Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Platelet concentrates in the replantation of avulsed teeth : a systematic review

It is accepted that replantation is the treatment of choice for avulsed teeth, however resorption and ankylosis are frequent complications in clinical practice. In such situation it is clinically relevant to evaluate the effectiveness of platelet concentrates in reducing these complications and improving the prognosis for the tooth. The object of this review was to analyse the available evidence on the effectiveness of the use of platelet concentrates on replanted teeth (regeneration of the periodontal ligament and lower complication rates). Only two studies carried out in animals were included in this review. PPP and PRP were used in one and PRF in the other. Both used platelet concentrates for replantation of intentionally extracted teeth. According to a qualitative analysis of these studies, it was observed that PRF is superior in terms of neoformation of tissue similar to periodontal ligament. Evidence exists to support the use of these concentrates, however no controlled, randomised clinical studies were found which compared the effectiveness of the various concentrates with one another.
Experimental infection of laboratory mice with two Bartonella tribocorum strains from wild Mus species: a homologous host-bacteria model system at the genus level

SUMMARY To date no experimental infection studies have been conducted in laboratory mice using Mus spp. bartonella strains. Therefore we designed a study to evaluate the in vivo infection characteristics of 2 Bartonella tribocorum strains from wild Mus spp. in laboratory mice with the aim of developing a mouse model that reproduces characteristics of naturally acquired bartonella infections in rodents. Groups of outbred CD1 female mice were subcutaneously inoculated with low doses of 2 mouse bartonella strains (10, 100, and 1000 bacteria/mouse). Blood was collected weekly for 27 weeks to evaluate bacteraemia kinetics in infected mice. Mouse urine collected during weeks 3–6 post-inoculation was also tested for viable bacteria to determine whether urine might serve as a source of bacterial transmission. Mice were susceptible to infection with both strains. Bacteraemias in mice lasted up to 25 weeks, sometimes with abacteraemic intervals, and achieved levels up to 107 cfu/ml of blood. Temporal lags in bacteraemia onset of up to 19 weeks in length were noted at different inoculum doses. No viable bacteria were detected in mouse urine. Bacteraemic mice displayed characteristics of infection similar to those observed in natural rodent hosts during longitudinal field studies. This mouse model of persistent bacteraemia should be suitable for a variety of experimental uses.
Establishment of mesodermal gene expression patterns in early Xenopus embryos: The role of repression

In Xenopus, activin‐like signals are able to induce and pattern mesoderm in a concentration‐dependent manner. Previous experiments demonstrated that discrete gene expression patterns can be formed in animal cap explants as a response to graded activin signals. We analyzed the spatiotemporal appearance of goosecoid (gsc), chordin (chd), and Xbrachyury (Xbra) mRNAs in whole Xenopus embryos ectopically expressing activin or BVg1. To discriminate between direct transcriptional regulation and indirect, protein synthesis‐dependent effects of ectopic signals, we combined overexpression studies and cycloheximide treatment. Our experiments revealed long‐range signaling of activin/BVg1, but the expression patterns of gsc, chd, and Xbra in response to activin/BVg1 indicated that repressors are essential to establish the proper expression of these genes. Analysis of endogenous gsc, chd, and Xbra transcript distribution in embryos treated with cycloheximide supported this concept. We, therefore, conclude that inhibition is fundamental during early embryonic patterning. Developmental Dynamics 233:418–429, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Caracterização da resistência à corrosão de ligas de alumínio após tratamentos alternativos à cromatização, com e sem revestimento orgânico

In this study, the protective properties provided by new surface treatments for aluminum aiming the replacement of treatments that are harmful to the environment and human health, have been evaluated. The following treatments were investigated: passivation in solution with trivalent chromium ions, surface modification with self assembling molecules (SAM), immersion in boiling water for oxide growth, immersion in boiling water with additives, specifically zirconia (ZrO2) particles and cerium ions. The combination of these latter treatments along with the treatment with self assembling molecules was also investigated. The effect of surface treatment of commercially pure aluminum (AA1050) with fluor/zirconium complexes [ZrF6] -2 was also tested. The corrosion resistance of the various surface treatments was evaluated by various techniques, specifically, salt spray test according to ASTM B-117 standard, electrochemical techniques and scanning electron microscopy, (SEM). The electrochemical techniques used were open circuit potential measurements as a function of immersion time, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and polarization curves, both anodic and cathodic. The results showed that the treatment based on Zr, either with nanoceramic zirconia particles (ZrO2) or fluor/zirconium complexes [ZrF6] , did not increase the aluminum corrosion resistance, and this was evidenced by the salt spray tests. Immersion of degreased and deoxidized aluminum surface in solution with selfassembling molecules did not increase corrosion resistance. The treatment of immersion in boiling water for oxide growth resulted in the formation of a porous oxy-hydroxide film that assisted localized attack as pitting corrosion at the surface. The surface treatment with self-assembling molecules after immersion in boiling water for oxide growth, in turn, produced a surface layer with improved
Cross-Presentation of Human Cytomegalovirus pp65 (UL83) to CD8+ T Cells Is Regulated by Virus-Induced, Soluble-Mediator-Dependent Maturation of Dendritic Cells

ABSTRACT Cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes (CTL) directed against the matrix protein pp65 are major effectors in controlling infection against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a persistent virus of the Betaherpesvirus family. We previously suggested that cross-presentation of pp65 by nonpermissive dendritic cells (DCs) could overcome viral strategies that interfere with activation of CTL (G. Arrode, C. Boccaccio, J. Lule, S. Allart, N. Moinard, J. Abastado, A. Alam, and C. Davrinche, J. Virol. 74:10018–10024, 2000). It is well established that mature DCs are very potent in initiating T-cell-mediated immunity. Consequently, the DC maturation process is a key step targeted by viruses in order to avoid an immune response. Here, we report that immature DCs maintained in coculture with infected human (MRC5) fibroblasts acquired pp65 from early-infected cells for cross-presentation to specific HLA-A2-restricted CTL. In contrast, coculture of DCs in the presence of late-infected cells decreased their capacity to stimulate CTL. Analyses of DC maturation after either coculture with infected MRC5 cells or incubation with infected-cell-conditioned medium revealed that acquisition of a mature phenotype was a prerequisite for efficient stimulation of CTL and that soluble factors secreted by infected cells were responsible for both up and down regulation of CD83 expression on DCs. We identified transforming growth factor β1 secreted by late HCMV-infected cells as one of these down regulating mediators. These findings suggest that HCMV has devised another means to compromise immune surveillance mechanisms. Together, our data indicate that recognition of HCMV-infected cells by DCs has to occur early after infection to avoid immune evasion and to allow generation of anti-HCMV CTL.
MECHANISM OF DNA CLEAVAGE MEDIATED BY PHOTOEXCITED NON‐STEROIDAL ANTIINFLAMMATORY DRUGS

Abstract–DNA damage photoinduced by four nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID) have been investigated by neutral agarose gel electrophoresis. Upon irradiation at 300 nm, in phosphate buffered solution, benoxaprofen, naproxen, ketoprofen, tiaprofenic acid photosensitized the formation of single‐strand breaks (SSB) in double stranded supercoiled TH X174 DNA. The efficiency of the cleavage is higher in argon saturated solutions than in aerated solutions and it is not correlated with the quantum yield of photodegradation of the drugs. Simultaneously with the DNA strand breaks, NSAID promote a weak reduction of the electrophoretic mobility of the supercoiled form that may be attributed to the formation of pyrimidine dimers or other DNA unwinding products. These photodimerization processes suggest the involvement of a triplet‐triplet energy transfer between NSAID and DNA. Addition of mannitol and superoxide dismutase decreases the efficiency of the cleavage suggesting that HO' and O2 are involved in the DNA cleavage. Unexpectedly, addition of sodium azide quenches the cleavage both in aerated or in deaerated solutions. Substituting H2O by D2O does not change the number of SSB thus suggesting that 1O2 does not take an important place in the cleavage of DNA. From our data we tentatively assume that the cleavage occurs through a radical mechanism that may involve in a first step an energy or an electron transfer. Gel sequencing on NSAID‐photoinduced DNA breakage exhibits no particular specificity except in the case of benoxaprofen where a slight selectivity for cytosine is observed.
Structure-based design of inhibitors of NS 3 serine protease of hepatitis C virus

We have designed small focused combinatorial library of hexapeptide inhibitors of NS3 serine protease of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) by structure-based molecular design complemented by combinatorial optimisation of the individual residues. Rational residue substitutions were guided by the structure and properties of the binding pockets of the enzyme’s active site. The inhibitors were derived from peptides known to inhibit the NS3 serine protease by using unusual amino acids and -ketocysteine or difluoroaminobutyric acid, which are known to bind to the S1 pocket of the catalytic site. Inhibition constants ( Ki ) of the designed library of inhibitors were predicted from a QSAR model that correlated experimental Ki of known peptidic inhibitors of NS3 with the enthalpies of enzyme–inhibitor interaction computed via molecular mechanics and the solvent effect contribution to the binding affinity derived from the continuum model of solvation. The library of the optimised inhibitors contains promising drug candidates—water-soluble anionic hexapeptides with predicted K∗ i n the picomolar range. © 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Transchondral fractures (osteochondritis dissecans) of the talus.

Alexander \ionro 52 has been credited, possibly erroneously t with being the first to report the finding of loose osteocartilaginous bodies in the ankle joint. He attributed the condition to trauma but did not classify it as a fracture. Stevenson used the same term in describing a case which he reported in 1925. In 1888 K#{246}nig43 observed loose bodies in joints other than the ankle. He referred to them as corpora mobile and speculated about their etiology. He decided that they could not have been caused by any known disease, tumor, or trauma, and concluded, without substantiating evidence, that they must have been produced by a process of spontaneous necrosis. For this hypothetical mechanism he coined the term osteochon dritis disseca n s. The first use of tile term osteochondritis thssecans as applied to the ankle joint was ma(! e i)y Kal)pis 41 in 1922. After that time the names formerly used! -loose bodies, joint mice, and corpora mobile-were used as secondary terms. Osteochondritis dissecans became the accepted name and has been used by the majority of authors since 1922. In 1932 Rendu 60 reported a case of intra-articular fragmentary fracture of the talus. The lesion, as shown l)y his roentgenograms and as described in his 01)erative note, w’as the same type that had been reported by Monro and Kappis. Rendu’s term has since been used by a few authors. Since 1932 two separate series of reports of osteocartilaginous lesions of the dome of the talus were published. In one report the lesions were called fractures, in the other they were labeled osteochondritis dissecans. When the case histories and roentgenograms in these reports were studied carefully, it became evident. that the authors of the two sets of reports were describing the same condition. In fact, in twenty-eight of the cases reported the authors used the two terms interchangeably. Because the condition rarely occurs and has been reported under many diagnostic terms, misconceptions and misunderstandings of the lesion have developed. These erroneous ideas have obscured the characteristics of the condition that are significant to the patient, the attending surgeon, and the organizations involved in compensatory payments. This report is intended to draw attention to the points of misunderstanding and to clarify them in the light of the information gained from a thorough study.
Health‐related quality of life in childhood cancer: Discrepancy in parent–child reports

The purpose of our study was to describe reports of parents and of children with cancer on items taken from 4 domains of health‐related quality of life (HRQL), bodily pain/distress, general health perceptions, physical functioning and limitations in role/social functioning as a result of physical health, and to examine whether differences in parent–child reports varied as a function of the child's health condition (cancer vs. healthy). Twenty‐seven child–parent dyads with cancer and 27 child–parent dyads who were healthy (child ages 8 to 18 inclusive) completed measures of child HRQL [Child Health Questionnaire‐Parent Form (CHQ‐PF50) and Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ‐CF87)] and demographic information at a scheduled out‐patient general pediatric or pediatric oncology clinic appointment. Sixteen items included on both the CHQ‐CF87 and CHQ‐PF50 were examined to compare parent and child reports of child HRQL. As hypothesized, greater discrepancies were evident in the reports of parents of children with cancer than parents of children who are healthy [F(16,31) = 3.98, p < 0.0001]. Statistically significant discrepancies emerged in parent and child responses on 50% of the items in the sample of children with cancer, with parents reporting that their children experience more limitations in their lives than did the children themselves. In the healthy group, statistically significant discrepancies emerged on only 1 of the 16 items (6.3%). Int. J. Cancer Suppl. 12:58–64, 1999. ©1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Molecular cloning and characterization of Bombyx mori sterol carrier protein x/sterol carrier protein 2 (SCPx/SCP2) gene

Cholesterol transport is a very important process in insect. We have isolated the Bombyx mori sterol carrier protein x (BmSCPx) cDNA and sterol carrier protein 2 (BmSCP2) cDNA: a 1.7 kb clone encoding SCPx, a 3-ketoacyl CoA thiolase, and 0.6 kb clone presumably encoding SCP2, which is thought to be an intracellular lipid transfer protein. Interestingly, the identical gene SCPx/SCP2 encodes the two types of transcripts by alternative splicing mechanism in Bombyx mori. The SCPx mRNA spans two exons in genome, and conceptual translation of the SCPx cDNA encodes a protein of 536 amino acids, which contains a thiolase domain and a SCP2 domain. Whereas the SCP2 mRNA partly lakes the first exon, and the SCP2 is a 146 amino acids containing a SCP2 domain only. Both BmSCPx and BmSCP2 have a putative peroxisomal targeting signal in the C-terminal region. BmSCPx shares 94 and 72% similarity to Spodoptera littoralis SCPx and human SCPx, respectively. RT-PCR analysis reveals that transcripts of BmSCP2 were detected in all tissues analyzed. BmSCPx transcription expressed only in midgut and malpighian tubules. However, the BmSCPx and BmSCP2 express strong in midgut during the last instar larvae. The tissue-specific expression pattern of BmSCPx and BmSCP2 is consistent with a role for these proteins in cholesterol metabolism. The results suggest that SCPx/SCP2 may play a key role in sterol absorption and intracellular carrier in silkworm.
Deep Network Flow for Multi-Object Tracking : Supplemental Material

The supplemental material of our deep network flow approach for multi-object tracking contains the following items: • Details on the formulation of deep network flows (Section 1) • An on-line version of the tracker (Section 2) • Qualitative results (Section 3) 1. Details on the formulation of deep network flows First, we want to provide further details of our formulation of deep network flows and for computing gradients of the linear programming solution w.r. t. the cost functions. 1.1. The nullspace of C is larger than the trivial solution 0 In Section 3.2. 1 of the main paper, we smooth the lower level problem, i.e., the linear program. We get rid of the box constraints with log-barriers and remove the flow conservation constraints (matrix C) with a change of basis, which requires the null space of C. The matrix C ∈ R2K×M models the flow conservation constraints xin i + ∑
Receptor‐Based Pharmacokinetic‐Pharmacodynamic Analysis of Corticosteroids

The pharmacodynamics of three corticosteroids were investigated after intravenous administration of the phosphate esters of methylprednisolone, dexamethasone, and triamcinolone acetonide to healthy subjects at 20, 50, and 80 mg as well as placebo. Twenty‐two different pharmacodynamic parameters were followed as a function of time for 48 hours. Statistically significant effects of the glucocorticoids were an increase in blood glucose levels, a decrease in the number of lymphocytes, eosinophils, basophils, and monocytes, and an increase in the number of granulocytes and stab cells. For the most significant pharmacodynamic effects (lymphocytes, granulocytes, and glucose) a previously derived integrated pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model using plasma concentrations, protein‐binding data, and in vitro receptor‐binding affinities was used to predict the pharmacodynamic effect‐time profiles. Good agreement of predicted and measured effects was observed, confirming the validity of the model. The clinical significance of the model was demonstrated by comparison of model‐predicted maintenance doses with empirically determined clinical equivalency doses.
Modelling the cost per ulcer treated of incorporating episodic treatment for HSV-2 into the syndromic algorithm for genital ulcer disease

Background: The proportion of genital ulcer disease (GUD) due to herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) has increased in sub-Saharan Africa. The most recent 2003 WHO syndromic GUD algorithm includes antiviral treatment for HSV-2 for anyone with “typical” symptoms/signs, and suggests that all GUD patients receive treatment for HSV-2 in settings where HSV-2 GUD aetiology is greater than 30%. The previous algorithm (1994) only targeted Haemophilus ducreyi (HD) and Treponema pallidum (TP). Methods: A static deterministic model was used to compare the cost per ulcer treated of using the 1994 and 2003 algorithms amongst individuals presenting with GUD, with sensitivity analyses for different economic and epidemiological scenarios. Results: Except when the proportion of ulcers due to HD/TP (defined as ulcer prevalence) is high (>40%), and HSV-2 ulcer prevalence is low (<30%), the 2003 algorithm should result in more patients receiving the correct treatment (correct drugs for the syndrome) than the 1994 algorithm, and it will cost less per ulcer treated if HSV-2 treatment costs less than US$2. Greatest impact in terms of ulcers treated is achieved with the 2003 algorithm if HSV-2 treatment is given to all GUD patients. The incremental and/or relative cost per ulcer treated of doing this, compared to only treating those with typical symptoms/signs, is reduced if the HSV-2 ulcer prevalence is high and/or the HSV-2 treatment cost or sensitivity of HSV-2 ulcer diagnosis (using symptoms/signs) is low. Conclusions: In certain scenarios, including HSV-2 treatment can increase the number of ulcers treated and reduce the cost per ulcer treated of GUD syndromic management.
A coding artifacts removal algorithm based on spatial and temporal regularization

In this paper, we propose a new video post-processing algorithm for reducing coding artifacts. The algorithm is based on regularized image restoration technique, in which a nonconvex regularization function is used to enforce smoothness constraints on the spatial image pixels for suppressing coding artifacts while preserving important image attribute. Temporal regularization is carried out along the motion trajectories. We apply half-quadratic regularization and piecewise constraint strategy to simplify the optimization problem. Explicit filtering formulae are obtained and a recursive filtering algorithm is developed. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can significantly improve both subjective and objective quality of MPEG-4 coded video sequences in comparison with the postprocessing technique in MPEG-4.
An Improved Fruit Fly Optimization Algorithm for QoS Aware Cloud Service Composition

An improved fruit fly optimization algorithm based on discrete immune optimization is proposed for quality of service (QoS) aware cloud service composition. The selection and composition of cloud services based on QoS criteria is formulated as NP hard optimization problem. We determined pareto optimal service set which is nondominated solution set as input to the improved fruit fly optimization algorithm. A mathematical model is derived to enhance local search capabilities and also improves the fitness value of composite service sequence. The fruit fly optimization (FOA) performs the evolutionary search process and enhances the convergence speed with good fitness value. The experimental results show that the improved FOA outperforms the genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO) and hybrid particle swarm optimization (HPSO) in terms of fitness value, execution time
Cascade projections from somatosensory cortex to the rat basolateral amygdala via the parietal insular cortex

The pathways by which somatosensory information could be relayed from the cortex to the amygdaloid complex were investigated by using the anterograde axonal transport of biocytin following cortical microinjections. Injections of biocytin into head and limb areas of secondary somatosensory cortex (S2) produced heavy labeling of fibers and terminals in granular and dysgranular parietal insular cortex from bregma to 3.8 mm behind bregma but only extremely sparse labeling in the lateral and basolateral amygdaloid nuclei. Biocytin injections into granular parietal insular cortex produced a heavy labeling of the subjacent dysgranular parietal insular cortex, but only sparse labeling in the basolateral amygdala. Biocytin injections into dysgranular parietal insular cortex resulted in heavy labeling of the subjacent agranular parietal insular cortex and strong labeling of fibers and terminals in the dorsal part of lateral nucleus, with moderate labeling of fibers in the anterior and posterior basolateral nuclei, and the central nucleus. Injections into S2 labeled the ventroposterior medial, ventroposterior lateral and posterior thalamic nuclei; injections in rostral granular and dysgranular parietal insular cortex labeled the ventral posterior and parvicellular part of ventroposterior lateral thalamic nuclei; and injections in middle to caudal dysgranular parietal insular cortex labeled only the posterior nucleus. These results suggest that whereas somatosensory cortex projects only very sparsely to the amygdala, somatosensory‐related inputs to the amygdala arise in the dysgranular parietal insular cortex. The association of dysgranular parietal insular cortex with the posterior thalamus suggests it may relay nociceptive information to the amygdala. J. Comp. Neurol. 399:469–491, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.