Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage could be a risk for development of clinical infections in rabbits

Although nasal carriage has been described as a risk factor for Staphylococcus aureus infections in humans, there is a scarcity of studies about S. aureus nasal carriers in animals. In rabbits, S. aureus is one of the most important pathogens responsible for a number of different types of infections. This study was designed to determine the extent of staphylococcal nasal carriage and to establish whether a relationship exists between nasal carriage and development of lesions. One hundred and sixteen rabbits with and without chronic signs of staphylococcosis from 6 industrial rabbitries were monitored. Nasal swabs for microbiological assessments were obtained from all animals. Microbiological results showed that 56% of the animals carried S. aureus in their nasal cavities with significantly higher incidence in animals with staphylococcal-related lesions (84.2%) compared to apparently healthy animals (28.8%). Additionally, the S. aureus strains isolated from the nasal cavity and lesions were clonally related in 91.7% of animals. This suggests that nasal carriage of S. aureus in rabbits could be a risk for development of clinical infections.
The value of climate data in adaptation decisions : sea-level rise and coastal transport infrastructure

Traditional methods of investment appraisal have been criticized in the context of climate change adaptation. It is recognised that economic assessment of adaptation options need to explicitly incorporate the uncertainty of future climate conditions that determine the present value of adaptation investments, and should recognize that uncertainties may diminish over time as a result of improved understanding and learning. Real options analysis is an appraisal tool that has been developed to incorporate concepts of flexibility and learning, though it relies on probabilistic data to characterise uncertainties. It is also a relatively resource-intensive decision support tool. This paper aims to test whether, and to what extent, learning can result from the use of successive generations of climate scenarios, and how uncertainties can be handled through adapting the principles of ROA in coastal economic adaptation decisions. Using a relatively simple form of ROA analysis of a vulnerable piece of coastal rail infrastructure in the southwest of England and two successive UK climate assessments we make estimates of the values associated with up-dated information on sea-level rise. The value of learning equates to around a maximum 41% of the capital cost of investment of one adaptation. These values may be used to illustrate the potential scale of the value of learning in coastal protection, and other adaptation contexts.
Sexual and aggressive interactions in a mixed species group of lobsters Homarus gammarus and H. americanus

The introduction of non-native populations can have dramatic effects on the native fauna as a result of interbreeding and aggressive interference between closely related species. This study investigates if female European lobsters Homarus gammarus would sexually interact and mate with male American lobsters Homarus americanus, recently introduced to Norwegian waters, if given the choice between the heterospecific and a conspecific male. Interactions between a mixed species pair of male lobsters and a single H. gammarus female were recorded during 1 wk periods in a large tank provided with 2 shelters. Trials included either dominant H. americanus or dominant H. gammarus males. The frequency and duration of social interactions such as aggression, shelter visits, shelter shar- ing, courtship and mating were analysed. Conspecific courtship occurred in 10 trials, and mating, in 5 trials. No sexual interactions occurred between species. H. gammarus females preferred to court and mate with a conspecific male irrespective of its dominance status. In addition, the H. americanus males showed no sexual response to the European females. Females visited conspecific male shelters more frequently than heterospecific male shelters. They received longer visits from the conspecific than from the heterospecific male. Conspecific pairs shared shelters more frequently and over longer peri- ods of time than heterospecific pairs. Conspecific shelter sharing often included courtship, while heterospecific interactions were generally of aggressive nature, with lobsters fighting over shelter. The results suggest that European lobsters are able to recognize conspecific mates, perhaps by chem- ical signals, and that these signals serve as pre-mating barriers preventing hybridisation.
REVIEW: LIGHT-INDUCED YELLOWING OF LIGNOCELLULOSIC PULPS – MECHANISMS AND PREVENTIVE METHODS

This review will focus on recent progress regarding the mechanisms of light-induced discoloration of mechanical and chemimechanical pulps and on the proposed preventive treatments. It is evident that the mechanisms behind photoyellowing of lignin-rich pulps are complex and that several types of reaction pathways may coexist. Photoyellowing proceeds via one initial fast phase and a slower following phase. The fast phase has been ascribed to oxidation of free phenolic groups and/or hydroquinones and catechols to photoproducts of mainly quinonoid character. A multitude of reactions involving several lignin subunits are possible. Important intermediates are phenoxyl radicals, and to some extent ketyl radicals. The importance of the phenacyl aryl ether pathway might be more important than previously thought, even though the original content of such groups is low in lignin. Even though many preventive methods against photoyellowing have been suggested, no cost-efficient treatment is available to hinder photoreversion of lignin-containing paper permanently. Suggested methods for stabilization include chemical modification (etherification and esterification), coating the paper product, addition of radical scavengers, excited state quenchers, or ultraviolet absorbing compounds.
Palynological evidence of human activity on the gulf of Gdansk coast during the late holocene

The Gulf of Gdansk is located in the southern part of the Baltic Sea. The shores of the Gulf are dominated by the sandy barriers which have developed in front of the Vistula Lagoon and the Vistula Delta Plain to the south-east and south and in front of the Puck Lagoon in the north-west such as the Hel Peninsula. Cliffs occur on the western coast of the Gulf. Neolithic settlements around the coast of the Gulf of Gdansk are mainly located at the foot of the upland slope and on the Vistula Spit and the Vistula Delta and are closely related to the rise and displacement of the shoreline during the Late Holocene. Pollen analyses of the sediment cores from the Vistula Delta, the Vistula Lagoon and the coast of the Puck Lagoon allow four anthropogenic phases to be distinguished in the area of the Gulf of Gdansk. It has been shown that the first indicators of an early husbandry economy in the vicinity of the Gulf of Gdansk appeared in the Atlantic Period. Pollen grains of plants related to this kind of human activity those of the goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae), motherwort (Artemisia), sorrel (Rumex) are present and the first pollen grains of the plantain (Plantago lanceolata) also appear. The second anthropogenic phase of Neolithic settlement is one of the best investigated cultures. This is the Rzucewo Culture. Pollen analyses indicate increasing human activity at the beginning of the Subboreal Period. The preserved traces of fauna show that the seal hunting and fishing economy was preferred. Radiocarbon dating of archaeological artifacts indicates the beginning of the settlement at ca. 2 400 B.C. (ca. 4 400 years B.P.) (Krol 1997). The altitude of peat and marine mollusks shells and their radiocarbon age shows that during the Early Subboreal Period the water level rose from ca. 2.8 m to 1.1 m below the present-day sea level. The date of the beginning of the seal hunters settlement correlates well with the period when the shores of the Puck Lagoon approached their recent position. The development of the Neolithic settlement on the Puck Bay coast as well as those on the Vistula Delta, where the main activity was related to amber processing, seal hunting and fishing, clearly shows a close relationship to the sea-level rise. The occurrence of the third and fourth settlement phases was related to the high sea-level stands in the Subboreal and Subatlantic Periods (post-Littorina, Late Holocene regressions) but their character was still strongly related to the coastal environments. The settlement was connected with the dry habitats whose areas increased after the development of the barriers. In the area of the Vistula Delta, settlement conditions depended mainly on the stages of the delta's development. On the shores of Puck Bay, however, the intensity of settlement was closely related to the water level changes.
Development of the Sunandini cattle breed in India

The creation of new cattle breeds to increase milk production was started in India as early as 1856 when the Taylor breed was formed by crossing zebu with the Jersey breed (Sinha, 1951). The advantages and disadvantages of cross-breeding cattle were the subject of interesting debates in the past. The debates covered such subjects as which breeds were to be employed, the level of exotic inheritance to which the local nondescript zebu animals were to be upgraded and the selection policies to be adopted. By the late 1970s, the National Commission for Agriculture had issued general guidelines to maintain the level of exotic inheritance at approximately 50 percent in cross-breeding programmes, The F1 progeny in these programmes were found to perform better than subsequent generations and, furthermore, it was easier to work with the exotic inheritance level of 50 percent for practical reasons.
The effects of in-situ water column nutrient enrichment on the seagrass Thalassia hemprichii (EHRENB.) Aschers.: A pilot study at St. John’s Island, Singapore

Nutrient enrichment of nearshore waters has been extensively implicated in the global decline of seagrass populations. Ex-situ manipulative experiments are invaluable in studying mechanisms and direct effects of elevated nutrients on seagrasses, but may underestimate the importance of indirect consequences of enrichment and need to be corroborated in the fi eld. However, conducting in-situ experiments are notoriously diffi cult with real-world variability in conditions easily confounding attempted treatments. This paper presents the results of an in-situ pilot study conducted at St John's Island (also known as Pulau Sakijang Bendera), Singapore, to investigate experimental conditions that can properly examine the impacts of elevated water column nutrients on intertidal populations of a seagrass Thalassia hemprichii (Ehrenb. ex Solms) Asch. (Hydrocharitaceae). Plants were experimentally exposed to two sources of nitrogen (NH4 and NO3) and phosphate (PO4) added into the water column over a three-month period. In addition, an assessment to evaluate suitable physiological and morphological response variables of T. hemprichii were made, and the effects of potential competitors such as epibionts (biomass) and phytoplankton (measured by chlorophyll a) on their well-being. Nutrient levels over the study period were highly variable within treatments, with measured concentrations in control plots exceeding intended dosing regimes. Increases in nitrate and nitrite concentrations were evident at enriched plots, but these were inconsistent within and among treatments, suggesting large variability in hydraulics. Some evidence of enrichment effects on plants exposed to nutrient treatments were observed, from reduced leaf C:P, enhanced leaf total chlorophyll concentrations, lowered leaf chlorophyll a/b ratios, and increased leaf length and area. However, these responses were mostly not statistically signifi cant as the high variation observed potentially reduced the power of statistical tests. The results are discussed in the context of improvements to the experimental setup. This study highlighted the importance of pilot studies in planning manipulative in-situ studies to minimise high natural variation. A more robust design would provide clearer quantitative information on the impact of anthropogenic nutrient enrichment on local seagrasses.
Assessment of Patient Safety Culture among Health Care Workers in Beni-Suef University Hospital , Egypt

Background: Patient safety is an essential component in the quality of patient care. It remains a challenge for developing countries. Assessment of patient safety culture in healthcare organizations is becoming an integral component to improve patients' safety. Aim: To assess the perceptions of patient safety culture attitude among health-care workers in Beni-Suef University hospital. Participants and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from January till December 2015 using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) self-administered questionnaire which includes 12 dimensions on 500 university hospital staff members in Beni-Suef University hospital with a response rate of 84.6% (423/500). Results: The overall mean positive response rate for patient safety in Beni-Suef University Hospital was 39.3%. Healthcare workers had lower perceptions about patient safety culture. Only two dimensions showed positivity above 50%. The highest positive mean score dimension was “Teamwork within units” (57.4%) while the lowest positive mean score dimension was “Frequency of events reporting” (23.2%). Patient safety grade in relation to the staff position showed significant difference between the studied groups (p=0.009). Conclusion and Recommendations: Healthcare workers appear to have a lower perception of patient safety culture. Training of healthcare workers on patient safety and broad based research are highly recommended in order to improve patient safety culture. Patient safety needs to be incorporated into the education of health professionals across the spectrum of healthcare. There should be a blame-free system for identifying threats to patient safety, sharing information and learning from events.
PREPARATION AND EVALUATION OF AVIAN PATHOGENIC E . COLI LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE AND RIBOSOMAL VACCINES AGAINST AVIAN COLIBACILLOSIS IN BROILER CHICKEN IN AL-SULAIMANIA PROVINCE

Received at:22/10/2014 Accepted: 9/12/2014 This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and ribosome vaccines on E. coli that isolated from broiler farms in AL-Sulaimania province. Seventy five broiler chicks were used for this experiment, and they were divided into three groups. Antibodies were evaluated by using enzyme linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) and passive hemagglutination (PHA) test at age of 17 th and 29 th day, the results showed high antibody titers in vaccinated groups in comparison with control group. The results of the ELISA at the age of 17 th day for LPS, ribosome, and control groups were the group 1.275 ±0.095, 1.592 ± 0.046 and 0.046 ± 0.009 respectively, while at the age of 29 th day the results were 1.849 ± 0.038, 2.048 ± 0.048 and 0.985 ± 0.010 in LPS, ribosome and control groups respectively. The results of PHA at 17 th day were 192 ± 24.189 , 272 ± 56.406 ,1 ± 0.7003 in LPS, ribosome and control groups respectively, while at 29 th day the results were 1344 ± 215.003, 1792 ± 374.746 and 256 ± 112.813 in LPS, ribosome and control groups respectively. Keyword: E.coli, Lipopolysaccharide, ribosomal vaccines, avian colibacillosis
Inequality in Education: Evidence for Latin America

This paper provides original empirical evidence on the evolution of education inequality for all Latin American countries over the decades of 1990 and 2000. The analysis covers a wide range of issues on differences in educational outcomes and opportunities across the population, including inequality in years of education, gaps in school enrollment, wage skill differentials and public social expenditure. The evidence indicates a significant difference between the 1990s and the 2000s in terms of both the assessment of the equity of the education expansion and its impact on the income distribution. In particular, the changes in the 2000s seem to have had a full equalizing impact on earnings given the more pro-poor pattern of the education upgrading and a more stable or even increasing relative demand for low skill labor.
The Predictive Role of Values and Perceived Social Support Variables in Marital Adjustment.

The aim of this study was to examine the predictive role of values and perceived social support variables in marital adjustment level among married individuals. A total of 422 (211 pairs) married individuals who agreed to participate voluntarily were included. The study was conducted in accordance with the relational screening model. "Dyadic Adjustment Scale (SDS)", "Value Scale" and "The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS)" were used in the study in fulfillment of the aim of the research. Correlation and regression analysis were used in the research. Analyses were tested with the help of SPSS 16.0 package with . 01 and . 05 levels of significance. The findings of the research showed the presence of predictive role of values and perceived social support variables in marital adjustment. Findings obtained from the study are discussed in relation to literature.
Simple security analysis of phase-matching measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution

Variations of phase-matching measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (PM-MDI QKD) protocols have been investigated before, but it was recently discovered that this type of protocol (under the name of twin-field QKD) can beat the linear scaling of the repeaterless bound on secret key capacity. We propose a variation of PM-MDI QKD protocol, which reduces the sifting cost and uses non-phase-randomized coherent states as test states. We provide a security proof in the infinite key limit. Our proof is conceptually simple and gives tight key rates. We obtain an analytical key rate formula for the loss-only scenario, confirming the square root scaling and also showing the loss limit. We simulate the key rate for realistic imperfections and show that PM-MDI QKD can overcome the repeaterless bound with currently available technology.
KRDB Research Centre Technical Report : Querying Attributed DL-Lite Ontologies using Provenance

Attributed description logic is a recently proposed formalism, targeted for graph-based representation formats, which enriches description logic concepts and roles with finite sets of attribute-value pairs, called annotations. One of the most important uses of annotations is to record provenance information. In this work, we first investigate the complexity of satisfiability and query answering for attributed DL-Lite ontologies. We then propose a new semantics, based on provenance semirings, for integrating provenance information with query answering. Finally, we establish complexity results for satisfiability and query answering under this semantics.
Peri-operative Therapies for Localized Retroperitoneal Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas are rare solid tumors that usually arise in the retroperitoneum or the pelvis. They are often large at presentation and push adjacent structures, displacing them, anatomically. The most common adult histotypes are liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma. Five-year overall survival is less than 50 % and is mainly determined by the high incidence of local relapse and to a lesser extent by their capacity to metastasize. Radical surgery is still the most effective treatment. While an aggressive surgical policy consisting of multivisceral resections ‘en bloc’ with the mass has undoubtedly decreased, the rate of local recurrence, prognosis remains poor. Retrospective analyses and early prospective data suggest a benefit from using neoadjuvant radiotherapy in order to improve local control. Chemotherapy plays an important role in advanced disease, but very little evidence supports a real advantage in delivering it prior to surgery to make the resection more likely to achieve clear margins or postoperatively to decrease the risk of systemic recurrence. Further studies are required to explore the role of these neoadjuvant/adjuvant therapies, particularly in the context of new developments in molecular therapeutic agents.
Threat or invasive status in legumes is related to opposite extremes of the same ecological and life‐history attributes

1 The urgency and scale of the global biodiversity crisis requires the application of generalized predictors of a species’ likelihood of going extinct or becoming invasive in non‐native areas. A common approach is to correlate species’ ecological and life‐history characteristics (attributes, traits) with the probability of becoming either threatened (responding negatively to human activity), or invasive (responding positively). The limitation of previous studies is that the fates of becoming threatened or invasive have generally been treated in isolation. 2 Here we consider the problem of threat and invasiveness in unison based on analysis of one of the largest‐ever species attributes data bases (8906 species) compiled for a single plant family (Fabaceae). We used generalized linear mixed‐effects models (using taxonomic grouping to control for within‐family phylogenetic relationships) to correlate species’ life‐history and ecological traits to three response variables: probability of being (i) threatened or not, (ii) invasive or not, and (iii) threatened or invasive. 3 We found that tall, annual, range‐restricted species with tree‐like growth forms, inhabiting closed‐forest and lowland sites are more likely to be threatened. Conversely, climbing and herbaceous species that naturally span multiple floristic kingdoms and habitat types are more likely to become invasive. 4 Synthesis. These results support the idea that at least for one of the richest plant families, species’ life‐history and ecological traits correlate with a fate response to anthropogenic global change. Our results show that species do demonstrate particular susceptibility to either fate based on their evolved traits, and that traits generally correlated with invasiveness are also those that correlate with a reduced probability of becoming threatened.
Evaluation of non-palpable thyroid nodules by ultra sound guided fine needle aspiration cytology

The aim of this study was to see the usefulness of fine needle aspiration by “theBethesdasystem for reporting Thyroid Cytopathology” (TBS- RTC) for non palpable thyroid nodules through ultrasound-guidance for the evaluation and treatment planning of nonpalpable thyroid lesions. This study was conducted on 200 patients with non palpable thyroid nodules which are very low lying or felt on swallowing; in Department of Pathology and Radiology since January 2011 to June 2012. The patients were scanned and USG- FNAC was performed and reporting was done by “TBSRTC”. Of the 200 specimens 17 samples were nondiagnostic or unsatisfactory (Class I), 145 samples were benign (Class II), 20 samples were showing Atypical of Undetermined Significance (AUS) or Follicular Lesion of Undetermined Significance (FLUS); (Class III), 6 were showing follicular neoplasm or suspicious for a follicular neoplasm (Class IV), 7 samples were suspicious for malignancy (Class V) and 5 samples were positive for malignancy (Class VI). On comparison of ultrasound guided FNAC with histopathology the sensitivity for correct diagnosis was 93%, specificity was 86%, positive predictive value was 37%, negative predictive value was 99% and accuracy was 86%. USG-FNAC is a useful modality for the evaluation and treatment planning of nonpalpable thyroid lesions smaller than5 mmin the maximum diameter. TBSRTC is the best method of reporting but class III and IV are the main pitfall of this system for reporting Thyroid Cytopathology and show high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy.