Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In Vitro Activities of the Novel Ketolide Telithromycin (HMR 3647) against Erythromycin-Resistant StreptococcusSpecies

ABSTRACT The in vitro susceptibilities of 184 erythromycin-resistant streptococci to a novel ketolide, telithromycin (HMR 3647), were tested. These clinical isolates included 111 Streptococcus pyogenes, 18 group C streptococcus, 18 group G streptococcus, and 37 Streptococcus pneumoniae strains. The MICs for all but eight S. pyogenes strains were ≤0.5 μg/ml, indicating that telithromycin is active in vitro against erythromycin-resistant Streptococcus strains. All strains for which MICs were ≥1 μg/ml had an erm(B) resistance gene and six strains for which MICs were ≥4 μg/ml had a constitutiveerm(B) gene (MIC range, 4 to 64 μg/ml). Interestingly, for S. pneumoniae strains with a constitutiveerm(B) gene, MICs were ≤0.25 μg/ml (MIC range, ≤0.008 to 0.25 μg/ml). Our in vitro data show that for S. pyogenes strains which constitutively express theerm(B) methylase gene, MICs are so high that the strains might be clinically resistant to telithromycin.
Hemming and Hawing over Hawthorne : Work Complexity and the Divergent Effects of Monitoring on Productivity

Does monitoring workers improve or impair their productivity? Existing studies offer conflicting predictions. Using personnel and operational data from an Indian garment manufacturing plant, we examine how an RFID monitoring intervention on three of the plant’s twelve production lines affected productivity. We find that the effect of monitoring varied by the complexity of the work performed. Using variation in work complexity both across and within production lines, we find that monitoring significantly increased productivity for simple work but significantly decreased productivity for complex work. We contribute to research on monitoring and productivity by demonstrating how key job characteristics that make work meaningful, such as complexity, can moderate the effect of monitoring on productivity by affecting workers’ intrinsic motivation. Results also suggest that not only does the Hawthorne effect exist, but its direction can be positive, negative, or neutral depending on work complexity.
COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN AUTOGENOUS GRAFT AND MUSCULAR GRAFT COVERED WITH AUTOGENOUS VEIN TUBE IN WISTAR RATS ’ TIBIAL NERVES USING THE FLUORO-GOLD ® AS A NEURONAL MARKER

INTRODUCTION In peripheral nerve injury, nervous fibers originate and grow from the proximal stump (1). In digital nerves injuries, the best outcomes after repair were found in children, showing the need of further nervous regeneration studies in adult populations(2). Using a tube for repairing an injured nerve is not new (3). Tubes seem to be important for regeneration because they comprise neurotrophic substances that help on guiding axons towards their distal target (4). The great driver towards researches using tubes with veins emerged after experiments in rats showing that the light of veins allows for nerve regeneration(5). In large nervous substance losses, when a vein is used for filling the gap, adherences may occur. However, when a vein is filled with muscles, these adherences are prevented, and there is no fiber dispersion from proximal and distal stumps, also enabling the avoidance of fibrosis and blood intake improvement(6). Based on these data, the present study intended to compare the effectiveness of a vein-covered denaturized muscle graft, in Wistar rats’ tibial nerves, when compared to traditional autogenous graft, using counts of neurons marked with Fluoro-Gold®.
DeepZip: Lossless Compression using Recurrent Networks

There has been a tremendous surge in the amount of data generated. New types of data, such as Genomic data [1], 3D-360 degree VR Data, Autonomous Driving Point Cloud data are being generated. A lot of human effort is spent in analyzing the statistics of these new data formats for designing good compressors. We know from Information theory that good predictors form good Compressors [2]. We know that Recurrent Neural Networks (LSTM/GRU) based models are good at capturing long term dependencies [3], and can predict the next character/word very well. Thus can RNNs be efﬁciently used for compression? We analyze the usage of Recurrent Neural Networks for the problem of Data Compression. DeepZip Compressor consists of two major blocks: RNN based probability estimator and Arithmetic Coding block [4]. In the ﬁrst section, we discuss existing literature and the basic model framework. We then take a look at experiment re-sults on synthetic as well as real Text and Genomic datasets. Finally, we conclude by discussing the observations and further work.
Knowledge and Attitude about HIV/AIDS among HIV-Positive Individuals in Davangere

A cross-sectional study was carried out on 100 HIV patients (55 male and 45 female) age 21 years and older registered at the Antiretroviral Therapy Centre of Chigateri General Hospital, Davangere, Karnataka, India, to evaluate their knowledge and attitude toward HIV. Overall, the source of knowledge about AIDS was through newspaper or television, 38% were aware of their AIDS status, 61% disclosed their status to family, 86% had incorrect knowledge about transmission, 57% experienced no moral support, 62% felt stigmatized, 52% discriminated against, 44% were denied treatment, 57% felt isolated, 54% experienced difficulty in carrying out daily activity, 52% of patients' social and personal life was affected, and 41% felt shy when disclosing their disease. This data reveals the need to consider the basic knowledge of the HIV patients about HIV/AIDS.
Semismooth Karush-Kuhn-Tucker Equations and Convergence Analysis of Newton and Quasi-Newton Methods for Solving these Equations

There are several forms of systems of nonsmooth equations which are equivalent to the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker KKT system of a nonlinearly constrained optimization problem NLP. If the NLP is twice continuously differentiable and the Hessian functions of its objective and constraint functions are locally Lipschitzian, then these KKT equations are strongly semismooth. If furthermore the linear independence condition and the strong second-order sufficiency condition are satisfied at a KKT point, then the generalized Jacobians of these KKT equations are nonsingular at that point and the sequence generated by the generalized Newton method converges to this point Q-quadratically. However, direct application of quasi-Newton methods cannot guarantee Q-superlinear convergence. We present a mixed quasi-Newton method which converges Q-superlinearly with common symmetrical updating rules under the above conditions for the generalized Newton method. Superlinear convergence of the primal variables and global convergence are also discussed.
A Current-reused VCO with Degenerated RC Components

In this paper, we presents a current-reused voltage-controlled oscillator which consists of one nmos transistor and one pmos transistor. The voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is designed for 2.45 GHz operation. The study is based on the TSMC 0.18-um CMOS processes. The degeneration source resistors are used to improve magnitude symmetry of output signals. Additional source capacitors which are parallel with source resistors are used to improve phase noise. Measurement results show -94.6 and -116 dBc/Hz at 100-kHz and 1-MHz offset, respectively, when the oscillation frequency is at 2.45 GHz. In this work, the core current is 0.35 mA from a 1.8-V supply. The tuning range is from 2.24 to 2.52 GHz under the tuning voltage between 0 to 2 V.
Two-pore channels (TPCs): Novel voltage-gated ion channels with pleiotropic functions

ABSTRACT Two-pore channels (TPC1-3) comprise a subfamily of the eukaryotic voltage-gated ion channels (VGICs) superfamily that are mainly expressed in acidic stores in plants and animals. TPCS are widespread across the animal kingdom, with primates, mice and rats lacking TPC3, and mainly act as Ca+ and Na+ channels, although it was also suggested that they could be permeable to other ions. Nowadays, TPCs have been related to the development of different diseases, including Parkinson´s disease, obesity or myocardial ischemia. Due to this, their study has raised the interest of the scientific community to try to understand their mechanism of action in order to be able to develop an efficient drug that could regulate TPCs activity. In this review, we will provide an updated view regarding TPCs structure, function and activation, as well as their role in different pathophysiological processes.
Mitomycin C plus capecitabine (mixe) in anthracycline- and taxane-pretreated metastatic breast cancer. A multicenter phase II study.

BACKGROUND Capecitabine is considered the treatment of choice for anthracycline- and taxane-pretreated metastatic breast cancer. Mitomycin C seems to improve the activity of capecitabine by up-regulation of thymidine phosphorylase. PATIENTS AND METHODS Fifty-five women with metastatic breast cancer previously treated with anthracyclinetaxane were treated with mitomycin C 10 mg/m2 on day 1 every six weeks and capecitabine 1000 mg/m2 on days 2-15 every three weeks. RESULTS An overall response rate of 38% was found, consisting of 3 (5%) complete responses (CR) and 18 (33%) partial responses (PR); 8 patients (14%) had a stable disease (SD) for more than 4 months. The combination was well-tolerated, with the main toxicities being neutropenia, diarrhea and fatigue; other toxicities were of mild to moderate intensity without impairment in the quality of life of the patients. CONCLUSION Capecitabine is confirmed as the drug of choice in the treatment of anthracycline- and taxane-pretreated metastatic breast cancer and its combination with mitomycin appears to improve its efficacy.
Cholecalciferol or 25-hydroxycholecalciferol neither prevents nor treats adenomas in a rat model of familial colon cancer.

BACKGROUND Epidemiologic studies in humans have shown associations between greater sunlight exposure, higher serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol [25(OH)D3] concentrations, and reduced colon cancer risk. However, results from a limited number of vitamin D supplementation trials in humans have not shown a protective effect. OBJECTIVE We sought to determine whether adding to the diet increasing amounts of either 25(OH)D3, the stable metabolite measured in serum and associated with cancer risk, or cholecalciferol (vitamin D3), the compound commonly used for supplementation in humans, could reduce emergent adenomas (chemoprevention) or decrease the growth of existing adenomas (treatment) in the colons of vitamin D-sufficient rats carrying a truncation mutation of adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc), a model of early intestinal cancer. METHODS Apc(Pirc/+) rats were supplemented with either vitamin D3 over a range of 4 doses [6-1500 μg/(kg body weight · d)] or with 25(OH)D3 over a range of 6 doses [60-4500 μg/(kg body weight · d)] beginning after weaning. Rats underwent colonoscopy every other week to assess effects on adenoma number and size. At termination (140 d of age), the number of tumors in the small intestine and colon and the size of tumors in the colon were determined, and serum calcium and 25(OH)D3 measurements were obtained. RESULTS At lower doses (those that did not affect body weight), neither of the vitamin D compounds reduced the number of existing or emergent colonic tumors (P-trend > 0.24). By contrast, supplementation at higher doses (those that caused a suppression in body weight gain) with either 25(OH)D3 or vitamin D3 caused a dose-dependent increase in colonic tumor number in both males and females (P-trend < 0.003). CONCLUSIONS No evidence for protection against colon tumor development was seen with lower dose supplementation with either cholecalciferol or 25-hydroxycholecalciferol. Thus, the association between sunlight exposure and the incidence of colon cancer may involve factors other than vitamin D concentrations. Alternative hypotheses warrant investigation. Furthermore, this study provides preliminary evidence for the need for caution regarding vitamin D supplementation of humans at higher doses, especially in individuals with sufficient serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations.
An approach to the patient with urticaria

Patients with urticaria make up a large proportion of the referrals to allergy clinics. There are many causes of urticaria and it is the clinical history which is most important when attempting to identify potential causes; however, urticaria is very often idiopathic. In a small minority of patients urticaria may be a symptom of a serious underlying medical illness or the allergic symptoms may progress to cause systemic reactions, and it is important to identify these patients and to remember that severe urticaria is a distressing and disabling condition. This review will discuss classification, investigation and treatment of urticaria and will consider some of the more unusual types of urticaria that may be encountered in the out‐patient clinic.
Inactivation of the Porphyromonas gingivalis fimA gene blocks periodontal damage in gnotobiotic rats

Fimbrial production by Porphyromonas gingivalis was inactivated by insertion-duplication mutagenesis, using the cloned gene for the P. gingivalis major fimbrial subunit protein, fimA. by several criteria, this insertion mutation rendered P. gingivalis unable to produce fimbrilin or an intact fimbrial structure. A nonfimbriated mutant, DPG3, hemagglutinated sheep erythrocytes normally and was unimpaired in the ability to coaggregate with Streptococcus gordonii G9B. The cell surface hydrophobicity of DPG3 was also unaffected by the loss of fimbriae. However, DPG3 was significantly less able to bind to saliva-coated hydroxyapatite than wild-type P. gingivalis 381. This suggested that P. gingivalis fimbriae are important for adherence of the organism to saliva-coated oral surfaces. Further, DPG3 was significantly less able to cause periodontal bone loss in a gnotobiotic rat model of periodontal disease. These observations are consistent with other data suggesting that P. gingivalis fimbriae play an important role in the pathogenesis of human periodontal disease.
Genetic functions and cell–cell interactions in the pheromone‐inducible plasmid transfer system of Enterococcus faecalis

Pheromone‐inducible plasmid transfer is a novel form of bacterial conjugation which has, to date, been observed only in Enterococcus (Streptococcus) faecalis. This process includes several important stages of interaction between the donor and recipient cell. The initial interaction is the transmission of a chemical signal from the recipient to the donor cell. Recent evidence has shown that the signal is in the form of a small hydrophobic peptide, which is capable of inducing a complex mating response in the donor cell at concentrations as low as 1–5 molecules per responder cell. Most E. faecalis strains produce multiple pheromones, each of which induces a response only in cells carrying a particular plasmid (or member of a family of related plasmids). Genetic functions ascribed to the pheromone response include: (i) cell‐cell aggregation, which promotes initial close contact between mating cells; (ii) surface exclusion, which prevents plasmid transfer between aggregated donor cells; and (iii) highly efficient DNA transfer, which requires other unidentified functions in addition to aggregation. The first two processes appear to be mediated by proteinaceous surface antigens.
Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Behaviors of African American Sexual Minority Women

Background: African American women experience elevated risk for breast and cervical cancer compared to White women. Health risk behaviors and cancer screening practices are known to contribute to cancer disparities; however, little is known about the relationship between race, sexual orientation, and cancer risk. The objective of this paper is to report on engagement in a range of health risk behaviors associated with cancer and adherence to cancer screening guidelines among African American Women sexual minority women. Methods: This was a cross sectional descriptive study. Data were collected using a self-administered survey instrument. Participants (N=226) were a convenience sample of urban African American sexual minority women recruited as part of a community health needs assessment study. Results: Cancer risk behaviors were prevalent including high rates of obesity, physical inactivity, tobacco and alcohol use. Despite these health risk behaviors, perceptions of cancer risk were low. Eight-five percent of women over the age of forty reported ever having a mammogram and 69% reported having the screening examine in the previous year. The majority of participants reported ever having a Pap test but reports of past year screening were low (68%). Predictors of ever having a mammogram were older age and having a physician recommendation to screen. Past year mammography was associated with perceived cancer risk with those reporting higher perceived risk less likely to have been screened in the past year. None of our study variables were associated with adherence to cervical cancer screening guidelines. Conclusions: Study findings suggest the need for increased efforts to reduce cancer risk behaviors and to encourage adherence to routine cancer screening among African American sexual minority women. Provider recommendations play an important role in breast cancer screening adherence. Additional research is needed to better understand barriers and facilitators to adherence to cervical cancer screening in this population.
Safety of neonatal hepatitis B vaccine administration.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether hepatitis B vaccination of newborns increases the incidence of fever and/or suspected sepsis. METHODS A prospective clinical study was undertaken at the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center involving normal full term newborns born between November 1, 1991, and April 30, 1994. During this time 3302 infants were vaccinated within 21 days of birth with hepatitis B vaccine, and 2353 were not. Clinical and demographic data were collected from Kaiser Permanente's existing clinical information systems, and laboratory data for blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures were obtained from the comprehensive automated regional laboratory reporting system. RESULTS There were no significant differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated newborns in the proportion of infants who received care for fever (0.8% vaccinated and 1.1% unvaccinated, P = 0.28), allergic reactions, seizures or other neurologic events in the first 21 days of life. Vaccinated newborns were significantly less likely to undergo microbiologic evaluation for possible sepsis. Among vaccinated newborns 4.0% had blood cultures and 1.6% had CSF cultures. Among infants who were not vaccinated 8.3% had blood cultures and 1.6% had CSF cultures (P <0.001 for both tests). CONCLUSION This study found no evidence that newborn hepatitis B vaccination is associated with an increase in the number of febrile episodes, sepsis evaluations or allergic or neurologic events. In addition our data did not support any increase in medical procedures attributed to receipt of hepatitis B vaccine.
Longitudinal effects of PTSD on memory functioning

Abstract Numerous studies have demonstrated explicit and working memory deficits related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but few have addressed longitudinal changes in memory functioning. There is some evidence to suggest an interactive effect of PTSD and aging on verbal memory decline in Holocaust survivors (Yehuda et al., 2006). However, the longitudinal trajectory of neuropsychological functioning has not been investigated in Vietnam veterans, a younger but substantial population of aging trauma survivors. We administered tests of visual and verbal memory, and working memory to derive different dependent measures in veterans between the ages of 41 and 63, the majority of whom served in the Vietnam War. Twenty-five veterans with PTSD and 22 veterans without PTSD were assessed over two time points (mean age at follow-up = 54.0; mean inter-test interval = 34 months). The PTSD+ group, consisting of veterans with chronic, primarily combat-related PTSD, did not show a significant change in PTSD symptoms over time. Compared to veterans without PTSD, veterans with PTSD showed a greater decline in delayed facial recognition only, and this decline was extremely subtle. (JINS, 2009, 15, 853–861.)
Nodavirus infection in Atlantic cod and Dover sole in the UK

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