Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Computed tomography-based evaluation of template (NobelGuide™)-guided implant positions: a prospective radiological study.

OBJECTIVES This prospective study was intended to evaluate the overall deviation in a clinical treatment setting to provide for quantification of the potential impairment of treatment safety and reliability with computer-assisted, template-guided transgingival implantation. MATERIAL AND METHODS The patient population enrolled (male/female=10/8) presented with partially dentate and edentulous maxillae and mandibles. Overall, 86 implants were placed by two experienced dental surgeons strictly following the NobelGuide™ protocol for template-guided implantation. All patients had a postoperative computed tomography (CT) with identical settings to the preoperative examination. Using the triple scan technique, pre- and postoperative CT data were merged in the Procera planning software, a newly developed procedure - initially presented in 2007 allowing measurement of the deviations at implant shoulder and apex. RESULTS The deviations measured were an average of 0.43 mm (bucco-lingual), 0.46 mm (mesio-distal) and 0.53 mm (depth) at the level of the implant shoulder and slightly higher at the implant apex with an average of 0.7 mm (bucco-lingual), 0.63 mm (mesio-distal) and 0.52 mm (depth). The maximum deviation of 2.02 mm was encountered in the corono-apical direction. Significantly lower deviations were seen for implants in the anterior region vs. the posterior tooth region (P<0.01, 0.31 vs. 0.5 mm), and deviations were also significantly lower in the mandible than in the maxilla (P=0.04, 0.36 vs. 0.45 mm) in the mesio-distal direction. Moreover, a significant correlation between deviation and mucosal thickness was seen and a learning effect was found over the time period of performance of the surgical procedures. CONCLUSION Template-guided implantation will ensure reliable transfer of preoperative computer-assisted planning into surgical practice. With regard to the required verification of treatment reliability of an implantation system with flapless access, all maximum deviations measured in this clinical study were within the safety margins recommended by the planning software.
Essays on exchange rate, monetary and fiscal policies in dollarized economies

OF THE DISSERTATION ESSAYS ON EXCHANGE RATE, MONETARY AND FISCAL POLICIES IN DOLLARIZED ECONOMIES by LUIS V. PALACIOS-SALGUERO Dissertation Director: Roberto Chang My dissertation has four chapters. I use dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) models to study the welfare implications of exchange rate, monetary, and fiscal policies in de facto dollarized economies. Dollarization is a common phenomenon in emerging economies. In many of them economic agents hold liabilities in foreign currency while most income is earned in domestic currency. Thus, a sudden depreciation of the domestic currency may cause significant adverse effects on domestic agents’ wealth and welfare. That is why governments try to design and implement macroeconomic policies that help reduce these adverse effects. My work aims at contributing to the design and implementation of these policies. In the first chapter, I study alternative exchange rate regimes in a dollarized economy. I develop a DSGE model and pursue Bayesian estimation using data from Singapore. The main conclusion is that the flexible exchange rate regime is better than the fixed exchange rate. In the second chapter, I work on an extension of my first chapter by introducing nontradable goods, which allows me to study a broader set of exchange rate regimes in a dollarized economy. I develop a DSGE model and pursue Bayesian estimation using data from Peru. The main conclusion is that a policy that pegs the domestic currency price of exports is better than a flexible exchange rate regime that targets the consumer price index, which in turn is better than the fixed exchange rate. The third chapter studies the optimal fiscal rule for a dollarized economy. Using a DSGE model with endogenous dollarization, I obtain
The State of State Policies for Principal Preparation Program Approval and Candidate Licensure

Policies for principal preparation and licensure are important levers for improving school leadership. By developing a rubric of research-based practices, this University Council of Educational Administration study aims to provide a formative tool for policy makers. Using a policy analysis frame by Roach et al., this study explores the state code, rules and regulations, and accompanying state board/department of education documents to describe state policies for principal preparation program approval and candidate licensure. There is variation in the extent to which states have adopted policies in these areas. Proportionately, more states have adopted policies for licensure despite greater empirical evidence for preparation program approval.
A comparison of wearable and stationary sensors for stress detection

To test the stress detection performance of a wearable sensor system, the signals related to heart activity and electrodermal activity of the Empatica E4 wristband have been compared to stationary electrocardiogram and finger skin conductivity electrodes of high sampling rates during the classical laboratory stress protocol Trier Social Stress Test. The comparison has been done on both signal level and in terms of features for stress detection on a total of seven subjects. The main results point out that the Empatica E4 wristband had a significant loss in terms of detected interbeat intervals, but that time-domain features such as the mean heart rate and standard deviation of the heart rate were still well estimated, with good stress discrimination power. Furthermore, the skin conductivity signals measured at different locations (wrist versus finger) show no visual resemblance and it appears that the signal from the Empatica E4 wristband yielded higher stress discrimination power than the signal measured at the fingers.
Silent Pumpers: A Comparative Topical Overview of the Peristaltic Pumping Principle in Living Nature, Engineering, and Biomimetics

This synopsis presents the state‐of‐the‐art of peristaltic pump systems in biomimetics and living nature, and allows for a comparison by highlighting the differences in structure and function, as well as advantages and drawbacks for technical implementation. For the first time, data of selected biological examples are collected in one study to give a comprehensive overview of the performance of biological peristaltic pumps. The developed biomimetic pumping systems not only mimic the biological principle and by this inherit its advantages, but also show the usability of the principle in various pumping applications and medical research. A direct comparison of peristaltic pump systems in nature, biomimetics, and technology highlights their similarities, differences, and allows for proposing new fields of application.
Distributed H∞ filtering of sensor networks with/without asymmetric intercommunication delays

This paper is concerned with the problem of distributed H∞ filtering for discrete-time sensor networks with/without asymmetric intercommunication delays. Combining with the Kronecker product, a refined technique is provided to realize the complicated decoupling between the specifical sensor node and its underlying neighboring ones in the presence of intercommunication delays. Based on a previous bounded real lemma, a sufficient and necessary condition on distributed H∞ filter design without delays is provided. For the case with asymmetric intercommunication delays, a sufficient condition is established for the existence of such distributed H∞ filters that render the resulting filter error system asymptotically stable under which a prescribed disturbance attenuation performance index is guaranteed. The filter design problem is posed in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). The Leslie model which describes a certain pest's structured population dynamics is finally presented to show the effectiveness and feasibility of the developed theoretical results.
The Entrepreneur and Economic Theory: A Historical and Analytical Approach

The study presents a historical and analytical approach to the entrepreneur and economic theory. The analysis defines the term entrepreneur and distinguishes among three types: the "managing" entrepreneur who carries out the aspects of management, the "innovating" entrepreneur who combines means of production in new ways, and the "controlling" entrepreneur who exercises continuing control over the innovating entrepreneur(s) in the organization and over the policies of the managing entrepreneurs. Since the three types can be bound in the same individual, and since there exists a possibility of shifting from one type to another, it is not possible to offer a precise study of any of the types. Instead, the analysis focuses on the study of entrepreneurial behavior and decisions and their repercussions, placing special emphasis on the decisions of the innovating entrepreneur. An overview of several previous studies leads to the conclusion that security is the prime motivating force for the managing entrepreneur, adventure for the innovator, and power for the controlling entrepreneur. The analysis also explores hypotheses concerning the behavior of entrepreneurs by synthesizing, and adding to, the propositions offered by five important economic treatises: Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations; David Ricardo's Principles; John Stuart Mill's Principles; Alfred Marshall's Principles; and John M. Keynes's General Theory. The propositions discussed related to many topics: the division of labor; the combination of factors of production; the limits of investment within a given field; the shifting of entrepreneurial activity from one company or industry or place to another; the relations between competing entrepreneurs; the attitudes toward the supply of a product; the basis of entrepreneurial expectations; and the actions of entrepreneurs that are associated with the different phases of the business cycle. The analysis concludes with a number of hypotheses that can serve as starting points for further research. (AT)
Neuromodulation of fast‐spiking and non‐fast‐spiking hippocampal CA1 interneurons by human cerebrospinal fluid

How the brain extracellular fluid influences the activity of GABAergic interneurons in vivo is not known. This issue is examined in the hippocampal brain slice by comparing GABAergic interneuron activity in human versus artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Human cerebrospinal fluid (hCSF) substantially increases the excitability of fast‐spiking and non‐fast‐spiking CA1 interneurons. CA1 pyramidal cells are even more strongly excited by hCSF. The tonic excitation of pyramidal cells, in combination with an increased responsiveness of interneurons to excitatory input, is likely to promote the generation of synchronized network activity in the hippocampus.
Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of right ventricular diastolic function in isolated valvular aortic stenosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY Left ventricular diastolic function (LVDF) in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) has been adequately studied, in contrast to right ventricular diastolic function (RVDF). In this study, RVDF in patients with AS was evaluated using pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiography. METHODS The study population comprised 20 patients with isolated AS (mean age 53.7 +/- 6.5 years) and 20 healthy volunteers (control group, mean age 52.6 +/- 8.8 years). The diastolic indices of right ventricular (RV) function were calculated using transtricuspid and transpulmonary Doppler flow velocities. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t-test. There was no statistically significant difference between patients and controls with regard to age, height, bodyweight, heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, end-diastolic and end-systolic left ventricular (LV) diameter, LV fractional shortening and RV end-diastolic diameter. RESULTS RV diastolic indices in patients (versus controls) were as follows: E/A ratio of transtricuspid flow waves was significantly lower (0.88 +/- 0.20 versus 1.25 +/- 0.33, p < 0.001); deceleration time of E wave was significantly longer (184 +/- 3 versus 127 +/- 3 ms, p < 0.001); atrial filling fraction was significantly augmented (43.1 +/- 7.7 versus 33.6 +/- 7.6%, p < 0.001); and isovolumic relaxation time was significantly prolonged (116 +/- 73 versus 31 +/- 15 ms, p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant correlation between diastolic indices and interventricular septum thickness and LV mass index. CONCLUSIONS RVDF in AS patients is impaired, reflecting abnormal relaxation.
Mechanistic Modeling of the Effects of Glucocorticoids and Circadian Rhythms on Adipokine Expression

A mechanism-based model was developed to describe the effects of methylprednisolone (MPL), circadian rhythms, and the glucose/free fatty acid (FFA)/insulin system on leptin and adiponectin expression in white adipose tissue in rats. Fifty-four normal Wistar rats received 50 mg/kg MPL intramuscularly and were sacrificed at various times. An additional set of 54 normal Wistar rats were sacrificed at 18 time points across the 24-h light/dark cycle and served as controls. Measurements included plasma MPL, glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA, leptin mRNA, adiponectin mRNA, plasma leptin, adiponectin, glucose, FFA, and insulin. MPL pharmacokinetics was described by a two-compartment model with two absorption components. All measured plasma markers and mRNA expression exhibited circadian patterns except for adiponectin and were described by Fourier harmonic functions. MPL caused significant down-regulation in GR mRNA with the nadir occurring at 5 h. MPL disrupted the circadian patterns in plasma glucose and FFA by stimulating their production. Plasma glucose and FFA subsequently caused an increase in plasma insulin. Furthermore, MPL disrupted the circadian patterns in leptin mRNA expression by stimulating its production. This rise was closely followed by an increase in plasma leptin. Both leptin mRNA and plasma leptin peaked at 12 h after MPL and eventually returned back to their circadian baselines. MPL and insulin had opposing effects on adiponectin mRNA expression and plasma adiponectin, which resulted in biphasic pharmacodynamic profiles. This small systems model quantitatively describes, integrates, and provides additional insights into various factors controlling adipokine gene expression.
Antiferromagnetically Coupled Patterned Media and Control of Switching Field Distribution

Switching Field distribution (SFD) is one of the critical issues for writing in bit patterned media (BPM) for high areal densities. It is believed that the magnetostatic interaction is one of the several factors that contribute to the SFD. With the antiferromagnetically coupled (AFC) structure, the magnetostatic interaction can be tailored to understand/reduce SFD. In this study, AFC patterned media is studied with emphasis placed on the effect of the top layer coercivity, which will determine the Mr and hence the magnetostatic interaction. For this study, nanodots with a size and space of 60 and 40 nm respectively were fabricated with electron beam lithography (EBL). Remanent hysteresis curves for the nanodot arrays were obtained by counting the number of reversed dots in magnetic force microscopy (MFM) images at remanent state. The narrowest SFD at a pressure of 1 Pa for top layer was observed possibly because of good crystaline texture and reduced magnetostatic interaction.
Clinical course, predictive factors and prognosis in patients with cirrhosis and type 1 hepatorenal syndrome treated with Terlipressin: A retrospective analysis

Abstract Background and Aim: Terlipressin has been proposed to treat renal failure in patients with type 1 hepatorenal syndrome (HRS). However, the predictive factors for improved renal function and survival are unknown in patients with type 1 HRS treated with terlipressin. The aim of the present retrospective study was to investigate the predictive factors and prognosis of patients with type 1 HRS treated with terlipressin.
Peptidylarginine deiminase: a candidate factor in demyelinating disease

In earlier studies we demonstrated that an increase in the relative amounts of citrullinated myelin basic protein (MBP) was found in multiple sclerosis ( Moscarello et al. 1994 ). To determine the temporal relationship between the citrullinated MBP and peptidylarginine deiminase (PAD), the enzyme responsible for deiminating arginyl residues in proteins, we studied enzyme activity, enzyme protein, PAD mRNA in a spontaneously demyelinating transgenic mouse model and we correlated the amount of PAD with citrullinated MBP. Both PAD protein as measured in an immunoslot blot method and PAD RNA were elevated. In fractionation studies we showed that the increase in PAD enzyme was due to an increase in the PAD found in membrane fractions and not the soluble PAD (PADII). From our data we concluded that up‐regulation of myelin‐associated PAD was responsible for the increase in citrullinated MBP in our transgenic mice prior to onset of clinical or pathological signs of demyelination. We postulate that a similar mechanism may be responsible for the increase in citrullinated MBP in multiple sclerosis.
FOX(M1) News—It Is Cancer

FOXM1 is an oncogenic transcription factor of the Forkhead family and it has a well-defined role in cell proliferation and cell-cycle progression. Expression of FOXM1 is excluded in quiescent or differentiated cells, but its level is highly elevated in proliferating and malignant cells. Overexpression of FOXM1 has been reported in more than 20 types of human cancer. In recent years, FOXM1 has been implicated in diverse cellular processes and also a growing body of experimental data has underlined the relevance of FOXM1 in tumorigenesis. Although FOXM1 is under the control of three major tumor suppressors (RB, p53, and p19ARF), it is still active in the majority of human cancers. The oncogenic potential of FOXM1 is mainly based on its ability to transcriptionally activate genes that are involved in different facets of cancer development. In this review, the contribution of FOXM1 to each of the hallmarks of cancer will be summarized and discussed. Mol Cancer Ther; 12(3); 245–54. ©2012 AACR.
Expression and characterization of bifunctional fusion proteins possessing antitumor and thrombolytic function for targeting therapy

It is a usual clinical phenomenon that cancer patients are prone to thrombosis. Until now, there have been no efficient methods or appropriate drugs to prevent and cure tumor thrombus. ΔSEC2, N‐terminal deletion of 17 amino acids and C‐terminal deletion of 132 amino acids, retained antitumor activity of SEC2. ΔSak, N‐terminal deletion of 10 amino acids, had thrombolytic activity and specificity advantages. By utilizing bioactivities of ΔSEC2 and ΔSak, ΔSEC2–ΔSak and ΔSak–ΔSEC2 were constructed. Octreotide is a tumor targeting peptide and it can be combined with somatostatin (SST) receptors of tumor surface in ligand–receptor binding way. It can be used to increase specificity for tumor therapy. Based on previous studies, DNA sequence encoding octreotide gene was inserted into plasmid pET‐28a–Δsec2–Δsak and pET‐28a–Δsak–Δsec2. After expression and purification, fusion proteins could significantly stimulate proliferation of mouse spleen lymphocyte, obviously inhibit the growth of human gastric carcinoma BGC‐823, and have thrombolytic activity, indicating that fusion proteins retained bioactivities of staphylococcal enterotoxin C2 and Sak. Furthermore, tumor binding capacity of fusion protein was confirmed through the coimmunoprecipitation method. The result showed that they could bind SST receptor 2 antibody, indicating that fusion proteins could be specifically targeted to tumor surface. It has important significance and may be used for targeted therapy.
Cdc6 Protein Obstructs Apoptosome Assembly and Consequent Cell Death by Forming Stable Complexes with Activated Apaf-1 Molecules*

Background: The apoptosome is a major apparatus for intrinsic stimulus-induced apoptosis. Results: Cdc6, known to assemble prereplicative complexes on replication origins and activate p21CIP1-/p27KIP1-bound Cdk2, obstructs cytochrome c- or some other mechanism-induced apoptosome assembly by forming stable complexes with activated Apaf-1. Conclusion: Cdc6 is an AAA+ ATPase with three functions, all working for life. Significance: These results redefine the role of Cdc6 in cell proliferation. Cdc6 is the bifunctional AAA+ ATPase that assembles prereplicative complexes on origins of replication and activates p21CIP1- or p27KIP1-bound Cdk2. During the G1-S transition, the Cdc6 gene essential for chromosomal replication is activated by the E2F transcriptional factor. Paradoxically, Apaf-1 encoding the central component of the apoptosome is also activated at the same time and by E2F. Consequently, genes for antipodal life and death are regulated in the same manner by the same transcriptional factor. Here we report a striking solution to this paradox. Besides performing prereplicative complex assembly and Cdk2 activation, Cdc6 obstructed apoptosome assembly by forming stable complexes very likely with a monomer of cytochrome c-activated Apaf-1 molecules. This function depended on its own ATPase domain but not on the cyclin-binding motif. In proliferating rodent fibroblasts, Cdc6 continued to block apoptosome assembly induced by a non-cytochrome c or some other mechanism, suppressing seemingly unintended apoptosis when promoting cell proliferation. Thus, Cdc6 is an AAA+ ATPase with three functions, all working for life.
A Scenario Simulation Model of Stock's Volatility Based on a Stationary Markovian Process

In this paper we discuss univariate statistical properties of volatility. We present a parsimonious univariate model that well reproduces two stylized facts of volatility: the power-law decay of the volatility probability density function with exponent α and the power-law decay of the autocorrelation function with exponent β. Such model also reproduces, at least qualitatively, the empirical observation than when the probability density function decays faster, then the autocorrelation decays slower. Another important feature investigated within the model is the mean First Passage Time (mFPT) Tx0 (Λ) of volatility time-series. We show that the proposed model allows to obtain the mFPT in terms of α and β. These findings are in agreement with the empirical investigations to a good extent. The model also provides useful insights on the First Passage Time distribution (FPTD), such as the fact that the FPTD decays with a power-law whose exponent is independent from the Λ threshold. These results point in the direction of (i) using the mFPT as a useful metric and (ii) using our model as a scenario simulator in the assessment procedures of the so-called volatility risk associated to derivative financial products.
Multivariate Networks: A Novel Edge Visualization Approach for Graph-based Visual Analysis Tasks

Providing insight in complex networks or graphs with multivariate data is one of the main challenges for visual analysis today. Much work has been done for visualizing information on nodes, but the space in between has mostly not been used yet. We present the current progress of our approach for using this free space to visualize additional information. We developed two techniques called Partially filled Bars and Bars of Varying Height. Both techniques enable presenting multiple attribute values on the edges of a network simultaneously. We briefly discuss first use cases for such interfaces as well as advantages and disadvantages of both techniques. For proof the concept, a preliminary evaluation has been performed. The results show, that both techniques are promising for many use cases.