Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of a new mouthrinse formulation on the reduction of oral malodour in vivo. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 3 week clinical study

The present study was conducted to assess the efficacy of a new mouthrinse formulation in reducing oral malodour compared to that of commercially available products containing chlorhexidine (CHX) and a negative control. 174 healthy volunteers, each with an organoleptic score of at least 2 and an H2S level as part of the volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) higher than 50 ppb, were divided into four groups. Participants were stratified according to their organoleptic ratings (OR). Group I: mouthrinse I (250 ppm F− from amine fluoride/stannous fluoride (ASF), 0.2% zinc lactate, oral malodour counteractives); group II: mouthrinse II (0.05% CHX, 0.05% cetylpyridinium chloride, 0.14% zinc lactate); group III: mouthrinse III (0.12% CHX); group IV: tap water. All groups were instructed to perform standardized oral hygiene measures and to apply the respective test rinse twice daily after tooth brushing. Malodour was assessed by organoleptic measurement and by VSC levels at baseline, day 1, day 7, day 14 and day 21 into the study. To evaluate discolouration of the teeth, the colour was assessed at baseline and final visit. The ASF mouthrinse showed superior efficacy as compared to the negative control. A significant reduction in OR and VSC readings was achieved after single application as well as after 7 and 21 days of continuous use. Between test groups I–III no statistically significant differences were found at any time point. There was also a trend towards fewer side effects caused by the ASF product compared to the products containing CHX. The newly developed mouthrinse product significantly reduces oral malodour in patients with increased values both in OR and in VSC.
An optical head-pose tracking sensor for pointing devices using IR-LED based markers and a low-cost camera

In this paper, we present a head-mounted pointing device (i.e. "Head-mouse") which consists of an optical sensor based on a small CMOS-camera with the IR blocking filter replaced by an IR-bandpass filter and IR LEDs (850nm wavelength) as markers. The advantage of our sensor compared to other head-mouse systems and eye-gaze systems is that the proposed sensor results in an absolute positioning of the mouse cursor and does not require laborious recalibration as the user changes his position. Furthermore, the sensor has a larger operating area and allows seamless control of multiple devices.
A 320kV hybrid HVDC circuit breaker based on thyristors forced current zero technique

This paper presents a hybrid HVDC circuit breaker topology with bidirectional interruption based on thyristors forced current zero technique for voltage sourced converter-high voltage dc (VSC-HVDC) system. In normal operation, the mechanical switch and small amount of IGBTs handles the low conduction loss. In case of interruption, the commutated current is forced to zero by injecting a current inversely in order to turn off thyristors. Moreover, snubber circuits are employed for voltage balance among semiconductors. And a conceptual breaker is applied to a high voltage application of 320kV system whose short current is 15kA. The principal operation of the beaker has been simulated and tested to demonstrate the fast dc fault clearing. Compared with other solutions, this proposal can interrupt short current with relatively low cost and increase the fault current interrupting capability, so it is more suitable for practical HVDC grid.
DNA-binding determinants of sigma 54 as deduced from libraries of mutations

PCR mutagenesis was used to obtain libraries of mutations in the region between amino acids 300 and 400 in the DNA-binding domain of Escherichia coli sigma 54. Two hundred changes that did not alter function were identified. These were compared with a somewhat smaller number of changes that did alter function. Several important regions were identified. Single point mutations in two of these, near amino acids 363 and 383, destroyed the ability of sigma to bind DNA, as assayed by band shift analysis. A third segment from amino acids 327 to 347 is also a candidate for contributing to DNA binding. Comparison with data in the literature leads to testable proposals for the complex mode of DNA binding that is associated with sigma 54.
Roof-mounted vehicle single-arm spiral antenna without a balun circuit

The deterioration in the antenna characteristics that are observed when a single-arm spiral antenna is located in front of a shallow conducting cavity can be mitigated by using an absorbing strip (ABS), which is placed behind the outer arm filaments. The use of lumped resistor elements connected to the arm end results in wideband antenna characteristics similar to those of the spiral with the ABS. A comparison between the spiral with the ABS and with the resistors shows that the former provides antenna characteristics in the lower frequency region that are more stable than the characteristics of the latter.
Beneficial effect of Citrus limon peel aqueous methanol extract on experimentally induced urolithic rats

Abstract Context: Citrus limon (L.) Burm.f. (Rutaceace) is a commonly available fruit variety with high medicinal and industrial values. Objective: Lemon peel (LP) extract was studied as a potent preventive and curative agent for experimentally induced hyperoxaluric rats. Materials and methods: Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analyses and toxicity study were performed for aqueous methanol LP extract. Twenty-four Wistar rats were segregated into four groups. Group 1: Control; Group 2: Urolithic (ethylene glycol (EG) – 0.75%); Group 3: Preventive study (EG + LP extract administration from 0th to 7th week); Group 4: Curative study (EG + LP extract administration from 4th to 7th week). Animals received LP extract daily by oral administration (100 mg/kg body weight) for 7 weeks. Results and discussion: GC–MS analyses revealed that compound 6 was abundant in the LP extract (32%) followed by compound 1 (∼21%). The LD50 value of LP extract was found to be >5000 mg/kg of body weight. Urolithic rats showed significantly higher urinary calcium and oxalate (4.47 ± 0.44 and 18.86 ± 0.55 mg/24 h, respectively) excretion compared with control and experimental rats. Renal function parameters like urea (84 ± 8.5 and 96.1 ± 3.6 mg/dL), creatinine (1.92 ± 0.27 and 1.52 ± 0.22 mg/dL), and urinary protein (2.03 ± 0.02 and 2.13 ± 0.16 mg/24 h) were also reduced by LP extract (p < 0.001) and corroborated with tissue analyses (SOD, catalase, and MDA levels) and histological studies in normal and experimental animals. Immunohistochemical staining of THP and NF-κB in urolithic animals showed elevated expression than the control, while LP extract suppressed the expression of these proteins. Conclusion: In conclusion, lemon peel is effective in curing kidney stone disease and also can be used to prevent the disease and its recurrence.
An international survey of pediatric apheresis practice

Introduction: Pediatric apheresis (PA) has distinct characteristics compared to adult apheresis, and requires specialized knowledge and experience to perform safely, particularly in low‐weight patients. As evidence‐based medicine advances the field of therapeutic apheresis, increased attention must be paid to pediatric patients with conditions for which apheresis is indicated. Methods: An electronic survey of >5,000 potential participants throughout the world was conducted to ascertain the scope and the current state of practice. Results: The survey elicited 159 responses from 12 countries; 107 of the responses provided sufficient information for analysis. Participants performed an average of 176 PA procedures/year (range: 1–2,000). The types of PA procedures were therapeutic plasma exchange (92% of centers), red cell exchange (86%), leukocyte depletion (87%) and peripheral blood hematopoietic progenitor cell collection (72%). More than 65% of the centers had treated children older than 5 years with PA. Many centers had also performed PA on younger children; 40% have treated patients <12 months of age; 61% had treated patients 1–5 years old. 36% of centers reported that they would perform apheresis regardless of patient weight; 18% used a 5 kg threshold, 11% used 5–10 kg, and 17% used 10 kg as their weight threshold. Conclusion: This report is the largest single survey of centers performing PA. The results provide information about the scope and diversity of PA and identify areas where considerable variability in practice exists. Further exploration of these differences could establish best practices in PA through international research and collaboration. J. Clin. Apheresis 29:120–126, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Alternative Gaussian spot size polynomial for use with doped fiber amplifiers

The validity of the usual Marcuse-Gaussian approximation for fiber modes is discussed in the context of doped fiber amplifiers and an proposed: omega /a=(0.616+1.66/V/sup 1.5/+0.987/V/sup 6/). The polynomial's use is illustrated by extending the range of a simple Gaussian-based, numerical model of an erbium-doped fiber amplifier. Excellent agreement with a real-field-based model is demonstrated for practical fiber V values. <<ETX>>
Phantom of the area: poverty-area residence and mortality in the United States.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of the study was to conduct a national multivariate analysis on poverty-area residence and mortality in the United States. METHODS Proportional hazards analyses were performed of the effect of poverty-area residence on the risk of mortality among adult examinees in the 1971 through 1974 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey who were followed through 1987. RESULTS Poverty-area residence was associated with significantly elevated risk of all-cause mortality (rate ratio = 1.78, 95% confidence interval = 1.33, 2.38) and some cause-specific mortality among those aged 25 through 54 years, but not among those aged 55 through 74 years, at baseline after adjustment for several individual and household characteristics. CONCLUSIONS Residence in poverty areas contributes to socioeconomic gradients in mortality among nonelderly adults in the United States.
Age at first reproduction explains rate variation in the strepsirrhine molecular clock

Although the molecular clock hypothesis posits that the rate of molecular change is constant over time, there is evidence that rates vary among lineages. Some of the strongest evidence for variable molecular rates comes from the primates; e.g., the “hominoid slowdown. ” These rate differences are hypothesized to correlate with certain species attributes, such as generation time and body size. Here, we examine rates of molecular change in the strepsirrhine suborder of primates and test whether body size or age at first reproduction (a proxy for generation time) explains patterns of rate variation better than a null model where the molecular clock is independent of these factors. To examine these models, we analyzed DNA sequences from four pairs of recently diverged strepsirrhine sister taxa to estimate molecular rates by using sign tests, likelihood ratio tests, and regression analyses. Our analysis does not support a model where body weight or age at first reproduction strongly influences rates of molecular evolution across mitochondrial and nuclear sites. Instead, our analysis supports a model where age at first reproduction influences neutral evolution in the nuclear genome. This study supports the generation time hypothesis for rate variation in the nuclear molecular clock. Molecular clock variation due to generation time may help to resolve the discordance between molecular and paleontological estimates for divergence date estimates in primate evolution.
Performance of a MIMO-OFDM Eigenbeamforming System in a Correlated Channel

In multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, eigenbeam-space division multiplexing (E-SDM) can achieve high performance using channel state information that is fedback to the transmitter. Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems can efficiently operate in wideband fading channels using a simple 1-tap equalizer on each sub-carrier. Here, MIMO channels are generated with increasing correlation through Cholesky factorization of the channel covariance matrix. To maintain a given BER and hence compensate for the effects of correlation, an increase in the transmit power is required (e.g. 0.4 dB for ρ=0.25 at 10−5 BER for a reduced complexity pseudo E-SDM system), but this increases significantly as ρ increases. In this paper, a description of the E-SDM system implementation on an FPGA-DSP platform is also detailed.
[Cost-effectiveness in the detection of influenza H1N1: clinical data versus rapid tests].

OBJECTIVE Evaluate the performance of clinical data and the rapid influenza diagnostic test (RIDT) in diagnosing influenza H1N1, and analyze the cost-benefit of using this diagnostic tool. METHODS The RIDT was used for patients who came to four hospitals in Mexico City with an influenza-like illness (ILI) in October and November 2009. The diagnostic performance of the ILI clinical data and the RIDT was compared to that of the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) test. The rRT-PCR test was conducted in a reference laboratory and blinded to the results of the RIDT. An economic evaluation also was conducted to estimate the budgetary impact of using the RIDT. RESULTS The study included 78 patients, 39 of whom tested positive for influenza H1N1 and 6 tested positive for seasonal influenza A, according to the results of the rRT-PCR. The ILI clinical data yielded a sensitivity of 96% and specificity of 21%; the RIDT yielded a sensitivity of 76% and specificity of 82%; and the ILI clinical data and RIDT together yielded a sensitivity of 96% and specificity of 100%. The positive likelihood quotient for ILI-headaches was 31.5 and that of ILI-odynophagia, 330. The use of RIDT yielded savings of US$12.6 per each suspected case. CONCLUSIONS Use of the RIDT to aid in the diagnosis of influenza H1N1 increases certainty and lowers the average cost per suspected and infected patient.
Leukocyte apoptosis and its significance in sepsis and shock

Sepsis and multiple organ failure continue to be significant problems among trauma, burn, and the critically ill patient population. Thus, a number of laboratories have focused on understanding the role of altered apoptotic cell death in contributing to immune and organ dysfunction seen in sepsis and shock. Immune cells that undergo altered apoptotic changes include neutrophils, macrophages, dendritic cells, as well as various lymphocyte populations. Evidence of epithelial as well as endothelial cell apoptotic changes has also been reported. Although mediators such as steroids, tumor necrosis factor, nitric oxide, C5a, and Fas ligand (FasL) appear to contribute to the apoptotic changes, their effects are tissue‐ and cell population‐selective. As inhibiting Fas‐FasL signaling (e.g., gene deficiency, Fas fusion protein, or Fas short interfering RNA administration), caspase inhibition (caspase mimetic peptides), and/or the overexpression of downstream antiapoptotic molecules (e.g., Bcl‐2, Akt) improve survival of septic mice, it not only demonstrates the pathological significance of this process but points to novel targets for the treatment of sepsis.
Multiscale System-by-Design Synthesis of Printed WAIMs for Waveguide Array Enhancement

A task-oriented multiscale material synthesis problem is addressed through an instance of the system-by-design (SbD) paradigm. More specifically, wide-angle impedance matching (WAIM) layers based on printed metasurfaces are designed to enhance the radiation efficiency of planar phased arrays. Toward this end, a task-oriented formulation is adopted where the layer geometrical features are the microscale solution descriptors, while the minimization of the array power reflection is the synthesis macroscale objective. The WAIM synthesis (i.e., the definition of the microscale structure of the WAIM and not the dielectric properties of the WAIM layer, unlike previous approaches) is yielded through an iterative process in which the direct optimization of its unit cells is made possible by the SbD mapping between the WAIM microscale features and the associated macroscopic properties. Selected numerical examples are presented and discussed to illustrate the current potentialities in terms of performance, feasibility, and computational efficiency of the proposed design strategy also in comparison with recent and competitive state-of-the-art WAIM design methodologies.
Inhibition of experimental metastasis by castanospermine in mice: blockage of two distinct stages of tumor colonization by oligosaccharide processing inhibitors.

The extent of maturation of the oligosaccharide subunits of tumor cell glycoproteins appears to correlate with malignant potential, suggesting that modification of oligosaccharide structures may alter metastatic capacity. Castanospermine, a recently discovered inhibitor of glucosidase I, was tested for its effect on experimental metastasis of B16-F10 murine melanoma cells and was compared to treatment with swainsonine and tunicamycin. All three drugs block different steps in the pathway of glycoprotein processing yet each was a potent inhibitor of pulmonary colonization after i.v. injection of treated cells into C57BL/6 mice (greater than or equal to 80% inhibition). This result indicates a generality of inhibition of experimental metastasis by blockage of protein glycosylation or oligosaccharide processing and strongly implicates carbohydrate residues in at least one critical step of the metastatic cascade. Cytotoxic side effects could not account for the inhibitory activity. In order to identify a possible mechanism of inhibition of colonization, the adhesive behavior and pulmonary retention properties of B16-F10 cells treated with the above inhibitors were examined. Tunicamycin-treated B16-F10 cells exhibited poor adhesion to substrate-adsorbed fibronectin and laminin, whereas both castanospermine- and swainsonine-treated cells possessed near normal adhesive capacity; furthermore, the initial rate of loss of tunicamycin-treated cells from the lungs of mice was substantially greater than either control, castanospermine- or swainsonine-treated cells. These data suggest that these processing inhibitors can block experimental metastasis by at least two different mechanisms. The antimetastatic effect of tunicamycin may be related to interference in tumor cell-extracellular matrix interactions, whereas treatment with castanospermine or swainsonine appears to block at a stage distal to initial tumor cell arrest.
A method for allelic replacement that uses the conjugative transposon Tn916: deletion of the emm6.1 allele in Streptococcus pyogenes JRS4

The emm6.1 allele of Streptococcus pyogenes JRS4 was deleted by using the conjugative transposon Tn916. The aphA-3 gene, conferring resistance to kanamycin, was cloned between the sequences flanking the structural gene for the type 6 M protein (emm6.1) and inserted into the BstXI site of Tn916 to generate the chimeric transposon Tn916-5K3. Because the BstXI site lies in a nonessential region of Tn916, the chimeric transposon could transfer by conjugation from Bacillus subtilis into JRS4. In some of the transconjugants, Tn916-5K3 replaced the emm6.1 locus of JRS4 by homologous recombination between the cloned emm6.1-flanking regions and the resident chromosome. One recombinant studied in detail, JRS75, was kanamycin resistant and tetracycline sensitive and lacked immunologically detectable M6 protein. Furthermore, by Southern blot analysis, the DNA region encompassing the emm6.1 structural gene was found to have been replaced by aphA-3.
DNA Synthesis and Incorporation of P32 in Irradiated Ehrlich Ascites Cells.∗

Summary Experiments were carried out 4 to 6 days after inoculation of approximately 2 × 107 Ehrlich ascites tumor cells in mice. When the 2-hour incorporation of P32 into DNA was measured at various times after irradiation (800 r total body x-irradiation), no significant depression in DNA specific activity was observed until 1 day. Measurements of mean cell volume, mean DNA content per cell, and mean total nucleic acid content per cell at 13 and 20 hours revealed that all 3 quantities increased at approximately the same rate, closely matching the growth rate of the unirradiated tumor and rate of DNA formation estimated from the incorporation data. The increased DNA content per nucleus after radiation was confirmed by Feulgen microspectrophotometry. At 48 hours after irradiation cell volume and total nucleic acid per cell had risen even higher while DNA per cell showed little further increase. The data suggest that the irradiated cells continue to synthesize DNA until they reach the premitotic DNA content (octoploid in Ehrlich cells) and are arrested there because they are unable to go through mitosis.
Albumin-bound paclitaxel (ABI-007; Abraxane) in the management of basal-like breast carcinoma

We read with great interest the paper by Banerjee et al 1 regarding the clinical outcome and response to chemotherapy in basal-like carcinoma of the breast. After extensive discussion of chemotherapeutics used in the management of basal-like carcinoma, they concluded that new treatment options should be investigated for patients with this subtype of breast cancer. A recent study by Pinilla et al 2 showed that caveolin-1 (CAV1) expression is associated with a basal-like phenotype in sporadic and hereditary breast cancers. They …
Leveraging Unlabeled Data for Classification

Classification is a form of data analysis that can be used to extract models to predict categorical class labels (Han & Kamber, 2001). Data classification has proven to be very useful in a wide variety of applications. For example, a classification model can be built to categorize bank loan applications as either safe or risky. In order to build a classification model, training data containing multiple independent variables and a dependant variable (class label) is needed. If a data record has a known value for its class label, this data record is termed “labeled”. If the value for its class is unknown, it is “unlabeled”. There are situations with a large amount of unlabeled data and a small amount of labeled data. Using only labeled data to build classification models can potentially ignore useful information contained in the unlabeled data. Furthermore, unlabeled data can often be much cheaper and more plentiful than labeled data, and so if useful information can be extracted from it that reduces the need for labeled examples, this can be a significant benefit (Balcan & Blum 2005). The default practice is to use only the labeled data to build a classification model and then assign class labels to the unlabeled data. However, when the amount of labeled data is not enough, the classification model built only using the labeled data can be biased and far from accurate. The class labels assigned to the unlabeled data can then be inaccurate. How to leverage the information contained in the unlabeled data to help improve the accuracy of the classification model is an important research question. There are two streams of research that addresses the challenging issue of how to appropriately use unlabeled data for building classification models. The details are discussed below. BACKGROUND