Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Peri-implantitis: a complex condition with non-linear characteristics.

AIM To cluster peri-implantitis patients and explore non-linear patterns in peri-implant bone levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS Clinical and radiographic variables were retrieved from 94 implant-treated patients (340 implants, mean 7.1 ± 4.1 years in function). Kernel probability density estimations on patient mean peri-implant bone levels were used to identify patient clusters. Inter-relationships of all variables were evaluated by principal component analysis; a k-nearest neighbours method was performed for supervised prediction of implant bone levels at the patient level. Self-similar patterns of mean bone level per implant from different jaw bone sites were examined and their associated fractal dimensions were estimated. RESULTS Two clusters of implant-treated patients were identified, one at patient mean bone levels of 1.7 mm and another at 4.0 mm. Five of thirteen available variables (number of teeth, age, gender, periodontitis severity, years of implant service), were predictive for peri-implant bone levels. A high jaw bone fractal dimension was associated with less severe peri-implantitis. CONCLUSIONS Non-linearity of peri-implantitis was evidenced by finding different peri-implant bone levels between two main clusters of implant-treated patients and among six different jaw bone sites. The patient mean peri-implant bone levels were predicted from five variables and confirmed complexity for peri-implantitis.
X‐linked lymphoproliferative disease: clinical, diagnostic and molecular perspective

In 1975, Purtilo and colleagues reported the Duncan pedigree in which six of 18 males died of a lymphoproliferative disorder (Purtilo et al, 1975). The boys, aged between 2 and 19 years, exhibited a progressive-combined variable immunodeficiency disease characterized by benign or malignant proliferation of lymphocytes, histiocytosis and alterations in concentrations of serum immunoglobulins. In three of the six boys, infectious mononucleosis occurred during or preceding the terminal events with fever, pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, atypical lymphocytosis and abnormal immunoglobulin production. The autopsy findings demonstrated depletion of lymphocytes in the thymus and in the thymic-dependent areas of lymph nodes, spleen and thymus but a diffuse inlfiltrate of lymphocytes, plasma cells, and histiocytes with erythrophagocytosis in the haematopoietic organs, viscera and central nervous system. In addition, two of the six males had lymphomas of the ileum and central nervous system. Following reports from other families in which two or more males exhibited similar clinical problems following Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection, the condition was termed X–linked lymphoproliferative syndrome (XLP) (Bar et al, 1974; Provisor et al, 1975). In their initial report (Purtilo et al, 1975), the authors suggested that EBV or other viral agents may have triggered the fatal proliferation of lymphocytes and postulated that immunological shut-off mechanisms for controlling the proliferation of lymphocytes, especially B cells, were inadequate . Nearly 30 years on, the gene for XLP [termed SH2D1A or SAP: for SLAM (signalling lymphocytic activation molecule)associated protein] has been identified offering improved diagnostic tests and a greater awareness of the clinical spectrum of the condition. Furthermore, as the molecular and cellular pathogenesis of the condition begins to unravel, the initial suggestions of Purtilo et al (1975) continue to hold true.
Paying for services: promises and pitfalls of capitation.

Feel lonely? What about reading books? Book is one of the greatest friends to accompany while in your lonely time. When you have no friends and activities somewhere and sometimes, reading book can be a great choice. This is not only for spending the time, it will increase the knowledge. Of course the b=benefits to take will relate to what kind of book that you are reading. And now, we will concern you to try reading paying for services promises and pitfalls of capitation as one of the reading material to finish quickly.
Capability Upgrading by Emerging Economy Enterprises

of a dissertation at the University of Miami. Dissertation supervised by Professor Yadong Luo. No. of pages in text. (157) In this dissertation, I studied how emerging economy enterprises upgrade capabilities to lessen their competitive gaps in comparison with global industry leaders. By extending organizational learning theory, I theorized capability upgrading as a distinctive learning process including directional, temporal, and locational dimensions. In Essay One, I provided an overarching theoretical framework with testable propositions to explain how firms upgrade capabilities through a combination of four-I upgrading mechanisms. I then discussed the influences of emerging economy specific contingencies and dynamics in the process. In Essay Two and Essay Three, I extended and tested part of the framework developed in Essay One. Specifically, in Essay Two, I proposed a behavioral learning model to explain how upgrading directions (i.e., capability-deepening and capabilitybroadening) are determined by different knowledge gap filling needs and mediated by a distinctive learning mechanism (i.e., international benchmarking). The findings from a sample of 278 Chinese manufacturing firms supported related hypotheses. In Essay Three, I proposed an institutional ambidexterity learning model to explain how upgrading speed is affected by the dual effects (i.e., facilitating and hindering) of institutional change in emerging economies. I further explained how firms manage such dual effects by developing institutional ambidexterity capabilities. The findings from a sample of 674 large firms from 25 countries supported related hypotheses.
Perceptions toward Marketing Higher Education: Do Academic Disciplines Make a Difference?.

The emphasis in marketing higher education has been on the promotion component of the marketing mix. The other three marketing mix components have been neglected for the most part. This paper deals with the product component. More specifically it presents the results of an exploratory study regarding academic deans' (a key participant in the product component) perceptions of marketing higher education.
Low antigenicity of the polysaccharide region of Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharides derived from tumors of patients with gastric cancer

We have examined the antibody response to Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide (LPS) during natural infection in humans. The sera of over 70% of H. pylori-infected individuals were found to contain immunoglobulin G antibodies against the LPS fractions isolated from smooth strains of H. pylori but not against those derived from rough strains, as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. These results taken together with the immunoblot data indicated that the polysaccharide region of H. pylori LPS is antigenic in humans. However, the antigenicity of the polysaccharide varied, depending on the strain. We found that smooth H. pylori strains isolated from the tumors of patients with gastric cancer showed significantly lower antigenicity than smooth strains derived from patients with chronic gastritis and gastric and duodenal ulcers. The results suggest that the levels of antigenicity of the polysaccharide region of H. pylori LPS in humans correlate with the nature of the gastroduodenal diseases and that they allow a particular distinction to be made between gastric cancer and other gastroduodenal diseases, especially chronic gastritis.
Late Results of Multidisciplinary Management of Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate

A model was designed for evaluating protocol and management strategies in the multidisciplinary approach to cleft lip and palate treatment. The treatment history and present status of 45 patients 14 to 22 years of age were evaluated by a plastic surgeon, orthodontist, and speech pathologist. Results indicated that only about half of these patients had completed treatment by one of the specialties by the time they were 14 years or older. Even more surprisingly, only 7 patients (16%) had completed treatment by all three specialties by this age. Factors that may contribute to this low percentage of completed treatments are discussed.
Environmental and Genetic Determinants of Fatty Liver in Humans

Non-alcoholic fatty liver represents one of the most prevalent conditions affecting about one third of the general population in the Western world, and its prevalence is continuously increasing parallel to the epidemics of obesity. Non-alcoholic fatty liver is a strong predictor of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, but also of cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. In recent years, non-alcoholic fatty liver (in addition to overall and visceral obesity) has emerged as a risk factor for insulin resistance, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular events and type 2 diabetes. This review summarizes the information currently available about the mechanisms involved in liver fat accumulation (e.g. hepatic lipid supply, de novo lipogenesis, lipid oxidation and the packaging and secretion of triglycerides in the form of very-low-density lipoproteins). New aspects concerning mechanisms potentially leading to a ‘dissociation’ of fatty liver and insulin resistance are also discussed. Understanding the pathogenesis of fatty liver and its complications, including the identification of new factors secreted from the liver under excess fat accumulation that are involved in the regulation of metabolism (‘hepatokines’), is crucial in order to develop and implement efficient prevention and treatment strategies.
Service quality, service convenience, price and fairness, customer loyalty, and the mediating role of customer satisfaction

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which service quality, perceived price and fairness and service convenience influence customer satisfaction and customer loyalty for Indian retail banking sector. It further explores the role of customer satisfaction as mediating variable between service quality dimensions, perceived price and fairness, service convenience dimensions and customer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach – A cross-sectional research on 445 retail banking customers through questionnaire is conducted. Population of study is valued retail urban customers of banks in Rajasthan, India, who frequently visit bank premises for transactions, have accounts in at least two banks and have availed of at least one information technology-based services. Responses are analyzed using factor analyses and regression analyses. Findings – Results reveal that service quality dimensions, perceived price and fairness and service convenience dimensions have positive impact on customer sat.
Twin analyses of chronic fatigue in a Swedish national sample

Background. Chronic fatigue has infrequently been studied in twins. Data from twin studies can inform clinical and research approaches to the management and etiology of human complex traits. Method. The authors obtained telephone interview data on current chronic fatigue from 31406 individuals twins in the Swedish Twin Registry (aged 42–64 years, 75·68% response rate), from both members of 12407 pairs and from one member of 6592 pairs. Of the complete pairs, 3269 pairs were monozygotic, 9010 pairs dizygotic, and 128 pairs of unknown zygosity. Structural equation twin modeling was used to estimate the latent genetic architecture of varying definitions of fatiguing illness. Results. Estimates of additive genetic effects, shared environmental effects, and individual-specific environmental effects were similar in males and females. No definition of current fatiguing illness (ranging from any fatigue to CFS-like illness) was strikingly distinctive. Individual-specific effects were the predominant source of variation, followed by modest genetic influences. We could not exclude a small but conceptually important contribution of shared environmental effects. Conclusions. Current fatiguing illness appears to be a complex trait resulting from both environmental and genetic sources of variation without pronounced differences by gender.
Efficiency of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria for the Enhancement of Cicer arietinum L. Growth and Germination under Salinity

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are beneficial bacteria that colonize plant roots and enhance plant growth by a wide variety of mechanisms. Ten isolates of bacteria designated as PGB1, PGB2, PGB3, PGB4, PGB5, PGT1, PGT2, PGT3, PGG1 and PGG2 were successfully isolated and characterized. Subsequently to investigate the effect of PGPR isolates on the growth of Cicer arietinum, a pot culture experiment was conducted. Prior to seeds grown in plastic pots, seeds were treated with PGPR isolates and seedlings were harvested after 21 days of inoculation. Isolates PGB4, PGT1, PGT2, PGT3, PGG1 and PGG2 induce the production of indole acetic acid, whereas only PGT3 isolate was able to solubilize phosphorus. Most of isolates resulted in a significant increasing of shoot length, root length and dry matter production of shoot and root of Cicer arietinum seedlings. Application of PGPR isolates significantly improves the percentage of seed germination under saline conditions. The present study, therefore suggest that the use of PGPR isolates PGB4, PGG2 and PGT3 as inoculants biofertilizers might be beneficial for Cicer arietinum cultivation.
Extended Synaptotagmin Interaction with the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor Depends on Receptor Conformation, Not Catalytic Activity*

Background: Extended Synaptotagmins selectively bind the active FGF receptor but the mechanism is unknown. Results: ESyt2 and 3 but not ESyt1 recognize the active conformation of the FGF receptor independently of catalytic activity. Conclusion: ESyt2 and probably ESyt3 access the active cleft of the FGFR1 kinase domain. Significance: How ESyts recognize FGFRs is essential to understanding how they modulate receptor signaling. We previously demonstrated that ESyt2 interacts specifically with the activated FGF receptor and is required for a rapid phase of receptor internalization and for functional signaling via the ERK pathway in early Xenopus embryos. ESyt2 is one of the three-member family of Extended Synaptotagmins that were recently shown to be implicated in the formation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-plasma membrane (PM) junctions and in the Ca2+ dependent regulation of these junctions. Here we show that ESyt2 is directed to the ER by its putative transmembrane domain, that the ESyts hetero- and homodimerize, and that ESyt2 homodimerization in vivo requires a TM adjacent sequence but not the SMP domain. ESyt2 and ESyt3, but not ESyt1, selectively interact in vivo with activated FGFR1. In the case of ESyt2, this interaction requires a short TM adjacent sequence and is independent of receptor autophosphorylation, but dependent on receptor conformation. The data show that ESyt2 recognizes a site in the upper kinase lobe of FGFR1 that is revealed by displacement of the kinase domain activation loop during receptor activation.
Measurement of Whole-Body CO2 Production in Birds Using Real-Time Laser-Derived Measurements of Hydrogen (δ2H) and Oxygen (δ18O) Isotope Concentrations in Water Vapor from Breath

The doubly labeled water (DLW) method is commonly used to measure energy expenditure in free-living wildlife and humans. However, DLW studies involving animals typically require three blood samples, which can affect behavior and well-being. Moreover, measurement of H (δ2H) and O (δ18O) isotope concentrations in H2O derived from blood using conventional isotope ratio mass spectrometry is technically demanding, time-consuming, and often expensive. A novel technique that would avoid these constraints is the real-time measurement of δ2H and δ18O in the H2O vapor of exhaled breath using cavity ring-down (CRD) spectrometry, provided that δ2H and δ18O from body H2O and breath were well correlated. Here, we conducted a validation study with CRD spectrometry involving five zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), five brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater), and five European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), where we compared δ2H, δ18O, and rCO2 (rate of CO2 production) estimates from breath with those from blood. Isotope concentrations from blood were validated by comparing dilution-space estimates with measurements of total body water (TBW) obtained from quantitative magnetic resonance. Isotope dilution-space estimates from δ2H and δ18O values in the blood were similar to and strongly correlated with TBW measurements (R2 = 0.99). The 2H and 18O (ppm) in breath and blood were also highly correlated (R2 = 0.99 and 0.98, respectively); however, isotope concentrations in breath were always less enriched than those in blood and slightly higher than expected, given assumed fractionation values between blood and breath. Overall, rCO2 measurements from breath were strongly correlated with those from the blood (R2 = 0.90). We suggest that this technique will find wide application in studies of animal and human energetics in the field and laboratory. We also provide suggestions for ways this technique could be further improved.
Environmental Policy and Corporate Behaviour: Policy Conclusions

For the last 30 years, analysis of the inner workings of the firm has been largely absent from economic assessments of environmental policy. Recent work has highlighted the importance of understanding a firm’s commercial motivations, decision-making procedures and organizational structure when designing and implementing public environmental policies. Environmental Policy and Corporate Behaviour responds to this need, investigating the many internal challenges faced by firms seeking to implement new policies and achieve significant and long-lasting environmental progress.
Oxidative Phosphorylation-Dependent and -Independent Oxygen Consumption by Individual Preimplantation Mouse Embryos1

Abstract The self-referencing electrode technique was employed to noninvasively measure gradients of dissolved oxygen in the medium immediately surrounding developing mouse embryos and, thereby, characterized changes in oxygen consumption and utilization during development. A gradient of depleted oxygen surrounded each embryo and could be detected >50 μm from the embryo. Blastocysts depleted the surrounding medium of 0.6 ± 0.1 μM of oxygen, whereas early cleavage stage embryos depleted the medium of only 0.3 ± 0.1 μM of oxygen, suggesting a twofold increase in oxygen consumption at the blastocyst stage. Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) accounted for 60–70% of the oxygen consumed by blastocysts, while it accounted for only 30% of the total oxygen consumed by cleavage-stage embryos. The amount of oxygen consumed by non-OXPHOS mechanisms remained relatively constant throughout preimplantation development. By contrast, the amount of oxygen consumed by OXPHOS in blastocysts is greater than that consumed by OXPHOS in cleavage-stage embryos. The amount of oxygen consumed by one-cell embryos was modulated by the absence of pyruvate from the culture medium. Treatment of one-cell embryos and blastocysts with diamide, an agent known to induce cell death in embryos, resulted in a decline in oxygen consumption, such that the medium surrounding dying embryos was not as depleted of oxygen as that surrounding untreated control embryos. Together these results validate the self-referencing electrode technique for analyzing oxygen consumption and utilization by preimplantation embryos and demonstrate that changes in oxygen consumption accompany important physiological events, such as development, response to medium metabolites, or cell death.
Characteristics of an inulinase produced by Bacillus subtilis 430A, a strain isolated from the rhizosphere of Vernonia herbacea (Vell Rusby)

Bacillus subtilis 430A, isolated from the Vernonia herbacea (Vell Rusby) rhizosphere, produced an exocellular inulinase that fits the requirements for the production of syrups on an industrial scale. The partially purified enzyme, obtained by acetone precipitation, displayed a higher specificity for inulin (Km, 8 mM) than for sucrose (56 mM) and a total invertase/total inulase ratio of 0.62. In addition, it is stable at an optimal temperature of 45 to 50 degrees C for at least 7 h and is inhibited by the end product, fructose, at 14 mM.
Relationship between the Changes in Ownership and Performance of Indian Firms Around IPO: A Panel Data Analysis

The study investigates the change in performance of Indian public firms post to their Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) and its relationship with the changes in the insiders' ownership around the time firms do their IPOs. A three step methodology is followed. First, the pre-IPO performance of a sample of Indian publicly listed firms is compared with their post-IPO performance. Second, a univariate analysis is carried out wherein the median of post-IPO performance of sampled firms having low level of insiders' ownership in the post-IPO period is compared with the median of post-IPO performance of sampled firms having high level of insiders' ownership in the post-IPO period. Finally, multivariate analysis is done in form of a panel data regression model to assess the effect of changes in the insiders' ownership around the time firms do their IPOs on the post-IPO performance of the firms. It is found that: (a) performance of entire sample of publicly listed Indian firms deteriorates significantly post to their IPOs; and (b) firms having low levels of insiders' ownership in the post-IPO period experienced the greatest decrease in their post-IPO performance. It is concluded that the changes in the level of insiders' ownership are inversely proportional to changes in performance of firms around the time firms do their IPOs.
Massive isotopic effect in vacuum UV photodissociation of N2 and implications for meteorite data

Significance In this paper, we account for the wide range (approximately a few thousand permil) of nitrogen isotopic composition measured in solar system materials. Several theoretical models have been proposed to explain the nitrogen isotopic enrichments measured in meteorites (especially in organic matter) and in cometary ice (NH3 and/or HCN). These models include ion−molecular isotope exchange reactions and isotope self-shielding in the disk. However, a major limit is that there are no experiments to substantiate any model. We measured and found massive N-isotopic fractionations during vacuum UV photodissociation of N2, perhaps one of the largest isotope effects ever measured, and present mechanistic evidence for the wide distribution in nitrogen isotopic compositions. Nitrogen isotopic distributions in the solar system extend across an enormous range, from −400‰, in the solar wind and Jovian atmosphere, to about 5,000‰ in organic matter in carbonaceous chondrites. Distributions such as these require complex processing of nitrogen reservoirs and extraordinary isotope effects. While theoretical models invoke ion-neutral exchange reactions outside the protoplanetary disk and photochemical self-shielding on the disk surface to explain the variations, there are no experiments to substantiate these models. Experimental results of N2 photolysis at vacuum UV wavelengths in the presence of hydrogen are presented here, which show a wide range of enriched δ15N values from 648‰ to 13,412‰ in product NH3, depending upon photodissociation wavelength. The measured enrichment range in photodissociation of N2, plausibly explains the range of δ15N in extraterrestrial materials. This study suggests the importance of photochemical processing of the nitrogen reservoirs within the solar nebula.