Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of the Penetration of Antituberculosis Agents in Rabbit Pulmonary Lesions

ABSTRACT Standard antituberculosis (anti-TB) therapy requires the use of multiple drugs for a minimum of 6 months, with variable outcomes that are influenced by a number of microbiological, pathological, and clinical factors. This is despite the availability of antibiotics that have good activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in vitro and favorable pharmacokinetic profiles in plasma. However, little is known about the distribution of widely used antituberculous agents in the pulmonary lesions where the pathogen resides. The rabbit model of TB infection was used to explore the hypothesis that standard drugs have various abilities to penetrate lung tissue and lesions and that adequate drug levels are not consistently reached at the site of infection. Using noncompartmental and population pharmacokinetic approaches, we modeled the rate and extent of distribution of isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and moxifloxacin in rabbit lung and lesions. Moxifloxacin reproducibly showed favorable partitioning into lung and granulomas, while the exposure of isoniazid, rifampin, and pyrazinamide in lesions was markedly lower than in plasma. The extent of penetration in lung and lesions followed different trends for each drug. All four agents distributed rapidly from plasma to tissue with equilibration half-lives of less than 1 min to an hour. The models adequately described the plasma concentrations and reasonably captured actual lesion concentrations. Though further refinement is needed to accurately predict the behavior of these drugs in human subjects, our results enable the integration of lesion-specific pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) indices in clinical trial simulations and in in vitro PK-PD studies with M. tuberculosis.
RUNNING HEAD: ANXIETY, HAPPINESS, AND STEREOTYPING Don’t be happy, worry: Positive mood, but not anxiety, increases stereotyping in a mock juror decision-making task

Moods and emotions have the potential to influence the decisions made by jurors. Two theories predict that when people are anxious they will rely more on stereotypes when evaluating other people. However, research results have been equivocal as to whether anxiety increases the use of stereotypes in evaluations of other people. Study 1 (N = 127) and Study 2 (N = 279) used a juror decision-making task to examine whether anxiety would increase the application of stereotypes, and it did not. However, the same task in Study 3 (N = 195) detected increased stereotyping by happy participants. These findings support conclusions that anxiety may not increase stereotyping in social judgments to the extent previously believed. Because of this, there is little cause for worry on the part of those involved in the legal system that anxiety experienced by jurors will lead them to make biased judgments based on social stereotypes.
Long-term effectiveness and treatment timing for Bionator therapy.

The aim of the present investigation was to provide information about the long-term effects and optimal timing for class-II treatment with the Bionator appliance. Lateral cephalograms of 23 class-II patients treated with the Bionator were analyzed at three time periods: T1, start of treatment; T2, end of Bionator therapy; and T3, long-term observation (after completion of growth). T3 includes a phase with fixed appliances. The treated sample was divided into two groups according to their skeletal maturity as evaluated by the cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) method. The early-treated group (13 subjects) initiated treatment before the peak in mandibular growth, which occurred after completion of Bionator therapy. The late-treated group (10 subjects) received Bionator treatment during the peak. The T1-T2, T2-T3, and T1-T3 changes in the treated groups were compared with changes in control groups of untreated class-II subjects by nonparametric statistics (P < .05). The findings of the present study on Bionator therapy followed by fixed appliances indicate that this treatment protocol is more effective and stable when it is performed during the pubertal growth spurt. Optimal timing to start treatment with the Bionator is when a concavity appears at the lower borders of the second and the third cervical vertebrae (CVMS II). In the long-term, the amount of significant supplementary elongation of the mandible in subjects treated during the pubertal peak is 5.1 mm more than in the controls, and it is associated with a backward direction of condylar growth. Significant increments in mandibular ramus height also were recorded.
Tailoring the software process to project goals and environments

This paper presents a methodology for improving the software process by tailoring it to the specific project goals and environment. This improvement process is aimed at the global software process model as well as methods and tools supporting that model. The basic idea is to use defect profiles to help characterize the environment and evaluate the project goals and the effectiveness of methods and tools in a quantitative way. The improvement process is implemented iteratively by setting project improvement goals, characterizing those goals and the environment, in part, via defect profiles in a quantitative way, choosing methods and tools fitting those characteristics, evaluating the actual behavior of the chosen set of methods and tools, and refining the project goals based on the evaluation results. All these activities require analysis of large amounts of data and, therefore, support by an automated tool. Such a tool — TAME (Tailoring A Measurement Environment) — is currently being developed.
The Use of Socratic Method as a Teaching/Learning Tool to Develop Students' Critical Thinking: a Review of Literature

This paper reviews the literature on Socratic Method as a teaching/learning tool to enhance critical thinking skills. It starts with a short history of Socratic Method by introducing its founder and briefly provides an overall picture of the method. Then, a number of definitions of critical thinking is presented and discussed. Next, taxonomy of Socratic questioning is presented. The taxonomy provides a detailed description of questions that can be used when employing Socratic Method. Afterwards, a number of previous studies are reviewed to show the influence of Socratic approach on critical thinking skills. Finally, a brief conclusion will close the paper.
Vegetable oils as protectants against nematode infections.

In this experiment, 0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 ml of each oil dissolved in 1 ml of 95 % ethanol was added to 1 kg of soil containing 370 P. penetrans per kg, and incorporated by shaking. After 10 days at 22 ± 3 C, a four-week-old tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill cv. Bonny Best) seedling was planted in each of six 5-cm-diam plastic pots containing 100 g of treated or untreated infested soil. After 5 days at 22 C each root system (about 0.2 g) was washed free of soil and homogenized in a blender for 30 seconds. The number of free P. penetrans was determined. In another test, 1 ml of soybean oil was mixed with 1 kg of soil containing 850 Tylenchorhynchus dubius (Butschli) Filipjev. The soil was placed in 15-cm-diam plastic pots and incubated for 3 days at 22-25 C. T h e n annual rye grass (Lolium temulentum L.) was seeded. Twelve days later, T. dubius individuals in 100 g of soil from each pot were extracted by flotation (1) and counted. T o test possible use of these oils as root dips, tomato roots were dipped into water containing 0.25% corn oil and then planted in pasteurized soil or soil infested with P. penetrans (370/kg of soil). After growth in the greenhouse for 5 days at 22-25 C, tile roots were washed and homogenized in a blender for 30 seconds, and free P. penetrans were counted.
Towards the Terabit/s satellite – interference issues in the user link

Present high‐capacity geostationary satellites provide throughput in the range of 70 Gb/s (Ka‐Sat) up to 140 Gb/s (ViaSat‐1, EchoStar 17). In order to keep up with the quickly increasing bit rate requirements of new services and applications, future communication satellites must increase their capacity by an order of magnitude, thus reaching the terabit/s throughput range. The challenge of achieving a terabit/s satellite system requires investigation of a multitude of issues, limitations and problems.
Outcomes after Standardized Screw Fixation Technique of Ankle Arthrodesis

Several methods of obtaining ankle fusion have been described, with numerous studies reporting on patient populations with varied diagnoses and various methods of fixation. This has led to outcome analyses that are difficult to interpret. Our hypothesis is that using a standard method of fusion, without the aid of allograft, a solid ankle fusion can be achieved in patients with end-stage ankle arthritis, and that this outcome can be reflected in standardized outcome tools. Forty-one consecutive ankle fusions in 40 patients were included in our study, with a minimum followup of 3 years. All patients had an ankle arthrodesis using two parallel retrograde 7.3-mm screws and local fibular graft. All but two patients obtained a solid talocrural union (95%), with a mean postoperative improvement in the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score of 23 points. Results of our study showed that a simple technique based on sound mechanical and biologic principles can yield excellent outcomes for patients.Level of Evidence: Therapeutic study, Level IV (case series). See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Structural query optimization—a uniform framework for semantic query optimization in deductive databases

Recursion is at once a source of increased expressive power and high complexity for query languages like Datalog. A major question therefore is efficient processing of recursive queries. The first line of attack to process a recursive Datalog program P is to try to see if we can remove its recursivity; this is equivalent to testing whether there is a nonrecursive Datalog program which is equivalent to P. If this is the case, then P is said to be bounded [CGKV, GMSV, I, Nl, NS]. In general, the problem of testing whether a Datalog program is bounded is known to be undecidable even for linear programs with one idb predicate [GMSV]. Some other decidable and undecidable results on boundedness of Datalog programs are presented in [A, CGKV, K, Nl, NS, S, Var]. For a detailed summary of the present state-of-the-art of this problem see [KA]. None of the positive results above take into account the integrity constraints that may be satisfied by the predicates in the program.
Exact minimax strategies for predictive density estimation, data compression, and model selection

For location and scale families of distributions and related settings of linear regression, we determine minimax procedures for predictive density estimation, for universal data compression, and for the minimum description length (MDL) criterion for model selection. The analysis gives the best invariant and indeed minimax procedure for predictive density estimation by directly verifying extended Bayes properties or, alternatively, by general aspects of decision theory on groups which are shown to simplify in the case of Kullback-Leibler loss. An exact minimax rule is generalized Bayes using a uniform (Lebesgue measure) prior on the location and log-scale parameters, which is made proper by conditioning on an initial set of observations.
Rapid Detection of Panton-Valentine Leukocidin in Staphylococcus aureus Cultures by Use of a Lateral Flow Assay Based on Monoclonal Antibodies

ABSTRACT Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is a virulence factor of Staphylococcus aureus, which is associated with skin and soft-tissue infections and necrotizing pneumonia. To develop a rapid phenotypic assay, recombinant PVL F component was used to generate monoclonal antibodies by phage display. These antibodies were spotted on protein microarrays and screened using different lukF-PV preparations and detection antibodies. This led to the identification of the optimal antibody combination that was then used to establish a lateral flow assay. This test was used to detect PVL in S. aureus cultures. The detection limit of the assay with purified native and recombinant antigens was determined to be around 1 ng/ml. Overnight cultures from various solid and liquid media proved suitable for PVL detection. Six hundred strains and clinical isolates from patients from America, Europe, Australia, Africa, and the Middle East were tested. Isolates were genotyped in parallel by DNA microarray hybridization for confirmation of PVL status and assignment to clonal complexes. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the assay in this trial were 99.7, 98.3, 98.4, and 99.7%, respectively. A total of 302 clinical isolates and reference strains were PVL positive and were assigned to 21 different clonal complexes. In summary, the lateral flow test allows rapid and economical detection of PVL in a routine bacteriology laboratory. As the test utilizes cultures from standard media and does not require sophisticated equipment, it can be easily integrated into a laboratory's workflow and might contribute to timely therapy of PVL-associated infections.
Helicobacter pylori infection & immune thrombocytopenic purpura in children and adolescents: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract Helicobacter pylori and immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) association is not well established in chronic ITP (cITP) in children, although the cure of thrombocytopenia in approximately half of H. pylori eradicated adult patients has been described. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of H. pylori eradication on platelet (PLT) recovery in cITP children and adolescents through a randomized, controlled trial. A total of 85 children (mean age 11.4 years) with cITP were prospectively enrolled. Diagnosis of H. pylori was established by two locally validated tests, 13C-urea breath test and monoclonal stool antigen test. Twenty-two infected patients were identified, and randomly allocated into two groups: H. pylori treatment group (n = 11) and the non-intervention control group (n = 11). The control group was offered treatment if the thrombocytopenia persisted after the follow-up. At baseline, there were no differences regarding age, sex, duration of disease, and PLT count between groups. Sixty three of 85 patients were uninfected. PLT response was classified as complete response: PLT > 150 × 109 l−1; partial response: PLT 50–150 × 109 l−1, or an increase of 20–30 × 109 l−1; no response: PLT < 50 × 109 l−1 or an increase of <20 × 109 l−1 after at least 6 months of follow-up. Complete response was observed in 60.0% (6/10, one excluded) H. pylori eradicated patients vs. 18.2% (2/11) in non-eradicated patients (p = 0.08; OR = 6.75) after 6–9 months of follow-up. Among uninfected patients, only 13.8% (8/58) presented complete response. Two non-treated controls were treated after 6–12 months of follow-up, and PLT response was observed in 61.5% (8/13) of H. pylori eradicated patients, and in 19.0% (11/58) of uninfected patients (p = 0.004). Cytotoxin associated gene A and vacuolating cytotoxin gene A IgG antibodies were present in almost all infected patients. Therefore, the study suggests that H. pylori eradication plays a role in the management of H. pylori infected cITP children and adolescents.
Sound Pressure Correlates of the Second Heart Sound: An Intracardiac Sound Study

The sound pressure correlates of the second heart sound were studied in 22 patients during diagnostic cardiac catheterization. Simultaneous right ventricular and pulmonary artery pressures were recorded with equisensitive catheter-tip micromanometers together with the external phonocardiogram and ECG. In 12 patients having normal pulmonary vascular resistance (group 1), pulmonic closure sound was coincident with the incisura of the pulmonary artery pressure curve which in turn was separated from the right ventricular pressure trace by an interval denoted hangout. The duration of this interval varied (33-89 msec), was independent of pulmonary artery pressure or resistance and was felt to be primarily a reflection of the capacitance of the pulmonary vascular tree. The absolute value of this interval during inspiration was very similar to the splitting interval and, when subtracted from the Q-P2 interval, the remaining interval (QRV) was almost identical to the Q-A2 interval, indicating that the actual duration of right and left ventricular systole is nearly equal. Awareness of the existence of the hangout interval and its hemodynamic determinants offers a reasonable mechanism to explain the audible expiratory splitting of the second heart sound found in patients with idiopathic dilatation of the pulmonary artery following atrial septal defect repair and in one additional patient studied with mild valvular pulmonic stenosis. In nine patients with elevated pulmonary vascular resistance approaching systemic levels (group 2), the absolute value of the hangout interval was markedly reduced (15-28 msec) consistent with the decrease in capacitance of the pulmonary vascular bed and the increased pulmonary vascular resistance known to occur in pulmonary hypertension. In those patients where the duration of right and left ventricular systole were nearly equal, narrow splitting of the second heart sound was present. In those patients where selective prolongation of right ventricular systole occurred, the narrow hangout interval persisted, but the splitting interval was prolonged proportionate to the increased duration of right ventricular systole.
IMPACT OF SLEEP RESTRICTION VERSUS IDEALIZED SLEEP ON AFFECT AND EMOTION REGULATION IN HEALTHY ADOLESCENTS

This study seeks to replicate and expand evidence for the adverse effects of sleep loss on affect and emotion regulation (Pilcher & Huffcut, 1996; Talbot, McGlinchey, Kaplan, Dahl, & Harvey, 2010; Carskadon, 1990; Baum et al., 2014) among a sample of healthy adolescents. Forty two healthy adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 were randomized to one of two overnight sleep conditions: (1) partial sleep restriction (4 hours total sleep) or (2) idealized sleep (9.5 hours total sleep). The next day, in comparison to participants in the idealized sleep group, adolescents in the restricted sleep group reported lower positive affect on the PANAS-C, and higher state and trait anxiety on the STAIC. There were no significant group differences in reported negative affect on the PANAS-C. Participants also viewed a variety of emotionally-evocative images from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS; Lang, Bradley, & Cuthbert, 2005) and provided affective ratings. No group differences in valence or arousal ratings for any picture type (positive, neutral, or negative) were found. Participants were instructed to utilize a cognitive reappraisal technique to re-evaluate negative IAPS pictures. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of reappraisal ability (ability to generate cognitive reappraisal statements) or in reappraisal efficacy (efficacy in downregulating negative emotions through this method), although both groups evidenced reappraisal efficacy. In other words, cognitive reappraisal was equally successful in both groups. Additionally, cognitive reappraisal ability and efficacy were not found to mediate the effects of sleep condition on affect. These findings overall add to a small body of literature showing the adverse effects of sleep restriction on affective functioning among healthy adolescents.
Impact of Load-Related Neural Processes on Feature Binding in Visuospatial Working Memory

Background The capacity of visual working memory (WM) is substantially limited and only a fraction of what we see is maintained as a temporary trace. The process of binding visual features has been proposed as an adaptive means of minimising information demands on WM. However the neural mechanisms underlying this process, and its modulation by task and load effects, are not well understood. Objective To investigate the neural correlates of feature binding and its modulation by WM load during the sequential phases of encoding, maintenance and retrieval. Methods and Findings 18 young healthy participants performed a visuospatial WM task with independent factors of load and feature conjunction (object identity and position) in an event-related functional MRI study. During stimulus encoding, load-invariant conjunction-related activity was observed in left prefrontal cortex and left hippocampus. During maintenance, greater activity for task demands of feature conjunction versus single features, and for increased load was observed in left-sided regions of the superior occipital cortex, precuneus and superior frontal cortex. Where these effects were expressed in overlapping cortical regions, their combined effect was additive. During retrieval, however, an interaction of load and feature conjunction was observed. This modulation of feature conjunction activity under increased load was expressed through greater deactivation in medial structures identified as part of the default mode network. Conclusions and Significance The relationship between memory load and feature binding qualitatively differed through each phase of the WM task. Of particular interest was the interaction of these factors observed within regions of the default mode network during retrieval which we interpret as suggesting that at low loads, binding processes may be ‘automatic’ but at higher loads it becomes a resource-intensive process leading to disengagement of activity in this network. These findings provide new insights into how feature binding operates within the capacity-limited WM system.
Music in the early years: Pathways into the social world

Two assumptions that underlie much research in early childhood music education are that music is a social endeavor and musical participation is beneficial to children’s overall social development. As members of cultural and social groups, young children engage with music in a multitude of ways and with different companions. This article examines young children’s musical engagement from a social perspective, integrating research from a wide range of fields and theoretical orientations. The first section brings forward a discussion on the nature of social interactions with an emphasis on three building blocks of social cognition and their relationships to musical experiences of young children. Studies on rhythmic entrainment, social identity in childhood, musical play, and the effects of formal music education on children’s social development are discussed in the next sections, along with some of the caveats of current theorizing. Implications for future research and practice in music education are woven throughout the text.