Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Keele asend eesti palatalisatsioonis

Artiklis uuritakse palatalisatsiooni mõju konsonandi ja talle eelneva vokaali häälduskohale ja kestusele. Katse viidi läbi elektromagnetartikulograafi abil, mis mõõdab katseisiku artikulaatoritele liimitud sensorite liikumist kolmemõõtmelises ruumis. Tulemused näitasid, et palataliseerimisega kaasnes konsonandi ja talle eelneva vokaali hääldamisel keele kõrgem ja eespoolsem asend. Keele eesosa kõrgus oli vähesel määral palatalisatsioonist mõjutatud, kuid kõrguse muutumine ei olnud süsteemne. Tulemused ei näidanud palatalisatsiooni süstemaatilist efekti ka konsonandi ja talle eelneva vokaali kestusele. Ainult üksikutel juhtudel pikenes hääliku kestus palataliseeritud kontekstis olulisel määral. Abstract. Anton Malmi and Pärtel Lippus: The position of the tongue in Estonian palatalization. This article analyses the effect of secondary palatalization of alveolar consonants on the place of articulation and the segmental duration in Estonian CVC words. The study was carried out with 21 test subjects using a Carstens AG501 electromagnetic articulograph. The results show that the place of articulation of palatalized consonants was always higher and more anterior than that of non-palatalized consonants. The back of the tongue was raised towards the hard palate, but the height of the apical part of the tongue was not systematically affected by palatalization. With few exceptions, the duration of the vowels and consonants were not affected by palatalization. Keywords: articulatory phonetics, experimental phonetics, articulation, palatalization, Estonian, duration, Carstens AG501
Experiential Learning Revisited: Lessons from a Student-Led Public Opinion Polling Class

ABSTRACT For decades, political and private polling operations have informed about the public’s perceptions regarding a range of topics. In particular, universities (e.g., Marist and Quinnipiac) provide noteworthy research to inform and predict the outcomes of US elections. Yet, what role do our classrooms play in advancing the public opinion polling skills of our students? This article uses experiential learning as a descriptive framework to illustrate how a yearlong, immersive, and student-led public opinion polling experience, the Big Sky Poll, advances students’ social-science and data-fluency skills. Our findings suggest important insights into the future of public opinion polling from the vantage point of a rural Western state, which can be replicated in other academic institutions.
Evaluation of Effectiveness of Self-Adhesive Composites for Amalgam Repair with or Without Alloy Primer, in Terms of Shear Bond Strength

Purpose: The purpose of the present research was to evaluate the effectiveness of self-adhesive composites in amalgam repair as time-saving alternatives to universal bonding-universal composite materials, with or without the usage of Alloy Primer in terms of shear bond strength. Materials and Methods: Fortytwo disc-shaped amalgam samples were prepared by condensing into 6×2 mm holes in acrylic resin blocks, sandblasted with 50 μm Al2O3 and randomly divided into 6 groups according to repair material [Constic (Group C), Fusio Liquid Dentin (Group FLD), Universal bonding+Universal composite (Group Control), Alloy Primer+Constic (Group APC), Alloy Primer+Fusio Liquid Dentin (Group APFLD), Alloy Primer+Universal bonding+Universal composite (Group APControl)]. After shear bond strength test, the fracture modes were determined under a digital microscope. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test. Results: The highest shear bond strength values were obtained for Fusio Liquid Dentin, among the three repair materials when Alloy Primer was not applied (p<0.05). Usage of Alloy Primer increased shear bond strength values of the investigated repair materials to amalgam, except Fusio Liquid Dentin. Conclusion: Within the limitations of the present research, it can be concluded that; the investigated self-adhesive composite materials could be time-saving alternatives to the Universal bonding+Universal composite for the purpose of amalgam repair, in terms of shear bond strength. The clinicians could prefer Fusio Liquid Dentin self-adhesive composite material without Alloy Primer application for the purpose of amalgam repair in non-cooperative patients. ODOVTOS-International Journal of Dental Sciences Sanal & Guler: Evaluation of Effectiveness of Self-Adhesive Composites for Amalgam Repair ODOVTOS-Int. J. Dent. Sc. | No. :. ISSN:1659-1046. 252 ODOVTOS-Int. J. Dent. Sc. | No.: . ISSN:1659-1046. 253
Convergent evolution of conserved mitochondrial pathways underlies repeated adaptation to extreme environments

Significance Some organisms can tolerate environments lethal for most others, but we often do not know what adaptations allow them to persist and whether the same mechanisms underly adaptation in different lineages exposed to the same stressors. Investigating fish inhabiting springs rich in toxic H2S, we show that tolerance is mediated by the modification of pathways that are inhibited by H2S and those that can detoxify it. Sulfide spring fishes across multiple genera have evolved similar modifications of toxicity targets and detoxification pathways, despite abundant lineage-specific variation. Our study highlights how constraints associated with the physiological consequences of a stressor limit the number of adaptive solutions and lead to repeatable evolutionary outcomes across organizational and evolutionary scales. Extreme environments test the limits of life; yet, some organisms thrive in harsh conditions. Extremophile lineages inspire questions about how organisms can tolerate physiochemical stressors and whether the repeated colonization of extreme environments is facilitated by predictable and repeatable evolutionary innovations. We identified the mechanistic basis underlying convergent evolution of tolerance to hydrogen sulfide (H2S)—a toxicant that impairs mitochondrial function—across evolutionarily independent lineages of a fish (Poecilia mexicana, Poeciliidae) from H2S-rich springs. Using comparative biochemical and physiological analyses, we found that mitochondrial function is maintained in the presence of H2S in sulfide spring P. mexicana but not ancestral lineages from nonsulfidic habitats due to convergent adaptations in the primary toxicity target and a major detoxification enzyme. Genome-wide local ancestry analyses indicated that convergent evolution of increased H2S tolerance in different populations is likely caused by a combination of selection on standing genetic variation and de novo mutations. On a macroevolutionary scale, H2S tolerance in 10 independent lineages of sulfide spring fishes across multiple genera of Poeciliidae is correlated with the convergent modification and expression changes in genes associated with H2S toxicity and detoxification. Our results demonstrate that the modification of highly conserved physiological pathways associated with essential mitochondrial processes mediates tolerance to physiochemical stress. In addition, the same pathways, genes, and—in some instances—codons are implicated in H2S adaptation in lineages that span 40 million years of evolution.
Transcriptome sequencing flower petals reveals insights into regulation of flavonoid biosynthesis in Osmanthus fragrans

Osmanthus fragrans Lour. , one of the top 10 most popular flowers in China, is known for both its beauty and fragrance. It is rich in flavonoids, a class of secondary metabolites with significant neuroprotective, free-radical scavenging, and anti-oxidant activity. To understand the mechanisms regulating flavonoid biosynthesis, we conducted transcriptome sequencing O. fragrans flowers to analyze gene expressions during the full flowering stage. The RNA was isolated separately from petals of cvs. Yingui and Dangui, which were treated or not with jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, or abscisic acid. A total of 142 029 unigenes were denovo assembled, and 50 918 unigenes were annotated. The differentially expressed genes were identified, annotated, and classified. The results of transcriptome sequencing and real-time PCR revealed higher expressions of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), PAL1, chalcone synthase (CHS), flavanone-3-hydroxylase (F3H), flavonol synthase (FLS), and lower expressions of dihydroflavonol-4-reductase (DFR), anthocyanidin synthase (ANS) in 'Yingui' than in 'Dangui'. Such an expression pattern facilitated the higher accumulation of flavonoids in 'Yingui'. Several genes of the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway were upregulated by jasmonic acid and salicylic acid in both the cultivars leading to flavonoid accumulation in their petals. In the v-myb avian myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog 1(MYB1)-overexpressing petals, the expressions of PAL, PAL1, CHI, and FLS increased. The results suggest that MYB1 may participate in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway and regulate the expression of some upstream genes in O. fragrans.
Defining the Prevalence of Molar Incisor Hypomineralization in Brazil

Objective: To define the prevalence of Molar Incisor Hypomineralization (MIH) in Brazil since the reports ranged from 2.5% to 40.2%. Material and Methods: We studied 407 children from 7 to 14 years of age. MIH was measured using the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry criteria of 2003. Clinical data were collected by a calibrated dentist (Kappa=0.88) and included affected teeth and degree of MIH severity (mild/severe). Mild MIH cases were considered when the tooth presented demarcated opacity ≥ 1.0mm, without any loss of structure. While severe cases were defined by teeth in which loss of structure was present, or past or current lesion that required treatment, or presence of atypical restorations. In addition, published data (nine studies) reporting MIH in Brazilians were identified, and the heterogeneity of these studies was tested (I2 index/ p≤0.01) . Results: In the original sample studied, the majority of patients were males (55.3%; n = 225), with an average age of 10.1 years (± 2.1 years). The prevalence of MIH in this group was 14.5% (59 affected in 407), and most of the affected teeth had a mild degree of alteration (77.4% or 202 in 261 teeth). Conclusion: A meta-analysis including nine published reports, and our original data showed that MIH prevalence in Brazil is 13.48 (95% CI, 8.66% -18.31%).
Carotenoids Overproduction in Dunaliella Sp.: Transcriptional Changes and New Insights through Lycopene β Cyclase Regulation

Dunaliella is a green microalga known for its ability to produce high levels of carotenoids under well-defined growing conditions. Molecular responses to the simultaneous effect of increasing salinity, light intensity and decrease of nitrogen availability were investigated in terms of their effect on different metabolic pathways (isoprenoids synthesis, glycolysis, carbohydrate use, etc.) by following the transcriptional regulation of enolase (ENO), 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase (DXS), lycopene β-cyclase (LCYB), carotene globule protein (CGP), chloroplast-localized heat shock protein (HSP70), and chloroplast ribulose phosphate-3-epimerase (RPE) genes. The intracellular production of carotenoid was increased five times in stressed Dunaliella cells compared to those grown in an unstressed condition. At transcriptional levels, ENO implicated in glycolysis, and revealing about polysaccharides degradation, showed a two-stage response during the first 72 h. Genes directly involved in β-carotene accumulation, namely, CGP and LCYB, revealed the most important increase by about 54 and 10 folds, respectively. In silico sequence analysis, along with 3D modeling studies, were performed to identify possible posttranslational modifications of CGP and LCYB proteins. Our results described, for the first time, their probable regulation by sumoylation covalent attachment as well as the presence of expressed SUMO (small ubiquitin-related modifier) protein in Dunaliella sp.
Buprenorphine significantly prolongs postoperative analgesia in intravenous regional anesthesia: a double blind randomized clinical trial

Background: Recently demonstration of opioid receptors along peripheral sensory nerves especially after painful inflammatory conditions forms the basis of peripheral opioid analgesia. This form of opioid antinociception has the potential to help overcome one of the disadvantages of intravenous regional anesthesia (IVRA) that is lack of postoperative analgesia. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of Buprenorphine as an adjunct to lidocaine in (IVRA) for postoperative analgesia. Methods: Seventy-five consenting patients undergoing hand & forearm surgery were randomly allocated into three groups of twenty-five each: group A received 0.5% 40 ml lidocaine for IVRA, group B received 0.5% 40 ml lidocaine for IVRA and Buprenorphine 0.3 mg intramuscularly and group C received 0.5% 40 ml lidocaine with Buprenorphine 0.3 mg for IVRA. Postoperative analgesia was assessed using visual analog scale (VAS) on a 0 to 100 mm scale in the immediate postoperative period and 1 hourly thereafter for 24 hours. Patients were given declofenac 1 mg/kg orally whenever VAS score exceeded 25 or patient demanded analgesic. Results: Onset time for sensory block was longer in group C as compared to group A & B (5.0±1.0 min versus 4.0±0.6 and 4.0±0.4) whereas motor block onset time was comparable in all the three groups. Quality of sensory & motor block was similar in all the groups. Duration of postoperative analgesia was significantly longer in group C (20 ±2 hrs) as compared to 0.7±0.2 and 7±0.6 hrs for group A & B respectively (p=0.001). Analgesic consumption was also significantly lower in group C (56±9 mg versus 201±27 & 120±24 mg for group A & B respectively (p=0.001). incidence of nausea/vomiting and sedation was much higher in group B as compared to other groups (p=0.002). Conclusion: We concluded that addition of Buprenorphine 0.3 mg to lidocaine for IVRA significantly prolongs analgesia without causing systemic side effects.
Optimal Subscription Planning for Digital Goods

Alaei et al. consider the problem of a streaming platform that offers different set of contents with different subscription fees with the goal of maximizing revenue. They characterize the necessary and sufficient condition for the consumer preferences under which a single-tier subscription is optimal. In particular, they show the preferences of the consumers for different contents must be aligned for a single-tier subscription to be optimal. This condition is often violated in practice, establishing the suboptimality of a single-tier offering. They further show that a subscription fee proportional to the number of contents is near-optimal.
Identifying commuters based on random forest of smartcard data

Commuter flow is an important part of metro passenger flow. The aim of this study is to develop an efficient and effective method to identify the spatiotemporal commuting patterns of Metro Line 2 in Hangzhou. Using one-week transit smart card data and a questionnaire survey of Metro Line 2, the authors distinguished the spatiotemporal regularity of individual commuters, including first travel time, last travel time, and the number of travelling days on weekdays. This data could be used to identify transit commuters by leveraging ensemble learning approaches. The random forest algorithm was adopted as a low-cost, high-efficiency analysis method, and the classification model was established with the information of travel time, days of travelling, and the unique tag information in the questionnaire survey data. Then, numerical tests were carried out to show that the Precision and Recall rates of the proposed model could reach as high as 0.96 and 0.92, respectively. Finally, the validated random forest model was applied to identify metro commuters from the smartcard data. The results show that less than one-third of passengers are commuter traffic and are mainly concentrated during peak hours. These extracted personal-level commute models can be used as valuable information for the design and optimisation of public transportation networks.
Serum Adiponectin Levels and Their Association with Antiretroviral Therapy and Lipid Profile in HIV-Infected Individuals in South India

Objective: Adiponectin is a plasma protein with anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic effects. Low levels of circulating adiponectin have been reported in HIV-infected patients. However, there are no studies in India on adiponectin levels in HIV-infected antiretroviral-treated and treatment-naive subjects. Therefore, we estimated adiponectin levels in HIV-positive individuals and investigated their associations with antiretroviral therapy (ART) and lipid profile. Materials and methods: Consenting HIV-infected and non-infected men and women were recruited from Namakkal district, Tamilnadu, India. A semi structured questionnaire was administered in the local language (Tamil) to all patients which included socio-demographics, and details on ART. Fasting blood samples were collected and anthropometric measurements obtained. Serum adiponectin levels and lipid profile levels were determined. Results: Adiponectin levels were measured in 139 individuals of whom sixty four individuals were on ART, 36 were ART naive, and 39 were HIV-negative subjects. HIV-infected patients had significantly lower adiponectin levels than the HIV-uninfected (p=0.000). HIV-positive patients had a 17.92-fold decrease in adiponectin values when compared to HIV-negative controls. Also, patients on ART had a 21-fold decrease in adiponectin levels when compared to ARTnaive patients. Moreover, patient’s currently or previously receiving stavudine treatment had a 3.8-fold decrease in adiponectin levels when compared to those who had never received stavudine. Regarding lipid profile, high density lipoprotein (HDL) - cholesterol was positively associated with adiponectin (p=0.004) while very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) - cholesterol (p=0.017) and triglycerides (p=0.017) showed a negative association in patients on ART. Adiponectin concentration in patients on ART with dyslipidemia was significantly decreased as compared to those without dyslipidemia (p=0.030). Conclusion: Serum adiponectin levels were lower in this HIV-infected South Indian population as compared to HIVnegative controls. Stavudine seemed to influence adiponectin levels. The significant association between ART-induced hypoadiponectinemia and adverse changes in lipid profile suggests a higher risk of atherosclerosis in this population.
Evaluation of general and cutaneous manifestations of hypothyroidism: a single center experience in Odisha

Background: Endocrine diseases may induce manifestation through the skin. Hypothyroidism is known to cause a wide range of general and skin manifestations. Dermatologists may commonly see skin disorders that reflect an underlying hypothyroid state. The objective of the study was to evaluate varied general and cutaneous manifestations of hypothyroidism. Methods: A hospital based descriptive clinical study was conducted in the department of Dermatology, Venerology and Leprosy, MKCG Medical College, Berhampur, Odisha. Diagnosed cases of hypothyroidism were included as the study subjects. An informed consent was taken from each patient. Institutional ethics committee of the college approved the Study. Results: 320 patients of hypothyroidism were evaluated. Maximum patients 115 (35.9%) were among 31-40 years of age group. Male to female ratio was 1:5.7. The percentage of hypothyroid patients who complained of constipation, fatigue, Cold intolerance, weight gain and neck swelling was 75.0%, 57.2%, 50.9%, 35.9% and 31.9% respectively. Among females, 54.5% were having irregular menses. The most common cutaneous symptom was dry course skin (75.9%), followed by diffuse hair loss (50.9%), puffy oedema (48.1%), decreased sweating (11.9%) and yellow skin (9.1%). The most observed cutaneous sign was xerosis (66.9%), followed by alteration in skin texture (55.0%). Some patients showed more than one cutaneous signs. The most common hair changes in our patients were diffuse hair loss (55.9%), followed by course scalp hair (29.4%). Conclusions: The interaction between hypothyroidism and skin is of profound clinical importance. So, dermatologists need to be alert of the ways in which these two organ systems interact, so that early diagnosis and management of hypothyroidism may ensue.
Human Herpesvirus-6 DNA and Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis

Background: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare histiocytic proliferative disorder of unknown etiology that mainly aects young children. The histological feature is the granuloma-like proliferation of Langerhans-type dendritic cells. The possible role of viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV, HHV-4), human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6), herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2, and cytomegalovirus (CMV, HHV-5) in the pathogenesis of LCH has been suggested in some studies; however, this still remains under debate. Objectives: HHV-6 infections are reported to be associated with LCH, but no such reports could be found on Iranian children in the English-language medical literature. This study investigated the presence of HHV-6 in Iranian children with LCH. Methods: In this retrospective study, we investigated the presence of HHV-6 DNA in 48 patients with LCH, using paran-embedded tissue samples, and in 48 controls (age- and tissue-matched) using the nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) method. The patients had been treated at the Department of Pediatric Pathology from 2002 - 2013 and had undergone operations for reasons other than infectious disease. Only the pathology reports were retrospectively reviewed, and the patients were anonymous. Results: There was no significant dierence in the prevalence of HHV-6 detection between the LCH patients and the control subjects. HHV-6 was found by nested PCR in one (2.1%) of the 48 LCH patients and in six (12.5%) of the 48 control cases. P = 0.11 was calculated using Fisher's exact test (OR: 0.15; 95%CI: 0.02 - 1.29). Conclusions: Our study is the first to investigate patients with LCH and its possible association with HHV-6 in Iran. Considering the P level of 0.11, which is statistically insignificant, our findings fail to support the hypothesis of a possible role for HHV-6 in the pathogenesis of LCH. These results are in concordance with previous investigations showing negative results.