Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synergy between RU 28965 (roxithromycin) and human neutrophils for bactericidal activity in vitro

The in vitro effects of RU 28965 (roxithromycin), a new semisynthetic macrolide, on human neutrophil activity were compared with those of erythromycin. RU 28965, at a concentration as low as 0.1 microgram/ml, significantly enhanced the phagocytosis and killing of Staphylococcus aureus by neutrophils. Erythromycin displayed a less stimulating effect in a dose-dependent manner. Phagocytosis of Klebsiella pneumoniae was also increased after incubation of neutrophils with RU 28965, but killing was not altered. Neutrophil chemotaxis, myeloperoxidase activity, and O2 consumption were unchanged in the presence of RU 28965.
EMG biofeedback in stroke: a 1-year follow-up on the effect of patient characteristics.

Outcomes from emg biofeedback training to 28 upper and 26 lower extremities among 34 patients who were hemiplegic were reassessed at varying intervals and at 1-year after completion of feedback sessions. Examinations took into account both neuromuscular measures of muscle activity and total limb function. There was virtually no deterioration in performance among the 19 upper and 20 lower extremities in which the outcome had previously been graded as "success" or "moderate. " Therefore, age, sex, affected side, duration of injury or previous rehabilitation, or the presence of proprioceptive involvement are unrelated to a 1-year retention of improved function. Since patients continued to function within the limits of clinical improvement achieved during biofeedback training, it was concluded that sensory-motor integrative processes had been learned.
Breast Lump: A Rare Presentation of Tuberculosis in an Elderly Man

Introduction Chest wall masses are caused by various entities and have diverse aetiologies. A careful history and physical examination are crucial to establish the correct diagnosis. Case report A 77-year-old man presented with depressive mood, anorexia (weight loss of 20 kg) and a 1-month history of a non-painful breast lump with well-defined contours, which was about 6 cm in diameter. There was no history of trauma. Computed tomography of the thorax revealed a collection of liquid in the left anterior thoracic wall, associated with discontinuity of the 4th left costal cartilage, and upper left lobe cavitation, suggesting pulmonary tuberculosis. The patient was started on quadruple therapy with anti-tuberculosis drugs and discharged after a negative smear. Conclusion In this case, the indolent onset of unspecific symptoms made it difficult to reach a diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, which was confirmed by positive culture and imaging. A breast lump in an elderly patient with unspecific clinical manifestations is an unusual presentation of pulmonary tuberculosis. It is important to be aware of rib invasion and exclude tuberculosis in a patient with a chest wall mass. As tuberculosis is treatable, early diagnosis is vital as diagnostic delay can lead to contagion. LEARNING POINTS Chest wall tuberculosis is a rare complication of pulmonary tuberculosis. As smears and acid-fast bacilli cultures are often negative, polymerase chain reaction and imaging should be performed. Tuberculosis should be treated with first-line drugs; the role of surgery is still controversial.
Use of PCR and Reverse Line Blot Hybridization Assay for Rapid Simultaneous Detection and Serovar Identification of Chlamydia trachomatis

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate multiplex and nested PCR-reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization assays for detection and serovar identification of Chlamydia trachomatis. Two sets of primers targeting the VD2 region of the omp1 gene and one set targeting the cryptic plasmid were designed for use in multiplex (both targets) and nested PCR (omp1 only). For the RLB assay, labeled omp1 amplicons were hybridized to a membrane containing probes specific for 15 C. trachomatis serovars. The assays were used to test 429 clinical specimens, which had been previously tested for C. trachomatis using the COBAS AMPLICOR system. Specimens were tested without knowledge of the COBAS AMPLICOR result. Of 205 specimens that were positive by COBAS AMPLICOR, 201 (98%) were positive by multiplex PCR-RLB and 188 (92%) were also positive by omp1 nested PCR-RLB. In addition, three of 224 COBAS AMPLICOR-negative specimens were positive by omp1 nested PCR-RLB. One hundred sixty-six of 191 (87%) specimens in which C. trachomatis serovars were identified contained only one serovar and 25 (13%) contained two or three serovars. Serovars D, E, and F were found in 31 (16%), 83 (43%), and 51 (27%) specimens, respectively. Serovar E (41%) was the most commonly identified single serovar. Serovars J and K were found alone uncommonly (<2% each), but 18 of 25 (72%) specimens with multiple C. trachomatis serovars contained one or both (10 specimens) of these serovars. The nested (ompI) PCR-RLB is a specific and sensitive method for simultaneous detection and serovar identification of C. trachomatis, which can reliably identify mixed C. trachomatis serovars. It is suitable for use in epidemiological studies.
Analyzing Learning Outcomes for Electronic Fundamentals Using Bloom’s Taxonomy

Engineering education must enable students to acquire discipline specific knowledge with the important ability to apply theory in practice. This fusion of theory and practice enables students to progress to higher levels of cognitive development, where logical reasoning and critical thinking may be promoted. Bloom’s Taxonomy describes six levels of cognitive development ranging from simple memory recall to complex reasoning abilities. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the learning outcomes of an Electronic fundamental module offered in Romania and in South Africa within the framework of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Documentary analysis is used in this descriptive qualitative study which is designated as a non-experimental research design. Results indicate that the two lower levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (knowledge and comprehension) contribute approximately 58% to the total learning outcomes at both universities. The third lower level, termed application which features the illustrative verb calculate, accounts for approximately 27% of the learning outcomes. The highest two levels, synthesis and evaluation, make up the remaining 15%. A key recommendation of this research is to encourage more collaboration between academics offering similar modules at different universities in order to determine the degree to which they promote higher level cognitive development.
Cardiovascular Risk Profile of Patients with HER2/neu-Positive Breast Cancer Treated with Anthracycline-Taxane–Containing Adjuvant Chemotherapy and/or Trastuzumab

Purpose: To evaluate the cardiovascular risk profile of a subset of patients with early-stage breast cancer treated with adjuvant taxane-anthracycline–containing chemotherapy and/or trastuzumab (Herceptin). Experimental Design: Twenty-six patients with breast cancer (mean, 20 months postchemotherapy) and 10 healthy age-matched women were studied. We measured 14 metabolic and vascular established cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, body mass index, cardiorespiratory fitness, and left ventricular systolic function. All assessments were done within a 14-day period. Results: Cardiac abnormalities were suggested by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50% in 8% of patients, LVEF remained >10% below pretreatment values in 38%, whereas 50% presented with resting sinus tachycardia. Brain natriuretic peptide was significantly elevated in 40% of patients and was correlated with LVEF (r = −0.72, P = < 0.001). For the majority of CVD risk factors, similar proportions of patients and controls (35-60%) were classified as “undesirable. ” A significantly higher proportion of patients were classified with low cardiorespiratory fitness (46% versus 0%, P < 0.01), being overweight/obese (72% versus 50%, P < 0.05), and having resting sinus tachycardia (50% versus 0%, P < 0.01) compared with controls. Cardiorespiratory fitness and body mass index were correlated with CVD risk factors (r = −0.64 to 0.63, P < 0.05; r = −0.63 to 0.67, P < 0.05, respectively). Exploratory analyses revealed several differences between CVD risk factors based on chemotherapy regimen. Conclusion: Breast cancer survivors treated with adjuvant chemotherapy are at a higher risk of developing late-occurring CVD than age-matched controls due to direct and indirect treatment-related toxicity. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(5):1026–31)
Open access, impact, and demand

Why some authors self archive their articles T he great current divide in scientific publishing is between open access articles—that is, those freely available on the internet—and non-open access ones, those for which a reader has to pay on order to gain access to them. Before Jonathan Wren's study appeared (p 1128)1 we knew that open access copies of scientific journal articles published in non-open access (subscription based) journals were a fairly small subset of the overall journal literature.2 Wren studied just which subset it was and found that papers from journals with high impact factors were more likely to have free online copies at other locations around the web than papers from low impact journals. To show why this matters, and why it's puzzling, let's review what we knew before Wren did his study. We knew that some scientists deposited copies of their published articles in open access repositories, a process called self archiving. We knew that about 80% of subscription based journals allowed their authors to do so.3 Hence, we knew that self archiving was compatible with copyright and with publication in a non-open access journal. We knew that it took an author about 10 minutes to self archive one paper.4 We knew that the open access archives where authors deposited articles were “interoperable,” which means that they conformed to a common standard allowing users to search them all at once, as if they comprised one grand, virtual archive. We knew that there were many …
[Contasure Needleless: a single incision tot for the surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence].

SUMMARY OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to describe the surgical technique, and assess the complications and middle-term results of the Contasure Needleless (Neomedic International), a single incision TOT sling for the surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence. The main concept of this device is that it is not a mini-sling, it has 138% more surface area. We are analyzing the results of a minimally invasive solution that is a TOT like sling with the same known benefits of a TOT and the advantages of a single incision technique. The surface area to support the urethra of the Needleless is very similar to the surface area of the TOT. (16% less surface area of tissue ingrowths) It is 100% macroporous polypropylene without any additional material. METHODS 120 patients were evaluated retrospectively. They were all treated of SUI with the Contasure Needleless.Female patients were evaluated under clinical study protocol consisting in cough test, urodynamic and Quality Of Life questionnaire, before and after the procedure. INCLUSION CRITERIA patients with genuine SUI and patients with SUI plus concomitant procedures as prolapse. EXCLUSION CRITERIA patients with ISD and or neurogenic incontinence. Anesthesia used: general (30%) or epidural (70%), patients with associated pathology. PROCEDURE The 114 mm long and tension-free mesh was placed beneath the midurethra. The central part is 12 mm wide. The sling can be repositioned during surgery due to the 22 mm wide T-Pocket Positioning System located at the 2 edges. These pockets fixed the sling to the surrounding tissue in order to have the proper tissue in growth and anchoring. A 20mm sub urethral incision was made to dissect the paraurethral spaces only up to the ischiopubic ramus. A surgical forceps with the T-pocket folded was inserted into the dissected spaces and penetrates at the contra lateral side, like the standard transobturator technique. The forceps was introduced until the fascia of the Internal Obturator muscle was perforated. Then the forceps is opened to extend the pocket inside the muscle fibers for fixation. RESULTS 120 patients with a mean age of 55 years (from 36 to 79) and a mean number of deliveries of 3 (0-7). Follow-up period: 24 months. SUCCESS RATE: 100 patients (84%) Improved rate: 10 patients (8%) Failure rate: 10 (8%) Mean operating time of sling procedure alone: 9 minutes (4-12). COMPLICATIONS 3 patients had mesh extrusion solved with estrogens and 2 patients required short term catheterization due to voiding difficulties and no patients had inguinal pain. CONCLUSIONS The results of the study suggest that the Contasure Needleless can be considered a minimally invasive TOT with no-needles and maintaining the same cure rate than our TOT cases at 2 years follow up.
Natural Convection Heat Transfer in a Square Enclosure with an Inside hot Block

A two-dimensional natural convection heat transfer in a square cavity having a hot square obstacle located centrally is investigated numerically by the lattice Boltzmann method. In this paper, the variables of interest like flow velocity and the temperature are treated using the MRT-D2Q9 model and the MRT-D2Q5 model, respectively. The left and right vertical walls are kept at the same cold temperature while the horizontal walls are assumed to be adiabatic. Concerning the bottom square block, a hot temperature is imposed. In the present research the Prandtl number is taken to be 0.71 corresponding to the air. The effects of Rayleigh number ($10^{3}\leq\mathbf{Ra}\ \leq 10^{6}$), dimension ($0.2\leq \mathbf{W}\leq 0.8$) and location ($0.1\leq \mathbf{D}\leq 0.4$) of the active block upon dynamic and thermal fields of fluid are examined. Detailed analysis of results reported in form of the distributions of streamlines, isotherms and local Nusselt are discussed. In general way, the modification of geometrical dimensions of the square block and its horizontal position disrupt the fluid flow and heat transfer structures. The increased block dimensions has enhanced the heat transfer due to increasing the surface area of the bottom block.
An epidemiological survey of Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum in gynaecological outpatients, Rome, Italy

SUMMARY The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis infections and to investigate associations between their presence in the lower female genital tract and lifestyle characteristics. The study was performed on a population of 3115 women, comparing the demographic and behavioural characteristics of 872 women with U. urealyticum infection and 142 women with M. hominis with uninfected women, using univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of infection with U. urealyticum was 28% and M. hominis was 4·6%. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, intrauterine device, number of sexual partners and age (<35 years) were significantly associated with U. urealyticum while previous induced abortion, condom use and young age at first intercourse (<16 years) were associated with M. hominis infection. U. urealyticum infection presents the same demographic and behavioural characteristics of a sexually transmitted disease. The unprotective role of condom use suggests a non-sexual mode of transmission of M. hominis infection.
Flat-head positioning increases cerebral blood flow in anterior circulation acute ischemic stroke. A cluster randomized phase IIb trial

Background Whether lying-flat improves blood flow in patients with acute ischemic stroke is unknown. Our aim was to investigate if lying-flat “changes” cerebral blood flow velocities assessed by transcranial Doppler in acute ischemic stroke patients. Methods In a multicenter cluster clinical trial, we randomly assigned patients within 12 h from onset of a neurological deficit due to cerebral ischemia of the anterior circulation to lying-flat or upright head positioning. The primary outcome was a change of 8 cm/s or more in mean cerebral blood flow velocities on transcranial Doppler to the middle cerebral artery at 1 and 24 h post-randomization, adjusted for imbalance in baseline variables. Secondary outcomes included serious adverse events and physical functioning at 90 days. Results Ninety-four of 304 patients screened were recruited. The primary outcome occurred in 11 (26%) of 43 patients in the lying-flat group and in 6 (12%) of 51 in the upright group at 1 h (adjusted odds ratio, 3.81; 95% CI, 1.07 to 13.54), and in 23 (53%) and 18 (36%) patients in these respective groups at 24 h (adjusted odds ratio, 3.04; 95% CI, 1.08 to 8.53). There were no between-group differences in serious adverse events, including pneumonia, heart failure or mortality, nor in functional outcome at 3 months (adjusted common odds ratio, 1.38; 95% CI 0.64 to 3.00). Conclusion The lying-flat head position was associated with a significant increase in cerebral blood flow velocities at one and 24 h within the ipsilateral hemisphere of anterior circulation acute ischemic stroke, without serious safety concerns. Clinical trial registration-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials. gov. Unique identifier: NCT01706094.
Alternative interpretation of the sign reversal of secondary Bjerknes force acting between two pulsating gas bubbles.

It is known that in a certain case, the secondary Bjerknes force (which is a radiation force acting between pulsating bubbles) changes, e.g., from attraction to repulsion, as the bubbles approach each other. In this paper, a theoretical discussion of this phenomenon for two spherical bubbles is described. The present theory based on analysis of the transition frequencies of interacting bubbles [M. Ida, Phys. Lett. A 297, 210 (2002)] provides an interpretation, different from previous ones (e.g., by Doinikov and Zavtrak [Phys. Fluids 7, 1923 (1995)]), of the phenomenon. It is shown, for example, that the reversal that occurs when one bubble is smaller and the other is larger than a resonance size is due to the second-highest transition frequency of the smaller bubble, which cannot be obtained using traditional natural-frequency analysis.
Work in Progress: Self-Directed Approach for Project Based Learning Activity

Beyond K-12 education, there is a need to better address the learning methodologies of students to enable them to become independent self-directed problem solvers upon their graduation from tertiary studies. In this work, the preliminary studies and results for using a self-directed learning (SDL) approach for project-based learning (PBL) in the area of Information Technology is presented. Coupled with the adoption of interrelated dimensions of competency, the proposed work captures the learning journey including (1) the transition from pure software implementation of enacted scenarios to hands-on problem solving on the hardware equipment, and (2) the challenges and benefits of adapting this framework to expand the disposition components to achieve SDL. With the changes, students can reap the benefits of being more independent in solving realistic and situational problem practically, which will be advantageous for them upon joining the workforce. Early results from the implementation show positive responses from students in finding the SDL approach to be useful and suggest possible extension of its usage to other related areas of study.
Finite element method simulation of graphene phononic crystals with cross-shaped nanopores

Control of heat transport in materials is extremely important for advanced applications in hyper-sound and heat control, acoustic and thermal cloaking, thermal diodes etc. However, for such applications, the realization of terahertz frequency band gaps is highly desired. In this report, finite element simulation, with continuum approximation is utilized to induce phononic band gaps (PnBG) in graphene phononic crystals (GPnC). The cross-shaped hole structure results show that the PnBG depends on the size of the pitch and neck of the GPnC, showing higher frequency band gaps at a smaller pitch size and more PnBG with decreasing neck size. The PnBG was most strengthened at single nanometer neck size, and was completely lost at 10 nm neck size. Furthermore, circular-hole and square-hole shaped structures did not exhibit any PnBG for 25 nm pitch size.
Radial Filter Design Using Kaiser Window Polynomials for Speech Source Separation

Separation of coincident speech sources using microphone arrays is a challenging problem. Radial filters can be designed in the spherical harmonic domain to separate coincident speech sources effectively. Limited studies have been conducted on polynomial based near-field radial filter design in the spherical harmonic domain earlier. In this paper, a radial filter design method using a frequency domain Kaiser window function is proposed. The magnitude response of the Kaiser window function exhibits sharp notches, making it a good candidate for the design of radial notch filters. The polynomial expansion of the Kaiser window can be utilized for modeling the spherical array beamformer output. Improved white noise gain and directivity index are noted in the radial filters designed using the Kaiser window function. The radial filter is also used to separate co-incident speech sources. Experimental results on coincident speech source separation indicate better LSD, PESQ, and SDR scores than existing approaches.
Factors related to lymph node metastasis and surgical strategy used to treat early gastric carcinoma.

AIM The prognosis of early gastric carcinoma (EGC) is generally excellent after surgery. The presence or absence of lymph node metastasis in EGC is an important prognostic factor. The survival and recurrence rates of node-negative EGC are much better than those of node-positive EGC. This study examined the factors related to lymph node metastasis in EGC to determine the appropriate treatment for EGC. METHODS We investigated 748 patients with EGC who underwent surgery between January 1985 and December 1999 at the Division of Gastroenterologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Chonnam National University Hospital. Several clinicopathologic factors were investigated to analyze their relationship to lymph node metastasis: age, sex, tumor location, tumor size, gross type, histologic type, depth of invasion, extent of lymph node dissection, type of operation, and DNA ploidy. RESULTS Lymph node metastases were found in 75 patients (10.0%). Univariate analysis showed that male sex, tumor size larger than 2.0 cm, submucosal invasion of tumor, histologic differentiation, and DNA ploidy pattern were risk factors for regional lymph node metastasis in EGC patients. However, a multivariate analysis showed that three risk factors were associated with lymph node metastasis: large tumor size, undifferentiated histologic type and submucosal invasion. No statistical relationship was found for age, sex, tumor location, gross type, or DNA ploidy in multivariate analysis. The 5-year survival rate was 94.2% for those without lymph node metastasis and 87.3% for those with lymph node metastasis, and the difference was significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSION In patients with EGC, the survival rate of patients with positive lymph nodes is significantly worse than that of patients with no lymph node metastasis. Therefore, a standard D2 lymphadenectomy should be performed in patients at high risk of lymph node metastasis: large tumor size, undifferentiated histologic type and submucosal invasion.