Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Ciprofloxacin in the Eradication of Helicobacter pylori

In small preliminary trials, ciprofloxacin has failed to eradicate Helicobacter pylori. Since fluoroquinolones have a marked reduction in bactericidal activity at acidic pH, we altered the gastric pH using omeprazole and investigated the efficacy of ciprofloxacin in eradicating H pylori. Forty–four consecutive patients infected with H pylori were prospectively studied in a randomized, double–blind, controlled trial comparing ciprofloxacin with a placebo for 2 weeks. Both treatment groups received bismuth and omeprazole. In 36 patients, follow–up endoscopy was done 4 weeks after the cessation of all study drugs. The H pylori infection cleared in 13 of 17 patients (76%) in the ciprofloxacin group versus 5 of 19 (26%) in the placebo group. Concurrent administration of omeprazole with ciprofloxacin resulted in increased bactericidal activity against H pylori. Ciprofloxacin when combined with omeprazole and bismuth is efficacious for eradication of H pylori.
A human capital measurement scale

Purpose Despite the large number of academic publications in human capital, there are few instruments to measure it. The purpose of this paper is to develop a holistic scale to measure human capital, considering aspects related to competence, attitudes, skills, leadership, and organizational memory. Design/methodology/approach First, a literature review of the existing measurement models was carried out. Second, based on the results the authors developed a scale and a questionnaire that were applied in a financial institution in Santa Catarina, Brazil, supported by a factor analysis and a reliability analysis. Findings As a result of this study a scale consisting of 13 variables of human capital emerged that have been grouped into three factors – leadership and motivation; qualifications; and satisfaction and creativity – which can assist in the organization’s human capital measurement. From a theoretical view, a more holistic scale is provided, which helps to overcome a unilateral focus on knowledge (intangibles). Research limitations/implications This work points out that the survey data were collected from a sample of 220 relationship managers of a specific financial institution. The results should be tested in other banks or organizations from other sectors to check their suitability and to be generalized. Practical implications From a practical point of view, it contributes a “tool” that can assist in the measurement of human capital and in the knowledge contained, dimensioning the organizational memory and human repositories. Originality/value This is the first study that provides a scale to measure organizational human capital from the Brazilian financial perspective.
Longitudinal patterns of comparative advantage in the textile complex – part 2

Purpose – This paper aims to present an exploratory investigation into long‐term patterns of trade specialization among leading textile and apparel exporting nations, assessing patterns of comparative advantage across the textile machinery, man‐made fiber, textiles and apparel sectors of the textile complex to determine whether these conform with both trade specialization and industry evolution theories. A model of evolutionary change in intra complex specialization is defined and evaluated.Design/methodology/approach – A revealed comparative advantage index is employed to evaluate international competitiveness for 30‐nations over a 42‐year period. Repeated measures of ANOVA are used to determine the significance of the observed patterns across five income‐defined groups of nations.Findings – Long‐term patterns of specialization broadly reflect expectations of factor proportions theory and industry evolution models. Product and income group characteristics combine to influence comparative advantage. Highe.
Incidence and descriptive epidemiology of injuries to college ultimate players.

CONTEXT The burden of injuries to college ultimate players has never been fully described. OBJECTIVE To quantify the injury rate in ultimate players and describe the diagnoses, anatomic locations, and mechanisms of injuries. DESIGN Descriptive epidemiology study. SETTING College ultimate teams in the United States during the 2012 season. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Initial injury rate per 1000 athlete-exposures. RESULTS The initial injury rate in college ultimate players was 12.64 per 1000 athlete-exposures; the rate did not differ between men and women (P = .5). Bivariate analysis indicated that injuries occurred twice as often during games as during practices, men were more likely than women to be injured when laying out for the disc, and men were more likely to incur strains and sprains than women. CONCLUSIONS Injury patterns to college ultimate players were similar to those for athletes in other National Collegiate Athletic Association sports. This is the first study to systematically describe injuries to ultimate players.
Risk of second cancer in patients with hairy cell leukemia: long-term follow-up.

PURPOSE The purpose of the present study was to assess the risk of second cancers in patients with hairy cell leukemia (HCL). PATIENTS AND METHODS We investigated the incidence of additional cancers in those patients registered in the nationwide registry of the Italian Cooperative Group for the Study of HCL, asking the cooperating centers for additional information on initial and subsequent therapies and on time and type of second malignancies, if they developed. Here we report the final results of this survey, consisting of 54 cases of second malignancies (excluding nine cases of epithelial skin cancer) which developed in 54 patients of 1,022 with adequate follow-up. RESULTS The cumulative risk of development of a second cancer was 5%, 10%, and 14% at 5, 10, and 15 years, respectively. The incidence of second malignancies was not significantly higher than the expected rate (standardized incidence ratio [SIR], 1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74 to 1.33; P = 1.0). However, the SIR of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the entire cohort was 5.3 (95% CI, 1.9 to 11.5). Second malignancies occurred in eight (4.7%) of 386 patients who never received interferon (IFN), nine (5.9%) of 495 patients treated with IFN at the time of diagnosis, and seven (6.9%) of 102 patients who received IFN as second-line therapy. These differences were not statistically significant. Analysis of the separate calendar periods did not reveal any particular trends with respect to variations in SIR. CONCLUSION The present study does not support the suspicion that patients with HCL are at increased risk of additional second malignancies, although the incidence of lymphoid neoplasms was significantly higher than expected. In addition, our data indicate that IFN therapy did not exert an oncogenic effect in such patients.
Nitrites in induced sputum as a simple and cheap non‐invasive marker of airway inflammation for asthmatic schoolchildren

To determine if there are differences in the nitric oxide metabolites (nitrites) in sputum of patients with persistent asthma and healthy schoolchildren, we performed a case‐control study in a tertiary care hospital in Arequipa, Perú. Nitrites in induced sputum samples were measured using the Griess assay in 30 persistent asthmatics (mean age of 10.1 yr) and 30 controls (mean age of 11.9 yr). The mean ± s.d. of nitrites among asthmatics was significantly higher than the controls (16.30 ± 8.6 vs. 10.25 ± 4.68 nmol/ml, respectively, p = 0.001). Moreover, the nitrite level in the sputum in children with severe persistent asthma was higher than in the level found in the moderate and mild asthmatics (32.83 ± 9.48 vs. 18.10 ± 1.96 vs. 11.84 ± 4.73 nmol/ml, respectively, p < 0.01 for linear trend). This study showed for the first time in children that asthmatics have significantly higher levels of nitrites in induced sputum than healthy controls and that the level of nitrite correlates with the severity of the asthma. Nitrite levels in sputum, a simple and cheap, non‐invasive method, may be a good alternative to measure the severity of inflammation in asthmatic children.
Farm level implementation of soil conservation measures: farmers’ beliefs and intentions

Abstract Understanding motivating factors for taking soil conservation measures is seen as key to improving on-farm implementation. However, to date only few on-farm conservation measures have been investigated. The objective of this paper is to investigate the influence of farmers’ subjective beliefs on their intention to apply and actual implementation of cover cropping, with the region of Brandenburg (Germany) as a case. An additional objective was to investigate how these insights can contribute to increase farm level implementation of soil conservation measures. Theory of planned behavior provides an approach to understand human behavior by analyzing farmers’ subjective beliefs. Our results, based on a survey of 96 farmers, show that attitudes (ATTs) and perceived difficulty significantly explain variations in intention to apply cover cropping, with ATTs being generally very positive. We discuss that, in this case, the most effective way to increase on-farm implementation is to decrease the farmers’ perception of difficulty. This can be achieved by providing information to farmers on how to overcome barriers to implementation of conservation measures. In-depth insights into belief structures reveal what kind of information is most useful in the case of cover cropping.
Anti-tumor immunotherapy by blockade of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway with recombinant human PD-1-IgV.

BACKGROUND Blockade of the programmed death-1 (PD-1)/PD-ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway can delay tumor growth and prolong the survival of tumor-bearing mice. The extracellular immunoglobulin (Ig) V domain of PD-1 is important for the interaction between PD-1 and PD-L1, suggesting that PD-1-IgV may be a potential target for anti-tumor immunotherapy. METHODS The extracellular sequence of human PD-1-IgV (hPD-1-IgV) was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. The anti-tumor effect of hPD-1-IgV on tumor-bearing mice was tested. RESULTS hPD-1-IgV recombinant protein could bind PD-L1 at molecular and cellular levels and enhance Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte (CTL) activity and anti-tumor effect on tumor-bearing mice in vivo. The percentage of CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells in tumor-bearing mice was decreased compared with control mice after administration of the recombinant protein. DISCUSSION Our results suggest that inhibition of the interaction between PD-1 and PD-L1 by hPD-1-IgV may be a promising strategy for specific tumor immunotherapy.
Rapid carbohydrate loading after a short bout of near maximal-intensity exercise.

PURPOSE One limitation shared by all published carbohydrate-loading regimens is that 2-6 d are required for the attainment of supranormal muscle glycogen levels. Because high rates of glycogen resynthesis are reported during recovery from exercise of near-maximal intensity and that these rates could in theory allow muscle to attain supranormal glycogen levels in less than 24 h, the purpose of this study was to examine whether a combination of a short bout of high-intensity exercise with 1 d of a high-carbohydrate intake offers the basis for an improved carbohydrate-loading regimen. METHODS Seven endurance-trained athletes cycled for 150 s at 130% VO2peak followed by 30 s of all-out cycling. During the following 24 h, each subject was asked to ingest 12 g.kg-1 of lean body mass (the equivalent of 10.3 g.kg-1 body mass) of high-carbohydrate foods with a high glycemic index. RESULTS Muscle glycogen increased from preloading levels (+/- SE) of 109.1 +/- 8.2 to 198.2 +/- 13.1 mmol.kg-1 wet weight within only 24 h, these levels being comparable to or higher than those reported by others over a 2- to 6-d regimen. Densitometric analysis of muscle sections stained with periodic acid-Schiff not only corroborated these findings but also indicated that after 24 h of high-carbohydrate intake, glycogen stores reached similar levels in Type I, IIa, and IIb muscle fibers. CONCLUSION This study shows that a combination of a short-term bout of high-intensity exercise followed by a high-carbohydrate intake enables athletes to attain supranormal muscle glycogen levels within only 24 h.
Fuel selection and the production of ammonium by the kidney: studies using insulin.

The purpose of this study was to explore the interrelations among energy turnover, the selection of fuels, and the production of ammonium (NH4+) in the kidney during chronic metabolic acidosis. Experiments were carried out in dogs because of the extensive background literature in this species. The specific question addressed was, will a diminished rate of oxidation of fatty acids in the kidney permit the rate of extraction of glutamine and the production of NH4+ to rise? Chronic metabolic acidosis was induced by the ingestion of NH4Cl for 5 days to stimulate the rate of production of NH4+. Insulin was administered to diminish the delivery of fatty acids to the kidney. The concentration of fatty acids in plasma fell from 350 +/- 104 to 188 +/- 45 microM, yet there was no significant increase in the rates of production of NH4+, consumption of oxygen, or extraction of glutamine after insulin. Notwithstanding, there was a significant rise in the rate of extraction of lactate by the kidney when expressed per 100-mL glomerular filtration rate. Because there was a significant decline in the level of glutamine in plasma (512 +/- 76 to 359 +/- 42 microM) 1 h after giving insulin, a second series of experiments was carried out. When glutamine was infused after the insulin period, there was no longer a fall in the concentration of this metabolite. Notwithstanding, the rates of extraction of glutamine and production of NH4+ were not higher in the presence of insulin. These data suggest that the rate of oxidation of fatty acids did not limit the rate of oxidation of glutamine in the kidneys of fed dogs with chronic metabolic acidosis. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The N-Acetyltransferase RimJ Responds to Environmental Stimuli To Repress pap Fimbrial Transcription in Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT In uropathogenic Escherichia coli, P pili (Pap) facilitate binding to host epithelial cells and subsequent colonization. Whereas P pili can be produced at 37°C, the expression of these fimbriae is suppressed at 23°C. Previously, insertion mutations in rimJ, a gene encoding the N-terminal acetyltransferase of ribosomal protein S5, were shown to disrupt this thermoregulatory response, allowing papBA transcription at low temperature. In this study, we created an in-frame deletion of rimJ. This deletion relieved the repressive effects not only of low temperature but also of rich (Luria-Bertani [LB]) medium and glucose on papBA transcription, indicating that RimJ modulates papBA transcription in response to multiple environmental stimuli. papI transcription was also shown to be regulated by RimJ. papBA transcription is also controlled by a phase variation mechanism. We demonstrated that the regulators necessary to establish a phase ON state—PapI, PapB, Dam, Lrp, and cyclic AMP-CAP-are still required for papBA transcription in a rimJ mutant strain. rimJ mutations increase the rate at which bacteria transition into the phase ON state, indicating that RimJ inhibits the phase OFF→ON transition. A ΔrimJ hns651 mutant is viable on LB medium but not on minimal medium. This synthetic lethality, along with transcriptional analyses, indicates that RimJ and H-NS work through separate pathways to control papBA transcription. Mutations in rimJ do not greatly influence the transcription of the fan, daa, or fim operon, suggesting that RimJ may be a pap-specific regulator. Overexpression of rimJ under conditions repressive for papBA transcription complements the ΔrimJ mutation but has little effect on transcription under activating conditions, indicating that the ability of RimJ to regulate transcription is environmentally controlled.
Mitochondrial Alternative Oxidase Maintains Respiration and Preserves Photosynthetic Capacity during Moderate Drought in Nicotiana tabacum1[W]

Alternative oxidase reduces feedback on the photosynthetic apparatus that can otherwise limit photosynthetic capacity during moderate drought. The mitochondrial electron transport chain includes an alternative oxidase (AOX) that is hypothesized to aid photosynthetic metabolism, perhaps by acting as an additional electron sink for photogenerated reductant or by dampening the generation of reactive oxygen species. Gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, photosystem I (PSI) absorbance, and biochemical and protein analyses were used to compare respiration and photosynthesis of Nicotiana tabacum ‘Petit Havana SR1’ wild-type plants with that of transgenic AOX knockdown (RNA interference) and overexpression lines, under both well-watered and moderate drought-stressed conditions. During drought, AOX knockdown lines displayed a lower rate of respiration in the light than the wild type, as confirmed by two independent methods. Furthermore, CO2 and light response curves indicated a nonstomatal limitation of photosynthesis in the knockdowns during drought, relative to the wild type. Also relative to the wild type, the knockdowns under drought maintained PSI and PSII in a more reduced redox state, showed greater regulated nonphotochemical energy quenching by PSII, and displayed a higher relative rate of cyclic electron transport around PSI. The origin of these differences may lie in the chloroplast ATP synthase amount, which declined dramatically in the knockdowns in response to drought. None of these effects were seen in plants overexpressing AOX. The results show that AOX is necessary to maintain mitochondrial respiration during moderate drought. In its absence, respiration rate slows and the lack of this electron sink feeds back on the photosynthetic apparatus, resulting in a loss of chloroplast ATP synthase that then limits photosynthetic capacity.
Prevalence of supernumerary teeth based on panoramic radiographs revisited.

PURPOSE The purposes of this study were to: (1) identify, within the literature, reports on the prevalence of supernumerary teeth that have used panoramic radiographs (PRs) as a diagnostic tool; and (2) reanalyze the prevalence data based on the current sensitivity figures for PRs in identifying supernumerary teeth. METHODS A comprehensive literature search in three databases identified 16 potential studies, of which seven were included in the final analysis. Based on the recent sensitivity data for PRs in identifying supernumerary teeth, the equation "P=r/q" was derived to reanalyze the prevalence data. Multiple regression analysis and paired t test were employed for the statistical analysis. RESULTS The prevalence figure ranged from 1.2 percent to three percent, and, subsequent to the application of the adjustment factor, it increased to range from 2.4 percent to six percent. The prevalence figures for males was significantly higher than for females (RR=1.37). Furthermore, due to insufficient studies, statistical analysis was unable to elicit ethnical differences in the prevalence figures. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of supernumerary teeth is higher than indicated in the published reports and ranges from 2.4 percent to six percent or possibly even higher.
A new prey‐detection mechanism for kiwi (Apteryx spp.) suggests convergent evolution between paleognathous and neognathous birds

Kiwi (Apterygidae: Apteryx spp.) are traditionally assumed to detect their soil‐dwelling invertebrate prey using their sense of smell. The unique position of the nares at the tip of the bill and the enlarged olfactory centres in the brain support this assumption. However, studies designed to show the importance of olfaction in prey‐detection by Apteryx have provided equivocal results. Another family of probing birds, the Scolopacidae, detect their buried prey using specialised vibration and pressure‐sensitive mechanoreceptors embedded in pits in the bill‐tip. We found that aspects of the foraging patterns of Apteryx mantelli are like those of scolopacid shorebirds, suggesting that Apteryx may be using a similar prey‐detection mechanism. We examined specimens of all five Apteryx species and conducted a morphological and histological examination of the bill of A. mantelli. We discovered that Apteryx possess an arrangement of mechanoreceptors within pits similar to that in Scolopacidae species and may therefore be able to localise prey using a similar vibrotactile sense. We suggest that this sense may function in conjunction with, or be dominant over, olfaction during prey‐detection. The Apterygidae and the Scolopacidae are members of the two different super‐orders of birds: the Paleognathae and the Neognathae, respectively. Therefore we cite the similar bill‐tip anatomy of these two families as an example of convergent evolution across a deep taxonomic divide.
Regulation of Escherichia coli starvation sigma factor (sigma s) by ClpXP protease

In Escherichia coli, starvation (stationary-phase)-mediated differentiation involves 50 or more genes and is triggered by an increase in cellular sigma s levels. Western immunoblot analysis showed that in mutants lacking the protease ClpP or its cognate ATPase-containing subunit ClpX, sigma s levels of exponential-phase cells increased to those of stationary-phase wild-type cells. Lack of other potential partners of ClpP, i.e., ClpA or ClpB, or of Lon protease had no effect. In ClpXP-proficient cells, the stability of sigma s increased markedly in stationary-phase compared with exponential-phase cells, but in ClpP-deficient cells, sigma s became virtually completely stable in both phases. There was no decrease in ClpXP levels in stationary-phase wild-type cells. Thus, sigma s probably becomes more resistant to this protease in stationary phase. The reported sigma s-stabilizing effect of the hns mutation also was not due to decreased protease levels. Studies with translational fusions containing different lengths of sigma s coding region suggest that amino acid residues 173 to 188 of this sigma factor may directly or indirectly serve as at least part of the target for ClpXP protease.
Rate, causes and reporting of medication errors in Jordan: nurses' perspectives.

AIM The aim of the study was to describe Jordanian nurses' perceptions about various issues related to medication errors. BACKGROUND This is the first nursing study about medication errors in Jordan. METHODS This was a descriptive study. A convenient sample of 799 nurses from 24 hospitals was obtained. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. RESULTS Over the course of their nursing career, the average number of recalled committed medication errors per nurse was 2.2. Using incident reports, the rate of medication errors reported to nurse managers was 42.1%. Medication errors occurred mainly when medication labels/packaging were of poor quality or damaged. Nurses failed to report medication errors because they were afraid that they might be subjected to disciplinary actions or even lose their jobs. In the stepwise regression model, gender was the only predictor of medication errors in Jordan. CONCLUSIONS Strategies to reduce or eliminate medication errors are required.