Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Administration of Bifidobacteriumanimalis subsp. lactis BB-12 in Early Childhood: A Post-Trial Effect on Caries Occurrence at Four Years of Age

Probiotic bifidobacteria are widely used in the prevention of childhood diseases. These bacteria are also associated with caries occurrence. The present secondary analysis in a low-caries population evaluated the effect of early administration of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 (BB-12) on caries occurrence and identified markers of dental decay in early childhood. In the original randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (NCT00638677, http://www.clinicaltrials.gov), infants (n = 106) received BB-12, xylitol or sorbitol tablets from the age of 1-2 months to 2 years with a slow-release pacifier or a spoon (daily dose of BB-12 1010 colony-forming units, polyol 200-600 mg). The present data were collected using clinical examinations and questionnaires at the age of 4 years. The occurrence of dental caries was assessed using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System. Oral hygiene status and mutans streptococci (MS) levels were also determined. No differences were detected between the study groups in the occurrence of enamel caries (p = 0.268) or obvious dentinal caries (p = 0.201). The occurrence of caries was associated with daily consumption of sweet drinks (p = 0.028), visible plaque observed (p = 0.002) and MS detected in the dental plaque (p = 0.002). Administration of BB-12 in infancy does not seem to increase or decrease the occurrence of caries by 4 years of age in a low-caries population.
Combined mass spectrometry‐ and immunohistochemistry‐based approach to determine protein expression in archival melanoma – proof of principle

Department of Cell Biology, Center for Vascular Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA Division of Dermatopathology, Department of Dermatology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA Department of Surgery, and Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA Correspondence Michael Murphy, e-mail: drmichaelmurphy@ netscape.net doi: 10.1111/j.1755-148X.2010. 00774.x
Evaluating Abstract Dialectical Frameworks with ASP

A widespread modeling language for abstract argumentation is the argumentation framework due to Dung [1]. However relating arguments in this framework is solely based on the notion of direct binary attacks. More sophisticated relations require auxiliary structures tailored to the chosen semantics. We present a system called ADFsys based on the more general abstract dialectical frameworks (ADFs) [2] to overcome this technical necessity.
Accounting for Unobservables in Production Models: Management and Inefficiency

This paper explores the role of unobserved managerial ability in production and its relationship with technical efficiency. Previous analyses of managerial ability have been based on strong assumptions about its role in production or on the use of proxies. We avoid these limitations by introducing managerial ability as an unobserved random variable in a translog production function. The resulting empirical model can be estimated as a stochastic production frontier with random coefficients.
Mammary Carcinoma with Argyrophilic Cells: An Immunohistochemical and Ultrastrctural Study*

The immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings of 7 primary argyrophilic tumors of the breast are described. Five cases were selected because of a growth pattern reminiscent of a « carcinoid » tumor and 2 were obtained from 70 consecutive common carcinomas. All patients were females (mean age 68.8) and none had clinical evidence of hormonal secretion. On ultrastructural examination dense-core granules were seen in addition to findings more suggestive of a common carcinoma. Immunoperoxidase stainings for ACTH, calcitonin etc. were negative in all tumors. The authors believe that organoid growth pattern, argyrophilia and dense-core neurosecretory-like granules are not sufficient elements to demonstrate the endocrine nature of a breast neoplasm.
Nonconvex Policy Search Using Variational Inequalities

Policy search is a class of reinforcement learning algorithms for finding optimal policies in control problems with limited feedback. These methods have been shown to be successful in high-dimensional problems such as robotics control. Though successful, current methods can lead to unsafe policy parameters that potentially could damage hardware units. Motivated by such constraints, we propose projection-based methods for safe policies. These methods, however, can handle only convex policy constraints. In this letter, we propose the first safe policy search reinforcement learner capable of operating under nonconvex policy constraints. This is achieved by observing, for the first time, a connection between nonconvex variational inequalities and policy search problems. We provide two algorithms, Mann and two-step iteration, to solve the above problems and prove convergence in the nonconvex stochastic setting. Finally, we demonstrate the performance of the algorithms on six benchmark dynamical systems and show that our new method is capable of outperforming previous methods under a variety of settings.
Research on a wall climbing robot based on electrostatic adhesion

A wall climbing robot with crawler type, using electrostatic adhesion pads (EAP), which enables strong adaptability to wide range of wall surfaces, relatively light weight, simple structure and low power consumption, has been proposed in this paper. Firstly, the principle of the electrostatic adhesion and the equivalent calculation of adhesion force are presented. Secondly, the robot quasi-static force analysis is discussed for the safety of the robot on the wall. Furthermore, the electrostatic adhesion pads are designed and manufactured, and the electrostatic adhesion force (EAF) of the electrostatic adhesion pads has been experimented on the variety of wall materials. Finally, a wall climbing robot prototype is designed and the performance tests of the robot are accomplished on different wall surfaces.
Sedentary leisure time behavior, snacking habits and cardiovascular biomarkers: the Inter99 Study

Aim: To explore the association between sedentary leisure time behavior (SLTB) and cardiovascular biomarkers, taking into account snacking habits, alcohol intake and physical activity level. Design: Cross-sectional. Methods: Study participants were recruited from the 5-year follow-up of a population-based intervention study, The Inter99 Study (1999–2006, Copenhagen, Denmark). A group of 6536 men and women, aged 35–65, was invited to attend a health examination and fill in a self-report questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analysis was applied. Results: Response rate was 69% (N = 4511), with equal gender distribution and mean age of 52. SLTB (hours per day) was significantly positively associated with triglyceride in men (β = 1.030, [1.013; 1.047]) and women (β = 1.036, [1.022; 1.050]), non-HDL cholesterol in men (β = 0.044, [0.012; 0.076]) and women (β = 0.064, [0.035; 0.094]), waist circumference in men (β = 0.835, [0.517; 1.153]) and women (β = 1.234, [0.087; 1.598]), and with waist/hip ratio (WHR) in men (β = 0.0054, [0.0036; 0.0073]) and women (β = 0.0040, [0.0019; 0.0060]). The associations persisted after adjustment for relevant confounders, except in HDL, where the association became non-significant in men (β = 0.9924, [0.9839; 1.0011]) and women (β = 0.9932, [0.8605; 1.0014]). Conclusion: SLTB appears to be an independent CVD risk factor, regardless of snacking habits and physical activity.
Emerging Ubiquitous Systems and Pervasive Networks ( EUSPN-2014 ) Classification of Post-Deployment Performance Diagnostic Techniques for Large-Scale Software Systems

Today’s large-scale software systems (LSSs) such as Facebook, Google, Amazon and many other contemporary datacenters comprise hundreds or thousands of machines running complex applications that require high availability and responsiveness. These LSSs must be carefully monitored for performance bottlenecks before a serious harm is done. Performance analysts have to deal with the tedious task of monitoring the performance of these LSSs to avoid any service level agreements (SLA) violations and to ensure their failure free operations. There do exist several post-deployment performance diagnostic (PPD) techniques for to help analysts diagnose performance problems in the field, i.e., after the software is deployed. However, there is no classification of the proposed PPD techniques to understand their objectives and characteristics. In this paper, we classify the existing PPD techniques along multiple categories. The classification of PPD techniques will provide a guideline for performance analysts and practitioners of LSS to choose techniques suitable for their need. Moreover, the classification will also help researcher understand and fill gaps, i.e., dedicate their research efforts to categories that have received little attention in the past. © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. Peer-review under responsibility of the Program Chairs of EUSPN-2014.
LexToMap: lexical-based topological mapping

Any robot should be provided with a proper representation of its environment in order to perform navigation and other tasks. In addition to metrical approaches, topological mapping generates graph representations in which nodes and edges correspond to locations and transitions. In this article, we present LexToMap, a topological mapping procedure that relies on image annotations. These annotations, represented in this work by lexical labels, are obtained from pre-trained deep learning models, namely CNNs, and are used to estimate image similarities. Moreover, the lexical labels contribute to the descriptive capabilities of the topological maps. The proposal has been evaluated using the KTH-IDOL 2 data-set, which consists of image sequences acquired within an indoor environment under three different lighting conditions. The generality of the procedure as well as the descriptive capabilities of the generated maps validate the proposal. Graphical Abstract
Chemical stability of extra-virgin olive oil added with oregano essential oil.

UNLABELLED Extra virgin olive oil is highly consumed and well known for its nutritional and health benefits. However, it is fatty food highly susceptible to lipid oxidation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the preserving effect of oregano (Origanum vulgare L. spp vulgare called "oregano compacto") essential oil on physical and chemical properties in extra virgin olive oil during storage. Oregano essential oil composition was analyzed by GC-MS. This essential oil was added into extra virgin olive oil at 0.05%. The samples were stored in 3 different conditions: darkness, light exposure, and temperature (60 °C). Chemical indicators of lipid oxidation (peroxide value, p-anisidine value, conjugated dienes, free fatty acidity, and carotenoid and chlorophyll contents) were measured. High content in carvomenthol (22.52%), terpinolene (19.77%), thymol (13.51%), and γ-terpinene (10.30%) were detected in oregano essential oil. Olive oil samples without oregano essential oil stored at 60 °C and exposure at artificial light had the highest peroxide values during storage. Higher p-anisidine and K232 values after day 7 of storage were detected in temperature, darkness, and light exposure treatments. Light treatment was the main factor that degraded chlorophyll causing loss of color. The highest chlorophyll content (3.87 mg/kg) was observed in olive oil with essential oil at the end of storage. In general, olive oil samples added with oregano essential oil had lower peroxide, conjugated dienes, and p-anisidine values and higher chlorophyll and carotenoid contents during storage. Oregano essential oil retards lipid oxidation process in olive oil prolonging its shelf life. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Oregano essential oil was and is used with the purpose of flavoring and aromatizing food. This essential oil due to its composition has shown antioxidant activity. Synthetic antioxidants such as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) are thought to be promoters of carcinogenesis. Extra virgin olive oil is widely consumed because of its nutritional benefits and sensory properties which are very important to be preserved in the product. In this study, the oregano essential oil showed remarkable antioxidant activity in olive oil. Therefore, this essential oil could be considered for the industry as natural antioxidant not only to be used in olive oil but also in other fatty food products to substitute synthetic ones.
Temperature Correction for Cylindrical Cavity Perturbation Measurements

The need for accurate material property measurements using microwave cavities requires a form of compensation to correct for changes in temperature and other external influences. This paper details a method for temperature correcting microwave cavity perturbation measurements by monitoring two modes; one which is perturbed by the sample and one which is not (referred to as a nodal mode). The nodal modes used (TM310 and TE311 for an axial sample in a cylindrical cavity) are subject only to sample-independent influences. To demonstrate this technique, the bulk permittivity of a PTFE rod has been measured under varying temperature conditions. The results show that without correction, the measured temperature-dependent dielectric constant has large variations associated with the stepped and linear temperature ramping procedures. The corrected response mitigates systematic errors in the real part. However, the correction of the imaginary part requires careful consideration of the mode coupling strength. This paper demonstrates the importance of temperature correction in dynamic cavity perturbation experiments.
Neural correlates of change in major depressive disorder anhedonia following open-label ketamine

Anhedonia is a cardinal symptom of major depression and is often refractory to standard treatment, yet no approved medication for this specific symptom exists. In this exploratory re-analysis, we assessed whether administration of rapid-acting antidepressant ketamine was associated specifically with reduced anhedonia in medication-free treatment-refractory patients with major depressive disorder in an open-label investigation. Additionally, participants received either oral riluzole or placebo daily beginning 4 hours post-infusion. A subgroup of patients underwent fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scans at baseline (1–3 days pre-infusion) and 2 hours post-ketamine infusion. Anhedonia rapidly decreased following a single ketamine infusion; this was sustained for up to three days, but was not altered by riluzole. Reduced anhedonia correlated with increased glucose metabolism in the hippocampus and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and decreased metabolism in the inferior frontal gyrus and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). The tentative relationship between change in anhedonia and glucose metabolism remained significant in dACC and OFC, and at trend level in the hippocampus, a result not anticipated, when controlling for change in total depression score. Results, however, remain tenuous due to the lack of a placebo control for ketamine. In addition to alleviating overall depressive symptoms, ketamine could possess anti-anhedonic potential in major depressive disorder, which speculatively, may be mediated by alterations in metabolic activity in the hippocampus, dACC and OFC.
Effects of PTH, calcitonin, and cAMP on calcium transport in rabbit distal nephron segments.

Distal nephron segments are heterogenous with respect to adenylate cyclase responses to stimulation with parathyroid hormone (PTH) or calcitonin (CT). We examined effects of these hormones and of 8-(p-chlorophenylthio)-adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (CPTcAMP) on net Ca absorption (Jnet Ca2+, pmol.min-1.mm-1) in rabbit distal nephron segments by in vitro microperfusion technique. We studied three segments, including distal convoluted tubule (DCT), connecting tubule (CNT), and cortical collecting duct (CCD). PTH (1 nM) in bath significantly increased Jnet Ca2+ from 2.28 +/- 0.35 to 9.44 +/- 1.13 in CNT, but did not affect Jnet Ca2+ in DCT or CCD. CT (1 nM) in bath significantly increased Jnet Ca2+ from 1.58 +/- 0.29 to 4.45 +/- 1.01 in DCT, whereas it did not affect Jnet Ca2+ either in CNT or in CCD. CPTcAMP (30 microM) in bath significantly increased Jnet Ca2+ from 2.29 +/- 0.42 to 3.97 +/- 0.43 in DCT and from 2.43 +/- 0.18 to 5.83 +/- 0.37 in CNT, but it did not affect Jnet Ca2+ in CCD. When Na+ was removed from bathing fluid or when 0.1 mM ouabain was added to bath, Jnet Ca2+ in both DCT and CNT significantly decreased. Furthermore, stimulatory effects of PTH and CT on Ca2+ absorption in the respective segments were abolished under these conditions. These results suggest that PTH and CT increase Ca2+ absorption in CNT and DCT, respectively, through cAMP-mediated mechanisms. Presence of a basolateral Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange process seems to be a prerequisite for effects of these hormones. However, exact intracellular mechanisms remain uncertain.
The International EQUATOR Network: enhancing the quality and transparency of health care research

CONSORT guidelines (Consolidated Standards for Reporting Trials) ! " #$ % $ ! " #$ ! " #$ & ' trials (http://www.consort-statement.org/aboutconsort). The third and latest version of the core CONSORT *+ +% development from the CONSORT group is the EQUATOR / 01 2 $ Health Research) (http://www.equator-network. org/) . As the EQUATOR group states:” The EQUATOR ! / 3 4 & 5 developers of reporting guidelines, research funding
Adalimumab induction therapy for ulcerative colitis with intolerance or lost response to infliximab: an open-label study.

AIM To evaluate the efficacy of adalimumab induction therapy in patients with ulcerative colitis who previously responded to infliximab and then lost response or became intolerant. METHODS Ten patients with ulcerative colitis were enrolled in a 4-wk open-label trial. The patients received a loading dose of 160 mg adalimumab at wk 0 followed by 80 mg at wk 2. The primary efficacy measure was clinical improvement at wk 4, as defined by a decrease in clinical activity index (CAI) of more than 4. RESULTS Four of 10 patients (40%) benefited from subsequent adalimumab therapy; one patient achieved remission (CAI<4) and 3 had clinical improvement at wk 4. 6 patients had no response (60%); 2 of 6 (33.3%) subsequently underwent colectomy. This was accompanied by a decrease in median CRP concentration from 16.8 mg/mL at baseline to 3.85 mg/mL at wk 4, excluding two patients who underwent colectomy after two infusions of adalimumab. Among the 6 patients with severe colitis (CAI>12) at baseline, none achieved remission and only one patient had clinical improvement at wk 4. CONCLUSION The small advantage of adalimumab in patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis and lost response or intolerance to infliximab needs to be confirmed in randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.
Prepregnancy Body Size, Gestational Weight Gain, and Risk of Preterm Birth in African-American Women

Background: Studies of the association of prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and preterm birth have been inconclusive, and no studies have examined the effect of central adiposity on risk. There is also uncertainty about optimal gestational weight gain among Black women. Methods: Using self-reported prospective data from the Black Women's Health Study, we investigated the relation of preterm birth to prepregnancy BMI (kg/m2), waist circumference, and gestational weight gain among 7840 singletons born to black women, ages 21–44, during 1995–2003. We compared mothers of 1114 infants born 3 or more weeks early (597 spontaneous preterm births and 517 medically-indicated preterm births) with mothers of 6726 term infants. We used generalized estimating equation models to derive multivariable odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Relative to normal weight women (BMI: 18.5–24.9), underweight women (BMI: <18.5) were at increased risk of both preterm birth subtypes; obese women (BMI ≥30.0) were at increased risk of medically-indicated preterm birth and very early spontaneous preterm birth (<32 weeks' gestation). Waist circumference, a measure of central adiposity, was positively associated with medically-indicated preterm birth. Among obese women, average gestational weight gain in the second and third trimesters of <0.4 or >0.6 lbs/wk was associated with an increased risk of both preterm birth subtypes. Conclusions: Our data suggest that underweight increases risk of both preterm birth subtypes, while obesity increases risk of medically-indicated preterm birth and only a subgroup of spontaneous preterm births (<32 weeks' gestation). Central adiposity was an independent risk factor for medically-indicated preterm birth only. Among obese women, gestational weight gain within the range recommended by the 2009 Institute of Medicine report (0.4–0.6 lbs/week in the second and third trimesters) was associated with the lowest risk of preterm birth.
Adaptive radiation in African weakly electric fish (Teleostei: Mormyridae: Campylomormyrus): a combined molecular and morphological approach

We combined multiple molecular markers and geometric morphometrics to revise the current taxonomy and to build a phylogenetic hypothesis for the African weakly electric fish genus Campylomormyrus. Genetic data (2039 bp DNA sequence of mitochondrial cytochrome b and nuclear S7 genes) on 106 specimens support the existence of at least six species occurring in sympatry. We were able to further confirm these species by microsatellite analysis at 16 unlinked nuclear loci and landmark‐based morphometrics. We assigned them to nominal taxa by comparisons to type specimens of all Campylomormyrus species recognized so far. Additionally, we showed that the shape of the elongated trunk‐like snout is the major source of morphological differentiation among them. This finding suggests that the radiation of this speciose genus might have been driven by adaptation to different food sources.
Effect of compost on rhizosphere microflora of the tomato and on the incidence of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria

Four commercial composts were added to soil to study their effect on plant growth, total rhizosphere microflora, and incidence of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in the rhizosphere of tomato plants. Three of the compost treatments significantly improved plant growth, while one compost treatment significantly depressed it. Compost amendments caused only small variations in the total numbers of bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi in the rhizosphere of tomato plants. A total of 709 bacteria were isolated from the four compost treatments and the soil control to determine the percentage of PGPR in each treatment. The PGPR tests measured antagonism to soilborne root pathogens, production of indoleacetic acid, cyanide, and siderophores, phosphate solubilization, and intrinsic resistance to antibiotics. Our results show that the addition of some composts to soil increased the incidence in the tomato rhizosphere of bacteria exhibiting antagonism towards Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici, Pyrenochaeta lycopersici, Pythium ultimum, and Rhizoctonia solani. The antagonistic effects observed were associated with marked increases in the percentage of siderophore producers. No significant differences were observed in the percentage of cyanogens, whereas the percentages of phosphate solubilizers and indoleacetic acid producers were affected, respectively, by one and two compost treatments. Intrinsic resistance to antibiotics was only marginally different among the rhizobacterial populations. Our results suggest that compost may stimulate the proliferation of antagonists in the rhizosphere and confirm previous reports indicating that the use of composts in container media has the potential to protect plants from soilborne root pathogens.