Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microbiological evaluation of primary endodontic infections in teeth with and without sinus tract.

AIM To examine the microbiological status of primary endodontic infections in teeth with and without a sinus tract. METHODOLOGY Samples were collected by means of a size 15 H-type file and two sterile paper points from 30 cases of primary endodontic infections with (n = 15) or without (n = 15) a sinus tract. The presence of 40 bacterial species was determined by the checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization method. RESULTS The species found at the highest levels and prevalence were Fusobacterium nucleatum sp. vincentii, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Veillonella parvula, Enterococcus faecalis, Campylobacter gracilis and Neisseria mucosa. Total bacterial counts were similar between teeth with (44 x 10(5)) and without (50 x 10(5)) a sinus tract (t-test: P > 0.05). E. faecalis, Streptococcus anginosus, Capnocytophaga sputigena and Capnocytophaga gingivalis had significantly higher counts in the absence of sinus tract (Mann-Whitney test, P < 0.05). Higher levels of P. gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum sp. nucleatum were observed in cases with a sinus tract. Leptotrichia buccalis (OR = 1.83; CI 95%) and Porphyromonas endodontalis (OR = 2.15; CI 95%) were associated with an increased chance of subjects having a sinus tract. CONCLUSIONS Primary endodontic infections were associated with a large variety of bacterial species. Specific differences between the composition of the microbiota of primary root canal infections were observed in cases with or without a sinus tract.
Survival in an Incident Cohort of Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Denmark

We aimed to characterize and estimate survival rates in patients diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in western Denmark in the modern management era. All incident cases of PAH were consecutively enrolled in our single-center prospective cohort study between January 2000 and March 2012. A total of 134 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were followed up from first diagnostic right heart catheterization to either death or the end of the study. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to estimate 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Survival in the total cohort was 86.4% (95% CI, 79.3%–91.2%) after 1 year, 72.9% (95% CI, 64.1%–79.9%) after 3 years, and 65.4% (95% CI, 55.8%–73.4%) after 5 years. Significantly better survival was seen in the group of patients with PAH associated with congenital heart disease than in the group of patients with idiopathic PAH, heritable PAH, connective tissue disease, HIV infection, and portal hypertension. In conclusion, survival rates in the Danish PAH population were similar to or slightly better than survival rates estimated in other modern registries. However, PAH remains a fatal disease, despite modern targeted therapies.
The M&M Critique of the MBH98 Northern Hemisphere Climate Index: Update and Implications

The differences between the results of McIntyre and McKitrick [2003] and Mann et al. [1998] can be reconciled by only two series: The Gaspé cedar ring width series and the first principal component (PC1) from the North American tree ring network. We show that in each case MBH98 methodology differed from what was stated in print and the differences resulted in lower early 15th century index values. In the case of the North American PC1, MBH98 modified the PC algorithm so that the calculation was no longer centered, but claimed that the calculation was “conventional”. The modification caused the PC1 to be dominated by a subset of bristlecone pine ring width series which are widely doubted to be reliable temperature proxies. In the case of the Gaspé cedars, MBH98 did not use archived data, but made an extrapolation, unique within the corpus of over 350 series, and misrepresented the start date of the series. The recent Corrigendum by Mann et al. denied that these differences between the stated methods and actual methods have any effect, a claim we show is false. We also refute the various arguments by Mann et al. purporting to salvage their reconstruction, including their claims of robustness and statistical skill. Finally, we comment on several policy issues arising from this controversy: the lack of consistent requirements for disclosure of data and methods in paleoclimate journals, and the need to recognize the limitations of journal peer review as a quality control standard when scientific studies are used for public policy.
The impact of gender images in commercials on the self-consciousness of adolescents

Television has a strong impact on gender-identity development. Theoretical analysis shows that the direct perception of different gender characteristics in advertising images has a specific impact on gender self-consciousness, primarily at the unconscious level. The purpose of our study was to uncover features of this impact.In this study, the effects of advertising images on the gender self-consciousness of teenagers were investigated. Two hypotheses were examined: (1) Perception of gender images in TV commercials has individual variability and is connected with gender features of self-conscious-ness (gender type of personality, gender differentiation of consciousness, the specifics of gen-der identification). (2) Direct perception of gender images in TV commercials has a differential influence on the transformation of verbal (cognitive) and nonverbal (emotive) levels of self-consciousness.The commercials, which were for chocolate, contained different gender types of male and fe-male images (masculine female images, androgynous images, and feminine male images); they used as stimulus materials in an experimental situation involving 61 teenagers. The contents and dynamics of gender self-consciousness in adolescents were investigated using the psycho-semantic method of “multiple identifications. ”We discovered that the girls’ preferences for gender images were more varied than those of the boys. Despite different variants in the gender characteristics in the advertising images, their impact on the gender self-consciousness of the adolescents consisted mostly of gender differentiation and identification with the images of their own gender. In general, in regard to the direct impact in the experimental situation, at the cognitive level, the girls revealed changes in the enhancement of gender identification with images of their gender, and the boys were characterized by the enhancement of gender differentiation. At the level of emotive evalua-tion, in contrast to the cognitive level, we observed stronger dynamics of the changes in self-consciousness (enhancement of gender differentiation and enhancement of identification with images of ideals and parental images). The results clearly showed the quite high plasticity of self-consciousness structures and their susceptibility to externally designated images. We concluded that, in their direct perception, features of gender images in TV commercials have specific effects on the consciousness of ado-lescents: they reinforce already-formed gender categories and self-identification. We consider this research a pilot study, and we are planning to check the results on a more representative sample with different age groups.
Dependence of Gold Nanoparticle Radiosensitization on Functionalizing Layer Thickness

Gold nanoparticles functionalized with polyethylene glycol of different chain lengths are used to determine the influence of the capping layer thickness on the radiosensitizing effect of the particles. The size variations in organic coating, built up with polyethylene glycol polymers of molecular weight 1–20 kDa, allow an evaluation of the decrease in dose enhancement percentages caused by the gold nanoparticles at different radial distances from their surface. With localized eradication of malignant cells as a primary focus, radiosensitization is most effective after internalization in the nucleus. For this reason, we performed controlled radiation experiments, with doses up to 20 Gy and particle diameters in a range of 5–30 nm, and studied the relaxation pattern of supercoiled DNA. Subsequent gel electrophoresis of the suspensions was performed to evaluate the molecular damage and consecutively quantify the gold nanoparticle sensitization. In conclusion, on average up to 58.4% of the radiosensitizing efficiency was lost when the radial dimensions of the functionalizing layer were increased from 4.1 to 15.3 nm. These results serve as an experimental supplement for biophysical simulations and demonstrate the influence of an important parameter in the development of nanomaterials for targeted therapies in cancer radiotherapy.
Predicting the bankruptcy risk of Taiwanese OTC corporations

Using non-probability purposive sampling, this study matched 23 Taiwanese OTC (Over-the-Counter) bankrupt corporations with 23 non-bankrupt corporations during the period 1999–2005. On the basis of the sample, a predictive and secondary research design was conducted to construct a rolling-prediction model and validate its prediction in Taiwan on OTC corporation bankruptcy risks. The empirical results indicated that the rolling-logit model, compared with the benchmark model, exhibited higher overall accuracy. The successful predictive performances were attributed to a recall mechanism in the rolling-logit model, measuring a corporation's risks on the basis of consistent information across time. However, this study had limitations due to the selection of the sample and variables. These limitations suggest that future research could validate its applicability in other markets or select other explanatory variables in order to improve the predictive ability.
Should pension funds’ fiduciary duty be extended to include social, ethical and environmental concerns? A study of beneficiaries’ preferences

Many fund managers, lawyers and academics assume that pension funds' legal responsibility to manage assets in the best interests of their beneficiaries (their fiduciary duty) rules out including social, ethical and environmental concerns in investments. A counter-argument is that beneficiaries' best interests can be interpreted more broadly to also encompass such concerns. We seek to contribute to resolving this controversy by measuring preferences for social responsible investment (SRI) among beneficiaries of pension funds. The data from a survey questionnaire answered by 1119 future beneficiaries of the Swedish pension system show that beneficiaries on average prefer their pension funds to go beyond financial concerns and engage in SRI. Analysing the determinants of the preferences, we find support for a model including both financial motives (beliefs about financial risk and returns) and values-based motives (self-transcendent value priorities). Our results give unique insights into the psychological drivers of beneficiaries' preferences that are highly pertinent to present attempts at rethinking the aims of pension investments.
Debt-equity decision-making with wealth transfers

Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to instruct advanced business students on the debt-equity choice by showing how wealth transfers between security holders influence security values when a levered firm undergoes an incremental debt-to-equity approach. Design/methodology/approach - – The design involves a pedagogical exercise that applies gain to leverage (GL) formulas for a firm aspiring to increase its value by exchanging debt for equity. The valuation method includes perpetuity formulations including those with growth and wealth transfers. The instructional approach offers an understanding of the debt-equity decision. Findings - – Unlike studies that provide empirical findings or new theories, this paper provides knowledge and skills for students learning capital structure decision making. Research limitations/implications - – All GL equations in this paper are limited by derivational assumptions and estimation of values for variables. Practical implications - – This paper bridges the gap between theory and practice by illustrating the impact of the costs of borrowings, growth rates and risk shifts on debt-equity decision making. Students will learn and apply GL equations. They will get an appreciation for the practical complexities of financial decision making including the agency complication embodied in wealth transfers. Social implications - – Society can be enhanced to the extent this paper helps future financial managers make optimal capital structure decisions. Originality/value - – This paper adds to the Capital Structure Model (CSM) pedagogical research by using the new CSM equations that address a levered situation and incremental approach. As such, it is the first CMS instructional paper to incorporate wealth transfers between security holders.
Remarkable increase in the concentration of 8‐hydroxyguanosine in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with Alzheimer's disease

To investigate the possible role of oxidative RNA damage in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the concentrations of the oxidative stress marker 8‐hydroxyguanosine (8‐OHG) were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the serum of patients with AD and control subjects. The concentration of 8‐OHG in CSF in AD patients was approximately fivefold that in controls (P < 0.001). The concentration of 8‐OHG in CSF decreased significantly with the duration of illness (rs = −0.48, P < 0.05) and the progression of cognitive dysfunctions (rs = 0.67, P < 0.01). However, the concentration of 8‐OHG in CSF showed no correlation with that in serum in both the controls and AD patients. In addition, the concentration of 8‐OHG in serum was not significantly altered in AD patients compared to that in controls, suggesting that the 8‐OHG concentrations in the CSF do not reflect those in serum and may be probably reflect those in brain tissue. These in vivo findings suggest a possible role of 8‐OHG and increased oxidative RNA damage in the early stage of the development of AD. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cow's milk protein-sensitive enteropathy at school age.

OBJECTIVES Cow's milk protein-sensitive enteropathy (CMSE) may persist in children to school age. We sought to define the morphologic and immunohistochemical features of persistent CMSE. STUDY DESIGN We studied 15 children with a definite diagnosis of CMSE on the basis of a blind challenge, 12 children with suspected cases of CMSE, 11 children with celiac disease, and 12 control children. RESULTS Typical findings in children with CMSE were endoscopically visible lymphonodular hyperplasia of the duodenal bulb and lymphoid follicles without villous atrophy in biopsy samples. The patients with definite CMSE showed significantly increased densities of intraepithelial T cells skewed clearly to gammadelta(+) cells, compared with the control patients but fewer than in the patients with celiac disease. The study children showed no aberrant upregulation of HLA-DR expression in the duodenal mucosa, and the prevalence of HLA DQ2 antigen among them was equal to that in the control children. CONCLUSIONS Our observations corroborated the claim that CMSE at school age is an identifiable clinical entity. Immunohistochemical findings suggest the abrogation of antigen tolerance locally on the gastrointestinal mucosa. A careful clinical assessment that includes a long elimination-challenge test supported by typical endoscopic and histologic findings form the basis for diagnosis.
Differing Populations of Endemic Bacteriophages in Cattle Shedding High and Low Numbers of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Bacteria in Feces

ABSTRACT The objectives of this study were to identify endemic bacteriophages (phages) in the feedlot environment and determine relationships of these phages to Escherichia coli O157:H7 from cattle shedding high and low numbers of naturally occurring E. coli O157:H7. Angus crossbred steers were purchased from a southern Alberta (Canada) feedlot where cattle excreting ≥104 CFU · g−1 of E. coli O157:H7 in feces at a single time point were identified as supershedders (SS; n = 6), and cattle excreting <104 CFU · g−1 of feces were identified as low shedders (LS; n = 5). Fecal pats or fecal grabs were collected daily from individual cattle for 5 weeks. E. coli O157:H7 in feces was detected by immunomagnetic separation and enumerated by direct plating, and phages were isolated using short- and overnight-enrichment methods. The total prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 isolated from feces was 14.4% and did not differ between LS and SS (P = 0.972). The total prevalence of phages was higher in the LS group (20.9%) than in the SS group (8.3%; P = 0.01). Based on genome size estimated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and morphology determined by transmission electron microscopy, T4- and O1-like phages of Myoviridae and T1-like phage of Siphoviridae were isolated. Compared to T1- and O1-like phages, T4-like phages exhibited a broad host range and strong lytic capability when targeting E. coli O157:H7. Moreover, the T4-like phages were more frequently isolated from feces of LS than SS, suggesting that endemic phages may impact the shedding dynamics of E. coli O157:H7 in cattle.
Forecasting Stock Price Manipulation in Capital Market O World

The aim of the article is extending and developing econometrics and network structure based methods which are able to distinguish price manipulation in Tehran stock exchange. The principal goal of the present study is to offer model for approximating price manipulation in Tehran stock exchange. In order to do so by applying separation method a sample consisting of 397 companies accepted at Tehran stock exchange were selected and information related to their price and volume of trades during years 2001 until 2009 were collected and then through performing runs test, skewness test and duration correlative test the selected companies were divided into 2 sets of manipulated and non manipulated companies. In the next stage by investigating cumulative return process and volume of trades in manipulated companies, the date of starting price manipulation was specified and in this way the logit model, artificial neural network, multiple discriminant analysis and by using information related to size of company, clarity of information, ratio of P/E and liquidity of stock one year prior price manipulation; a model for forecasting price manipulation of stocks of companies present in Tehran stock exchange were designed. At the end the power of forecasting models were studied by using data of test set. Whereas the power of forecasting logit model for test set was 92.1%, for artificial neural network was 94.1% and multi audit analysis model was 90.2%; therefore all of the 3 aforesaid models has high power to forecast price manipulation and there is no considerable difference among forecasting power of these 3 models. Keywords—Price Manipulation, Liquidity, Size of Company, Floating Stock, Information Clarity
Name-Letters and Birthday-Numbers: Implicit Egotism Effects in Pricing

This research examines how the implicit egotism resulting from consumers’ positive self-associations affects their evaluations of product prices. The effects can occur when the product's price and the consumer share either name-letters (name-letter/price effect) or birthday-numbers (birthday-number/price effect). Through a series of studies, the authors demonstrate that the positive affect linked to name-letters and birthday-numbers transfers directly to consumers’ price predilections and ultimately affects their purchase intentions. More specifically, consumers like prices (e.g., “fifty-five dollars”) that contain digits beginning with the same first letter (e.g., “F”) as their own name (e.g., “Fred,” “Mr. Frank”) more than prices that do not. Similarly, prices that contain cents digits (e.g., $49.15) that correspond to a consumer's date of birth (e.g., April 15) also enhance pricing liking and purchase intentions. Across groups of consumers, the authors’ findings demonstrate that implicit egotism effects can result in greater purchase intentions for a higher-priced product compared with a lower-priced product.
Pseudosprk Switches For High Repetition Rates And High Current Applications

In this paper the state of the art of pseudospark switch development is reported. In addition to the replacement of thyratrons for high power applications in TE gas discharge lasers, pseudospark switches have been tested at high repetition rates up to 2 kHz. In order to minimize the erosion rate and to reduce total switch in ductance, multichannel pseudospark switches with various different geometrical configurations have been investigated: a linear, a coaxial, and a radial arrangement of the parallel discharge channels. All three configurations possess distinct advantages in pulsed power technology, i.e. linear systems fit well into striplines. Beyond this pseudospark switches gain increasing importance in high current devices like fast pinches, plasma focii, or powerful modulators, i.e. for magnetoforming. A single-channel switch for hold-off voltage up to 30 kV at peak currents of -- 100 kA has been tested for a damped sinusoidal pulse of 5 /spl mu/sec duration at a repetition rate up to 0.1 Hz, without and with electrode cooling. The expected lifetime for tungsten or related alloys as electrode material is greater 10/sup 5/ shots under these conditions corresponding to a charge transfer of 2 x 10/sup 5/ Cb.
Do Message Features Influence Reactions to HIV Disclosures? A Multiple-Goals Perspective

People who are HIV-positive must make decisions about disclosing their status to others but do so in the context of stigma and social isolation reported by many with the disease. Disclosing an HIV-positive diagnosis is necessary to seek social support, to manage health care, and to negotiate sexual encounters, but fear of how others will respond is a strong barrier to revealing that information. This investigation focuses on various ways that HIV can be disclosed. Using a multiple-goals perspective, 24 disclosure messages (representing 6 different types) were created. Participants (N = 548) were asked to imagine one of their siblings revealing an HIV-positive diagnosis, using 1 of the 24 messages. Participants' reactions to the disclosures differed substantially across the various message types. The discussion focuses on theoretical explanations for the variations in responses and the utility of these findings for practical interventions concerning HIV disclosures.
The effect of job rotation policy in preventing managerial escalation of commitment

This paper examines the effect of job rotation policy as a control mechanism in preventing managerial escalation of commitment under an agency problem setting. A total of 54 business students participated in a laboratory experiment. A 2 × 2 between-subjects ANOVA was used to test the hypotheses developed for this study. The independent variables are information availability (public and private) and job rotation policy (present and absent). The dependent variable is project managers' decision for continuing or discontinuing a failing or unprofitable investment project. The results reveal that project managers will discontinue an unprofitable project in the presence rather than absence of job rotation policy under a private information situation. This result suggests that job rotation policy can be used as an effective de-escalation strategy.