Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A systematic review on marginal bone loss around short dental implants (<10 mm) for implant-supported fixed prostheses.

PURPOSE This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effect of implant length on peri-implant marginal bone loss (MBL) and its associated influencing factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS An electronic search of the PubMed and MEDLINE databases for relevant studies published in English from November 2006 to July 2012 was performed by one examiner (AM). Selected studies were randomized clinical trials, human experimental clinical trials or prospective studies (e.g., cohort as well as case series) with a clear aim of investigating marginal bone loss of short dental implants (<10 mm) supporting fixed prostheses. A random-effect meta-regression model was used to determine the relationship between the effect size mean MBL and the covariate "implant length. " Additionally, a subgroup analysis, by means of a random-effect one-way ANOVA model, comparing mean MBL values at different levels of each factor ("type of connection" and "type of prostheses") was also performed. RESULTS The meta-regression of mean MBL on the moderator "implant length" was found to be insignificant (P = 0.633). Therefore, it could not be concluded that implant length had an effect on peri-implant MBL. In addition, standardized differences in mean MBL on the subgroups short (<10 mm) and standard (≥ 10 mm) implants, as determined by the meta-analysis (random-effect model), were found to be statistically insignificant (P = 0.222). CONCLUSIONS Within limitations of the present systematic review, it could be concluded that short dental implants (<10 mm) had similar peri-implant MBL as standard implants (≥ 10 mm) for implant-supported fixed prostheses.
A Role for Gcn5-Mediated Global Histone Acetylation in Transcriptional Regulation

ABSTRACT Transcriptional activators often require histone acetyltransferases (HATs) for full activity. The common explanation is that activators directly recruit HATs to gene promoters to locally hyperacetylate histones and thereby facilitate transcription complex formation. However, in addition to being targeted to specific loci, HATs such as Gcn5 also modify histones genome-wide. Here we provide evidence for a role of this global HAT activity in regulated transcription. We show that activation by direct recruitment of the transcriptional machinery neither recruits Gcn5 nor induces changes in histone acetylation yet can strongly depend on Gcn5 at promoters showing a high basal state of Gcn5-mediated histone acetylation. We also show that Gcn5 dependency varies among core promoters and is influenced by the strength of interaction used to recruit the machinery and by the affinity of the latter for the core promoter. These data support a role for global Gcn5 HAT activity in modulating transcription independently of its known coactivator function.
Linkage exclusion and mutational analysis of the noggin gene in patients with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP)

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is an extremely rare and disabling genetic disorder characterized by congenital malformation of the great toes and by progressive heterotopic endochondral ossification in predictable anatomical patterns. Although elevated levels of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) occur in lymphoblastoid cells and in lesional cells of patients with FOP, mutations have not been identified in the BMP4 gene, suggesting that the mutation in FOP may reside in a BMP4‐interacting factor or in another component of the BMP4 pathway. A powerful antagonist of BMP4 is the secreted polypeptide noggin. A recent case report described a heterozygous 42‐bp deletion in the protein‐coding region of the noggin gene of a patient with FOP. In order to determine if noggin mutations are a widespread finding in FOP, we examined 31 families with 1 or more FOP patients. Linkage analysis with an array of highly polymorphic microsatellite markers closely linked to the noggin gene was performed in four classically‐affected multigenerational FOP families and excluded linkage of the noggin locus to FOP (the multipoint lod score was −2 or less throughout the entire range of markers). We sequenced the noggin gene in affected members of all four families, as well as in 18 patients with sporadic FOP, and failed to detect any mutations. Single‐strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of 4 of these patients plus an additional 9 patients also failed to reveal any mutations. Among the samples analyzed by SSCP and DNA sequencing was an independently obtained DNA sample from the identical FOP patient previously described with the 42‐bp noggin deletion; no mutation was detected. Examination of the DNA sequences of 20 cloned noggin PCR products, undertaken to evaluate the possibility of a somatic mutation in the noggin gene which could be carried by a small subset of white blood cells, also failed to detect the presence of the reported 42‐bp deletion. We conclude that mutations in the coding region of noggin are not associated with FOP.
Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia: A study of symptomatology

Background: Behavioral disturbances are integral to the dementing process and contribute adversely to the quality of life of the patients and caregivers. Information regarding the nature of symptoms in Alzheimer's disease is limited in the Indian context. Aim: To study the nature of symptoms in Alzheimer's disease using the Malayalam adaptation of Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer's disease Rating Scale (BEHAVE-AD). Materials and Methods: Forty patients diagnosed as having Alzheimer's disease as per DSM-IV criteria were studied using the Malayalam version of BEHAVE-AD. Results: Delusions and paranoid ideations were present in 53% of the sample studied and 33% had hallucinations. Activity disturbances were seen in 65%, aggressive symptoms in 75% and diurnal rhythm disturbances in 55%. Affective disturbances and anxiety symptoms were present in 37% and 43% respectively. Conclusion: The prevalence of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia was found to be high.
Financial intermediation and financial inclusion of poor households: Mediating role of social networks in rural Uganda

Abstract The paper examined the mediating role of social networks in the relationship between financial intermediation and financial inclusion of poor households in rural Uganda. The paper used SPSS (statistical package for social scientist) and applied MedGraph program (Excel version 13), Sobel test, and Kenny & Baron guideline to test for the mediating role of social networks in the relationship between financial intermediation and financial inclusion. Quantitative data were collected from a total sample of 400 poor households living in rural Uganda who were randomly selected for this study. The findings revealed that social networks partially mediate in the relationship between financial intermediation and financial inclusion of poor households in rural Uganda. Besides, social networks and financial intermediation have significant and positive impacts on financial inclusion of poor households in rural Uganda. This implies that some effects of financial intermediation on financial inclusion go through social networks to cause an impact on financial inclusion of poor households in rural Uganda. Therefore, financial institutions such as banks and microfinance institutions should develop financial products and services that promote social networking among poor households in rural Uganda. In addition, they should advocate for participation by poor households in existing village associations and social organizations so as to develop wide social networks. This will help them to gain access to scarce and vital information about available financial services like credit.
[Clinical usefulness of reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent (RET-He) in patients at the pre-dialysis stage and in patients on peritoneal dialysis].

BACKGROUND Evaluation of the iron status of patients with renal anemia provides information essential to prescribing adequate rHuEPO therapy. Cellular iron status can be determined by the recently available method of measuring the reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent (RET-He). We previously showed that RET-He values were correlated with conventional parameters and with a direct marker of the reticulocyte hemoglobin (CHr) content of hemodialysis patients. We attempted to utilize the measurements of RET-He levels of non-dialyzed patients and the iron status of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. METHODS Iron deficiency was defined on the basis of the TSAT (< 20 %) and ferritin (< 100 ng/mL) levels. RET-He levels and conventional red blood cell parameters were measured with a Sysmex XE-2100 automated blood cell counter. CHr was measured with an ADVIA120 autoanalyzer. The serum hepcidin levels of PD patients were measured by mass-spectrometry. RESULTS The mean RET-He value was 32.0 pg in the non-dialysis group and 32.5 pg in the PD group, and a correlation was found between the RET-He and TSAT values, but not the ferritin values in both groups. The serum hepcidin level was 49.8 pg in the PD group and there was a positive correlation between their hepcidin and ferritin values. Receiver operating characteristic analysis yielded a cut-off value of RET-He in the non-dialysis group (31.0 pg) and the PD group (32.7 pg). The RET-He values of PD patients who were switched from epoetin beta to darbepoetin alfa responded more rapidly than TSAT or ferritin values. CONCLUSION RET-He is a new parameter, whose values are equivalent to CHr, and can be easily measured with a widely available and popular blood cell counter. Reticulocyte hemoglobin is an indispensable marker of iron status for chronic kidney disease patients. Moreover, reticulocyte hemoglobin is likely to provide useful information regarding the need for iron supplementation in patients being treated with an ESA.
Results of Pancreaticoduodenectomy in Patients With Periampullary Adenocarcinoma: Perineural Growth More Important Prognostic Factor Than Tumor Localization

Objective:To study the impact of perineural growth as a prognostic factor in periampullary adenocarcinoma (pancreatic head, ampulla of Vater, distal bile duct, and duodenal carcinoma). Summary Background Data:Pancreatic head carcinoma is considered to have the worst prognosis of the periampullary carcinomas. Several other prognostic factors for periampullary tumors have been identified, eg, lymph node status, free resection margins, tumor size and differentiation, and vascular invasion. The impact of perineural growth as a prognostic factor in relation to the site of origin of periampullary carcinomas is unknown. Methods:Data of 205 patients with periampullary carcinomas were retrieved from our prospective database. Pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed in 121 patients. Their clinicopathological data were reviewed and analyzed in a multivariate analysis. Results:Perineural growth was present in 49% of the cases (37 of the 51 patients with pancreatic head carcinoma; 7 of the 30 patients with ampulla of Vater carcinoma; 7 of the 19 with distal bile duct carcinoma; and 8 of the 21 with duodenal carcinoma). Overall 5-year survival was 32.6% with a median survival of 20.7 months. Median survival in tumors with perineural growth was 13.1 months compared with 36.0 months in tumors without perineural growth (P < 0.0001) Using multivariate analysis, the following unfavorable prognostic factors were identified: perineural growth (RR = 2.90, 95% CI 1.62–5.22), nonradical resection (RR = 2.28, 95% CI 1.19–4.36), positive lymph nodes (RR = 1.96, 95% CI 1.11–3.45), and angioinvasion (RR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.05–3.06). Portal or superior mesenteric vein reconstruction and tumor localization were not of statistical significance. Conclusion:Perineural growth is a more important risk factor for survival than the primary site of periampullary carcinomas.
Digestive pathology of sea turtles stranded in the Canary Islands between 1993 and 2001

Digestive lesions were observed in 84 of 136 sea turtles (128 Caretta caretta, four Chelonia mydas and four Dermochelys coriacea) stranded in the Canary Islands between January 1993 and December 2001. In the oral cavity ulcerative and necropurulent stomatitis were the most frequently observed lesions, and in the oesophagus ulcerative and fibrinous oesophagitis, and traumatic oesophageal perforation were most frequently observed; all these lesions were mainly associated with the ingestion of fishing hooks. Different histological types of gastritis were observed in 35 of the turtles; necropurulent and fibrinous gastritis were associated with bacterial infections caused mainly by Proteus species, Vibrio alginolyticus, and Staphylococcus species, and larval nematodes of the genus Anisakis were responsible for a form of parasitic gastritis observed in 16 of the turtles. Different histological types of enteritis, including catarrhal, fibrinous, necropurulent and necrotising enteritis, affected 36 turtles; a wide range of Gram-negative and Grampositive bacteria, including Bacillus species, Escherichia coli, Pasteurella species, Proteus species, Staphylococcus species, Streptococcus species and V alginolyticus, were isolated from these lesions. All the cases of necrotising enteritis were associated with intestinal intussusception caused by the ingestion of monofilament fishing lines. Necrotising and/or multifocal granulomatous hepatitis were the lesions most commonly observed in the liver; they affected 29 of the turtles and were associated with Aeromonas hydrophila, Citrobacter species, E coli, Proteus species, Staphylococcus species and V alginolyticus infections. According to the stranding reports and the gross and histological lesions observed, 33 of the turtles had digestive lesions associated with the ingestion of hooks and monofilament lines, and two had lesions associated with the ingestion of crude oil.
How Competitive Action Mediates the Resource Slack–Performance Relationship: A Meta‐Analytic Approach

The fungibility of organizational slack provides firms significant latitude in addressing both internal and market pressures. A vast literature suggests that slack influences firm performance; however, the empirical record is mixed, and the underlying mechanism linking slack to performance remains ambiguous. We address these issues by theoretically expanding the slack–performance model to include mediation. Specifically, we develop and test a model in which a firm’s competitive behaviours direct the utilization of slack toward the realization of firm performance. Our meta‐analytic‐based structural equation model supports partial mediation, showing that competitive behaviours provide some resolution to the conflicted understanding of how slack affects performance. Further, we provide value to the slack literature by consolidating the evidence for the effects of various types and forms of organizational slack. Beyond providing robustness to our theoretical model, doing so offers a more complete understanding of how operationalizations of slack and performance outcomes matter.
Spatial frequency modulates the human visual cortical response to temporal frequency variation: an fMRI study

The brain response to temporal frequencies (TF) has been already reported, but with no study for different TFs with respect to various spatial frequencies (SF). Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) experiments were performed by 1.5 Tesla General Electric-system in 14 volunteers (9 males and 5 females, range 19-26 years) during square-wave reversal checkerboard visual stimulation with different temporal frequencies of 4, 6, 8 and 10 Hz in two states of low SF of 0.5 and high SF of 8 cpd (cycles/degree). The activation map was created using the data obtained from the block designed fMRI study. Pixels whose correlation coefficient value was above a threshold of 0.33, in significant level P<0.01 were considered activated. The average percentage BOLD (blood oxygenation level dependent) signal change for all activated pixels within the occipital lobe, multiplied by the total number of activated pixels within the occipital lobe, was used as the criterion for the strength of the fMRI signal at each state of TF&SF. The results demonstrated that the strength of the fMRI signal in response to different TFs was maximum in 6Hz for high SF of 8 cpd, while it was maximum at TF of 8Hz for low SF of 0.5 cpd. The results of this study agree with the results of animal invasive neurophysiological studies showing spatial and temporal frequency selectivity of neurons in visual cortical areas. These results can be useful for vision therapy (such as the treatment of Amblyopia) and selecting visual task in fMRI studies
Use of multiple preferred retinal loci in Stargardt’s disease during natural tasks: a case study *

Individuals with central visual field loss often use a preferred retinal locus (PRL) to compensate for their deficit. We present a case study examining the eye movements of a subject with Stargardt’s disease causing bilateral central scotomas, while performing a set of natural tasks including: making a sandwich; building a model; reaching and grasping; and catching a ball. In general, the subject preferred to use PRLs in the lower left visual field. However, there was considerable variation in the location and extent of the PRLs used. Our results demonstrate that a well‐defined PRL is not necessary to adequately perform this set of tasks and that many sites in the peripheral retina may be viable for PRLs, contingent on task and stimulus constraints.
Louisiana Extension Educators’ Perceptions of the Benefit and Relevance of Participating in an International Extension Experience toward Their Career

The purpose of this study was to assess Extension educators’ perceptions of the benefit and relevance of an international Extension experience (IEE) toward their career. It was concluded that almost two-thirds of Extension educators perceive that participation in an IEE is beneficial and relevant to their careers. Further, Extension educators perceive the following barriers to participation in an IEE: a) cost, (b) time commitment, and (c) work obligation. Extension educators who perceive participation in an IEE as beneficial and relevant to their career perceive the locations rated for an IEE to be more appealing and the activities they experience during an IEE to be more important than Extension educators who do not perceive an IEE as beneficial or relevant to their career. However, no differences exist in Extension agents perceptions of barriers between educators who perceive participation in an IEE as beneficial and relevant to their career and those who do not perceive that an IEE as beneficial and relevant. As a result of these findings, it can be recommended that Extension administrators should put forth an effort to promote and create opportunities for Extension educators to participate in an IEE.
The Enzyme Levels in Blood Are Not Affected by Oral Administration of a Pancreatic Enzyme Preparation (Creon 10,000) in Pancreas-Insufficient Pigs

After oral intake, small amounts of intact protein may be absorbed into the blood circulation. The current study investigated whether orally administered pancreatic enzymes were absorbed from the intestine. The study included 28 pigs; 3 control pigs with intact pancreatic function and 25 pigs that were made exocrine pancreas insufficient by duct ligation (20 pigs) or total pancreatectomy (5 pigs). The pigs received a pancreatic enzyme preparation (0, 2, 4, or 8 g of Creon 10,000) together with the feed. The blood plasma was analyzed for pancreatic lipase activity with a [3H]-triolein substrate assay, while (pro)colipase and cationic trypsin(ogen) levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Administration of Creon (0–8 g) caused no significant changes in plasma (pro)colipase or cationic trypsin(ogen) levels. Lipase activity peaks in plasma samples were found, but they did not correspond to the administration of Creon. The potential source of these plasma lipase activity peaks is discussed. The results showed no absorption into blood of pancreatic enzymes after oral administration (0, 2, 4, or 8 g of Creon mixed with 100 g of feed) to pancreas-insufficient pigs.
Evaluation of a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for Johne's disease

A new commercial kit for diagnosis of bovine paratuberculosis (Johne's disease), called the Johne's Absorbed EIA (enzyme immunoassay; Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, Parkville, Victoria, Australia), was evaluated by using serum specimens from the National Repository for Paratuberculosis Specimens. The evaluation was specifically designed to measure test sensitivity and specificity for detection of dairy cattle with subclinical paratuberculosis. The case definition of subclinical bovine paratuberculosis was isolation of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis from fecal samples or internal organs of cattle without diarrhea or chronic weight loss. Animals designed as free of the disease originated exclusively from four herds in Wisconsin that were certified to be free of disease. The kit had a sensitivity of 47.3% for serum specimens from 150 infected cattle. The test detected 59.7% of animals that shed M. paratuberculosis in their feces, as defined by conventional fecal culture, at the time of serum collection. Testing of 196 serum specimens from cattle without paratuberculosis yielded two false-positive results; the test specificity was thus 99.0%. Decision analysis procedures on the economics of using the kit in a test-and-cull disease control program indicated it would be cost-effective in any herd with a true paratuberculosis prevalence of greater than or equal to 3%. Comparison of the sensitivity and specificity of the Johne's Absorbed EIA with those of other tests for detection of subclinical paratuberculosis indicated that it may be the most accurate commercially available test at present and better than standard complement fixation test used in the United States.
Introduction to Econophysics

The future contains terms (V) that are valid at all times, and terms (U) that are presently unknown. In economics, (V) and (U) correspond to ex ante and ex post, in physics to conservative and not conservative, in calculus, to exact and not exact differential forms or to Riemann and Stokes integrals, and to linear or non-linear equations, in statistics to real and probable terms. Apparently, the authors may represent the (V) and (U) structure in economics and physics by calculus, probability theory, by non-linearity, and chaos theory. The present paper applies Stokes integrals to double entry accounting. The resulting laws replace neoclassical theory and correspond to the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Economics and physics have the same structure, leading to the name econophysics. Production is a two level cycle with cheap production, expensive sales, corresponding to the Carnot cycle of a motor with cold air and hot exhaust. In a running motor, efficiency, the difference between hot and cold, becomes always higher. In an economy the gap between rich and poor always rises.
Telomere Lengths in Cloned Transgenic Pigs1

Abstract Studies of cloned cattle and mice have resulted in controversies regarding the restoration of eroded telomere length of donor cells by the nuclear transfer process. Little is known about telomere lengths in pigs from either natural reproduction or nuclear transfer. In this study, we measured the telomere lengths in six major porcine organs from animals of different ages, and found that their lengths remained consistent throughout different tissues during fetal stages, and then shortened, in a tissue- specific manner, after birth. Telomeres of skin samples from six cloned transgenic pigs at 4 mo of age did not differ significantly from those of age-matched controls. Two cloned pigs that died shortly after birth had skin telomere lengths equivalent to those of late-stage fetuses.