Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phenotypically Adapted Mycobacterium tuberculosis Populations from Sputum Are Tolerant to First-Line Drugs

ABSTRACT Tuberculous sputum contains multiple Mycobacterium tuberculosis populations with different requirements for isolation in vitro. These include cells that form colonies on solid media (plateable M. tuberculosis), cells requiring standard liquid medium for growth (nonplateable M. tuberculosis), and cells requiring supplementation of liquid medium with culture supernatant (SN) for growth (SN-dependent M. tuberculosis). Here, we describe protocols for the cryopreservation and direct assessment of antimicrobial tolerance of these M. tuberculosis populations within sputum. Our results show that first-line drugs achieved only modest bactericidal effects on all three populations over 7 days (1 to 2.5 log10 reductions), and SN-dependent M. tuberculosis was more tolerant to streptomycin and isoniazid than the plateable and nonplateable M. tuberculosis strains. Susceptibility of plateable M. tuberculosis to bactericidal drugs was significantly increased after passage in vitro; thus, tolerance observed in the sputum samples from the population groups was likely associated with mycobacterial adaptation to the host environment at some time prior to expectoration. Our findings support the use of a simple ex vivo system for testing drug efficacies against mycobacteria that have phenotypically adapted during tuberculosis infection.
Predicting conditional branch directions from previous runs of a program

Predicting Conditional Branch Directions From Previous Runs of a Program Joseph A. Fisher and Stefan M. Freudenberger Hewlett-Packard Laboratories 1501 Page Mill Rd. 3U-5 Palo Alto, CA 94304 jfisher@hpl.hp. com freuden@hpl.hp. com There are several important reasons for predicting which way the flow of control of a program is going to go tirst, in instmctionIevel parallel architectures, code motions can produce more dataready candidate instructions at once than there are resources to execute them. Some of these are speculative (executed ahead of a conditional branch that might otherwise have prevented their execution), so one must sensibly pick among them, and one must avoid issuing low probability speculative instructions when the system overhead associated with canceling them most of the time outweighs the gain of their infrequent succes~ second, important classes of compiler optimization depend upon this information, and finally, branch prediction can help optimize pipelined fetch and execute, icache fill, etc. If substantial code motions are desired, it is probably impractical to expect the hardware to make them, and a compiler must instead. Thus, the compiler must have access to branch predictions made before the program runs. In this paper we consider the question of how predictable branches are when previous runs of a program are used to feed back information to the compiler. We propose new measures which we believe more clearly capture the predictability of branches in programs. We fmd that even code with a complex flow of control, including systems utilities and language processors written in C, are dominated by branches which go in one way, and that this direction usually varies little when one changes the data used as the predictor and target.
Read my lips: Re-evaluating subtitling and dubbing in Europe

Language transfer in European film and television is dominated by two techniques; subtitling and dubbing, and most countries tend to harbour a marked preference and prejudice in which method they use. These preferences are largely historical and selfperpetuating, because over-exposure to one or other technique affirms its acceptability and continued use. However, there is little understanding of the way in which these two language transfer methods actually affect the meaning and reception of foreign language material. Therefore, this paper examines the artistic and aesthetic merits and weaknesses of each technique, through a number of practical examples, which will help to clarify how language reception is altered. Taking this step back enables us to re-evaluate current industry practice which will not only be beneficial but necessary in future digital European markets.
An evaluation of the use of a negative interferon-&ggr; release assay for tuberculosis screening before TNF antagonist therapy

To the Editor: Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α antagonists, such as infliximab, adalimumab and etanercept, are widely used to treat immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. These drugs increase the risk of latent infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (LTBI) reactivation [1, 2]. Tuberculosis (TB) preventative chemotherapy significantly reduces this risk (74%); hence, in the UK, patients are screened for LTBI before starting TNF antagonist therapy [3]. The optimum screening strategy remains unclear. Strategies include combinations of clinical risk stratification data, T-cell interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) tests and tuberculin skin tests (TSTs) [2, 4, 5]. These tests have limitations, and have discordant results when compared [6]. The 2005 British Thoracic Society (BTS) guidelines recommend the use of risk stratification tables based on population demographics. These balance the likelihood of LTBI with the risk of therapy-induced hepatotoxicity to guide preventative chemotherapy decisions [7]. Since 2005, IGRAs have become widely available and suggested as a TST alternative [8]. Guidelines have suggested that all IGRA-positive patients (unless secondary to previous, fully treated TB) be given preventative chemotherapy prior to commencing TNF antagonist therapy [9]. This generally consists of 6 months of isoniazid, or 3 months of rifampicin and isoniazid [10]. However, the management of IGRA-negative patients is more complex and this study focuses on this. At our centre, patients with a negative IGRA (enzyme-linked immunospot assay) and normal chest radiography commence TNF antagonist therapy without referral for further LTBI risk assessment. This is based on the improved performance of the IGRA in detecting LTBI compared with the TST, particularly in the context of other immunosuppressive drugs and previous bacille Calmette–Guerin vaccination [2, 11]. This …
Team feedback based on dialogue

Recent work in change management has emphasized the role of feedback in creating a readiness for, and contributing to acceptance of, the need for change. This article illustrates the development and application of an intervention protocol where differences in perceptual location among team members of an R&D team were used as a springboard for inducing them to talk more openly about their differences and to help them see how change could be constructed through dialogue as a medium. To the extent that team members were willing to create shared meaning, rather than gaining agreement on one meaning, they were more able to learn from each other and to “criss‐cross” their views with each other, thus enhancing their understanding of the sorts of issues that are impeding their ability to perform.
The relationship between tumor necrosis factor-α polymorphisms and gastric cancer risk: An updated meta-analysis

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and the development of gastric cancer, and to investigate whether it can be used as a biological marker for gastric cancer. In the current study, a new meta-analysis was performed to assess the association between TNF-α gene polymorphisms and gastric cancer susceptibility. Subgroup analyses based on ethnicity, control population source and non-cardia cancers were also conducted. Summary odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model. TNF-α 308 polymorphisms indicated a significant relationship with gastric cancer risk among a normal population [GA/AA vs. GG; 1.17 (1.10–1.23)]. In analysis stratified by ethnicity, TNF-α 238 displayed an association with gastric cancer risk in eastern populations [GA/AA vs. GG: 1.24 (1.02–1.50)], but not in western populations [GA/AA vs. GG: 0.96 (0.79–1.18)]. The overall ORs (95% CIs) for TNF-α 857, TNF-α 1031 and TNF-α 863 were 1.13 (1.04–1.24), 0.94 (0.85–1.05) and 0.89 (0.78–1.02), respectively, under dominant genetic model comparison. Among the above three SNPs, only TNF-α 857 was robustly associated with gastric cancer inclination, and this association remained consistently robust when limited to non-cardia gastric cancers [GA/AA vs. GG: 1.16 (1.03–1.31)]. TNF-α 308 and TNF-α 857 genotypes were potential risk factors of statistical significance in gastric cancer, and TNF-α 238 indicated to be significantly associated with gastric cancer risk only in eastern populations. TNF-α 1031 and TNF-α 863 were not significantly associated with gastric cancer risk.
Openness and Technological Innovation in East Asia: Have They Increased the Demand for Skills?

This paper examines whether the increased openness and technological innovation in East Asia have contributed to an increased demand for skills in the region. The author explores a unique firm level data set across eight countries in Asia and the Pacific region. The results strongly support the idea that greater openness and technological innovation have increased the demand for skills, especially in middle-income countries. In particular, while the presence in international markets has been skill enhancing for most middle-income countries, this is not the case for manufacturing firms operating in China and in low-income countries. The author interprets this to support the premise that if international integration in the region continues to intensify and technology continues to be skilled biased, policies aimed at mitigating the skills shortages should produce continual and persistent increase in skills.
Effects of Atrazine on Estrogen Receptor α– and G Protein–Coupled Receptor 30–Mediated Signaling and Proliferation in Cancer Cells and Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts

Background: The pesticide atrazine does not bind to or activate the classical estrogen receptor (ER), but it up-regulates the aromatase activity in estrogen-sensitive tumor cells. The G protein estrogen receptor (GPR30/GPER) has been reported to be involved in certain biological responses to endogenous estrogens and environmental compounds exerting estrogen-like activity. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the potential of atrazine to trigger GPER-mediated signaling in cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Methods and Results: Using gene reporter assays in diverse types of cancer cells, we found that atrazine did not transactivate endogenous ERα or chimeric proteins that encode the ERα and ERβ hormone binding domains. Conversely, atrazine was able to bind to GPER to induce ERK activation and the expression of estrogen target genes, which, interestingly, appeared to rely on both GPER and ERα expression. As a biological counterpart, atrazine stimulated the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells that depend on GPER and ERα, as evidenced by gene silencing experiments and the use of specific signaling inhibitors. Of note, through GPER, atrazine elicited ERK phosphorylation, gene expression, and migration in CAFs, thus extending its stimulatory role to these main players of the tumor microenvironment. Conclusions: Our results suggest a novel mechanism through which atrazine may exert relevant biological effects in cancer cells and CAFs. On the basis of our data, atrazine should be included among the environmental contaminants that may elicit estrogenic activity through GPER-mediated signaling. Citation: Albanito L, Lappano R, Madeo A, Chimento A, Prossnitz ER, Capello AR, Dolce V, Abonante S, Pezzi V, Maggiolini M. 2015. Effects of atrazine on estrogen receptor α– and G protein–coupled receptor 30–mediated signaling and proliferation in cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Environ Health Perspect 123:493–499; http://dx.doi. org/10.1289/ehp.1408586
Clinical effectiveness of individual cognitive behavioral therapy for depressed older people in primary care: a randomized controlled trial.

CONTEXT In older people, depressive symptoms are common, psychological adjustment to aging is complex, and associated chronic physical illness limits the use of antidepressants. Despite this, older people are rarely offered psychological interventions, and only 3 randomized controlled trials of individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in a primary care setting have been published. OBJECTIVE To determine the clinical effectiveness of CBT delivered in primary care for older people with depression. DESIGN A single-blind, randomized, controlled trial with 4- and 10-month follow-up visits. PATIENTS A total of 204 people aged 65 years or older (mean [SD] age, 74.1 [7.0] years; 79.4% female; 20.6% male) with a Geriatric Mental State diagnosis of depression were recruited from primary care. INTERVENTIONS Treatment as usual (TAU), TAU plus a talking control (TC), or TAU plus CBT. The TC and CBT were offered over 4 months. OUTCOME MEASURES Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) scores collected at baseline, end of therapy (4 months), and 10 months after the baseline visit. Subsidiary measures were the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Social Functioning Questionnaire, and Euroqol. Intent to treat using Generalized Estimating Equation and Compliance Average Causal Effect analyses were used. RESULTS Eighty percent of participants were followed up. The mean number of sessions of TC or CBT was just greater than 7. Intent-to-treat analysis found improvements of -3.07 (95% confidence interval [CI], -5.73 to -0.42) and -3.65 (95% CI, -6.18 to -1.12) in BDI-II scores in favor of CBT vs TAU and TC, respectively. Compliance Average Causal Effect analysis compared CBT with TC. A significant benefit of CBT of 0.4 points (95% CI, 0.01 to 0.72) on the BDI-II per therapy session was observed. The cognitive therapy scale showed no difference for nonspecific, but significant differences for specific factors in therapy. Ratings for CBT were high (mean [SD], 54.2 [4.1]). CONCLUSION Cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective treatment for older people with depressive disorder and appears to be associated with its specific effects. TRIAL REGISTRATION isrctn.org Identifier: ISRCTN18271323.
Effects of the limited English proficiency of parents on hospital length of stay and home health care referral for their home health care-eligible children with infections.

OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship of limited English proficiency of parents to hospital length of stay (LOS) and to home health care referral for their home health care eligible-children with infections. DESIGN A retrospective cohort study. SETTING Regional urban pediatric hospital. PARTICIPANTS A total of 1257 children aged 0 to 18 years admitted for infection requiring prolonged antibiotic treatment during the period from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2008. MAIN EXPOSURES The cohort of patients were defined by primary caregivers who had to report on their English proficiency. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Number of home health care referrals and LOS. RESULTS The median LOS for the study group was 4.1 days (interquartile range, 2.6-7.2 days). Limited English proficiency was associated with longer LOS (adjusted relative LOS, 1.6 [95% confidence interval, 1.1-2.3]), indicating that patients who had caregivers with limited English proficiency stayed 60% longer, on average, than patients with English-proficient primary caregivers. Insurance status (Medicaid), absence of a primary care provider, home health care utilization, and presence of comorbidity were also associated with longer LOS. Limited English proficiency was associated with a significantly decreased number of home health care referrals (odds ratio, 0.2 [95% confidence interval, 0.04-0.8]). Patient insurance (Medicaid) and presence of any comorbidity were also significantly associated with decreased number of home health care referrals. CONCLUSIONS Among pediatric inpatients with infections requiring long-term antibiotics, a primary caregiver with limited English proficiency was identified as an important independent risk factor for both increased LOS and decreased number of home health care referrals.
A unifying approach to determine the necessary and sufficient conditions for nonblocking multicast 3-stage Clos networks

The 3-stage Clos network is the most-studied switching network. However, exact conditions on the strictly nonblocking multicast three-stage Clos network under various models are difficult to get, due to the messy detail and because each case employs a different argument. Hwang and Liaw (2000) made the latest attempt and pointed out errors in previous attempts. However, they made errors, too. In this paper, we propose a unifying approach to study those models systematically (which also applies to some wide-sense nonblocking (WSNB) networks). We also propose a new routing algorithm, and use the unifying approach to derive a necessary and sufficient condition for WSNB.
POOR NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND INFLAMMATION: Anthropometric and Body Composition Assessment in Dialysis Patients

Anthropometric and body composition assessments provide important information about the nutritional status of dialysis patients. Anthropometric measurements describe body size, fatness, and leanness in dialysis patients and have been collected in the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) and HEMO studies. Dialysis patients present special problems for anthropometry, including decreased functional status and increased comorbidity, that challenge nutrition assessment methodology. Recumbent anthropometric techniques are recommended and stature is estimated from knee height. Measures of weight, stature, calf circumference, arm circumference, and triceps and subscapular skinfolds have recently been reported for dialysis patients, who tend to be shorter, lighter, and have less adipose tissue than healthy persons of the same age. The HEMO study anthropometric data provide a clinical reference for assessing the nutritional status of dialysis patients. The most common body composition methods used with dialysis patients are dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA), bioelectrical impedance, total body water (TBW), and prediction equations, but they are not recommended for assessment of predialysis patients, as estimates are best obtained postdialysis. The TBW volume used in calculating the dose of dialysis has commonly been predicted from the limited, out‐of‐date equations of Watson, based on nonrepresentative samples. New prediction equations are available for white, black, and Mexican American children and adults. Watson's data are not representative of the TBW of U.S. men and women. The greater TBW in non‐Hispanic black men and women and Mexican American women reflects the greater levels of obesity in the U.S. population.
Clinical types and drug therapy of renal impairment in cirrhosis

Four separate types of renal failure in cirrhosis are described: functional renal failure; diuretic induced uraemia; acute tubular necrosis; chronic intrinsic renal disease. Functional renal failure may arise spontaneously or be precipitated by such factors as haemorrhage, surgery, or infection. It carries a poor prognosis but preliminary results of treating this condition with plasma volume expansion in combination with high doses of furosemide are encouraging.
Hemşirelik Son Sınıf Öğrencilerinin Eleştirel Düşünme Düzeylerinin Belirlenmesi

Ozet Giris: Hemsirelik meslegi kritik karar vermeyi gerektirir. Bu nedenle hemsirelerin elestirel dusunme becerisine sahip olmasi gerekir. Amac: Bu calisma, hemsirelik son sinif ogrencilerinin elestirel dusunme duzeylerini belirlemek amaciyla yapilmistir. Yontem: Tanimlayici tipte olan arastirma, 2011-2012 Egitim-Ogretim Yili Bahar Doneminde, Turkiye’nin farkli bolgelerinde bulunan yedi universitede ogrenim goren ve arastirmaya katilmayi kabul eden 553 son sinif hemsirelik ogrencileri ile yapilmistir. Veriler, Ogrenci Tanitici Ozellikler Formu ve Kaliforniya Elestirel Dusunme Egilimi Olcegi (KEDEO) kullanilarak toplanmistir. Verilerin degerlendirilmesinde; sayi, yuzdelik hesaplari, t testi, tek yonlu varyans analizi ve Tukey testi, kullanilmistir. Bulgular: Son sinif hemsirelik ogrencilerinin elestirel dusunme puan ortalamasi X=193.87 ± 23.019 olup dusuk duzeydedir. Ogrencilerin KEDEO alt olcek puan ortalamalarindan sadece analitiklik alt olcegi puan ortalamasi orta duzeyde (45.03 ± 7.105), dogruyu arama alt olcegi 24.25 ± 5.167, acik fikirlilik alt olcegi 36.98 ± 9.099, sistematiklik alt olcegi 20.35 ± 3.733, kendine guven alt olcegi 28.20 ± 5.465, meraklilik alt olcegi 39.07 ± 7.047 puan olup dusuk duzeydedir. Arastirmada, aile yapisinin ve baba egitim duzeyinin ogrencilerin elestirel dusunme duzeylerini olumlu yonde etkiledigi saptanmistir. Sonuc: Hemsirelik ogrencilerinin elestirel dusunme duzeyleri dusuk bulunmustur. Anahtar Kelimeler: Elestirel Dusunme, Hemsirelik Ogrencileri, Hemsirelik Egitimi
SPED – Sistema Público de Escrituração Digital: Percepção dos contribuintes em relação os impactos de sua adoção

The Brazilian Government used as a model the Electronic Governments of countries such as Spain, Chile and Mexico, among others, for creating the PSDB - Public System of Digital Bookkeeping, entering into the digital era. The exploratory research developed in this paper has the objective of verifying whether there has been operational improvements in the corporations as a result of the adoption of PSDB. These improvements, such as the time reduction for the issuance of BS, reduction of errors, greater flexibility and productivity in the process of goods reception and transport, in addition to the reduction in spending on paper and document storage and reduction of accessory obligations are pointed by government authorities as positive factors for corporations. When handling data, the Bivaried Statistics was utilized - using measures of association between two nominal variables - Phi Coefficient and Cramer V. The results obtained were compared to a similar study performed in Chile, and it was verified that the Brazilian taxpayers have perspectives different from Chileans´. The respondents have not obtained satisfactory results in terms of time reduction for issuing bills of sale, more agility and productivity in receiving goods or reduction in paper acquisition. Many of them expect future benefits, mainly regarding the reduction in the risks of frauds and in the operational costs.
Does family-based treatment reduce the need for hospitalization in adolescent anorexia nervosa?

OBJECTIVE We examined the timing and number of days of hospitalization during the course of treatment, hospitalization effects on outcome, and predictors and moderators of the use of hospitalization in adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN). METHOD Data used in this study were collected from 158 adolescents (ages 12 to 18 years of age) who met DSM-IVTR criteria for AN (exclusive of the amenorrhea criteria) randomized to receive either Family Based Treatment (FBT) or Systemic Family Therapy (SyFT) in a 7 site study. RESULTS The trajectory of hospital day use is similar in the first 5 weeks irrespective of treatment allocation. However, days of hospitalization continued to increase throughout SyFT but leveled off in FBT after ∼5 weeks of treatment. Early hospitalization was a negative predictor for improvements in percent weight change for both treatment groups (t(1)=2.6, p = 0.011). Co-morbid psychopathology predicted early hospital use in both treatments. Higher levels of eating related obsessions and depression moderated hospitalization rates suggesting that FBT reduces early hospitalization rates compared to SyFT for these subgroups. DISCUSSION These data support and extend findings from previous studies by identifying patterns of hospital use, and predictors and moderators of treatment effect for early hospitalization use in adolescent AN. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.(Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:891-894).