Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microbiologic and radiographic analysis of ligature-induced peri-implantitis with different dental implant surfaces.

PURPOSE The goal of this study was to evaluate microbiota and radiographic peri-implant bone loss associated with ligature-induced peri-implantitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty-six dental implants with 4 different surfaces (9 commercially pure titanium, 9 titanium plasma-sprayed, 9 hydroxyapatite, and 9 acid-etched) were placed in the edentulous mandibles of 6 dogs. After 3 months with optimal plaque control, abutment connection was performed. On days 0, 20, 40, and 60 after placement of cotton ligatures, both microbiologic samples and periapical radiographs were obtained. The presence of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia/nigrescens, Campylobacter spp, Capnocytophaga spp, Fusobacterium spp, beta-hemolytic Streptococcus, and Candida spp were evaluated culturally. RESULTS P intermedia/nigrescens was detected in 13.89% of implants at baseline and 100% of implants at other periods. P gingivalis was not detected at baseline, but after 20 and 40 days it was detected in 33.34% of implants and at 60 days it was detected in 29.03% of dental implants. Fusobacterium spp was detected in all periods. Streptococci were detected in 16.67% of implants at baseline and in 83.34%, 72.22%, and 77.42% of implants at 20, 40, and 60 days, respectively. Campylobacter spp and Candida spp were detected in low proportions. The total viable count analysis showed no significant differences among surfaces (P = .831), although a significant difference was observed after ligature placement (P < .0014). However, there was no significant qualitative difference, in spite of the difference among the periods. The peri-implant bone loss was not significantly different between all the dental implant surfaces (P = .908). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that with ligature-induced peri-implantitis, both time and periodontal pathogens affect all surfaces equally after 60 days.
Adriana and Luisa Castellucci Award lecture 2001. Hypoxia inducible factor-1: oxygen regulation of trophoblast differentiation in normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies--a review.

During early pregnancy, trophoblast differentiation occurs in an environment of relative low oxygen tension which is essential for normal embryonic and placental development. At around 10-12 weeks' gestation, when the intervillous space opens to maternal blood, there is an increase in Po(2). This increase correlates with the time of maximal trophoblast invasion into the maternal decidua, which allows extravillous trophoblast cells to access and remodel the maternal spiral arteries. Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1(HIF-1) is a transcription factor which activates gene transcription in response to varying oxygen concentration of cells. HIF-1 is a heterodimer composed of the inducible HIF-1alpha and the constitutively expressed HIF-1beta/ARNT subunits. Using villous explants, we have demonstrated that the oxygen-regulated events of early trophoblast differentiation are in part mediated by TGFbeta(3), an inhibitor of trophoblast differentiation, via HIF-1alpha. Pre-eclampsia is a disease of pregnancy that is characterized by shallow trophoblast invasion. Recently, we have reported that TGFbeta(3) is over-expressed in pre-eclamptic pregnancy and that its down-regulation restores invasive capability to trophoblast cells. Because TGFbeta(3) is downstream of HIF-1alpha, in the present study we investigated the expression of HIF-1alpha in pre-eclamptic placentae and age-matched controls using in situ hybridization and histochemical analyses. We found that HIF-1alpha mRNA and protein expression are abnormally elevated in pre-eclamptic placental tissue when compared to normal placental tissue. We conclude that pre-eclampsia may result from a developmental failure of oxygen to increase or of trophoblast cells to respond and/or sense an increase in oxygen. This will prevent the normal TGFbeta3 down-regulation and will lead to poor trophoblast invasion predisposing the pregnancy to pre-eclampsia.
Marked regression of liver metastasis by combined therapy of ultrasound‐mediated NFkB‐decoy transfer and transportal injection of paclitaxel, in mouse

Nuclear factor‐kappaB (NFkB) plays a pivotal role in cancer progression. In this study, we developed a decoy cis‐element oligo‐deoxyribonucleic acid against NFkB‐binding site (NFkB‐decoy), which effectively inhibits NFkB activity, and tested the effect of combined therapy comprising local transfection of NFkB‐decoy into the liver and transportal injection of paclitaxel on cancer growth and metastasis using an orthotopic murine model of colon cancer liver metastasis. For NFkB‐decoy transfection, we employed a novel approach using ultrasound exposure with an echocardiographic contrast agent, Optison. We examined the influence of NFkB‐decoy transfer on susceptibility to paclitaxel in cancer cells and the mechanism involved using several in vitro analysis systems. We then studied the in vivo effect of combined NFkB‐decoy transfer and paclitaxel in preventing cancer progression using a murine model of liver metastasis created by splenic injection of a human colon cancer cell line, HT29. In vitro experiments, including MTT‐assay, fluorescence‐activated cell sorter and cDNA array analysis, revealed that NFkB‐decoy transfer significantly increased the susceptibility of cancer cells to paclitaxel, and that decreased expression of anti‐apoptotic genes along with increased expression of genes relevant to the apoptosis‐promotor may be involved. In vivo experiments showed that local transfection of NFkB‐decoy into the liver followed by portal injection of paclitaxel effectively induced cancer cell apoptosis in the liver metastasis, and significantly prolonged animal survival compared to controls, without notable side effects. In conclusion, a combination of local NFkB‐decoy transfer into the liver and transportal injection of paclitaxel may be a safe and effective new therapy for liver metastasis. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Assessing Organizational Culture: A Planning Strategy

Three semi-urban hospitals in Oregon were surueyed to assess the strength of various organization and work unit ideologies and the extent of cultural homogeneity. Occupational cultures. were consonant with the larger organization in two hospitals, but the third showed dissonance. mis affected management strategies for conflict resolution, staff development and organizational change.
Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Open the Pandora’s Box in Severe Malaria

Malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes and kills 2,000 humans in sub-Saharan Africa each day (1). Most of the victims are children younger than 5 years of age. Out of the five plasmodium species causing malaria, Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for most of the severe and fatal infections (2). Upon feeding, the female Anopheles mosquito inoculates sporozoites that seek out the hosts’ liver within minutes. After a first replication cycle in hepatocytes for 5–8 days, rupture releases the parasite into circulation where erythrocytes are infected. During the second replication cycle plasmodium consumes the contents and energy reserves of the erythrocytes, changes the membrane to enable adherence to the vessel walls (3), and produces waste, including crystalline urate (MSU) and hemozoin (4). After 24, 48, or 72 h, depending on the species, the infected erythrocytes synchronously burst and release their content into the circulation and cause first clinical symptoms (Figure 1). The key pathogenic processes that cause severe malaria include rapid increase of infected erythrocytes, destruction of both infected and uninfected erythrocytes, acute inflammation, and microvascular obstruction. The final outcome is a reduced tissue perfusion that leads to downstream events compromising the cellular metabolism (5). We hypothesize that intravascular formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) contributes to the vasculopathy, driving severe malaria. NETs are web-like structures of highly modified chromatin and antimicrobial peptides released by activated neutrophils (6). In this article, we discuss the evidence supporting the role of NET formation in the pathogenesis of malaria and propose potential therapeutic interventions.
Structure of Hjc, a Holliday junction resolvase, from Sulfolobus solfataricus

The 2.15-Å structure of Hjc, a Holliday junction-resolving enzyme from the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus, reveals extensive structural homology with a superfamily of nucleases that includes type II restriction enzymes. Hjc is a dimer with a large DNA-binding surface consisting of numerous basic residues surrounding the metal-binding residues of the active sites. Residues critical for catalysis, identified on the basis of sequence comparisons and site-directed mutagenesis studies, are clustered to produce two active sites in the dimer, about 29 Å apart, consistent with the requirement for the introduction of paired nicks in opposing strands of the four-way DNA junction substrate. Hjc displays similarity to the restriction endonucleases in the way its specific DNA-cutting pattern is determined but uses a different arrangement of nuclease subunits. Further structural similarity to a broad group of metal/phosphate-binding proteins, including conservation of active-site location, is observed. A high degree of conservation of surface electrostatic character is observed between Hjc and T4-phage endonuclease VII despite a complete lack of structural homology. A model of the Hjc–Holliday junction complex is proposed, based on the available functional and structural data.
Follicular Deviation and Acquisition of Ovulatory Capacity in Bovine Follicles1

Abstract Selection of dominant follicles in cattle is associated with a deviation in growth rate between the dominant and largest subordinate follicle of a wave (diameter deviation). To determine whether acquisition of ovulatory capacity is temporally associated with diameter deviation, cows were challenged with purified LH at known times after a GnRH-induced LH surge (experiment 1) or at known follicular diameters (experiments 2 and 3). A 4-mg dose of LH induced ovulation in all cows when the largest follicle was ≥12 mm (16 of 16), in 17% (1 of 6) when it was 11 mm, and no ovulation when it was ≤10 mm (0 of 19). To determine the effect of LH dose on ovulatory capacity, follicular dynamics were monitored every 12 h, and cows received either 4 or 24 mg of LH when the largest follicle first achieved 10 mm in diameter (experiment 2). The proportion of cows ovulating was greater (P < 0.05) for the 24-mg (9 of 13; 69.2%) compared with the 4-mg (1 of 13; 7.7%) LH dose. To determine the effect of a higher LH dose on follicles near diameter deviation, follicular dynamics were monitored every 8 h, and cows received 40 mg of LH when the largest follicle first achieved 7.0, 8.5, or 10.0 mm (experiment 3). No cows with a follicle of 7 mm (0 of 9) or 8.5 mm (0 of 9) ovulated, compared with 80% (8 of 10) of cows with 10-mm follicles. Thus, follicles acquired ovulatory capacity at about 10 mm, corresponding to about 1 day after the start of follicular deviation, but they required a greater LH dose to induce ovulation compared with larger follicles. We speculate that acquisition of ovulatory capacity may involve an increased expression of LH receptors on granulosa cells of the dominant follicle and that this change may also be important for further growth of the dominant follicle.
Lube Depletion Caused by Thermal-Desorption in Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording

Heat assisted magnetic recording is a promising technique to overcome the superparamagnetic limit. However, it brings about serious problems to the slider-disk interface. One of the problems is lube depletion on disk surface caused by laser heating. In this work, the process of lube depletion caused by lube desorption during laser heating is explained. The effects of lube molecular weight, laser heating temperature, slider air-bearing pressure, etc. on the lube depletion are studied. It is found that lube thinning rate at disk surface decreases dramatically with the increase in lube molecular weight. It is a possible solution to overcome the lube depletion problem by using high molecular weight lube. Lube thinning rate can also be decreased significantly by lowering laser heating temperature, lowering slider air-bearing pressure over the laser heating area, and lowering lube vapor pressure.
The Measurement of Lumbar Proprioception in Individuals With and Without Low Back Pain

Study Design. A clinical trial comparing a back pain group with a pain‐free group. Objectives. To investigate whether proprioceptive deficits existed in a group of individuals reporting low back pain. Summary of Background Data. Little work has so far been conducted on the measurement of proprioception in the spine. Those studies that have been carried out, however, have failed to identify proprioceptive deficits in individuals with back pain. Previous work on peripheral joints has revealed that proprioception is affected with muscular or joint injury or degeneration. Methods. Forty individuals took part in the study, 20 with back pain and 20 with no pain. Participants were required to reproduce a predetermined target position, in standing and four‐point kneeling, 10 times in 30 seconds. A computer screen was used to provide visual feedback on position. A mean deviation from the target position was obtained for each individual. A measurement of left elbow position sense was conducted in five individuals from each group to establish differences in short‐term motor memory between the groups. Results. There were no differences between the subject groups in terms of short‐term motor memory (P > 0.05). A two‐way analysis of variance between subject groups and position to identify differences in accuracy (deviation from the target) found that there were differences between subject groups in either position (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in accuracy between the positions used (P > 0.05). Conclusions. Differences in proprioception do exist between individuals with back pain and those free from back pain. Further research needs to be undertaken on proprioceptive exercise programs and their effect on back pain.
Compact Single-/Dual-Wideband BPF Using Stubs Loaded SIR (SsLSIR)

This letter presents a new stubs loaded stepped impedance resonator (SsLSIR) to design single-/dual-wideband bandpass filter (BPF). The proposed SsLSIR exhibits multiple tunable transmission zeros (TZs) and transmission poles (TPs), which can be arranged to build up single/dual-wideband BPF. The proposed single-band BPF has a central frequency of 1.91 GHz with -3 dB fractional bandwidth (FBW) of 52.4% and the dual-band BPF has a central frequency of 1.92/5.44 GHz with -3 dB FBW of 66.7%/28.3%. The higher-order spurious frequencies of the single-band BPF are tuned and canceled by the TZs, resulting in a wide stopband with -20 dB spurious suppression from 2.19 to 9.19 GHz. The TZs between two passbands of the dual-band BPF provide a wideband and high band-to-band isolation. Two filters have the merits of low insertion loss, simple physical topology and compact size.
Outcome After Implantation of a Cardioverter-Defibrillator in Patients With Brugada Syndrome: A Multicenter Study

Background— Brugada syndrome is an arrhythmogenic disease characterized by an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) by ventricular fibrillation. At present, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is the recommended therapy in high-risk patients. This multicenter study reports the outcome of a large series of patients implanted with an ICD for Brugada syndrome. Methods and Results— All patients (n=220, 46±12 years, 183 male) with a type 1 Brugada ECG pattern implanted with an ICD in 14 centers between 1993 and 2005 were investigated. ICD indication was based on resuscitated SCD (18 patients, 8%), syncope (88 patients, 40%), or positive electrophysiological study in asymptomatic patients (99 patients, 45%). The remaining 15 patients received an ICD because of a family history of SCD or nonsustained ventricular arrhythmia. During a mean follow-up of 38±27 months, no patient died and 18 patients (8%) had appropriate device therapy (10±15 shocks/patient, 26±33 months after implantation). The complication rate was 28%, including inappropriate shocks, which occurred in 45 patients (20%, 4±3 shocks/patient, 21±20 months after implantation). The reasons for inappropriate therapy were lead failure (19 patients), T-wave oversensing (10 patients), sinus tachycardia (10 patients), and supraventricular tachycardia (9 patients). Among implantation parameters, high defibrillation threshold, high pacing threshold, and low R-wave amplitude occurred, respectively, in 12%, 27%, and 15% of cases. Conclusion— In this large Brugada syndrome population, a low incidence of arrhythmic events was found, with an annual event rate of 2.6% during a follow-up of >3 years, in addition to a significant risk of device-related complications (8.9%/year). Inappropriate shocks were 2.5 times more frequent than appropriate ones.
Scénarios de risque sismique pour la région urbaine de Genève

Le bassin genevois en bordure des Alpes est une zone a faible sismicite ou le risque sismique a generalement ete considere comme inexistant; pourtant, comme notre recherche le demontre, ce risque ne doit pas etre neglige. Afin de connaitre les dommages et victimes que pourrait generer un seisme dans la region urbaine de Geneve, nous avons concentre notre analyse sur les communes de Geneve-Ville, Lancy et Carouge. Le risque sismique est defini comme le produit de la probabilite d’occurrence d’un alea sismique d’une magnitude donnee dans une region determinee, et de la vulnerabilite des enjeux en tenant compte de leur degre d’exposition.
Production of Hypertension in the Rat by Substituting Hypertonic Sodium Chloride Solutions for Drinking Water.∗

Summary and Conclusions (1) In 3 experiments, systolic blood pressure measurements were made on 27 control rats and on 31 animals watered with hypertonic sodium chloride solutions for a period of 6 weeks. (2)The animals watered with hypertonic saline solutions developed an arterial hypertension after a latent period of one to 4 weeks. At autopsy this was found! to be associated with an hypertrophy of the heart and kidneys relative to body weight. (3)Some possible mechanisms for the development of this hypertension are discussed. (4)The substitution of hypertonic sodium chloride solutions for the drinking water affords a simple, inexpensive, and dependable method for the production of arterial hypertension in the rat.
Progress and outlook for MRAM technology

We summarize the features of existing semiconductor memories and compare them to Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (MRAM),a semiconductor memory with magnetic bits for nonvolatile storage. MRAM architectures based on Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR) and Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) cells are described. This paper will discuss our progress on improving the material structures, memory bits, thermal stability of the bits, and competitive architectures for GMR and MTJ based MRAM memories as well as the potential of these memories in the commercial memory market.
Identification of the trans-acting Rep proteins of adeno-associated virus by antibodies to a synthetic oligopeptide

Prior genetic analysis provided evidence for trans-acting regulatory proteins (Rep) coded by the left-hand open reading frame (orf-1) of adeno-associated virus (AAV). We have used immunoblotting analysis to identify four protein products of orf-1. Antibodies elicited against an oligopeptide encoded by orf-1 were reacted with extracts of cells that were infected with AAV or transfected with AAV recombinant vectors in the presence or absence of helper adenovirus. The antibody recognized four polypeptides with apparent molecular weights of 78,000, 68,000, 52,000, and 40,000. The 78,000-dalton (78K) (Rep78) and 68K (Rep68) proteins appear to be encoded by the unspliced 4.2-kilobase (kb) and spliced 3.9-kb mRNAs, respectively, transcribed from the p5 promoter. The 52K (Rep52) and 40K (Rep40) proteins appear to be the products of the unspliced 3.6-kb and the spliced 3.3-kb mRNAs, respectively, transcribed from the p19 promoter. Rigorous identification of Rep68 as an AAV-coded protein is compromised by a cross-reacting cellular protein of similar size. All four proteins were expressed in the human cell lines 293, HeLa, HT29, and A549 infected with AAV together with adenovirus. Rep78 and Rep52 were detected at lower levels in cells infected with AAV at high multiplicity in the absence of adenovirus. Human 293 cells transfected with a recombinant AAV vector (pAV2) also expressed Rep proteins in the presence or absence of adenovirus. Mutations introduced into the Rep region of pAV2 further identified the Rep proteins. The amount of each Rep protein varied between nuclear and cytoplasmic extracts, but all four proteins accumulated during the lytic cycle of the viral infection. Other studies have indicated that the Rep proteins have independent trans-acting functions in viral DNA replication and negative and positive regulation of gene expression. Correlation of each trans-acting function with individual Rep proteins will be facilitated with the antibodies described herein.