Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of photodynamic therapy for periodontitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this review was to evaluate the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for periodontitis in adults as a primary mode of treatment or as an adjunct to non-surgical treatment of scaling and root planing (SRP) compared to a conventional non-surgical SRP treatment. METHODS MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, other relevant databases, and the International Pharmaceutical Abstracts were searched from their inception until May 2009 for randomized controlled trials of PDT compared to a placebo, no intervention, or non-surgical treatment in an adult population. Data on changes in clinical attachment level (CAL), probing depth, gingival recession, and full-mouth plaque or bleeding scores were extracted and meta-analyzed, and the pooled mean difference (MD) was reported. RESULTS Five studies were included in this review. These studies had a small sample size for some of the performed analysis with a moderate to high risk of biases. There were clinical heterogeneities among included studies. PDT as an independent treatment or as an adjunct to SRP versus a control group of SRP did not demonstrate statistically or clinically significant advantages. Combined therapy of PDT + SRP indicated a probable efficacy in CAL gain (MD: 0.34; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.05 to 0.63) or probing depth reduction (MD: 0.25 mm; 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.45 mm). CONCLUSIONS PDT as an independent treatment or as an adjunct to SRP was not superior to control treatment of SRP. Therefore, the routine use of PDT for clinical management of periodontitis cannot be recommended. Well-designed clinical trials are needed for proper evaluation of this therapy.
Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder and subtypes of Parkinson's disease

Numerous studies have explored the potential relationship between rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and manifestations of PD. Our aim was to perform an expanded extensive assessment of motor and nonmotor manifestations in PD to identify whether RBD was associated with differences in the nature and severity of these manifestations. PD patients underwent polysomnography (PSG) to diagnose the presence of RBD. Participants then underwent an extensive evaluation by a movement disorders specialist blinded to PSG results. Measures of disease severity, quantitative motor indices, motor subtypes, therapy complications, and autonomic, psychiatric, visual, and olfactory dysfunction were assessed and compared using regression analysis, adjusting for disease duration, age, and sex. Of 98 included patients, 54 had RBD and 44 did not. PD patients with RBD were older (P = 0.034) and were more likely to be male (P < 0.001). On regression analysis, the most consistent links between RBD and PD were a higher systolic blood pressure (BP) change while standing (−23.9 ± 13.9 versus −3.5 ± 10.9; P < 0.001), a higher orthostatic symptom score (0.89 ± 0.82 versus 0.44 ± 0.66; P = 0.003), and a higher frequency of freezing (43% versus14%; P = 0.011). A systolic BP drop >10 could identify PD patients with RBD with 81% sensitivity and 86% specificity. In addition, there was a probable relationship between RBD and nontremor predominant subtype of PD (P = 0.04), increased frequency of falls (P = 0.009), and depression (P = 0.009). Our results support previous findings that RBD is a multifaceted phenomenon in PD. Patients with PD who have RBD tend to have specific motor and nonmotor manifestations, especially orthostatic hypotension. © 2012 Movement Disorder Society
Long‐term influence of neonatal hypoxia on catecholamine activity in carotid bodies and brainstem cell groups of the rat.

1. In order to determine the long‐term influence of neonatal hypoxia on catecholaminergic activity in peripheral arterial chemoreceptors and brainstem noradrenergic cell groups (A1, A2, A5 and A6), 1‐day‐old male rat pups were subjected to hypoxia (10% oxygen) for 6 days and then supplied with normal air. Control animals were kept at normoxia from birth. Rats were killed at either 3 or 8 weeks of age. 2. The content of dopamine and noradrenaline in carotid bodies of neonatally hypoxic rats was increased at both 3 and 8 weeks of age. 3. Noradrenaline turnover was selectively decreased in the caudal portion of A2 (located in the area of chemosensory afferent projection) at 8 weeks of age (‐76 +/‐ 2%), while this turnover was unaffected in rostral A2 cells. Noradrenergic activity in A1, A5 and A6 was altered by neonatal hypoxia in an age‐dependent fashion. 4. The data suggest that neonatal hypoxia induces long‐term changes in the basal activity of the carotid body and brainstem noradrenergic cell groups. Such changes might contribute to neuronal regulation of the delayed respiratory, arousal and neural sequelae associated with neonatal hypoxia. These changes could also be involved in the early programming of respiratory and blood pressure control.
Blockchain Enhanced Emission Trading Framework in Fashion Apparel Manufacturing Industry

Motivated by the recent blockchain technology originally built for bitcoin transactions, various industries are exploring the opportunities to redefine their existing operational systems. In this study, an innovative environmentally sustainable solution is proposed for the fashion apparel manufacturing industry (FAMI), which is energized by blockchain. Incorporating the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), and a novel “emission link” system, the proposed framework exposes carbon emission to the public and establishes a feature to reduce the emissions for all key steps of clothing making. Fully compatible with Industry 4.0, blockchain provides decentralization, transparency, automation, and immutability characteristics to the proposed framework. Specifically, the blockchain supported ETS framework, the carbon emissions of clothing manufacturing life cycle, and the emission link powered procedures are introduced in detail. A case study is provided to demonstrate the carbon emission evaluation procedure. Finally, a multi-criteria evaluation is performed to demonstrate the benefits and drawbacks of the proposed system.
CO2 Fixation Kinetics of Halothiobacillus neapolitanus Mutant Carboxysomes Lacking Carbonic Anhydrase Suggest the Shell Acts as a Diffusional Barrier for CO2*

The widely accepted models for the role of carboxysomes in the carbon-concentrating mechanism of autotrophic bacteria predict the carboxysomal carbonic anhydrase to be a crucial component. The enzyme is thought to dehydrate abundant cytosolic bicarbonate and provide ribulose 1.5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO) sequestered within the carboxysome with sufficiently high concentrations of its substrate, CO2, to permit its efficient fixation onto ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate. In this study, structure and function of carboxysomes purified from wild type Halothiobacillus neapolitanus and from a high CO2-requiring mutant that is devoid of carboxysomal carbonic anhydrase were compared. The kinetic constants for the carbon fixation reaction confirmed the importance of a functional carboxysomal carbonic anhydrase for efficient catalysis by RubisCO. Furthermore, comparisons of the reaction in intact and broken microcompartments and by purified carboxysomal RubisCO implicated the protein shell of the microcompartment as impeding diffusion of CO2 into and out of the carboxysome interior.
Association between Lateral Skull Base Thickness and Surgical Outcomes in Spontaneous CSF Otorrhea

Objectives (1) Correlate skull base thickness with perioperative outcomes for spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) otorrhea. (2) Augment perioperative counseling of patients with abnormally thin skull bases. Study Design Case series with chart review. Setting Tertiary center. Patients with spontaneous CSF otorrhea have thin skull bases. This is associated with obesity and/or idiopathic intracranial hypertension. The influence of skull base thinning on perioperative outcomes is unknown. Subjects and Methods A retrospective review was conducted from 2004 to 2014. Forty-eight cases of spontaneous CSF otorrhea met the inclusion criteria of primary surgery by the senior authors: preoperative dedicated temporal bone computed tomography, absence of other leak etiologies, and follow-up >6 months. Patients were stratified into thin (<0.9 mm) and thick (>0.9 mm) groups based on computed tomography measures of their tegmen. Primary outcomes measures were as follows: postoperative meningitis, recurrent leak, second site leak (contralateral ear/anterior fossa), and permanent shunt placement. Hearing outcomes were not assessed in this study. Results Thirty and 15 patients composed the thin and thick groups, respectively. Both the incidence (P < .0001) and the rate (P = .005) of adverse outcomes were significantly higher in the thin group. Only 2 patients in the thick group experienced an adverse outcome. Eleven patients underwent multiple procedures for spontaneous leaks. The recurrence rate was 14.5%. All but 1 recurrence occurred in the thin group. Conclusions An abnormally thin tegmen was significantly associated with adverse perioperative outcomes in cases of spontaneous CSF otorrhea. A thick skull base and the presence of an encephalocele may be protective against recurrence. The effect of untreated intracranial hypertension on the results is unknown.
Biochemical properties of a novel metalloprotease from Staphylococcus hyicus subsp. hyicus involved in extracellular lipase processing

Two extracellular proteases from Staphylococcus hyicus subsp. hyicus, ShpI and ShpII, have been characterized. ShpI is a neutral metalloprotease with broad substrate specificity; the gene has been cloned and sequenced. ShpII, characterized here, is mainly produced in the late logarithmic growth phase in contrast to ShpI, which is mainly produced in the late stationary growth phase. ShpII was purified from culture medium of S. hyicus by ammonium sulfate precipitation and DEAE-Sepharose chromatography. The molecular mass, estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was 34 kDa. The temperature optimum of ShpII was 55 degrees C, and the pH optimum was 7.4. ShpII, a neutral metalloprotease, was strongly inhibited by zinc and calcium chelators. The amino-terminal sequence of the active enzyme was similar to the corresponding region of a Staphylococcus epidermidis metalloprotease. The substrate specificity of ShpII was similar to that of thermolysin-like proteases, with the exception that ShpII also recognized aromatic amino acids. We demonstrated in vitro that ShpII, but not ShpI, cleaved the 86-kDa S. hyicus subsp. hyicus prolipase between Thr-245 and Val-246 to generate the mature 46-kDa lipase. Results of additional in vivo experiments supported the model that ShpII is necessary for the extracellular processing and maturation of S. hyicus subsp. hyicus lipase.
The N-terminal Region of Yeast TFIIB Contains Two Adjacent Functional Domains Involved in Stable RNA Polymerase II Binding and Transcription Start Site Selection*

The general transcription factor IIB (TFIIB) is required for accurate and efficient transcription of protein-coding genes by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII). To define functional domains in the highly conserved N-terminal region of TFIIB, we have analyzed 14 site-directed substitution mutants of yeast TFIIB for their ability to support cell viability, transcription in vitro, accurate start site selection in vitro and in vivo, and to form stable complexes with purified RNAPII in vitro. Mutations impairing the formation of stable TFIIB·RNAPII complexes mapped to the zinc ribbon fold, whereas mutations conferring downstream shifts in transcription start site selection were identified at multiple positions within a highly conserved homology block adjacent and C-terminal to the zinc ribbon. These results demonstrate that the N-terminal region of yeast TFIIB contains two separable and adjacent functional domains involved in stable RNAPII binding and transcription start site selection, suggesting that downstream shifts in transcription start site selection do not result from impairment of stable TFIIB·RNAPII binding. We discuss models for yeast start site selection in which TFIIB may affect the ability of preinitiation complexes to interact with downstream DNA or to affect start site recognition by a scanning polymerase.
Firm Performance, the Financial Crisis and the US Tourism Industry

An empirical examination of the effect of the 2007 to 2009 financial crisis on the US tourism industry using equity price returns and firm performance ratios for 30 US tourism firms is undertaken in three parts. The joint test of financial market contagion proposed by Fry-McKibbin, Hsiao and Martin (2017) is applied to show that high frequency aggregate US equity market shocks of the financial crisis have a significant impact on US tourism industry returns. Construction of a crisis severity index shows that the peak of the crisis is concurrent with the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008 where more than 80% of the US tourism firms are affected by more than expected by the crisis. Relating the probability of crisis transmission to fundamentals by estimating a logit model of the ffect of the firm specific indicators of profitability, liquidity and leverage shows that it is the liquidity and leverage ratios that correlate most with being affected by contagion. The findings o¤er practical value to tourism firms to monitor and control their performance measures in preparation for future economic downturns.
The effect of progesterone supplementation post mating and shearing of ewes in early pregnancy on the reproductive performance of ewes and birthweight of lambs

Abstract AIM: To determine whether short-term progesterone supplementation post mating or shearing of ewes in early pregnancy affected either the proportion of ewes that lambed or that had multiple lambs, or the birthweight of lambs. METHODS: Romney ewes (n=457) were synchronised in oestrus using controlled internal drug-releasing (CIDR) devices containing progesterone, and mated to Romney rams over a 5-day period. The mid-point of mating (Day 0) occurred 2 days after the withdrawal of CIDR devices. Ewes mated (n=397) were randomly allocated to one of four treatment groups: shearing at Day 5, shearing at Day 30, no shearing, and no shearing plus progesterone supplementation using a CIDR device inserted on Day 3 for 6 days. During the period from Day 5 to Day 27, six harnessed Suffolk rams were placed with the ewes and matings recorded. At Day 48, all ewes that did not return to the Suffolk rams were scanned for pregnancy using ultrasound. At Day 140, single- and multiple-bearing ewes were set-stocked at 15.1 and 12.2 ewes/ha, respectively, and equivalent numbers of ewes from each treatment group were placed in each paddock. Blood samples from 10 unshorn and 10 progesterone-supplemented ewes were collected on Days 3, 6 and 9, and analysed for plasma progesterone concentrations. Lambs were identified to their dam and weighed within 12 h of birth, and again at 27 and 93 days after the mid-point of lambing. The ewes were weighed at regular intervals throughout the trial. RESULTS: Plasma progesterone concentrations of supplemented ewes were higher than those of unsupplemented ewes (3.28 vs 1.75 ng/ml) on Day 6 (p=0.02) but not on Day 9 (4.58 vs 4.63 ng/ml). Treatment of ewes had no effect on either the proportion of ewes which lambed to the synchronised mating period or that had multiple lambs. Lambs born to ewes shorn at Day 30 tended (p=0.09) to be heavier at birth (by 0.28 kg) than those born to unshorn ewes but this effect was not evident when data were corrected for length of gestation. Neither shearing at Day 5 nor progesterone supplementation had any effect on the birthweight of lambs, and the treatment of ewes had no effect on the survival rate of lambs to weaning. CONCLUSIONS: Progesterone supplementation for 6 days beginning 3 days post mating did not increase either the proportion of ewes that lambed or that had multiple lambs, or the birthweight of lambs. Shearing 5 days after mating had no significant effect on the reproductive performance of ewes and need not be avoided, but is unlikely to result in an increase in lamb birthweight. Shearing ewes at Day 30 may result in an increase in the birthweight of lambs but, ideally, ewes should be further advanced in pregnancy before shearing is undertaken.
The Impact of Interplay Between Formal and Informal Institutions on Corporate Governance Systems: a Comparative Study of CEECs

Abstract The central point of this paper is to present the results of comparative case study research concerning the impact of the interplay between formal and informal institutions in the corporate governance systems (CGS) of Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC). Particular focus was put on the values of the corporate governance codes (CGC) of CEECs, as well as on transparent ownership structures, transactions with related parties, the protection of minority shareholders, independent members of supervisory boards, and separation between the CEO position and the chairman of the board of directors. The main subject of interest concerns two research areas: the character of the relationship between formal and informal institutions, as well as whether the interplay between them is relevant to the CGSs of CEECs. Moreover, the author investigates whether the CGCs of CEECs consist of regulations that are compatible with the values set up in preambles using research methods such as individual case study or deductive reasoning. The conclusion presented in the paper was drawn on the basis of a review of the literature and research on national and European corporate governance regulations, as well as the CGC of CEECs. The primary contribution this article makes is to advance the stream of research beyond any single country setting, and to link the literature on the interplay between formal and informal institutions related to CGSs in a broad range of economies in transition (‘catch up’ countries) like CEECs. This paper provides an understanding of how the interplay between formal and informal institutions may influence the CGCs of CEECs.
Continuous Assessment for Improved Teaching and Learning : A Critical Review to Inform Policy and Practice

The prominence of evaluation and assessment within the Incheon Declaration: Education 2030 mirrors simultaneously the vital importance of data in the pursuit of the new global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the decades-long trend of evermore student testing around the world. This report focuses specifically on continuous assessment and has two main aims: to elucidate what continuous assessment is and why it is important, and to identify a range of issues which are fundamental to the effective implementation and usefulness of continuous assessment in the classroom. The analysis focuses on classrooms in low-income countries that often face particularly problematic challenges. The concept and practice of continuous assessment is understood in part through its differences from standardized assessment, whilst at the same time it functions with summative and formative forms. The report aspires to deepen the distinctions between these two forms of continuous assessment, to demonstrate their complementarities, and to plumb their technical dimensions to promote its improved use. The hope is to help education systems, educators, and education partners, wherever they may be, to make decisions and take actions to reap the fullest advantage of continuous assessment as a key factor in achieving quality education.
The role of pregnancy health problems on maternal smoking behaviours

ABSTRACT To explore the effects of pregnancy health problems (PHPs) on smoking behaviours during and after pregnancy (‘smoking-inducing’ effect), we estimate a two-period model that jointly determines prenatal and postnatal smoking decisions, taking into consideration the presence of PHPs. While PHPs are likely to reduce prenatal (except for heavy smokers) and postnatal smoking propensity, we still observe considerable postnatal relapse in the sample, which can be attributed to smoking addiction, as well as information asymmetries and maternal stress associated with PHPs. Thus, we advocate for smoking cessation policies and programmes throughout and beyond pregnancy to avoid potential intertemporal substitution between prenatal and postnatal cigarette consumption.
Germ Cell Nuclear Factor Is a Repressor of CRIPTO-1 and CRIPTO-3*

The pluripotency of embryonic stem and embryonic carcinoma cells is maintained by the expression of a set of “stemness” genes. Whereas these genes are down-regulated upon induction of differentiation, the germ cell nuclear factor (GCNF) is transiently up-regulated and represses several pluripotency genes. CRIPTO-1, a co-receptor for the morphogen nodal, is strongly expressed in undifferentiated cells and is rapidly down-regulated during retinoic acid-induced differentiation. Although CRIPTO-1 is expressed at very low levels in adult tissues under normal conditions, it is found highly expressed in a broad range of tumors, where it acts as a potent oncogene. We show that expression of CRIPTO-1 is directly repressed by GCNF during differentiation of the human teratocarcinoma cell line, NT2. GCNF bound to a DR0 element of the CRIPTO-1 promoter in vitro, as shown by electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and in vivo, as demonstrated by chromatin immunoprecipitation. Reporter gene assays demonstrated that GCNF-mediated repression of the CRIPTO-1 promoter is dependent upon the DR0 site. Overexpression of GCNF in NT2 cells resulted in repression of CRIPTO-1 transcription, whereas expression of the transcription-activating fusion construct GCNF-VP16 led to an induction of the CRIPTO-1 gene and prevented its retinoic acid-induced down-regulation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that CRIPTO-3, a processed pseudogene of CRIPTO-1 on the X chromosome, is expressed in undifferentiated NT2 cells and is regulated by GCNF in parallel to CRIPTO-1. Thus, our study supports the hypothesis of GCNF playing a central role during differentiation of stem cells by repression of stem cell-specific genes.
A critique of HF NVIS channel models

A wideband HF NVIS measurement campaign in Southern California collected 7 terabytes of channel sounding across 2-12 MHz from 72 days of data collection between October 2014 and February 2015. This massive dataset demonstrates that the traditional HF NVIS channel models are ill-suited to describe the observed HF NVIS propagation phenomena. In particular, it is observed that the HF NVIS channel is often non-stationary over a few minutes; with taps rapidly shifting in delay, exhibiting abrupt changes in phase characteristics, and periodic variations in magnitude-all having significant implications on modem design, e.g. block length, preamble length and repetition rate, interleaving size, and modulation type. To this end, this study summarizes the empirical findings of the delay and Doppler characteristics, as well as the non-traditional fading modes, of wideband HF NVIS channels.