Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of toothbrush hardness on in vitro wear and roughness of composite resins.

AIM To investigate and compare the effects of toothbrushes with different hardness on abrasion and surface roughness of composite resins. MATERIALS AND METHODS Toothbrushes (DENT. EX Slimhead II 33, Lion Dental Products Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) marked as soft, medium and hard, were used to brush 10 beam-shaped specimens of each of three composites resins (Venus [VEN], Venus Diamond [VED] and Venus Pearl [VEP]; HeraeusKulzer) with standardized calcium carbonate slurry in a multistation testing machine (2N load, 60 Hz). After each of five cycles with 10k brushing strokes the wear depth and surface roughness of the specimens were determined. After completion of 50k strokes representative samples were inspected by SEM. Data were treated with ANOVA and regression analyses (p < 0.05). RESULTS Abrasion of the composite resins increased linearly with increasing number of brushing cycles (r² > 0.9). Highest wear was recorded for VEN, lowest for VED. Hard brushes produced significantly higher wear on VEN and VEP, whereas no difference in wear by toothbrush type was detected for VED. Significantly highest surface roughness was found on VED specimens (Ra > 1.5 µm), the lowest one on VEN (Ra < 0.3 µm). VEN specimens showed increased numbers of pinhole defects when brushed with hard toothbrushes, surfaces of VEP were uniformly abraded without level differences between the prepolymerized fillers and the glass filler-loaded matrix, VED showed large glass fillers protruding over the main filler-loaded matrix portion under each condition. CONCLUSION Abrasion and surface roughness of composite resins produced by toothbrushing with dentifrice depend mainly on the type of restorative resin. Hardness grades of toothbrushes have minor effects only on abrasion and surface roughness of composite resins. No relationship was found between abrasion and surface roughness. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The grade of the toothbrush used has minor effect on wear, texture and roughness of the composite resin.
Dynamics of the wetting-Layer-quantum-dot interaction in InGaAs self-assembled systems

An experiment is described to study the carrier dynamics in an InGaAs quantum-dot-wetting-layer system emitting in the 1-/spl mu/m band at carrier densities typical of laser-diode operating conditions. The temporal evolution of the differential luminescence spectrum generated by the dots when an ultrafast optical pulse is used to perturb the steady-state carrier population of the surrounding wetting layer is measured. This provides information about the dynamic interaction of wetting-layer and quantum-dot populations. Study of the differential luminescence signal shows a marked bottleneck in the transfer of charge carriers into the quantum dots from the two-dimensional layers that surround them when the equilibrium occupancy of the dot states is high. Recovery of the system back to steady state then takes place over a time interval in excess of 600 ps. This situation arises because the dc electrical injection produces a high carrier density in the dot ensemble, and thus a high proportion of the additional photogenerated carriers remain in the wetting layer as the system thermalises. This reservoir of carriers then feeds into the dots as states are emptied by recombination events.
Paradoxical puborectalis contraction is a feature of constipation in patients with multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE--To study the disturbed anorectal physiology associated with constipation in multiple sclerosis. METHODS--Anorectal function in 10 patients with clinically definite multiple sclerosis and constipation has been compared with 10 normal persons and 11 patients with idiopathic constipation, without multiple sclerosis. RESULTS--All 10 constipated patients with multiple sclerosis had difficulty evacuating barium paste during defaecography. In four of these there was complete failure of puborectalis relaxation when straining to defaecate, and in another four there was incomplete puborectalis relaxation. There was no evidence of lower motor neuron involvement of pelvic floor muscles in the multiple sclerosis group. CONCLUSIONS--Paradoxical puborectalis contraction is common in patients with multiple sclerosis in whom constipation is a symptom. This may be a feature of the disturbed voluntary sphincter control mechanism, analogous to detrusor sphincter dyssnergia in the bladder.
An Outbreak of Cryptosporidiosis Among Veterinary Science Students Who Work With Calves

Abstract The authors describe an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis among students working with calves as part of their veterinary science technology program. After an off-campus provider identified an index case, school authorities requested Cryptosporidium (crypto) as part of the stool ova and parasite examination of all students presenting to the college health center with significant gastroenteritis. Thirteen students submitted stool specimens that were examined for crypto; 7 were positive, and all were from veterinary science students. One of the calves used in the program also tested positive for crypto. All of the students were immunocompetent and recovered uneventfully. The outbreak was contained by strictly enforcing infectious-disease precautions in the calf barn. The authors recommend considering crypto as a cause of gastroenteritis, especially among farm-animal workers, and urge strict infectious disease precautions for those who attend to livestock.
Definitively, my cup of tea. Focus on "Caffeine inhibits glucose transport by binding at the GLUT1 nucleotide-binding site".

caffeine and theophylline are the most widely ingested substances affecting behavior. Consumption is particularly high in Scandinavia at >400 mg per person per day; this is double that of the US or UK ([5][1]). A single cup of coffee raises plasma concentration to around 4 μM. Caffeine acts as a
Asymptotic stabilization of multiple nonholonomic mobile robots forming group formations

Presents a control approach for multiple nonholonomic wheeled mobile robots of the Hilare-type to form group formations. To control the formation, each robot has its own coordinate system and it controls its relative positions to its neighboring robots. Particularly, it has a vector called "a formation vector, and the formation is controllable by the vectors. Since the robots have nonholonomic constraints, it is not possible for them to directly move in omni-directions, which means that such nonholonomic vehicles cannot be asymptotically stabilized by smooth static-state feedback control laws. We introduce a smooth time-varying feedback control law whose asymptotic stability is guaranteed in a mathematical framework, averaging theory. The validity of this law is verified by computer simulations.
Association between ins4436A in 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 gene and essential hypertension in Polish population.

BACKGROUND Essential hypertension (EH) is the most common cardiovascular disease worldwide, and it has a strong genetic component. Cortisol homeostasis is an important factor in controlling blood pressure, and the availability of this hormone is regulated by 11βhydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 enzyme (11βHSD1), which converts cortisone into cortisol. MATERIALS AND METHODS We investigated the correlation between EH and the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) ins4436A located on the hydroxysteroid (11-beta) dehydrogenase 1 gene among the Polish population. The study included a total of 268 patients with confirmed EH and 151 unrelated controls. All studied polymorphisms were detected using the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method. RESULTS The carriage of ins4436A (rs45487298) polymorphism in intron 3 of the HSD11B1 gene was more frequent among patients with EH than among controls (p=0.013). The analysis of association of ins4436A with the risk of EH indicated an odds ratio (OR) of 2.44 (95% confidential interval: 1.24-4.82). Moreover, essential hypertension occurred less frequently in males than in females. Results of multivariate analysis in the study group showed that ins4436A is a strong predictor of diabetes mellitus type 2 and ins4436A may lead to a decrease of the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level. DISCUSSION The cause of essential hypertension has not been fully established, but genetic factors seem to play a very important role. In our study we found that ins4436A in the HSD11B1 gene was associated with essential hypertension in a Polish population. Nevertheless, the impact of ins4436A in the HSD11B1 gene on the occurrence of essential hypertension requires further investigations.
Obesity and hypnosis: a review of the literature.

Abstract Hypnosis has been reported as a treatment for obesity for many years but there have been no reviews of this literature. In this review all of the journal articles found are summarized briefly but because of lack of comparable information no attempt is made to critically compare the methods used. Most of the reports are anecdotal and very few report detailed results or follow-up. It is concluded that although there is evidence that hypnosis may have a role in the treatment of obesity, well-designed research studies are needed to establish the extent of its usefulness and the most effective methods of using hypnosis in the treatment of the different types of obesity.
Membrane and luminal proteins reach the apicoplast by different trafficking pathways in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

The secretory pathway in Plasmodium falciparum has evolved to transport proteins to the host cell membrane and to an endosymbiotic organelle, the apicoplast. The latter can occur via the ER or the ER-Golgi route. Here, we study these three routes using proteins Erythrocyte Membrane Protein-1 (PfEMP1), Acyl Carrier Protein (ACP) and glutathione peroxidase-like thioredoxin peroxidase (PfTPxGl) and inhibitors of vesicular transport. As expected, the G protein-dependent vesicular fusion inhibitor AlF4− and microtubule destabilizing drug vinblastine block the trafficking of PfEMP-1, a protein secreted to the host cell membrane. However, while both PfTPxGl and ACP are targeted to the apicoplast, only ACP trafficking remains unaffected by these treatments. This implies that G protein-dependent vesicles do not play a role in classical apicoplast protein targeting. Unlike the soluble protein ACP, we show that PfTPxGl is localized to the outermost membrane of the apicoplast. Thus, the parasite apicoplast acquires proteins via two different pathways: first, the vesicular trafficking pathway appears to handle not only secretory proteins, but an apicoplast membrane protein, PfTPxGl; second, trafficking of apicoplast luminal proteins appear to be independent of G protein-coupled vesicles.
Cost Effectiveness of Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in Infants in Ghana

Aim: In order to integrate malaria Intermittent Preventive Treatment in infants (IPTi) into the Ghana national immunization programme, there was the need to evaluate the feasibility of IPTi by assessing the intervention operational issues including its implementation costs, and its cost effectiveness. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Upper East Region, Ghana, between July 2007 and July 2009 Methods: We calculated the costs of administrating IPTi during vaccination sessions; the costs of programme implementation during the first year of implementation (start-up costs) and in routine years (recurrent costs). For the purposes of cost-effectiveness analysis, all economic costs (including financial and opportunity costs) and the net cost were estimated. To estimate the cost effectiveness ratios of IPTi, the aggregate cost of providing the intervention for a reference target population of 1,000 infants was divided by its health outcome. Sensitivity analyses were carried out to understand the results robustness. Results: IPTi gross costs in start up and in routine years were estimated at 70.66 cents and 29.72 cents per dose, or $2.0 and $0.87 per infant, respectively. The gross cost per DALY saved was estimated at $3.49 and the net cost of IPTi for 1,000 infants was $-3,416.38 in the routine years rending IPTi a highly cost saving intervention. Sensitivity analyses showed that the cost per DALY saved never went up more than $4.50 maintaining the intervention still highly cost effective. Conclusion: IPTi in Ghana is a highly and robust cost effective intervention. The intervention is cost-saving and should be scaled up nationally to save children’s health and economic capital.
The Mediterranean diet and mortality--olive oil and beyond.

The concept of the Mediterranean diet originated from the Seven Countries Study initiated by Ancel Keys in the 1950s. The study showed that, despite a high fat intake, the population of the island of Crete in Greece had very low rates of coronary heart disease and certain types of cancer and had a long life expectancy. The traditional dietary patterns typical of Crete, much of the rest of Greece, and southern Italy in the early 1960s were considered to be largely responsible for the good health observed in these regions.1 The main characteristics of the Mediterranean diet (see Figure) include .
Reaching Out to High School Youth: The Effectiveness of a Video-Based Antistigma Program

Objective: To evaluate the impact on high school students of a video-based antistigma program portraying real life experiences of individuals with schizophrenia and lesson plans to guide classroom discussions and active learning. Method: We used a pre- and posttest design to measure the short-term impact of the program on student's knowledge of schizophrenia and its treatment as well as students' self-reported socially distancing behaviours. Participants (571 students) were from 8 high schools across Canada. Results: Following the Reaching Out antistigma program, high school students were significantly more knowledgeable and less socially distancing. Impact also varied by age group and sex. Conclusions: Video-based antistigma programs are comparable to programs that deliver educational messages through direct contact with individuals with mental illnesses. Video-based programs are more easily disseminated on a broad scale.
Transmission and Persistence of Ceratonova shasta Genotypes in Chinook Salmon

Abstract: Ceratonova shasta is a myxozoan parasite of salmon and trout transmitted by waterborne actinospores. Based on DNA sequence data and host specificity, 4 distinct parasite genotypes are recognized. Genotypes I and II are common in the lower reaches of the Klamath River, Oregon–California, but only infection by genotype I causes mortality in Chinook salmon. We conducted sentinel fish exposures and determined genotype composition in river water during exposure, and in fish gills, intestine, and tank water post-exposure to determine whether: (1) transmission of parasites having different genotypes is host-specific and (2) all transmitted genotypes persist in the host through to release as waterborne stages. Initial parasite transmission to the fish host appears indiscriminant, since we detected both genotypes I and II in 83.6% of the fish gills sampled. However, only genotype I was detected in fish that succumbed to infection, while both genotypes persisted in fish that survived. Persistence was likely dependent on exposure dose, initial infection type (mixed or single) and infection outcome (mortality or survival). The transmission of both genotypes to a majority of Chinook salmon and the persistence of multiple genotypes raises questions about how infection with mixed genotypes could result in within-host interactions that affect disease severity.
Hepatic steatosis, GH deficiency and the effects of GH replacement: a Liverpool magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

OBJECTIVE Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is reported to be more common in patients with GH deficiency (GHD) than in the general population. we aimed to determine: i) liver fat in patients with GHD compared with age and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls; and ii) effect of 6 months of GH replacement (GHR) on liver fat. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS The study included 28 GHD patients and 24 controls. 12 patients were studied before and after 6 months of GHR. Anthropometry, liver enzymes and lipid profiles were measured, and body composition and intrahepatocellular lipid (IHCL) were determined by magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy. RESULTS Age and BMI (median (inter-quartile range)) of patients and controls were 52.6 (14) vs 52.6 (12) years (P=0.9) and 27.8 (24.7, 34.7) vs 27.9 (25.1, 32.1) kg/m(2) (P=0.9). IGF1 was lower in the patients (11.5 vs 16.0 nmol/l, P=0.002). There was no difference in liver transaminases, lipids or IHCL between patients and controls (2.8 (1.3, 8.6) vs 5.0 (1.5, 12.7), P=0.72), despite significantly higher visceral fat in GHD patients. Thirty-two percent of patients and 50% of controls had NAFLD (defined as IHCL >5.6%), and the relationship between IHCL and BMI was the same in each group. GHR significantly reduced abdominal subcutaneous and visceral fat in all patients; however, GHR did not reduce liver fat. CONCLUSIONS NAFLD is equally common in patients with GHD and matched controls. GHR is associated with a hierarchical reduction in fat deposition (fat loss: visceral > subcutaneous > liver). Further studies involving GHD patients with NAFLD are required to conclude the role of GHR in treating NAFLD.
Patch testing with mercaptobenzothiazole and mercapto‐mixes

In 1976 we reported a comparative study of the results of patch testing with mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) in 1 % pet. and mercapto-mix which consisted of MBT, N-cyc1ohexylbenzothiazylsulphenamide, dibenzothiazyldisulphide and morpholinylmercaptobenzothiazole each 0.25% in pet. obtained from Trolle-Lassen, Denmark (Table 1). 104/166 (39%) patients were positive to MBT and mix, but 51/166 (31%) patients were
Expression of Trop2 Cell Surface Glycoprotein in Normal and Tumor Tissues

Trop2 is a cell-surface glycoprotein reported to be overexpressed in various types of adenocarcinomas with minimal expression in normal tissues. Recent findings that Trop2 expression correlates with tumor aggressiveness have increased interest in Trop2 as a potential target for cancer immunotherapy. The goal of this study was to extensively evaluate Trop2 expression at the transcript and protein levels in normal and tumor tissues. It was determined that Trop2 is overexpressed on some carcinomas relative to the corresponding normal tissue. However, in human and mouse, Trop2 is highly expressed at both the transcript and protein levels on several essential normal tissues. The findings suggest that the development of therapeutic agents to target Trop2 may require strategies that target Trop2 on malignant tissues in order to minimize potential toxicities to essential normal tissues that also express high levels of Trop2.
Non-erosive and erosive gastroesophageal reflux diseases: No difference with regard to reflux pattern and motility abnormalities

Objective. To investigate whether gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with mild to moderate erosive esophagitis (ERD) is a more severe disease regarding the amount of acid reflux, motor abnormalities, and the presence/absence of hiatus hernia than non-erosive reflux disease (NERD). Material and methods. The study comprised a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on 313 consecutive subjects referred for endoscopy, pH-metry, and esophageal manometry. The patients were divided into four groups: Group I (n=92), subjects without GERD with normal pH-metry, without esophagitis and without reflux symptoms; Group II (n=111), patients with NERD (no esophagitis, abnormal pH-metry); Group III (n=77), patients with mild to moderate ERD (LA A, B; abnormal pH-metry); Group IV (n=33), patients with severe or complicated esophagitis (LA C, D; Barrett's esophagus). All data are expressed as medians with 5th–95th percentiles. Results. No difference was found in the amount of acid reflux between patients with mild to moderate ERD and those with NERD. The DeMeester score was 34.5 (17–105) in NERD patients and 31.6 (15–102) in ERD patients. No significant differences were found between NERD and ERD patients regarding lower esophageal sphincter (LES) basal pressure (11.6 mmHg; 3–25 in NERD versus 10.7 mmHg; 3–22 in ERD). Similar proportions of patients with NERD and ERD had low LES basal pressure (20.7% in NERD versus 24.7% in ERD; NS) and hiatus hernia (44% and 56%; NS). A relatively high proportion of patients without GERD (Group I) had ineffective esophageal motility (39%) and hiatus hernia (30%). Conclusions. No difference was found between NERD and mild to moderate ERD in terms of acid exposure time and esophageal motor abnormalities. To a certain extent, ERD is a “more complicated” form of the disease. Host factors related to a particular patient (e.g. mucosal defense, genetics, acid clearance) might be responsible for the development of esophagitis.
Astrocytes and absence epilepsy

This commentary discusses the importance of a new study entitled ‘ONO‐2506 inhibits spike–wave discharges in a genetic animal model without affecting traditional convulsive tests via gliotransmission regulation’ by Yamamura et al. (2013) from Dr Okada's laboratory. The results from this study suggest that specific astrocyte modulating approaches should be developed for managing non‐convulsive forms of epilepsy. In addition, the authors have advanced our understanding of astrocytic signalling and glial transmission. Their findings point to kynurenic acid as one of the key transmitters in the bi‐directional communication between astrocytes and neurons.
Have we Forgotten the Fundamental it Enabler: Ease of Use

Abstract “I asked for a glass of water and got a hose in the face. ” That's how one IT customer explained to his IS manager the latest and greatest e-mail system that their company installed. the system simply overwhelmed users with its myriad of functions. It seems that as computers and software grow more powerful, they are also growing too complex for most IT customers to use. This article is a reminder that using information technology should help people accomplish tasks and not be a task itself.
Motion Information via the Nonfixating Eye Can Drive Optokinetic Nystagmus in Strabismus.

PURPOSE Strabismic patients can perceptually suppress information from one eye to avoid double vision. However, evidence from prior studies shows that some parts of the visual field of the deviated eye are not suppressed. Our goal here was to investigate whether motion information available only to the deviated eye can be utilized by the oculomotor system to drive eye movements. METHODS Binocular eye movements were acquired in two exotropic monkeys in a dichoptic viewing task in which the fixating eye viewed a stationary spot and the deviated eye viewed a 10° × 10° stationary patch that contained a drifting grating stimulus moving at 10°/s to the right or left for 20 seconds. Spatial location and contrast of the grating were systematically varied in subsequent trials. For each trial, mean slow-phase velocity of the optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) elicited by grating motion was calculated. RESULTS We found that OKN responses can be elicited by a motion stimulus presented to the foveal region of the deviated eye. Optokinetic nystagmus magnitude varied depending on which eye was viewing the drifting grating and correlated well with fixation preference and fixation stability (indicators of amblyopia). The magnitude of OKN increased for increased relative contrast of the motion stimulus compared to the fixation spot. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that motion information available only to the deviated eye can drive optokinetic eye movements. We conclude that the brain has access to visual information from portions of the deviated eye (including the fovea) in strabismus that it can use to drive eye movements.