Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in Chinese chronic periodontitis patients and periodontally healthy adults.

OBJECTIVE Actinobacillusactinomycetemcomitans is a major periodontal pathogen. This research was aimed at investigating the prevalence of A actinomycetemcomitans in Chinese chronic periodontitis patients and periodontally healthy adults. METHOD AND MATERIALS A total of 116 chronic periodontitis patients and 111 periodontally healthy adults were included. In each periodontitispatient,subgingival plaque samples were collected from 2 molar sites with the deepest pockets and 1 periodontally healthy site. The samples of periodontally healthy adults were obtained from the mesiobuccal site of 1 maxillary first molar. A actinomycetemcomitans was detected by 16S rRNA polymerase chain action. Pocket depth, clinical attachment loss, and bleeding on probing of the sampled sites were recorded. RESULTS A actinomycetemcomitans was detected in only 1 site (0.90%) of periodontally healthy subjects. For chronic periodontitispatients, the prevalence of periodontitis sites (33.62%) was significantly higher than that of healthy sites (0.90%)(P<.05); the occurrence showed a decreasing trend as patient age increased: highest in the 20- to 35-year-old group (44.12%), followed by the 36- to 55-year-old group (36.36%) and 56- to 75-year-old group (22.73%)(P<.05). A actinomycetemcomitans was most frequently detected in sites with pocket depth 7 mm or more and clinical attachment loss 6 mm or more (P<.05) and more often detected in sites that exhibited bleeding on probing (37.07%) than those that did not (7.41%)(P<.05). CONCLUSIONS A actinmycetemcomitans was more frequently detected in periodontitis sites than in periodontally healthy sites. For chronic periodontitispatients, a higher prevalence was associated with the severe sites than moderate and mild sites. A actinomycetemcomitans is considered to be a major pathogen in the etiology of chronic periodontitis
A Comparative Study Between Early Occlusal Loading at 1 and 6 Weeks in Implant-Retained Mandibular Overdentures

Purpose:A clinical and a radiographic comparison of periimplant hard and soft tissue changes for the possible effects of early occlusal loading at 1 week versus 6 weeks. Materials and Methods:Twelve edentulous patients were treated with two unsplinted implant-retained mandibular overdentures. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. In group I, implants were loaded 1 week after surgery, whereas in group II, implants were loaded 6 weeks after surgery. Clinical periimplant parameters and marginal bone height were recorded first day after loading then after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Results:Clinical periimplant soft tissues parameters and marginal bone levels showed no statistically significant differences between the two groups during 12 months. Conclusion:Early loading after 1 and 6 weeks for two unsplinted implants retaining mandibular overdentures does not compromise periimplant soft tissue health and marginal bone levels.
QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS ON THE FLOW OF NARCOTICS: SUPPLY AND DEMAND RESTRAINTS IN A NORTH–SOUTH MACRO‐MODEL

This paper constructs a macroeconomic model of North–South interaction where the flow of narcotics from the South to the North is restricted. The economic effects are akin to quantitative restrictions in trade policy. Two alternative policy scenarios will be considered. One involves reducing the supply of drugs at the source, accompanied by aid. Supply‐side restrictions have negative aggregate supply‐side effects in the producing region, because of the monopoly rents generated from that type of control. This makes them a second‐best policy, particularly if the accompanying aid is not used for poverty alleviation and fails to expand domestic aggregate demand. Alternatively, demand side restrictions will be found to be superior.
Rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone (R‐CHOP) in the management of primary mediastinal B‐cell lymphoma: a subgroup analysis of the UK NCRI R‐CHOP 14 versus 21 trial

We performed a subgroup analysis of the phase III UK National Cancer Research Institute R‐CHOP‐14 versus R‐CHOP‐21 (two‐ versus three‐weekly rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone) trial to evaluate the outcomes for 50 patients with World Health Organization 2008 classified primary mediastinal B‐cell lymphoma identified from the trial database. At a median follow‐up of 7·2 years the 5‐year progression‐free survival and overall survival was 79·8% and 83·8%, respectively. An exploratory analysis raised the possibility of a better outcome in those who received R‐CHOP‐14 and time intensification may still, in the rituximab era, merit testing in a randomised trial in this subgroup of patients.
Wind tunnel and analytical investigations into the aeroelastic behaviour of bundled conductors

The conditions for bundle instability were determined for spring-mounted, sectional models in the wind tunnel. The stability boundaries are in good agreement with predicted values from a quasi-steady analysis using measured mean forces. The analytical model was extended to a three-dimensional, multi-subspan catenary. Predictions were compared to some observations from a full-scale line and from a reduced scale span in a large wind tunnel. Experimental and analytical studies showed that twisting the bundle through 30 degrees per subspan prevents subspan oscillation. Extensive wake measurements suggest that some of the mean vertical force on downstream conductors is due to wake static pressure gradients.
Influence of thermodynamically unfavorable secondary structures on DNA hybridization kinetics

Abstract Nucleic acid secondary structure plays an important role in nucleic acid–nucleic acid recognition/hybridization processes, and is also a vital consideration in DNA nanotechnology. Although the influence of stable secondary structures on hybridization kinetics has been characterized, unstable secondary structures, which show positive ΔG° with self-folding, can also form, and their effects have not been systematically investigated. Such thermodynamically unfavorable secondary structures should not be ignored in DNA hybridization kinetics, especially under isothermal conditions. Here, we report that positive ΔG° secondary structures can change the hybridization rate by two-orders of magnitude, despite the fact that their hybridization obeyed second-order reaction kinetics. The temperature dependence of hybridization rates showed non-Arrhenius behavior; thus, their hybridization is considered to be nucleation limited. We derived a model describing how ΔG° positive secondary structures affect hybridization kinetics in stopped-flow experiments with 47 pairs of oligonucleotides. The calculated hybridization rates, which were based on the model, quantitatively agreed with the experimental rate constant.
Bouncing Back : Are Average Outage Factors Adequate for Valuing the Resilience of Infrastructure Projects ?

Motivated by the need to bolster the resilience of infrastructure, such as bridges, nuclear power plants, and ports, in face of extreme weather events, we consider two types of projects: “riskier” and “safer. ” Each type of project, once constructed, earns identical instantaneous cash flows and is subject to the same risk of outage, which causes its cash flows to diminish. The only difference between the two projects is that the repair rate of the “safer” project is greater than that of the “riskier” one. Naturally, the “safer” project is more valuable to an investor due to its greater resilience. However, how much extra would an investor be willing to pay for this resilience? Under which circumstances would it be reasonable to replace the outage and repair rates with average outage factors? Using a real options approach, we show that even though the proportions of upand down-times remain fixed, changes in the transition rates affect the willingness to pay for resilience. This implies that use of average outage factors will incorrectly inflate the resilience premium. In fact, only in the limit when transitions occur at infinitely high rates does the use of average outage factors accurately reflect *Department of Statistical Science, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, U.K., Department of Computer and Systems Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden, and Department of Decision Sciences, HEC Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 2A7, Canada, e-mail address: afzal.siddiqui@ucl.ac. uk †Department of Industrial Administration, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda-shi, Chibaken 278-8510, Japan, e-mail address: takashima@rs.tus. ac.jp
Genetic polymorphisms in AURKA and BRCA1 are associated with breast cancer susceptibility in a Chinese Han population

Centrosome defects can result in aneuploidy and genomic instability, and have important implications for breast cancer development. The Aurora‐A and BRCA1 proteins interact and both are strongly involved in centrosome regulation. Genetic variants in these two genes may have an effect on breast cancer development. Here, we report a comprehensive single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and haplotype‐tagging association study on these two genes in 1334 breast cancer cases and 1568 unaffected controls among the Chinese Han population. Apart from a missense SNP, rs2273535 (Phe31Ile), and a probable risk SNP, rs2064863, six htSNPs were analysed in three high‐LD blocks of AURKA spanning from 10 kb upstream to 2 kb downstream of AURKA. For BRCA1, six htSNPs were analysed in a large high‐LD region covering 98 kb (10 kb was extended to each end of BRCA1). The results showed that four SNPs in AURKA (data in recessive model, rs2273535: OR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.03–4.66, p = 0.0422; rs2298016: OR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.18–0.82, p = 0.0141; rs6024836: OR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.18–2.00, p = 0.0014; rs10485805: OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.47–0.98, p = 0.0380) and one SNP in BRCA1 (rs3737559, dominant model OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.11–1.64, p = 0.0030) were associated with breast cancer susceptibility. After correction for multiple comparisons (FDR = 0.05), only rs6024836 and rs3737559 remained significant. Two haplotypes (CC of block 2, OR = 20.74, 95% CI = 4.35–98.88, p = 0.0001; GG of block 3, OR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.12–1.56, p = 0.0010) and one diplotype (AG‐GG of block 3, OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.18–2.26, p = 0.0031) within AURKA showed strong associations with breast cancer risk. One haplotype of BRCA1 (CTGTTG, OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.06–1.59, p = 0.0118) was also associated with breast cancer risk. However, women harbouring both at‐risk genotypes of Aurora‐A and BRCA1 were at a slightly increased risk compared with those harbouring either at‐risk variant alone. Common genetic variants in the AURKA and BRCA1 genes may contribute to breast cancer development. Copyright © 2011 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Auditory and phonetic memory codes in the discrimination of consonants and vowels *

Recognition memory for consonants and v’owels selected from within and between phonetic categories was examined in a delayed comparison d~scrimination task. Accuracy of discrimination for synthetic vowels selected from both within and between categories was inversely related to the magnitude of the comparison interval. In contrast, d~scrimination of synthetic stop consonants remained relatively stable both within and between categories. The results indicate that differences in discrimination between consonants and vowels are primarily due to the differential availability of auditory short-term memory for the acoustic cues distinguishing these t~vo classes of speech sounds. The findings provide evidence for distinct auditory a~d phonetic memory codes in speech perception.
Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase: An Emerging Key Player in Innate Immunity

Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) was initially discovered as a critical mediator of B cell receptor signaling in the development and functioning of adaptive immunity. Growing evidence also suggests multiple roles for BTK in mononuclear cells of the innate immune system, especially in dendritic cells and macrophages. For example, BTK has been shown to function in Toll-like receptor-mediated recognition of infectious agents, cellular maturation and recruitment processes, and Fc receptor signaling. Most recently, BTK was additionally identified as a direct regulator of a key innate inflammatory machinery, the NLRP3 inflammasome. BTK has thus attracted interest not only for gaining a more thorough basic understanding of the human innate immune system but also as a target to therapeutically modulate innate immunity. We here review the latest developments on the role of BTK in mononuclear innate immune cells in mouse versus man, with specific emphasis on the sensing of infectious agents and the induction of inflammation. Therapeutic implications for modulating innate immunity and critical open questions are also discussed.
Le voyage en tant que dessinateur d'une nouvelle cartographie de la chercheuse

Dans le present article, nous analyserons le voyage en tant que lieu de confrontation d'un imaginaire fictionnel et celui de l'experience reelle. L'acte de voyager a rendu possible le dessin d'une nouvelle cartographie par la chercheuse, imposant un repositionnement de celle-ci dans le monde. Le recit de voyage est vu en tant que temoignage d'experience et constructeur d’un imaginaire de la terre inconnue. Tout comme les recits des voyageurs, les temoignages des artistes qui se sont confrontes aux cultures diverses sont les sources preferees du milieu theâtral et sont bâtisseurs d'imaginaires. Tous les artistes analyses se sont confrontes a l'apprentissage d'une danse balinaise lors d'un ou plusieurs voyages a Bali. Par ailleurs l'experience de la chercheuse, nous avons analyse les temoignages des artistes suivants: Roberta Carreri de l'Odin Teatret/ Denmark; Ana Teixeira, de l'Amok Teatro/ Bresil et Felisberto Sabino, professeur a l'Universite de Sao Paulo/ Bresil.
Somatostatin receptor-based PET/CT of intracranial tumors: a potential area of application for 68 Ga-DOTA peptides?

OBJECTIVE Similar to neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) at other sites, a wide array of intracranial tumors also express somatostatin receptors (SSTRs). This expression can be exploited for both imaging and therapy. The introduction of (68)Ga-labeled tetraazacyclododecanetetraacetic acid (DOTA)-peptide PET/CT has given new dimension to SSTR-based imaging because of its improved sensitivity and excellent spatial resolution. CONCLUSION However, in contrast to gastropancreatic and bronchopulmonary NETs, limited literature is available regarding the use of (68)Ga-DOTA-peptide PET/CT in intracranial tumors. Here, we briefly review the available literature and highlight the potential role that (68)Ga-DOTA-peptide PET/CT can play in the management of intracranial tumors.
Coding theorems for the compress and estimate source coding problem

We consider the remote source coding setting in which a source realization is estimated from a lossy compressed sequence of noisy observations. Unlike in the optimal remote source coding problem, however, the encoder is bound to use good codes with respect to the observation sequence, i.e., codes that are optimal for the lossy reconstruction of the observation, rather than the remote source. This encoding strategy is denoted as the compress-and-estimate (CE) scheme. For the case of an i.i. d source observed through a memoryless channel, we show that the distortion in the CE scheme is characterized by a single-letter expression, referred to as the CE distortion-rate function (CE-DRF). In particular, we show that the CE-DRF can be attained by estimating the source from the output of a remote encoder employing any sequence of good codes with respect to the observation sequence. In addition, we show that the limiting distortion in estimating any finite sub-block of the source realization from the output of a remote encoder employing good codes, averaged over all sub-blocks, is also bounded by the CE-DRF.
Changes in EEG power density of NREM sleep in depressed patients during treatment with citalopram

SUMMARY According to a recent hypothesis the therapeutic effects of antidepressants might be related to acute or cumulative suppression of NREM sleep intensity. This intensity has been proposed to be expressed in the EEG power density in NREM sleep. In the present study the relationship was examined between the changes of EEG power density in NREM sleep and the changes in clinical state in 16 depressed patients during treatment with citalopram, a highly specific serotonin uptake inhibitor. A one‐week wash‐out period was followed by 1 week of placebo administration, a medication period of 5 weeks, and a one‐week placebo period. In order to minimize systematic influences of sleep duration and NREM‐REM sleep alterations, EEG power was measured over the longest common amount of NREM sleep stages 2, 3 and 4 (91.5 min). During the last treatment week and the week after withdrawal, a significant decrease of EEG power as compared to baseline was found in the 8–9 Hz frequency range. No clear‐cut change, however, was observed in the EEG power of the delta frequency range (1–4 Hz), which is considered to be the principle manifestation of NREMS intensity. Furthermore, no relationship between changes in EEG power density and changes in clinical state could be demonstrated.
Bioimpedance Analysis and Assessment of Intracellular Water in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

Bioimpedance analysis (BIA) techniques are widely used to assess body composition in dialysis patients. However, some questions remain with respect to the use of BIA in the nutritional assessment of dialysis patients. First, it is not well known whether multifrequency BIA (MF-BIA) measurement techniques have any advantage over single-frequency (SF-BIA) measurements in the assessment of intracellular water (ICW), which reflects body cell mass (1). With SF-BIA, ICW is estimated from regression analysis, taking into account resistance (R) (the in-phase opposition of the conductor to current) and reactance (Xc) (the additional opposition due to the capacitance of cell membranes) at a single frequency (2). MF-BIA distinguishes between extracellular (ECW) and ICW volume because, at low frequencies, the cell membrane acts as a capacitor and blocks the flow of current through the cell; whereas, at higher frequencies, current flows through both the intraand the extracellular space (3). Second, a parameter that has been widely used as a nutritional and even as a prognostic parameter is phase angle, which is the arctangent of the Xc/R ratio (1). From a theoretical point of view, phase angle may be reduced either by a reduction in body cell mass or an increase in ECW (1). Although some studies have shown a relation between phase angle and ECW in dialysis patients (4), the relation between phase angle and ICW has not yet been studied in dialysis patients. The aims of the present study were, first, to compare MF-BIA and SF-BIA in the assessment of ICW and, second, to estimate the relationship between phase angle and body compartments in peritoneal dialysis patients.
Cystathionine Pathway-dependent Cytotoxicities of Diethyl Maleate and Diamide in Rat and Human Hepatoma-derived Cell Cultures

Glutathione (GSH) plays a role in many toxicologically important metabolic processes. It was previously established that L-buthionine S,R-sulphoximine (BSO), a specific inhibitor of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase, reduces the GSH content more efficiently in rat (Fa32) than in human (Hep G2) hepatoma-derived cells. We therefore investigated whether the cystathionase inhibitor propargylglycine (PPG) could further decrease the BSO-induced GSH depletion in Hep G2 cells. The influence of the cystathionine precursors N-acetylmethionine, methionine and homocysteine on the cytotoxicity of diethyl maleate (DEM) and diamide [1,1′-azobis(N,N-dimethylformamide)] was also investigated. PPG reduced the GSH content in both cell lines. A further GSH decrease in Hep G2 was obtained when using a BSO + PPG combination containing relatively high concentrations of PPG. BSO diminished the toxicity of PPG. Homocysteine was the most efficacious of the tested cystathionine precursors in increasing the GSH content and reducing the cytotoxicity of DEM and diamide in Fa32 and Hep G2 cells.
The Influence Of Boards Of Directors Characteristics On Strategic Decision-Making: Evidence From Greek Companies

This study explores the influence Boards of Directors’ demographic characteristics on the process of making strategic decisions. Empirical testing is based on a sample of 105 Greek companies listed on the Athens Stock Exchange. The results suggest that educational level affect both the financial reporting and the hierarchical decentralisation in the strategic decision-making process. Also, functional background of executives was found to be related with financial reporting. However, the educational specialty did not appear to have any significant influence on the strategic decision-making process. In light of these findings, implications for practitioners are made and avenues for future research are suggested.
Diagnosing Parkinson's disease using videotaped neurological examinations: Validity and factors that contribute to incorrect diagnoses

Field work is commonly required in movement disorders research. Sending neurologists into the field can be logistically challenging and costly. Alternatively, neurological examinations may be videotaped and reviewed later. There is little knowledge of the validity of the videotaped neurological examination in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD). We examined the validity of the videotaped Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor examination in the diagnosis of PD, and sought to determine which factors are associated with incorrect diagnoses. PD patients and controls were enrolled in a familial aggregation study between August of 1998 and June of 2000, and as part of that study each was examined by a physician who performed an in‐person UPDRS motor examination. Each also underwent a second, videotaped UPDRS motor examination. Based on the review of this videotape, a neurologist, who was blinded to the previous clinical diagnosis, assigned a diagnosis of PD or normal. A total of 211 of 231 PD patients (sensitivity = 91.3%), and 170 of 172 controls (specificity = 98.8%) were correctly identified based on the videotape. True positives had a higher mean rest tremor score (1.7 vs. 0.3; P < 0.001), action tremor score (0.9 vs. 0.3; P < 0.001), bradykinesia score (11.2 vs. 7.4; P = 0.02), and disease of longer mean duration (8.9 vs. 5.8 years; P = 0.001) than false negatives. False negatives did not differ from true positives in terms of age, total dose of levodopa, Hoehn and Yahr score, or rigidity, gait and posture, or facial masking scores (each assessed during the in‐person examination). The videotaped UPDRS motor examination is a useful means of diagnosing PD and provides an alternative approach for the diagnosis of PD in field studies. A limitation is that patients with milder PD of shorter duration may not be recognized as PD. © 2002 Movement Disorder Society