Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Importance of Ca(2+) modifications for osseointegration of smooth and moderately rough anodized titanium implants - a removal torque and histological evaluation in rabbit.

BACKGROUND Incorporation of Ca(2+) into the titania of anodized titanium surfaces has been found to enhance osseointegration. It provides a stable surface when the ions are incorporated into the oxide layer during the anodizing process. The Ca(2+) may suggestively be prominent sites for mineral induction, attract proteins, and catalyze intracellular cascades. PURPOSE The aim of the present study was to evaluate the osseointegration of smooth (S(a) < 0.5 µm) and moderately rough (S(a) 1.0-2.0 µm) commercially pure titanium implants, with and without Ca(2+) , in order to reflect on the importance of surface chemistry in relation to topography. MATERIALS AND METHODS Anodized implants with (OxCa) or without Ca(2+) (Ox), blasted implants (Bl), and blasted anodized implants, with (BlOxCa) or without Ca(2+) (BlOx), were inserted in rabbit femur and tibia. The implant surfaces were characterized using interferometry, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy prior to implant installation. Removal torque (RTQ) measurements were executed on all implants after a healing period of 12 weeks. The implants were, thereafter, removed en bloc with surrounding tissues and prepared for histological evaluations. RESULTS RTQ measurements of tibial implants revealed significantly higher values for BlOxCa implants (90.7 ± 23.3 Ncm) compared to OxCa (64.6 ± 18.2 Ncm) and BlOx implants (69.7 ± 17.5 Ncm) (p = 0.029). Ca(2+) modification of smooth implants placed in the femur did not reveal any differences. CONCLUSION Ca(2+) modification of smooth implants resulted in similar interfacial shear strength as moderately rough implants and Ca(2+) modification of moderately rough implants demonstrated the significantly strongest interfacial shear strength when placed in rabbit tibia. This possibly demonstrated surface chemistry compensating for lesser roughness.
O-Linked GlcNAc Transferase Is a Conserved Nucleocytoplasmic Protein Containing Tetratricopeptide Repeats*

O-Linked GlcNAc addition and phosphorylation may compete for sites on nuclear pore proteins and transcription factors. We sequenced O-linked GlcNAc transferase from rabbit blood and identified the homologous Caenorhabditis elegans transferase gene on chromosome III. We then isolated C. elegans and human cDNAs encoding the transferase. The enzymes from the two species appear to be highly conserved; both contain multiple tetratricopeptide repeats and nuclear localization sequences. The C. elegans transferase accumulated in the nucleus and in perinuclear aggregates in overexpressing transgenic lines. O-Linked GlcNAc transferase activity was also elevated in HeLa cells transfected with the human cDNA. At least four human transcripts were observed in the tissues examined ranging in size from 4.4 to 9.3 kilobase pairs. The two largest transcripts (7.9 and 9.3 kilobase pairs) were enriched at least 12-fold in the pancreas. Based on its substrate specificity and molecular features, we propose that O-linked GlcNAc transferase is part of a glucose-responsive pathway previously implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus.
Current scenario of climate change and its impact on plant diseases

The change in global climate is because of expanding convergence of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the environment. Climate changes observed on Earth in recent years are mostly the result of various human activities. The global temperature has risen by around 0.8 °C over the past hundred years and is expected to ascend by between 0.9 and 3.5 °C by 2100. Climate change does not only affect the holistic crop growth but also influence the spread, multiplication, incidence and severity of many phytopathogenic agents. These effects will be seen not only on the other elements of the agroecosystem but also on plants and other organisms. Climate change involving rise in temperature and CO2 level in the atmosphere, and other weather events such as drought and flooding, all affects the host plant resistance to pathogens. Climate change has the potential to alter host-pathogen interactions and ultimately pose great impact on development of disease epidemics. However, determining these effects is difficult, so experts from various fields must look beyond their own disciplinary boundaries and put the effects of climate change in a larger context. Various plant disease models have been created to integrate modern climate forecasts at different levels. According to climate change scenario, there is great need to modify the methods of disease management in terms of their geographic and temporal distribution. This review uses appropriate examples to demonstrate the many implications that climate change has on plant diseases and their repercussions.
Ethinyl estradiol acutely attenuates abnormal coronary vasomotor responses to acetylcholine in postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND Estrogen administration in postmenopausal women is associated with a 50% reduction in the clinical manifestations of coronary artery disease. The mechanisms are not known, although one potential explanation is estrogen-induced modulation of coronary vasoreactivity. Acetylcholine is an endothelium-dependent vasodilator that may be used to assess coronary vasoreactivity and elicits coronary responses that parallel those found with common daily vasomotor stimuli. Therefore, we tested whether estrogen attenuates abnormal coronary vasomotor responses to acetylcholine in postmenopausal women. METHODS AND RESULTS Acetylcholine-induced changes in coronary flow, resistance, and cross-sectional area were determined before and 15 minutes after intravenous administration of ethinyl estradiol (EE, 35 micrograms) in 15 postmenopausal women. The influence of estrogen on basal coronary flow, resistance, and epicardial cross-sectional area was also assessed by measuring these parameters before and after EE or placebo administration in 33 women. Estrogen altered basal coronary vasomotor tone in 22 women as manifested by an EE-induced 23.3 +/- 4.5% (mean +/- SEM) increase (P < .01) in coronary flow, a 15.0 +/- 3.2% decrease (P < .01) in resistance, and a 20.0 +/- 6.5% increase (P = .02) in epicardial cross-sectional area. Placebo administration in 11 women did not change these parameters. Estrogen also attenuated abnormal coronary vasomotor responses to acetylcholine. Seven women who exhibited a paradoxical acetylcholine-induced decrease in coronary flow (-33.5 +/- 12.3%, P < .01) and increase in resistance (38.9 +/- 14.1%, P = .05) and seven who had an abnormal acetylcholine-induced decrease in epicardial cross-sectional area (-14.2 +/- 4.4%; P = .04) did not have acetylcholine-induced changes in these parameters after EE administration. Acetylcholine-induced flow, resistance, and cross-sectional area responses before and after EE were significantly different (P < .01, P = .02, and P = .02, respectively). Normal coronary responses to acetylcholine were not affected by EE administration. CONCLUSIONS EE attenuates abnormal coronary vasomotor responses to acetylcholine in postmenopausal women. EE also decreases basal coronary vasomotor tone as manifested by increased coronary flow, decreased resistance, and increased epicardial cross-sectional area. These acute effects of estrogen on coronary vasoreactivity may explain, in part, the cardioprotective effects of estrogen in postmenopausal women.
Knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding whole body donation among medical professionals in a hospital in India

Voluntary body donation has become an important source of cadavers for anatomical study and education. The objective of this study was to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding whole body donation among medical professionals in a medical institute in India. A cross sectional study was conducted at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, India, among medical doctors. Data was collected from consenting individuals in the age group of 25–65 years by convenience sampling method. A semi‐structured, pretested, questionnaire designed to assess KAP regarding whole body donation was provided to the study population (n = 106); 97 individuals returned the completed questionnaire. Results showed that 8% of the medical professionals were unaware of the term body donation and 85% believed that donated bodies were misused. A large proportion of the respondents did not know about the authority that oversaw body donation, or its criteria for accepting donated bodies and diseases for which bodies were screened before acceptance. Only 22% of polled physicians were willing to donate their bodies for medical education, but 68% expected the public to do the same. While only 7% had already registered their own names for body donation, 64% were not aware of any known person having registered and 72% indicated that their decision would not be influenced even if they knew of friends who had registered. These results suggest that educating medical students and professionals regarding the altruistic act of body donation is as important as educating the general public. Anat Sci Educ 4:142–150, 2011. © 2011 American Association of Anatomists.
Correlation of Postoperative Midfoot Position With Outcome Following Reconstruction of the Stage II Adult Acquired Flatfoot Deformity

Background: No studies investigating the effect of the midfoot (talonavicular joint) position on clinical outcomes following flatfoot reconstruction have been performed. The purpose of our study was to determine whether a postoperative abducted or adducted forefoot alignment, as determined from anteroposterior (AP) radiographs, was associated with a difference in outcomes using the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS). Methods: Midfoot abduction was defined on postoperative AP radiographs, evaluated at a mean of 1.9 years in 55 patients from the authors’ institution who underwent flatfoot reconstruction for a stage II adult acquired flatfoot deformity (AAFD), as a lateral incongruency angle greater than 5 degrees, a talonavicular uncoverage angle greater than 8 degrees, and a talo–first metatarsal angle greater than 8 degrees based on previously reported measurements. Patients with 2 or more measurements in the abduction category were classified as the abduction group (n = 30); those with 1 or fewer measurements in the abduction category were placed in the adduction group (n = 25). The preoperative and postoperative FAOS values with a mean follow-up of 3.1 years were compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Results: Patients corrected to a position of adduction showed significantly lower improvement in the FAOS daily activities (P = .012) and quality of life subscales (P = .046). The mean improvement in subscale scores for the adducted group was lower for pain (P = .052) and sports activities (P = .085) but did not reach statistical significance. No significant difference in the FAOS symptoms subscale (P = .372) between groups was found. Conclusion: Correction of the talonavicular joint to a position of adduction following a stage II AAFD was associated with decreased patient outcomes in daily activities and quality of life compared with an abducted position. These results suggest that overcorrection to a position of midfoot adduction leads to a lesser amount of individual patient improvement in reconstruction of a stage II AAFD. Level of Evidence: Level III, comparative series.
Efficiencies without Economists: The Early Years of Resale Price Maintenance

Resale price maintenance (RPM) continues to be a contentious topic, both in economics and in antitrust. During the 1980s economists derived new efficiency motivations for RPM while the Supreme Court reaffirmed the decades-old per se ban on its use and Congress threatened to extend that ban. In the 1990s, after several years of federal inactivity during the Reagan Administration, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has once again begun bringing RPM cases. ' While economists have proposed a number of different efficiency explanations for RPM, such theorizing has been performed largely without the help of businesses that actually use RPM. With little practical evidence, such hypotheses have been subject to substantial criticism. Of course, since RPM has been per se illegal, businesses may be reluctant to admit that they are engaged in the practice, which would appear to be a necessary condition for generating an efficiency defense. This article seeks to find out why businesses may believe that they benefit from RPM. It does so by examining which efficiency rationales were advanced by firms during a critical time for RPM in the United States, 1915 to 1917. These rationales, drawn largely from previously unexplored materials, are then examined in the light of current economic theory. There are two basic sources for these rationales. The first is three hearings on RPM held in 1915, 1916, and 1917 in the U.S. House of Representatives on a bill to legalize certain forms of RPM. The second is the transcript of seven days of hearings the FTC held in 1917 to discuss efficiency motivations for RPM. Section II explains several economic theories that have been posited for RPM and briefly discusses the critiques of these theories that have arisen in the legal and economic communities. Section III examines federal RPM case law prior to 1918 and posits efficiency rationales from section II to match the products involved in the case law. Section III also discusses the uncertainty in the case law during the period 1908 to 1917 and the concepts behind the various judicial decisions. Section IV presents the efficiency arguments made during this period of legal uncertainty
Output current sensitivity analysis of the LC/sub p/C/sub s/ resonant inverter: current source design criteria

The effects of the tolerance of circuit elements in the parallel-series (LCpCs) resonant inverter are studied in order to optimize the design parameters that ensure the circuit performance with no feedback and also good repeatability. The analysis shows that the capacitor ratio affects the sensitivity values. Results are confirmed with experimental results and a statistical study by the Monte Carlo method
Assessing habitat selection by foraging egrets in salt marshes at multiple spatial scales

We assessed salt marsh use by foraging egrets in coastal Rhode Island, USA. Two species [great egret (Ardea alba) and snowy egret (Egretta thula)] nest in mixed-species colonies on islands in Narragansett Bay and regularly forage in adjacent salt marshes. We surveyed 13 salt marshes approximately twice weekly during the breeding and post-breeding seasons in 2001 and 2002. Based on resource selection functions, foraging great and snowy egrets strongly preferred pools within salt marshes, while mosquito control ditches were rarely used. Foraging egrets were never detected in stands of common reed (Phragmites australis). The number of egrets using individual marshes varied considerably, although density estimates were far less variable. Salt marsh area was better at predicting the mean number of foraging egrets using a marsh than landscape-level parameters, such as distance to the nearest nesting colony or the total area of salt marsh within 5 km. Carefully designed salt marsh restoration projects could benefit local egret populations because it appears that foraging habitat availability may be a limiting factor. To ensure use by foraging egrets, salt marsh restoration designs should increase the availability of pool and open water habitat, reduce common reed, and modify deep ditches and channels to make them more accessible for foraging egrets.
Optic Nerve Sheath Fenestration: Indications, Techniques, Mechanisms and, Results

In the late 19th century, DeWecker initially described the use of optic nerve sheath fenestration (ONSF) in a case of neuroretinitis at a time when little was known about the pathophysiology of optic nerve swelling. The procedure lay relatively dormant until renewed interest arose from studies investigating the axonal basis of papilledema and its resolution with ONSF. This surgery has been utilized in a variety of other optic nerve conditions not related to papilledema, with largely disappointing results, including the Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Decompression Trial. Although prospective clinical trials have not been performed to compare the efficacy of ONSF to other treatment modalities like shunting procedures, many studies have confirmed that ONSF can play a significant role in preventing vision loss in conditions where intracranial pressure (ICP) is elevated, like idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH).
Accelerated Telomere Erosion Is Associated with a Declining Immune Function of Caregivers of Alzheimer’s Disease Patients1

Caregivers of Alzheimer’s disease patients endure chronic stress associated with a decline of immune function. To assess the psychological and immunological changes of caregivers, we compared depressive symptoms, PBMC composition, in vitro activation-induced proliferation and cytokine production, and telomere length and telomerase activity of 82 individuals (41 caregivers and 41 age- and gender-matched controls). We found depressive symptoms were significantly higher in caregivers than in controls (p < 0.001). Correspondingly, caregivers had significantly lower T cell proliferation but higher production of immune-regulatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-10) than controls in response to stimulation in vitro. We examined the impact of these changes on cellular replicative lifespan and found that caregivers had significantly shorter telomere lengths in PBMC than controls (6.2 and 6.4 kb, respectively, p < 0.05) with similar shortening in isolated T cells and monocytes and that this telomere attrition in caregivers was not due to an increase of shorter telomere possessing T cell subsets in PBMC. Finally, we showed that basal telomerase activity in PBMC and T cells was significantly higher in caregivers than in controls (p < 0.0001), pointing to an unsuccessful attempt of cells to compensate the excessive loss of telomeres in caregivers. These findings demonstrate that chronic stress is associated with altered T cell function and accelerated immune cell aging as suggested by excessive telomere loss.
Control method of a photovoltaic powered reverse osmosis plant without batteries based on maximum power point tracking

A small-scale photovoltaic powered reverse osmosis plant is designed to operate at variable flow/pressure in equatorial areas, enabling it to make efficient use of the naturally varying solar resource. A derivation of a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) for the photovoltaic (PV) array has been designed to increase the efficiency of the whole system The control method combines feedforward and feedback voltage control systems from given set of rules. As a first phase, a simulation model was developed and validated by experimental results, obtained from a laboratory prototype. The implemented MPPT algorithm demonstrated cost-effectiveness, simplicity and good efficiency, comparable to others algorithms.
The Phoenix Deep Survey: the radio properties of the hard X-ray-selected sample

The radio properties of hard (2-8 keV) X-ray-selected sources are explored by combining a single 50-ks XMM-Newton pointing with the ultradeep and homogeneous Phoenix radio (1.4-GHz) survey. A total of 43 sources are detected above the X-ray flux limit f X (2-8 keV) = 7.7 x 10 -15 erg s -1 cm -2 , with 14 of them exhibiting radio emission above 40 μJy (3σ). The X-ray-radio matched population lies in the borderline between radio-loud and radio-quiet active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and comprises sources with both soft and hard X-ray spectral properties, suggesting both obscured and unobscured systems. The spectroscopically identified subsample (with a total of six X-ray-radio matches) comprises narrow emission-line AGNs (four) with hard X-ray spectral properties and broad line sources (two) with soft X-ray spectra. We find evidence that the fraction of X-ray-radio matches increases from 20 per cent for sources with a rest-frame column density of N H 10 22 cm -2 their combined spectrum exhibits a soft X-ray component that may be associated with star formation activity, although other possibilities cannot be excluded. We also find that radio-emitting AGNs make up approximately 13-20 per cent of the hard-band X-ray background depending on the adopted normalization.
Study on the light receiving capacity of a plant shoot light receiving system with simulated trees

Recently, the introduction of renewable energy has been increasing and among the renewables the amount of solar generation has also increased rapidly in many regions. As issues in solar generation, it can be mention that the amount of power generated depends on the radiation view factor related to the sun position, and on the installation area. Therefore, research studies have focused on the shape of a plant to solve these issues. So far, the configuration optimization of a solar module that simulates a plant shoot shape has been performed by maximizing the light receiving density. However, the study was intended for small plants. A large plant such as a tree has not been simulated yet and its light receiving capacity is not yet completely understood. This work develops the algorithms to simulate trees and elucidates the relationship between the light receiving characteristics and growth process when simulating large plants such as trees.
Public Accountability or Fiscal Control? Benchmarks of Performance in Australian Schooling

The Industry Commission review of service provision in school education aims to define performance benchmarks for Australia's eight government education systems, by providing comparative measures of efficiency in education provision. Such benchmarks are likely to lead to a reduction in the level of public resources for government schools unless it is possible to demonstrate the link between expenditure on schooling and school effectiveness. If efficiency audits like the Industry Commission review are to deal with issues of school effectiveness adequately, they should avoid the tendency of previous public sector audits to focus on financial data on schools expenditure to the exclusion of data on student achievement. This paper suggests an approach to measuring system performance which would establish benchmarks that reflected both the efficiency and effectiveness of Australian school systems, and warns against the misuse of performance indicators as an instrument in the determination of funding levels for schools.
Statistical Fusion Approach on Keystroke Dynamics

Keystroke dynamics refers to a userpsilas habitual typing characteristics. These typing characteristics are believed to be unique among large populations. In this paper, we present a novel keystroke dynamic recognition system by using a fusion method. Firstly,we record the dwell time and the flight time as the feature data. We then calculate their mean and standard deviation values and stored. The test feature data will be transformed into the scores via Gaussian probability density function. On the other hand, we also propose a new technique, known as Direction Similarity Measure (DSM) to measure the differential of sign among each coupled characters in a phrase. Lastly, a weighted sum rule is applied by fusing the Gaussian scores and the DSM to enhance the final result. The best result of equal error rate 6.36% is obtained by using our home-made dataset.
Life on a Young Planet: The First Three Billion Years of Evolution on Earth

Acknowledgments ix Preface to the New Paperback Edition xi Prologue 1 Chapter 1. In the Beginning? 6 Chapter 2. The Tree of Life 16 Chapter 3. Life's Signature in Ancient Rocks 32 Chapter 4. The Earliest Glimmers of Life 50 Chapter 5. The Emergence of Life 72 Chapter 6. The Oxygen Revolution 89 Chapter 7. The Cyanobacteria, Life's Microbial Heroes 108 Chapter 8. The Origins of Eukaryotic Cells 122 Chapter 9. Fossils of Early Eukaryotes 139 Chapter 10. Animals Take the Stage 161 Chapter 11. Cambrian Redux 179 Chapter 12. Dynamic Earth, Permissive Ecology 206 Chapter 13. Paleontology ad Astra 225 Epilogue 243 Further Reading 247 Index 269