32 research outputs found
Marcelo dascal and the literal meaning debates
Get PDFWhat role does literal meaning play in people’s understanding of indirect and figurative language? Scholars from many disciplines have debated this issue forseveral decades. This chapter describes these debates, especially focusing on the arguments between the author and Marcelo Dascal. I suggest that Dascal’s defense of “moderate literalism” may have some validity, contrary to some of my earlier arguments against this point of view. The chapter acknowledges the strong contribution that Marcelo Dascal has made to interdisciplinary discussions on language and thought
The effects of antiviral therapy on the levels of neutralizing antibodies and antibodies mediating antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity in HI-1 seropositive patients /
No full textThis study consists of evaluating the effects of zidovudine or ribavirin treatment on the humoral response to human immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV-1) in a cohort of 36 HIV-1 seropositive patients. Viral neutralization antibodies were demonstrated against HTLV virus while titers of circulating antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) antibodies were measured against the HIV-1 envelope protein, gp120, using the vaccinia virus expression system which has been successfully used to express foreign viral proteins in target cells. Virologic (viral isolation) and immunologic (CD4 cells) parameters were also monitored pre and post antiviral therapy.The results indicate that patients receiving zidovudine for 36 weeks, have a diminished anti-HIV-1-ADCC directing antibody response, while the levels of these antibodies in patients receiving ribavirin or placebo remain constant. The titers of neutralizing antibodies and CD4 counts remain stable regardless of the treatment except for patients receiving ribavirin, where a decline in CD4 cells is observed. The decrease in the HIV-1 specific ADCC during zidovudine treatment parallels with the decrease in the amount of viral burden. This suggests that the two effects are somehow correlated. The impact of a washout period was also assessed. An increase in viral burden during cessation of AZT was reported which may reflect the inability of the treated host to mount a rapid immune response. As a consequence, this may lead to the deterioration of the immune status and the progression of the disease. The implications of these findings will be discussed in this study
The “Toxic Strep Syndrome”: Severe Group A Streptococcal Disease in the Absence of Bacteremia
No full textO LUGAR DA PRAGMATICA NA TEORIA DA LINGUAGEM
No full textThe author discusses the inclusion of a pragmatic component in the theory of language.The nature of pragmatics and its relation to semiotics are considered, followed by ananalysis of triadic relations in the signs ad the influence of context in the evaluationof utterances (relationship between semantics and pragmatics). The position of pragmaticsin relation to the langue/parole and competence/performance dichotomies isconsidered, and recent attempts towards the definition of the scope of pragmaticsare analyzed in detail
Emerg Infect Dis
No full textWe report results of a case-control study of the association between receipt of antimicrobial agents and diagnosis of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the United Kingdom. Eligible adults, selected from the General Practice Research Database, had no previous diagnosis of MRSA, no hospitalization in the past 2 years, and > or = 2 years of follow-up recorded in the database. For 2000-2004, we identified 1,981 MRSA case-patients and 19,779 matched control-patients. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of MRSA diagnosis for patients who were prescribed 1, 2-3, or > or = 4 antimicrobial drugs were 1.57 (CI 1.36-1.80), 2.46 (CI 2.15-2.83), and 6.24 (CI 5.43-7.17), respectively. Risk for community-acquired MRSA increased with number of antimicrobial drug prescriptions, appeared to vary according to antimicrobial drug classes prescribed the previous year, and was highest for quinolones (OR 3.37, CI 2.80-4.09) and macrolides (OR 2.50, CI 2.14-2.91)
Prostatic Abscess Caused by Streptococcus mutans
Get PDFThe first reported case of prostatic abscess caused by Streptococcus mutans isolated in pure culture is described. Urethral dilation for obstruction was unsuccessful, so suprapubic cystostomy was performed. Perineal aspiration under ultrasonic guidance resulted in 10 mL of pus containing pure Strep mutans. Diagnosis of prostatic abscess is difficult since the clinical manifestations are nonspecific
Anti-Retroviral Strategies for AIDS and Related Diseases
Get PDFThe replication cycle of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and other retroviruses consists of four stages: attachment of the virus to specific receptors on the cell surface; uncoating of the viral nucleic acid and conversion to DNA; production of viral RNA and proteins; and assembly and liberation of progeny virus from the cell. Each of these steps represents a potential target for antiviral chemotherapy. Combinations of drugs which act against different steps in the viral replication cycle might be expected to have synergistic potential. Zidovudine (AZT) is the most widely used drug to date for impeding the replication of HIV-1. Although AZT therapy has been reasonably successful, it has not been free from toxicity. In addition, there have been several reports of isolation of AZT-resistant variants of HIV-1
Aspects of a Watermark Solution
Get PDFAlthough watermarking is a relatively new technology, there are many ways of applying it on an electronic data set with the purpose of ensuring copyright integrity and authenticity of the electronic data. But, bearing in mind the evolution of information technology and of communication, a watermark may be the target of several attacks which aim at its robustness, its form and even at its removal. In order to reduce these threats, this paper proposes a solution - digital watermarking completed by a hash function which has an important role in the authenticity of the content of a message and in the security of the transmission of this message through computer networks which are the main support of collaborative systems.Digital Watermarking, Hash Functions, Digital Information Security, Collaborative Systems
Disseminated Mycobacterium chelonae Infection Presenting as Progressive Multifocal Osteomyelitis: Report of Two Cases and a Review of the Literature
Get PDFTwo long term hospitalized patients developed disseminated infections caused by Mycobacterium chelonae, subspecies chelonae, over an eight-month period. In both cases, the disease was characterized by cutaneous and osseous involvement. The infections were indolent and marked by progressive bony destruction. These cases and a review of the literature are presented
