Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Shear bond strength of the amalgam-resin composite interface.

OBJECTIVE This study compared the initial and one year shear bond strengths (SBS) of resin composite bonded to amalgam using Amalgambond-Plus. METHODS Resin composite cylinders (Point 4, Kerr Corporation) were bonded to either etched-enamel (A), 50% etched enamel-50% polished amalgam (B), airborne-particle abraded amalgam (C), carbide bur prepared amalgam (D) and airborne-particle abraded 50% amalgam-50% etched-enamel (E). Shear bond strengths were determined using a standardized testing device (Ultradent Products) in a universal testing machine (Instron model 4204). The failed interfaces were evaluated with SEM to obtain visual evidence of the failure mode. RESULTS ANOVA indicated significant differences among the groups (p < 0.0001). SBS in MPa (Mean/SD) were for A at year 0: (24.63/4.19), A at year 1: (16.84/7.25), B at year 0: (9.13/2.18), B at year 1: (15.54/6.41), C at year 0: (16.82/3.60), C at year 1: (15.26/3.90), D at year 0: (9.27/4.03), D at year 1: (7.97/7.17), E at year 0: (16.67/4.87) and E at year 1: (8.63/3.64). CONCLUSION In vitro testing demonstrated that resin composite masking has the strongest, most durable SBS on airborne-particle abraded amalgam and airborne-particle abraded enamel-amalgam surfaces and could be used as a method to improve the esthetics of amalgam restorations.
Nimotuzumab and Cetuximab Block Ligand-independent EGF Receptor Signaling Efficiently at Different Concentrations

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in several epithelial tumors such as breast, ovarian, and colon cancers. Nimotuzumab and Cetuximab are antibodies that inhibit ligand binding upon interaction with the EGFR, thereby indirectly inactivating the EGFR kinase. The ability of an antibody to counteract growth depends on its mechanism of action as well as on its binding affinity. Nimotuzumab has lower binding affinity for the EGFR than does Cetuximab. In addition, a mechanistic difference has recently been suggested to explain the different clinical effects of Nimotuzumab and Cetuximab, arguing that Nimotuzumab partly permits kinase activity and downstream signaling under conditions where binding of EGF is inhibited. We have in the current study compared the effects of Nimotuzumab and Cetuximab on binding of EGF as well as on inhibition of constitutive EGFR-ErbB2 dimerization and downstream activation of Erk. Our results demonstrate that (at least in EGFR-overexpressing cells), in contrast to the recently published mechanistic model, Nimotuzumab not only inhibits EGF-stimulated, but also ligand-independent (basal) signaling although at higher concentrations than required with Cetuximab.
Design of extended warranty service in a dual supply channel

Studies have shown that the extended warranty takes a significant role in promoting products sales and improving customer satisfaction on after-sales service quality of products. This paper aims to study how to design service strategies of extended warranty in a dual supply channel by taking into account customer channel preferences. Considering a supply chain with a single manufacturer and a retailer, we build three game-theoretic models to study the problem of optimal extended warranty design. In these models, the service of extended warranty could be provided by either the manufacturer or the retailer. The extended warranty provider decides the warranty service strategies in its best interests. Both the analytical methods and numerical experiments are used to compare the retail price, the profit of the supply chain and the customer-perceived service quality of the extended warranty (also called service utility). The results show that the product price tends to decline as the extended warranty length increase. Also, a supply chain will obtain a high profit no matter which party provides the extended warranty, but the corresponding service quality of customer perception is not necessarily maximised. In addition, if customers have higher preferences to the extended warranty provider’s sales channel, the provider should offer a higher perceived service quality of extended warranty.
Prevalence, burden, and treatment of insomnia in primary care.

OBJECTIVE The prevalence, burden, and management of insomnia among primary care patients were evaluated. METHOD Consecutive patients aged 18 to 65 years in primary care clinics of a staff-model health maintenance organization (N = 1,962) were screened with the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. A stratified random sample (N = 373) completed face-to-face diagnostic assessments including the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, a brief self-rated disability questionnaire (Brief Disability Questionnaire), and the interviewer-rated Social Disability Schedule. A telephone follow-up survey was completed 3 months later. Use of psychotropic drugs, use of mental health services, and direct health care costs were assessed by using the health plan's automated data systems. RESULTS Approximately 10% of the primary care patients reported major current insomnia (e.g., taking at least 2 hours to fall asleep nearly every night). Current insomnia was associated with significantly greater functional impairment (according to both Brief Disability Questionnaire and Social Disability Schedule), more days of disability due to health problems, and greater general medical service utilization. While insomnia was associated with depressive disorder and chronic medical illness, adjustment for these factors only partially accounted for the association of insomnia with disability and with health care utilization. Of the patients with current insomnia, 28% received any psychotropic drug; 14% received benzodiazepines and 19% received antidepressants. CONCLUSIONS Insomnia among primary care patients is associated with greater functional impairment, lost productivity, and excess health care utilization.
Export Performance: Is It Possible through Knowledge and Capabilities? Evidence from Turkish Manufacturing Firms

ABSTRACT Purpose: This article measures to what extent export performance is affected by certain resource-based view (RBV) elements and seeks to elucidate relationships between these elements. Design: Among those RBV elements, knowledge and experience as resources, and marketing, production, product development, logistics, and service differentiation as capabilities, are chosen to be the basis of this research. Their effects on export performance are measured with a survey applied to personnel of Turkish manufacturing firms operating in Istanbul district. Findings: The results show us that marketing planning capabilities and service differentiation capabilities have a significant effect on export performance. The overwhelming effect of knowledge and experience of firms on marketing planning capabilities is one of the intriguing findings. Notwithstanding that, we found no trace of a relationship between product development capabilities and service differentiation capabilities. Value: This research provides several managerial and academic implications by contributing to a resource-based view in terms of knowledge and capabilities. Additionally, in this study, it is underlined that collective knowledge is vital for achieving high export performance.
Prostate cancer-specific survival following salvage radiotherapy vs observation in men with biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

CONTEXT Biochemical disease recurrence after radical prostatectomy often prompts salvage radiotherapy, but no studies to date have had sufficient numbers of patients or follow-up to determine whether radiotherapy improves survival, and if so, the subgroup of men most likely to benefit. OBJECTIVES To quantify the relative improvement in prostate cancer-specific survival of salvage radiotherapy vs no therapy after biochemical recurrence following prostatectomy, and to identify subgroups for whom salvage treatment is most beneficial. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS Retrospective analysis of a cohort of 635 US men undergoing prostatectomy from 1982-2004, followed up through December 28, 2007, who experienced biochemical and/or local recurrence and received no salvage treatment (n = 397), salvage radiotherapy alone (n = 160), or salvage radiotherapy combined with hormonal therapy (n = 78). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Prostate cancer-specific survival defined from time of recurrence until death from disease. RESULTS With a median follow-up of 6 years after recurrence and 9 years after prostatectomy, 116 men (18%) died from prostate cancer, including 89 (22%) who received no salvage treatment, 18 (11%) who received salvage radiotherapy alone, and 9 (12%) who received salvage radiotherapy and hormonal therapy. Salvage radiotherapy alone was associated with a significant 3-fold increase in prostate cancer-specific survival relative to those who received no salvage treatment (hazard ratio [HR], 0.32 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.19-0.54]; P<.001). Addition of hormonal therapy to salvage radiotherapy was not associated with any additional increase in prostate cancer-specific survival (HR, 0.34 [95% CI, 0.17-0.69]; P = .003). The increase in prostate cancer-specific survival associated with salvage radiotherapy was limited to men with a prostate-specific antigen doubling time of less than 6 months and remained after adjustment for pathological stage and other established prognostic factors. Salvage radiotherapy initiated more than 2 years after recurrence provided no significant increase in prostate cancer-specific survival. Men whose prostate-specific antigen level never became undetectable after salvage radiotherapy did not experience a significant increase in prostate cancer-specific survival. Salvage radiotherapy also was associated with a significant increase in overall survival. CONCLUSIONS Salvage radiotherapy administered within 2 years of biochemical recurrence was associated with a significant increase in prostate cancer-specific survival among men with a prostate-specific antigen doubling time of less than 6 months, independent of other prognostic features such as pathological stage or Gleason score. These preliminary findings should be validated in other settings, and ultimately, in a randomized controlled trial.
Identification of two new species of Meliolinites associated with Lauraceae leaves from the middle Miocene of Fujian, China

ABSTRACT Several studies have investigated both the paleoclimate and the well-preserved fossil remains from the middle Miocene found in China’s Fujian Province. This study describes two new species of Meliolinites, including their fungal hyphae, reproductive structures, and spores. The distribution of modern Meliolaceae indicates that they live in warm, humid, subtropical to tropical climates. Moreover, the fossil leaves and the epiphyllous fungal remains, indicate the prevalence of a warm, humid, subtropical to tropical climate in this area during the middle Miocene. In addition, it was observed that the surrounding cells of the fungi found on the uninfected host leaves were normal, whereas the infected host leaves themselves were abnormally dim. These features are a reflection of self-protection, and it can, therefore, be inferred that the host leaves were alive when they were infected. The present study used fossil angiosperm leaves with cuticles obtained from the Fotan sediments from Fujian to investigate not only the taxonomy of the fossils but also to interpret the paleoclimate and paleoecology.
Representing young and older adult faces: Shared or age-specific prototypes?

ABSTRACT Young adults recognize young adult faces more accurately than older adult faces and are more sensitive to how individual young faces deviate from a norm/prototype. Here we used an adaptation paradigm to examine whether young and older adult faces are represented by separable norms and the extent to which the coding dimensions for these two categories overlap. In Experiment 1, following adaptation to oppositely distorted young and older faces (e.g., expanded young and compressed older faces), adults’ normality judgments simultaneously shifted in opposite directions for the two face categories, providing evidence for separable norms. In Experiment 2, participants were adapted to distorted faces from a single age category (e.g., compressed young); aftereffects transferred across face age but were larger for the face age that matched adaptation. Collectively, these results provide evidence that young and older faces are processed with regard to separable norms that share some underlying coding dimensions.
The 2‐Year Stability of Parental Perceptions of Child Vulnerability and Parental Overprotection

Clinicians often identify parent-child relationships that are believed to be problematic for the child's future emotional growth, yet there are minimal outcome data on which to base anticipatory guidance. This 2-year follow-up study examined the stability and child behavioral correlates of parental perceptions of increased child vulnerability and parental overprotection. Of 192 potential participants, 114 parents (93% mothers, 86% white, 75% married, 90% middle-upper socioeconomic status) with children age 4 to 7 years successfully completed the Parent Protection Scale, Child Vulnerability Scale, Child Behavior Checklist 4–18, and the Parental Bonding Instrument. The 2-year stability of high parental overprotection was 37%; for high parental perception of child vulnerability, it was 31%. High perceived vulnerability at enrollment was significantly associated with both internalizing (somatic complaints, anxious/depressed) and externalizing (aggressive) behaviors at follow-up. A history of overprotection in the parent's childhood was not associated with current parental report of overprotective behaviors toward the child.
Cisplatin increases B‐cell‐lymphoma‐2 expression via activation of protein kinase C and Akt2 in endometrial cancer cells

Human carcinomas often show resistance to cisplatin and Bcl‐2 is associated with resistance to cisplatin. However, Bcl‐2 regulation on cisplatin treatment in human cancers is unknown. Here, we show a novel mechanism by which cisplatin treatment promotes resistance by increasing the expression of Bcl‐2 mRNA. Bcl‐2 mRNA and protein expression was increased in cisplatin‐resistant endometrial cancer cell lines (KLE and HEC‐1‐A), but not in cisplatin‐sensitive cell line (Ishikawa). Cisplatin‐mediated increase in Bcl‐2 expression was blocked by combination with either actinomycin D or cycloheximide. In addition, Bcl‐2 inhibition by HA14‐1 led to increased cisplatin‐induced apoptosis in KLE and HEC‐1‐A, whereas Bcl‐2 overexpression in Ishikawa led to decreased cisplatin‐induced apoptosis. Inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) activity prevented cisplatin‐dependant increase in Bcl‐2 mRNA, and induced apoptosis in KLE cells. Furthermore, PKC inhibition was associated with decreased Akt and NF‐κB activity. Cells stably expressing shRNA for Akt isoforms revealed that Akt2 was involved in cisplatin‐dependant increase in Bcl‐2 and apoptosis. Overexpression of Akt2 in Akt2‐deficient cells led to increased Bcl‐2 expression on cisplatin treatment. Our data suggest a novel regulation pathway of Bcl‐2 by cisplatin, via the activation of PKC and Akt2, which has a profound impact on resistance to cisplatin‐induced apoptosis in endometrial cancer cells.
Metabolic utilization of energy and maintenance requirements in growing pigs: effects of sex and genotype.

An experiment was conducted in which the metabolic utilization of energy was measured in individually penned pigs from seven groups that differed in genotype and(or) sex and ranged in body weight between 20 and 107 kg. The animals were fed a diet containing, on a DM basis, 14.7 MJ ME and at least 21% CP. Heat production was measured in an open-circuit calorimeter, and energy, nitrogen, and fat balances were determined at regular intervals over the growing period; a total of 177 measurements were performed. Body composition of the animals was measured by serial slaughter, and these data were used for estimating the body composition of an animal at a given weight through allometric regression. A factorial analysis procedure was used to estimate the utilization of ME by regressing the ME intake on the observed protein and lipid deposition rates. The intercept of this equation is the maintenance energy requirement (MEm) and was represented either as a function of body weight with group-specific parameters (MEm = a(i) BWb) or as a function of the muscle and visceral mass with an additional additive group effect (MEm = aM muscle(b) + a(v) viscera(b) + G(i)). With BW as dependent variable, the exponent b was close to . 60 and differed significantly from . 75. The regression coefficient (a(i)) averaged 1.02 MJ ME/kg.60 but it was different for most groups, indicating that different groups of animals have different maintenance requirements. Fixing the exponent to . 75 consistently underestimated the maintenance requirement. When the exponent b was not fixed to . 75 but estimated, the partial efficiencies for protein and lipid deposition were . 62 and . 84, respectively. Body muscle and visceral mass could explain a large part of the variation in MEm. Viscera contributed three times more to MEm (per kilogram of mass raised to the .70 power) than did muscle. Even though the muscle mass exceeds to a large extent the visceral mass in animals, the contribution of muscle to MEm was lower than that of viscera for most groups.
Molecular defects associated with antithrombin deficiency and dilated cardiomyopathy in a Japanese patient.

OBJECTIVE The molecular basis for the antithrombin (AT) deficiency and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) combined in a Japanese patient was investigated. METHODS We analyzed candidate genes -SERPINC1 for AT deficiency, and TNNT2 and LMNA for DCM. In addition, we examined the characteristics of recombinant mutant AT and evaluated the LMNA mutation associated with DCM by molecular modeling. RESULTS Genome sequencing of SERPINC1 revealed a C-to-A transversion in exon 6 that resulted in a p.Pro439Thr mutation of AT, which was previously reported as a pleiotropic effect type II AT deficiency (AT Budapest5). However, expression experiments with recombinant 439Thr-AT showed normal heparin affinity, slightly reduced secretion, and low specific activity, which suggested that this mutation exhibits an intermediate feature of type I and type II AT deficiencies. In a survey of gene abnormalities causing DCM, we found no causative gene defect in TNNT2; however, we identified a G-to-C transversion in LMNA that resulted in a novel p.Asp357His mutation in lamin A/C. This acidic-to-basic residue substitution might have impaired the head-to-tail association of two lamin dimers leading to DCM. Further, we identified both SERPINC1 and LMNA mutations in the patient's daughter and son, both of whom had AT deficiency. These data suggested that a p.Pro439Thr mutation in SERPINC1 and a p.Asp357His mutation in LMNA might have cosegregated in this family, associated with AT deficiency and DCM, respectively. CONCLUSIONS We identified missense mutations in SERPINC1 and LMNA genes to be associated with AT deficiency and DCM, respectively, which might have cosegregated in the family of the patient.
Alteration in Phase I and II Enzyme Activities and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons-DNA Adduct Formation by Plant Phenolics in Mouse Epidermis

Several naturally occurring plant phenols were shown to inhibit the mutagenicity and/or tumorigenicity of chemical carcinogens, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In this study, the effect of the topical application of three structurally diverse phenolic acids and trihydroxystilbene, resveratrol, on epidermal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH), phase II enzymes, as well as the binding of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) to epidermal DNA were compared. The single, topical application of 8 and 16 μmol of protocatechuic or chlorogenic acid increased the activity of AHH by 10-30%, whereas resveratrol in a dose of 16 μmol almost completely (99%) inhibited the enzyme activity. Phenolic acids also increased the activities of phase II enzymes. Resveratrol did not affect the glutathione S-transferase activity but induced UDP glucuronosyltransferase (by ~100-150%) and to a lesser extent NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase. In a dose of 16 μmol all phenolic acids afforded 40-50% inhibition of covalent benzo[a]pyrene-diol-epoxide (B[a]PDE) binding to DNA. Resveratrol had no effect on B[a]PDE adduct formation but reduced the levels of all the major DMBA adducts. Phenolic acids, particularly tannic acid, mostly affected the formation of syn- and anti-DMBADE dAdo adducts. These results indicate that both the modulation of carcinogen activating enzymes and the prevention of their ultimate metabolites binding to DNA by naturally occurring phenolics are involved in the antitumorigenic activity of these compounds. For phenolic acids, however, their interactions with reactive PAH metabolites and/or blocking of a specific binding site in a genome seem more important. Derivatives of stilbene, such as resveratrol, affect DNA adduct formation and thus the initiation of tumorigenesis through the interaction with the Ah receptor rather than the scavenging active metabolites.
A pilot study of hereditary breast and ovarian knowledge among a multiethnic group of Hispanic women with a personal or family history of cancer.

PURPOSE To examine knowledge about hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) among Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban women. METHODS Women (age range, 18-65 years) with a personal or family history of breast or ovarian cancer were recruited to a mixed methods study using community-based approaches. Fifty-three women participated in the study: 16 Mexicans, 20 Puerto Ricans, and 17 Cubans. The majority of women (64.2%) were born outside the United States. All questions were interviewer administered in Spanish or English. HBOC knowledge was measured using an 11-item instrument developed by the National Center for Human Genome Research. We evaluated whether differences in knowledge varied as a function of Hispanic subethnicity, demographic characteristics, and medical and acculturation characteristics using a series of one-way analysis of variances. RESULTS The percentage of correct responses on the knowledge instrument ranged from 9.4% to 73.6% (median number of correct responses = 45%). Knowledge did not significantly differ by Hispanic subethnicity (p = 0.51). Exploratory analysis revealed lower knowledge in women with a personal history of cancer (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION Our study provides important information about characteristics associated with lower levels of knowledge and specific areas related to HBOC where additional education may be warranted in the Hispanic community.