Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Private standards - leveling the playing field for global competition in the food supply chain?

Differences in national legislations can affect the international competitiveness of an industry. For example, stringent EU regulations on animal welfare and environmental protection are often said to be a cost disadvantage for EU producers competing on the global market. However, in recent years, powerful retailers and food processors have started to impose requirements on downstream producers through private standards. Requirements are made both on EU- and non-EU producers and can, if extensively used, become de facto mandatory for suppliers. This study investigates to what extent the use of private standards contribute to leveling the playing field for global competition in the food supply chain by making conditions more equal for producers on the global food market. The study shows that retailers and food processors impose requirements on animal welfare, environmental protection and labor conditions on imports. This means that private standards decrease differences in production conditions across countries, which, in turn, implies that the requirements on domestic and imported goods are more equal than indicated by national legislations. However, firms use private standards that are heterogenic both in content and stringency. Differences in production conditions can therefore be reduced to a varying extent depending on which standard that is used. (Less)
[The influence of clomipramine on CYP2D6 activity].

AIM Genetically determined activity ofCYP2D6 may be modified by some drugs through inhibition processes. Inhibition properties of TCA's were confirmed mainly in in vitro studies. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of clomipramine on CYP2D6 activity in vivo. METHOD 11 patients diagnosed with depression according to ICD-10 and DSM-IV (major depression) criteria were included in the study. In all the cases clomipramine therapy was indicated. CYP2D6 activity was assessed by the phenotyping method. All patients were treated simultaneously. Each of the patients ingested one tablet containing 100 mg of sparteine sulfate. Urine excreted during the following 6 h was collected. Based on sparteine metabolic ratio (MR) the phenotype status was estimated twice: after the wash-out period, before clomipramine treatment, sparteine metabolic ratio (MRI), and after 2-weeks of clomipramine treatment (MR2). RESULTS During clomipramine treatment MR2 values were statistically significantly higher than MRI. In 3 patients (27.3%) treated with clomipramine the changes of phenotype status were observed. CONCLUSIONS Clomipramine is a CYP2D6 inhibitor and may change the CYP2D6 phenotype status (EM into PM).
Ménière's Disease in Children

Approximately 3% of all patients with Meniere's disease are in the pediatric age group. These children require extensive evaluation. A history of physical or acoustic trauma should be sought and an allergic work‐up should be obtained. A search for metabolic disturbances and identification of inflammatory disorders is also necessary. If a treatable etiology is identified, specific therapy should be directed toward its control. If, after careful evaluation, the etiology remains obscure, non‐specific therapy should be instituted in an effort to alleviate the symptomatology of Meniere's disease. Surgical decompression of the endolymphatic sac and drainage into the mastoid cavity results in relieving the symptoms, particularly vertigo, and appears to be efficacious in patients who have failed diligent attempts at medical therapy.
Probabilistic biomechanical finite element simulations: whole-model classical hypothesis testing based on upcrossing geometry

Statistical analyses of biomechanical finite element (FE) simulations are frequently conducted on scalar metrics extracted from anatomically homologous regions, like maximum von Mises stresses from demarcated bone areas. The advantages of this approach are numerical tabulability and statistical simplicity, but disadvantages include region demarcation subjectivity, spatial resolution reduction, and results interpretation complexity when attempting to mentally map tabulated results to original anatomy. This study proposes a method which abandons the two aforementioned advantages to overcome these three limitations. The method is inspired by parametric random field theory (RFT), but instead uses a non-parametric analogue to RFT which permits flexible model-wide statistical analyses through non-parametrically constructed probability densities regarding volumetric upcrossing geometry. We illustrate method fundamen- tals using basic 1D and 2D models, then use a public model of hip cartilage compression to highlight how the concepts can extend to practical biomechanical modeling. The ultimate whole-volume results are easy to interpret, and for constant model geometry the method is simple to implement. Moreover, our analyses demonstrate that the method can yield biomechanical insights which are difficult to infer from single simulations or tabulated multi-simulation results. Generalizability to non-constant geometry including subject-specific anatomy is discussed.
Enhancing adaptive capacity for restoring fire-dependent ecosystems: the Fire Learning Network’s Prescribed Fire Training Exchanges

Prescribed fire is a critical tool for promoting restoration and increasing resilience in fire-adapted ecosystems, but there are barriers to its use, including a shortage of personnel with adequate ecological knowledge and operational expertise to implement prescribed fire across multijurisdictional landscapes. In the United States, recognized needs for both professional development and increased use of fire are not being met, often because of institutional limitations. The Fire Learning Network has been characterized as a multiscalar, collaborative network that works to enhance the adaptive capacity of fire management institutions, and this network developed the Prescribed Fire Training Exchanges (TREXs) to address persistent challenges in increasing the capacity for prescribed fire implementation. Our research was designed to investigate where fire professionals face professional barriers, how the TREX addresses these, and in what ways the TREX may be contributing to the adaptive capacity of fire management institutions. We evaluated the training model using surveys, interviews, focus groups, and participant observation. We found that, although the training events cannot overcome all institutional barriers, they incorporate the key components of professional development in fire; foster collaboration, learning, and network building; and provide flexible opportunities with an emphasis on local context to train a variety of professionals with disparate needs. The strategy also offers an avenue for overcoming barriers faced by contingent and nonfederal fire professionals in attaining training and operational experience, thereby increasing the variety of actors and resources involved in fire management. Although it is an incremental step, the TREX is contributing to the adaptive capacity of institutions in social-ecological systems in which fire is a critical ecological process.
Subjective evaluation of Hierarchical B-Frames using Video-MUSHRA

Hierarchical B-Frames (HBF) has emerged as an efficient video coding tool in recent years. As shown in the literature, this approach results in excellent PSNR gains of >1 dB. However these PSNR gains are not sufficiently assessed in a scientific manner by subjective tests. Hence in this paper, we evaluate HBF coding pattern subjectively by using the MUSHRA test methodology. While MUSHRA is well established in audio coding research, its application to video is a novelty of this paper. We compare HBF with simple IPP coding pattern at either same PSNR or same bit rate. Our results indicate that, HBF gains are clearly subjectively perceptible. Hence, it can be shown that PSNR gains also correlate with a subjective gain. Interestingly, even at same PSNR, HBF is found to be subjectively superior to simple IPP coding.
Investigation of the Cerebral Response to Flicker Stimulation in Patients with Headache

Migraine affects 10% of the population, yet there is no proven diagnostic test. To date the most promising neurophysiological diagnostic technique has been the analysis of cerebral responses to photic stimulation or flicker (the "H" response). This test has proved to be sensitive in patients with "classic" migraine, but has not been re-evaluated since the introduction of the 1988 International Headache Society (IHS) classification system. In 33 migraineurs, we found that the "H" response was sensitive (86.4%) and specific (97.5%) in those with migraine defined according to IHS Committee as type 1.2. 1 (typical aura) and type 1.1 (without aura), but not in basilar migraine (1.2.4).
Localization of intravenously administered verocytotoxins (Shiga-like toxins) 1 and 2 in rabbits immunized with homologous and heterologous toxoids and toxin subunits

Rabbits challenged intravenously with Shiga toxin or with Escherichia coli verocytotoxin 1 or 2 (VT1 or VT2) are known to develop diarrhea, paralysis, and death, which can be prevented by immunization with a toxoid. The pathological effects of VT1 in the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract of unimmunized rabbits correlate with the localization of 125I-VT1 in these tissues, whereas in immunized animals, localization of 125I-VT1 in target tissues is inhibited and labeled toxin is cleared by the liver and spleen. By using the approach described above in this study, rabbits immunized with VT1 toxoid, VT2 toxoid, or with the A or B subunit of each toxin were challenged with intravenous 125I-VT1 or 125I-VT2. After 2 h, the animals were sacrificed, and selected tissues were analyzed for uptake of labeled toxin. It was found that animals immunized with either VT1 toxoid or VT2 toxoid were protected from target tissue uptake of both 125I-VT1 and 125I-VT2. Rabbits immunized with either the VT1 A or VT2 A subunit were also protected from target tissue uptake of both the homologous and heterologous 125I-labeled holotoxins. In contrast, in animals immunized with the toxin B subunits, protection extended only against challenge by the homologous toxin. These results provide evidence of VT1 and VT2 cross-neutralization in vivo in the rabbit model and indicate that the in vivo cross-neutralization is a function, mainly, of antibodies directed to the VT A subunits. This suggests that the VT1 A or VT2 A subunit may be a suitable immunogen for immunizing humans against systemic VT-mediated disease.
The lipid raft hypothesis revisited – New insights on raft composition and function from super‐resolution fluorescence microscopy

Recently developed super‐resolution microscopy techniques are changing our understanding of lipid rafts and membrane organisation in general. The lipid raft hypothesis postulates that cholesterol can drive the formation of ordered domains within the plasma membrane of cells, which may serve as platforms for cell signalling and membrane trafficking. There is now a wealth of evidence for these domains. However, their study has hitherto been hampered by the resolution limit of optical microscopy, making the definition of their properties problematic and contentious. New microscopy techniques circumvent the resolution limit and, for the first time, allow the fluorescence imaging of structures on length scales below 200 nm. This review describes such techniques, particularly as applied to the study of membrane organisation, synthesising newly emerging facets of lipid raft biology into a state‐of‐the art model.
Efficiency and regulation in Spanish hypermarket retail trade

Purpose – This study aims to present an approach for analyzing hypermarkets efficiency data envelopment analysis (DEA) in Spanish retailing. In particular, the influence of the Retail Trade Act of 1996, by means of which the Spanish state transferred authority to concede licenses for opening commercial establishments to the regions, is to be studied.Design/methodology/approach – The analysis is based on a DEA model that allows for the evaluation of categorical variables in DEA in cross‐section data.Findings – The findings suggest the existence of three different production frontiers in relation to the markets' regulation process where the hypermarkets operate; high, medium and low regulation. In the second place, the effect of the regulatory restrictions carried out by the autonomous communities is corrected in the second stage. This correction (once managerial inefficiencies have been eliminated) allows the hypermarkets operative in areas with low restrictions to be more efficient than those located in a.
Newer Intravenous Antibiotics in the Intensive Care Unit: Ceftaroline, Ceftolozane‐Tazobactam, and Ceftazidime‐Avibactam

A global crisis of antibiotic resistance is ongoing, especially with resistant gram-negative pathogens including Pseudomonas spp, carbapenemaseproducing Enterobacteriaceae, and extended-spectrum -lactamase (ESBL)producing organisms. The increasing rate of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections is also a concern.1 One newer intravenous cephalosporin (ceftaroline) was approved in 2010, and 2 new intravenous cephalosporin– -lactamase inhibitor combinations (ceftolozane-tazobactam and ceftazidimeavibactam) have recently been approved to try to combat these resistant organisms in adult patients. Although it is certainly exciting to have additional antibiotic options to treat severe or resistant infections, unfortunately none of these agents offers a new mechanism of action or a new class of antibiotic.2 Rather, they extend the spectrum of coverage against resistant organisms relative to other antibiotics. Although individual pricing will vary by institution, these agents generally cost more than older comparable antibiotics, which will most likely affect formulary inclusion and criteria for use. Use of these new antibiotics is also likely to be restricted to antimicrobial stewardship programs and clinicians trained in infectious diseases. Susceptibility testing should be done whenever possible when these agents are used.3,4 When using these newer antibiotics to treat severe, resistant infections off-label, especially when using higher doses or longer durations of therapy, clinicians must be vigilant about closely monitoring for toxic effects. This article discusses the pharmacology, limitations, and role of these antibiotics in treating infections in critically ill adult patients. The Table summarizes the indications, dosing, and renal dose adjustments for each antibiotic.
Describing race, ethnicity, and culture in medical research

The terminology of race, ethnicity, and culture is a source of continuing debate and will change because of fashion and politics.1 Given our diversity, the fact that ethnicity is now most often self classified, and that both ethnicity and culture are dynamic it seems unlikely that an agreed taxonomy can be achieved. But if researchers want to be able to compare results of studies now and in the future a framework is needed for the classification of ethnic or cultural groups. The nearest we have to an agreed classification in the United Kingdom are the categories used by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in the 1991 census.2 This is a pragmatic classification that balances ease of collection against a need to produce data on the population.3 It is of limited use as a measure of sociocultural differences.3 This leaves a void in which there are many different terms used for groups. For instance, a black Baptist born in the UK but whose parents were …
[Clinical features of invasive candidiasis and risk factors for Candida bloodstream infection in children: a multicenter study in Urumqi, China].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical features of invasive candidiasis in children and the risk factors for Candida bloodstream infection. METHODS A retrospective study was performed on 134 children with invasive candidiasis and hospitalized in 5 tertiary hospitals in Urumqi, China, between January 2010 and December 2015. The Candida species distribution was investigated. The clinical data were compared between the patients with and without Candida bloodstream infection. The risk factors for Candida bloodstream infection were investigated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS A total of 134 Candida strains were isolated from 134 children with invasive candidiasis, and non-albicans Candida (NAC) accounted for 53.0%. The incidence of invasive candidiasis in the PICU and other pediatric wards were 41.8% and 48.5% respectively. Sixty-eight patients (50.7%) had Candida bloodstream infection, and 45 patients (33.6%) had Candida urinary tract infection. There were significant differences in age, rate of use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, and incidence rates of chronic renal insufficiency, heart failure, urinary catheterization, and NAC infection between the patients with and without Candida bloodstream infection (P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that younger age (1-24 months) (OR=6.027) and NAC infection (OR=1.020) were the independent risk factors for Candida bloodstream infection. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of invasive candidiasis is similar between the PICU and other pediatric wards. NAC is the most common species of invasive candidiasis. Candida bloodstream infection is the most common invasive infection. Younger age (1-24 months) and NAC infection are the risk factors for Candida bloodstream infection.
Contributions of nitric oxide, EDHF, and EETs to endothelium-dependent relaxation in renal afferent arterioles.

BACKGROUND Acetylcholine-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation in the renal afferent arteriole has been ascribed to nitric oxide, but the role of endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factors (EDHFs) and 14,15-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (14,15-EET) are unclear. METHODS Single afferent arterioles were dissected from kidney of normal rabbits and microperfused in vitro at 60 mm Hg. Vessels were preconstricted submaximally with norepinephrine (10(-8) mol/L). Relaxation was assessed following cumulative addition of ACh (10(-9) to 10(-4) mol/L) alone, or in the presence of indomethacin (to inhibit cyclooxygenase), Nw-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) (to inhibit nitric oxide synthase), methylene blue (to inhibit soluble guanylate cyclase), or a combination of L-NNA + methylene blue. To assess contributions by EDHF, studies were repeated with either apamin + charybdotoxin [to block Ca2+-activated K+ channels (KCa)] or with 40 mmol/L KCl. To asses the role of 14,15-EET, relaxations were evaluated in the presence of its competitive inhibitor 14,15-epoxyeicosa-5(Z)-enoic acid (14,15-EEZE). RESULTS Relaxation by acetylcholine was abolished following endothelial denudation. It was unaffected by indomethacin but was inhibited 54%+/- 5% (P < 0.001) by L-NNA, 57%+/- 5% by methylene blue, and 60%+/- 4% by the combination of L-NNA plus methylene blue. Relaxation was inhibited further by KCl (80%+/- 6%) or by apamin + charybdotoxin (96%+/- 2%). 14,15-EEZE, alone, inhibited acetylcholine-induced relaxation by 29%+/- 3%, and by 80%+/- 5% in the presence of L-NNA. CONCLUSION Acetylcholine-induced afferent arteriolar relaxation depends strongly on both nitric oxide, acting via soluble guanylate cyclase, and on an EDHF, likely 14,15-EET, acting via KCa.
Incomplete right bundle branch block: a novel electrocardiographic marker for lone atrial fibrillation.

AIMS P-wave morphology and PR interval have both been previously associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). We hypothesized that incomplete right bundle branch block (IRBBB) would be associated with early-onset lone AF. METHODS AND RESULTS We conducted a case-control study comparing electrocardiographic (ECG) markers from patients with early-onset lone AF and from a healthy control population. We included 187 patients with early-onset lone AF and 383 healthy controls. Sixty-two lone AF patients were excluded from the study because of AF at the time of enrolment or because of the use of antiarrhythmic drugs. For the remaining 125 patients with paroxysmal or persistent lone AF (84% males, mean age 37), controls were matched on a 1:1 basis on the parameters gender and age. A significantly higher proportion of the lone AF population had an IRBBB compared with the subjects in the control group (33.6 vs. 10.4%; P<0.001). In multivariable analysis adjusted for conventional risk factors, IRBBB was strongly associated with lone AF [odds ratio (OR) 5.43; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.30-13.02; P<0.001]. Lone AF patients had a significantly longer PR interval than the control group (175.1 vs. 160.9 ms; P<0.001), but in multivariable analysis, every 10 ms increase in the PR interval was only borderline significantly associated with an OR of 1.15 (95% CI 0.99-1.32; P=0.060) for lone AF. CONCLUSION We are the first to report that IRBBB is strongly and independently associated with early-onset lone AF.
The Impact of the Securities Market Amendment Act 2002 on Insider Trading in New Zealand

Insider trading has a number of harmful effects that can result in financial market distortions reducing its efficient functioning. Much of this harm comes from the large profits insiders expropriate from small investors and the resulting loss of confidence in the market by the investing community. This causes investors to reduce investment and participation in the market and imposes higher risk premiums and transaction costs on share prices to compensate for the added risk of trading against an insider. Studies have however shown that the regulatory regime of a country can impact on the degree of harm suffered by a market from the presence of insiders.However perceptions and commentaries on the laws governing insider trading in New Zealand over the past decade and a half have been generally dismissive. These views in no small part have been driven by the lack of successful enforcement since their introduction in 1988 despite a number of high profile situations that have reinforced the belief that insider trading is rife in the market. Etebari Tourani-Rad and Gilbert (2004) also showed that under the previous regime insider's trades earned profits that were significantly higher than both those of ordinary investors as well as insiders from more effectively regulated markets. To rectify this problem the Securities Market Amendment Act 2002 was enacted targeting the major weaknesses of the previous law. The new law now requires all corporate insiders executives directors and substantial shareholders to disclose details of their transactions within 5 working days and allows the Securities Commissions to prosecute an insider. These changes should reduce the amount of insider trading and therefore improve confidence in the New Zealand Stock Exchange. This paper examines the effect that these changes have had on the structure of the New Zealand market to see if the changes have been effective.