Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Different Abutment Materials on the Alveolar Bone Loss of Implant Supports Restoration . A Systematic Review & Metal Analysis *

Objectives: The objective of this systematic review was to identify and compare the effect of different abutment materials on the alveolar bone loss of implant supported superstructure. Methods: An electronic Medline search complemented by manual searching was conducted to identify randomized-controlled clinical trials, and cohort studies providing information on ceramic and metal abutments with a mean follow-up time of at least 6months. Patients had to have been examined clinically at the follow-up visit. Pocket depth, amount of rescission and crestal bone loss were attributed to alveolar bone loss. Results:thirteen clinical studies were selected from an initial yield of 107 titles and data were extracted. Pocket probing depth was recorded in seven studies,at 3-year follow-up, PPD around Zr abutments remained 3.2 mm vs. 3.4 mm at Ti sites. Five studies examined the recession index around Zr and Ti abutments. Reporting mean values from 0 to 0.3 at Zr abutments and 0 to 0.4 at Ti abutments. Mean marginal bone loss around Zr abutments was reported to vary from 0.2-0.4mm to 1.05-1.48mm and 0.3-0.5mm to 0.67-1.43mm at Ti abutments. Conclusion: The information included in this review did not provide evidence for differences of the biological outcomes of ceramic and metal abutments. However, it can be concluded that the direct comparison in the same patient does not give a clear preference for the use of zirconia or titanium as abutment materials in relation to alveolar bone response. A meta-analysis showed statistically significant superiority of Zr abutments over Ti abutments in developing favorable response of Marginal Bone Loss, but with nonstatistically significant regarding Pocket Probing Depth (PPD) and Recession Index of soft tissue (RI)
Vitamin D and HIV Progression among Tanzanian Adults Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy

Background There is growing evidence of an association between low vitamin D and HIV disease progression; however, no prospective studies have been conducted among adults receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels were assessed at ART initiation for a randomly selected cohort of HIV-infected adults enrolled in a trial of multivitamins (not including vitamin D) in Tanzania during 2006–2010. Participants were prospectively followed at monthly clinic visits for a median of 20.6 months. CD4 T-cell measurements were obtained every 4 months. Proportional hazard models were utilized for mortality analyses while generalized estimating equations were used for CD4 T-cell counts. Results Serum 25(OH)D was measured in 1103 adults 9.2% were classified as vitamin D deficient (<20 ng/ml), 43.6% insufficient (20–30 ng/mL), and 47.2% as sufficient (>30 ng/mL). After multivariate adjustment, vitamin D deficiency was significantly associated with increased mortality as compared to vitamin D sufficiency (HR: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.19–3.37; p = 0.009), whereas no significant association was found for vitamin D insufficiency (HR: 1.24; 95% CI: 0.87–1.78; p = 0.24). No effect modification by ART regimen or change in the associations over time was detected. Vitamin D status was not associated with change in CD4 T-cell count after ART initiation. Conclusions Deficient vitamin D levels may lead to increased mortality in individuals receiving ART and this relationship does not appear to be due to impaired CD4 T-cell reconstitution. Randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the safety and efficacy of vitamin D supplementation for individuals receiving ART.
The impact of reneging in processor sharing queues

We investigate an overloaded processor sharing queue with renewal arrivals and generally distributed service times. Impatient customers may abandon the queue, or renege, before completing service. The random time representing a customer's patience has a general distribution and may be dependent on his initial service time requirement.We propose a scaling procedure that gives rise to a fluid model, with nontrivial yet tractable steady state behavior. This fluid model captures many essential features of the underlying stochastic model, and we use it to analyze the impact of impatience in processor sharing queues. We show that this impact can be substantial compared with FCFS, and we propose a simple admission control policy to overcome these negative impacts.
Effect of season and mating system in Awassi ewes superovulated with FSH on fertilization rate and embryo recovery.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the contribution of laparoscopic intrauterine insemination to the improvement of fertilization and embryo recovery in Awassi ewes superovulated with FSH in breeding and non-breeding season. Twelve nonpregnant and cycling Awassi ewes of 3-4 years of age were randomly allocated in equal numbers (n = 6) to two groups. Each ewe was treated with a progesterone impregnated intravaginal sponge for 12 days. All ewes were superovulated with FSH in eight reducing doses for four days in the morning and evening from two days prior to sponge withdrawal. Ewes of group 1 were mated naturally at least two times with Awassi rams of proven fertility. Ewes of group 2 had intrauterine insemination and were conducted 44-46 h after sponge removal, under laparoscopic visualization of uterine horns, depositing 1 ml of semen in the distal portion of each uterine horn. Ovarian response was assessed by determining number of corpora lutea by laparoscopy on day 6 after mating. Embryo recovery was performed by hand assisted laparoscopy and by flushing both uterine horns. Ovarian response of the ewes superovulated with FSH was decreased to half in the non-breeding season. High number of unfertilized ova (P<0.05) was observed in ewes superovulated with FSH in the non-breeding season when naturally inseminated compared to ewes inseminated intrauterine using laparoscopic technique. Higher rates of embryo recovery (P<0.05) were achieved in superovulated ewes in the breeding season when ewes were inseminated by laparoscopic intrauterine insemination. The fertilization rates in ewes inseminated intrauterine using laparoscopic techniques in breeding season and non-breeding season were 88.1% and 37.98%, respectively. It could be concluded from the results of the present study that the use of FSH to induce superovulation in Awassi ewes combined with laparoscopic intrauterine insemination can increase the fertilization rate in the breeding season.
Microeconomic Evidence of Creative Destruction in Industrial and Developing Countries

In this paper the authors provide an analysis of the process of creative destruction across 24 countries and 2-digit industries over the past decade. They rely on a newly assembled dataset that draws from different micro data sources (business registers, census, or representative enterprise surveys). The novelty of their approach is in the harmonization of firm-level data across countries, which enables international comparisons and the identification of country-specific factors as opposed to sector and time effects. All countries display a massive reallocation of resources, with the entry and exit of many firms in all markets, the failure of many newcomers and the expansion of successful ones. This process of creative destruction affects productivity directly by reallocating resources toward more productive uses, but also indirectly through the effects of increased market contestability. There are also large differences across groups of countries. While entry and exit rates are fairly similar across industrial countries, post-entry performance differs markedly between Europe and the United States, a potential indication of the importance of barriers to firm growth as opposed to barriers to entry. Transition economies show an even more impressive process of creative destruction and, those that have progressed the most toward a market economy show better outcomes from this process. Finally, Mexico shows large firm dynamics with many new firms entering the battle but also many failing rapidly, while Argentina resembles Continental Europe with smaller flows and less impressive post-entry growth of successful firms.
Exercise‐induced pulmonary haemorrhage in Thoroughbred racehorses: a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) is considered a progressive disease based on histopathology, but it is unknown if tracheobronchoscopic EIPH severity worsens over time. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to examine tracheobronchoscopic EIPH changes over time in a population of Thoroughbred racehorses. A secondary aim was to identify factors that affect changes in tracheobronchoscopic EIPH severity between observations. STUDY DESIGN Prospective, longitudinal, observational cross-sectional study. METHODS Thoroughbred racehorses were examined with tracheobronchoscopy no earlier than 30 min after racing. Examinations were recorded and graded blindly by experienced veterinarians using a 0-4 scale. Horses with 2 or more observations were included in the analysis. The association between the previous and current EIPH score was investigated using a linear mixed effect model. Factors associated with transitioning from a lower to a high EIPH grade and vice versa were examined using multiple ordinal regression. A semi-parametric regression model was used to examine progression using the number of career starts as a marker for time. Models were adjusted for potential confounding variables. RESULTS There were 2974 tracheobronchoscopic examinations performed on 747 horses. Blood was detected in over half of all examinations (55.6%). The population prevalence of EIPH increased as the number of examinations for each horse increased. The preceding EIPH score was significantly associated with the current EIPH score. Significant variables associated with moving between EIPH grades were the number of days since last racing, ambient temperature and weight carried. Tracheobronchoscopic EIPH is mildly progressive over the first thirty career starts. MAIN LIMITATIONS Enrolment was voluntary. Horses were not followed for their entire career. CONCLUSION Limiting the number of days in the current racing preparation and spacing races for horses with moderate to severe EIPH may be beneficial for reducing tracheobronchoscopic EIPH severity. The association between ambient temperature and EIPH warrants further investigation.
A Robotic Solution for Assisting People with MCI at Home: Preliminary Tests of the ENRICHME System

Robots have the potential to support care and independence of older adults. The ENRICHME project is developing an integrated system composed of a robot, sensors and a networking care platform, aiming at assisting older adults with MCI in their home environment. This paper reports findings of the tests performed on a sample of MCI users and their caregivers, with the first version of the ENRICHME system, in a controlled environment.
From Natural Language to Argumentation and Cognitive Systems

This paper reports on a program for the development of cognitive systems based on user specifications expressed in Natural Language in the form of high-level guidelines for the desired behaviour of those systems. Language analysis from existing NLP tools is used to generate scenarios based on the users’ description of their preferences in the provision of the service by the system. These scenarios are combined with the SoDA Methodology to develop and generate an argumentation theory that captures the guidelines of operation given in the natural language description of the user. The intended architecture of a fully automated system that generates argumentation based cognitive systems from natural language is presented, together with a first analysis of the challenges posed and evaluation of progress in addressing them. This system is called Gorgias-NL, reflecting the central task of the approach to provide a natural language interface to the Gorgias argumentation system.
Thermo-Mechanical Characterization of Friction Stir Spot Welded AA7050 Sheets by Means of Experimental and FEM Analyses

The present study was carried out to evaluate how the friction stir spot welding (FSSW) process parameters affect the temperature distribution in the welding region, the welding forces and the mechanical properties of the joints. The experimental study was performed by means of a CNC machine tool obtaining FSSW lap joints on AA7050 aluminum alloy plates. Three thermocouples were inserted into the samples to measure the temperatures at different distance from the joint axis during the whole FSSW process. Experiments was repeated varying the process parameters, namely rotational speed, axial feed rate and plunging depth. Axial welding forces were measured during the tests using a piezoelectric load cell, while the mechanical properties of the joints were evaluated by executing shear tests on the specimens. The correlation found between process parameters and joints properties, allowed to identify the best technological window. The data collected during the experiments were used to validate a simulation model of the FSSW process, too. The model was set up using a 2D approach for the simulation of a 3D problem, in order to guarantee a very simple and practical solution for achieving results in a very short time. A specific external routine for the calculation of the thermal energy due to friction acting between pin and sheet was developed. An index for the prediction of the joint mechanical properties using the FEM simulations was finally presented and validated.
HIV replication is associated to inflammasomes activation, IL-1β, IL-18 and caspase-1 expression in GALT and peripheral blood

Background Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) promotes an inflammatory process, leading to the progressive loss of the functional capacity of the immune system. The HIV infection induces alterations in several tissues, but mainly in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). However, the degree of GALT deterioration varies among infected individuals. In fact, it has been shown that HIV-controllers, who spontaneously control viral replication, exhibit a lower inflammatory response, and a relative normal frequency and function of most of the immune cells. Inflammasomes are molecular complexes involved in the inflammatory response, being NLRP1, NLRP3, NLRC4, AIM2 and Pyrin inflammasomes, the best characterized so far. These complexes regulate the maturation of cytokines of the IL-1 family, including IL-1β and IL-18. These cytokines have been associated with immune activation and expansion of HIV target cells, promoting viral replication. Interesting, some reports indicate that HIV induces the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, but the role of this, and other inflammasomes during HIV infection, especially in GALT, remains unclear. Objective To compare the relative expression of inflammasome components and the proinflammatory response related to their activity, between HIV-progressors and HIV-controllers. Methods GALT biopsies and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 15 HIV-controllers and 15 HIV-progressors were obtained. The relative expression of the following inflammasome components were evaluated by RT-PCR: NLRP3, NLRC4, NLRP1, AIM2, ASC, Caspase-1, IL-1β and IL-18. In addition, plasma concentration of IL-18 was evaluated as an indicator of baseline proinflammatory status. Finally, in supernatants of PBMCs in vitro stimulated with inflammasome agonists, the concentrations of IL-1β and IL-18 were quantified by ELISA. Results HIV-progressors exhibited higher expression of IL-1β, IL-18 and caspase-1 genes in GALT and PBMCs compared with HIV-controllers. In addition, HIV-progressors had also increased expression of ASC in PBMCs. When plasma levels were evaluated, IL-18 was increased in HIV-progressors. Interesting, these patients also showed an increased production of IL-1β in supernatants of PBMCs stimulated in vitro with the agonists of AIM2, NLRP1 and NLRC4 inflammasomes. Finally, the expression of caspase-1, NLRP1, IL-1β and IL-18 in GALT or peripheral blood was correlated with CD4+ T-cell count and viral load. Conclusion Our results suggest that during HIV-infection, the required signals to induce the expression of different components of the inflammasomes are produced, both in GALT and in periphery. The activation of these molecular complexes could increase the number of target cells, favoring HIV replication and cell death, promoting the disease progression.
The mundane experience of everyday calorie trackers: Beyond the metaphor of Quantified Self

In this article, we build on the work of Ruckenstein and Pantzar, who have demonstrated how our understanding of self-tracking has been influenced by the metaphor of the Quantified Self (QS). To complicate this very selective picture of self-tracking, we shift the focus in understanding self-tracking from members of the QS community to the experiences of ‘ordinary man and woman’. Therefore, we interviewed ‘everyday calorie trackers’, people who had themselves started using MyFitnessPal calorie counting app but were not part of any tracking community. Our analysis identifies three main themes – goals, use and effect – which highlight the mundane side of self-tracking, where people pursuing everyday, limited goals engage in basic self-tracking and achieve temporary changes. These experiences contrast with the account of self-tracking in terms of long-term, experimental analysis of data on the self or ‘biohacking’, which dominates the QS metaphor in the academic literature.
Design, synthesis, DFT, docking studies and ADME prediction of some new coumarinyl linked pyrazolylthiazoles: Potential standalone or adjuvant antimicrobial agents

The control of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) seems to have come to a dead end. The major consequences of the use and abuse of antibacterial drugs are the development of resistant strains due to genetic mutability of both pathogenic and nonpathogenic microorganisms. We, herein, report the synthesis, characterization and biological activities of coumarin-thiazole-pyrazole (CTP) molecular hybrids with an effort to explore and overcome the increasing antimicrobial resistance. The compounds were characterized by analyzing their IR, Mass, 1H and13C NMR spectral data and elemental analysis. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of the synthesized compounds was investigated against various pathogenic strains; the results obtained were further explained with the help of DFT and molecular orbital calculations. Compound 1b and 1f displayed good antimicrobial activity and synergistic effects when used with kanamycin and amphotericin B. Furthermore, in vitro cytotoxicity of compounds 1b and 1f were studied against HeLa cells (cervical cancer cell) and Hek-293 cells. The results of molecular docking study were used to better rationalize the action and prediction of the binding modes of these compounds.
Effects of individualised headphone response equalization on front/back hemifield discrimination for virtual sources displayed on the horizontal plane

In the most demanding virtual auditory display applications, in which individualised Head Related Transfer Functions (HRTFs) are used for the presentation of virtual sound sources via headphones, there is controversy regarding how important it may be for individualised Headphone Transfer Function (HpTF) measurements to be used in equalizing the headphone response for each listener. In order to test what impact the use of such individualized HpTFbased correction might have on directional judgments, filtered noise bursts were presented with and without such headphone correction during a test of front/back hemifield discrimination for virtual sound sources positioned on six sagittal planes offset from the median plane by 15 o , 30 o , and 45 o to either side. While perfect discrimination performance was observed given repeated two-interval forced choice discrimination trials in which a pair of short noise bursts were presented using individualised HRTFs, within-trial variation in the spectrum of the source submitted to HRTF-based processing made the task quite difficult, reducing performance to chance levels for 7 of the 17 listeners tested. For the remaining listeners who showed above-chance performance under all conditions tested, performance levels were well below the perfect performance that had been observed when the spectrum of the HRTF-processed source was held constant. Through inter-stimulus variation in source spectra, which functioned to remove the socalled “known-source-spectrum ceiling effect” associated with simple laboratory tests of virtual auditory display technology, it was possible to show that front/back discrimination performance was clearly affected when sources were processed using headphone correction filters that were based upon a each individual’s measured HpTF.
Effectiveness of Alkali and Sodium Bicarbonate Treatments on Sugar Palm Fiber: Mechanical, Thermal, and Chemical Investigations

ABSTRACT Sugar palm fiber (SPF) as one of the attractive natural fibers to reinforce matrix is gaining attention. This is largely due to its similar properties when compared with other established natural fibers. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate as a treatment chemical for SPF in comparison with established alkaline treatment. Both treated and untreated fibers were characterized and it was found that the treated fiber shows an increase in crystallinity, thermal stability, and surface’s roughness when compared with the untreated. Among the two different treatments, SPF treated with alkali has an initial decomposition temperature of 255.47°C, while sodium bicarbonate treated and untreated fibers have 250.19°C and 246.76°C, respectively. In both cases, the thermal stability of the fiber was improved. Also, as revealed by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, the crystallinity index of SPF treated with alkali and sodium bicarbonate increased by 18.43% and 13.60%, respectively, when compared with untreated fiber. In conclusion, the investigation proved that treatment with the sodium bicarbonate has a significant effect on the physicochemical properties of SPF and the chemical could be an alternative chemical for treating other cellulose fibers.
Women's Stories/Women's Lives: Creating Safer Crack Kits

Addiction Research of BC. We acknowledge the many women who have generously given their time to this project. For all inquiries, please contact Vicky Bungay, Nursing Education Leader, STI/HIV Prevention & Control, BC Centre for Disease Control, 655 West 12th Ave., Vancouver BC V5Z 4R4. Email: vicky.bungay@bccdc.ca 2 Harm reduction is a pragmatic approach to the social, economic, and health issues associated with the sale and use of legal and illegal substances. The goal of harm-reduction public health policy and practices is to reduce the harms to individuals and communities associated with substance use. The principles of harm reduction reinforce Women’s Stories/Women’s Lives: Creating Safer Crack Kits