Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spinal bone density and tooth loss in a cohort of postmenopausal women.

Osteoporosis has been suggested to contribute to the edentulous condition. However, studies specifically designed to examine the relationship between tooth loss and osteoporosis are scarce, and reported results have been mixed. This study investigated the correlation between tooth loss and spinal bone density in a nonHispanic white female population. Forty-four subjects were recruited and divided into high and low spinal bone density groups based on whether the bone density was higher or lower than the age-adjusted population mean bone density. Missing teeth and periodontal status in these groups were assessed and analyzed. Tooth loss was not significantly different between subjects with low spinal bone density (4.90 +/- 0.89 teeth) and high spinal bone density (3.81 +/- 0.90 teeth). Tooth loss did not differ after age and periodontal adjustment. However, the loss of attachment levels (relative to the cementoenamel junction) was greater in the low spinal bone density subjects (3.42 +/- 0.30 mm) than in the high spinal bone density subjects (2.37 +/- 0.26 mm) (P < .05). The difference may have resulted from gingival recession (P < .05), because the gingival pocket depths were not significantly different between the two groups. In this study, total tooth loss was not directly associated with systemic bone density. However, periodontal disease was negatively associated with spinal bone density. Whether periodontal disease will ultimately lead to greater tooth loss in low spinal bone density group merits further investigation.
Phase II trial of bevacizumab and everolimus in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the combination of bevacizumab, an angiogenesis inhibitor, and everolimus, an mTOR inhibitor, in the treatment of patients with advanced clear cell renal carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS Two groups of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma were eligible for this study: those with no previous treatment with targeted agents and those with previous treatment with sunitinib and/or sorafenib. All patients received bevacizumab 10 mg/kg intravenously every 2 weeks and everolimus 10 mg orally daily. Patients were evaluated for response after 8 weeks of treatment; patients with objective response or stable disease continued treatment until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurred. RESULTS Eighty patients (50 untreated, 30 previously treated) entered this clinical trial. The combination of bevacizumab/everolimus showed activity in both groups. Median progression-free survivals in previously untreated and previously treated patients were 9.1 and 7.1 months, respectively. Overall response rates (30% and 23%) were similar in both groups. The regimen was well tolerated by most patients, with a toxicity profile as expected based on the known toxicities of these two agents. Grade 3 to 4 proteinuria was more frequent than expected (25%) and led to treatment discontinuation in six patients. CONCLUSION Bevacizumab/everolimus is active and well tolerated in the treatment of advanced clear cell renal cancer, either as first-line treatment or after treatment with sunitinib and/or sorafenib. The benefits of this combination regimen, versus sequential use of these two agents, requires further study.
Regulation of DNA Binding and trans-Activation by a Xenobiotic Stress-activated Plant Transcription Factor*

As-1-typecis-elements augment transcription of both nuclear and pathogen genes in response to stress and defense cues in plants. Basic/leucine zipper proteins termed “TGA factors” that specifically bind as-1 elements are likely candidates for mediating these transcription activities. Our earlier work has shown that 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid-induced xenobiotic stress enhancestrans-activation by a chimeric fusion protein of the yeast Gal4 binding domain and TGA1a, a TGA factor of tobacco. Here we demonstrate that xenobiotic stress also enhances the ability of native TGA1a to bind as-1 and activate transcription of a known target gene. In addition, the previously identified xenobiotic stress-responsive domain of TGA1a was found to inhibit this factor'strans-activation potential by a mechanism that appears to involve stimulus-reversible interactions with a nuclear repressor protein. Results from these and other studies can now be placed in the context of a working model to explain basal and xenobiotic stress-induced activities of TGA1a through its cognatecis-acting element.
Pre-Hospital Medications in Total Hip Arthroplasty: Risk Factors for Poor Outcomes

Introduction The influence of co-morbidities on complication rates and length of hospitalisation after surgery is well recognised. Clinical instruments predicting this influence, are of increasing interest. We sought to determine whether a count of a patient's preoperative pharmaceuticals would be associated to postoperative outcomes. Material and Methods In this retrospective, consecutive case series, 668 patients undergoing elective primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) were analysed. Age, gender, BMI, ASA-classification, nicotine or alcohol abuse, and the number and type of medications were documented. Results Mean age was 63 years (18-94), 53% were females. A total of 60 (8.9%) local and 19 (2.8%) systemic complications occurred during hospital stay. A total of 11 (1.6%) patients died, while 49 (7.3%) local complications occurred during the first postoperative year. Length of hospital stay, blood transfusions, and morbidity were found to be significantly related to the quantity of medications (p<0.001). While the risk of an extended hospital stay (>7 days) increased by a factor of 1.15 (CI: 1.08-1.22) with each medication, the risk of experiencing a complication within the first postoperative year was 1.19 times (CI: 1.07-1.29) for each additional medication. Type of medication also influenced morbidity: the odds ratio was 1.89 (CI: 1.05-3.41) for platelet inhibiting agents and 4.07 (CI: 1.96-8.42) for oral anticoagulants in early morbidity, which increased to 6.05 (CI:2.92-12.53) in 1-year follow-up. Conclusions The investigation illustrated the significant influence of the number and/or type of medication on complications, morbidity and prolonged hospital stay. This predictive tool may be useful, for physicians and non-health professionals, in estimating particular outcomes after elective THA.
Subcutaneous panniculitis‐like T‐cell lymphoma in children: a detailed clinicopathological description of 11 multifocal cases with a high frequency of haemophagocytic syndrome

DEAR EDITOR, Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPLTCL) is defined as a/b T-cell-receptor-positive T-cell lymphoma of CD8-positive cytotoxic T cells involving exclusively the subcutaneous tissue. SPLTCL is rare but has been shown to affect all age groups including children. The clinical course of this lymphoma depends on the presence or absence of a haemophagocytic syndrome (HPS), which has been reported to develop secondarily in approximately 20% of cases of SPLTCL, usually associated with an unfavourable outcome. HPS can be regarded as a systemic hyperinflammatory reaction with fever, cytopenia and hepatosplenomegaly. According to the consensus criteria the diagnosis is based on further parameters such as the morphological detection of haemophagocytosis and specific laboratory features. We report here a multicentre collection of 11 paediatric cases of SPLTCL, and put a specific focus on the presence of HPS, treatment options and outcome. Our data indicate that HPS occurs in a substantial number of such patients, but was
Cellular HIV‐1 DNA quantitation in patients during simplification therapy with protease inhibitor‐sparing regimens

Simplified regimens containing protease‐inhibitors (PI)‐sparing combinations were used in patients with virological suppression after prolonged highly active antiretroviral therapy. This study evaluated the total HIV‐1 DNA quantitation as a predictor of long‐term success for PI‐sparing simplified therapy. Sixty‐two patients were enrolled in a prospective non‐randomized cohort. All patients have been receiving a triple‐therapy regimen, two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) plus one PI, for at least 9 months and were characterized by undetectable plasma HIV‐1 RNA levels (<50 cp/ml) for at least 6 months. Patients were changed to a simplified PI‐sparing regimen to overcome PI‐associated adverse effects. HIV‐DNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were evaluated at baseline and at the end of follow‐up. Patients with proviral DNA levels below the median value (226 copies/106 PBMCs) had a significant higher CD4 cell count at nadir (P = 0.003) and at enrolment (P = 0.001) with respect to patients with HIV‐DNA levels above the median value. At month 18, 53 out of 62 (85%) patients on simplified regimen showed virological success, 4 (6.4%) patients experienced virological failure and 5 (8%) patients showed viral blip. At logistic regression analysis, HIV‐DNA levels below 226 copies/106 PBMCs at baseline were associated independently to a reduced risk of virological failure or viral blip during simplified therapy (OR 0.002, 95% CI 0.001–0.46, P = 0.025). The substitution of PI with NRTI or non‐NRTIs may represent an effective treatment option. Indeed, treatment failure or viral blip were experienced by 6% and 8% of the patients on simplified therapy, respectively. In addition, sustained suppression of the plasma viral load was significantly correlated with low levels of proviral DNA before treatment simplification. J. Med. Virol. 79:880–886, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Postoperative drifts after adjustable-suture strabismus surgery.

OBJECTIVE To determine the drift patterns and success rates of adjustable-suture horizontal strabismus surgery when patients are aligned to predetermined target angles. DESIGN Case series. SETTING University-affiliated tertiary care hospital in Toronto; clinic and office care. PATIENTS A total of 109 patients aged 15 to 72 years who underwent adjustablesuture strabismus surgery (primary procedure or reoperation) for esotropia or exotropia performed by one surgeon between 1990 and 1994 who were followed for at least 6 months. Their final postoperative angles were in the target ranges of under 4 prism dioptres (PD) for esotropia surgery and 3 PD to 7 PD of esotropia for exotropia surgery. OUTCOME MEASURES Primary-position alignment before surgery, immediately after surgery or after adjustment of sutures, if needed (final alignment), and at 1 to 2 weeks, 6 to 8 weeks and 6 to 8 months after surgery; size and direction of drift from final alignment after surgery at 6 to 8 months; and rate at 6 to 8 months of reduction of strabismus angle to less than 10 PD. RESULTS Of the 109 patients 44 had esotropia (17 primary repair [group 1] and 27 reoperation [group 2]) and 65 had exotropia (29 primary repair [group 3] and 36 reoperation [group 4]). Overall, 48 patients (44.0%) required postoperative suture adjustment. The mean drifts from the final postoperative alignments were 1 PD for groups 1 and 2, 7 PD for group 3 and 3 PD for group 4, all in the exotropic direction. The corresponding surgical success rates were 82.4%, 92.6%, 93.1% and 94.4%. Over 6 to 8 months both esotropia groups had approximately equal tendencies to drift in either direction. Both exotropia groups showed almost equal tendencies to drift in either direction away from the mean exotropic shift for the group. CONCLUSIONS Because of our target alignments, our success rates at 6 to 8 months were high, for both primary surgery and reoperation. In all four patient groups the drift tendencies were symmetric about the mean.
Storage and stability of organic matter and fossil carbon in a Luvisol and Phaeozem with continuous maize cropping: A synthesis §

Quantitative information about the amount and stability of organic carbon (OC) in different soil organic-matter (OM) fractions and in specific organic compounds and compound-classes is needed to improve our understanding of organic-matter sequestration in soils. In the present paper, we summarize and integrate results performed on two different arable soils with continuous maize cropping (a) Stagnic Luvisol with maize cropping for 24 y, b) Luvic Phaeozem with maize cropping for 39 y) to identify (1) the storage of OC in different soil organic-matter fractions, (2) the function of these fractions with respect to soil-OC stabilization, (3) the importance and partitioning of fossil-C deposits, and (4) the rates of soil-OC stabilization as assessed by compound-specific isotope analyses. The fractionation procedures included particle-size fractionation, density fractionation, aggregate fractionation, acid hydrolysis, different oxidation procedures, isolation of extractable lipids and phospholipid fatty acids, pyrolysis, and the determination of black C. Stability of OC was determined by 13C and 14C analyses. The main inputs of OC were plant litter (both sites) and deposition of fossil C likely from coal combustion and lignite dust (only Phaeozem). Total soil OC stocks down to a depth of 65 cm (7.83 kg m–2 in the Luvisol and 9.66 kg m–2 in the Phaeozem) consisted mainly of mineral-bound OC (87% of total SOC in the Luvisol and 69% in the Phaeozem). In the Luvisol, free light particulate OM, OM associated with sand and coarse silt, and particulate OM occluded in macro-aggregates represented SOM fractions with mean turnover times shorter than that of the bulk soil OC (54 y). Additionally, the turnover of all individual compounds or compound classes (except for black carbon) was faster than that of bulk soil OC. These OM fractions that were less stable than the bulk soil OM made up 13% to 20% of the total OC. Organic matter in fine and medium silt and clay fractions, particulate OM occluded in micro-aggregates (53–250 lm) and OM resistant to acid hydrolysis had intermediate turnover times of about 50–100 y. These fractions with intermediate turnover times contributed 70%–80% to total soil OC. Passive OM with turnover times >200 y was isolated from the mineral-bound OM by different oxidation procedures (H 2 O 2 ,N a 2 S 2 O 8 ) and made up ≤10% of the total OC. The isotopic signature of PLFAs suggests an efficient recycling of OC derived from C3 substrate. In the Phaeozem, partitioning of maize-derived C exhibited a pattern similar to the Luvisol, but turnover rates of vegetation-derived soil OC were lower, probably because of the considerably smaller input of plant residues. Fossil C contributed approx. 50% to the total OC and accumulated preferentially in the particulate OM occluded in aggregates and in the fine-sand and
Anger in health, benign breast disease and breast cancer: a prospective case-control study.

BACKGROUND The State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory 2 (STAXI-2) is a psychometric instrument measuring anger experience and expression. Associations between the STAXI-2 and risk of breast cancer (BC) are rarely considered together in a prospective study. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 117 women with breast symptoms referred for breast examination were selected and assessed before any diagnostic procedures. RESULTS Twenty-four patients with BC, 44 with benign breast disease (BBD) and 49 healthy individuals (HHS) were included. Scores for parameters state anger/feel like expressing anger physically (SANGP) were significantly higher in the HHS group (HHS vs. BBD: p=0.027; HHS vs. BC: p=0.025). BC patients showed a trend to lower scores in almost all scales of STAXI-2, except for the scales trait anger/angry temperament (TANGT), anger expression-in (AX-I), and anger control-out (AC-O), that were higher than the two other groups' scores. CONCLUSION The results of this study do not support a specific link between STAXI-2 and breast cancer risk.
Fiber optic heterodyne interferometer for vibration measurements in biological systems.

An optical heterodyne interferometer utilizing a fiber optic target probe and a digital phase compensation system is described. Optical performance and the effect of background motions on output are described. Maximum sensitivity for a simulated biological target in aqueous medium is 0.05 A Hz−1/2 for a signal‐to‐noise ratio of unity.
Judged humor, arousal, and the relief theory.

The hypothesis that humor represents the sudden relief from strong affect was tested. Anxiety was used as the affect, and was varied among 3 groups of freshmen and sophomores by informing them of tasks they would be required to do, which supposedly would entail handling or extracting blood from white rats. At the start of the task the rat was discovered to be a toy. Questionnaires were then administered, asking Ss to rate humor, anxiety, and surprisingness. Humor ratings showed a significant positive trend with both anxiety and surprisingness. The results are interpreted as supporting the relief theory of humor, and as suggesting surprisingness as a strongly correlated variable.
The Acceptance of E-Assessment Considering Security Perspective: Work in Progress

The implementation of e-assessment as tool to support the process of teaching and learning in university has become a popular technological means in universities. E-Assessment provides many advantages to the users especially the flexibility in teaching and learning. The e-assessment system has the capability to improve its quality of delivering education. However, there still exists a drawback in terms of security which limits the user acceptance of the online learning system. Even though there are studies providing solutions for identified security threats in e-learning usage, there is no particular model which addresses the factors that influences the acceptance of e-assessment system by lecturers from security perspective. The aim of this study is to explore security aspects of eassessment in regard to the acceptance of the technology. As a result a conceptual model of secure acceptance of e-assessment is proposed. Both human and security factors are considered in formulation of this conceptual model. In order to increase understanding of critical issues related to the subject of this study, interpretive approach involving convergent mixed method research method is proposed to be used to execute the research. This study will be useful in providing more insightful understanding regarding the factors that influence the user acceptance of e-assessment system from security perspective. Keywords—Secure Technology Acceptance, E-Assessment Security, E-Assessment, Education Technology.
The Innate Immune Response Affects the Development of the Autoimmune Response in Theiler’s Virus-Induced Demyelinating Disease1

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a human CNS autoimmune demyelinating disease. Epidemiological evidence has suggested a role for virus infection in the initiation and/or exacerbation of MS. Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV)-induced demyelinating disease serves as a relevant mouse model for MS. TMEV-infected mice develop a demyelinating disease with clinical symptoms beginning around 35 days after infection, which is associated with development of myelin-specific, PLP139–151, CD4+ T cell responses. Viruses have been suggested to initiate autoimmune disease through bystander activation of immune cells or through bystander damage to tissue during infection. We examined the effect of the innate immune response on development of autoimmune demyelinating disease by altering the innate immune response through administration of innate immune cytokines, IFN-α or IFN-β, or antiserum against the type I IFNs during the innate immune response to TMEV. Administration of IFN-β, but not IFN-α, to TMEV- infected mice led to reduced myelin-specific CD4+ T cell responses and reduced demyelinating disease, which was associated with decreased immune cell infiltration into the CNS and increased expression of IL-10 in the CNS. Conversely, administration of antiserum to IFN-β led to a more severe demyelinating disease. In addition, administration of poly(I:C), which is an innate immune agonist, to TMEV-infected mice during the innate immune response resulted in decreased myelin-specific CD4+ T cell responses and reduced demyelinating disease. These results demonstrate that activating or enhancing the innate immune response can reduce the subsequent initiation and progression of the autoimmune response and demyelinating disease.
Mobile Diabetes Intervention for Glycemic Control

Background: Of adults with type 2 diabetes, 84% take antihyperglycemic medication. Successful treatment requires active monitoring and medication dose adjustment by health providers. The objective of this study was to determine how a mobile-phone-based coaching system for diabetes management influences physician prescribing behavior. Method: This secondary data analysis is based on a cluster randomized clinical trial that reported patients provided with mobile self-management had reduction in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of 1.9% over 1 year, compared to 0.7% in control patients (P < .001). Participants were primary care patients with type 2 diabetes randomized at physician practice level into a control group (n = 55) and intervention group (n = 62). Main study measures were patients’ medication records (medication, dose, frequency, start and end date) abstracted at baseline and study end. Antihyperglycemic medications, including sulfonylureas or thiazolidinediones, and antihypertensive and antilipemic medications were analyzed. Results: A higher percentage of patients in the intervention group had modification and intensification of incretin mimetics during the 1-year study period (9.7% vs 0.0% and 8.1% vs 0.0%, both P = .008). A higher percentage of patients in the intervention group had modification and intensification of metformin (24.2% vs 7.3%, P = .033). The overall difference in physician prescribing of oral antihyperglycemic medications was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Our results suggest mobile diabetes interventions can encourage physicians to modify and intensify antihyperglycemic medications in patients with type 2 diabetes. Differences in physician prescribing behavior were modest, and do not appear to be large enough to explain a 1.2% decrease in HbA1c.