Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evidence for cross-infection in an outbreak of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea in a surgical unit.

Environmental studies were performed in a hospital outbreak of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea. Transmission was associated with the sluice room and the storage room where medical equipment was found to be contaminated with C.difficile. Typing of isolates by antibiotic-susceptibility patterns and profiles of EDTA-extracted proteins showed the presence of an "epidemic" strain common to the majority of patients and environmental sites. Control of the outbreak was achieved by improvement of environmental hygiene and use of disposable equipment.
A new model for studying the SO-based pre-trip information release strategy and route choice behaviour

In reality, the predictive traffic information is rarely perfect. It is thus a rational assumption that travellers would not be completely in compliance with the guidance by advanced traveller information systems (ATIS). This article presents a Markovian decision programming (MDP) model for investigating the day-to-day receiving and adjusting process to the pre-trip information released by ATIS at route level. The goal is to seek an optimal information release strategy (IRS) for minimising the overall disutility under the assumption that travellers’ route choice is governed by a logit model on the base of adopted travel times. The properties of the model solution are analysed. It is found that there exists an optimal IRS that can drive the flow pattern to a system optimum (SO) if the behaviour adjustment parameter satisfies a condition as . The predictive information provided to drivers results in the oscillation of traffic flow among alternative routes when . The solution of the MDP model is obtained by solving a series of sequential minimisation programs. The model and algorithm are numerically verified on a test network.
Comparison of indoor air quality in electrified and un-electrified dwellings in rural South African villages.

UNLABELLED A feasibility study was undertaken to assess the suitability of South African rural villages due to be electrified, for the purposes of undertaking a large-scale study of the impact of reductions in indoor air pollution on acute lower respiratory infections. As part of the feasibility study, quantitative assessments of indoor air pollution in non-electrified and electrified dwellings were performed. Concurrent measurements were made of levels of respirable particulate matter (RSP-stationary), and carbon monoxide (CO) (personal on children <18 months), as well as a stationary co-located with RSP) over a 24-h period in 52 un-electrified and 53 electrified dwellings. The proportion of dwellings with a detectable 24-h concentration of RSP was significantly higher in un-electrified (48.1%) than electrified dwellings (24.5%) (chi(2) = 6.30 on 1 d.f. , P = 0.012). In addition a Kruskal-Wallis test (adjusted for ties) showed that the distribution of RSP differed between un-electrified and electrified areas (Kruskal-Wallis chi(2) = 8.20 on 1 d.f. , P = 0.014). In those dwellings where some RSP was detected, the amount was on average higher in the un-electrified areas (mean 162 microg/m(3), median 107 microg/m(3)) than in the electrified areas (mean 77 microg/m(3), median 37.5 microg/m(3)). Stationary (kitchen CO) levels in un-electrified dwellings ranged from 0.36 to 20.95 p.p.m. However, in electrified dwellings, kitchen levels ranged from 0 to 11.8 p.p.m. When mean concentrations of CO were compared between electrified and un-electrified dwellings using a two-sample t-test (on log-transformed data), there was overwhelming evidence (P = 0.0004) that the mean level of log (CO) in the kitchen was higher in the un-electrified areas (1.25 vs. 0.69) and also overwhelming evidence (P < 0.0001) that the mean level of log (CO) on the child was higher in the un-electrified areas (0.83 vs. 0.34). Of importance in terms of both policy and for a potential future large-scale study, is that measurable significant differences in indoor pollutants between electrified and un-electrified dwellings during summer were found in spite of only partial transition to electricity use for cooking in electrified villages. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS It is estimated that at least two-thirds of all households in the developing world are still primary dependent on biomass fuels and coal. This situation applies to 59% of rural households in South Africa. In the last decade a program of providing electricity to three million homes has been underway in South Africa. Among others this intervention aims to reduce exposure to pollutants from burning biomass fuels and reduce detrimental health effects, especially in young children. This study provides scientific evidence that electrified homes in South African villages have lower levels of air pollution (RSP and CO) relative to their non-electrified counterparts.
A sequential distributed variable structure controller for a tentacle arm

The paper presents a new controller for a tentacle arm based on the viscosity control of the ER-fluids by an electrical field. The dynamic model of the arm is determined and an approximate model is proposed. The motion control is determined as a conventional control of the fluid pressure and as a viscosity control on the switching manifolds. The stability of the motion is proved and the conditions of the trajectory control on the switching manifolds are determined. Two viscosity control procedures are used: a lumped control and a sequential distributed control which allows the decomposition of the system in a finite number of a lower dimension problems. The numerical simulations are presented.
Moving Target Techniques: Cyber Resilience throught Randomization, Diversity, and Dynamism

Abstract : The static nature of computer systems makes them vulnerable to cyber attacks. Consider a situation where an attacker wants to compromise a remote system running a specific application. The attacker need only find one vulnerability in a local copy of that application. Since all copies of that application are identical and static, the attacker can leverage that vulnerability to exploit the application on a remote machine. Worse yet, the same vulnerability can be exploited to attack thousands or millions of other machines that run the same application. Also, since the internals of the system changes little over time, the same attack is likely to succeed for a long time. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that any reconnaissance information collected on the system by the attackers will also be valid for a long time. This creates an imbalance in favor of attacks. A promising approach to cyber resilience that attempts to rebalance the cyber landscape is known as cyber moving target (MT) (or just moving target) techniques. Moving target techniques change the static nature of computer systems to increase both the difficulty and the cost (in effort, time, and resources) of mounting attacks. Simply put, these techniques turn systems into moving targets that will be hard for cyber attackers to compromise. MT techniques leverage randomization, diversity, and dynamism to achieve resilience. Randomization refers to introducing non-determinism to the internal structures of a system while preserving its correct functionality; diversity refers to introducing heterogeneity among computer systems so that they cannot be compromised by the same attack; and dynamism refers to changing the properties of a system over time so that the same attack cannot compromise it in the future.MT technique can implement any subset of these three goals.
Understanding and Addressing Criminal Opportunity: The Application of Situational Crime Prevention to IS Security

This paper examines the concept of criminal opportunity. More precisely, it focuses on the nature of such opportunities that are to be found within an IS context, and the threat posed by dishonest staff who may act on them. Although hackers and their activities may be given ample column space in the lay press, the potential threat posed by dishonest staff should not be underestimated. The 1998 NCC Business Information Survey reports that the greatest risk of security breaches arose from the activities of personnel within organisations, accounting for nearly 52 per cent of all (physical and logistical) security breaches detected. Similarly, the 1998 CSI/FBI Survey found that the largest single source of financial loss (almost 37 per cent) was attributable to unauthorised insider access. These facts are not lost on security practitioners who, as a rule of thumb, work on the principle that 25 per cent of people are dishonest whenever possible, 25 per cent are always honest and 50 per cent can be either, depending on the nature of security controls and personal motivation.
Website-generated Market-research Data

1 L. Kaufman, “After Taking a Beating, DotComs Now Seek Financial Saviors,” New York Times on the Web, April 18, 2000, as retrieved on February 18, 2001, from: www.nytimes. com/ library/financial/041800market-ecommerce.html 2 S. Lohr, “Stocks’ Slide May Spark a Dot-Com Shakeout,” New York Times on the Web, April 17, 2000, as retrieved on April 18, 2000, from: www.nytimes. com/library/tech/00/04/biztech/ articles/17stox.html 3 C. MacKay, Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (New York: Three Rivers Press, 1995). 4 B. Tedeschi, “Web Retailers Face Demands for Efficiency,” New York Times on the Web, April 24, 2000, as retrieved on February 18, 2001, from: http://www.nytimes. com/2000/04/24/technology/24commerce.html The computers that host websites automatically produce log files that record visitors’
A rare castration‐resistant progenitor cell population is highly enriched in Pten‐null prostate tumours

Castration‐resistant prostate cancer is a lethal disease. The cell type(s) that survive androgen deprivation remain poorly described, despite global efforts to understand the various mechanisms of therapy resistance. We recently identified in wild‐type (WT) mouse prostates a rare population of luminal progenitor cells that we called LSCmed according to their FACS profile (Lin−/Sca‐1+/CD49fmed). Here, we investigated the prevalence and castration resistance of LSCmed in various mouse models of prostate tumourigenesis (Pb‐PRL, Ptenpc−/−, and Hi‐Myc mice). LSCmed prevalence is low (∼8%, similar to WT) in Hi‐Myc mice, where prostatic androgen receptor signalling is unaltered, but is significantly higher in the two other models, where androgen receptor signalling is decreased, rising up to more than 80% in Ptenpc−/− prostates. LSCmed tolerate androgen deprivation and persist or are enriched 2–3 weeks after castration. The tumour‐initiating properties of LSCmed from Ptenpc−/− mice were demonstrated by regeneration of tumours in vivo. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that LSCmed represent a unique cell entity as their gene expression profile is different from luminal and basal/stem cells, but shares markers of each. Their intrinsic androgen signalling is markedly decreased, explaining why LSCmed tolerate androgen deprivation. This also illuminates why Ptenpc−/− tumours are castration‐resistant since LSCmed represent the most prevalent cell type in this model. We validated CK4 as a specific marker for LSCmed on sorted cells and prostate tissues by immunostaining, allowing for the detection of LSCmed in various mouse prostate specimens. In castrated Ptenpc−/− prostates, there was significant proliferation of CK4+ cells, further demonstrating their key role in castration‐resistant prostate cancer progression. Taken together, this study identifies LSCmed as a probable source of prostate cancer relapse after androgen deprivation and as a new therapeutic target for the prevention of castrate‐resistant prostate cancer. Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Agricultural productivity of the Spanish regions: a non-parametric Malmquist analysis

Productivity growth for the agricultural sectors of the 17 Spanish regions over the period 1977-88 is studied using non-parametric programming techniques. Productivity changes based on conventional inputs are linked to other economic, geographic and institutional issues. Average technical change in the Spanish regions grew at an annual rate of 2.9%, but with great regional variation. This paper presents a clear characterization of areas with greater technical progress, and the regions with technical regress.
Money Demand and Foreign Exchange Risk: The German Case, 1972-1976

THE OPTIMAL LEVEL OF domestic money balances may vary according to different degrees of uncertainty concerning the foreign exchange value of the domestic money. That is, in addition to the fundamental determinants of the demand for money-wealth, income, and opportunity cost-certain types of risks, in this case foreign exchange rate uincertainty, may play a role, albeit a small one. In this note, we consider the theoretical arguments supportive of this contention and then present some empirical evidence, based on a variety of money demand functions and using the German economy as the test case. Our findings are strongly suggestive that foreign exchange risk does play a role in determining real money balances.
Hydrophobic peptides: novel regulators within bacterial membrane

Identification of short coding sequences is challenging, both experimentally and in silico, and functional natural peptides (< 50 amino acids) have to a large extent been overlooked in Gram‐negative bacteria. Recent results have converged to highlight the role of hydrophobic peptides that form a novel class of active molecules in Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. These peptides can play a regulatory role by interacting with protein partners at the inner membrane and by modulating protein partner activity or stability. Genome‐wide analyses in both bacterial species have identified several conserved short open reading frames encoding a single transmembrane segment. We discuss the known and predicted membrane‐associated peptides and the tools for their identification. Besides the identification of novel regulatory networks, characterization of peptides with a single transmembrane helix segment and proteins that interact with them provides a powerful opportunity to study interactions between alpha helices within biological membranes. In addition, some bioactive membrane peptides could provide a basis for engineering membrane protein antagonists.
Perceived Effects of North Carolina's Response to Intervention Process on School Counselor's Professional Duties and Responsiblities: A Correlational Study.

The purpose of this correlational study was to test to see if there was a relationship between time reduction of the roles and responsibilities of a school counselor and the Response to Intervention (RTI) process in an elementary school setting. This study examined the perceived effects of the RTI process on the roles and responsibilities of a school counselor. This study will looked at the perception of selfefficacy of school counselors and if they feel they are being effective to the students they serve. School counselors from elementary schools in North Carolina completed the Concerns-Based Adoption Model of the Stages of Concern questionnaire that accesses information about people’s attitudes, reactions, or feelings about a program or practice. School counselors are known for only dealing with social and emotional problems of students in schools across the country. After the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act, every educator in the school has been given the responsibility of teaching academics in K-12 schools including school counselors. The majority of the time, school counselors lead or participate in problem solving teams which give them the opportunity for them to fulfill the requirement of reaching students academically. NCLB and RTI reflect the same goal of providing a high quality education for every child. RTI is a multi-tiered approach to help struggling learners. Using student outcome data, RTI can be used to make decisions about interventions needed for students to improve academically. The finds from this study indicated a positive correlation between the criterion variable (RTI process) and time reduction, perception of self-efficacy, and academic achievement. There was no significance with Exceptional Children’s referrals and placement of Exceptional Children’s placement.
Water use for electricity in the United States: an analysis of reported and calculated water use information for 2008

Water use by the electricity sector represents a significant portion of the United States water budget (41% of total freshwater withdrawals; 3% consumed). Sustainable management of water resources necessitates an accurate accounting of all water demands, including water use for generation of electricity. Since 1985, the Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Information Administration (EIA) has collected self-reported data on water consumption and withdrawals from individual power generators. These data represent the only annual collection of water consumption and withdrawals by the electricity sector. Here, we compile publically available information into a comprehensive database and then calculate water withdrawals and consumptive use for power plants in the US. In effect, we evaluate the quality of water use data reported by EIA for the year 2008. Significant differences between reported and calculated water data are evident, yet no consistent reason for the discrepancies emerges.
Sustainability Report in Small Enterprises:Case Studies in Italian Furniture Companies

The recent evolution of the economic and social context has led enterprises to consider and assess corporate environmental and social impacts integrated with the traditionally measured economic and operating performances. From this point of view, the international debate on the advantages given by the firms' adoption of socially responsible behaviour has been developed; the increasing consciousness of the social character in enterprises' activities has enlarged the interest in communication. For this reason, several different standards have been developed in order to transmit, to the stakeholders, data, information and approaches about environmental, social and sustainability topics related to the firm's activities. In this dynamic context, the features of SMEs require specific guidelines, which address the contents of an SME-oriented sustainability report. In this perspective the aim is to design guidelines able to meet with these SMEs' requirements; seven case studies, on Italian furniture small enterprises, complete the study. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
The origin of P elements in Drosophila melanogaster

The P family of transposable genetic elements is thought to be a recent addition to the Drosophila melanogaster genome. New evidence suggests that the elements came from another Drosophila species, possibly carried by parasitic mites. The transposition mechanism of P elements involves DNA gap repair which may have facilitated their rapid spread through D. melanogaster worldwide. These results provide new insight into the process of a transpo‐son's invasion into a new species and the potential risk of extinction such an invasion might entail.
Performance measurement tools: the Balanced Scorecard and the EFQM Excellence Model

Performance improvement is high on the agenda of many companies around the world and with the growing number of improvement models now available care has to be taken to adopt an approach that will yield the most attractive return on investment. This paper compares and contrasts two widely known and well‐publicized improvement models: Kaplan and Norton’s Balanced Scorecard and the EFQM Excellence Model. Each consists of a non‐prescriptive template offering managers a relatively small number of categories of key performance metrics to focus on. Here, they are examined from a critical perspective with regard to five central issues represented by five questions relating to objectives, strategies and plans, target setting, reward structures and information feedback loops. The analysis conducted reveals that despite having some significant differences both approaches seem to be developed from similar concepts. The paper concludes that it is difficult to find a perfect match between a company and a performance measurement framework and that further research should concentrate on how to implement strategic performance frameworks effectively in specific types of organization.
Caribbean Single Market Economy (CSME) and the Intra-Regional Migration of Nurses

CARICOM as a small regional trading agreement is characterized by economies with differing degrees of development. This article reviews the differing economic attributes of these various CARICOM states and then discusses in detail how the intra-regional movement of skilled workers (such as nurses) can help to solve some of the regional shortages of skills which exists for this category of workers. The article argues that this type of skilled worker movement can provide considerable benefits for migrant nurses without the drift of their skills beyond the region.
Cost analysis of the Auto Microbic system urine identification card

The AutoMicrobic system (Vitek Systems, Inc., Hazelwood, Mo.) is a fully automated, computerized instrument. One of the most thoroughly studied aspects of the system is its ability to identify and quantify of nine most common urinary tract pathogens. The major advantages of the AutoMicrobic system are that the results of urine cultures are available in a fraction of the time required by conventional methods and that samples can be processed with fewer man-hours. Although the specificity, sensitivity, and reliability of the system have been amply described in the literature, only one study combines these aspects with a cost analysis (D. P. Nicholson and J. A. Koepke, J. Clin. Microbiol. 10:823-833, 1979). Because one of the major considerations that microbiology laboratory directors must face is the cost-effectiveness of instruments, we studied the relative cost of the system as compared with that of conventional methods. Our findings indicated that the instrument provided valuable savings in technologist and turnaround time. These advantages were most easily realized in processing positive urine specimens. For negative urine specimens, the savings in technologist time were cancelled by the cost of the consumable supplies, which greatly exceeded the cost of supplies for conventional methods. This disadvantage might be ameliorated by efficient and effective screening methods to exclude those urine specimens that are most probably negative.