Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risk factors for dental caries in the five-year-old South Australian population.

BACKGROUND This study tested the hypothesis that risk behaviours in disadvantaged groups would explain socio-economic inequality in dental caries prevalence among preschool children. METHODS Using a case-control study, children with caries experience (one or more decayed, missing or filled primary tooth surfaces) and with no caries experience were sampled with known probabilities from among five year olds attending the South Australian Dental Service (SADS). Dental caries experience of primary teeth was recorded by SADS clinicians. Social and behavioural information was collected using a questionnaire mailed to parents. Prevalence rates, prevalence ratios (PR) and 95 per cent confidence intervals (95% CI) were computed, taking into account sampling probabilities. RESULTS Questionnaires were obtained for 64.6 per cent of sampled children (n = 1398) and 40.2 per cent (95% CI = 37.8-42.6) of them had caries experience. Five statistically significant risk factors were identified relating to previous feeding, current oral hygiene and parent's own oral health perceptions. The prevalence of four risk factors was greater in low-income households compared with high-income households (P < or = 0.01). In multivariate analysis, after adjusting for age of tooth cleaning onset, age at which toothpaste was introduced was not significantly associated with caries prevalence. Behavioural risk factors did not explain income-related gradients in caries prevalence but modified the level of risk associated with delayed onset of tooth cleaning. Children who delayed tooth cleaning until the age of 24 months or more and who were from low-income households had a 2.7-fold increase in caries prevalence (95% CI = 2.1-3.4). CONCLUSIONS Caries prevention efforts need to target behaviours in infancy and non-behavioural risk factors among preschoolers in low-income households.
No Sex Differences in Memory Formation during General Anesthesia

Background:Women respond differently to anesthesia than men, initially recovering more rapidly, but having more postoperative morbidity. Studies on surgical patients report evidence of memory formation during anesthesia. However, sex differences in memory formation have not been explored. Therefore, the authors investigated sex differences in the implicit and explicit memory formation during general anesthesia. Methods:With ethics committee approval, 120 consenting adult patients scheduled to undergo surgery during general anesthesia were recruited. Intraoperatively, 16 target words were presented to patients via headphones, and the Bispectral Index was recorded. Postoperatively, memory for presented words was tested using a word stem completion test. The test was divided into inclusion and exclusion parts, to delineate implicit and explicit memory contributions. Results:Target and distracter hit rates were similar in men and women. For the whole study group, there was a significant difference between inclusion target hit rate (0.42) and base hit rate (0.39) (P = 0.01). Buchner’s model suggested that this memory formation was attributable to both implicit and explicit memory. A Bispectral Index value greater than 50 was the only significant predictor of inclusion target hit rate. None of the patients were able to consciously recall the words presented during surgery. Conclusions:Patients showed greater memory performance for words presented during general anesthesia than for words not presented. However, sex differences in memory formation were not observed. A relation between hypnotic state and memory during sevoflurane anesthesia was also established, suggesting that memory formation is possible even at hypnotic depths considered to be adequate anesthesia.
Differential Regulation of Cellular Senescence and Differentiation by Prolyl Isomerase Pin1 in Cardiac Progenitor Cells*

Background: Pin1 is a prolyl isomerase that modulates the structure of phosphoproteins. Results: Loss of Pin1 causes cell cycle arrest and senescence, whereas Pin1 overexpression increases differentiation and inhibits senescence of cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs). Conclusion: Pin1 has pleiotropic roles in CPCs. Significance: Pin1 may be a molecular target to enhance repair, survival, and differentiation and antagonize senescence of CPCs. Autologous c-kit+ cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) are currently used in the clinic to treat heart disease. CPC-based regeneration may be further augmented by better understanding molecular mechanisms of endogenous cardiac repair and enhancement of pro-survival signaling pathways that antagonize senescence while also increasing differentiation. The prolyl isomerase Pin1 regulates multiple signaling cascades by modulating protein folding and thereby activity and stability of phosphoproteins. In this study, we examine the heretofore unexplored role of Pin1 in CPCs. Pin1 is expressed in CPCs in vitro and in vivo and is associated with increased proliferation. Pin1 is required for cell cycle progression and loss of Pin1 causes cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase in CPCs, concomitantly associated with decreased expression of Cyclins D and B and increased expression of cell cycle inhibitors p53 and retinoblastoma (Rb). Pin1 deletion increases cellular senescence but not differentiation or cell death of CPCs. Pin1 is required for endogenous CPC response as Pin1 knock-out mice have a reduced number of proliferating CPCs after ischemic challenge. Pin1 overexpression also impairs proliferation and causes G2/M phase cell cycle arrest with concurrent down-regulation of Cyclin B, p53, and Rb. Additionally, Pin1 overexpression inhibits replicative senescence, increases differentiation, and inhibits cell death of CPCs, indicating that cell cycle arrest caused by Pin1 overexpression is a consequence of differentiation and not senescence or cell death. In conclusion, Pin1 has pleiotropic roles in CPCs and may be a molecular target to promote survival, enhance repair, improve differentiation, and antagonize senescence.
The assessment of impacted maxillary canine position with panoramic radiography and cone beam CT.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to correlate the position of impacted maxillary canines on panoramic radiography with cone beam CT (CBCT) and analyse the labiopalatal position of canines and root resorption of permanent incisors in CBCT according to the mesiodistal position of canines on panoramic radiographs. METHODS This study was a retrospective radiographic review of 63 patients with 73 impacted maxillary canines. The mesiodistal position of the canine cusp tip was classified by sector location and analysed on 73 impacted canines from 63 panoramic radiographs. The labiopalatal position of the impacted canines and root resorption of permanent incisors were evaluated with CBCT. The sector location on panoramic radiographs was compared with the labiopalatal position of impacted maxillary canines on CBCT. The statistical correlation between panoramic and CBCT findings was examined using the χ(2) test and the Fisher's exact test. RESULTS Labially impacted canines in CBCT were more frequent in Panoramic Sectors 1, 2 and 3, mid-alveolus impacted canines were more frequent in Sector 4 and palatally impacted canines were more frequent in Sector 5. There was a statistically significant association between the panoramic sectors of the impacted canines and the labiopalatal position of the canines (p < 0.001). Root resorption of permanent incisors showed a significant difference according to sector location (p < 0.001) and was observed in Sectors 3, 4 and 5. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that the labiopalatal position of impacted canines and resorption of permanent incisors might be predicted using sector location on panoramic radiography.
Modal characteristics of planar transmission lines with periodical perturbations: their behaviors in bound, stopband, and radiation regions

This work presents the modal characteristics of one-dimensional periodical transmission lines, including the microstrip with even-symmetric periodical perturbations, the microstrip on an electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) surface without via holes, and the electric-magnetic-electric (EME) microstrip, in the bound, stopband, and radiation regions. The Brillouin diagram, or the so-called k-/spl beta/ diagram, is employed to represent the dispersion characteristics of the periodical transmission lines. The matrix-pencil method is applied to analysis the surface currents J/sub s/ obtained by invoking the method of moment simulation, and the results are verified by the finite-element method analyzes. The complex modes in the form of +j/spl alpha//spl plusmn//spl beta/ and -j/spl alpha//spl plusmn//spl beta/ could be observed in the microstrip with even-symmetric periodical structure and form the stopband of the periodical microstrip. In the case study of the microstrip on the EBG surface, the complexity of the modal behaviors could be illustrated in the stopband. The complex mode pair in the form of +j/spl alpha//spl plusmn//spl beta/ exists in the stopband. In the stopband of the EME microstrip, the complex mode in the form of +j/spl alpha//spl plusmn//spl beta/ appears. Energy vanishes due to the space-wave leakages near the corner frequencies of the stopband of the microstrip on the EBG ground plane and the EME microstrip. The dispersion characteristics of three case studies exhibit the different modal behaviors although the scattering analyzes show the similar results in the passband, stopband, and radiation regions.
Treatment of advanced medullary thyroid carcinoma with a combination of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and dacarbazine

Background. Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a neoplasm of the parafollicular C cells of the thyroid gland, which belongs to the diffuse neuroendocrine system. This cancer usually behaves in a relatively indolent manner for most patients. However, approximately 20% of patients have a more aggressive course that requires effective management. There are few reported clinical trials of chemotherapy for MTC. From the literature, the most active agent appears to be doxorubicin, with response rates of 30% reported. On the basis of the activity of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and dacarbazine (CVD) in other advanced neuroendocrine neoplasms, the authors tested the combination in patients with advanced MTC.
Pulmonary vascular pressure-flow plots in canine oleic acid pulmonary edema. Effects of prostaglandin E1 and nitroprusside.

We investigated the effects of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and of sodium nitroprusside (NP) on multipoint pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP)/cardiac index (Q) plots in 24 pentobarbital-anesthetized and ventilated dogs with pulmonary hypertension secondary to oleic acid lung injury. The PAP/Q plots were rectilinear in all experimental conditions. In control dogs (n = 8), PAP was increased over the entire range of Q studied, from 1 to 4 L/min.m2, 90 min after oleic acid 0.09 ml/kg, and remained so during 2 consecutive 5-point PAP/Q plots, each of them being constructed in about 30 min. Oleic acid increased the extrapolated pressure intercept (p less than 0.001) but not the slope of the PAP/Q plots. Infusion of PGE1 0.4 micrograms/kg.min intravenously (n = 8) reduced PAP at each level of Q, with a reduction of the extrapolated pressure intercept (p less than 0.01) and no change in slope of the PAP/Q plots. In contrast, NP 5 micrograms/kg.min intravenously (n = 8) slightly reduced PAP only at the highest Q studied, without any significant change in extrapolated pressure intercept or slope of PAP/Q plots. Systemic blood pressure was decreased by 21% after PGE1 and by 24% after NP. Neither drug affected Q nor blood gases after oleic acid. The results suggest that pulmonary hypertension secondary to oleic acid pulmonary edema may be due more to an increase in effective outflow pressure of the pulmonary circulation than to an increase in incremental vascular resistance, and that active vasoconstriction contributes to this type of pulmonary hypertension.
The human c-fps/fes gene product expressed ectopically in rat fibroblasts is nontransforming and has restrained protein-tyrosine kinase activity

A 13-kilobase EcoRI genomic restriction fragment containing the human c-fps/fes proto-oncogene locus was expressed transiently in Cos-1 monkey cells and stably in Rat-2 fibroblasts. In both cases, human c-fps/fes directed synthesis of a 92-kilodalton protein-tyrosine kinase (p92c-fes) indistinguishable from a tyrosine kinase previously identified with anti-fps antiserum which is specifically expressed in human myeloid cells. Transfected Rat-2 cells containing approximately 50-fold more human p92c-fes than is found in human leukemic cells remained morphologically normal and failed to grow in soft agar. Synthesis of p92c-fes in this phenotypically normal line exceeded that of the P130gag-fps oncoprotein in a v-fps-transformed Rat-2 line. Despite this elevated expression, human p92c-fes induced no substantial increase in cellular phosphotyrosine and was not itself phosphorylated on tyrosine. In contrast, p92c-fes immunoprecipitated from these Rat-2 cells or expressed as an enzymatically active fragment in Escherichia coli from a c-fps/fes cDNA catalyzed tyrosine phosphorylation with an activity similar to that of v-fps/fes polypeptides. Thus, p92c-fes is not transforming when ectopically overexpressed in Rat-2 fibroblasts. This lack of transforming activity correlates with a restriction imposed on the kinase activity of the normal c-fps/fes product in vivo which is apparently lifted for v-fps/fes oncoproteins, suggesting that regulatory interactions within the host cell modify fps/fes protein function and normally restrain its oncogenic potential.
Dynamic Data Deduplication in Cloud Storage

Cloud computing plays a major role in the business domain today as computing resources are delivered as a utility on demand to customers over the Internet. Cloud storage is one of the services provided in cloud computing which has been increasing in popularity. The main advantage of using cloud storage from the customers' point of view is that customers can reduce their expenditure in purchasing and maintaining storage infrastructure while only paying for the amount of storage requested, which can be scaled-up and down upon demand. With the growing data size of cloud computing, a reduction in data volumes could help providers reducing the costs of running large storage system and saving energy consumption. So data deduplication techniques have been brought to improve storage efficiency in cloud storages. With the dynamic nature of data in cloud storage, data usage in cloud changes overtime, some data chunks may be read frequently in period of time, but may not be used in another time period. Some datasets may be frequently accessed or updated by multiple users at the same time, while others may need the high level of redundancy for reliability requirement. Therefore, it is crucial to support this dynamic feature in cloud storage. However current approaches are mostly focused on static scheme, which limits their full applicability in dynamic characteristic of data in cloud storage. In this paper, we propose a dynamic deduplication scheme for cloud storage, which aiming to improve storage efficiency and maintaining redundancy for fault tolerance.
Serum PSA and cure perspective for prostate cancer in males with nonpalpable tumor.

INTRODUCTION Many studies have shown the association between PSA levels and the subsequent detection of prostate cancer. In the present trial, we have studied the relationship between preoperative PSA levels and clinical outcome following radical prostatectomy in men with clinical stage T1c. MATERIALS AND METHODS 257 individuals with clinical stage T1c undergoing retropubic radical prostatectomy were selected in the period from 1991 to 2000. Following surgery, biochemical recurrence-free survival curves were constructed according to PSA levels between 0-4; 4.1-10; 10.1-20 and > 20 ng/mL. RESULTS Of the total of 257 selected patients, 206 (80%) had Gleason scores from 2 to 6 and 51 (20%), presented Gleason scores 7 and 8, as defined by the pathological report from prostate biopsy. There was no biochemical recurrence of disease when the PSA was lower than 4, regardless of Gleason score. Biochemical recurrence-free survival according to PSA between 0-4; 4.1-10; 10.1-20 and > 20 was 100%, 87.6%, 79% and 68.8% for Gleason scores 2-6 and 100%; 79.4%; 40% and 100% for Gleason scores 7-8 respectively. When all individuals were grouped, regardless of their Gleason scores, the probability of biochemical recurrence-free survival was 100%, 65.1%, 53.4% and 72.2% according to PSA between 0-4; 4.1-10; 10.1-20 and > 20 ng/mL respectively. CONCLUSION Non-palpable prostate cancer presents higher chances of cure when the PSA is inferior to 4 ng/mL.
Effects of human neutrophil chemotaxis across human endothelial cell monolayers on the permeability of these monolayers to ions and macromolecules

We have developed a method for studying the permeability properties of human endothelia in vitro. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were cultured on a substrate of human amnion. Confluent monolayers of these cells demonstrated 6–12 ωcm2 of electrical resistance (a measure of their permeability to ions) and restricted the transendothelial passage of albumin from their apical to their basal surface. To determine whether leukocyte emigration alters endothelial permeability in this model, we examined the effects of migrating human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) on these two parameters. Few PMN migrated across the HUVEC monolayers in the absence of chemoattractants. In response to chemoattractants, PMN migration through HUVEC monolayers was virtually complete within 10 minutes and occurred at random locations throughout the monolayer. PMN migrated across the monolayer via the paracellular pathway. Although one PMN migrated across the monolayer for each HUVEC, PMN migration induced no change in electrical resistance or albumin perme‐ability of these monolayers. At this PMN:HUVEC ratio, these permeability findings were correlated morphologically to measurements that HUVEC paracellular pathway size increases by less than 0.22% with PMN migration. This increase is insufficient to effect a measurable change in the electrical resistance of the endothelial cell monolayer. These findings demonstrate that increased permeability of cultured endothelial cell monolayers is not a necessary consequence of PMN emigration.
C-reactive protein in general practice--how commonly is it used and why?

OBJECTIVE C-reactive protein (CRP) is a well-known diagnostic tool in general practice. The scope of this study was to assess how frequently CRP is used by general practitioners and to evaluate the reasons for using it. DESIGN A retrospective part based on data from a laboratory database system, and a prospective part with a questionnaire-based registration. SETTING 30 general practice clinics in the catchment area of Vejle County Central Hospital. SUBJECTS Retrospectively, all patients from general practice serviced by the laboratory for one year. Prospectively, 1190 patients from whom a blood sample was taken for CRP-measurement during a 2 month study period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The frequency of using CRP and the reason requesting it; A) diagnosing a new disease, B) monitoring a well-known disease, or C) "screening". Furthermore; 1) infections, 2) chronic inflammatory disease, 3) malignant disease, or 4) others. RESULTS CRP-measurements were ordered in 3.7% of all consultations in general practice and for 34.1% of all patients whose blood sample was analysed at the central laboratory. The use of CRP was as follows: A-1: 28.6%, A-2: 6.7%, A-3,4: 9.3%, B-1: 8.2%, B-2: 12.4%, B-3,4: 6.5%, C-1: 5.7%, C-2: 3.2%, C-3: 3.5% and C-4: 15.2%. Diagnosing a new (infectious) disease was the most frequent single reason for CRP-measurement. There was major interpractice variation. CONCLUSIONS CRP is frequently used in general practice, mostly (65.4%) in the field of infections and chronic inflammatory diseases. Because of major interpractice variation, the most correct way of using CRP should be evaluated and guidelines should be provided.
Receptor/Gene-Mediated Pharmacodynamic Effects of Methylprednisolone on Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase Regulation in Rat Liver

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) is the rate-limiting enzyme for gluconeogenesis. To investigate underlying mechanisms of corticosteroid (CS) action in regulating glucose, temporal patterns of hepatic PEPCK gene expression, enzyme activity, and cAMP content were examined in adrenalectomized rats receiving acute and chronic methylprednisolone (MPL) treatments. After single MPL intravenous doses, PEPCK mRNA showed a fast increase, reaching a maximum at around 0.75 h, which was followed by an immediate decline to below baseline after 4 h, an apparent acute tolerance/rebound phenomenon. However, PEPCK enzyme showed continuous hyperactivity for over 72 h. This may be the result of generation of cAMP, an important inducer of PEPCK activity, which peaked at around 6 h. During 7-day subcutaneous infusion of MPL, PEPCK mRNA showed profiles consistent with single-dose results, whereas PEPCK activity increased to a comparable maximum followed by a slow decline. However, the extent of cAMP induction was markedly higher during infusion, which could be attributed to amplification of cAMP synthesis and/or a stabilizing effect of MPL on cAMP degradation. A pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model was developed based on receptor/gene mechanisms of CS action. It successfully described the dual effects of MPL on regulating PEPCK message and the post-transcriptional control by cAMP. Our results exemplify the importance of the extent and duration of steroid exposure in mediating pharmacological effects. The model provides quantitation of multiple controlling factors regulating PEPCK and presents insights into its function in glucose metabolism.
Preventable Hospitalization and Medicaid Managed Care: Does Race Matter?

This study examines the preventable hospitalization patterns of Medicaid patients by race/ethnicity to determine whether Medicaid managed care (MMC) has been more effective in some subgroups than others. It uses logistic models for three states, comparing preventable hospitalizations with marker admissions (urgent admissions, insensitive to primary care). Hospital discharge data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient database of the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality for New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin residents aged 20–64 years is used. In a more urban state, New York, MMC was effective for Whites but not for minorities. In a more rural state, Wisconsin, MMC was effective for minorities. Overall, the evidence is not strong that any particular racial group consistently benefited from MMC, or that any state consistently showed a favorable impact of MMC across racial groups. However, racial/ethnic disparity associated with the risk of preventable hospitalization is significantly lower among Medicaid patients than among private fee-for-service patients.