Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A prospective study of inpatients to determine microbial etiology and therapeutic outcome of antibiotics for community-acquired pneumonia in pakistan.

INTRODUCTION Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is among the common diseases that causes illness and death world-wide. Limited data is available for the treatment of patients with CAP and/or medical outcome of CAP patients in Pakistan. This cross-sectional and prospective study was done to determine etiology of CAP patients and to evaluate the therapeutic effects of antibiotics commonly used in treating CAP patients in two different inner-city hospitals, Pakistan. METHODS The study was conducted on 200 hospitalized patients presenting clinical and radiographic evidences of CAP. The patients were assessed for the causative pathogen and their prescriptions were analyzed for the management and treatment of CAP and associated symptoms of pneumonia. Finally the medical outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS On establishing the microbial etiology of pneumonia among different CAP causing pathogens, K. pneumoniae was found to be the most identified causative agent (30%) followed by S. pneumoniae (23%). Majority of the patients received cephalosporin antibiotics (80%) followed by aminoglycosides (65%) and penicillins (50%) either as monotherapy or combination treatment. Therapeutic success was observed to occur in majority of the patients. The recovery of CAP patients occurred probably because they received antibiotics which are recommended by WHO and American Thoracic Society. Another reason for successful therapeutic outcome was found to be the significant patient compliance for treatment. CONCLUSION There is a great need for such types of investigational studies to be conducted in developing countries which may guide the empirical therapy and help in defining proper treatment guidelines.
A national registry for juvenile dermatomyositis and other paediatric idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: 10 years' experience; the Juvenile Dermatomyositis National (UK and Ireland) Cohort Biomarker Study and Repository for Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies

Objectives. The paediatric idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are a group of rare chronic inflammatory disorders of childhood, affecting muscle, skin and other organs. There is a severe lack of evidence base for current treatment protocols in juvenile myositis. The rarity of these conditions means that multicentre collaboration is vital to facilitate studies of pathogenesis, treatment and disease outcomes. We have established a national registry and repository for childhood IIM, which aims to improve knowledge, facilitate research and clinical trials, and ultimately to improve outcomes for these patients. Methods. A UK-wide network of centres and research group was established to contribute to the study. Standardized patient assessment, data collection forms and sample protocols were agreed. The Biobank includes collection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, serum, genomic DNA and biopsy material. An independent steering committee was established to oversee the use of data/samples. Centre training was provided for patient assessment, data collection and entry. Results. Ten years after inception, the study has recruited 285 children, of which 258 have JDM or juvenile PM; 86% of the cases have contributed the biological samples. Serial sampling linked directly to the clinical database makes this a highly valuable resource. The study has been a platform for 20 sub-studies and attracted considerable funding support. Assessment of children with myositis in contributing centres has changed through participation in this study. Conclusions. This establishment of a multicentre registry and Biobank has facilitated research and contributed to progress in the management of a complex group of rare muscloskeletal conditions.
A method for bounding the effect of DMA I/O interference on program execution time

A DMA controller that operates in the cycle-stealing mode transfers data by "stealing" bus cycles from an executing program. This cycle stealing operation retards the progress of the executing program and extends its execution time. We first present a method that bounds the worst-case execution time of a program executing concurrently with a cycle-stealing DMA I/O operation in the simple case where the execution time of each machine instruction is fixed. We next extend this method to deal with the case of instruction-cache architectures. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our methods by the results of simulations of several programs.
Prognostic value of the sinoatrial conduction time measured by the Holter method. Results of a prospective follow-up study

Background: To evaluate the usefulness of the Holter method of sinoatrial conduction time (SACT) calculation in predicting the future occurrence of sinus node disease, and the emergence of indications for permanent pacing in patients with unexplained syncope. Methods: The study group included 218 patients (mean age 55 ± 17 years, 116 men) with syncope of unknown etiology in whom spontaneous atrial premature depolarizations (APDs) occurred during Holter monitoring and SACT could be calculated. A SACT value during daily activity > 150 ms was assumed as abnormal. Results: The prospective observation time was 48 ± 11 months. During follow-up sinus node disease was diagnosed in 22 persons, including 18 patients with baseline SACT > 150 ms and 4 with SACT 150 ms and 3 with SACT 150 ms and a future diagnosis of sinus node disease and pacemaker implantation. Conclusions: The results suggest that the Holter method of SACT calculation is useful in predicting sinus node disease and indications for permanent pacing in patients with unexplained syncope. (Cardiol J 2013; 20, 5: 539–544)
Inverters for single-phase grid connected photovoltaic systems-an overview

An overview on developments and a summary of the state-of-the-art of inverter technology in Europe for single-phase grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems for power levels up to 5 kW is provided in this paper. The information includes details not only on the topologies commercially available but also on the switching devices employed and the associated switching frequencies, efficiency, price trends and market share. Finally, the paper outlines issues associated with the development of relevant international industry standards affecting PV inverter technology.
Layover solution in multibaseline InSAR using interpolated arrays

This work deals with the problem of direction of arrival estimation of interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) signals in presence of layover. The focus is on realistic acquisition systems with a low number of phase centres and nonuniform array geometry. An interpolated array approach is proposed, in order to apply spectral estimation techniques designed for uniform linear arrays. In particular, interpolated MUSIC and weighted subspace fitting (WSF) algorithms are developed and investigated.
Outsourcing tasks in CometCloud-based federated systems

One of the key benefits of Cloud systems is their ability to provide elastic, on-demand (seemingly infinite) computing capability and performance for supporting service delivery. With the resource availability in single data centres proving to be limited, the option of obtaining extra-resources from a collection of Cloud providers has appeared as an efficacious solution. The ability to utilize resources from multiple Cloud providers is also often mentioned as a means to: (i) prevent vendor lock in, (ii) to enable in house capacity to be combined with an external Cloud provider; (iii) combine specialist capability from multiple Cloud vendors (especially when one vendor does not offer such capability or where such capability may come at a higher price). Such federation of Cloud systems can therefore overcome a limit in capacity and enable providers to dynamically increase the availability of resources to serve requests. We describe and evaluate the establishment of such a federation using a CometCloud based implementation by considering a a number of federation scenarios to determine the impact of outsourcing on the overall status of our system. CometCloud provides an overlay that enables multiple types of Cloud systems (both public and private) to be federated through the use of specialist gateways. We describe how two physical sites, in the UK and the US, can be federated in a seamless way using this system. Keywords—Cloud Computing, Cloud Federation, CometCloud, Tuple-Space, Task Outsourcing.
UNT at ImageCLEF 2011: Relevance Models and Salient Semantic Analysis for Image Retrieval

This paper presents the result of the team of the University of North Texas in the ImageCLEF 2011 Wikipedia and Medical Image Retrieval tasks. For Wikipedia image retrieval we compare the two query expansion methods: relevance models and query expansion using Wikipedia and flicker as external sources. The relevance models use a classic relevance feedback mechanism for Language models as proposed by Levrenko. The external query expansion mechanism uses an unsupervised two steps method that takes advantage of Salient Semantic Analysis (SSA) using Wikipedia and estimates the "picturability" of terms using Flicker tags. Our results show that SSA and Flickr picturability can be used effectively to create very competitive runs that capture the semantic context of the original query. For Medical Image Retrieval we also use relevance models and query expansion using terms generated by MetaMap.
PAKEHA IDEOLOGY OF MAORI PERFORMANCE: A DISCOURSE ANALYTIC APPROACH TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF EDUCATIONAL FAILURE IN AOTEAROA/NEW ZEALAND

As a Pakeha^ New Zealander, I have been using a discourse analytic approach to investigate Pakeha forms in the language of Maori/Pakeha relations in Aotearoa/New Zealand. I view our society as a post-colonial structure imposed on the indigenous Maori culture, which leaves the Maori people a dispossessed and marginalised minority in their homeland. In self-defence, Maoridom is currently undergoing a strong resurgence and issuing powerful challenges to the hegemony and sovereignty of the Pakeha system. This paper draws on material arising from the ongoing ideological struggle between Maori and Pakeha.
Dimeric Quaternary Structure of Human Laforin*♦

Background: Laforin is an essential glycogen phosphatase often mutated in Lafora disease. Results: Human laforin adopts a dimeric quaternary structure. Conclusion: Dimerization generates a unique active site crevice essential to recognize and dephosphorylate glycogen. Significance: We derived a complete structural model of human laforin using hybrid structural methods. The phosphatase laforin removes phosphate groups from glycogen during biosynthetic activity. Loss-of-function mutations in the gene encoding laforin is the predominant cause of Lafora disease, a fatal form of progressive myoclonic epilepsy. Here, we used hybrid structural methods to determine the molecular architecture of human laforin. We found that laforin adopts a dimeric quaternary structure, topologically similar to the prototypical dual specificity phosphatase VH1. The interface between the laforin carbohydrate-binding module and the dual specificity phosphatase domain generates an intimate substrate-binding crevice that allows for recognition and dephosphorylation of phosphomonoesters of glucose. We identify novel molecular determinants in the laforin active site that help decipher the mechanism of glucan phosphatase activity.
Esthetic Composition of Smile in Individuals with Cleft Lip, Alveolus, and Palate: Visibility of the Periodontium and the Esthetics of Smile

Objective. To evaluate characteristics of smile related to visibility in individuals with cleft lip, alveolus, and palate. Design. Cross-sectional. Setting. HRAC/USP, Brazil. Patients. Individuals with repaired complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (n = 45), aged 15–30 years. Interventions. Frontal facial photographs were obtained in natural and forced smiles (n = 135). Six specialists in periodontics evaluated the photographs as to the smile line, thickness, and curve of the upper lip. Main Outcome Measures. The cleft area was compared with the contralateral region. Results were expressed as percentages and means. The findings were compared between groups of periodontists. Results. Statistically significant relationship was observed in the smile line between examiners and between natural and forced smiles, regardless of the association with the cleft side. The lip was thicker at rest and thinner in the forced smile, as also evaluated by the group not experienced with cleft care. The curve of the upper lip in natural and forced smiles was considered as close to straight by both groups, regardless of the cleft. Conclusion. The smile in individuals with clefts was regarded as average for both cleft and noncleft sides. The thickness was characterized as average to thin, being thinner in forced smile and when analyzed by the group not experienced with cleft care. In the average, the curve of the upper lip was considered as straight. The present study elucidates some characteristics related to the smile in individuals with repaired unilateral cleft lip, alveolus, and palate.
Image partitioning with kernel mapping and graph cuts

A novel multiregion graph cut image partitioning method combined with kernel mapping is presented. A kernel function transforms implicitly the image data into data of a higher dimension so that the piecewise constant model of the graph cut formulation becomes applicable. The method yields an effective alternative to complex modeling of the original image data while taking advantage of the rapidity of graph cuts. A variety of noise models are, thus, considered by a single model. Using a common kernel function, we minimize the objective functional by iterating (1) regions parameters update and (2) image partitioning by graph cut iterations. A comparative performance evaluation is carried out over a large set of experiments using synthetic grey level data. Besides, a set of tests with real images such as SAR and medical images is shown to demonstrate the validity of the method.
Predictors of Advance Directives in Institutionalized Elderly

Abstract This study used a cross-sectional design to interview 133 cognitively alert residents from 13 nursing facilities to examine the predictors of Advance Directives (ADs). A logistic regression examined the effect of Locus of Control (LOC) in predicting the presence of ADs, after controlling for residents' background characteristics and organizational factors. The findings suggested that LOC was not significant. Rather, two background characteristics, religious affiliation and knowledge of ADs, predicted having ADs. More specifically, Jews and Catholics compared to Protestants, and those with more knowledge of ADs had implemented ADs. From a practice perspective, educational programs geared at examining differences in religious affiliation and knowledge of the subject are likely to impact residents' implementation of ADs. As a note of caution, the findings from the study need to be tested with larger, more generalizable samples.
Generation of Flexible 3 D Objects

1 Director: PhD. Raúl Gallard. El grupo de investigación está soportado por la Univ. Nacional de San Luis. y la ANPCyT. http://www.lidic. unsl.edu. ar/ The objective of this research is to develop a tool for the generation of 3D objects modeled with flexible materials, with visco-elastic or inelastic characteristics, similar to the plasticine. It is desirable to prioritize the simplicity of the interface with the user in the interactive deformation process of the object. To compute the deformations of object which is exposed to external forces, like elements with which the modeling will be simulated, what implies the process between the deformable object and rigid ones.
Some polynomial and Toeplitz matrix computations

Part 1. Approximate Evaluation of Polynomial Zeros O(n2(1og2n+log b)) arithmetic operations or O( n(log2n+log b) parallel steps, n processors suffice in order to approximate with absolute error ~ 2mb to all the complex zeros of an n-th degree polynomial p(x) whose coefficients have moduli < 2m• If we only need such an approximation to a single zero of p(x), then O(n log n(n+log b)) arithmetic operations or O(log n(log2n+log b)) steps and n+n/(loin+log b) processors suffice (which places the latter problem in NC); furthermore if all the zeros are real, then we arrive at the bounds O(n log n(log3n+log b)), O(log n(log3+log b)), and n, respectively. Those estimates are reached in computations with O(nb) binary bits where the polynomial· has integer coefficients. This also implies a simple proof of the Boolean circuit complexity estimates for the approximation of all the complex zeros of p(x), announced in 1982 and partly proven by Schonhage. The computations rely on recursive application of Turan's proximity test of 1968, on its more recent extensions to root radii computations, and on contour integration via FFT within our modifications of the known geometric constructions for search and exclusion.
Destruction of Escherichia coli and Broad-Host-Range Plasmid DNA in Treated Wastewater by Dissolved Ozone Disinfection under Laboratory and Field Conditions

Broad-host-range plasmids are frequently associated with antibiotic resistance genes and can quickly spread antibiotic resistant phenotypes among diverse bacterial populations. Wastewater treatment plants have been identified as reservoirs for broad-host-range plasmids carrying resistance genes. The threat of broad-host-range plasmids released into the environment from wastewater treatment plants has identified the need for disinfection protocols to target broad-host- range plasmid destruction. Here we evaluate the efficacy of dissolved ozone at 2 and 8 mg·L–1 as a primary means for the destruction of broad-host-range plasmid and chromosomal DNA in simulated effluent. Pilot-scale tests using an experimental unit were carried out in municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent and compared with ultraviolet (UV)-irradiation and chlorination methodologies. Genes specific to Escherichia coli (uidA) and IncP broad-host-range plasmids (trfA) were monitored using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and total DNA was monitored using absorbance spectroscopy. In wastewater treatment plant experiments, E. coli qPCR results were compared to a recognized culture-based method (Colilert? ) for E. coli. In laboratory experiments, dissolved ozone at 8 mg·L–1 significantly destroyed 93% total, 98% E. coli, and 99% of broad-host-range plasmid DNA. Ozonation, UV-irradiation, and chlorination significantly reduced DNA concentrations and culturable E. coli in wastewater treat- ment plant effluent. Chlorination and UV disinfection resulted in 3-log decreases in culture-based E. coli concentrations in wastewater treatment plant effluent while changes were not significant when measured with qPCR. Only ozonation significantly decreased the IncP broad-host-range plasmid trfA gene, although concentrations of 2.2 × 105 copies trfA·L–1 remained in effluent. Disinfection processes utilizing high dissolved ozone concentrations for the destruction of emerging contaminants such as broad-host-range plasmid and total DNA may have utility as methods to ensure downstream environmental health and safe water reuse become more important.
An investigation on the effect of organizational citizenship behavior on perceptions of service quality

A B S T R A C T This paper studies the effect of organizational citizenship behavior on perceptions of service quality in city of Tehran, Iran in 2013. The study considers the behavior of citizens in terms of five perspectives including altruism, generosity, loyalty, social customs and courtesy. The study selects 229 regular employees of this municipality organization and applies a questionnaire designed in Likert scale. The results of Pearson correlation test as well as stepwise regression technique indicate that there were positive and meaningful relationships between organizational citizenship behavior including Altruism, (β = 0.445, Sig. =0.043), Social Customs, (β = 0.395, Sig. = 0.000), Generosity (β = 0.299, Sig. = 0.000), Loyalty (β = 0.193, Sig. =0.000) and Courtesy (β = 1.221, Sig. =0.000) and perceptions of service quality.
Voice onset time in Persian initial and intervocalic stop production

The purpose of this study is to examine voice onset time as a phonetic correlate of voicing distinction in standard Persian. Issues pertinent to VOT are also addressed: namely, the effect of place of articulation, vowel context and sex of speakers. The VOTs were measured from recordings of five male and five female speakers reading 65 words that contained a full set of Persian oral stops in word initial and intervocalic positions. This acoustic experiment indicated that VOT distinguishes voiced from voiceless stops. The results also revealed that Persian uses mainly {voiceless unaspirated} and {voiceless aspirated} categories for [±voice] distinction in initial position and {voiced} and {voiceless aspirated} categories in intervocalic position. Vowel context also affected VOT values but the only significant difference was due to high vowels, which caused the preceding voiceless stop to have a longer VOT. Examining sex differences in the VOT values indicated that for voiced items females produced longer VOTs than males. However, voiceless items displayed no significant sex differences for VOT values. Fundamental frequency (F0) of the onset of the following vowel was also examined as another cue to voice distinction. Although the F0 values of voiceless tokens were higher than those of the voiced ones in each voiced–voiceless category, the results suggest that F0 is not a major cue distinguishing the two stop categories.
The contribution of work-integrated learning to undergraduate employability skill outcomes

WIL has attracted considerable attention as an instrument for enhancing professional practice and developing work-readiness in new graduates. It is widely considered a point of difference in developing graduate employability by enhancing skill outcomes, such as team-working, communication, self-management and problem solving; employment prospects and student understanding of the world-of-work. This paper investigates the role of WIL in improving undergraduate employability skills; gauging its impact on a range of skills and identifying variations in outcomes for certain demographic, study background and placement characteristics using survey data from 131 WIL students in an Australian university. Results indicate a significant improvement in undergraduates’ perceived ability to perform all ten employability skills following placement. Demographic, study background and demographic characteristics produced minor variations in skill outcomes, both in general and specific to the completed placement. The number of hours completed in the workplace was of particular importance. Implications for placement design are discussed.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Picocyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. Strain GFB01, Isolated from a Freshwater Lagoon in the Brazilian Amazon

ABSTRACT We present the draft genome of the cyanobacterium strain Synechococcus sp. GFB01, the first genome sequencing of this genus isolated from South America. This draft genome consists of 125 contigs with a total size of 2,339,812 bp. Automatic annotation identified several genes involved with heavy metal resistance and natural transformation.