Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antibiotic prescribing for respiratory infections: a cross-sectional analysis of the ReCEnT study exploring the habits of early-career doctors in primary care.

BACKGROUND Antibiotic resistance is among the most important current public health issues. Most antibiotics are prescribed in primary care. There is strong consensus that they are overprescribed, especially for conditions such as upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) and acute bronchitis, where they provide limited benefit. Interventions to alter prescribing patterns have shown limited effect. Trainees in family practice may be an appropriate target, as their prescribing habits are still developing. OBJECTIVE To establish prevalence and associations of trainee prescribing of antibiotics for URTI and acute bronchitis/bronchiolitis. METHODS A cross-sectional analysis of the Registrar Clinical Encounters in Training (ReCEnT) study. ReCEnT is an ongoing cohort study of Australian General Practice (GP) trainees documenting the nature of their consultation-based clinical experiences. Trainees record details of 60 consecutive patient encounters every 6-month training term. Univariate and logistic regression analyses were conducted on data recorded in consultations related to URTI and acute bronchitis/bronchiolitis in six collection periods during 2010-12. RESULTS Data from 401 trainees (94.7% response rate) were analysed. Antibiotics were prescribed in 21.6% of encounters for URTI and 73.1% of encounters for acute bronchitis/bronchiolitis. Trainees prescribing antibiotics were more likely to order tests, and to seek in-consultation advice. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated older patient age, Indigenous patient background, and practices in higher socioeconomic areas were significant predictors of antibiotic prescribing. CONCLUSION GP trainee antibiotic prescribing is higher than justified by guidelines. Understanding factors contributing to this pattern will assist in developing educational interventions to improve evidence-based prescribing habits during the early stages of these doctors' careers.
Stochastic message relaying delay estimation for sparse traffic flow in VANETs

Due to the high practicability and the emergent need to enhance the driving safety on roads, the technologies being developed for Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks (VANETs) have received much attention from researchers and motor companies. A precise estimation of message relaying delay is the key factor for VANET routing decision making. The message relaying delay will be significantly affected by the fluctuation of traffic, diverse drivers' behaviors, traffic signs, two-way traffic, etc., thus increasing the difficulties of estimation. The message propagation for sparse traffic roads will be accomplished not only by message relaying among vehicles, but also by being carried by vehicles traveling at roaming speed. In such a circumstance, the message delay will be enlarged and the estimation tasks will be complicated. In this paper, we propose two stochastic message relaying estimation methods for both unidirectional and bidirectional sparse traffic in a VANET environment, respectively. Theoretical properties for the proposed methods are also given. The research results will be groundwork for routing decisions in VANETs.
The Effect of College Major on Wages

Long before the time their children enter the doors on their first day of kindergarten, most parents are already dreaming of and perhaps fearing the time thirteen years down the road when they will be sending their young scholars off to college. Many of these hopeful parents assume that a chance for higher education will allow their child the opportunity to have a prosperous and secure future. And, numerous studies have shown that the prayers of lots of these parents will be answered, as college graduates consistently earn higher wages than their less educated counterparts (Belfield, 2000). This article is available in The Park Place Economist: http://digitalcommons.iwu. edu/parkplace/vol13/iss1/14
A randomised controlled trial comparing Rapid Rhino Mannheim and Netcell series 5000 packs following routine nasal surgery.

OBJECTIVES To determine whether there is a difference in discomfort between Netcell Series 5000 and Rapid Rhino Mannheim 8.0 cm (Cat. No. 800) packs used after routine nasal surgery, whilst in situ and during removal. This was tested in a single blind, randomised controlled trial at the ENT Department, Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital. PARTICIPANTS Adults aged 16-65 undergoing nasal septal surgery and trimming of inferior turbinates. Patients were excluded if they were undergoing revision surgery, taking anticoagulants, or had a history of sino-nasal disease or trauma. Thirty nine entered and 32 completed the study. The intervention was a different nasal pack in each side of the nose, removed the morning after surgery. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES Pain experienced by patients while packs are in situ and on removal as recorded on a standard unmarked 100 mm visual analogue scale. RESULTS There was no difference in the pain scores whilst in situ. Rapid Rhino Mannheim was more painful on removal (difference = 10.6 mm, p < 0.001, Wilcoxon signed ranks test). CONCLUSIONS Rapid Rhino Mannheim packs do not confer a benefit over Netcell Series 5000 packs after routine nasal surgery.
Collaboration in R&D with universities and research centres: an empirical study of Spanish firms

Innovation is sometimes the result of collaboration between different agents with complementary resources. When companies make formal agreements to collaborate in R&D they do so with different types of organizations, such as their competitors, suppliers, and customers, or universities and research centres. This paper focuses on attempting to understand the reasons that lead companies to cooperate with universities and research centres and the characteristics of the relationship that this involves. The empirical study is based on a sample of 747 Spanish firms that took part in some type of collaborative R&D project between 1994 and 1996. Results indicate that cooperation with centres is a nation-wide phenomenon involving basic research, conducted under the sponsorship of different research support schemes promoted by central and regional administrations.
Efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in routine clinical practice: epidermal growth factor mutations and their implications.

BACKGROUND Activating mutations in the epidermal growth factor (EGFR) gene confer sensitivity to the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). TKI treatment efficacy and EGFR mutation implications were evaluated in clinically selected advanced NSCLC patients treated with TKIs in routine clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective chart review for clinicopathological characteristics and mutation status (EGFR, KRAS) analysis of 40 consecutive patients treated with TKIs between 2005 and 2010 was performed. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED PFS and OS were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method, the log-rank test was used to test for differences. The strength of the associations between the EGFR mutation status and clinicopathological characteristics were tested with the Mann-Whitney U-test or the Kruskal-Wallis H-test. RESULTS The prevalence of EGFR mutations was 45% with a predominance of deletion mutations in exon 19 (55.5%). Significant correlations between gender, histology, and EGFR mutations were observed. Median progression-free survival (mPFS) for the entire group of patients was 8.7 months and median overall survival (mOS) was not yet reached. Patients with EGFR mutant tumors derived significantly higher benefit from TKI therapy compared to patients with mutation-negative disease; with mPFS of 22.0 vs. 3.2 months (HR: 3.9, 95% CI 1.56-9.89) and with a trend towards better OS (probability of survival at 12 months 82.0 vs. 63.0%, P = 0.080). CONCLUSION We demonstrated that screening for EGFR mutations is reliable in a routine clinical setting and might allow for a better selection of NSCLC patients for anti-EGFR TKI therapy.
Thermal stability and intersubunit interactions of cholera toxin in solution and in association with its cell-surface receptor ganglioside GM1.

The thermal stability of cholera toxin free in solution and in association with its cell-surface receptor ganglioside GM1 has been studied by using high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry and differential solubility thermal gel analysis. In the absence of ganglioside GM1, cholera toxin undergoes two distinct thermally induced transitions centered at 51 and 74 degrees C, respectively. The low-temperature transition has been assigned to the irreversible thermal denaturation of the active A subunit. The second transition has been assigned to the reversible unfolding of the B subunit pentamer. The isolated B subunit pentamer exhibits a single transition also centered at 74 degrees C, suggesting that the attachment of the A subunit does not contribute to the stability of the pentamer. In the intact toxin, the A subunit dissociates from the B subunit pentamer at a temperature that coincides with the onset of the B subunit thermal unfolding. In aqueous solution, the denatured A subunit precipitates after dissociation from the B subunit pentamer. This phenomenon can be detected calorimetrically by the appearance of an exothermic heat effect. In the presence of ganglioside GM1, the B subunit is greatly stabilized as indicated by an increase of 20 degrees C in the transition temperature. In addition, ganglioside GM1 greatly enhances the cooperative interactions between B subunits. In the absence of ganglioside, each monomer within the B pentamer unfolds in an independent fashion whereas the fully ganglioside-bound pentamer behaves as a single cooperative unit. On the contrary, the thermotropic behavior of the A subunit is only slightly affected by the presence of increasing concentrations of ganglioside GM1. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The association between dietary patterns and weight change in adults over time: a systematic review of studies with follow up

Background The contribution of poor diet quality, as assessed by diet quality indices, to weight gain has not been fully elucidated. Objectives To evaluate the association between diet quality and body weight change in adults by synthesizing the best available evidence on the relationship between overall diet quality and weight change over time. Inclusion criteria Types of participants Adults aged ≥ 18 years at baseline. Types of intervention(s)/phenomena of interest Studies assessing dietary intake, total energy intake (TEI), energy density (ED) or total fat reported as the main exposure variable. Types of studies Cohort studies with longitudinal data analysis. Types of outcomes Studies reporting change in body weight as the outcome. Search strategy A search of four databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE and Scopus) was performed from 1970 to March 2011 for English language cohort studies. Search terms included diet quality and weight status. Methodological quality Study quality was assessed using standardised critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute, Meta‐Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (MAStARI). Data collection The first author extracted the data from included studies using a standardised data extraction tool from JBI‐MAStARI with a second reviewer checking the data extracted for accuracy. Data Synthesis It was not possible to pool results in meta‐analysis; thus this systematic review tabulated the results of the included studies. Results From 2304 studies identified, 32 studies met all inclusion criteria. Eight focused on diet quality indexes, seven on dietary patterns identified from factor or cluster analysis, and 17 studies used nutrient‐based approaches including fat intake, TEI or ED. Conclusions Additional studies are needed that examine diet quality as a predictor of weight gain. Currently, the majority of studies use factor or cluster analysis to examine diet quality, but these comparisons represent very different dietary patterns. Currently no studies have applied factor or cluster analysis along with a diet quality index within the same population. This systematic review has highlighted the limitations and inconsistencies for the few studies that have examined EI, ED or total fat intake and weight change over time.
Identification of Bacillus anthracis by rpoB Sequence Analysis and Multiplex PCR

ABSTRACT Comparative sequence analysis was performed upon Bacillus anthracis and its closest relatives, B. cereus and B. thuringiensis. Portions of rpoB DNA from 10 strains of B. anthracis, 16 of B. cereus, 10 of B. thuringiensis, 1 of B. mycoides, and 1 of B. megaterium were amplified and sequenced. The determined rpoB sequences (318 bp) of the 10 B. anthracis strains, including five Korean isolates, were identical to those of Ames, Florida, Kruger B, and Western NA strains. Strains of the “B. cereus group” were separated into two subgroups, in which the B. anthracis strains formed a separate clade in the phylogenetic tree. However, B. cereus and B. thuringiensis could not be differentiated. Sequence analysis confirmed the five Korean isolates as B. anthracis. Based on the rpoB sequences determined in the present study, multiplex PCR generating either B. anthracis-specific amplicons (359 and 208 bp) or cap DNA (291 bp) in a virulence plasmid could be used for the rapid differential detection and identification of virulent B. anthracis.
Low-grade glioma: a challenge in therapeutic options: the role of radiotherapy.

Low-grade glioma (LGG) encompasses a diverse group of primary, diffuse, slowly growing glial brain tumours. The optimal management of LGG remains controversial and is usually based on a number of clinical prognostic factors. The decision to treat takes into account tumour size and histology, control of symptoms (e.g. epilepsy) and age of the patient. Treatment decisions must balance the benefits of therapy against the potential for treatment-related complications.
The influence of e-banking service quality on customer loyalty

Purpose Providing high-quality e-banking services is considered a basic strategy for attracting and retaining customers with electronic-banking platforms. The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate a comprehensive moderated mediated mechanism for enhancing customer loyalty toward e-banking platforms via e-banking service quality (EBSQ) practices. Reliability, website design, privacy and security and customer service and support are the dimensions of EBSQ. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through structured questionnaires from a sample of 1,028 e-banking users in India. To test the hypotheses, a structural equation modeling approach was used. Findings The findings showed that of the EBSQ dimensions, reliability along with privacy and security enhanced customer loyalty to e-banking. The initial trust in e-banking mediates the effects of EBSQ dimensions on customer loyalty except for website design. The mediation effects of initial trust varied between high and low-involved consumers. Research limitations/implications This study was conducted with e-banking users in one country using cross-sectional data. Hence, the model should be replicated among e-banking users in other countries and with the longitudinal data. Practical implications Establishing a loyal customer base is an important goal for banks. This study demonstrates which specific EBSQ dimensions banks should emphasize to enhance consumers’ initial trust and loyalty toward e-banking services. Originality/value This study suggests a moderated mediated mechanism for enhancing customer loyalty to e-banking, which incorporates initial trust as a mediator and consumer involvement as a moderator. It applies cognitive-motivation-relational theory to link EBSQ dimensions with customer loyalty. Thus, this study enables a better understanding of this theory in the e-banking context.
Typing of Rhizobium by phages.

Two hundred and thirty strains of Rhizobium trifolii, Rhizobium leguminosarum for pea, vetch, horse bean, and Lathyrus spp. , Rhizobium phaseoli and Rhizobium meliloti were subjected to phage typing. On the basis of their sensitivity to phages these strains were divided into three groups: I, II, and III.In group I, consisting of R. trifolii, R. leguminosarum for pea, vetch, and horse bean, and R. phaseoli, 18 phage types were established. Group II included some strains of R. trifolii and R. leguminosarum for pea and vetch. Among them three phage types were distinguished. Group III included R. meliloti strains and one strain of Rhizobium lupini for lupine. In that group 10 phage types were found.
Adenovirus type 12 E1B 19-kilodalton protein is not required for oncogenic transformation in rats

The adenovirus type 12 mutants in700 and pm700 carry site-specific mutations within the reading frame encoding the E1B 19-kilodalton protein (19K protein) which prevent the production of the intact 19K protein. In cultures of human A549 cells, these mutants grow just as well as the wild-type virus does, but they display a large-plaque (lp), cytocidal (cyt) phenotype. DNA in these infected cells is not degraded, but at late times in human KB cells infected by the mutants, the mutants display a DNA degradation (deg) phenotype. The transformation phenotype of these mutants is also host range. Although the mutants are defective for transformation of the 3Y1 rat cell line, they transform rat and mouse primary kidney cells in vitro at wild-type efficiency and are capable of inducing tumors in rats. These results support the view that the type 12 E1B 19K protein is not obligatory for oncogenic transformation.
Direction-Aware Semi-Dense SLAM

To aide simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), future perception systems will incorporate forms of scene understanding. In a step towards fully integrated probabilistic geometric scene understanding, localization and mapping we propose the first direction-aware semi-dense SLAM system. It jointly infers the directional Stata Center World (SCW) segmentation and a surfel-based semi-dense map while performing real-time camera tracking. The joint SCW map model connects a scene-wide Bayesian nonparametric Dirichlet Process von-Mises-Fisher mixture model (DP-vMF) prior on surfel orientations with the local surfel locations via a conditional random field (CRF). Camera tracking leverages the SCW segmentation to improve efficiency via guided observation selection. Results demonstrate improved SLAM accuracy and tracking efficiency at state of the art performance.
Talking Behind Your Back: Asymmetric Communication in a Three-person Dilemma

Communication has been regarded as one of the most effective devices in promoting team cooperation. But asymmetric communication sometimes breeds collusion and is detrimental to team efficiency. Here, we present experimental evidence showing that excluding one member from team communication hurts team cooperation: the communicating partners collude in profit allocation against the excluded team member, and the latter reacts by refraining from exerting effort. We further show that allowing the partners to reach out to the excluded member helps to restore cooperation and fairness in profit allocation. But it does not stop the partners from talking behind the other member. They sometimes game the system by tricking the excluded member to contribute but then grabbing all profits for themselves.
Rapid onset of nucleolar disintegration preceding cell cycle arrest in roscovitine‐induced apoptosis of human MCF‐7 breast cancer cells

The aim of our study was to explore the antiproliferative and pro‐apoptotic action of roscovitine (ROSC) on human breast cancer MCF‐7 cells. We examined the effect of ROSC on cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, nucleolar morphology, posttranslational modifications of histones as well as on induction of apoptosis. The effects of ROSC on the argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) and nucleolar RNA of MCF‐7 cells were marked: ROSC treatment changed the pattern of AgNORs in a time‐dependent manner. The disintegration of nucleoli manifested by increasing number of nucleolar fragments already began at 6 hr posttreatment. This was accompanied by a redistribution of the nucleolin from the nucleolus beginning after 6 hr and preceded a decrease of histone acetylation and phosphorylation. Inhibition of DNA synthesis and accumulation of G2/M‐arrested cells starting 6 hr posttreatment coincided with a strong increase of the p53 level and with an appearance of a few cells committed to undergo apoptosis. However, all these changes preceded the main wave of apoptosis, which occurred after 24 hr ROSC treatment as assessed by determination of the frequency of Annexin binding, activation of caspases as well as of DNA fragmentation. Onset of PARP‐1 cleavage detected by immunoblotting and by immunohistochemistry 6 hr or 9 hr posttreatment, respectively, preceded for a few hours the DNA fragmentation detected in situ by TUNEL assay. Reconstitution of MCF‐7 cells with caspase‐3 did not change the kinetics of ROSC‐induced apoptosis. Our results show that disintegration of nucleoli is an early marker of ROSC‐induced changes. Cell cycle arrest precedes the main wave of apoptosis. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Spatial Configuration of Transposable Element Ac Termini Affects Their Ability to Induce Chromosomal Breakage in Maize[C][W]

Chromosome breakage was the first property of transposable elements identified by McClintock. Evidence is presented to show that chromosome breakage can be attributed to alternative transposition reactions that involve the termini of multiple closely linked elements. Composite or closely linked maize (Zea mays) Ac/Ds transposable elements can induce chromosome breakage, but the precise configurations of Ac/Ds elements that can lead to chromosome breakage are not completely defined. Here, we determined the structures and chromosome breakage properties of 15 maize p1 alleles: each allele contains a fixed fractured Ac (fAc) element and a closely linked full-length Ac at various flanking sites. Our results show that pairs of Ac/fAc elements in which the termini of different elements are in direct or reverse orientation can induce chromosome breakage. By contrast, no chromosome breakage is observed with alleles containing pairs of Ac/fAc elements in which the external termini of the paired elements can function as a macrotransposon. Among the structures that can lead to chromosome breaks, breakage frequency is inversely correlated with the distance between the interacting Ac/Ds termini. These results provide new insight into the mechanism of transposition-induced chromosome breakage, which is one outcome of the chromosome-restructuring ability of alternative transposition events.
Cutaneous larva migrans of the penis

In South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is at the centre of the HIV epidemic and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are endemic in this province.1 Improving the quality of STI health care causes a cost effective reduction in HIV prevalence and STI incidence.2 Despite the introduction of national standard treatment guidelines (STGs), based on the syndromic management approach (where antibiotics are prescribed according to algorithms and non-medicinal aspects of care are emphasised), poor case management has been found in rural KZN clinics.3 This study determined the quality of care received by STI patients at King Edward VIII Hospital (KEH), …