Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dental disease and risk of coronary heart disease and mortality.

OBJECTIVE--To investigate a reported association between dental disease and risk of coronary heart disease. SETTING--National sample of American adults who participated in a health examination survey in the early 1970s. DESIGN--Prospective cohort study in which participants underwent a standard dental examination at baseline and were followed up to 1987. Proportional hazards analysis was used to estimate relative risks adjusted for several covariates. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Incidence of mortality or admission to hospital because of coronary heart disease; total mortality. RESULTS--Among all 9760 subjects included in the analysis those with periodontitis had a 25% increased risk of coronary heart disease relative to those with minimal periodontal disease. Poor oral hygiene, determined by the extent of dental debris and calculus, was also associated with an increased incidence of coronary heart disease. In men younger than 50 years at baseline periodontal disease was a stronger risk factor for coronary heart disease; men with periodontitis had a relative risk of 1.72. Both periodontal disease and poor oral hygiene showed stronger associations with total mortality than with coronary heart disease. CONCLUSION--Dental disease is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease, particularly in young men. Whether this is a causal association is unclear. Dental health may be a more general indicator of personal hygiene and possibly health care practices.
Application of the narcosis target lipid model to algal toxicity and deriving predicted‐no‐effect concentrations

The narcosis target lipid model (TLM) was developed to predict the toxicity of chemicals to aquatic organisms that act via narcosis. It is based on the hypothesis that target lipid is the site of toxic action within the organism, that octanol is the appropriate surrogate, and that target lipid has the same physical‐chemical properties in all organisms. Here the TLM is extended to available freshwater green algal toxicity data to support a narcosis toxic mode‐of‐action (TMoA) effect assessment. For each species, significant linear relationships were observed between log(median effective concentration [EC50]) and log(Kow) of the test chemicals. The slope of the log‐log relationship statistically was similar to the universal narcosis slope of −0.945 that was derived from an earlier analysis of the TLM to nonalgal species. Critical target lipid body burdens (CTLBB), CL* were estimated for each algal species from the intercepts of the regressions and found to be within the range (43–398 μmol/g octanol) reported previously, indicating that algae exhibit a similar sensitivity distribution relative to other aquatic species. The TLM is used to derive the predicted‐no‐effect concentrations (PNECs) using the hazardous concentration to 5% species (HC5) statistical extrapolation procedure. This calculation requires an analysis of the variability of the universal slope, the CL*, and the acute‐to‐chronic ratio. The PNECs derived using this procedure were consistent with chronic‐no‐effect concentrations reported for narcotic chemicals. This is in contrast to PNECs derived from limited chemical‐specific toxicity data and default application factors. It is concluded that coupling the TLM to the HC5 extrapolation procedure allows optimal use of available toxicity data for deriving environmental quality criteria with a narcotic TMoA.
Assurance on the Reliability of Mobile Payment System and Its Effects on Its’ Use: An Empirical Examination

Mobile Payment Systems (MPS) such as Google Wallet are an emerging technology. This paper examines if mobile assurance as provided by examining the five criteria, namely security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy (as per the Trust Framework by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)) has any relationship with use of MPS. The theory used for this study is technology acceptance model (TAM). Some new measures were developed and validated. The data was collected by a survey and Structure Equation Model was used to analyze the data collected. The results of the study indicated that security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy has a positive relation with the attitude towards use mobile payment system. The results of the study data suggest that mobile assurance using any of the trust services correctly predict the intention to use such Mobile payment systems. The contribution of this study is that this paper extends the TAM model to include the trust framework with an emerging technology such as MPS. Another contribution of this study is to provide empirical support in favor of engagements to provide assurance on the reliability of mobile payment system by public accounting firms and practitioners (using any of the Trust Services Principles and Criteria) to have a positive impact of its use.
Pharmacokinetic Interaction between Telaprevir and Methadone

ABSTRACT Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody is present in most patients enrolled in methadone maintenance programs. Therefore, interactions between the HCV protease inhibitor telaprevir and methadone were investigated. The pharmacokinetics of R- and S-methadone were measured after administration of methadone alone and after 7 days of telaprevir (750 mg every 8 h [q8h]) coadministration in HCV-negative subjects on stable, individualized methadone therapy. Unbound R-methadone was measured in predose plasma samples before and during telaprevir coadministration. Safety and symptoms of opioid withdrawal were evaluated throughout the study. In total, 18 subjects were enrolled; 2 discontinued prior to receiving telaprevir. The minimum plasma concentration in the dosing interval (Cmin), the maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), and the area under the plasma concentration-time curve from h 0 (time of administration) to 24 h postdose (AUC0–24) for R-methadone were reduced by 31%, 29%, and 29%, respectively, in the presence of telaprevir. The AUC0–24 ratio of S-methadone/R-methadone was not altered. The median unbound percentage of R-methadone increased by 26% in the presence of telaprevir. The R-methadone median (absolute) unbound Cmin values in the absence (10.63 ng/ml) and presence (10.45 ng/ml) of telaprevir were similar. There were no symptoms of opioid withdrawal and no discontinuations due to adverse events. In summary, exposure to total R-methadone was reduced by approximately 30% in the presence of telaprevir, while the exposure to unbound R-methadone was unchanged. No symptoms of opioid withdrawal were observed. These results suggest that dose adjustment of methadone is not required when initiating telaprevir treatment. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT00933283.)
National Survey on the Susceptibility of Bacteroides fragilis Group: Report and Analysis of Trends in the United States from 1997 to 2004

ABSTRACT The susceptibility trends for the species of the Bacteroides fragilis group against various antibiotics from 1997 to 2004 were determined by using data for 5,225 isolates referred by 10 medical centers. The antibiotic test panel included ertapenem, imipenem, meropenem, ampicillin-sulbactam, piperacillin-tazobactam, cefoxitin, clindamycin, moxifloxacin, tigecycline, chloramphenicol, and metronidazole. From 1997 to 2004 there were decreases in the geometric mean (GM) MICs of imipenem, meropenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, and cefoxitin for many of the species within the group. B. distasonis showed the highest rates of resistance to most of the β-lactams. B. fragilis, B. ovatus, and B. thetaiotaomicron showed significantly higher GM MICs and rates of resistance to clindamycin over time. The rate of resistance to moxifloxacin of B. vulgatus was very high (MIC range for the 8-year study period, 38% to 66%). B. fragilis, B. ovatus, and B. distasonis and other Bacteroides spp. exhibited significant increases in the rates of resistance to moxifloxacin over the 8 years. Resistance rates and GM MICs for tigecycline were low and stable during the 5-year period over which this agent was studied. All isolates were susceptible to chloramphenicol (MICs < 16 μg/ml). In 2002, one isolate resistant to metronidazole (MIC = 64 μg/ml) was noted. These data indicate changes in susceptibility over time; surprisingly, some antimicrobial agents are more active now than they were 5 years ago.
Experience of Early Childhood Caries May Positively Correlate with Psychomotor Development.

PURPOSE To examine the as yet unknown relationship between dental caries and the child's psychomotor development. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional study was designed by screening the kindergartens from urban areas of two cities in southern Taiwan. Besides the personal, demographic and dietary information, the common measures for caries (dmft) and the amended comprehensive scales (CCDI) for psychomotor development were used to assess their relationship(s). A power analysis showed that 334 subjects would be required. One-way ANOVA vs multiple linear regression analysis were used to compare the differences of variables between gender, age and dmft scales, vs the relationship among all variables tested, respectively. RESULTS A total of 433 children completed the study. The results demonstrated that there was a positive relationship between higher (i.e. dmft≥4 and 5) but not lower or extremely high caries experience and aspects of psychomotor development (i.e. personal-social and expressive language) in children aged 4 to 6 years. CONCLUSION The present results are important for paediatric dentists, as they suggest a positive correlation between caries experience (dmft 3 to 6) and psychomotor development in pre-school children and that such a correlation may occur more significantly as an attribute of the most affected teeth (incisors and molars) during the critical stage of personal-social and expressive language development (speech-communication).
Assessing ecosystem carbon balance : Problems and prospects of the eddy covariance tech-nique．

: By using eddy covariance technique ， this paper measured the net ecosystem CO 2 exchange ( NEE ) in a reed ( Phragmites australis ) wetland in the Yellow Ｒiver Delta of China during the growth season of 2011 ， and investigated the variation patterns of the NEE and related affecting factors． The average diurnal variation of the NEE in different months showed a U-type curve ， with the maximum net CO 2 uptake rate and release rate being ( 0． 44±0． 03 ) and ( 0． 16±0． 01 ) mg CO 2 · m －2 · s －1 ， respectively． The NEE ， ecosystem respiration ( Ｒ eco ) ， and gross primary productivity ( GPP ) were all higher in vigorous growth season ( from July to September ) and lower in early growth season ( from May to June ) and late growth season ( from October to November ) ． Both Ｒ eco and NEE reached their maximum values in August ， while GPP reached its peak value in July． During the growth season ， the ecosystem CO 2 exchange was mainly dominated by photosynthetic active radiation ( PAＲ ) ， soil temperature ( T s ) ， and soil water content ( SWC ) ． There was a rectangular hyperbolic relationship between the daytime NEE and PAＲ． The nighttime ecosystem respiration ( Ｒ eco ， n ) was exponentially correlated with the T s at 5 cm depth ， and the temperature sensitivity of
The Relationships between Xylem Safety and Hydraulic Efficiency in the Cupressaceae: The Evolution of Pit Membrane Form and Function1[W][OA]

Water transport in conifers occurs through single-celled tracheids that are connected to one another via intertracheid pit membranes. These membranes have two components: the porous margo, which allows water to pass through the membrane, and the impermeable torus, which functions to isolate gas-filled tracheids. During drought, tracheids can become air filled and thus hydraulically dysfunctional, a result of air entering through the pit membrane and nucleating cavitation in the water column. What are the hydraulic tradeoffs associated with cavitation resistance at the pit level, and how do they vary within the structural components of the intertracheid pit? To address these questions, we examined pit structure in 15 species of Cupressaceae exhibiting a broad range of cavitation resistances. Across species, cavitation resistance was most closely correlated to the ratio of the torus to pit aperture diameter but did not vary systematically with margo porosity. Furthermore, our data indicate that constraints on pit hydraulic efficiency are shared: the pit aperture limits pit conductivity in more drought-resistant taxa, while increased margo resistance is more likely to control pit conductivity in species that are more vulnerable to cavitation. These results are coupled with additional data concerning pit membrane structure and function and are discussed in the context of the evolutionary biogeography of the Cupressaceae.
Optimal Superconvergent One Step Nodal Cubic Spline Collocation Methods

We formulate new optimal (fourth) order one step nodal cubic spline collocation methods for the solution of various elliptic boundary value problems in the unit square. These methods are constructed so that the respective collocation equations can be solved using matrix decomposition algorithms (MDAs). MDAs are fast, direct methods which employ fast Fourier transforms and require O(N2 log N) operations on an $N \times N$ uniform partition of the unit square. The results of numerical experiments exhibit expected global optimal orders of convergence as well as desired superconvergence phenomena.
The effective cone of the moduli space of sheaves on the plane

We compute the cone of effective divisors on any moduli space of semistable sheaves on the plane. The computation hinges on finding a good resolution of a general stable sheaf. This resolution is determined by Bridgeland stability and arises from a well-chosen Beilinson spectral sequence. The existence of a good choice of spectral sequence depends on remarkable number-theoretic properties of the slopes of exceptional bundles.
DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT DIFFERENCES AMONG EXPERIENCED SHOULDER SURGEONS FOR INSTABILITY CONDITIONS OF THE SHOULDER

Expert North American shoulder surgeons were poled on the diagnosis and treatment of five shoulder conditions. To quantify inter-observer agreement in the diagnosis and treatment of shoulder instabilities, they chose one of five diagnostic conditions and one or more of seven treatment options. The greatest diagnostic and treatment differences were noted for a painful shoulder in a throwing athlete with subtle anterior instability and a patient with voluntary posterior instability with an asymptomatic sulcus sign. An arthroscopic approach was consistently preferred to open surgery. These inconsistencies highlight the need for standardized diagnostic criteria and more universal treatment plans. To quantify inter-observer agreement in the diagnosis and treatment of shoulder instabilities among expert North American shoulder surgeons. These inconsistencies, particularly in diagnosis, highlight the need for standardization of diagnostic criteria and guidelines working towards more universal treatments and evaluations of outcomes. The greatest diagnostic differences were noted for a painful shoulder in a throwing athlete with subtle anterior instability(Ksc0.46, 55% agreement) and a patient with voluntary posterior instability with an asymptomatic sulcus sign(Ksc0.41, 50% agreement). The presence of an asymptomatic sulcus sign alone may have been mistakenly interpreted as inferior instability rather than inferior laxity. There was a high level of agreement in diagnosing anterior and bi-directional instability. An arthroscopic approach to treatment was consistently preferred to open surgery. The greatest differences in treatment choice were for the throwing athlete(Ksc0.38, 47% agreement on arthroscopic repair), a patient with voluntary posterior instability(Ksc0.34, 43% agreement on arthroscopic capsular repair) and a patient with bi-directional instability(Ksc0.23, 34% agreement on arthroscopic anterior Bankart repair). Active members of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and JOINTS Canada (Orthopaedic Initiatives for National Trials of the Shoulder) were poled on the diagnosis and treatment of five shoulder conditions. They were to choose one of five conditions and one or more of seven treatment options. A Kappa coefficient of agreement was used to assess inter-observer reliability; a Ksc of 1 denotes perfect agreement on a category and a Ksc of −1 denotes perfect agreement on not endorsing a category.
Effects of progesterone and estradiol on uterine secretion of prostaglandin f(2alpha)in response to oxytocin in ovariectomized sows.

Thirty ovariectomized sows were used in an experiment designed to determine whether the ability of the porcine uterus to release prostaglandin (PG) F(2alpha) in response to oxytocin is regulated by progesterone (P(4)) and estradiol (E(2)). Sows were assigned to one of four treatment groups: 1) no steroids (ovariectomized controls; n = 8), 2) E(2) (n = 8), 3) P(4) (n = 7), or 4) E(2) + P(4) (n = 7). P(4) and E(2) were administered so as to mimic the normal temporal changes that occur in these hormones during the estrous cycle. A group of intact sows (n = 9) was included for comparison. All sows received an injection of oxytocin (30 IU, i.v.) on Days 12, 15, and 18 postestrus. Jugular venous blood samples were collected from 60 min before through 120 min after injection of oxytocin for quantification of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF(2alpha) (PGFM). Preinjection baseline concentrations of PGFM, the magnitude of the PGFM response above baseline, and area under the PGFM response curve (AUC) were calculated for each sow on each day and compared among treatment groups by ANOVA. Among the ovariectomized sows receiving steroid replacement, baseline concentrations of PGFM were low on Day 12 postestrus in all four groups. On Days 15 and 18, baseline concentrations remained low in the two groups that did not receive P(4) but increased in those that did. Both the magnitude of the response to oxytocin and AUC were small on Day 12 postestrus in all 4 groups. By Day 15, the magnitude of the response and AUC increased in the group that received both P(4) and E(2) but remained low in the other three groups. By Day 18, responses to oxytocin were greater in both groups that received P(4) than in those that did not. Baseline concentrations were similar in intact sows and in those that received both P(4) and E(2) on all three days examined. The magnitude of the response and the AUC were greater in the ovariectomized sows receiving P(4) and E(2) replacement than in the intact control sows on Days 15 and 18 postestrus. From these results, we conclude that P(4) and E(2) interact to control the time when the uterus begins to secrete PGF(2alpha) in response to oxytocin and the amount of PGF(2alpha) secreted.
Low‐frequency ultrasound for biofilm disruption in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis: In vitro pilot study

Microbial biofilms have been implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP). Although biofilms are characterized by an extremely high resistance against chemical and physical agents, low‐frequency ultrasound (LFU) treatment has been suspected to be an efficient and safe method for biofilm disruption.
Colloquium : Persistent spin textures in semiconductor nanostructures

Device concepts in semiconductor spintronics make long spin lifetimes desirable, and the requirements put on spin control by schemes of quantum information processing are even more demanding. Unfortunately, due to spin-orbit coupling electron spins in semiconductors are generically subject to rather fast decoherence. In two-dimensional quantum wells made of zinc-blende semiconductors, however, the spin-orbit interaction can be engineered in such a way that persistent spin structures with extraordinarily long spin lifetimes arise even in the presence of disorder and imperfections. We review experimental and theoretical developments on this subject both for n-doped and p-doped structures, and we discuss possible device applications.
Natural Chagas disease in four baboons

Background Chagas disease is common in Central and South America and the southern United States. The causative agent is Trypanosoma cruzi (order Kinetoplastida, family Trypanosomatidae), a kinetoplastid protozoan parasite of humans and other vertebrates. It is a serious public health issue and the leading cause of heart disease and cardiovascular death in Central and South America. In 1984, a colony baboon was discovered to be infected with T. cruzi.
Maximal Lactate Steady-State Prediction Through Quadratic Modeling of Selected Stages of the Lactate Minimum Test

Pardono, E, da Costa Sotero, R, Hitane, W, Mota, MR, Campbell, CSG, Nakamura, FY, and Simões, HG. Maximal lactate steady-state prediction through quadratic modeling of selected stages of the lactate minimum test. J Strength Cond Res 22: 1073-1080, 2008-In this study, we compared the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) with lactate minimal (LM) intensities determined visually and through a quadratic polynomial function of selected stages of LM test. Eleven male recreational cyclists (27.7 ± 4.5 years, 175.7 ± 5.6 cm, 69.5 ± 10.8 kg, and 12.0 ± 5.5% body fat) performed one LM test under previous induction of hyperlactaemia with an initial intensity of 75 W with 30-W increments every 3 minutes with blood lactate concentration (HLa) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) measurements. The LM intensity was determined visually (VLM) and by modeling the lactate response through polynomial function by using: 1) all stages (LMP); 2) the first stage, the stage corresponding to RPE-13 and the last stage/exhaustion (LMP3max); 3) the three lowest lactate concentration stages (LMP3adj); and 4) the initial, RPE-13, and RPE-16 stages (LMP3sub). The MLSS was determined as the highest intensity at a variation not greater than 0.05 mmol·l-1·min-1 of HLa during the last 20 minutes of a 30-minute exercise session. The MLSS (204.0 ± 16.0 W), VLM (198.6 ± 15.2 W), LMP3adj (190.4 ± 12.9 W), and LMP3sub (192.1 ± 27.2 W) were not different, well correlated, and in agreement to each other. In conclusion, the polynomial modeling of HLa response to three submaximal stages produced exercise intensities that did not differ from MLSS.
Hydroxyl Radical Modification of Polyguanylic Acid: Role of Modified Guanine in Circulating SLE Anti‐DNA Autoantibodies

The hydroxyl radical generated by UV irradiation of hydrogen peroxide cause an extensive damage to guanine residues of ribohomopolymer, polyguanylic acid, poly (G) as investigated by spectrophotometric measurements, agarose gel electrophoresis, Sephadex G‐200 gel filtration and DEAE Sephadex A‐25 column chromatography. Native and ROS‐poly (G) were highly immunogenic inducing high titre antibodies in rabbits. The antibodies showed wide range of cross reactivity with various synthetic polynucleotides exhibiting B‐, A‐, and allied conformations. The diverse antigen binding characteristics of the induced antibodies resembles to those of naturally occurring lupus anti‐DNA autoantibodies. Sera from various SLE patients showed preferential binding to ROS‐poly (G) than native poly (G), indicating that oxidatively modified guanine residues are better recognised. The significance of these findings in the induction of SLE anti‐DNA autoantibodies by oxygen free radicals modified guanine residues in DNA has been discussed.