Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparative Effects of Teriparatide and Risedronate in Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis in Men: 18-Month Results of the EuroGIOPs Trial

Data on treatment of glucocorticoid‐induced osteoporosis (GIO) in men are scarce. We performed a randomized, open‐label trial in men who have taken glucocorticoids (GC) for ≥3 months, and had an areal bone mineral density (aBMD) T‐score ≤ –1.5 standard deviations. Subjects received 20 μg/d teriparatide (n = 45) or 35 mg/week risedronate (n = 47) for 18 months. Primary objective was to compare lumbar spine (L1–L3) BMD measured by quantitative computed tomography (QCT). Secondary outcomes included BMD and microstructure measured by high‐resolution QCT (HRQCT) at the 12th thoracic vertebra, biomechanical effects for axial compression, anterior bending, and axial torsion evaluated by finite element (FE) analysis from HRQCT data, aBMD by dual X‐ray absorptiometry, biochemical markers, and safety. Computed tomography scans were performed at 0, 6, and 18 months. A mixed model repeated measures analysis was performed to compare changes from baseline between groups. Mean age was 56.3 years. Median GC dose and duration were 8.8 mg/d and 6.4 years, respectively; 39.1% of subjects had a prevalent fracture, and 32.6% received prior bisphosphonate treatment. At 18 months, trabecular BMD had significantly increased for both treatments, with significantly greater increases with teriparatide (16.3% versus 3.8%; p = 0.004). HRQCT trabecular and cortical variables significantly increased for both treatments with significantly larger improvements for teriparatide for integral and trabecular BMD and bone surface to volume ratio (BS/BV) as a microstructural measure. Vertebral strength increases at 18 months were significant in both groups (teriparatide: 26.0% to 34.0%; risedronate: 4.2% to 6.7%), with significantly higher increases in the teriparatide group for all loading modes (0.005 < p < 0.015). Adverse events were similar between groups. None of the patients on teriparatide but five (10.6%) on risedronate developed new clinical fractures (p = 0.056). In conclusion, in this 18‐month trial in men with GIO, teriparatide showed larger improvements in spinal BMD, microstructure, and FE‐derived strength than risedronate.
Foamy Virus Assembly with Emphasis on Pol Encapsidation

Foamy viruses (FVs) differ from all other genera of retroviruses (orthoretroviruses) in many aspects of viral replication. In this review, we discuss FV assembly, with special emphasis on Pol incorporation. FV assembly takes place intracellularly, near the pericentriolar region, at a site similar to that used by betaretroviruses. The regions of Gag, Pol and genomic RNA required for viral assembly are described. In contrast to orthoretroviral Pol, which is synthesized as a Gag-Pol fusion protein and packaged through Gag-Gag interactions, FV Pol is synthesized from a spliced mRNA lacking all Gag sequences. Thus, encapsidation of FV Pol requires a different mechanism. We detail how WT Pol lacking Gag sequences is incorporated into virus particles. In addition, a mutant in which Pol is expressed as an orthoretroviral-like Gag-Pol fusion protein is discussed. We also discuss temporal regulation of the protease, reverse transcriptase and integrase activities of WT FV Pol.
Effects of enamel surface preparation on bonding strength of resin-modified glass ionomer cement: an in vitro study

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate a more suitable and efficient preparation method of enamel surface and a safe duration of loading in orthodontics when bonding with resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC). 300 human premolars were divided into five groups: G0, etched–Transbond XT; G1, etched–moistened; G2, etched–dry; G3, unetched–moistened; and G4, unetched–dry. Using an universal testing machine, we measured shear bonding strength (SBS) and tensile bonding strength (TBS) at 30 min, 24 h, and 30 d post-bonding. The adhesive remnant index was evaluated using stereomicroscopy. The results showed that enamel surface etching significantly improved SBS and TBS of RMGIC. The moist environment could accelerate both of SBS and TBS, but not the final bonding strength. Etching with moistening was the best processing method with RMGIC. When using RMGIC on unetched enamel, the bonding surface should be moistened and loading time delayed. When evaluating mechanical properties of the adhesive materials, it seemed that the TBS was more reasonable and objective than the SBS.
A Radically Different Mechanism for S-Adenosylmethionine–Dependent Methyltransferases

Methylation of the bacterial ribosome by two methyltransferases proceeds by an unusual radical mechanism. Methylation of small molecules and macromolecules is crucial in metabolism, cell signaling, and epigenetic programming and is most often achieved by S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)–dependent methyltransferases. Most employ an SN2 mechanism to methylate nucleophilic sites on their substrates, but recently, radical SAM enzymes have been identified that methylate carbon atoms that are not inherently nucleophilic via the intermediacy of a 5′-deoxyadenosyl 5′-radical. We have determined the mechanisms of two such reactions targeting the sp2-hybridized carbons at positions 2 and 8 of adenosine 2503 in 23S ribosomal RNA, catalyzed by RlmN and Cfr, respectively. In neither case is a methyl group transferred directly from SAM to the RNA; rather, both reactions proceed by a ping-pong mechanism involving intermediate methylation of a conserved cysteine residue.
Depressive Symptoms and Untreated Dental Caries in Older Independently Living South Brazilians

Background: The importance of psychological reactions in modifying oral health behaviors and salivary immunity has been shown previously, but few studies assessed whether psychological reactions are associated with caries in populations. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the association of depressive symptoms with untreated caries using a hierarchal approach. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a random sample of 390 South Brazilians aged 60 years or more was evaluated using a structured questionnaire assessing sociodemographic, behavior, health and depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale) data. Oral examinations were carried out in order to assess: (1) dental status, using the DMFT index; (2) dental plaque, using the Visible Plaque Index, and (3) unstimulated saliva flow, using the spit method. A hierarchical model based on the framework of caries was carried out to assess whether depressive symptoms were associated with prevalent untreated dental caries (or D >0). Results: Depressive symptoms, number of teeth and plaque accumulation were significant predictors of caries with respect to the D >0 outcome. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that depressive symptoms may act as determinants of caries, adding to the body of knowledge supporting the importance of psychological reactions in oral health/disease processes.
Feature Selection for Anomaly-Based Intrusion Detection using Rough Set Theory

In network based intrusion detection system, the large number of irrelative, redundant characteristics of features increases the processing and saving time of data. For improving the anomaly detection accuracy, we are implementing important rough set based feature selection techniques, in which original data set is reduced to some essential feature subset based on certain defined criterion. First, we discuss the Entropy-Based feature reduction technique, in which it determines only those attributes that provides more gain in information. Secondly Open-loop and Closed-loop based feature selection technique. Open-loop based feature selection is centered on selection of features based on between-class separability criterion and Closed-loop based feature selection based on feature selection criterion based on predictor performance to select the feature subset. These algorithms are implemented on KDD CUP 99 data set to obtain the low dimensional feature subset. KeywordsIntrusion detection; anomaly; feature selection; rough set
Hematopoietic stem cells

The discovery of hematopoietic stem cells [5] (HSCs) provided a pioneering step in stem cell research. HSCs are a type of multipotent adult stem cell, characterized by their ability to self-renew and differentiate into erythrocyte (red blood cell) and leukocyte (white blood cell) cell lineages. In terms of function, these cells are responsible for the continual renewal of the erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets in the body through a process called hematopoiesis. They also play an important role in the formation of vital organs such as the liver and spleen during fetal development. The early biological knowledge obtained from the studies of HSCs established the base of knowledge for understanding other stem cell systems. In addition, these cells have a vital role in furthering stem cell research for clinical applications. Regenerative medicine is a field of medicine that has applied HSCs to the treatment of blood-borne diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma and of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Physiological studies of eicosapentaenoic acid production in the marine microalga Glossomastix chrysoplasta

We describe the characterization of the microalga Glossomastix chrysoplasta, an eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) producer in the Pinguiophyceae class, Chromophyte division. Growth conditions were selected to optimize algal growth and EPA production. EPA represented up to 30% of the fatty acid content of Glossomastix chrysoplasta, at levels of 22 mg EPA per gram dry weight. Up to 72% of the EPA was produced as glycolipids, components of structural lipids. The optimal growth conditions in continuous culture were found to be greater than 500 µmol photons/m2 · s light intensity, 0.33/day dilution rate, pH 7.20–7.45, and a temperature of 18–20°C. Macronutrient studies indicated the limiting nutrient to be bicarbonate or dissolved carbon dioxide, and consequently decreasing pH increased EPA production. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Actin-dependent vacuolar occupancy of the cell determines auxin-induced growth repression

Significance Control of cell size is fundamentally different in animals and plants. The actin cytoskeleton has a direct impact on the control of cell size in animals, but its mechanistic contribution to cellular growth in plants remains largely elusive. Here, we show that actin is used in a plant-specific growth mechanism by controlling the volume of the largest plant organelle, the vacuole. Actin is required for the auxin-dependent convolution and deconvolution of the vacuole, steering the vacuolar occupancy of the cell. This function indirectly impacts cytosol size and presumably allows plant cells to grow without alterations in cytosolic content. These findings could lead to a better understanding of plant cells’ ability to expand faster than vacuole-lacking animal cells. The cytoskeleton is an early attribute of cellular life, and its main components are composed of conserved proteins. The actin cytoskeleton has a direct impact on the control of cell size in animal cells, but its mechanistic contribution to cellular growth in plants remains largely elusive. Here, we reveal a role of actin in regulating cell size in plants. The actin cytoskeleton shows proximity to vacuoles, and the phytohormone auxin not only controls the organization of actin filaments but also impacts vacuolar morphogenesis in an actin-dependent manner. Pharmacological and genetic interference with the actin–myosin system abolishes the effect of auxin on vacuoles and thus disrupts its negative influence on cellular growth. SEM-based 3D nanometer-resolution imaging of the vacuoles revealed that auxin controls the constriction and luminal size of the vacuole. We show that this actin-dependent mechanism controls the relative vacuolar occupancy of the cell, thus suggesting an unanticipated mechanism for cytosol homeostasis during cellular growth.
Statistical Machine Translation with Readability Constraints

This paper presents experiments with document-level machine translation with readability constraints. We describe the task of producing simplified translations from a given source with the aim to optimize machine translation for specific target users such as language learners. In our approach, we introduce global features that are known to affect readability into a documentlevel SMT decoding framework. We show that the decoder is capable of incorporating those features and that we can influence the readability of the output as measured by common metrics. This study presents the first attempt of jointly performing machine translation and text simplification, which is demonstrated through the case of translating parliamentary texts from English to Swedish.
Lightweight service replication for ultra-short latency applications in mobile edge networks

Edge Cloud infrastructure will play a key role in extending the range of supported real-time cloud applications, by guaranteeing extremely fast response times. However, user mobility requires fast relocation of service instances, which represents an open challenge for resource-constrained cloudlets interconnected by high-latency and low-bandwidth links. In this paper, we investigate container-based virtualization techniques to support dynamic Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) environments. In particular, we design a framework to guarantee fast response time, by proactively exploiting service replication. A preliminary performance analysis is conducted to identify the possible advantages introduced by the proposed approach compared to classic migration procedures.
Distributed discrete-time coordinated tracking for networked single-integrator agents under a Markovian switching topology

This paper deals with the distributed discrete time coordinated tracking problem for multi-agent systems with Markovian switching topologies. In the multi-agent team only some of the agents can obtain the leader's state directly. The leader's state considered is time varying. We present necessary and sufficient conditions for boundedness of the tracking error system. It is proved that the ultimate bound of the tracking errors is proportional to the sampling period. A linear matrix inequality approach is developed to determine the allowable sampling period and the feasible control gain.
Implementation and Evaluation of TCP Enhancements over Satellite Links

Internet over satellite is an emerging facet of communications enabling users to have access to the Internet over high speed satellite links. However, new requirements should be satisfied by the involved protocols in order to fully utilize the available network resources. This paper discusses the possible mitigations that can be applied to the transmission control protocol over satellite links. Furthermore, we study the performance of the TCP enhancements we implemented in a simulated satellite environment.
Combining Attention Training with Internet-Based Cognitive-Behavioural Self-Help for Social Anxiety: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Guided Internet-based cognitive-behavioural self-help (ICBT) has been proven to be effective for social anxiety disorder (SAD) by several independent research groups. However, as the proportion of clinical significant change has room for improvement, new treatments should be developed and investigated. A novel treatment is attention bias modification (ABM). This study aimed at evaluating the combination of ABM and ICBT. We compared two groups, one group receiving ICBT and ABM targeting attentional avoidance and the other group receiving ICBT and control training. ABM and control training tasks were both based on the dot-probe paradigm. A total of 133 participants, diagnosed with SAD, were randomised to these two groups. The attention training group (N = 66) received 2 weeks of daily attention training followed by 9 weeks of ICBT. The control group (N = 67) received 2 weeks of daily control training, also followed by 9 weeks of ICBT. Social anxiety measures as well as the attention bias were assessed at pre-assessment, at week 2, and at post-treatment. Results showed no significant differences between the attention training group and the control group. Both groups improved substantially on social anxiety symptoms from pre- to post-assessment (dwithin = 1.39–1.41), but showed no change in attention processes (dwithin = 0.10–0.17). In this trial, the attention modification training failed to induce differential change in attention bias. Results demonstrate that the applied ABM procedure with its focus on the reduction of attentional avoidance was ineffective in the Internet-based setting. The results do not suggest that adding ABM targeting attentional avoidance to ICBT results in better outcomes than ICBT alone.
Recommendations for the pharmacological treatment of COPD: questions and answers

ABSTRACT The treatment of COPD has become increasingly effective. Measures that range from behavioral changes, reduction in exposure to risk factors, education about the disease and its course, rehabilitation, oxygen therapy, management of comorbidities, and surgical and pharmacological treatments to end-of-life care allow health professionals to provide a personalized and effective therapy. The pharmacological treatment of COPD is one of the cornerstones of COPD management, and there have been many advances in this area in recent years. Given the greater availability of drugs and therapeutic combinations, it has become increasingly challenging to know the indications for, limitations of, and potential risks and benefits of each treatment modality. In order to critically evaluate recent evidence and systematize the major questions regarding the pharmacological treatment of COPD, 24 specialists from all over Brazil gathered to develop the present recommendations. A visual guide was developed for the classification and treatment of COPD, both of which were adapted to fit the situation in Brazil. Ten questions were selected on the basis of their relevance in clinical practice. They address the classification, definitions, treatment, and evidence available for each drug or drug combination. Each question was answered by two specialists, and then the answers were consolidated in two phases: review and consensus by all participants. The questions answered are practical questions and help select from among the many options the best treatment for each patient and his/her peculiarities.
The REM Sleep-Memory Consolidation Hypothesis

It has been hypothesized that REM (rapid eye movement) sleep has an important role in memory consolidation. The evidence for this hypothesis is reviewed and found to be weak and contradictory. Animal studies correlating changes in REM sleep parameters with learning have produced inconsistent results and are confounded by stress effects. Humans with pharmacological and brain lesion–induced suppression of REM sleep do not show memory deficits, and other human sleep-learning studies have not produced consistent results. The time spent in REM sleep is not correlated with learning ability across humans, nor is there a positive relation between REM sleep time or intensity and encephalization across species. Although sleep is clearly important for optimum acquisition and performance of learned tasks, a major role in memory consolidation is unproven.
Educational competencies or education for professional competence?

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Viroid-Induced Symptoms in Nicotiana benthamiana Plants Are Dependent on RDR6 Activity1[C][W]

Viroids are small self-replicating RNAs that infect plants. How these noncoding pathogenic RNAs interact with hosts to induce disease symptoms is a long-standing unanswered question. Recent experimental data have led to the suggestive proposal of a pathogenic model based on the RNA silencing mechanism. However, evidence of a direct relation between key components of the RNA silencing pathway and symptom expression in infected plants remains elusive. To address this issue, we used a symptomatic transgenic line of Nicotiana benthamiana that expresses and processes dimeric forms of Hop stunt viroid (HSVd). These plants were analyzed under different growing temperature conditions and were used as stocks in grafting assays with the rdr6i-Nb line, in which the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 6 (RDR6) is constitutively silenced. Here, we show that the symptom expression in N. benthamiana plants is independent of HSVd accumulation levels but dependent on an active state of the viroid-specific RNA silencing pathway. The scion of rdr6i-Nb plants remained asymptomatic when grafted onto symptomatic plants, despite an accumulation of a high level of mature forms of HSVd, indicating the requirement of RDR6 for viroid-induced symptom production. In addition, the RDR6 requirement for symptom expression was also observed in wild-type N. benthamiana plants mechanically infected with HSVd. These results provide biological evidence of the involvement of the viroid-specific RNA silencing pathway in the symptom expression associated with viroid pathogenesis.
Generalized Spectral Theory for &#931;&#916; Quantization with Constant Inputs

The quantization operation has been traditionally analysed in signal processing and data conversion as a source of white noise although it is of deterministic nature. This model has become particularly inaccurate in SigmaDelta modulation where the quantization resolution can be as low as 1-bit. For an important class of SigmaDelta modulators with constant inputs, we build rigorous foundations to the quantization error analysis based on the spectral theory of unitary operators
Phalanx: Withstanding Multimillion-Node Botnets

Large-scale distributed denial of service (DoS) attacks are an unfortunate everyday reality on the Internet. They are simple to execute and with the growing prevalence and size of botnets more effective than ever. Although much progress has been made in developing techniques to address DoS attacks, no existing solution is unilaterally deployable, works with the Internet model of open access and dynamic routes, and copes with the large numbers of attackers typical of today's botnets. In this paper, we present a novel DoS prevention scheme to address these issues. Our goal is to define a system that could be deployed in the next few years to address the danger from present-day massive botnets. The system, called Phalanx, leverages the power of swarms to combat DoS. Phalanx makes only the modest assumption that the aggregate capacity of the swarm exceeds that of the botnet. A client communicating with a destination bounces its packets through a random sequence of end-host mailboxes; because an attacker doesn't know the sequence, they can disrupt at most only a fraction of the traffic, even for end-hosts with low bandwidth access links. We use PlanetLab to show that this approach can be both efficient and capable of withstanding attack. We further explore scalability with a simulator running experiments on top of measured Internet topologies.