Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Are we on the same page? Staff nurse and manager perceptions of work environment, quality of care and anticipated nurse turnover.

AIMS The purpose was to examine differences in perceptions of work environment and quality of care between nurse managers and staff nurses, and the relationship between nurses' perceptions of the work environment and intention to leave. BACKGROUND It is important for managers to understand how staff nurses perceive the work environment as these perceptions may affect nurses' intention to leave the organization. Few studies have examined the perceptions of nurses compared with nurse manager/directors regarding the organizational influences on intention to leave. METHODS This study was a cross-sectional, non-experimental design. A total of 336 nurses and managers participated from two Midwestern hospitals. Participants completed the Perceived Nurse Work Environment Scale (PNWE), Anticipated Turnover Scale (ATS), and a researcher developed perception of quality scale. Data were analysed for descriptive statistics, Analysis of Variance, and Pearson's correlation. RESULTS Significant differences were found between nurses and managers on perceptions of work environment. Managers rated work environment higher than staff on all subscales. Work environment was related to anticipated turnover. CONCLUSIONS Managers and staff nurses are 'not on the same page' in perceptions of work environment. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT Nurse managers need to understand the organizational influences that may affect nurses' intention to leave. Strategies to improve the work environment are necessary to meet the needs of the staff nurse.
Bandwidth Programmable Optical Nyquist Pulse Generation in Passively Mode-Locked Fiber Laser

We propose and numerically demonstrate a novel simple method to produce optical Nyquist pulses based on pulse shaping in a passively mode-locked fiber laser with an in-cavity flat-top spectral filter. The proposed scheme takes advantage of the nonlinear in-cavity dynamics of the laser and offers the possibility to generate high-quality sinc-shaped pulses with widely tunable bandwidth directly from the laser oscillator. We also show that the use of a filter with a corrective convex profile relaxes the need for large nonlinear phase accumulation in the cavity by offsetting the concavity of the nonlinearly broadened pulse spectrum.
Mining high utility itemsets

Traditional association rule mining algorithms only generate a large number of highly frequent rules, but these rules do not provide useful answers for what the high utility rules are. We develop a novel idea of top-K objective-directed data mining, which focuses on mining the top-K high utility closed patterns that directly support a given business objective. To association mining, we add the concept of utility to capture highly desirable statistical patterns and present a level-wise item-set mining algorithm. With both positive and negative utilities, the antimonotone pruning strategy in Apriori algorithm no longer holds. In response, we develop a new pruning strategy based on utilities that allow pruning of low utility itemsets to be done by means of a weaker but antimonotonic condition. Our experimental results show that our algorithm does not require a user specified minimum utility and hence is effective in practice.
EFFECTS OF ISOFLURANE ON GLUTAMATE AND TAURINE RELEASES, BRAIN SWELLING AND INJURY DURING TRANSIENT ISCHEMIA AND REPERFUSION

The volatile anesthetic agent isoflurane was thought to provide neuroprotection against ischemic damage; however, this effect remains controversial. Using the middle cerebral artery occlusion model and intracerebral microdialysis, the authors monitored the variations of glutamate and taurine concentrations in the extra-cellular space in male rats anesthetized with pentobarbital or isoflurane. Brain injury and edema were evaluated 24 h after ischemia. Isoflurane prevented the ischemia-induced efflux of glutamate and reduced the release of taurine. No difference in the size of the brain lesions was observed with both anesthetics, and isoflurane induced the formation of a bigger brain edema and reduced taurine release. These results suggest that inhibiting glutamate release during ischemia may not be sufficient to improve brain outcome after transient ischemia.
Assessing the effectiveness of local and global quadratic hedging under GARCH models

Local and global quadratic hedging are alternatives to delta hedging that more appropriately address the hedging problem in incomplete markets. The objective of this article is to investigate and contrast the effectiveness of these strategies under GARCH models, both experimentally and empirically. Our analysis centers on three important practical issues: (i) the value added of global over local quadratic hedging, (ii) the importance of the choice of measure (real-world or risk-neutral) when implementing quadratic hedging, and (iii) the robustness of quadratic hedging to model mis-specification. We find that a global approach to quadratic hedging significantly reduces the risk of hedging derivatives with long-term maturities (one year or more), provided that it is implemented under the real-world probability measure. Global quadratic hedging should therefore be advocated when hedging LEAPS and other long-term derivatives such as market-linked certificates of deposit.
Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-a is the insulin-like growth factor binding protein-4 protease secreted by human ovarian granulosa cells and is a marker of dominant follicle selection and the corpus luteum.

Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs), and IGFBP proteases are important in ovarian function. IGFs stimulate granulosa steroidogenesis, an effect that is inhibited by IGFBP-4 and augmented by IGFBP-4 proteolysis. We have recently identified the IGFBP-4 protease in human ovarian follicular fluid (FF) as pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A). In the current study, we identify the IGFBP-4 protease secreted by cultured human ovarian granulosa cells as PAPP-A, based on specific immunoinhibition and immunodepletion of the IGFBP-4 protease activity with PAPP-A polyclonal antibodies and immunorecognition by PAPP-A monoclonal antibodies in ELISA. PAPP-A was barely detectable in conditioned media (CM) from granulosa derived from </=9 mm androgen-dominant follicles, but was secreted by cultured granulosa from estrogen-dominant follicles >/=9 mm, coincident with dominant follicle selection, and by luteinizing granulosa. PAPP-A levels in CM from the latter did not change in response to IGF-II or hCG (100 ng/mL). A naturally occurring inhibitor of PAPP-A, proform of eosinophil major basic protein (proMBP), was detected by ELISA in estrogen-dominant follicular fluid FF, but not in CM from granulosa or luteinizing granulosa cells treated with IGF-II (0-200 ng/mL), FSH (0-100 ng/mL) or hCG (0-100 ng/mL), suggesting an alternative source (other than granulosa) for proMBP, compared to PAPP-A. The data demonstrate granulosa cells as a source of PAPP-A in human ovary and suggest that PAPP-A is a marker of ovarian follicle selection and corpus luteum formation. In addition the data suggest complex regulation of this system in human ovary.
Evolution of EV71 genogroup in Taiwan from 1998 to 2005: An emerging of subgenogroup C4 of EV71

In Taiwan, enterovirus 71 (EV71) has played an important role in severe enterovirus‐related cases every year since the devastating outbreak in 1998. Three genogroups A, B, C occur worldwide; with the B and C genogroups being subdivided into B1–B4 and C1–C4 subgenogroups respectively. To understand the mutation of the EV71 genogroup in Taiwan before and after 1998, a total of 54 worldwide strains were studied including 41 Taiwanese strains obtained in 1986 and 1998–2004. A fragment of 207 bp of the VP4 region was amplified and sequenced. Genetic analysis was performed using MEGA software (version 3.0) for the nucleotide sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis. In Taiwan, the subgenogroup B1 was predominant before 1998 while subgenogroup C2 was the major etiologic group in 1998 outbreak. A minor etiologic group outbreak in 1998, subgenogroup B4, became predominant during the period from 1999 to 2003. In this study, subgenogroup C4 emerged and became predominant in 2004 in Taiwan. The nucleotide differences between B1 and C2, C2 and B4, B4 and C4 were 20%–26%, 19%–27%, 18%–22%, respectively. Nucleotide sequence alignment revealed 67 substitutions. Most of the substitutions (62/67) were silent mutations. This is the first report about the emergence of EV71 subgenogroup C4 in Taiwan. J. Med. Virol. 78:254–262, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Structure elucidation of sphingolipids from the mycopathogen Sporothrix schenckii: identification of novel glycosylinositol phosphorylceramides with core manalpha1-->6Ins linkage.

Acidic glycosphingolipid components were extracted from the mycelium form of the thermally dimorphic mycopathogen Sporothrix schenckii. Two fractions from the mycelium form (Ss-M1 and Ss-M2), having the highest Rf values on HPTLC analysis, were isolated and their structures elucidated by 1- and 2-D 13C- and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry with lithium adduction of molecular ions. The structures of Ss-M1 and Ss-M2 were determined to be Manalpha1-->Ins1-P-1Cer and Manalpha1--> 3Manalpha1-->Ins1-P-1Cer, respectively (where Ins = myo-inositol, P = phosphodiester). The Manalpha1-->6Ins motif is found normally in diacylglycerol-based glycophosphatidylinositols of Mycobacteria, but this is the first unambiguous identification of the same linkage making up the core structure of fungal glycosylinositol phosphorylceramides (GIPCs). These results are discussed in relation to the structures of GIPCs of other mycopathogens, including Histoplasma capsulatum and Paracoccidioides brasiliensis.
Up-regulation of MPK4 increases the feeding efficiency of the green peach aphid under elevated CO2 in Nicotiana attenuata

Previous research has shown that elevated CO2 reduces plant resistance against insects and enhances the water use efficiency of C3 plants, which improves the feeding efficiency of aphids. Although plant mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are known to regulate water relations and phytohormone-mediated resistance, little is known about the effect of elevated CO2 on MAPKs and the cascading effects on aphids. By using stably transformed Nicotiana attenuata plants silenced in MPK4, wound-induced protein kinase (WIPK), or salicylic acid-induced protein kinase (SIPK), we determined the functions of MAPKs in plant-aphid interactions and their responses to elevated CO2. The results showed that among all plant genotypes, inverted repeat MPK4 plants had the largest stomatal apertures, the lowest water content, the strongest jasmonic acid (JA)-dependent resistance, and the lowest aphid numbers, suggesting that MPK4 affects plant responses to aphids by regulating stomatal aperture and JA-dependent resistance. Regardless of aphid infestation, elevated CO2 up-regulated MPK4, but not WIPK or SIPK, in wild-type plants. Elevated CO2 increased the number, mean relative growth rate, and feeding efficiency of aphids on all plant genotypes except inverted repeat MPK4. We conclude that MPK4 is a CO2-responsive plant determinant that regulates the molecular interaction between plants and aphids.
Spermadhesin AQN1 Is a Candidate Receptor Molecule Involved in the Formation of the Oviductal Sperm Reservoir in the Pig1

Abstract Sperm are stored in the isthmic region of the oviduct under conditions that maintain viability and suppress early capacitation steps until ovulation occurs. The initial contact between sperm and oviductal epithelium is mediated by carbohydrate-protein interactions. In the pig, the carbohydrate recognition system has been shown to involve oligomannosyl structures. The spermadhesins AWN and AQN1 are the dominant porcine carbohydrate-binding sperm proteins. The objective of this study was to demonstrate that AQN1 contributes to sperm binding to the oviductal epithelium. AQN1 showed a broad carbohydrate-binding pattern as it recognizes both α- and β-linked galactose as well as Manα1-3(Manα1-6)Man structures, whereas AWN bound only the galactose species. Binding of ejaculated sperm to oviductal epithelium was inhibited by addition of AQN1 but not by AWN. Mannose-binding sites were localized over the rostral region of the sperm head. Flow cytometry showed that, under capacitating conditions, the population of live sperm was shifted within 30 min toward an increase in the proportion of cells with low mannose- and high galactose-binding. The loss of mannose-binding sites was accompanied by the loss of AQN1 in sperm extracts and the significant reduction in the sperm-oviduct binding. The oviductal epithelium was shown by GNA-lectin histochemistry and by SDS-PAGE and lectin blotting of the apical membrane fraction to express mannose components that could be recognized by AQN1. These results demonstrate that the sperm lectin AQN1 fulfils the criteria for an oviduct receptor in the pig and may play a role in the formation of the oviductal sperm reservoir.
Low ripple current source based on resonant controllers

This paper describes a control algorithm of a single-phase voltage-source converter with an LCL output filter behaving like a high-quality controlled current source. Designed control algorithm combines model based (feed-forward) control with a feedback direct current control based on resonant controllers. This control method provides precise (low THDi) sinusoidal waveform of required output current. The theoretical conclusions presented in this paper are verified by experiments made on developed laboratory prototype of current source.
Prevalence of Stroke and Vascular Risk Factors among First-Degree Relatives of Stroke Patients and Control Subjects

Background: Genetic and environmental factors may be of importance for stroke risk. We assessed the prevalence of stroke and vascular risk factors among first-degree relatives and spouses of stroke patients and control subjects. Methods: As a part of the Lund Stroke Register study, we asked 925 consecutive patients with first-ever stroke and 286 control subjects to complete a questionnaire about all their first-degree relatives and spouses. The questionnaires addressed whether these relatives had been affected by stroke or TIA, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and if they were smokers. Results: A total of 606 patients and 261 control subjects returned the questionnaire, providing information on 4,972 first-degree relatives and 738 spouses. The prevalence of stroke or TIA was 12.3% among first-degree relatives of patients and 7.5% among first-degree relatives of control subjects (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.36–2.22). Corresponding results for hypertension were 21.0 and 16.7% (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.10–1.60). The prevalences of heart disease, diabetes mellitus and smoking did not differ significantly between first-degree relatives of patients and control subjects. Spouses of patients and control subjects had similar prevalences of stroke or TIA and vascular risk factors. Conclusions: The prevalences of stroke or TIA and hypertension are higher among first-degree relatives of stroke patients than among first-degree relatives of control subjects. This, and the lack of differences between spouses of patients and control subjects, indicates that an increased risk of stroke may in part be explained by heritability of hypertension.
Family Health Team: reports of conduct on child hearing loss.

Purpose To analyze the performance of family health teams toward the suspicion and identification of child hearing loss. Methods This is a case study. Data were collected in three focus groups with three family health teams of a health district in the metropolitan area of Recife, Brazil. All data were transcribed and analyzed based on the interview analysis model of condensation of meanings. Results The family health professionals investigated made use of some resources to assess child reaction to sound stimuli, but they were mostly unaware of risk indicators for hearing loss and presented doubts about conducting referrals. Regarding child monitoring, the family health professionals reported that the lack of counter-reference by other professionals precludes the effective monitoring of children in the family health units. Conclusion Despite their potential in assisting child health, the role of family health teams is still permeated by weaknesses that hinder their performance with respect to hearing health.
Mathematical model for eddy current testing of metal plates with two cylindrical flaws

Semi-analytical solution of eddy current testing problem is presented in the paper. An excitation air-core coil is located above a conducting plate with two flaws in the form of cylindrical holes located at top and bottom parts of the plate. The change in impedance of the coil is computed for different frequencies of the excitation current. Potential applications (analysis of the effect of corrosion, estimation of thickness and conductivity of metal coatings and quality testing of spot welding) are discussed.
5‐Hydroxytryptamine receptor‐mediated phosphoinositide hydrolysis in canine cultured tracheal smooth muscle cells

1 5‐Hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT) has been shown to induce contraction of tracheal smooth muscle. However, the mechanisms of action of 5‐HT are not known. We therefore investigated the effects of 5‐HT on phospholipase C (PLC)‐mediated phosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis and its regulation in canine cultured tracheal smooth muscle cells (TSMCs) labelled with [3H]‐inositol. 5‐HT‐induced inositol phosphates (IPs) accumulation was time‐ and dose‐dependent with a half‐maximal response (EC50) and a maximal response at 0.38 ± 0.05 and 10 μm, respectively. 2 Ketanserin and mianserin (10 and 100 nm), 5‐HT2 receptor antagonists, were equipotent in blocking the 5‐HT‐induced IPs accumulation with pKB values of 8.46 and 8.21, respectively. In contrast, the dose‐response curves of 5‐HT‐induced IPs accumulation were not shifted until the concentrations of NAN‐190 and metoclopramide (5‐HT1A and 5‐HT3 receptor antagonists, respectively) were increased up to 10 μm. 3 Pretreatment of TSMCs with pertussis toxin or cholera toxin did not inhibit the 5‐HT‐induced IPs accumulation, but partially inhibited the A1F4−‐induced IPs response. 4 Stimulation of IPs accumulation by 5‐HT required the presence of external Ca2+ and was blocked by EGTA. The addition of Ca2+ (3–620 nm) to digitonin‐permeabilized TSMCs directly stimulated IPs accumulation. A further Ca2+‐dependent increase in IPs accumulation was obtained by inclusion of either guanosine 5′‐O(3‐thiotriphoshate) (GTPγS) or 5‐HT. The combination of GTPγS and 5‐HT elicited an additive effect on IPs accumulation. 5 Treatment with phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (PMA, 1 μm, 30 min) abolished the 5‐HT‐induced IPs accumulation. The concentrations of PMA that gave a half‐maximal and maximal inhibition of 5‐HT‐induced IPs accumulation were 2.2 ± 0.4 nm and 1 μm, n = 3, respectively. The protein kinase C (PKC) activator, 4α‐phorbol 12,13‐didecanoate, at 1 μm, did not influence this response. The inhibitory effect of PMA was reversed by staurosporine, a PKC inhibitor, suggesting that the inhibitory effect of PMA is mediated through the activation of PKC. 6 The site of this inhibition was further investigated by examining the effect of PMA on AlF4−‐induced IPs accumulation in canine TSMCs. AlF4−‐stimulated IPs accumulation was inhibited by PMA treatment, suggesting that the effect of PMA is distal to the 5‐HT receptor. 7 Acetylcholine‐induced IPs accumulation was completely inhibited by atropine, but not affected by ketanserin or mianserin, suggesting that 5‐HT‐induced IPs accumulation is not due to release of acetylcholine. 8 These results demonstrate that 5‐HT directly stimulates PLC‐mediated PI hydrolysis via a pertussis toxin‐ and cholera toxin‐insensitive GTP binding protein in canine TSMCs and that this coupling process is negatively regulated by PKC. 5‐HT2 receptors may be predominantly mediating IPs accumulation and presumably IP‐induced Ca2+ release may function as the transducing mechanism for 5‐HT‐stimulated contraction of tracheal smooth muscle.
Protective effect of the cruciferous vegetable mustard leaf (Brassica campestris) against in vivo chromosomal damage and oxidative stress induced by γ‐radiation and genotoxic chemicals

We evaluated the possible protective effect of the popular Indian cruciferous vegetable mustard leaf (Brassica campestris) against chromosomal damage and oxidative stress induced by γ‐radiation, cyclophosphamide (CPH) and urethane (URE), in mice. In vivo bone marrow micronucleus test was performed to assess chromosomal damage, and oxidative stress was monitored by estimating the changes in lipid peroxidation and the status of glutathione (GSH) as well as redox cycle antioxidants. Pretreatment with 50–250 mg/kg body wt of mustard leaf extract (MLE) for seven days significantly reduced the frequencies of micronuclei induced by γ‐radiation, CPH and URE. The protective effect against chromosomal damage was associated with modulation of lipid peroxidation as well as an increase in GSH and the GSH‐dependent enzyme glutathione S‐transferase (GST). Mass spectral analysis showed the presence of glucosinolates in MLE used for the pretreatment of mice. These findings indicate that intake of the green leafy cruciferous vegetable mustard leaf can lead to protection against in vivo genotoxicity and oxidative stress. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. , 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A regulatory region rearranged BK virus is associated with tubulointerstitial nephritis in a rejected renal allograft

A renal allograft transplant patient with high serum creatinine presented clinical symptoms of rejection. Sections of renal biopsy tissue showed mononuclear leukocyte infiltration in the tubulointerstitium and nuclear enlargement with inclusions in the tubular epithelium. The morphological characteristics resembled polyomavirus‐induced interstitial nephritis. Electron microscopy of the nuclear inclusions showed paracrystalline arrays of naked viral particles with a diameter of 45 nm. Molecular studies revealed that a new variant of BK virus (BKV) with rearrangement at the regulatory region was involved in the nephritis. The BKV regulatory region contained a tandem repeat from the P‐block to the Q‐block causing duplication of several important transcriptional elements or transcriptional factor binding motifs. This is the first report to show a naturally occurring BKV variant with regulatory region rearrangement associated with tubulointerstitial nephritis. J. Med. Virol. 64:82–88, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Exploring the Potential of Machine Learning for Automatic Slum Identification from VHR Imagery

Slum identification in urban settlements is a crucial step in the process of formulation of pro-poor policies. However, the use of conventional methods for slum detection such as field surveys can be time-consuming and costly. This paper explores the possibility of implementing a low-cost standardized method for slum detection. We use spectral, texture and structural features extracted from very high spatial resolution imagery as input data and evaluate the capability of three machine learning algorithms (Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine and Random Forest) to classify urban areas as slum or no-slum. Using data from Buenos Aires (Argentina), Medellin (Colombia) and Recife (Brazil), we found that Support Vector Machine with radial basis kernel delivers the best performance (with F2-scores over 0.81). We also found that singularities within cities preclude the use of a unified classification model.