Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Periodontal treatment in a generalized severe chronic periodontitis patient: A case report with 7-year follow-up

The aim of the periodontal treatment is to provide healthy and functional dentition all through a lifetime. In this report, periodontal treatment of a 42-year-old male patient with generalized severe chronic periodontitis is presented. He received initial periodontal treatment together with adjunctive antimicrobials. The devital teeth were endodontically treated, and free gingival grafts were placed at the inadequate keratinized tissue zones before regenerative surgery. Following the surgical treatment using enamel matrix derivatives and xenogenic bone graft combination, the patient was put on a strict recall program. After 12 months, favorable clinical and radiographical improvements were obtained. The 7-year maintenance of the present case with several initially hopeless teeth has been shown and discussed in this report. It can be concluded that optimum oral hygiene level as well as the positive cooperation of the patient enhanced the success of periodontal treatment results even in extremely severe periodontal destruction.
Affect of Supply Chain Strategic Fit on Logistics Outsourcing Performance ( Draft )

This study is to examine the effect of relationships for the product characteristics. Outsourced product is categorized into functional and innovative. Logistics strategy for each categorized products should be response into efficient or market responsive supply chain strategy. The research model is developed using six hypotheses. The study is examined empirically, using ANOVA, regression analysis. The results show that the importance on efficient supply chain strategy fit for functional products. And, efficient supply chain strategy is suitable for cost performance. Market responsive strategy is good for quality performance. To get higher logistics outsourcing performance, the strategy should be depended on their products’ characteristics.
B2B E-Commerce Adoption by the Grocery Industry in Developing Countries: Indonesia versus Bahrain

Developing countries have lagged behind developed countries in the adoption of B2B e-Commerce (EC). There have been limited in-depth studies to explore the adoption experience of developing countries. This study compares the experience of the grocery industry in adopting B2B e-Commerce (EC) in Indonesia and Bahrain as examples of developing countries. It shows that the differences in the social, economic, political and technological conditions of developing countries do not necessarily create barriers to the adoption. Each industry in a specific country may have a unique position that requires a thorough assessment of the relevance of B2B EC and the appropriate strategies for adoption. This study offers contribution to both theory and practice through detailed investigation of the adoption experience of the grocery industry in both countries.
Conformance with supportive care quality measures is associated with better quality of life in patients with cancer receiving palliative care.

PURPOSE As palliative care further integrates into cancer care, descriptions of how supportive care quality measures improve patient outcomes are necessary to establish best practices. METHODS We assessed the relationship between conformance to 18 palliative care quality measures and quality of life from data obtained using our novel point-of-care, electronic quality monitoring system, the Quality Data Collection Tool for Palliative Care (QDACT-PC). All patients with cancer from January 2008 through March 2011 seen in the Carolinas Palliative Care Consortium were evaluated for demographic, disease, prognostic, performance status, and measure conformance variables. Using univariate and multivariate regression, we examined the relationship between these variable and high quality of life at the initial specialty palliative care consultation. RESULTS Our cohort included 459 patients, the majority of whom were over age 65 years (66%) and white (84%). Lung (29.1%) and GI (24.7%) cancers were most common. In univariate analyses, conformance to assessment of comprehensive symptoms, fatigue and constipation assessment, timely management of pain and constipation, and timely emotional well-being assessment were associated with highest levels of quality of life (all Ps < .05). In a multivariate model (C-stat = 0.66), performance status (odds ratio [OR], 5.21; P = .003), estimated life expectancy (OR, 22.6; P = .003), conformance to the measure related to emotional well-being assessment (OR, 1.60; P = .026), and comprehensive screening of symptoms (OR, 1.74, P = .008) remained significant. CONCLUSION Oncology care pathways that routinely incorporate supportive care principles, such as comprehensive symptom and emotional well-being assessments, may improve patient outcomes.
Fine and coarse particulate air pollution in relation to respiratory health in Sweden

Health effects have repeatedly been associated with residential levels of air pollution. However, it is difficult to disentangle effects of long-term exposure to locally generated and long-range transported pollutants, as well as to exhaust emissions and wear particles from road traffic. We aimed to investigate effects of exposure to particulate matter fractions on respiratory health in the Swedish adult population, using an integrated assessment of sources at different geographical scales. The study was based on a nationwide environmental health survey performed in 2007, including 25 851 adults aged 18–80 years. Individual exposure to particulate matter at residential addresses was estimated by dispersion modelling of regional, urban and local sources. Associations between different size fractions or source categories and respiratory outcomes were analysed using multiple logistic regression, adjusting for individual and contextual confounding. Exposure to locally generated wear particles showed associations for blocked nose or hay fever, chest tightness or cough, and restricted activity days with odds ratios of 1.5–2 per 10-μg·m−3 increase. Associations were also seen for locally generated combustion particles, which disappeared following adjustment for exposure to wear particles. In conclusion, our data indicate that long-term exposure to locally generated road wear particles increases the risk of respiratory symptoms in adults. Long-term exposure to locally generated road wear particles increases the risk of respiratory symptoms in adults http://ow.ly/nutsB
Flat norm decomposition of integral currents

Currents represent generalized surfaces studied in geometric measure theory. They range from relatively tame integral currents representing oriented compact manifolds with boundary and integer multiplicities, to arbitrary elements of the dual space of differential forms. The flat norm provides a natural distance in the space of currents, and works by decomposing a $d$-dimensional current into $d$- and (the boundary of) $(d+1)$-dimensional pieces in an optimal way. Given an integral current, can we expect its flat norm decomposition to be integral as well? This is not known in general, except in the case of $d$-currents that are boundaries of $(d+1)$-currents in $\mathbb{R}^{d+1}$ (following results from a corresponding problem on the $L^1$ total variation ($L^1$TV) of functionals). On the other hand, for a discretized flat norm on a finite simplicial complex, the analogous statement holds even when the inputs are not boundaries. This simplicial version relies on the total unimodularity of the boundary matrix of the simplicial complex -- a result distinct from the $L^1$TV approach. We develop an analysis framework that extends the result in the simplicial setting to one for $d$-currents in $\mathbb{R}^{d+1}$, provided a suitable triangulation result holds. In $\mathbb{R}^2$, we use a triangulation result of Shewchuk (bounding both the size and location of small angles), and apply the framework to show that the discrete result implies the continuous result for $1$-currents in $\mathbb{R}^2$.
Writing and Reading Software Documentation: How the development process may affect understanding

The effectiveness of documentationwithin a development process is determined by the way in which the intentions of the authors correspond to the expectations of the potential readers. Ideally, the members of a development team share a certain understanding of (the role of) the different types of documentation. However, since one's expectations of a document are personal, and part of a tacitly formed mental model, we can expect different levels of shared understanding between different development team members. We elicited and analyzed the mental models of software documentation from eight members of a single development team. We found indeed different levels of shared understanding between different people. To our surprise, the levels of shared understanding within the team appear closely tied to the development process employed. From Conway's law we know that an organization's structure is mirrored in the structure of the software that the organization produces. Our findings suggest that the organization's development process may likewise be mirrored in the extent to which a development team shares a common frame of reference. Hence, the development process followed may have implications for the effectiveness with which development knowledge can be shared through software documentation.
The long-term health of vegetarians and vegans

Vegetarians, who do not eat any meat, poultry or fish, constitute a significant minority of the world's population. Lacto-ovo-vegetarians consume dairy products and/or eggs, whereas vegans do not eat any foods derived wholly or partly from animals. Concerns over the health, environmental and economic consequences of a diet rich in meat and other animal products have focussed attention on those who exclude some or all of these foods from their diet. There has been extensive research into the nutritional adequacy of vegetarian diets, but less is known about the long-term health of vegetarians and vegans. We summarise the main findings from large cross-sectional and prospective cohort studies in western countries with a high proportion of vegetarian participants. Vegetarians have a lower prevalence of overweight and obesity and a lower risk of IHD compared with non-vegetarians from a similar background, whereas the data are equivocal for stroke. For cancer, there is some evidence that the risk for all cancer sites combined is slightly lower in vegetarians than in non-vegetarians, but findings for individual cancer sites are inconclusive. Vegetarians have also been found to have lower risks for diabetes, diverticular disease and eye cataract. Overall mortality is similar for vegetarians and comparable non-vegetarians, but vegetarian groups compare favourably with the general population. The long-term health of vegetarians appears to be generally good, and for some diseases and medical conditions it may be better than that of comparable omnivores. Much more research is needed, particularly on the long-term health of vegans.
Natural Killer T Cells Are Critical for Dendritic Cells to Induce Immunity in Chlamydial Pneumonia Recipient of Mhrc Studentship and a Trainee in Icid/cihr National Training Program

Rationale: We previously showed an important role of NKT in skewing the adaptive T cell immunity to Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn), an intracellular bacterial lung infection, but the mechanism remains unclear. Objectives: To investigate the underlying mechanism by which NKT modulate T cell responses in chlamydial pneumonia. Methods: We examined the effect of NKT activation in modulating DC function especially in generating protective immunity against Cpn infection using combination of NKT knockout (KO) mice and specific NKT activation approaches. Main Results: We found that NKT activation in vivo following Cpn infection induces phenotypic and functional changes in DC. DC from NKT deficient mice showed reduced CD40 expression and IL-12 production, whereas enhancing NKT activation using-GalCer increased CD40 expression and IL-12 production. Co-culture of DC with NKT enhanced bioactive IL-12p70 production by DC in a CD40L, IFN and cell-cell contact dependent manner. Further, co-culture of T cells with DC isolated from infected WT and NKT deficient mice induced type-1 and type-2 responses, respectively, while DC from-GalCer treated, infected mice led to enhanced type-1 responses. Moreover, upon adoptive transfer, DC from infected WT mice induced strong type-1 immunity whereas those from KO mice induced type-2 responses and increased disease severity upon challenge infection. Conclusion: Our results provide direct evidence on the critical role of NKT activation in the functional modulation of DC for the development of protective immunity in a clinically relevant respiratory infection.
Valorisation de remèdes traditionnels utiles dans le traitement de la ciguatéra dans le Pacifique

La ciguatera est une intoxication liee a l'ingestion de poissons de recif corallien devenus toxiques par l'accumulation d'une ou plusieurs neurotoxines d'origine dinoflagellaire. Cet ichtyosarcotoxisme represente une des plus frequentes formes d'intoxication dans les regions tropicales et subtropicales et se manifeste par une cohorte de symptomes complexes chez l'homme. La premiere partie de cette etude a consiste a mettre en evidence l'action de la CTX-1B du Pacifique (P-CTX-1B) sur la surproduction d'oxyde nitrique (NO) via la modulation de son enzyme de synthese, la NO synthetase inductible (iNOS), impliquant ainsi pour la premiere fois ce mecanisme pathogenique inflammatoire dans la ciguatera. La deuxieme partie concerne les travaux de l'evaluation de potentiel therapeutique d'une trentaine d'extraits de plantes. En effet, la medecine occidentale reste peu efficace et symptomatique pour traiter durablement les patients souffrant de ciguatera. La troisieme partie decrit la selection de trois de ces plantes et les etudes phytochimiques menees. Ces travaux ont conduit a l'identification de trois molecules : la quercitrine, l'acide rosmarinique et l'agnuside. Cette these a abouti au depot d'un brevet sur l'activite detoxifiante de l'acide rosmarinique.
A 5000-yr Record of Climate Change in Varved Sediments from the Oxygen Minimum Zone off Pakistan, Northeastern Arabian Sea

Abstract The upper Holocene marine section from a kasten core taken from the oxygen minimum zone off Karachi (Pakistan) at water depth 700 m contains continuously laminated sediments with a sedimentation rate of 1.2 mm/yr and a unique record of monsoonal climatic variability covering the past 5000 years. Our chronostratigraphy is based on varve counts verified by conventional and AMS14C dating. Individual hemipelagic varve couplets are about 0.8–1.5 mm thick, with light-colored terrigenous laminae (A) deposited mainly during the winter monsoon alternating with dark-colored laminae (B) rich in marine organic matter, coccoliths, and fish debris that reflect deposition during the high-productivity season of the late summer monsoon (August–October). Precipitation and river runoff appear to control varve thickness and turbidite frequency. We infer that precipitation decreased in the river watershed (indicated by thinning varves) after 3500–4000 yr B.P. This is about the time of increasing aridification in the Near East and Middle East, as documented by decreasing Nile River runoff data and lake-level lowstands between Turkey and northwestern India. This precipitation pattern continued until today with precipitation minima about 2200–1900 yr B.P., 1000 yr B.P., and in the late Middle Ages (700–400 yr B.P.), and precipitation maxima in the intervening periods. As documented by spectral analysis, the thickness of varve couplets responds to the average length of a 250-yr cycle, a 125-yr cycle, the Gleissberg cycle of solar activity (95 yr), and a 56-yr cycle of unknown origin. Higher frequency cycles are also present at 45, 39, 29–31, and 14 yr. The sedimentary gray-value also shows strong variability in the 55-yr band plus a 31-yr cycle. Because high-frequency cyclicity in the ENSO band (ca. 3.5 and 5 yr) is only weakly expressed, our data do not support a straightforward interaction of the Pacific ENSO with the monsoon-driven climate system of the Arabian Sea.
Forest inventory and analysis in the United States : Remote sensing and geospatial activities

FIA provides the highest quality, most comprehensive data available on forests in the United States. In the last few years, these data have been made more readily available to a variety of clients for managerial, policy, and scientific applications. Beyond providing data, FIA is interested in working with a variety of collaborators to make the best use of FIA data in diverse application areas. In particular, within the FIA program there is an increased emphasis on remote sensing and other geospatial data and analyses. In the uncertain fiscal environments faced by land management agencies, remote sensing data provide opportunities to develop information in a more cost effective manner. Providing forest inventory information spatially facilitates access by the general public, supports land managers, and will result in better understanding of our Nation's forest resources.
Subduction and exhumation of the Pelona-Orocopia-Rand schists

The Pelona, Orocopia, and Rand schists of southern California and southwestern Arizona are thought to have formed in either the same east-dipping subduction zone as the Franciscan complex or in a southwest-dipping subduction zone related to collision of an outboard continental fragment with North America. The principal justification for the collision model has been the observation that continental rocks overlying the schists locally show transport to the northeast. Field and petrographic studies now confirm that the northeast movement occurred during exhumation of the schist, not during subduction. Combined with regional geologic relations, this evidence makes the collision model unlikely.
Pre-, Peri-, and Postoperative Oral Administration of Branched-Chain Amino Acids for Primary Liver Cancer Patients for Hepatic Resection: A Systematic Review

Pre-, peri-, and postoperative oral administration of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) to patients with primary liver cancer (PLC) during hepatic resection (HR) remains controversial. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this practice. Seven literature databases were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that reported pre-, peri-, and postoperative oral administration of BCAA for PLC patients during HR. Three RCTs were included in a meta-analysis in which risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated. The 2 groups showed similar recurrence rates (RR = 1.03, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.36) and similar overall survival (RR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.18). Adverse events related to oral administration of BCAA were more than the control group, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, and hypertension. However, all adverse reactions disappeared after symptomatic treatment. The available evidence suggests that although pre-, peri-, and postoperative oral BCAA for patients with PLC is safe, it is of questionable clinical value. More RCTs are warranted to explore this question definitively.
On the Road of the Winds: An Archaeological History of the Pacific Islands before European Contact

The Pacific Ocean covers one-third of the earth's surface and encompasses many thousands of islands, the home to numerous human societies and cultures. Among these indigenous Oceanic cultures are the intrepid Polynesian double-hulled canoe navigators, the atoll dwellers of Micronesia, the statue carvers of remote Easter Island, and the famed traders of Melanesia. Recent archaeological excavations, combined with allied research in historical linguistics, biological anthropology, and comparative ethnography, have begun to reveal much new information about the long-term history of these Pacific Island societies and cultures. "On the Road of the Winds" synthesizes the grand sweep of human history in the Pacific Islands, beginning with the movement of early people out from Asia more than 40,000 years ago, and tracing the development of myriad indigenous cultures up to the time of European contact in the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries. Questions that scholars have posed and puzzled over for two centuries or more are illuminated here: Where did the Pacific Islanders come from? How did they discover and settle the thousands of islands? Why did they build great monuments like Nan Madol on Pohnpei Island in Micronesia or the famous Easter Island statues? This book provides an up-to-date synthesis of archaeological and historical anthropological knowledge of these fascinating indigenous cultures. In particular, Kirch focuses on human ecology and island adaptations, the complexities of island trading and exchange systems, voyaging technology and skills, and the development of intensive economic systems linked to the growth of large populations. He also draws on his own original field research conducted on many islands, ranging from the Solomons to Hawai'i, as he takes us on an intellectual voyage into the Oceanic past.
Availability of long-acting and permanent family-planning methods leads to increase in use in conflict-affected northern Uganda: Evidence from cross-sectional baseline and endline cluster surveys

Abstract Humanitarian assistance standards require specific attention to address the reproductive health (RH) needs of conflict-affected populations. Despite these internationally recognised standards, access to RH services is still often compromised in war. We assessed the effectiveness of our programme in northern Uganda to provide family planning (FP) services through mobile outreach and public health centre strengthening. Baseline (n=905) and endline (n=873) cross-sectional surveys using a multistage cluster sampling design were conducted in the catchment areas of four public health centres in 2007 and 2010. Current use of any modern FP method increased from 7.1% to 22.6% (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.34 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.27–4.92]); current use of long-acting and permanent methods increased from 1.2% to 9.8% (adjusted OR 9.45 [95%CI 3.99–22.39]). The proportion of women with unmet need for FP decreased from 52.1% to 35.7%. This study demonstrates that when comprehensive FP services are provided among conflict-affected populations, women will choose to use them. The combination of mobile teams and health systems strengthening can make a full range of methods quickly available while supporting the health system to continue to provide those services in challenging and resource-constrained settings.
Characteristic Preserving Binarization for Fingerprint Image

This paper presents a new method for binarizing fingerprint image while preserving image characteristics. Firstly, a band-stop filter method is adopted to remove the noises in high frequency. At the same time, a simply- thresholded original image is passed to Gaussian low pass filter, and outlines of fingerprint region are get by applying region growing method to the filtered image. Then, background in band-pass image is filled with outlines of the fingerprint region. After these procedures, background intensity is close to zero, thus fixed threshold one is used for binarization. Our experiment results demonstrate that band- stop method can eliminate noises effectively in the fingerprint images. And binarization in outline of fingerprint can solve the problem of disturbance of the background. Segmenting foreground from background helps select threshold and keep the characteristics of fingerprint.