Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antifungal Susceptibilities of Candida Species Causing Vulvovaginitis and Epidemiology of Recurrent Cases

ABSTRACT There are limited data regarding the antifungal susceptibility of yeast causing vulvovaginal candidiasis, since cultures are rarely performed. Susceptibility testing was performed on vaginal yeast isolates collected from January 1998 to March 2001 from 429 patients with suspected vulvovaginal candidiasis. The charts of 84 patients with multiple positive cultures were reviewed. The 593 yeast isolates were Candida albicans (n = 420), Candida glabrata (n = 112), Candida parapsilosis (n = 30), Candida krusei (n = 12), Saccharomyces cerevisiae ( n = 9), Candida tropicalis (n = 8), Candida lusitaniae (n = 1), and Trichosporon sp. (n = 1). Multiple species suggesting mixed infection were isolated from 27 cultures. Resistance to fluconazole and flucytosine was observed infrequently (3.7% and 3.0%); 16.2% of isolates were resistant to itraconazole (MIC ≥ 1 μg/ml). The four imidazoles (econazole, clotrimazole, miconazole, and ketoconazole) were active: 94.3 to 98.5% were susceptible at ≤1 μg/ml. Among different species, elevated fluconazole MICs (≥16 μg/ml) were only observed in C. glabrata (15.2% resistant [R], 51.8% susceptible-dose dependent [S-DD]), C. parapsilosis (3.3% S-DD), S. cerevisiae (11.1% S-DD), and C. krusei (50% S-DD, 41.7% R, considered intrinsically fluconazole resistant). Resistance to itraconazole was observed among C. glabrata (74.1%), C. krusei (58.3%), S. cerevisiae (55.6%), and C. parapsilosis (3.4%). Among 84 patients with recurrent episodes, non-albicans species were more common (42% versus 20%). A ≥4-fold rise in fluconazole MIC was observed in only one patient with C. parapsilosis. These results support the use of azoles for empirical therapy of uncomplicated candidal vulvovaginitis. Recurrent episodes are more often caused by non-albicans species, for which azole agents are less likely to be effective.
Articulating an Uncompromising Forgiveness

I first pose a challenge which, it seems to me, any philosophical account of forgiveness must meet: the account must be articulate and it must allow for forgiveness that is uncompromising. I then examine an account of forgiveness (proposed by David Novitz in the June 1998 issue of this journal) which appears to meet this challenge. Upon closer examination we discover that this account actually fails to meet the challenge—but it fails in very instructive ways. the account takes two missteps which seem to be taken by almost everyone discussing forgiveness. At the end, I sketch an alternative account of forgiveness, one that I think meets the challenge and avoids the missteps.
Virtually Isotropic Transmission Media With Fiber Raman Amplifier

We report a theoretical study and simulations of a novel fiber-spin tailoring technique to suppress the polarization impairments, namely polarization mode dispersion and polarization dependent gain (PDG), in fiber Raman amplifiers. Whereas use of depolarizer or multiplexing pump laser diodes with a final degree of pump polarization of 1% for periodically spun fiber results in PDG of about 0.3 dB, we demonstrate that application of just a two-section fiber (where the first part is short and has no spin, and the second one is periodically spun) can reduce the PDG to as low as below 0.1 dB.
[Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R): development of a German version and psychometric properties in a clinical sample].

OBJECTIVE The Children's Depression Rating Scale - Revised (CDRS-R) is a semistructured, clinician-rated interview for the assessment of depression in children and adolescents. While the CDRS-R is frequently used in clinical studies to evaluate the treatment of juvenile depression, no validated German version is yet available. METHOD The CDRS-R was translated into German and tested on 60 inpatients (26 female, 34 male) between 7.5 to 17.9 years (mean = 13.8, standard deviation = 2.9) who were interviewed within the first week of treatment. K-SADS-PL and BDI-II resp. DIKJ were additionally used for validation. RESULTS The German version of the CDRS-R shows a high internal consistency (α = 0.90), and the item-total correlations are good. Correlations between CDRS-R and self-report questionnaires (DIKJ and BDI-II) are high. The mean CDRS-R score of patients with major depressive disorder is similar to the prior results of international studies. CONCLUSIONS The German translation of CDRS-R shows good psychometric properties. Its application may be helpful in diagnosing and monitoring depressive disorders in children and adolescents.
Lorazepam treatment of experimental status epilepticus in the rat

We studied the efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and brain entry of lorazepam in the treatment of status epilepticus (SE) using a rat model of secondarily generalized convulsive SE. Lorazepam entered the bloodstream rapidly following intraperitoneal injection. Brain concentrations peaked 10 minutes after peak serum levels were achieved. Lorazepam remained in brain longer than in serum, leading to increasing brain: serum ratios over time once peak serum levels had been reached. Free lorazepam was 9.1% of the total concentration in serum, a fraction similar to that which has been reported for humans. The median effective dose for control of generalized tonic-clonic seizures in this model was 0.94 mg/kg, which would produce a serum concentration of 196 ng/ml. Rats in SE had higher serum lorazepam concentrations than controls given the same doses, but lower brain: serum ratios, perhaps due to lactic acidosis during SE. Our data confirmed clinical reports of lorazepam's effectiveness as a treatment for SE and suggest that a target serum concentration of 200 ng/ml should be effective in most cases and provide seizure protection for 24 hours following treatment.
Mélanges de GLMs et nombre de composantes : application au risque de rachat en Assurance Vie

La question du rachat preoccupe les assureurs depuis longtemps notamment dans le contexte des contrats d'epargne en Assurance-Vie, pour lesquels des sommes colossales sont en jeu. L'emergence de la directive europeenne Solvabilite II, qui preconise le developpement de modeles internes (dont un module entier est dedie a la gestion des risques de comportement de rachat), vient renforcer la necessite d'approfondir la connaissance et la comprehension de ce risque. C'est a ce titre que nous abordons dans cette these les problematiques de segmentation et de modelisation des rachats, avec pour objectif de mieux connaitre et prendre en compte l'ensemble des facteurs-clefs qui jouent sur les decisions des assures. L'heterogeneite des comportements et leur correlation ainsi que l'environnement auquel sont soumis les assures sont autant de difficultes a traiter de maniere specifique afin d'effectuer des previsions. Nous developpons ainsi une methodologie qui aboutit a des resultats tres encourageants ; et qui a l'avantage d'etre replicable en l'adaptant aux specificites de differentes lignes de produits. A travers cette modelisation, la selection de modele apparait comme un point central. Nous le traitons en etablissant les proprietes de convergence forte d'un nouvel estimateur, ainsi que la consistance d'un nouveau critere de selection dans le cadre de melanges de modeles lineaires generalises
How Can Social Robots Motivate Students to Practice Math?

In this paper, we describe the social perceptions and emotions of 5th grade students (N=22) studying multiplication with a social robot by measuring students' multiplication knowledge, their perceptions of the technologies, emotions after interaction, willingness to continue, and preference for technology use. The goal of this study was to investigate specific social traits that lead to increasing students' motivation to learn math with a robot and promoting robot acceptance. Our results show that students' positive perceptions and attitudes toward a robot tutor leads to student motivation, as well as intentional acceptance of the technology.
Stochastic resonance in glacial climate

It seems like magic. In an attempt to make it audible, you feed a faint signal, a wave of a particular frequency, through an amplifier—a strange black box that you bought at a junk yard, because your proposal to buy a proper one was turned down once again. Of course you hear nothing. The darn thing doesn't seem to work. Out of sheer destructive frustration, you add some random noise to your signal, and voila! Suddenly you hear it. The noise, rather than blurring your signal, makes it come through loud and clear. Take the noise away and the signal vanishes again.
Estimation de la structure d’indépendance conditionnelle d’un réseau de capteurs : application à l'imagerie médicale

Cette these s'inscrit dans le cadre de l'etude de reseaux de capteurs. L'objectif est de pouvoir comparer des reseaux en utilisant leurs structures d'independance conditionnelle. Cette structure represente les relations entre deux capteurs sachant l'information enregistree par les autres capteurs du reseau. Nous travaillons sous l'hypothese que les reseaux etudies sont assimilables a des processus gaussiens multivaries. Sous cette hypothese, estimer la structure d'independance conditionnelle d'un processus multivarie gaussien est equivalent a estimer son modele graphique gaussien.Dans un premier temps, nous proposons une nouvelle methode d'estimation de modele graphique gaussien : elle utilise un score proportionnel a la probabilite d'un graphe de representer la structure d'independance conditionnelle du processus etudie et est initialisee par Graphical lasso. Pour situer notre methode par rapport aux methodes existantes, nous avons developpe une procedure d'evaluation des performances d'une methode d'estimation de modeles graphiques gaussiens incluant notamment un algorithme permettant de generer des processus multivaries gaussiens dont la structure d'independance conditionnelle est connue.Dans un deuxieme temps, nous classifions des processus a partir des estimees des structures d'independance conditionnelle de ces processus. Pour ce faire, nous introduisons comme metrique la divergence de Kullback-Leibler symetrisee entre les profils croises normalises des processus etudies. Nous utilisons cette approche pour identifier des ensemble de regions cerebrales pertinentes pour l'etude de patients dans le coma a partir de donnees d'IRM fonctionnelle.
Enzymatic Conversion of Benzo[a]pyrene: Hydroxylation vs DNA-Binding

Hydroxylating and DNA-binding activity is increased in lung and liver microsomes after induction of enzyme activity by injecting benzo[ a ]pyrene (BaP) into intact rats. Overall enzymatic activity increases more in liver than in lung, and DNA-binding increases more than hydroxy product formation in microsomes from liver as compared to lung. Three major metabolites, detected by chromatography of a hexane-acetone extract after incubation of BaP labeled with tritium with preinduced liver microsomes, are reduced sharply by hematin at 5 x 10 -5 M, and eliminated by 2.5 x 10 -4 M. The greatest reduction was of a peak identical with a standard sample of 3-hydroxy-BaP. Hematin reduced DNAbinding to a greater degree than metabolite production. This suggests that hematin interferes with metabolic conversion of BaP to a DNA-binding product. The latter product may be a precursor of 3-OH-BaP since both DNA-binding and 3-OH-BaP production are similarly suppressed.
Hepatitis C treatment eligibility among HIV–hepatitis C virus coinfected patients in Oregon: a population-based sample

Approximately 287,000 individuals in the USA are coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C. Recently, new hepatitis C regimens have become available, increasing rates of sustained virologic response in the monoinfected, with studies evaluating their success in the coinfected under way. Previous investigators estimated eligibility for hepatitis C therapy among the coinfected patients, but all had significant methodological limitations. Our study is the first to use a multi-year, statewide, population-based sample to estimate treatment eligibility, and the first to estimate eligibility in the setting of an interferon-free regimen. In a population-based sample of 161 patients infected with HIV and hepatitis C living in Oregon during 2007–2010, 21% were eligible for hepatitis C therapy. Despite the anticipation surrounding an interferon-sparing regimen, eligibility assuming an interferon-free regimen increased only to 26%, largely due to multiple simultaneous contraindications. Obesity was described for the first time as being associated with decreased eligibility (OR: 0.11). Active alcohol abuse was the most common contraindication (24%); uncontrolled mental health (22%), recent injection drug use (21%), poor antiretroviral adherence (22%), and infection (21%) were also common excluding conditions. When active drug or alcohol abuse was excluded as contraindications to therapy, the eligibility rate was 34%, a 62% increase. Assuming an interferon-free regimen and the exclusion of active drug or alcohol abuse as contraindications to therapy, the eligibility rate increased to 42%. Despite the availability of direct-acting anti-viral regimens, eligibility rates in HIV–hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection are modest. Many factors precluding hepatitis C therapy are reversible, and targeted interventions could result in increased eligibility.
Estimating age-time-dependent malaria force of infection accounting for unobserved heterogeneity

SUMMARY Despite well-recognized heterogeneity in malaria transmission, key parameters such as the force of infection (FOI) are generally estimated ignoring the intrinsic variability in individual infection risks. Given the potential impact of heterogeneity on the estimation of the FOI, we estimate this quantity accounting for both observed and unobserved heterogeneity. We used cohort data of children aged 0·5–10 years evaluated for the presence of malaria parasites at three sites in Uganda. Assuming a Susceptible–Infected–Susceptible model, we show how the FOI relates to the point prevalence, enabling the estimation of the FOI by modelling the prevalence using a generalized linear mixed model. We derive bounds for varying parasite clearance distributions. The resulting FOI varies significantly with age and is estimated to be highest among children aged 5–10 years in areas of high and medium malaria transmission and highest in children aged below 1 year in a low transmission setting. Heterogeneity is greater between than within households and it increases with decreasing risk of malaria infection. This suggests that next to the individual's age, heterogeneity in malaria FOI may be attributed to household conditions. When estimating the FOI, accounting for both observed and unobserved heterogeneity in malaria acquisition is important for refining malaria spread models.
Structural Basis of Regulation of von Willebrand Factor Binding to Glycoprotein Ib*

Background: Force in fluid flow regulates von Willebrand factor (VWF) A1 domain binding to glycoprotein Ibα (GPIbα). Results: X-ray crystal structures of high affinity A1-GPIbα complexes and mutations reveal interactions involving central leucine-rich repeats of GPIbα. Conclusion: Structural changes are on a pathway to a force-induced super high affinity state. Significance: A1-GPIbα complexes provide insight into mechanochemistry of bleeding disorders. Activation by elongational flow of von Willebrand factor (VWF) is critical for primary hemostasis. Mutations causing type 2B von Willebrand disease (VWD), platelet-type VWD (PT-VWD), and tensile force each increase affinity of the VWF A1 domain and platelet glycoprotein Ibα (GPIbα) for one another; however, the structural basis for these observations remains elusive. Directed evolution was used to discover a further gain-of-function mutation in A1 that shifts the long range disulfide bond by one residue. We solved multiple crystal structures of this mutant A1 and A1 containing two VWD mutations complexed with GPIbα containing two PT-VWD mutations. We observed a gained interaction between A1 and the central leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) of GPIbα, previously shown to be important at high shear stress, and verified its importance mutationally. These findings suggest that structural changes, including central GPIbα LRR-A1 contact, contribute to VWF affinity regulation. Among the mutant complexes, variation in contacts and poor complementarity between the GPIbα β-finger and the region of A1 harboring VWD mutations lead us to hypothesize that the structures are on a pathway to, but have not yet reached, a force-induced super high affinity state.
Attentional and processing skills following traumatic brain injury in early childhood

Primary objective: Attentional deficits are common following TBI in adults. This study examined whether these skills are also vulnerable following early childhood injury, when such skills are rapidly developing. Research design: This study investigated attention 30 months post-TBI in pre-schoolers (n = 56) and age-matched controls (n = 26). TBI children were divided into mild, moderate and severe injury groups. Methods and procedure: Pre-injury data were collected at time of injury. Assessment of attention included the Continuous Performance Test, Wechsler Intelligence Scale and Personality Inventory for Children. Main outcomes and results: Severe TBI was associated with reduced accuracy and slowed processing, particularly on complex motor responses. Sustained attention was more intact. Parental reports indicate internalized behavioural problems and somatic complaints. Conclusions: Young children with severe TBI are at risk for severe, persisting attentional impairments. Children with mild and moderate TBI show better outcome, with pre-injury behaviour and age also predictive of attentional skills at 30 months post-injury.
Back‐regulation of six oxidative stress proteins with grape seed proanthocyanidin extracts in rat diabetic nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. To prevent the development of this disease and to improve advanced kidney injury, effective therapies directed toward the key molecular target are required. Grape seed proanthocyanidin extracts (GSPE) have been reported to be effective in treating DN, while little is known about the functional protein changes. In this study, we used streptozotocin (STZ) to induce diabetic rats. GSPE (250 mg/kg body weight/day) were administrated to diabetic rats for 24 weeks. Serum glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and advanced glycation end products were determined. Consequently, 2‐D difference gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry were used to investigate kidney protein profiles among the control, untreated and GSPE treated diabetic rats. Twenty‐five proteins were found either up‐regulated or down‐regulated in the kidneys of untreated diabetic rats. Only nine proteins in the kidneys of diabetic rats were found to be back‐regulated to normal levels after GSPE therapy. These back‐regulated proteins are involved in oxidative stress, glycosylation damage, and amino acids metabolism. Our findings might help to better understanding of the mechanism of DN, and provide novel targets for estimating the effects of GSPE therapy. J. Cell. Biochem. 104: 668–679, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Laboratory identification of anaerobic bacteria isolated on Clostridium difficile 1 selective medium 2 3

16 Despite increasing interest in the bacterium, the methodology for Clostridium difficile recovery has 17 not yet been standardised. Cycloserine cefoxitin fructose taurocholate (CCFT) has historically been 18 the most used medium for C. difficile isolation from human, animal, environmental and food 19 samples, and presumptive identification is usually based on colony morphologies. However, CCFT 20 is not totally selective. This study describes the recovery of 24 bacteria species belonging to 10 21 different genera other than C. difficile, present in the environment and foods of a retirement 22 establishment that were not inhibited in the C. difficile selective medium. These findings provide 23 insight for further environmental and food studies as well as for isolation of C. difficile on 24 supplemented CCFT. 25 26 27
COMPRAS VIA CELULAR: A INTENÇÃO DE USO PELO CONSUMIDOR

Este estudo tem como objetivo entender os fatores que levam jovens brasileiros a realizarem compras pelos seus celulares, praticando o mobile-commerce ( m-commerce ). Para isto, foi utilizada uma extensao do TAM (Davis et al., 1989) com a adicao de outros construtos (ansiedade, facilidade de acesso, habilidade com o celular, diversao e compatibilidade). O modelo foi testado por meio de uma survey , com uma amostra de 287 jovens. Os dados foram analisados por modelagem de equacoes estruturais e os resultados apontam para o efeito da ansiedade, da utilidade e da compatibilidade sobre a intencao de uso do m-commerce entre os jovens brasileiros.
Doherty Power Amplifier With Extended Bandwidth and Improved Linearizability Under Carrier-Aggregated Signal Stimuli

This letter proposes a novel output combining network devised to extend a Doherty power amplifier's (DPA's) radio frequency bandwidth (RFBW), while maintaining the proper load modulation, and to ensure its linearizability when driven with intra- and inter-band carrier aggregated (CA) communication signals. Based on the proposed topology, a wideband 20-W DPA was designed and implemented using packaged GaN transistors. Drain efficiency in excess of 48% was recorded at 6 dB back-off over the frequency range of 1.72-2.27 GHz. The DPA prototype was successfully linearized when driven with wideband (up to 160 MHz instantaneous bandwidth) and dual-band (up to 300 MHz carrier separation) modulated stimuli and achieved an average drain efficiency in excess of 45%.
Post-translation Control of Nramp Metal Transport in Yeast

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae SMF1gene encodes a member of the well conserved family of Nramp metal transport proteins. Previously, we determined that heavy metal uptake by Smf1p was down-regulated by the product of the S. cerevisiae BSD2 gene. We now demonstrate that this regulation occurs at the level of protein stability. In wild type strains, the bulk of Smf1p is normally directed to the vacuole and is rapidly degraded by vacuolar proteases in a PEP4-dependent manner. Inbsd2Δ mutants, Smf1p fails to enter the vacuole, and the Nramp protein is stabilized. Metal ions themselves play an important role in the post-translational regulation of Smf1p. The depletion of heavy metals from the growth medium effects stabilization of Smf1p and additionally results in accumulation of this transporter at the cell surface. Supplementation of manganese alone is sufficient to trigger rapid degradation of Smf1p in a Bsd2p-dependent manner. Together the action of Bsd2p and metal ions provide a rapid and effective means for controlling Nramp metal transport in response to environmental changes.
Detection of Spam Email by Combining Harmony Search Algorithm and Decision Tree

Spam emails is probable the main problem faced by most e-mail users. There are many features in spam email detection and some of these features have little effect on detection and cause skew detection and classification of spam email. Thus, Feature Selection (FS) is one of the key topics in spam email detection systems. With choosing the important and effective features in classification, its performance can be optimized. Selector features has the task of finding a subset of features to improve the accuracy of its predictions. In this paper, a hybrid of Harmony Search Algorithm (HSA) and decision tree is used for selecting the best features and classification. The obtained results on Spam-base dataset show that the rate of recognition accuracy in the proposed model is 95.25% which is high in comparison with models such as SVM, NB, J48 and MLP. Also, the accuracy of the proposed model on the datasets of Ling-spam and PU1 is high in comparison with models such as NB, SVM and LR.