Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Radiographic comparison of the extent of orthodontically induced external apical root resorption in vital and root-filled teeth: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE to critically analyse the available scientific literature radiographically comparing the incidence of orthodontically induced external apical root resorption (OIEARR) in human root-filled and vital teeth. METHODS Several electronic databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Google Scholar) were searched without limits, with the assistance of a senior librarian specialized in Health Sciences database searches. Human, in vivo studies that radiographically compared root resorption following fixed orthodontic treatment in root-filled and vital teeth were selected for full article review. Additionally, the bibliographies of the finally selected articles were hand searched to identify any relevant publications that were not identified by electronic searches. The lowest levels of evidence accepted for inclusion were case controls or cohort studies. Two authors independently reviewed and extracted data from selected studies. RESULTS A total of 165 original articles were identified from electronic database searches and 2 from hand searches. Once selection criteria were applied, only four articles met all inclusion criteria, and individual analysis of the selected articles was undertaken. CONCLUSIONS Based on available evidence, root-filled teeth do not appear to be more susceptible to OIEARR than their analogous vital teeth.
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Glycoprotein M and the Membrane-Associated Protein UL11 Are Required for Virus-Induced Cell Fusion and Efficient Virus Entry

ABSTRACT Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) facilitates virus entry into cells and cell-to-cell spread by mediating fusion of the viral envelope with cellular membranes and fusion of adjacent cellular membranes. Although virus strains isolated from herpetic lesions cause limited cell fusion in cell culture, clinical herpetic lesions typically contain large syncytia, underscoring the importance of cell-to-cell fusion in virus spread in infected tissues. Certain mutations in glycoprotein B (gB), gK, UL20, and other viral genes drastically enhance virus-induced cell fusion in vitro and in vivo. Recent work has suggested that gB is the sole fusogenic glycoprotein, regulated by interactions with the viral glycoproteins gD, gH/gL, and gK, membrane protein UL20, and cellular receptors. Recombinant viruses were constructed to abolish either gM or UL11 expression in the presence of strong syncytial mutations in either gB or gK. Virus-induced cell fusion caused by deletion of the carboxyl-terminal 28 amino acids of gB or the dominant syncytial mutation in gK (Ala to Val at amino acid 40) was drastically reduced in the absence of gM. Similarly, syncytial mutations in either gB or gK did not cause cell fusion in the absence of UL11. Neither the gM nor UL11 gene deletion substantially affected gB, gC, gD, gE, and gH glycoprotein synthesis and expression on infected cell surfaces. Two-way immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that the membrane protein UL20, which is found as a protein complex with gK, interacted with gM while gM did not interact with other viral glycoproteins. Viruses produced in the absence of gM or UL11 entered into cells more slowly than their parental wild-type virus strain. Collectively, these results indicate that gM and UL11 are required for efficient membrane fusion events during virus entry and virus spread.
Activation of p38α MAPK Enhances Collagenase-1 (Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP)-1) and Stromelysin-1 (MMP-3) Expression by mRNA Stabilization*

Here, we have examined the role of distinct MAPK pathways in the regulation of collagenase-1 (matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1) and stromelysin-1 (MMP-3) expression by human skin fibroblasts. Tumor necrosis factor-α rapidly and transiently activated ERK1/2 and JNK in fibroblasts, whereas the activation of p38 MAPK was more persistent. Inhibition of p38 activity by SB203580 markedly (by 80–90%) inhibited induction of MMP-1 and MMP-3 expression by tumor necrosis factor-α, whereas blocking the activation of ERK1/2 by PD98059 had no effect. Activation of endogenous ERK1/2 by adenovirus-mediated transfer of constitutively active MEK1 resulted in potent induction of MMP-1 and MMP-3 expression. Activation of endogenous or adenovirally expressed p38α by adenovirally delivered constitutively active MKK3b and MKK6b also enhanced MMP-1 and MMP-3 expression and augmented the up-regulatory effect of ERK1/2 activation on the expression of these MMPs. Activation of ERK1/2 resulted in induction of c-jun, junB, and c-fos expression, whereas activation of p38 alone had no effect. In contrast, activation of p38α resulted in marked stabilization of MMP-1 and MMP-3 mRNAs. These results identify two distinct and complementary signaling mechanisms mediating induction of MMP-1 and MMP-3 expression in dermal fibroblasts: AP-1-dependent transcriptional activation via the ERK1/2 pathway and AP-1-independent enhancement via p38α MAPK by mRNA stabilization. It is conceivable that both modes of action play an important role in controlling the proteolytic phenotype of fibroblasts,e.g. in wound repair and tumor invasion.
Intraoral Observation of the Mentalis and Incisivus Labii Inferioris Muscles

Abstract The mentalis (MT) and the incisivus labii inferioris (ILI), which are accessory muscles of the orbicularis oris (OO) muscle, form an intertwined and three-dimensionally related complex. The purpose of this study is to clarify the relationship between the MT, ILI, and OO muscles via intraoral dissection. Twenty-two sides from 11 fresh adult Caucasian cadaveric heads were used, and the MT, ILI, and OO dissected under the surgical microscope. Next, measurements of the bony attachment were carried out on another 12 sides. The fibers of the MT were separated into 2 parts: a superior and an inferior part with the former coursing anteromedially and joining the inferior part of the OO. The latter coursed anteroinferiorly to the skin of the chin. The ILI traveled anterolaterally and joined the inferior part of the OO. Inferior labial branches of the mental nerves ran on the OO. There was a significant difference (P = 0.0001) between specimens that were edentulous or had severe periodontitis with regard to the distance from the alveolar ridge to the upper side of the quadrangle when compared with specimens with mild periodontitis. However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between specimens that were edentulous or had severe periodontitis specimens with mild periodontitis with regard to the distance from the inferior border of the mandible to the lower side of the quadrangle. We believe that the observations of this study could help surgeons better understand the anatomy of the chin and minimize complications following surgical and other invasive procedures in this area.
Intra‐ and Interobserver Reliability of Sensibility Testing in Asymptomatic Individuals

&NA; Threshold and innervation density tests are common clinical tools used in the evaluation of peripheral nerve injuries and compression syndromes. The purpose of this study is to determine the inter‐ and intraobserver reliability of Semmes‐Weinstein monofilaments and static and moving two‐point discrimination in 48 volunteers. Kappa coefficients of inter‐ and intraexaminer agreement were generated for each test and investigator. The interexaminer reliability for the Semmes‐Weinstein monofilaments ranged from fair to moderate in the ulnar and median nerve distributions, and slight to moderate in static and moving two‐point discrimination testing. Intraobserver reliability for Semmes‐Weinstein monofilaments and static and moving two‐point discrimination was slight to fair for both examiners. Our data indicate that Semmes‐Weinstein monofilaments and two‐point discrimination tests yield unreliable measurements in asymptomatic individuals. Although useful in monitoring neurological function in pathological states, threshold and innervation density measurements from an unaffected digit or extremity may not represent a reliable standard for comparison of abnormal values. Rozental TD, Beredjiklian PK, Guyette TM, Weiland AJ. Intra‐ and interobserver reliability of sensibility testing in asymptomatic individuals. Ann Plast Surg 2000;44:605‐609
Linkage map integration.

The algorithms that drive the map+ program for locus-oriented linkage mapping are presented. They depend on the enhanced location database program ldb+ to specify an initial comprehensive map that includes all loci in the summary lod file. Subsequently the map may be edited or order constrained and is automatically improved by estimating the location of each locus conditional on the remainder, beginning with the most discrepant loci. Operating characteristics permit rapid and accurate construction of linkage maps with several hundred loci. The map+ program also performs nondisjunction mapping with tests of nonstandard recombination. We have released map+ on Internet as a source program in the C language together with the location database that now includes the LODSOURCE database. The anonymous ftp is cedar.genetics. soton.ac. uk and the World Wide Web address is http://cedar.genetics. soton.ac. uk/public_html.
The Link Between Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Pharmacodynamics

I t has been argued that the inability to measure effects of immunosuppressive drugs on immune cells in vivo has severely limited preclinical drug development, design, and interpretation of clinical trials, as well as the optimal clinical use of these drugs in transplantation. Against this background numerous attempts have been made to develop biomarkers that would complement therapeutic drug monitoring. As multiple drug combinations and immunosuppressive regimens with low calcineurin inhibitor exposure find increasing use in transplantation, appropriate biomarkers could be helpful to individually tailor immunosuppression. In this context, there are several critical questions that must be addressed. Conventional therapeutic drug monitoring of blood immunosuppressant levels may not necessarily predict the pharmacologic effects on immune cells. Combinations of immunosuppressive drugs may be associated with synergistic and antagonistic effects. Intersubject variability may occur in the sensitivity to suppression of immune function. The optimization of immunosuppressive multidrug regimens is difficult with drug levels alone and chronic over-immunosuppression is common and should be avoided. This article examines some of the proposed biomarkers, such as drug target enzymes, cytokines, markers of lymphocyte proliferation or activation, and markers of immune cell response.
Chronic arsenic poisoning: a global health issue – a report of multiple primary cancers

Abstract: Chronic arsenic (As) poisoning is a worldwide public health problem. Effects of prolonged exposure to high levels of As in drinking water have been observed and documented in various epidemiological studies from all over the world. The non‐malignant cutaneous effects of chronic exposure to inorganic As are well known. A case presenting with multiple cutaneous cancers as well as an internal lung primary in a patient exposed to toxic levels of As in the drinking water is discussed along with a review of literature.
Evaluation of a Simple Protein Extraction Method for Species Identification of Clinically Relevant Staphylococci by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry

ABSTRACT In clinical microbiology, bacterial identification is labor-intensive and time-consuming. A solution for this problem is the use of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). In this study, we evaluated a modified protein extraction method of identification performed on target plates (on-plate extraction method) with MALDI-TOF (Bruker Microflex LT with Biotyper version 3.0) and compared it to 2 previously described methods: the direct colony method and a standard protein extraction method (standard extraction method). We evaluated the species of 273 clinical strains and 14 reference strains of staphylococci. All isolates were characterized using the superoxide dismutase A sequence as a reference. For the species identification, the on-plate, standard extraction, and direct colony methods identified 257 isolates (89.5%), 232 isolates (80.8%), and 173 isolates (60.2%), respectively, with statistically significant differences among the three methods (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the on-plate extraction method is at least as good as standard extraction in identification rate and has the advantage of a shorter processing time.
Rehabilitation Factors Contributing to Implant Benefit in Children

This study was performed to investigate factors contributing to auditory, speech, language, and reading outcomes after 4 to 6 years of multichannel cochlear implant use in children with prelingual deafness. The analysis controlled for the effects of child, family, and implant characteristics so that the educational factors most conducive to maximum implant benefit could be identified. We tested 136 children from across the United States and Canada. All were 8 or 9 years of age, had an onset of deafness before 3 years of age, underwent implantation by 5 years of age, and resided in a monolingual English-speaking home environment. Characteristics of the child and the family (primarily nonverbal IQ) accounted for approximately 20% of the variance in outcome after implantation. An additional 24% was accounted for by implant characteristics and 12% by educational variables, particularly communication mode. Oral education appears to be an important educational choice for children who have undergone cochlear implantation before 5 years of age.
Influence of an “Opt-Out” Test Strategy and Patient Factors on Human Immunodeficiency Virus Screening in Pregnancy

OBJECTIVE: To estimate both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing acceptance rates in pregnancy using an opt-out policy and patient characteristics influencing acceptance. METHODS: At the first prenatal visit, HIV testing was offered using an opt-out approach. Reasons for refusing testing were explored. Demographic information was collected on all study subjects. RESULTS: In the prospective portion of the study, 1,140 of 1,233 women (92.5%) accepted testing. Race was predictive of accepting HIV testing, with Asian women significantly less likely (odds ratio [OR] 0.4; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.3–0.6; P<.001) and Hispanic women significantly more likely (OR 6.9; 95% CI 2.2–22.0; P=.001) to be tested. Although English as a first language, country of birth, and insurance status were not significantly associated with acceptance, women who were fluent in English were more likely to be tested (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.2–3.3; P=.01). Our testing rates were significantly higher than the provincial average. CONCLUSION: Using an opt-out strategy, HIV testing rates in our clinic were significantly higher than the provincial average. Rates were influenced by race and fluency in English. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, www.clinicaltrials. gov, NCT00393302 LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II
Giddens's Structuration Theory and Information Systems Research

The work of the contemporary British sociologist Anthony Giddens, and in particular his structuration theory, has been widely cited by Information Systems researchers. This paper presents a critical review of the work of Giddens and its application in the Information Systems field. Following a brief overview of Giddens's work as a whole, some key aspects of structuration theory are described, and their implications for Information Systems research discussed. We then identify 331 Information Systems articles published between 1983 and 2004 that have drawn on Giddens's work and analyze their use of structuration theory. Based on this analysis a number of features of structurational research in the Information Systems field and its relationship to Giddens's ideas are discussed. These findings offer insight on Information Systems researchers' use of social theory in general and suggest that there may be significant opportunities for the Information Systems field in pursuing structurational research that engages sympathetically, yet critically, with Giddens's work.
Experimental Characterization of Wheel-Rail Contact Patch Evolution

The contact area and pressure distribution in a wheel/rail contact is essential information required in any fatigue or wear calculations to determine design life, re-grinding, and maintenance schedules. As wheel or rail wear or surface damage takes place the contact patch size and shape will change. This leads to a redistribution of the contact stresses. The aim of this work was to use ultrasound to nondestructively quantify the stress distribution in new, worn, and damaged wheel-rail contacts. The response of a wheel/rail interface to an ultrasonic wave can be modeled as a spring. If the contact pressure is high the interface is very stiff, with few air gaps, and allows the transmission of an ultrasonic sound wave. If the pressure is low, interfacial stiffness is lower and almost all the ultrasound is reflected. A quasistatic spring model was used to determine maps of contact stiffness from wheel/rail ultrasonic reflection data. Pressure was then determined using a parallel calibration experiment. Three different contacts were investigated; those resulting from unused, worn, and sand damaged wheel and rail specimens. Measured contact pressure distributions are compared to those determined using elastic analytical and numerical elastic-plastic solutions. Unused as-machined contact surfaces had similar contact areas to predicted elastic Hertzian solutions. However, within the contact patch, the numerical models better reproduced the stress distribution, as they incorporated real surface roughness effects. The worn surfaces were smoother and more conformal, resulting in a larger contact patch and lower contact stress. Sand damaged surfaces were extremely rough and resulted in highly fragmented contact regions and high local contact stress.
Effect of ammonia on Na+ transport across isolated rumen epithelium of sheep is diet dependent

The cellular uptake of ammonia affects the intracellular pH (pHi) of polar and non-polar cells. A predominant uptake of NH3 and its intra-cellular protonation tend to alkalinise the cytoplasm, whereas a predominant uptake of NH4+ acidifies the cytoplasm by reversing this reaction. Hence, the well-known absorption of ammonia across the rumen epithelium probably causes a change in the pHi. The magnitude and direction of this change in pHi (acid or alkaline) depends on the relative transport rates of NH3 and NH4+. Consequently, the intra-cellular availability of protons will influence the activity of the Na+-H+ exchanger, which could affect transepithelial Na+ transport. The aim of the present study has been to test this possible interaction between ruminal ammonia concentrations and Na+ transport. The term ammonia is used to designate the sum of the protonated (NH4+) and unprotonated (NH3) forms. Isolated ruminal epithelium of sheep was investigated by using the Ussing-chamber technique in vitro. The present results indicate that ammonia inhibits Na+ transport across the rumen epithelium of hay-fed sheep, probably by binding intracellular protons and thus inhibiting Na+-H+ exchange. By contrast, ammonia stimulates Na+ transport in concentrate-fed and urea-fed sheep, which develop an adaptation mechanism in the form of an increased metabolism of ammonia in the rumen mucosa and/or an increased permeability of rumen epithelium to the charged ammonium ion (NH4+). Intracellular dissociation of NH4+ increases the availability of protons, which stimulate Na+ –H+ exchange. This positive effect of ruminal ammonia on Na+ absorption may significantly contribute to the regulation of osmotic pressure of the ruminal fluid, because intraruminal ammonia concentrations up to 40 mmol/l have been reported.
Factors affecting test-day milk composition in dairy ewes, and relationships amongst various milk components

A total of 7492 test-day observations for mean contents of fat, protein, casein, serum protein and lactose and individual laboratory cheese yield (ILCY) were obtained, at approximately monthly intervals, from 1119 ewes belonging to eight Churra dairy flocks. The effect of various factors on these variables was examined and phenotypic correlations among all traits were estimated. Least squares analyses showed significant effects of flock test-date, stage of lactation, age of ewe, and number of lambs weaned on almost all variables. Protein content and composition were not affected by the number of lambs weaned. ILCY had an unadjusted mean (26·55 kg cheese/100 l milk) close to those reported for real cheese yield in dairy ewes and was affected similarly to the main milk components. Fat, protein, casein, and serum protein contents, and ILCY, showed a generally increasing trend as lactation progressed. These components reached a minimum at 1 month into lactation, when milk yield was highest, and increased for the remainder of the lactation. ILCY depended mainly on fat, protein and casein contents. Protein and casein contents were closely related and equally correlated with ILCY. An increase in somatic cell count (SCC) was associated with decreased milk yield and decreased lactose content.
Examination of Native and Carbamide Peroxide-bleached Human Tooth Enamel by Atomic Force Microscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study the effects of bleaching on the morphology of the enamel surface with nanoscale resolution. Samples of human tooth enamel with native (pumiced) or fine-polished surfaces were examined before and after bleaching with 30% carbamide peroxide. The obtained profilometric AFM data revealed significant morphological surface alterations. After 1 h of bleaching, the surface roughness increased significantly from 19 ± 4nm to 33 ± 5 nm. Six-hour bleaching did not produce any significant further increase in enamel surface roughness. The interrod junction depth raised more than twice after 1 h of bleaching. After 6 h of bleaching, a further and significant increase in interrod junction depth was recorded. This alteration might be a consequence of oxidation and a subsequent partial lysis of the tooth enamel matrix proteins.