Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In Vitro Approach for Identification of the Most Effective Agents for Antimicrobial Lock Therapy in the Treatment of Intravascular Catheter-Related Infections Caused by Staphylococcus aureus

ABSTRACT Infection of intravascular catheters by Staphylococcus aureus is a significant risk factor within the health care setting. To treat these infections and attempt salvage of an intravascular catheter, antimicrobial lock solutions (ALSs) are being increasingly used. However, the most effective ALSs against these biofilm-mediated infections have yet to be determined, and clinical practice varies greatly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the efficacies of antibiotics and antiseptics in current clinical use against biofilms produced by reference and clinical isolates of S. aureus. Static and flow biofilm assays were developed using newly described in vivo-relevant conditions to examine the effect of each agent on S. aureus within the biofilm matrix. The antibiotics daptomycin, tigecycline, and rifampin and the antiseptics ethanol and Taurolock inactivated established S. aureus biofilms, while other commonly used antistaphylococcal antibiotics and antiseptic agents were less effective. These findings were confirmed by live/dead staining of S. aureus biofilms formed and treated within a flow cell model. The results from this study demonstrate the most effective clinically used agents and their concentrations which should be used within an ALS to treat S. aureus-mediated intravascular catheter-related infections.
Uniform vs. Retailer‐Specific Pricing: Incentive Alignment to Enhance Supply Chain Efficiency

We consider a supplier selling to multiple retailers using one of two constant wholesale pricing strategies: a uniform wholesale price (UWP) vs. a retailer‐specific wholesale price (RSWP). In line with the prior literature in economics, our initial finding is that as long as retailers are asymmetric, then (a) the supplier and less efficient retailer would prefer the RSWP strategy and (b) the more efficient retailer would prefer the UWP strategy. By examining the total profits of the supply chain under each pricing strategy, we present a new result: the UWP strategy results in a greater degree of supply chain efficiency as compared to the RSWP strategy. The key intuition driving this result is that by charging a UWP, the supplier signals a fair treatment for downstream retailers, which leads to the more efficient retailer being able to reduce market prices and hence capture a larger share of market demand. Noting that the supplier prefers the RSWP scheme as compared to the UWP scheme, we propose a contract which comprises two components: a UWP per unit complemented with a slotting allowance or side payment. The contract is always preferred by the supplier and also leads to greater supply chain efficiency.
Income and Expenditure in the Tourism Industry: Time Series Evidence from Cyprus

This study empirically examines the existence and nature of long-run relationships between, on the one hand, income derived from the tourism industry in Cyprus and tourist arrivals, and, on the other hand, three categories of supply-side expenditure – transport and communication, hotels and restaurants, and advertising and promotion. The results suggest the existence of positive long-run relationships between income derived from the tourism industry and two categories of expenditure (hotels and restaurants and advertising and promotion), with causality running both ways. Causality running both ways is also observable between tourist arrivals and hotels and restaurants. This leads to the conclusion that the expenditure policy followed by the tourism industry in Cyprus during 1975–2001 has been rather effective.
Frozen shoulder - A prospective randomized clinical trial

AIM To compare the results of arthroscopic capsular release with intra-articular steroid injections in patients of frozen shoulder. METHODS Fifty-six patients with frozen shoulder were randomised to one of two treatment groups: Group 1, complete 360 degree arthroscopic capsular release and group 2, intra-articular corticosteroid injection (40 mg methyl prednisolone acetate). Both groups were put on active and passive range of motion exercises following the intervention. The outcome parameters were visual analogue scale (VAS) score for pain, range of motion and Constant score which were measured at baseline, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 wk after intervention. RESULTS All the parameters improved in both the groups. The mean VAS score improved significantly more in the group 1 as compared to group 2 at 8 wk. This greater improvement was maintained at 20 wk with P value of 0.007 at 8 wk, 0.006 at 12 wk, 0.006 at 16 wk and 0.019 at 20 wk. The Constant score showed a more significant improvement in group 1 compared to group 2 at 4 wk, which was again maintained at 20 wk with P value of 0.01 at 4, 8, 12 and 16 wk. The gain in abduction movement was statistically significantly more in arthroscopy group with P value of 0.001 at 4, 8, 12, 16 wk and 0.005 at 20 wk. The gain in external rotation was statistically significantly more in arthroscopy group with P value of 0.007 at 4 wk, 0.001 at 8, 12, and 16 wk and 0.003 at 20 wk. There was no statistically significant difference in extension and internal rotation between the two groups at any time. CONCLUSION Arthroscopic capsular release provides subjective and objective improvement earlier than intra-articular steroid injection.
A Single Chondroitin 6-Sulfate Oligosaccharide Unit at Ser-2730 of Human Thyroglobulin Enhances Hormone Formation and Limits Proteolytic Accessibility at the Carboxyl Terminus

We localized the site of type D (chondroitin 6-sulfate) oligosaccharide unit addition to human thyroglobulin (hTg). hTg was chromatographically separated into chondroitin 6-sulfate-containing (hTg-CS) and chondroitin 6-sulfate-devoid (hTg-CS0) molecules on the basis of their d-glucuronic acid content. In an ample number of hTg preparations, the fraction of hTg-CS in total hTg ranged from 32.0 to 71.6%. By exploiting the electrophoretic mobility shift and metachromasia conferred by chondroitin 6-sulfate upon the products of limited proteolysis of hTg, chondroitin 6-sulfate was first restricted to a carboxyl-terminal region, starting at residue 2514. A single chondroitin 6-sulfate-containing nonapeptide was isolated in pure form from the products of digestion of hTg with endoproteinase Glu-C, and its sequence was determined as LTAGXGLRE (residues 2726-2734, X being Ser2730 linked to the oligosaccharide chain). In an in vitro assay of enzymatic iodination, hTg-CS produced higher yields of 3,5,5 ′-triiodothyronine (T3) (171%) and 3,5,3′,5′-tetraiodothyronine (T4) (134%) than hTg-CS0. Unfractionated hTg behaved as hTg-CS. Thus, chondroitin 6-sulfate addition to a subset of hTg molecules enhanced the overall level of T4 and, in particular, T3 formation. Furthermore, the chondroitin 6-sulfate oligosaccharide unit of hTg-CS protected peptide bond Lys2714-Gly2715 from proteolysis, during the limited digestion of hTg-CS with trypsin. These findings provide insights into the molecular mechanism of regulation of the hormonogenic efficiency and of the T4/T3 ratio in hTg. The potential implications in the ability of hTg to function as an autoantigen and into the pathogenesis of thyroidal and extra-thyroidal manifestations of autoimmune thyroid disease are discussed.
Reproducibility of postprocessing of quantitative CT perfusion maps.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to assess interobserver and intraobserver variability in evaluation of the reproducibility of quantitative data obtained in semiautomated postprocessing of CT perfusion data sets by observers of different levels of skill and experience and in fully automated postprocessing. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty CT perfusion data sets were postprocessed by a neuroradiologist using an automated postprocessing program and by five observers (neuroradiology attending, neurology attending, radiology resident, senior and junior CT technologists) who received a brief training session in use of software for semiautomated postprocessing. For assessment of intraobserver variability, each observer repeated postprocessing of 10 CT perfusion data sets. Standard regions of interest were placed on identical locations for each observer's cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), and mean transit time (MTT) maps of three brain regions: an ischemia-infarct region, normal cortical gray matter, and white matter. RESULTS The variability in mean quantitative values of CBF, CBV, and MTT was 2.5-9.5% among all observers. Greater variability (20.4%) was introduced with the automated program. High correlation was found among all possible pairings of observers (r = 0.87-0.99). Low correlation was observed between automated postprocessing and postprocessing by all observers. Intraobserver variability in quantitative CT perfusion data ranged from 0.29% to 10.8%. High intraobserver correlation (r = 0.91-0.99) was found for the observers. CONCLUSION Quantitative CBF, CBV, and MTT data obtained from postprocessing of CT perfusion data sets are reproducible among observers with varying levels of skill and experience. Observer interaction with the software is an important component for correct identification of user-defined parameters. Establishing a uniform and standard postprocessing technique is essential for maintaining good reproducibility.
2DGree: Rapid Prototyping for Games

This paper introduces 2DGree, an experimental game prototyping framework, which enables users to implement and playtest their game ideas within minutes. The framework’s main purpose is the evaluation of different interaction techniques as well as methods of programming by demonstration and visual programming for the application within the context of rapid game prototyping. The core of the 2DGree framework consists of a game world editor tool and a script editor, which can be connected to further components like game asset sharing platforms or evaluation tools. The paper describes the current stage of the framework development, presents a user test and provides an outlook on the future plans for the framework development and application.
Preparing Future Accounting Faculty Members to Teach

ABSTRACT: We investigate how accounting Ph.D. programs prepare future accounting professors to fulfill their teaching responsibilities. We collect data from 75 recent graduates about their perceptions of the pedagogy training provided by their Ph.D. programs and find that pedagogical knowledge and skills are primarily self-taught with most obtained from the process of teaching a course. The pedagogy training provided by accounting doctoral programs is perceived to cover important areas; however, on a relative basis, the amount of training is significantly less than its perceived importance. Novice teachers place highest value on training of skills that affect day-to-day teaching responsibilities. Analyses also suggest that best practices for teaching pedagogy include a separate course in university pedagogy combined with an apprenticeship-type model. Data Availability: The survey data and instrument used in this study are available upon request from the authors.
Bank Equity Stakes in Borrowing Firms and Financial Distresses

The authors derive optimal financial claim for a bank when the borrowing firm's uninformed stakeholders depend on the bank to establish whether the firm is distressed and whether concessions by stakeholders are necessary. The bank's financial claim is designed to ensure that it cannot collude with a healthy firm's owners to seek unnecessary concessions or to collude with a distressed firm's owners to claim that the firm is healthy. To prove that a request for concessions has not come from a healthy firm/bank coalition, the bank must hold either a very small or a very large equity stake when the firm enters distress. To prove that a distressed firm and the bank have not colluded to claim that the firm is healthy, the bank may need to hold equity under routine financial conditions.
An Investigation into the Farm Households Consumption Patterns in Punjab, Pakistan

In the present study, the consumption data of paddy and wheat growing farm households were analysed using the Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) model, incorporating the household composition in addition to the usual price/income variables. Although the general restrictions of demand theory were rejected, the overall results were not seriously out of line of a priori expectations. All the own-price elasticities were negative and most of them were significant. Paddy and wheat were found to be gross complements in consumption whereas meat and pulses emerged as gross substitutes. Dairy products and meat were regarded as luxuries by the sample farm households and expenditure on these items was curtailed in response to any addition to household size. Significant quantitative dietary impacts were found associated with change in the age composition of farm households. A more detailed analysis of consumption behaviour of rural families may be merited; this may explore alternative groupings of consumption goods, additional socio-economic factors or use of panel data.
Real-time anomaly detection using a nonparametric pattern recognition approach

Obstacles to achieving anomaly detection in real time include the large volume of data associated with user behavior and the nature of that data. The paper describes preliminary results from a research project which is developing a new approach to handling such data. The approach involves nonparametric statistical methods which permits considerable data compression and which supports pattern recognition techniques for identifying user behavior. This approach applies these methods to a combination of measurements of resource usage and structural information about the behavior of processes. Preliminary results indicate that both accuracy and real time response can be achieved using these methods. <<ETX>>
Improvement measures of DHT precoded OFDM over WiMAX channels with piecewise linear companding

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is multicarrier wireless communication modulation scheme, which is a fascinating approach for wireless communication applications to achieve very high data rates. However, its key limitation is its large peak to average power ratio (PAPR), which results in significant distortion while passing through a nonlinear device, such as a transmitter high power amplifier (HPA). Many techniques are proposed to reduce PAPR, but those are reducing the PAPR at cost of increasing the bit error rate (BER). In this paper a combination of Piecewise linear companding with Discrete Hartley Transform (DHT) is proposed to reduce the PAPR to great extent. Simulation results shows that this proposed method obtains effective reduction of PAPR while maintaining improved performance in the Bit Error Rate (BER) without performance degradation of Power Spectral Density (PSD).
Governance and Income Inequality

INTRODUCTION Major problems of developing countries are unequal income distribution and low growth rate, which affect their welfare aspects. It was implicitly assumed that whenever we achieve target of higher growth rate, benefit of growth would automatically trickle down to the poor. History of developing countries shows that the rich benefited more than the poor as evidenced by rising income inequality during the period of higher economic growth. The economic policy changes are often triggered by the logic of low level of equilibrium of output level, employment and income distribution. To overcome this low level of equilibrium trap, government often adopt polices so as to achieve high level of income and employment growth and development, and equitable income distribution. Coherent policy instruments are essential to meet these policy targets. Impact of any macro economic policy has been examined by studying its impact on economic growth and income distribution. In recent years polices have been directed toward reducing the level of poverty and inequality through raising quality of life in society by providing efficient and effective governance. This new economic philosophy has resulted in a massive change in the policy orientation of countries; the priority is now centred on issue of governance and focus is now shifted towards a qualitative nature of its growth and development. According to Sen (1983), the realisation of human capabilities, that enlarge the range of human choices, is essential for a broader notion and measure of economic well-being. The institutional frame work is then considered as one of the essential elements for translating growth and well-being into a sustainable process. The institutional/governance frame work is vital for sustainable economic growth along with other policy factors like government polices to allocate resources for poverty alleviating and reduce economic inequality. The concept of accommodating other socio-economic indicators along with per capita income growth have taken up a significant amount of attention, since the United Nation (1954) recommended that national income was to be supplemented by a further set of indices, reflecting various constitutions and determinants of aggregate development and well-being. The studies by Adelmam and Morris (1967) also examined the interactions among the processes of social, economic and political change with the level
Education for Extinction: American Indians and the Boarding School Experience, 1875-1928

The last "Indian war" was fought against Native American children in the dormitories and classrooms of government boarding schools. Only by removing Indian children from their homes for extended periods of time, policymakers reasoned, could white "civilization" take root while childhood memories of "savagism" gradually faded to the point of extinction. In the words of one official, "Kill the Indian and save the man. " Education for Extinction offers the first comprehensive account of this dispiriting effort. Much more than a study of federal Indian policy, this book vividly details the day-to-day experiences of Indian youths living in a "total institution" designed to reconstruct them both psychologically and culturally. Based upon extensive use of government archives, Indian and teacher autobiographies, and school newspapers, it is essential reading for anyone interested in Western history, Native American studies, American race relations, educational history, or multi-culturalism.
Groups in DEA based cross-evaluation: An application to Asian container ports

In container port performance evaluation, a group of ports in one country is always significantly different from a group of ports in another country. This is noticed as the heterogeneity of port performance. It is therefore necessary to further investigate the impact of the different groups on efficiency evaluation of ports. The cross-evaluation method is a DEA extension tool to identify best performing DMUs and to rank DMUs using cross efficiency scores linked to all DMUs. A factor that possibly reduces the usefulness of the cross efficiency evaluation method is that cross efficiency scores may not be unique due to the presence of alternative optima. Doyle and Green 1 propose the use of secondary goals to deal with the non-uniqueness issue by the aggressive/benevolent model formulations. This article extends the model of Doyle and Green by considering the groups of DMUs in the determination of final cross efficiency. A new approach based on cross efficiency evaluation method is developed and applied to efficiency analysis of 28 container ports from 12 countries in Asia. A comparative study between traditional and newly proposed methods is conducted.
Validation of a short food frequency questionnaire in Australian adults

Abstract The aim of this article is to report on the validity and internal consistency of a short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to measure dietary intake in Australian adults. A total of 407 individuals completed the short FFQ. The Cronbach’s alpha of 0.66 indicated acceptable internal consistency for the FFQ. Content validity was measured using factor analysis showed that 35% of total variance was explained by factor analysis. The FFQ was also validated against 31 3-day food records (FR). No significant difference between average intake of energy, most macronutrients, and some micronutrients between two instruments was identified. An acceptable levels of correlation (0.39–0.69) was observed between the two instruments. Bland and Altman’s plots showed relative agreement in both instruments with potential bias in measuring iron and iodine. The current FFQ can be an acceptable tool to quickly measuring dietary intake in Australian adults.
Consumer Benefits of Labels and Bans on GM Foods—Choice Experiments with Swedish Consumers

The European Union has been relatively cautious about using biotechnology in food production. A label regime combined with the right of individual member states to ban introduction of new genetically modified (GM) strains means that GM food products in effect are banned in many countries. We show how it is possible to empirically test whether a ban can be motivated by reference to potential negative externalities. This is followed up by results from a choice experiment. We cannot reject the hypothesis of equal WTP for a ban and a labeling scheme.
Justifying the First-Order Approach to Principal-Agent Problems

It is of interest to know when the incentive compatibility conditio n in principal-agent problems can be replaced by the condition that the agent's expected utility be stationary in effort. The Mirrlees-Rogerson conditions do not work if the principal can observe more than one observable statistic. Also, the Mirrlees-Rogerson assumption that the distribution function of output is convex in the agent's action is unsatisfactory even in the context of the basi c model; it is too restrictive. The paper presents a suite of conditio ns that are applicable to the multistatistic case and replaces the objectionable convex distribution function assumption. Copyright 1988 by The Econometric Society.
Evidence on the Joint Determination of Audit and Non-Audit Services

In this study, we investigate whether the characteristics of clients, auditors, and the auditor-client relationship jointly determine audit and non-audit services. As done in prior studies, we maintain that fees proxy for the level of service provided and follow the physical flow of knowledge. Our results show that audit and non-audit fees are endogenous. More important, we find that inferences are different on the relation between audit and non-audit fees after we consider the simultaneity of audit and non-audit services compared with those inferences from single-equation estimations. Estimating the system of fee equations simultaneously, we find that provision of audit and non-audit services leads to no relation with audit fees, which suggests that single-equation estimations suffer from simultaneous-equations bias. Further, the finding suggests that there is either no knowledge spillover occur or equal knowledge spillover exist between audit and non-audit services.
Organisational change in Western European Environmental Groups: A framework for analysis

We present a framework to analyse organisational changes among environmental groups in Western Europe since the 1980s. A more diversified range of organisational models emerges than the simple dichotomy ‘grassroots protest group vs. professional lobby’. We concentrate on four organisational types, based on different organisational responses to problems of resource mobilisation and political efficacy: public interest lobby, participatory protest organisation, professional protest organisation, and the participatory pressure group. We discuss trends towards professionalisation in the context of changes to the public sphere, and point out risks that hyperprofessionalisation may entail for environmental groups.