Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A New Volumetric Parameter for a Comparative Finite-Element Analysis of a Six- or Four-Implant Mandibular Total-Arch Rehabilitation

In a full-arch implant rehabilitation ad modum Branemark, the distribution of stress and strain in mandibular bone is influenced by the type, number and position of implants used. In particular, the biomechanical behaviour of the bone structure after complete osseointegration depends on the load transferred to the bone by each fixture. In this study, a finite-element analysis of two models was performed. Models of an all-on-four configuration and a six-implant configuration were compared in a worst-case scenario. A new V parameter is presented to aid the quantitative and comparative analysis of the all-on-four and six-implant configurations. The influence of orthotropy was also investigated, and a geometric change in the all-on-four configuration is presented.
Postoperative stimulated thyroglobulin of less than 1 ng/ml as a criterion to spare low-risk patients with papillary thyroid cancer from radioactive iodine ablation.

BACKGROUND Stimulated thyroglobulin (Tg) ≤1 ng/mL after thyroidectomy (after L-thyroxine [L-T4] withdrawal or administration of recombinant human thyrotropin [rhTSH]) has been proposed as a criterion to spare patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), who are at low risk of recurrence, from ablation with iodine-131 ((131)I). The objective of this prospective study was to evaluate the recurrence rate using this approach. METHODS This prospective study included 136 patients with PTC who underwent total thyroidectomy with apparently complete tumor resection and who presented no signs of persistent disease after surgery. The patients were classified as low risk of recurrence (nonaggressive histology, T1b-3 N0 M0). All patients had stimulated Tg ≤1 ng/mL, negative anti-Tg antibodies (TgAb), and neck ultrasound (US) showing no anomalies ~16 weeks after thyroidectomy, and none of them were submitted to ablation with (131)I. The time of follow-up ranged from 12 to 72 months (median: 44 months). RESULTS Among the patients studied, 134 (98.5%) continued to have serum Tg concentrations of <1 ng/mL during therapy with L-T4 (Tg/T4) and had negative TgAb and neck US. Lymph node metastases were detected by neck US in one patient. An increase of TgAb was observed in another patient, but she has not developed apparent disease to date. There was only one case of recurrence even among the 60 patients with tumors >4 cm or minimal extrathyroid invasion (T3 N0 M0). CONCLUSIONS Low-risk patients with PTC who have stimulated Tg ≤1 ng/mL after thyroidectomy do not require ablation with (131)I.
Phase I/II trial of erlotinib and temozolomide with radiation therapy in the treatment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme: North Central Cancer Treatment Group Study N0177.

PURPOSE Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) amplification in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a common occurrence and is associated with treatment resistance. Erlotinib, a selective EGFR inhibitor, was combined with temozolomide (TMZ) and radiotherapy (RT) in a phase I/II trial. PATIENTS AND METHODS Adults not taking enzyme-inducing anticonvulsants after resection or biopsy of GBM were treated with erlotinib (150 mg daily) until progression. Erlotinib was delivered alone for 1 week, then concurrently with TMZ (75 mg mg/m(2) daily) and RT (60 Gy), and finally, concurrently with up to six cycles of adjuvant TMZ (200 mg/m(2) daily for 5 days every 28 days). The primary end point was survival at 1 year. RESULTS Ninety-seven eligible patients were accrued with a median follow-up time of 22.2 months. By definition, the primary end point was successfully met with a median survival time of 15.3 months. However, there was no sign of benefit in overall survival when comparing N0177 with the RT/TMZ arm of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer/National Cancer Institute of Canada trial 26981/22981 (recursive partitioning analysis [RPA] class III, 19 v 21 months; RPA class IV, 16 v 16 months; RPA class V, 8 v 10 months, respectively). Presence of diarrhea, rash, and EGFRvIII, p53, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), combination EGFR and PTEN, and EGFR amplification status were not predictive (P > .05) of survival. CONCLUSION Although the primary end point was successfully met using nitrosourea-based (pre-TMZ) chemotherapy era historic controls, there was no sign of benefit compared with TMZ era controls. Analyses of molecular subsets did not reveal cohorts of patients sensitive to erlotinib. TMZ chemotherapy combined with RT resulted in improved outcomes compared with historical controls who received nitrosourea-based chemotherapies.
Femoral head autografting to augment acetabular deficiency in patients requiring total hip replacement. A minimum five-year and an average seven-year follow-up study.

Adults who have osteoarthritis that is secondary to mild congenital dysplasia can be treated with total hip replacement using customary techniques. Those who have severe acetabular dysplasia or total congenital dislocation usually require augmentation of acetabular bone stock in order to carry out the total hip replacement. We reviewed the results of forty-seven total hip replacements in thirty-eight patients (age range, sixteen to sixty-eight years; average age, forty-seven years) who required autogenous grafting with bone from the femoral head for severe acetabular deficiency. The average length of follow-up was 7.1 years (minimum, five years). All grafts united. The average preoperative Harris hip rating was 46 points and the average postoperative rating was 74 points. Five hips (approximately 10 per cent) had a failure that required reoperation; four hipshad aseptic loosening of the acetabular component and in the fifth sepsis developed after a reoperation to reattach the greater trochanter. For the remaining forty-two hips, the average postoperative Harris hip rating was 78 points. Six additional sockets (approximately 15 per cent) were definitely loose by radiographic criteria, making a total of ten hips (approximately 20 per cent) with definite aseptic loosening of the acetabular component. The major factors that contributed to this aseptic loosening were complexity of the surgical procedure, necessity for a graft, lack of a small-sized metal-backed acetabular component, young age, obesity, lack of posterior support, and resorption of the graft. Dislocation was common, occurring in five (approximately 10 per cent) of the hips. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Early dyspareunia experience in young women: confusion, consequences, and help-seeking barriers.

INTRODUCTION Recurrent painful intercourse or dyspareunia is a highly prevalent health problem associated with impairments in sexual function and psychosocial well-being. Despite its particularly high prevalence in young women, little is known about how young women experience the onset of dyspareunia and how they attempt to manage or address the problem. AIMS To explore the subjective experience of early dyspareunia symptoms in young women so as to model its cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and help-seeking trajectory. METHODS Using a qualitative methodology broadly based on grounded theory, 14 young women reporting recurrent entry and/or deep pain with intercourse underwent in-depth semistructured interviews asking them to describe their personal experience with dyspareunia symptoms. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The Female Sexual Function Index was used to screen women with symptoms of dyspareunia. The main outcome measure was a semistructured interview inquiring about the cognitions and emotions associated with the experience of pain with intercourse, causal attributions for the pain, interference with personal, relational, and sexual well-being, and help-seeking decisions. RESULTS The model/theory that emerged suggested a sequence of experiences that began with confusion about the onset of pain and a relatively fruitless search for causal attributions. Attempts to self-manage the pain via a number of cognitive and behavioral strategies provided little relief. Deleterious consequences on sexual function, well-being, and relationships ensued, and women reported a number of barriers to help-seeking. CONCLUSION The findings from this study suggest that a lack of public health information about dyspareunia and the reluctance of health care providers to inquire about sexual problems may contribute to many young women delaying treatment for a serious sexual health problem with potentially negative biopsychosocial outcomes.
Reorganization of endothelial cord‐like structures on basement membrane complex (Matrigel): Involvement of transforming growth factor β1

The formation of capillary‐like network structures by cultured vascular endothelial cells on reconstituted basement membrane matrix, Matrigel, models endothelial cell differentiation, the final step of angiogenesis (Kubota et al., 1988; Grant et al., 1989). When endothelial cells derived from bovine aorta and brain capillaries were plated on Matrigel, DNA synthesis was suppressed and a network of capillary‐like structures rapidly formed in 8–12 h. With time, the network broke down, resulting in dense cellular cords radiating from multiple cellular clusters in 16–24 h. Finally, multicellular aggregates of cells were formed as the network underwent further retraction. Network regression was prevented when either dithiothreitol (DTT) or anti‐TG F‐β1 antibodies were added during the assay. The addition of exogenous TGF‐β1 promoted the regression of endothelial cells into the clusters. This response to TGF‐β1 was blocked by potent serine threonine protein kinase inhibitors, H‐7 and HA 100. TGF‐β1 was released from polymerized Matrigel by incubation with Dulbecco's modified eagle's medium (DMEM) in the absence of cells. The Matrigel‐conditioned DMEM inhibited endothelial DNA synthesis even in the presence of anti‐TGF‐β1 antibodies. These results suggest that TGF‐β1 and possibly other soluble factors from Matrigel may be important for differentitation and remodeling of endothelial cells in a capillary network with possible implications for wound healing and development. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. This article is a US Government work and as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America .
Measles in suburban Khartoum: an epidemiological and clinical study

Clinical and epidemiological data were collected from 187 clinically diagnosed measles patients in Haj Yousif area, suburban Khartoum. Laboratory tests confirmed the diagnosis in 141 (75%) of the cases, but demonstrated that in 46 (25%) patients the clinical symptoms were not caused by an acute measles virus (MV) infection. According to their vaccination card, 59% of the laboratory‐confirmed measles cases had been vaccinated for measles. Compared with non‐measles rash disease cases, confirmed measles cases more often had severe illness (P < 0.0001), were dehydrated (P=0.01) at presentation and less likely to recover without complications [OR 0.19 (95% CI 0.09, 0.39)]. There was no difference in death rate (P=0.20). Underweight [weight‐for‐age Z score (WAZ) ≤ −2 SD] was an independent predictor of recovery with complications [OR 0.4 (95% CI 0.2, 0.99)]. Severe measles cases (those who developed diarrhoea, pneumonia, otitis media, encephalitis or haemorrhagic rash) had similar vaccination rates and time intervals since vaccination as uncomplicated measles cases. Although severe measles had lower WAZ‐scores (P=0.004), none of the nutritional parameters studied were predictive of outcome. Mortality was higher in the severe measles group [OR 8.8 (95% CI 1.7, 85.2)]. In 11 of 141 confirmed measles cases serological evidence of a recent infection with another virus was found, most commonly varicella zoster virus and dengue virus; spotted fever and rubella were among the most frequent diagnoses in 17 of 47 cases of the non‐measles cases.
Learning human anatomy: by dissection or from prosections?

Summary. Two matched groups of first‐year preclinical medical students studied the gross anatomy of the lower limb by different methods. One group dissected in the traditional manner (as in the existing curriculum) while the other worked according to an experimental programme which excluded dissection by students. Preparatory study guides were supplied to the experimental group and each of their practical classes on soft tissues began with a priming session at which the structures to be encountered were introduced. The instructor then demonstrated these structures to the group on a prosected wet specimen and bones. Thereafter, the students were allowed to handle and discuss the specimens without staff supervision. At the end of the programme, both groups submitted to a 300‐item two‐choice paper and a practical test. A debriefing questionnaire was also completed by the experimental group.
Serum carotenoids and risk of age-related macular degeneration in a chinese population sample.

PURPOSE It has been hypothesized that the macular carotenoids protect against age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In this study, the association between serum concentrations of carotenoids and the presence of AMD was evaluated in a case-control sample of elderly Chinese subjects. METHODS Two hundred sixty-three individuals aged between 50 and 88 years enrolled in the study. Subjects included 82 cases with exudative AMD, 92 cases with early AMD, and 89 control individuals. Serum carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene, α- and β-carotenes, and β-cryptoxanthin) and retinol were measured with reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS Serum levels of carotenoids and retinol were significantly lower in the cases with exudative AMD than in the controls. Median levels of lutein and zeaxanthin were 0.538 and 0.101 μM, respectively, in the control subjects, and 0.488 and 0.076 μM, respectively, in cases with exudative AMD. After adjustment for age, sex, smoking status, and body mass index (BMI), a significant inverse association was observed for exudative AMD with serum zeaxanthin (relative risk ratio [RRR], 0.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0-0.35), lycopene (RRR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.1-0.48), and α-carotene (RRR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.12-0.51). Early AMD was inversely associated only with lycopene (RRR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.28-0.86) but was positively associated with α-carotene (RRR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.37-3.58). No significant associations were observed between serum lutein and cases with early or exudative AMD. CONCLUSIONS The data suggest that higher levels of serum carotenoids, in particular zeaxanthin and lycopene, are associated with a lower likelihood of having exudative AMD. Serum levels of carotenoids were relatively higher in this Chinese cohort than in samples of other ethnicities in previous reports.
Pediatric infiltrating lipomas: Case report and review of the literature

A case of pediatric infiltrating lipoma and a collected literature review of four pediatric patients with well‐documented infiltrating lipomas are presented. These lesions tend to recur after resection but there are no reported incidences of distant metastases or degeneration into frankly malignant lesions. Treatment consists of excising the lesion with a margin of normal muscle.
An Approach for Designing of Enterprise IT Landscapes to Perform Quantitave Information Security Risk Assessment

Nowadays most of enterprises must consider information security aspects as of the highest concern. It is caused not only by growing hacker’s activity but also because of increasing legal requirements and compliance issues. One of required procedures to manage information security is regular performing of information security risk assessment. This article describes an approach for designing and managing of an enterprise IT landscapes which makes possible to perform quantitative information security risk assessment using already established methodologies which were previously inapplicable by some reasons. Moreover, application of the proposed framework allows transformation of any IT landscape to such state. Other relevant key features of the proposed approach are unification and reduction of maintenance cost.
Fetal fibronectin in cervical and vaginal secretions as a predictor of preterm delivery.

BACKGROUND Preterm delivery is the leading cause of neonatal mortality in the United States, but efforts to address the problem are hampered by the inability to predict accurately which pregnancies are at risk. We postulated that damage to the fetal membranes may release fetal fibronectin into the cervix and vagina, giving rise to a biochemical marker for preterm delivery. METHODS We measured fetal-fibronectin concentrations in cervical and vaginal secretions, amniotic fluid, and maternal plasma with a sensitive immunoassay using the monoclonal antibody FDC-6. Immunohistochemical studies were used to determine the distribution of fetal fibronectin in the placenta and amniochorionic membranes and to ascertain its cell of origin. RESULTS Women with uncomplicated pregnancies (n = 163) who delivered at term rarely had cervicovaginal fetal-fibronectin concentrations above 0.05 micrograms per milliliter between 21 and 37 weeks of gestation (11 of 267 cervical samples [4 percent] and 9 of 267 vaginal samples [3 percent]. High levels of fetal fibronectin were detected in amniotic fluid and in the cervical or vaginal secretions of 93.8 percent of the women with preterm rupture of membranes (n = 65). Cervical or vaginal fetal fibronectin was also present in 50.4 percent of the women with preterm uterine contractions and intact membranes (n = 117), and its presence identified the women who delivered before term (n = 60) with a sensitivity of 81.7 percent and a specificity of 82.5 percent. In the placenta and membranes, fetal fibronectin was found at points of contact with the uterine wall. CONCLUSIONS The presence of cervicovaginal fetal fibronectin in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy identifies a subgroup of women who are at high risk for preterm delivery. This phenomenon may reflect the separation of the chorion from the decidual layer of the uterus, with the release of intact or degraded chorionic components of the extracellular matrix into the cervical and vaginal secretions.
In Vivo Confocal Microscopy After Herpes Keratitis

Purpose. To describe the confocal microscopic findings, with special reference to corneal subbasal nerves, after herpes simplex virus (HSV) keratitis. Methods In this study, 16 HSV eyes and 14 contralateral eyes of 16 patients, diagnosed with unilateral HSV keratitis 1–12 months earlier by the presence of dendritic corneal ulceration or microbiologic confirmation, were examined by in vivo confocal microscopy for evaluation of corneal morphology. Results. Herpes simplex virus eyes: In 2 eyes the surface epithelial cells appeared large, and no abnormalities were observed in the basal epithelial cells. In 2 eyes subbasal nerve fiber bundles were completely absent, in 3 eyes there was a reduced number of long nerve fiber bundles, and in 11 eyes the subbasal nerve plexus appeared normal. In 10 corneas, highly reflective dendritic structures were found at the level of the basal epithelial cells. Frequently these structures were found in the vicinity of stromal fibrosis. Areas with increased abnormal extracellular matrix were found in 11 eyes. Stromal nerves were not visualized in all corneas, but appeared normal when observed. Contralateral eyes: No abnormalities were observed in the epithelium. All corneas presented with a normal subbasal nerve plexus, but in 2 eyes dendritic particles were observed. Three corneas presented with activated keratocytes and increased amounts of abnormal extracellular matrix. Conclusions. When visualized by confocal microscopy, the subbasal nerve plexus appears relatively unaffected in cases with resolved HSV keratitis. Unidentified dendritic structures, presumably Langerhans cells, are frequently seen at the level of the basal epithelium in corneas with a history of herpetic disease.
Managers’ Support – A Key Driver behind Enterprise Risk Management Maturity

Abstract Severe consequences of the global fi nancial crisis resulted in re-thinking the risk management processes and approaches, highlighting the need for a comprehensive risk management framework. Consequently, more and more companies are moving away from the Traditional “silo-based” Risk Management (TRM) to a more holistic approach known as Enterprise Risk Management (ERM). This paper presents results of both exploratory and empirical research. First, we develop ERM Index that measures maturity of ERM process within the company. Then, we present empirical results on the level of maturity and determinants of risk management system development in listed Croatian companies. Research indicates low levels of ERM development: even 38 per cent of analysed companies have no elements of ERM system, from which 22 per cent do not manage corporate risks at all. Except the company’s size supported by the economies of scale argument, managers’ support is the most important determinant of ERM system maturity in Croatian companies.
Acute Cardiac Allograft Rejection in Nitric OxideSynthase-2−/− and Nitric Oxide Synthase-2+/+ Mice: Effects of Cellular Chimeras on Myocardial Inflammation and Cardiomyocyte Damage and Apoptosis

Background—The contribution of nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-2 to myocardial inflammation and cardiomyocyte necrosis and apoptosis during allograft rejection was investigated through heterotopic cardiac transplantation in mice. Methods and Results—In the first experiments, hearts from C3H donor mice were transplanted into NOS-2−/− and NOS-2+/+ C57BL/6J.129J recipients. A second series of experiments included NOS-2−/− donor hearts transplanted into NOS-2−/− recipients and wild-type NOS-2+/+ donor hearts transplanted into wild-type NOS-2+/+ recipients. (All donors were C57BL/6J and recipients were C57BL/6J.129J.) In the first series of experiments, no significant differences were observed in allograft survival, rejection score, total number of apoptotic nuclei (TUNEL), total number of apoptotic cardiomyocytes, or graft NOS-2 mRNA and protein. Positive NOS-2 immunostaining occurred in endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes in the allografts; the inflammatory infiltrate was NOS-2 positive only when recipients were NOS-2+/+. In the second series of experiments, cardiac allograft survival was significantly increased in the NOS-2−/− mice (26±13 versus 17±8 days, P <0.05), along with significant reductions in inflammatory infiltrate, rejection score, and total number of apoptotic nuclei (23.5±9.5 versus 56.4±15.3, P <0.01) and of apoptotic cardiomyocytes (2.9±1.6 versus 6.9±2.7, P <0.05). No NOS-2 or nitrotyrosine, a marker of peroxynitrite exposure, was detected in NOS-2−/− allografts transplanted into NOS-2−/− recipients. ConclusionsThe data suggest that NO derived from NOS-2 contributes to the inflammatory response and to cardiomyocyte damage and apoptosis during acute cardiac allograft rejection.