Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Randomized controlled clinical study comparing a volume‐stable collagen matrix to autogenous connective tissue grafts for soft tissue augmentation at implant sites: linear volumetric soft tissue changes up to 3 months

AIM To test whether or not the use of a volume-stable collagen matrix (VCMX) results in soft tissue volume increase at implant sites non-inferior to an autogenous subepithelial connective tissue graft (SCTG). METHODS In 20 patients, soft tissue augmentation at implant sites was performed using VCMX or SCTG. Casts obtained prior to augmentation (BL), at 30 (FU-30) and 90 days (FU-90) were digitized and transferred to stereolithography (STL) files. BL, FU-30 and FU-90 STL files were superimposed and linear volumetric changes evaluated in crestal and buccal regions of interest (ROI). Descriptive analysis was computed for both groups and a test for non-inferiority was performed. RESULTS The median linear changes from BL to FU-90 in the crestal ROI amounted to 0.175 mm (0.06; 0.51) for VCMX (p = 0.002 over time) and to 0.51 mm (0.23; 0.94) for SCTG (p = 0.129). The differences between the two groups were not significant (p = 0.287). The respective values in the buccal ROI were 0.59 mm (0.26; 1.06) for VCMX (p = 0.002) and 0.94 mm (0.66; 1.13) for SCTG (p = 0.004). The differences between the two groups were not significant (crestal: p = 0.287; buccal: p = 0.534). Non-inferiority could be concluded for VCMX compared to SCTG for both ROI. CONCLUSION VCMX and SCTG can be used for soft tissue augmentation at implant sites resulting in an at least short-term increase in volume.
Financial Implications in Management of Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis in India

Aim: To calculate total cost incurred by patients for Multi-drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) management and evaluate their financial resources. Financial details regarding MDR-TB management were collected from 30 patients. Average daily drugs cost was Rs. 166.83. Average family monthly income was Rs. 8333.33. Average Per Capita Income was Rs. 1473.67. Financial help for treatment was provided by self-funding, relatives, socio-religious groups, hospital supply & stockists. Total cost of MDR-TB management is Rs. 140752.50. Including sensitive first line MDR-TB drugs reduces cost remarkably. 90% of the study group belonged to economically productive age group. Institutional treatment is the cheapest mode.
Effects of combined PPARgamma and PPARalpha agonist therapy on reverse cholesterol transport in the Zucker diabetic fatty rat.

AIM We investigated the effects of the combined therapy of PPARgamma and PPARalpha agonists on HDL metabolism, especially concerning reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), using Zucker diabetic fatty rats (ZDF/Crl-Lepr fa rats) that are the rodent model for type 2 diabetes with obesity, hyperlipidaemia and insulin resistance. METHODS The ZDF rats were divided into four medicated groups as follows: pioglitazone as a PPARgamma agonist (5 mg/kg/day; P group, n = 6), fenofibrate as a PPARalpha agonist (30 mg/kg/day; F group, n = 6), both these medications (P + F group, n = 6) and no treatment (UNT group, n = 6). Non-diabetic rats (ZDF/GmiCrl-lean, CON group, n = 6) served as controls. We evaluated HDL particle size and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of the following factors: liver X receptor alpha (L x R alpha), ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1) and ABCG1 which are regulated by PPARs and are related to early stage RCT. RESULTS The significant increase in HDL particle size was demonstrated in rats of the F and P + F groups, although changes in plasma HDL-cholesterol levels were not significant. In accordance with this finding, mRNA levels of ABCG1 in the liver increased significantly. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest the efficacy of combined therapy with PPARgamma and PPARalpha in improving lipid metabolism, partly through the enhanced RCT, and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Nerve growth factor preserves behavioral visual acuity in monocularly deprived kittens

Abstract Recent electrophysiological and anatomical experiments in rats and cats have shown that treatment with the neurotrophic factor — nerve growth factor (NGF) — prevents the effects of monocular deprivation (MD) at the level of visual cortex and lateral geniculate nucleus. We tested whether NGF treatment was effective in preventing MD effects on visual behavior of monocularly deprived kittens. Behavioral visual acuity was measured in kittens that had been monocularly deprived and treated intraventricularly with NGF for 2 weeks during the critical postnatal period. The detrimental effects of MD on behavioral visual acuity were found to be largely prevented by NGF treatment.
Decision-Making of Supplier Involved in New Product Development with Method of Grey Incidence Analysis

As cross business in the supply chain is on the increase, supplier involvement in new product development is becoming increasingly general. The selection of supplier which involved in new product development becomes one of the keys of the development management. Facing the irrationality in factors of supplier selection, the main factors of supplier selection in cooperation development is discussed start from the motivation of cooperation development between manufacturer and supplier. The gray relevant decision-making for supplier selection is raised based on that. A decision-making tool is provided to select optimal supplier involved in new product development.
Do impression management scales in personality inventories predict managerial job performance ratings

Theorists have argued that impression management scales should predict job performance in jobs where interpersonal interactions are important. This research examined the correlation between impression management scale scores and overall job performance as well as its component dimensions for managerial jobs (one type of job requiring considerable interpersonal interaction). First, a meta-analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between impression management scale scores and overall managerial performance. Results indicated that the correlation was . 04 (k = 17, N = 20,069) for managers. Two additional studies were conducted to investigate the relationship between impression management and specific facets or dimensions of managerial performance. In one of these two studies, the relationships between impression management scores and supervisory ratings on 24 performance facets were investigated for 826 managers. Criterion-related validities ranged from -. 06 to . 07. In the second study, correlations of an impression management scale with ratings on 22 dimensions of performance were examined using a sample of 257 executives. The validities ranged from . 01 to . 11. There appears to be little evidence that impression management scales predict job performance in at least one job category where interpersonal interactions are important (management). Potential relevance of these results for understanding social desirability in personality measurement for personnel selection is discussed.
A Perceptual Model of Pulse Salience and Metrical Accent in Musical Rhythms

In Experiment 1, six cyclically repeating interonset interval patterns (1,2:1,2:1:1,3:2:1,3:1:2, and 2:1:1:2) were each presented at six different note rates (very slow to very fast). Each trial began at a random point in the rhythmic cycle. Listeners were asked to tap along with the underlying beat or pulse. The number of times a given pulse (period, phase) was selected was taken as a measure of its perceptual salience. Responses gravitated toward a moderate pulse period of about 700 ms. At faster tempi, taps coincided more often with events followed by longer interonset intervals. In Experiment 2, listeners heard the same set of rhythmic patterns, plus a single sound in a different timbre, and were asked whether the extra sound fell on or off the beat. The position of the downbeat was found to be quite ambiguous. A quantitative model was developed from the following assumptions. The phenomenal accent of an event depends on the interonset interval that follows it, saturating for interonset intervals greater than about 1 s. The salience of a pulse sensation depends on the number of events matching a hypothetical isochronous template, and on the period of the template—pulse sensations are most salient in the vicinity of roughly 100 events per minute (moderate tempo). The metrical accent of an event depends on the saliences of pulse sensations including that event. Calculated pulse saliences and metrical accents according to the model agree well with experimental results (r > 0.85). The model may be extended to cover perceived meter, perceptible subdivisions of a beat, categorical perception, expressive timing, temporal precision and discrimination, and primacy/recency effects. The sensation of pulse may be the essential factor distinguishing musical rhythm from nonrhythm.
Rumor rest stops on the information highway: Transmission patterns in a computer-mediated rumor chain

Classic simulation studies of rumor transmission chains often have been characterized as lacking mundane realism. The present study spawned new insights on the basis of an analysis of the structure and composition of a naturalistic rumor chain that surfaced on the information highway. Content analyses of the individual messages during a 6-day period revealed distinctive patterns in both content and level of individual participation. In general, the results were consistent with the idea of rumormongering as a collective, problem-solving interaction that is sustained by a combination of anxiety, uncertainty, and credulity. The study extends the literature on temporal patterns in group computer-mediated communication (CMC) by showing that in a naturalistic setting, group development patterns of a CMC group were similar to those reported in the face-to-face (FtF) group literature.
The Yersinia enterocolitica pYV Virulence Plasmid Contains Multiple Intrinsic DNA Bends Which Melt at 37°C

ABSTRACT Temperature has a pleiotropic effect on Yersinia enterocolitica gene expression. Temperature-dependent phenotypes include the switching between two type III protein secretion systems, flagellum biosynthesis (≤30°C) and virulence plasmid-encoded Yop secretion (37°C). The mechanism by which temperature exerts this change in genetic programming is unclear; however, altered gene expression by temperature-dependent changes in DNA topology has been implicated. Here, we present evidence that the Y. enterocolitica virulence plasmid, pYV, undergoes a conformational transition between 30 and 37°C. Using a simplified two-dimensional, single-gel assay, we show that pYV contains multiple regions of intrinsic curvature, including virF, the positive activator of virulence genes. These bends are detectable at 30°C but melt at 37°C, the temperature at which the cells undergo phenotypic switching. We also show that pACYC184, a plasmid used as a reporter of temperature-induced changes in DNA supercoiling, has a single region of intrinsic bending detected by our assay. Topoisomers of pACYC184, with and without this bend, isolated from Y. enterocolitica were resolved by using chloroquine gels. The single bend has a dramatic influence on temperature-dependent DNA supercoiling. These data suggest that the Y. enterocolitica pYV plasmid may undergo a conformational change at the host temperature due to melting of DNA bends followed by compensatory adjustments in superhelical density. Hence, changes in DNA topology may be the temperature-sensing mechanism for virulence gene expression in Y. enterocolitica and other enteric pathogens.
Corporate annual reports: research perspectives used

Corporate annual reports are viewed through the lens of researchers of these documents. The aims are to obtain insight into how researchers view annual reports; to ascertain how the different ways of seeing the annual report relate to each other; and to draw out the gaps in this diverse research in a continuing attempt to understand its role and purpose. Selective examination of a decade of corporate annual report research (1990‐2000) reveals how researchers have sought to find visibility and meaning. Few studies address the document as a whole, in terms of the integration of the messages between the various parts of the report. Explanation of the changing structure and content of annual reports remains divided, largely because of the differing perspectives of researchers. They have revealed diversity in the ways of seeing the annual report and a tension in understanding its overall purpose and role.
Becoming a special educator – Finnish and Swedish students’ views on their future professions

In this article, we discuss the views of 117 special education student teachers related to their oncoming profession in the framework of ecological theory. Together, 68 students from Sweden (26 special teachers and 41 SENCo students) and 49 from Finland responded to a questionnaire. We compared the respondents’ thoughts about their future work content, the focus areas of special education and inclusion. According to the expectations, the main task for these future special educators is to work with pupils and adults at school. The focus areas of their future work included co-operation and consultation, more so in Sweden. In addition, excellent interaction skills were central. The Swedish respondents supported full inclusion to a greater extent than the Finnish respondents. Finally, no critical aspects of resource allocation or conditions to ensure the child's right to adequate support within the existing school systems were emphasised by the respondents. The results and the differences among the various respondents are discussed.
Reasoning about Student Knowledge and Reasoning

A basic feature of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) is their ability to represent domain knowledge that can be attributed to the student at each stage of the learning process. In this paper we present a general (first order logic) framework for the representation of this kind of knowledge acquired by the system through the analysis of the student answers. This represantation makes it possible to describe the behaviour of well known ITSs and to provide a direct implementation in a logic programming language. Moreover, we point out several improvements that can be easily achieved by exploiting the features of a declarative approach. In particular, we address the representation and use of the knowledge that the system knows not to be possessed by the student.
Vietnamese Tradition on Trial, 1920-1945

List of Abbreviations Preface Introduction 1. The Colonial Setting 2. Morality Instruction 3. Ethics and Politics 4. Language and Literacy 5. The Question of Women 6. Perceptions of the Past 7. Harmony and Struggle 8. Knowledge Power 9. Learning from Experience 10. Conclusion Glossary Selected Bibliography Index
C/EBPβ: a major PML–RARA‐responsive gene in retinoic acid‐induced differentiation of APL cells

In acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), the translocation t(15;17) induces a block at the promyelocytic stage of differentiation in an all‐trans‐retinoic acid (ATRA)‐responsive manner. Here we report that upon treatment with ATRA, t(15;17) cells (NB4) reveal a very rapid increase in protein level and binding activity of C/EBPβ, a C/EBP family member, which was not observed in an ATRA‐resistant NB4 cell line. We further provide evidence that ATRA mediates a direct increase of C/EBPβ, only in PML–RARA (promyelocytic leukemia–retinoic acid receptor α)‐expressing cells. In addition, transactivation experiments indicate that the PML–RARA fusion protein, but not PML–RARA mutants defective in transactivation, strongly transactivates the C/EBPβ promoter. These results suggest that PML–RARA mediates ATRA‐induced C/EBPβ expression. Finally, we demonstrate the importance of C/EBPβ in granulocytic differentiation. We show that not only does C/EBPβ induce granulocytic differentiation of non‐APL myeloid cell lines independent of addition of ATRA or other cytokines, but also that C/EBPβ induction is required during ATRA‐induced differentiation of APL cells. Taken together, C/EBPβ is an ATRA‐dependent PML–RARA target gene involved in ATRA‐induced differentiation of APL cells.
The distinctiveness of a curve in a parameterized neighborhood: extraction and applications

A new feature of curves pertaining to the acceptance/rejection decision in curve detection is proposed. The feature measures a curve's distinctiveness in its neighborhood, which is modeled by a one-parameter family of curves. A computational framework based on the Hough transform for extracting the distinctiveness feature is elaborated and examples of feature extractors for the circle and the ellipse are given. It is shown that the proposed feature can be extracted efficiently and is effective in separating signals from false positives. Experimental results with circle and ellipse testing that strongly support the efficiency and effectiveness claims are obtained. The results further demonstrate that the proposed feature exhibits good noise resiliency
Nonallergen-specific treatments for food allergy

Purpose of reviewThis review summarizes recent reports on nonallergen-specific therapies for food allergy. These therapies are especially appealing for food allergy because unlike allergen-specific immunotherapy, they would allow the treatment of multiple food allergies in a single patient with one therapy. Recent findingsChinese herbal therapy, anti-IgE, probiotics, engineered lactic acid bacteria, and helminth therapy are all examples of allergen nonspecific therapies that have been investigated in recent years. Although some have only been studied in animal models of food allergy, some are undergoing rigorous, human clinical trials. SummaryIncreasing amounts of research are examining the efficacy and safety of nonallergen-specific therapies for food allergy. There is hope that clinicians will have effective treatments either as an alternative or as an adjunct to immunotherapy.
Lobular carcinoma in situ of the breast – correlation between minimally invasive biopsy and final pathology

Introduction Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is regarded as a non-obligate precursor of invasive breast cancer (IBC). Hence, the optimal management of LCIS found on minimally invasive breast biopsy remains a subject of debate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation of biopsy findings with postoperative histology and to identify risk factors for upstaging to IBC. Material and methods Twenty-seven patients with pure LCIS diagnosed on image-guided biopsy (vacuum-assisted or core-needle) underwent subsequent surgery. Clinical, radiological and histological features were compared to the final pathology after surgical excision. Results Median age of patients was 56 years while median size of LCIS was 15 mm. Final examination demonstrated IBC foci in 29.6% of lesions. Upstaged patients were younger and had larger lesions but without statistical significance (p = 0.07 and p = 0.09, respectively). Palpable tumours (p = 0.0004), BIRADS 5 lesions (p = 0.0001), masses (p = 0.016) and pleomorphic LCIS (p = 0.0001) had a significantly increased rate of upstaging. Guidance of the procedure (ultrasound vs. stereotactic) was significantly associated with the upstaging risk (p = 0.016), while the importance of the biopsy technique (core-needle vs. vacuum-assisted) was not confirmed (p = 0.37). After excluding pleomorphic LCIS and mass-forming classic LCIS, there was no risk of upstaging for lesions with BIRADS 4 mammographic abnormalities. Conclusions Pleomorphic histology, mass formation and BIRADS 5 category reflect more aggressive behaviour of LCIS and identify patients who need subsequent surgery. For other patients, close follow-up could be a safe alternative.
Randomized study of darbepoetin alfa as modifier of radiotherapy in patients with primary squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC): Final outcome of the DAHANCA 10 trial.

6007 Background: The study aimed to evaluate if correction of low hemoglobin (Hb) levels by means of the erythropoietin stimulating agent: darbepoetin alpha (Aranesp) during radiotherapy (RT) improves outcome in patients with HNSCC. Following a planned interim analysis which showed inferiority of the experimental treatment, the trial was stopped in November 2006. METHODS Pts with HNSCC eligible for primary RT alone and with Hb values below 14.0 g/dl were randomized to receive Aranesp together with accelerated fractionated RT. Pts. were stratified according to gender, T and N staging, tumor site, and institution. Aranesp was given subcutaneously in a dose of 150 micrograms weekly during RT, or stopped earlier if the Hb exceeded 15.5 g/dl. RESULTS In total, 522 patients (of a planned intake of 600) were included at the time of the interim analysis. Of these 514 pts were eligible for analysis (255 pts treated with Aranesp and 259 pts in the control group) with a median follow up of 49 months. Among these, 201 developed a loco-regional failure (primary endpoint). There have been 238 deaths of which 176 are due to HNSCC. The patients were evenly distributed according to the stratification parameters (gender, T and N staging, tumor site, institution). Aranesp resulted in the expected increase in Hb in more than 81% of the patients. The compliance to Aranesp was good with no significant difference in serious (cardiovascular) adverse events (3% vs. 1%). Overall, the results showed a poorer outcome in 5-year loco-regional control (59% vs. 68% (p = 0.04, RR: 1.47 [1.14-1.94]) for the Aranesp vs. control arm. This was also seen for the endpoint of disease-free survival (37% vs. 47%, p = 0.02, RR: 1.32 [1.04-1.68]), whereas there was no significant difference in overall survival (40% vs. 51%, p = 0.16, RR: 1.20 [0.93-1.55]). There were no differences in radiation related morbidity. All univariate analyses were confirmed in a multivariate setting. CONCLUSIONS Correction of the Hb level with Aranesp in patients with HNSCC resulted in a significantly poorer tumor control after radiotherapy. The treatment principle was abandoned and the difference in outcome is being subjected to further examination. No significant financial relationships to disclose.
Tutoring Opened My Eyes: Tutor Experiences in the America Reads Challenge

The America Reads Challenge offers colleges and universities an opportunity to make a contribution to the community while enhancing the education of their students, employing tutoring as a service learning experience. At the same time, their efforts will help the institution develop and sustain community partnerships. This paper reports an analysis of America Reads tutors’ reactions to their experiences working with struggling readers. Tutors’ comments were collected from reaction papers written during a course associated with the program and from other sources. Tutors reported numerous benefits, including new knowledge about children and schools, new appreciation for teachers, new awareness of teaching as a potential profession, and preparation for important aspects of parenthood. Some tutors elected to change their major as a result of their experience, and others reported a greater commitment to community service and mentoring. The potential for America Reads is yet untapped.