Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microtensile bond strength and interfacial characterization of 11 contemporary adhesives bonded to bur-cut dentin.

OBJECTIVES This study evaluated mechanically and ultra-morphologically 11 different adhesive systems bonded to dentin. METHODS The microtensile bond strength (microTBS) of 11 contemporary adhesives, including two three-step etch&rinse, three two-step etch&rinse, two two-step self-etch and four one-step self-etch adhesives to dentin, were measured. The resultant interfacial ultra-structure at dentin was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Human third molars had their superficial dentin surface exposed, after which a standardized smear layer was produced using a medium-grit diamond bur. The selected adhesives were applied according to their respective manufacturer's instructions for microTBS measurement after storage in water at 37 degrees C for 24 hours or for TEM interfacial characterization. RESULTS The microTBS varied from 11.1 to 63.6 MPa; the highest bond strengths were obtained with the three-step etch&rinse adhesives and the lowest with one-step self-etch adhesives. TEM evaluation showed very different interaction patterns, especially for the self-etch adhesives. "Mild" self-etch adhesives demineralized the dentin surface sufficiently to provide micro-mechanical retention, while preserving hydroxyapatite within the hybrid layer to enable additional chemical interaction. CONCLUSIONS When bonded to dentin, the adhesives with simplified application procedures (in particular, one-step self-etch adhesives) still underperform as compared to conventional three-step adhesives. "Mild" two-step self-etch adhesives that provide additional chemical bonding appear to most optimally combine bonding effectiveness with a simplified application protocol.
Lossless description of 3D range models

The improvements in scanning technologies lead obtaining and managing range image databases. Hence, need of describing and indexing this type of data arises. Since a range model owns different properties compared to complete 3D models, we propose a method that relies on Spherical Harmonics Transform (SHT) for retrieving similar models where the query and the database both consist of only range models. Although SHT, is not a new concept in shape retrieval research, we propose to utilize it for range images by representing the models in a world seen from the camera. The difference and advantage of our algorithm is being information lossless. That is the available shape information is completely included in obtaining the descriptor whereas other mesh retrieval applications utilizing SHT "approximates" the shape that leads information loss. The descriptor is invariant to scale and rotations about z-axis. Proposed method is tested on a large database having high diversity. Performance of the proposed method is superior to the performance of the D2 distribution.
MIF, a controversial cytokine: a review of structural features, challenges, and opportunities for drug development

ABSTRACT Introduction: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) has emerged as a promising drug target in diseases including sepsis, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer. MIF has multiple properties that favor development of specific, targeted therapies: it is expressed broadly among human cells, has noted roles in diverse inflammatory and oncological processes, and has intrinsic enzymatic activity amenable to high-throughput screening. Despite these advantages, anti-MIF therapy remains well behind other cytokine-targeted therapeutics, with no small molecules in the pipeline for clinical development and anti-MIF antibodies only recently beginning clinical trials. Areas covered: In this review we summarize current literature regarding MIF structure and function–including challenges and controversies that have arisen in studies of anti-MIF therapeutics–and propose a strategy for development of clinically relevant anti-MIF drugs. Expert opinion: We believe that the field of anti-MIF therapeutics would benefit from capitalizing on the protein’s multiple assets while acknowledging their flaws. The tautomerase enzymatic site of MIF may not be active biologically, but can nonetheless offer a high-throughput method to highlight molecules of interest that can affect its other, frequently intertwined bioactivities. Future work should also focus on developing more robust assays for MIF bioactivity that can be used for second-pass screening and specificity studies.
Emotional Facial Expressions Modulate Pain-Induced Beta and Gamma Oscillations in Sensorimotor Cortex

Painful events in our environment are often accompanied by stimuli from other sensory modalities. These stimuli may influence the perception and processing of acute pain, in particular when they comprise emotional cues, like facial expressions of people surrounding us. In this whole-head magnetoencephalography (MEG) study, we examined the neuronal mechanisms underlying the influence of emotional (fearful, angry, or happy) compared to neutral facial expressions on the processing of pain in humans. Independent of their valence, subjective pain ratings for intracutaneous inputs were higher when pain stimuli were presented together with emotional facial expressions than when they were presented with a neutral facial expression. Source reconstruction using linear beamforming revealed pain-induced early (70–270 ms) oscillatory beta-band activity (BBA; 15–25 Hz) and gamma-band activity (GBA; 60–80 Hz) in the sensorimotor cortex. The presentation of faces with emotional expressions compared to faces with neutral expressions led to a stronger bilateral suppression of the pain-induced BBA, possibly reflecting enhanced response readiness of the sensorimotor system. Moreover, pain-induced GBA in the sensorimotor cortex was larger for faces expressing fear than for faces expressing anger, which might reflect the facilitation of avoidance-motivated behavior triggered by the concurrent presentation of faces with fearful expressions and painful stimuli. Thus, the presence of emotional cues, like facial expressions from people surrounding us, while receiving acute pain may facilitate neuronal processes involved in the preparation and execution of adequate protective motor responses.
The SLCO1B1 rs4149032 Polymorphism Is Highly Prevalent in South Africans and Is Associated with Reduced Rifampin Concentrations: Dosing Implications

ABSTRACT Among patients with tuberculosis, rifampin plasma concentrations and sputum conversion rates have been reported to be lower in Africans. Rifampin is a substrate of P-glycoprotein (coded for by the ABCB1 gene) and organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1B1 (coded for by SLCO1B1). The objectives were to identify genetic polymorphisms of drug transporters and the transcriptional regulators pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) with an impact on rifampin pharmacokinetics in South Africans. Fifty-seven patients with tuberculosis from Cape Town underwent pharmacokinetic sampling during treatment with rifampin, pyrazinamide, isoniazid, and ethambutol. DNA was genotyped for ABCB1, SLCO1B1, PXR, and CAR polymorphisms by using real-time PCR. NONMEM was used for data analysis. The allele frequency of the SLCO1B1 rs4149032 polymorphism was 0.70. Patients heterozygous and homozygous for this polymorphism had reductions in the bioavailability (and, thus, the area under the curve [AUC]) of rifampin of 18% and 28%, respectively. Simulations showed that increasing the daily rifampin dose by 150 mg in patients with the polymorphism would result in plasma concentrations similar to those of wild-type individuals and reduce the percentage of patients with peak plasma concentrations (Cmax) below 8 mg/liter from 63% to 31%. ABCB1, PXR, and CAR polymorphisms were not associated with differences in rifampin pharmacokinetics. SLCO1B1 rs4149032 was present in most patients and was associated with substantially reduced rifampin exposure. These data suggest that the standard recommended dose of rifampin should be reconsidered for South Africans.
Electrical activity of vertebrate photoreceptors

It has been known since the time of Schultze (1866) that in the vertebrate retina there are two types of photoreceptors, rods and cones, and that they serve different visual functions; rods for scotopic vision, and cones for photopic. The terminology originates from the shape of the outer segments in which the photosensitive pigment molecules are contained. The cone outer segments are conic and taper towards the tips, while the rod outer segments are typically cylindrical. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram from Brown, Gibbons & Wald (1963) of the ultrastructure of the rod and cone outer segments of the mudpuppy, Necturus, as studied by electron microscopy. Both appear to be made up of a pile of transverse paired membranes. In cones these arise by infolding of the plasma membrane, and in rods they have probably arisen in a similar way, but each pair of membranes is sealed around the edge so as to form a closed double-membrane disc (Sjöstrand, 1961). Because of the universal lamellation within the rod and cone outer segments, it looks as if there were no appreciable intracellular space, but yet Toyoda, Nosaki & Tomita (1969), and Toyoda et al. (1970) were successful in intracellular recording from the outer segments of single rods of the nocturnal gecko and frog.
EnhancedDesk: integrating paper documents and digital documents

Digital media such as World Wide Web or CD-ROMs enable us to publish and transfer computer graphics, digital images, or audio data in ways that were not available for paper media. Yet, paper still has many advantages. It is easier to carry, strong enough to survive dropping or bending, and it offers highest resolution for printed text and images. We have developed an augmented desk top interface, EnhancedDesk, which utilizes computer vision technology. EnhancedDesk smoothly links paper documents and digital documents. EnhancedDesk users can manipulate digital information projected onto the desk manually. Applications that show the effectiveness of EnhancedDesk are given.
Three Questions by John of Wesel on Obligationes and Insolubilia

The manuscript Venice, Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, Class XI n. 12, Zanetti Latini 301 (= 1576), contains on fols. 1r–24v a seemingly unique copy of a series of fifteen logical questions, ten on obligationes and the remaining five on insolubilia. The series on obligationes is untitled and unattributed in the manuscript, but the questions on insolubilia begin (fol. 1811) “Incipiunt quaestiones super insolubilibus,” and are attributed at the end to a certain John of Wesel (fol. 2441): “Ergo expletae sunt quaestiones insolubilium a Johanne de Vesalia Parixius disputatae. Deo gratias. Amen. ” Despite the first series’ lack of attribution, the two sets of questions seem to belong together. For in q. 3 on insolubilia, John discusses a view that amounts to saying that a term occurring as part of a proposition cannot supposit for the whole proposition of which it is a part. Such a denial of self-reference, he says, is to be rejected “secundum quod prius fuit visum” (fol. 2120). This appears to be a reference back to q. 2 on obligationes, which discusses self-reference at length. It is probably safe to say, therefore, that the two sets of questions form a pair, and that both are by John of Wesel.
Underexposure of Seniors to Heart Failure Drug Therapy.

BACKGROUND Little is known about exposure to heart failure (HF) treatment among seniors with ischemic heart disease. OBJECTIVES In a population of seniors, we: 1) estimated the association between age and exposure to HF drug therapy at 6, 12, 36 and 60 month intervals after HF diagnosis, and 2) determined the influence of the passage of time on exposure to drug therapy. METHODS Using the Quebec provincial administrative databases, we conducted a population-based inception cohort study that included all individuals aged ≥ 65 with a first HF diagnosis between 2000 and 2009 and an ischemic heart disease diagnosis in the year before HF diagnosis. We assessed exposure to HF drug therapy and to drug therapy at target doses at 6, 12, 36 and 60 month intervals after HF diagnosis. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) between age at diagnosis and exposure to drug therapy and the influence of time (6-month periods) were assessed using multivariate modified Poisson regressions. RESULTS Among the 86,428 seniors, those who were older were less likely to be exposed to both HF drug therapy and drug therapy at target doses at each time point, than were the younger ones (aged 65-69). The aPRs for exposure to drug therapy for the 90+ age group were 0.64, 0.64, 0.56 and 0.53 at the 6, 12, 36 and 60 month intervals, respectively. After HF diagnosis, exposure increased by a maximum of 8% per 6-month period. CONCLUSION Increasing age is associated with a decrease in exposure to drug therapy, with only slight improvement in exposure after HF diagnosis.
Simplified forced convergence decoding algorithm for low power LDPC decoders

This paper proposes a simplified forced-convergence (SFC) algorithm to reduce the computational complexity for low-density parity-check (LDPC) decoding. To reduce the computational complexity, the proposed algorithm uses the modified check node (CN) operation that does not use a condition for deactivating CNs. Therefore, the proposed SFC algorithm uses only one threshold value while the existing forced-convergence (FC) algorithm uses two threshold values. The simulation results show that SFC achieves a bit error rate (BER) performance close to min-sum (MS) algorithm. SFC can reduce the computational complexity of check node by approximately 22.21% compared to FC.
The Pathophysiology of Mitochondrial Cell Death

In the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis, caspase activation is closely linked to mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP). Numerous pro-apoptotic signal-transducing molecules and pathological stimuli converge on mitochondria to induce MOMP. The local regulation and execution of MOMP involve proteins from the Bcl-2 family, mitochondrial lipids, proteins that regulate bioenergetic metabolite flux, and putative components of the permeability transition pore. MOMP is lethal because it results in the release of caspase-activating molecules and caspase-independent death effectors, metabolic failure in the mitochondria, or both. Drugs designed to suppress excessive MOMP may avoid pathological cell death, and the therapeutic induction of MOMP may restore apoptosis in cancer cells in which it is disabled. The general rules governing the pathophysiology of MOMP and controversial issues regarding its regulation are discussed.
DESENVOLVIMENTO DE UM DISPOSITIVO PARA A PREVENÇÃO DE ÚLCERA POR PRESSÃO EM CADEIRANTES

Ulceras por pressao ocorrem como consequencia de uma obstrucao de um vaso sanguineo, devido a compressao do tecido sob a pele durante um longo periodo de tempo. Os individuos que usam cadeira de rodas ou estao imobilizadas na cama, e tambem as pessoas idosas com problemas de saude tem uma grande tendencia a desenvolver ulcera de pressao. O objetivo dessa pesquisa e desenvolver um assento eletromecânico que realize conjuntamente a inclinacao latero-lateral e ântero-posterior adaptavel em uma cadeira de rodas, e produza a alteracao tanto da magnitude quanto da duracao da pressao de interface. O assento em questao possui um sistema eletromecânico, que permite a movimentacao do dispositivo em dois planos, sendo um frontal e outro lateral, acionados por motores DC, possibilitando assim avaliar a mudanca de pressao de interface, e consequentemente podendo avaliar a evolucao da patologia, em funcao da variacao de pressao em tempos determinados. O equipamento desenvolvido suportou com facilidade uma pessoa adulta com aproximadamente 80 Kg de massa na realizacao dos testes. Para possibilitar a coleta da pressao de interface, foi usado um equipamento sensorizado e controlado por um software para medir a pressao de interface entre superficies de contato. A aquisicao e o armazenamento dos ângulos de inclinacao do assento movel da cadeira foram realizados atraves do microcontrolador, programado em linguagem C. Para isso foi concebido um software para movimentar o dispositivo tanto atraves de um Joystick, como para posicionar o assento movel em diferentes posicoes e intervalos de tempo diferentes. Resultados das medidas mostram uma reducao da pressao media de interface em ate 58%. O equipamento, portanto, possibilitara futuras investigacoes no desenvolvimento das ulceras de pressao em cadeirantes, analisando tanto a alteracao da magnitude quanto a duracao da pressao de interface.
Bystander effect induced by counted high‐LET particles in confluent human fibroblasts: a mechanistic study

The possible mechanism of a radiation‐induced bystander response was investigated by using a high‐LET heavy particle microbeam, which allows selected cells to be individually hit with precise numbered particles. Even when only a single cell within the confluent culture was hit by one particle of 40Ar (∼1260 keV/µm) or 20Ne (∼380 keV/µ m), a 1.4‐fold increase of micronuclei (MN) was detected demonstrating a bystander response. When the number of targeted cells increased, the number of MN biphasically increased; however, the efficiency of MN induction per targeted cell markedly decreased. When 49 cells in the culture were individually hit by 1 to 4 particles, the production of MN in the irradiated cultures were ∼2‐fold higher than control levels but independent of the number and LET of the particles. MN induction in the irradiated‐culture was partly reduced by treatment with DMSO, a scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and was almost fully suppressed by the mixture of DMSO and PMA, an inhibitor of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC). Accordingly, both ROS and GJIC contribute to the above‐mentioned bystander response and GJIC may play an essential role by mediating the release of soluble biochemical factors from targeted cells. —Shao, C. , Furusawa, Y. , Kobayashi, Y. , Funayama, T. , Wada, S. Bystander effect induced by counted high‐LET particles in confluent human fibroblasts: a mechanistic study. FASEB J. 17, 1422–1427 (2003)
A Putative Role for RHAMM/HMMR as a Negative Marker of Stem Cell‐Containing Population of Human Limbal Epithelial Cells

The corneal epithelium is maintained by stem cells located at the periphery of the cornea in a region known as the limbus. Depletion of limbal stem cells (LSCs) results in limbal stem cell deficiency. Treatments for this disease are based on limbal replacement or transplantation of ex vivo expanded LSCs. It is, therefore, crucial to identify cell surface markers for LSCs that can be used for their enrichment and characterization. Aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) are enzymes which protect cells from the toxic effects of peroxidic aldehydes. In this manuscript, we show for the first time that ALDH1 is absent from the basal cells of the limbal and corneal epithelium. We separated limbal epithelial cells on the basis of ALDH activity and showed that ALDHdim cells expressed significantly higher levels of ΔNp63 and ABCG2 as well as having a greater colony forming efficiency (CFE) when compared to ALDHbright cells. Large scale transcriptional analysis of these two populations led to identification of a new cell surface marker, RHAMM/HMMR, which is located in all layers of corneal epithelium and in the suprabasal layers of the limbal epithelium but is completely absent from the basal layer of the limbus. Our studies indicate that absence of RHAMM/HMMR expression is correlated with properties associated with LSCs. RHAMM/HMMR‐ limbal epithelial cells are smaller in size, express negligible CK3, have higher levels of ΔNp63 and have a higher CFE compared to RHAMM/HMMR+ cells. Taken together these results suggest a putative role for RHAMM/ HMMR as a negative marker of stem cell containing limbal epithelial cells. Cell selection based on Hoechst exclusion and lack of cell surface RHAMM/HMMR expression resulted in increased colony forming efficiency compared to negative selection using RHAMM/HMMR alone or positive selection using Hoechst on its own. Combination of these two cell selection methods presents a novel method for LSC enrichment and characterization.
Examining the Relationships Between Religiosity, Spirituality, Internalized Homonegativity, and Condom Use Among African American Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Deep South

The Sexual Health in Faith Traditions Study evaluated the relationships between religiosity, spirituality, internalized homonegativity, and sexual risk behaviors among a sample of African American men who have sex with men living in the Deep South. Participants were recruited primarily from Black Gay Pride celebrations to complete a self-administered, paper-and-pencil survey. Structural equation modeling was used to determine relationships between key constructs and condom use for insertive (n = 285) and receptive (n = 263) anal intercourse in the past 3 months. Almost half of respondents reported using condoms “every time” when engaging in insertive (48.3%) or receptive (45.1%) anal intercourse. Religiosity and spirituality were differentially associated with dimensions of internalized homonegativity. While no significant direct relationships were reported between either religiosity or spirituality and condom use, dimensions of internalized homonegativity mediated significant indirect relationships. Findings suggest that religiosity and spirituality influence African American men who have sex with men’s internalized homonegativity and, subsequently, engagement in safer sex behaviors.
Rickettsia helvetica in Dermacentor reticulatus Ticks

We report on the molecular evidence that Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in Croatia are infected with Rickettsia helvetica (10%) or Rickettsia slovaca (2%) or co-infected with both species (1%). These findings expand the knowledge of the geographic distribution of R. helvetica and D. reticulatus ticks.
MODELAGEM MATEMÁTICA DA CINÉTICA DE GERAÇÃO DE CORRENTE ELÉTRICA DE UMA CÉLULA COMBUSTÍVEL MICROBIANA INOCULADA COM SEDIMENTO MARINHO

RESUMO – O objetivo do presente trabalho foi modelar matematicamente a cinetica de geracao de corrente eletrica em uma celula combustivel microbiana (CCM) inoculada com sedimento marinho. O modelo utilizado inclui a relacao de Nernst-Monod para descrever o metabolismo microbiano e a Lei de Ohm para descrever o mecanismo de transferencia eletronica extracelular (TEE). Os dados experimentais foram obtidos em uma CCM de duas câmaras atraves de analises voltametria ciclica. Constatou-se que os microrganismos desenvolviam-se preferencialmente aderidos a superficie dos eletrodos e utilizavam um mecanismo de TEE predominantemente condutivo. O modelo foi capaz de descrever adequadamente aos dados experimentais e forneceu uma estimativa para condutividade eletrica do biofilme, na ordem de 10 -3 mS m -1 . Este valor e inferior aqueles reportados para culturas microbianas puras, podendo estar associado a baixa densidade de nanofios e/ou a presenca de micro-organismos nao exoeletrogenicos no biofilme.