Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular characterization of Streptococcus pyogenes isolates collected during periods of increased acute rheumatic fever activity in Utah

Background. Salt Lake City, Utah has seen a continuing resurgence of rheumatic fever (RF) since 1985. Methods. emm genotyping and multilocus sequence typing of streptococcal isolates from periods of increased RF activity were performed. Results. Multiple genotypes were present during 1985 and 1998, two peak years of RF activity, and in 1992, a year with reduced RF activity. emm3 and emm18.1 were present in 1985 and 1998, but not in 1992. Two other emm types, 12 and L28, were significantly elevated in 1998 (a peak RF year) over 1992 (a non-peak RF year). Allelic profiles for the emm3 and emm18.1 isolates exhibited clonality. Conclusions. During years of increased RF activity multiple emm types, including emm18.1 and emm3, were circulating in the community. During a year of decreased RF activity, emm3 and emm18.1 genotypes were absent. The clonality of the emm3 and emm18.1 types suggests that specific clones of both types are important in the resurgence of RF during these peak years. Two other genotypes, emm12 and emmL28, may also be associated with the persistence of RF in the Salt Lake City, UT area.
Neutralizing Patterns of Anti‐Bovine Rotavirus (Lincoln) Serum against Cytopathic Bovine Rotaviruses Isolated from Calves in Japan

Recent studies on rotavirus have shown that there are several serotypes in human and avian rotaviruses discriminated by serum neutralization (SN) tests (2, 5, 11, 13). Although considerable attention has been paid to proving the existence of rotaviral serotypes in other species (4), comparatively little is known about those of bovine rotaviruses. There is only one report that distinguished two bovine rotavirus strains by the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test (9). Since bovine rotavirus strains do not always possess hemagglutinating properties (3, 9), it is difficult to distinguish serotypes in them by the HI test. The present report gives the results of SN and complement fixation (CF) tests with antiserum against Lincoln strain of bovine rotavirus when these tests were applied to the cytopathic bovine rotaviruses isolated from the feces of diarrheic calves in Japan. The Lincoln strain at the 17th passage in bovine kidney cells (7) was kindly supplied by Dr. M. Kodama, of the authors' institute. It was further passaged three times in a continuous line of fetal rhesus monkey kidney (MA 104) cells in the presence of trypsin (Type 1, Sigma Chemical Co.) at the authors' laboratory. Isolation and electron microscopic detection of rotaviruses were performed in essentially the same manner as described by Babiuk et al (1). Briefly, the saline extracts of feces obtained from diarrheic calves were treated with 10 ,ug/ml of trypsin at 37 C for 30 min and inoculated into eight tube cultures of MA 104 cells washed with Earle's solution, in 0.1 ml of a ten-fold serial dilution. Incubation was carried out in the presence of 1 ,ug/ml of trypsin. The tube culture with intense cytopathic effect (CPE) at the end of the serial dilution was used for more than three passages by the same method as described above. Fourteen cytopathic bovine rotaviruses were isolated from different calves of seven herds suffering from diarrhea, and identified by the CF test and electron microscopy (EM). The propagation of MA 104 cells was performed in the manner previously described (6). Viral titration and the SN test were also carried out with MA 104 cells. For the titration, 0.1 ml of ten-fold serial dilution of each virus was inoculated into four tube cultures washed with Earle's solution. After viral adsorption at 37 C for
ATTAINING UNIVERSAL ACCESS: PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AND BUSINESS-NGO PARTNERSHIP

This paper evaluates two alternative mechanisms, Public-Private Partnership in Peru and Business-NGO Partnership in Bangladesh, that provide rural people with access to telecommunications. The two mechanisms that are examined here are considered as two best practices in the provision of rural telecommunications in the context of developing countries. Under two geographically distinct market segments, rural market characterized by low per-subscriber revenue and urban market characterized by high per-subscriber revenue, the traditional provision mechanisms such as state ownership, regulated monopoly and competitive market structure may not provide universal access to the people living in rural areas of developing countries. Attainment of universal access therefore may require alternative institutions. Based on three criteria of universal service provision: non-discriminatory access, uniform pricing and quality restrictions, the study finds that while the Public-Private Partnership in Peru complies with all of the three criteria, the Business-NGO partnership in Bangladesh complies with the first two criteria only. With respect to quality, users are less than satisfied with the current level of provision in Bangladesh. The success of the Business-NGO Partnership implies that the eplication of such a mechanism might require the pre-existence of an organization with local level knowledge and public good objective. In contrast to that, the Public-Private Partnership ensures the provision of universal access under a written contract, and given the public objective, can attract private providers for rural telecom provisions.
MR imaging-controlled transurethral ultrasound therapy for conformal treatment of prostate tissue: initial feasibility in humans.

PURPOSE To evaluate the feasibility and safety of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-controlled transurethral ultrasound therapy for prostate cancer in humans. MATERIALS AND METHODS This pilot study was approved by the institutional review board and was performed in eight men (mean age, 60 years; range, 49-70 years) with localized prostate cancer (Gleason score≤7, prostate-specific antigen level #15 μg/L) immediately before radical prostatectomy. All patients provided written informed consent. This phase 0 feasibility and safety study is the first evaluation in humans. Transurethral ultrasound therapy was performed with the patient under spinal anesthesia by using a clinical 1.5-T MR unit. Patients then underwent radical prostatectomy, and the resected gland was sliced in the plane of treatment to compare the MR imaging measurements with the pattern of thermal damage. The overall procedure time and coagulation rate were measured. In addition, the spatial targeting accuracy was evaluated, as was the thermal history along the thermal damage boundaries in the gland. RESULTS The average procedure time was 3 hours, with 2 or fewer hours spent in the MR unit. The treatment was well tolerated by all patients, and a temperature uncertainty of less than 2°C was observed in the treatments. The mean temperature and thermal dose measured along the boundary of thermal coagulation were 52.3°C±2.1 and 3457 (cumulative equivalent minutes at 43°C)±5580, respectively. The mean treatment rate was 0.5 mL/min, and a spatial targeting accuracy of -1.0 mm±2.6 was achieved. CONCLUSION MR imaging-controlled transurethral ultrasound therapy is feasible, safe, and well tolerated. This technology could be an attractive approach for whole-gland or focal therapy.
Beyond the morphology of the glucose curve following an oral glucose tolerance test in obese youth.

BACKGROUND To describe the morphology of glucose curve during the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and any association with glucose tolerance, insulin action and secretion in obese youth. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional. METHODS OGTT data of 553 patients were analysed. Subjects were divided in groups based on the morphology (i.e. monophasic, biphasic, triphasic and upward monotonous) of glucose curve. Insulin action was estimated by the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, the insulin sensitivity, the muscle insulin sensitivity and the hepatic insulin resistance indexes (HIRI), and the oral glucose insulin sensitivity (OGIS). Insulin secretion was estimated by the insulinogenic index (IGI). Disposition index, including the insulin secretion-sensitivity index-2, and areas under glucose (AUC(G)) and insulin (AUC(I)) curves were computed. RESULTS In patients with normal glucose tolerance (n=522), prevalent morphology of the glucose curve was monophasic (n=285, 54%). Monophasic morphology was associated with the highest concentration of 1 h plasma glucose (P<0.0001) and AUC(G) (P<0.0001); biphasic morphology with better insulin sensitivity as estimated by OGIS (P<0.03) and lower AUC(I) (P<0.0001); triphasic morphology with the highest values of HIRI (P<0.02) and IGI (P<0.007). By combining morphologies of glucose and insulin curves or time of the glucose peak, a deeper characterisation of different phenotypes of glucose metabolism emerged. CONCLUSIONS Morphologies of the glucose curve seem reflecting different metabolic phenotypes of insulin action and secretion, particularly when combined with morphologies of insulin curve or time of glucose peak. Such findings may deserve validation in cohort study, in which glucose metabolism would be estimated by using gold standard techniques.
No relationship between prenatal androgen exposure and autistic traits: convergent evidence from studies of children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia and of amniotic testosterone concentrations in typically developing children.

BACKGROUND There is a marked male preponderance in autism spectrum conditions. The extreme male brain theory and the fetal androgen theory of autism suggest that elevated prenatal testosterone exposure is a key contributor to autistic traits. The current paper reports findings from two separate studies that test this hypothesis. METHODS A parent-report questionnaire, the Childhood Autism Spectrum Test (CAST), was employed to measure autistic traits in both studies. The first study examined autistic traits in young children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), a condition causing unusually high concentrations of testosterone prenatally in girls. Eighty one children with CAH (43 girls) and 72 unaffected relatives (41 girls), aged 4-11 years, were assessed. The second study examined autistic traits in relation to amniotic testosterone in 92 typically developing children (48 girls), aged 3-5 years. RESULTS Findings from neither study supported the association between prenatal androgen (testosterone) exposure and autistic traits. Specifically, young girls with and without CAH did not differ significantly in CAST scores and amniotic testosterone concentrations were not significantly associated with CAST scores in boys, girls, or the whole sample. CONCLUSIONS These studies do not support a relationship between prenatal testosterone exposure and autistic traits. These findings augment prior research suggesting no consistent relationship between early androgen exposure and autistic traits.
Emerging Staphylococcus Species as New Pathogens in Implant Infections

The vast use of prosthetic materials in medicine over the last decades has been accompanied by the appearance of new opportunistic pathogens previously considered incapable of causing infections with significant morbidity and/or mortality. In this regard, the genus Staphylococcus enlisting numerous species usually characterized by a saprophytic habit covers a special role. Apart from Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, well known for their large prevalence in implant-related infections, a number of further staphylococcal species are progressively being indicated for their pathogenic potential. The increasing attention on these opportunistic bacteria is due to an ever growing number of clinical reports, which is also deriving from a more accurate identification of these species with currently available techniques. This synopsis intends to offer an overview on recently emerging coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) as well as coagulase-positive/-variable staphylococci exhibiting distinct traits of virulence, pathogenicity, and epidemiologic impact depending among others on the medical field, the type of prosthetic device and its anatomic location.
Metabolism of Short Chain Fatty Acids in the Colon and Faeces of Mice After a Supplementation of Diets with Agave Fructans

© 2013 Huazano-Garcia and Lopez, licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Metabolism of Short Chain Fatty Acids in the Colon and Faeces of Mice After a Supplementation of Diets with Agave Fructans
Time-optimal control of a 3-level quantum system and its generalization to an n-level system

We solve the problem of steering a three-level quantum system from one eigen-state to another in minimum time and study its possible extension to the time-optimal control problem for a general n-level quantum system. For the three- level system we find all optimal controls by finding two types of symmetry in the problem: Z2 x S3 discrete symmetry and S1 continuous symmetry, and exploiting them to solve the problem through discrete reduction and symplectic reduction. We then study the geometry, in the same framework, which occurs in the time-optimal control of a general n-level quantum system.
Comparison Between In Situ Hybridization and Real-time PCR Technique as a Means of Detecting the Integrated Form of Human Papillomavirus 16 in Cervical Neoplasia

Integration of the human papillomavirus (HPV) genome is thought to be one of the causes of cancer progression. However, there is controversy concerning the physical status of HPV 16 in premalignant cervical lesions, and there have been no reports on the concordance between detection of the integrated form of HPV16 by real-time PCR and by in situ hybridization. We investigated specimens of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and invasive carcinomas for the physical status of HPV 16 by real-time PCR and in situ hybridization. The presence of the integrated form was detected by both real-time PCR and in situ hybridization in zero of four cases of CIN1, three of six cases of CIN2, nine of 27 cases of CIN3, and two of six cases of invasive carcinomas. Integrated HPV 16 was present in some premalignant lesions but was not always present in carcinomas. The concordance rate between the two methods for the detection of the presence of the integrated form was 37 of 43 (86%) cases. Real-time PCR and in situ hybridization were found to be complementary and convenient techniques for determining the physical status of the HPV genome. We conclude that a combination of both methods is a more reliable means of assessing the physical status of the HPV genome in cervical neoplasia.
Solitary Plasmacytoma of Clavicle - A Rare Case Presentation

Plasmacytoma is a localized collection of malignant plasma cells. The disease is divided into Solitary plasmacytoma of the bone (SPB) and extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) which are both distinct entity. SPB usually occur in the bones characteristically affected in multiple myeloma and EMP was most frequently located in the oronasopharynx and paranasal sinuses, with a 15-30% incidence of regional lymph node involvement. We report a case of Solitary plasmacytoma of medial end clavicle resulting in pain and swelling of left clavicle in a 28 year old farmer. SPB can involve any bone in the body but involvement of medial end of clavicle though reported is a very rare presentation.
Barrier Lyapunov function-based fuzzy adaptive iterative learning control

In this paper, the problem of error-constrained adaptive iterative learning control is presented for a class of nonlinear systems which performs a given task over a finite time interval repeatedly, where the fuzzy system is used to approximate the unknown nonlinearity. Different from the output tracking control, the error tracking approach is used to deal with arbitrary initial conditions. An improved logarithmic barrier Lyapunov function is given to design an adaptive iterative learning controller, by applying the error tracking approach. It is shown that the practical tracking error trajectory is ensured to converge to the desired error trajectory as the iteration increases, and kept in the pre-specified region all the time. An illustrative example is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Rising Prevalence of Antimicrobial Resistance in Urinary Tract Infections During Pregnancy: Necessity for Exploring Newer Treatment Options

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are one of the most common medical complications of pregnancy. The emergence of drug resistance and particularly the Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase production by Escherichia coli and methicillin resistance in Staphylococci, limits the choice of antimicrobials. Materials and Methods: Patients in different stages of pregnancy with or without symptoms of urinary tract infection attending the antenatal clinic of obstetrics and gynaecology were screened for significant bacteriuria, by standard loop method on 5% sheep blood agar and teepol lactose agar. Isolates were identified by using standard biochemical tests and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done using Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method. Results: A total of 4290 (51.2%) urine samples from pregnant females showed growth on culture. Prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria 3210 (74.8%) was higher than symptomatic UTI 1080 (25.2%). Escherichia coli was the most common pathogen accounting for 1800 (41.9%) of the urinary isolates. Among the gram-positive cocci, coagulase negative species of Staphylococci 270 (6.4%) were the most common pathogen. Significantly high resistance was shown by the gram negative bacilli as well as gram positive cocci to the β-lactam group of antimicrobials, flouroquinolones and aminoglycosides. Most alarming was the presence of ESBL in 846 (47%) isolates of Escherichia coli and 344 (36.9%) isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, along with the presence of methicillin resistance in 41% of Staphylococcus species and high-level aminoglycoside resistance in 45(30%) isolates of Enterococcus species. Glycopeptides and carbepenems were the only group of drugs to which all the strains of gram positive cocci and gram negative bacilli were uniformly sensitive, respectively. Conclusions: Regular screening should be done for the presence of symptomatic or asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy and specific guidelines should be issued for testing antimicrobial susceptibility with safe drugs in pregnant women so that these can be used for the treatment. For empirical treatment cefoperazone-sulbactum can be recommended, which is a safe drug, covering both gram positive and gram negative organisms and with a good sensitivity.
Do online privacy policies and seals affect corporate trustworthiness and reputation

In this study, we attempt to examine the effectiveness of online privacy policies and privacy seals/security icons on corporate trustworthiness and reputation management, and to clarify how young Japanese people evaluate the trustworthiness of B to C e-business sites in terms of personal information handling. The survey results indicate that posting online privacy policies and/or privacy seals/security icons by B to C e-businesses does not work for creating trust in business organisations by consumers actively. Instead, existing good name recognition and/or general reputation can engender trust and, increasingly, better their reputation in terms of personal information use and protection.
Triggers of Generic Corporate Identity: A Six Factor Analysis

This paper attempts to make a conceptual analysis of the factors that trigger the development of generic corporate identity in business organizations. This objective is accomplished through a review of literature domicile with the disciplines of management, business studies and corporate communications. Thus, a number of factors including 1-mimetic isomorphism, 2-coercive isomorphism, 3-intelligence and behaviour, 4-corporate social responsibility, 5-corporate architecture and 6-multinational trade, are presented as factors activating this phenomenon. Consequently, these factors, which provide insights into the nature of generic corporate identity adds to the development of theory and increases a scholarly understanding of this phenomenon.
Insight into Older Peoples’ Healthcare Experiences with Managing COPD, Asthma, and Asthma–COPD Overlap

Objective. The aim of this study was to explore older peoples’ experiences of asthma or COPD with reference to their journey in the healthcare system. Methods. We recruited older patients with a confirmed diagnosis of asthma or COPD and invited them to participate in a qualitative interview. Interviews were conducted with 21 participants. A line-by-line analysis of the interviews was performed and they were coded for common themes. Results. From the data, six main themes emerged, these were; “limits to being”, “being with or without a diagnosis”, “not being heard or recognized”, “expectation, fears, and hopes”, “to medicate or not: the underuse, abuse, and misuse”, and “needing to understand more”. The findings of these interviews provide an important understanding of the behaviors and healthcare needs of older people with asthma and COPD. Older patients’ adherence patterns, desire for person-centeredness, and involvement in shared decisions as well as desire for increased objective assessment are described. Conclusions. These findings provide an important understanding of the behaviors and healthcare needs of older people with asthma and COPD, an area that has not been well defined. The knowledge gained about older patients’ desire for person—centeredness and involvement in shared decisions, as well as desire for increased objective assessment is essential in improving care.
Tribological behavior of space rover gear train under the Ultra High Vacuum

This present work provides over discussion about the component and requirement of space tribology. And Pin-on-disk test is described to prove the effect on the solid lubrication under the high vacuum condition. This paper will discuss the following: space mechanism components, solid lubrication, and factors affecting wear phenomenon under the high vacuum.
Marketing and Public Relations

* Marketing people are increasingly interested in incorporating publicity as a tool within the marketing mix, although this tool has normally been controlled by public relations. * Public relations people are growing increasingly concerned with their company's marketing practices, questioning whether they "square" with the company's social responsibility. They seek more influence over marketing and more of a counseling and policy-making role. * At the same time, a new corporate function called public affairs has split off from public relations, causing some confusion as to the scope of public relations.
Good Corporate Governance: An Instrument for Wealth Maximisation

Corporate Governance is now an issue and important factor that can beused as tool to maximise wealth of shareholeders of a corporate. In changing world, the word 'good corporate governance' has expanded its meaning. The papers discusses what is good corporate governance and who is rseponisble to implement it.