Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Meta-Analysis of Experimental Data Concerning Antimicrobial Resistance Gene Transfer Rates during Conjugation

ABSTRACT This paper presents the results of a meta-analysis of published transfer rates of antimicrobial resistance genes. A total of 34 papers were identified, of which 28 contained rates estimated in relation to either donor or recipient bacterial counts. The published rates ranged from 10−2 to 10−9. Generalized linear modeling was conducted to identify the factors influencing this variation. Highly significant associations between transfer frequency and both the donor (P = 1.2 × 10−4) and recipient (P = 1.0 × 10−5) genera were found. Also significant was whether the donor and recipient strains were of the same genus (P = 0.023) and the nature of the genetic element (P = 0.0019). The type of experiment, in vivo or in vitro, approached statistical significance (P = 0.12). Parameter estimates from a general linear model were used to estimate the probability of transfer of antimicrobial resistance genes to potential pathogens in the intestine following oral ingestion. The mean logarithms of these probabilities are in the range of [−7.0, −3.1]. These probability distributions are suitable for use in the quantitative assessment of the risk of transfer of antimicrobial resistance genes to the intestinal flora of humans and animals.
Epidemiology and Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori Infection

Medline, PubMed and the Cochrane databases were searched on epidemiology and diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori for the period of April 2011–March 2012. Several studies have shown that the prevalence of H. pylori infection is decreasing in adults and children in many countries. Various diagnostic tests are available, and most of them have high sensitivity and specificity. The Maastricht IV/Florence consensus report states that the urea breath test using 13C urea remains the best test to diagnose H. pylori infection. Among the stool antigen tests, the ELISA monoclonal antibody test is recommended. All these tests were used, either as a single diagnostic test or in combination, to investigate H. pylori infection among different populations throughout the world. Of particular interest, current improvements in high‐resolution endoscopic technologies enable increased diagnostic accuracy for the detection of H. pylori infection, but none of these techniques, at present, are specific enough for obtaining a real‐time diagnosis of H. pylori infection.
Security Framework for Wireless Communications in Smart Distribution Grid

Communication networks play a critical role in smart grid, as the intelligence of smart grid is built based on information exchange across the power grid. In power transmission segments of smart grid, wired communications are usually adopted to ensure robustness of the backbone power network. In contrast, for a power distribution grid, wireless communications provide many benefits such as low cost high speed links, easy setup of connections among different devices/appliances, and so on. Connecting power equipment, devices, and appliances through wireless networks is indispensable for a smart distribution grid (SDG). However, wireless communications are usually more vulnerable to security attacks than wired ones. Developing appropriate wireless communication architecture and its security measures is extremely important for an SDG. Thus, these two problems are investigated in this paper. Firstly, a wireless communication architecture is proposed for an SDG based on wireless mesh networks (WMNs). The security framework under this communication architecture is then analyzed. More specifically, potential security attacks and possible counter-attack measures are studied. Within the security framework, a new intrusion detection and response scheme, called smart tracking firewall, is developed to meet the special requirements of SDG wireless communications. Performance results show that the smart tracking firewall can quickly detect and respond to security attacks and is thus suitable for real-time operation of an SDG.
Fluoroquinolone antimicrobial agents.

The fluoroquinolones, a new class of potent orally absorbed antimicrobial agents, are reviewed, considering structure, mechanisms of action and resistance, spectrum, variables affecting activity in vitro, pharmacokinetic properties, clinical efficacy, emergence of resistance, and tolerability. The primary bacterial target is the enzyme deoxyribonucleic acid gyrase. Bacterial resistance occurs by chromosomal mutations altering deoxyribonucleic acid gyrase and decreasing drug permeation. The drugs are bactericidal and potent in vitro against members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, Haemophilus spp. , and Neisseria spp. , have good activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and staphylococci, and (with several exceptions) are less potent against streptococci and have fair to poor activity against anaerobic species. Potency in vitro decreases in the presence of low pH, magnesium ions, or urine but is little affected by different media, increased inoculum, or serum. The effects of the drugs in combination with a beta-lactam or aminoglycoside are often additive, occasionally synergistic, and rarely antagonistic. The agents are orally absorbed, require at most twice-daily dosing, and achieve high concentrations in urine, feces, and kidney and good concentrations in lung, bone, prostate, and other tissues. The drugs are efficacious in treatment of a variety of bacterial infections, including uncomplicated and complicated urinary tract infections, bacterial gastroenteritis, and gonorrhea, and show promise for therapy of prostatitis, respiratory tract infections, osteomyelitis, and cutaneous infections, particularly when caused by aerobic gram-negative bacilli. Fluoroquinolones have also proved to be efficacious for prophylaxis against travelers' diarrhea and infection with gram-negative bacilli in neutropenic patients. The drugs are effective in eliminating carriage of Neisseria meningitidis. Patient tolerability appears acceptable, with gastrointestinal or central nervous system toxicities occurring most commonly, but only rarely necessitating discontinuance of therapy. In 17 of 18 prospective, randomized, double-blind comparisons with another agent or placebo, fluoroquinolones were tolerated as well as or better than the comparison regimen. Bacterial resistance has been uncommonly documented but occurs, most notably with P. aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus and occasionally other species for which the therapeutic ratio is less favorable. Fluoroquinolones offer an efficacious, well-tolerated, and cost-effective alternative to parenteral therapies of selected infections.
Patterns of Programmatic Party Competition in Latin America

Most democracies have a representative format such that citizens as “principals” entrust politicians as “agents” with the business of making binding, authoritative decisions for all members of the polity. Democracy is a political regime that specifies formal procedures of political participation and electoral contestation, together with guarantees of civil and political rights and basic resource endowments, that allow citizens to engage in this process effectively and without constraint. Through periodic elections, agents are held accountable to the mass public. In anticipation of such accountability, agents may be responsive to the principals' demands and preferences. There is plenty of debate about this normative and positive characterization of such “first principles” of democratic contestation (cf. Collier and Levitsky 1997; Held 1987; Dahl 1989; Shapiro 2003), but in this study we are concerned with the more specific question of how democratic polities express circuits of accountability and responsiveness in light of their existing institutions and the nature of the political actors who inhabit them. Even more specifically, our study examines how political parties – as collective actors involved in the process of interest articulation and aggregation – affect the positive quality of democracy by shaping circuits of accountability and responsiveness in Latin American polities. In populous democratic polities, political parties – as coalitions of ambitious, office-seeking politicians – may be indispensable elements of any political process that organizes circuits of accountability and responsiveness.
SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell line: in vitro cell model of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line as an in vitro model of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons for Parkinson's disease (PD) research and to determine the effect of differentiation on this cell model. DATA SOURCES The data of this review were selected from the original reports and reviews related to SH-SY5Y cells published in Chinese and foreign journals (Pubmed 1973 to 2009). STUDY SELECTION After searching the literature, 60 articles were selected to address this review. RESULTS The SH-SY5Y cell line has become a popular cell model for PD research because this cell line posses many characteristics of DAergic neurons. For example, these cells express tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase, as well as the dopamine transporter. Moreover, this cell line can be differentiated into a functionally mature neuronal phenotype in the presence of various agents. Upon differentiation, SH-SY5Y cells stop proliferating and a constant cell number is subsequently maintained. However, different differentiating agents induce different neuronal phenotypes and biochemical changes. For example, retinoic acid induces differentiation toward a cholinergic neuronal phenotype and increases the susceptibility of SH-SY5Y cells to neurotoxins and neuroprotective agents, whereas treatment with retinoic acid followed by phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate results in a DAergic neuronal phenotype and decreases the susceptibility of cells to neurotoxins and neuroprotective agents. Some differentiating agents also alter kinetics of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-pyridinium (MPP(+)) uptake, making SH-SY5Y cells more similar to primary mesencephalic neurons. CONCLUSIONS Differentiated and undifferentiated SH-SY5Y cells have been widely used as a cell model of DAergic neurons for PD research. Some differentiating agents afford SH-SY5Y cells with more potential for studying neurotoxicity and neuroprotection and are thus more relevant to experimental PD research.
A code scheme SFBC on 3GPP channel model in correlated MIMO-OFDMA system

This paper investigates the performance of spatial channel coding technique: a space-frequency block coding (SFBC) on the multi input multi output orthogonal frequency division multiplexing access (MIMO-OFDMA) system in correlation stochastic model. The channel model is based on the spatial channel model (SCM) approach, proposed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) organization. The symbol error rate (SER) of MIMO systems in multipath propagation environment depends on the spatial correlation function of the channel particularly, dependent on antenna element distance in base station (BS) and mobile station (MS) sides. Based on an algorithm of Vertical Bell Laboratories Layered Space Time (V-BLAST), a successive cancellation method applied to the receiver, we obtain the high signal-noise rate (SNR) in correlation channel. The number of users when using SFBC with VBLAST is also calculated in the system, the more of the users the lower of the SERs. Our results are simulated on the SCM in three environments such as suburban-macro, urban-macro and urban-micro cell based on long term evolution (LTE) down link standard for 2×2 MIMO OFDMA system. The simulation results show that the combined SFBC code scheme with VBLAST-ZF has better performance than that obtained by using only detection when the same distance of antenna elements (correlation ratio) is used.
Boosting Parallel Applications Performance on Applying DIM Technique in a Multiprocessing Environment

Limits of instruction-level parallelism and higher transistor density sustain the increasing need formultiprocessor systems: they are rapidly taking over both general-purpose and embedded processor domains. Current multiprocessing systems are composed either of many homogeneous and simple cores or of complex superscalar, simultaneous multithread processing elements. As parallel applications are becoming increasingly present in embedded and general-purpose domains and multiprocessing systems must handle a wide range of different application classes, there is no consensus over which are the best hardware solutions to better exploit instruction-level parallelism (TLP) and thread-level parallelism (TLP) together. Therefore, in this work, we have expanded the DIM (dynamic instruction merging) technique to be used in a multiprocessing scenario, proving the need for an adaptable ILP exploitation even in TLP architectures. We have successfully coupled a dynamic reconfigurable system to an SPARC-based multiprocessor and obtained performance gains of up to 40%, even for applications that show a great level of parallelism at thread level.
Health effects of protein intake in healthy adults: a systematic literature review

The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the evidence behind the dietary requirement of protein and to assess the health effects of varying protein intake in healthy adults. The literature search covered the years 2000–2011. Prospective cohort, case-control, and intervention studies were included. Out of a total of 5,718 abstracts, 412 full papers were identified as potentially relevant, and after careful scrutiny, 64 papers were quality graded as A (highest), B, or C. The grade of evidence was classified as convincing, probable, suggestive or inconclusive. The evidence is assessed as: probable for an estimated average requirement of 0.66 g good-quality protein/kg body weight (BW)/day based on nitrogen balance studies, suggestive for a relationship between increased all-cause mortality risk and long-term low-carbohydrate–high-protein (LCHP) diets; but inconclusive for a relationship between all-cause mortality risk and protein intake per se; suggestive for an inverse relationship between cardiovascular mortality and vegetable protein intake; inconclusive for relationships between cancer mortality and cancer diseases, respectively, and protein intake; inconclusive for a relationship between cardiovascular diseases and total protein intake; suggestive for an inverse relationship between blood pressure (BP) and vegetable protein; probable to convincing for an inverse relationship between soya protein intake and LDL cholesterol; inconclusive for a relationship between protein intake and bone health, energy intake, BW control, body composition, renal function, and risk of kidney stones, respectively; suggestive for a relationship between increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and long-term LCHP-high-fat diets; inconclusive for impact of physical training on protein requirement; and suggestive for effect of physical training on whole-body protein retention. In conclusion, the evidence is assessed as probable regarding the estimated requirement based on nitrogen balance studies, and suggestive to inconclusive for protein intake and mortality and morbidity. Vegetable protein intake was associated with decreased risk in many studies. Potentially adverse effects of a protein intake exceeding 20–23 E% remain to be investigated.
Interferon signaling and treatment outcome in chronic hepatitis C

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. The current standard therapy for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) consists of a combination of pegylated IFN alpha (pegIFNα) and ribavirin. It achieves a sustained viral clearance in only 50–60% of patients. To learn more about molecular mechanisms underlying treatment failure, we investigated IFN-induced signaling in paired liver biopsies collected from CHC patients before and after administration of pegIFNα. In patients with a rapid virological response to treatment, pegIFNα induced a strong up-regulation of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). As shown previously, nonresponders had high expression levels of ISGs before therapy. Analysis of posttreatment biopsies of these patients revealed that pegIFNα did not induce expression of ISGs above the pretreatment levels. In accordance with ISG expression data, phosphorylation, DNA binding, and nuclear localization of STAT1 indicated that the IFN signaling pathway in nonresponsive patients is preactivated and refractory to further stimulation. Some features characteristic of nonresponders were more accentuated in patients infected with HCV genotypes 1 and 4 compared with genotypes 2 and 3, providing a possible explanation for the poor response of the former group to therapy. Taken together with previous findings, our data support the concept that activation of the endogenous IFN system in CHC not only is ineffective in clearing the infection but also may impede the response to therapy, most likely by inducing a refractory state of the IFN signaling pathway.
Branching of sensory and sympathetic neurites in vitro is inhibited by treatment with taxol

Branching of elongating neurites in vitro occurs by the division of a growth cone into 2 or more daughter neurites. An important initial step is a broadening of the growth cone with establishment of a quiescent central growth cone margin. Within the spreading growth cone, microtubules and associated neuritic components diverge and become oriented toward the lateral protrusive margins of the leading edge (Letourneau, 1983). We have found that a low concentration of the microtubule-stabilizing agent taxol severely reduces the incidence of growth cone branching by cultured sensory and sympathetic neurons from chick embryos. In the presence of taxol, neurites are broader and have more microtubules than normally. Divergence of microtubules entering the growth cone from the proximal neurite is reduced in the presence of taxol, and quiescence of the central growth cone margin is less frequent. We propose that a critical step in branching is the separation and spreading of the neurite cytoskeleton by tensions generated at the lateral margins of the edge of the growth cone. Because taxol increases neurite size and microtubule content without increasing protrusive activity to the same extent, tensions produced in the motile leading edge are insufficient to spread the microtubules and associated neuritic materials into separate arrays for nascent branches.
Statistical methods for longitudinal and clustered designs with binary responses

Dependent binary response data arise frequently in practice due to repeated measurements in longitudi nal studies or to subsampling primary sampling units as in fields such as teratology and ophthalmology. Several classes of approaches have recently been proposed to analyse such repeated binary outcome data. The different classes of approaches measure different effects of covariates on binary responses and address different statistical questions. This article compares the different classes of approaches in terms of parameter interpretation and magnitude, standard errors of model parameters and Wald tests for covariate effects. The results help to clarify the substantive questions which data analysts can address with each approach, as well as why the covariate effects measured by different approaches may be different. Finally, I will provide guidelines to the advantages and disadvantages of alternative approaches for analysing dependent binary responses. Simulations and example data illustrate these findings.
The structural and functional organization of the murine HOX gene family resembles that of Drosophila homeotic genes.

This paper reports the cloning of the fourth major murine homeogene complex, HOX‐5. The partial characterization of this gene cluster revealed the presence of two novel genes (Hox‐5.2, Hox‐5.3) located at the 5′ extremity of this complex. In situ hybridization experiments showed that these two genes are transcribed in very posterior domains during embryonic and foetal development. We also show that Hox‐1.6, the gene located at the 3′ most position in the HOX‐1 complex, has a very anterior expression boundary during early development. These results clearly support the recently proposed hypothesis that the expression of murine Antp‐like homeobox‐containing genes along the antero‐posterior developing body axis follows a positional hierarchy which reflects their respective physical positions within the HOX clusters, similar to that which is found for the Drosophila homeotic genes. Such a structural and functional organization is likely conserved in most vertebrates. Moreover, on the basis of sequence comparisons, we propose that the ordering of homeobox‐containing genes within clusters has been conserved between Drosophila and the house mouse. Thus, very different body plans might be achieved, both in insects and vertebrates, by evolutionarily conserved gene networks possibly displaying similar regulatory interactions.
The Impact of the Employment Contracts Act on Labour Law: Implications for Unions

The Employment Contracts Act 1991 (the ECA or the Act) is only one of a number of fundamental changes to the basis upon which New Zealand society has recently been required to operate. These changes have been thrust upon New Zealanders by successive governments. The response of the people to such forced feeding has been to change the very basis of how governments are to be elected and are to operate. The public complaint is not only with the fast pace of unanticipated and undesired change. The complaint is more with the failure of politicians once elected to carry out policy announced in the process of electioneering.
A real-time asymmetric multiprocessor reconfigurable system-on-chip architecture

We propose an asymmetric multi-processor SoC architecture, featuring a master CPU running uClinux, and multiple loosely-coupled slave CPUs running real-time threads assigned by the master CPU. Real-time SoC architectures often demand a compromise between a generic platform for different applications, and application-specific customizations to achieve performance requirements. Our proposed architecture offers a generic platform running a conventional embedded operating system providing a traditional software-oriented development approach, while multiple slave CPUs act as a dedicated independent real-time threads execution unit running in parallel of master CPU to achieve performance requirements. In this paper, the architecture is described, including the application / threading development environment. The performance of the architecture with several standard benchmark routines is also analysed.