Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of Amoxicillin/Clavulanate Potassium in the Treatment of Acute Bacterial Sinusitis in Children

OBJECTIVE: The role of antibiotic therapy in managing acute bacterial sinusitis (ABS) in children is controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of high-dose amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate in the treatment of children diagnosed with ABS. METHODS: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Children 1 to 10 years of age with a clinical presentation compatible with ABS were eligible for participation. Patients were stratified according to age (<6 or ≥6 years) and clinical severity and randomly assigned to receive either amoxicillin (90 mg/kg) with potassium clavulanate (6.4 mg/kg) or placebo. A symptom survey was performed on days 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 20, and 30. Patients were examined on day 14. Children's conditions were rated as cured, improved, or failed according to scoring rules. RESULTS: Two thousand one hundred thirty-five children with respiratory complaints were screened for enrollment; 139 (6.5%) had ABS. Fifty-eight patients were enrolled, and 56 were randomly assigned. The mean age was 66 ± 30 months. Fifty (89%) patients presented with persistent symptoms, and 6 (11%) presented with nonpersistent symptoms. In 24 (43%) children, the illness was classified as mild, whereas in the remaining 32 (57%) children it was severe. Of the 28 children who received the antibiotic, 14 (50%) were cured, 4 (14%) were improved, 4 (14%) experienced treatment failure, and 6 (21%) withdrew. Of the 28 children who received placebo, 4 (14%) were cured, 5 (18%) improved, and 19 (68%) experienced treatment failure. Children receiving the antibiotic were more likely to be cured (50% vs 14%) and less likely to have treatment failure (14% vs 68%) than children receiving the placebo. CONCLUSIONS: ABS is a common complication of viral upper respiratory infections. Amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate results in significantly more cures and fewer failures than placebo, according to parental report of time to resolution of clinical symptoms.
Dangerous deception--hiding the evidence of adverse drug effects.

On September 30, the New York Times reported that the FDA had issued a warning that the antifibrinolytic drug aprotinin could cause renal failure, congestive heart failure, stroke, and death. Dr. Jerry Avorn writes that many aspects of the aprotinin saga are familiar to observers of the drug-evaluation process.
Aging, Audiovisual Integration, and the Principle of Inverse Effectiveness

Objective The purpose of this investigation was to compare the ability of young and older adults to integrate auditory and visual sentence materials under conditions of good and poor signal clarity. The principle of inverse effectiveness (PoIE), which characterizes many neuronal and behavioral phenomena related to multisensory integration, asserts that as unimodal performance declines, integration is enhanced. Thus, the PoIE predicts that both young and older adults will show enhanced integration of auditory and visual speech stimuli when these stimuli are degraded. More importantly, because older adults' unimodal speech recognition skills decline in both the auditory and visual domains, the PoIE predicts that older adults will show enhanced integration during audiovisual speech recognition relative to younger adults. This study provides a test of these predictions. Design Fifty-three young and 53 older adults with normal hearing completed the closed-set Build-A-Sentence test and the CUNY Sentence test in a total of eight conditions; four unimodal and four audiovisual. In the unimodal conditions, stimuli were either auditory or visual and either easier or harder to perceive; the audiovisual conditions were formed from all the combinations of the unimodal signals. The hard visual signals were created by degrading video contrast, and the hard auditory signals were created by decreasing the signal to noise ratio. Scores from the unimodal and bimodal conditions were used to compute auditory enhancement and integration enhancement measures. Results Contrary to the PoIE, neither the auditory enhancement nor integration enhancement measures increased when signal clarity in the auditory or visual channel of audiovisual speech stimuli was decreased, nor was either measure higher for older adults than for young adults. In audiovisual conditions with easy visual stimuli, the integration enhancement measure for older adults was equivalent to that for young adults. However, in conditions with hard visual stimuli, integration enhancement for older adults was significantly lower than that for young adults. Conclusions The present findings do not support extension of the PoIE to audiovisual speech recognition. Our results are not consistent with either the prediction that integration would be enhanced under conditions of poor signal clarity or the prediction that older adults would show enhanced integration, relative to young adults. Although there is a considerable controversy with regard to the best way to measure audiovisual integration, the fact that two of the most prominent measures, auditory enhancement and integration enhancement, both yielded results inconsistent with the PoIE, strongly suggests that the integration of audiovisual speech stimuli differs in some fundamental way from the integration of other bimodal stimuli. The results also suggest that aging does not impair integration enhancement when the visual speech signal has good clarity, but may affect it when the visual speech signal has poor clarity.
Matrix-Applied Characterized Autologous Cultured Chondrocytes Versus Microfracture

Background: Randomized controlled trials studying the efficacy and safety of matrix-applied characterized autologous cultured chondrocytes (MACI) versus microfracture (MFX) for treating cartilage defects are limited. Purpose: To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of MACI versus MFX in the treatment of patients with symptomatic cartilage defects of the knee. Study Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial; Level of evidence, 1. Methods: Patients enrolled in the SUMMIT (Demonstrate the Superiority of MACI implant to Microfracture Treatment) trial had ≥1 symptomatic focal cartilage defect (Outerbridge grade III or IV; ≥3 cm2) of the femoral condyles or trochlea, with a baseline Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) pain value <55. The co–primary efficacy endpoint was the change in the KOOS pain and function subscores from baseline to 2 years. Histological evaluation and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessments of structural repair tissue, treatment failure, the remaining 3 KOOS subscales, and safety were also assessed. Results: Of the 144 patients treated, 137 (95%) completed the 2-year assessment. Patients had a mean age of 33.8 years and a mean lesion size of 4.8 cm2. The mean KOOS pain and function subscores from baseline to 2 years were significantly more improved with MACI than with MFX (pain: MACI, 37.0 to 82.5 vs MFX, 35.5 to 70.9; function: MACI, 14.9 to 60.9 vs MFX, 12.6 to 48.7; P = .001). A significant improvement in scores was also observed on the KOOS subscales of activities of daily living (MACI, 43.5 to 87.2 vs MFX, 42.6 to 75.8; P < .001), knee-related quality of life (MACI, 18.8 to 56.2 vs MFX, 17.2 to 47.3; P = .029), and other symptoms (MACI, 48.3 to 83.7 vs MFX, 44.4 to 72.2; P < .001) for patients treated with MACI compared with MFX. Repair tissue quality was good as assessed by histology/MRI, but no difference was shown between treatments. A low number of treatment failures (nonresponders: MACI, 12.5% vs MFX, 31.9%; P = .016) and no unexpected safety findings were reported. Conclusion: The treatment of symptomatic cartilage knee defects ≥3 cm2 in size using MACI was clinically and statistically significantly better than with MFX, with similar structural repair tissue and safety, in this heterogeneous patient population. Moreover, MACI offers a more efficacious alternative than MFX with a similar safety profile for the treatment of symptomatic articular cartilage defects of the knee.
How antigen specificity directs regulatory T‐cell function: self, foreign and engineered specificity

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a suppressive subset of T cells that have important roles in maintaining self‐tolerance and preventing immunopathology. The T‐cell receptor (TCR) and its antigen specificity play a dominant role in the differentiation of cells to a Treg fate, either in the thymus or in the periphery. This review focuses on the effects of the TCR and its antigen specificity on Treg biology. The role of Tregs with specificity for self‐antigen has primarily been studied in the context of autoimmune disease, although recent studies have focused on their role in steady‐state conditions. The role of Tregs that are specific for pathogens, dietary antigens and allergens is much less studied, although recent data suggest a significant and previously underappreciated role for Tregs during memory responses to a wide range of foreign antigens. The development of TCR‐ or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)‐transduced T cells means we are now able to engineer Tregs with disease‐relevant antigen specificities, paving the way for ensuring specificity with Treg‐based therapies. Understanding the role that antigens play in driving the generation and function of Tregs is critical for defining the pathophysiology of many immune‐mediated diseases, and developing new therapeutic interventions.
Clinical, Radiographic and Functional Predictors of Pulmonary Gas Exchange Impairment at Moderate Exercise in Patients with Sarcoidosis

Background: Pulmonary gas exchange impairment (GEI) is a common consequence of intrathoracic sarcoidosis presenting with important therapeutic and prognostic implications. Objective: To determine the role of clinical, radiographic and functional variables in predicting GEI during moderate exercise at the estimated lactate threshold (ΘL) in patients with sarcoidosis. Methods: Fifty-four outpatients (29 females) with biopsy-proven sarcoidosis had clinical evaluation (baseline dyspnea index), lung function tests and an incremental cardiopulmonary exercise test with ΘL estimation. On a separate day, patients underwent a constant work rate test at ΘL with assessment of arterial blood gas tensions. Results: There was no evidence of GEI [ΔP (A – a) O2/VO2 >20 mm Hg·l· min–1] in patients with radiographic stages 0–I (n = 13). In the remaining 41 patients, GEI was associated with more extensive radiographic involvement and reduced diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO), forced expiratory volume in 1 s, total lung capacity and forced vital capacity (% predicted;p < 0.05); baseline dyspnea index and resting arterial blood gas tensions, in contrast, were not significantly related to GEI. DLCO correlated best with GEI. The negative predictive value of DLCO >70% predicted (absent-to-mild impairment) was 91.3% (sensitivity = 81.8%) and the positive predictive value of DLCO ≤50% predicted (severe impairment) was 83.3% (specificity = 96.6%, likelihood ratio = 13.35). There was no improvement in diagnostic accuracy when other physiological tests were added to DLCO. These results were consistent with those found in a multiple logistic regression analysis with GEI as the dependent variable (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Conventional chest radiography and DLCO measurements suffice to estimate the individual risk of GEI at moderate exercise in patients with sarcoidosis.
Resolution of Referential Ambiguity in Human-Robot Dialogue Using Dempster-Shafer Theoretic Pragmatics

Robots designed to interact with humans in realistic environments must be able to handle uncertainty with respect to the identities and properties of the people, places, and things found in their environments. When humans refer to these entities using under-specified language, robots must often generate clarification requests to determine which entities were meant. In this paper, we present recommendations for designers of robots needing to generate such requests, and show how a Dempster-Shafer theoretic pragmatic reasoning component capable of generating requests to clarify pragmatic uncertainty can also generate requests to resolve referential uncertainty when integrated with a probabilistic reference resolution component.
As Empresas recuperadas por trabalhadores no Brasil : resultados de um levantamento nacional

Este artigo sintetiza dados de uma pesquisa de abrangencia nacional, em que pesquisadores de dez universidades brasileiras uniram esforcos para conhecer a totalidade dos casos de empresas recuperadas por trabalhadores (ERTs) no Brasil. A recuperacao de empresas pelos trabalhadores, como define Ruggeri (2009), e um processo social e economico que pressupoe a existencia de uma empresa capitalista anterior cuja falencia ou inviabilidade economica resultou na luta dos trabalhadores por autogeri-las.
Supply chain contracting with disruptions under information asymmetry

We investigate supply chain contracting under disruption information asymmetry. This paper differs from the supply chain coordination problem with only one kind of disruptions under full information. We consider the scenarios that demand and production cost are disrupted simultaneously and one kind of the disruption information is asymmetric between the supply chain partners. In each case, using linear contract menus, we present the changes in the original production plan, the wholesale price between the partners and the market price. Under the optimal incentive contracts, we show the impact of asymmetric disruption information on the performance of the supply chain. We find that the production plan of the supplier still has some robustness under information asymmetry. Compared with the case with full information, however, the supply chain suffers some profit loss.
Spino‐dendritic cross‐talk in rodent Purkinje neurons mediated by endogenous Ca2+‐binding proteins

The range of actions of the second messenger Ca2+ is a key determinant of neuronal excitability and plasticity. For dendritic spines, there is on‐going debate regarding how diffusional efflux of Ca2+ affects spine signalling. However, the consequences of spino‐dendritic coupling for dendritic Ca2+ homeostasis and downstream signalling cascades have not been explored to date. We addressed this question by four‐dimensional computer simulations, which were based on Ca2+‐imaging data from mice that either express or lack distinct endogenous Ca2+‐binding proteins. Our simulations revealed that single active spines do not affect dendritic Ca2+ signalling. Neighbouring, coactive spines, however, induce sizeable increases in dendritic [Ca2+]i when they process slow synaptic Ca2+ signals, such as those implicated in the induction of long‐term plasticity. This spino‐dendritic coupling is mediated by buffered diffusion, specifically by diffusing calbindin‐bound Ca2+. This represents a central mechanism for activating calmodulin in dendritic shafts and therefore a novel form of signal integration in spiny dendrites.
Horse flies (Tabanidae) of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract The horse fly (Diptera: Tabanidae) fauna of Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of 62 species belonging to ten genera. The present study adds eight new records for the fauna of Bosnia and Herzegovina. These new records are Chrysops flavipes Meigen, Hybomitra tropica (Linnaeus), Tabanus darimonti Leclercq, Tabanus eggeri Schiner, Tabanus miki Brauer in Brauer and Bergenstamm, Tabanus shannonellus Kröber, Haematopota bigoti Gobert, and Haematopota subcylindrica Pandellé. Most of the species belong to the Boreal-Eurasian group (28), followed by the Mediterranean group with 17 species, the South European group with 13 species, the Afro-Eurasian arid group and the European group with two species each. This paper presents the first comprehensive collection data on the horse fly fauna of this part of the Balkan Peninsula.
Computation of the gap metric for asymptotically time-invariant linear time-varying systems

In this paper, we study the problem of computing the TV directed gap metric for asymptotically time-invariant linear time-varying systems. Based on duality theory, a computational approach to the TV directed gap metric is developed. We in this paper consider the algebras of discrete time, time-varying systems which are asymptotically time-invariant, in the sense that as time evolves the time-varying transfer operator uniformly (or strongly) converges to a time-invariant transfer operator on an appropriate Hilbert space of input-output signals.
Microvirus of chlamydia psittaci strain guinea pig inclusion conjunctivitis: isolation and molecular characterization.

The authors report the isolation and molecular characterization of a bacteriophage, φCPG1, which infects CHLAMYDIA: psittaci strain Guinea pig Inclusion Conjunctivitis. Purified virion preparations contained isometric particles of 25 nm diameter, superficially similar to spike-less members of the φX174 family of bacteriophages. The single-stranded circular DNA genome of φCPG1 included five large ORFs, which were similar to ORFs in the genome of a previously described CHLAMYDIA: bacteriophage (Chp1) that infects avian C. psittaci. Three of the ORFs encoded polypeptides that were similar to those in a phage infecting the mollicute Spiroplasma melliferum, a pathogen of honeybees. Lesser sequence similarities were seen between two ORF products and the major capsid protein of the φX174 coliphage family and proteins mediating rolling circle replication initiation in phages, phagemids and plasmids. Phage φCPG1 is the second member of the genus CHLAMYDIAMICROVIRUS:, the first to infect a member of a CHLAMYDIA: species infecting mammals. Similarity searches of the nucleotide sequence further revealed a highly conserved (75% identity) 375 base sequence integrated into the genome of the human pathogen Chlamydia pneumoniae. This genomic segment encodes a truncated 113 residue polypeptide, the sequence of which is 72% identical to the amino-terminal end of the putative replication initiation protein of φCPG1. This finding suggests that C. pneumoniae has been infected by a phage related to φCPG1 and that infection resulted in integration of some of the phage genome into the C. pneumoniae genome.
Enhancing Pharmacist Involvement in Weight Management—Time to Get with the Program

The Annals of Pharmacotherapy ■ 2004 November, Volume 38 ■ 1961 The US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary announced on July 15, 2004, a new Medicare coverage policy that would remove barriers for the treatment of obesity for Medicare beneficiaries. This is an important step that removes previous language from the Medicare Coverage Issues Manual stating that obesity is not an illness. This previous statement effectively prevented reimbursement for weight management interventions. This government and public health focus on obesity will likely bring new opportunities for healthcare professionals to participate in the management of overweight and obese individuals. The prevalence of Class III or extreme obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) >40 kg/m2, has increased significantly over the last decade.1 The most recent data suggest that, although tobacco use remained the leading preventable cause of death in the US in 2000, poor diet and physical inactivity leading to overweight and obesity may soon, if not already, overtake smoking as the number one preventable cause of death.2 Weight loss of 5–10% is considered to provide important health benefits in reducing the severity of obesity-related comorbidities.3,4 These include decreased blood lipid levels and blood pressure, as well as delayed onset or improvement in type 2 diabetes mellitus.4 Diet and life-style physical activity should underpin all other weight management interventions. Pharmacotherapy with prescription medications for obesity, including phentermine, sibutramine, and orlistat, is reserved for patients who have been unsuccessful with diet and exercise alone.5
Evaluation of the advisory services provided by the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank.

JAVMA, Vol 223, No. 11, December 1, 2003 A part of its mission to help ensure that foods of animal origin are free of violative chemical residues, the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD) offers 2 advisory services to veterinary practitioners. The first is a comprehensive online database (VetGRAM) of drugs approved by the US FDA/Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) for the treatment of food-producing animals. Second, FARAD offers expert-mediated advice on residue avoidance and mitigation for chemical contamination incidents and the extralabel use of drugs. This service is provided by FARAD pharmacologists and toxicologists, who can be reached by e-mail as well as a toll-free telephone number.
Reciprocal Effects Between Academic Self-Concept, Self-Esteem, Achievement, and Attainment Over Seven Adolescent Years: Unidimensional and Multidimensional Perspectives of Self-Concept

In their influential review, Baumeister, Campbell, Krueger, and Vohs (2003) concluded that self-esteem— the global component of self-concept—has no effect on subsequent academic performance. In contrast, Marsh and Craven's (2006) review of reciprocal effects models from an explicitly multidimensional perspective demonstrated that academic self-concept and achievement are both a cause and an effect of each other. Ironically, both reviews cited classic Youth in Transition studies in support of their respective claims. In definitive tests of these counter claims, the authors reanalyze these data—including self-esteem (emphasized by Baumeister et al.), academic self-concept (emphasized by Marsh & Craven), and postsecondary educational attainment—using stronger statistical methods based on five waves of data (grade 10 through 5 years after graduation; N = 2,213). Integrating apparently discrepant findings under a common theoretical framework based on a multidimensional perspective, academic self-concept had consistent reciprocal effects with both achievement and educational attainment, whereas self-esteem had almost none.
Trigeminal neurotomy and blood pressure responses from stimulation of lateral cerebral cortex of Macaca mulatta.

FOR SEVENTY-FIVE years blood pressure responses obtained from stimulation of various arel! s of the cerebral cortex have been the subject of considerable attention. The earlier work was thoroughly reviewed by Bucy in 1935 (2). Analysis of these autonomic effects of stimulation of the lateral surface was extended by Kennard (6), Hoff et at. (4), and Pinkston and Rioch (10). More recently attention has been focused on those changes resulting from stimulation of the anterior cingulate, orbital, insular and anterior temporal regions (1, 3, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13). The present study is an attempt to ascertain the entire extent of lateral neocortex from which these responses are obtainable by using the stimulating techniques now available, and to begin to investigate whether or not a common mechanism links these various areas.