Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Seroepidemiological and Microbiological Study of Brucellosis in Kuwait

Objective: The primary objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of brucellosis and the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of local Brucellae isolates in the Infectious Diseases Hospital, Kuwait. Subjects and Methods: A single serum sample was collected from each of 1,836 patients of different nationalities from January 2000 to December 2001. Any patient with a provisional diagnosis of fever or brucellosis had a standard tube agglutination (STA) test for the quantitation of Brucella antibodies. Blood cultures were done in 166 of 455 patients with significant STA titers, using the Bactec system. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of 123 isolates of Brucella spp. was done against 8 antimicrobial agents. Results: A total of 455 serum samples (24.8%) having an STA titer of 61:160 were presumptively diagnosed as cases of brucellosis. The peak isolation was in April and May. Brucella spp. were isolated from 123 blood cultures (74.1%). The blood culture isolation rate was significantly higher in patients with an STA titer of 61:1,280 than in those with an STA titer of ^1:160 (p ! 0.05). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed good in vitro activity of tetracycline, gentamicin, amikacin, streptomycin and ciprofloxacin against all isolates. Azithromycin had good anti-Brucella activity against only 42% of the isolates, while rifampicin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole showed low in vitro anti-Brucella activity against 8 and 25% of the isolates, respectively. Conclusion: Brucellosis is quite common in Kuwait. Kuwaiti and Bangladeshi nationals were most affected. Significant titers on the STA test were detected in 24.8% of serum samples. Good in vitro activity against all isolates was found with tetracycline, gentamicin, amikacin, ciprofloxacin and streptomycin, and low activity with azithromycin, rifampicin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Copyright © 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel
Convertible Bonds Valuation in a Jump Diffusion Setting with Stochastic Interest Rates

This paper proposes an integrated pricing framework for convertible bonds, which comprises firm value evolving as an exponential jump diffusion, correlated stochastic interest rates movements and an efficient numerical pricing scheme. By construction, the proposed stochastic model fits in the framework of affine jump diffusion processes of Duffie, Pan and Singleton [Duffie, D. , Pan, J. and Singleton, K. , Transform analysis and asset pricing for affine jump-diffusions. Econometrica, 2000, 68, 1343-1376] with tractable behaviour. We define the firm's optimal call policy and investigate its impact on the computed convertible bond prices. We illustrate the performance of the numerical scheme and highlight the effects originated by the inclusion of jumps, stochastic interest rates and a non-zero correlation structure between firm value and interest rates.
Management of hyperbilirubinemia in the healthy term newborn.

This month's clinical practice guideline review is on hyperbilirubinemia in healthy term newborns. Due to the large number of newborns that experience clinical jaundice each year in the United States and the controversy that continues to surround the treatment of hyperbilirubinemia in healthy newborns, this guideline should be of great interest to nurse practitioners that treat this population.
In vivo mucosal uptake, mucosal transfer and retention of iron in mice

An improved and sensitive method for studying iron absorption in mice with alterations in body iron stores is described. Mice with varying iron status were given a double isotope-labelled test dose containing 59Fe and 51Cr as a non-absorbable indicator, via an oroesophageal needle. Using a whole-body counter it was possible to measure in vivo the initial mucosal iron uptake and long-term iron retention and to calculate mucosal iron transfer. A significant difference was demonstrated between normal and both anaemic and dietary iron-loaded mice with regard to the various steps of iron absorption. When mice were tested twice for iron absorption, the results were highly reproducible. In conjunction with other parameters, the method described is useful in studying the mechanism and the regulation of iron absorption in mice.
Análise da capacidade de carga de estaca escavada instrumentada de pequeno diâmetro por meio de métodos semi-empíricos

Esta pesquisa apresenta uma analise dos resultados da aplicacao dos metodos semiempiricos para o calculo da capacidade de carga do sistema solo - estaca por meio do valor de referencia obtido por uma prova de carga instrumentada em profundidade. Para tanto, estudou-se uma estaca escavada por trado mecânico, com diâmetro de 0,25m e comprimento igual a 5,0m e executada no solo do tipo lateritico na regiao de Campinas-SP. Os parâmetros geotecnicos utilizados foram obtidos a partir de ensaios in-situ (SPT-T, CPT, DPL, DMT), realizados no local. Atraves da analise da curva carga vs. recalque pelo criterio de rigidez de Decourt (1998), constatou-se que o sistema solo - estaca apresentou ruptura fisica e capacidade de carga de 183kN. Os dados da instrumentacao revelaram que a estaca em estudo caracterizou-se como uma estaca de atrito. Os resultados dos metodos semi-empiricos foram agrupados de acordo com: tipo de ensaio in-situ utilizado, tipo de ruptura considerada e distribuicao da carga de ruptura total nas parcelas de ponta e lateral. Verificou-se que os resultados de aplicacao dos metodos de previsao de capacidade de carga apresentaram uma dispersao elevada dos valores. Observou-se que 93% dos metodos semi-empiricos forneceram resultados abaixo da capacidade de carga obtida da prova de carga. Abstract
The dynamics of dimensions of age-related disability 1982 to 1994 in the U.S. elderly population.

Declines in chronic disability were observed in the National Long Term Care Survey (NLTCS) 1982 to 1994. We analyzed the 1982, 1984, 1989, and 1994 NLTCS to identify the dimensions of chronic disability from multivariate analyses of a rich battery of measures of the ability (or inability) to perform specific activities. Changes over time in the prevalence of individual disability dimensions can be tracked to evaluate the rate of age-related losses of specific functions, 1982-1994. Seven dimensions described changes in the age dependence of 27 activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, and physical performance measures in community and institutional resident elderly individuals over the 12 year period. Adjusted for age, the healthiest dimension with the best physical function experienced the largest increase in prevalence (3.3%) implying a decline in age-related disability. Disability declines were correlated with reductions in select health conditions (e.g., dementia and circulatory disease) over the study period.
Relax! Cognitive strategy influences visual search

Two experiments evaluated whether visual search can be made more efficient by having participants give up active control over the guidance of attention. In Experiment 1 participants were instructed to search while either actively directing their attention to the target or by passively allowing the target to just “pop” into their minds. Results showed that passive instructions led to more efficient search on a hard task but not on an easy task. In Experiment 2 participants completed the search task either by itself or concurrently with a memory task. This yielded the same pattern of results as Experiment 1; a hard search was completed more efficiently when performed concurrently with a memory task than when performed alone. These findings suggest (a) that the efficiency of some difficult searches can be improved by instructing participants to relax and adopt a passive cognitive strategy and (b) the improved efficiency results from a reduced reliance on slow executive control processes and a greater reliance on rapid automatic processes for directing visual attention.
Nerve compression and pain in human volunteers with narrow vs wide tourniquets.

AIM To assess the clinical effects and the morphological grade of nerve compression. METHODS In a prospective single-center randomized, open study we assessed the clinical effects and the morphological grade of nerve compression during 20 min of either a silicon ring (group A) or pneumatic tourniquet (group B) placement variantly on the upper non-dominant limb in 14 healthy human volunteers. Before and during compression, the median and radial nerves were visualized in both groups by 3 Tesla MR imaging, using high resolutional (2.5 mm slice thickness) axial T2-weighted sequences. RESULTS In group A, Visual analog pain scale was 5.4 ± 2.2 compared to results of group B, 2.9 ± 2.5, showing a significant difference (P = 0.028). FPS levels in group A were 2.6 ± 0.9 compared to levels in group B 1.6 ± 1, showing a significant difference (P = 0.039). Results related to measureable effect on median and radial nerve function were equal in both groups. No undue pressure signs on the skin, redness or nerve damage occurred in either group. There was no significant difference in the diameters of the nerves without and under compression in either group on T2 weighted images. CONCLUSION Based on our results, no differences between narrow and wide tourniquets were identified. Silicon ring tourniquets can be regarded as safe for short time application.
Investigation of suitable modulation techniques for underwater wireless optical communication

For an underwater wireless optical communication system, we consider the use of different intensity modulation techniques, and compare their performance by taking realistic system parameters into account. In particular, we contrast the performances of on-off keying, pulse position modulation, pulse width modulation, and digital pulse interval modulation, when a PIN or an avalanche photodiode is used at the receiver. We discuss the suitability of these modulation techniques to the underwater optical channel by considering the implementation issues.
Cutting Edge: IL-21 Is Not Essential for Th17 Differentiation or Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis1

Recent studies have suggested that IL-21 is a key factor in the development of IL-17-producing CD4 T cells (Th17) and that the induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, which depends on mounting an efficient Th17 response, is reportedly impaired in the absence of IL-21 signaling. In this study, we provide supportive in vitro evidence that IL-21 can drive Th17 responses in conjunction with TGF-β. However, more importantly we also demonstrate, using IL-21- and IL-21R-deficient mice, that IL-21 is not essential for the differentiation of Th17 cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we show that IL-21- and IL-21R-deficient mice are highly susceptible to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis with disease scores that were comparable, or even higher at the peak of disease, to those of control mice. Thus, our results challenge the notion that IL-21 is a key factor in driving Th17 immunity and disease.
Tight Bounds on Channel Capacity for Dimmable Visible Light Communications

In this paper, the upper and lower bounds for the channel capacity of dimmable visible light communications(VLC) systems are investigated. Because the information is modulated into the instantaneous optical intensity, the transmitted optical intensity is represented by a nonnegative input that is corrupted by an additive white Gaussian noise. Considering the illumination support in a VLC system, the transmitted optical intensity signal must satisfy the illumination constraint, i.e., the average transmitted optical intensity is constrained by a target illumination intensity, which is determined by the nominal optical intensity of the light source devices and dimming target. An upper bound on the channel capacity is derived based on the signal space geometry via a sphere packing argument. A lower bound on the channel capacity is derived by maximizing the mutual information between the channel input and output. Both the upper and lower bounds are presented in closed forms. Furthermore, a closed-form optimal intensity distribution of the transmitted optical signal is obtained. The numerical results show that the presented bounds are very tight at the application zone of dimmable VLC links.
On the Complexity of Alternative Solutions

Diese Dissertation untersucht die Komplexitat alternativer Losungen. Das heist, wir betrachten die Frage, ob eine oder mehrere gegebene Losungen eines Problems, das Finden weiterer Losungen vereinfacht. In der Praxis relevant ist diese Fragestellung zum Beispiel, wenn sich eine mit grosem Aufwand berechnete Losung eines schwierigen Problems im Nachhinein als unzureichend erweist. In diesem Falle ist es notwendig nach alternativen Losungen zu suchen, wobei nun die bereits gefundene Losung als Ausgangspunkt der Berechnung genutzt werden kann. Daruber hinaus hat die untersuchte Aufgabenstellung eine Bedeutung in der Erstellung von (auch hier immer beliebteren) japanischen Ratseln wie Sudoku, Kakkuro oder Nurikabe. Beispielsweise werden im Fall von Sudoku, ausgehend von einem vollstandig ausgefullten Gitter (Startlosung), Ziffern so gestrichen dass die Startlosung die eindeutige Losung des Ratsels bleibt. Dazu muss wahrend des Streichprozesses wiederholt gepruft werden, ob es neben der Startlosung alternative Losungen gibt. Im ersten Teil der Arbeit (Kapitel 3 und 4) betrachten wir die Klasse der NP-vollstandigen Probleme. Wir formalisieren den Begriff der Losung mittels sogenannter Verifier und das Problem alternativer Losungen fur NP-Sprachen. Indem wir die Harte des Problems alternativer Losungen fur einige Probleme zeigen, motivieren wir die Vermutung, dass eine gegebene Losung das Finden alternativer Losungen nicht vereinfacht. Wir entwickeln den Begriff des universellen Verifiers, der es ermoglicht, einen geeigneten Losungsbegriff fur ein Problem formal zu charakterisieren. Daruber hinaus zeigen wir, dass es moglich ist, mit einer einzigen sogenannten -Reduzierung einen Losungsbegriff fur ein Problem als geeignet zu identifizieren sowie die Harte des Problems alternativer Losungen fur jede Anzahl gegebener Losungen zu zeigen. Unter Benutzung dieser Reduzierung, erharten wir die obige Vermutung, indem wir fur eine grose Zahl NP-vollstandiger Probleme wie zum Beispiel 0/1-Integer Programming, 3Dimensional Matching, Minimum Edge Cost Flow und Vertex Cover zeigen, dass bezuglich eines geeigneten Losungsbegriffes alternative Losungen nicht leicht zu berechnen sind. Daruber hinaus ubertragen wir die Theorie fur NP-Probleme auch auf die Klasse RE der aufzahlbaren Sprachen (Kapitel 5) und die Klassen der Polynomialzeithierarchie (Kapitel 6). Fur RE zeigen wir damit, dass das Problem alternativer Losungen fur RE wenig sinnvoll ist, da wir fur jedes RE-Problem einen geeigneten Losungsbegriff finden, der hochstens eine Losung zulasst. Die Situation in der Polynomialzeithierarchie ist vermutlich ahnlich zum NP-Fall. Fur konnen wir die Harte des Problems alternativer Losungen fur einige typische Probleme zeigen, z.B. fur Generalized Subset Sum und Strongest Implicant Core. Deshalb und wegen der starken strukturellen Ahnlichkeit zu NP (Die Polynomialzeithierarchie ist eine Verallgemeinerung von NP, insbesondere gilt = NP) vermuten wir auch hier, dass alternative Losungen im Allgemeinen genauso schwer zu finden sind, wie eine erste Losung.
Koen Inghelbrecht , Dries Heyman , and Pieter Marius Technical Trading Rules in Emerging Stock Markets

Literature reveals that many investors rely on technical trading rules when making investment decisions. If stock markets are efficient, one cannot achieve superior results by using these trading rules. However, if market inefficiencies are present, profitable opportunities may arise. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of technical trading rules in 34 emerging stock markets. The performance of the rules is evaluated by utilizing White’s Reality Check and the Superior Predictive Ability test of Hansen, along with an adjustment for transaction costs. These tests are able to evaluate whether the best model performs better than a buy-and-hold benchmark. Further, they provide an answer to data snooping problems, which is essential to obtain unbiased outcomes. Based on our results we conclude that technical trading rules are not able to outperform a naïve buy-and-hold benchmark on a consistent basis. However, we do find significant trading rule profits in 4 of the 34 investigated markets. We also present evidence that technical analysis is more profitable in crisis situations. Nevertheless, this result is relatively weak. Keywords—technical trading rules, Reality Check, Superior Predictive Ability, emerging stock markets, data snooping
Life satisfaction, coping, self-esteem and suicide ideation in Chinese adolescents: a school-based study.

PURPOSE To determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of suicidal ideation (SI) among junior, senior high and college school students. METHODS A total of 5249 students in Anhui Province of China participated in a self-administered anonymous survey. RESULTS Females were more likely to report SI than males (32.1% vs. 20.6%). Using binary logistic regression analysis, we found that being female, passive coping, lower family satisfaction, lower school satisfaction, lower living environment satisfaction and higher self-esteem were associated with an increased risk of SI. CONCLUSIONS This study suggested that SI was common among Chinese adolescents. Being female, high score of passive coping, lower family satisfaction, lower school satisfaction, lower living environment satisfaction and higher self-esteem were significantly associated with an increased risk of SI. There is an urgent need to take effective measures reducing the rate of SI among adolescents through collaboration among families, schools and society.
Elevated growth temperatures reduce the carbon gain of black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.]

We explored the effect of high‐growth temperatures on a dominant North American boreal tree, black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.]. In 2004 and 2005, we grew black spruce at either 22 °C/16 °C day/night temperatures [low temperature (LT)] or 30°/24 °C [high temperature (HT)] and determined how temperature affected growth, leaf morphology, photosynthesis, respiration and thermotolerance. HT spruce were 20% shorter, 58% lighter, and had a 58% lower root : shoot ratio than LT trees. Mortality was negligible in the LT treatment, but up to 14% of HT seedlings died by the end of the growing season. HT seedlings had a higher photosynthetic temperature optimum, but net photosynthesis at growth temperatures was 19–35% lower in HT than LT trees. HT seedlings had both a lower apparent maximum ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylation capacity (Vcmax) and a lower apparent maximum electron transport rate (Jmax) than LT trees, indicating reduced allocation to photosynthetic components. Consistently, HT needles had 26% lower leaf nitrogen content than LT needles. At each measurement temperature, HT seedlings had 20–25% lower respiration rates than LT trees; however, this did not compensate for reduced photosynthetic rates at growth temperature, leading to a greater ratio of dark respiration to net carbon dioxide assimilation rate in HT trees. HT needles had 16% lower concentrations of soluble sugars than LT needles, but similar starch content. Growth at high temperatures increased the thermotolerance of black spruce. HT trees showed less PSII inhibition than LT seedlings and no increase in electrolyte leakage when briefly exposed to 40–57 °C. While trees that develop at high temperatures have enhanced tolerance for brief, extreme heat events, the reduction in root allocation indicates that seedlings will be more susceptible to episodic soil drying and less competitive for belowground resources in future climates of the boreal region.
Pneumonia in an intensive care unit. A 30-month experience.

Cases of pneumonia during the first 21/2 years of a respiratory-surgical intensive care unit (R-SICU) were analyzed. One hundred fifty-eight episodes of pneumonia were identified in 153 patients. Patients without pneumonia had a mortality of 3.8%. Patients admitted with or acquiring Gram-positive pneumonia did not have increased mortality. Patients who had Gram-negative pneumonias without involvement by Pseudo monas aeruginosa had a mortality of 33%. Isolation of Pseudomonas from respiratory cultures obtained from patients with pneumonia was associated with a mortality of 70%. Overall mortality of all patients admitted during the 30-month period was 13%. Eastablished Gram-negative Bacillus pneumonias are common, dangerous, and often not effectively treated. Environmental sources of Gram-negative pathogens should be reduced. Prophylactic regimens to prevent colonization of the respiratory tract may be helpful.
Cultural modulation of self-referential brain activity for personality traits and social identities

Cross-cultural studies have shown that personality traits are less central and social identities are more important to the selfhood of collectivistic people. However, most cultural neuroscience studies using the self-reference effect (SRE) paradigm have only used personality traits to explore cultural differences in the neural circuits of self-referential processes. In the present study, we used both personality traits and social identities as stimuli in the SRE paradigm and investigated whether and how one's cultural orientation (i.e., individualism vs. collectivism) affects the SRE in the brain. The results showed that the medial prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate, bilateral temporoparietal regions, and precuneus were involved in self-representation for both personality traits and social identities. Importantly, cultural orientation predicted differential activation patterns in these regions. Collectivists showed stronger activation in the left temporoparietal regions than individualists, who mainly recruited the medial prefrontal regions. Our findings suggest that the personal and social self share common neural substrates, the activation of which can be modulated by one's cultural orientation.
An Improved Parallel Genetic Algorithm for Path Bandwidth Calculation in TDMA-Based Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Development of routing protocols for Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs) has become an important field of research because of the promising applications provided by the MANETs. In a TDMA based MANET, routing algorithms should meet the QoS constraints like bandwidth in addition to finding the shortest path. Most of the existing protocols concentrate only on finding the shortest path from source to destination. The research work described in this paper is done with an aim to satisfy the QoS requirements by maximizing the path bandwidth along the path found between the source and destination. The Efficient GA Approach by Pi-Rong Sheu et al. uses Genetic Algorithm to solve the problem of finding the path with maximum bandwidth. The proposed algorithm uses superior fitness function and Genetic Algorithm operators along with parallelization to solve the same problem. The results show that a careful selection of initial population and an improved fitness function actually decreases the number of generations required to reach a much better solution with intended QoS requirements, when compared to other existing heuristics.