Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bone Resorption Caused by Three Periodontal Pathogens In Vivo in Mice Is Mediated in Part by Prostaglandin

ABSTRACT Gingival inflammation, bacterial infection, alveolar bone destruction, and subsequent tooth loss are characteristic features of periodontal disease, but the precise mechanisms of bone loss are poorly understood. Most animal models of the disease require injury to gingival tissues or teeth, and the effects of microorganisms are thus complicated by host responses to tissue destruction. To determine whether three putative periodontal pathogens, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Campylobacter rectus, andFusobacterium nucleatum, could cause localized bone resorption in vivo in the absence of tissue injury, we injected live or heat-killed preparations of these microorganisms into the subcutaneous tissues overlying the calvaria of normal mice once daily for 6 days and then examined the bones histologically. We found that all three microorganisms (both live and heat killed) stimulated bone resorption and that the strain of F. nucleatum used appeared to be the strongest inducer of osteoclast activity. Treatment of the mice concomitantly with indomethacin reduced but did not completely inhibit bone resorption by these microorganisms, suggesting that their effects were mediated, in part, by arachidonic acid metabolites (e.g., prostaglandins). Our findings indicate that these potential pathogens can stimulate bone resorption locally when placed beside a bone surface in vivo in the absence of prior tissue injury and support a role for them in the pathogenesis of bone loss around teeth in periodontitis.
Open string fields as matrices

We present a new representation of the string vertices of the cubic open string field theory. By using this three-string vertex, we attempt to identify open string fields as huge-sized matrices by following Witten's idea. By using these huge matrices, we obtain some results about the construction of partial isometries in the algebra of open string fields.
RedQueen: An Online Algorithm for Smart Broadcasting in Social Networks

Users in social networks whose posts stay at the top of their followers' feeds the longest time are more likely to be noticed. Can we design an online algorithm to help them decide when to post to stay at the top? In this paper, we address this question as a novel optimal control problem for jump stochastic differential equations. For a wide variety of feed dynamics, we show that the optimal broadcasting intensity for any user is surprisingly simple ? it is given by the position of her most recent post on each of her follower's feeds. As a consequence, we are able to develop a simple and highly efficient online algorithm, RedQueen, to sample the optimal times for the user to post. Experiments on both synthetic and real data gathered from Twitter show that our algorithm is able to consistently make a user's posts more visible over time, is robust to volume changes on her followers' feeds, and significantly outperforms the state of the art.
New dammarane and ursane-type triterpenoids from the flower of Ixora coccinea Linn.

Two new esters of dammarane triterpenoids ixorene isovalerate (1), ixorene 3′,8′-dimethyloctanoate (2) and a new ursane-type triterpenoids Ixoroid acid (3) were isolated from the methanolic extract of flowers of Ixora coccinea Linn. , along with the three known constituents. The structures of compounds 1 and 3 were elucidated on the basis of extensive 1D,2D NMR studies and mass spectrometry as 17β-dammara-12,20-diene-3β-isovelarate and 3β-hydroxy-18β-urs-12ene-29β-oic acid, respectively, whereas 2 was identified as 17β-dammara-12,20-diene-3β-3′,8′-dimethyloctanoate through 1H NMR and mass spectral data. Compounds 1, 2, 4 and 5 were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic activity, which exhibited weak activity against the 3T3, PC3 and HeLa cell lines with the IC50 value >30 μM. Antioxidant results of 1 – 5 revealed that only compound 5 showed antioxidant activity in DPPH radical scavenging inhibition with the IC50 1.31 × 10− 6 ± 0.005 μm mL− 1. Both activities are the first records of these isolated compounds from the flowers of Ixora coccinea Linn.
The Impact of Sharing: The use of Shared Medical Appointments to Allow Providers to Increase Treatment access for Substance use and Related Disorders

Individuals with the diagnoses of substance use disorders (SUDs) who seek treatment encounter several barriers, with only 1.6% feeling they needed treatment and making an effort to seek it. 1 Of the 2.3 million people diagnosed with opioid use disorder, only 1.2 million received any kind of treatment in 2013. 2 The most commonly accessed form of treatment for any SUD is involvement in self-help groups. However, data show that between 80% and 90% of people with opioid use and related disorders will relapse without any form of medication-assisted treatments. 3,4
Clinical and prognostic features of philadelphia chromosome‐negative chronic myelogenous leukemia

Between 1965 and 1982, 105 patients with a diagnosis of Philadelphia chromosome‐negative chronic myelogenous leukemia were referred to our institution with minimal or no prior therapy. The median age was 63 years and 64% were males. The overall median survival from time of referral was 14 months; 53% of patients survived 1 year and only 10% survived beyond 5 years. At the time of analysis, 92 patients (88%) were dead, 56% of deaths being preceded by a blastic crisis. Compared with Philadelphia chromosome‐positive disease, patients with Philadelphia chromosome‐negative chronic myelogenous leukemia were older and had a significantly higher incidence of anemia, thrombocytopenia, monocytosis, marrow blasts, decreased marrow megakaryocytes and a lower incidence of basophilia and thrombocytosis. Chromosomal abnormalities occurred in 33% of patients and consisted most frequently of trisomy 8, or an additional chromosome C, loss of the Y chromosome, or abnormalities in chromosomes #5 and #7. Of nine pretreatment characteristics significantly associated with poor survival, a multivariate analysis identified four to have independent additive prognostic significance: severe thrombocytopenia, hemoglobin levels less than 10 g/dl, increasing peripheral blasts and promyelocytes, and age 60 years or older. Monocytosis was not of prognostic significance. The derived prognostic model divided patients into three risk groups, low, intermediate, and high, with median survivals of 36, 16, and 3 months, respectively. The authors conclude that Philadelphia chromosome‐negative chronic myelogenous leukemia is a distinct entity among the myeloproliferative syndromes with characteristic clinical and laboratory features and a poor prognosis. Prognostic factors and related risk categories were demonstrated within this disease entity.
βiv Spectrin, a New Spectrin Localized at Axon Initial Segments and Nodes of Ranvier in the Central and Peripheral Nervous System

We report the identification of βIV spectrin, a novel spectrin isolated as an interactor of the receptor tyrosine phosphatase-like protein ICA512. The βIV spectrin gene is located on human and mouse chromosomes 19q13.13 and 7b2, respectively. Alternative splicing of βIV spectrin generates at least four distinct isoforms, numbered βIVΣ1–βIVΣ4 spectrin. The longest isoform (βIVΣ1 spectrin) includes an actin-binding domain, followed by 17 spectrin repeats, a specific domain in which the amino acid sequence ERQES is repeated four times, several putative SH3-binding sites and a pleckstrin homology domain. βIVΣ2 and βIVΣ3 spectrin encompass the NH2- and COOH-terminal halves of βIVΣ1 spectrin, respectively, while βIVΣ4 spectrin lacks the ERQES and the pleckstrin homology domain. Northern blots revealed an abundant expression of βIV spectrin transcripts in brain and pancreatic islets. By immunoblotting, βIVΣ1 spectrin is recognized as a protein of 250 kD. Anti–βIV spectrin antibodies also react with two additional isoforms of 160 and 140 kD. These isoforms differ from βIVΣ1 spectrin in terms of their distribution on subcellular fractionation, detergent extractability, and phosphorylation. In islets, the immunoreactivity for βIV spectrin is more prominent in α than in β cells. In brain, βIV spectrin is enriched in myelinated neurons, where it colocalizes with ankyrinG 480/270-kD at axon initial segments and nodes of Ranvier. Likewise, βIV spectrin is concentrated at the nodes of Ranvier in the rat sciatic nerve. In the rat hippocampus, βIVΣ1 spectrin is detectable from embryonic day 19, concomitantly with the appearance of immunoreactivity at the initial segments. Thus, we suggest that βIVΣ1 spectrin interacts with ankyrinG 480/270-kD and participates in the clustering of voltage-gated Na+ channels and cell-adhesion molecules at initial segments and nodes of Ranvier.
RECOGNITION OF NEUROCOGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION IN CHRONIC HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS

We sought to determine the prevalence, recognition, and consequences of mental impairment among chronic hemodialysis patients. We administered the Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE), a brief validated method for assessing cognitive mental status that is commonly used by clinicians, to 84 patients from our dialysis units. To determine the clinical implications of mental impairment, we obtained Kt/V, albumin, protein catabolic rate, blood pressure, and hematocrit values. We found that 21% of subjects had mild mental impairment (MMSE 18 to 23) and that 11% had moderate-severe mental impairment (MMSE 0 to 17). We found no relationship between MMSE score and years on dialysis, Kt/V value, hematocrit value, or erythropoietin use. On univariate analysis, MMSE score was associated with albumin, protein catabolic rate, inter-dialytic weight gain, number of co-morbid conditions, number of hospitalizations. Outcomes on univariate analysis were further analyzed by multivariate analysis. There was an independent relationship between decrement in MMSE score and lower protein catabolic rate and increased hospitalization number and number of co-morbid conditions. Based on our findings, we recommend that clinicians routinely screen hemodialysis patients for mental impairment and target impaired patients for interventions to improve mental status and associated adverse outcomes.
A Few Cosmopolitan Phylotypes Dominate Planktonic Archaeal Assemblages in Widely Different Oceanic Provinces

ABSTRACT We compared the phylogenetic compositions of marine planktonic archaeal populations in different marine provinces. Samples from eight different environments were collected at two depths (surface and aphotic zone), and 16 genetic libraries of PCR-amplified archaeal 16S rRNA genes were constructed. The libraries were analyzed by using a three-step hierarchical approach. Membrane hybridization experiments revealed that most of the archaeal clones were affiliated with one of the two groups of marine archaea described previously, crenarchaeotal group I and euryarchaeotal group II. One of the 2,328 ribosomal DNA clones analyzed was related to a different euryarchaeal lineage, which was recently recovered from deep-water marine plankton. In temperate regions (Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Mediterranean Sea) both major groups were found at the two depths investigated; group II predominated at the surface, and group I predominated at depth. In Antarctic and subantarctic waters group II was practically absent. The clonal compositions of archaeal libraries were investigated by performing a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis with two tetrameric restriction enzymes, which defined discrete operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The OTUs defined in this way were phylogenetically consistent; clones belonging to the same OTU were closely related. The clonal diversity as determined by the RFLP analysis was low, and most libraries were dominated by only one or two OTUs. Some OTUs were found in samples obtained from very distant places, indicating that some phylotypes were ubiquitous. A tree containing one example of each OTU detected was constructed, and this tree revealed that there were several clusters within archaeal group I and group II. The members of some of these clusters had different depth distributions.
Vertices of Small Degree in Uniquely Hamiltonian Graphs

LetGbe a uniquely hamiltonian graph onnvertices. We show thatGhas a vertex of degree at mostclog28n+3, wherec=(2? log23)? 1? 2.41. We show further thatGhas at least two vertices of degree less than four if it is planar and at least four vertices of degree two if it is bipartite.
Has mortality in drug addicts increased? A comparison between two hospitalized cohorts in Stockholm.

BACKGROUND Substance abusers are known to have a high mortality, but the mortality rate and cause of death pattern has varied between studies and over time. The aim of the study was to compare the mortality in two cohorts of hospitalized drug addicts in Stockholm County identified in 1971-1972 and 1980-1981, respectively. METHOD Two cohorts consisting of all patients admitted for drug dependence in 1971-1972 and in 1980-1981, were selected from Stockholm County inpatient register. Both cohorts were followed for a mean time of 10 years with regard to mortality. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and Cox hazard regression models were computed. RESULTS Mortality in the two cohorts did not differ significantly. However, differences were found between subgroups. Thus for addicts using opiates, the death rate was twice as high as that of central stimulant users. For those addicts mixing drugs, the death rate was 48% higher compared to the central stimulant users. Males and people over 34 years of age had a significantly higher death rate than females and younger people. Mortality in drug addicts, especially opiate addicts, remained very high, though stable, over the study period. Patients in the 1980-1981 cohort were at risk of HIV/ AIDS but this had not increased the excess mortality. CONCLUSIONS There was no significant difference in overall mortality between the two cohorts and the causes of death patterns seemed quite stable over time.
Discussion: ‘The Scientific Model of Causality’

Heckman advocates an approach to causal inference that draws upon structural modeling of the outcome(s) of interest (which he calls scientific), and he contrasts this approach sharply with that arising out of the statistical literature on experimentation. Drawing extensively on several previous papers—for example, Heckman (1997, 2000, 2001) and Heckman and Navarro-Lozano (2004)—Heckman goes even further here, arguing that the statistical literature on causal inference is incomplete because it does not attempt to model the process by which subjects are selected into treatments (or what statisticians have called the ‘‘treatment assignment mechanism’’) and that this literature confounds the task of defining parameters with the tasks of identifying and estimating these parameters. I shall return to these points later. But whereas Heckman distinguishes sharply between these approaches (and hence between certain literatures in economics and statistics), on balance I find the similarities in the approaches he discusses much more profound than the dissimilarities. To elaborate, while there has been and continues to be much philosophical
Assessment and rehabilitation of cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have a substantial risk of cognitive dysfunction, even in the earliest stages of the disease, where there is minimum physical disability. Despite the high prevalence rates and the significant impact of cognitive dysfunction on quality of life in this population, cognitive functions are not routinely assessed due to the high cost and time consumption. This article provides an overview of the current state of knowledge related to cognition in MS and on the optimal approach to neuropsychological assessment of this population. It then focuses on the pharmacological and other treatment options available for MS patients with, or at risk for developing, cognitive impairment. The available immune-modulating agents may reduce the development of new lesions and therefore prevent or minimize the progression of cognitive decline. However, there is currently insufficient evidence concerning the efficiency of symptomatic treatment in MS. There is also currently no optimal non-pharmacological treatment strategy for cognitive decline in MS, as the studies published to date report heterogeneous results. Nevertheless, non-pharmacological treatments such as cognitive rehabilitation may benefit some MS patients. As cognition is increasingly recognized as a major feature of MS, its assessment and rehabilitation will become a greater priority.
Robust excitons inhabit soft supramolecular nanotubes

Significance The scientific community has been broadly inspired by tiny deep-sea bacteria, the green sulfur bacteria, that are able to harvest minute amounts of incoming sunlight with exquisite efficiency. Nature’s masterpiece consists of soft, cylindrical-shaped, supramolecular structures that are densely packed in superstructures. Only little is known about the fundamental processes that govern nature’s efficiency. Here we unravel, for the first time to our knowledge, the impact of structural complexity through the use of a model system akin to that found in nature, focusing on the properties that are prerequisite for nature’s efficient light harvesting. Our work suggests that the cylindrical geometry presents a rational design that may be key for protecting the system’s quantum properties upon dense packing. Nature's highly efficient light-harvesting antennae, such as those found in green sulfur bacteria, consist of supramolecular building blocks that self-assemble into a hierarchy of close-packed structures. In an effort to mimic the fundamental processes that govern nature’s efficient systems, it is important to elucidate the role of each level of hierarchy: from molecule, to supramolecular building block, to close-packed building blocks. Here, we study the impact of hierarchical structure. We present a model system that mirrors nature’s complexity: cylinders self-assembled from cyanine-dye molecules. Our work reveals that even though close-packing may alter the cylinders’ soft mesoscopic structure, robust delocalized excitons are retained: Internal order and strong excitation-transfer interactions—prerequisites for efficient energy transport—are both maintained. Our results suggest that the cylindrical geometry strongly favors robust excitons; it presents a rational design that is potentially key to nature’s high efficiency, allowing construction of efficient light-harvesting devices even from soft, supramolecular materials.
A Parametric Manipulation of Factors Affecting Task-induced Deactivation in Functional Neuroimaging

Task-induced deactivation (TID) refers to a regional decrease in blood flow during an active task relative to a resting or passive baseline. We tested the hypothesis that TID results from a reallocation of processing resources by parametrically manipulating task difficulty within three factors: target discriminability, stimulus presentation rate, and short-term memory load. Subjects performed an auditory target detection task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), responding to a single target tone or, in the short-term memory load conditions, to target sequences. Seven task conditions (a common version and two additional levels for each of the three factors) were each alternated with rest in a block design. Analysis of covariance identified brain regions in which TID occurred. Analyses of variance identified seven regions (left anterior cingulate/superior frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, right anterior cingulate gyrus, left and right posterior cingulate gyrus, left posterior parieto-occipital cortex, and right precuneus) in which TID magnitude varied across task levels within a factor. Follow-up tests indicated that for each of the three factors, TID magnitude increased with task difficulty. These results suggest that TID represents reallocation of processing resources from areas in which TID occurs to areas involved in task performance. Short-term memory load and stimulus rate also predict suppression of spontaneous thought, and many of the brain areas showing TID have been linked with semantic processing, supporting claims that TID may be due in part to suspension of spontaneous semantic processes that occur during rest (Binder et al., 1999). The concept that the typical resting state is actually a condition characterized by rich cognitive activity has important implications for the design and analysis of neuroimaging studies.
Sovereign Default Risk and Banks in a Monetary Union

Abstract This study seeks to understand the interplay between banks, bank regulation, sovereign default risk and central bank guarantees in a monetary union. I assume that banks can use sovereign bonds for repurchase agreements with a common central bank, and that their sovereign partially backs up any losses should the banks not be able to repurchase the bonds. I argue that regulators in risky countries have an incentive to allow their banks to hold home risky bonds and risk defaults, whereas regulators in other ‘safe’ countries will impose tighter regulation. As a result, governments in risky countries get to borrow more cheaply, effectively shifting the risk of some of the potential sovereign default losses on the common central bank.
A randomized phase II study of bicalutamide (BIC) followed by placebo or gamma secretase inhibitor RO4929097 (RO492) in men with rising PSA.

219 Background: Notch signaling is a key determinant of cell fate. RO492 is a selective γ-secretase inhibitor blocking cleavage of Notch. We hypothesize that anti-androgen therapy will lead to an enriched population of basal prostate cancer stem cells. Targeting Notch following anti-androgen treatment will lead to delay in re-growth of mature luminal PC cells. We are using a novel double blind, placebo controlled randomized discontinuation design to treat men with rising PSA. A non-castrating anti-androgen (BIC) was used to induce initial tumor regression Methods: Pts with rising PSA after primary therapy for PC, and no radiographic evidence of disease were enrolled in this ongoing study. All pts received BIC 50mg/day for 16 weeks (induction phase). Pts achieving a >50% (modified from 80% decrease after the first 8 pts) decrease in PSA were randomized to placebo or RO492 20mg orally 3 days on/ 4 days off per week (randomization phase). Primary endpoint is PSA progression (increase in PSA by 50% over nadir with minimum PSA rise of 2ng/mL) during randomization phase. Pts meeting primary endpoint could receive 12 months of RO492 and BIC (combination phase). Serum is collected for evaluation of soluble markers of gamma secretase inhibition. 29 pts/arm in randomization phase gives 90% power to detect a decrease in1 yr PFS from 80% to 45% with 5% alpha. RESULTS We report on the first 16 patients that have enrolled. Median pretreatment PSA was 6.3ng/ml (0.35 to 34). 9 of 16 pts on the induction phase came off study due to PSA progression, although 5 of 9 pts would have been randomized using the 50% PSA response criteria. 6 pts have been randomized to RO492 or placebo (1 pt not yet randomized) and 2 pts have proceeded to combination phase. Median PSA decrease during induction phase in 6 pts who went on to randomization was 86% (69-97). Overall decline in PSA in induction phase was 67% (7.3-99%). Placebo/RO492 has been well tolerated with 1 pt experiencing g1 fatigue, and 1 pt experiencing g1 nausea in the combination phase. 8/16 pts had g1 breast tenderness with BIC. CONCLUSIONS In this ongoing randomized phase II trial, BIC decreased PSA by >50% in 12/16 pts. Placebo/RO492 is well tolerated. Enrollment continues with analysis of plasma correlates to be compared to clinical results.