Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of Orthodontic Malocclusion and Evaluation Criteria in 7 Geographic Regions of Turkey

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of malocclusion and orthodontic evaluation criteria in Turkey and determine differences among the 7 regions. Materials and Method: In our research, extra- and intraoral examination of 1023 randomly selected persons from rural and central parts of different regions (500 female subjects and 523 male subjects; mean age = 13.10 ± 3.11) were performed. To analyze the data, descriptive statistical methods (mean value, prevalence ratio, standard deviation) were carried out. The significance of regional differences of the evaluation criteria and gender distributions were assessed by means of a χ2 test. Results: Comparison of the classification of malocclusion, crossbite, chin deviation asymmetry, smile line, cleft lip and palate, and profile among the regions showed significant differences (p < 0.05). Class I, II, and III malocclusion was most frequently noted in the Marmara, Aegean, and Central Anatolia regions, respectively. Crossbite was .
Triple-negative breast cancer: treatment challenges and solutions

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are defined by the absence of estrogen and progesterone receptors and the absence of HER2 overexpression. These cancers represent a heterogeneous breast cancer subtype with a poor prognosis. Few systemic treatment options exist besides the use of chemotherapy (CT). The heterogeneity of the disease has limited the successful development of targeted therapy in unselected patient populations. Currently, there are no approved targeted therapies for TNBC. However, intense research is ongoing to identify specific targets and develop additional and better systemic treatment options. Standard adjuvant and neoadjuvant regimens include anthracyclines, cyclophosphamide, and taxanes. Platinum-based CT has been proposed as another CT option of interest in TNBC. We review the role of this therapy in general, and particularly in patients carrying BRCA germ-line mutations. Available data concerning the role of platinum-based CT in TNBC were acquired primarily in the neoadjuvant setting. The routine use of platinum-based CT is not yet recommended by available guidelines. Many studies have reported the molecular characterization of TNBCs. Several actionable targets have been identified. Novel therapeutic strategies are currently being tested in clinical trials based on promising results observed in preclinical studies. These targets include androgen receptor, EGFR, PARP, FGFR, and the angiogenic pathway. We review the recent data on experimental drugs in this field. We also discuss the recent data concerning immunologic checkpoint inhibitors.
Regional white matter decreases in alzheimer's disease using optimized voxel-based morphometry

Background: Most studies that attempt to clarify structural abnormalities related to functional disconnection in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have focused on exploring pathological changes in cortical gray matter. However, white matter fibers connecting these cerebral areas may also be abnormal. Purpose: To investigate the regional changes of white matter volume in patients with AD compared to healthy subjects. Material and Methods: White matter volume changes in whole-brain magnetic resonance images acquired from 19 patients with AD and 20 healthy subjects (control group) were observed using the optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM) method. In addition, the corpus callosum (CC) of AD patients and the control group was investigated further by outlining manually the boundary of the CC on a midsagittal slice. Each area of the CC was then corrected by dividing each subject's intracranial area in the midsagittal plane. Results: Compared with the control group, AD patients showed significantly reduced white matter volumes in the posterior part of the CC and the temporal lobe in the left and right hemispheres. Moreover, the voxel showing peak statistical difference in the posterior of the CC was left sided. The five subdivisions of the CC were also significantly smaller among the AD patients relative to the control group. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that these abnormalities in white matter regions may contribute to the functional disconnections in AD.
A handbook of software and systems engineering: empirical observations, laws and theories [Book Review]

hat are the hot topics in standards today? Where is the most significant progress being made? Work in standards has shifted beyond CASE tools, although there are ISO standards for these now. The current focus is on standardizing software processes, not just tools or programming interfaces. The major contribution is in the area of integrating systems engineering and software engineering processes. Have approaches to software engineering standards changed recently? In the last five to 10 years, the software engineering community has been moving away from mandated standards and toward " best practice " information aids. These provide a strategy for using standards to create conforming processes that work with various appraisal models, such as the de facto standard CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration). Through a process called gap analysis, organizations can assess their standards and lifecycle processes and determine their weaknesses. Gap analysis examines activities, tasks, and process objectives, as well as framework models, to provide an assessment. How are standards proposed and approved? A multitiered approach is in place that involves several standards organizations. The IEEE Software Engineering Standards Committee, created in 1976, is a focal point for developing new standards. SESC collaborates with corresponding ISO committees to transition IEEE SESC standards into international standards. What new standards are under development? Standards continually evolve as technology areas need them. For example, a new working group is focusing on standards for systems and software assurance, dependability, reliability, and safety. There's also a " back-burner " project to devise standards for CASE tool interconnec-tions. Standards are made available for review to the software community. Currently, standards such as SWEBOK are available through IEEE. A user-friendly tool helps manage the standards by hyperlinking them together as HTML pages. What educational projects are under way? A new IEEE Software Engineering book series (Roger Fujii, editor) is currently in various stages of publication. This series contains volumes on a Roadmap to Software Engineering, Software Maintenance, Software Configuration Management, Planning, Software Quality Assurance , Requirements, and Testing, among others. These books intend to amplify and elucidate the information in the standards. Also, the International Conference on Software Engineering Education and Training has an SESC-sponsored track (19–24 April 2004 in Salt Lake City). Also, a CMMI user's group met recently to discuss the importance of practicing the de facto worldwide standard for assessment. SESC is involved in the professional-certification programs as well as in hosting and …
STM/BP-Like KNOXI Is Uncoupled from ARP in the Regulation of Compound Leaf Development in Medicago truncatula[C][W][OPEN]

An analysis of mutants from the compound-leafed model legume Medicago truncatula revealed that the interactions between ARP (PHANTASTICA) and SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM)- and BREVIPEDICELLUS (BP)-like KNOXI genes are different from in simple-leafed species, suggesting that the ARP and STM/BP-like KNOXI regulatory module is uncoupled in the formation of compound leaves. Class I KNOTTED-like homeobox (KNOXI) genes are critical for the maintenance of the shoot apical meristem. The expression domain of KNOXI is regulated by ASYMMETRIC LEAVES1/ROUGHSHEATH2/PHANTASTICA (ARP) genes, which are associated with leaf morphology. In the inverted repeat-lacking clade (IRLC) of Fabaceae, the orthologs of LEAFY (LFY) function in place of KNOXI to regulate compound leaf development. Here, we characterized loss-of-function mutants of ARP (PHAN) and SHOOTMERISTEMLESS (STM)- and BREVIPEDICELLUS (BP)-like KNOXI in the model IRLC legume species Medicago truncatula. The function of ARP genes is species specific. The repression of STM/BP-like KNOXI genes in leaves is not mediated by PHAN, and no suppression of PHAN by STM/BP-like KNOXI genes was observed either, indicating that STM/BP-like KNOXI genes are uncoupled from PHAN in M. truncatula. Furthermore, comparative analyses of phenotypic output in response to ectopic expression of KNOXI and the M. truncatula LFY ortholog, SINGLE LEAFLET1 (SGL1), reveal that KNOXI and SGL1 regulate parallel pathways in leaf development. We propose that SGL1 probably functions in a stage-specific manner in the regulation of the indeterminate state of developing leaves in M. truncatula.
Expression of apical junction complex proteins in colorectal mucosa of miniature dachshunds with inflammatory colorectal polyps

We examine the expression of tight junction and adherence junction proteins in the colorectal mucosa of miniature dachshunds (MDs) with inflammatory colorectal polyps (ICRPs). Colorectal mucosa samples were endoscopically obtained from 8 MDs with ICRPs and 8 control dogs for immunoblotting. Paraffin-embedded tissues of surgically resected inflamed lesions from another 5 MDs with ICRPs and full-thickness colorectal specimens from 5 healthy beagles were obtained for immunohistochemistry. The expression patterns of claudin-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, -7 and -8, E-cadherin and β-catenin were analyzed in the non-inflamed mucosa and inflamed mucosa of ICRPs and colorectal mucosa of control dogs by immunoblotting. The localization of these proteins in the inflamed lesions was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The expressions of each of claudin, E-cadherin and β-catenin were not significantly different between control dogs and non-inflamed colonic mucosa from MDs with ICRPs. In contrast, only E-cadherin and β-catenin were detected in the inflamed lesions of MDs with ICRPs. By immunohistochemistry, claudin-2, -3, -4, -5 and -7, E-cadherin and β-catenin were expressed in the colorectal epithelium within the inflamed mucosa, but not in granulation tissue. Distributions of claudin-2, -3, -4, -5, and -7, E-cadherin and β-catenin in the colonic epithelium were not different between MDs with ICRPs and control dogs. These results indicated that no significant alteration was detected in several tight junction or adherence junction proteins expression in the colorectal epithelium of ICRPs.
Geophysical Variables and Behavior: LXXIII. Ubiquitous Errors: A Reanalysis of Anderson's (1987) “Temperature and Aggression”

Reanalysis of Anderson's 1987 data showed that correlations between number of hot days and violence shrank to nonsignificance when variables indicative of the South's subculture of violence were statistically controlled. The reanalyses also indicated that Anderson's results were unique to the procedures he used to select sociodemographic controls, operationalize temperature, and combine crime rates. It is concluded that relations described in a review of research on temperature and violence are neither ubiquitous nor effects.
Attitudes and experiences of restaurateurs regarding smoking bans in Adelaide, South Australia

OBJECTIVES To determine compliance with a voluntary code of practice (VCP) for restricting smoking in restaurants and to canvass the attitudes of restaurateurs towards tougher smoking restrictions. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey conducted in 1996 using a telephone questionnaire. SETTING Metropolitan restaurants and cafés in Adelaide, South Australia. PARTICIPANTS 276 (86.8%) of a sample of randomly selected owners and managers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Restaurant non-smoking policies, reported and anticipated change in business, and restaurateurs’ attitudes towards smoking restrictions. RESULTS 26.8% of restaurants had a total smoking ban; 40.6% restricted smoking some other way; and 32.6% permitted unrestricted smoking. Only 15.1% of restaurants with a ban or restrictions had used the VCP to guide the development of their policy, and only half of these were complying with it. Although 78.4% of those with bans and 84.4% of those with restrictions reported that their non-smoking policy had been associated with either no change or a gain in business, only 33.3% of those allowing unrestricted smoking expected that this would be the case, if they were to limit smoking. A total of 50.4% of restaurateurs, including 45.3% of those with no restrictions, agreed that the government should ban smoking in all restaurants. CONCLUSIONS The VCP made an insignificant contribution to adoption of non-smoking policies, and compliance with the code was poor. Despite concerns about loss of business, there was considerable support for legislation which would ban smoking in all dining establishments.
Hierarchy Design with Socialism in Internal Capital Markets

This paper compares the efficiency of flat and tall hierarchies from the perspective of ”socialism in internal capital markets” (SICM) -a recently documented problem of multi-segment firms in which high-profit segments tend to be underinvested and low-profit segments tend to be overinvested. SICM is characterized with the possibility of divisionalization-grouping elementary business segments into divisions and delegating decisions to division managers, which transforms flat hierarchies into tall hierarchies. We found that divisionalization aggravates the problem of SICM, suggesting that U-form (undivisionalized) organizations can outperform M-form (divisionalized) organizations-a result that is in contrast to Williamson's ”M-form hypothesis. ” In addition, the SICM problem for a given divisionalized firm can be alleviated by redirecting more managerial ownership from high-tier managers to low-tier managers.
Communications in Mathematical Physics Variational Formulas and Cocycle solutions for Directed Polymer and Percolation Models

We discuss variational formulas for the law of large numbers limits of certain models of motion in a random medium: namely, the limiting time constant for lastpassage percolation and the limiting free energy for directed polymers. The results are valid for models in arbitrary dimension, steps of the admissible paths can be general, the environment process is ergodic under spatial translations, and the potential accumulated along a path can depend on the environment and the next step of the path. The variational formulas come in two types: one minimizes over gradient-like cocycles, and another one maximizes over invariant measures on the space of environments and paths. Minimizing cocycles can be obtained from Busemann functions when these can be proved to exist. The results are illustrated through 1+1 dimensional exactly solvable examples, periodic examples, and polymers in weak disorder.
On the Use of Accelerated Molecular Dynamics to Enhance Configurational Sampling in Ab Initio Simulations

We have implemented the accelerated molecular dynamics approach (Hamelberg, D.; Mongan, J.; McCammon, J. A. J. Chem. Phys. 2004, 120 (24), 11919) in the framework of ab initio MD (AIMD). Using three simple examples, we demonstrate that accelerated AIMD (A-AIMD) can be used to accelerate solvent relaxation in AIMD simulations and facilitate the detection of reaction coordinates: (i) We show, for one cyclohexane molecule in the gas phase, that the method can be used to accelerate the rate of the chair-to-chair interconversion by a factor of ∼1 × 105, while allowing for the reconstruction of the correct canonical distribution of low-energy states; (ii) We then show, for a water box of 64 H2O molecules, that A-AIMD can also be used in the condensed phase to accelerate the sampling of water conformations, without affecting the structural properties of the solvent; and (iii) The method is then used to compute the potential of mean force (PMF) for the dissociation of Na−Cl in water, accelerating the convergence by a factor of ∼3−4 compared to conventional AIMD simulations. (2) These results suggest that A-AIMD is a useful addition to existing methods for enhanced conformational and phase-space sampling in solution. While the method does not make the use of collective variables superfluous, it also does not require the user to define a set of collective variables that can capture all the low-energy minima on the potential energy surface. This property may prove very useful when dealing with highly complex multidimensional systems that require a quantum mechanical treatment.
Operational Sensitivity and Acute Resetting of Aortic Baroreceptors in Dogs

Stimulus-response curves of aortic baroreceptors constructed by alternately increasing and decreasing pressure from a normal baseline or set-point differ from curves constructed by varying pressure in one direction only from an abnormally high or low pressure. In anesthetized dogs we recorded impulses from aortic baroreceptors with myelinated fibers, using a pressurized reservoir to control mean aortic blood pressure (MABP). After setting MABP to a baseline of 100 mm Hg (normal MABP in unanesthetized dogs), we constructed baroreceptor response curves by alternately decreasing MABP from 100 to 30 mm Hg, and increasing it from 100 to 180 mm Hg, in each case returning MABP to the baseline to obtain hysteresis loops. All baroreceptors were active at 100 mm Hg, their discharge averaging 15–16 impulses/sec. At all pressures above threshold, baroreceptors fired more when pressure was increasing than when pressure was decreasing. This hysteresis caused the steepest part of the response curve constructed in this manner to span the baseline value, demonstrating that, contrary to previous views, aortic baroreceptors signal decreases in pressure below the normal level, as well as increases above it. We also constructed response curves after holding MABP at a “hyperten- sive” baseline of 125 mm Hg for 20 minutes. “Hypertensive” curves demonstrated reversible resetting, shifting significantly to the right of “normotensive” curves so that baroreceptor threshold increased on average by 7 mm Hg (P < 0.01). Both hysteresis and short-term resetting probably result from the viscoelastic behavior of wall elements with which baroreceptors are coupled.
Dynamically Sequencing an Animated Pedagogical Agent

One of the most promising opportunities introduced by rapid advances in knowledge-based learning environments and multimedia technologies is the possibility of creating animated pedagogical agents. These agents should exhibit three properties: timely domain coverage (they should clearly communicate fundamental concepts and relationships within the allotted time); contextuality (they should provide explanations in appropriate problem-solving contexts); and continuity (their activities and utterances should be pedagogically, visually, and aurally coherent). We have developed the coherence-structured behavior space approach to creating animated pedagogical agents. This is a two-step approach. First, we design a behavior space of animation and audio segments that are structured by prerequisite relationships and a continuity metric. Second, we navigate coherent paths through the space to dynamically sequence behaviors. This creates seamless global behaviors that communicate fundamental knowledge and provide contextualized problem-solving advice. The coherence-structured behavior space approach has been implemented in Herman the Bug, an animated pedagogical agent for Design-A-Plant, a knowledge-based learning environment for botanical anatomy and physiology. Formative evaluations of the agent with middle school students are encouraging.
Effect of olive pomace extracts on hyperlipidaemia

In this study, we have examined the hypolipidemic effect of olive pomace extracts. Identification and quantitation of maslinic acid and oleanolic acid as the potentially effective components of the pomace extracts were carried out by high performance liquid chromatography methods. Hyperlipidaemia was induced in male Sprague Dawley rats by feeding them with a high cholesterol diet for 30 days. The olive pomace extracts were supplemented (200 mg kg−1 body wt day−1) for 15 days. The levels of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase increased in rats with hyperlipidaemia. Treatment with the olive pomace extracts significantly modulated the abnormalities induced by hyperlipidaemia. Lipid accumulation was decreased in histological findings. This study provides the possibility of utilising the olive pomaces for the prevention and treatment of hyperlipidaemia.
Categorizing global and local features of on-line signature verification using DTW and fuzzy logic

in this paper, we study the online signature verification features to define their personalities and categorize them in different groups. We employed 30 features in four categories, a faster methodology using DTW and Fuzzy logic has been applied to find optimal solution based on the lowest Equal Error Rate (EER). At the end, we compare the result with the different methods proposed by other researchers.
Efficacy of Tacrolimus in the Treatment of Steroid Refractory Autoimmune Hepatitis

Background Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an immune mediated chronic liver disease with a prevalence of 17 cases/100,000. Resistance to the standard treatment of AIH (prednisone and azathioprine) occurs in 15% to 20%. There is currently no standard treatment of patients with steroid refractory AIH. Goals Determine the efficacy of tacrolimus in the treatment of steroid refractory AIH. Methods This is a retrospective study evaluating the efficacy of Tacrolimus in the treatment of steroid refractory AIH. Results Between October 1998 and February 2002, 11 patients with steroid refractory AIH were treated with tacrolimus. Mean age was 63 years. Median duration of steroid treatment before starting tacrolimus was 9 months. Median duration of tacrolimus treatment was 25 months. Median follow-up period was 16 months. Median baseline ALT, AST were 77 U/L and 68 U/L and became 21 U/L and 32 U/L respectively at end of follow-up (P = 0.005 and 0.01 respectively). Significant weight reduction was seen in all patients (P = 0.02). Tacrolimus treatment was safe and well tolerated. Conclusion Use of low dose tacrolimus led to successful biochemical and histologic remission and weaning off prednisone in patients with steroid refractory AIH. This data supports further studies in evaluating the use of tacrolimus in the treatment of AIH.
Tracking Adversarial Targets

We study linear control problems with quadratic losses and adversarially chosen tracking targets. We present an efficient algorithm for this problem and show that, under standard conditions on the linear system, its regret with respect to an optimal linear policy grows as O(log2T), where T is the number of rounds of the game. We also study a problem with adversarially chosen transition dynamics; we present an exponentially-weighted average algorithm for this problem, and we give regret bounds that grow as O(√T).