Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genotoxic Effects of Silver Amalgam and Composite Restorations: Micronuclei-Based Cohort and Case–Control Study in Oral Exfoliated Cells

Context: A huge number of people carry dental fillings which contain either mercury-based amalgam and/or the recently introduced methacrylate-based resins. It has been shown that both these materials are known to be leached into the oral cavity and induce genotoxic alterations in the buccal mucosal cells. Because of its low cost and ease of manipulation, dental amalgam is still widely used as a restorative material in developing countries. The health risks associated with the components of this restorative material has always been a matter of concern. The present study was designed to assess the frequency of micronuclei (MN) in oral mucosal cells as it is a promising tool for studying the genotoxic effect of clastogenic agents on them. Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate the genotoxic effects of silver amalgam and composite restorations by measuring the mean number of MN in oral exfoliated cells. Materials and Methods: The present study was a prospective cohort study which includes a study group consisting of 110 participants. The study sample was equally divided into 55 participants requiring only amalgam restoration and 55 participants requiring only composite restoration in any permanent molar teeth. The same participants before the restoration formed the control group. Smears were obtained from each patient before and 10 days after restoration and were stained with DNA-specific Feulgen stain. The number of cells containing MN out of 500 cells were counted and recorded. After the evaluation of the slides, the results were compiled and subjected to statistical analysis. Results: There was a statistically significant (P < 0.01) variation in the mean number of MN after the restoration in both amalgam (5.41 ± 1.25) and composite (2.83 ± 0.85) restorations when compared to before the restoration. However, the mean number of MN in composite restoration was significantly less when compared to amalgam restoration. There was also a statistically significant difference in the mean number of MN in subjects with single restoration when compared with multiple restorations in both amalgam and composite restorations. Conclusions: The observations from the present study showed the genotoxic effect of amalgam and composite restorations on the oral cavity. However, composite restorations were least cytotoxic when compared to amalgam restoration. Future research and technical advancements are needed for developing safer materials for use in humans.
Two attacks on rank metric code-based schemes: RankSign and an Identity-Based-Encryption scheme

RankSign [GRSZ14a] is a code-based signature scheme proposed to the NIST competition for quantum-safe cryptography [AGHRZ17] and, moreover, is a fundamental building block of a new Identity-Based-Encryption (IBE) [GHPT17a]. This signature scheme is based on the rank metric and enjoys remarkably small key sizes, about 10KBytes for an intended level of security of 128 bits. Unfortunately we will show that all the parameters proposed for this scheme in [AGHRZ17] can be broken by an algebraic attack that exploits the fact that the augmented LRPC codes used in this scheme have very low weight codewords. Therefore, without RankSign the IBE cannot be instantiated at this time. As a second contribution we will show that the problem is deeper than finding a new signature in rank-based cryptography, we also found an attack on the generic problem upon which its security reduction relies. However, contrarily to the RankSign scheme, it seems that the parameters of the IBE scheme could be chosen in order to avoid our attack. Finally, we have also shown that if one replaces the rank metric in the [GHPT17a] IBE scheme by the Hamming metric, then a devastating attack can be found.
Beyond structural test, the rising need for system-level test

The steady march of Moore's Law in semiconductors has enabled the creation of ever more complex systems with electronics playing a central role. As a result, thorough testing of individual components is no longer adequate to ensure overall system performance, quality, and reliability. The rising importance of system-level test (SLT) to supplement traditional component structural test has gained wide recognition recently. To understand this trend, we examine where traditional testing falls short and where SLT fills the gap. In many cases, system failures are the result of complex component interactions leading to abnormal scenarios not attributable to simple and single root causes. Rather than being confined by traditional gate-level fault models, it might be more appropriate to develop a system-level fault model derived as an emergent property of complex systems. New definitions of fault coverage and how to automate high-coverage test generation are obvious challenges in the system domain. Recent developments in design verification which faces similar challenges in dealing with system complexity may offer possible solutions for SLT to draw on. The aim is to stimulate new ideas and directions for future research in system-based testing as upcoming 5G/IoT/AI-based applications penetrate deeper and pervasively into our daily lives.
T59, a New Compound Reconstructed from Curcumin, Induces Cell Apoptosis through Reactive Oxygen Species Activation in Human Lung Cancer Cells

Curcumin is acknowledged for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and wound-healing properties. However, the biological activity and the molecular mechanisms of T59, which is a new derivative of curcumin, are not fully understood. The present study was aimed to determine the cytoxicity role of T59 in human lung cancer and the molecular mechanisms. Cytotoxicity and cell apoptosis effects induced by T59 were determined by MTT, AO staining, Annexin V, and JC-1. Compared with curcumin, T59 exerted more effective cytotoxicity and cell apoptosis effects in A549 and H1975. With the decreasing level of the mitochondrion membrane potential, the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was increased and induced by T59. Furthermore, the expressions of cleaved-caspase-3 and Bax were increased, which were reversed by NAC mainly through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Our results suggested that T59 has the potential for further investigation and study to act as an anti-cancer therapeutic against human lung cancer.
1 Lipids and Alzheimer ’ s disease

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the number of people suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD) worldwide is around 18 million. The prevalence of AD doubles every five years between 65 and 85 years of age and it is estimated that due to the ageing population, 34 million people will suffer from AD by 2025. The WHO has also stated that if AD onset were delayed by 5 years, the number of cases worldwide could be halved. Currently there are no curative or disease-stalling treatments for AD and a major research effort is underway in order to better understand the molecular and cellular details of the pathways that result in this devastating neurodegenerative disorder. This research is critical if effective therapeutics are to be developed.
Design and Implementation of a Noncontact Sleep Monitoring System Using Infrared Cameras and Motion Sensor

Quality sleep is essential for human health. Recent developments in sleep monitoring techniques show great promise of detecting sleep disorders and improving sleep quality. Two important indicators for sleep disorders are breathing and posture, but existing methods deal with them separately, and hardly any effort has been devoted to head posture. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a novel sleep monitoring system that simultaneously analyzes respiration, head posture, and body posture. The system consists solely of cost-effective vision-based devices, operating in a quiet and noncontact way with a little disturbance to natural sleep. Specifically, we use an infrared camera to record the sleep process. From the infrared video, the region of breathing movement is automatically determined and the intensity estimated, yielding a waveform indicating respiratory rhythms. Five additional infrared cameras are employed to capture the subject’s face from different orientations, and we exploit template matching to perform head tracking. A Kinect motion sensor is also utilized to obtain skeleton description of body posture that is robust to self-occlusion, and after noise being filtered, we apply machine learning techniques for body posture classification. Experimental results show that elementary breathing and posture analysis are feasible based on the information acquired by the proposed system, and high accuracy can be achieved: 96% in recognizing abnormal breathing and body movements, 87.6% in head tracking, and over 90% in classifying most body postures.
Chemical and Ultrastructural Characteristics of Mycobacterial Biofilms

Mycobacterial biofilm is a structured community of bacterial cells enclosed in a self-produced polymeric matrix and adherent to an inert or living surface, which constitutes a protected mode of growth that allows survival in hostile environment. Biofilms can be defined as communities of mycobacteria attached to a surface. It is clear that microorganisms undergo profound changes during their transition from planktonic (free-swimming) organisms to cells that are part of a complex, surface-attached community. These changes are reflected in the new phenotypic characteristics developed by biofilm mycobacteria and occur in response to a variety of environmental signals. The biofilm-forming microorganisms have been shown to elicit specific mechanisms for initial attachment to a surface, formation of micro colony leading to development of three-dimensional structure of mature biofilm. They differ from their free-living counterparts in their growth rate, composition and increased resistance to biocides, antibiotics and antibodies by virtue of up regulation and/or down regulation of approximately 40% of their genes. This makes them highly difficult to eradicate with therapeutic doses of antimicrobial agents. A greater understanding of mechanism of their formation and survival under sessile environments may help in devising control strategies.
Sports vision training: A review of the state-of-the-art in digital training techniques

ABSTRACT Athletes need excellent vision to perform well in their sports, and many athletes have turned to vision training programs as a way to augment their traditional training regimen. The growing practice of ‘sports vision training’ relies on the notion that practice with demanding visual perceptual, cognitive, or oculomotor tasks can improve the ability to process and respond to what is seen, thereby improving sport performance. This enterprise is not necessarily new, but has been advanced greatly in the past few years by new digital technology that can be deployed during natural training activities, by perceptual-learning-inspired training programs, and by virtual reality simulations that can recreate and augment sporting contexts to promote certain sports-specific visual and cognitive abilities. These improved abilities may, in turn, instill a competitive advantage on the playing field, underscoring the potential value of these approaches. This article reviews emerging approaches, technologies and trends in sports vision training. Where available, critical review of supporting research is provided.
PULSE WAVE VELOCITY AND ITS USEFULNESS IN ESTIMATION OF HYPERTENSION

Objective : “Arterial vessel wall stiffness” is an important determinant of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Prolonged hypertension causes deterioration in the blood vessel elasticity. Hypertension can be prevented by early diagnosis. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is the direct method for assessing the arterial stiffness. Though numerous studies have been performed, the definite limit is not declared to evaluate CVD based on the threshold of PWV for South Indian population. Methods: In this study, we included a total of 246 healthy controls and 14 hypertensive patients. Mechanical variables of blood flow are measured using PC-based periScope Device (Genesis Medical Systems, India). The following variables are measured from the normal controls and hypertensive patients: (i) Heart rate (bpm), (ii) systolic blood pressure (SBP) (mmHg), (iii) diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (mmHg), (iv) brachial PWV (baPWV) (cm/s), (v) carotid-femoral PWV (C-F PWV) (cm/s), (vi) pulse pressure (mm Hg), (vii) arterial stiffness index (ASI) (mmHg), (viii) anklebrachial index (ABI), (ix) aortic SBP and DBP (mmHg), and (x) aortic augmentation pressure (mmHg). Results: The study shows the deterioration in the vessel elasticity with advancing age in both men and women. In the normal men population studied (n=135), an increase in SBP from a young age to older age was 3.7%, likewise in women (n=111), it was 12%. A standard cutoff value of 1738 cm/s for baPWV and 1215 cm/s for C-F PWV was calculated from the combined group of known hypertensive patients and age- and sex-matched normal controls. Conclusion : Thus, the PWV and the variables derived from it can be used for evaluating the status of blood vessels noninvasively. Keywords : Vascular stiffness, Pulse wave velocity, Gender, Carotid-femoral, Hypertensive.
Consensus Guidelines on the Use of Intravenous Ketamine Infusions for Chronic Pain From the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, the American Academy of Pain Medicine, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists

Background Over the past 2 decades, the use of intravenous ketamine infusions as a treatment for chronic pain has increased dramatically, with wide variation in patient selection, dosing, and monitoring. This has led to a chorus of calls from various sources for the development of consensus guidelines. Methods In November 2016, the charge for developing consensus guidelines was approved by the boards of directors of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine and, shortly thereafter, the American Academy of Pain Medicine. In late 2017, the completed document was sent to the American Society of Anesthesiologists' Committees on Pain Medicine and Standards and Practice Parameters, after which additional modifications were made. Panel members were selected by the committee chair and both boards of directors based on their expertise in evaluating clinical trials, past research experience, and clinical experience in developing protocols and treating patients with ketamine. Questions were developed and refined by the committee, and the groups responsible for addressing each question consisted of modules composed of 3 to 5 panel members in addition to the committee chair. Once a preliminary consensus was achieved, sections were sent to the entire panel, and further revisions were made. In addition to consensus guidelines, a comprehensive narrative review was performed, which formed part of the basis for guidelines. Results Guidelines were prepared for the following areas: indications; contraindications; whether there was evidence for a dose-response relationship, or a minimum or therapeutic dose range; whether oral ketamine or another N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist was a reasonable treatment option as a follow-up to infusions; preinfusion testing requirements; settings and personnel necessary to administer and monitor treatment; the use of preemptive and rescue medications to address adverse effects; and what constitutes a positive treatment response. The group was able to reach consensus on all questions. Conclusions Evidence supports the use of ketamine for chronic pain, but the level of evidence varies by condition and dose range. Most studies evaluating the efficacy of ketamine were small and uncontrolled and were either unblinded or ineffectively blinded. Adverse effects were few and the rate of serious adverse effects was similar to placebo in most studies, with higher dosages and more frequent infusions associated with greater risks. Larger studies, evaluating a wider variety of conditions, are needed to better quantify efficacy, improve patient selection, refine the therapeutic dose range, determine the effectiveness of nonintravenous ketamine alternatives, and develop a greater understanding of the long-term risks of repeated treatments.
A Q-Learning Scheme for Fair Coexistence Between LTE and Wi-Fi in Unlicensed Spectrum

During the last years, the growth of wireless traffic pushed the wireless community to search for solutions that can assist in a more efficient management of the spectrum. Toward this direction, the operation of long term evolution (LTE) in unlicensed spectrum (LTE-U) has been proposed. Targeting a global solution that respects the regional regulations worldwide, 3GPP has published the LTE licensed assisted access (LAA) standard. According to LTE LAA, a listen before talk (LBT) procedure must precede any LTE transmission burst in the unlicensed spectrum. However, the proposed standard may cause coexistence issues between LTE and Wi-Fi, especially in the case that the latter does not use frame aggregation. Toward the provision of a balanced channel access, we have proposed mLTE-U that is an adaptive LTE LBT scheme. According to mLTE-U, LTE uses a variable transmission opportunity (TXOP), followed by a variable muting period. This muting period can be exploited by co-located Wi-Fi networks to gain access to the medium. In this paper, the system model of the mLTE-U scheme in coexistence with Wi-Fi is studied. In addition, mLTE-U is enhanced with a Q-learning technique that is used for autonomous selection of the appropriate combinations of TXOP and muting period that can provide fair coexistence between co-located mLTE-U and Wi-Fi networks. Simulation results showcase the performance of the proposed model and reveal the benefit of using Q-learning for self-adaptation of mLTE-U to the changes of the dynamic wireless environment, toward fair coexistence with Wi-Fi. Finally, the Q-learning mechanism is compared with conventional selection schemes showing the superior performance of the proposed model over less complex mechanisms.
Objective audiological diagnostics using novel acoustical and electrophysiological tests

In dieser Arbeit werden verschiedene akustische und elektrophysiologische Methoden zur audiologischen Diagnostik untersucht. Die verwendeten Methoden beziehen hohere Stufen der auditorischen Verarbeitung mit ein und erlauben daher Aussagen uber den Zustand des Gehors bis zu einer neuronalen Ebene. Es wurde gezeigt, dass eine alternative Methode zur Messung des Stapediusreflexes in Verbindung mit einer neuen, robusten Auswertemethodik eine signifikante Reduzierung des notwendigen Stimuluspegels bei gleichzeitig erhohter Detektionsrate erlaubt. Die gleiche Methode wurde verwendet um eine Beziehung zwischen der gemessenen Reflexschwelle und dem Kompressionsverlust als Folge einer sensorineuralen Schadigung herzustellen. Dieses Ergebnis erlaubt die Verwendung der Methode zur objektiven Abschatzung der breitband Ruhehorschwelle. Eine weitere Methode stellt eine Verbindung zwischen objektiven Messungen von Amplitudenmodulations-Folgepotentialen (Amplitude modulation following responses, AMFR) mit Unterschieden in der Modulationstiefen-wahrnehmung von Patienten mit cochlearer Schadigung her.
Evaluation of 153 Asymptomatic Subjects Using the Anopress Portable Anal Manometry Device

Background/Aims The Anopress device is a new portable manometry system. The aim of this study is to formulate normative data using this new device by recording the anorectal function of asymptomatic subjects. Patient comfort was also assessed. Methods Anorectal function was assessed in asymptomatic volunteers using the Anopress. All volunteers were examined in a standardized way in accordance with the study protocol. Normative values for the Anopress were obtained from the recorded data and patient comfort was assessed using a visual analogue scale. Results We recruited 153 healthy volunteers. Eighty were female (23 parous; median age 39.5 [interquartile range {IQR}, 28.75–53.00]) and 73 were male (median age 40.5 [IQR, 29.00–52.25]). For the female cohort, the following normal range (2.5–97.5 percentile) values were recorded across the whole anal canal: resting pressure 40.0–103.0 mmHg; squeeze increment 35.0–140.6 mmHg; endurance 1.3–9.0 seconds; involuntary squeeze 41.1–120.8 mmHg; and strain pressure 22.1–77.9 mmHg. Similarly, the following male normal range (2.5–97.5 percentile) values were recorded across the whole anal canal: resting pressure 38.3–99.6 mmHg; squeeze increment 42.5–154.8 mmHg; involuntary squeeze 40.0–123.6 mmHg; endurance 2.0–10.0 seconds; and strain pressure 11.0–72.1 mmHg. The median visual analogue scale scores for discomfort during the measurement was 0.0 (IQR, 0.00–0.00). Conclusions Normative values for the Anopress device have been calculated by this study. The Anopress appears to be a safe and well tolerated way of measuring pressures from the entire anal canal. Further comparisons with other standard and commonly used manometry tests are, however, required to verify its reliability.
A survey of security and privacy issues in IoT for smart cities

Internet of things (IoT) is collection of smart objects that senses real environment and gives response instantly while connected to a network. IoT and smart cities are implemented in every field of life including home, offices, healthcare centers, agriculture, waste management, transport management and environmental monitoring to make them smart. There are many benefits of implementing IoT in real environment but it raises various issues and challenges including security, privacy and heterogeneous nature of objects. Further, there is not any common communication standard for this purpose. Many traditional approaches are proposed by researchers which do not address these issues completely in a real sense. In this paper, we have presented a survey of existing work focusing on security and privacy issues in applications of IoT in smart cities. Finally, a problem is formulated based on identified issues for our future work.
Techno-economic Sizing of Auxiliary-Battery-Based Substations in DC Railway Systems

Auxiliary-battery-based substations (ABSs) can enhance conventional railway feeder systems. In particular, ABSs make dc feeders located in areas far from the ac grid able to power high-performance passenger and freight trains and store their braking energy. This paper proposes a techno-economic method to define size, position along the track, and control parameters of an ABS, with the goal to minimize the annual cost of energy. Our approach takes into account the replacements of battery modules within the ABS’s expected lifetime in order to reduce costs. Numerical simulations are carried out assuming a new-generation high-performance train on a real Italian 3-kV dc railway system equipped with one ABS. Although, in some cases, ABSs are already cheaper solutions compared to new traditional substations, the proposed sizing method allows obtaining a further reduction in the ABS cost.