Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of HIV Disease in Treatment Outcome of Cervical Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions Among Zimbabwean Women

Objective. To compare the treatment outcome of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 2,3) on HIV-infected and uninfected women treated by cryotherapy or loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). Methods. A total of 147 women were recruited into the study between April 1997 and May 1998. Cryotherapy was performed in 75 women and LEEP in 72 women after randomization. Results. A total of 109 (74.1%) women tested positive and 38 (25.9%) tested negative for HIV-1. At 12 months follow-up visit, cryotherapy had 59.5% cure rate on HIV-positive women and 84.2% success among HIV-negative women (p = .057). LEEP had 86% cure rate on HIV-positive and 100% cure rate on HIV-negative women (p = .328). Conclusion. HIV-1–infected women harboring cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions have a high failure rate (40.5%) when treated by cryotherapy.
Estratégias para reduzir a mortalidade embrionária em bovinos: II. Protocolo para reduzir a mortalidade embrionária em vacas de leite e em receptoras de embrião.

A mortalidade embrionaria precoce e a maior causa de perdas reprodutivas em bovinos e ela relaciona-se, principalmente com os disturbios do reconhecimento materno da prenhez originados em disfuncoes do corpo luteo ovariano. Recentemente, foi desenvolvido na Embrapa Pecuaria Sudeste, um protocolo hormonal que melhora a funcao luteinica e permite aumentar a oportunidade para um reconhecimento materno da prenhez bem sucedido. O protocolo baseia-se na administracao de hormonios reprodutivos (GnRH e hCG) em ocasioes estrategicas apos a ovulacao. Foram realizados dois experimentos, um com vacas leiteiras e outro com receptoras de embriao, para testar e validar o uso desse protocolo. Apos a aplicacao do tratamento houve aumento nas taxas de prenhez. Os resultados detalhados do uso dessa pratica estao descritos no presente Boletim de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento. O protocolo testado traduz-se numa pratica pecuaria de controle das funcoes ovariana e uterina que otimiza a eficiencia reprodutiva de vacas leiteiras e de receptoras de embriao.
TOSCA: Total Scan Power Reduction Architecture based on Pseudo-Random Built-in Self Test Structure

Power of scan operation is dominant factor. This paper proposed the structure to reduce scan power totally. The total scan power reduction architecture uses a duplicated transition monitoring window and sub-scan chains. Experimental results show 60% transition reduction, 2-4% fault coverage improvement, and 25% scan-in and 26% scan-out transition by the TOSCA
Assessing diagnostic accuracy and tympanocentesis skills in the management of otitis media.

BACKGROUND The distinction between acute suppurative otitis media (AOM) and otitis media with effusion (OME) is important for antibiotic treatment decisions. Tympanocentesis may be useful in the diagnosis of AOM in selected patients. OBJECTIVES To assess physician accuracy in diagnosing AOM and OME from physical examination findings and technical competence in performing tympanocentesis. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS Five hundred fourteen pediatricians and 188 otolaryngologists viewed 9 different videotaped pneumatic otoscopic examinations of tympanic membranes during a continuing medical education course. Diagnostic differentiation of AOM, OME, and a normal tympanic membrane was ascertained. An infant mannequin model was used to assess the technical proficiency of performing tympanocentesis on artificial tympanic membranes. RESULTS Overall, the average correct diagnosis by pediatricians was 50% (range, 25%-73%) and by otolaryngologists was 73% (range, 48%-88%). Pediatricians and otolaryngologists correctly recognized the absence of normality 89% to 100% and 93% to 100% of the time, respectively, but overdiagnosed AOM in 7% to 53% (mean, 27%) and in 3% to 23% (mean, 10%) of examinations. Performance of tympanocentesis was optimally performed by 89% of otolaryngologists and by 83% of pediatricians. CONCLUSIONS The use of video-presented examinations to assess diagnostic ability suggests that AOM and OME may be misdiagnosed often. Interactive continuing medical education courses with simulation technology may enhance skills and improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment paradigms.
Accumulation of Serial Forces on TCR and CD8 Frequently Applied by Agonist Antigenic Peptides Embedded in MHC Molecules Triggers Calcium in T Cells

T cell activation by Ag is one of the key events in adaptive immunity. It is triggered by interactions of the TCR and coreceptor (CD8 or CD4) with antigenic peptides embedded in MHC (pMHC) molecules expressed on APCs. The mechanism of how signal is initiated remains unclear. In this article, we complement our two-dimensional kinetic analysis of TCR–pMHC–CD8 interaction with concurrent calcium imaging to examine how ligand engagement of TCR with and without the coengagement of CD8 initiates signaling. We found that accumulation of frequently applied forces on the TCR via agonist pMHC triggered calcium, which was further enhanced by CD8 cooperative binding. Prolonging the intermission between sequential force applications impaired calcium signals. Our data support a model where rapid accumulation of serial forces on TCR–pMHC–CD8 bonds triggers calcium in T cells.
Mitral valve repair versus replacement in patients with rheumatic heart disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY Rheumatic fever is still the main cause of valve disease in developing countries. The study aim was to investigate the appropriateness of mitral valve repair in adult patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD). METHODS A systematic literature retrieval was performed for all clinical trials comparing the outcomes of mitral valve repair and replacement for RHD in PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library. Studies were excluded if they lacked a direct comparison of repair versus replacement. The primary outcomes were 30-day and long-term (> 5 years) survival. Secondary outcomes were postoperative complications and reoperation rates. Standard meta-analysis techniques were used. RESULTS A total of seven studies was included. When comparing mitral valve repair (MVP) to mitral valve replacement (MVR), the summary odds ratio for 30-day mortality was 0.54 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.34-0.86; p = 0.009), and the summary hazard ratio (HR) for long-term mortality was 0.62 (95% CI 0.45-0.85; p = 0.003). Other than the benefits of better survival rates, the risk of postoperative complications (cardiac death, bleeding or thromboembolic complications) was also lower in the repair group (HR 0.63; 95% CI 0.47-0.84; p = 0.002). A significantly higher reoperation rate was observed among patients with mitral valve repair (HR 1.85; 95% CI 1.41-2.43; p < 0.01). CONCLUSION Mitral valve repair provides better short-term and long-term event-free survival for rheumatic patients. With an acceptable reoperation rate, MVP is also more beneficial by avoiding troublesome lifelong anticoagulation. Thus, whenever possible, MVP should be attempted in patients with RHD.
Routine Developmental Examination in Normal and Retarded Children

This paper discusses the neurodevelopmental examination of young children and the difficulties arising in selecting, from the huge number of tests available, significant items to study. The parameter of ‘standing’ has been selected, where functional motor achievement and the underlying reflex structures are inter‐related. The reactions discussed are the righting reactions, the parachute reactions and the tilting reactions; in addition primitive responses are studied. A developmental chart is presented which allows for easy recording of all these items and the technique is proposed as a rapid screening system for young children.
Predictive analytics for chronic kidney disease using machine learning techniques

Predictive analytics for healthcare using machine learning is a challenged task to help doctors decide the exact treatments for saving lives. In this paper, we present machine learning techniques for predicting the chronic kidney disease using clinical data. Four machine learning methods are explored including K-nearest neighbors (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), logistic regression (LR), and decision tree classifiers. These predictive models are constructed from chronic kidney disease dataset and the performance of these models are compared together in order to select the best classifier for predicting the chronic kidney disease.
Convolutional sparse coding for face recognition

Face recognition has been an important task in pattern recognition and computer vision. Recently, sparse representation has become a popular data representation method in face recognition field. Convolutional sparse coding, which replaces the linear combination of a set of dictionary atoms with the sum of s series of mapping term convoluted with the dictionary filters, was proposed to improve the application performance of traditional sparse coding. In this paper, we apply this convolutional sparse coding method to do the face recognition. As the trained dictionary filters could capture more discriminative information in the corresponding face images, it could believed that better classification performance can be achieved. Experimental results on the face image database demonstrated the novel convolutional sparse coding algorithm can achieve better recognition rate.
Cognitive behavioral therapy for adherence and depression (CBT-AD) in HIV-infected injection drug users: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE Depression and substance use, the most common comorbidities with HIV, are both associated with poor treatment adherence. Injection drug users comprise a substantial portion of individuals with HIV in the United States and globally. The present study tested cognitive behavioral therapy for adherence and depression (CBT-AD) in patients with HIV and depression in active substance abuse treatment for injection drug use. METHOD This is a 2-arm, randomized controlled trial (N = 89) comparing CBT-AD with enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU). Analyses were conducted for two time-frames: (a) baseline to post-treatment and (b) post-treatment to follow-up at 3 and 6 months after intervention discontinuation. RESULTS At post-treatment, the CBT-AD condition showed significantly greater improvement than ETAU in MEMS (electronic pill cap) based adherence, γslope = 0.8873, t(86) = 2.38, p = . 02; dGMA-raw = 0.64, and depression, assessed by blinded assessor: Mongomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, F(1, 79) = 6.52, p < . 01, d = 0.55; clinical global impression, F(1, 79) = 14.77, p < . 001, d = 0.85. After treatment discontinuation, depression gains were maintained, but adherence gains were not. Viral load did not differ across condition; however, the CBT-AD condition had significant improvements in CD4 cell counts over time compared with ETAU, γslope = 2.09, t(76) = 2.20, p = . 03, dGMA-raw = 0.60. CONCLUSIONS In patients managing multiple challenges including HIV, depression, substance dependence, and adherence, CBT-AD is a useful way to integrate treatment of depression with an adherence intervention. Continued adherence counseling is likely needed, however, to maintain or augment adherence gains in this population.
Social information processing and magnetic resonance imaging in children with sickle cell disease.

OBJECTIVE To examine social information processing, social skills, and adjustment difficulties in children with sickle cell disease (SCD) as rated by caregivers, teachers, and the children themselves. Children were classified in two groups: cerebral vascular accidents (CVA) (n = 21) or without central nervous system (CNS) pathology (n = 20) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Both groups had HbSS SCD. We compared these two groups and a third group of 11 children who had a milder type of SCD (HbSC). METHODS Participants referred for evaluation of learning and behavior problems were administered MRIs to ascertain the presence of pathology and a series of measures designed to assess nonverbal emotional decoding abilities and ratings of social emotional functioning. RESULTS Children with CVA displayed more errors on tasks of facial and vocal emotional decoding than did comparison controls without CVA. CONCLUSIONS Acquired neurological impairments in children with SCD seemed to be associated with difficulties in the decoding of emotions of other children and adults. We recommend that future research integrate neuropsychological and psychosocial research programs for pediatric chronic illness groups.
Effect of recombinant factor VIIa on melagatran-induced inhibition of thrombin generation and platelet activation in healthy volunteers

Summary The objectives were to investigate whether activation of the extrinsic coagulation cascade by recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) reverses the inhibition of thrombin generation and platelet activation by melagatran, the active form of the oral direct thrombin inhibitor ximelagatran. In a single-blind, randomized, parallel-group study, volunteers (20 per group) received a 5-hour intravenous (iv) infusion to achieve steadystate melagatran plasma concentrations of approximately 0.5 µmol/L, with a single iv bolus of rFVIIa (90 µg/kg) or placebo at 60 minutes. Prothrombin fragment 1+2, thrombin-antithrombin complex, fibrinopeptide A, β-thromboglobulin, and thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor were quantified for venous and shed blood. Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), endogenous thrombin potential, thrombus precursor protein (TpP), and plasmin-α2-antiplasmin complex concentrations were determined in venous blood. Shed blood volume was measured. Melagatran reduced markers of thrombin generation and platelet activation in shed blood and prolonged APTT. rFVIIa increased FVIIa activity, PT, and TpP in venous blood. All other parameters were unaffected. In conclusion, rFVIIa did not reverse the anticoagulant effects of high constant concentrations of melagatran. However, the potential value of higher, continuous or repeated doses of rFVIIa or its use with lower melagatran concentrations has not been excluded.
Resistance of pancreatic cancer to gemcitabine treatment is dependent on mitochondria‐mediated apoptosis

Palliative chemotherapy with gemcitabine, a common mode of treatment of pancreatic cancer, has little influence on patients' survival. We investigated the impact of anti‐apoptotic Bcl‐xL protein and its antagonist Bax on gemcitabine‐induced apoptosis in human pancreatic carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. The level of Bcl‐xL and Bax expression was determined in 3 established pancreatic cancer cell lines that differ in their sensitivity to gemcitabine‐mediated apoptosis. Bcl‐xL and Bax genes were transduced into Colo357 cells by retroviral infection. In addition, cells were transfected with c‐FLIP to assess involvement of CD95 and caspase‐8. The impact of Bax/Bcl‐xL expression on gemcitabine‐sensitivity in vivo was evaluated in orthotopic Colo357 tumors in SCID mice. The apoptotic index revealed a strong inverse correlation between Bcl‐xL expression and gemcitabine‐induced apoptosis in the pancreatic carcinoma cell lines tested. Caspase‐8 and Bid were cleaved in Colo357 cells exposed to gemcitabine, and there was no correlation with either Bcl‐xL or with Bax expression. In contrast, the lack of mitochondrial transmembrane potential transition, release of cytochrome‐c and absence of caspase‐9‐ and PARP‐cleavage showed a strong correlation with Bcl‐xL expression. Expression of c‐FLIP significantly increased the resistance towards gemcitabine. Orthotopically growing Colo357‐bcl‐xl tumors in SCID mice were refractory to gemcitabine treatment, and in contrast to the in vitro data, Colo357‐bax tumors exhibited a 12‐fold greater tumor regression than Colo357‐wild‐type tumors in the control group. Gemcitabine‐induced apoptosis involves the mitochondria‐mediated signaling pathway. A functional restoration of this pathway appears to be essential to overcome the resistance mechanisms of pancreatic tumor cells and to improve the response to therapy as demonstrated by Bax overexpression in a clinically relevant tumor model. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Determination of arterial baroreflex-blood pressure control in conscious rats.

AIM To study the determination of arterial baroreflex-blood pressure control (ABR-BP) in conscious rats. METHODS Blood pressure was continuously recorded with a computerized system in conscious freely moving rats. The principle of ABR-BP measurement is to compare the pressor response to a vasoactive drug (angiotensin II) before and after the interruption of this reflex. RESULTS (1) ABR-BP values revealed by angiotensin II were closely correlated with those by phenylephrine. Doses of angiotensin II did not influence the results within certain range. (2) ABR-BP was well correlated with arterial baroreflex-heart period control (ABR-HP). (3) Anesthesia inhibited ABR-BP. There existed a circadian variation of ABR-BP in WKY rats. (4) Blood pressure variability was closely related to ABR-BP, but not to ABR-HP. (5) ABR-BP was impaired in hypertensive rats. CONCLUSION ABR-BP is an important parameter to reflect the function of ABR. The present work makes it possible to determine ABR-BP in conscious rats. ABR-BP plays an important role in maintaining blood pressure stability and it is impaired in hypertension.
Lobular panniculitis with small vessel vasculitis associated with ulcerative colitis

We report a rare case of lobular panniculitis with small vessel vasculitis, presenting with fever, cutaneous lesions, and systemic manifestations involving the visceral fat and associated with ulcerative colitis. The patient was treated with cyclophosphamide and prednisolone, which successfully cured the systemic disease, with resolution of the inflammatory infiltrates.
GEOGRAPHIC AND HOST RANGE OF THE NEMATODE SOBOLIPHYME BATURINI ACROSS BERINGIA

The nematode Soboliphyme baturini Petrov, 1930, was found to represent a single species with a relatively broad geographic range across Beringia and northwestern North America on the basis of the assessment of molecular sequence data for adult and juvenile parasites. Refuted are hypotheses suggesting that several cryptic species could be partitioned either among an array of mustelid definitive hosts or across the vast region that links North America and Eurasia. Host specificity for this species is examined on the basis of a comprehensive list for definitive hosts, derived from new field surveys and existing literature for S. baturini. Only 5 mustelids (Gulo gulo, Martes americana, M. caurina, M. zibellina, and Neovison vison) appear to have significant roles in the life history, persistence, and transmission of this nematode. Soboliphyme baturini readily switches among M. americana, M. caurina, Mustela erminea, or N. vison at any particular locality throughout its geographic range in North America, although Martes spp. could represent the source for nematodes in a broader array of mustelids. Molecular analyses (243 base pairs of mitochondrial gene nicotinamide dehydrogenase ;obND4;cb) suggest that hypotheses for host specificity across an array of mustelid definitive hosts are not supported. The life cycle of S. baturini is explored through a review of diet literature for 2 marten species, M. americana and M. caurina, and other mustelids across the Holarctic. Shrews (Soricomorpha: Soricidae) comprise >8% of prey for these species of Martes, suggesting their putative role as paratenic hosts. Juvenile nematodes found in the diaphragms of soricids are genetically identical to adult S. baturini found in the stomachs of mustelids at the same locations in both Asia and North America, corroborating a role in transmission for species of Sorex.
The Prevalence of Medical Student Mistreatment and Its Association With Burnout

Purpose Medical student mistreatment has been recognized for decades and is known to adversely impact students personally and professionally. Similarly, burnout has been shown to negatively impact students. This study assesses the prevalence of student mistreatment across multiple medical schools and characterizes the association between mistreatment and burnout. Method In 2011, the authors surveyed a nation ally representative sample of third-year medical students. Students reported the frequency of experiencing mistreatment by attending faculty and residents since the beginning of their clinical rotations. Burnout was measured using a validated two-item version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Results Of 960 potential respondents from 24 different medical schools, 605 (63%) completed the survey, but 41 were excluded because they were not currently in their third year of medical school. Of the eligible students, the majority reported experiencing at least one incident of mistreatment by faculty (64% [361/562]) and by residents (76% [426/562]). A minority of students reported experiencing recurrent mistreatment, defined as occurring “several” or “numerous” times: 10% [59/562] by faculty and 13% [71/562] by residents. Recurrent mistreatment (compared with no or infrequent mistreatment) was associated with high burnout: 57% versus 33% (P < .01) for recurrent mistreatment by faculty and 49% versus 32% (P < .01) for recurrent mistreatment by residents. Conclusions Medical student mistreatment remains prevalent. Recurrent mistreatment by faculty and residents is associated with medical student burnout. Although further investigation is needed to assess causality, these data provide impetus for medical schools to address student mistreatment to mitigate its adverse consequences.
Bacterial responses to temperature and substrate concentration during the Newfoundland spring bloom

We postulate that microbial metabolism and production in cold waters are hmited by the ability of bacteria to transport and/or assimilate substrates at the low concentrations usually present. We measured rates of microbial activity in the water colunln and benthos in Conception Bay, Newfoundland and adjacent coastal waters, during 3 spring blooms. Chlorophyll abundance and distribution, photosynthesis, benthic respiratory rate and remineralization, bacterioplankton abundance, and production of bacterial blomass were measured in the water column, and the respuatory rate of benthic sediments was measured in situ by a free vehicle containing bell jars equipped w t h oxygen electrodes and syringe samplers. During 3 spring seasons, bacterioplankton numbers during the spring phytoplankton bloom exceeded 5 X lo5 ml-' only 15 % of the time. These numbers rank at the lower end of the range of bacterial numbers for the world's ocean. Bacterial productivity measured by 3 methods suggested average generation times of 30 to 86 d, although some samples in the chlorophyll maximum layer showed short generation times. Bacterial production and respiration, averaged over the entire water column, plus benthic aerobic respiration and denitrification, accounted for 3 % of primary production during the early bloom and 28 % of primary production during the late bloom. The difference between the early and late bloom is related to observed changes in primary production, not to increased microbial activity. Unless bacterial assimilation efficiency was very low, much less than half of the organic production of the spring diatom bloom was used by microbial processes dunng the early, highly productive phase of the bloom, while somewhat more than half of organic production was used in the short term during the later, less productive phase of the spring bloom. To test the hypothesis that bacteria require hlgher substrate concentrations at low temperature, water samples were amended with glucose and proteose-peptone and incubated for 2 wk at 1 to + 15 "C. Respiratory rate, measured at intervals of 1 to 2 d , increased with increasing temperature andlor substrate concentration. Analysis of vanance showed significant effects of temperature and substrate in all cases. In 3 of 4 experiments there were also significant effects due to the interaction of temperature and substrate