Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wall-less vascular poly(vinyl) alcohol gel ultrasound imaging phantoms using 3D printed vessels

Vascular phantoms are crucial tools for clinical training and for calibration and validation of medical imaging systems. With current methods, it can be challenging to replicate anatomically-realistic vasculature. Here, we present a novel method that enables the fabrication of complex vascular phantoms. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in two forms was used to create wall-less vessels and the surrounding tissue mimicking material (TMM). For the latter, PVA cryogel (PVA-c) was used as the TMM, which was made from a solution of PVA (10% by weight), distilled water, and glass spheres for ultrasonic scattering (0.5% by weight). PVA-c is not water soluble, and after a freeze-thaw cycle it is mechanically robust. To form the wall-less vessels, vessel structures were 3D printed in water-soluble PVA and submerged in the aqueous solution of PVA-c. Once the PVA-c had solidified, the 3D printed PVA vessel structures were dissolved in water. Three phantoms were created, as initial demonstrations of the capabilities of this method: a straight vessel, a stenosed (narrowed), and a bifurcated (branched) vessel. Ultrasound images of the phantoms had realistic appearances. We conclude that this method is promising for creating wall-less, anatomically realistic, vascular phantoms.
Membrane systems for molecular computing and biological modelling

Membrane computing is an emerging research field that belongs to the more general area of molecular computing, which deals with models of computation inspired by biomolecular processes, which are seen as information-processing mechanisms. Membrane computing aims at defining computational models, called membrane systems or P systems, which abstract from the functioning and structure of the cell. A membrane system consists of a hierarchical arrangement of membranes delimiting regions, which represent various compartments of a cell, and with each region containing bio-chemical elements of various types and having associated rules, which represent bio-chemical processes taking place inside the cell. This thesis investigates variants of membrane systems as models for molecular computing and as modelling paradigms for biological systems. On one hand, we follow the standard approach of research in membrane computing: defining a notion of computation for membrane systems, and investigating the computational power of such computing devices. Specifically, we address issues concerning the power of “simple” bio-inspired communication mechanisms, and the power of operations for modifying the membrane structure of a P system. As well as this, we introduce the notion of population P systems as a new model of membrane systems which provides an abstraction for populations of bio-units aggregated in more complex bio-entities, and we investigate the computational power of various features of population P systems. On the other hand, we identify membrane systems as a formalism, or a language, for representing/describing biological phenomena of various interests. In this respect, we introduce a model of P systems particularly suitable for modelling systems of bio-chemical reactions distributed across various compartments. We formally characterise the behaviour of this type of P systems and introduce an algorithm to perform computations in a multi-compartment environment. Finally, as a case-study, we present a P system model of bacterial quorum sensing and we report some simulation results concerning the behaviour of a colony of bacteria interacting by means of a signalling mechanism based on autoinducers.
Current State of the Regulatory Trajectory for Whole Slide Imaging Devices in the USA

The regulatory field for digital pathology (DP) has advanced significantly. A major milestone was accomplished when the FDA allowed the first vendor to market their device for primary diagnostic use in the USA and published in the classification order that this device, and substantially equivalent devices of this generic type, should be classified into class II instead of class III as previously proposed. The Digital Pathology Association (DPA) regulatory task force had a major role in the accomplishment of getting the application request for Whole Slide Imaging (WSI) Systems recommended for a de novo. This article reviews the past and emerging regulatory environment of WSI for clinical use in the USA. A WSI system with integrated subsystems is defined in the context of medical device regulations. The FDA technical performance assessment guideline is also discussed as well as parameters involved in analytical testing and clinical studies to demonstrate that WSI devices are safe and effective for clinical use.
Poor memory B cell generation contributes to non‐protective responses to DTaP vaccine antigens in otitis‐prone children

We recently identified a cohort of children with recurrent episodes of acute otitis media (AOM) who fail to generate protective antibody titres to otopathogens and several vaccine antigens. In this study we determined the antibody levels against DTaP vaccine antigens, diphtheria toxoid (DT), tetanus toxoid (TT) and acellular pertussis toxoid (PT) in sera from 15 stringently defined otitis‐prone (sOP) children and 20 non‐otitis‐prone (NOP) children. We found significantly lower concentrations of immunoglobulin (Ig)G antibodies against vaccine antigens in the serum of sOP children compared to age‐matched NOP children. To elucidate immunological cellular responses to the vaccines in these children, we investigated memory B cell responses to DTaP vaccination. We used fluorescently conjugated vaccine antigens to label antigen receptors on the surface of memory B cells and examined the frequency of antigen‐specific CD19+ CD27+ memory B cells in the peripheral blood. sOP children showed a significantly lower percentage of antigen‐specific CD19+ CD27+ memory B cells than NOP children. We also found a linear correlation between the frequencies of memory B cells and circulating IgG titres for DT, TT and PT proteins. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show significant differences in memory B cell responses to DTaP vaccine antigens and their correlation with the circulating antibodies in young children with recurrent AOM.
New Spectral Fitting Method for Full-Spectrum Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence Retrieval Based on Principal Components Analysis

The full-spectrum Solar-Induced chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF) within the 650-800 nm spectral region can provide important information regarding physiological and biochemical activities in vegetation. This paper proposes a new Full-spectrum Spectral Fitting Method (F-SFM) for the retrieval of SIF spectra based on Principal Components Analysis (PCA). Using F-SFM, both the full-spectrum reflectance and SIF within the 650-800 nm region were modeled by PCA based on a training dataset simulated by the Soil Canopy Observation, Photochemistry and Energy fluxes (SCOPE) model, and the weighting coefficients of the principal components were estimated by the least-squares fitting method. An iterative process was employed to improve the accuracy of the estimation of the reflectance. In each iteration, the SIF spectra retrieved from the last run were removed from the total upwelling radiance to minimize the small contribution of the SIF to the apparent reflectance outside the absorption bands. Then, the F-SFM algorithm was tested using both simulated and field-measured data with different Spectral Resolutions (SRs) and Signal-to-Noise Ratios (SNRs). For data with an SR of 0.3 nm and without noise, the Relative Root Mean Square Error (RRMSE) was less than 14% within the spectral region that was studied, and the peak-value ratio (SIF735/SIF685) was accurately estimated with an RRMSE of 3.56%. In addition, the F-SFM algorithm proved less sensitive to the SR than the three-band Fraunhofer Line Discrimination (3 FLD) and improved FLD (iFLD) methods. In the case of the field spectral data with SRs of 3 nm and 0.3 nm, the double-peak shape and the diurnal variation trend of the SIF spectra could be reasonably reconstructed by F-SFM, and the retrieved SIF values at the O2-A and O2-B bands were consistent with those retrieved by 3FLD from data with a high SR (0.3 nm) and SNR (1000). Therefore, the F-SFM method can provide full-spectrum SIF information with high accuracy even at relatively low SRs and SNRs, and shows promise for use in applications involving the SIF shape information.
Dexterous Grippers: Putting Nonholonomy to Work for Fine Manipulation

In this paper, we describe the realization and control of robotic end-effectors that are designed to achieve high operational versatility with limited constructive complexity. The design of such end-effectors, which can be regarded either as low-complexity robot hands or as highly versatile robot grippers, is based on the intentional exploitation of nonholonomic effects that occur in rolling. While the potential usefulness of manipulation by rolling has been theoretically established in the literature, several problems in the practical implementation of the concept remained open. In particular, manipulation of parts of complex, and a priori unknown, shape is considered in this paper. Experimental low-complexity grippers that realize dexterous manipulation by rolling are also described.
Model Checking Mobile Processes

The propositional p-calculus has recently emerged as a powerful instrument for specifying temporal properties of processes (c.f. Stirling [16]), and model checkers for checking propositional p-calculus properties against finite-state (CCS) processes have been developed and implemented (c.f. [7, 17, 2]). For most practical applications, however, mechanisms for parameter passing and quantification are invaluable. Based on CCS the ~r-calculus of Milner, Parrow, and Walker [12] has recently been proposed as a way of formally describing mobility in process structures such as mobile telephone networks (Orava, Parrow [13]). In fact the ~r-calculus can well be viewed as a prototypical value passing calculus, a view being reinforced by the capacity of the ~r-calculus to encode data types [9], lambda calculus [10], and higher order processes [14]. As a temporal logic for the 7r-calculus, however, the propositional p-calculus is not directly suitable, lacking, as it does, mechanisms for parametrisation, passing, generation, and quantification of names. In this paper we demonstrate
Proton beam induced dynamics of tungsten granules

This paper reports the results from single-pulse experiments of a 440 GeV=c proton beam interacting with granular tungsten samples in both vacuum and helium environments. Remote high-speed photography and laser Doppler vibrometry were used to observe the effect of the beam on the sample grains. The majority of the results were derived from a trough containing ∼45 μm diameter spheres (not compacted) reset between experiments to maintain the same initial conditions. Experiments were also carried out on other open and contained samples for the purposes of comparison both with the 45 μm grain results and with a previous experiment carried out with sub-250 μm mixed crystalline tungsten powder in helium [Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams 17, 101005 (2014)]. The experiments demonstrate that a greater dynamic response is produced in a vacuum than in a helium environment and in smaller grains compared with larger grains. The examination of the dynamics of the grains after a beam impact leads to the hypothesis that the grain response is primarily the result of a charge interaction of the proton beam with the granular medium.
The use and the user of herbal remedies during pregnancy.

BACKGROUND The physiologic changes that occur during pregnancy can lead to a variety of conditions that can usually be self-treated. There are no licensed medicines for conditions such as morning sickness or insomnia in pregnancy, and evidence from Western countries suggests that patients often resort to using herbal medicines. Research on the health behaviors of pregnant women in the United Kingdom with respect to herbal remedies has not been undertaken. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to describe the use and the user of herbal remedies during pregnancy and to study the sources of information about herbs used. DESIGN The study design was a survey among expectant mothers more than 20 weeks pregnant presenting at an antenatal clinic. SETTING The setting was an antenatal clinic and antenatal ultrasound department at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. One thousand and thirty-seven (1037) questionnaires were handed out between November 2007 and February 2008. RESULTS Five hundred and seventy-eight (578) questionnaires were returned (55.7%). Three hundred and thirty-four (334) of the 578 respondents (57.8%) reported using herbal remedies during pregnancy with a mean of 1.2 remedies per woman (median: 1, range: 0-10). The most commonly used remedies were ginger, cranberry, and raspberry leaf. The most probable user had been pregnant before and had a university degree. "Family and friends" were the most frequently cited source of information about herbal remedies during pregnancy, and more than 75% of the users reportedly did not tell their doctor or midwife about the use. CONCLUSIONS A large percentage of the women in the study used herbal remedies during pregnancy--many of them without informing their doctor or midwife. Doctors or midwives should ask pregnant women if they use herbal remedies during pregnancy. Health care personnel should be open to discuss the use of herbal remedies during pregnancy and be able to give balanced information as the use is so widespread.
Serotonergic 5HTTLPR/rs25531 s‐allele homozygosity associates with violent suicides in male citalopram users

Depressive disorders are involved as a background factor in over 50% of suicide cases. The most widely used antidepressants today are serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). However, not all users benefit from SSRI medication. Although the overall number of suicides in Finland have decreased notably during the last decade, the annual rate is still relatively high, particularly in male population. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the genetic variants associated with decreased citalopram efficiency, 5HTTLPR/rs25531, and increased impulsive behavior, MAOA‐uVNTR and HTR2B Q20*, are more frequent among citalopram users committing suicide than among the citalopram users in general. Also the effect of alcohol was evaluated. The study population comprised 349 suicide victims (184 males and 165 females). Based on the suicide method used, cases were divided into two groups; violent (88 males and 49 females) and non‐violent (96 males and 116 females). The control group (284; 159 males and 125 females) consisted of citalopram users who died of causes other than suicide. We found that male citalopram users with low functioning s/s genotype of 5HTTLPR/rs25531 were in increased risk to commit violent suicide (OR 2.50, 95%CI 1.15–5.42, p = 0.020). Surprisingly, high blood alcohol concentration was observed to be a risk factor only in non‐violent suicides (both males and females), but not in violent ones. No association between suicides and MAOA‐uVNTR and HTR2B Q20*, which have been previously connected to violent and impulsive behavior, was detected.
Population Dynamics and Niche Distribution of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli during Acute and Chronic Urinary Tract Infection

ABSTRACT Urinary tract infections (UTIs) have complex dynamics, with uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), the major causative agent, capable of colonization from the urethra to the kidneys in both extracellular and intracellular niches while also producing chronic persistent infections and frequent recurrent disease. In mouse and human bladders, UPEC invades the superficial epithelium, and some bacteria enter the cytoplasm to rapidly replicate into intracellular bacterial communities (IBCs) comprised of ∼104 bacteria each. Through IBC formation, UPEC expands in numbers while subverting aspects of the innate immune response. Within 12 h of murine bladder infection, half of the bacteria are intracellular, with 3 to 700 IBCs formed. Using mixed infections with green fluorescent protein (GFP) and wild-type (WT) UPEC, we discovered that each IBC is clonally derived from a single bacterium. Genetically tagged UPEC and a multiplex PCR assay were employed to investigate the distribution of UPEC throughout urinary tract niches over time. In the first 24 h postinfection (hpi), the fraction of tags dramatically decreased in the bladder and kidney, while the number of CFU increased. The percentage of tags detected at 6 hpi correlated to the number of IBCs produced, which closely matched a calculated multinomial distribution based on IBC clonality. The fraction of tags remaining thereafter depended on UTI outcome, which ranged from resolution of infection with or without quiescent intracellular reservoirs (QIRs) to the development of chronic cystitis as defined by persistent bacteriuria. Significantly more tags remained in mice that developed chronic cystitis, arguing that during the acute stages of infection, a higher number of IBCs precedes chronic cystitis than precedes QIR formation.
Characterization of an Alternative Splice Variant of LKB1*

LKB1 is an upstream activating kinase for the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and at least 12 other AMPK-related kinases. LKB1 therefore acts as a master kinase regulating the activity of a wide range of downstream kinases, which themselves have diverse physiological roles. Here we identify a second form of LKB1 generated by alternative splicing of the LKB1 gene. The two LKB1 proteins have different C-terminal sequences generating a 50-kDa form (termed LKB1L) and a 48-kDa form (LKB1S). LKB1L is widely expressed in mouse tissues, whereas LKB1S has a restricted tissue distribution with predominant expression in the testis. LKB1S, like LKB1L, forms a complex with MO25 and STRAD, and phosphorylates and activates AMPK both in vitro and in intact cells. A phosphorylation site (serine 431 in mouse) and a farnesylation site (cysteine 433 in mouse) within LKB1L are not conserved in LKB1S raising the possibility that these sites might be involved in differential regulation and/or localization of the two forms of LKB1. However, we show that phosphorylation of serine 431 has no effect on LKB1L activity and that both LKB1L and LKB1S have similar patterns of subcellular localization. These results indicate that the physiological significance of the different forms of LKB1 is not related directly to differences in the C-terminal sequences but may be due to their differential patterns of tissue distribution.
Suitability of Foxtail Millet Semolina and Soy grits for the formulation of instant Upma Mix

The present study focused on the use of foxtail millet along with soy grits for the preparation of instant upma mix. The instant upma mixes were evaluated for sensory characteristics, proximate composition, hunter colour values and cooking quality characteristics. Results of sensory evaluation showed that mix prepared from 75% foxtail millet, 20% wheat semolina and 5% soy grits was well accepted. The proximate composition of cooked upma exhibited moisture content from 37.50 to 40.60%, protein 11.20 to 12.90%, fat 6.38 to 8.14%, fibre 1.15 to 7.47%, ash 2.00 to 3.80%, carbohydrate content 59.87 to 70.16% and energy value 245.62 to 256.90Kcal/100 g. In Hunter colour analysis, the L* value was decreased with increasing level of foxtail millet semolina. The cooking time required by improved upma mix was higher as compared to control sample. Water uptake and rehydration ratio were found to be highest in formulation U6 prepared from 95% foxtail millet semolina and 5% soy grits whereas solids in cooking water was highest in formulation U4.
Air Embolism: Practical Tips for Prevention and Treatment

Air embolism is a rarely encountered but much dreaded complication of surgical procedures that can cause serious harm, including death. Cases that involve the use of endovascular techniques have a higher risk of air embolism; therefore, a heightened awareness of this complication is warranted. In particular, central venous catheters and arterial catheters that are often placed and removed in most hospitals by a variety of medical practitioners are at especially high risk for air embolism. With appropriate precautions and techniques it can be preventable. This article reviews the causes of air embolism, clinical management and prevention techniques.
Business process research: a cross-disciplinary review

Purpose – The paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of business processes (BPs) literature by identifying and discussing key BP‐related research themes and suggesting directions for future research.Design/methodology/approach – Latent semantic analysis was used to analyze the abstracts of academic articles related to BP. Over 2,700 articles that use the term “business process (BP)” in their title, abstract or keywords were identified through electronic journals database EBSCOHost and examined.Findings – The results clearly indicate growing interest in BP research during the past 20 years. The key research themes can be classified into core and associated BP research. Core BP research deals with four cornerstones of BP change: BP design, information technology, BP implementation, and ongoing BP management. The associated BP research lies on the intersection of BP and other research areas such as total quality management, supply chain management, e‐commerce, etc.Research limitations/implications – .
Cancer of childhood in sub-Saharan Africa

Measurement of incidence rates of childhood cancer in Africa is difficult. The study ‘Cancer of Childhood in sub Saharan Africa’ brings together results from 16 population-based registries which, as members of the African Cancer Registry Network (AFCRN), have been evaluated as achieving adequate coverage of their target population. The cancers are classified according to the third revision of the International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC-3) and recorded rates in Africa are compared with those in childhood populations in the UK, France, and the USA. It is clear that, in many centres, lack of adequate diagnostic and treatment facilities leads to under-diagnosis (and enumeration) of leukaemias and brain cancers. However, for several childhood cancers, incidence rates in Africa are higher than those in high-income countries. This applies to infection-related cancers such as Kaposi sarcoma, Burkitt lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and hepatocellular carcinoma, and also to two common embryonal cancers - retinoblastoma and nephroblastoma. These (and other) observations are unlikely to be artefact, and are of considerable interest when considering possible aetiological factors, including ethnic differences in risk (and hence genetic/familial antecedents). The data reported are the most extensive so far available on the incidence of cancer in sub Saharan Africa, and clearly indicate the need for more resources to be devoted to cancer registration, especially in the childhood age range, as part of an overall programme to improve the availability of diagnosis and treatment of this group of cancers, many of which have—potentially—an excellent prognosis.