Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Three-dimensional volume change of grafted bone in the maxillary sinus.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the three-dimensional radiographic changes of 100% anorganic bovine bone xenograft volume in a grafted maxillary sinus, based on a computerized analysis of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan. MATERIALS AND METHODS A maxillary sinus augmentation procedure done with a lateral approach using 100% anorganic bovine bone was performed in 20 patients. A CBCT scan of the grafted area was taken immediately after the procedure (T1) and 8 to 9 months later (T2). CBCT scan data were analyzed with image processing software to evaluate differences in the volume of grafted material between T1 and T2. Residual ridge height and width were also measured at T1. RESULTS The mean residual bone height and width at the implant sites was 4.40±0.87 mm and 7.9±2.22 mm, respectively. The mean graft volume was 1,432±539 mm³ and 1,287±498 mm³ at T1 and T2, respectively. A significant difference in graft volume was found between T1 and T2 data by paired t test (P=.01). The mean ratio between the volume at T2 and the volume at T1 was 0.90±0.12, meaning a graft volume contraction of 10%. CONCLUSION Within the limits of the present investigation, good stability of anorganic bovine bone graft volume up to 8 months after the grafting procedure was demonstrated. Three-dimensional computed tomographic volumetric assessment seems to be a promising approach to quantify long-term changes in the regenerated area.
Minuscule representations, invariant polynomials, and spectral covers

Given a minuscule representation of a simple Lie algebra, we find an algebraic model for the action of a regular element and show that these models can be glued together over the adjoint quotient, viewed as the set of all regular conjugacy classes of the Lie algebra. There are partial results in the case of a quasiminuscule representation, and a conjecture in the case of a general irreducible finite-dimensional representation. The method of proof is to relate the question to a problem concerning holomorphic principal bundles over cuspidal cubic curves.
Health behaviors and quality of life predictors for risk of hospitalization in an electronic health record-linked biobank

Background Hospital risk stratification models using electronic health records (EHRs) often use age and comorbid health burden. Our primary aim was to determine if quality of life or health behaviors captured in an EHR-linked biobank can predict future risk of hospitalization. Methods Participants in the Mayo Clinic Biobank completed self-administered questionnaires at enrollment that included quality of life and health behaviors. Participants enrolled as of December 31, 2010 were followed for one year to ascertain hospitalization. Data on comorbidities and hospitalization were derived from the Mayo Clinic EHR. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used, adjusted for age and sex. We used gradient boosting machines models to integrate multiple factors. Different models were compared using C-statistic. Results Of the 8,927 eligible Mayo Clinic Biobank participants, 834 (9.3%) were hospitalized. Self-perceived health status and alcohol use had the strongest associations with risk of hospitalization. Compared to participants with excellent self-perceived health, those reporting poor/fair health had higher risk of hospitalization (HR =3.66, 95% CI 2.74–4.88). Alcohol use was inversely associated with hospitalization (HR =0.57 95% CI 0.45–0.72). The gradient boosting machines model estimated self-perceived health as the most influential factor (relative influence =16%). The predictive ability of the model based on comorbidities was slightly higher than the one based on the self-perceived health (C-statistic =0.67 vs 0.65). Conclusion This study demonstrates that self-perceived health may be an important piece of information to add to the EHR. It may be another method to determine hospitalization risk.
The E693Δ (Osaka) mutation in amyloid precursor protein potentiates cholesterol‐mediated intracellular amyloid β toxicity via its impaired cholesterol efflux

It has been shown that amyloid β (Aβ) secretion regulates cholesterol efflux from cells and that the E693Δ (Osaka) mutation in amyloid precursor protein (APP) promotes intracellular accumulation of Aβ and thus reduces its secretion. These findings led us to speculate that APP with the Osaka mutation (APPOSK) might have a defect in cholesterol efflux and thus cause cellular malfunction. We therefore examined the effects of this mutation on intracellular cholesterol transport and efflux in cultured cells. Upon cholesterol loading, APPOSK‐expressing cells exhibited higher levels of cellular cholesterol than wild‐type APP‐expressing cells, suggesting impaired cholesterol efflux. It is known that, after its internalization, cholesterol is transported from the endosomes to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi apparatus and then to the plasma membrane. In APPOSK‐expressing cells, cholesterol accumulated with Aβ in the ER and Golgi apparatus and alone in endosomes/lysosomes. These results imply that the mutation‐induced disturbance of Aβ trafficking from the ER to the plasma membrane affects cholesterol transport to cause cholesterol accumulation in the ER and Golgi apparatus and, consequently, in endosomes. Furthermore, we detected an enhanced mitochondrial accumulation of Aβ and cholesterol in APPOSK‐expressing cells, and this was accompanied by an increase in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The present findings suggest that Aβ trafficking is important for intracellular cholesterol transport and efflux and that the Osaka mutation potentiates cholesterol‐dependent exacerbation of intracellular Aβ toxicity, i.e. Aβ‐induced ROS generation, by disturbing Aβ‐mediated cholesterol efflux from the cell. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Parametric construction of Nyquist-I pulses

A novel parametric approach for constructing families of intersymbol-interference (ISI)-free pulses is presented and examined. Some new pulses so constructed have smaller maximum distortion, a more open receiver eye, and a smaller probability of error in the presence of symbol-timing error than the Nyquist raised-cosine pulse for the same excess bandwidth. The parametric approach gives more degrees of freedom in the design of ISI-free pulses, and subsumes previous ISI-free pulses as special cases. A number of theorems that relate time-domain behaviors of a pulse to the pulse's frequency spectrum are proved. A previously known result relating pulse tail-time decay to discontinuity of the pulse-frequency spectrum is corrected and clarified.
Understanding the boundary conditions of memory reconsolidation

Hardwicke et al.’s article (1) challenges the concept that reactivating human memories, by way of retrieval, returns them to a labile form requiring reconsolidation. Several lessons emerge from their study. Although the authors replicate the majority of our original observations (2) (learning, offline consolidation), they observed no evidence for memory lability following retrieval. Three methodological differences suggest potential explanations for this partial failure to replicate.
Risk Factors for Voriconazole Hepatotoxicity at 12 Weeks in Lung Transplant Recipients

Voriconazole is commonly used for prophylaxis and treatment of invasive aspergillosis in lung transplant recipients. However, the use of voriconazole may at times be limited by the development of hepatotoxicity. Our goal is to determine predictors of voriconazole‐associated hepatotoxicity in lung transplant recipients. We conducted a single center retrospective cohort study of lung transplant recipients from 2006 to 2010 who received voriconazole therapy. We compared characteristics of patients who developed hepatotoxicity and those who did not. One hundred five lung transplant recipients received voriconazole. Hepatotoxicity occurred in 51% (54/105) of patients and lead to discontinuation in 34% (36/105). In univariate analysis, age less than 40 years, cystic fibrosis, use of azathioprine, history of liver disease and early initiation of voriconazole were associated with hepatotoxicity. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, perioperative initiation of voriconazole (within 30 days of transplantation) was independently associated with hepatotoxicity (OR 4.37, 95% CI: 1.53–12.43, p = 0.006). The five risk factors identified in the univariate analysis were used to build a K‐nearest neighbor algorithm predictive model for hepatotoxicity. This model predicted hepatotoxicity with an accuracy of 70%. Voriconazole therapy initiated within the first 30 days of transplantation is associated with a greater risk of developing hepatotoxicity.
Expression of a candidate marker for progenitor cells, Musashi‐1, in the proliferative regions of human antrum and its decreased expression in intestinal metaplasia

Aim: Reliable makers for progenitor cells in the human stomach have not been elucidated. The aim of the present study was to clarify whether Musashi‐1 (Msi‐1), which has recently been proposed as a stem cell marker in mouse intestine, serves as a marker for progenitor cells in human stomach.
Aerotoxic Syndrome: A New Occupational Disease?

Pyrolyzed oil leaking through engine oil seals and entering the cabin air has prompted debate about exposure hazards to toxic substances. An investigation of ill-health among aircrew involved in contaminated air events was undertaken. Two studies were conducted to review the ill-health of affected aircrew. Findings were compared with published hazard databases, and relevant literature to assess compatibility with known toxicities. Acute and chronic exposures to thermally degraded substances was confirmed and supported by medical findings and diagnoses. We conclude a reasonable link between aircraft air supplies contaminated by engine oil and fluids and ill-health exists.
Advice taking in multiagent reinforcement learning

This paper proposes the β-WoLF algorithm for multiagent reinforcement learning (MARL) that uses an additional "advice" signal to inform agents about mutually beneficial forms of behaviour. β-WoLF is an extension of the WoLF-PHC algorithm that allows agents to assess whether the advice obtained through this additional reward signal is (i) useful for the learning agent itself and (ii) currently being followed by other agents in the system. We report on experimental results obtained with this novel algorithm which indicate that it enables cooperation in scenarios in which the need to defend oneself against exploitation results in poor coordination using existing MARL algorithms.
Efficient Gaussian Process Inference for Short-Scale Spatio-Temporal Modeling

This paper presents an efficient Gaussian process inference scheme for modeling shortscale phenomena in spatio-temporal datasets. Our model uses a sum of separable, compactly supported covariance functions, which yields a full covariance matrix represented in terms of small sparse matrices operating either on the spatial or temporal domain. The proposed inference procedure is based on Gibbs sampling, in which samples from the conditional distribution of the latent function values are obtained by applying a simple linear transformation to samples drawn from the joint distribution of the function values and the observations. We make use of the proposed model structure and the conjugate gradient method to compute the required transformation. In the experimental part, the proposed algorithm is compared to the standard approach using the sparse Cholesky decomposition and it is shown to be much faster and computationally feasible for 100–1000 times larger datasets. We demonstrate the advantages of the proposed method in the problem of reconstructing sea surface temperature, which requires processing of a real-world dataset with 10 6 observations.
Evaluation of Recombinant Attenuated Salmonella Vaccine Strains for Broad Protection against Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli

Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections are difficult to treat, producing a burden on healthcare and the economy. Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) strains frequently carry antibiotic resistance genes, cause infections outside of the intestine, and are causative agents of hospital-acquired infections. Developing a prevention strategy against this pathogen is challenging due to its antibiotic resistance and antigenic diversity. E. coli common pilus (ECP) is frequently found in ExPEC strains and may serve as a common antigen to induce protection against several ExPEC serotypes. In addition, live recombinant attenuated Salmonella vaccine (RASV) strains have been used to prevent Salmonella infection and can also be modified to deliver foreign antigens. Thus, the objective of this study was to design a RASV to produce ECP on its surface and assess its ability to provide protection against ExPEC infections. To constitutively display ECP in a RASV strain, we genetically engineered a vector (pYA4428) containing aspartate-β-semialdehyde dehydrogenase and E. coli ecp genes and introduced it into RASV χ9558. RASV χ9558 containing an empty vector (pYA3337) was used as a control to assess protection conferred by the RASV strain without ECP. We assessed vaccine efficacy in in vitro bacterial inhibition assays and mouse models of ExPEC-associated human infections. We found that RASV χ9558(pYA4428) synthesized the major pilin (EcpA) and tip pilus adhesin (EcpD) on the bacterial surface. Mice orally vaccinated with RASV χ9558(pYA3337) without ECP or χ9558(pYA4428) with ECP, produced anti-Salmonella LPS and anti-E. coli EcpA and EcpD IgG and IgA antibodies. RASV strains showed protective potential against some E. coli and Salmonella strains as assessed using in vitro assays. In mouse sepsis and urinary tract infection challenge models, both vaccines had significant protection in some internal organs. Overall, this work showed that RASVs can elicit an immune response to E. coli and Salmonella antigens in some mice, provide significant protection in some internal organs during ExPEC challenge, and thus this study is a promising initial step toward developing a vaccine for prevention of ExPEC infections. Future studies should optimize the ExPEC antigens displayed by the RASV strain for a more robust immune response and enhanced protection against ExPEC infection.
Intensional Combination of Rankings for OCF-Networks

Similar to Bayesian networks, so-called OCF-networks combine structural information encoded in a directed graph with qualitative information expressed by ranking degrees of (conditional) formulas. The benefits of such techniques are twofold: First, the high complexity of the semantical ranking functions approach is reduced substantially, and second, global ranks are obtained from local information. However, in many practical applications, even the local rankings are only available in parts, or not exactly in the format that is needed. In this paper, we apply inductive reasoning methods like system Z or c-representations, to fill up missing values in the local conditional tables. This allows the user to specify knowledge for such OCF-networks in its most appropriate and reliable form and leave the technical details to an inference engine.
Of Nests and Trees: A Unified Approach to Processing Queries That Contain Nested Subqueries, Aggregates, and Quantifiers

Existing query optimizers focus on Restrict-Project-Join queries. In practice, however, query languages such as SQL and DAPLEX have many powerful features (eg., control over duplicates, nested subqueries, grouping, aggregates, and quantifiers) that are not expressible as sequences of Restrict, Project, and Join operations. Existing optimizers are severely limited in their strategies for processing such queries; typically they use only tuple substitution, and process nested subquery blocks top down. Tuple substitution, however, is generally inefficient and especially so when the database is distributed. Hence, it is imperative to develop alternative strategies. This paper introduces new operations for these difficult features, and describes implementation methods for them. From the algebraic properties of these operations, new query processing tactics are derived. It is shown how these new tactics can be deployed to greatly increase the space of interesting strategies for optimisa tion, without seriously altering the architecture of existing optimisers. The contribution of the paper is in demonstrating the feasibility and desirability of developing an integrated framework for optimising all of SQL or other query languages that have similiar features.
Academic Staff Participation in University Governance: Internal Responses to External Quality Demands

Higher education in Croatia isconfronted with new trends and quality demandsmostly connected with Bologna processes. It isassumed that Croatian universities with theirexisting governance structures, characterisedby strong state regulation and weakinstitutional administration, cannot respondeffectively to new demands. Findings of thesurvey on conceptions of governance at theCroatian universities are presented in thepaper, with its main aim to explore academicstaff's perception of university governance.The idea of the university as a ``learningorganisation'' with strong leadership and engagedacademic staff is taken as the desired model.Mapping the opinions of academic staff on thepresent governance structures, their role ingovernance issues, and making an inventory oftheir perceptions of strengths and weaknessesof governance processes, forms importantbackground for reflections on adequatemodifications in academic governance.
Long-Term Sociopolitical Effects of 9/11 Television Viewing, Emotions, and Parental Conversation in U.S. Young Adults Who Were Children in 2001

This research used a survey to examine how 9/11 television viewing, emotions, and parental conversation influenced current sociopolitical attitudes of young adults who were children in 2001. Young adults who watched more television coverage of the 9/11 attacks as children were found to exhibit lower levels of social trust and support for immigration now, whereas young adults who had more frequent conversations about 9/11 with their parents as children were found to have more confidence in U.S. political institutions and to exhibit more support for immigration. These results illustrate that, although the psychological distress from an event like 9/11 may fade for children not directly affected by the event, the influence of that event on how young people think about the world may remain, and that media coverage of and parental conversation about the event play significant roles in influencing these long-term effects.
The mobile robot path planning with motion constraints based on Bug algorithm

Considering the motion constraints of the robot, an autonomous navigation method based on Bug algorithm was proposed. Combining Dubins path and Bug algorithm, in the process a robot moving from initial pose position to final pose position, a path satisfied the robot's kinematics parameters was planned. Firstly, the robot moved along the initial Dubins path from initial pose position to final pose position with sensing the environment information under the prescribed condition. Once there being obstacles blocking the current path, generate an intermediate pose position to avoid the obstacle, and then calculate two Dubins paths from current pose position to intermediate pose position and from intermediate pose position to final pose position in order to get an updated planning path. Finally, make the robot move along the updated planning path. Repeat the process of moving, sensing, generating intermediate pose position and updating path until the robot achieves the final pose position without collision. The simulation results show that the proposed method is safe, efficient and easy to implement.
Comparison of TALEN scaffolds in Xenopus tropicalis

Summary Transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) are facile and potent tools used to modify a gene of interest for targeted gene knockout. TALENs consist of an N-terminal domain, a DNA-binding domain, and a C-terminal domain, which are derived from a transcription activator-like effector, and the non-specific nuclease domain of FokI. Using Xenopus tropicalis (X. tropicalis), we compared the toxicities and somatic mutation activities of four TALEN architectures in a side-by-side manner: a basic TALEN, a scaffold with the same truncated N- and C-terminal domains as GoldyTALEN, a scaffold with the truncated N- and C-terminal domains and an obligate heterodimeric nuclease domain, and a scaffold with the truncated N- and C-terminal domains and an obligate heterodimeric Sharkey nuclease domain. The strongest phenotype and targeted somatic gene mutation were induced by the injection of TALEN mRNAs containing the truncated N- and C-terminal domains and an obligate heterodimeric nuclease domain. The obligate heterodimeric TALENs exhibited reduced toxicity compared to the homodimeric TALENs, and the homodimeric GoldyTALEN-type scaffold showed both a high activity of somatic gene modification and high toxicity. The Sharkey mutation in the heterodimeric nuclease domain reduced the TALEN-mediated somatic mutagenesis.
Strategies for teaching to a changing world: lessons from Arusha, Tanzania

Environmental degradation, lack of educational resources and extreme poverty characterize many countries in Africa. These issues require teachers to prepare students to understand, address and solve these and other challenges facing societies in the twenty-first century. Using the environment as an authentic and integrating context, a team of scientists and educators developed a teacher professional development workshop model that actively engages teachers in the science process while learning science content and research techniques. Over 50 primary and secondary school teachers from three countries in Africa attended the workshop which was convened in Arusha, Tanzania. Although the workshop team included members from Africa, most were from the United States with varied experience working in Africa. The team viewed this workshop as an opportunity to assess the process of workshop model development and implementation in order to glean lessons that could then be applied to other professional development opportunities in Africa. To help assess the process, internal organizing discussions, participant surveys and teacher focus group discussions were used. Results from the surveys and discussions indicate that the workshop had a positive impact on the teachers and instructors suggesting that workshop materials and pedagogical approaches have a high probability of being implemented in African classrooms.