Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and characterization of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae isolated in Canadian hospitals: Results from CANWARD 2007

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence and molecular epidemiology of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae identified from Canadian hospitals in 2007. METHODS: Clinically significant isolates were collected as part of the Canadian Ward Surveillance Study (CANWARD 2007) from January to December 2007, inclusive, from 12 sentinel hospital centres across Canada. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined by broth microdilution, and putative ESBL isolates were confirmed by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute disk diffusion method. Polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing were used to detect blaSHV, blaTEM, blaCTX-M and blaOXA-like genes. Strains were typed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: A total of 3.4% and 1.6% of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, respectively, were identified as ESBL producers. Resistance to fluoroquinolones, doxycycline, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and gentamicin occurred in 92.5% and 71.4%, 75.5% and 71.4%, 67.9% and 57.1%, and 58.5% and 57.1% of ESBL-producing E coli and K pneumoniae, respectively. A total of 90.6% and 71.4% of ESBL-producing E coli and K pneumoniae were identified as multidrug resistant. The CTX-M type was the predominant ESBL, with CTX-M-15 as the predominant genotype. A total of 81.7% ESBL-producers carried several beta-lactamase genes. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed that the majority of ESBL producers were not genetically related (less than 80% homology). Similar patient demographics were observed among both ESBL-producing E coli and K pneumoniae. CONCLUSION: CTX-M has become the most common enzyme among both ESBL-producing E coli and K pneumoniae. The spread of ESBLproducing bacteria across Canada is polyclonal and is not due to the clonal spread of a single strain.
Understanding Dynamic Capabilities from Its Antecedents, Processes and Outcomes

The theory of Dynamic Capabilities has been one of the references in the search for understanding of the competitive advantage of organizations. However, even with the development of studies on this topic, it is not clear how the Dynamic Capabilities develop and operate within organizations. Thus, this study aims to understand the dynamics capabilities from its antecedents, processes and outcomes. Through a literature review, it was possible to identify external and internal antecedents that make Dynamics Capabilities emerge in organizations, such as environmental dynamism and corporate entrepreneurship. In when it comes to process, it was identified that the Dynamic Capabilities are formed by a set of processes that have effect on resources and organizational capabilities. Thus, the development of resources and capabilities is the outcome of Dynamic Capabilities. Finally, unlike other studies, this work considers the DCs not as a specific capacity, but as a set of processes that enable the organization to deal with changes in the competitive environment.
Denticulatains A and B: unique stilbene-diterpene heterodimers from Macaranga denticulata†

Two novel heterodimers, denticulatains A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the fronds of Macaranga denticulata. They possess an unprecedented stilbene–diterpene-type skeleton, which represents a unique class of prenylated stilbene. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive analyses of extensive NMR and MS spectroscopic data. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase with the inhibition ratios of 22.1% and 27.5%, respectively, at a concentration of 50 μM.
EFFECTIVENESS OF OPTIONS IN MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS: THE CASE OF “NONE OF THE ABOVE”

The present study examined the effectiveness of ‘none of the above’ (NOTA) as a test alternative in multiplechoice items.It intended to estimate item fit, item difficulty, itemdiscrimination, guess factor of such a choice and the reliability of the whole test. To this end, the researchersselected five passages of reading section of the Cambridge Key English Test known as KET (2010) and developed a parallel form of that test; test one did not include NOTA, whereas the second test, administered two weeks later, included NOTA. The two tests, 32 items each, were given to 142 high-school third graders. The results, analyzed through 3-parameter logistic model of item response theory (IRT), revealed that multiple-choice questions including the alternative NOTA were easier than their counterparts. In addition, NOTA option did not threaten item fit and item discrimination but increased the guess factor, which, in turn may threaten the reliability and validity of the test. Keyterms: none of the above, item fit, item difficulty, item discrimination, guess factor, item response theory
ABCB1 gene variants as predictors of multidrug- resistant epilepsy in Croatian population

P-glycoprotein (Pgp) is a drug efflux transporter and is the encoded product of the human multidrug resistance gene ABCB1 (MDR1). Pgp is expressed in the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood- cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier, and reduces the brain penetration of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Functional polymorphism or overexpression of Pgp in the BBB of patients with epilepsy may play a role in pharmacoresistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible association of ABCB1 gene polymorphisms C1236T in exon 12, G2677T in exon 21, and C3435T in exon 26 with the development of resistance to antiepileptic therapy. All patients enrolled in the study had an established diagnosis of partial complex epilepsy with or without secondary generalisation and have been suffering from it for more than two years. Patients were devided into two groups. The first group comprised 57 patients refractory to the current therapy, while group 2 consisted of 48 patients with well-controled seizures. Results of our study showed statistically significant difference in the allele and genotype frequency of ABCB1 G2677T between resistant and nonresistant patients. Haplotype G2677/C3435/C1236 was overrepresented among resistant patients. According to our results, ABCB1 variants C1236T, G2677T and C3435T might be associated with therapeutic response to AED in patients with partial epilepsy with or without secondary generalization and represent a possible predictive factor for pharmacoresistance.
Indirect Nanoplasmonic Sensing Study of Z907 Dye Molecules Interacting with TiO2 Films for Dye Sensitized Solar Cell Applications

In todays society, increasing demand to switch to renewable energy has triggered the scientific community to have a deep interest in the Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC), which is thought to be one of the future's reliable sources of solar energy because of its low cost and simple manufacture compared to conventional semiconductor photovoltaics (PV). Still, at the molecular level, many of the phenomena crucial for the DSSC optimum performance are not well understood and this has had a consequence of a very small improvement in the performance of the device in the last two decades (until a recent breakthrough by using solid - state sensitizers). Nanotechnology has provided plasmonics-based sensors such as Indirect Nanoplasmonic Sensing (INPS), which are effective for studying the dye adsorption process (one of the core phenomena for the functioning of a DSSC) with high sensitivity, in situ, and in real time. In this thesis, INPS was used to investigate the real time adsorption and desorption of dye (Na/Z907) molecules on flat TiO2 surfaces, which mimic the cathode of the DSSC. From the INPS real time adsorption/desorption kinetics, values of rate constants and equilibrium adsorption constants were obtained. They are in agreement with the ones obtained when Langmuir isotherms of the equilibrium coverage for different concentration were used. The existence of loosely bound dye molecules has been experimentally proven by a series of intermittent adsorptions and desorption cycles. These experiments showed a decreased desorption rate after each adsorption-desorption cycle, which is explained by removal of the loosely bound molecules during each rinsing step to promote the reorganization of the dye molecules on the surface and thereby increasing its stability. Finally, a method to calculate the number of dye molecules adsorbed/desorbed was successfully adapted, which allowed the interpretation of the achieved quality of the dye layer formed in terms of dye molecules per unit surface that would participate in electricity generation in a real DSSC.
Clinical Study Mitochondrial Cytochrome c Oxidase Subunit 1 Sequence Variation in Prostate Cancer Takara

Purpose. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations have been described in every adult neoplasm including prostate cancer. ere are marked racial differences in mutations within the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene in individuals with prostate cancer (PCa). e purpose of this study was to identify the variation in COI gene sequence in African and Caucasian Americans with prostate cancer.Methods. We sequenced the COI gene from peripheral blood in 482 prostate cancer patients and 189 controls. All bases that differed from the revised Cambridge Reference Sequence (rCRS) were classi�ed as either silent or missense and the compiled alterations were then compared between races and published reports. Results and Conclusions. We found inherited mtDNA COI missense variants in 8.8% of Caucasian prostate cancer patients (vs. 0.0% controls) and 72.8% of African-American prostate cancer patients (vs. 64.3% controls) A total of 144 COI variants were identi�ed, of which 30 were missense mutations. Of 482 PCa patients, 116 (24.1%) had one or more missense mutations. Further evaluation of this gene and these mutations may allow for the identi�cation of genetically at-risk populations. e high rate of COI mutations in African-Americans may account for some of the racial disparity observed in prostate cancer.
Conceptualizing Empathy in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: Making the Implicit Explicit

Although empathy has been shown to play an important role in therapeutic outcomes for cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) as for other therapies, there has been remarkably little discussion or research on empathy in the CBT literature. This paper seeks to make the implicit explicit: to conceptualize the nature and function of therapeutic empathy within CBT. It proposes a model of therapeutic empathy with four key elements: Empathic attunement, Empathic attitude/stance, Empathic communication, and Empathy knowledge. The model points to the importance of the "person of the therapist" and self-reflection in the development of therapeutic empathy; and describes how the specific contribution of CBT knowledge and skills can help therapists understand clients' moment-to-moment experiences and, if used sensitively, can enhance the empathic process. The paper indicates how therapists may use different modes of empathic processing to process experience under different circumstances, and how empathy fulfils a variety of functions within CBT. This conceptualization has considerable implications for therapists, trainers, supervisors and researchers including: more accurate identification and targeted strategies to address therapeutic empathy problems; recognition of the value of personal experiential work and self-reflection in empathy training; increased understanding of the functions of empathy; and development of finer-grained clinical and research measures.
Magnetospheric transmission function approach to disentangle primary from secondary cosmic ray fluxes in the penumbra region

[1] The AMS-01 observations (in June 1998, on board the space shuttle orbiter Discovery) have shown the presence of primary (PCR) and secondary (SCR) cosmic rays (most of them protons) at a low Earth orbit (about 400 km altitude). The SCRs are mostly created in interactions with the atmosphere by fast PCRs and can be trapped or become reentrant albedo particles. Some of them seem to be sufficiently energetic to populate the “penumbra region” above the local geomagnetic cutoff rigidity. A backtracking procedure of simulated protons entering the AMS-01 spectrometer has provided the fraction of allowed (and hence forbidden) trajectories of PCRs. Consequently, it has allowed the determination of the so-called transmission function (TF) which is able to describe the properties of the PCR transport from the Earth's magnetopause (i.e., the primary spectrum at 1 AU) to the atmosphere and finally the fluxes of the PCRs in the ten geomagnetic regions for AMS-01 observations. In the penumbra regions, the observed spectra of the AMS-01 geomagnetic regions have been found to be larger than those predicted for the PCRs in the penumbra region by means of the TF, i.e., some SCRs (mainly reentrant albedo protons) are also found to populate the rigidity regions above the local geomagnetic cutoff rigidity. The fraction of the secondary to overall particle flux in the penumbra region increases gradually as the geomagnetic latitude increases.
The Use of Cereal Components in the Preparation of Ice Milk

The purpose of this study was to investigate preparation of ice milk mixes by substituting oat milk and oatmeal or barley milk and milled barley instead of buffalo skim milk (BSM) and skim milk powder (SMP) at ratios 0 : 100 (C0), 25 : 75 (OC25 & BC25), 50 : 50 (OC50 & BC50), 75 : 25 (OC75 & BC75) and 100 : 0 (O100 & B100) and substituting their blend instead of BSM and SMP at ratio 75 : 25 (OBC75) and evaluation of frozen products physically, sensually, economically and nutritionally. The ice milk made from 100% BSM and SMP served as the control (C0). The results showed that replacement of non fat milk solids (MSNF) with grain oat and barley components increased pH and viscosity values and decreased the specific gravity (Sp.gr), weight per gallon (Wt/gal) and whipping ability of ice milk mixes. Ice milk mixes made from 100% grain oat and barley components were excluded from the ice milk processing because of their very high viscosity and very low whipping ability. Incorporation of oat's or barley's components into ice milk mixes negatively affected Sp.gr, Wt/gal, overrun values and meltdown rate of the resultant ice milks. Results of sensory evaluation showed that most acceptable ice milks compared to untreated ice milk (C0) they order BC25-, OC25-, BC50-, OBC75and OC50ice milk. Economically, BC25ice milk was the least expensive, followed by BC50and OC25then OBC75ice milk. The nutritional analysis of ice milks more palatable sensually and economically (BC25-, BC50-, OC25and OBC75ice milk) indicated that calories, protein, ash, carbohydrate and dietary fibers were found to be good amount in comparison to C0. Thus, these ice milks would be highly nutritious and not expensive.
Effects of Nonthermal Plasma on Wheat Grains and Products

This paper presents the review of effects of nonthermal plasma (NTP) treatment on both the wheat grains and flour with potential to be applied in practice. The NTP can be used in wheat grain surface disinfection, grain germination and vitality improving, and wheat flour modification and disinfection. NTP causes effective decontamination from bacteria and fungi together with insect pests and causes minimal damage to wheat grains; it inactivates enzymes and enhances the grain shelf life; it enhances the germination and initial state of growth resulting in the increase of final yield. Moreover, the production of qualitatively better dough is also mentioned.
Survey on Parallel Patient Treatment Time Management System

Successful patient queue administration to limit quiet hold up deferrals and patient congestion is one of the significant difficulties looked by healing centers. Pointless and irritating sits tight for elongated stretches give rise to generous person asset and too much time consumption and increment dissatisfaction persisted by sick persons. Every patient in the line, the aggregate healing time of the considerable number of patients before him is the time that he should wait. It is helpful and best if the patients could get the most well-organized treatment and know the anticipated holding up time in the course of a versatile application that updates progressively. Hence, we recommend a Patient Treatment Time Prediction (PTTP) calculation to foresee the sitting tight period for every treatment undertaking for a patient. We utilize reasonable patient information from different healing facilities to acquire a patient treatment time display for each task. In light of this expansive scale, reasonable dataset, the treatment time for every patient in the present line of each task is estimated. In view of the anticipated holding up time, a Hospital Queuing-Recommendation (HQR) framework is produced. HQR computes and determine an efficient and advantageous treatment plan suggested for the patient. As a result of the huge size, reasonable dataset and the necessity for constant reaction, the PTTP calculation and HQR framework command effectiveness and little-dormancy reaction. We utilize an Apache Start based cloud execution at the National Supercomputing Center in Changsha to accomplish the previously mentioned objectives. Broad experimentation and reenactment comes about to show the viability and materialness of our proposed model to suggest a powerful treatment anticipate patients to limit their waiting times in hospitals.
Vibrational cooling of cesium molecules using noncoherent broadband light

We demonstrate selective vibrational population transfer in cold cesium dimers using a simple approach based on the use of a shaped incoherent broadband diode laser near threshold. Optical pumping into a single vibrational level is accomplished with an incoherent light source by eliminating transitions from the targeted vibrational level. The broadband spectrum of the laser is wide enough to electronically excite several vibrational states of the molecule simultaneously. This method is relatively inexpensive, simple, and flexible to allow for development of new applications, in particular, the preparation of optically closed molecular system, opening the way to direct laser cooling of molecules.
Atmospheric exchange of carbon dioxide in a low‐wind oligotrophic lake measured by the addition of SF6

Many freshwater lakes are supersaturated in CO2 with respect to the atmosphere. This concentration gradient implies a net flux of CO2 from the water to the air. The actual rate of gas exchange is governed by both this concentration gradient and the gas transfer coefficient, k. To directly measure k, we added the chemically and biologically inert gas, sulfur hexaflouride (SF6), to the epilimnion of Mirror Lake, New Hampshire, a small (15 ha), low‐wind softwater lake. k was independent of wind speed over the 50‐d summer stratification period and averaged 2.65 ± 0.12 cm h−1 (95% CI; normalized to a Schmidt number of 600); k800, was better correlated to precipitation events than it was to wind speed. Our data support the idea that gas exchange across the air‐water interface is largely independent of wind at low wind speeds. The surface water of Mirror Lake was persistently supersaturated in CO, with respect to the atmosphere. During a 3.5‐‐year period the partial pressure of CO2 in the surface waters of the lake averaged 726 ± 39 µatm (95% CI) and showed substantial seasonal variation (360–2,000 patm). Diel and day‐to‐day variation in CO2 were very small compared to the CO2 pool. We combined our estimates of k with weekly measurements of the partial pressure of CO2 to estimate CO2 gas exchange in the lake. Mirror Lake released from 26 to 50 g C m−2 to the atmosphere each year, depending on the method of calculating k. Atmospheric CO2 exchange is a large term in the C economy of the lake—the most conservative gas flux estimate is about four times as large as outflow plus seepage of total dissolved inorganic carbon and 1.5 times as large as the export of dissolved organic C from the lake.
Fiscal policy in developing countries: Do governments wish to have procyclical fiscal reactions?

This study aimed to analyze the intentionally fiscal position of the governments of developing countries. Our results suggest that a significant proportion of developing countries adopts counter-cyclical positions. However, forecasting errors weak their positions. Results lead to conclude that if developing countries want to increase the effectiveness of their fiscal policies, they must build the skills of their forecast offices, and enhance the political and institutional framework governing the budget process.
Implementing IT Service Management as an Organizational Change: Identifying Factors Affecting the Change Resistance

When an IT organization decides to launch an IT service management programme, the discussion among employees after the decision is not always positive. New concepts, tools, roles and responsibilities and methods, as well as changes in strategy and culture may cause remarkable amount of change resistance among both employees and managers of a software company. Organizational change management is a fruitful research topic due to its challenging nature. It addresses employees’ feelings, success factors of implementing strategic changes, role of change agents and factors affecting change resistance. In this study, we examine the IT service management programme as an organizational change and change resistance related to this change. Our research focuses on identifying symptoms of change resistance related to adoption of IT service management best practice framework IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL). The research problem of this study is: How does change resistance occur in IT service management programmes and how can it be decreased systematically? The main contribution of this paper is to present findings collected from five Finnish IT service provider organizations operating in different domains. Keywords—IT service management; organizational change; change resistance.
Potential Plant Growth-Promoting Activity of Rhizobacteria Pseudomonas spin Oryza sativa

Plant growth – promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are free living bacteria, isolated from the rhizosphere, which when applied to seeds or crops, enhanced the growth of the plant or reduce the damage from soil–borne plant pathogens. It had been estimated that more than 100 million tones of nitrogen, potash and phosphate – chemical fertilizers had been used annually in order to increase plant yield. The potential negative effect of chemical fertilizers on the global environment and the cost associated with production had lead to research with the objective of replacing chemical fertilizers with bacterial inoculants. Fluorescent Pseudomonas strains were isolated from the soil samples collected from Bhojia Institute of Life Sciences, Budh, Baddi. and these Pseudomonas strains showed fluorescent colour on Kings B medium under U.V light used for further studies, The maximum optical density (0.16) was observed at 30°C which depicts the maximum growth of the bacteria. At low temperatures and with the increase in the temperature the optical density decreases which indicates that the growth of bacteria decreases.
Compact, Frequency Reconfigurable, Printed Monopole Antenna

This paper proposes a possible implementation of a compact printed monopole antenna, useful to operate in UMTS and WLAN bands. In order to accomplish that, a miniaturization technique based on the application of chip inductors is used in conjunction with frequency reconfiguration capability. The chip inductors change the impedance response of the monopole, allowing to reduce the resonant frequency. In order to be able to operate the antenna in these two different frequencies, an antenna reconfiguration technique based on PIN diodes is applied. This procedure allows the change of the active form of the antenna leading to a shift in the resonant frequency. The prototype measurements show good agreement with the simulation results.