Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antibacterial prophylaxis in children with urinary tract infection

The aim, in conservative management of vesico‐ureteric reflux by antimicrobial prophylaxis, is to prevent recurrent febrile urinary tract infections and consequent renal scarring. However, the effects of this prophylactic strategy are difficult to evaluate, since the required studies comparing children on prophylaxis with controls (without prophylaxis but under careful supervision) are lacking. Furthermore, the optimal length of prophylaxis needs to be defined. Since risk of renal scarring is believed to occur more frequently in young people, and since recurrent urinary infections mainly affect girls, the age and sex of subjects are important in the design of a prophylactic regimen. Nitrofurantoin and trimethoprim are the most common agents used for long‐term, low‐dose antibacterial prophylaxis. Break‐through infections still result from non‐compliance and from development of bacterial resistance, the latter mainly arising with trimethoprim. Few studies of prophylactic drugs are available that adequately define patient materials and include a random allocation to the different agents. Further studies of the effects of alternative prophylactic agents are called for, preferably combined with fresh insight into the ecological impact on the bowel and periurethral floras.
Evaluation of the effectiveness of the prepectoral breast reconstruction with Braxon dermal matrix: First multicenter European report on 100 cases

We report the outcomes of the European prospective study on prepectoral breast reconstruction using preshaped acellular dermal matrix for complete breast implant coverage. Seventy‐nine patients were enrolled between April 2014 and August 2015 all over Europe using a single protocol for patient selection and surgical procedure, according to the Association of Breast Surgery and British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons joint guidelines for the use of acellular dermal matrix in breast surgery. The preshaped matrix completely wraps the breast implant, which is placed above the pectoralis major, without detaching the muscle. A total of 100 prepectoral breast reconstructions with complete implant coverage were performed. This series, with mean follow‐up of 17.9 months, had two cases of implant loss (2.0%) including one necrosis of the nipple and one wound breakdown (1.0% respectively). No implant rotations were observed. Good cosmetic outcomes were obtained with natural movement of the breasts and softness to the touch; none of the patients reported experiencing pain or reduction in the movements of the pectoralis major muscle postoperatively. The use of preshaped acellular dermal matrix for a complete breast implant coverage in selected patients is safe and gives satisfactory results, both from the aesthetic view point and the low postoperative complication rates. Further studies reporting long‐term outcomes are planned.
D2 dopamine receptor genotype and cerebrospinal fluid homovanillic acid, 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid and 3‐methoxy‐4‐hydroxyphenylglycol in alcoholics in Finland and the United States

If a genetic association between the D2 dopamine receptor genotype and alcoholism is mediated by altered dopamine function, then a stronger association might be found in alcoholics who are deviant in indices of dopamine function and by comparing alcoholics to nonalcoholics matched for ethnic origin. Therefore, we evaluated the D2/TaqI polymorphism in 29 impulsive violent alcoholic Finns, 17 nonimpulsive violent alcoholic Finns and 36 Finnish controls free of mental disorders, alcoholism and substance abuse. In 37 of the alcoholics, we measured cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) homovanillic acid (HVA), 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5‐HIAA) and 3‐methoxy‐4‐hydroxyphenylglycol. There was no relationship between D2/Taq 1 genotype and concentrations of these monoamine metabolites in this group, which exhibits lower CSF HVA and 5‐HIAA as compared to controls. There was also no genotypic difference between Finnish alcoholics and nonalcoholic controls. The lack of relationship between D2/Taq1 genotype and HVA concentration was replicated in 24 Caucasian alcoholics in the United States.
Angiogenin expression in burn blister fluid: Implications for its role in burn wound neovascularization

Deep partial thickness burn (DPTB) wound fluids have a greater propensity for establishing neovascularization than did superficial partial thickness burn (SPTB) wound fluids in our previous study. To investigate the factors responsible for this activity, cytokine array and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay were used to perform an expression analysis of angiogenic factors in burn fluid. Although present in approximately equal amounts in both SPTB and DPTB blister fluids from burn patients, angiogenin does appear to be involved in the ability of DPTB blister fluid to promote neovascularization in vitro and in vivo. Angiogenin alone was sufficient to induce endothelial differentiation of circulating angiogenic cells (CAC) without vascular endothelial growth factor A involvement. In addition, angiogenin was positively associated with CAC differentiation in the burn blister fluid. Blocking the effect of angiogenin in burn blister fluids resulted in a significant reduction of endothelial cell proliferation, CAC differentiation, and new blood vessels formation in vivo. Moreover, immunohistochemistry revealed that high angiogenin expression colocalizes with high vascularity in human burn wounds at day 7, further supporting our hypothesis that angiogenin is involved in burn wound neovascularization.
Expression of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 in lung cancer tissues.

BACKGROUND Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) has been reported to be associated with the development of various cancers. However, the role of TRAF6 in lung cancer remains unclear. OBJECTIVE To explore the expression and clinicopathological significance of TRAF6 protein in lung cancer tissues. MATERIALS AND METHODS Three hundred and sixty-five lung cancer samples and thirty normal lung tissues were constructed into 3 microarrays. The expression of TRAF6 protein was determined using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Furthermore, correlations between the expression of TRAF6 and clinicopathological parameters were investigated. RESULTS The expression of TRAF6 in total lung cancer tissues (365 cases), as well as in small cell lung cancer (SCLC, 26 cases) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC, 339 cases) was significantly higher compared with that in normal lung tissues. The ROC curve showed that the area under curve of TRAF6 was 0.663 (95%CI 0.570~0.756) for lung cancer. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of TRAF6 were 52.6% and 80%, respectively. In addition, the expression of TRAF6 was correlated with clinical TNM stage, tumor size and lymph node metastasis in all lung cancers. Consistent correlations were also observed for NSCLCs. CONCLUSIONS TRAF6 might be an oncogene and the expression of TRAF6 protein is related to the progression of lung cancer. Thus, TRAF6 might become a target for diagnosis and gene therapy for lung cancer patients.
Efficient energy transfer in light-harvesting systems, I: optimal temperature, reorganization energy and spatial–temporal correlations

Understanding the mechanisms of efficient and robust energy transfer in light-harvesting systems provides new insights for the optimal design of artificial systems. In this paper, we use the Fenna–Matthews–Olson (FMO) protein complex and phycocyanin 645 (PC 645) to explore the general dependence on physical parameters that help maximize the efficiency and maintain its stability. With the Haken–Strobl model, the maximal energy transfer efficiency (ETE) is achieved under an intermediate optimal value of dephasing rate. To avoid the infinite temperature assumption in the Haken–Strobl model and the failure of the Redfield equation in predicting the Forster rate behavior, we use the generalized Bloch–Redfield (GBR) equation approach to correctly describe dissipative exciton dynamics, and we find that maximal ETE can be achieved under various physical conditions, including temperature, reorganization energy and spatial–temporal correlations in noise. We also identify regimes of reorganization energy where the ETE changes monotonically with temperature or spatial correlation and therefore cannot be optimized with respect to these two variables.
Dynamic Influences of Culture on Cooperation in the Prisoner's Dilemma

This study tested whether priming of cultural symbols activates cultural behavioral scripts and thus the corresponding behaviors, and also whether the behaviors activated are context-specific. Specifically, to activate the cultural knowledge of Chinese-American bicultural participants, we primed them with Chinese cultural icons or American cultural icons. In the control condition, we showed them geometric figures. Then, the participants played the Prisoner's Dilemma game with friends or strangers (the context manipulation). As expected, participants showed more cooperation toward friends when Chinese cultural knowledge was activated than when American cultural knowledge was activated. By contrast, participants showed a similarly low level of cooperation toward strangers after both Chinese and American culture priming. These findings not only support previous evidence on culture priming of social judgment and self-construals, but also (a) provide the first evidence for the effects of culture priming on behaviors and (b) demonstrate the boundary condition of culture priming.
Characterization of HIV‐1 subtypes and drug resistance mutations among individuals infected with HIV in Georgia

In order to describe HIV‐1 subtypes and drug resistance mutations in Georgia, blood samples from 153 patients infected with HIV‐1 collected from 2006 to 2008 were genotyped. Of these, 126 samples were from newly diagnosed, antiretroviral (ARV)‐naïve patients and 27 from ARV‐treated patients. Partial pol region sequences were used to identify drug resistance mutations and to conduct phylogenetic analysis for subtype determination. The results indicated that 138 (90.2%) patients harbored subtype A viruses, 11 (7.2%) carried subtype B virus, two subtype G (1.3%), one (0.6%) subtype F and one (0.6%) 03_AB recombinant. All subtype A strains clustered with the Former Soviet Union A (A FSU) subtype. Among patients with no prior exposure to ARVs, mutations associated with resistance were detected in five patients: three (2.4%) patients had reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitor mutations and two other patients had the protease (PI) inhibitor associated mutation M46I. PI mutation V77I was found in 42 of subtype A isolates. Of 27 ARV‐treated patients, 22 (81.5%) harbored at least one nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI), a non‐NRTI (NNRTI) and/or a PI mutation. The most common NRTI resistance mutation was M184V/I (74.1%). Frequency of thymidine analog mutations was relatively low (25.9%). With regard to NNRTI mutations, G190S/A was the most frequent mutation, which might be a preferred mutations for subtype A. Georgia's HIV epidemic continues to be dominated by Subtype A FSU. The prevalence of transmitted drug resistance is low, but has the potential to increase with increasing use of ARVs. J. Med. Virol. 84: 1002–1008, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Detectability of a luminance increment.

The psychometric function for the detection of a foveal luminance increment was studied in human observers. The signal to be detected was a modulation of a 1300 cd/m2 6′ circular red target. For an ideal photodetector, the theory of signal detectability predicts that d′, the index of detectability, should rise linearly with the luminance, E, of the luminance increment unless the observer has some uncertainty concerning the parameters of the signal to be detected. Uncertainty is expressed by the parameter M that indicates the number of orthogonal signals possible. If M is greater than 1.0, (d′)2 = ln {1 − 1/M +(1/M) exp(E2/N2)} where N2 is the variance of the noise that obscures the signal. In addition, the theory predicts that the slope of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC curve) should decrease with increasing M. In one experiment, in which E was varied, a nonlinear psychometric function and an ROC curve of relatively low slope were found. In another experiment that included a pulsed background (pedestal) whether or not the signal was presented, the predicted linear M = 1 psychometric function was found. Finally, the ROC slope that was measured in rating experiments increased when the pedestal was used. Presumably, the pedestal provides the signal-parameter information that the observer could not remember. We conclude that the human observer acts like an ideal photodetector that has imperfect memory concerning the signal to be detected.
Uncovering knowing in practice during the graduate year: An exploratory study

Becoming a graduate nurse is both a complex and stressful transition. Graduates must socialise into the context of nursing practice while developing their own clinical expertise and knowledge as novice registered nurses.This paper describes a study that explored graduate nurses’ development of knowing and reflectivity during their graduate programs. This study used a series of audio-taped focus groups and anecdotes collected from participants during the first eighteen months of being a nurse. Anecdotes were submitted as word files, electronically to the chief researcher and thematically analysed using Carper’s (1978) ways of knowing as a framework. Four ways of knowing were identified through the anecdotes: knowing self, empirical, personal, and ethical. Substantiation of these was further enhanced from focus group data. Development of practical knowledge as a novice is influenced by the degree of engagement afforded to the graduate nurse and their skills of critical reflectivity.
Weakness in End-Range Plantar Flexion after Achilles Tendon Repair

Background Separation of tendon ends after Achilles tendon repair may affect the tendon repair process and lead to postoperative end-range plantarflexion weakness. Hypothesis Patients will have disproportionate end-range plantarflexion weakness after Achilles tendon repair. Study Design Descriptive laboratory study. Methods Four-strand core suture repairs of Achilles tendon were performed on 1 female and 19 male patients. Postoperatively, patients were nonweightbearing with the ankle immobilized for 4 weeks. Plantarflexion torque, dorsiflexion range of motion, passive joint stiffness, toe walking, and standing single-legged heel rise (on an incline, decline, and level surface) were assessed after surgery (mean, 1.8 years postoperative; range, 6 months-9 years). Maximum isometric plantarflexion torque was measured at 20° and 10° of dorsiflexion, neutral, and 10° and 20° of plantar flexion. Percentage strength deficit (relative to noninvolved leg) was computed at each angle. Passive dorsiflexion range of motion was measured goniometrically. Passive joint stiffness was computed from increase in passive torque between 10° and 20° of dorsiflexion, before isometric contractions. Results Significant plantarflexion weakness was evident on the involved side at 20° and 10° of plantar flexion (34% and 20% deficits, respectively; P < .001), with no torque deficits evident at other angles (6% at neutral, 3% at 10° of dorsiflexion, 0% at 20° of dorsiflexion). Dorsiflexion range of motion was not different between involved and noninvolved sides (P = .7). Passive joint stiffness was 34% lower on the involved side (P < .01). All patients could perform an incline heel rise; 14 patients could not perform a decline heel rise (P < .01). Conclusion Disproportionate weakness in end-range plantar flexion, decreased passive stiffness in dorsiflexion, and inability to perform a decline heel rise are evident after Achilles tendon repair. Possible causes include anatomical lengthening, increased tendon compliance, and insufficient rehabilitation after Achilles tendon repair. Clinical Relevance Impairments will have functional implications for activities (eg, descending stairs and landing from a jump). Weakness in end-range plantar flexion may be an unrecognized problem after Achilles tendon repair.
Virtual reality exposure therapy in anxiety disorders: a systematic review of process‐and‐outcome studies

In recent years, virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) has become an interesting alternative for the treatment of anxiety disorders. Research has focused on the efficacy of VRET in treating anxiety disorders: phobias, panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. In this systematic review, strict methodological criteria are used to give an overview of the controlled trials regarding the efficacy of VRET in patients with anxiety disorders. Furthermore, research into process variables such as the therapeutic alliance and cognitions and enhancement of therapy effects through cognitive enhancers is discussed. The implications for implementation into clinical practice are considered. Depression and Anxiety, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Adaptive response in mice exposed to 900 MHZ radiofrequency fields: Bleomycin-induced DNA and oxidative damage/repair

Abstract Purpose: To determine whether mice exposed to radiofrequency fields (RF) and then injected with a radiomimetic drug, bleomycin (BLM), exhibit adaptive response and provide some mechanistic evidence for such response. Materials and methods: Adult mice were exposed to 900 MHz RF at 120 μW/cm2 power density for 4 hours/day for 7 days. Immediately after the last exposure, some mice were sacrificed while the others were injected with BLM 4 h later. In each animal: (i) The primary DNA damage and BLM-induced damage as well as its repair kinetics were determined in blood leukocytes; and (ii) the oxidative damage was determined from malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and the antioxidant status was assessed from superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in plasma, liver and lung tissues. Results: There were no indications for increased DNA and oxidative damages in mice exposed to RF alone in contrast to those treated with BLM alone. Mice exposed to RF+ BLM showed significantly: (a) reduced BLM-induced DNA damage and that remained after each 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 min repair time, and (b) decreased levels of MDA in plasma and liver, and increased SOD level in the lung. Conclusions: The overall data suggested that RF exposure was capable of inducing adaptive response and mitigated BLM- induced DNA and oxidative damages by activating certain cellular processes.
The occurrence of polythionates as intermediates in the metabolism of thiosulphate by the thiobacilli.

SUMMARY: Further evidence for the inclusion of polythionates in the pathway of thiosulphate oxidation by members of the genus Thiobacillus is presented. Manometric experients showed tetrathionate oxidation to be a stage in thiosulphate oxidation by tspensions of T. thioparus and T. thiocyanoxidans. Thiobacillus thioparus accumulated a sufficient concentration of polythionate in the medium to allow chromatorams to be prepared, and the type of polythionate accumulated was influenced by the ratio between the sodium and potassium ions in the medium. The restriction of the oxidation of tetrathionate at the lower concentrations of K+ may be due to a restriction in the entry of phosphate into the cell during growth; this is discussed.
Biomethanation of Paper Mill liquid effluent through UASB reactor

A pilot scale UASB reactor designed to handle 6800 L of the liquid influent, was installed in GVG Paper Mill Industry, Udumalpet in Tamil Nadu. The COD of the influent varied from 4100 to 6500 10-3 kg/m3 during the experiments. The liquid waste was passed through the anaerobic reactor in up flow mode, with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of about 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 h that correspond to the influent flow rates of 2.27, 1.13, 0.76, 0.57, 0.45 m3/h respectively. Each trial was conducted continuously for 10 days. The highest average biogas production of 9.3 m3 is obtained at 6 h HRT with the corresponding influent flow rate of 1.13 m3/ h. The calorific value of the biogas varies from 5122 to 5406 kcal/m3. The methane content varies from 50.7 to 62.4% . The reactor has the pay back period of 6 to 6.1 years. The 6 h HRT (1.13 m3/h of influent flow rate) can be recommended for biomethanation of paper mill liquid effluent in the designed UASB reactor of 6.8 m3 capacity.
Plastic and metal additive manufacturing technologies for hyperfrequency passive components up to Ka band

This paper illustrates the different possibilities given by additive manufacturing technologies for the creation of hyperfrequency devices. Firstly a characterization campaign has been made on common plastics used by 3D printer using the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and material jetting (Polyjet©) technologies. The impact of the manufacturing strategy (high speed or high accuracy) on the part roughness, as well as on the dielectric material permittivity and loss tangent has been specifically studied at 10 and 16 GHz. The conductivity of a coating based on a silver paint has also been characterized on such plastic parts. These plastic materials and coating have been used for the creation of a quasi-elliptic bandpass filter centered at 6 and 12 GHz and compared to a similar filter made of stainless steel by selective laser melting. Finally, a compact rectangular TE10 to circular TE01 mode converter also made by selective laser melting is illustrated here from 28 to 36 GHz as a final demonstrator.
Electroencephalographic studies on conditioned behavior of white rat.

1. Behaviors and EEG's of rat were examined in a simple T-maze learning.2. Small fast waves increased in EEG when the performance of conditioned behavior was repeated many times with reward. In this period, the rat showed the excited patterns (excited period). When the performance was repeated further, average frequency of EEG decreased and the rat showed depressed state (inhibited or fatigued period). In this period, 6-8 per sec. large waves (in drowsy state) and small fast waves (in awaked state) appeared alternately.3. In the last period of extinction, the average frequency decreased and the rat showed rather inhibited behavior.4. Increase of the small fast waves was noted in the EEG of a neurotic rat.5. EEG during running showed augmentation of the basic waves just before or immediately after the rat started and it continued until the rat ran over the choice point, and it was replaced by increase of the small fast waves as the rat approached the goal. These EEG alterations during running were not noticed in the fatigued period, in the last period of extinction and in the neurotic state.6) It was discussed about the cerebral excitatory level (or background excitation level) of rat in various states of behavior mentioned above on the basis of EEG alterations.