Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of timing of coronal preparation on retention of cemented cast posts and cores.

PURPOSE This study investigated the effect of coronal preparation by high-speed handpiece on the retention of cemented cast posts and cores. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cast posts and cores were fabricated for 90 extracted single-rooted human teeth cemented with zinc-phosphate cement and randomly divided into six groups of 15 specimens each. The six groups were matched randomly two by two, such that one of each of the matched groups was subjected to a 4-minute period of high-speed preparation of the cores. Castings from the first pair (1 and 2) were subjected to an axially directed removal force using a universal testing machine 15 minutes from the start of cement mixing; castings from the second (3 and 4) and third (5 and 6) pairs were tested at 1 hour and 24 hours, respectively, having been stored in water at 37 degrees C for the waiting periods. The forces required for dislodgment of posts from their prepared spaces were recorded. Data were statistically analyzed using two- and one-way ANOVA and the Student's t test. RESULTS The results showed increased mean retentive strengths of posts as the time to testing increased for both unprepared and prepared groups. Significantly higher mean retentive strengths of posts were recorded for unprepared compared to prepared groups tested at 15 minutes and 1 hour after cementation. CONCLUSION High-speed preparation had a significant negative effect on the retentive strengths of posts tested at 15 minutes and 1 hour after cementation, but not on those tested at 24 hours.
Travelling-wave photodetectors with 172-GHz bandwidth and 76-GHz bandwidth-efficiency product

Results of the first fabrication and measurement of travelling-wave photodetectors are reported. The devices have bandwidths as high as 172 GHz, the highest reported for a p-i-n photodetector, and bandwidth-efficiency products as large as 76 GHz, the largest reported for any photodetector without gain. Comparisons with vertically illuminated and waveguide photodetectors fabricated on the same wafer establish the superior performance of travelling-wave photodetectors. Microwave loss on the travelling-wave photodetector structure is identified as a bandwidth limitation. <<ETX>>
Age‐related differences in the medial temporal lobe responses to emotional faces as revealed by fMRI

Age‐related differences involved in the neural substrates of emotional face perception were investigated in young and old healthy volunteers. The subjects were scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging while they were judging the gender of faces with negative, positive, or neutral emotional valence. The results showed that both the predominant activation in young subjects and reduced activity in old subjects contributed to a significant age difference in the left amygdala during the perception of negative faces. Activity in the right parahippocampal gyrus during the perception of positive faces diminished with advancing age. Neural activity in the angular gyrus and lingual gyrus of the right hemisphere was reduced in the old subjects during the perception of positive faces. There was no region where old subjects had greater activity than young subjects during the task. In old subjects, the overall activity in the right hippocampus during the task correlated negatively with age, whereas the activity in the right parahippocampal gyrus correlated positively with neuropsychological performance. There was no significant correlation between subjects' characteristics and signal change in young subjects. These results indicate the age‐associated vulnerability of the medial temporal lobe structures including the amygdala, hippocampus, and parahippocampal gyrus during face perception. The dissociation with reduced activity in the left amygdala and the right parahippocampal gyrus may suggest that aging differentially affects neural responses to faces with negative or positive emotional valence. The parieto‐occipital lobe, which has been found to be involved in face processing, also showed a functional decline associated with aging. Hippocampus 2002;12:352–362. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Strategia wartości – test na GPW w Warszawie

This paper examines whether a value strategy can shift the distribution of returns earned by an investor. The strategy divides the universe of stocks annually into book-to-market (B/M), earning-to-price (E/P) and market value (CAP) deciles. These ratios are used to sort individual stocks into portfolios. The paper provides evidence that the value strategies produce lower returns than WIG. The second result is that B/M and CAP have statistically significant predictive power for portfolios returns.
Integrating CUSP and TRIP to Improve Patient Safety

Abstract Despite increased awareness of the risks to patients within the health care system, there has been little improvement in patient safety, with 1 in 7 patients experiencing an adverse event during hospitalization. Patients are exposed to harm not only through medical errors but also by physicians' failure to adhere to evidence-based best practices, as patients receive recommended therapies only half of the time. Although much research has been devoted to developing new therapies, little time has been spent investigating the science of health care delivery. We developed 2 models for improving health care delivery that have been successfully utilized in the Michigan Keystone Project to eliminate catheter-related bloodstream infections. The first is the Comprehensive Unit-Based Safety Program (CUSP), which is aimed at changing the culture of safety and provides a framework for addressing patient safety issues at a local level. CUSP takes advantage of local wisdom to identify potential patient harms and create individualized solutions. The second is the Translating Evidence Into Practice (TRIP) model, which evaluates best practices at a hospital or hospital system level, and then creates strategies for implementation at a local level. TRIP seeks to identify barriers to implementation of best-practice medicine and standardize care over multiple care units. Components of the 2 programs are not mutually exclusive and both can be used to mitigate potential patient harms.
ErbB 1-4 expression alterations in primary colorectal cancers and their corresponding metastases.

BACKGROUND EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) targeted therapies are important new tools in colorectal cancer treatment. EGFR analysis of the primary tumour was previously recommended to identify patients who will benefit from the EGFR targeted therapy. Previous studies have displayed diverging results regarding the expression of EGFR in the primary tumour compared to the metastases. The present study was performed to investigate whether EGFR and ErbB2-4 expression differed between 64 primary tumours and their corresponding metastases. PATIENTS AND METHODS EGFR and ErbB2-4 expression were analysed in the primary tumour and in the corresponding metastases using immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS In 49/64 samples (76%), the primary tumours were EGFR positive; in 33% (16/49) of EGFR positive samples, the tumours lost the EGFR expression in the metastasis compared to the primary tumour. From the primary tumours, 15/64 (23%) were negative and 5 of these (33%) developed EGFR expression in the metastasis. ErbB2, ErbB3, and ErbB4 expression was evident in 54%, 67%, and 81%, respectively. There was no significant difference between ErbB2, ErbB3, and ErbB4 expression in primary tumours and metastases. The co-expression of the ErbB family members was also analysed, with a significant increase of ErbB3/ErbB4 co-expression in late stage tumours. CONCLUSION The EGFR expression was lost in 33% of metastasising primary colorectal cancer tumours, a finding that agrees with at least one previous study. Thus, the present results clearly implicate the need for EGFR analysis of both the primary tumour and metastases to accurately determine EGFR status when considering the use of EGFR targeted therapies.
Immunohistochemical Localization of Chromogranin A in the Acinar Cells of Equine Salivary Glands Contrasts with Rodent Glands

We investigated the existence of chromogranin A (CgA) in salivary glands of the horse by Western blotting and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) using an antiserum against a peptide sequence of equine CgA. We also compared its cellular distribution between the horse and rat salivary glands with a tyramide signal amplification immunofluorescence technique. Western blotting gave three significant immunoreactive bands (74, 56 and 48 kDa) in adrenal medulla and three major salivary glands of horses. Immunoreactivities for CgA measured by EIA in horses were 154.05 ± 41.46, 20.32 ± 5.59 and 4.43 ± 2.23 pmol/g wet weight in the parotid gland, submandibular gland and sublingual gland, respectively, and 1.03 ± 0.407 pmol/mg protein in the saliva. Immunohistochemically, the positive reactivity was mainly recognized at acinar cells in equine salivary glands. This exhibits a contrast to the finding in the rat salivary glands that the CgA immunoreactivity is localized at the duct cells of the submandibular gland. These results provide novel evidence that in the horse, CgA is stored in the acinar cells of salivary glands, and secreted into saliva.
A randomized, controlled trial of foscarnet in the treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients with AIDS.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate foscarnet sodium in treating cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients with AIDS. PATIENTS Twenty-four previously untreated persons with AIDS and cytomegalovirus retinitis who were at low risk for loss of their visual acuity. INTERVENTION PATIENTS were randomly assigned to receive either no therapy (delayed treatment, control group) or immediate treatment with intravenous foscarnet at a dose of 60 mg/kg body weight three times a day for 3 weeks (induction regimen) followed by a maintenance regimen of 90 mg/kg once a day. MEASUREMENTS PATIENTS were examined weekly until they reached the primary clinical end point, defined as progression of their retinitis border by 750 microns or the development of a new retinal lesion due to cytomegalovirus. Progression was evaluated using retinal photographs by masked readers. Secondary evaluations included changes in visual acuity, cytomegalovirus shedding in the blood and urine, serum levels of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) p24 antigen, and total CD4 T lymphocyte counts. RESULTS The mean time to progression of retinitis was 3.2 weeks in the control group (n = 11) compared with 13.3 weeks in the treatment group (n = 13) (P less than 0.001). Nine of 13 patients in the treatment group had positive blood cultures for cytomegalovirus at entry and all nine cleared their blood of cytomegalovirus by the end of the induction period (P = 0.004) compared with one of six patients in the control group. No reductions in p24 levels were seen in the control patients compared with a reduction of more than 50% in p24 levels for all four patients on treatment for whom follow-up levels were available. The main adverse effects of foscarnet treatment were seizures (2 of 13 patients), hypomagnesemia (9 of 13), hypocalcemia (11 of 13), and elevations in serum creatinine above 176.8 mumol/L (2.0 mg/dL) (3 of 13). The control patients received an average of 0.2 units of blood per week compared with an average of 0.6 units of blood per week for the patients on treatment. CONCLUSIONS The administration of foscarnet decreases the rate of progression of cytomegalovirus retinitis in persons with AIDS. Its judicious use is likely to prevent loss of vision in these patients. In this study, however, there was little change in visual acuity in patients in either the immediate or delayed treatment group because only patients with non-sight-threatening disease were selected.
The relationship between ASAT, CKMB, Troponin-T and mortality after cardiac surgery

Objective. To investigate the relationship between ASAT, CKMB, Troponin-T and mortality after cardiac surgery. Design. ASAT, CKMB and TnT were analysed in 116 patients. Correlation, sensitivity, specificity and predictive values for permanent myocardial injury (defined as TnT ≥2.0 µg/l postoperative day four) were calculated. In the second part our clinical protocol (ASAT on postoperative day 1 and TnT on day 3–4 in patients with ASAT above 2.5 µkat/l) was evaluated. Mortality was compared between patients with ASAT <2.5 µkat/l (ASAT-), 2. ASAT ≥2.5 µkat/l and TnT <2.0 µg/l (ASAT+/TnT-) and 3. ASAT ≥2.5 µkat/l and TnT ≥2.0 µg/l (ASAT+/TnT+). Results. Both ASAT and CKMB had irrespectively of cut-off level, low positive and high negative predictive value of permanent myocardial injury. Early and mid-term mortality did not differ significantly between ASAT- and ASAT+/TnT- patients. Conclusions. ASAT and CKMB can be used to exclude but not to diagnose permanent myocardial injury after cardiac surgery. Increased postoperative ASAT in the absence of increased TnT is not associated with worse clinical outcome than after normal postoperative ASAT.
Relationship Between Placental Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression and Placental/Endometrial Vascularity in the Pig1

Abstract We investigated the temporal association between placental vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent stimulator of angiogenesis and vascular permeability, and changes in placental/endometrial vascularity on selected days throughout gestation in the pig. Placental and endometrial tissues were collected from sows on Days 25 (n = 4), 36 (n =6), 44 (n =6), 70 (n =5), 90 (n =5), and 112 (n =7) of gestation. Cross sections of the placental/endometrial interface of each conceptus were used to estimate the number of blood vessels per unit area via image analysis and the intensity of VEGF staining via immunohistochemistry. Placental tissues were also collected on these days to evaluate VEGF mRNA expression. Placental VEGF mRNA expression and the numbers of blood vessels per unit area of placental and adjacent endometrial tissue were low and decreasing from Day 25 to Day 44, before increasing (P < 0.05) markedly and progressively through Day 112. These data are consistent with the marked increase in VEGF immunostaining in the chorionic and uterine luminal epithelium from early to late gestation. Further, these increases in placental VEGF mRNA were positively correlated with fetal weight (r = 0.73; P < 0.0001) and placental efficiency (fetal weight/placental weight ratio; r = 0.66, P < 0.0001). These data are consistent with a role for VEGF in increasing the number of blood vessels at the placental endometrial interface, resulting in an increased capacity for nutrient transfer from the maternal to the fetal compartment.
Regulation of granuloma fibrosis by nitric oxide during Mycobacterium avium experimental infection

Collagen deposition within granulomas formed after Mycobacterium avium infection was analysed on histological sections stained with Masson's trichrome using acquired computerized image analysis and a program that was specifically designed for that purpose. Comparison was made between immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice and mice genetically deficient in the inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase gene (iNOS–/– mice) infected with either a highly virulent strain or a moderately virulent strain of M. avium. iNOS‐deficient mice were more resistant to the highly virulent strain than control C57B1/6 mice, but both strains were equally susceptible to the less virulent M. avium strain. Collagen distribution in the granuloma was found in the cuff surrounding the granuloma in an area rich in lymphoid cells as well as inside the granuloma itself, conferring a mesh‐like structure within that lesion. It was seen that iNOS–/– mice induced a higher collagen deposition than C57BL/6 mice and that such collagen deposition varied with the mycobacterial strain used to infect the animals.
Subjective and objective dimensions of quality of life in psychiatric patients: A factor analytical approach

Background Both subjective and objective information is necessary to assess quality of life (QOL). Aims To explore the role of subjective and objective QOL dimensions and their cross-sectional and longitudinal predictors. Method The relationship between QOL, as measured by the Lancashire Quality of Life Profile (LQL), and demographic variables, diagnosis, psychopathology, disability, functioning, affect balance, self-esteem, service use and service satisfaction was investigated at two points in time, using factor analysis and multiple regression techniques. Results One subjective and two objective LQL factors with strong face validity were identified. Cross-sectional predictors of the subjective factor were primarily subjective measures; longitudinally, few predictors of this factor were identified. The cross-sectional and longitudinal predictors of the objective factors were primarily demographic and observer-rated measures. Conclusions Subjective and objective data are distinct types of information. Objective measures may be more suitable in detecting treatment effects. Subjective information is necessary to complete the QOL picture and to enhance the interpretation of objective data.
Quality of diabetes care among adults with serious mental illness.

OBJECTIVE The study compared the quality of care for type 2 diabetes delivered to two groups with type 2 diabetes--adults with serious mental illness and those with no serious mental illness--in a range of community-based clinic settings. METHODS Cross-sectional analyses of medical chart data from 300 patients (201 with serious mental illness and 99 without serious mental illness) were used to examine indicators of the quality of care established by the Diabetes Quality Improvement Project. Recommended services assessed included glycosylated hemoglobin examination, eye and foot examinations, blood pressure check, and urine and lipid profiles. Self-report data were used to compare receipt of provider-delivered diabetes education and receipt of cues regarding self-management of diabetes for the two study groups. RESULTS Evidence of lower quality of diabetes care was found for persons with serious mental illness as reflected by their receipt of fewer recommended services and less education about diabetes, compared with those without serious mental illness. Although participants with serious mental illness were less likely to receive cues from providers regarding the need for glucose self-monitoring, they were as likely as those without serious mental illness to receive cues regarding diet and medication adherence. CONCLUSIONS Although participants with serious mental illness received some services that are indicated in quality-of-care standards for diabetes, they were less likely to receive the full complement of recommended services and care support, suggesting that more effort may be required to provide optimal diabetes care to these vulnerable patients.
A Loss of Function Mutation of Presenilin-2 Interferes with Amyloid β-Peptide Production and Notch Signaling*

Presenilin-1 (PS1) facilitates γ-secretase cleavage of the β-amyloid precursor protein and the intramembraneous cleavage of Notch1. Although Alzheimer’s disease-associated mutations in the homologous presenilin (PS2) gene elevate amyloid β-peptide (Aβ42) production like PS1 mutations, here we demonstrate that a gene ablation of PS2 (unlike that of PS1) in mice does not result in a severe phenotype resembling that of Notch-ablated animals. To investigate the amyloidogenic function of PS2 more directly, we mutagenized a conserved aspartate at position 366 to alanine, because the corresponding residue of PS1 is known to be required for its amyloidogenic function. Cells expressing the PS2 D366A mutation exhibit significant deficits in proteolytic processing of β-amyloid precursor protein indicating a defect in γ-secretase activity. The reduced γ-secretase activity results in the almost complete inhibition of Aβ and p3 production in cells stably expressing PS2 D366A, whereas cells overexpressing the wild-type PS2 cDNA produce robust levels of Aβ and p3. Using highly sensitive in vivo assays, we demonstrate that the PS2 D366A mutation not only blocks γ-secretase activity but also inactivates PS2 activity in Notch signaling by inhibiting the proteolytic release of the cytoplasmic Notch1 domain. These data suggest that PS2 is functionally involved in Aβ production and Notch signaling by facilitating similar proteolytic cleavages.
Privacy-Preserving Generative Deep Neural Networks Support Clinical Data Sharing

Background Data sharing accelerates scientific progress but sharing individual level data while preserving patient privacy presents a barrier. Methods and Results Using pairs of deep neural networks, we generated simulated, synthetic “participants” that closely resemble participants of the SPRINT trial. We showed that such paired networks can be trained with differential privacy, a formal privacy framework that limits the likelihood that queries of the synthetic participants’ data could identify a real a participant in the trial. Machine-learning predictors built on the synthetic population generalize to the original dataset. This finding suggests that the synthetic data can be shared with others, enabling them to perform hypothesis-generating analyses as though they had the original trial data. Conclusions Deep neural networks that generate synthetic participants facilitate secondary analyses and reproducible investigation of clinical datasets by enhancing data sharing while preserving participant privacy.
Apolipoprotein E epsilon4 allele, temporal lobe atrophy, and white matter lesions in late-life dementias.

OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between the apolipoprotein E (APOE) epsilon4 genotype, medial temporal lobe atrophy, and white matter hyperintensities on magnetic resonance imaging in late-life dementias. DESIGN Structural magnetic resonance imaging study using T2-weighted and proton density-weighted axial scans and T1-weighted coronal scans. SETTING Community-dwelling population of elderly patients prospectively chosen from a clinical case register of consecutive referrals to old age psychiatry services. SUBJECTS Twenty-five subjects with Alzheimer disease (by criteria of the National Institute of Neurological and Communication Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association; mean age, 77.8 years), 22 subjects with dementia with Lewy bodies (consensus criteria; mean age, 77.2 years), and 24 subjects with vascular dementia (by criteria of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the Association International pour la Recherche et l'Enseignement en Neurosciences; mean age, 76.9 years) were selected. Subjects were well matched for age, sex, duration of illness, and cognitive function. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The APOE genotype was determined using the polymerase chain reaction method, and medial temporal lobe atrophy and white matter hyperintensities (periventricular and deep white matter) were visually rated using standardized scales. RESULTS In all subjects with dementia, no significant associations were noted between APOE epsilon4 status and medial temporal lobe atrophy (mean score: 0 epsilon4 = 4.5, 1 epsilon4 = 4.5, and 2 epsilon4 = 4.3; P = .90), periventricular hyperintensities (0 epsilon4 = 3.3, 1 epsilon4 = 3.1, and 2 epsilon4 = 2.9; P = .83), and white matter hyperintensities (0 epsilon4 = 5.3, 1 epsilon4 = 4.9, and 2 epsilon4 = 4.9; P = .79). CONCLUSIONS The APOE epsilon4 allele does not determine medial temporal lobe atrophy or white matter lesions, as measured by magnetic resonance imaging in patients with Alzheimer disease, vascular dementia, or dementia with Lewy bodies. Although APOE epsilon4 may modify the risk for acquiring dementia, this finding provides further evidence that APOE epsilon4 does not influence pathological processes thereafter.