Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparing Optic Nerve-head-size Measurements by the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph With Fundus Photography Performed With a Novel Focusing Technique

PurposeTo compare disc areas as measured with the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT) to those obtained with a fundus camera. DesignA nonrandomized comparative trial. ParticipantsForty-six patients (88 eyes) who were participating in a glaucoma-screening study. MethodsDisc areas from fundus photographs taken with a Nidek nonmydriatic camera were measured in pixels (Adobe photoshop 7.0). A magnification factor was determined, using a previously described technique that uses the position of the focusing slide on the camera to account for the spherical refractive error. The resulting calculated disc areas were then compared with the disc areas as measured with the HRT. Main Outcome MeasuresDisc area. ResultsThe limits of agreement between the 2 techniques were 0.49 and −0.51 mm2, indicating that the range of differences between these imaging techniques was approximately 1 mm2. Using a Bland-Altman plot, the distribution of residuals indicated that the 2 techniques do not differ in a systematic way. ConclusionsDisc area measurements can be reasonably determined from digital fundus photography if corrected for focusing slide position when compared with HRT. This may have useful applications for both clinical glaucoma patient care and population-based glaucoma-screening programs.
Association Between Osteopontin and Human Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Objectives—In vitro and animal studies have implicated osteopontin (OPN) in the pathogenesis of aortic aneurysm. The relationship between serum concentration of OPN and variants of the OPN gene with human abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) was investigated. Methods and Results—OPN genotypes were examined in 4227 subjects in which aortic diameter and clinical risk factors were measured. Serum OPN was measured by ELISA in two cohorts of 665 subjects. The concentration of serum OPN was independently associated with the presence of AAA. Odds ratios (and 95% confidence intervals) for upper compared with lower OPN tertiles in predicting presence of AAA were 2.23 (1.29 to 3.85, P=0.004) for the population cohort and 4.08 (1.67 to 10.00, P=0.002) for the referral cohort after adjusting for other risk factors. In 198 patients with complete follow-up of aortic diameter at 3 years, initial serum OPN predicted AAA growth after adjustment for other risk factors (standardized coefficient 0.24, P=0.001). The concentration of OPN in the aortic wall was greater in patients with small AAAs (30 to 50 mm) than those with aortic occlusive disease alone. There was no association between five single nucleotide polymorphisms or haplotypes of the OPN gene and aortic diameter or AAA expansion. Conclusions—Serum and tissue concentrations of OPN are associated with human AAA. We found no relationship between variation of the OPN gene and AAA. OPN may be a useful biomarker for AAA presence and growth.
Interpretation and scaling of positional information during development

Cells in a developing animal require information about their relative position in order to function and differentiate appropriately. In the classical view, cellular positional information is interpreted from the concentration of chemical signals known as morphogens. However, recent studies have questioned the ability of morphogens to establish gene expression patterns in a concentration-dependent manner. Here we combine theoretical tools and experimental work in Drosophila melanogaster to investigate the mechanisms by which positional information is interpreted from a morphogen gradient and the ability of patterns to scale with respect to the size of the system. First, we study how a concentration gradient of the signaling molecule Hedgehog establishes multiple patterns of gene expression along the anterior-posterior axis of the Drosophila wing disc. Using mathematical modeling as a hypotheses-generating tool, we predicted that positional information cannot be explained by different concentration thresholds from a static Hedgehog gradient. Instead, we propose that cells take into account their history of Hedgehog signaling exposure to determine patterns of gene expression. We provide experimental evidence that supports our model and conclude that gradient dynamics, resulting from the gene network architecture of the Hedgehog signaling pathway, determine pattern formation in the wing disc. Second, we introduce a theoretical formalism to study the role of morphogen gradient dynamics in developmental patterning. Given a mathematical model of pattern formation, we define and compute parameter perturbations that leave invariant the steady-state distribution of the relevant morphogen. We propose that this approach can be used as a tool to design genetic experiments that assay the function of morphogen dynamics. Lastly, we use dorsal-ventral patterning of the early Drosophila embryo as a model to study scaling of gene expression patterns with respect to natural variations in axis length, that is, the ability to establish positional information relative to the size of the system. We provide evidence that gene expression patterns that depend on the maternal factor Dorsal, scale along the dorsal-ventral axis. Our data suggest that scaling in this system is a gene-dependent rather than a position-dependent property. We propose that the mechanisms for scaling depend on feedback interactions downstream of Dorsal.
Shift schedules, work factors, and mental health among onshore and offshore workers in the Norwegian petroleum industry

The purpose of the present study was to answer the following research questions: (1) Do workers in different shift schedules differ in mental distress? (2) Do workers in different shift schedules differ in neuroticism? (3) Do shift schedules differ in psychosocial work exposures? (4) Do psychosocial work exposures contribute to mental distress among onshore- and offshore workers? (5) Does neuroticism confound the association between work exposures and mental distress? Workers on six shift-schedules answered a questionnaire (1,471 of 2,628 employees). Psychological and social work factors were measured by QPSNordic, mental distress was measured by HADS and neuroticism was measured by EPQ. The results showed 1) No differences in mental distress between workers in different shift schedules, 2) Revolving-shift workers reported higher neuroticism compared to day workers, 3) Swing-shift workers and revolving-shift workers reported lower job control compared to permanent-night and -day workers, 4) Job demands and role conflict were associated with more mental distress. Job control, role clarity, support, and leadership were associated with lower mental distress, 5) Neuroticism influenced the relationship between psychosocial work factors and mental distress. The present study did not find differences in mental distress between shift schedules. Job characteristics may be contributing factors when determining health effects of shift work.
Long-term safety and efficacy of the everolimus-eluting stent compared to first-generation drug-eluting stents in contemporary clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the long-term safety and clinical effectiveness of the Xience V everolimus-eluting stent (EES) compared to both Taxus paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) and Cypher sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) in an unselected patient population. BACKGROUND There are limited long-term data comparing Xience V EES vs the first-generation Cypher SES. METHODS This retrospective analysis included 6069 patients treated with Cypher SES, Taxus PES, or Xience V EES from 2003-2009 at our institution. Patients were followed by telephone contact or office visit up to 2 years after the index procedure. RESULTS Baseline characteristics were generally comparable, with the exception of a significantly higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus, systemic hypertension, history of angioplasty, and coronary bypass surgery among Xience V EES patients. At 2 years, the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events was 13.3% (Xience V EES) vs 17.8% (Cypher SES) vs 22% (Taxus PES) (P<.001). The main drivers for the differences in event rates were lower mortality, the need for target vessel revascularization, and Q-wave myocardial infarction. Stent thrombosis was lowest in Xience V EES patients (0.2% vs 1.2% SES vs 0.7% PES, respectively; P=.01). A landmark analysis after 1 year showed that the benefits of Xience V EES continued in long-term follow-up. CONCLUSIONS In a contemporary clinical United States practice with an unselected patient population, Xience V EES use was associated with improved safety profile and reduction of all-cause mortality and stent thrombosis when compared to both first-generation drug-eluting stents. This superiority continues to widen from 1 to 2 years.
The Differential Diagnosis of Vertigo in Children: A Systematic Review of 2726 Cases.

OBJECTIVES Vertigo is a relatively common complaint in children with 5.3% of pediatric patients complaining of this symptom. Although the causes of vertigo have been well established in adults, the diagnoses in children have not been well described. The aims of this systematic review are to discover the current information regarding etiologies of vertigo in children and to determine the most common diagnoses that present with vertigo in pediatric patients. METHODS PubMed, Scopus, and Embase were searched using the PRISMA guidelines. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were established a priori. All results were analyzed using a Bayesian methodology for point estimation and credible interval calculation. RESULTS From the database searches, 1419 titles were reviewed. Twenty-two studies met inclusion criteria. From these studies, a total of 2726 children aged 2 months to 19 years were reported. The top 4 diagnoses associated with childhood vertigo include vestibular migraine (23.8%; credible interval, 22.3%-25.5%), benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood (13.7%; credible interval, 12.4%-15%), idiopathic or no identified association (11.7%; credible interval, 10.5%-12.9%), and labyrinthitis/vestibular neuronitis (8.47%, credible interval, 7.46%-9.55%) accounting for approximately 57% of cases. Less common diagnoses included Meniere disease and central nervous system tumors. CONCLUSIONS Although the most common causes of pediatric vertigo include vestibular migraine and benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood, the etiologies are myriad. Rates and credible intervals are provided to permit a probabilistic diagnostic approach to these children.
Palliative effects of lutein intervention in gamma-radiation-induced cellular damages in Swiss albino mice

Objectives: Radiation-induced hematological, biochemical, and cytogenetic damages to the normal cells are major concerns in the field of radiotherapy. The carotenoids and their derivatives have been the source of antioxidants with wide range of medicinal applications. The objective is to evaluate the protective effects of lutein, a carotenoid, against radiation-induced cellular and tissue damages. Methods: Swiss albino mice were grouped into 5, 50, 250, and 500 mg/kg b.wt. of lutein treatment groups, a sham and vehicle control group. The groups were irradiated with a lethal dose of 10 Gy y'-radiation. The mortality was recorded for 30 days to optimize the protective dose against radiation. The mice were administered with the compound orally for 15 consecutive days and irradiated with a sublethal dose of 6Gy. The hematological changes in blood and antioxidant parameters were determined in liver, kidney homogenates, and hemolysate/serum. The hematological parameters were recorded using an automated cell counter. The antioxidants such as malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase were spectrophotometrically determined. Results: The red blood cell, white blood cell count, lymphocyte count, hemoglobin, platelet levels, and hematocrit value were found to be decreased in the irradiated groups. Lutein pretreatment maintains near-normal levels of these parameters indicating resistance/recovery from the radiation-induced damages. The antioxidant levels were found to be reduced in all the irradiated groups. However, lutein pretreatment (50 mg/kg b.wt.) has increased the catalase activity of hemolysate. Lutein pretreatment has reduced the MDA levels in hemolysate, when administered at doses of 5, 250, and 500 mg/kg b.wt. in comparison to its control. Conclusion: The study demonstrates the radioprotective potential of lutein by maintaining the hematological and antioxidant homeostasis.
Cochlear Implantation With Hearing Preservation Yields Significant Benefit for Speech Recognition in Complex Listening Environments

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the benefit of having preserved acoustic hearing in the implanted ear for speech recognition in complex listening environments. Design: The present study included a within-subjects, repeated-measures design including 21 English-speaking and 17 Polish-speaking cochlear implant (CI) recipients with preserved acoustic hearing in the implanted ear. The patients were implanted with electrodes that varied in insertion depth from 10 to 31 mm. Mean preoperative low-frequency thresholds (average of 125, 250, and 500 Hz) in the implanted ear were 39.3 and 23.4 dB HL for the English- and Polish-speaking participants, respectively. In one condition, speech perception was assessed in an eight-loudspeaker environment in which the speech signals were presented from one loudspeaker and restaurant noise was presented from all loudspeakers. In another condition, the signals were presented in a simulation of a reverberant environment with a reverberation time of 0.6 sec. The response measures included speech reception thresholds (SRTs) and percent correct sentence understanding for two test conditions: CI plus low-frequency hearing in the contralateral ear (bimodal condition) and CI plus low-frequency hearing in both ears (best-aided condition). A subset of six English-speaking listeners were also assessed on measures of interaural time difference thresholds for a 250-Hz signal. Results: Small, but significant, improvements in performance (1.7–2.1 dB and 6–10 percentage points) were found for the best-aided condition versus the bimodal condition. Postoperative thresholds in the implanted ear were correlated with the degree of electric and acoustic stimulation (EAS) benefit for speech recognition in diffuse noise. There was no reliable relationship among measures of audiometric threshold in the implanted ear nor elevation in threshold after surgery and improvement in speech understanding in reverberation. There was a significant correlation between interaural time difference threshold at 250 Hz and EAS-related benefit for the adaptive speech reception threshold. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that (1) preserved low-frequency hearing improves speech understanding for CI recipients, (2) testing in complex listening environments, in which binaural timing cues differ for signal and noise, may best demonstrate the value of having two ears with low-frequency acoustic hearing, and (3) preservation of binaural timing cues, although poorer than observed for individuals with normal hearing, is possible after unilateral cochlear implantation with hearing preservation and is associated with EAS benefit. The results of this study demonstrate significant communicative benefit for hearing preservation in the implanted ear and provide support for the expansion of CI criteria to include individuals with low-frequency thresholds in even the normal to near-normal range.
Bilingual Speakers in the Lab: Psychophysiological Measures of Emotional Reactivity

Bilingual speakers report experiencing stronger emotions when speaking and hearing their first language compared to their second. Does this occur even when a second language is learned early and becomes the dominant language? Spanish—English bilinguals who had grown up in the USA (early learners) or those who were first exposed to English during middle childhood while residing in a Latin American country (late learners) listened to words and phrases while skin conductance was monitored. Stimuli included taboo words, sexual terms, childhood reprimands ('Go to your room! ') and single words which functioned as a neutral baseline. Consistent with the hypothesis that a second language is less emotional for the late learners, emotional expressions (i.e.reprimands) presented in the first language elicited larger skin conductance responses than comparable expressions in the second language. For the early learners, no such difference was obtained, indicating that age of acquisition of the second language and proficiency modulate speakers' physiological reaction to emotional language.
Long-term macrolide treatment for chronic respiratory disease

Long-term macrolide treatment was first shown to alter the natural history of diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB) in the late 1980s. Since then, macrolides have been demonstrated to exert anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity in addition to being antimicrobial. Indeed, their spectrum of action extends to the regulation of leukocyte function and production of inflammatory mediators, control of mucus hypersecretion, resolution of inflammation and modulation of host defence mechanisms. As such, the potential benefit of macrolide antibiotics has been evaluated in a variety of chronic respiratory diseases. The best studied condition is cystic fibrosis, of which there have been six randomised controlled trials showing evidence of benefit. However, most of the studies were limited by small numbers of patients and short follow-up. More recently, landmark studies have demonstrated the efficacy of azithromycin in reducing the risk of acute exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but the optimal duration and dosing of macrolide treatment remain uncertain. With the exception of patients with DPB and cystic fibrosis, until clear evidence of efficacy is available, the long-term use of macrolides should be limited to highly selected patients after careful evaluation of benefit and harm, or in the context of randomised controlled clinical trials.
Sponge Functions

A good cryptographic hash function should behave like a random oracle: it should not have weaknesses that a random oracle does not have. Due to the existence of inner collisions, iterated hash functions can never satisfy this ideal. We propose a construction with a finite state called a sponge and show that a random sponge can only be distinguished from a random oracle due to inner collisions. We evaluate the strength of random sponges by computing the probability of success for a number of attacks as a function of their workload and show that these results shed a new light on the classical Merkle-Damg̊ard construction. We propose to use random sponges of given parameters as a reference for specifying security claims for hash functions, but also MAC functions and some types of stream ciphers. The main goal of sponge functions is for designers to be able to formulate a compact security claim.
Human action recognition from RGB-D frames based on real-time 3 D optical flow estimation

Modern advances in the area of intelligent agents have led to the concept of cognitive robots. A cognitive robot is not only able to perceive complex stimuli from the environment, but also to reason about them and to act coherently. Computer vision-based recognition systems serve the perception task, but they also go beyond it by finding challenging applications in other fields such as video surveillance, HCI, content-based video analysis and motion capture. In this context, we propose an automatic system for real-time human action recognition. We use the Kinect sensor and the tracking system in [1] to robustly detect and track people in the scene. Next, we estimate the 3D optical flow related to the tracked people from point cloud data only and we summarize it by means of a 3D grid-based descriptor. Finally, temporal sequences of descriptors are classified with the Nearest Neighbor technique and the overall application is tested on a newly created dataset. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Oscillatory stress stimulation uncovers an Achilles’ heel of the yeast MAPK signaling network

Altering timing perturbs cell signaling Biological regulatory systems have been optimized by evolution to accommodate environmental variation. Yet these systems may also have fragile aspects that can be exposed by variation in the timing of signaling events. Mitchell et al. studied the properties of the yeast signaling system that allows cells to adapt to changing osmotic conditions. The same properties also made the system sensitive to hyperactivation and the consequent inhibition of cell growth if exposed to oscillations in osmotic conditions with a particular frequency. The identification of similar fragility in other regulatory pathways might prove useful in the development of therapeutic strategies against diseases in which signaling is perturbed, such as cancer and diabetes. Science, this issue p. 1379 A signaling pathway is vulnerable to disruption by suitably timed input. Cells must interpret environmental information that often changes over time. In our experiment, we systematically monitored the growth of yeast cells under various frequencies of oscillating osmotic stress. Growth was severely inhibited at a particular resonance frequency, at which cells show hyperactivated transcriptional stress responses. This behavior represents a sensory misperception: The cells incorrectly interpret oscillations as a staircase of ever-increasing osmolarity. The misperception results from the capacity of the osmolarity-sensing mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) network to retrigger with sequential osmotic stresses. Although this feature is critical for coping with natural challenges, such as continually increasing osmolarity, it results in a trade-off of fragility to non-natural oscillatory inputs that match the retriggering time. These findings demonstrate the value of non-natural dynamic perturbations in exposing hidden sensitivities of cellular regulatory networks.
A High Density SNP Array for the Domestic Horse and Extant Perissodactyla: Utility for Association Mapping, Genetic Diversity, and Phylogeny Studies

An equine SNP genotyping array was developed and evaluated on a panel of samples representing 14 domestic horse breeds and 18 evolutionarily related species. More than 54,000 polymorphic SNPs provided an average inter-SNP spacing of ∼43 kb. The mean minor allele frequency across domestic horse breeds was 0.23, and the number of polymorphic SNPs within breeds ranged from 43,287 to 52,085. Genome-wide linkage disequilibrium (LD) in most breeds declined rapidly over the first 50–100 kb and reached background levels within 1–2 Mb. The extent of LD and the level of inbreeding were highest in the Thoroughbred and lowest in the Mongolian and Quarter Horse. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) analyses demonstrated the tight grouping of individuals within most breeds, close proximity of related breeds, and less tight grouping in admixed breeds. The close relationship between the Przewalski's Horse and the domestic horse was demonstrated by pair-wise genetic distance and MDS. Genotyping of other Perissodactyla (zebras, asses, tapirs, and rhinoceros) was variably successful, with call rates and the number of polymorphic loci varying across taxa. Parsimony analysis placed the modern horse as sister taxa to Equus przewalski. The utility of the SNP array in genome-wide association was confirmed by mapping the known recessive chestnut coat color locus (MC1R) and defining a conserved haplotype of ∼750 kb across all breeds. These results demonstrate the high quality of this SNP genotyping resource, its usefulness in diverse genome analyses of the horse, and potential use in related species.