Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Experience with the use of piperacillin–tazobactam in pediatric non‐renal solid organ transplantation

Abstract: Bacterial infection remains a major problem after solid organ transplantation (SOT), especially in children. Piperacillin–tazobactam (Pip–Tazo) is a beta‐lactam‐antibiotic combination with a broad spectrum of activity including gram‐positive cocci as well as gram‐negative rods, non‐fermentative and anaerobic bacteria. The aim of this retrospective study was to critically review our experience with Pip–Tazo as perioperative prophylactic agent in pediatric non‐renal SOT. Between 1993 and 2003 Pip–Tazo was used as initial perioperative prophylaxis in 45 pediatric patients who underwent a total of 49 transplants (36 liver‐, seven cardiac‐, two lung‐, and four small bowel‐) at our department. Median age of the children was 7.9 (range 0.5–18.1) years. A total of 34 rejection episodes following 27 transplants were diagnosed. During first hospitalization 44 infectious episodes were observed. Bacteria were responsible for 22 episodes including sepsis (n = 10), pneumonia (n = 5), wound infection (n = 4), urinary tract infection (n = 1), and clostridial colitis (n = 2). The isolated organisms were gram‐positive cocci (n = 12), gram‐negative rods (n = 3), non‐fermentative bacilli (n = 4), and anaerobes (n = 3). Ten episodes were caused by Pip–Tazo resistant bacteria. Twenty‐one of these infections were observed following antirejection therapy with pulse steroids. At later time points nine infectious episodes were successfully treated with a second course of Pip–Tazo. During follow up, eight patients died. Six deceased perioperatively: five from infection including aspergillosis (n = 4) and Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (n = 1) and cerebrovascular bleeding (n = 1) and two children later on. At present 37 children (82%) are alive with well functioning graft after a median follow up of 39.2 (range 0.6–123.5) months. No severe side effects caused by Pip–Tazo were observed in any of the children. Pip–Tazo may be a suitable single agent for perioperative prophylaxis in pediatric non‐renal solid organs recipients, however, a prospective comparative study is needed to make final conclusions.
Time spent on religious activities of Pakistani youth : evidence from time use data

vi List of Tables . x List of Figures . xi Chapter 1 . 2 1.1 Interest in Youth Research . 2 1.2 Current Research . 6 1.3 Outline of Dissertation . 7 1.4 Personal Reflection . 9 Chapter 2 . 12 REVIEW OF SOCIOLOGICAL LITERATURE ON RELIGIOSITY . 12 2.1 Sociology of Religion a Theoretical Approach . 13 2.2 Measuring Religiosity . 15 2.3 Religious Participation and its Social Significance . 16 2.3. 1 Religion and Youth. 17 2.3. 2 Religion’s Impact on Economics . 17 2.3. 3 Religion and Health and Wellbeing . 19 2.3. 4 Religion as a Tool for Oppression . 19 2.3. 5 Religion and Secularization . 22 2.4 Research on Religiosity in Muslim Societies . 24 2.4. 1 Religiosity in Pakistan . 36
Discovery processes & the organization of innovation

The thesis comprises four key papers, which provide fresh perspectives pertaining to the key factors in the management of innovation: new ideas, people, transactions and institutions. First, a model of discovery is proposed, highlighting the importance of problem reshaping and shifting in addition to usual problem solving approach. To illustrate how they can be incorporated within existing models, the conventional NK model is adapted in a novel way that not necessarily constrains agents to local optima nearby. The extended model is then used to study effects of curiosity and conditions under which analogy, recombination or local search would be effective. Building on this model, we show how satisficing behaviour of agents can be described by using cognitive constructs such as attention and stimulus, which moderate the gap between local (agent) and non-local (real-world) information. Second, Innovation entails the interfacing of communities with different traditions and aspirations, in particular, the science and business domains. Through a quasi-experimental design, we explore the micro-foundations of the contact and conflict which define the science-business divide, strategies for mitigating discordance and exploit synergies are discussed. Third, the attempt to understand innovation as intra-firm or inter-firm process from a consistent perspective within the existing theories of the firm has provoked a reconceptualization of the ’firm’. A reductionist approach at the level of actions and assets of the firm is found to achieve this reconciliation and also helps introduce the concepts of quasi-boundary to appreciate interaction of firms with the market and the institutions. Third, the innovation process occasionally faces institutional impediments. One of the preeminent changes has been the involvement of the universities in innovation system, where its full commercial potential was realized over a century.
Two-point Discrimination of Vibratory Perception on the Sole of the Human Foot

The capability for discrimination of vibratory stimuli of the sole of the foot was tested on 12 subjects (6 men, 6 women). Two vibratory stimuli (sinusoidal impulse: frequency, 200 Hz; amplitude, 0.1 mm; duration, 2 sec) were applied at different sites to the sole of the foot. Subjects were asked whether they detected one or two vibratory sensations. The discrimination threshold was defined as the shortest distance at which two vibrations can be differentiated at repeated trials. In addition, the absolute threshold was measured by one plunger (sinusoidal vibration: frequency, 200 Hz; variable amplitude). The values of the absolute threshold (average value, 1.2 μm) were in accordance with the results of other authors. A decrease of discrimination capability was observed along the longitudinal axis of the foot from distal to proximal parts and was about 15 mm at the big toe and 34 mm at the heel. Discrimination at the medial longitudinal arch was inferior to that at the lateral longitudinal arch. This was also true for inverse vibration in which all subjects showed lower thresholds. No relationship was found with respect to thickness of the skin (measured by ultrasound), side of foot, or gender. Determining factors for vibratory threshold might be the density of the Pacinian corpuscles per cm2 as well as their peripheral and central representation. Anatomical or physical factors (e.g., thickness of the skin, impedance of the deeper tissue) can probably be disregarded.
Timing and dose of BCG vaccination in infants as assessed by postvaccination tuberculin sensitivity.

Tuberculosis is an important public health problem in developing countries and BCG plays an important role in preventing serious form of the disease in children. BCG induced tuberculin sensitivity is a quantitative characteristic and has been used to compare vaccine efficacy. The standard dose of BCG vaccine is 0.1mg in 1 ml though manufacturers of certain strains of BCG, i.e., Copenhagen 1331 recommend half dose in infants. There are also varying ideas about the optimum time to vaccinate babies and some studies suggest that late vaccination confers a high degree of protection. This study was carried out to evaluate tuberculin sensitivity and side effects following 0.05 ml and 0.1 ml of BCG at birth and 0.1 ml of BCG at 4-6 weeks of age. Two hundred and thirty eight newborns were vaccinated randomly with 0.05 ml and 0.05 ml and 0.1 ml of BCG vaccine (Copenhagen 1331 strain) containing . 69 million culturable particles per ml. One hundred and eight infants 4-6 weeks of age were vaccinated with 0.1 ml of BCG. One hundred and fifty five (44.7%) infants were evaluated by Mantoux test using 1TU PPD RT23 10-12 weeks after vaccination and 105 (30.6%) followed up till 6 months for any side effects. No significant difference in mean tuberculin reaction, tuberculin positivity and mean scar size was observed in groups receiving 0.1 ml at birth or 4-6 weeks of age. However, the group receiving 0.05 ml at birth had a significantly lower mean tuberculin reaction, tuberculin positivity and mean scar size. No locoregional side effects were observed. Hence the present practice of giving 0.1 ml of BCG at birth should be continued.
When Are Low Resolution ADCs Energy Efficient in Massive MIMO?

Massive MIMO (MaMI) is often promoted as a technology that will enable the use of low-quality, cheap hardware. One particular component that has been in the focus of MaMI-related research is the analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and use of very low-resolution ADCs has been proposed. However, studies about whether this strategy is justified from an energy-efficiency point of view have largely been inconclusive. In this paper, we choose system setup and models that reflect the hardware implementation reality as close as possible and perform a parametric analysis of uplink energy efficiency as a function of ADC resolution. If antenna scaling and decrease of ADC resolution are considered independently, the energy efficiency is shown to be maximized at intermediate ADC resolutions, typically in the range of 4–8 bits. Moreover, optimal ADC resolution does not decrease when more antennas are used except in some specific cases, and when it does, the decrease is approximately logarithmic in the number of antennas. In the case when antenna scaling and ADC degradation are coupled through a constant-performance constraint, it is shown that energy efficiency cannot improve with reduced bit resolution unless the power consumption of blocks other than ADCs scales down with the upscaling of antennas at a fast enough rate. Altogether it is concluded that in MaMI, intermediate ADC resolutions are optimal in energy efficiency sense, and, except in some special cases, scaling up the antennas to very large numbers does not change this conclusion.
Problems in Communications with Patients in General Surgery Outpatient Practice.

OBJECTIVE Communication between the patient and physician is central to medical care. However communication skills in Turkey haven't been gained so much concern. This situation effect the national quality of health care. Here, we tried to perform some basic communication skills and to find the problems with the possible solution suggestions. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was conducted for a month in general surgery outpatient department located in the slum part of Ankara with low socio-economic population. Basic communication skills were performed. The age, sex, education levels of the patients were obtained. Total symptom expression and interview time were recorded. Previous medical histories were asked. Interruptions including telephone, door knocking were noted. The questions of the patients at the end of the interview classified as hospital setting, nutrition and treatment. RESULTS Total 410 interviews were analysed. Mean symptom expression and interview times were 22.9 sec and 7.05 min, respectively. Educated patients, males and young patients expressed symptoms longer than the others (p<0.05). There were 174 interruptions in which total interview time signifantly increased than the non interrupted ones (p<0.05). Final questions about hospital setting were signifantly higher in illiterate patients than the educated ones (p<0.05). Awareness of medical history is higher in educated and young patients. CONCLUSION Basic communications skills can be performed whether in rural regions. Much more concern should be given to the education of communication skills. The obstacles in communication in medicine are low education levels, and unorganised health system.
Are Conditional Cash Transfers Fulfilling Their Promise? Schooling, Learning, and Earnings after 10 Years

Interventions aimed at improving the nutrition, health, and education of young children are often motivated by their potential to break the intergenerational transmission of poverty. A prominent example, conditional cash transfers (CCTs), has become the anti-poverty program of choice in many developing countries. Evidence is inconclusive as to whether the demonstrated short-term gains translate into the longer-term educational and labor market benefits needed to fully justify them. This paper uses the randomized phase-in of a 3-year CCT program in Nicaragua to estimate long-term effects. We estimate these effects using experimental variation, complemented by two alternative non-experimental identification strategies. We focus on boys aged 9-12 years at the start of the program who, due to the program's eligibility criteria and prior school dropout patterns, were more likely to have been exposed to the program in the early treatment than in the late treatment group. Previously demonstrated short-term increases in schooling are sustained after 10 years, and there are substantial gains in learning. These improvements in human capital coincide with positive labor market returns - the young men are more likely to engage in wage work, migrate temporarily for better paying jobs, and have higher earnings. In Nicaragua, schooling and learning gains hence translate into earning gains for these young men, implying important long-term returns to CCT programs.
Personalized Dynamic Pricing with Machine Learning: High Dimensional Features and Heterogeneous Elasticity

We consider a seller who can dynamically adjust the price of a product at the individual customer level, by utilizing information about customers’ characteristics encoded as a d-dimensional feature vector. We assume a personalized demand model, parameters of which depend on s out of the d features. The seller initially does not know the relationship between the customer features and the product demand, but learns this through sales observations over a selling horizon of T periods. We prove that the seller’s expected regret, i.e., the revenue loss against a clairvoyant who knows the underlying demand relationship, is at least of order s √T under any admissible policy. We then design a near-optimal pricing policy for a “semi-clairvoyant” seller (who knows which s of the d features are in the demand model) that achieves an expected regret of order s √Tlog T. We extend this policy to a more realistic setting where the seller does not know the true demand predictors, and show that this policy has an expected regret of order s √T(log d＋logT), which is also near-optimal. Finally, we test our theory on simulated data and on a data set from an online auto loan company in the United States. On both data sets, our experimentation-based pricing policy is superior to intuitive and/or widely-practiced customized pricing methods such as myopic pricing and segment-then- optimize policies. Furthermore, our policy improves upon the loan company’s historical pricing decisions by 47% in expected revenue over a six-month period.
The hypertension drug, verapamil, activates Nrf2 by promoting p62-dependent autophagic Keap1 degradation and prevents acetaminophen-induced cytotoxicity

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) provides a cellular defense against oxidative stress by inducing the expression of antioxidant and detoxification enzymes. The calcium antagonist, verapamil, is an FDA-approved drug prescribed for the treatment of hypertension. Here, we show that verapamil acts as a potent Nrf2 activator without causing cytotoxicity, through degradation of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), a Nrf2 repressor. Furthermore, verapamil-induced Keap1 degradation is prominently mediated by a p62-dependent autophagic pathway. Correspondingly, verapamil protects cells from acetaminophen-induced oxidative damage through Nrf2 activation. These results demonstrated the underlying mechanisms for the protective role of verapamil against acetaminophen-induced cytotoxicity.
Long-term mortality after invasive diagnostic and endovascular revascularization in PAD patients.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to assess the long-term, all-cause mortality among PAD patients hospitalized for invasive diagnostics and/or endovascular revascularization (ER) and the applied secondary prevention management. METHODS From 2005 to 2009, at our center 582 consecutive patients underwent invasive peripheral angiography in part in combination with coronary angiography and/or ER. Patients were classified according to their Fontaine stage into 3 subgroups: Fontaine I/IIa, Fontaine IIb, and Fontaine stages III and IV (which were classified as critical limb ischemia, CLI). Demographic and clinical data were retrospectively obtained and patients followed up. RESULTS Mean age increased with higher Fontaine stages (P=0.009). The proportion of patients with diabetes and anemia was lowest in Fontaine stage IIb and highest in CLI (each p<0.001). The cumulative all-cause mortality during follow-up was 17% in Fontaine stage I/IIa, 22% in Fontaine stage IIb and 34% in CLI, respectively (P<0.001). In multivariate cox regression models including diabetes mellitus, gender, age, creatinine and baseline hemoglobin, patients with Fontaine stage IIb had a 1.4-fold (95%CI 0.60-3.16) and those with CLI a 2.3-fold (95%CI 1.03-5.08) increased mortality compared to Fontaine stage I/IIa. At baseline, patients with CLI received significantly less beta blocker, statins, ACE or AT1 inhibitors and less anticoagulants; at follow-up only statins were significantly less often prescribed to CLI patients (all p<0.05). Univariate analyses showed that a therapy with statins (HR 0.64; CI 0.43-0.96; P=0.03) and antiplatelet/anticoagulant agents (HR 0.5; CI 0.27-0.94; P=0.03) significantly reduced mortality. CONCLUSIONS Long-term mortality in CLI patients doubles the rate in patients with Fontaine stage I/IIa. Non-adherence to evidence-based recommendations and guidelines such as inadequate use of cardioprotective drugs might contribute to the observed high mortality rates in patients with CLI.
ANALISIS PENGARUH INFLASI, SUKU BUNGA, NILAI TUKAR (KURS) DAN PERTUMBUHAN PRODUK DOMESTIK BRUTO (PDB) TERHADAP INDEKS HARGA SAHAM GABUNGAN (IHSG) STUDI KASUS PADA PERUSAHAAN PROPERTI YANG TERDAFTAR DI BURSA EFEK INDONESIA

This result this research swoh that the independent significantly influences toward composite stock price index. Partially either Inflation, on exchange rate significantly influences neither Interst Rate, Kurs, nor Gross Domestic Product not significant on Composite stock Price Index. This used secondary data, the data are derived from monthly report of Inflation and Interest Rate values, quarterly report of Gross Domestic Product and anual report of Kurs as well as Composite Stock Price Index. The technique of analyzing the data formula of multiple regression analysis. It is sugessted for the future researcher to conduct the similar study focusing on other macroeconomic variable that is supposed to inflvence Composite Stock Price Index
Excess salmonellosis in women in the United States: 1968–2000

SUMMARY We describe recent epidemiological changes in salmonellosis. Linking 1968–2000 National Salmonella Surveillance System to census data, we calculated population-based age- and sex-stratified rates of non-urinary salmonellosis for the top 30 non-typhoidal serotypes. Using 1996–1997, 1998–1999, and 2000–2001 population-based FoodNet surveys, we compared reported diarrhoea, medical visits, and stool cultures. Despite an overall female-to-male incidence rate ratio (FMRR) of 0·99, the sex-specific burden of salmonellosis varied by age (<5 years FMRR 0·92; 5–19 years 0·85; 20–39 years 1·09; 40–59 years 1·23, and ⩾60 years 1·08) and serotype (FMRR range 0·87 for Mississippi to 1·25 for Senftenberg). Serotype-specific FMRRs and median age (range 2 years for Derby to 29 years for Senftenberg) were related (correlation 0·76, P<0·0001). Recently, the relative burden of salmonellosis in women has increased. FoodNet data suggest that this change is real rather than due to differential reporting. Excess salmonellosis in women may reflect differences in exposure or biological susceptibility.
Trends in Mortality and Cerebral Palsy in a Geographically Based Cohort of Very Low Birth Weight Neonates Born Between 1982 to 1994

Objective. To analyze whether the increasing survival of very low birth weight infants during the 1980s and 1990s has increased the risk of cerebral palsy among survivors. Methods. The study cohort consisted of 2076 consecutively born infants, with birth weights of 500 to 1500 g and no major anomaly, born July 1, 1982, through June 30, 1994, to residents of a 17-county region in North Carolina. These infants had a mean birth weight of 1096 g (standard deviation, 251 g) and a mean gestational age of 29 weeks (standard deviation, 3 weeks). One thousand five hundred sixty-eight infants (76%) survived to 1 year adjusted age, at which point 1282 infants (82%) were examined at our medical center. The diagnosis of cerebral palsy was made only if the examining pediatrician and a pediatric physical therapist agreed on the diagnosis. To analyze trends across time, the Cochran-Armitage χ2 test and logistic regression were applied to data for infants categorized into six 2-year epochs according to year of birth. Results. Mortality did not change significantly through 1990, and then began to decrease in 1990 to 1994. During the study period, mortality decreased from 36.8% between 1982 and 1984, to 13.8% between 1992 and 1994. The prevalence of cerebral palsy among survivors was constant from 1982 to 1988 (11.3%), decreased slightly from 1988 to 1990 (9.2%), and was lowest in 1990 to 1994 (5.2%). These secular trends in mortality and cerebral palsy risk remained significant when adjusted for gestational age, gender, and race. When adjusted for surfactant use, the trend in mortality was no longer significant, whereas the trend in cerebral palsy risk persisted. Conclusions. The increasing survival of very low birth weight infants in the 1980s and 1990s has not resulted in an increased prevalence of cerebral palsy among survivors.
Differential Regulation by Calcium Reveals Distinct Signaling Requirements for the Activation of Akt and p70S6k *

Activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) plays an important role in the mitogenic response of many cell types. Recently, two serine/threonine kinases Akt and p70S6k have been identified as physiological targets of PI3K. Observations that expression of activated forms of Akt led to the activation of p70S6k implied Akt might mediate mitogenic signaling through activation of p70S6k. To clarify the relationship between signaling through these two kinases, we have examined their regulation by various mitogenic stimuli. In this study we have focused on the role of calcium in the regulation of each kinase in Balb/c-3T3 fibroblasts. Depletion of intracellular calcium stores by EGTA pretreatment has no effect on growth factor-induced Akt activation but completely abolishes p70S6k stimulation. Increase of intracellular calcium induced by ionomycin or thapsigargin results in a full activation of p70S6k, whereas little or no activation of Akt is observed. Furthermore, although PI3K in anti-phosphotyrosine immunoprecipitates is only very weakly activated by ionomycin, the calcium-induced stimulation of p70S6k is completely inhibited by the specific PI3K inhibitor wortmannin. We conclude Akt and p70S6k lie on separate signaling pathways. Activation of signaling to Akt is insufficient for the activation of p70S6k, which can be achieved independently of Akt. p70S6k requires a separate calcium-dependent and wortmannin-sensitive process that is likely to be independent of type IA PI3K family members.