Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Moderating Role of Interior Amenities on Hospital Medical Directors' Patient-Related Work Stresses

Objective: Considering hospital medical directors' work stress, this study aims to examine how interior amenities might moderate the effect of work stress on their health. Background: Previous studies have revealed that hospital medical directors—senior physicians in the management positions with high-demand jobs in clinical practices and management—had a lower self-rated health. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey study and 737 hospital medical directors in Taiwan were included. A developed and structured questionnaire covered the dimensions of patient-related work stress (i.e., physician-patient relationship stress and patient condition stress), hospital interior amenities (i.e., indoor plants, aquarium, music, art and exhibitions, and private or personalized spaces that are common or surround the workplace of healthcare professionals), and self-rated health status and health complaints. Hierarchical regressions were performed. Results: Hospital medical directors' physician-patient relationship stresses were found to have more negative effects on their self-reported health status and complaints than do their patient condition stresses; however, only indoor plants were found to have moderating effects on their short-term health complaints (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the hospital medical directors' patient condition stresses were negatively related to their short-term health complaints; however, music, art and exhibitions, and private or personalized spaces in the workplaces had moderating effects (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Considering the unavoidable patient-related work stresses imposed on hospital medical directors, some proposed interior amenities can produce buffering effects on work stress to some extent. Future studies could focus on finding alternatives to relieve hospital medical directors' physician-patient relationship work stresses.
Nontypeable bacteriophage patterns of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus involved in a hospital outbreak

Of 93 strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from inpatient wards of Ismailia General Hospital, 48 (51%) were proven to be methicillin resistant (MR). Of these MR S. aureus strains, 44 were isolated from patients and 4 were isolated from healthy carriers, who were newly arrived interns working in the same wards. Bacteriophage patterns of MR S. aureus were identified by using routine test dilution (RTD) and 100-fold dilutions (100 RTD) of phages. Of these 48 strains, 37 (75%) (33 from patients and 4 from interns) were nontypeable when using RTD and 100 RTD of phages. Of the other 11 strains, 8 were nontypeable by RTD of phages, but 5 of them had the phage pattern D11/1136 when tested by 100 RTD. Three strains had the phage pattern 3A/3C/55/71, and three strains had different phage patterns, 29/81, 96, and 95/D11. The finding of colonization with virulent MR S. aureus strains in interns working on the wards in which these patients were located suggested that new strategies for control of MR S. aureus nosocomial infections must be considered and evaluated.
Autoradiographic distribution of [125I]Leu31,Pro34]PYY and [125I]PYY3–36 binding sites in the rat brain evaluated with two newly developed Y1 and Y2 receptor radioligands

The peptide YY derivatives [Leu31,Pro34]PYY and PYY3–36 are highly selective Y1 and Y2 agonists, devoid of activity on the Y3 receptor subtype [Dumont et al. (1994) Molec. Brain Res., 26:3220–3324]. These selective ligands were iodinated and used to evaluate the respective quantitative autoradiographic distribution of the Y1 and Y2 receptor subtypes in the rat brain, excluding a potential contamination from Y3 receptor. Specific [125I][Leu31,Pro34]PYY (Y1), and [125I]PYY3–36 (Y2) binding sites are detected in various brain regions, but each showed a differential distribution profile. Y1/[125I][Leu31,Pro34]PYY sites are especially concentrated in superficial layers of the cortex, the olfactory tubercle, islands of Calleja, tenia tecta, molecular layer of the dentate gyrus, several thalamic nuclei, and the posterior part of the medial mammaliary nucleus. These areas generally contained only low densities of Y2/[125I]PYY3–36 binding sites. In contrast, [125I]PYY3–36 binding is most abundant in multiple other regions including the lateral septum, piriform cortex, triangular septal nucleus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, oriens layer and stratum radiatum of the dorsal hippocampus, ventral tegmental area, substantia nigra, dorsal raphe nucleus, and the granular cell layer of the cerebellum. Few areas of the rat brain contained significant amounts of both [125I][Leu31,Pro34]‐PYY and [125I]PYY3–36 binding sites such as the anterior olfactory nuclei, oriens layer and stratum radiatum of the ventral hippocampus, nucleus tractus solitarius, area postrema, and inferior olive. Taken together, these results and the use of two selective radioligands demonstrate further the discrete, differential distribution of the Y1 and Y2 receptor subtypes in the rat brain. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Optimal tripod turning gait generation for hexapod walking machines

This paper describes an algorithm for generating a tripod turning gait which, when given an arbitrarily located turning centre, firstly maximises the rotation angle (angular stride) and then secondly optimises the stability. It does not require a specific walking machine layout or leg workspace shape, and it can deal with changes in the position of the CG caused by walking on a gradient or by uneven loading.
Biophysical optima for metabolism of Mycobacterium leprae

The metabolic response of freshly harvested, nude-mouse-derived Mycobacterium leprae to biophysical parameters was studied to facilitate an understanding of axenic culture requirements. Quantitation of intracellular ATP and the rate of [U-14C]palmitic acid incorporation into phenolic glycolipid I (PGL-I) were used as metabolic indicators after axenic incubation in modified Dubos medium under various biophysical conditions. PGL-I synthesis was optimal at 33 degrees C, whereas ATP was optimally maintained at less than or equal to 33 degrees C. Both metabolic indices showed sharp reductions at 37 degrees C. After 5 days of incubation, PGL-I synthesis and ATP maintenance showed pH optima of 5.1 to 5.6, with the higher value appearing optimal for ATP maintenance after extended incubation. Metabolic activity was negatively affected by strong reducing agents, and ATP maintenance was optimal when the gaseous environment was maintained at 2.5 to 10% oxygen. The results may partially explain the failure to cultivate the leprosy bacillus in vitro.
A new human p34 protein kinase, CDK2, identified by complementation of a cdc28 mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is a homolog of Xenopus Eg1.

The onset of S‐phase and M‐phase in both Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Saccharomyces cerevisiae requires the function of the cdc2/CDC28 gene product, p34, a serine‐threonine protein kinase. A human homolog, p34cdc2, was identified by functional complementation of the S.pombe cdc2 mutation (Lee and Nurse, 1987). Using a human cDNA expression library to search for suppressors of cdc28 mutations in S. cerevisiae, we have identified a second functional p34 homolog, CDK2 cell division kinase). This gene is expressed as a 2.1 kb transcript encoding a polypeptide of 298 amino acids. This protein retains nearly all of the amino acids highly conserved among previously identified p34 homologs from other species, but is considerably divergent from all previous p34cdc2 homologs, approximately 65% identity. This gene encodes the human homolog of the Xenopus Eg1 gene, sharing 89% amino acid identity, and defines a second sub‐family of CDC2 homologs. A second chromosomal mutation which arose spontaneously was required to allow complementation of the cdc28‐4 mutation by CDK2. This mutation blocked the ability of this strain to mate. These results suggest that the machinery controlling the human cell cycle is more complex than that for fission and budding yeast.
On the dynamic system of urbanization: Evidence from China

This paper is aimed at probing into the elements in connection with the dynamical system for China's urbanization under the informatization circumstances and the interaction among those elements. To achieve this end, the paper employs dissipative composition theory and technique. The paper delineates literature with regard to the dynamic system of urbanization and elements thereof. The paper finds that information factors, which can reduce total entropy of system, are important negative entropies of dynamical system of China's urbanization and can form a new orderly dissipative constitution. Moreover, the paper discovers that due to external negative entropies, information factors combine internal entropies, including technology, industry and system, and the tertiary sector, into which the surplus of rural labor forces can shift, is playing a significant part in urbanization. The paper suggests that the government should make use of information technology for promoting cities' traditional functions to develop intelligence cities, build up information industry to upgrade the traditional industries and combine information resources to alter the traditional mode of information diffusion to improve the efficiency in information delivery. These suggestions may be applicable to other emerging economies.
Sensorless sliding-mode control of induction motors

This paper develops the ideas of speed- and flux-sensorless sliding-mode control for an induction motor illustrated in previous work by one of the authors. A sliding-mode observer/controller is proposed in this paper. The convergence of the nonlinear time-varying observer along with the asymptotic stability of the controller is analyzed. Pulsewidth modulation implementation using sliding-mode concepts is also discussed. Major attention is paid to torque control, and then the developed approach is utilized for speed control. Computer simulations and experiments have been carried out to test the proposed estimation and control algorithm. The experimental results demonstrated high efficiency of the proposed estimation and control method.
Oxybutynin for refractory hot flashes in cancer patients

Objective:There is little information available on the treatment of hot flashes in patients refractory to pharmaceutical interventions. Anecdotal evidence led to the use of oxybutynin for the management of hot flashes in refractory cancer patients; therefore, we performed a retrospective chart review of such patients to determine the effect of oxybutynin in treating hot flashes and to observe the side effects of the drug in these patients. Design:A prospective database of all patients treated for hot flashes was started in July 2004 and was retrospectively analyzed as of March 2006. Also included were individual charts preceding July 2004. Fifty-two patient charts were examined. Demographic information was obtained along with baseline severity and frequency of hot flashes, dose and duration of treatment with oxybutynin, patient response to oxybutynin, and side effects. Results:More than 90% of patients analyzed were refractory to hot flash treatments before starting oxybutynin. Seventy percent of patients showed a partial or excellent response to oxybutynin. The duration of oxybutynin use ranged from 2 weeks to 5 years with more than half of patients currently on oxybutynin or taking oxybutynin for longer than 6 months. Of those patients who experienced an excellent or partial response to treatment, 12% stopped because of documented oxybutynin-related side effects within 4 weeks. Conclusion:Oxybutynin seems promising in the management of hot flashes with tolerable side effects in the majority of refractory patients. A placebo-controlled, randomized study is being developed to look more closely at the effectiveness of oxybutynin in reducing hot flashes.
Neural theories of simple visual discriminations.

Simple visual discriminations such as detection of presence and recognition of small differences in the spatial and temporal patterns of objects have been explained in some detail in recent years by variants of the physical quantum theory. The present paper summarizes the status of an alternative group of theories, which is classed as neural, primarily to distinguish them from the physical quantum theory, and compares the two groups of theories. The neural theories are models of the visual system as a whole and include assumptions concerning the transformation of stimulus to sensory events, and the decision processes involved in discrimination. They are neural by inference only, and rarely specify the type of neural activity or the neural site at which the events occur. The bulk of the paper is devoted to a description of specific neural theories, attributable to the writer, concerned with (a) the detection process and the form of threshold probability data; and (b) the relation of threshold ΔI/I to I, and to the spatial and temporal characteristics of the stimulus. These theories are compared with selected related theories. The Swets–Tanner decision theory is contrasted with the present detection threshold theory and various lines of evidence are summarized. It is shown that data previously used to support the Swets–Tanner theory are inconclusive. Chief evidence against the Swets–Tanner theory comes from data obtained in a stimulus-comparison experiment, and from the contradiction implied when the relations assumed to exist between stimulus and sensory magnitudes over the threshold range are extended to a wider range. Evidence is presented which is in favor of the present theories and opposed to the neural theories of Graham and his colleagues which relate threshold ΔI/I to the spatial and temporal characteristics of the stimulus. This evidence comes primarily from detection thresholds for stimuli composed of twin spatial points or double temporal pulses, which the Graham theories cannot explain. In addition to spatial and temporal summation, double spatial and temporal stimuli exhibit probability summation whenever the sensory correlates of the stimuli exhibit twin modes. A 5–6 cps scanning mechanism is shown to exist which breaks up prolonged temporal stimuli and provides probability summation among the separate parts.
Interleukin-12 as an Adjuvant Promotes Immunoglobulin G and Type 1 Cytokine Recall Responses to Major Surface Protein 2 of the Ehrlichial Pathogen Anaplasma marginale

ABSTRACT Anaplasma marginale is a tick-transmitted pathogen of cattle closely related to the human ehrlichiae, Ehrlichia chaffeensis and the agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE). These pathogens have in common a structurally conserved outer membrane protein (OMP) designated the major surface protein 2 (MSP-2) in A. marginale and HGE and OMP-1 in E. chaffeensis. Protective immunity against ehrlichial pathogens is believed to require induction of gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and opsonizing immunoglobulin (Ig) subclasses directed against OMP epitopes that, in concert, activate macrophages for phagocytosis and killing. Because interleukin-12 (IL-12) acts as an adjuvant for protein immunization to induce IFN-γ and protective immunity against intracellular pathogens, we hypothesized that as an adjuvant with MSP-2, IL-12 would augment type 1 recall responses to A. marginale. IL-12 was coadsorbed with MSP-2 to alum and shown to significantly enhance IFN-γ production by lymph node cells (LNC) and LNC-derived CD4+ T-cell lines from immunized calves following recall stimulation with A. marginale. LNC proliferation and IL-2 production were also enhanced in IL-12-treated calves. Elevated recall proliferative responses by peripheral blood mononuclear cells were still evident 9 months after immunization. Serum IgG levels were consistently increased in IL-12 immunized calves, predominantly due to higher IgG1 responses. The results support the use of IL-12 coadsorbed with OMP of ehrlichial pathogens in alum to amplify both antibody and type-1 cytokine responses important for protective immunity.
A quality of service approach for managing tele-medicine multimedia applications requirements

Research reported in this paper presents the design principles, the services and the proposed architecture for a QoS provisioning and management framework. An experimental implementation and the measurements evaluating the QoS provided using different DiffServ mechanisms are also discussed. The research reported here relates to InfraVIDA development scenario, a tele-medicine system that intends to allow remotely located health professionals to make tele-diagnosis and get second medical opinion from consultants on central hospitals.
Eicosanoids modulate apical Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channels in cultured rabbit principal cells.

Patch clamp technology was utilized to study the effects of apical phospholipase A2 (PLA2) metabolites on "maxi K" channels in the principal cell apical membrane of rabbit cortical collecting tubule (CCT) primary cultures (B. N. Ling, C. F. Hinton, and D. C. Eaton. Kidney Int. 40: 441-452, 1991). At resting membrane potential, this channel is quiescent in the cell-attached configuration. Apical application of the PLA2 agonist melittin (1 microgram/ml) for 10 min increased single-channel open probability (Po) from 0.0004 +/- 0.0010 to 0.11 +/- 0.05. Similarly, apical exposure to 50 microM arachidonic acid (AA) or 0.5 microM prostaglandin (PG) E2, but not 0.5 microM PGF2 alpha, also increased channel activity. Conversely, 10 microM of the PLA2 antagonist quinacrine applied apically decreased Po. Removal of apical bath Ca2+ did not prevent melittin-, AA-, or PGE2-induced channel activation. We then examined the role of maxi K channels and eicosanoids in principal cell volume regulation. Within seconds of reducing basolateral bath tonicity (285 to 214 mosmol/kgH2O), NPo (i.e., no. of channels x Po) initially increased approximately 200%, followed by a delayed but prolonged activation phase that was attenuated by removal of apical bath Ca2+. Pretreatment with 10 microM quinacrine, 100 microM indomethacin (cyclooxygenase inhibitor), or 0.25 microM thapsigargin (to deplete intracellular Ca2+ stores) abolished the initial phase of swelling-induced channel activation. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Phase-Offset Estimation for Joint-Polarization Phase-Recovery in DP-16-QAM Systems

We propose a method that estimates the phase-offset between polarization-demultiplexed 16-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (16-QAM) signals, enabling the utilization of joint-polarization phase-recovery (JPPR) algorithms. The method is based on a Viterbi & Viterbi-like architecture that raises selected samples to the fourth power to remove the data dependence from the phase estimation process. Monte Carlo simulations indicate that feedforward and decision-directed JPPR algorithms using the proposed phase-offset estimation technique effectively relax the laser linewidth requirements for dual-polarization 16-QAM systems.
Dünyada ve Türkiye'de Erken Çocukluk Özel Eğitiminin Gelişimi ve Erken Çocukluk Özel Eğitim Uygulamaları

Erken cocukluk ozel egitimi, yetersizligi olan veya gelisimsel acidan risk grubunda olan cocuklarin ve ailelerinin gereksinimlerini karsilamak, yetersizligin engele donusmesini onlemek ya da cocugun yasitlariyla gelisim farkliligini en aza indirmeyi hedefleyen bir alandir. Ulkemizde son on yildir gelisme gosteren erken cocukluk ozel egitimi, gelismis ulkelerde yaklasik elli yildir uygulanmaktadir. Bu calismada, erken cocukluk ozel egitiminin, dunyada ve ulkemizde ortaya cikis nedenleri, gelisim sureciyle uygulamalarina yer verilmistir. Calismada ayrica, erken cocukluk ozel egitiminin en onemli basamaklari olan onleme, vakalarin tespiti, cocuklarin degerlendirilmesi sureclerine deginilmis, gelismis ulkelerdeki uygulamalarla Turkiye’deki uygulamalar karsilastirilmistir. Calismada, erken cocukluk ozel egitim hizmetlerinin ulkemizde nasil yurutuldugune deginilmis, bu hizmetlerin yayginlastirilmasi icin neler yapilmasi gerektigi onerilmistir
Circulating Epstein–Barr Virus in Children Living in Malaria‐Endemic Areas

Children living in malaria‐endemic regions have high incidence of Burkitt's lymphoma (BL), the aetiology of which involves Plasmodium falciparum malaria and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infections. Acute malarial infection impairs the EBV‐specific immune responses with the consequent increase in the number of EBV‐carrying B cells in the circulation. To further understand the potential influence of malarial infection on the EBV persistence in children living in malaria‐endemic areas, we studied the occurrence and quantified cell‐free EBV‐DNA in plasma from 73 Ghanaian children with and without acute malarial infection. Viral DNA was detected in 40% of the samples (47% in the malaria‐infected and 34% in the nonmalaria group) but was absent in plasma from Ghanaian adults and healthy Italian children. These findings provide evidence that viral reactivation is common among children living in malaria‐endemic areas, and may contribute to the increased risk for endemic BL. The data also suggest that the epidemiology of EBV infection and persistence varies in different areas of the world.
Predicción mediante algoritmos genéticos con matriz de transición : una aplicación a la demanda turística de Tenerife

Aunque los algoritmos geneticos se disenaron originalmente como metodo de optimizacion, tambien pueden ser utilizados, en el contexto economico, como herramienta predictiva de los cambios en la composicion de una poblacion, en terminos de las caracteristicas individuales de los agentes que la componen. En este documento, se desarrolla un algoritmo genetico especifico capaz de predecir los cambios en las caracteristicas de los turistas que visitan el sur de Tenerife. Los resultados obtenidos sugieren la conveniencia de sustituir los tradicionales operadores de cruce y mutacion por la accion de una adecuada matriz de transicion. Esta matriz dirige la dinamica de transformacion de la poblacion en el sentido de que permite introducir consideraciones economicas que otorgan mayores probabilidades a ciertas transformaciones en las caracteristicas de los turistas que visitan la Isla.
Roles for SUMO in pre‐mRNA processing

When the small ubiquitin‐like modifier (SUMO)‐1 protein is localized on the genome, it is found on proteins bound to the promoters of the most highly active genes and on proteins bound to the DNA‐encoding exons. Inhibition of the SUMO‐1 modification leads to reductions in initiation of messenger RNA (mRNA) synthesis and splicing. In this review, we discuss what is known about the SUMOylation of factors involved in transcription initiation, pre‐mRNA processing, and polyadenylation. We suggest a mechanism by which SUMO modifications of factors at the promoters of high‐activity genes trigger the formation of an RNA polymerase II complex that coordinates and integrates the stimulatory signals for each process to catalyze an extremely high level of gene expression. WIREs RNA 2016, 7:105–112. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1318
Characterization of inhibition of platelet function by paracetamol and its interaction with diclofenac in vitro

Background: Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is an effective analgesic and a weak inhibitor of cyclo‐oxygenase (COX). Clinically paracetamol is often used together with traditional NSAIDs, which are strong inhibitors of COX. We studied binding of paracetamol to COX and its action on platelet function together with diclofenac.