Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Validation of a Simplified Implant-Retained Cantilever Fixed Prosthesis

Purpose: To evaluate the stress and strain generated in a fixed four-element prosthesis under the application of axial and nonaxial loads using a simplified implant-supported fixed prosthesis model. Materials and Methods: A 3-dimensional model was constructed containing 3 implants with a conventional anatomical prosthesis (G1). The second model with the same implant system received the simplified prosthesis (G2). A load of 300 N was applied at an axial point and a nonaxial point through finite element analysis software. Results: The G2 group showed different values of stress concentration in the prosthesis, fixation screw, retention screw, and abutments when compared with G1. Within a limit of 10% degrees of acceptability, the stress on the implants and the bone strain were enclosed for both models of prostheses. Conclusion: The simplified fixed prosthesis evaluated presents biomechanical behavior similar to an anatomical prosthesis in the implants and in the surrounding bone structure.
Sperm banking and patients with cancer: Issues concerning patients and healthcare professionals

In 1994, ∼ 52,000 new cancers will have occurred in patients ≤34 years of age. Reported survival rates for tumors common to males in this age group are promising and are expected to improve. Chemotherapy treatment may produce infertility, and without appropriate intervention, the aspiration of producing offspring may never be realized. Semen cryopreservation (sperm banking) may be offered to male patients with cancer as an intervention to circumvent loss of procreation ability resulting from chemotherapy-induced infertility. Oncology nurses can discuss infertility and sperm banking with patients at the most opportune time, before initiation of chemotherapy. Considerable debate exists among health-care professionals regarding the practicality and usage of sperm banking for young adult male patients with cancer being treated with chemotherapy. In addition, health-care professionals may be uncomfortable discussing issues of a sexual nature with patients. Staff nurses administering chemotherapy to young adult males need to work toward improving their knowledge about the effects of cancer and cancer treatment on reproduction. Improved knowledge will reinforce the importance of offering sperm banking to circumvent treatment-induced infertility.
Pour Plate Procedure : Enumeration of Bacterial Cells in a Mixed Sample

Microorganisms are present on all inanimate surfaces creating ubiquitous sources of possible contamination in the laboratory. Experimental success relies on the ability of a scientist to sterilize work surfaces and equipment as well as prevent contact of sterile instruments and solutions with non-sterile surfaces. Here we present the steps for several plating methods routinely used in the laboratory to isolate, propagate, or enumerate microorganisms such as bacteria and phage. All five methods incorporate aseptic technique, or procedures that maintain the sterility of experimental materials. Procedures described include (1) streak-plating bacterial cultures to isolate single colonies, (2) pour-plating and (3) spread-plating to enumerate viable bacterial colonies, (4) soft agar overlays to isolate phage and enumerate plaques, and (5) replica-plating to transfer cells from one plate to another in an identical spatial pattern. These procedures can be performed at the laboratory bench, provided they involve non-pathogenic strains of microorganisms (Biosafety Level 1, BSL-1). If working with BSL-2 organisms, then these manipulations must take place in a biosafety cabinet. Consult the most current edition of the Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) as well as Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for Infectious Substances to determine the biohazard classification as well as the safety precautions and containment facilities required for the microorganism in question. Bacterial strains and phage stocks can be obtained from research investigators, companies, and collections maintained by particular organizations such as the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). It is recommended that non-pathogenic strains be used when learning the various plating methods. By following the procedures described in this protocol, students should be able to: ● Perform plating procedures without contaminating media. ● Isolate single bacterial colonies by the streak-plating method. ● Use pour-plating and spread-plating methods to determine the concentration of bacteria. ● Perform soft agar overlays when working with phage. ● Transfer bacterial cells from one plate to another using the replica-plating procedure. ● Given an experimental task, select the appropriate plating method.
Dynamic Sentence Sampling for Efficient Training of Neural Machine Translation

Traditional Neural machine translation (NMT) involves a fixed training procedure where each sentence is sampled once during each epoch. In reality, some sentences are well-learned during the initial few epochs; however, using this approach, the well-learned sentences would continue to be trained along with those sentences that were not well learned for 10-30 epochs, which results in a wastage of time. Here, we propose an efficient method to dynamically sample the sentences in order to accelerate the NMT training. In this approach, a weight is assigned to each sentence based on the measured difference between the training costs of two iterations. Further, in each epoch, a certain percentage of sentences are dynamically sampled according to their weights. Empirical results based on the NIST Chinese-to-English and the WMT English-to-German tasks show that the proposed method can significantly accelerate the NMT training and improve the NMT performance.
The Dorsal Column Lesion Model of Spinal Cord Injury and Its Use in Deciphering the Neuron‐Intrinsic Injury Response

The neuron‐intrinsic response to axonal injury differs markedly between neurons of the peripheral and central nervous system. Following a peripheral lesion, a robust axonal growth program is initiated, whereas neurons of the central nervous system do not mount an effective regenerative response. Increasing the neuron‐intrinsic regenerative response would therefore be one way to promote axonal regeneration in the injured central nervous system. The large‐diameter sensory neurons located in the dorsal root ganglia are pseudo‐unipolar neurons that project one axon branch into the spinal cord, and, via the dorsal column to the brain stem, and a peripheral process to the muscles and skin. Dorsal root ganglion neurons are ideally suited to study the neuron‐intrinsic injury response because they exhibit a successful growth response following peripheral axotomy, while they fail to do so after a lesion of the central branch in the dorsal column. The dorsal column injury model allows the neuron‐intrinsic regeneration response to be studied in the context of a spinal cord injury. Here we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this model. We describe the surgical methods used to implement a lesion of the ascending fibers, the anatomy of the sensory afferent pathways and anatomical, electrophysiological, and behavioral techniques to quantify regeneration and functional recovery. Subsequently we review the results of experimental interventions in the dorsal column lesion model, with an emphasis on the molecular mechanisms that govern the neuron‐intrinsic injury response and manipulations of these after central axotomy. Finally, we highlight a number of recent advances that will have an impact on the design of future studies in this spinal cord injury model, including the continued development of adeno‐associated viral vectors likely to improve the genetic manipulation of dorsal root ganglion neurons and the use of tissue clearing techniques enabling 3D reconstruction of regenerating axon tracts. © 2018 The Authors. Developmental Neurobiology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 00: 000–000, 2018
Factors That Impact Technology Innovation Adoption Among Irish Professional Service Sector SMEs

This paper disseminates the findings from a study into the factors impacting technological innovation adoption and diffusion specific to the deployment of electronic-commerce strategies within professional service sector SMEs in Ireland. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed and seven factors relating to a firm's external/internal environment were found to underpin adoption. These are: electronic-commerce capability; willingness to change/rate of response to new technologies; technological opportunity recognition; customer orientation; sensitivity to competitive/customer environments; perceptions of technology feasibility; and e-skills development mechanisms. t-tests revealed differences between adopters and non-adopters, and forward stepwise logistic regression is used to assess the extent to which these seven factors actually predict electronic-commerce adoption. It was found that electronic-commerce capability and the willingness to change/rate of response to new technologies are the two most important factors affecting adoption behaviours.
Estimating Economic Damages in Class Action Securities Fraud Litigation

This paper examines issues that an expert witness must resolve in estimating economic damages in class action lawsuits involving publicly traded common stock. These issues include measuring the extent to which misleading information distorted the price of the stock, determining the actual volume of purchases by public investors, and adjusting for in-and-out trading during the Class Period.
Restaurant Franchisees’ View of the Relationships Among the Determinants of Franchisors’ Entrepreneurial Strategy Processes

The determinants of entrepreneurial strategy processes in franchising were identified as external environment, entrepreneurial strategy, mechanistic-organic structure, and financial performance. The primary purpose of this study was to explore a model that examines the relationships among the external environment, entrepreneurial strategy, mechanistic-organic structure, and financial performance of restaurant franchisors from the perspective of the franchisees. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to develop this exploratory model. The final structural model indicated that franchisors’ external environment forces such as competition, politics, technology, and price wars are perceived as having a negative effect on franchisor’s financial performances. Restaurant franchisees perceive that franchisors’ entrepreneurial strategies such as aggressive expansion of franchise units, innovative system development, and menu development to meet local needs make a highly positive contribution to franchisors’ financial performance. Franchisees also perceived that franchisors’ entrepreneurial strategies and mechanistic-organic structure could have a significantly and mutually positive effect on each other.
Inter-locus antagonistic coevolution as an engine of speciation: Assessment with hemiclonal analysis

One of Ernst Mayr's legacies is the consensus that the allopatry model is the predominant mode of speciation in most sexually reproducing lineages. In this model, reproductive isolation develops as a pleiotropic byproduct of the genetic divergence that develops among physically isolated populations. Presently, there is no consensus concerning which, if any, evolutionary process is primarily responsible for driving the specific genetic divergence that leads to reproductive isolation. Here, we focus on the hypothesis that inter-locus antagonistic coevolution drives rapid genetic divergence among allopatric populations and thereby acts as an important “engine” of speciation. We assert that only data from studies of experimental evolution, rather than descriptive patterns of molecular evolution, can provide definitive evidence for this hypothesis. We describe and use an experimental approach, called hemiclonal analysis, that can be used in the Drosophila melanogaster laboratory model system to simultaneously screen nearly the entire genome for both standing genetic variation within a population and the net-selection gradient acting on the variation. Hemiclonal analysis has four stages: (i) creation of a laboratory “island population”; (ii) cytogenetic cloning of nearly genome-wide haplotypes to construct hemiclones; (iii) measurement of additive genetic variation among hemiclones; and (iv) measurement of the selection gradient acting on phenotypic variation among hemiclones. We apply hemiclonal analysis to test the hypothesis that there is ongoing antagonistic coevolution between the sexes in the D. melanogaster laboratory model system and then discuss the relevance of this analysis to natural systems.
Methylprednisolone and ketorolac rapidly reduce hyperalgesia around a skin burn injury and increase pressure pain thresholds

Background: Glucocorticoids and non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) decrease acute postoperative pain and hyperalgesia. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of methylprednisolone and ketorolac on hyperalgesia around a skin burn injury and on pressure pain thresholds.
Adaptive Sequential Experimentation Techniques for A/B Testing and Model Tuning

We introduce Bayesian Global Optimization as an efficient way to optimize a system's parameters, when evaluating parameters is time-consuming or expensive. The adaptive sequential experimentation techniques described can be used to help tackle a myriad of problems including optimizing a system's click-through or conversion rate via online A/B testing, tuning parameters of a machine learning prediction method or expensive batch job, designing an engineering system or finding the optimal parameters of a real-world physical experiment. We explore different tools available for performing these tasks, including Yelp's MOE and SigOpt. We will present the motivation, implementation, and background of these tools. Applications and examples from industry and best practices for using the techniques will be provided.
Can the exceptional chilling tolerance of C4 photosynthesis found in Miscanthus × giganteus be exceeded? Screening of a novel Miscanthus Japanese germplasm collection.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS A clone of the hybrid perennial C4 grass Miscanthus × giganteus (Mxg) is known for achieving exceptionally high rates of leaf CO2 uptake during chilling. This is a requisite of success in the early spring, as is the ability of the leaves to survive occasional frosts. The aim of this study was to search for genotypes with greater potential than Mxg for photosynthesis and frost survival under these conditions. METHODS A total of 864 accessions representing 164 local populations of M. sacchariflorus (Msa), M. sinensis (Msi) and M. tinctorius (Mti) collected across Japan were studied. Accessions whose leaves survived a natural late frost in the field were screened for high maximum photosystem II efficiency (Fv/Fm) following chilling weather, as an indicator of their capacity for light-limited photosynthesis. Those showing the highest Fv/Fm were transferred to a high-light-controlled environment and maintained at chilling temperatures, where they were further screened for their capacities for high-light-limited and light-saturated leaf uptake of CO2 (ΦCO2,max and Asat, respectively). KEY RESULTS For the first time, relatives of Mxg with significantly superior capacities for photosynthesis at chilling temperatures were identified. Msa accession '73/2' developed leaves in the spring that survived night-time frost, and during growth under chilling maintained a statistically significant 79 % higher ΦCO2,max, as a measure of light-limited photosynthesis, and a 70 % higher Asat, as a measure of light-saturated photosynthesis. A second Msa accession, '73/3' also showed significantly higher rates of leaf uptake of CO2. CONCLUSIONS As remarkable as Mxg has proved in its chilling tolerance of C4 photosynthesis, this study shows that there is still value and potential in searching for yet more superior tolerance. Msa accession '73/2' shows rates of light-limited and light-saturated photosynthesis at chilling temperatures that are comparable with those of the most cold-tolerant C3 species. This adds further proof to the thesis that C4 photosynthesis is not inherently limited to warm climates.
Effectiveness of social network sites for influencing consumer purchase decisions

The changing lifestyle and consumer preferences have made marketers to explore different mediums to reach the targeted customers. Social networking sites are the emerging platforms to communicate with the customers and influencing their purchase decisions. Product promotion through social media provides the advantages of viral marketing and electronic word of mouth at a very reasonable cost. This instrument need careful implementation because any negative feedback through network can spoil the brand image and in the longer run the profitability of the company. This study examines the empirical support for social networking sites as influencer to various stages of consumer purchase decision viz improvement in product knowledge, change in attitude towards the product, impulse to purchase the product and post purchase customer relationship. Regression analysis was performed to assess the dependency relationship between various stages of consumer purchase decision (dependent variables) and various forms of communication over social networking sites (independent variables). The results of data analysis provide the support for hypothesised positive relationship between communication over social networking sites and various stages of consumer purchase decision. The implications of this study's findings for the future research and practice are described in the last section of this paper.
A transmit/receive system for magnetic field monitoring of in vivo MRI

Magnetic field monitoring with NMR probes has recently been introduced as a means of measuring the actual spatiotemporal magnetic field evolution during individual MR scans. Receive‐only NMR probes as used thus far for this purpose impose significant practical limitations due to radiofrequency (RF) interference with the actual MR experiment. In this work these limitations are overcome with a transmit/receive (T/R) monitoring system based on RF‐shielded NMR probes. The proposed system is largely autonomous and protected against RF contamination. As a consequence the field probes can be positioned freely and permit monitoring imaging procedures of arbitrary geometry and angulation. The T/R approach is also exploited to simplify probe manufacturing and remove constraints on material choices. Probe miniaturization permits monitoring imaging scans with nominal resolutions on the order of 400 μm. The added capabilities of the new probes and system are demonstrated by first in vivo results, obtained with monitored gradient‐echo and spin‐echo echo‐planar imaging (EPI) scans. Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The International Conference on Advances in ICT for Emerging Regions-ICTer2011 : 078-082 NoSQL Query Processing System for Wireless Ad-hoc and Sensor Networks

TinyDB and TikiriDB are query processing systems, which have been used successfully in wireless sensor networks (WSN). These query processing systems provide a SQL query interface to extract data from sensors and it has proven to be a convenient programming interface in these environments. However, a relational database model that guarantees ACID properties is not a good match for a wireless sensor network since consistent connectivity or the uninterrupted operation of the sensor nodes cannot be expected. We noted that the NoSQL approach which does not rely on the ACID properties is a better match for a query processing systems for WASNs. We developed a NoSQL based query processing system on the Contiki operating system that is popular among the WSN community. KeywordsWireless ad-hoc and sensor networks, RDBMS, SQL, NoSQL, Database abstractions, Mesh routing, ACID
Influences of surface defects on the laser-induced damage performances of KDP crystal.

When potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystals are exposed to high-energy laser irradiation, the pre-existing surface defects may act as damage precursors and will reduce the lifespan of the crystal components. Although it has been found that different kinds of surface defects exhibit distinct damage characteristics, the influence of surface defects on the laser-induced damage performance of KDP crystal is not yet clear. In this paper, KDP surface defects have been characterized by multiple measuring methods and classified into five categories according to their structure features. Laser-induced damage tests were then carried out to investigate the laser-induced damage thresholds of different kinds of KDP surface defects as well as the evolution of the morphology of damage sites. The results of the experiment indicate that the damage thresholds of cracks, fracture pits, and surface protuberances are between 6 and 11 J/cm2 (355 nm, 3 ns, similarly hereinafter), which are much lower than the thresholds of plastic scratches, discontinuous scratches, and a defect-free KDP surface. In addition, it has been found that fluorescence enhancement is just a necessary condition for reduction of damage thresholds. Finally, reasons for the formation of the most threatening KDP surface defects have been analyzed and corresponding suppression measures have been proposed for increasing the surface damage thresholds of the crystal components.
Caregiving in the presence of chronic pain.

BACKGROUND Chronic pain sufferers and caregivers share the risk of higher levels of psychological distress and adverse effects on well-being. This study examined the joint impact of chronic pain and primary caregiving on older people. METHODS Data came from the New South Wales (NSW) Older People's Health Survey 1999, a state-wide general health survey of over 9000 NSW residents 65 years old or older. Using survey logistic regression modeling, we examined the relationship between chronic pain with different levels of disability, caregiving status, self-reported physical functioning, and two dependent variables--poor/fair self-rated health and psychological distress. RESULTS Caregivers with chronic pain reported more psychological distress and poorer self-rated health than caregivers without pain, when both were compared to noncaregivers without pain (age-adjusted and sex-adjusted odds ratios [ORs] for caregivers with pain were 3.4 and 2.8, respectively, both p <.001). Caregivers with pain and noncaregivers with pain had similar patterns of results. Physical function significantly declined for both caregivers and noncaregivers with pain when compared with noncaregivers without pain. CONCLUSIONS Older people coping with caregiving and chronic pain are a potentially vulnerable group. Chronic pain status should be ascertained in older people who are caregivers, with particular attention to the issue of caregiver psychological distress and physical well-being.