Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Computer Vision Pipeline for Automated Determination of Cardiac Structure and Function and Detection of Disease by Two-Dimensional Echocardiography

Automated cardiac image interpretation has the potential to transform clinical practice in multiple ways including enabling low-cost serial assessment of cardiac function in the primary care and rural setting. We hypothesized that advances in computer vision could enable building a fully automated, scalable analysis pipeline for echocardiogram (echo) interpretation. Our approach entailed: 1) preprocessing; 2) convolutional neural networks (CNN) for view identification, image segmentation, and phasing of the cardiac cycle; 3) quantification of chamber volumes and left ventricular mass; 4) particle tracking to compute longitudinal strain; and 5) targeted disease detection. CNNs accurately identified views (e.g. 99% for apical 4-chamber) and segmented individual cardiac chambers. Cardiac structure measurements agreed with study report values (e.g. mean absolute deviations (MAD) of 7.7 mL/kg/m2 for left ventricular diastolic volume index, 2918 studies). We computed automated ejection fraction and longitudinal strain measurements (within 2 cohorts), which agreed with commercial software-derived values [for ejection fraction, MAD=5.3%, N=3101 studies; for strain, MAD=1.5% (n=197) and 1.6% (n=110)], and demonstrated applicability to serial monitoring of breast cancer patients for trastuzumab cardiotoxicity. Overall, we found that, compared to manual measurements, automated measurements had superior performance across seven internal consistency metrics with an average increase in the Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.05 (p=0.02). Finally, we developed disease detection algorithms for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and cardiac amyloidosis, with C-statistics of 0.93 and 0.84, respectively. Our pipeline lays the groundwork for using automated interpretation to support point-of-care handheld cardiac ultrasound and large-scale analysis of the millions of echos archived within healthcare systems.
Depressive symptoms as a risk factor for unintentional injury: a cohort study in a rural county

Objective: The authors used data from a population based prospective cohort study to determine if depressive symptoms predicted incidence of unintentional injury. Methods: The Keokuk County Rural Health Study, based in Iowa, is a prospective cohort study of health status that includes injury outcomes. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 11-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale at the beginning of the study on 1493 participants. Quarterly follow up phone calls were made to measure injury incidence. Results: 471 injuries were reported for an overall injury rate of 9.8 per 100 person-years. Crude injury rates were significantly higher for those with depressive symptoms (p = 0.0003). Those with depressive symptoms had a 41% increased risk for injury after controlling for antidepressant medication use, gender, prior injury, income, and sleepiness (RR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.80). Depressive symptoms remained a risk factor for injury regardless of current antidepressant medication use (no medication use, RR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.88; medication use, RR = 1.31, 95% CI 0.76 to 2.26). Conclusions: Depressive symptoms were found to be risk factors for unintentional injury. Medical practitioners should consider talking about safety with their patients, especially those reporting symptoms of depression, and recognize that an increased risk for injury remains until the depressive symptoms subside.
A space of weight one modular forms attached to totally real cubic number fields

Let $d$ be a positive fundamental discriminant, and let $\mathcal{C}_{d}$ be the set of isomorphism classes of cubic number fields of discriminant $d$. For each $K \in \mathcal{C}_{d}$, we construct a weight 1 modular form $f_{K}$ with level $3^{\pm 1}d$ and nebentypus $\left( \frac{-3^{\pm 1}d}{\cdot} \right)$. We show that the form $f_{K}$ completely determines the field $K$. Moreover, we show that $\{f_{K} : K \in \mathcal{C}_{d}\}$ is a linearly independent set.
Fatal myocarditis and rhabdomyolysis induced by nivolumab during the treatment of type B3 thymoma

Abstract Immune checkpoint inhibitors including programmed death-1 inhibitors are promising agents for many types of malignancies; however, it is still an off-label choice for type B3 thymoma. We reported for the first time a patient with type B3 thymoma developed fatal myocarditis and rhabdomyolysis after one dose of nivolumab administration. The results from myocardial and muscle biopsies revealed extensive myocyte damage, T-lymphocytic infiltration and strongly expression of PD-L1 which confirmed the nivolumab-related immune-related adverse events (irAEs). The blood tests showed elevated levels of serum AChR-binding antibody and inflammatory cytokines, in addition abnormal lymphocyte subsets were noted. Our report suggested that administration of nivolumab in type B3 thymoma could cause rare but fatal myocarditis and rhabdomyolysis, over-expressed AChR-binding antibody and inflammatory cytokines may be potential biomarkers for irAEs.
Diiodothyropropionic acid: WO2008106213

The patent application WO2008106213 describes the beneficial effects of thyroid hormone analogue 3,5 diiodothyropropionic acid (DITPA) such as stimulating weight loss in overweight mammals, lowering of triglyceride and treating metabolic syndrome in humans. The human population of the patients selected in the studies mentioned has a body mass index > 25. Two examples of the human clinical studies employing DITPA have been mentioned, namely, the body weight reduction and improvement in metabolic abnormalities in obese adults.
Corticosterone Treatment of Pregnant Low Dose Endotoxin‐Treated Rats: Inhibition of the Inflammatory Response

PROBLEM: Can the endotoxin‐induced inflammatory response, underlying experimental pre‐eclampsia, in pregnant rats be inhibited by corticosterone? METHOD OF STUDY: On day 10 of pregnancy, rats were implanted with pellets containing 25% corticosterone and 75% cholesterol (n=10) or with 100% cholesterol‐pellets (n=10). On day 14 of pregnancy, rats were infused with either endotoxin (1.0 μg/kg bw) or saline. Three days later, they were sacrificed. Cryostat kidney sections were immunohistologically stained for the presence of neutrophils (PMN) and monocytes (M∅) and the expression of inflammation‐associated adhesion molecules. RESULTS: In cholesterol‐treated rats, endotoxin significantly increased glomerular numbers of PMN and M∅, glomerular expression of ICAM‐1 and VCAM‐1 and glomerular numbers of LFA‐1 and VLA‐4‐positive cells as compared with saline. Corticosterone treatment significantly inhibited glomerular infiltration of PMN, M∅ and LFA‐1 positive cells after endotoxin infusion. It did not affect glomerular ICAM‐1 or VCAM‐1 expression or numbers of VLA‐4 positive cells. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that pre‐treatment with corticosterone inhibits the low dose endotoxin‐induced glomerular inflammatory reaction in pregnant rats, most likely by inhibiting LFA‐1 expression, thereby decreasing the adhesiveness of inflammatory cells for activated endothelial cells.
Everolimus Inhibits Anti‐HLA I Antibody‐Mediated Endothelial Cell Signaling, Migration and Proliferation More Potently Than Sirolimus

Antibody (Ab) crosslinking of HLA I molecules on the surface of endothelial cells triggers proliferative and pro‐survival intracellular signaling, which is implicated in the process of chronic allograft rejection, also known as transplant vasculopathy (TV). The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in HLA I Ab‐induced signaling cascades. Everolimus provides a tool to establish how the mTOR signal network regulates HLA I–mediated migration, proliferation and survival. We found that everolimus inhibits mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) by disassociating Raptor from mTOR, thereby preventing class I–induced phosphorylation of mTOR, p70S6K, S6RP and 4E‐BP1, and resultant class I–stimulated cell migration and proliferation. Furthermore, we found that everolimus inhibits class I–mediated mTORC2 activation (1) by disassociating Rictor and Sin1 from mTOR; (2) by preventing class I–stimulated Akt phosphorylation and (3) by preventing class I–mediated ERK phosphorylation. These results suggest that everolimus is more effective than sirolimus at antagonizing both mTORC1 and mTORC2, the latter of which is critical in endothelial cell functional changes leading to TV in solid organ transplantation after HLA I crosslinking. Our findings point to a potential therapeutic effect of everolimus in prevention of chronic Ab‐mediated rejection.
Influence of multiple vessel impairment on carotid blood flow in the monkey.

NE important factor when considering a patient for carotid endarterectomy is the percentage of constriction as determined by arteriography. Mann, et al., ~ reported in 1938 that it is necessary to reduce the diameter of the lumen of an artery by 70% or the cross-sectional area by 90% before a 50% reduction in blood flow occurs. Tindall, et al., 9 demonstrated that a 90.5% reduction in the cross-sectional area of the human common carotid was necessary before a significant reduction of flow or blood pressure occurred. In our experience, patients have shown transient ischemic attacks with less than 70% reduction in diameter of the internal carotid artery. These attacks could have been caused by emboli arising from the atheromatous plaque as has been suggested by De Bakey. 2 Another factor that may have influenced the onset of the attacks was the presence of lesions in more than one neck vessel. Gurdjian and Thomas a have stressed the importance of multiple vessel disease in patients with cerebral ischemia. We noted lesions in more than one neck vessel in some patients who had less than 70% occlusion of the appropriate vessel. To compare the effect of a carotid constriction when the collateral arteries are open with that when they are compromised, we performed the following experiment. Method Ten large stumptail macaque monkeys were used for this study. The animals were tranquilized with Sernylant and then given intravenous sodium pentobarbital. A tra
Improving the Accuracy of Prediction of Breach Formation through Embankment Dams and Flood Embankments

Embankments are constructed for the retention of water for irrigation and supply, and for protecting people, land, and property from flooding. Failure of any embankment poses risks to people and property nearby and the services provided by the embankment. The review of breaching of embankments in this paper identifies significant issues in the parameterisation of the processes in existing models and the data used for calibration. This paper describes the development of a new model the failure of an embankment that can simulate breach formation, and hence consequent risks, more reliably than existing models. The model uses the standard principles of hydraulics, sediment transport and soil mechanics and introduces a new methodology to model the lateral growth of the breach based upon a combination of continuous erosion and mass instability. The model can simulate the failure of different embankments, either homogeneous or composite, by overtopping or piping, and includes a probabilistic distribution for simulating embankment condition and soil parameters. The model has been tested using both experimental and real failure data, with modelling results showing reasonable agreement with observed values for a range of different scenarios. (Mohamed, 2002) has revealed the several weaknesses and gaps within the modelling process, which are discussed in the sections below. 2.1 Breach Initiation Little quantitative information is known about the breach initiation processes for overtopping or piping failure. Determining how the breach initiates will help in reliably determining how long it takes for a breach to develop to a critical point. This in turn can help emergency planners in establishing flood risk and potential warning times for areas downstream of an embankment.
Chromosome Mapping of H1 Histone and 5S rRNA Gene Clusters in Three Species of Astyanax (Teleostei, Characiformes)

We report here on the physical mapping of the H1 histone genes (hisDNA) and the 5S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) in 3 Neotropical fish species of the genus Astyanax(A. altiparanae, A. bockmanni and A. fasciatus) and the comparative analysis of the chromosomes bearing these genes. Nucleotide analyses by sequencing of both genes were also performed. The distribution of the H1 histone genes was more conserved than that of the rRNA genes, since these were always located in the pericentromeric regions of 2 chromosome pairs. 5S rDNA was found on one of the pairs that presented an H1 histone cluster; this seems to be a conserved chromosomal feature of the genus Astyanax. In addition, individuals of A. bockmanni and A. fasciatus showed clusters of 5S rDNA on 1 pair of acrocentric chromosomes, not found in A. altiparanae. The results obtained by chromosome mapping as well as by sequencing of both genes showed that A.bockmanni is more closely related to A. fasciatus than to A. altiparanae. The results allow the characterization of cytogenetic markers for improved elucidation of the processes involved in karyotype differentiation of fish genomes.
DJ‐1 is present in a large molecular complex in human brain tissue and interacts with α‐synuclein

DJ‐1 is a ubiquitously expressed protein involved in various cellular processes including cell proliferation, RNA‐binding, and oxidative stress. Mutations that result in loss of DJ‐1 function lead to early onset parkinsonism in humans, and DJ‐1 protein is present in pathological lesions of several tauopathies and synucleinopathies. In order to further investigate the role of DJ‐1 in human neurodegenerative disease, we have generated novel polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to human DJ‐1 protein. We have characterized these antibodies and confirmed the pathological co‐localization of DJ‐1 with other neurodegenerative disease‐associated proteins, as well as the decrease in DJ‐1 solubility in disease tissue. In addition, we report the presence of DJ‐1 in a large molecular complex (> 2000 kDa), and provide evidence for an interaction between endogenous DJ‐1 and α‐synuclein in normal and diseased tissue. These findings provide new avenues towards the study of DJ‐1 function and how loss of its activity may lead to parkinsonism. Furthermore, our results provide further evidence for the interplay between neurodegenerative disease‐associated proteins.
Radium-226 in environmental materials and foods.

Abstract In the frame of the site radiation monitoring program at the Euratom Research Establishment at Ispra, Italy, the natural levels of 226Ra in some environmental materials and in the population diet have been studied. Determinations of the radionuclide have been carried out, by the emanation technique, on samples of vegetation, milk, animal bones, lake waters, fishes and foods, in an attempt to estimate the 226Ra intake by the population living in the area. Another purpose of this study was that of gaining information about the transfer of radium through the different environmental chains, and to compare the behaviour of radium with that of calcium. The mean 226Ra concentration in the soil is 0.72 pCi/g, and the estimated daily intake by a person consuming foods of local origin is 1.4 pCi of 226Ra, or 2.8 pCi/g Ca.
Fast high‐resolution T1 mapping of the human brain

A sequence for the acquisition of high‐resolution T1 maps, based on magnetization‐prepared multislice fast low‐angle shot (FLASH) imaging, is presented. In contrast to similar methods, no saturation pulses are used, resulting in an increased dynamic range of the relaxation process. Furthermore, it is possible to acquire data during all relaxation delays because only slice‐selective radiofrequency (RF) pulses are used for inversion and excitation. This allows for a reduction of the total acquisition time, or scanning with a reduced bandwidth, which improves the signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR). The method generates quantitative T1 maps with an in‐plane resolution of 1 mm, slice thickness of 4 mm, and whole‐brain coverage in a clinically acceptable imaging time of about 19 s per slice. It is shown that the use of off‐center RF pulses does not result in imperfect inversion or magnetization transfer (MT) effects. In addition, an improved fitting algorithm based on smoothed flip angle maps is presented and tested successfully. Magn Reson Med 54:20–27, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Methane and the CH4 related greenhouse effect over the past 400 million years

Natural variations in the tropospheric CH4 concentration, excluding short bursts from geospheric reservoirs, have been estimated for the past 400 Ma by scaling a wetland CH4 emission estimate for the middle Pliocene (ca. 3.6–2.6 Ma) by the relative rate of coal basin deposition at any given time in the past. Wetland CH4 fluxes were used as inputs into the Cambridge 2-D chemistry-transport model to determine the equilibrium atmospheric response. The approach suggests tropospheric CH4 concentrations reached exceptionally high values of ∼12,000 ppb during the Permo-Carboniferous, when tropical swamplands were widespread, fell to minimum levels (∼100 ppb) during the Triassic ‘coal gap’, averaged around 2000 to 4000 ppb during the Mesozoic and < 1000 ppb in the Cenozoic. Peak Permo-Carboniferous CH4 levels could have contributed additional radiative forcing of ∼3 to 4 W m−2, after accounting for the indirect effects of increased stratospheric H2O and tropospheric ozone. Assuming co-variance of N2O with CO2 and CH4, we predict a combined additional forcing by these two trace greenhouse gases of up to 4 W m−2 during the warm Mesozoic. Although variations in Earth's Phanerozoic CH4 history probably played a secondary role to atmospheric CO2 and the evolution of the Sun in driving climate change, the combined effects CH4 and N2O appear to be sufficiently large to warrant incorporation into global modeling studies of past warm climates.
Cutting Edge: Recombinant Adenoviruses Induce CD8 T Cell Responses to an Inserted Protein Whose Expression Is Limited to Nonimmune Cells

CD8 T cells (TCD8+) play a crucial role in immunity to viruses. Current understanding of activation of naive T cells entails Ag presentation by professional APCs (pAPCs). What happens, however, when viruses evolve to avoid infecting pAPCs? We have studied the consequences of this strategy by generating recombinant adenoviruses that express influenza A virus nucleoprotein under the control of tissue-specific promoters. We show that the immunogenicity of such viruses requires their delivery to organs capable of expressing nucleoprotein. This indicates that infection of pAPCs is not required for adenoviruses to elicit a TCD8+ response, probably due to a cross-priming via pAPCs. While this bodes well for recombinant adenoviruses as vaccines, it dims their prospects as gene therapy vectors.
Dietary chromium picolinate additions improve gain:feed and carcass characteristics in growing-finishing pigs and increase litter size in reproducing sows.

Growth trials were conducted to determine the effects of Cr as chromium picolinate at various protein levels on performance of growing pigs. The effects of continued supplementation on sow fecundity and body weight changes through two parities also were examined. In Trial 1, 48 crossbred pigs (40.9 kg initial weight) were assigned to one of three diets (0, 250, or 500 ppb of added Cr). The only observed difference was an overall trend for an improvement in gain:feed when Cr was added to the diet (P < .10). In Trial 2, 105 crossbred pigs (14.5 kg initial weight) were assigned to one of seven treatments involving a combination of two factors: 1) lysine level at 100 or 120% of NRC (1988) requirement estimate and 2) added Cr level (0, 100, 200, 500, or 1,000 ppb). A Cr x lysine interaction (P < .02) for gain:feed existed that demonstrated that the addition of 200 ppb of Cr resulted in improved gain:feed at the 100% of requirement lysine level but not at the 120% of requirement lysine level. The addition of 200 ppb Cr also reduced backfat (P < .04) and increased longissimus muscle area (P < .04) regardless of lysine level in the diet. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Production of change-of-state, change-of-location and alternating verbs: A comparison of children with specific language impairment and typically developing children

Correct use of verb argument structure relies on accurate verb semantic representations whose formation depends partly on use of reverse linking. We predicted that children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI), who have difficulties with reverse linking, would have inaccurate semantic representations for verbs and hence difficulties with verb argument structure. Fifteen participants with SLI (mean age: 13;1), grammar-matched (GM) (8;3), vocabulary-matched (VM) (8;8), and chronological age-matched (CAM) controls (13;1) described 24 video scenes involving four change-of-state, four change-of-location, and four alternating verbs. All groups performed worse on change-of-state than change-of-location verbs. The participants with SLI performed significantly worse than VM and CAM but not GM controls on change-of-state verbs. However, they did not differ from any group on alternating or change-of-location verbs. We concluded young people with persistent SLI have difficulties with aspects of verb argument structure into their teenage years.
Mental workload during brain–computer interface training

It is not well understood how people perceive the difficulty of performing brain–computer interface (BCI) tasks, which specific aspects of mental workload contribute the most, and whether there is a difference in perceived workload between participants who are able-bodied and disabled. This study evaluated mental workload using the NASA Task Load Index (TLX), a multi-dimensional rating procedure with six subscales: Mental Demands, Physical Demands, Temporal Demands, Performance, Effort, and Frustration. Able-bodied and motor disabled participants completed the survey after performing EEG-based BCI Fitts' law target acquisition and phrase spelling tasks. The NASA-TLX scores were similar for able-bodied and disabled participants. For example, overall workload scores (range 0–100) for 1D horizontal tasks were 48.5 (SD = 17.7) and 46.6 (SD 10.3), respectively. The TLX can be used to inform the design of BCIs that will have greater usability by evaluating subjective workload between BCI tasks, participant groups, and control modalities. Practitioner Summary: Mental workload of brain–computer interfaces (BCI) can be evaluated with the NASA Task Load Index (TLX). The TLX is an effective tool for comparing subjective workload between BCI tasks, participant groups (able-bodied and disabled), and control modalities. The data can inform the design of BCIs that will have greater usability.