Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recognition-based segmentation and registration method for image guided shoulder surgery

For any image guided surgery, independently of the technique which is used (navigation, templates, robotics), it is necessary to get a 3D bone surface model from CT or MR images. Such model is used for planning, registration and visualization. We report that graphical representation of patient bony structure and the surgical tools, interconnectively with the tracking device and patient-to-image registration are crucial components in such a system. For Total Shoulder Arthroplasty (TSA), there are many challenges. The most of cases that we are working with are pathological cases such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis disease. The CT images of these cases often show a fusion area between the glenoid cavity and the humeral head. They also show severe deformations of the humeral head surface that result in a loss of contours. This fusion area and image quality problems are also amplified by well-known CT-scan artifacts like beam-hardening or partial volume effects. The state of the art shows that several segmentation techniques, applied to CT-Scans of the shoulder, have already been disclosed. Unfortunately, their performances, when used on pathological data, are quite poor [1, 2]. The aim of this paper is to present a new image guided surgery system based on CT scan of the patient and using bony structure recognition, morphological analysis for the operated region and robust image-to-patient registration.
A ring-shaped conduit connects the mother cell and forespore during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis

Significance Specialized secretion systems transport proteins across the double-membrane cell envelope of Gram-negative bacteria. Gram-positive bacteria possess a single membrane and lack many of these secretion systems. During endospore formation in Gram-positive bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis, a double-membrane envelope surrounds the developing spore. A transenvelope complex with similarities to Gram-negative specialized secretion systems spans the two membranes separating mother cell and endospore. This complex is essential for development and has been hypothesized to serve as a channel for molecular transport between the two cells. Here we show that it contains an oligomeric ring with architecture and dimensions similar to those found in type III secretion systems, providing direct evidence for a conduit connecting mother cell and developing spore. During spore formation in Bacillus subtilis a transenvelope complex is assembled across the double membrane that separates the mother cell and forespore. This complex (called the “A–Q complex”) is required to maintain forespore development and is composed of proteins with remote homology to components of type II, III, and IV secretion systems found in Gram-negative bacteria. Here, we show that one of these proteins, SpoIIIAG, which has remote homology to ring-forming proteins found in type III secretion systems, assembles into an oligomeric ring in the periplasmic-like space between the two membranes. Three-dimensional reconstruction of images generated by cryo-electron microscopy indicates that the SpoIIIAG ring has a cup-and-saucer architecture with a 6-nm central pore. Structural modeling of SpoIIIAG generated a 24-member ring with dimensions similar to those of the EM-derived saucer. Point mutations in the predicted oligomeric interface disrupted ring formation in vitro and impaired forespore gene expression and efficient spore formation in vivo. Taken together, our data provide strong support for the model in which the A–Q transenvelope complex contains a conduit that connects the mother cell and forespore. We propose that a set of stacked rings spans the intermembrane space, as has been found for type III secretion systems.
Fractal analysis of the large-scale stellar mass distribution in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

A novel fractal analysis of the cosmic web structure is carried out, employing the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, data release 7. We consider the large-scale stellar mass distribution, unlike other analyses, and determine its multifractal geometry, which is compared with the geometry of the cosmic web generated by cosmological N-body simulations. We find a good concordance, the common features being: (i) a minimum singularity strength αmin = 1, which corresponds to the edge of diverging gravitational energy and differs from the adhesion model prediction; (ii) a “supercluster set” of relatively high dimension where the mass concentrates; and (iii) a non-lacunar structure, like the one generated by the adhesion model.
Two Abscisic Acid-Responsive Plastid Lipase Genes Involved in Jasmonic Acid Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana

Abscisic acid-inducible genes encode plastid lipases involved in releasing polyunsaturated fatty acids from chloroplast lipids as precursors for oxylipin production in Arabidopsis thaliana. Chloroplast membranes with their unique lipid composition are crucial for photosynthesis. Maintenance of the chloroplast membranes requires finely tuned lipid anabolic and catabolic reactions. Despite the presence of a large number of predicted lipid-degrading enzymes in the chloroplasts, their biological functions remain largely unknown. Recently, we described PLASTID LIPASE1 (PLIP1), a plastid phospholipase A1 that contributes to seed oil biosynthesis. The Arabidopsis thaliana genome encodes two putative PLIP1 paralogs, which we designated PLIP2 and PLIP3. PLIP2 and PLIP3 are also present in the chloroplasts, but likely with different subplastid locations. In vitro analysis indicated that both are glycerolipid A1 lipases. In vivo, PLIP2 prefers monogalactosyldiacylglycerol as substrate and PLIP3 phosphatidylglycerol. Overexpression of PLIP2 or PLIP3 severely reduced plant growth and led to accumulation of the bioactive form of jasmonate and related oxylipins. Genetically blocking jasmonate perception restored the growth of the PLIP2/3-overexpressing plants. The expression of PLIP2 and PLIP3, but not PLIP1, was induced by abscisic acid (ABA), and plip1 plip2 plip3 triple mutants exhibited compromised oxylipin biosynthesis in response to ABA. The plip triple mutants also showed hypersensitivity to ABA. We propose that PLIP2 and PLIP3 provide a mechanistic link between ABA-mediated abiotic stress responses and oxylipin signaling.
Octadecylpropyl Sulfamide Reduces Neurodegeneration and Restores the Memory Deficits Induced by Hypoxia-Ischemia in Mice

The PPAR-α agonist, oleoylethanolamide (OEA) has neuroprotective properties in stroke models. However, its rapid degradation represents a limitation for an effective therapeutic approach. In this study, we evaluated the effects of a stable OEA-modeled compound, octadecylpropyl sulfamide (SUL) on the cognitive, behavioral, cellular and molecular alterations associated with hypoxia-ischemia (HI) in mice. Mice subjected to HI were treated with the PPAR-α antagonist GW6471 (GW) (1 mg/kg) followed 15 min later by SUL (3 and 10 mg/kg). Behavioral, motor, and cognitive tests were carried out 24 h and 7 days after the HI. The levels of microglia, reactive astrocytes and neuronal nuclei were studied using immunofluorescence, and the expression of genes related to the N-acyl-ethanolamides/endocannabinoid signaling systems was determined by qRT-PCR at the end of the experimental sequence. HI induced brain damage in the ipsilateral hippocampus and cortex, which lead to severe memory impairments, and motor coordination deficits. Significant neuronal loss, increased microglia and reactive astrocytes, and compensatory changes in genes associated with the inflammation/immune and endocannabinoid systems were observed in these brain structures of lesioned mice. SUL reversed the memory and motor deficits, decreased the overexpression of microglia and astrocytes, and reduced neurodegeneration induced by HI. Cnr1 and Cnr2 gene expression was modulated by SUL in both sham and HI mice, while Pparα and Faah expression was regulated in HI mice. GW completely blocked the beneficial actions of SUL. These findings suggest that treatment with SUL reduces brain damage and the associated motor and memory deficits induced by HI probably by normalizing the changes in neuroinflammation/immune system mediators.
Structure and function of human muscle fibres and muscle proteome in physically active older men

Loss of muscle mass and strength in the growing population of elderly people is a major health concern for modern societies. This condition, termed sarcopenia, is a major cause of falls and of the subsequent increase in morbidity and mortality. Despite numerous studies on the impact of ageing on individual muscle fibres, the contribution of single muscle fibre adaptations to ageing‐induced atrophy and functional impairment is still unsettled. The level of physical function and disuse is often associated with ageing. We studied relatively healthy older adults in order to understand the effects of ageing per se without the confounding impact of impaired physical function. We found that in healthy ageing, structural and functional alterations of muscle fibres occur. Protein post‐translational modifications, oxidation and phosphorylation contribute to such alterations more than loss of myosin and other muscle protein content.
Efficient Terahertz Generation Using Fe/Pt Spintronic Emitters Pumped at Different Wavelengths

Recent studies in spintronics (STs) have highlighted ultrathin magnetic metallic multilayers as a novel and very promising class of broadband terahertz (THz) radiation sources. Such ST multilayers consist of ferromagnetic (FM) and non-magnetic (NM) thin films. When triggered by ultrafast laser pulses, they generate pulsed THz radiation due to the inverse spin-Hall effect—a mechanism that converts optically driven spin currents from the magnetized FM layer into transient transverse charge currents in the NM layer, resulting in THz emission. As THz emitters, FM/NM multilayers have been intensively investigated so far only at 800 nm excitation wavelength using femtosecond Ti:sapphire lasers. In this paper, we demonstrate that an optimized ST bilayer structure of 2 nm Fe and 3 nm Pt grown on 500 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> MgO substrate is just as effective as a THz radiation source when excited either at <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\lambda = 800$ </tex-math></inline-formula> nm or at <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\lambda = 1550$ </tex-math></inline-formula> nm by ultrafast laser pulses from a femtosecond fiber laser (pulsewidth ~100 fs and repetition rate ~100 MHz). Even with low incident power levels, the Fe/Pt ST emitter exhibits efficient generation of THz radiation at both excitation wavelengths. The efficient THz emitter operation at 1550 nm facilitates the integration of such ST emitters in THz systems driven by relatively low cost and compact femtosecond fiber lasers without the need for frequency conversion.
ETHNOVETERINARY PRACTICES AMONG THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF PALANI HILLS IN SOUTHERN WESTERN GHATS , INDIA

Citation: M.Mayilsamy, Ethnoveterinary practices among the indigenous peoples of palani hills in southern western ghats, INDIA, IJSID, 2015,14-22 -14ETHNOVETERINARY PRACTICES AMONG THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF PALANI HILLS IN SOUTHERN WESTERN GHATS, INDIA R. Ezhilvalavan1, M. Mayilsamy2* and A. Rajendran3 1Department of Environmental and Herbal Science, Tamil University, Tanjavur613 010, TN, India 2*PG Department of Botany, A. P. A. College of Arts and Culture, Palani -624601, TN, India 3Department of Botany, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore -641 046, TN, India ABSTRACT An ethnomedicinal study of veterinary medicines among the local indigenous peoples of the villages of Palani Hills, Southern Western Ghats, Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu, India were carried out during the period of Janaury 2011 to March 2013. Ethnoveterinary uses of 30 spcies belonging to 23 families havs been documented in this study for their interesting therapeutic properties of varios veterinary ailments such as diarrhoea, dysentery, indigestion, constipation. rheumatic pain, wounds, inflammations, neck swolling, skin diseases, foot and mouth diseases, bone fractures and vomiting. The leaves (43%) followed by bark (14%), fruits (9%), tubers(9%), whole plant (9%), seeds(6%) , latex (3%), rhizome (3%) and roots(3%) were most frequently used plant parts for ethnoveterinary medicine. Usually the fresh materials were used for medicinal preparation in the form of extract (27%) , decoction (21%) , paste (21) , juice (19%) , powder (9%) and poultice (3%). The most frequently used routes of drug administration have been oral followed by dermal. This study suggest that, documenting the ethnoveterinary medicinal plants and associated indigenous knowledge can be used for conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants in the study area and for validation of these plant preparations for veterinary treatment.
Small Bowel Atresia in Khartoum Teaching Hospital

Introduction: Intestinal atresia is a common cause of neonatal intestinal obstruction. Duodenal atresia occurs most properly due to failure of recanalization of the foregut, while jejuno-ileal atresia is due to intra uterine ischemia. Objectives: To describe the pattern, clinical presentation, surgical treatment and outcome of bowel atresia. Patients & Method: The study was Observational, analytic, hospital based study. Result: Study of 40 patients with small bowel atresia showed that; more than 80% of patients were neonates, males: females’ ratio was 1.4:1. Duodenal atresia was found in 27.5 % while jejunoileal atresia was found in 82.5% (57.5% was jejunal and 15% was ileal). All patients presented with vomiting most of them were bilious. Features of Dawn syndrome reported in four patients, all of them were duodenal (36%), cardiac anomalies occurred in 18% of duodenal atresia. Malrotation was found in three patients one was duodenal and two were jejunoileal. Prematurity occurred in 20% of patients, low birth weight was found in 45%. Duodenal atresia was treated by duodenoduodenostomy, duodeno-jejunostomy or duodenotomy for stenosis. While jejunoileal atresia was treated resection and anastomosis in most of the cases, enteroplasty was done in patients with short bowel, one patient treated by stoma because of perforation and peritonitis. Mortality rate was 32.5% due to multiple causes; cardiac anomalies, jaundice, prematurity and type of atresia were the commonest causes. Conclusion: In our country lack of neonatal intensive care unit and total parenteral nutrition increases the mortality rate, availability of these things plus pre natal diagnosis will improve the outcome.
Longitudinal Evidence for Dissociation of Anterior and Posterior MTL Resting-State Connectivity in Aging: Links to Perfusion and Memory

Neuroimaging studies of spontaneous signal fluctuations as measured by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging have revealed age-related alterations in the functional architecture of brain networks. One such network is located in the medial temporal lobe (MTL), showing structural and functional variations along the anterior–posterior axis. Past cross-sectional studies of MTL functional connectivity (FC) have yielded discrepant findings, likely reflecting the fact that specific MTL subregions are differentially affected in aging. Here, using longitudinal resting-state data from 198 participants, we investigated 5-year changes in FC of the anterior and posterior MTL. We found an opposite pattern, such that the degree of FC within the anterior MTL declined after age 60, whereas elevated FC within the posterior MTL was observed along with attenuated posterior MTL-cortical connectivity. A significant negative change–change relation was observed between episodic-memory decline and elevated FC in the posterior MTL. Additional analyses revealed age-related cerebral blood flow (CBF) increases in posterior MTL at the follow-up session, along with a positive relation of elevated FC and CBF, suggesting that elevated FC is a metabolically demanding alteration. Collectively, our findings indicate that elevated FC in posterior MTL along with increased local perfusion is a sign of brain aging that underlie episodic-memory decline.
Predicting phosphene elicitation in patients with retinal implants: A mathematical study

Single pulse waveforms were considered in a recent model for phosphene elicitation in patients with a retinal prosthesis. Waveforms are constrained to charge-balanced stimuli consisting of a single cathodic and anodic pulse pair. Mathematical models of such stimuli have been constructed and presented based upon patient testimonials. In this work, we derive analytic expressions that may be employed to determine equibrightness levels for different waveforms. We provide an example calculation to show quantitative improvements in stimulation efficiency that are consistent with qualitative findings on waveform effects.
Hollow Palladium Nanoparticles Facilitated Biodegradation of an Azo Dye by Electrically Active Biofilms

Dye wastewater severely threatens the environment due to its hazardous and toxic effects. Although many methods are available to degrade dyes, most of them are far from satisfactory. The proposed research provides a green and sustainable approach to degrade an azo dye, methyl orange, by electrically active biofilms (EABs) in the presence of solid and hollow palladium (Pd) nanoparticles. The EABs acted as the electron generator while nanoparticles functioned as the electron carrier agents to enhance degradation rate of the dye by breaking the kinetic barrier. The hollow Pd nanoparticles showed better performance than the solid Pd nanoparticles on the dye degradation, possibly due to high specific surface area and cage effect. The hollow cavities provided by the nanoparticles acted as the reaction centers for the dye degradation.
The association between biopsychosocial factors and disability in a national health survey in South Africa

Abstract The association between psychosocial factors and disability is less clear. This study investigated the biological and psychosocial (employment and psychological distress) factors associated with level of disability in an adult sample in South Africa. Data were analysed from a cross-sectional survey among adults aged 18–64 (n = 4974). Multiple linear regression was used to investigate the associations of the selected variables with disability. The mean percentage score on the WHODAS scale of disability was 5.31% (95% CI: 4.74–5.88). Age (p < 0.001) and race (p = 0.0002) were significantly associated with disability, and history of stroke (β = 7.19, 95% CI: 3.19–11.20) and heart-related conditions (β = 2.08, 95% CI: [0.23–3.93) showed positive associations. Of the psychosocial variables, psychological distress (β = 10.49 [8.63–12.35]) showed a strong positive association while employment (−1.62 [−2.36 to −0.88]) showed a negative association with disability. The association between demographic factors, medical conditions and increased disability confirms the findings in the literature. The finding that psychological distress is associated with increased disability has not been frequently reported. This study highlights specific psychosocial targets that may be usefully addressed by health policies and interventions in order to improve disability management.
PRDM4 mediates YAP‐induced cell invasion by activating leukocyte‐specific integrin β2 expression

Yes‐associated protein (YAP) is a transcriptional co‐activator and a major effector of the Hippo pathway that promotes cell proliferation and stemness, while inhibiting apoptosis. YAP plays a central role in organ size control, and its deregulation strongly promotes cancer initiation and progression. However, the mechanisms by which YAP promotes cell invasion and metastasis are not fully understood. Here, we report that YAP induces leukocyte‐specific integrin β2 (ITGB2) expression in cancer cells, thereby promoting cell invasion through the endothelium in a manner mimicking leukocytes. Through independent biochemical purification and a functional screen, we further identified PR/SET domain 4 (PRDM4) as a transcription factor interacting with the WW domains of YAP to mediate ITGB2 expression and cell invasion. Consistently, ITGB2 and PRDM4 mRNA levels are significantly increased in metastatic prostate cancer. In addition, PRDM4 contributes to YAP‐induced tumorigenesis possibly via mediating the expression of other YAP target genes. Our results demonstrate that YAP promotes cell invasion by inducing leukocyte‐specific integrin expression, and identify PRDM4 as a novel transcription factor for YAP targets.
Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load and Mammographic Breast Density: The EPIC Florence Longitudinal Study

A few studies have evaluated the association between diet and mammographic breast density (MBD) and results are inconsistent. MBD, a well-recognized risk factor for breast cancer, has been proposed as a marker of cumulative exposure to hormones and growth factors. Diets with a high glycemic index (GI) or glycemic load (GL) may increase breast cancer risk, via an effect on the insulin-like growth factor axis. We have investigated the association between carbohydrate intake, GI, GL and MBD in a prospective study. We identified a large series of women, in the frame of the EPIC-Florence cohort, with a mammogram taken five years after enrolment, when detailed information on dietary and lifestyle habits and anthropometric measurements had been collected. Mammograms have been retrieved (1,668, 83%) and MBD assessed according to Wolfe’s classification. We compared women with high MBD (P2+DY Wolfe’s categories) with those with low MBD (N1+P1) through logistic models adjusted for age, education, body mass index, menopause, number of children, breast feeding, physical activity, non-alcohol energy, fibers, saturated fat and alcohol. A direct association between GL and high MBD emerged in the highest quintile of intake in comparison with the lowest quintile (OR = 1.73, 95%CI 1.13–2.67, p for trend = 0.048) while no association with glycemic index was evident. These results were confirmed after exclusion of women reporting to be on a diet or affected with diabetes, and when Hormone Replacement Therapy at the date of mammographic examination used to assess MBD was considered. The effect was particularly evident among leaner women, although no interaction was found. A positive association was suggested for increasing simple sugar and total carbohydrates intakes limited to the highest quintiles. In this Italian population we observed an association between glycemic load, total and rapidly absorbed carbohydrates and high MBD. These novel results warrant further investigations.