Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relationship between Cortical Bone Thickness and Cancellous Bone Density at Dental Implant Sites in the Jawbone

Dental implant surgery is a common treatment for missing teeth. Its survival rate is considerably affected by host bone quality and quantity, which is often assessed prior to surgery through dental cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Dental CBCT was used in this study to evaluate dental implant sites for (1) differences in and (2) correlations between cancellous bone density and cortical bone thickness among four regions of the jawbone. In total, 315 dental implant sites (39 in the anterior mandible, 42 in the anterior maxilla, 107 in the posterior mandible, and 127 in the posterior maxilla) were identified in dental CBCT images from 128 patients. All CBCT images were loaded into Mimics 15.0 to measure cancellous bone density (unit: grayscale value (GV) and cortical bone thickness (unit: mm)). Differences among the four regions of the jawbone were evaluated using one-way analysis of variance and Scheffe’s posttest. Pearson coefficients for correlations between cancellous bone density and cortical bone thickness were also calculated for the four jawbone regions. The results revealed that the mean cancellous bone density was highest in the anterior mandible (722 ± 227 GV), followed by the anterior maxilla (542 ± 208 GV), posterior mandible (535 ± 206 GV), and posterior maxilla (388 ± 206 GV). Cortical bone thickness was highest in the posterior mandible (1.15 ± 0.42 mm), followed by the anterior mandible (1.01 ± 0.32 mm), anterior maxilla (0.89 ± 0.26 mm), and posterior maxilla (0.72 ± 0.19 mm). In the whole jawbone, a weak correlation (r = 0.133, p = 0.041) was detected between cancellous bone density and cortical bone thickness. Furthermore, except for the anterior maxilla (r = 0.306, p = 0.048), no correlation between the two bone parameters was observed (all p > 0.05). Cancellous bone density and cortical bone thickness varies by implant site in the four regions of the jawbone. The cortical and cancellous bone of a jawbone dental implant site should be evaluated individually before surgery.
I Cannot Afford Off-loading Boots

This study aimed at uncovering the factors influencing individuals' ability to engage in self-management of diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) and presenting a theoretical model depicting these factors and the outcomes. We used constructivist grounded theory methodology to guide this study and recruited 30 participants with an active DFU attending a wound care clinic in Ontario, Canada. The study's findings indicate that participants' engagement in self-management of DFU was influenced by internal and external factors. While some factors contributed to enhance participants' engagement in everyday self-management, others seemed to have prevented them from achieving engagement and hence the desired DFU outcomes.
Association of the CYP17 and CYP19 gene polymorphisms in women with polycystic ovary syndrome from Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract Background Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is considered the most common multifactorial endocrinopathy. Genetic factors play an essential role in the pathogenesis of PCOS. CYP 17 enzyme is responsible for androgenesis, while CYP 19 enzyme works for androgen conversion into aromatic estrogen. Several studies have reported their association with PCOS. This study was aimed to investigate the association of cytochrome P450c17α gene (CYP17) 5′-untranslated region MspA1/(rs743572) genetic polymorphism and rs2414096 of cytochrome P450 or aromatase (CYP19) gene polymorphism with the susceptibility to PCOS in reproductive-age women from Punjab, Pakistan. Methods We performed a case-control association study was conducted, including 204 PCOS patients and 100 controls. Genotyping of SNP rs2414096 (CYP 19 gene) and P450c17α gene (CYP17) 5′-untranslated region MspA1 was performed on genomic DNA using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Statistical analysis was performed to find out the association of phenotypic and genotypic characters in etiopathology of PCOS. Results The genotype distribution for CYP 17 5′-UTR MspA1 (TT, TC, CC) revealed that the frequency of genotype TC is significantly higher in PCOS patients (54.9%) vs. controls (OR 4.97, 95% CI 2.75–8.33, p<.001) (12%). The genotype distribution for CYP 19 (GG, GA, AA) showed significantly higher frequency of GA (58.%) and AA (23.5%) in patients as compared to cases (18% and 8%, respectively) (OR 5.49, 95% CI 3.61–8.34, p<.001). Body mass index (BMI), waist, hip, infertility and family history of infertility, PCOS, diabetes, and hypertension were found significantly associated with PCOS. CYP 19 genotypes were found significantly associated with PCOS patients having paraclinical traits of infertility and family history of infertility, while CYP 17 genotypes showed no significant association with any paraclinical traits in PCOS patients. Conclusions This is the first study on PCOS genotypes from Pakistan and results suggest that CYP 17 5′-UTR MspA1 (rs743572) (genotype TC) and CYP 19 gene (rs2414096) (genotype GA) polymorphisms are significantly associated with susceptibility to PCOS in Pakistani women having the traits of infertility and family history of hypertension.
Genome-wide CRISPR knockout screen identifies ZNF304 as a silencer of HIV transcription that promotes viral latency

Despite the widespread use of anti-retroviral therapy, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) still persists in an infected cell reservoir that harbors transcriptionally silent yet replication-competent proviruses. While significant progress has been made in understanding how the HIV reservoir is established, transcription repression mechanisms that are enforced on the integrated viral promoter have not been fully revealed. In this study, we performed a whole-genome CRISPR knockout screen in HIV infected T cells to identify host genes that potentially promote HIV latency. Of several top candidates, the KRAB-containing zinc finger protein, ZNF304, was identified as the top hit. ZNF304 silences HIV gene transcription through associating with TRIM28 and recruiting to the viral promoter heterochromatin-inducing methyltransferases, including the polycomb repression complex (PRC) and SETB1. Depletion of ZNF304 expression reduced levels of H3K9me3, H3K27me3 and H2AK119ub repressive histone marks on the HIV promoter as well as SETB1 and TRIM28, ultimately enhancing HIV gene transcription. Significantly, ZNF304 also promoted HIV latency, as its depletion delayed the entry of HIV infected cells into latency. In primary CD4+ cells, ectopic expression of ZNF304 silenced viral transcription. We conclude that by associating with TRIM28 and recruiting host transcriptional repressive complexes, SETB1 and PRC, to the HIV promoter, ZNF304 silences HIV gene transcription and promotes viral latency.
The Debate Over Egg Consumption and Incident Cardiovascular Disease

There is a great debate regarding the association of cholesterol intake from egg consumption and the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Most studies show that moderate egg consumption is not associated with a significant increase in CVD, stroke, heart failure, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), whereas others dispute this fact and state that there is an association with increased egg consumption, especially if they are consumed with saturated fats. In addition, the recent relaxation of cholesterol intake to greater than 300 mg/d by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Nutritional Guidelines has fueled this debate. In order to get a current perspective on the significance of moderate egg consumption with the primary incidence of CVD, a focused Medline search of the English language literature was conducted between 2010 and March 2020 using the terms, cholesterol intake, egg consumption, coronary artery disease, CVD, and T2DM. Nineteen pertinent articles were retrieved, and these, together with collateral literature, will be discussed in this review article. The analysis of data from the articles retrieved indicated that several studies showed that moderate egg consumption (1 egg/d) is not associated with adverse cardiovascular effects in subjects free of CVD or T2DM, whereas other studies showed a positive association, especially in patients with preexisting CVD or T2DM. Therefore, at present, there is no unanimous agreement on this subject, and the controversy will continue until new confirmatory evidence becomes available.
In Vitro Rooting Improvement of Adult Pistachio, Pistacia vera L. 'Atli'

Axenic cultures of Pistacia vera L. 'Atli' initiated on agar solidified Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with Gamborg vitamins supplemented with different concentrations of 6-benzyladenine (BA) and indole-3-acetic-acid (IAA) were proliferated and maintained on an MS medium supplemented with 4.4 μM BA. Using these proliferated cultures, effects of: i) washing of the basal-cut-ends in sterile distilled water; ii) dipping of the basal-cut-ends in the different indole butyric acid (IBA) solutions; iii) cloned shoots; and iv) explant sizes (1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 cm long) were assessed for root induction. The highest rooting frequency (92%) of microshoots was recorded at 4.0 cm long cloned and twice washed microshoots. Rooting was apparent within 14 days. The present study also aimed to reduce the occurrence of basal callus production. The microshoots cultured from the cloned shoots produced less calli than the mixed population, and developed roots that resemble the seedling plantlets. Those plantlets that had been rooted and exposed to sterile compost were able to acclimatize readily. Major improvement of the present study over previously published protocols has been achieved with the improvement of the in vitro rooting percentages of adult pistachio plantlets.
Cardiovascular risk and quality of life in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease patients in therapy with tolvaptan: A pilot study.

INTRODUCTION Cardiovascular (CV) complications are the most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) patients. In 2017, the Italian Medicines Agency authorised tolvaptan, a vasopressin V2 receptor antagonist, for the treatment of ADPKD, based on the Tolvaptan Phase 3 Efficacy and Safety Study in ADPKD (TEMPO 3: 4), TEMPO 4: 4 and Replicating Evidence of Preserved Renal Function: An Investigation of Tolvaptan Safety and Efficacy (REPRISE) studies. AIM OF THE STUDY To assess the impact of tolvaptan on CV risk and quality of life, evaluated by nutritional, inflammatory, metabolic, instrumental parameters and psychocognitive tests in ADPKD patients. METHODS AND MATERIALS We evaluated 36 patients with ADPKD; 10 patients (7 males, mean age 42.5±7.0 years) treated with tolvaptan and 26 controls (11 males, mean age 36.7±9.1 years). They underwent, at T0, monthly, and at T1 (1 year) clinical, laboratory and instrumental evaluation, in addition to psychocognitive tests. RESULTS In ADPKD patients treated with tolvaptan we found at T1 a decrease in carotid intima media thickness (p=0.048), epicardial adipose tissue thickness (p=0.002), C-reactive protein (p=0.026), sympathovagal balance during the night (p=0.045) and increases flow mediated dilation (p=0.023) with a reduction in depression (Hamilton and Beck tests, p=0.008 and p=0.002, respectively) compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary results suggest that treatment with tolvaptan could improve early atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction markers and improve the mood in ADPKD patients (probably by the acting on endothelial cell and adipocyte V2 receptors).
Decoding the mystery of American pain reveals a warning for the future

Significance The elderly in the United States report less pain than those in midlife—suggesting, perhaps, that once people move into old age, their morbidity will fall. Unfortunately, assessing pain by age at one point in time masks the fact that each successive birth cohort reports more pain at any given age than the cohorts that came before it. We cannot use the experience of the elderly today to project pain prevalence of the elderly tomorrow. Today’s elderly have experienced less pain throughout their lives than those in midlife today, who will be tomorrow’s elderly. If these patterns continue, pain prevalence will continue to increase for all adults; tomorrow’s elderly will be sicker than today’s elderly, with serious implications for healthcare. There is an expectation that, on average, pain will increase with age, through accumulated injury, physical wear and tear, and an increasing burden of disease. Consistent with that expectation, pain rises with age into old age in other wealthy countries. However, in America today, the elderly report less pain than those in midlife. This is the mystery of American pain. Using multiple datasets and definitions of pain, we show today’s midlife Americans have had more pain throughout adulthood than did today’s elderly. Disaggregating the cross-section of ages by year of birth and completion of a bachelor’s degree, we find, for those with less education, that each successive birth cohort has a higher prevalence of pain at each age—a result not found for those with a bachelor’s degree. Thus, the gap in pain between the more and less educated has widened in each successive birth cohort. The increase seen across birth cohorts cannot be explained by changes in occupation or levels of obesity for the less educated, but fits a more general pattern seen in the ongoing erosion of working-class life for those born after 1950. If these patterns continue, pain prevalence will continue to increase for all adults; importantly, tomorrow’s elderly will be sicker than today’s elderly, with potentially serious implications for healthcare.
Frequency of Polyautoimmunity in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Objective To describe the frequency of polyautoimmunity and multiple autoimmune syndrome in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Patients and Methods This was a cross-sectional observational study of patients with RA, SLE, and controls without autoimmune rheumatic disease. Cases were those with RA according to the 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism criteria and SLE according to the 2019 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism criteria, consecutively recruited in a rheumatology clinic. Controls were subjects with no rheumatic autoimmune disease (AIDs) recruited in the same area. Patients filled out a questionnaire on polyautoimmunity. Variables of interest were polyautoimmunity (RA or SLE with other AIDs), whereas secondary variables were rheumatic, skin, endocrine, digestive, and neurological AIDs. Multiple autoimmune syndrome is defined as the presence of 3 or more AIDs and a family history of AIDs. Statistical analyses performed were descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate (dependent variable: polyautoimmunity). Results The study population comprised 109 patients with RA, 105 patients with SLE, and 88 controls. Polyautoimmunity was recorded in 15 patients with RA (13.8%), 43 with SLE (41%), and 2 controls (2.2%). The most frequent AID in RA was Sjögren syndrome (53.3%), followed by Hashimoto thyroiditis and psoriasis; the most frequent AIDs in SLE were Sjögren syndrome (55.8%) and antiphospholipid syndrome (30.2%), followed by Hashimoto thyroiditis. Obesity was associated with polyautoimmunity in RA (odds ratio [OR], 3.362; p = 0.034). In SLE, joint damage (OR, 2.282; p = 0.038) and anti-RNP antibodies (OR, 5.095; p = 0.028) were risk factors for polyautoimmunity, and hydroxychloroquine was a protective factor (OR, 0.190; p = 0.004). Conclusions Polyautoimmunity is frequent in RA and even more frequent in SLE. It was associated with obesity in RA and with joint damage and anti-RNP in SLE. Hydroxychloroquine was a protector.
Closely related reovirus lab strains induce opposite expression of RIG-I/IFN-dependent versus -independent host genes, via mechanisms of slow replication versus polymorphisms in dsRNA binding σ3 respectively

The Dearing isolate of Mammalian orthoreovirus (T3D) is a prominent model of virus-host relationships and a candidate oncolytic virotherapy. Closely related laboratory strains of T3D, originating from the same ancestral T3D isolate, were recently found to exhibit significantly different oncolytic properties. Specifically, the T3DPL strain had faster replication kinetics in a panel of cancer cells and improved tumor regression in an in vivo melanoma model, relative to T3DTD. In this study, we discover that T3DPL and T3DTD also differentially activate host signalling pathways and downstream gene transcription. At equivalent infectious dose, T3DTD induces higher IRF3 phosphorylation and expression of type I IFNs and IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) than T3DPL. Using mono-reassortants with intermediate replication kinetics and pharmacological inhibitors of reovirus replication, IFN responses were found to inversely correlate with kinetics of virus replication. In other words, slow-replicating T3D strains induce more IFN signalling than fast-replicating T3D strains. Paradoxically, during co-infections by T3DPL and T3DTD, there was still high IRF3 phosphorylation indicating a phenodominant effect by the slow-replicating T3DTD. Using silencing and knock-out of RIG-I to impede IFN, we found that IFN induction does not affect the first round of reovirus replication but does prevent cell-cell spread in a paracrine fashion. Accordingly, during co-infections, T3DPL continues to replicate robustly despite activation of IFN by T3DTD. Using gene expression analysis, we discovered that reovirus can also induce a subset of genes in a RIG-I and IFN-independent manner; these genes were induced more by T3DPL than T3DTD. Polymorphisms in reovirus σ3 viral protein were found to control activation of RIG-I/ IFN-independent genes. Altogether, the study reveals that single amino acid polymorphisms in reovirus genomes can have large impact on host gene expression, by both changing replication kinetics and by modifying viral protein activity, such that two closely related T3D strains can induce opposite cytokine landscapes.
Land cover affects microclimate and temperature suitability for arbovirus transmission in an urban landscape

The emergence of mosquito-transmitted viruses poses a global threat to human health. Combining mechanistic epidemiological models based on temperature-trait relationships with climatological data is a powerful technique for environmental risk assessment. However, a limitation of this approach is that the local microclimates experienced by mosquitoes can differ substantially from macroclimate measurements, particularly in heterogeneous urban environments. To address this scaling mismatch, we modeled spatial variation in microclimate temperatures and the thermal potential for dengue transmission by Aedes albopictus across an urban-to-rural gradient in Athens-Clarke County GA. Microclimate data were collected across gradients of tree cover and impervious surface cover. We developed statistical models to predict daily minimum and maximum microclimate temperatures using coarse-resolution gridded macroclimate data (4000 m) and high-resolution land cover data (30 m). The resulting high-resolution microclimate maps were integrated with temperature-dependent mosquito abundance and vectorial capacity models to generate monthly predictions for the summer and early fall of 2018. The highest vectorial capacities were predicted for patches of trees in urban areas with high cover of impervious surfaces. Vectorial capacity was most sensitive to tree cover during the summer and became more sensitive to impervious surfaces in the early fall. Predictions from the same models using temperature data from a local meteorological station consistently over-predicted vectorial capacity compared to the microclimate-based estimates. This work demonstrates that it is feasible to model variation in mosquito microenvironments across an urban-to-rural gradient using satellite Earth observations. Epidemiological models applied to the microclimate maps revealed localized patterns of temperature suitability for disease transmission that would not be detectable using macroclimate data. Incorporating microclimate data into disease transmission models has the potential to yield more spatially precise and ecologically interpretable metrics of mosquito-borne disease transmission risk in urban landscapes.
Plasmon-Assisted Direction- and Polarization-Sensitive Organic Thin-Film Detector

Utilizing Bragg surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on metal nanostructures for the use in optical devices has been intensively investigated in recent years. Here, we demonstrate the integration of nanostructured metal electrodes into an ITO-free thin film bulk heterojunction organic solar cell, by direct fabrication on a nanoimprinted substrate. The nanostructured device shows interesting optical and electrical behavior, depending on angle and polarization of incidence and the side of excitation. Remarkably, for incidence through the top electrode, a dependency on linear polarization and angle of incidence can be observed. We show that these peculiar characteristics can be attributed to the excitation of dispersive and non-dispersive Bragg SPPs on the metal–dielectric interface on the top electrode and compare it with incidence through the bottom electrode. Furthermore, the optical and electrical response can be controlled by the organic photoactive material, the nanostructures, the materials used for the electrodes and the epoxy encapsulation. Our device can be used as a detector, which generates a direct electrical readout and therefore enables the measuring of the angle of incidence of up to 60° or the linear polarization state of light, in a spectral region, which is determined by the active material. Our results could furthermore lead to novel organic Bragg SPP-based sensor for a number of applications.