Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association between Dental Caries and Obesity in Children and Young People: A Narrative Review

Objectives To explore the association between obesity and dental caries in children and adolescents. Furthermore, to consider the possible reasons behind this relationship. Methods A database search for papers published between January 2015 and May 2018, inclusive, addressing the association between obesity and dental caries was conducted. A review and critical appraisal of all included studies was performed. Results Twenty-six studies were included in this review from different populations worldwide. Eight studies assessed the primary dentition, nine studies were conducted on permanent dentition, and remaining nine studies on both dentitions. The results regarding the association between obesity and dental caries were conflicting and inconsistent. Nine studies concluded that there was no relationship between obesity and dental caries. A positive association was reported in five studies, while the inverse association was reported in eleven studies. Studies included in this review had significant variations in methodology and the investigated cofactors. Possible explanations of the controversial association between obesity and dental caries are discussed in this review. Conclusion Both obesity and dental caries are multifactorial diseases, and their association is far more complex that can be explained by a single common risk factor, presenting evidence for the complexity of this association.
The dopamine D1 receptor is a critical mediator for cocaine‐induced gene expression

The dopamine D1 receptor plays a major role in mediating behavioral responses to cocaine administration. The time course for the acquisition and the relative stability for the expression of behavioral responses suggest the involvement of enduring neuroadaptations in response to repeated cocaine exposure. Changes in gene expression through the D1 receptors may accompany and mediate the development of such neuroadaptations to repeated cocaine stimulation. To test this possibility, we systematically compared the expression of the fos and Jun family immediate early genes in the nucleus accumbens and caudoputamen in D1 receptor mutant and wild‐type control mice after acute and repeated cocaine exposure. Moreover, we compared the expression of three molecules that have been implicated in mediating the actions of cocaine, Gαolf, β‐catenin and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor, in the two groups of mice before and after cocaine administration. We found that there is a lack of induction of c‐Fos, FosB, Fra‐2 and JunB by acute cocaine exposure, and of ΔFosB by repeated cocaine administration in both the NAc and CPu of D1 receptor mutant mice compared with wild‐type control mice. Moreover, the D1 receptor is differentially required for mediating Gαolf, β‐catenin and BDNF expression in the NAc and CPu upon cocaine exposure. These results suggest that the D1 receptor is a critical mediator for cocaine‐induced expression of these genes.
Axial skeletogenesis in human autosomal aneuploidies: A radiographic study of 145 second trimester fetuses

Autosomal aneuploidies associate with multiple minor skeletal defects, which, in fetuses, are best appreciated post‐mortem after specific anatomic preparations. The present study was aimed to define patterns of skeletal anomalies in autosomal aneuploidies at standard radiology in second trimester fetuses by comparing findings in and among genotypes and gestational ages. Aneuploid fetuses were selected for availability of radiographs of various axial and non‐axial structures, mainly homeotic transformations, vertebral clefts, vertebral segmentation and ossification defects, absent/hypoplastic nasal bone, premature talar calcifications, and selected appendicular anomalies. Eighty six fetuses with trisomy 21, 39 with trisomy 18, eight with trisomy 13, six with triploidy, and six with rare autosomal aneuploidies were identified, 75.2% showing an abnormal costo‐vertebral pattern, mostly cervical ribs, absence of the 12th thoracic ribs and posterior homeotic change. Clefting was observed along the entire spine, especially sagittal lumbar clefts, and coronal thoracic clefts. Four different types of vertebral clefting were identified, including type 1 (butterfly), type 2 (incomplete inferior), type 3 (incomplete superior), and type 4 (complete). Attenuation of clefting by gestational age was observed in trisomy 21 and 18. These findings define more clearly the pattern of perturbed morphogenesis in aneuploidy as a type of amplified developmental instability with pleiotropic effects on skeletogenesis. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A study of the nutritional status and food habits of Otomi Indians in the Mezquital Valley of Mexico.

HIS is a report of a nutrition study in four Otomi Indian villages in the Mezquital Valley of Mexico, two of which were surveyed from October to December of 1943, and the others in March to September of 1944. The Mezquital Valley lies 60 to 120 miles to the north of Mexico City and is traversed by the Pan-American Highway. The four villages lie in the southern end of the valley about 75 miles from Mexico City. The people are predominantly Indian, although some mixture with white blood is apparent. Most historians believe that the Otomi Indians were originally inhabitants of the valley of Mexico, the site of the present City of Mexico, but were driven into the surrounding areas by successive Indian invasions ending with that of the Aztecs. In the main they still cling to their native customs in spite of the Spanish influence dating back to the first half of the 16th century. Otomi is the chief language, although in the first two villages, close to a town-of about 3,500 population,
Inhibitory Control Test Is a Simple Method to Diagnose Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy and Predict Development of Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy

OBJECTIVES:To compare inhibitory control test (ICT), a simple/rapid test of attention, to a standard psychometric battery (SPT) to diagnose minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) and predict development of overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE) in cirrhotic patients.METHODS:Fifty nonalcoholic cirrhotics and 50 age/educational-status-matched controls were given ICT and SPT in the same sitting. Performance impaired beyond two standard deviations of controls was considered MHE in cirrhotics. ICT results (lure/target response and lures/person) were compared between controls and cirrhotics and within cirrhotics with/without MHE. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis was used to study ICT for MHE diagnosis. Twenty subjects were administered SPT and ICT twice to assess test–retest reliability. All cirrhotics were followed routinely for the development of OHE.RESULTS:Cirrhotics performed worse than controls on SPT and ICT. Using SPT, 39 cirrhotics had MHE. ICT was administered faster than SPT (15 vs 37 min). Cirrhotics with MHE had significantly higher lure (28% vs 3%) and lower target response (91% vs 96%) compared with those without MHE. Lure/person >5 had 90% sensitivity/specificity for MHE diagnosis. AUC for receiver-operating characteristic for lures alone was 95.8%. Lure and target responses were highly correlated (r = 0.9) between sessions showing high test–retest reliability. Five (10%) patients developed OHE on f/u of 26 ± 10 months; all five had been diagnosed with MHE using ICT and SPT. None of the five patients with discordant results on SPT and ICT developed OHE.CONCLUSIONS:ICT has good sensitivity/specificity for MHE diagnosis, is reliable and is equivalent to SPT for predicting OHE development.
Investigating Difficult Nodes in the Placental Mammal Tree with Expanded Taxon Sampling and Thousands of Ultraconserved Elements

Abstract The phylogeny of eutherian mammals contains some of the most recalcitrant nodes in the tetrapod tree of life. We combined comprehensive taxon and character sampling to explore three of the most debated interordinal relationships among placental mammals. We performed in silico extraction of ultraconserved element loci from 72 published genomes and invitro enrichment and sequencing of ultraconserved elements from 28 additional mammals, resulting in alignments of 3,787 loci. We analyzed these data using concatenated and multispecies coalescent phylogenetic approaches, topological tests, and exploration of support among individual loci to identify the root of Eutheria and the sister groups of tree shrews (Scandentia) and horses (Perissodactyla). Individual loci provided weak, but often consistent support for topological hypotheses. Although many gene trees lacked accepted species-tree relationships, summary coalescent topologies were largely consistent with inferences from concatenation. At the root of Eutheria, we identified consistent support for a sister relationship between Xenarthra and Afrotheria (i.e., Atlantogenata). At the other nodes of interest, support was less consistent. We suggest Scandentia is the sister of Primatomorpha (Euarchonta), but we failed to reject a sister relationship between Scandentia and Glires. Similarly, we suggest Perissodactyla is sister to Cetartiodactyla (Euungulata), but a sister relationship between Perissodactyla and Chiroptera remains plausible.
Common mental disorder severity and its association with treatment contact and treatment intensity for mental health problems

Background Detailed population-based survey information on the relationship between the severity of common mental disorders (CMDs) and treatment for mental health problems is heavily based on North American research. The aim of this study was to replicate and expand existing knowledge by studying CMD severity and its association with treatment contact and treatment intensity in The Netherlands. Method Data were obtained from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study-2 (NEMESIS-2), a nationally representative face-to-face survey of the general population aged 18–64 years (n = 6646, response rate = 65.1%). DSM-IV diagnoses and disorder severity were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview Version 3.0 (CIDI 3.0). Treatment contact refers to at least one contact for mental health problems made in the general medical care (GMC) or mental health care (MHC) sector. Four levels of treatment intensity were assessed, based on type and duration of therapy received. Results Although CMD severity was related to treatment contact, only 39.0% of severe cases received MHC. At the same time, 40.3% of MHC users did not have a 12-month disorder. Increasing levels of treatment intensity ranged from 51.6% to 13.0% in GMC and from 81.4% to 51.1% in MHC. CMD severity was related to treatment intensity in MHC but not in GMC. Sociodemographic characteristics were not significantly related to having experienced the highest level of treatment intensity in MHC. Conclusions Mental health treatment in the GMC sector should be improved, especially when policy is aimed at increasing the role of primary care in the management of mental health problems.
Pakistani Science Teachers’ Experiences of Professional Development: A Phenomenological Case Study

ABSTRACT The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to study how secondary school science teachers describe their lived experiences of professional development (PD) in Punjab (Pakistan). The study included 15 secondary public school science teachers using purposive sampling from Punjab. Semistructured, in-depth phenomenological interviews were used as the primary source of data. The data were analyzed using 3-stage coding methods and thematic analysis. The results indicate that science teachers are the major stakeholders in their PD and they should be taken on board before designing any PD program for their professional growth. The findings strongly suggest that PD efforts for science teachers in Punjab need to be reformed. The barrier to PD learning in this study existed in different forms and mostly related to institutional and administrative procedures of selecting trainers and teachers, discipline-specific content, participant selection, and access. The study draws the attention of policymakers and PD providers to the fact that science teachers cannot act as expected unless their needs and voices are included in the PD efforts.
Mismatch in Human Capital Accumulation

This paper studies the allocation of heterogeneous agents to levels of educational attainment. The goal is to understand the magnitudes and sources of mismatch in this assignment, both in theory and in the data. The paper presents evidence of substantial mismatch between ability and educational attainment across 21 OECD countries, with a focus on Germany, Italy, Japan and the US. In the model, mismatch originates from: (i) taste shocks, (ii) binding borrowing constraints and (iii) noisy measures of ability in test scores. The model is estimated using a simulated method of moments approach. The main finding is that measured mismatch arises largely from noise in test scores and does not reflect borrowing constraints. Differences in tastes for education across households play a minor role in explaining mismatch. Further, the estimation allows us to decompose the college wage premium, isolating cross-country differences in selection effects from the return to education.
Evaluation of Metabolic Syndrome and Its Associated Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetes: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana

Background. Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a collection of cardiovascular risk factors comprising insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, obesity, and hypertension, which may cause further complications in diabetes. Although metabolic syndrome (MS) is increasing in incidence in diabetics and leading to significant cardiovascular diseases and mortality, there is dearth of data in Ghana. This study investigated metabolic syndrome, its prevalence, and its associated risk factors in type 2 diabetes at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana. Methods. The study involved 405 diabetic patients attending the Diabetic Clinic of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. A well-structured questionnaire was used to obtain demographic background such as their age and gender. Anthropometric measurements were obtained using the Body Composition Monitor (Omron ® 500, Germany) which generated digital results on a screen and also by manual methods. Fasting venous blood was collected for the measurement of biochemical parameters comprising fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and triglyceride (TG). Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III). Results. Out of the total of 405 participants, 81 were males and 324 were females, and the estimated mean age was 58.5 ± 9.9 years. The female patients exhibited higher mean waist circumference (WC) and mean hip circumference (HC) as well as an approximately higher body mass index than males (28.3 ± 5.1, 26.5 ± 4.2 for the female and male respectively). Overall, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome observed among the study population was 90.6%. Conclusions. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome observed among the study population was 90.6%, with a higher percentage in females than males. High triglyceride levels and high waist circumference were the main risk factors for MS in the diabetic population.
Keloid treatment: what about adjuvant radiotherapy?

Background: Keloids are debilitating fibrous skin proliferations with a high recurrence rate after surgical treatment. Postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) is a well-tolerated adjuvant treatment to reduce the risk of recurrence, but the optimal regimen for this combined treatment remains unknown. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of combining surgical excision and immediate PORT. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with keloid lesions treated with adjuvant PORT in the period 2005–2014 at Geneva University Hospitals. Main outcomes were the rates of complications and recurrence in patients with a minimal follow-up of 1 year, including the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale satisfaction scores. Results: 10 patients with 16 keloids were eligible (mean follow-up, 37 months). Only one recurrence was reported (6%). In 12.5% of cases, mild erythema appeared in the early postoperative period. No major complications were observed. The overall patient and observer satisfaction rate was excellent. Conclusion: Surgical excision combined with immediate PORT is an effective and easy treatment with good esthetic results and an acceptable recurrence rate. It should be considered for patients with persistent keloid formation after failure of other treatments and those at high risk of relapse.
The Securities-And-Exchange-Commission And The Financial-Accounting-Standards-Board - Regulation Through Veto-Based Delegation

This paper examines the performance of standard-setting arrangements between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). Congress, in the Securities Acts of 1933 and 1934, delegated authority over accounting standards to the SEC which, in turn, delegated the choice of accounting standards to a series of privately funded organizations, the current one being the FASB.1 Since an integral part of the delegation arrangement
Transduction pathways regulating the trophic effects of Saccharomyces boulardii in rat intestinal mucosa

Abstract Saccharomyces boulardii is a probiotic yeast that is widely prescribed in lyophilized form; it determines several effects in human and rat small intestine including endoluminal secretion of enzymes and of polyamines, stimulation of microvillous enzymes, of sIgA, increased production of the receptor for polymeric immunoglobulins by crypt cells, and enhanced d-glucose uptake. Aim. The objective of this study was to determine the pathway(s) by which these effects generated by the yeast are transduced into mucosal cells. Methods. Litters of six growing Wistar rats each were treated with S. boulardii (50 μg/gram body weight) or with saline between days 30 and 34 postpartum. For each animal, the cytosol was prepared from the whole mucosa after the fat cake was discarded. Several known intestinal substrates were immunoprecipitated and immunoblotted using specific antibodies recognizing the non-, mono-, or diphosphorylated forms of these substrates. The signals were detected using Echochemiluminoscence (ECL) and were measured by optodensitometry. Results. Treatment with S. boulardii markedly enhanced the RAS-GAP-RAF-ERK1,2 pathway with participation of growth receptor bound 2 protein, SHC, SOS, and CRKII. Unit p85α of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase, tested in its phosphorylated form, was also enhanced by the probiotic compared to control samples. In rats treated with an inhibitor of RAF-1 and of ERK1,2 (PD098059) the expression of mucosal disaccharidases was inhibited by about 50%. Conclusion. The probiotic S. boulardii generates in vivo mitogen and metabolic signals that are transduced into intestinal mucosal cells, downstream from the apical membrane to the nuclei, using recruitment substrates and serine, threonine, or tyrosine kinases.
Haemodynamic and structural correlates of the first and second heart sounds in pulmonary arterial hypertension: an acoustic cardiography cohort study

Objective To examine the relationship between acoustic characteristics of the first and second heart sounds (S1 and S2) and underlying cardiac structure and haemodynamics in patients with isolated pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and controls. Design Prospective multicentre cohort study. Setting Tertiary referral and community hospitals. Participants We prospectively evaluated 40 PAH patients undergoing right-heart catheterisation with contemporaneous digital acoustic cardiography (intensity and complexity) and two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography. To normalise for differences in body habitus, acoustic variables were also expressed as a ratio (S2/S1). 130 participants (55 also had haemodynamic and/or echocardiographic assessment) without clinical or haemodynamic evidence of PAH or congestive heart failure acted as controls. Results Patients with PAH had higher mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPA; 40±13 vs 16±4 mm Hg, p<0.0001) and pulmonary vascular resistance (9±6 vs 1±1 Wood Units, p<0.0001) compared with controls, but cardiac index and mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure were similar. More PAH patients had evidence of right ventricular (RV) dilation (50% vs 19%) and RV systolic dysfunction (41% vs 9%) in the moderate–severe range (all p<0.05). Compared with controls, the acoustic profiles of PAH patients were characterised by increased S2 complexity, S2/S1 complexity and S2/S1 intensity (all p<0.05). In the PAH cohort, S2 complexity was inversely related to S1 complexity. mPA was the only independent multivariate predictor of S2 complexity. The severity of RV enlargement and systolic impairment had reciprocal effects on the complexity of S2 (increased) and S1 (decreased). Decreased S1 complexity was also related to evidence of a small left ventricular cavity. Conclusions Acoustic characteristics of both S1 and S2 are related to the severity of PAH and are associated with RV enlargement and systolic dysfunction. The reciprocal relationship between S2 and S1 complexity may also reflect the underlying ventricular interaction associated with PAH.
LTE MIMO antenna using unbroken metallic rim and non resonant CCE element

This paper presents a new two-element multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna for LTE application using an unbroken metallic rim as the primary antenna and a non- resonant capacitive coupling element (CCE) as a diversity antenna. The primary antenna covers 698-960 MHz and 1710-2690 MHz and the diversity antenna cover 1710-2690 MHz Average efficiencies above 70% and 50% have been achieved by the metallic rim antenna and non-resonant CCE respectively. A trapezoidal shaped feed is used to improve the high band performance. The unbroken metallic rim provides extra mechanical stability to mobile phones and saves the antenna space. Good isolation between the antenna elements has also been achieved. Both antennas are optimized by efficient matching circuits and conform to the requirements of ultra slim modern mobile phones.
Identification and Differentiation of Leishmania Species in Clinical Samples by PCR Amplification of the Miniexon Sequence and Subsequent Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis

ABSTRACT We recently developed a new PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)-based assay using the miniexon sequence from the genus Leishmania. Here we report the application of this new genotyping method to naturally infected clinical samples for the differentiation of New and Old World Leishmania species. Of the newly developed assay and four currently applied diagnostic tests (i.e., in vitro cultivation, serology, and two other molecular assays using either the small subunit-internal transcribed spacer sequence or a repetitive genomic sequence), the miniexon assay showed the highest sensitivity, 89.7%, compared to 70.6, 57.1, 51.7, and 79.3%, respectively. Species differentiation was robust and reliable compared with that by two other Leishmania genotyping techniques. The assay provides a valuable tool for the identification of Leishmania directly from clinical samples and enables determination of the infecting species by a facile technique with high discrimination power. Since Leishmania causes a broad spectrum of diseases distinguished by different parasite and host factors, detection and characterization of the infecting species is crucial for the confirmation of a diagnosis as well as the establishment of the clinical prognosis and the initiation of an adequate therapeutic approach. The miniexon PCR-RFLP assay will facilitate such determination and might improve diagnosis and treatment of leishmaniasis.