Scope-Bounded Reachability in Valence Systems

Multi-pushdown systems are a standard model for concurrent recursive programs, but they have an undecidable reachability problem. Therefore, there have been several proposals to underapproximate their sets of runs so that reachability in this underapproximation becomes decidable. One such underapproximation that covers a relatively high portion of runs is scope boundedness. In such a run, after each push to stack i, the corresponding pop operation must come within a bounded number of visits to stack i. In this work, we generalize this approach to a large class of infinite-state systems. For this, we consider the model of valence systems, which consist of a finite-state control and an infinite-state storage mechanism that is specified by a finite undirected graph. This framework captures pushdowns, vector addition systems, integer vector addition systems, and combinations thereof. For this framework, we propose a notion of scope boundedness that coincides with the classical notion when the storage mechanism happens to be a multi-pushdown. We show that with this notion, reachability can be decided in PSPACE for every storage mechanism in the framework. Moreover, we describe the full complexity landscape of this problem across all storage mechanisms, both in the case of (i) the scope bound being given as input and (ii) for fixed scope bounds. Finally, we provide an almost complete description of the complexity landscape if even a description of the storage mechanism is part of the input

The protective effect of Withania somnifera against oxidative damage caused by ethanol in the testes of adult male rats

Background: To investigate the effect of Withania somnifera (WS) in preventing the damage caused by alcohol on testis.Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups. Group A - control, Group B - WS200 mg orally, Group C - alcohol 4 g/kg orally, and Group D - WS + alcohol. The sperm parameters were examined. Testicular tissues were examined for biochemical (glutathione [GSH] peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde [MDA]) analysis, and histopathological changes.Results: Biochemical parameters revealed tissue oxidative stress in alcohol group which was evidenced as increase in MDA level and reduction in CAT and GSH activities in testes which was reduced in co-treatment group. WS significantly reduced alcohol-induced sperm shape abnormality and sperm count. The alcohol-induced changes in histopathologic findings were partially reversed by treatment with WS.Conclusion: These observations suggest that the antioxidant property of WS might have contributed for its ability to ameliorate the testicular toxicity caused by alcohol

Pulpotomy versus root canal treatment in permanent teeth with spontaneous pain: comparable clinical and patient outcomes, but insufficient evidence.

DESIGN A systematic appraisal and statistical aggregation of primary studies. DATA SOURCES Scopus/ELSEVIER, PubMed/MEDLINE, Clarivate Analytics' Web of Science (i.e., Web of Science Core Collection-WoS, Korean Journal Database-KJD, Russian Science Citation Index-RSCI, SciELO Citation Index-SCIELO), and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) via the Cochrane Library.The complementary searches consisted of OpenGrey, Google Scholar (first 100 returns), Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations, Open Access Theses and Dissertations, DART-Europe E-theses Portal-DEEP, Opening access to UK theses-EThOS. STUDY SELECTION Human clinical trials studies in English language with at least 10 patients with mature or immature permanent teeth with pulpitis characterized by spontaneous pain in each arm (i.e., root canal treatment [RCT] and pulpotomy) at the end of the study, comparing the patient- (Primary: survival, pain, tenderness, swelling assessed by clinical history, clinical examination, and pain scales; Secondary: tooth function, need for further intervention, adverse effects; OHRQoL using a validated questionnaire) and clinical-reported outcomes (Primary: emerging apical radiolucency as per intraoral periapical radiograph or limited FOV CBCT scan; Secondary: radiological evidence of continued root formation and presence of sinus tract). DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS Two independent review authors conducted study selection, data extraction and risk of bias (RoB) assessment and a third reviewer was consulted for solving disagreements. When insufficient or absent information, the corresponding author was reached out to for further explanation. The Cochrane RoB tool for randomized trials (RoB 2.0) was evaluated the quality of studies.The meta-analysis was performed on a fixed-effect model to estimate pooled effect size such as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were performed using the R software. The quality of evidence assessed by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach (GRADEpro GDT: GRADEpro Guideline Development Tool [software], McMaster University, 2015). RESULTS Five primary studies were included. Four studies referred to a multicentre trial assessing postoperative pain and long-term success rate after pulpotomy compared with one-visit RCT in 407 mature molars. The other study was a multicentre trial assessing postoperative pain in 550 mature molars treated with pulpotomy and pulp capping with the calcium-enriched mixture (CEM), pulpotomy and pulp capping with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and one-visit RCT. Both trials primarily reported first molars from young adults. When looking at the results of postoperative pain, all the trials included had a low RoB. However, when evaluating the clinical and radiographic outcomes of the included reports, it was determined that there was a high RoB. The meta-analysis found that the likelihood of experiencing pain (i.e., mild, moderate, or severe) at the 7th postoperative day was not affected by the type of intervention (OR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.63-1.55, I2 = 0%).The study design, risk of bias, inconsistency, indirectness, imprecision, and publication bias domains were used to grade the quality of evidence for postoperative pain between RCT and full pulpotomy, resulting in a 'High' grade. In the first year, clinical success was high for both interventions, with a rate of 98%. However, the success rate declined over time, with pulpotomy showing a 78.1% success rate and RCT showing a 75.3% success rate at the 5-year follow up. CONCLUSIONS This systematic review was limited by the inclusion of only two trials, indicating a lack of sufficient evidence to draw definitive conclusions. Nonetheless, the available clinical data suggests that patient-reported pain outcomes do not differ significantly between RCT and pulpotomy at Day 7 postoperatively, and that the long-term clinical success rate of both treatments is comparable, as demonstrated by a single randomized control trial. However, to establish a more robust evidence base, additional high-quality randomized clinical trials, conducted by diverse research groups, are needed in this field. In conclusion, this review underscores the insufficiency of current evidence to draw solid recommendations

Removable Partial Denture Design using Milled Surface as a Precision Attachment: An Esthetic Alternative

This case report describes the combined use of fixed partial denture prosthesis (FPD) and removable partial denture prosthesis (RPD) for a patient with partially edentulous archesand few remaining teeth. The RPD was designed such that it would take advantage of the benefits from milled palatal surfaces of the FPD to enhance stability and retention of the RPD and allow maintenance of optimum oral hygiene

Investigating The Prevalence and Management of Pain and Discomfort Associated with Prosthodontic Appliances

Background: This study investigates the prevalence and management of pain and discomfort associated with prosthodontic appliances, including dentures, crowns, bridges, and dental implants, among a diverse sample of 500 participants. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted, collecting data on demographic characteristics, prevalence, and severity of pain and discomfort, and management strategies. Statistical analysis, including chi-square tests and logistic regression, was used to explore associations. Results: Dentures had the highest prevalence of pain and discomfort (45%), followed by crowns (30%), bridges (22%), and dental implants (18%). Mean severity scores were highest for dental implants (4.5), followed by dentures (5.2), bridges (4.1), and crowns (3.8). Demographics, including age, gender, education level, and socioeconomic status, influenced these experiences. Conclusion: The study highlights the need for individualized care and patient education, especially for procedures associated with higher discomfort levels. It underscores the importance of considering patient expectations and tailoring treatment recommendations. Further research should explore factors contributing to pain and discomfort and the effectiveness of management strategies

Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 in Cigarette Smoke Exposure and Influenza A Virus Infection-Induced Lung Injury

Parenchymal lung inflammation and airway and alveolar epithelial cell apoptosis are associated with cigarette smoke exposure (CSE), which contributes to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Epidemiological studies indicate that people exposed to chronic cigarette smoke with or without COPD are more susceptible to influenza A virus (IAV) infection. We found increased p53, PAI-1 and apoptosis in AECs, with accumulation of macrophages and neutrophils in the lungs of patients with COPD. In Wild-type (WT) mice with passive CSE (PCSE), p53 and PAI-1 expression and apoptosis were increased in AECs as was lung inflammation, while those lacking p53 or PAI-1 resisted AEC apoptosis and lung inflammation. Further, inhibition of p53-mediated induction of PAI-1 by treatment of WT mice with caveolin-1 scaffolding domain peptide (CSP) reduced PCSE-induced lung inflammation and reversed PCSE-induced suppression of eosinophil-associated RNase1 (EAR1). Competitive inhibition of the p53-PAI-1 mRNA interaction by expressing p53-binding 3\u27UTR sequences of PAI-1 mRNA likewise suppressed CS-induced PAI-1 and AEC apoptosis and restored EAR1 expression. Consistent with PCSE-induced lung injury, IAV infection increased p53, PAI-1 and apoptosis in AECs in association with pulmonary inflammation. Lung inflammation induced by PCSE was worsened by subsequent exposure to IAV. Mice lacking PAI-1 that were exposed to IAV showed minimal viral burden based on M2 antigen and hemagglutination analyses, whereas transgenic mice that overexpress PAI-1 without PCSE showed increased M2 antigen and inflammation after IAV infection. These observations indicate that increased PAI-1 expression promotes AEC apoptosis and exacerbates lung inflammation induced by IAV following PCSE

Overcoming challenges in organofluorine biosynthesis by engineered fluorinases

Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Overcoming challenges in organofluorine biosynthesis by engineered fluorinases

Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Genotype dependent variation in mycorrhizal colonization and response to inoculation of pearl millet

Genotypes of pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum L. Leeke) were examined for differences in vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) colonization and response to inoculation. For thirty genotypes tested across three field locations there was a range of mycorrhizal colonization intensity between 25 and 56%. In another experiment with two male-sterile lines, restorer lines and their derived crosses, grown in pots filled with non-sterilized soil there were significant differences between genotypes for colonization by mycorrhiza. This showed hostgenotype dependence for mycorrhizal colonization. Root growth rates, mycorrhizal root length, percentage root colonization and plant growth and P uptake were studied in ten genotypes. A set of 3 genotypes with similar root lengths varied significantly with regard to mycorrhizal root length and the percentage colonization. This supports the suggestion that VAM colonization and spread is dependent on the host genotype. The growth responses differed significantly between the genotypes and they also differed in their responses to P uptake and VAM inoculation. The utility of host-genotype dependent differences in VAM symbiosis in plant breeding is discussed