Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of Nasal Carriage Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus with mecA Gene among Healthy Primary School Boys in North of Iran; A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus has a key role in the epidemiology and pathogenesis of infection. In this study we aimed to investigate the occurrence of the methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA )and mecA gene among healthy primary school boys in north of Iran.Material and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2017 to July 2017 in Sari located in the north of Iran. Nasal swabs were taken from 277 healthy primary school boys. Staphylococcus aureus strains were identified according to the standard microbiological procedures and presence of spa gene. Agar screen method was used to determine MRSA. All MRSA isolates were examined for the existence of the mecA and spa gene by using Multiplex Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method.Results: The prevalence of nasal carriage of MRSA was 29.24%. The existence of the mecA gene among MRSA strains was 49.38%. The rate of resistant isolated to Cefoxitin, Vancomycin, Cefixime, Cefalotin, Clindamycin, ,Cefazolin, Co-amoxiclav, Amoxicillin, cotrimoxazole and Cefalexin antibiotics were 48.14%, 39.50%, 98.76%, 96.29%, 54.32%, 91.35%, 97.53%, 95.06%, 7.40% and 100% respectively.Conclusions: The high rate of Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) and presence of mec A gene and resistance to critically antibiotics against MRSA is a therapeutic concern and needs to strategies to prevent community spread of S. aureus.
The Simplified Truss Model for Evaluating Shear Carrying Capacity of Prestressed Concrete Beams

In this study, the simple method based on the truss model analysis for evaluating the shear carrying capacity of prestressed concrete (PC) slender beams without transverse reinforcement failed in shear compression mode is proposed. The simplified truss model includes the consideration of D-region due to the applied load and supports. For simplicity, the summation of the resistance at the ultimate stage due to the main arch member and the resistance due to the effect of prestressing force is assessed as the shear carrying capacity of beams. Based on this approach, the shear carrying capacity of PC slender beams without transverse reinforcement can be easily predicted with the satisfactory accuracy.
Dietary Diversity Score and nutritional status of undergraduates in south west Nigeria.

Back ground: This study was carried out to assess the Dietary Diversity Score (DDS) and nutritional status of undergraduates students in south west Nigeria. Methods: A representative sample of two thousand (2000) undergraduate students was surveyed from two Nigerian Polytechnics using simple random technique. A pretested interview guide was used to collect information. Information on dietary diversity was obtained using Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance Project questionnaire (FANTA). Body mass index (BMI) according to WHO classification was used in classifying nutritional status. Information on food intake was obtained from 24- hour dietary recall techniques. Dietary diversity score (DDS) was computed and the nutritional status was assessed. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics; SPSS software package version 16.0. Results: The result of the BMI showed that 3% of male students were underweight, 46% of male students had normal weight, 5% of the female were overweight while 2% of the female students were obese. DDS of the subjects showed that Cereals and grain group consumed by male was 0.40 ± . 01a while female scored 0.43 ± 0.2a, seeds, nuts and legumes consumed by male were 0.53 ± . 11a while female had 0.52 ± 0.1a score. Mean score of starchy, roots and tubers consumed by male and female were 0.63 ± 0.2a and 0.67 ± 0.9a respectively, vegetables group for male were 0.63 ± 0.23b while female had 0.66 ± 0.3b, of the fruits group 0.50 ± 0.2a was scored by male while female scored 0.56 ± 0.17b, out of the meat and meat products scored male scored 0.17 ± 0.3a while female had 0.21 ± 0.3b, mean of the fish and sea foods shows that male scored 0.60 ± 0.b while female scored 0.86 ± 0.2a. Oil and dairies group shows that male scored 0.61 ± 0.5a while female scored 0.62 ± 0.9a. The total dietary diversity score for male was 4.07 ± 1.84a while female had 4.53 ± 3.07a. DDS of male were higher than female (P < 0.05). The dietary diversity terciles revealed that the male and female scores were within the low tercile (1-4)). Conclusion: The subjects had low DDS with few students were malnourished
Do Local Projections Solve the Bias Problem in Impulse Response Inference?

It is well documented that the small-sample accuracy of asymptotic and bootstrap approximations to the pointwise distribution of VAR impulse response estimators is undermined by the estimator’s bias. A natural conjecture is that impulse response estimators based on the local projection (LP) method of Jorda (2005, 2007) are less susceptible to this problem and hence potentially more reliable in small samples than VAR-based estimators. We show that - contrary to this conjecture - LP estimators tend to have both higher bias and higher variance, resulting in pointwise impulse response confidence intervals that are typically less accurate and wider on average than suitably constructed VAR-based intervals. Bootstrapping the LP estimator only worsens its finite-sample accuracy. We also evaluate recently proposed joint asymptotic intervals for VAR and LP impulse response functions. Our analysis suggests that the accuracy of joint intervals can be erratic in practice, and neither joint interval is uniformly preferred over the other.
Traditional Christian Belief and Belief in the Supernatural : Diverging Trends in the Netherlands Between 1979 and 2005?

Is there an ongoing decline in religious beliefs in the Netherlands? Using cross-sectional data from 1979 up to 2005, we focus on traditional Christian faith and belief in the supernatural; the literature suggests that they undergo diverging trends. We first describe these trends using the Social and Cultural Developments in the Netherlands surveys covering the 1979–2005 period. Explanations for the trends are formulated and tested using OLS regression models and a counterfactional simulation technique. Our findings indicate that during the 1979–2005 period both traditional Christian faith and belief in the supernatural declined, although the latter at a slower rate. Since church membership rates are continuously declining as well, belonging and believing still go hand in hand in the Netherlands. The most important explanation for both the decline in traditional Christian faith and the decline in belief in the supernatural is the slow but continuous replacement of older religious affiliated cohorts with younger nonaffiliated cohorts.
A new package for fitting random effect models.

Random effects have become a standard concept in statistical modelling over the last decades. They enter a wide range of applications by providing a simple tool to account for such problems as model misspecification, unobserved (latent) variables, unobserved heterogeneity, and the like. One of the most important model classes for the use of random effects is the generalized linear model. Aitkin (1999) noted that “the literature on random effects in generalized linear models is now extensive”, and this is certainly even more true today.
Selection on mite engorgement size affects mite spacing, host damselfly flight, and host resistance.

Question: Are mite dispersion on damselfly hosts, host flight distance, and host resistance related to engorgement size of ectoparasitic larval mites? Hypothesis: Adaptation to temporary ponds explains why larvae of some mite species engorge to larger sizes, which translates into high costs of parasitism and greater expression of resistance in their hosts. Organisms: Two species of lestid damselflies and two species of arrenurid water mites. Field sites: A temporary pond and a permanent marsh in eastern Ontario, Canada. Methods: We recorded mite prevalence and intensity, and scored spacing of larval mites on newly emerged damselflies and eventual engorgement sizes of mites on mature damselflies from each site. We then estimated the total minimum volume of extracted resources taken by engorged mites of both species. We also measured host flight distance, as well as the magnitude of immune resistance to mites. Conclusions: Mites from the temporary pond engorged to larger sizes and were more widely spaced than larvae of another mite species from the permanent pond. The total minimum volume of digested host tissues extracted was larger for temporary pond mites, despite them averaging fewer mites per host than the other mite species. Damselflies parasitized by these larger mites were more affected by parasitism based on flight distances. Resistance to these mites occurred more frequently than resistance to mites of the species that engorged
Confirming the Price Effects of Private Labels Development

We study the price response of national brands to the development of private labels. We use monthly data from a consumer survey reporting their purchases for 218 food products. We show that when private labels have a significant effect on national brands prices (144 cases over 218), that is positive (89%). We also show that the increase in the prices of national brand products is explained by a strategy of product differentiation. Finally, price reaction of national brands differs with the type of private labels they are facing. This paper confirms, on a larger number of products, previous empirical results.
Under Weightiness among Ever-married Non-pregnant Women in Bangladesh: A Population Based Study

The increasing prevalence of under weightiness among young women is a growing public health concern. This paper identified the determinant factors of under weightiness among non-pregnant ever-married women in Bangladesh. Data and necessary information of 16,206 non-pregnant ever-married women were extracted from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2011. The chi-square test and binary logistic regression analysis were used as the statistical tools to analyze the data. The results revealed that the women are found underweight around two times more (15.4% in urban, and 28% in rural) in the rural areas than that of urban areas in Bangladesh. Almost all the factors are found statistically significantly associated with underweight for both urban and rural areas. The binary logistic regression model identified the higher risk of being underweight in the younger age group (15-24 years), illiteracy, husband's illiteracy, having more children, poor economic condition, not having exposure to mass media, household food unsecured, and genital discharged women for both urban and rural areas. The under weightiness among non-pregnant ever-married women for both urban and rural areas are prevalent. Therefore, there is a need for public health programs related to nutrition that are able to address both the areas simultaneously.
Comparative Study of Phase Transformation in Single-Crystal Germanium during Single and Cyclic Nanoindentation

Single-crystal germanium is a semiconductor material which shows complicated phase transformation under high pressure. In this study, new insight into the phase transformation of diamond-cubic germanium (dc-Ge) was attempted by controlled cyclic nanoindentation combined with Raman spectroscopic analysis. Phase transformation from dc-Ge to rhombohedral phase (r8-Ge) was experimentally confirmed for both single and cyclic nanoindentation under high loading/unloading rates. However, compared to single indentation, double cyclic indentation with a low holding load between the cycles caused more frequent phase transformation events. Double cyclic indentation caused more stress in Ge than single indentation and increased the possibility of phase transformation. With increase in the holding load, the number of phase transformation events decreased and finally became less than that under single indentation. This phenomenon was possibly caused by defect nucleation and shear accumulation during the holding process, which were promoted by a high holding load. The defect nucleation suppressed the phase transformation from dc-Ge to r8-Ge, and shear accumulation led to another phase transformation pathway, respectively. A high holding load promoted these two phenomena, and thus decreased the possibility of phase transformation from dc-Ge to r8-Ge.
Mean reversion, long memory and fractional integration in African stock market prices

We examine the behavior of stock market prices in several African countries by means of fractionally integrated techniques. In doing so, we can test for mean reversion in these markets. Our results can be summarized as follows: we cannot find evidence of mean reversion in any single market, and evidence of long memory returns (i.e., orders of integration above 1 in the logged stock prices) is obtained in the cases of Egypt and Nigeria, and, in a lesser extent in Tunisia, Morocco and Kenya. Permitting the existence of a structural change, the break dates take place in the earlier 2000s in the majority of the cases, and evidence of mean reversion seems to take place in the periods before the breaks in most of the countries. If we focus on the absolute and squared returns, evidence of long memory is obtained in Nigeria and Egypt. Thus, for these two countries, a long memory model incorporating positive fractional degrees of integration in both the level and the volatility process should be considered.
The Perceived Information Quality in Accounting Information System: Effects on Trust and Risk

This study discusses the results of an empirical study carried out to illustrate the key issues that need to be addressed to ensure accounting information quality (AIQ). The study also focuses on the factors of trust and risk as they impact the intention to use accounting information from accounting information systems(AIS). The factors that might impact on accounting information quality have been summarized from the existing literature on previous studies in this area. This study proposes a research model for key issues that have an impact on accounting information quality based on the literature. I use the empirical results of this study to discuss the key components of the research model.
Side Lobe Reduction of Concentric Thinned Antenna Array Using Evolutionary Algorithms

This paper presents how to thin an concentric circular ring array antenna optimally using evolutionary algorithms. In order to obtain lower Sidelobe level (SLL) form a large antenna array in different azimuth planes, various types of optimization algorithms have been used. A pattern synthesis method based on thinning is presented to generate a pencil beam pattern from a concentric ring array of isotropic antennas. It is obtained by finding out optimum sets of elements state using GA, PSO and DE in four azimuth planes . Results clearly show the effectiveness of the proposed method. Keywords: concentric circular ring array, genetic algorithm (GA), differential evolution Algorithm (DE), particle swarm optimization Algorithm (PSO), peak sidelobe level (peak SLL), thinned array
Spatially variable soil water repellency enhances soil respiration rates (CO 2 efflux)

Soil CO 2 emissions are strongly dependent on water distribution in soil pores, which in turn can be affected by soil water repellency (SWR; hydrophobicity). SWR restricts infiltration and movement of water, affecting soil hydrology as well as biological and chemical processes. Effects of SWR on soil carbon dynamics and specifically on soil respiration (CO 2 efflux) have been studied in a few laboratory experiments but they remain poorly understood. Existing studies suggest that soil respiration is reduced in water repellent soils, but the responses of soil CO 2 efflux to varying water distribution created by SWR are not yet known. Here we report on the first field-based study that tests whether soil water repellency indeed reduces soil respiration, based on in situ field measurements carried out over three consecutive years at a grassland and pine forest site under the humid temperate climate of the UK. CO 2 efflux was reduced on occasions when soil exhibited consistently high SWR and low soil moisture following long dry spells. However, the highest respiration rates occurred not when SWR was absent, but when SWR, and thus soil moisture, was spatially patchy, a pattern observed for the majority of the measurement period. This somewhat surprising phenomenon can be explained by SWR-induced preferential flow, directing water and nutrients to microorganisms decomposing organic matter concentrated in hot spots near preferential flow paths. Water repellent zones provide air-filled pathways through the soil, which facilitate soil-atmosphere O 2 and CO 2 exchanges. This study demonstrates that SWR have contrasting effects on CO 2 fluxes and, when spatially-variable, can enhance CO 2 efflux. Spatial variability in SWR and associated soil moisture distribution needs to be considered when evaluating the effects of SWR on soil carbon dynamics under current and predicted future climatic conditions.
An Assimilation Effect in Judging the Grammaticality of Sentences Violating the Subjacency Condition

Two experiments explored the anchoring effect, particularly an assimilation effect, in judging the grammaticality of sentences violating the subjacency condition. Subjects judged two types of sentences similar on the surface but differing in judged acceptability. One sentence type included an embedded clause expressing the subjective experience of a matrix noun phrase (Subjective sentence) while the other sentence type did not include such a clause (Nonsubjective sentence). Exp. 1 showed the assimilation effect only for Subjective target sentences paired with Nonsubjective anchor sentences. Exp. 2, in which speakers' field-dependence was manipulated, showed a clear assimilation effect for field-dependent speakers. Thus, regardless of the type of target sentences judged, the judgments for field-dependent speakers approximated those made on the anchors, while such was not the case for field-independent speakers. Findings indicate that even the pattern of judgments between the two types of sentences was affected by an extragrammatical factor such as field-dependence.
Estimation of Rilpivirine in bulk and pharmaceutical dosage form

A simple and sensitive stability indicating reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography method with simple UV detection was developed for the estimation of rilpivirine. The HPLC analysis was carried out on Waters ODS (C8) Column, 250 mm x 4.6 mm in isocratic mode with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.01M potassium dihydrogen orthophosphate (40:60 v/v). The method was validated according to ICH guidelines. The values obtained were found to be within acceptable limits. The method was found to be linear over a concentration range of 5- 30 μg/ml. The detection wavelength was selected from the UV spectra as 282 nm. The limit of detection and limit of quantitation was found to be as 0. 05μg/ml and 0.15 μg/ml respectively. Forced degradation studies were performed for both the drugs. The drugs were degraded in acidic, basic and oxidative conditions. The peaks of degraded products were well resolved from the actual drug. As the method could effectively separate the drug from its degradation products, it can be employed as a stability indicating method. The method was successfully applied for the estimation of marketed formulation (tablet dosage form).
Good Practice Paper on ICTs for Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction

This report aims to give an overview of what DAC members currently know about how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) use in developing economies can stimulate economic growth and poverty reduction. It draws attention to the cross-cutting applications of ICTs, to their role as tools, not goals, and links their use to development co-operation. The report presents three key discussions. Chapter 2 considers the contribution of ICTs to pro-poor growth. Chapter 3 discusses the contribution of ICTs to the Millennium Development Goals, drawing attention to the processes that lead to the goals. Chapter 4 looks specifically at poverty-reduction good practice and relates what is currently known to the role of ICTs. It is hoped that this text will clarify the debate on the role of ICTs, and give a framework for extending the discussion so that ICTs may find their rightful place in development co-operation.
INTERACTION BETWEEN LEARNING AND EVOLUTION IN POPULATIONS OF AUTONOMOUS AGENTS

The model of interaction between learning and evolution for the evolving population of modeled organisms is designed and investigated. The mechanism of genetic assimilation of the acquired features during the numerous generations of Darwinian evolution is studied. The mechanism of influence of the learning load is analyzed. It is showed that the learning load leads to a significant acceleration of an evolution. The hiding effect is also studied. This effect means that a strong learning inhibits the evolutionary search in some situations.
Antimicrobial activity of Pterogyne nitens Tul., Fabaceae, against opportunistic fungi

As part of our ongoing research on antifungal agents from Brazilian flora, eight extracts and twelve fractions from Pterogyne nitens Tul. , Fabaceae, were screened for antimicrobial activity against four opportunistic fungi species (Candida albicans, Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis and Cryptococcus neoformans) using a broth microdilution method. The present investigation reveals that P. nitens extracts and fractions were more effective against C. krusei and C. parapsilosis than against C. neoformans. The growth of C. albicans was moderately affected by all tested extracts and fractions. The strongest effects were observed for n-butanol fractions from branches (MIC = 15.6 μg/mL) and roots (MIC = 31.2 μg/mL) against C. krusei. Additionally, the chromatographic fractionation of the n-butanol fraction from branches afforded four guanidine alkaloids; N-1,N-2,N-3-triisopentenylguanidine (1), described for the first time in the Fabaceae family, and nitensidines A-C (2-4), which showed moderate activity towards C. krusei (MIC = 62.5 μg/mL) and C. parapsilosis (MIC = 31.2 μg/mL).
AN IDEA OF SCIENCE: ATTITUDES TOWARDS CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL EDUCATION EXPRESSED BY ARTISTIC PAINTINGS

The present study deals with attitudes towards chemistry and chemical education of pupils with and without experience in chemical lessons. The pupils were asked to draw paintings to reflect their point of view of chemistry. Attitudes were investigated by a common questionnaire. In comparison with a study conducted 15 years ago, it became obvious that today's pupils are better informed. The pupils evaluate chemistry by considering disadvantages and advantages of science, medicine, chemical industry, environmental pollution and nuclear power! Pupils without experience in chemistry lessons show a broadly varied conception of chemistry and evaluate chemical education convincingly. Furthermore, the attitudes towards chemistry and towards chemical education of experienced pupils interact slightly with each other. For this reason we support the initiatives that introduce children to chemical phenomena and to scientific thinking in kindergartens and primary schools to avoid emotional and cognitive misconceptions. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. Eur. : 2000, 1, 365-374]