Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Role of Prophylactic Antibiotics on ANC Value and Fever Duration in Cancer Patients with Post-Chemotherapy Neutropenia Fever

Chemotherapy has immunosuppressive side effects, one of which is neutropenia. In neutropenia, fever often occurs as a manifestation of infection. Antibiotics are given in neutropenia condition to prevent complication of infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of different prophylactic antibiotics on the increase of Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC), duration of fever, and degree of improvement in ANC values in cancer patients with fever neutropenia. This study was an observational with quantitative descriptive analyses. Data were taken from medical records for the period January 2015 to December 2016. The sample size that met the inclusion criteria was 45 patients including 15 using ceftriaxone-gentamicin, 8 using ceftriaxone, 16 using ceftazidime-ciprofloxacin, and 6 using ceftazidime. The results showed a significant difference in the increase ANC values for different antibiotics (p = 0.001). However, the administration of different antibiotics did not provide a significant difference in the mean duration of fever (p = 0.341). Administration of different antibiotics was known to give a degree of improvement in the same ANC value (p = 0.711). The conclusion of this study was that the administration of different antibiotics in post-chemotherapy neutropenia fever patients has a significant influence on the ANC value where the type of antibiotic that has the highest influence is a combination of ceftazidime-ciprofloxacin.
Percutaneous radiofrequency rhizotomy of the lumbar facets: ten years' experience.

: Over a 10-year period, 142 percutaneous radiofrequency facet rhizotomies were performed at a suburban community hospital on patients with incapacitating low back pain after various modalities of conservative treatment had failed. Neuroradiologic studies were negative or failed to reveal a herniated disk in all patients. The initial series reported in 1986 included 56 patients who had undergone previous spinal surgery and 59 patients who had lumbosacral radiculitis. An additional 27 patients with lumbosacral radiculitis have been treated. The combined use of fine thermocouple electrodes, image intensifier, nerve stimulator, and radiofrequency lesion generator provided a simple and safe technique for the relief of pain. Improvement, assessed by reduced medication requirement and increased employment, occurred in 60% of the patients.
DIFFERENTIAL INVOLVEMENT OF OPIOID RECEPTORS IN REGULATING THE BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE TO AMPHETAMINE IN C57BL/6 MICE

Drug addiction is recognized as a serious brain disease and with the rapid expansion in neuroscience research over the past few decades, great progress has been made in understanding the causes and effects of drug addiction and its relevance to more basic components of human behavior. It is now accepted that drugs of abuse (DOA) act on the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) brain reward system to mimic the rewards induced by more ‘natural’ stimuli such as food and sex. Acute administrations of DOA, particularly the psychostimulant amphetamine (AMPH), and the opiate heroin, lead to increases in extracellular levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine in regions comprising the brain reward system, including the nucleus accumbens (NAc), the ventral tegmental area (VTA), the striatum, and the dorsal caudate (DC). Changes in DA levels contribute to both the rewarding properties of DOA, as well as behavioral aspects of their use. As knowledge of the molecular and behavioral effects of DOA has advanced, evidence has accumulated that opioids not only share similar rewarding properties as psychostimulants, but that the endogenous opioid system can directly modulate the mesolimbic dopaminergic system as well. However, the individual contributions of the three opioid receptors subtypes (μ, κ, and δ) in modulating the brain reward system are still unclear. In an attempt to investigate this, we developed an animal model of acute amphetamine (AMPH) –induced behaviors and studied the effect of antagonizing the individual opioid receptors (ORs) on these behaviors. Using the induction of hyperlocomotion following a low dose (2mg/kg) of AMPH as a behavioral correlate of DA levels, we found that antagonizing the δOR significantly attenuated behavior, antagonism of κORs failed to effect behavior, and antagonism of μORs had a slight, but non-significant, augmentation of DA-dependent hyperlocomotion. In contrast, utilizing the induction of stereotypic behaviors with a high dose (12mg/kg) of AMPH as our behavioral correlate, antagonism of all three ORs significantly attenuated DA-dependent stereotypy. It is assumed that these OR-dependent effects are mediated through differential regulation of target neurons within the mesolimbic reward system and indicate that the endogenous opioid system can regulate behavioral responses to rewarding stimuli.
Visual analytics on big data of urban traffic trajectories

With the rapid development of Smart city and Big data concepts and technologies, how to quickly and accurately organize and reflect traffic data information has become the main topic of current research for urban traffic trajectory big data with increasing geometric quantity. Traffic trajectory visualization is favored for its ability to visually and vividly reflect traffic trajectory information. In this paper, the main research results of visual analysis of urban traffic trajectories in recent years are summarized from three main methods: direct visualization, aggregate visualization and feature visualization. The problems and future prospects of urban traffic trajectory data visual analysis research are summarized.
Active Fault-Tolerant Control for Discrete Vehicle Active Suspension Via Reduced-Order Observer

In this article, the fault-tolerant control (FTC) problem of vehicle active suspension is concerned in the discrete-time domain, in which the road disturbances and faults in actuator and measurement are considered. The main contribution consists of proposing an active physically realizable fault-tolerant controller based on a reduced-order observer, which makes up an optimal vibration control component and an event-triggered FTC component. More specifically, by discussing a discrete vehicle active suspension subject to road disturbances generated from the output of a designed exosystem, the optimal vibration control component is derived from maximum principle to offset the inevitable vibrations. Meanwhile, based on the real-time system output of vehicle suspension rather than residual error, a reduced-order observer is proposed to cover the physically unrealizable problem for the designed optimal vibration control component. After that, an event-triggered FTC component and an event-triggered restructured system output are designed to compensate the faults in actuator and measurement, respectively. Finally, extensive experiments are conduced to the control performance of vehicle active suspension under the proposed controller, and confirm its effectiveness and superiority over other control schemes.
Incertidumbre en la evaluación del impacto del cambio climático en dos cuencas mexicanas

Este estudio investiga la incertidumbre asociada con el modelo de circulacion general (MCG) al escenario de emision y a la variabilidad natural del clima en la estimacion del impacto del cambio climatico en dos cuencas mexicanas. Las cuencas seleccionadas tienen diferentes climas y regimenes hidrologicos. Las simulaciones climaticas de tres MCG bajo tres escenarios de emision (B1, A1B y A2) se usan para alimentar el modelo hidrologico SWAT , de tipo fisico y semidistribuido. Las simulaciones cubren 30 anos en un periodo de referencia (1971-2000) y dos periodos de 20 anos en el futuro (2046-2065 y 2081-2100). Los resultados muestran que los caudales altos son mas propensos a ser influenciados por la incertidumbre asociada con el MCG; ademas, los indicadores hidrologicos tienen una sensibilidad menor al escenario de emision para las cuencas de estudio. Por ultimo, la incertidumbre vinculada con la variabilidad natural no debe pasarse por alto en los estudios de cambio climatico, ya que hasta cierto punto y para caudales altos puede ser tan critica como la incertidumbre ligada con MCG y el escenario de emision.
Word Learning in Aphasia

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Objective: Of current interest in aphasia research is the relevance of what we can learn from studying word learning ability in aphasia. In a preliminary study, we addressed 2 issues related to the novel word learning ability of individuals with aphasia. First, as word learning engages large-scale cognitive-linguistic systems (language skills, verbal short-term memory [STM], other memory and executive functions), we probed whether novel word learning practice in 3 people with aphasia could stimulate these language-related systems. Second, as lesion correlates affecting word learning in aphasia remain unclear, we examined whether the structural integrity of the left arcuate fasciculus (AF) in the same 3 individuals is related to outcomes of novel word learning practice. Method: To stimulate word learning systems, our 3 participants practiced for 4 weeks with an explicit novel word—novel referent word learning task, adopted from the Ancient Farming Equipment learning paradigm (Laine & Salmelin, 2010). The participants' progress on receptive and expressive novel word learning was followed up, and their language and verbal STM abilities as well as single-session novel word learning (Learning to Name Aliens by Gupta, Martin, Abbs, Schwartz, & Lipinski, 2006) were tested before and after the practice period. To address the second question, we analyzed the participants' structural magnetic resonance images with respect to the integrity of the left AF and its overlap with the lesion areas. Results: All participants showed some receptive word learning in the trained task, as well as improvements in verbal STM span at posttesting. Two of the 3 participants also showed improved performance on some of the language outcome measures. One participant with a partially spared left AF, especially temporoparietal connections, exhibited better word learning performance than the other 2 who had larger damage and disconnection of the AF. Conclusions: Although the present results are preliminary, they open the possibility that novel word learning practice in aphasia may stimulate remaining word learning mechanisms in aphasia and thereby influence language and verbal STM abilities. These results also suggest that preservation of novel word learning ability in aphasia in part depends on the integrity of the left arcuate track.
Do Credit Market Shocks Affect the Real Economy? Quasi-experimental Evidence from the Great Recession and “Normal” Economic Times

Using comprehensive data on bank lending and establishment-level outcomes from 1997–2010, this paper finds that small business lending is an unimportant determinant of small business and overall economic activity. A shift-share style research design is implemented to predict county-level lending shocks using variation in preexisting bank market shares and bank supply shifts. Counties with negative predicted lending shocks experienced declines in small business loan originations, indicating that it is costly to switch lenders. However, small business loan originations have an economically insignificant and generally statistically insignificant impact on both small firm and overall employment during the Great Recession and normal times.
Exogenous application of salicylic acid, indoleacetic acid and tryptophan protects growth, chlorophyll synthesis and antioxidant activities and gene expression in Catharanthus roseus

Vinblastine (VBL) and vincristine (VCR) are produced exclusively and in small amounts in Catharanthus roseus. These secondary metabolites (terpenoid indole alkaloids) have immense medicinal value. In this study, the impact of different concentrations of salicylic acid (SA), indoleacetic acid (IAA), or tryptophan (TRP) on the biosynthesis of VBL and VCR in C. roseus plants was investigated. Using quantitative real-time PCR, gene expression levels of the transcription factor ORCA3 and expression levels of genes encoding the catalytic enzymes strictosidine synthase (STR), tryptophan decarboxylase (TDC), and desacetoxyvindoline 4-hydroxylase (D4H) were studied. Treatment with 0.5 mg L IAA significantly increased the gene expression of ORCA3, STR, and D4H, compared to the control; however, there was no effect on TDC. Production of VBL and VCR was qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed by HPLC using the corresponding reference standards. The maximum production of VCR and VBL, 146.23 and 311.09 μg mL, respectively, was achieved with 0.5 mg L IAA. In addition, compared to the control plants, spraying C. roseus plants with 0.5 mg L IAA resulted in the maximum dry weight, maximum content of photosynthetic pigments (Chl a, b and carotenoids), enhanced activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase), and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase. This study demonstrated the concentration-dependent induction effect of IAA in the biosynthesis of VCR and VBL. Therefore, IAA can be used to compensate for the low production of VCR and VBL under natural conditions.
Acoustic Properties of 316L Stainless Steel Lattice Structures Fabricated via Selective Laser Melting

A bulk specimen and two different lattice sandwich structures composed of 316L stainless steel were fabricated via selective laser melting. This study analysed the acoustic properties, including sound insulation and sound absorption, of the three kinds of structures, which were produced via selective laser melting under the same process parameters. The results showed that the difference in the unit structures, rather than microstructural difference, was the main reason for the difference in acoustic properties between the samples. Under the same process parameters, the microstructure of the different structures had the same cell structure. However, the sound absorption properties of the lattice sandwich structures were better than those of the bulk sample in the measured frequency range of 1–6.3 kHz. The lattice sandwich structure with 2.5 × 2.5 × 2.5 mm3 unit structures exhibited excellent sound insulation properties in the frequency range of 1–5 kHz.
Recombination as a driver of genome evolution : characterisation of biased gene conversion in mice

During meiosis, recombination hotspots host the formation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). DSBs are subsequently repaired through a process which, in a wide range of species, is biased towards the favoured transmission of G and C alleles: GC-biased gene conversion (gBGC). The intensity of this fundamental distorter of meiotic segregation strongly varies between species but the factors dictating its evolution are not known. We thus aimed at directly quantifying the transmission bias in mice and comparing the parameters on which it depends with other mammals. Here, we coupled capture-seq and bioinformatic techniques to implement an approach that proved 100 times more powerful than current methods to detect recombination. With it, we identified 18,821 crossing-over (CO) and non-crossover (NCO) events at very high resolution in single individuals and could thus precisely characterise patterns of recombination in mice. In this species, recombination hotspots are targeted by PRDM9 and are therefore subject to a second type of biased gene conversion (BGC): DSB-induced BGC (dBGC). Quantifying both dBGC and gBGC with our data brought to light the fact that, in cases of structured populations, past gBGC from the parental lineages is hitchhiked by dBGC when the populations cross. We next observed that, in male mice, only NCOs — and more particularly single-marker NCOs — contribute to the intensity of gBGC. In contrast, in humans, both NCOs and at least a portion of COs (those with complex conversion tracts) distort allelic frequencies. This suggests that the DSB repair machinery leading to gBGC varies across mammals. Our findings are also consistent with the hypothesis of a selective pressure restraining the intensity of the deleterious gBGC process at the population-scale: this would materialise through a multi-level compensation of the effective population size by the recombination rate, the length of conversion tracts and the transmission bias. Altogether, our work has allowed to better comprehend how recombination and biased gene conversion proceed in the mammalian clade
State Civil Service: Career Mobility as a Factor of Career Satisfaction

The problem of the dynamics of career growth of employees, affecting the motivation of officials, remains at the civil service. The research is aimed at studying the factors that can have a negative impact on career progress career barriers. Dureing the research methods of system analysis, general scientific methods were used. The researchers give ambiguous estimates of the role of some factors that play the role of career barriers in the system of motivation of officials. Therefore, the purpose of the work is to answer the following question: "can career mobility have a negative impact on career attractiveness and career satisfaction, and be a career barrier? ". In 2018, we conducted a study of career barriers among civil servants of the Sverdlovsk region, which was attended by 150 respondents. It was established that civil servants, in general, have a low level of assessment of career growth, a high level of career satisfaction, the desire to maintain the achieved career level, the position, which indicates the absence of career aspirations and is a subjective career barrier. Career mobility is at a low level, which is an objective career barrier. Career mobility has a restraining effect on the formation of career aspirations and career attractiveness, encourages to be satisfied with the achieved results in the career of officials who, upon reaching the "career plateau", find motivation for service in professional development or strengthening of positions held, or leave the service. Keywords—public civil service, career mobility, career aspirations, satisfaction with career.
Methamphetamine: symptoms under the bridge

WY, commonly known among users as ‘World is Yours’, are methamphetamine tablets. Methamphetamine was fi rst synthesised in Japan in 1893. It was introduced for sale in US in 1944. Th e drug found use in situation where people needed to stay awake for extended period and become popular with truck drivers. [1] It also found use as an anorexic. Soon however, being addictive and the ominous ‘crash’ associated with meth use led to its being banned. Th e sources these days are home based illegal manufactories. [2]
Firm Characteristics and Stock Returns of Nigerian Quoted Firms: A Two-Sector Comparative Analysis

This study examines the relationship between firm characteristics and the stock returns selected banks and manufacturing companies quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange on a two-sector basis. The study employs pooled/panel data analytical techniques to analyze the financial data of 15 banks and 15 manufacturing companies quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange as of December 31st, 2018. The study finds the effect of firm characteristics on the stock return of financial sector firms is sharply different from that of the manufacturing sector firms. Through the fixed effect model result it was found that in the financial sector, earnings per share and liquidity have a positive and statistically significant relationship with a stock return while return on assets has a negative and statistically significant effect on stock return. Other variables (leverage, market capitalization and sales growth rate) effects on stock return are not statistically significant. On the other hand, in the manufacturing sector, out of the six firm characteristic variables, only market capitalization has a positive and statistically significant effect on stock return. The effects of the other five were not significant. Furthermore, the test of causality shows that in the financial sector, earnings per share, return on assets and liquidity ratio have causal links with stock return. However, in the manufacturing sector, market capitalization and earnings per share have a causal link with stock return. The study recommends that firm managers should develop strategies that will consistently improve stock price, which determines market capitalization and, to some extent, stock returns. Also, financial firms should be wary of overinvestment in assets and/or its underutilization. The need to acquire is desirable. But this can also cause problems when such assets idle away or the cost of maintaining them eats so much into the revenue of the firm. Finally, management should maintain a healthy balance between liquidity and investments; and, policy makers to design and execute policies that are sector sensitive rather than generic in nature.
Understanding the predictors of patient trust and its role in utilization and outcomes

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine patient-related factors that predict trust in one’s physician, and subsequently identify the role of patient trust in health care utilization and clinical outcomes among low-income African American men and women diagnosed with hypertension. Three separate studies are conducted using an adapted version of the Interaction Model for Client Health Behavior (IMCHB). The first paper is a three-step systematic review of quantitative studies that investigate the (a) distinctive patient characteristics that influence trust; (b) impact of trust on medication adherence, compliance with doctor’s orders, and utilization frequency; and (c) impact of trust on outcomes like patient satisfaction, self-efficacy, and clinical outcomes. Based on the predictors identified in the first study, the second study examines the significance of these predictors among African Americans, a group that tends to report lower trust. The final study uses the same sample from the second study and examines the association of perceived racism and low trust on low utilization, blood pressure control, and glycemic
Impact of Age Management on Sustainability in Czech Organisations

Age management is becoming an increasingly important part of strategic human resources management practices and can ultimately lead to a competitive advantage. Research results confirmed that a strategic focus on the efficient use of all age categories of employees yields retention, the successful achievement of organisation goals, development, and, ultimately, a competitive advantage. The aim of this article is to identify and evaluate approaches to age management practices in organisations in 1271 organisations in the Czech Republic. Quantitative research was carried out in selected organisations operating over a three-year period. Data was gathered from these organisations and evaluated using descriptive and multidimensional statistics. The results show that those organisations focusing on the application of age management practices achieved a competitive advantage regardless of size or sector of the organisation. Statistical analysis (χ2 test, Cramer’s V, factor analysis) on survey data shows that many of these organisations achieved significant perceived benefits from the application of age management. The approach to age management application varies in organisations depending on whether it is an internal branding of an employer or response to a crisis. Organisations either use of best practices to implement age management or it is a carefully planned process in advance. Follow-up research can focus on the use of age management in crisis management or employer branding. This study is a non-experimental quantitative correlation analysis utilising longitudinal empirical data.