Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Use of the amplified mycobacterium tuberculosis direct test in a public health laboratory: test performance and impact on clinical care.

BACKGROUND The Amplified Mycobacterium tuberculosis Direct Test (MTD; Gen-Probe; San Diego, CA) is a nucleic-acid amplification test for rapid pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) diagnosis. In a routine public health setting, test accuracy and impact on clinical decisions are unknown. METHODS Retrospectively, we evaluated MTD accuracy and impact on clinical decisions in a public health setting. To estimate MTD accuracy, mycobacterial culture was used as the "gold standard. " To evaluate MTD impact on clinical decisions, concordance of clinician presumptive diagnosis (at time of MTD and smear availability) and definitive diagnosis, and duration of nonindicated tuberculosis therapy were determined for smear-positive PTB suspects in a period of MTD availability (MTD group) and a prior period of MTD nonavailability (non-MTD group). RESULTS A total of 1,151 respiratory specimens from 638 PTB suspects were analyzed. MTD sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 91.7%, 98.7%, 96.7%, and 96.5% overall, respectively; and 98.7%, 97.8%, 98.7%, and 97.8% for smear-positive patients; and 62.2%, 98.9%, 85.2%, and 96.1% for smear-negative patients. In the MTD group, concordance between definitive and clinician presumptive diagnoses was 78% (95% confidence interval [CI], 64 to 88%), similar to that for the non-MTD group (79%; 95% CI, 68.4 to 89.6%). However, concordance between definitive diagnosis and the MTD test was 98% (95% CI, 94.1 to 100%). Median duration of nonindicated tuberculosis treatment was 6 days for the MTD group vs 31 days for the non-MTD group (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION In this public health setting, MTD was accurate and rapidly detected more than half of the smear-negative PTB cases. For smear-positive PTB suspects, MTD had excellent concordance with definitive diagnosis, but clinicians often inappropriately initiated TB therapy despite a negative MTD result.
Evaluation of a DS/CDMA multiuser receiver employing a hybrid form of interference cancellation in Rayleigh-fading channels

This paper assesses the performance of a multiuser detection DS/CDMA receiver based on a hybrid scheme of successive interference cancellation (SIC) and parallel interference cancellation (PIC). Two configurations of the proposed hybrid IC are presented and compared with existing SIC and PIC schemes. The performance criteria used for comparison are complexity, delay, power control requirements, and average bit-error rate (BER) performance obtained by simulation in Rayleigh-fading channels with additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN). The suggested hybrid IC combines good average BER performance, short delay, acceptable complexity, and also operates under slow power control.
Beyond the Formal/Informal Economy Binary Hierarchy

Purpose - This paper aims to evaluate critically the conventional binary hierarchical representation of the formal/informal economy dualism which reads informal employment as a residual and marginal sphere that has largely negative consequences for economic development and needs to be deterred. Design/methodology/approach - To contest this depiction, the results of 600 household interviews conducted in Ukraine during 2005/2006 on the extent and nature of their informal employment are reported. Findings - Informal employment is revealed to be an extensively used form of work and, through a richer and more textured understanding of the multiple roles that different forms of informal employment play, a form of work that positively contributes to economic and social development, acting both as an important seedbed for enterprise creation and development and as a primary vehicle through which community self-help is delivered in contemporary Ukraine. Research limitations/implications - This survey reveals that depicting informal employment as a hindrance to development and deterring engagement in this sphere results in state authorities destroying the entrepreneurial endeavour and active citizenship that other public policies are seeking to nurture. The paper concludes by addressing how this public policy paradox might start to be resolved. Originality/value - This paper is one of the first to document the role of informal employment in nurturing enterprise creation and development as well as community exchange.
Monetary Dynamics, Growth, and the Efficiency of Inflationary Finance

One of the main arguments against government expansion of the money stock at a high rate to finance expenditures is based on the social cost of wealth redistribution and economic disruption caused by unanticipated inflation.l Another argument is based on the excess burden of inflation as a tax on real cash balances. This latter social cost was analyzed for hyperinflation in a stationary economy by Martin Bailey in 1956 [2] . Bailey's classic analysis examined the efficiency of inflationary finance (in comparison to alternative sources of revenue) in alternative static-equilibrium situations without allowing for the effects on the excess burden or the revenue flow of dynamic adjustments of real balances and the rate of inflation in the transition from one static equilibrium to another. One
Systematic evaluation of chimeric marker genes on dicistronic transcription units for regulated expression of transgenes in vitro and in vivo.

Plasmid expression vectors combining human cytokine cDNAs and selectable marker genes on dicistronic transcription units were functionally characterized in vitro and in vivo. The internal ribosome entry sequence (IRES) of encephalomyocarditis virus mediated cap-independent translation of the downstream cistron. After cationic lipofection of cells with a dicistronic construct containing the Neor gene downstream of a human interleukin-2 (IL-2) cDNA, all G418-resistant clones secreted high amounts of IL-2. Reversal of the order of the cDNAs was associated with less efficient transgene expression and represented no advantage in comparison to separate expression cassettes. To combine direct in vitro selection of expression with in vivo elimination of cytokine-secreting cells, an improved chimeric cDNA of the Neor and herpes simplex virus (HSV) thymidine kinase (TK) genes was constructed and shown to confer sensitivity to ganciclovir concentrations that can be achieved in human patients. This chimeric marker was coupled on dicistronic constructs with a granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) cDNA as a molecule with easily detectable bioactivity in vivo. Subcutaneous implantation of pCMV.GCSF. ires TK/NEO-transfected CMS-5 cells into syngeneic BALB/c mice resulted in excessive leukocytosis and progressively growing tumors. Treatment with ganciclovir led to normalization of leukocyte counts in all animals, whereas complete regression of tumors was observed in only 3/5 mice. Hypermethylation of the transfected promoter was demonstrated in both ganciclovir-resistant tumors. Thus, transcription units combining selectable markers and genes of interest allow selection of high producer cells in vitro and efficient elimination of transgene-expressing cells in vivo. However, cells that hypermethylate transfected genes to terminate gene expression in vivo may escape conditional ablation.
Analysis of thermal effect on solar cells with considering bypass diodes at shadow condition through binary coding method

Temperature rising is a negative factor in almost all systems. It could cause by self heating or ambient temperature. In solar photovoltaic cells this temperature rising affects on the behavior of cells. In reality, it affects on components of equivalent circuit. This paper tries to analyze temperature effect using binary coding method and introduces a manner to reduce temperature negative effect on solar cells at shadow condition. MATLAB software has been used for simulation. Results show that more parallel bypass diodes could reduce thermal effect at partial shading and produce more power. Additionally, it could prevent early ageing of photovoltaic panels.
How Do Early Career Agriculture Teachers Talk about Their Time

This phenomenological study of early career agriculture teachers sought to determine the meaning early career agriculture teachers ascribe to their time. Seven teachers with a range of experience from midfirst year to beginning of sixth year were chosen. Interviews were used to make meaning of their time. Five themes were found in the information: (a) the day consists of patterns that vary depending upon the time of the year; (b) there is a conscious allocation of work time; (c) the process of managing time adapts and evolves over time; (d) personal and social time for the teacher is woven into or around work; and, (e) tensions exist between how teachers would like to spend their time and how they actually spend their time. Recommendations include taking stock of workload and personal time, identifying times that are most productive and adjusting their schedule to accommodate, developing a rhythm to their work, making decisions about how to spend time and realizing it is an evolving process.
Relative contribution of preload and afterload to the reduction in cardiac output caused by nitric oxide synthase inhibition with L‐NG‐methylarginine hydrochloride 546C88

Objective: The nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L‐NG‐methylarginine hydrochloride (L‐NMMA HC1 546C88) causes reductions in cardiac output (CO), a potential limitation to clinical application. This drop in CO exceeds that from phenylephrine at matched systemic arterial pressure. We tested the hypothesis that the greater fall in CO attributable to L‐NMMA primarily reflects a difference in venoconstriction between agents, such that phenylephrine produces larger increases in preload (an independent determinant of CO). Design: Random infusion of phenylephrine or L‐NMMA. Setting: An animal research laboratory. Subjects: Eight healthy, conscious, male dogs. Interventions: L‐NG‐methylarginine hydrochloride (20 mg/kg for 1 hr) and phenylephrine (0.5 to 3 μg/kg/min) were administered into eight dogs chronically instrumented to measure left ventricular pressure and dimension. Data were measured at a constant heart rate (140 beats/min) to render CO proportional to stroke dimension. Measurements and Main Results: At a matched increase in afterload (effective arterial elastance), L‐NMMA increased preload (end‐diastolic dimension) to a lesser degree (3.8% ± 1.5%, p < .05) than phenylephrine (9.6% ± 1.6%, p < .05 vs. L‐NMMA). Neither L‐NMMA nor phenylephrine affected the slope of the end‐systolic pressure dimension relationship, although L‐NMMA shifted the relationship rightward (1.7 ± 0.7 mm, p < .05), consistent with a mild negative inotropic effect. L‐NMMA decreased the stroke dimension to a greater extent than phenylephrine (−24.1% ± 6.8% and −10.6% ± 3.4%, respectively, p < .05). Conclusions: Differential CO responses to phenylephrine and L‐NMMA were primarily attributable to changes in preload. Variable venular vs. arteriolar constrictor effects must be considered when evaluating the integrated cardiovascular response to a vasoactive agent.
Platelet prothrombin converting activity in hereditary disorders of platelet function

Summary. Prothrombinase activities of platelets have been measured in diluted platelet‐rich plasma using a chromogenic substrate assay and purified coagulation factors. No abnormalities in prothrombinase activities were found for platelets from patients with storage pool disease (dense‐body deficiency), grey platelet syndrome, and Glanzmann's thrombasthenia. It is concluded that neither release of dense bodies and a‐granules nor aggregation of platelets are essential prerequisites for exposure of a procoagulant surface. Platelets from patients with Bernard‐Soulier syndrome, however, have approximately 10‐fold higher prothrombinase activities in the non‐stimulated form than normal non‐stimulated platelets. The increased procoagulant activity cannot be completely ascribed to an increase in platelet size. It is suggested that the increased prothrombinase activity reflects an increased exposure of phosphatidylserine at the outer surface of non‐stimulated Bernard‐Soulier platelets, earlier described byPerretetaI(1983).
Graph-cut-based model for spectral-spatial classification of hyperspectral images

We propose a new spectral-spatial method for hyperspectral image classification based on a graph cut. The classification task is formulated as an energy minimization problem on the graph of image pixels, and is solved by using the graph-cut α-expansion approach. The energy to optimize is computed as a sum of data and interaction energy terms, respectively. The data energy term is computed using the outputs of the probabilistic support vector machines classification. The second energy term, which expresses the interaction between spatially adjacent pixels, is computed by using dissimilarity measures between spectral vectors, such as vector norms, spectral angle mapper and spectral information divergence. Experimental results on hyperspectral images captured by the RO-SIS and the AVIRIS sensors reveal that the proposed method yields higher classification accuracies when compared to the recent state-of-the-art approaches.
Role of the conserved C‐repeat region of the M protein of Streptococcus pyogenes

The surface‐located M protein functions to protect Streptococcus pyogenes (the group A streptococcus) from phagocytosis by polymorphonuclear leukocytes. It has been suggested that this protection results from the ability of M protein to bind factor H, a serum protein that can inhibit the activation of complement. Among different serological variants of M protein, the C‐repeat domain is highly conserved and is exposed on the bacterial surface. This domain has been implicated in binding to complement factor H and in M‐protein‐mediated adherence of streptococci to human keratinocytes in the cutaneous epithelium. In this study, we constructed an S. pyogenes mutant strain which expresses an M6 protein from which the entire C‐repeat domain was deleted. As predicted, this mutant did not adhere well to human keratinocytes and was unable to bind to factor H. Unexpectedly, the mutant was able to survive and multiply in human blood. Therefore, while the binding of factor H and the facilitation of adherence to keratinocytes appear to involve recognition of the C‐repeat domain, a region of the M‐protein molecule distinct from the C‐repeat domain confers upon S. pyogenes its ability to resist phagocytosis.
Prevalence and risk behaviours for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection among female sex workers in an HIV/AIDS high-risk area

The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infection among female sex workers (FSWs) in an HIV/AIDS high-risk area in China and to examine risk factors associated with CT or NG infection. A cross-sectional study of 568 FSWs was conducted in Kaiyuan City, Yunnan Province, PR China. The prevalence rates of HIV, CT and NG in the study participants were 11.1%, 17.4% and 8.3%, respectively. More than one-fifth (21.3%) of participants tested positive for either CT or NG. This study identifies a relatively high prevalence of CT or NG infection among FSWs in Kaiyuan. Notably, HIV infection was found to be associated with NG infection and study participants who tested positive for NG had a higher rate of CT infection. Further studies are warranted to examine the prevalence and spread of CT and NG in China, and their potential impact on the HIV epidemic.
COMPARATIVE EFFICIENCY OF THE ISLAMIC BANK VIS-A-VIS CONVENTIONAL BANKS IN MALAYSIA

ABSTRACTThis paper is an empirical study determining the relative efficiency position of the Islamic bank of Malaysia, i.e., Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad (BIMB) and conventional banks of Malaysia during 1992-1996. The paper examines productive and managerial efficiency in the sources and the uses of banks' funds. The weighted ratio approach has been adopted in measuring various types of efficiencies of the banks. The measures of managerial test indicate that the managerial efficiency of the conventional banks is higher than that of the Islamic bank. ANOVA supports our results as the null hypothesis of the equality of means of the two systems is rejected at 5 percent level of significance. The measures of productivity efficiency test, however, show mixed results. The paper is structured as follows: section 1 provides the introduction, objective, methodology and the rationale of this study; section 2 reviews the literature; section 3 defines banking efficiency and develops the analytical tool for measuring efficiency; and section 4 provides empirical evidence and analysis. Conclusions and the scope for future study are presented in section 5.JEL Classification: G210, G320
Imaging the Cytokine Receptor CXCR4 in Atherosclerotic Plaques with the Radiotracer 68Ga-Pentixafor for PET

68Ga-pentixafor is a radiotracer for PET that binds with nanomolar affinity to CXCR4. The CXCR4 receptor is expressed at the surface of inflammatory cells. The objective of the study was to analyze the ability of radiolabeled pentixafor to detect CXCR4 expression on inflammatory cells present in atherosclerotic plaques of an experimental rabbit model. Methods: Atherosclerotic plaques were induced by endothelial abrasion of the right carotid artery and abdominal aorta of 7 rabbits fed an atherogenic diet. Five noninjured rabbits fed a chow diet were used as controls. Rabbits were imaged on a PET/MR system after injection of 68Ga-pentixafor (15 MBq/kg). Vascular signal was quantified as tissue-to-background ratio (TBR). Biodistribution and autoradiographic studies were performed 1 h after injection of 125I-pentixafor (7.5 MBq/kg). In addition, blocking studies were performed in 2 atherosclerotic rabbits with preinjection of the CXCR4 inhibitor AMD3100. Tracer uptake was quantified on arterial cryosections using autoradiography and compared with CXCR4 and RAM-11 (macrophage) expression on adjacent histologic sections. Results: One hour after injection of 68Ga-pentixafor, strong signals were detected in vivo with PET/MR imaging in atherosclerotic plaques of the abdominal aorta and right carotid artery as compared with normal control arteries (mean TBR = 1.95 ± 0.51 vs. 1.22 ± 0.25 and mean TBR = 1.24 ± 0.38 vs. 0.96 ± 0.37, respectively; P < 0.05 for both). Blocking studies with preinjection of a CXCR4 inhibitor reduced 125I-pentixafor uptake in atherosclerotic plaques by approximately 40%. 125I-pentixafor uptake in the vessel wall on autoradiographies was located in macrophage-rich regions of atherosclerotic plaques and correlated with the intensity of CXCR4 expression on corresponding cryosections (r2 = 0.61; P < 0.05). Conclusion: 68Ga-pentixafor allows for the noninvasive detection of CXCR4 expression in the vessel wall with PET and emerges as a potential alternative to 18F-FDG for the assessment of macrophage infiltration in atherosclerotic plaques.
Activity-dependent gene regulation in skeletal muscle is mediated by a histone deacetylase (HDAC)-Dach2-myogenin signal transduction cascade

Muscle activity contributes to muscle development and function largely by means of regulated gene expression. Many genes crucial to neuromuscular synapse formation, such as MuSK and nAChRs, are induced before muscle innervation or after muscle denervation, and this induction requires expression of the E-box binding, basic helix–loop–helix muscle-specific transcription factor, myogenin (Mgn). The mechanism by which muscle activity is coupled to gene expression is poorly defined. Here we report that inhibition of histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity attenuates the induction of activity-regulated genes in aneural myotubes and adult denervated muscle. The effect of HDAC inhibitors requires new protein synthesis, suggesting HDACs may regulate the expression of a Mgn transcriptional repressor. We identified Dach2 as a Mgn transcriptional repressor whose expression is dramatically reduced in an HDAC-dependent manner in developing aneural myotubes or adult denervated muscle. Dach2 overexpression in denervated muscle suppressed Mgn, nAChR, and MuSK gene induction, whereas Dach2 knockdown induced Mgn gene expression in innervated muscle and relieved Mgn promoter inhibition by HDAC inhibitors. Thus, a HDAC-Dach2-myogenin signaling pathway has been identified to decode nerve activity and control muscle gene expression in developing and adult skeletal muscle.
A Secure Authentication Policy for UMTS and WLAN Interworking

We propose a security authentication policy, Dynamic Session Key Policy (DSKP), for a secure handoff between the UMTS and IEEE 802.11 WLAN. This policy is founded and improved from Dynamic Key Exchange Protocol (DKEP). It redeems the confidentiality of the communication association using the asymmetric and symmetric encryption. The one time password system is used for the key exchange of the sessions. The transition of the communication states in DSKP are seamless and cannot be personated. From the security analysis, using the DSKP can avoid possible attack in wireless circumstance. EAP-SIM and EAP-AKA, commonly used for authentication protocol in present WLAN, were also studied to compare with DSKP. From our security analysis, DSKP shows better security grades.
A bin is a bin by any other name

With regard to the article by Sales and McKenzie,1 the real questions are as follows. Is it morally right to incarcerate in prison people who are seen as mentally ill? If not, can the overstretched and inadequate mental health system cope with treating them and at the same time maintain the public’s safety? As Peter O’Loughlin argues …
Organizational Barriers to Architectural Knowledge and Teamwork in Operating Theatres

This article draws on data from two ethnographic case studies in operating theatres to examine difficulties encountered in teamworking. The authors show that architectural knowledge among team members is fundamental to effective team practice and the delivery of safe, efficient patient care. Evidence is presented to highlight ways in which aspects of the organizational context actually undermine both the acquisition and use of architectural knowledge among team members, in particular the need for flexibility. The implications for management and wider policy are discussed.
The Intrahousehold Demand for Nutrients in Rural South India Individual Estimates, Fixed Effects, and Permanent Income

Good estimates of nutrient intake responses to prices and income are very useful for the evaluation of the numerous efforts to improve nutrition in many developing countries through price-subsidy and income-generation policies. We discuss three problems in standard estimates of these responses and then illustrate their implications for nutrient demand relations for a poor sample from rural south India. (1) Intra-household nutrient allocations usually are ignored. In this case nutrient intakes for females systematically have algebraically lower price elasticities than do those for males, which may leave the females particularly vulnerable at times of food shortages. (2) Unobserved fixed effects may bias the estimates of responses to observed variables. In this case not only the community fixed effects on which the previous literature has focused, but also household and individual fixed effects are important. Failure to control for them results in substantial algebraically upward biases in many estimated price responses. (3) Most previous studies use current instead of permanent income, which a priori may account for the low estimated income elasticities. In this case, however, the use of permanent income does not change the conclusion that the nutrient intakes responses to income are quite small.