Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A clinical study of the effect of calcium sodium phosphosilicate on dentin hypersensitivity

Objective: Dentinal hypersensitivity is a commonly encountered problem with varied treatment options for its management. A large number of home use products have been tested and used for the management of dentinal hypersensitivity. This 8 week clinical trial investigates the temporal efficacy of commercially available calcium sodium phosphosilicate containing toothpaste in comparison to a potassium nitrate containing toothpaste. Methods: A total 20 subjects between the ages of 18 to 65 years were screened for a visual analogue score (VAS) for sensitivity of 5 or more by testing with a cold stimulus and randomly divided into test and positive control groups. Baseline sensitivity VAS scores to air evaporative stimulus were recorded for minimum two teeth. The subjects were prescribed respective dentifrices and revaluated for sensitivity scores at 2, 4 and 8 weeks. Results:The study demonstrated reduction in symptoms for all treatment groups from baseline to 2, 4 and 8 weeks. The calcium sodium phosphosilicate group showed a higher degree of effectiveness at reducing hypersensitivity to air evaporative stimulus at 2 weeks, than commercially available potassium nitrate. However, there was no significant difference in scores of subjects using the calcium sodium phosphosilicate toothpaste as compared to potassium nitrate at 4 weeks and 8 weeks. Conclusion: Calcium sodium phosphosilicate showed greater reduction in sensitivity compared to potassium nitrate at an earlier stage which is of high clinical value. However, based on the findings of the present study long term effects of calcium sodium phosphosilicate seem to be less promising than previously claimed. Key words:Dentinal desensitizing agents, dentinal hypersensitivity, toothpaste, pain measurement.
Effects of Zygophyllum gaetulum Aqueous Extract on Erythrocytes Lipid Peroxidation and Paraoxonase 1 Activity in Hypercholesterolemic Rats

Currently, herbal medicines are experiencing a resurgence of interest and their popularity is increasing in developing and developed countries due to their natural origin and minor side effects. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a lyophilized aqueous extract of Zygophyllum gaetulum (Zg) on erythrocytes lipid peroxidation and paraoxonase 1 (PON 1) activity in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet. Twelve hypercholesterolemic male Wistar rats (cholesterolemia value > 3mmol/L) weighing 176±5g were divided into two groups fed a high cholesterol diet (1% cholesterol+0.5% cholic acid) supplemented (HC-Zg) or not (HC) with Zg aqueous extract (1%), for 4 weeks. In the HC-Zg group compared with the HC group, plasma total cholesterol (TC) and non-HDL cholesterol levels were respectively 1.5and 2.2fold lower, whereas HDL-cholesterol was 2-fold higher. Atherogenic indexes, TC/HDL-C and TC–HDL-C/HDL-C wererespectively decreased by 71% and 66%. In erythrocytes, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) concentrations tended to decrease but not significantly. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were increased by 42% and 38%, respectively, while those of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and glutathione reductase (GSSH-Red) showed no significant difference. Moreover, reduced glutathione content (GSH) was similar in both groups. Plasma PON 1 activity was 1.5-fold higher in the hypercholesterolemic group treated with Zg compared with the untreated group. In conclusion, in the hypercholesterolemic rat, the treatment with Z. gaetulum extract induced a cholesterol-lowering effect but didn’t improve erythrocytes lipid peroxidation despite stimulation of antioxidant enzymes activities. Moreover, Zg extract increased plasma PON 1 activity suggesting a possible lipoprotein protection from oxidation.
Enhancing Visual Analysis of Network Traffic Using a Knowledge Representation

This paper presents a network traffic analysis system that couples visual analysis with a declarative knowledge representation. The system supports multiple iterations of the sense-making loop of analytic reasoning by allowing users to save discoveries as they are found and to reuse them in future iterations. We show how the knowledge representation can be used to improve both the visual representations and the basic analytical tasks of filtering and changing level of detail. We describe how the system can be used to produce models of network patterns, and show results from classifying one day of network traffic in our laboratory
The Breakdown of Vigilance during Prolonged Visual Search 1

These problems should be amenable to experimental investigation, and for this purpose the use of patients being treated with electric convulsion therapy seems to be specially suitable, and these have already been used to a limited extent for this purpose. I think one can assume that the electric shock paralyses all cerebral activity so that the clinical features of concussion are very closely reproduced. In conclusion, 1 fear I have wandered from the subject of our discussion, and do not feel I have done justice to it. I hope, however, to have said enough to make you feel that the traumatic disorders of remembering are worthy of consideration.
Measuring context-meaning for open class words in Hindi language

Word sense disambiguation (WSD), the task of identifying the intended sense of words has been a growing research area in the field of natural language processing. In this paper, the authors focused on word sense disambiguation for Hindi language using graph connectivity measures and Hindi WordNet[1]. To construct the graph for the sentence each sense of the ambiguous word is taken as a source node and all the paths which connects the sense to other words present in the sentence are added. The importance of nodes in the constructed graph are identified using node neighbor based measures (various centrality) and graph clustering based measures (denseness, graph randomness, edge density). The proposed method disambiguates all open class words (noun, verb, adjective, adverb) and disambiguates all the words present in the sentence simultaneously.
Ecological Units: Definitions and Application

Concepts of ecological units, such as population, community, and ecosystem, are at the basis of ecological theory and research and have increasingly become the focus of conservation strategies. Concepts of these units still suffer from inconsistencies and confusions over terminology. The different concepts are treated here together as a common “conceptual cluster,” with similar ecological functions (roles) and similar problems in their definition and use. An analysis of the multitude of existing terms and concepts that have been developed for these units reveals that they differ with respect to at least four basic criteria: (i) the questions as to whether they are defined statistically or via a network of interactions; (ii) if their boundaries are drawn by topographical or process‐related criteria; (iii) how high the required internal relationships are; and (iv) if they are perceived as “real” entities or abstractions by an observer. The various definitions cannot be easily sorted into just a few types, but they can be characterized by several independent criteria. I argue that serious problems arise if the different possibilities of defining ecological units are not recognized and if the concepts are perceived as self‐evident. The different concepts of ecological units should be defined and used in a philosophically informed manner. I propose a dual approach to the use of ecological units. Generic meanings of the main concepts (especially population, community, and ecosystem) should be retained only as heuristically useful perspectives, while specific and “operational” definitions of the concepts as units should be developed, depending on specific purposes of their use. Some thoughts on the basic requirements for such definitions and the domains of their uses are briefly explained.
Psoriasis of the nail. A clinical-pathologic study.

The clinical signs of nail psoriasis are described and correlated with the psoriatic involvement of the original nail components responsible for the formation of these signs. Nail plate abnormalities, ie, pits and grooves, result from previous matrix psoriasis. Nail bed discoloration, onycholysis, and subungual keratosis result from nail bed or hyponychium involvement or both. It is suggested that the yellow greasy-look of psoriatic nails is due to a serum glycoprotein which accumulates in and under the abnormal nail. Isolation of Candida from subungual debris is frequent. The presence of dermatophytes is rare.
Reflections: our Journey in Organizational Change Research and Practice

This commentary summarizes our research and practice on the topic of organizational change over the past 30 years. Our purpose in preparing this commentary is to explain how our efforts accumulated over this period to produce the questions we addressed, the answers our findings revealed, and the direction of our future efforts. We summarize our journey thus far relative to six signposts, namely: (a) the identification of five key beliefs underlying change recipient motivations to change; (b) an emphasis on change recipient active participation in the change effort; (c) the importance of diagnosis; (d) the importance of creating readiness for change; (e) the identification of strategies for influencing the five beliefs throughout the change process; and, (f) the assessment of reactions to organizational change. To give an idea of where our journeys will take us in the future, we identify five trips we plan to make: (a) examine the relative importance of the five key beliefs for influencing change recipient support; (b) expand our cognitive view of change motivation to include emotional reactions to change; (c) investigate the relationship between change recipient characteristics (such as regulatory focus) and reactions to organizational transformation; (d) explore the relationship between internal contextual variables (relations with local change agents and co-workers) during organizational change; and (e) focus on ethics in organizational change.
Hypothalamo‐Pituitary‐Adrenal Axis and Chronic Immune Activation

Abstract: Corticosteroids have potent immunosuppressive and anti‐inflammatory effects. Although corticosteroids are an important weapon in the clinical arsenal for treating inflammatory episodes, the mechanisms underlying the actions and regulation of endogenous corticosteroids remain obscure. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a hypothesis was proposed that suggested that susceptibility to autoimmune disease was linked to a hypoactive hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis. It was further suggested that this defect in regulation of the HPA axis was situated at the level of the hypothalamus. This compelling hypothesis directly linked control of the HPA axis with susceptibility to disease rather than just severity of inflammation. The initial findings acted as a stimulus to further research, and over the next decade the hypothesis was tested. Recent studies suggest that the original hypothesis is in need of modification and that susceptibility is more complex and requires the involvement of more than a single parameter. These data are discussed together with recent developments concerning regulation of the HPA in disease in preclinical models and patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The latter studies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis provide evidence for the existence of a subpopulation of these patients with altered negative feedback regulation of the HPA axis.
Polymorphisms within angiotensin II receptor type 1 gene associated with essential hypertension in Chinese Hani and Yi minorities

Introduction: Angiotensin II receptor type 1 mediates the major cardiovascular effects of angiotensin II to regulate blood pressure. Polymorphisms of angiotensin II receptor type 1 are associated with essential hypertension, but the results are inconsistent and conflicting. The aim of the present study is to assess the association between angiotensin II receptor type 1 polymorphisms and essential hypertension risk in Chinese Hani and Yi minorities. Methods: This study recruited 692 unrelated Chinese Hani subjects (case vs. control = 346:346) and 615 unrelated Chinese Yi subjects (case vs. control = 303:312). Twelve selected single nucleotide polymorphisms in the angiotensin II receptor type 1 gene were genotyped using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Results: Statistical analysis indicated that the GC+CC genotype of rs387967 was significantly associated with the decreased susceptibility to essential hypertension compared with GG in a Yi population (odds ratio = 0.58, 95% confidence intervals 0.41–0.83, P = 0.003). Allele C was a protective allele for essential hypertension (odds ratio = 0.78, 95% confidence intervals 0.61–0.99, P = 0.040). This association was confirmed respectively by comparing systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure between different genotypes and between different alleles, which indicated that the genotype (GC+CC) had a tendency of lower systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure than GG (PSBP = 3.716 × 10–4, PDBP = 1.187 × 10–3); Carriers with C had lower systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure (PSBP = 7.301 × 10–3, PDBP = 9.142 × 10–4). Another single nucleotide polymorphism (rs2638360) was analysed in a Hani minority, then replicated in a Yi minority. The C allele showed a consistent risk trend for essential hypertension in two independent populations (Hani: odds ratio = 1.74, 95% confidence intervals 1.01–2.99, P = 0.046; Yi: odds ratio = 1.27, 95% confidence intervals 0.82–1.96, P = 0.277). Meta-analysis revealed that the C allele could significantly increase the risk of essential hypertension (odds ratio = 1.44, 95% confidence intervals 1.02–2.02, P = 0.037). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that rs387967 is associated with the susceptibility to essential hypertension in a Yi population and the tendency was replicated in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure detection. Meta-analysis revealed that C allele of rs2638360 could significantly increase the risk of essential hypertension. The two single nucleotide polymorphisms maybe play a role in the pathology of essential hypertension.
1st International workshop on live programming (LIVE 2013)

Live programming is an idea espoused by programming environments from the earliest days of computing (such as Lisp machines and SmallTalk) but have since lain dormant. Recently, the prevalence of asynchronous feedback in programming languages such as Javascript and advances in visualizations and user interfaces have lead to a resurgence of live programming in online education communities (such as Khan Academy) and in experimental IDEs (such as LightTable). The LIVE 2013 workshop includes 11 papers describing visions, implementations, mashups, and new directions of live programming environments. The participants include both practitioners of live coding and researchers in programming languages and software engineering. Finally, several demos curated on the live workshop page are presented.
Low dose dobutamine stress echocardiography predicts the improvement of left ventricular systolic function in dilated cardiomyopathy

OBJECTIVE To determine whether dobutamine stress echocardiography can predict the improvement of left ventricular systolic function in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). METHODS Myocardial contractile reserve, as assessed by dobutamine stress echocardiography, was determined in 18 patients with DCM (mean (SD) age 53 (13) years, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 28 (10)%) and compared with changes in LVEF during a follow up period of 15 (8) months. The LVEF and regional left ventricular wall motion score (0, normal to 4, dyskinesis) of 12 segments in short axis and four chamber views were analysed before and after dobutamine infusion (5–20 μg/kg/min). RESULTS During a follow up period of 15 (8) months, a significant improvement in LVEF (> 20%) was found in seven patients but not in the remaining 11. Baseline haemodynamic findings were similar in both groups. Patients with an improvement in follow up LVEF showed a greater change in wall motion score from baseline during dobutamine infusion than patients with no improvement (at rest, 1.7 (0.4) v1.9 (0.2), NS; dobutamine 10 μg/kg/min, 0.6 (0.4)v 1.2 (0.4), p < 0.05). The percentage change in LVEF during dobutamine infusion was also significantly greater in patients who showed improvement than in those who did not. The change in LVEF during the follow up period (follow up LVEF/baseline LVEF) correlated well with the change in LVEF during dobutamine stress (LVEF at rest/LVEF at dobutamine 10 μg/kg/min;r = 0.74, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Changes in left ventricular systolic performance during low dose dobutamine stress echocardiography are a useful marker to predict the outcome of left ventricular systolic function in patients with DCM.
Panobinostat for the treatment of multiple myeloma

Introduction : Multiple myeloma (MM) is a B-cell malignancy characterized by proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells in the bone marrow. Although new therapeutic options have been introduced and response rates have improved in recent years, MM still remains incurable and new treatment options are urgently needed. The histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) are a new class of anticancer agents in early clinical development in many malignancies including MM. HDACi target the enzyme histone deacetylase (HDAC) involved in the deacetylation of histone and non-histone cellular proteins that play important roles in epigenetic regulation of gene expression inducing death, apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in cancer cells. Panobinostat (LBH589) is a highly potent HDACi with demonstrated antitumor activities at low nanomolar concentration in several preclinical studies and its clinical efficacy is currently under investigation in several clinical trials. Area covered : In this review the authors discuss the role of HDACs in the regulation of gene expression and the biological mechanisms mediating the anticancer effects of HDACi with particular focus on the recent development of panobinostat as anti-MM agent in preclinical and clinical studies. Expert opinion : As a ‘multi-target' drug, panobinostat appears attractive as potential anti-MM therapeutic for its ability to modulate a variety of biological pathways essential in MM biology. This ‘multi-target' property of panobinostat may also be one its major shortcomings, and a better understanding of its mechanisms of action and targets will permit to identify the best combination therapies that will ultimately overcome and improve outcomes in MM patients.
Out of the Closet and into the Gym: Gay Men and Body Image in Melbourne, Australia

Psychological and health science research has identified a disparate experience of body image dissatisfaction among gay men (particularly in relation to heterosexual men), and have theorised that this reflects an emphasis placed on physical appearance in gay male settings. However, these studies largely fail to reflect upon the centrality of the body in securing a visible gay identity, or upon discourses of the nature, appearance and expression of gay identity in a historical and social context. Similarly, sociologically informed work has tended to emphasise gay men's paradoxical relationship—dependant upon and desirous of—heterosexual masculinity as the foundation for this emphasis. Drawing on a concept of “reflective embodiment,” interviews with four gay men are conducted to demonstrate how each negotiates an athletic, muscular body ideal with reference to understandings of masculinity, pride, and gay sexuality as a way of complicating these theorizations and injecting a discussion of subjectivity into this issue.
Immunotherapy in preneoplastic disease: targeting early procarcinogenic inflammatory changes that lead to immune suppression and tumor tolerance

Recent advances in immunotherapy have demonstrated that single agent vaccines can be effective when given as primary prevention before exposure to the causative agent, and partially effective in some patients with existing cancer. However, as tumors develop and progress, tumor‐induced immune suppression and tolerance present the greatest barrier to therapeutic success. Preneoplastic disease represents an important opportunity to intervene with tumor antigen–targeted vaccines before these mechanisms of immune evasion outpace efforts by the immune system to destroy precancerous cells. However, as we discuss in this review, emerging evidence suggests that procarcinogenic inflammatory changes occur early in cancer development, in both patients and mouse models of cancer progression. Defining early inhibitory signals within tumor microenvironments will yield insights that can eventually be used in the clinic to target these events and deliver treatments that can be used in addition to cancer vaccines to prevent premalignant and early invasive cancers.
ROLE OF CYP 2 E 1 IN DERAMCICLANE METABOLISM

The aim of our study was to identify the form(s) of cytochrome P450 responsible for the metabolism of deramciclane, a new anxiolytic drug candidate. The main routes of biotransformation in hepatic microsomes were side chain modification (N-demethylation or total side chain cleavage) and hydroxylation at several points of the molecule. Although several cytochrome P450 forms were involved in the metabolism, the role of CYP2E1 should be emphasized, since it catalyzed almost all steps. Production of deramciclane metabolites was significantly inhibited by diethyldithiocarbamate and was elevated in liver microsomes of isoniazid-treated rats. Furthermore, cDNA-expressed rat CYP2E1 generated the metabolites formed by side chain modification and hydroxylation. Neither deramciclane nor its primary metabolite, N-desmethyl deramciclane were able to influence directly the activity of CYP2E1. However, during the biotransformation, one or more metabolites must have been formed which were potent in-
Exploring affordances and tool use on the iCub

One of the recurring challenges in humanoid robotics is the development of learning mechanisms to predict the effects of certain actions on objects. It is paramount to predict the functional properties of an object from “afar”, for example on a table, in a rack or a shelf, which would allow the robot to select beforehand and automatically an appropriate action (or sequence of actions) in order to achieve a particular goal. Such sensory to motor schemas associated to objects, surfaces or other entities in the environment are called affordances [1, 2] and, more recently, they have been formalized computationally under the name of object-action complexes [3] (OACs). This paper describes an approach to the acquisition of affordances and tool use in a humanoid robot combining vision, learning and control. Learning is structured to enable a natural progression of episodes that include objects, tools, and eventually knowledge of the complete task. We finally test the robot's behavior in an object retrieval task where it has to choose among a number of possible elongated tools to reach the object of interest which is otherwise out of the workspace.
Coupled Inductor Incorporated Boost Half-Bridge Converter With Wide ZVS Operation Range

A new boost half-bridge (BHB) converter is presented. It is composed of an additional diode and a coupled winding to the boost inductor of the BHB converter. Using the transferring of a boost inductor current to the coupled winding, the cancellation of zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) current, which always occurs in a conventional one, is prevented. Therefore, the ZVS operation is easily achieved by the leakage inductor current of the transformer. Furthermore, since the negatively built-up leakage inductor current of the boost winding helps the ZVS operation throughout a wide load range, the ZVS operation is always guaranteed.