Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Subgingival microbial profiles in chronic periodontitis patients from Chile, Colombia and Spain.

AIM To investigate the subgingival microbiota of distinct periodontitis patient populations, in Chile, Colombia and Spain, using identical clinical and bacteriological methods. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this multicentre study, 114 chronic periodontitis patients were selected. Patients were examined using an identical clinical protocol and pooled subgingival samples were obtained from each patient. Samples were processed in the three laboratories by means of culturing under identical clinical and microbiological protocols. Total anaerobic counts and frequency of detection and proportions of nine periodontal pathogens were calculated. Variables were analysed by means of anova, chi(2), Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's multiple comparison tests. RESULTS The Colombian population demonstrated greater severity of periodontitis, with significantly deeper mean probing pocket depth, and had a significantly lower percentage of current smokers. When comparing samples from the three patient populations, the total counts were significantly higher in the Colombian patients. The numbers of putative pathogens differed among groups. Tannerella forsythia was found less frequently in Chilean samples, while Parvimonas micra and enteric rods differed significantly among the three population groups. CONCLUSION Significant differences among Chile, Colombia and Spain existed regarding the frequency and proportions of specific periodontal pathogens in the subgingival microbiota of periodontitis patients.
Evaluación de las funciones frontales en pacientes psiquiátricos durante el tratamiento con terapia electroconvulsiva de mantenimiento

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies on adverse cognitive effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) have not found any significant alteration of the frontal functions after an acute treatment course. This study aims to assess frontal executive functions in psychiatric patients during maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (M-ECT). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty two patients treated with M-ECT and 29 psychiatric patients never treated with ECT were evaluated with neuropsychological tests that assessed the following frontal functions: work memory, planning, cognitive flexibility, attention, visuomotor velocity, verbal abstract reasoning and phonetic verbal fluency. RESULTS: Multivariate global analysis did not detect significant frontal function tests differences between both groups. The M-ECT group only scored significantly lower on the FAS test, a test that measures phonetic verbal fluency. A significant correlation between number of previous ECT sessions and performance in the FAS was found. CONCLUSIONS: The M-ECT patient group presented a phonetic verbal fluency alteration that may also be associated to the previous number of ECT sessions. No significant differences in the other frontal functions were detected.
Legionnaires' Disease: Report of Sixty‐five Nosocomially Acquired Cases and Review of the Literature

Sixty-five cases of nosocomially acquired Legionnaires' disease are reported and the world literature is reviewed. The etiologic agent, Legionnella pneumophila, has been isolated from several environmental sources at outbreak sites. Legionnaires' disease appears to be acquired by inhalation and is primarily manifested by severe, potentially fatal, pneumonia. Characteristic clinical disease consists of high fever with relative bradycardia, dry cough, chills, diarrhea, and pleuritic pain. Although no single feature is pathognomonic, the clinical presentation is usually sufficiently characteristic to suggest the diagnosis. The diagnosis of Legionnaires' disease during acute illness may be established by culture of Legionella pneumophila, or by demonstration of the bacterium using special stains. However, in most instances, the physician must make a presumptive diagnosis based on the clinical presentation in order to institute appropriate antimicrobial therapy. Retrospective confirmation of the diagnosis may be made by serologic studies in most instances. Erythromycin is, at this time, the drug of choice for the treatment of Legionnaires' disease. A prompt salutory response following institution of erythromycin therapy is typical.
Adalimumab for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis and nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis – a five-year update

Introduction: Following its marketing authorization for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in 2006 in the United States und in the European Union, adalimumab became one of the most frequently prescribed tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α blockers available for this indication. Recently, the label for adalimumab was extended to nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA), which might be considered as an early stage of AS. The increasing number of patients with AS being treated with adalimumab raises issues concerning long-term safety, efficacy in the prevention of structural damage in the spine and high treatment costs. Areas covered: Herein, we summarize data on efficacy and safety of adalimumab treatment in AS and nr-axSpA obtained over the past 5 years. Expert opinion: Adalimumab is clinically effective and reasonably safe in the short-term and long-term treatment of patients with AS who do not respond to standard therapy. Recent data indicate good efficacy of adalimumab also in patients with nr-axSpA but only in the presence of objective signs of active inflammation. Yet unresolved questions relate to the ability of adalimumab to stop or retard structural damage development in the spine in patients with AS and nr-axSpA. The introduction of biosimilar drugs in the near future may potentially reduce the currently very high treatment costs associated with adalimumab treatment.
Lung function, insulin resistance and incidence of cardiovascular disease: a longitudinal cohort study

Abstract. Engström G, Hedblad B, Nilsson P, Wollmer P, Berglund G, Janzon L (University of Lund, Malmö University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden). Lung function, insulin resistance and incidence of cardiovascular disease: a longitudinal cohort study. J Intern Med 2003; 253: 574–581.
THE ROLE OF NATIVE LANGUAGE PHONOLOGY IN THE PRODUCTION OF L2 CONTRASTS

We present findings of an investigation into the acquisition of the English /s/–/ʃ/ contrast by native speakers of Korean and Japanese. Both of these languages have the phones [s] and [ʃ], and both languages exhibit a pattern—or motivate a rule—whereby /s/ is realized as [ʃ] before the vowel [i] and the glide [j]—that is, high front vocoids. The crucial difference, and the focus of this study, is that in Korean [s] and [ʃ] are allophones of /s/, whereas in Japanese the two sounds arguably instantiate different phonemes. We present production data showing that the differences in the functioning of [s] and [ʃ] in the second language learner’s native language have different consequences for the acquisition patterns and the error types produced in the learning of this contrast.
Goal-directed fluid optimization based on stroke volume variation and cardiac index during one-lung ventilation in patients undergoing thoracoscopy lobectomy operations: a pilot study

OBJECTIVES: This pilot study was designed to utilize stroke volume variation and cardiac index to ensure fluid optimization during one-lung ventilation in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomies. METHODS: Eighty patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy were randomized into either a goal-directed therapy group or a control group. In the goal-directed therapy group, the stroke volume variation was controlled at 10%±1%, and the cardiac index was controlled at a minimum of 2.5 L.min-1.m-2. In the control group, the MAP was maintained at between 65 mm Hg and 90 mm Hg, heart rate was maintained at between 60 BPM and 100 BPM, and urinary output was greater than 0.5 mL/kg-1/h-1. The hemodynamic variables, arterial blood gas analyses, total administered fluid volume and side effects were recorded. RESULTS: The PaO2/FiO2-ratio before the end of one-lung ventilation in the goal-directed therapy group was significantly higher than that of the control group, but there were no differences between the goal-directed therapy group and the control group for the PaO2/FiO2-ratio or other arterial blood gas analysis indices prior to anesthesia. The extubation time was significantly earlier in the goal-directed therapy group, but there was no difference in the length of hospital stay. Patients in the control group had greater urine volumes, and they were given greater colloid and overall fluid volumes. Nausea and vomiting were significantly reduced in the goal-directed therapy group. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrated that an optimization protocol, based on stroke volume variation and cardiac index obtained with a FloTrac/Vigileo device, increased the PaO2/FiO2-ratio and reduced the overall fluid volume, intubation time and postoperative complications (nausea and vomiting) in thoracic surgery patients requiring one-lung ventilation.
N-acetylserotonin reduces lipopolysaccharide-induced lipid peroxidation in vitro more effectively than melatonin.

OBJECTIVE Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) causes lipid peroxidation (LPO). We have found that LPS induces LPO in vitro, in tissue homogenates in a concentration-dependent manner, the concentration of 400 µg/ml demonstrating the most efficient lipid damaging effect . Both melatonin and its precursor, N-acetylserotonin, must possess antioxidant activities, both in vivo or in vitro, however, following some claims, N-acetylserotonin is a more effective extra- and intracellular antioxidant than melatonin. The aim of our study was to compare the effects of melatonin and N-acetylserotonin on the LPS-induced LPO in vitro. METHODS Malondialdehyde (MDA) plus 4-hydroxyalkenal (4-HDA) concentrations were measured as the indices of induced membrane peroxidative damage in brain, liver and kidney homogenates. Both melatonin and N-acetylserotonin were used at increasing concentrations, starting from 0.01-5 mM, together with LPS at one concentration level of 400 µg/ml. RESULTS In all the examined tissues, LPS stimulated LPO, while both melatonin and N-acetylserotonin decreased LPS-stimulated LPO. Furthermore, the capacity of N-acetylserotonin reducing LPO was higher than that of melatonin. CONCLUSIONS The results of the reported study clearly indicate that N-acetylserotonin is a much stronger antioxidant in vitro than melatonin in terms of reducing oxidative damage to lipid membranes. However, it remains still unclear how the features relate to in vivo circumstances.
Project Risk Management Model Based on PRINCE2 and Scrum Frameworks

There is a lack of formal risk management techniques in agile software development methods Scrum. The need to manage risks in agile project management is also identified by various authors. Authors conducted a survey to find out the current practices in agile project management. Furthermore authors discus the new integration framework of Scrum and PRINCE2 with focus on risk management. Enrichment of Scrum with selected practices from the heavy-weight project management methodology PRINCE2 promises better results in delivering software products especially in global development projects.
ASSURE: Authentication Scheme for SecURE energy efficient non-volatile memories

Data tampering threatens data integrity in emerging non-volatile memories (NVMs). Whereas Merkle Tree (MT) memory authentication is effective in thwarting data tampering attacks, it drastically increases cell writes and memory accesses, adversely impacting NVM energy, lifetime, and system performance (instructions per cycle (IPC)). We propose ASSURE, a low overhead, high performance Authentication Scheme for SecURE energy efficient (ASSURE) NVMs. ASSURE synergistically integrates (i) smart message authentication codes (SMACs), which eliminate redundant cell writes by enabling MAC computation of only modified words on memory writes, with (ii) multi-root MTs (MMTs), which reduce MT reads/writes by constructing either high performance static MMTs (SMMTs) or low overhead dynamic MMTs (DMMTs) over frequently accessed memory regions. Our full-system simulations of the SPEC CPU2006 benchmarks on a triple-level cell (TLC) resistive RAM (RRAM) architecture show that on average, SMMT ASSURE (DMMT ASSURE) reduces NVM energy by 59% (55%), increases memory lifetime by 2.36× (2.11×), and improves IPC by 11% (10%), over state-of-the-art MT memory authentication.
Performance analysis of OSPF and EIGRP routing protocols for greener internetworking

Routing protocol is taking a vital role in the modern internet era. A routing protocol determines how the routers communicate with each other to forward the packets by taking the optimal path to travel from a source node to a destination node. In this paper we have explored two eminent protocols namely, Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP) and Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) protocols. Evaluation of these routing protocols is performed based on the quantitative metrics such as Convergence Time, Jitter, End-to-End delay, Throughput and Packet Loss through the simulated network models. The evaluation results show that EIGRP routing protocol provides a better performance than OSPF routing protocol for real time applications. Through network simulations we have proved that EIGRP is more CPU intensive than OSPF and hence uses a lot of system power. Therefore EIGRP is a greener routing protocol and provides for greener internetworking.
Delay and Capacity Tradeoff Analysis for MotionCast

In this paper, we define multicast for an ad hoc network through nodes' mobility as MotionCast and study the delay and capacity tradeoffs for it. Assuming nodes move according to an independently and identically distributed (i.i.d.) pattern and each desires to send packets to k distinctive destinations, we compare the delay and capacity in two transmission protocols: one uses 2-hop relay algorithm without redundancy; the other adopts the scheme of redundant packets transmissions to improve delay while at the expense of the capacity. In addition, we obtain the maximum capacity and the minimum delay under certain constraints. We find that the per-node delay and capacity for the 2-hop algorithm without redundancy are Θ(1/k) and Θ(n log k), respectively; for the 2-hop algorithm with redundancy, they are Ω(1/k√(n log k)) and Θ(√(n log k)), respectively. The capacity of the 2-hop relay algorithm without redundancy is better than the multicast capacity of static networks developed by Li [IEEE/ACM Trans. Netw. , vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 950-961, Jun. 2009] as long as k is strictly less than n in an order sense, while when k=Θ(n), mobility does not increase capacity anymore. The ratio between delay and capacity satisfies delay/rate ≥ O(nk log k) for these two protocols, which are both smaller than that of directly extending the fundamental tradeoff for unicast established by Neely and Modiano [IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory, vol. 51, no. 6, pp. 1917-1937, Jun. 2005] to multicast, i.e., delay/rate ≥ O(n k2). More importantly, we have proved that the fundamental delay-capacity tradeoff ratio for multicast is delay/rate ≥ O(n log k), which would guide us to design better routing schemes for multicast.
MobiMissions: the game of missions for mobile phones

Mobimissions is a location-based pervasive social game in which players use camera phones with location-based capabilities to create, share and reply to real-world missions. Missions and their responses are defined by sequences of digital photographs and text annotations. Players create missions, search locations for available missions, create responses to and submit missions for others to find. They can visit a website to review and rate all missions and responses. Feedback from a trial involving 11 players over five weeks reveals patterns of play, preferred locations for play, the limitations of location-based play, and the need for greater social awareness and exchange. Future directions for such location-based social games are suggested.
High-Throughput miRNA Sequencing Reveals a Field Effect in Gastric Cancer and Suggests an Epigenetic Network Mechanism

Field effect in cancer, also called “field cancerization”, attempts to explain the development of multiple primary tumors and locally recurrent cancer. The concept of field effect in cancer has been reinforced, since molecular alterations were found in tumor-adjacent tissues with normal histopathological appearances. With the aim of investigating field effects in gastric cancer (GC), we conducted a high-throughput sequencing of the miRnome of four GC samples and their respective tumor-adjacent tissues and compared them with the miRnome of a gastric antrum sample from patients without GC, assuming that tumor-adjacent tissues could not be considered as normal tissues. The global number of miRNAs and read counts was highest in tumor samples, followed by tumor-adjacent and normal samples. Analyzing the miRNA expression profile of tumor-adjacent miRNA, hsa-miR-3131, hsa-miR-664, hsa-miR-483, and hsa-miR-150 were significantly downregulated compared with the antrum without tumor tissue (P-value < 0.01; fold-change < 5). Additionally, hsa-miR-3131, hsa-miR-664, and hsa-miR-150 were downregulated (P-value < 0.001) in all paired samples of tumor and tumor-adjacent tissues, compared with antrum without tumor mucosa. The field effect was clearly demonstrated in gastric carcinogenesis by an epigenetics-based approach, and potential biomarkers of the GC field effect were identified. The elevated expression of miRNAs in adjacent tissues and tumors tissues may indicate that a cascade of events takes place during gastric carcinogenesis, reinforcing the notion of field effects. This phenomenon seems to be linked to DNA methylation patterns in cancer and suggests the involvement of an epigenetic network mechanism.
A Retrospective Cohort Study of an Outbreak of Cryptosporidiosis among Veterinary Students

An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness occurred among a cohort of 56 veterinary technology and 100 veterinary science students at Massey University over an eight-week period in 2013. This coincided with calving in New Zealand’s seasonal dairy farming system and a time when calves with diarrhoea are commonly seen by veterinarians. Laboratory and epidemiological investigations were instigated by MidCentral Public Health Service (MCPHS) in conjunction with the Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences (IVABS) at Massey University. Eighty students responded to a questionnaire of which 19 met the case definition, a 24% attack rate. Faecal specimens from seven students contained Cryptosporidium oocysts and Cryptosporidium parvum IIa A18G3R1 was identified from one of the specimens. The inferred median incubation period was five days (range 1–12 days). All of the cases were self-limiting, characterized by diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, and in some cases vomiting, headache, and fever. Having contact with calves with diarrhoea was significantly associated with increased adjusted odds of being a case (OR 10.61, 95% CI 1.87–108.29 for one week of contact; OR 55.05, 95% CI 3.80–1931.18 for two weeks of contact). Outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis had occurred previously among veterinary students at Massey University, but the extremely high infectivity of C. parvum resulted in student illness despite enhanced hygiene precautions.
The internal capital market channel of monetary policy : Evidence from U . S . emergency facilities ?

We test in this paper if U.S. monetary policy in the form of emergency facilities established in response to the financial crisis transmitted via internal capital markets of internationally active bank holding companies (IBHCs) to banking markets outside the U.S. We manually collect the holding company structure of internationally active banks for which we observe proprietary interest rate data reported to the German central bank. The comparison of banks in Germany with access to U.S. facilities via internal capital markets to banks without such access shows that this access is associated with a significant decrease in short-term funding costs, while both credit pricing and lending volumes remain unchanged. Short-term deposit rates especially decline for IBHCs with low pre-crisis ABCP exposure, suggesting that the facilities were successful in alleviating crisis-hit banks’ funding constraints, but simultaneously provided less constrained banks with a funding cost advantage.
Geldanamycin-Induced Osteosarcoma Cell Death Is Associated with Hyperacetylation and Loss of Mitochondrial Pool of Heat Shock Protein 60 (Hsp60)

Osteosarcoma is one of the most malignant tumors of childhood and adolescence that is often resistant to standard chemo- and radio-therapy. Geldanamycin and geldanamycin analogs have been recently studied as potential anticancer agents for osteosarcoma treatment. Here, for the first time, we have presented novel anticancer mechanisms of geldanamycin biological activity. Moreover, we demonstrated an association between the effects of geldanamycin on the major heat shock proteins (HSPs) and the overall survival of highly metastatic human osteosarcoma 143B cells. We demonstrated that the treatment of 143B cells with geldanamycin caused a subsequent upregulation of cytoplasmic Hsp90 and Hsp70 whose activity is at least partly responsible for cancer development and drug resistance. On the other hand, geldanamycin induced upregulation of Hsp60 gene expression, and a simultaneous loss of hyperacetylated Hsp60 mitochondrial protein pool resulting in decreased viability and augmented cancer cell death. Hyperacetylation of Hsp60 seems to be associated with anticancer activity of geldanamycin. In light of the fact that mitochondrial dysfunction plays a critical role in the apoptotic signaling pathway, the presented data may support a hypothesis that Hsp60 can be another functional part of mitochondria-related acetylome being a potential target for developing novel anticancer strategies.
Dietary and genetic modulation of DNA repair in healthy human adults

The DNA in all cells of the human body is subject to damage continuously from exogenous agents, internal cellular processes and spontaneous decomposition. Failure to repair such damage is fundamental to the development of many diseases and to ageing. Fortunately, the vast majority of DNA damage is detected and repaired by one of five complementary DNA repair systems. However, recent studies have shown that even in healthy individuals there is a wide inter-individual variation in DNA repair capacity. Part of this variation can be accounted for by polymorphisms in the genes encoding DNA repair proteins. However, it is probable that environmental factors, including dietary exposure as well as diet–gene interactions, are also responsible for much of the difference in repair capacity between individuals. Whilst there is some evidence from human studies that generalised malnutrition or low intakes of specific nutrients may affect DNA repair, as yet there is limited understanding of the molecular mechanisms through which nutrients can modulate this key cellular process.