Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multimodal Imaging Patterns for Development of Central Atrophy Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose To evaluate the development of central atrophy in eyes with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods Six-year longitudinal multimodal retinal imaging data (MODIAMD study) from 98 eyes of 98 subjects with non-late-stage AMD in the study eye at baseline were analyzed for the presence of central atrophy at each annual follow-up visit. Development, manifestation, and further progression of complete retinal pigment epithelium and outer retinal atrophy (cRORA) by multimodal imaging data were compared with atrophy detection based on color fundus photography only. Results Seventeen study eyes with development of central cRORA within 6 years (cumulative rate: 17.4%) were identified based on multimodal imaging. In 10 (60%) of these eyes, presence of central manifest atrophy was initially not detectable by color fundus photography. In six (35%) eyes, central cRORA occurred by the spread of existing paracentral atrophy toward the fovea. Drusen-associated atrophy development was noted in eight eyes. In two eyes, atrophy development was associated with refractile deposits, while only pigmentary changes in absence of large drusen or refractile deposits were detectable before atrophy occurrence in one eye. Conclusions The earlier and more precise detection of central cRORA by multimodal imaging as compared to atrophy detection solely based on color fundus photography allows for more accurate detection and identification of different pathways for atrophy development. In accordance with previous clinical and histopathologic reports, the results confirm that different precursor lesions may independently proceed to central cRORA in AMD.
Biphasic alcohol response differs in heavy versus light drinkers.

BACKGROUND Most studies of risk factors for alcohol-related problems have focused on biological family history as a primary risk factor. However, other factors, such as early-age heavy drinking, are also risk factors for sustained or progressive heavy consumption. Little is currently known about the mechanisms underlying binge or heavy drinking. METHODS This study examined the acute subjective and objective effects of ethanol in heavy drinkers versus light drinkers. Thirty-four subjects participated in this within-subjects study consisting of three early-evening testing sessions in which subjects consumed a beverage containing either 0.8 or 0.4 g/kg ethanol or placebo. RESULTS Compared with lighter drinkers, heavy drinkers were more sensitive to the positive stimulant-like effects of ethanol (p < 0.05), especially during the increasing limb of the blood alcohol curve. Heavy drinkers also showed less sedation and cortisol response after alcohol than the light drinkers (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that young adult binge drinkers show a biphasic alcohol response, with heightened sensitivity to stimulant-like alcohol effects and greater tolerance to sedative alcohol effects compared with their light-drinking counterparts.
Phenomenological Description of the Surface Morphology and Crack Formation of Continuously Cast Peritectic Steel Slabs

The surface quality of continuously cast material is strongly depending on the initial solidification of the steel. Oscillation marks are formed at the very early stages of the strand shell growing process, thus influencing the microstructure and cracking behaviour of the surface and subsurface region. An industrial study of the oscillation mark morphology and the surface structure of peritectic medium carbon steel slabs was performed. The formation of oscillation marks and their effect on the surface quality was examined by metallographic investigations of slab samples. Although constant casting and oscillation conditions were applied, a variation of oscillation mark geometry along the narrow faces of the slabs was measured. A relation between the depth of the oscillation marks and the thickness of a layer of segregated melt situated inside the bottom of the marks was found. Measuring the distribution and length of surface and subsurface segregated cracks in the vicinity of the marks, existing theories of oscillation mark formation could be confirmed. The austenite grain size was found to increase with increasing oscillation mark depth. There was no clear correlation between the austenite and the δ‐ferrite grain size.
Influenza vaccines: Evaluation of the safety profile

ABSTRACT The safety of vaccines is a critical factor in maintaining public trust in national vaccination programs. Vaccines are recommended for children, adults and elderly subjects and have to meet higher safety standards, since they are administered to healthy subjects, mainly healthy children. Although vaccines are strictly monitored before authorization, the possibility of adverse events and/or rare adverse events cannot be totally eliminated. Two main types of influenza vaccines are currently available: parenteral inactivated influenza vaccines and intranasal live attenuated vaccines. Both display a good safety profile in adults and children. However, they can cause adverse events and/or rare adverse events, some of which are more prevalent in children, while others with a higher prevalence in adults. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of influenza vaccine safety according to target groups, vaccine types and production methods.
Buses, Cars, Bicycles and Walkers: The Influence of the Type of Human Transport on the Flight Responses of Waterbirds

One way to manage disturbance to waterbirds in natural areas where humans require access is to promote the occurrence of stimuli for which birds tolerate closer approaches, and so cause fewer responses. We conducted 730 experimental approaches to 39 species of waterbird, using five stimulus types (single walker, three walkers, bicycle, car and bus) selected to mimic different human management options available for a controlled access, Ramsar-listed wetland. Across species, where differences existed (56% of 25 cases), motor vehicles always evoked shorter flight-initiation distances (FID) than humans on foot. The influence of stimulus type on FID varied across four species for which enough data were available for complete cross-stimulus analysis. All four varied FID in relation to stimuli, differing in 4 to 7 of 10 possible comparisons. Where differences occurred, the effect size was generally modest, suggesting that managing stimulus type (e.g. by requiring people to use vehicles) may have species-specific, modest benefits, at least for the waterbirds we studied. However, different stimulus types have different capacities to reduce the frequency of disturbance (i.e. by carrying more people) and vary in their capacity to travel around important habitat.
The Many Facets of Metzincins and Their Endogenous Inhibitors: Perspectives on Ovarian Cancer Progression

Approximately sixty per cent of ovarian cancer patients die within the first five years of diagnosis due to recurrence associated with chemoresistance. The metzincin family of metalloproteinases is enzymes involved in matrix remodeling in response to normal physiological changes and diseased states. Recently, there has been a mounting awareness of these proteinases and their endogenous inhibitors, the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), as superb modulators of cellular communication and signaling regulating key biological processes in cancer progression. This review investigates the role of metzincins and their inhibitors in ovarian cancer. We propose that understanding the metzincins and TIMP biology in ovarian cancer may provide valuable insights in combating ovarian cancer progression and chemoresistance-mediated recurrence in patients.
Bryophyte Species Richness and Composition along an Altitudinal Gradient in Gongga Mountain, China

An investigation of terrestrial bryophyte species diversity and community structure along an altitudinal gradient from 2,001 to 4,221 m a.s. l. in Gongga Mountain in Sichuan, China was carried out in June 2010. Factors which might affect bryophyte species composition and diversity, including climate, elevation, slope, depth of litter, vegetation type, soil pH and soil Eh, were examined to understand the altitudinal feature of bryophyte distribution. A total of 14 representative elevations were chosen along an altitudinal gradient, with study sites at each elevation chosen according to habitat type (forests, grasslands) and accessibility. At each elevation, three 100 m × 2 m transects that are 50 m apart were set along the contour line, and three 50 cm × 50 cm quadrats were set along each transect at an interval of 30 m. Species diversity, cover, biomass, and thickness of terrestrial bryophytes were examined. A total of 165 species, including 42 liverworts and 123 mosses, are recorded in Gongga mountain. Ground bryophyte species richness does not show any clear elevation trend. The terrestrial bryophyte cover increases with elevation. The terrestrial bryophyte biomass and thickness display a clear humped relationship with the elevation, with the maximum around 3,758 m. At this altitude, biomass is 700.3 g m−2 and the maximum thickness is 8 cm. Bryophyte distribution is primarily associated with the depth of litter, the air temperature and the precipitation. Further studies are necessary to include other epiphytes types and vascular vegetation in a larger altitudinal range.
Water-Deficit Inducible Expression of a Cytokinin Biosynthetic Gene IPT Improves Drought Tolerance in Cotton

Water-deficit stress is a major environmental factor that limits agricultural productivity worldwide. Recent episodes of extreme drought have severely affected cotton production in the Southwestern USA. There is a pressing need to develop cotton varieties with improved tolerance to water-deficit stress for sustainable production in water-limited regions. One approach to engineer drought tolerance is by delaying drought-induced senescence via up-regulation of cytokinin biosynthesis. The isopentenyltransferase gene (IPT) that encodes a rate limiting enzyme in cytokinin biosynthesis, under the control of a water-deficit responsive and maturation specific promoter PSARK was introduced into cotton and the performance of the PSARK::IPT transgenic cotton plants was analyzed in the greenhouse and growth chamber conditions. The data indicate that PSARK::IPT-transgenic cotton plants displayed delayed senescence under water deficit conditions in the greenhouse. These plants produced more root and shoot biomass, dropped fewer flowers, maintained higher chlorophyll content, and higher photosynthetic rates under reduced irrigation conditions in comparison to wild-type and segregated non-transgenic lines. Furthermore, PSARK::IPT-transgenic cotton plants grown in growth chamber condition also displayed greater drought tolerance. These results indicate that water-deficit induced expression of an isopentenyltransferase gene in cotton could significantly improve drought tolerance.
Clinical Effect of Cardiac Shock Wave Therapy on Myocardial Ischemia in Patients With Ischemic Heart Failure

Background: Cardiac shock wave therapy (CSWT) can improve myocardial ischemia and cardiac function in patients with coronary artery disease and refractory angina. The aim of the study was to test its potential role to relieve symptoms in patients with ischemic heart failure (HF) and to identify CSWT-affected genes. Methods: Cardiac shock wave therapy was performed on 23 patients (mean age: 67 ± 6 years) with ischemic HF 3 times per week for 3 weeks. Clinical assessment parameters were measured for all patients, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from whole blood of all patients 3 days before CSWT and 1 week after the 3-week CSWT schedule. RNA sequencing of PBMCs collected from 3 patients before and after CSWT was performed on the Illumina Genome Analyzer. Gene expression was determined by quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. Results: Cardiac shock wave therapy significantly attenuated myocardial ischemia and severity of angina, health-related quality of life, and myocardial blood flow as estimated by New York Heart Association class, Canadian Cardiovascular Society classification, Seattle Angina Questionnaire, and single photon emission computed tomography images, respectively. We then tried to investigate how CSWT improved myocardial ischemia by RNA sequencing on PBMCs. Gene set enrichment analysis on the sequencing data revealed that CSWT treatment was positively correlated with cytokine and cytokine receptor interaction and chemokine signaling pathway. Furthermore, we demonstrated that CSWT resulted in a significant increase in the expression of promoters of neovascularization (vascular endothelial growth factor A [VEGF-A], VEGF-B, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 [CXCL1], CXCL2, CXCL3 and TNFRSF12A) and a notable decrease in the expression of a mediator of cell apoptosis (mitogen-activated protein kinase 9). Conclusions: Cardiac shock wave therapy can improve myocardial ischemia and represents as a treatment option for patients with ischemic HF through promoting neovascularization and inhibiting cell apoptosis.
Tree Biomass Estimation of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) Based on Bayesian Method

Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook. ) is the most important conifer species for timber production with huge distribution area in southern China. Accurate estimation of biomass is required for accounting and monitoring Chinese forest carbon stocking. In the study, allometric equation was used to analyze tree biomass of Chinese fir. The common methods for estimating allometric model have taken the classical approach based on the frequency interpretation of probability. However, many different biotic and abiotic factors introduce variability in Chinese fir biomass model, suggesting that parameters of biomass model are better represented by probability distributions rather than fixed values as classical method. To deal with the problem, Bayesian method was used for estimating Chinese fir biomass model. In the Bayesian framework, two priors were introduced: non-informative priors and informative priors. For informative priors, 32 biomass equations of Chinese fir were collected from published literature in the paper. The parameter distributions from published literature were regarded as prior distributions in Bayesian model for estimating Chinese fir biomass. Therefore, the Bayesian method with informative priors was better than non-informative priors and classical method, which provides a reasonable method for estimating Chinese fir biomass.
Effects of Culling on Mesopredator Population Dynamics

Anthropogenic changes in land use and the extirpation of apex predators have facilitated explosive growth of mesopredator populations. Consequently, many species have been subjected to extensive control throughout portions of their range due to their integral role as generalist predators and reservoirs of zoonotic disease. Yet, few studies have monitored the effects of landscape composition or configuration on the demographic or behavioral response of mesopredators to population manipulation. During 2007 we removed 382 raccoons (Procyon lotor) from 30 forest patches throughout a fragmented agricultural ecosystem to test hypotheses regarding the effects of habitat isolation on population recovery and role of range expansion and dispersal in patch colonization of mesopredators in heterogeneous landscapes. Patches were allowed to recolonize naturally and demographic restructuring of patches was monitored from 2008–2010 using mark-recapture. An additional 25 control patches were monitored as a baseline measure of demography. After 3 years only 40% of experimental patches had returned to pre-removal densities. This stagnant recovery was driven by low colonization rates of females, resulting in little to no within-patch recruitment. Colonizing raccoons were predominantly young males, suggesting that dispersal, rather than range expansion, was the primary mechanism driving population recovery. Contrary to our prediction, neither landscape connectivity nor measured local habitat attributes influenced colonization rates, likely due to the high dispersal capability of raccoons and limited role of range expansion in patch colonization. Although culling is commonly used to control local populations of many mesopredators, we demonstrate that such practices create severe disruptions in population demography that may be counterproductive to disease management in fragmented landscapes due to an influx of dispersing males into depopulated areas. However, given the slow repopulation rates observed in our study, localized depopulation may be effective at reducing negative ecological impacts of mesopredators in fragmented landscapes at limited spatial and temporal scales.
Independent effects of blood pressure and parathyroid hormone on aortic pulse wave velocity in untreated Chinese patients

Objective: Whether or not calcium-regulating hormones stiffen arteries independent of blood pressure (BP) is uncertain. We investigated the independent associations of carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) with 25-hydroxy-vitamin D [25(OH)D], parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 24-h ambulatory BP in untreated Chinese patients. Methods: Consecutive untreated patients referred for ambulatory BP monitoring were recruited. PWV was measured with a high-fidelity micromanometer and the SphygmoCor software (AtCor Medical, West Ryde, New South Wales, Australia). Serum 25(OH)D and PTH were determined by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Analysis of variance, single and multiple regressions were applied for analyses. Results: In 1052 untreated patients (50.7% women; mean age, 51 years), PWV averaged 7.8 m/s, 24-h SBP/DBP 126.5/81.7 mmHg, serum 25(OH)D and PTH 36.0 nmol/l and 61.6 pg/ml, respectively. In multivariable-adjusted analyses, BP (P < 0.001) and PTH (P = 0.012) increased from less than 25th to at least 75th percentile of the PWV distribution. In continuous analyses, PWV independently increased by 0.40/0.23 m/s per 1-SD increment in SBP/DBP (P < 0.001) and by 0.14 m/s for a doubling of serum PTH (P = 0.029). Associations of PWV with BP were tighter than with PTH (P < 0.001). In pathway analysis, the effect of PTH on PWV did not run via serum or urinary calcium (P = 0.65), but PTH had both a direct (P = 0.026) and a BP-mediated indirect effect (P = 0.043) on PWV. In none of our analyses were PWV associated with serum 25(OH)D. Conclusion: Arterial stiffness, as assessed by PWV, independently increased both with BP and with PTH, but BP remains the main driver of arterial stiffening.
HIV-1 Infection Is Blocked at an Early Stage in Cells Devoid of Mitochondrial DNA

Human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1) exploits various host cellular pathways for efficient infection. Here we report that the absence of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in ρ0 cells markedly attenuates HIV-1 infection. Importantly, reduced infection efficiency in ρ0 cells is not simply the result of impaired oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) because pharmacological OXPHOS inhibition did not inhibit HIV-1 infection. Analysis of the early steps of virus infection by real-time PCR quantification of stage-specific HIV-1 DNA products in the infected ρ0 and parental cell line have allowed us to conclude that HIV-1 infection in ρ0 cells is blocked at the steps that occur after reverse transcription and prior to nuclear import. Additionally, confocal fluorescence microscope analysis showed that the majority of viral complexes containing HIV-1 p24 co-localize with mitochondria in target cells, suggesting an interaction between the two. Collectively, our data strongly indicate that mitochondria play an important role during early stages of HIV-1 infection, probably through direct association with HIV-1 intracellular complexes.
Are Standard Intra-Abdominal Pressure Values Different during Pregnancy?

Background Measurement of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) is an important parameter in the surveillance of intensive care unit patients. Standard values of IAP during pregnancy have not been well defined. The aim of this study was to assess IAP values in pregnant women before and after cesarean delivery. Methods This prospective study, carried out from January to December 2011 in a French tertiary care centre, included women with an uneventful pregnancy undergoing elective cesarean delivery at term. IAP was measured through a Foley catheter inserted in the bladder under spinal anaesthesia before cesarean delivery, and every 30 minutes during the first two hours in the immediate postoperative period. Results The study included 70 women. Mean IAP before cesarean delivery was 14.2 mmHg (95%CI: 6.3–23). This value was significantly higher than in the postoperative period: 11.5 mmHg (95%CI: 5–19.7) for the first measurement (p = 0.002). IAP did not significantly change during the following two postoperative hours (p = 0.2). Obese patients (n = 25) had a preoperative IAP value significantly higher than non-obese patients: 15.7 vs. 12.4; p = 0.02. Conclusion In term pregnancies, IAP values are significantly higher before delivery than in the post-partum period, where IAP values remain elevated for at least two hours at the level of postoperative classical abdominal surgery. The knowledge of these physiological changes in IAP values may help prevent organ dysfunction/failure when abdominal compartment syndrome occurs after cesarean delivery.
URBAN WATER LOSSES MANAGEMENT IN TURKEY: THE LEGISLATION and CHALLENGES

Water losses from water distribution networks (WDNs) have become a crucial problem in many countries such as Turkey, where country average non-revenue water (NRW) is almost 45% of system input volume (SIV). Municipalities are responsible for water supply in Turkey but only a few of them have started to improve their WDNs for management of water losses and provide good application examples; whereas many of the other municipalities have no activities to reduce water losses. The Turkish Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs issued a new directive to control and reduce water losses from WDNs recently. With the issue of the new directive, all municipalities are now obliged to reduce water losses in WDNs within a given time frame. This paper represents a discussion and evaluation for the contents of the new Turkish directive on water losses management for the first time. Moreover, other existing guidelines and some country practices are presented to provide recommendations for the management of urban water losses. Reduction of water losses contributes directly to protection of water quality in WDNs and public health.