Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differences in Virulence Factors and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Uropathogenic Enterococcus spp. Strains in a Rural Area of Uganda and a Spanish Secondary Hospital

Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium have become two of the most important agents of nosocomial diseases due to their constantly growing resistance. Enterococcal infections are associated with biofilms, which are intrinsically sensitive to antimicrobials. The main goal of this study was to compare and relate their capacity to form biofilm and their antimicrobial sensitivity, as well as their virulence factors and their implicated genes, of strains isolated from patients with urinary tract infection (UTI) in a rural hospital in Uganda and a secondary hospital in Spain. A prospective study was conducted with 104 strains of E. faecalis and E. faecium isolated from patients with suspected UTI and who presented leukocyturia at the Saint Joseph Kitgum hospital (Uganda) and at the Hospital Universitario Principe de Asturias (Spain). All microorganisms were identified in Spain by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial susceptibility studies were carried out using the Vitek® 2 system (Biomériux, France). The biofilm formation capacity was studied by photospectrometry. Phenotypic and genotypic virulence factors were studied in all cases by PCR or expression techniques. In Uganda, we found a higher incidence of E. faecium (65.3%, n = 32), contrary to the situation found in Spain where most of the bacteria found belonged to E. faecalis (92.7%, n = 51). All E. faecalis strains were found to have very low levels of resistance to ampicillin, imipenem, and nitrofurantoin. However, E. faecium exhibited more than 25% resistance to these antibiotics. Although the esp gene has been shown in the results obtained to be an important initial agent in biofilm formation, we have also demonstrated in this study the intervention of other genes when esp is not present, such as the ace1 gene. No statistically significant relationships were found between the presence of agg and gelE genes and increased biofilm formation. The significant difference between the incidence of E. faecalis and E. faecium and biofilm formation, between samples from Spain and Uganda, shows us very different profiles between countries.
The Impact of School Attendance on Child Working: Case from Indonesian School Operational Assistance

Educational subsidies are increasing school attendance, but the impact on the child’s working participation is vague. After running for five years, the government of Indonesia changed the regulation of Bantuan Operasional Sekolah (the BOS program or school operational assistance) to eliminate school fees for all elementary and junior secondary schools in 2009. This study intends to estimate the impact of hours of school attendance on children working using the 2009 regulation BOS program as an instrument. The estimation uses data from the fourth and fifth Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS) with Fuzzy Regression Discontinuity Design (FRDD) as methodology. The result presents that the children who benefited from the 2009 regulation BOS program spent more hours attending school than non-beneficiaries. However, the increase in school attendance is increasing the time allocation for income-generating and household work, supporting the idea that working and schooling are not perfectly substitutable.
“Impact of Hemodialysis Frequency and Duration on Changes in Haematological Markers and Electrolytes in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease: A Prospective, Multi-Center Study”

Background: Chronic kidney disease affects 200 million people globally. Global prevalence was 8–16%, rising 7% yearly. India's National Renal Foundation ranks kidney illnesses third among life-threatening diseases. GFR, proteinuria, azotemia, and uremia indicate kidney impairment. Anemia, fluid and electrolyte imbalances and metabolic bone disease resulting from kidney dysfunction. Material and Methods: We conducted a prospective and retrospective observational study on 150 End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients who had been on hemodialysis for at least a year. The impact of dialysis duration on various haematological parameters and electrolytes was observed and interpreted. The change in the percentage mean of each parameter was calculated with respect to duration and frequency. Results: Out of 150 patients maximum were of 41 to 60 years. Prevalence of ESRD was higher in males, also hypertension was major the cause. Levels of haemoglobin, PCV level, RBCs count, s. creatinine, s. urea and electrolytes were statistically significant in the higher duration of dialysis as compared to the lower duration. The majority of patients were observed with moderate anemia. All ESRD patients showed hyperparathyroidism. Conclusion: Higher duration of dialysis was proven better than a lower duration of dialysis. No significant difference was observed with respect to a different frequency.
Retrospective analysis of the role of anterior segment optical coherence tomography and outcomes of cataract surgery in posterior polar cataract

Purpose: To evaluate the visual and surgical outcomes of cataract surgery in patients with posterior polar cataract (PPC) and to evaluate the benefits of preoperative anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). Methods: This was a retrospective, single-center study. Case records of patients diagnosed with PPC who underwent cataract surgery either by phacoemulsification or manual small-incision cataract surgery (MSICS) from January to December 2019 were analyzed. Data collected include demographic details, preoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), AS-OCT, type of cataract surgery, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and visual outcome at 1-month follow-up. Results: One hundred patients were included in the study. Preoperative posterior capsular defect was noted on AS-OCT in 14 patients (14%). Seventy-eight underwent phacoemulsification and 22 underwent MSICS. Intraoperatively, posterior capsular rupture (PCR) was seen in 13 patients (13%) and cortex drop was noted in one among them (1%). Out of 13 PCRs, 12 were found to have posterior capsular dehiscence preoperatively in AS-OCT. The sensitivity of AS-OCT for detecting posterior capsule dehiscence was 92.3% and specificity was 97.7%. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 85.7% and 98.8%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the incidence of PCR between phacoemulsification and MSICS (P = 0.475). The mean BCVA at 1 month was found to be better with phacoemulsification than MSICS (P = 0.004). Conclusion: Preoperative AS-OCT has excellent specificity and negative predictive value in identifying posterior capsular dehiscence. It thus helps to plan the surgery and counsel patients appropriately. Both phacoemulsification and MSICS provide good visual outcome with similar complication rates.
α-Pinene- and trans-caryophyllene-rich volatile female cones oil of Taxodium distichum L. from Northern Iran

Article Information The present study aimed to identify the chemical composition of essential oil from fresh female cones of Taxodium distichum collected in the winter season. The essential oil was obtained by hydro-distillation method in a Clevenger-type apparatus and then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Fifteen components were identified, accounting for 99.1% of the total oil volume. Monoterpenoids (75.3%) dominated the identified components in the essential oil, followed by a considerable portion of sesquiterpenoids (23.6%). Monoterpene hydrocarbons (MH) (73.3%) were the principal subclasses of components with α-pinene (63.6%), β-myrcene (3.67%), β-pinene (2.8%), and limonene (2.1%) as the main constituents. Trans -caryophyllene (13.3%) and caryophyllene oxide (8%) were the representatives of the sesquiterpene hydrocarbon and oxygenated sesquiterpene, respectively.
Management of esophageal neoplasms by endoscopic submucosal dissection: experience over 100 consecutive procedures

Background/Aims Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is currently considered the first-line treatment for the eradication of superficial neoplasms of the esophagus in Eastern countries. However, in the West, particularly in Latin America, the experience with esophageal ESD is still limited because of the high technical complexity required for its execution. This study aimed to present the results of the clinical application of ESD to manage superficial esophageal neoplasms in a Latin American center in over 100 consecutive cases. Methods This retrospective study included consecutive patients who underwent endoscopic ESD for superficial esophageal neoplasms between 2009 and 2022. The following clinical outcomes were assessed: en bloc, complete, and curative resection rates, local recurrence, adverse events, and procedure-related mortality. Results Esophageal ESD was performed mainly for squamous cell carcinoma (66.6%), high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (17.1%), and adenocarcinoma (11.4%). En bloc and complete resection rates were 96.2% and 81.0%, respectively. The curative resection rate was 64.8%. Adverse events occurred in six cases (5.7%). Endoscopic follow-up was performed for an average period of 29.7 months. Conclusions ESD performed by trained operators is feasible, safe, and clinically effective for managing superficial neoplastic lesions of the esophagus in Latin America.
Nuclear verdicts, tort liability, and legislative responses

The size of punitive damage awards has grown considerably over the years, giving rise to what has been termed “nuclear verdicts. ” Such large dollar verdicts can have several adverse effects on companies, such as limited innovation, high out-of-pocket claims-related expenses, increased insurance premiums, and bankruptcy in severe cases. This article reviews the growth of nuclear verdicts, examines the details of some key cases that have resulted in large damage awards, and identifies some reasons for these verdicts. The impact of nuclear verdicts and the actions that are being taken to mitigate such verdicts, with a focus on legal strategies and state legislative activity, are also discussed.
BNT162b2 COVID-19 Vaccines in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer—A 1-Year Follow-Up

(1) Background: Children and young adults with cancer are poorly represented in COVID-19 vaccination studies, and long-term protection conferred by vaccination is not known. (2) Objectives: 1. To determine the adverse effects associated with BNT162B2 vaccination in children and young adults with cancer. 2. To assess its efficacy in stimulating immunological response and in preventing severe COVID-19 disease. (3) Methods: Retrospective single-center study evaluating patients aged 8 to 22 years, with cancer, who underwent vaccination from January 2021 to June 2022. ELISA serologies and serum neutralization were collected monthly from the first injection. Serologies below 26 were considered negative, while those above 264 BAU/mL were considered positive and indicative of protection. Antibodies titers were considered positive above 20. Data on adverse events and infections were collected. (4) Results: 38 patients were included (M/F = 1.7, median age 16 years), of whom 63% had a localized tumor and 76% were undergoing treatment at the time of the first vaccination. Two or three vaccine injections were administered in 90% of patients. Adverse events were mainly systemic and not severe, except for seven grade 3 toxicities. Four cancer-related deaths were reported. Median serology was negative the month following the first vaccination and became protective during the third month. At 3 and 12 months, median serology was 1778 and 6437 BAU/mL, respectively. Serum neutralization was positive in 97% of the patients. COVID-19 infection occurred despite vaccination in 18%; all were mild forms. (5) Conclusions: In children and young adults with cancer, vaccination was well tolerated and conferred effective serum neutralization. COVID-19 infections were mild, and vaccine seroconversion persisted after 12 months in most patients. The value of additional vaccination should be further established.
Food Fraud: Causes, Consequences, and Deterrence Strategies

Food fraud represents a serious threat to the integrity of the global agri-food marketing system and has received considerable attention by policy makers, academics, and the public at large. This review presents the conditions that enable fraudulent activity in agri-food supply chains (such as asymmetric information, imperfect certification processes, supply chain complexity, and weak monitoring and enforcement systems) and discusses recent efforts to document and deter food fraud and the growing theoretical and empirical literature on the economics of food fraud. The article concludes by identifying some gaps in the literature and provides suggestions for future research. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Resource Economics, Volume 15 is October 2023. Please see http://www.annualreviews. org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Antioxidant and Immune-Related Implications of Minerals in COVID-19: A Possibility for Disease Prevention and Management

Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic appeared, both governments and the scientific community have focused their efforts on the search for prophylactic and therapeutic alternatives in order to reduce its effects. Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 have been approved and administered, playing a key role in the overcoming of this situation. However, they have not reached the whole world population, and several doses will be needed in the future in order to successfully protect individuals. The disease is still here, so other strategies should be explored with the aim of supporting the immune system before and during the infection. An adequate diet is certainly associated with an optimal inflammatory and oxidative stress status, as poor levels of different nutrients could be related to altered immune responses and, consequently, an augmented susceptibility to infections and severe outcomes derived from them. Minerals exert a wide range of immune-modulatory, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities, which may be useful for fighting this illness. Although they cannot be considered as a definitive therapeutic solution, the available evidence to date, obtained from studies on similar respiratory diseases, might reflect the rationality of deeper investigations of the use of minerals during this pandemic.
Hamiltonian mechanical systems on Liealgebroids, unimodularity and preservation of volumes

In this paper we discuss the relation between the unimodularity of a Lie algebroid $\tau_{A}: A \to Q$ and the existence of invariant volume forms for the dynamics of hamiltonian mechanical systems on the dual bundle $A$*. The results obtained in this direction are applied to several hamiltonian systems on different examples of Lie algebroids.
Investigating the Effect of Aerosol Uncertainty on Convective Precipitation Forecasting in South China's Coastal Area

Previous studies on convective precipitation forecasting in South China have focused on the effects of multiscale dynamics and microphysics parameterizations. However, limited investigation has been conducted on how uncertainty in aerosol data might cause errors in quantitative precipitation forecast for South China's coastal convection. In this case study, we evaluated the impact of aerosol uncertainties on South China's severe coastal convection using convection‐permitting simulations. We estimated the variability range of aerosol concentrations with observations for the pre‐summer months. The simulation results suggest that the rainfall pattern and intensity change notably when aerosol concentrations are varied. Decreasing the concentration of water‐friendly (WF) aerosols intensifies precipitation through reduced cloud water number concentration and increased droplet size. Increasing the concentration of ice‐friendly (IF) aerosols results in up to 40% increase in vertical velocity and latent heat compared to minimal IF aerosol condition, by enhancing the heterogeneous process and dynamically intensifying convection. Consequently, the simulation with minimal WF and maximal IF aerosol concentrations shows prolonged intense precipitation over the entire life cycle of convection. However, when both WF and IF aerosols are set to minimal concentrations, the simulation produces the maximum peak rainfall rate, which is about 50% stronger than the simulation with the climatological mean concentration, due to an enhanced homogeneous process that results in a higher ice concentration and more efficient ice‐phase precipitation growth. Meanwhile, variation in aerosol concentration affects convection initiation (CI), with a lower concentration of WF aerosol inducing earlier CI onset. Decreasing hygroscopicity leads to higher precipitation.
On type-II superconductors: Geometric barrier and bulk vortex pinning

In the presence of a magnetic field, a type-II superconductor is penetrated by vortices that confine quantized flux into tubes. The resulting Shubnikov phase holds a system of elastic vortex lines arranged in a hexagonal (Abrikosov) lattice that defines a new type of soft matter. Elasticity, pinning due to material defects, and dynamical response due to applied fields/currents are central properties of this kind of secondary matter. The present thesis addresses two distinct questions on vortex matter in typeII superconductors. In the first project, we investigate the magnetic response of a system of superconducting strips (each of width 2w and thickness d w) to an external magnetic field H. For a single strip, the vortex penetration is known to be governed by a large energy barrier. This is due to the large energy cost associated with bringing a flux-line through the sample edge into the bulk and leads to a delayed vortex entry with a penetration field Hp ∼ (d/w)Hc1, far above the thermodynamic equilibrium field, Heq ∼ (d/w)Hc1, with Hc1 the lower critical field. Beyond Hp, vortices accumulate in a field-dome which is confined by Meissner currents, producing an irreversible response upon field decrease. We extend this problem to more complex geometries involving two (or more) strips in a coplanar arrangement. As a function of the separation 2s between the strips, we study the field configuration upon increasing/decreasing the applied field and deduce the full magnetic response. Most pertinently, we find that the penetration field is parametrically suppressed upon lowering the separation 2s, and saturates at the minimal value Hp ∼ (d/w)Hc1 for narrow gaps (or cracks) s d. Although the key signatures for irreversibility are suppressed upon reducing s, the magnetic response remains hysteretic as vortices stay confined in a domelike region protected by Meissner currents and do not leave the sample reversibly upon lowering the field. Extending our understanding to complex sample geometries is technologically relevant, as superconducting tapes for high-current applications may be structured such as to introduce a high geometrical barrier and thereby enhance the critical current of cables. The second project opens new avenues in the characterization of vortex pinning by studying the response of the vortex state in bulk type-II superconductors to a small external ac-magnetic field hac. Traditionally, the relation between the penetration depth of the ac perturbation, the so-called Campbell length λC, and the underlying pinning landscape is based on a simple phenomenological model for the material’s defects, where the vortex oscillates reversibly within a harmonic potential well. We
Genome-Wide Identification and Comparative Analysis of RALF Gene Family in Legume and Non-Legume Species

Rapid alkalinization factor (RALF) are small secreted peptide hormones that can induce rapid alkalinization in a medium. They act as signaling molecules in plants, playing a critical role in plant development and growth, especially in plant immunity. Although the function of RALF peptides has been comprehensively analyzed, the evolutionary mechanism of RALFs in symbiosis has not been studied. In this study, 41, 24, 17 and 12 RALFs were identified in Arabidopsis, soybean, Lotus and Medicago, respectively. A comparative analysis including the molecular characteristics and conserved motifs suggested that the RALF pre-peptides in soybean represented a higher value of isoelectric point and more conservative motifs/residues composition than other species. All 94 RALFs were divided into two clades according to the phylogenetic analysis. Chromosome distribution and synteny analysis suggested that the expansion of the RALF gene family in Arabidopsis mainly depended on tandem duplication, while segment duplication played a dominant role in legume species. The expression levels of most RALFs in soybean were significantly affected by the treatment of rhizobia. Seven GmRALFs are potentially involved in the release of rhizobia in the cortex cells. Overall, our research provides novel insights into the understanding of the role of the RALF gene family in nodule symbiosis.
Exploring the Influential Factors of Personal Media Bloggers on Followers’ Continuous Following Intention Based on Relationship Marketing Theory

The use of personal media has become increasingly popular in recent years. However, gaining and retaining followers has become increasingly challenging, given the fierce competition among bloggers and the constant changes in personal media. In this context, this study aims to explore the factors that influence followers’ continued usage intentions toward personal media bloggers and strategies to improve their loyalty. Drawing upon the theory of relationship marketing, a structural model is constructed to examine the impacts and mechanisms of personal media bloggers’ attributes and communication on social presence, fanship, intention to use, and word of mouth. This research focuses on two dimensions of personal media bloggers’ attributes: expertise and attractiveness. A sample of 155 highly active personal media users in China was collected through a questionnaire for analysis and validation. The findings reveal that expertise and communication have positive impacts on followers’ intentions to continue following a blogger, while attractiveness has a significant, positive, and direct impact on word of mouth. Furthermore, this study shows that social presence and fanship play mediating roles in the effects of expertise and communication on followers’ usage intentions and word of mouth. The research results provide valuable insights for personal media operators and marketers seeking to improve followers’ loyalty and encourage potential users to become more loyal fans.