Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Current strategies for the treatment of complicated intraabdominal infections

Introduction: Complicated intraabdominal infections (cIAIs) are a common cause of infection-related morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients and present many challenges unique from other serious infections. cIAIs are generally polymicrobial in nature; however, controversy exists around the pathogenicity of some of the frequently identified microorganisms. Increasing antibiotic resistance among commonly isolated bacteria poses further challenges for clinicians managing patients with cIAIs. Areas covered: This article highlights the microbiology and recent trends in antibiotic resistance most relevant to cIAIs, provides recommendations for treatment using currently available antimicrobials and introduces antibiotics in development with potential roles in managing cIAIs. Expert opinion: Successful treatment of cIAI requires a combination of timely source control and thorough assessment of patient characteristics to guide selection of an appropriate empiric antimicrobial regimen. Specific considerations that should be made when choosing antibiotics include the origin of infection, presence of risk factors for potentially resistant pathogens and severity of disease. While it is encouraging that agents in development may prove helpful in the treatment of cIAIs with resistant pathogens, further identification of novel antibiotics is needed to address this growing concern. In addition, adherence to the principles of antimicrobial stewardship is needed if current antimicrobial resources are to be preserved for the treatment of cIAIs.
On multi-frequency channel interference alignment of 3 channels and 4 users

This paper explores the multi-frequency independent channel interference alignment (MFC-IA) system of 3 channels and 4 users, and single data stream transmit, i.e. (3×3,1)4 system. We derive the analytic solution for (3×3,1)4 MFC-IA system. Based on the analytic solution, an optimization problem is proposed aim at the optimal IA solution. Then based on such a math model, we propose a simulated annealing (SA) algorithm to search optimal IA solution. The simulation results show that the simulated annealing IA algorithm has a better sum rate performance than iterative maximize signal to interference plus noise ratio (Max-SINR) algorithm. This result can be extended to single data stream multi-antenna IA system with 3 antennas and 4 users.
Phase II trial of postoperative adjuvant paclitaxel/carboplatin and thoracic radiotherapy in resected stage II and IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer: promising long-term results of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group--RTOG 9705.

PURPOSE To determine the overall survival, progression-free survival, and toxicity associated with concurrent paclitaxel/carboplatin and thoracic radiotherapy for completely resected patients with stage II and IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Eighty-eight eligible patients had surgical resection for pathologic stage II or IIIA disease and received postoperative paclitaxel and carboplatin. Concurrent thoracic radiotherapy at 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions for 6 weeks (1.8 Gy/d, 5 days/wk) was given during cycles 1 and 2. A boost of 10.8 Gy in six fractions was given for extracapsular nodal extension or T3 lesions. RESULTS Treatment compliance was acceptable, with 93% compliance for radiation therapy and 86% for chemotherapy completion. The median duration of follow-up was 56.7 months (range, 17 to 61 months). The median overall survival time was 56.3 months, with 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates of 86%, 70%, and 61%, respectively. The 1-, 2-, and 3- year progression-free survival rates were 70%, 57%, and 50%, respectively. Brain metastasis occurred as the sole site of first failure in 11%, and 9% failed in other metastatic sites as first failure. Of the 43 patients who died, the cause of death was the treated cancer in 31 (35%). Local failure was a component of first failure in 15% of patients. Toxicities were acceptable. An overall survival comparison to Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 3590 is favorable. CONCLUSION The mature results of this trial suggest an improved overall and progression-free survival in this group of resected NSCLC patients, compared with previously reported trials. A phase III trial comparing this treatment regimen with standard therapy seems warranted.
Human papillomavirus testing for primary cervical cancer screening

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide and the seventh most common cause of cancer deaths in women in Europe. Today, we know how to prevent almost every case of this disease; organized cervical cancer screening based on the Papanicolaou or Pap smear has been proven to prevent 80% of cervical cancer deaths, while new technologies for the detection of the human papillomavirus (HPV) or the prevention of HPV infection offer the potential to make even more progress in the battle against this disease. Testing for carcinogenic or high-risk HPV types is gaining acceptance for the triage of women with borderline cytology and for follow-up after treatment of high-grade cervical lesions. Now, a number of large-scale randomized controlled trials have shown that HPV testing as a primary screening test can detect approximately 50% more high-grade lesions than the Pap test, albeit with a lower specificity if all HPV-positive women are followed up. However, alternative screening algorithms in which HPV-positive women are triaged with cytology have been shown to have equivalent specificity to the Pap test without compromising the increased sensitivity. Further advantages of HPV testing come from the fact that it is an objective and automatable test with a dichotomous result. These attributes can yield cost savings through reductions in staff numbers and simplification of quality control procedures while reducing turnaround times. In countries seeking to improve cervical cancer prevention, the implementation of HPV testing as the primary screening test with cytology for the triage of HPV-positive women is an option that should be fully evaluated. This review summarizes the recent advances in HPV testing in cervical cancer prevention.
Multiplexing FBG sensors combining microwave photonics and phase modulation

We apply phase modulation techniques at different wavelengths to generate microwave tones that allow us to interrogate multiplexed sensors. The interrogation technique has a resolution far below 1 pm with a simple system and no need of post-processing. This approach relies on basic concepts of microwave photonics technique operating under low coherence regime. A remarkable linear sensitivity of 1 dB/pm for a movement up to 10 pm of the Bragg wavelength is demonstrated through experimental measurements.
Influence of trace components contained in transformer insulating oil on various characteristics over time

To operate power transformers long-term, as well as ensuring their insulating reliability, adequate consideration must also be paid to the age-related decline in various insulating oil characteristics. Previous studies could roughly clarify the key components causing the insulating oil characteristics to decline by adding the components contained in field transformer insulating oil to oil with few impurities. On the other hand, this degradation causing components are trace components not present in the new oil. To clarify the insulating oil degradation mechanism over time, the components determined as the sources of the degradation causing components (source components) must be investigated. Accordingly, in this paper, a study is conducted on the influence of the trace components present in new oil on the degradation of the characteristics over time. In addition, since the breakdown characteristics of insulating oil are influenced by the water content in oil, the influence of the combined effect of various components and water etc. is also studied. Consequently, it emerged that sulfide (octyl sulfide), or sulfur compounds detected in new oil increased the copper content in oil, showing a tendency toward an increasing dissipation factor and declining volume resistivity characteristics. Conversely, no influence of additives was observed on the increase in water content and the relationship between breakdown voltage and water content remained almost unchanged, regardless of the presence or absence of additives. Following the study of the change based on interaction with water content, no influence of the presence or absence of the additives was observed on the characteristics (acidity, interfacial tension, and breakdown voltage). Based on the above, it was clarified that, among the trace components existing in oil used in the present experiment, octyl sulfide had impact on the insulating oil characteristics over time.
Design a DC-DC Converter for a High Performance Electric Vehicle

Ultracapacitors are an alternative storage element to deal with the power requirements of autonomous electric vehicles. This is possible because ultracapacitors can deliver large amount of power in short periods of time and their shelf life is longer than other conventional storage elements. For designing a high performance electric vehicle capable to run a quarter of a mile in 10 seconds, it was decided to use several modular ultracapacitors that have lower voltage levels than motors requirements. In these conditions, it is needed an efficient DC-DC converter which can manage the required power and energy to be delivered to electric motors, assuring the needed voltage and current levels. This work shows a design of a DC-DC converter that interface ultracapacitors and motors in a high performance electric vehicle. This design was possible by performing a power loss analysis, a component calculation and a simulation validation.
Quality of life, depression and fatigue in mildly disabled patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis receiving subcutaneous interferon beta-1a: 3-year results from the COGIMUS (COGnitive Impairment in MUltiple Sclerosis) study

Background: The precise relationships among quality of life, depression, fatigue and cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS) are complex and poorly understood. Objective: To assess the effects of subcutaneous interferon beta-1a on quality of life, depression and fatigue over 3 years in the COGIMUS study, and to examine the relationship between these outcomes and baseline cognitive status. Methods: COGIMUS was an observational 3-year trial assessing cognitive function in 459 patients with relapsing–remitting MS treated with subcutaneous interferon beta-1a. Results: In total, 331 patients completed the study (168 received interferon beta-1a, 44 µg subcutaneously three times weekly, and 163 received interferon beta-1a, 22 µg subcutaneously three times weekly). Mean MS Quality of Life-54 (MSQoL-54) composite scores did not change over time. There were no significant differences between groups in MSQoL-54 composite scores when patients were grouped by treatment dose and baseline cognitive status. Mean (standard deviation) Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score decreased from 6.8 (4.9) at baseline to 5.8 (5.9) at year 3. Mean total Fatigue Impact Scale scores were low (<30) at all time points. Conclusion: Quality of life, depression and fatigue remained largely stable over 3 years; no effects of treatment dose or baseline cognitive status were found.
Cerebral hemispherectomy

Objective: To compare hemispherectomy patients with different pathologic substrates for hospital course, seizure, developmental, language, and motor outcomes. Methods: The authors compared hemispherectomy patients (n = 115) with hemimegalencephaly (HME; n = 16), hemispheric cortical dysplasia (hemi CD; n = 39), Rasmussen encephalitis (RE; n = 21), infarct/ischemia (n = 27), and other/miscellaneous (n = 12) for differences in operative management, postsurgery seizure control, and antiepilepsy drug (AED) usage. In addition, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS) developmental quotients (DQ), language, and motor assessments were performed pre- or postsurgery, or both. Results: Surgically, HME patients had the greatest perioperative blood loss, and the longest surgery time. Fewer HME patients were seizure free or not taking AEDs 1 to 5 years postsurgery, but the differences between pathologic groups were not significant. Postsurgery, 66% of HME patients had little or no language and worse motor scores in the paretic limbs. By contrast, 40 to 50% of hemi CD children showed near normal language and motor assessments, similar to RE and infarct/ischemia cases. VABS DQ scores showed +5 points or more improvement postsurgery in 57% of patients, and hemi CD (+12.7) and HME (+9.1) children showed the most progress compared with RE (+4.6) and infarct/ischemia (−0.6) cases. Postsurgery VABS DQ scores correlated with seizure duration, seizure control, and presurgery DQ scores. Conclusions: The pathologic substrate predicted pre- and postsurgery differences in outcomes, with hemimegalencephaly (but not hemispheric cortical dysplasia) patients doing worse in several domains. Furthermore, shorter seizure durations, seizure control, and greater presurgery developmental quotients predicted better postsurgery developmental quotients in all patients, irrespective of pathology.
Variability in cytokine and cell adhesion molecule staining in arthroscopic synovial biopsies: quantification using color video image analysis.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the variability in immunostaining for cytokines and cell adhesion molecules using multiple arthroscopically directed synovial biopsies from within a rheumatoid knee joint, quantitated by color video image analysis. METHODS Needle arthroscopic biopsies were taken from multiple sites (4-7 sites) around a knee joint in 8 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In 5 patients, immunoperoxidase staining for the cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin 8 (IL-8), and IL-1beta as well as the IL-1 receptor antagonist protein (IL-1ra) was performed. In 3 patients, immunoperoxidase staining for the cell adhesion molecules E-selectin (CD62E), P-selectin (CD62P), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1, CD54), and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM, CD31) was performed. Immunostaining was quantified using color video image analysis. RESULTS The overall probability of paired biopsies from the same RA knee joint being significantly different from each other due to sampling variation was at most 22% for cytokine staining (usually less than 10%). There were no significant differences between intrabiopsy and interbiopsy variability for cell adhesion molecule staining of the sublining and vessels. CONCLUSION The variability in cytokine and cell adhesion molecule staining within any single biopsy usually reflects the variability between biopsies taken from different sites in the same rheumatoid joint when the immunostaining is quantified using color video image analysis. Therefore, only a small number of synovial biopsies are required to accurately determine the cytokine and cell adhesion molecule expression in a single joint.
Sexuality and eroticism among males in Moslem societies

This edition also contains six new appendices. Three reproduce relevant passages from the 1911 Protection of Animals Act; from the Declaration of Helsinki (1964); and from the Delaney Amendment (1958). Further appendices provide a brief review of Albert Schweitzer and the ethics of his "reverence for life", and a discussion of the biblical tradition in shaping and defining relationships between man and animals. However, it is the first appendix that provides a particularly chilling comment on contemporary history, as Paton reviews the rise of terrorist animal liberation organizations and the use of violence in the name of animal rights. The book ranges widely and provides a broad review of the use of animals in medical research, and the techniques employed to minimize distress. It concludes that the prospect of animal experiments involving no more suffering than that experienced by pets and other domestic animals, is a real possibility, one that would re-define the relationship between man and mouse as that of human trustee and animal companion.
Identification of glial‐cell‐line‐derived neurotrophic factor‐regulated proteins of striatum in mouse model of Parkinson disease

Glial‐cell‐line‐derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a potent survival factor for dopaminergic neurons, and hence serves as a therapeutic candidate for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. However, despite the potential clinical and physiological importance of GDNF, its mechanism of action is unclear. Therefore, we employed a state‐of‐the‐art proteomic technique, DIGE, along with MS and a bioinformatics tool called Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID), to profile proteome changes in the parkinsonian mouse striatum after GDNF challenge. Forty‐six unique differentially expressed proteins were successfully identified, which were found either up‐regulated and/or down‐regulated at the two time points 4 and 72 h compared with the control. Proteins involved in cell differentiation and system development formed the largest part of the proteins regulated under GDNF. Furthermore, the aberrant expression of HSPs and mitochondria‐associated proteins were noticeable. Moreover, mitochondrial stress 70 protein and heat shock cognate 71 kDa protein, whose relative levels increased significantly in GDNF‐treated striatum, were further evaluated with Western blot and RT‐PCR, demonstrating a good agreement with quantitative proteomic data. These data will provide some clues for understanding the mechanisms by which GDNF promotes the survival of dopaminergic neurons.
Properties of area 17/18 border neurons contributing to the visual transcallosal pathway in the cat

Abstract In a series of physiological experiments, a total of 203 neurons at the Area 17/18 border were recorded with a callosal link either demonstrated by antidromic or transsynaptic activation from stimulating electrodes located in the homotopic contralateral hemisphere (CH), or in the splenial segment of the corpus callosum (CC). Forty-four percent of the transcallosal cells could also be driven from stimulating electrodes in or just above the lateral geniculate nucleus (OR1). The majority (69%) of transcallosal neurons were classifiable as belonging to the complex family (B and C cells) and most of these were found in the supragranular laminae and in lamina 4A. The ocular dominance distribution of transcallosal cells was trimodal, consisting of roughly equal numbers of monocularly dominated and binocularly balanced neurons. Estimates of conduction time and synaptic delay were obtained for neurons driven from CH, CC, and from OR1, and in most instances the response latency was short enough to suggest a monosynaptic input from either the ipsi- or contra-lateral hemisphere. The distribution of transcallosal conduction times showed that S cells, as a class, had significantly faster conduction than cells of the complex family but otherwise there was no obvious signs of multimodality in the distribution curve. An analysis of the synaptic delays in transcallosal activation produced a mean of 0.6 to 0.7 ms but some were too short to be consistent with a transsynaptic drive, suggesting that some cells with an antidromic drive may have been included in the transsynaptic category. Results are interpreted in terms of the contribution made by the corpus callosum to stereoscopic vision.
Efficacy of the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation to Predict Risk of Low Back Pain Due to Manual Lifting: Expanded Cross-Sectional Analysis

Objective: To evaluate whether the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation (RNLE) is a valid tool for assessing risk of low back pain (LBP) due to manual lifting by using combined data from two cross-sectional studies of 1-year prevalence. Methods: Results from a symptom and occupational history questionnaire and RNLE analysis for 677 subjects employed in 125 manual lifting jobs at nine industrial sites were combined from two studies. Results: The odds of LBP increased as the lifting index (LI) increased from 1.0 to 3.0. A statistically significant odds ratio (OR) was found for both the 1 < LI ⩽ 2 (OR = 1.81) and the 2 < LI ⩽ 3 categories (OR = 2.26). For jobs with an LI value greater than 3.0, however, the OR remained nonsignificant. The 2 < LI ⩽ 3 group remained statistically significant after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, and psychosocial factors. Conclusions: It is clear that as the LI increases, the risk of LBP increases. Longitudinal studies are needed.
Frequency response analysis on modified plant of extended state observer

The active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) framework gives birth to a new concept, the modified plant (MP), describing the dynamics after the total disturbance is estimated and cancelled approximately. Ideally the modified plant is in integral form, to greatly simplify and fix the controller design, even though actual plant contains higher-order dynamics or dead time. This paper investigates that when such processes are modified into the integral, how the parameters of the extended state observer (ESO) impact on the dynamic characteristics and stability of the MP. Frequency-domain analyses show that the MP can gradually approach the integral form through parameters tuning. However, it should be cautious that an aggressive set of parameters may lead to an unstable modified plant in the presence of order mismatch.
Suppression of Building Vibrations Using PD+PI Type Fuzzy Logic Controller

In order to bring the useful properties of PD and PI type fuzzy logic controllers together, a PD+PI type fuzzy logic controller for vibration suppression of a building was presented in this study. The building has nine storeys and an active tuned mass damper was placed on the top floor. The building model was excited with a real earthquake ground motion. The results have shown that designed controller attenuated the building vibrations successfully.
Aicardi-Goutières syndrome displays genetic heterogeneity with one locus (AGS1) on chromosome 3p21.

We have studied 23 children from 13 families with a clinical diagnosis of Aicardi-Goutières syndrome. Affected individuals had developed an early-onset progressive encephalopathy that was characterized by a normal head circumference at birth, basal ganglia calcification, negative viral studies, and abnormalities of cerebrospinal fluid comprising either raised white cell counts and/or raised levels of interferon-alpha. By means of genomewide linkage analysis, a maximum-heterogeneity LOD score of 5.28 was reached at marker D3S3563, with alpha=. 48, where alpha is the proportion of families showing linkage. Our data suggest the existence of locus heterogeneity in Aicardi-Goutières syndrome and highlight potential difficulties in the differentiation of this condition from pseudo-TORCH (toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2) syndrome.
Rheumatoid arthritis: proposal for the use of anti‐microbial therapy in early cases

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease, affecting women more than men, especially in those possessing the “shared epitope” (EQK/RRAA) amino acid sequences present in HLA‐DR1/4 molecules. Proteus mirabilis carries sequences showing molecular mimicry to the “shared epitope” and to type XI collagen of hyaline cartilage. Elevated levels of antibodies to P.mirabilis have been reported from 14 different countries involving 1375 RA patients and the microbe has been isolated from urine cultures of such patients. Our working hypothesis is that the disease develops as a result of repeated episodes of Proteus upper urinary tract infections. Prospective studies involving the trial of anti‐Proteus measures in RA patients should be evaluated in the management of this disease. Antibiotics, high fluid intake, and fruit extracts, such as cranberry juice, have all been found to be effective in the treatment of urinary tract infections. Such measures could be used as possible additional adjuncts to the standard therapy with NSAIDs and DMARDs.