated with liver metastasis (11.2, 2.2-57.4), a higher cisplatin dose (5.0, 1.2-21.3) and a lower PNC (2.0, 1.1-3.6). CONCLUSIONS PTB level was associated with the severity of neutropenia caused by cisplatin and irinotecan.
Faculty of Radiation Oncology 2014 Workforce Census: a comparison of New Zealand and Australian responses.

AIM This paper outlines the key results of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) Faculty of Radiation Oncology (FRO) 2014 workforce census, and compares the results of New Zealand and Australian responses in order to identify similarities and differences in workforce characteristics. METHODS The workforce census was conducted online in mid-2014. The census was distributed to all radiation oncologists (Fellows, life members, educational affiliates, retired) and radiation oncology trainees on the RANZCR membership database. Six weekly reminders were sent to non-respondents and all responses were aggregated for analysis. This paper addresses only consultant radiation oncologist responses. RESULTS The combined response rate for New Zealand radiation oncologists was 85.7% (compared with 76% from Australian respondents). The census found that the demographic characteristics of New Zealand and Australian radiation oncologists are similar. Points of difference include (i) the role of educational affiliates in New Zealand, (ii) New Zealand radiation oncologists reporting higher hours spent at work, (iii) New Zealand radiation oncologists spending a higher proportion of time on clinical duties, (iv) A lower proportion of New Zealand radiation oncologists with higher degrees, and (v) private/ public workplace mix. CONCLUSION A comparison by country would suggest that there are many similarities, but also some important differences that may affect workforce issues in New Zealand. Separate datasets are useful for RANZCR to better inform members, governments and other key stakeholders in each country. Separate datasets also provide a basis for comparison with future surveys to facilitate the monitoring of trends.
Self-Organized Criticality in Optimistic Simulation of Correlated Systems

A variety of slowly driven diffusive systems have been shown to self organize into a critical state. In this paper we study the dynamic runtime behavior of the optimistic parallel Time Warp simulation method. The method is based on an asynchronous execution of timed events. The basic problem is the out of order execution of events. A causality error results in so-called rollback of processed events until the causality error is resolved. By using the Ising spin model we show experimentally that the distribution of number of rolled back events behaves as a power-law distribution over a large range of sub-critical Ising temperatures and decays exponentially above for super-critical Ising temperatures. For critical Ising temperatures, the computational complexity of Time Warp and physical complexity of the Ising spin model are entangled and contribute both to the runtime behavior in a non-linear way.