Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal validation of a risk calculator for periodontal disease.

BACKGROUND Risk assessment and utilization of the results are important components of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of periodontal diseases. Risk assessment is relatively new to dentistry. Currently risk is assessed by subjective evaluation and results vary widely among clinicians. We have developed a computer-based risk assessment tool, the Periodontal Risk Calculator (PRC), for objective, quantitative assessment of risk. The purpose of the study reported here was to evaluate the accuracy and validity of this tool. METHODS Clinical records and radiographs of 523 subjects enrolled in the VA Dental Longitudinal Study of Oral Health and Disease, covering a period of 15 years, were used. Information from baseline examinations was entered into the risk calculator and a risk score on a scale of l-5 for periodontal deterioration was calculated for each subject. Actual periodontal status in terms of alveolar bone loss determined using digitized radiographs, and tooth loss determined from the clinical records, was assessed at years 3, 9 and 15. The strength of the association between risk prediction and actual outcome was determined statistically. RESULTS The risk scores were strong predictors of future periodontal status measured as worsening severity and extent of alveolar bone loss and tooth loss, especially loss of periodontally affected teeth. Over the entire 15-year period, risk scores consistently ranked groups from least to most bone loss and tooth loss. Risk groups differed greatly from one another. By year 3, the incidence rate of bone loss of group 5 was 3.7-fold greater than for group 2, and by year 15, the loss of periodontally affected teeth was 22.7-fold greater than for group 2 (p<0.001). By year 15, 83.7% of subjects in risk group 5 had lost one or more periodontally affected teeth compared to 20.2% of subjects in group 2. CONCLUSIONS Risk scores calculated using the PRC and information gathered during a standard periodontal examination predict future periodontal status with a high level of accuracy and validity. Use of the risk assessment tool over time may be expected to result in more uniform and accurate periodontal clinical decision-making, improved oral health, reduction in the need for complex therapy and reduction in health-care cost.
Comparing Serum Levels of Th17 and Treg Cytokines in Women with Unexplained Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion and Fertile Women.

BACKGROUND Increased evidences have shown that unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) is associated with inflammatory responses and breakage of immunological autotolerance. Therefore, the balance between Th17 and Treg cells may elucidate the pathophysiology of URSA. OBJECTIVE To investigate the serum concentration of regulatory and inflammatory cytokines associated with Treg and Th17 in both normal and URSA females. METHODS Forty-six women with URSA and 28 non-pregnant control women with at least one successful pregnancy were included. Serum was obtained from both groups and stored at -7º C. The serum concentrations of IL-17, IL-21, IL-22, IL-10, and TGF-β were quantitatively determined by ELISA. RESULTS The levels of IL-17, IL-21, and IL-22 in sera were significantly higher (P<0.001, P=0.01 and P<0.001, respectively) and TGF-β serum concentration was significantly lower (P=0.02) in URSA women compared with normal controls. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that enhancement in Th17-associated cytokine levels and reduction in TGF-β may be one of the factors involved in URSA.
Mephedrone (4‐methylmethcathinone) and d‐methamphetamine improve visuospatial associative memory, but not spatial working memory, in rhesus macaques

The novel cathinone derivative 4‐methylmethcathinone (4‐MMC; mephedrone) is increasingly popular with recreational users. Little scientific information is available but users report both entactogen‐like and classic stimulant‐like subjective properties. A recent study in humans reported psychomotor speed improvement after intranasal 4‐MMC suggesting classic stimulant properties. Limitations of the user group (which was impaired on some tasks) prompt controlled laboratory investigation.
Sequence analysis of the rDNA intergenic spacer of Metarhizium strains isolated in Brazil

To assess the extent of genetic variability of rDNA intergenic spacer (IGS) in Metarhizium sp. , 34 strains (27 isolated in Brazil) were sequenced and analyzed together with an additional 20 Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliae sequences retrieved from GenBank. Overall, the global nucleotide diversity for the region under study was of 0.090, while for the Brazilian isolates it was only 0.016. Phylogenetic analyses showed four well-supported groups (A, B, C, and D), one of which (D) has not been previously identified. All but one of the Brazilian strains cluster in this novel D phylogroup, suggesting that the genetic variation found in Brazil is a subset of the worldwide M. anisopiliae var. anisopliae variation.
Recent approaches in online handwriting recognition for Persian and Arabic right-to-left languages

Online handwriting recognition redefined along the rapid change of technology which began to replace keyboards with digital pen and tablets. However compared to English letter-based languages, less attention is paid to right-to-left languages especially Persian and Arabic. The complex nature of cursive writing in these languages acquires elaborate methods to simultaneously take speed, accuracy and complexity into account. This paper overviews the up-to-date efforts put into online Persian and Arabic handwriting recognition. Through this paper word/stroke-based and segment-based methods are discussed. Additionally template based recognition algorithms and artificial intelligent approaches are explained with respect to dictionary check requirements and benchmark databases. Real-time online handwriting recognition of such languages is another recent field of interest that is researched for potentially practical methods.
Perceptual Factors Affecting the Ability to Assess Facial Resemblance between Parents and Newborns in Humans

People undeniably pay attention to faces, and facial resemblance may act as a kinship cue. However, previous studies have shown that the ability to detect kinship through facial resemblance is limited, and it has been suggested that this may be due to several types of perceptual factors. To further understand the processes that underpin kinship judgment, it is important to investigate which perceptual factors predict the probability of parent–child pairs being detected as related. To this end, we performed two experiments. In the first, we evaluated the ability of human observers to match newborns with one of their parents. In the second, we explored three perceptual factors that may have influenced kinship detection (gender discrimination, facial attractiveness, and perceptual similarity). Results showed that the participants were able to match newborns with one of their parents, even though the task was perceived as difficult. Moreover, our study goes further than previous findings, showing that the perceptual factors investigated may significantly contribute to kinship detection.
Use of Serum Immune Complexes in a New Test That Accurately Confirms Early Lyme Disease and Active Infection withBorrelia burgdorferi

ABSTRACT The present recommendation for serologic confirmation of Lyme disease (LD) calls for immunoblotting in support of positive or equivocal ELISA. Borrelia burgdorferi releases large quantities of proteins, suggesting that specific antibodies in serum might be trapped in immune complexes (ICs), rendering the antibodies undetectable by standard assays using unmodified serum. Production of ICs requires ongoing antigen production, so persistence of IC might be a marker of ongoing or persisting infection. We developed an immunoglobulin M (IgM) capture assay (EMIBA) measuring IC-derived IgM antibodies and tested it using three well-defined LD populations (from an academic LD referral center, a well-described Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) serum bank, and a group of erythema migrans patients from whose skin lesions B. burgdorferi was grown) and controls (non-Lyme arthritis inflammatory joint disease, syphilis, multiple sclerosis, and nondisease subjects from a region where LD is endemic, perhaps the most relevant comparison group of all). Previous studies demonstrated that specific antigen-antibody complexes in the sera of patients with LD could be precipitated by polyethylene glycol and could then be disrupted with maintenance of the immunoreactivity of the released antibodies, that specific anti-B. burgdorferi IgM was concentrated in ICs, and that occasionally IgM to specific B. burgdorferi antigens was found in the IC but not in unprocessed serum. EMIBA compared favorably with commercial and CDC flagellin-enhanced enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and other assays in confirming the diagnosis of LD. EMIBA confirmed early B. burgdorferi infection more accurately than the comparator assays. In addition, EMIBA more accurately differentiated seropositivity in patients with active ongoing infection from seroreactivity persisting long after clinically successful antibiotic therapy; i.e., EMIBA identified seroreactivity indicating a clinical circumstance requiring antibiotic therapy. Thus, EMIBA is a promising new assay for accurate serologic confirmation of early and/or active LD.
Association of Periodontal Destruction and Diabetes with Mortality

Current evidence indicates the effects of periodontitis on diabetes as well as mortality, for which diabetes itself represents a risk factor. However, the possible interaction of these 2 chronic conditions regarding mortality has not yet been investigated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate whether periodontal destruction interacts with diabetes on all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality or if diabetes serves as a mediator in this association. The study sample comprised 3,327 participants aged 20 to 81 y from the Study of Health in Pomerania. Periodontal destruction was assessed via clinical attachment level (CAL) and the number of missing teeth. Information on mortality (date and ICD-10 code) was ascertained from death certificates. Directed acyclic graphs were used to identify potential confounders, and Cox proportional hazard models were applied. In 36,701 person-years of follow-up, 263 study participants deceased, 89 due to CVD. Fully adjusted main effect models resulted in hazard ratios of 1.01 (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.002 to 1.01) for extent of CAL ≥3 mm, 1.10 (95% CI: 1.03 to 1.18) for mean CAL, and 1.03 (95% CI: 1.01 to 1.04) for the number of missing teeth regarding all-cause mortality. Analogous results were obtained for CVD mortality, with hazard ratios of 1.01 (95% CI: 0.99 to 1.02), 1.10 (95% CI: 0.98 to 1.23), and 1.02 (95% CI: 0.99 to 1.05) for extent of CAL, mean CAL, and the number of missing teeth, respectively. Findings did not indicate additive interaction of periodontal destruction and diabetes regarding all-cause and CVD mortality. Similarly, no substantial evidence was found to demonstrate the presence of multiplicative interaction or mediation. Besides adjustment for baseline covariates, time-varying covariates were also considered and led to comparable results. In summary, despite their reciprocal relationship, periodontal destruction and diabetes may be independent risk factors for all-cause and CVD mortality.
Effect of Doxycycline on Pre-Menstrual Syndrome: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial

Thirty patients with well-defined symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome were randomly treated with the antibiotic doxycycline or placebo. The antibiotic-treated group showed a highly significant reduction of symptoms. Subsequent antibiotic treatment of the original placebo group similarly diminished the symptoms in this group. A 6-month follow-up demonstrated that the improvement in symptom scores was permanent and independent from the presence of the antibiotic. Luteal phase endometrial biopsies showed a high incidence of out-of-phase endometrium. An unexpectedly high percentage of endometrial biopsy cultures yielded positive findings for mycoplasma, Chlamydia trachomatis and anaerobic bacteria. There were no characteristic hormonal changes in this study group. An infectious aetiology, possibly a sub-clinical endometrial or ovarian infection, behind certain cases of pre-menstrual syndrome is postulated.
PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS FOR EATING DISORDERS IN INDIAN ADOLESCENT FEMALES

Background: Eating disorders (ED) are one of the most common psychiatric problems faced by adolescents, and are characterized by a persistent course, comorbid psychopathology, medical complications, and elevated mortality. Aims & Objective: To assess the prevalence and correlates of eating disorders in a sample of adolescent Indian females. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional survey, 120 adolescents females (age: 13-17 years) filled out questionnaires on eating attitudes and behaviors at one independent school. ED was measured with the 26-item Eating Attitudes Test (EAT). Participants who scored ≥ 20 on the EAT were considered to have disordered eating and effect of psychological, behavioral, and socio-environmental variables in individuals with and without eating disorders, were assessed. Results: Disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors were present in 26.67 % of adolescents girls in the sample studied. This group was significantly older, had earlier menarche and lower BMI. Mean scores and percentage scores on all the scales to assess psychological risk factors were found to be significantly higher in the ED group i.e. there were significant associations (p< 0.0001) between elevated EAT scores and dieting behavior, higher drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction, external pressures, mood susceptibility of feeding patterns, perfectionism, occurrence of negative life events and presence and adequacy of emotional support system. Conclusion: Eating disorders and subthreshold eating conditions are prevalent in a sample of adolescent girls and were strongly associated with various psychological, behavioral, and socio-environmental domains. Future prospective and experimental studies are warranted to advance our understanding of the risk factors to enable better preventive programme planning.
Male breast cancer in LAUTECH Teaching Hospital Osogbo, South Western Nigeria.

AIM To assess the prevalence, presentation, treatment and outcome of management of male breast cancer (MBC) in Osogbo, Nigeria. METHODS A review of all cases of MBC seen at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital Osogbo between January 2004 and December 2006 was done. The age, presenting symptoms and signs, stage, histology, associated co-morbid illnesses, treatment and outcome of care were all retrieved and analysed. RESULTS Seven (8.86%) out of seventy nine cases of breast cancers seen are males. Ages ranged between 38 and 80 years (mean 60.5 median 65 years). They all presented with advanced lesions after a 6 -36 months delay (mean-11.57 months). All were invasive ductal carcinoma. All the four with significant co-morbid illnesses died of them within one week to seven months. Only one patient had mastectomy. CONCLUSION MBC constitutes 8.86% of all breast cancer, all presented late with advanced lesions and co-morbid illnesses contributed significantly to mortality.
Localization of glutamate receptors in developing cortical neurons in culture and relationship to susceptibility to excitotoxicity

Overactivation of glutamate receptors leading to excitotoxicity has been implicated in the neurodegenerative alterations of a range of central nervous system (CNS) disorders. We have investigated the cell‐type‐specific changes in glutamate receptor localization in developing cortical neurons in culture, as well as the relationship between glutamate receptor subunit distribution with synapse formation and susceptibility to excitotoxicity. Glutamate receptor subunit clustering was present prior to the formation of synapses. However, different receptor types showed distinctive temporal patterns of subunit clustering, localization to spines, and apposition to presynaptic terminals. N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunit immunolabelling was present in puncta along dendrites prior to the formation of synapses, with relatively little localization to spines. Vulnerability to NMDA receptor‐mediated excitotoxicity occurred before receptor subunits became localized in apposition to presynaptic terminals. Clustering of α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptors occurred concurrently with development of vulnerability to excitotoxicity and was related to localization of AMPA receptors at synapses and in spines. Different AMPA receptor subunits demonstrated cell‐type‐specific localization as well as distribution to spines, dendrites, and extrasynaptic subunit clusters. A subclass of neurons demonstrated substantial perineuronal synaptic innervation, and these neurons expressed relatively high levels of GluR1 and/or GluR4 at receptor puncta, indicating the presence of calcium‐permeable AMPA receptors and suggesting alternative synaptic signalling mechanisms and vulnerability to excitotoxicity. These data demonstrate the relationship between glutamate receptor subunit expression and localization with synaptogenesis and development of neuronal susceptibility to excitotoxicity. These data also suggest that excitotoxicity can be mediated through extrasynaptic receptor subunit complexes along dendrites. J. Comp. Neurol. 498:277–294, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ediastinoscopy in Patients With Lung Cancer and egative Endobronchial Ultrasound Guided Needle spiration

b a H h t d Background. Endobronchial ultrasound with transronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has been proosed as a safe, less-invasive alternative to mediastinosopy to stage mediastinal lymph nodes in patients with ung cancer. We evaluated the negative predictive value f EBUS-TBNA in lung cancer patients suspected of aving N2 nodal metastases. Methods. This study is a single-institution retrospective eview of cases with suspected or confirmed lung cancer ndergoing mediastinoscopy after a negative EBUS-TBNA etween June 2006 and February 2008. Results. A total of 494 patients underwent EBUS-TBNA uring the study period. Twenty-nine patients with susected or confirmed lung cancer had a negative EBUSBNA and underwent subsequent mediastinoscopy. Meiastinoscopy was performed for findings suspicious of 2 disease based on noninvasive imaging. Mediastinosopy found metastatic nodes in eight of 29 patients (28%)
Weapons of penile smooth muscle destruction: Androgen deficiency promotes accumulation of adipocytes in the corpus cavernosum

In men with erectile dysfunction, venous leakage is a common condition among non-responders to medical management and is attributed to penile smooth muscle atrophy. Androgens play a role in regulating trabecular smooth muscle growth and function. Further, androgens stimulate differentiation of progenitor cells into smooth muscle cells and inhibit their differentiation into adipocytes. We postulate that androgens exert a direct effect on penile tissue to maintain erectile function, and that androgen deficiency produces metabolic and structural imbalances in the corpus cavernosum, resulting in venous leakage and erectile dysfunction. To date, research efforts on the mechanisms by which androgens regulate penile erectile physiology have mainly focused on investigating the role of the NO/cGMP pathway. However, androgen-dependent mechanisms that regulate tissue remodeling have been poorly defined. Characterization of the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which androgens regulate corpus cavernosum structural and functional integrity would provide significant gains in knowledge and understanding of an important pathogenic process. In this review, we discuss the potential role of androgen in maintaining differentiation of progenitor cells into smooth muscle lineage and inhibition of differentiation into adipocytes. Androgen deficiency promotes differentiation into adipogenic lineage, and accumulation of adipocytes in the corpus cavernosum may contribute to erectile dysfunction.
Title Temporal Dynamics of Prochlorococcus Ecotypes in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans Authors

To better understand the temporal and spatial dynamics of Prochlorococcus populations, and how these populations co-vary with the physical environment, we followed monthly changes in the abundance of five ecotypes – two high-light adapted and three low-light adapted over a five-year period in coordination with the Bermuda 5 Atlantic Time Series (BATS) and Hawaii Ocean Time-series (HOT) programs. Ecotype abundance displayed weak seasonal fluctuations at HOT and strong seasonal fluctuations at BATS. Furthermore, stable 'layered' depth distributions, where different Prochlorococcus ecotypes reached maximum abundance at different depths, were maintained consistently for five years at HOT. Layered distributions were also observed 10 at BATS, although winter deep mixing events disrupted these patterns each year and produced large variations in ecotype abundance. Interestingly, the layered ecotype distributions were regularly reestablished each year after deep mixing subsided at BATS. In addition, Prochlorococcus ecotypes each responded differently to the strong seasonal changes in light, temperature, and mixing at BATS, resulting in a reproducible annual 15 succession of ecotype blooms. Patterns of ecotype abundance, in combination with physiological assays of cultured isolates, confirmed that the low-light adapted eNATL could be distinguished from other low-light adapted ecotypes based on its ability to withstand temporary exposure to high intensity light, a characteristic stress of the surface mixed layer. Finally, total Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus dynamics were compared 20 with similar time series data collected a decade earlier at each location. The two data sets were remarkably similar testimony to the resilience of these complex dynamic systems on decadal time scales.
Effect of Aromatic Compounds on Cellular Fatty Acid Composition of Rhodococcus opacus

ABSTRACT In cells of Rhodococcus opacus GM-14, GM-29, and 1CP, the contents of branched (10-methyl) fatty acids increased from 3% to 15 to 34% of the total fatty acids when the cells were grown on benzene, phenol, 4-chlorophenol, chlorobenzene, or toluene as the sole source of carbon and energy, in comparison with cells grown on fructose. In addition, the content of trans-hexadecenoic acid increased from 5% to 8 to 18% with phenol or chlorophenol as the carbon source. The 10-methyl branched fatty acid content of R. opacus GM-14 cells increased in a dose-related manner following exposure to phenol or toluene when toluene was not utilized as the growth substrate. The results suggest that 10-methyl branched fatty acids may participate in the adaptation of R. opacus to lipophilic aromatic compounds.
Two-Dimensional Limited Context Restarting Automata

Motivated by possible machine learning of picture languages, we introduce a new twodimensional automaton called two-dimensional limited context restarting automaton. Our model is a simplification of the two-dimensional restarting tiling automaton, from which it differs in that it does not require to scan input pictures in a fixed order. We show that the two-dimensional limited context restarting automaton is equally powerful as the two-dimensional sgraffito automaton. Moreover, the correctness preserving version of the new model, while still being nondeterministic, is equivalent to the deterministic sgraffito automaton. However, the property of being correctness preserving is not even semi-decidable for two-dimensional limited context restarting automata.