Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Caries Severity/Activity and Psychological Aspects of Caregivers on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life among 5-Year-Old Children

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of the severity/activity of dental caries as well as sense of coherence (SOC) and locus of control (LOC) on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among 5-year-old children. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 769 children at schools in a city in northeast Brazil. Parents/caregivers answered validated questionnaires addressing SOC and LOC. The children and parents/caregivers answered their respective modules of the Brazilian version of the Scale of Oral Health Outcomes for 5-year-old children (SOHO-5). Data were also collected on sociodemographic characteristics, visits to the dentist, and the occurrence of toothache. Clinical examinations were performed by 2 trained examiners. A directed acyclic graph was used to select covariates for statistical adjustment, and logistic regression for complex samples was used to test associations between the dependent and independent variables (α = 5%). For parents/caregivers, the variables associated with a negative impact on OHRQoL were the occurrence of toothache (odds ratio, OR: 10.53; 95% confidence interval, CI: 6.34–17.51; p < 0.001) and a low SOC (OR: 2.17; 95% CI: 1.37–3.43; p = 0.001). According to the children’s perceptions, the following variables were associated with a negative impact on OHRQoL: toothache (OR: 3.58; 95% CI: 2.30–5.55; p < 0.001), caries activity (OR: 1.97; 95% CI: 1.07–3.62; p = 0.028), and traumatic dental injury (OR: 1.71; 95% CI: 1.15–2.53; p = 0.007). Among parents/caregivers, a low SOC led to poorer OHRQoL. For the children, however, neither psychological aspect affected OHRQoL. In the perception of both the parents/caregivers and children, toothache was the oral condition that exerted a negative impact on OHRQoL.
Networking between agencies and black churches: The lay health advisor model

Summary The question of the possible, proper, or desirable relationships of churches lo health and human service agencies is raised. Identifying, recruiting, and training important members of natural helping networks in the black church, who can serve as “lay health advisors” (LHA) linking and negotiating between people at risk and agency services, is one health intervention strategy for establishing a relationship between formal and informal support systems. As lay people to whom others naturally turn for advice, emotional support, and tangible aid, LHAs provide informal and spontaneous assistance. Found at many levels in a community, these persons are already helping people by virtue of their community roles, occupations, or personality traits. A lay health advisor intervention model conceptualizes the relationships between the social support functions of networks within black congregations and their expected effects on: (1) the behaviors of individuals at risk; (2) the service delivery structures of ag.
Konjunktur und Rentenversicherung - gegenseitige Abhängigkeiten und mögliche Veränderungen durch diskretionäre Maßnahmen

The study provides an empirical analysis of the effects of cyclical fluctuations - including those of the current economic crisis - on revenues and expenditures of the German public pay-as-you-go pension system on the one hand. On the other hand the pension reforms of the most recent decade are scrutinised in terms of their repercussions on the business cycle. Special emphasis is placed on the gradual reduction of the public pension level and the subsidisation of private fully funded so-called "Riester" pension schemes. For the analysis the authors develop an econometric model of the public pension system and integrate it into the IMK's existing macro model of the German economy. The analysis shows several weaknesses of the current public pension formula. Firstly, it should not include the effects of short-time working on the aggregate of gross wages and salaries per employee. Otherwise the current extensive use of short-time working to avoid unemployment will first reduce pensions and then raise them again. Secondly, the time lag between cyclical changes and their repercussions on the expenditures of the pension system could be further increased to improve the stabilising effects of the pension system on the business cycle. And thirdly, the pension system's provisions for revenue fluctuations should be raised in order to avoid increasing contributions in a severe and protracted crisis. A separate section of the study deals with the cyclical effects of private households' increased savings for old age. To a significant extent the increase of the savings ratio since the beginning of this decade is due to the "Riester" reforms and has retarded growth and employment.
Brand‐Supermarket Demand for Breakfast Cereals and Retail Competition

The Berry, Levinsohn, and Pakes (1995) market equilibrium model is extended to the supermarket chain level to examine consumer choices and retail competition for thirty-seven brands of breakfast cereals in Boston. Estimated taste parameters for product characteristics vary significantly across consumers. Although consumers are price-sensitive with respect to their chosen cereals, they exhibit strong brand and supermarket loyalty. Retail markups increase and marginal costs decrease with grocery market shares, attesting to oligopoly power with efficiencies. Markups decrease with the own-price elasticity of demand, with Corn Flakes having the highest markups. A detailed picture of consumer response and supermarket competition is provided.
Cranial Vault Expansion in the Management of Postshunt Craniosynostosis and Slit Ventricle Syndrome

Background: Slit ventricle syndrome and postshunt craniosynostosis are uncommon complications after shunting procedures for congenital hydrocephalus. Slit ventricle syndrome occurs as a complication in 1 to 5 percent of patients after shunting procedures for hydrocephalus during infancy. These patients usually have had a shunt in place for years, with overdrainage of cerebrospinal fluid resulting in very small ventricles. Excessive intracranial decompression may result in ventricular collapse with the formation of slit-like ventricles and cranial vault collapse with secondary craniosynostosis. Methods: A retrospective review of 12 patients who had undergone cranial vault expansion for management of postshunt craniosynostosis and slit ventricle syndrome refractory to other treatment modalities was performed. All patients had initially been shunted for congenital hydrocephalus and subsequently underwent a mean of 4.9 shunt revisions before cranial vault expansion. Results: All 12 patients demonstrated decreased ventricular volume, with noncompliant slit-like ventricles in nine of these patients. Five patients demonstrated pancraniosynostosis, three patients demonstrated multiple sutural fusion, and isolated sagittal synostosis occurred in two patients. Two patients appeared to have “functional” synostoses with narrowed, overlapping sutures that were not actually fused. Eleven patients underwent bilateral fronto-orbital advancement with frontotemporoparietal expansion; one patient underwent only posterior vault expansion. Seven of the 12 patients required a mean of 2.3 shunt revisions after cranial vault expansion; five patients did not require subsequent revisions. Improvement in cranial vault shape was achieved in all 12 patients, as was improvement of neurologic symptoms in nine of the 12 patients. Conclusions: Cranial vault expansion is a useful approach in the management of the restricted cranium associated with slit ventricle syndrome and postshunt craniosynostosis. This approach resulted in a decreased need for shunt revisions and improvement of neurologic symptoms and cranial vault shape.
Toward self-stabilizing operating systems

This work presents several approaches for designing self-stabilizing operating systems. The first approach is based on periodical automatic reinstalling of the operating system and restart. The second, reinstalls the executable portion of the operating system and uses predicates on the operating system state (content of variables) to ensure that the operating system does not diverge from its specifications. The last approach presents an example of a tailored self-stabilizing very-tiny operating system. Prototypes using the Intel Pentium processor were composed.
Stimulated enrichment of Clostridium difficile specific IgA in mature cow's milk

Cow milk products enriched with Clostridium difficile (C. diff.) specific IgA are possible alternative therapeutics against C. diff. associated diarrhea. A persistently high level of C. diff. specific IgA in mature milk triggered by continuous immunizations of dairy cows against C. diff. was hypothesized. Nine Brown Swiss cows were repeatedly vaccinated against C. diff. and divided into low responder (LR) and high responder (HR) cows, as measured by their production of anti-C. diff. specific IgA in milk (threshold: 8.0 μg anti-C. diff. specific IgA/mL on average). Total and C. diff. specific IgA were quantified in bovine milk and blood using a sandwich ELISA. Important milk production factors were analyzed per lactation stage. Milk yield, milk fats and proteins were significantly different (P < 0.05) in the early lactation stage when the treated with the untreated cows (n = 30) were compared. In contrast to the "before treatment control" values, the HR's milk anti-C. diff. IgA was approximately 80% higher at any lactation stage, and the HR's total milk IgA increased up to 72% in the late lactation stage. The LR's total milk IgA differed from the baseline by roughly 47% only in the late lactation stage. The total and specific IgA contents in milk were more influenced by the anti-C. diff. immunizations than in blood. The correlations between anti-C. diff. specific IgA, total IgA and the main production factors in milk were classified as weak (I r I < 0.5), except for the close relation of anti-C. diff. specific IgA and total IgA (r = 0.69). To conclude, a sustainable C. diff. specific IgA enrichment in milk can be achieved by continuous immunization of dairy cows, provided a potent and well-formulated anti-C. diff. vaccine is given to dairy cows preselected due to their proven anti-C. diff. receptivity.
[Echocardiographic evaluation of left atrial emptying index in hypertension].

UNLABELLED The atrial emptying index (AEI) was used to access the rapid phase of diastolic filling of the left ventricle (LV) in 27 hypertensive (HTA) untreated patients and in 27 normotensive (N) subjects, matched for age, body, surface and heart rate. All the patients had left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH): LV mass index (LVmi) > 134 g/m2 for men, 110 g/m2 for women. All subjects had normal systolic function by echocardiography. We derived: LV wall thickness (h); antero-posterior radius (r); h/r ratio; LVmi; LAmi (before atrial contraction); AEI; A/E ratio. RESULTS [table: see text] The AEI demonstrated a negative correlation with LAvi in N (r = -0.49; p = 0.005) and in HTA (r = -0.53; p = 0.002). This index was correlated significantly to A/E (r = 0.74; p < 0.001) and to LV mi (r = -0.32; p < 0.05 only in HTA. CONCLUSION. In HTA with LVH in comparison with N, there are conjointly an increase of the A/E ratio and a reduction of the AEI which is considered to be compensated by the increase of LAvi. These data could be explained by the less distensibility of LV chamber in relation to LVH.
Business time sampling scheme and its applications to semi-martingale hypothesis and estimating integrated volatility

We propose a new method to implement the Business Time Sampling (BTS) scheme for high-frequency financial data using a time-transformation function. The sampled BTS returns have approximately equal volatility with a target average sampling frequency. We investigate the semi-martingale property of the BTS returns and find that the Gaussian distribution assumption describes the BTS returns better than returns obtained from the Calendar Time and Tick Time sampling schemes. We propose a modified ACD-ICV estimate (Tse and Yang (2012)) of intraday volatility based on the BTS methodology and find that our method has superior performance over the Realized Kernel estimate and Tse and Yang’s (2012) estimate based on sampling by price events. JEL Codes: C410, G120
Delaying visually guided saccades by microstimulation of macaque V1: spatial properties of delay fields

Electrical microstimulation of macaque primary visual cortex (area V1) is known to delay the execution of saccadic eye movements made to a punctate visual target placed into the receptive field of the stimulated neurons. We examined the spatial extent of this delay effect, which we call a delay field, by placing a 0.2° visual target at various locations relative to the receptive field of the stimulated neurons and by stimulating different sites within the operculum of V1. A 100‐ms train of stimulation consisting of current pulses at or less than 100 µA was delivered immediately before monkeys generated a saccadic eye movement to the visual target. The region of tissue activated was within 0.5 mm from the electrode tip. The depth of stimulation for a given site ranged from 0.9 to 2.0 mm below the cortical surface. The location of the receptive fields of the stimulated neurons ranged from 1.8 to 4.4° of eccentricity from the center of gaze. Within this range, the size of the delay field increased from 0.1 to 0.55° of visual angle. The shape of the field was roughly circular. The size of the delay field increased as the stimulation site was located further from the foveal representation of V1. These results are consistent with the finding that phosphenes evoked by electrical stimulation of human V1 are circular and increase in size as the stimulating electrode is placed more distant from the foveal representation of V1.
Acute effects of acidosis on protein and amino acid metabolism in perfused rat liver

Summary. Acidosis is frequently associated with protein wasting and derangements in amino acid metabolism. As its effect on protein metabolism is significantly modulated by other abnormal metabolic conditions caused by specific illnesses, it is difficult to separate out the effects on protein metabolism solely due to acidosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate, using a model of isolated perfused rat liver, the direct response of hepatic tissue to acidosis. We have compared hepatic response to perfusion with a solution of pH 7.2 and 7.4 (controls). Parameters of protein and amino acid metabolism were measured using both recirculation and single‐pass technique with 4,5‐[3H]leucine, [1–14C]leucine and [1–14C]ketoisocaproate (ketoleucine) as tracers and on the basis of difference of amino acid levels in perfusion solution at the beginning and end of perfusion. In liver perfused with a solution of pH 7.2, we observed higher rates of proteolysis, protein synthesis, amino acid utilization and urea production. Furthermore, the liver perfused with a solution of pH 7.2 released a higher amount of proteins to perfusate than the liver perfused with a solution of pH 7.4. Enhanced decarboxylation of ketoisocaproate in liver perfused by a solution of a lower pH indicates increased catabolism of branched‐chain amino acids (leucine, valine and isoleucine), decreased reamination of branched‐chain keto acids to corresponding essential amino acids and increased ketogenesis from leucine.
Calcium Effects on Phosphorus Absorption: Implications for the Prevention and Co-Therapy of Osteoporosis

Objective: To evaluate the effect of calcium intake on absorption of dietary phosphorus, with special reference to typical calcium intakes and to those likely to be encountered in prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Setting: Two academic health sciences centers; inpatient metabolic research unit. Methods: Evaluation of calcium and phosphorus balance data obtained in two data sets, the first, 543 studies of healthy women aged 35–65, and the second, 93 men and women aged 19–78; development of multiple regression models predicting fecal phosphorus (the complement of net absorbed phosphorus); data from the two centers analyzed separately as a check on the consistency of the findings. Results: Mean net absorption of phosphorus was 60.3% (±18.1) for data set 1 and 53.0% (±9.4) for data set 2. Just two variables, fecal calcium and diet phosphorus, were positively and independently associated with fecal phosphorus. These variables explained 73% of the variance in fecal phosphorus in data set 1 and 33% in data set 2. Fecal calcium alone explained the lion’s share of the relationship. The coefficients of the fecal calcium term in the models fitted to the data were 0.332 ± 0.022 and 0.155 ± 0.039, for data sets 1 and 2, respectively. Adjusting for the relationship between fecal calcium and calcium intake and using the parameters of the larger data set, it follows that each increase in calcium intake of 0.5 g (12.5 mmol) decreases phosphorus absorption by 0.166 g (5.4 mmol). Conclusions: As calcium intake increases without a corresponding increase in phosphorus intake, phosphorus absorption falls and the risk of phosphorus insufficiency rises. Intakes with high Ca:P ratios can occur with use of supplements or food fortificants consisting of non-phosphate calcium salts. Older patients with osteoporosis treated with current generation bone active agents should receive at least some of their calcium co-therapy in the form of a calcium phosphate preparation.
Age- and sex-related prevalence of diabetes mellitus among immigrants to Ontario, Canada

Background: The majority of immigrants to Canada originate from the developing world, where the most rapid increase in prevalence of diabetes mellitus is occurring. We undertook a population-based study involving immigrants to Ontario, Canada, to evaluate the distribution of risk for diabetes in this population. Methods: We used linked administrative health and immigration records to calculate age-specific and age-adjusted prevalence rates among men and women aged 20 years or older in 2005. We compared rates among 1 122 771 immigrants to Ontario by country and region of birth to rates among long-term residents of the province. We used logistic regression to identify and quantify risk factors for diabetes in the immigrant population. Results: After controlling for age, immigration category, level of education, level of income and time since arrival, we found that, as compared with immigrants from western Europe and North America, risk for diabetes was elevated among immigrants from South Asia (odds ratio [OR] for men 4.01, 95% CI 3.82–4.21; OR for women 3.22, 95% CI 3.07–3.37), Latin America and the Caribbean (OR for men 2.18, 95% CI 2.08–2.30; OR for women 2.40, 95% CI: 2.29–2.52), and sub-Saharan Africa (OR for men 2.31, 95% CI 2.17–2.45; OR for women 1.83, 95% CI 1.72–1.95). Increased risk became evident at an early age (35–49 years) and was equally high or higher among women as compared with men. Lower socio-economic status and greater time living in Canada were also associated with increased risk for diabetes. Interpretation: Recent immigrants, particularly women and immigrants of South Asian and African origin, are at high risk for diabetes compared with long-term residents of Ontario. This risk becomes evident at an early age, suggesting that effective programs for prevention of diabetes should be developed and targeted to immigrants in all age groups.
Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of combination chemotherapy with vinorelbine and platinum agents for patients with non-small cell lung cancer with interstitial lung disease.

BACKGROUND Acute chemotherapy-associated exacerbation of interstitial lung disease (ILD) can occur in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The safety and efficacy of cytotoxic chemotherapy has not yet been established for NSCLC with ILD. Thus, patients with advanced NSCLC with ILD usually receive only best supportive care. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy profiles of the combination chemotherapy of vinorelbine and a platinum agent in patients with advanced NSCLC with ILD. PATIENTS AND METHODS Nineteen patients with advanced NSCLC with ILD treated with vinorelbine and a platinum agent, either cisplatin or carboplatin, were retrospectively reviewed to examine acute exacerbation of ILD, toxicity, response rate, and survival time. Additionally, possible predictive factors for acute chemotherapy-associated exacerbation of ILD were analyzed. RESULTS The response rate was 42.1%, the progression-free survival time was 4.4 months, the median survival time was 7.4 months, and the one-year survival rate was 36.8%. Neutropenia was the most frequent grade 3 to 4 toxicity and it occurred in 63.2% of patients. Acute chemotherapy-associated exacerbation of ILD occurred in three patients (15.8%) and caused the death of one of these patients (5.3%). No variables were identified as being predictive factors for acute chemotherapy-associated exacerbation of ILD. CONCLUSION The combination chemotherapy with vinorelbine and a platinum agent can be considered as a treatment option for patients with advanced NSCLC with ILD, with careful management after sufficient evaluation of the risks and the benefits.
Multinational Enterprises and the Competitiveness of Transitional Host Economies

Abstract The paper re-examines a hypothesis that multinational enterprise (MNE) subsidiaries in Poland make a significant contribution to host country competitiveness by raising overall export performance. Multiple indicators based on UNCTAD methodology are used by the authors to analyze Poland's export competitiveness and link this competitiveness to MNE subsidiaries export propensity and innovativeness. They find a confirmation of the positive impact of MNEs on the Polish export sector that has substantially strengthened the country's capacity to compete in world markets and speeded up the transition process to the market-led system.
Models of the within-host dynamics of persistent mycobacterial infections

We use mathematical models to investigate the within-host dynamics of mycobacterial infections. In particular, we investigate the mechanisms by which bacteria such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae persist at low densities for extended periods, and attain high densities much later. We suggest that the persistence of bacteria in face of immune pressure may result from the bacteria having a very slow growth rate, or having a dormant stage. We show that whereas these mechanisms may lead to long-term persistence, this will be obtained at relatively low densities. We then suggest that the longterm persistence of bacteria may result in the loss of immunity because of the deletion of specific T-cells arriving from the thymus, and the exhaustion of the specific T-cells as these cells reach the Hayflick limit and die. This loss of immunity will allow the bacteria to attain a high density. We propose experiments capable of testing our models and discuss the implications of the models for the treatment of infected hosts.
Can Complementary Pension Plans Help Improve Retirement Income in the Dominican Republic?

In the 1990s, following the earlier example of Chile, pension system reforms were implemented in a number of Latin American and other countries. These reforms focused on introducing models of pension provision that were fully-funded and privately managed. Although aspects of these reforms have been positive, for many persons covered by these systems retirement income is not adequate. The development of occupational pension plans may offer an alternative, complementary mechanism to help improve pension adequacy. This article discusses different complementary pension plan models and examines the case of the Dominican Republic. It argues that complementary occupational pension plans may be a viable policy option for this developing country.