Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in the dog: taxonomy, diagnostics, ecology, epidemiology and pathogenicity.

The dog is the natural host of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. Many research efforts are currently being undertaken to expand our knowledge and understanding of this important canine commensal and opportunistic pathogen. The objective of this review is to summarize the current knowledge of the species, including the latest research outcomes, with emphasis on taxonomy, diagnostics, ecology, epidemiology and pathogenicity. Despite the important taxonomic changes that have occurred over the past few years, the risk of misidentification in canine specimens is low and does not have serious consequences for clinical practice. Staphylococcus pseudintermedius carriage in the dog is more frequent and genetically heterogeneous compared with that of Staphylococcus aureus in man. It appears that these staphylococcal species have evolved separately through adaptation to their respective natural hosts and differ with regard to various aspects concerning ecology, population structure and evolution of antibiotic resistance. Further understanding of the ecology and epidemiology of S. pseudintermedius is hampered by the lack of a standard method for rapid and discriminatory typing and by the limited data available on longitudinal carriage and population structure of meticillin-susceptible strains. With regard to pathogenicity, it is only now that we are starting to explore the virulence potential of S. pseudintermedius based on genomic and proteomic approaches, and more research is needed to assess the importance of individual virulence factors and the possible existence of hypervirulent strains.
Family Stress and Advance Directives: A Comparative Study

The purpose of this descriptive, comparative study was to compare stress levels of families of terminally ill patients who have advance directives with stress levels of families of terminally ill patients without advance directives. A convenience sample of 105 family members or healthcare surrogates completed the Horowitz Impact of Event Scale. Significant differences were found between the two groups on the total scale (t = −3.44, df = 100, P = .001) and the two subscales of intrusion (t = −3.35, df = 101, P = .001) and avoidance (t = −2.12, df = 100, P = .036). Families of patients with advance directives reported less stress than families of patients without advance directives. Nurses need to provide opportunities and guidance to terminally ill patients and their families regarding the need to discuss end-of-life issues and development of advance directives.
The effect of second‐line surgery on reproductive performance of women with recurrent endometriosis: A systematic review

Estimates of endometriosis recurrence after primary surgery are around 10% per annum during the first postoperative quinquennium. The aim of this study was to define the effect of reoperation in women seeking conception. A MEDLINE and PubMed search was conducted to identify English language studies published in the last 30 years evaluating reproductive performance after second‐line surgery. Repeat surgery for recurrent endometriosis and identification of women seeking pregnancy were selected. Two authors abstracted data on standardized forms. The initial literature screening yielded 41 citations, but 19 were excluded because no data on reoperation were described, seven as no original figures were included, three because analyses were performed on the same cohort, and one because extremely skewed data were reported. A total of 313 patients who sought pregnancy after repetitive surgery for recurrent endometriosis were found, 139 in six non‐comparative studies, and 174 in five retrospective comparative studies. Overall, pregnancy was achieved in 81 women (26%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 21–31%), without significant difference between the laparotomy (27%) and laparoscopy (25%) approach. Three studies compared pregnancy rate after second‐line (28/124; 23%) and primary surgery (236/577; 41%; common odds ratio (OR), 0.44; 95% CI, 0.28–0.68%), and two compared the probability of conception after in‐vitro fertilization (IVF) (14/27; 30%) and repetitive surgery (10/50; 20%; common OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 0.58–3.91%). Conclusions. The probability of conception after repeat surgery for recurrent endometriosis appeared limited and reduced compared with that after primary surgery. The results of IVF were not inferior to those of reoperation.
Identificação do sangue ingerido por Lutzomyia (Lutzomyia) longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) e Lutzomyia (Lutzomyia) almerioi (Galati & Nunes, 1999) pela técnica imunoenzimática do ELISA de captura, no sistema avidina-biotina

Lutzomyia longipalpis and Lutzomyia almerioi, phlebotomine species from the fauna of Serra da Bodoquena, in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, have been studied, particularly due to the fact of their abundance and occurrence, the Guaicurus settlement, focus of human tegumentary and canine visceral leishmaniasis. In researches that are being carried out in this settlement for identifying the vectors of these parasitosis, 83 engorged females belonging to the species Lutzomyia longipalpis and Lutzomyia almerioi were captured with automatic light traps from 2002 up to 2004 in the peridomiciliary environment of the Guaicurus settlement (hennery). The aim of this study was the investigation on bird feeding habit of females of both the phlebotomine species by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique, comparing the reactivity during the period from 2002 up to 2004. Of the 57 samples of Lutzomyia longipalpis and 26 of Lutzomyia almerioi that have been tested, 72% from Lutzomyia longipalpis and 96% from Lutzomyia almerioi were reactive, which justifies the feeding habit study in the region as a prevention measure and the institution of an epidemiological survey.
Addicted to the needle: the relationship between needle fixation and impulsivity

Aim: This research examined the relationship between needle fixation and impulsivity in a bid to guide the development of treatments for needle fixation. The research also examined the position of needle fixation within contemporary diagnostic nomenclature. Design: Participants completed a battery of self-report psychometric tests to differentiate between needle fixated and non-needle fixated injecting drug users as well as to assess for impulsivity. Participants: Participants were 68 injecting drug users from Australia recruited via an online forum as well as via 10 sites of the Queensland Needle and Syringe Program. Measurements: Four psychometric tests were used: the Needle Fixation Profile, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, the Leeds Dependence Questionnaire and the Severity of Dependence Scale. Findings: Findings indicated that needle-fixated injecting drug users were more impulsive than non-needle-fixated injecting drug users, but not significantly so. Conclusion: The results provide further support that the needle-fixated injecting drug users possess idiosyncratic characteristics requiring consideration in treatment. The findings of the research propel the position that needle fixation may be characterised as a behavioural addiction. Consequently, current evidence-based treatments for behavioural addictions could be modified to address the inherent difficulties of impulse control in those identified as needle-fixated injecting drug users.
Association of cytokines polymorphisms with chronic peridontitis and rheumatoid arthritis in a Mexican population

Abstract Objective: Historically, it has been shown that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontitis (PE) share pathophysiological similarities and possibly a genetic background. In order to elucidate the genetic background between both diseases, we evaluated the distributions of five SNPs genotypes and all the possible haplotypes composed in subjects with isolated RA, PE, combined diseases and healthy controls. Materials and methods: The study population consisted of 280 Mexican subjects. Genomic DNA was isolated from buccal epithelial cells collected by cheek scrapings and analyzed for the determination of the following SNPs: IL-1α + 4845 (rs17561), IL-1α −889 (rs1800587), IL-1β + 3954 (rs1143634), IL-1β −511(rs16944) and TNF-α −308 (rs1800629). Results: After adjustment for age, sex and smoking status, multiple logistic regression analysis revealed a no significant association in the genotype frequencies of TNF-α −308 and IL-1α + 4845 SNPs. Otherwise a significant association was observed in IL-1β + 3954 and IL-1β −511 (p < 0.05) while IL-1α −889 was of borderline statistical significance (p = 0.054). Also, we found three negative associated haplotypes with PE: IL-1α + 4845 G/IL-1β −511 A, IL-1β + 3954 C/IL-1β −511 A and interestingly IL-1α −889 C/IL-1β −511 A also with a positive association with RA. Conclusions: Some genotypes and haplotypes are associated with the diseases. But it seems that the genetic background of the association between RA and PE needs to be explored deeper.
AZD5582, an IAP antagonist that leads to apoptosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines and is eligible for combination with irradiation

Abstract Conclusion: On the one hand, AZD5582, an inhibitor of inhibitor of apoptosis family proteins (IAP), leads to cellular growth arrest and induction of apoptosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines. On the other hand, it is a viable candidate for combination therapy with irradiation. Objectives: The aim and purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of AZD5582 on HNSCC cell lines. Methods: HNSCC cell lines SCC25, Cal27, and FaDu were used for all cell culture experiments. Proliferation assays were used to assess a potential inhibitory effect of AZD5582 and a combination therapy of the IAP inhibitor and irradiation. Colony forming assays were used to determine long-term effects of a combined treatment. Apoptosis was measured via flow cytometry and wound-healing assays were performed. Results: All three cell lines showed a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect after treatment with AZD5582. It was possible to observe a synergistic and additive effect after short-term treatment of AZD5582 and irradiation in Ca27 and FaDu cells, respectively. All test cell lines showed a significant inhibition of colony formation after combined treatment. Treatment of AZD5582 resulted in apoptosis in SCC25, Cal27, and FaDu cells.
Effect of spatial separation and noise type on sentence recognition by Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users

Abstract Objectives: To investigate the effects of spatial separation and noise type on sentence recognition by unilateral Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant (CI) users and normal-hearing (NH) listeners. Method: Twenty-two unilateral Mandarin-speaking CI users and six NH listeners participated in this study. Speech reception thresholds were measured for three noise types (steady state noise, speech babble, and music). Sentences from the Mandarin Speech Perception test were presented directly in front of the listener (0°). Noise was presented from one of the five speaker locations: −90°, −45°, 0°, +45°, and +90°. Results: Overall, CI performance was significantly poorer than NH performance for all spatial separation and noise type conditions. NH listeners performed best with music and poorest with steady noise. CI users performed best with steady noise, and poorest with babble. Performance was significantly affected by noise location and noise type. There was no significant difference in head shadow effects among the different noise types for CI users. Conclusions: Performance was much poorer in CI than in NH listeners for all noise types and spatial separations. Noise type differently affected unilateral CI users and NH listeners. The limited spectral resolution in CI users did not appear to affect head shadow.
Universität Des Saarlandes Fachrichtung 6.1 – Mathematik Nonlinear Structure Tensors Nonlinear Structure Tensors

In this article we introduce nonlinear versions of the popular structure tensor, also known as second moment matrix. These nonlinear structure tensors replace the Gaussian smoothing of the classical structure tensor by discontinuity-preserving nonlinear diffusions. While nonlinear diffusion is a well-established tool for scalar and vector-valued data, it has not often been used for tensor images so far. Two types of nonlinear diffusion processes for tensor data are studied: an isotropic one with a scalar-valued diffusivity, and its anisotropic counterpart with a diffusion tensor. We prove that these schemes preserve the positive semidefiniteness of a matrix field and are therefore appropriate for smoothing structure tensor fields. The use of diffusivity functions of total variation (TV) type allows us to construct nonlinear structure tensors without specifying additional parameters compared to the conventional structure tensor. The performance of nonlinear structure tensors is demonstrated in three fields where the classic structure tensor is frequently used: orientation estimation, optic flow computation, and corner detection. In all these cases the nonlinear structure tensors demonstrate their superiority over the classical linear one. Our experiments also show that for corner detection based on nonlinear structure tensors, anisotropic nonlinear tensors give the most precise localisation.
A method to induce human cortical long-term potentiation by acoustic stimulation

Abstract Object: Acoustic stimulation induced LTP in the human auditory cortex was successfully recorded for the first time by electroencephalography (EEG) using a stimulus of 1 kHz pure-tone in 2005. However, it was barely reproduced, given considerable challenges to reliably elicit and accurately record the enhanced potentials in vivo. The purpose of this paper was to explore whether acoustic stimuli other than 1 kHz pure-tone could generate LTP or not. Measures: To answer this question, we proposed a tetanic-stimulation paradigm of pure-tones, narrow-band noises (NBNs) and white noise (WN) to elicit LTP in human subjects. Results: The results showed that pure-tones with different frequency could elicit LTP in human auditory cortex, and proved for the first time that NBNs and WN could also achieve the same goal. Interestingly, it was also shown that the noises with certain bandwidth induced the greatest LTP and the WN induced LTP had the least variation over time and across subjects in comparison with pure-tones and NBNs. Conclusions: In light of the results, we suggested to use the paradigm for broader studies of human in vivo cortical plasticity.
Clot Formation in Angiographic Catheters — An in Vitro Comparative Study

Clot formation was compared in 6 brands of angiographic catheters, each of which was tested in 3 states: untreated, heparinized, and albumin-coated. Forty-six samples of each brand in each state (in total 828) were filled with blood from 23 donors and incubated at +37 °C for 5 or 15 min. Physiologic saline was then injected through the catheters at a flow rate of 5 and 50 ml/s, respectively, and any expelled clots identified on a filter. Heparinization reduced the number of clotted catheters at 5 min, but not at 15 min. The only significant difference related to catheter brands was found between the heparinized nylon and polyurethane catheters at 5-min incubation with fewer clotted polyurethane catheters. This difference was not found between the same materials made by two other manufacturers. Albumin coating had no effect on clot formation, but clots were more easily expelled by low-flow injections in albumin-coated and, to a lesser degree, in heparinized than in untreated catheters.
The “Mysteries of Hypnosis:” Helping Us Better Understand Hypnosis and Empathic Involvement Theory (EIT)

Wickramasekera II (2015) has penned a comprehensive and thoughtful review article demonstrating how empathy is intimately involved in the psychology and neurophysiology of hypnosis and the self. Hypnosis is a very “mental” or subjective phenomenon for both the client and the research participant. To better assess the mind of the client/participant during hypnosis, it is my belief that we need to generate more “precise” phenomenological descriptors of the mind during hypnosis and related empathic conditions, as Wickramasekera II (2015) has suggested in his article. Although any phenomenological methodology will have its limits and disadvantages, noetics (as defined in the article below) can help us better understand hypnosis, empathic involvement theory, and the brain/mind/behavior interface. By quantifying the mind in a comprehensive manner, just as the brain is comprehensively quantified via fMRI and qEEG technologies, noetic analysis can help us more precisely assess the mind and relate it to the brain and human behavior and experience.
In vitro development of the nonthrombogenic stent

Subacute thrombosis is a significant problem after stent insertion. Use of polymer-coated stents impregnated with drugs could reduce its incidence. We investigated the binding and elution kinetics and antithrombotic efficacy of three agents passively adsorbed onto commercially available polymer-coated stainless steel stents: (1) urokinase (UK), (2) an antirabbit platelt glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antibody (AZ1), and (3) a UK-AZ1 chemical conjugate (C). Stent wire segments were immersed in125Iodine-radiolabeled drug (0.1 or 1 g/L). Binding increased with immersion time and drug concentration (Fig. 1). Significantly more AZ1 or C than UK bound at both concentrations (p<0.01). Elution was assessed by perfusing stents with phosphate-saline buffer and 1% serum albumin. Anti-thrombotic efficacy was assessed by perfusing stents with111Indium-labeled rabbit platelets. The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2. Significantly more AZ1 or C than UK remained bound to stents at all times (p<0.01). Stents with no bound drugs displayed significantly greater platelet adhesion (441±28×103) than stents with AZ1 or C (p<0.01). We conclude that platelet-targeted fibrinolytic agents can be passively bound to polymer-coated stents and are well retained even after prolonged continuous perfusion. Such agents retain their efficacy and reduce platelet deposition on stents more effectively than antiplatelet agents or nontargeted fibrinolytics alone. These agents may thus reduce stent-related thrombosis and require furtherin vivo evaluation.
A Comparison of Hypnotic Induction, Task Motivation, and a “Cold Start” Control Group on Hypnotizability

Groups of participants (N = 164) were randomly assigned to three conditions: Group 1 received a trance induction, Group 2 received task-motivational instructions, and Group 3—“cold start” control—was simply told, “We will begin the hypnosis procedure now. ” All participants received the Creative Imagination Scale suggestions and then completed the Creative Imagination Scale and Inventory Scale of Hypnotic Depth. The three conditions did not differ significantly either on the Creative Imagination Scale or in reported hypnotic depth. These results are consistent with prior studies which show that trance induction and task-motivational yield similar results, but they are inconsistent inasmuch as the trance induction and task-motivational groups did not differ from the control group. These results, however, are predictable from socio-cognitive perspectives that the context of hypnosis itself can elicit hypnotic behaviors.
New-Generation Antidepressants, Suicide and Depressed Adolescents: How Should Clinicians Respond to Changing Evidence?

The purpose of the present paper was to identify, from the voluminous literature on efficacy and safety in new-generation antidepressants (NGAs) with depressed children and adolescents, practical clinical strategies for acute phase treatment. To this end a pragmatic survey of studies and reviews was undertaken. Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials of NGAs in depressed children and adolescents have noted a comparative lack of efficacy, and a weak but statistically significant increased risk of self-harm and suicidal thoughts. But NGA prescription rates and youth suicide rates are generally inversely related, and ensuing ‘black box’ warnings about NGAs, by deterring NGA prescribing, have possibly contributed to rising youth suicide rates. In moderate–severe depression, benefits for fluoxetine and possibly other NGAs demonstrably outweigh risks. NGAs are not present in adolescents who die by suicide. Concern about NGA risks must be balanced against risks of non-treatment. While mild depression entails regular review, psychoeducation, self-care strategies and psychological interventions, NGAs should be administered concurrently with psychological treatments if depression is moderate– to severe, or if mild depression persists. Patients should be warned about off-label status of NGAs in depression, serious side-effects such as ‘activation’, suicidality, emotional blunting and manic switches, the need for adherence and avoiding abrupt discontinuation. They should be monitored early and regularly. Better evidence is required regarding psychological treatments, clinical course, and clinical practice trends. In moderate–severe depression the risk of suicide if NGAs are not used may outweigh any risk of self-harm associated with them.
Shyness 2: Treating Social Phobia Online: Replication and Extension

Objective: In a randomized controlled trial Titov et al. (2008) demonstrated significant benefit from an Internet- and email-based treatment programme for social phobia. The present study (Shyness 2) seeks to replicate that finding and compares results with benchmark data. Method: Eighty-eight individuals with social phobia were randomly assigned to a clinician-assisted computerized cognitive behavioural treatment programme or to a waitlist control group. Participants completed the same treatment programme used in Shyness 1, consisting of six online lessons, cognitive behavioural homework assignments, email contact with a therapist, and participation in an online discussion forum. An intention-to-treat model was used for data analyses. Results: A total of 80% of treatment group participants completed all lessons, and post-treatment data were obtained from 78/81 participants. Treatment group participants each had an average of 127 min of therapist contact over the 10 week programme, including an average of 22 email contacts plus therapist responses to forum postings. Pre- to post-treatment differences were seen between treatment and waitlist participants across two measures of symptoms of social phobia, and across a measure of disability. Mean within- and between-group effect sizes (Cohen's d) across the two primary outcome measures were 1.18, and 1.20, respectively. Quantitative and qualitative data indicate that the procedure is very acceptable to participants. Conclusions: These results closely replicate those obtained in Shyness 1, indicating that the treatment procedure is reliable. These results compare favourably with outcomes reported in benchmarking studies from high-quality face-to-face treatment programmes for social phobia. These results provide further positive data about the utility of Internet-based guided self-help programmes for people with social phobia.