Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
IMPACT OF PROSTHODONTIC REHABILITATION ON THE MASTICATORY PERFORMANCE OF PARTIALLY DENTATE OLDER PATIENTS: CAN IT PREDICT NUTRITIONAL STATE? RESULTS FROM A RCT

OBJECTIVES With a decreased number of teeth, a reduction in chewing function can contribute to changes in food choices and ultimately impact on overall nutritional status. This study compared the impact of two tooth replacement strategies for partially dentate older patients on masticatory performance and nutritional status. METHODS Patients aged 65 years and older were randomly allocated to two different treatment groups. For the RPDP-group (removable partial dental prostheses) each participant was restored to complete dental arches with cobalt-chromium removable prostheses. For the SDA-group (shortened dental arch), participants were restored to 10 occluding pairs of natural and replacement teeth using adhesive bridgework. Masticatory performance was assessed with a colour-mixing ability test. Each patient provided haematological samples that were screened for biochemical markers of nutritional status. Patients were also assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA). RESULTS Eighty-nine patients completed the test for masticatory performance and provided blood samples and MNA scores at baseline (BL) and after 12 months (12m). Masticatory performance (p<0.001) and MNA (p<0.05) increased significantly in both groups, but no significant between group differences were noted. A mixed picture was observed for nutrition biomarkers. Mixed-effect linear regression models did not demonstrate that nutritional status could be predicted from masticatory performance. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that prosthodontic rehabilitation according to the principles of the SDA is equivalent to RPDPs in terms of restoration of chewing capacity for partially dentate older patients. However, masticatory performance may only have minor associations with nutritional status for this patient group. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Replacing teeth with either RPDPs or SDA provides a prerequisite for efficient chewing. Further research is required to determine the impact of oral rehabilitation coupled with nutritional counselling for this patient population.
Is immigration associated with an increase in risk factors and mortality among coronary artery disease patients? A cohort study of 13,742 patients.

BACKGROUND Clinical studies showing an association between immigration and increased prevalence of coronary risk factors or mortality rate in patients with coronary artery disease are scarce. OBJECTIVES To compare the risk profile and mortality of coronary patients born in Israel with those who immigrated to Israel, and to determine whether recent immigration is associated with greater risk among immigrants from the Soviet Union. METHODS Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected on chronic coronary artery disease patients from 18 Israeli medical centers during the screening period of the Bezafibrate Infarction Prevention Study in the early 1990s. Data on mortality after a mean 7.7 year follow-up were obtained from the Israel Population Registry. RESULTS While significant differences in mortality (14.7% vs. 18.5%, P < 0.001) were observed between Israeli-born patients and immigrants respectively, the mortality in these groups was similar when compared within specific age groups. Immigrants suffered more from hypertension and angina pectoris, and their New York Heart Association functional limitation class was higher, as compared to their Israeli-born counterparts. A multivariate analysis of mortality comparing patients from the Soviet Union who immigrated after 1970 with those who immigrated before 1970 showed an increased risk for newer immigrants, with a hazard ratio of 1.69 (95% confidence interval 1.19-2.40) for those immigrating between 1970 and 1984, and 1.68 (95% CI 1.01-2.28) for those immigrating between 1985 and 1991. CONCLUSION The worse profile and prognosis observed among patients who recently emigrated from the Soviet Union cannot be explained by traditional risk factors for CAD such as smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and lipid disorders. Further investigation, including variables such as psychological stress to which immigrants are more exposed than others, is needed.
Fibroblast growth factor 23, cardiovascular disease risk factors, and phosphorus intake in the health professionals follow-up study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) regulates phosphorus and vitamin D metabolism. Elevated FGF23 concentrations are associated with cardiovascular disease events and mortality across a broad range of kidney function, but the predictors of FGF23 concentrations in the general population are unclear. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS We examined cross-sectional associations of dietary and nondietary parameters with plasma FGF23 in 1261 participants of the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (mean age 64 ± 9, mean creatinine 0.9 ± 0.2 mg/dl, mean FGF23 64 ± 28 RU/ml). RESULTS In multivariable-adjusted analyses, each 5-year increase in age was associated with 2.1 RU/ml higher FGF23, each 500-mg increase in phosphorus intake was associated with 3.4 RU/ml higher FGF23, and each 0.1-mg/dl increase in creatinine was associated with 3.4 RU/ml higher FGF23. Participants in the highest category of body mass index had 9.5 RU/ml higher FGF23 than those in the lowest, smokers had 17.1 RU/ml higher FGF23 than nonsmokers, and participants with hypertension had 6.0 RU/ml higher FGF23 than those without hypertension. With respect to biochemical parameters, higher parathyroid hormone, phosphate, uric acid, and triglyceride levels all were associated independently with higher FGF23 in models adjusted for age, creatinine, and other factors. In a subset of 748 participants with available data, some inflammatory biomarkers were associated independently with higher FGF23. CONCLUSIONS In community-dwelling adults with largely preserved kidney function, established cardiovascular risk factors and higher phosphorus intake were associated with higher FGF23. These results might explain the link between FGF23 and cardiovascular disease.
Sclerostin is expressed in osteoclasts from aged mice and reduces osteoclast‐mediated stimulation of mineralization

Osteoclast‐mediated bone resorption precedes osteoblast‐mediated bone formation through early adulthood, but formation fails to keep pace with resorption during aging. We previously identified several factors produced by osteoclasts that promote bone formation. In this study, we determined if osteoclast‐produced factors contribute to the impaired bone formation with aging. We previously found that mice between the ages of 18 and 22 months develop age‐related bone loss. Bone marrow‐derived pre‐osteoclasts were isolated from 6‐week, 12‐month, and 18‐ to 24‐month‐old mice and differentiated into osteoclasts in vitro. Conditioned media were collected and compared for osteoblast mineralization support. Conditioned medium from osteoclasts from all ages was able to support mineralization of bone marrow stromal cells. Concentrating the conditioned medium from 6‐week‐old and 12‐month‐old mouse marrow cells‐derived osteoclasts enhanced mineralization support whereas concentrated conditioned medium from 18‐ to 24‐month‐old mouse marrow‐derived osteoclasts repressed mineralization compared to base medium. This observation suggests that an inhibitor of mineralization was secreted by aged murine osteoclasts. Gene and protein analysis revealed that the Wnt antagonist sclerostin was significantly elevated in the conditioned media from 24‐month‐old mouse cells compared to 6‐week‐old mouse cells. Antibodies directed to sclerostin neutralized the influences of the aged mouse cell concentrated conditioned media on mineralization. Sclerostin is primarily produced by osteocytes in young animals. This study demonstrates that osteoclasts from aged mice also produce sclerostin in quantities that may contribute to the age‐related impairment in bone formation. J. Cell. Biochem. 114: 1901–1907, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Forced expiratory volume is associated with cardiovascular and cortisol reactions to acute psychological stress.

It has been argued that blunted cardiovascular and cortisol reactions to acute psychological stress reflect a dysregulation of the neural system that supports motivation. We examined the association between forced expiratory volume in 1 s, an effort (hence motivation) dependent measure of lung function measured by spirometry, and cardiovascular and cortisol reactions to a battery of standard psychological stress tasks, assessed 7 years later. Irrespective of how it was expressed, low forced expiratory volume was associated with blunted heart rate and cortisol stress reactivity. The association survived adjustment for smoking, a range of anthropometric and sociodemographic covariates, and commitment to the stress tasks, as well as cognitive ability.
What role for the home learning environment and parenting in reducing the socioeconomic gradient in child development? Findings from the Millennium Cohort Study

Background Early child health and development (ECD) is important for health in later life. Objectives were to (1) examine the extent of socioeconomic inequality in markers of ECD at ages 3 and 5 years; (2) examine whether the ECD–income gap widens between these ages; (3) assess the contribution of the home learning environment, family routines and psychosocial environment to observed inequalities in ECD. Methods Data on socioemotional difficulties, and tests of cognitive ability in 3-year-old (n=15 382) and 5-year-old (n=15 042) children from the UK Millennium Cohort Study were used. Results Children in the highest income group were less likely to have socioemotional difficulties compared with those in the lowest income group at 3 and 5 years (2.4% vs 16.4% and 2.0% vs 15.9%, respectively) and had higher mean scores: age 3 'school readiness' 114 versus 99; verbal ability 54 versus 48, and age 5: verbal ability 60 versus 51, non-verbal ability 58 versus 54 and spatial ability 54 versus 48 (all p<0.001). The income gap in verbal ability scores widened between ages 3 and 5 (Wald test, p=0.04). Statistical adjustment for markers of home learning, family routines and psychosocial environments did more to explain the income gap in socioemotional difficulties than in cognitive test scores. Conclusion Our results suggest that relationships between family income and markers of ECD are amenable to change. The role of home learning, family routines and psychosocial environmental factors are potentially important in closing income gaps in ECD.
Uterine artery Doppler in predicting pregnancy outcome in women with connective tissue disorders.

Anti-tuberculous chemotherapy-induced crystal arthropathy is a rare and poorly recognized adverse effect of pyrazinamide and ethambutol. A metabolite of pyrizinamide, pyrinazoic acid, inhibits the renal tubular secretion of uric acid and ethambutol reduces its renal clearance. The resulting hyperuricaemia can give rise to arthralgias and very rarely an arthritis. Khanna et al. [1] prospectively studied 134 patients with pulmonary TB, and only one patient of the 71 cases receiving ethambutol developed arthritis with one other complaining of arthralgias. In 60 of the 134 cases, ethambutol was replaced with thiacetone, and none of these patients had any rise in their serum urate or musculoskeletal symptoms. To date, only four cases of ethambutol-/pyrazinamideinduced gout have been reported in the English literature [1–4]. No cases of pseudogout associated with TB chemotherapy have been reported, although one case reports the concomitant occurrence of TB septic arthritis within a pseudogout tophaceous nodule [5]. This is the first reported case of concomitant gout and pseudogout induced by TB chemotherapy. The case highlights the rarely reported musculoskeletal side effect of anti-tuberculosis treatment and the importance of joint aspiration and careful analysis of joint fluid. Such rare cases may become more prevalent in the future with the resurgence of M. tuberculosis, and the rheumatologist needs to be alert for the occurrence of these adverse events.
Acute Surgical Management of Jones' Fractures

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of surgical management for acute Jones' fractures and Torg types I and II proximal diaphyseal stress fractures presenting acutely in both athletes and nonathletes. Twenty-two patients underwent intramedullary screw fixation between 1994 and 1999. Immediate intramedullary screw fixation of acute Jones' fractures and type I stress fractures resulted in a 100% union rate with an average time to union of 6.2 weeks. Fixation of type II stress fractures had a union rate of 100% with a mean time to union of 8.3 weeks. The overall complication rate was 9%. Surgical intervention allowed an earlier return to weightbearing with a more rapid and predictable union rate. The authors recommend intramedullary fixation as a treatment of choice for the management of fifth metatarsal fractures distal to the tuberosity in nonathletes as well as athletes.
Averaged Instrumental Variables Estimators

We develop averaged instrumental variables estimators as a way to deal with many weak instruments. We propose a weighted average of the preliminary k-class estimators, where each estimator is obtained using different subsets of the available instrumental variables. The averaged estimators are shown to be consistent and to satisfy asymptotic normality. Furthermore, its approximate mean squared error reveals that using a small number of instruments for each preliminary k-class estimator reduces the finite sample bias, while averaging prevents the variance from inflating. Monte Carlo simulations find that the averaged estimators compare favorably with alternative instrumental-variable-selection approaches when the strength levels of individual IV are similar with each other.
Phytochemical, Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities of Extracts of Seven Fruits Found in the Southern Brazilian Flora

Methanol extracts of seven edible fruits found in southern Brazil: Garcinia achachairu, Rubus imperialis, Rubus rosaefolius, Solanum quitoense, Solanum sessiliflorun, Diospyros inconstans and Plinia glomerata, were evaluated for their total phenol content and antioxidant activity in different in vitro free radical scavenging models. In addition, studies were performed on cell viability of extracts of the seeds of G. achachairu against murine melanoma cells. The fruits peel and seeds of G. achachairu were very promising in terms of total phenol content (data in gallic acid equivalent per gram), as assessed by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, with values of 9.70±3.2 and 8.40±1.1, respectively. On the other hand, antioxidant activity using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging assay showed that the fruit pulp and peel of P. glomerata presented the best profile, with values of the 16.3±1.8 and 15.9±2.4 μg/ml, respectively. Regarding the cytotoxic effect of methanol extract and guttiferone A from G. achachairu, we have observed that both inhibit the growth of B16F10 tumor cells, with calculated IC50 values of 49.6±2.1 mg/ml and 48.6±5.4 mM, respectively.
Use of forage inoculants with or without enzymes to improve preservation and quality of whole crop barley forage ensiled as large bales

Moshtaghi Nia, S. A. and Wittenberg, K. M. 1999. Use of forage inoculants with or without enzymes to improve preservation and quality of whole crop barley forage ensiled as large bales. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 79: 525‐532. The effects of forage additives, applied to bales wrapped at either 2 or 10 h post-baling, on preservation and quality of whole barley crop ensiled as large bal es were investigated. Forage was cut at the early milk stage and allowed to wilt over a 24-h period to 47% DM. Bales were allocate d on the basis of baling sequence to one of three additives treatments: without inoculant (Control); treated with a microbial ino culant, Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus cerevisiae(LpPc); or treated with Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus cerevisiae, plus cellulase and pectinase (LpPcE). An equal number of bales ( n = 18) representing each treatment group were wrapped at either 2 or 10 h post-baling. All bales were core sampled at baling and on days 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 13, 17, 29, 64, 92, 252 and 308 post-ba ling. Bales were weighed prior to being wrapped and when removed from storage to measure DM and nutrient losses during storage. During wrapping, a thermocouple wire was inserted in each bale to monitor bale temperature. Time of wrapping did not affect nutrient composition or ensiling characteristics of silage. Application of forage additives had no effect on nutrient profile o r recovery, however, silage treated with LpPc inoculant had lower ( P < 0.05) ammonia N compared with untreated or treated with LpPcE silage. Storage temperature of bales representing all treatments did not exceed 28°C but were approximately 2 to 3°C higher in the Control than treated silage for the first 3 d post-ensiling. Silage treated with forage additives had a lower ( P < 0.05) pH and an increase (P < 0.05) in concentrations of lactic and total acids. Ethanol and 2,3 butanediol levels were higher ( P < 0.05) in untreated silage compared with inoculated silage. Silage treated with forage additives were more stable and took 5, 9 and 12 d to heat af ter exposure to air for Control, LpPc and LpPcE silage, respectively. Results from this study indicated that treatment with microbi al inoculants was beneficial in preserving whole crop barley ensiled as large bales. Addition of enzymes to microbial inoculant di d not have further beneficial effect on quality of large bale silage.
The relationship between a relatively complex motor skill and its components.

The present study attempts to analyze certain relationships between two-hand and one-hand tracking performance. In two-hand, or total-task, tracking, the Ss may respond simultaneously with left and right hands; in one-hand, or part-task, tracking, the Ss use only one hand. The scores obtained by groups of Ss performing in the part-tasks were used to predict the scores of the total-task of other Ss. The predictions were made by taking advantage of the geometric relationships between the totaland part-tasks. Analyses of this type are important for understanding the structure or composition of certain complex skills. Over the long run, the general aim is to formulate laws by means of which the composition of relatively complex psychomotor activities can be described in terms of part-skills and relations between part-skills. Though relational terms, or terms of interaction, have been assumed by practically all S-R theorists, no notable data bearing on this issue appear to exist in the field of motor skills. One way of proceeding would be to combine an S's part-scores in some fashion, and then to compare this predicted score with the score of his total-task. Such a method would, of course, deal with the prediction of individual differences in total performance by means of observations of individual differences in separately practiced, component performances. The present treatment is different, the study by the use of individual differences still being incomplete. The method used here was to combine the part-scores of separate groups of Ss in order to estimate what other groups would do on the total task. Thus, a test is made of how successful is the prediction of two-hand performance from data on the difficulty of separately performed constituent responses when the part-scores are combined in a simple additive fashion. The adequacy of the combining rule is then evaluated in terms of the part-part interactions suggested by the data.
Care processes and clinical outcomes of continuous outpatient support with inotropes (COSI) in patients with refractory endstage heart failure.

BACKGROUND This study describes the process and outcomes of continuous outpatient support with inotropes (COSI) in patients with Stage D heart failure (HF). Although Stage D HF has recently been defined as end-stage disease requiring special interventions for survival such as COSI or ventricular assist devices, concern has been raised regarding the safety, efficacy, mortality outcomes, and ethics of COSI. METHODS AND RESULTS Inotrope dependence was defined as worsening of the patient's clinical status with attempted inotrope withdrawal such that the patient was deemed unlikely to survive to permit hospital discharge. A care process for COSI was designed; baseline and outcome variables were evaluated. COSI was administered to 36 inotrope-dependent patients (age 55.4 +/- 9.5 years, 24 males). Baseline characteristics (mean +/- SD) were consistent with Stage D HF: left ventricular ejection fraction 19.9 +/- 8.5, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) 70 +/- 10 mm, systolic blood pressure 97.4 +/- 13.4 mm Hg, serum creatinine 1.5 +/- 0.6, serum sodium 131.7 +/- 5.3; 69 HF hospitalizations (mean 1.9 +/- 1.8) 6 months before COSI initiation. Symptomatic hypotension, increasing dyspnea, renal dysfunction, and hypoperfusion most commonly prevented inotrope withdrawal. Despite Stage D HF, patients were discharged with COSI ambulatory, oriented, and pain free. Rehospitalizations were 46; 6 subjects accounted for 24 hospitalizations; 23 had 0 or 1 rehospitalization. Median survival was 3.4 months (range 0.2-26.3 months); and 3-, 6-, and 12-month Kaplan Meier survival was 51%, 26%, and 6%, respectively. The majority of patients died at home and chose to not undergo resuscitation attempts. CONCLUSION COSI may be an acceptable treatment option for Stage D HF.
Immunocytochemical evidence for the presence of met‐enkephalin and leu‐enkephalin distinct neurons in the brain of the elasmobranch fish Scyliorhinus canicula

Immunohistochemical methods have been used to investigate the distribution of various opioid peptides derived from mammalian proenkephalin in the central nervous system of Scyliorhinus canicula. The results indicate that both Leu‐ and Met‐enkephalin‐immunoreactive peptides are present in the dogfish brain. In contrast, enkephalin forms similar to Met‐enkephalin‐Arg‐Phe or Met‐enkephalin‐Arg‐Gly‐Leu, and mammalian α‐neo‐endorphin, dynorphin A (1–8), dynorphin A (1–13), and dynorphin A (1–17) were not detected.