Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Salivary aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase: possible markers in periodontal diseases?

Abstract Background: Saliva can be used as a diagnostic fluid in medicine. Components of saliva proposed as disease markers include enzymes (alkaline phosphatase, esterase, glucuronidase, aminopeptidase), immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG), and hormones (steroid hormones). Many of these salivary components appeared to be useful biochemical markers of the evolution of periodontal disease, for which salivary analysis can offer a cost-effective approach for monitoring the disease. The salivary components proposed as markers for periodontal disease activity are aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aminopeptidases, and glucuronidases. The purpose of our study was to illustrate the influence of periodontal disease on the level of salivary AST, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and ALP. Methods: All clinical periodontal examinations were performed by the same periodontist. All patients included in the study presented a probing depth >5mm, bleeding on probing and alveolar bone loss >40%. Salivary AST, ALT and ALP activities were measured using DiaSys analysis kits from Diagnostic Systems. The methods were adapted for saliva. Results: Salivary AST activity in patients with periodontal disease was significantly increased (p<0.01) (median 81.75±23U/L) compared with controls (15.25±10.5U/L). Salivary ALT activity was not significantly modified in saliva from patients with periodontal disease compared with the control group. Our results showed a significant (p<0.01) increase in salivary ALP activity (34.38±1.5U/L) in patients with periodontal disease compared with controls (6.6±4.2U/L). Conclusions: Our results revealed that periodontal destruction such as periodontal pockets, gingival bleeding and suppuration are related to higher ALP and AST levels in saliva. Salivary AST could be used as a useful marker for monitoring periodontal disease. The increase in salivary ALP activity in periodontitis demonstrated could be associated with alveolar bone loss, a key feature of periodontal disease. More studies are necessary to evaluate which specific clinical, microbiological and histological characteristics of periodontal disease are associated with elevated levels of AST and ALP in saliva.
The effect of stress management training on stress and depression in women with depression disorders: Using cognitive-behavioral techniques

Background: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of stress management training through cognitive-behavioral techniques on stress, social adaptability and depression in women with depression disorders. Materials and Methods: In this study, 40 patients diagnosed with depression who had referred to psychiatry and consultation clinics of Isfahan were randomly selected and assigned to intervention and control groups (20 patients in each group). The intervention group received eight 90-min sessions of stress training through cognitive–behavioral techniques. Data collection tools included Cooper's stress questionnaire, Bell's social adaptability questionnaire and Hamilton's depression scale questionnaire. The participants completed the questionnaires before the intervention and 1 month after the same. Data analysis was performed using covariance analysis. Results: Based on the results, considering variables of stress, social adaptability and depression, the equal variance hypothesis was confirmed. The relationship between pre- and post-test scores on stress, social adaptability and depression was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The modified mean difference was F = 12.45, P < 0.001 on stress; F = 6.88, P < 0.01 on social adaptability; and F = 5.36, P < 0.02 on depression, all of which were significant. Conclusion: Stress management training through cognitive behavioral techniques can play a main role in depression reduction and development of social adaptability through modifying inappropriate social information-processing patterns.
New variants at 10q26 and 15q21 are associated with aggressive prostate cancer in a genome-wide association study from a prostate biopsy screening cohort

Purpose: To identify and examine polymorphisms of genes associated with aggressive and clinical significant forms of prostate cancer among a screening cohort. Experimental Design: We conducted a genome-wide association study among patients with aggressive forms of prostate cancer and biopsy-proven normal controls ascertained from a prostate cancer screening program. We then examined significant associations of specific polymorphisms among a prostate cancer screened cohort to examine their predictive ability in detecting prostate cancer. Results: We found significant associations between aggressive prostate cancer and five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 10q26 (rs10788165, rs10749408, and rs10788165, p value for association 1.3 × 10−10 to 3.2 × 10−11) and 15q21 (rs4775302 and rs1994198, p values for association 3.1 × 10−8 to 8.2 × 10−9) regions. Results of a replication study done in 3439 patients undergoing a prostate biopsy, revealed certain combinations of these SNPs to be significantly associated not only with prostate cancer but with aggressive forms of prostate cancer using an established classification criterion for prostate cancer progression (odds ratios for intermediate to high-risk disease 1.8–3.0, p value 0.003–0.001). These SNP combinations were also important clinical predictors for prostate cancer detection based on nomogram analysis that assesses prostate cancer risk. Conclusions: Five SNPs were found to be associated with aggressive forms of prostate cancer. We demonstrated potential clinical applications of these associations.
Generalized H2 performance analysis of periodic piecewise systems

This paper analyses the generalized H2 performance for a class of continuous-time periodic piecewise linear systems with possibly non-Hurwitz subsystems. A sufficient criterion is proposed in terms of matrix inequalities by employing a time-varying Lyapunov function which is formulated with periodic a continuous linear time-varying Lyapunov matrix. The Lyapunov function deceases non-monotonically over a period. Also, by using a Lyapunov function with common decreasing rates respectively for all Hurwitz subsystems and all non-Hurwitz subsystems over their operating intervals, a simplified stability criterion is established. A numerical example is given to illustrate the effect and feasibility of the proposed techniques.
Board composition and corporate social responsibility in an emerging market

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of board composition on corporate social responsibility (CSR) for selected Malaysian companies in Bursa Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach The paper analyses board composition and CSR of Malaysian (family and non-family) firms using linear regression analysis. Findings The empirical findings indicate that non-executive directors (NEDs) and independent non-executive directors (INEDs) designate a negative relationship, while women on board indicate a positive relationship. The only variable that positively affects the level of CSR initiatives is the presence of women directors. As for family and non-family business, the main findings are: a positive relationship between NEDs and CSR initiatives in non-family business and a negative relationship between INEDs and CSR for family-controlled business. Research limitations/implications This paper is limited only to selected companies on Bursa Malaysia over a period of two years. The paper suggests that board composition in an emerging market is relatively ineffective in improving CSR initiatives, with the exception of women on board. This is more prevalent in family business, as they do not seem to contribute toward humanizing or cultivating CSR in their companies. Practical implications This paper can be used as a reference by regulatory bodies to further investigate on the means as to how board composition can further contribute toward CSR initiatives, as these board members have inherent authorities and decision-making power. Composition and role of women directors in board needs to be further deliberated. Originality/value This paper contributes to the existing literature in terms of the roles of board composition on CSR initiatives. It further highlights the difference in the aforementioned relationship between family and non-family business.
[Comparison of the SCORE and REGICOR models for calculating cardiovascular risk in cardiovascular disease-free individuals at a healthcare center in Barcelona, Spain].

BACKGROUND No studies have been published to date comparing SCORE, REGICOR and Framingham models. This study is aimed at analyzing how the REGICOR and SCORE functions classify cardiovascular risk, their correlation and concordance with Framingham (1998) and whether any differences exist among them with regard to the cardiovascular risk factors in high-risk groups. METHODS Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in primary care. A total of 851 individuals within the 35-74 age range, free of cardiovascular diseases and selected by simple random sampling were included. A study was made of the percentage of high-risk patients with Framingham (> or = 20% ten-year risk), SCORE (> or = 5% ten-year risk) and REGICOR with cutoff points > or = 20%, > or = 15%, > or = 10% and > or = 5% at 10 years, given that with REGICOR > or = 20% there are hardly any high-risk cases. A comparison was drawn between the correlation (Pearson's r) and concordance (Kappa index) of the REGICOR and SCORE high-risk individuals as compared to Framingham. RESULTS The high-risk percentages respectively found were: 23.3% with Framingham; 15.2%; with SCORE; and 1.4%, 5.8%, 17.6% and 57.0% with REGICOR with the cutoff points described. REGICOR has a 0.99 correlation, SCORE a 0.78 correlation. REGICOR > or = 10% showed a better concordance (Kappa 0.83) than SCORE (Kappa 0.61). On comparing the cardiovascular risk factors of the high-risk cases (> or = 20% Framingham, > or = 5% SCORE and > or = 10% REGICOR), SCORE showed higher prevalence of diabetes and a lower prevalence of hypercholesterolemia (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS REGICOR showed a good correlation with Framingham. With the > or = 10% cutoff point, it classifies a number of individuals as high-risk similar to SCORE and fewer than Framingham. The SCORE model would treat a number of patients similar to the REGICOR > or =10% model with hypolipemiant drugs, however showing lesser evidence of effectiveness of the treatment.
A randomized study of lung cancer screening with spiral computed tomography: three-year results from the DANTE trial.

RATIONALE Screening for lung cancer with modern imaging technology may decrease lung cancer mortality, but encouraging results have only been obtained in uncontrolled studies. OBJECTIVES To explore the effect of screening with low-dose spiral computed tomography (LDCT) on lung cancer mortality. Secondary endpoints are incidence, stage at diagnosis, and resectability. METHODS Male subjects, aged 60 to 75 years, smokers of 20 or more pack-years, were randomized to screening with LDCT or control groups. All participants underwent a baseline, once-only chest X-ray and sputum cytology examination. Screening-arm subjects had LDCT upon accrual to be repeated every year for 4 years, whereas controls had a yearly medical examination only. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS A total of 2,811 subjects were randomized and 2,472 were enrolled (LDCT, 1,276; control, 1,196). After a median follow-up of 33 months, lung cancer was detected in 60 (4.7%) patients receiving LDCT and 34 (2.8%) control subjects (P = 0.016). Resectability rates were similar in both groups. More patients with stage I disease were detected by LDCT (54 vs. 34%; P = 0.06) and fewer cases were detected in the screening arm due to intercurrent symptoms. However, the number of advanced lung cancer cases was the same as in the control arm. Twenty patients in the LDCT group (1.6%) and 20 controls (1.7%) died of lung cancer, whereas 26 and 25 died of other causes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The mortality benefit from lung cancer screening by LDCT might be far smaller than anticipated.
Increasing verbal responsiveness in parents of children with autism:a pilot study

Correlational studies have revealed a positive relationship between parent verbal responsiveness and language outcomes in children with autism. We investigated whether parents of young children on the autism spectrum could learn and implement the specific categories of verbal responsiveness that have been suggested to facilitate language development. Parents were taught to increase their verbal responsiveness in the context of a short-term language intervention that included group parent education sessions, as well as individual and small-group coaching sessions of parent–child play interactions. Parents in the treatment group increased their use of comments that: described their child’s focus of attention; interpreted or expanded child communication acts; and prompted child communication. Preliminary treatment effects were also noted in children’s prompted and spontaneous communication. These results support the use of parent-mediated interventions targeting verbal responsiveness to facilitate language development and communication in young children with autism.
"How Can a ‘Real American’ Love OSHA?"

John Rohr pursued a daunting intellectual project that made his scholarship distinctive, internally systematic and highly coherent, exceptionally important, and appealing to both reflective practitioners and academicians. He sought nothing less than to demonstrate that the U.S. administrative state can be legitimated, showing that (1) it is compatible with the country’s constitutional founding, (2) the oath of office taken by public administrators to uphold the Constitution provides the moral foundation for civil servants’ behavior, (3) the nation’s regime values provide substance to the oath and can serve as guides to the ethical exercise of administrative discretion, and (4) it serves a balancing function originally intended for the U.S. Senate.
Modeling and Analysis of the Current Distribution between the Brushes of a Multiple Brush Projectile in a Parallel Augmented Railgun

One of the main problems of electromagnetic railguns is the heating of the contact between the current brushes and the rails. One possibility to reduce this heating without reducing the electromagnetic force on the projectile is to apply an exterior magnetic field, as in a parallel augmented railgun. Another possibility is to equip projectiles with multiple current brushes to obtain a better current and thus heat distribution. In a multiple brush projectile launched in a non augmented railgun, the current flows mainly through the last current brush. This corresponds to the path of lowest impedance. If transition of this contact occurs, the resistance of this path will increase and the current will flow mainly through the next current brush. This phenomenon continues until transition has occurred on all the brushes and a good electric contact between the rails is lost. In a parallel augmented railgun, the applied augmenting magnetic field will have an influence on the current distribution in the projectile. To study this influence we developed an analytical model of the current distribution between the different current brushes of a projectile in a non augmented and an augmented rail gun, both with a square caliber of 15 mm times 15 mm. A filamentary approximation of the conductors was used. The heating of the projectile was modeled. In order to evaluate this model, the multiple brush projectile and the rails were modeled with the finite element code ANSYS.
Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) May Function as a Double Homotrimer Complex in the Mammalian Cell*

The diverse function of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) may be regulated by interactions with different protein partners. Interestingly, the binding sites for all known PCNA-associating proteins are on the outer surface or the C termini (“front”) sides of the PCNA trimer. Using cell extracts and purified human PCNA protein, we show here that two PCNA homotrimers form a back-to-back doublet. Mutation analysis suggests that the Arg-5 and Lys-110 residues on the PCNA back side are the contact points of the two homotrimers in the doublet. Furthermore, short synthetic peptides encompassing either Arg-5 or Lys-110 inhibit double trimer formation. We also found that a PCNA double trimer, but not a homotrimer alone, can simultaneously accommodate chromatin assembly factor-1 and polymerase δ. Together, our data supports a model that chromatin remodeling by chromatin assembly factor-1 (and, possibly, many other cellular activities) are tightly coupled with DNA replication (and repair) through a PCNA double trimer complex.
Associations between dietary patterns and serum lipids, apo and C-reactive protein in an adult population: evidence from a multi-city cohort in South America

Abstract Several previous epidemiological studies from developed countries have shown that an unhealthy dietary pattern affects plasma lipid levels and inflammation biomarkers. We assessed the cross-sectional associations between dietary patterns and cardiovascular risk factors among 961 adults from a multi-city cohort in South America. We conducted a principal component analysis to derive dietary patterns. As outcomes, we examined plasma levels of apo A-I, apo B, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), LDL-, HDL- and serum total cholesterol and TAG. The crude and adjusted changes in each outcome were estimated for quartiles of dietary patterns using multivariable linear regression models. The prudent pattern (PP) characterised by higher intake of fruits, vegetables, fish, seafood, whole cereal and low-fat dairy products was associated with reduced plasma concentrations of apo B (−8·5 mg/l), total cholesterol (−18·8 mg/dl) and LDL-cholesterol (−16·5 mg/dl) and hs-CRP (−1·6 mg/l) in men. In women also reduced plasma concentrations of apo B (−6·6 mg/l), total (−12·0 mg/dl) and LDL (−9·3 mg/dl). The ‘Western-like’ pattern characterised by higher intake of eggs, pastry and cakes, pizza, snacks, refined grains, red meat, vegetable oils and poultry was not significantly associated with any of the selected serum lipid or inflammatory biomarkers. The explained variances were 10·3 and 7·4 %, respectively. The PP was associated with better lipid profile, mainly lower atherogenic particles (apo B) and LDL-cholesterol and serum total cholesterol. This study provides possible evidence of a prudent diet in South American populations to help reduce the burden of CVD.
Effects of Nonius Line and Fusion Lock Parameters on Fixation Disparity

Purpose Clinical devices for fixation disparity vary in the size and position of the nonius test-lines and in the location of the binocular fusion lock, and published results of studies comparing fixation disparity devices also vary. This study examined how varying stimulus parameters affects the magnitude of horizontal fixation disparity and the precision of nonius alignment in normal observers. Methods Targets were bright vertical lines presented for 150 ms on an oscilloscope and viewed in the dark from 3.95 m through a mirror haploscope. The fusion stimulus was either central, peripheral, or central-plus-peripheral. Fixation disparity was measured for nonius lines with a fixed vertical separation and variable lengths, using the method of constant stimuli. In a second experiment, fixation disparity was assessed for vergence demands of 6&Dgr; base-in to 12&Dgr; base-out using nonius lines of fixed length and variable vertical separations. For comparison, binocular Vernier thresholds and constant errors were also assessed. Results Mean values of fixation disparity are invariant with the length and separation of the nonius lines and proximity to the fusion lock, over the range of values tested. When measured with a central fusion lock, the precision of binocular nonius alignment (vergence variability) worsens if the separation between the nonius lines increases beyond approximately 20 min arc. Vergence variability is larger with a peripheral fusion lock for small nonius-line separations and approximately the same as with the central lock for large line separations. Fixation disparity and precision were smallest with a central-plus-peripheral fusion-lock combination. Similar effects of line length and separation were found for binocular Vernier. Conclusions The finding of invariance of fixation disparity with line length for nonius targets < 1° extends those of earlier findings for larger targets. Because the precision of binocular nonius alignment is poorer for large nonius-line separations or with a peripheral fusion lock, fixation disparity should be most repeatable when measured with a central fusion lock and nonius lines separated by 20 min arc or less. However, a peripheral fusion lock and small nonius-line separation may provide the most effective diagnostic combination for fixation disparity.
Robust stability of composite singular and impulsive interval uncertain dynamic systems with time delay

Many dynamic systems in physics, chemistry, biology, engineering and information sciences can be characterized by impulsive dynamics caused by abrupt jumps at certain instants during the process. These complex dynamic behaviour can be modelled by singular and impulsive differential systems. This paper formulates and studies a model of singular and impulsive interval uncertain dynamic systems with time delay. Several fundamental issues such as global exponential robust stability of such systems are established. A numerical example is given for illustration and interpretation of the theoretical results.
Neural network control of mobile manipulators

In this paper, a novel neural-net (NN) based control methodology is developed for the motion control of mobile manipulators subject to kinematic constraints. The dynamics of the mobile manipulator is assumed to be unknown and is to be identified by the NN online estimators. No preliminary learning stage of NN weight matrices is required. The controller is capable of disturbance-rejection in the presence of unknown bounded disturbances. Closed-loop stability of the control system and convergence of the NN learning processes are both guaranteed. Experimental tests on a two-DOE manipulator arm illustrate that the proposed control is significantly better than conventional robust control.