Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of non-surgical periodontal therapy on clinical and immunological response and glycaemic control in type 2 diabetic patients with moderate periodontitis.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to compare the local efficacy of nonsurgical periodontal therapy between type 2 diabetic and non-diabetic patients and the effect of periodontal therapy on glycaemic control. BACKGROUND A complex two-way relationship exists between diabetes mellitus and periodontitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS After selection, 20 subjects (10 diabetic and 10 non-diabetic) underwent baseline examination, periodontal clinical study and biochemical analysis of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). After the pre-treatment phase, subgingival scaling and root planing were performed. Subsequently, all subjects continued the maintenance programme and were re-examined at 3 and 6 months. RESULTS Diabetic and non-diabetic subjects responded well after therapy, showing a very similar progression during the follow-up period. Both groups showed clinically and immunologically significant improvements. Significant reductions were also found in the total volume of GCF and levels of interleukin-1beta and tumour necrosis factor-alpha. Diabetic subjects showed an improvement in their metabolic control. The change in glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA(1C)) was statistically significant at 3 and 6 months. CONCLUSIONS The clinical and immunological improvements obtained were accompanied by a significant reduction in HbA(1C) values in type 2 diabetic subjects. Larger studies are needed to confirm this finding and establish whether periodontal therapy has a significant effect on glycaemic control.
Clinical Characteristics for 348 Patients with Adrenal Incidentaloma

Background Adrenal incidentaloma is an adrenal neoplasm frequently encountered in clinical practice for which detection rates have recently increased. We describe here the clinical characteristics of adrenal incidentalomas. Methods A retrospective study was performed examining the age, sex, location, size, function, and the histological findings for 348 patients with an adrenal mass discovered incidentally on computed tomography (CT) undertaken for health examination or nonadrenal disease from August 2005 to May 2012. Results Patients consisted of 156 males (44.8%) and 192 females (55.2%), aged between 20 and 86. Adrenal masses were most commonly found in patients in their sixth decade (32.5%). Regarding the location of the masses, 62.0% were found in the left adrenal gland, 30.2% were found in the right, and 7.8% were found bilaterally. Of all of the masses analyzed, 87.1% were 1 to 4 cm in size, and an adenoma-like appearance was the most common finding (75.3%) seen on CT scans. Hormonal analysis showed that 82.2% of the masses were nonfunctioning, 6.0% were diagnosed as subclinical Cushing's syndrome, 4.6% were aldosterone-producing adenomas, and 7.2% were pheochromocytomas. Adrenalectomy was performed in a total of 69 patients having adenoma (50.7%), pheochromocytoma (24.6%), and carcinoma (4.3%). Conclusion The characteristics of benign, malignant, nonfunctional, and functional adrenal masses that were incidentally found at our hospital were similar to those presented in other studies.
Contribution of Non Integer Integro-Differential Operators (NIDO) to the geometrical understanding of Riemann's conjecture-(II)

Advances in fractional analysis suggest a new way for the physics understanding of Riemann's conjecture. It asserts that, if s is a complex number, the non trivial zeros of zeta function 1/zeta(s)=infinSigman=1 mu(n)/ns in the gap [0,1], is characterized by s=1/2(1+2ithetas). This conjecture can be understood as a consequence of 1/2-order fractional differential characteristics of automorph dynamics upon opened punctuated torus with an angle at infinity equal to pi/4. This physical interpretation suggests new opportunities for revisiting the cryptographic methodologies
Hierarchical modelling of attachment and detachment mechanisms of gecko toe adhesion

The mechanics of reversible adhesion of the gecko is investigated in terms of the attachment and detachment mechanisms of the hierarchical microstructures on its toe. At the bottom of the hierarchy, we show that a spatula pad of tiny thickness can be well absorbed onto a substrate with a large surface area and a highly constrained decohesion process zone, both of which are beneficial for robust attachment. With different peeling angles, the peeling strength of a spatula pad for attachment can be 10 times larger than that for detachment. At the intermediate level of hierarchy, we show that a seta can achieve a stress level similar to that in the spatula pad by uniformly distributing adhesion forces; as a consequence, the 10 times difference in the peel-off force of a single spatula pad for attachment and detachment is magnified up to a 100 times difference in adhesion energy at the level of seta. At the top of the hierarchy, the attachment process of a gecko toe is modelled as a pad under displacement-controlled pulling, leading to an adhesive force much larger than the gecko's body weight, while the associated detachment process is modelled as a pad under peeling, resulting in a negligible peel-off force. The present work reveals, in a more systematic way than previous studies in the literature, that the hierarchical microstructures on the gecko's toe can indeed provide the gecko with robust adhesion for attachment and reversible adhesion for easy detachment at the same time.
Advanced Glycation End-Product of Low Density Lipoprotein Activates the Toll-Like 4 Receptor Pathway Implications for Diabetic Atherosclerosis

Objective—Diabetes is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease. Accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) attributable to hyperglycemia in diabetics promotes the development of atherosclerosis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Methods and Results—The advanced glycation end-product of low-density-lipoprotein (AGE-LDL) induced proinflammatory cytokine production in human coronary artery endothelial cells and human- and mouse-macrophages. AGE-LDL stimulated cytokine synthesis was markedly reduced in mouse macrophages with a TLR4 loss-of-function mutation. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments indicated AGE-LDL interacts with TLR4, RAGE, and CD36. Incubation of cultured macrophages with TLR4, RAGE, or CD36 antibodies inhibited AGE-LDL stimulation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)&agr; production. A competitive binding inhibitor of TLR4 blocked AGE-LDL binding to the receptor. After transfection of a HEK293 cell system with wild-type TLR4, AGE-LDL activated a signaling pathway including p38&agr;, JNK, and ERK1 kinases and AP1, Elk1, and NF–&kgr;B transcription factors; the net result being increased cytokine production. These effects were absent when cells were transfected with empty plasmid. Two common polymorphisms in TLR4, D299G and T399I, reduced the response of TLR4 to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) but had no effect on AGE-LDL signaling. Conclusions—These results indicate that AGE-LDL activates a TLR4-mediated signaling pathway, thus inducing proinflammatory cytokine production. This mechanism may partly explain the increased risk of atherosclerosis observed in diabetics.
Amyloid seeds formed by cellular uptake, concentration, and aggregation of the amyloid-beta peptide

One of the neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the amyloid plaque, primarily composed of aggregated amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide. In vitro, Aβ1–42, the major alloform of Aβ found in plaques, self-assembles into fibrils at micromolar concentrations and acidic pH. Such conditions do not exist in the extracellular fluid of the brain where the pH is neutral and Aβ concentrations are in the nanomolar range. Here, we show that extracellular soluble Aβ (sAβ) at concentrations as low as 1 nM was taken up by murine cortical neurons and neuroblastoma (SHSY5Y) cells but not by human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells. Following uptake, Aβ accumulated in Lysotracker-positive acidic vesicles (likely late endosomes or lysosomes) where effective concentrations (>2.5 μM) were greater than two orders of magnitude higher than that in the extracellular fluid (25 nM), as quantified by fluorescence intensity using laser scanning confocal microscopy. Furthermore, SHSY5Y cells incubated with 1 μM Aβ1–42 for several days demonstrated a time-dependent increase in intracellular high molecular weight (HMW) (>200 kDa) aggregates, which were absent in cells grown in the presence of Aβ1–40. Homogenates from these Aβ1–42-loaded cells were capable of seeding amyloid fibril growth. These results demonstrate that Aβ can be taken up by certain cells at low physiologically relevant concentrations of extracellular Aβ, and then concentrated into endosomes/lysosomes. At high concentrations, vesicular Aβ aggregates to form HMW species which are capable of seeding amyloid fibril growth. We speculate that extrusion of these aggregates may seed extracellular amyloid plaque formation during AD pathogenesis.
The impact of metabolic syndrome and its components on pulse wave velocity

Background : Pulse wave velocity (PWV) reflects arterial stiffness and may represent an integrated index of vascular status and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Although the individual components of the metabolic syndrome (MS) are well established cardiovascular risk factors, the impact of the MS and its components on PWV has not been well defined. Methods : With an automatic wave form analyzer, heart-femoral (hf) and brachial-ankle (ba) PWVs were measured simultaneously in 364 subjects (age, 44.89.3 years). None of the subjects had clinical CVD except hypertension, diabetes and systemic disease. The associations between PWVs and the features of the MS -individual and clustered- were analyzed. Results : In univariate analysis, the individual components of the MS except a low HDL- cholesterol level were associated with increased hfPWV and baPWV. Hypercholesterolemia was also associated with increased both PWVs. A low HDL-cholesterol level was associated with increased baPWV. However, in multivariate analysis, none of the components of the MS except elevated blood pressure (BP) was the independent factor affecting hfPWV and baPWV. After controlling for age and gender, hfPWV and baPWV were increased according to the number of the components of the MS (p
MemorySanitizer: Fast detector of uninitialized memory use in C++

This paper presents MemorySanitizer, a dynamic tool that detects uses of uninitialized memory in C and C++. The tool is based on compile time instrumentation and relies on bit-precise shadow memory at run-time. Shadow propagation technique is used to avoid false positive reports on copying of uninitialized memory. MemorySanitizer finds bugs at a modest cost of 2.5× in execution time and 2× in memory usage; the tool has an optional origin tracking mode that provides better reports with moderate extra overhead. The reports with origins are more detailed compared to reports from other similar tools; such reports contain names of local variables and the entire history of the uninitialized memory including intermediate stores. In this paper we share our experience in deploying the tool at a large scale and demonstrate the benefits of compile-time instrumentation over dynamic binary instrumentation.
When Acquisition Spoils Retention: Selling Direct vs. Delegation under CRM

The widespread implementation of customer relationship management technologies in business has allowed companies to increasingly focus on both acquiring and retaining customers. The challenge of designing incentive mechanisms that simultaneously focus on customer acquisition and customer retention comes from the fact that customer acquisition and customer retention are usually separate but intertwined tasks that make providing proper incentives more difficult. The present study develops incentive mechanisms that simultaneously address acquisition and retention of customers with an emphasis on the interactions between them. The main focus of this study is to examine the impact of the negative effect of acquisition on retention, i.e., the spoiling effect, on firm performance under direct selling and delegation of customer acquisition. Our main finding is that the negative effect of acquisition on retention has a significant impact on acquisition and retention efforts and firm profit. In particular, when the customer acquisition and retention are independent, the firm's profit is higher under direct selling than under delegation; however, when acquisition spoils retention, interestingly, the firm's profit may be higher under delegation. Our analysis also finds that the spoiling effect not only reduces the optimal acquisition effort but may also reduce retention effort under both direct selling and delegation. Comparing the optimal efforts under direct selling and delegation, the acquisition effort is always lower under delegation regardless of the spoiling effect, but the retention effort may be higher under delegation with the spoiling effect. Furthermore, when the customer antagonism effect from price promotions is considered, our main results hold regarding the firm's preferences between direct selling and delegation, which demonstrates the robustness of our model. This paper was accepted by Pradeep Chintagunta, marketing.
A Review of Software Quality Models for the Evaluation of Software Products

Actually, software products are increasing in a fast way and are used in almost all activities of human life. Consequently measuring and evaluating the quality of a software product has become a critical task for many companies. Several models have been proposed to help diverse types of users with quality issues. The development of techniques for building software has influenced the creation of models to assess the quality. Since 2000 the construction of software started to depend on generated or manufactured components and gave rise to new challenges for assessing quality. These components introduce new concepts such as configurability, reusability, availability, better quality and lower cost. Consequently the models are classified in basic models which were developed until 2000, and those based on components called tailored quality models. The purpose of this article is to describe the main models with their strengths and point out some deficiencies. In this work, we conclude that in the present age, aspects of communications play an important factor in the quality of software
Multicomponent transport in weakly ionized mixtures

We discuss transport coefficients in weakly ionized mixtures. We investigate the situations of weak and strong magnetic fields as well as electron temperature nonequilibrium. We present in each regime the Boltzmann equations, examples of transport fluxes, the structure of transport linear systems and discuss their solution by efficient iterative techniques. Numerical simulations are presented for partially ionized high-temperature air.
Factors affecting access to information on routine immunization among mothers of under 5 children in Kaduna State Nigeria, 2015

Introduction Immunization is one of the most effective interventions to prevent disease and early child death. A substantial number of children worldwide do not complete immunization schedules because neither health services nor conventional communication mechanisms regularly reach their communities. Knowledge and perception of mothers/caregivers regarding VPDs influence demand and utilization of immunization services. We examined the associations between knowledge, perception and information on routine immunization received by mothers/caregivers in Kaduna State. Methods We enrolled 379 eligible caregivers in a community-based cross-sectional study. We sampled respondents using multistage sampling technique. We collected data on socio-demographic characteristics; knowledge and perception on routine immunization using semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. We conducted bivariate analysis and logistic regression using Epi-InfoTM version 7 at 5% level of significance. Results Mean age of respondents was 28.6 years (standard deviation=±6.6 years), 34% completed secondary school, 65% were unemployed, 49% lived in rural settlements. Among respondents' children 53.3% were females and 62.8% fell within 2nd-5th birth order. Only 15.6% of these children were fully immunized. Seventy-five percent of respondent did not obtain information on routine immunization within 12 months prior to the study. About 64% had unsatisfactory knowledge while 55.4% exhibited poor perceptions regarding routine immunization. Commonest source of information was radio (61.61%). On logistic regression educated participants (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=1.9, 95% CI: 1.1-3.3), mothers' perception (AOR=2.6, 95% CI: 1.5-4.5) and monogamous family setting (AOR=2.4, 95% CI: 0.2-0.6) were likely to have obtained information on routine immunization. Conclusion There is low access to information, poor maternal knowledge on routine immunization with low vaccination coverage in this community. Efforts should be made by the Governments to scale up sensitization of mothers/caregivers to improve their knowledge on routine immunization through radio jingles.
Nationalism and Sexuality: Middle-Class Morality and Sexual Norms in Modern Europe

Analyzing the history of sexuality in the context of the relationship between nationalism and respectability can help us to realize where we stand, how we got there, and how we might change. In this work, George Mosse strives to show how concepts of sexuality haunted bourgeois society and nationalism, to be acknowledged yet curbed, deflected from the physical onto an ideal stereotype of male and female beauty. Now available in paperback, "Nationalism and Sexuality" is especially suitable for text use in undergraduate and graduate level courses in European history, Jewish history, women's studies, and courses on sexuality in sociology and psychology departments.
Stability of functional impairment in patients with schizotypal, borderline, avoidant, or obsessive–compulsive personality disorder over two years

Background. A defining feature of personality disorder (PD) is an enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that is stable over time. Follow-up and follow-along studies have shown considerable diagnostic instability of PDs, however, even over short intervals. What, then, about personality disorder is stable? The purpose of this study was to determine the stability of impairment in psychosocial functioning in patients with four different PDs, in contrast to patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and no PD, prospectively over a 2-year period. Method. Six hundred treatment-seeking or treated patients were recruited primarily from clinical services in four metropolitan areas of the Northeastern USA. Patients were assigned to one of five diagnostic groups: schizotypal (STPD) (n=81), borderline (BPD) (n=155), avoidant (AVPD) (n=137), or obsessive–compulsive (OCPD) (n=142) personality disorders or MDD and no PD (n=85), based on the results of semi-structured interview assessments and self-report measures. Impairment in psychosocial functioning was measured using the Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation (LIFE) at baseline and at three follow-up assessments. Results. Significant improvement in psychosocial functioning occurred in only three of seven domains of functioning and was largely the result of improvements in the MDD and no PD group. Patients with BPD or OCPD showed no improvement in functioning overall, but patients with BPD who experienced change in personality psychopathology showed some improvement in functioning. Impairment in social relationships appeared most stable in patients with PDs. Conclusion. Impairment in functioning, especially social functioning, may be an enduring component of personality disorder.
Selective reduction of blood flow to white matter during hypotension in newborn dogs: A possbile mechanism of periventricular leukomalacia

The cerebrovascular response of newborn animals to hypotension has not been defined on a regional basis. Using an autoradiographic technique employing 14C‐iodoantipyrine as indicator, we studied the cerebral physiological responses of newborn dogs to hypotension induced by exsanguination or by administration of Escherichia coli endotoxin. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) to all gray matter structures was preserved, even at mean arterial pressures as low as 20 mm Hg. In contrast, rCBF to periventricular and occipital white matter decreased significantly during severe hypotension. The selective hypoperfusion of cerebral white matter during severe hypotension may provide a mechanistic explanation for the pathogenesis of periventricular leukomalacia.
Blood Rubber: The Effects of Labor Coercion on Institutions and Culture in the DRC*

We examine how historical exposure to extractive institutions affects long-term development in the case of the Congo Free State (CFS). The CFS granted concessions to private companies that used violent tactics to collect rubber. Local chiefs were co-opted into supporting the rubber regime, and individuals struggled to fulfill mandated quotas as natural rubber became increasingly scarce. We use a geographic regression discontinuity design along the former concession boundaries to show that greater exposure to extractive institutions causes significantly worse education, wealth and health outcomes. We then use survey and experimental data collected along a former concession boundary to examine how the effects of extractive institutions persist through local institutional quality and cultural norms. Consistent with their historical co-option by the concession companies, we find that chiefs within the former concessions are of lower quality and less accountable to their constituents. However, we find that individuals within the concessions are more trusting and have stronger norms of redistribution. The results demonstrate how historical events of short duration can have long-lasting effects on institutions and cultural norms.
Smg1 haploinsufficiency predisposes to tumor formation and inflammation

SMG1 is a member of the phosphoinositide kinase-like kinase family of proteins that includes ATM, ATR, and DNA-PK, proteins with known roles in DNA damage and cellular stress responses. SMG1 has a well-characterized role in nonsense-mediated decay as well as suggested roles in the DNA damage response, resistance to oxidative stress, regulation of hypoxic responses, and apoptosis. To understand the roles of SMG1 further, we generated a Genetrap Smg1 mouse model. Smg1 homozygous KO mice were early embryonic lethal, but Smg1 heterozygous mice showed a predisposition to a range of cancers, particularly lung and hematopoietic malignancies, as well as development of chronic inflammation. These mice did not display deficiencies in known roles of SMG1, including nonsense-mediated decay. However, they showed elevated basal tissue and serum cytokine levels, indicating low-level inflammation before the development of tumors. Smg1 heterozygous mice also showed evidence of oxidative damage in tissues. These data suggest that the inflammation observed in Smg1 haploinsufficiency contributes to susceptibility to cancer and that Smg1-deficient animals represent a model of inflammation-enhanced cancer development.