Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dielectric properties of dog brain tissue measured in vitro across the 0.3–3 GHz band

Dielectric properties of dead Greyhound female dogs’ brain tissues at different ages were measured at room temperature across the frequency range of 0.3–3 GHz. Measurements were made on excised tissues, in vitro in the laboratory, to carry out dielectric tests on sample tissues. Each dataset for a brain tissue was parametrized using the Cole–Cole expression, and the relevant Cole–Cole parameters for four tissue types are provided. A comparison was made with the database available in literature for other animals and human brain tissue. Results of two types of tissues (white matter and skull) showed systematic variation in dielectric properties as a function of animal age, whereas no significant change related to age was noticed for other tissues. Results provide critical information regarding dielectric properties of animal tissues for a realistic animal head model that can be used to verify the validity and reliability of a microwave head scanner for animals prior to testing on live animals. Bioelectromagnetics. 37:549–556, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PHOTORECEPTOR CHANGE AND VISUAL OUTCOME AFTER IDIOPATHIC EPIRETINAL MEMBRANE REMOVAL WITH OR WITHOUT ADDITIONAL INTERNAL LIMITING MEMBRANE PEELING

Purpose: To compare the postoperative photoreceptor status and visual outcome after epiretinal membrane removal with or without additional internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling. Methods: Medical records of 40 eyes from 37 patients undergoing epiretinal membrane removal with residual ILM peeling (additional ILM peeling group) and 69 eyes from 65 patients undergoing epiretinal membrane removal without additional ILM peeling (no additional peeling group) were reviewed. The length of defects in cone outer segment tips, inner segment/outer segment junction, and external limiting membrane line were measured using spectral domain optical coherence tomography images of the fovea before and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the surgery. Results: Cone outer segment tips and inner segment/outer segment junction line defects were most severe at postoperative 1 month and gradually restored at 12 months postoperatively. The cone outer segment tips line defect in the additional ILM peeling group was significantly greater than that in the no additional peeling group at postoperative 1 month (P = 0.006), and best-corrected visual acuity was significantly worse in the former group at the same month (P = 0.001). There was no significant difference in the defect size and best-corrected visual acuity at subsequent visits and recurrence rates between the two groups. Conclusion: Patients who received epiretinal membrane surgery without additional ILM peeling showed better visual and anatomical outcome than those with additional ILM peeling at postoperative 1 month. However, surgical outcomes were comparable between the two groups, thereafter. In terms of visual outcome and photoreceptor integrity, additional ILM peeling may not be an essential procedure.
Celebrity Influence and Identification: A Test of the Angelina Effect

Angelina Jolie's announcement that she is a BRCA1 carrier and has had a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy was met with widespread support as well as speculation about its possible impact on the public. These speculations were the subject of a Time magazine cover story titled “The Angelina Effect” (Kluger et al., 2013). Although there is anecdotal evidence to support this hypothesized Angelina effect, empirical tests are lacking. To explore possible links between Angelina's announcement and public health, we surveyed 356 adults immediately after the announcement. Guided by a model of celebrity influence, the survey assessed participants’ demographics and health history, identification and parasocial interaction with Jolie, and genetic testing intentions. Results supported the model's predictions and provided preliminary evidence of an Angelina effect.
An Automatic Robust Iteratively Reweighted Unstructured Detector for Hyperspectral Imagery

Unstructured background model-based detectors, which usually utilize a single a priori target spectral signature as the input, have been successfully applied in various hyperspectral target detection applications. However, the detection results are greatly affected by the quality of the a priori target spectral signature, as the spectral variability phenomenon is universal in hyperspectral image data. This paper proposes an iteratively reweighted method to generate an optimal target spectrum from limited target training spectra, which is able to alleviate the spectral variation. When the priori target spectral can only be chosen from the hyperspectral image, an optimal target spectrum can be iteratively generated by adjusting the pixel signals with varying weights. The experimental results with three different types of real hyperspectral images confirm the robust performance of the proposed method.
Preservation of the Attribute Knowledge of Concepts in Normal Aging Groups

The aim of this study was to detect possible alterations in semantic representation during normal aging. Forty young subjects (aged 20 to 30 years) and 40 elderly ones (divided into two groups of 60 to 70 years and 70 to 80 years), all in good health and with high education, completed a test protocol used for assessing semantic knowledge in the study of Alzheimer's disease. The same list of 42 words belonging to three different semantic categories was presented visually three times to the subjects, each time with different instructions: (a) find the words with one letter N (or more) (training task); (b) find the names of animals (test of categorical knowledge); (c) find the words representing something that prick (test of attribute knowledge of concepts). A two-way analysis of variance showed an effect of task (the times taken were significantly longer for the attribute-knowledge test), a group effect (the elderly subjects were slower) and an absence of interaction (the elderly subjects had the same profile as the young group). The results indicate the preservation of the semantic memory in normally aging groups and the usefulness is emphasized in the context of the data given in the literature on Alzheimer's disease.
Prognostic value of QT interval and QT dispersion in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction: results from a cohort of 2265 patients with an ejection fraction of < or =40%.

BACKGROUND Increased QT interval and QT dispersion have been associated with higher mortality in population-based studies and in patients with myocardial infarction. However, the prognostic significance of these measurements in patients with left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction is not clear. METHODS AND RESULTS Rate corrected QT interval (QTc) and QT dispersion (QTd) were measured by means of an automated method from digitized echocardiograms in 2265 patients with an LV ejection fraction < or =40% and were related to survival. Increased QTc was strongly related to mortality in the whole group and in subsets on the basis of age and the level of LV systolic dysfunction. There was a graded increase in mortality rate with an increase in QTc. The effect of QTc on mortality was incremental to the effects of age and ejection fraction. QT interval was measurable in > or =6 leads in 1193 patients in whom QTd was computed. QTd higher than the mean value of 35 ms was associated with an increase in all cause mortality (P =.04). Its mortality impact was most pronounced in the older patients, patients with more severe LV dysfunction, and patients with increased QTc. CONCLUSIONS Both QTc prolongation and increased QTd are associated with higher mortality rate in patients with moderate and severe LV dysfunction.
Effect of copulation on potentially precancerous prostate lesions, serum testosterone and prolactin levels in rats.

UNLABELLED The prostate is an exocrine reproductive gland that participates in ejaculation and it is prone to diseases, including cancer. AIM In the pre-sent study, we assessed the long-term effects of copulation on the development of precancerous lesions in rats, and compared them with testosterone-induced prostatic lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS One group of Wistar males was given 10 copulatory sessions to one ejaculation with ovariectomized, hormone-primed females. Sessions occurred twice per week for a total of ten trials. A second group was exposed to females during the same trials, but physical contact was prevented. In addition, each group received a subcutaneous implant in the back either filled with testosterone propionate (T, 100 mg/kg) or empty. This resulted in four subgroups: 1) Control + No sex, 2) Control + Sex, 3) T + No sex and 4) T + Sex. Two days after the 10(th) trial all the males were sacrificed for prostate histo-logy (H&E) and hormone analysis (testosterone and prolactin). RESULTS Males from the group Control + No sex expressed normal histo-logy. However, those in the groups Control + Sex and T + No sex expressed metaplasia and dysplasia in both the dorsolateral and ventral portions of the prostate, respectively. Interestingly, males from the group T + Sex expressed dysplasia in the dorsolateral prostate only, but not in the ventral prostate. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that constant copulation may facilitate the development of prostatic lesions in males with normal levels of testosterone. However, copulation induces less lesions in the ventral prostate of males treated with testosterone.
Bacteriology of surgical wound infections in a tertiary care hospital in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE To determine the spectrum of the pathogens cultured from surgical wound infections and assess their antimicrobial drug resistances. DESIGN Laboratory-based retrospective study for the five year period. SETTING A four hundred bed, tertiary-care university hospital in Turkey. RESULTS Overall 621 pathogens were identified from January 1999 to January 2004. Of these isolates, 431 (69%) were gram-positive, 178 (29%) were gram-negative bacteria and also 12 (2%) were identified as Candida albicans. The most common organism was Staphylococcus aureus (50%), followed by Escherichia coli (8%), Streptococcus pyogenes (7%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (7%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (6%), Enterococcus faecalis (4%), Enterobacter spp. (4%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (3%), Acinetobacter spp. (3%), Proteus spp. (3%), group B. B-haemolytic streptococci (2%), Candida albicans (2%), and Citrobacter spp. (1%). The rate of resistance to methicillin in staphylococci and multidrug resistance in S. aureus were 31% and 12%, respectively. There was no increase in resistance to methicillin by years. Piperacillin/tazobactam, sefoperazone/sulbactam, carbapenems, ofloxacin and amikacin were the most active agents against gram-negative isolates. The rates of extended spectrum beta-lactamase production in K. pneumoniae and E. coli strains were determined as 14%, and 6%, respectively. CONCLUSION Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is emerging as a major pathogen in surgical wound infections. We concluded that antimicrobial treatment of surgical wound infections should include empiric coverage for MRSA. The surveillance of resistance in pathogens causing surgical wound infections is necessary to promote the appropriate therapeutic choices for these infections.
Effect of deslorelin on the induction of estrus in anestrous bitches

The efficacy of one or multiple doses of an injectable formulation of deslorelin (a GnRH agonist) was evaluated to induce estrus in anestrous bitches. Thirteen animals composed three groups: group 1 (n=5, single IM injection of 2mg deslorelin), group 2 (n=5, four IM injections of 2mg deslorelin in alternate days), and control group (n=3, four IM saline injections in alternate days). Daily clinical evaluations, sexual behavior, vaginal cytology, plasma progesterone concentration, ovaryhysterectomy and macroscopic evaluation of the uterus and ovaries were done. In group 1, none of the bitches showed signs of estrus, while two developed clinical signs and vaginal cytology of proestrus. In group 2, all animals presented proestrus, four presented estrus, and three ovulated; resulting in a functional corpus luteum and high progesterone concentration until day 25 of diestrus, when ovaryhysterectomy was performed. The duration of the stages of deslorelin induced cycles and the progesterone profile were similar to those described in the literature, and no side effects were observed. In conclusion, injectable formulation of deslorelin in multiple injections was effective to induce fertile estrus in anestrous bitches.
Effects of a Prenatal Care Intervention on the Self-Concept and Self-Efficacy of Adolescent Mothers

The objective of this study was to examine changes in self-concept and self-efficacy during the childbearing year among adolescent mothers (defined as young mothers up to age 20) who were involved in a behavioral intervention. Subjects included a sample of 282 urban, pregnant adolescents (94% African American, 4% white, 2% other). The Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS) was used to measure self-concept. A scale to measure the self-efficacy of the adolescent mother during the childbearing year was developed and evaluated. Questionnaires were administered during intake for prenatal care and in the postpartum period. In the larger study, the intervention was a peer-centered, mastery modeling intervention designed to increase self-efficacy, improve self-concept, and improve long- and short-term perinatal outcomes. The results in this portion of the data showed that self-concept increased significantly for young women in the experimental group but did not change significantly for young women in the control group. Changes were noted in the TSCS for overall self-concept as well as for several subscores, including identity, self-satisfaction, behavior, the personal self, the family self, and the social self. However, differences between groups did not reach significance once age, parity, site, and time were accounted for, except on TSCS subscales of identity and personal self. Between intake for prenatal care and postpartum, self-efficacy changed significantly for both the experimental and the control groups. Both groups increased in self-efficacy for labor and delivery and decreased in self-efficacy for infant care. In this group of mostly African American teens, peer support and small group care demonstrated positive effects on self-concept. Professional and peer interactions were equally associated in intervention and nonintervention groups with regard to self-efficacy.
Quantitative analysis of lung perfusion in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension.

UNLABELLED The aim of this study was to evaluate quantitatively the heterogeneity of lung perfusion scans in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) and to compare it with the severity of disease. METHODS Lung perfusion scans were obtained on 22 patients with PPH and 12 age-matched control subjects. The perfused area rates (PARs) were calculated by dividing the lung area in each 10% threshold width from 10% to 100% of maximal counts by total lung area. The total absolute difference in the PAR between each patient and the mean control value was assumed as the perfusion index of the lung (P index). The P index was compared with hemodynamic parameters and the right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF), including 7 patients who received long-term vasodilator therapy. RESULTS The P index correlated significantly with mean pulmonary arterial pressure (P < 0.001) and RVEF (P < 0.05). In patients with vasodilator therapy, the P index was improved significantly after therapy (P < 0.05) and was associated with a reduction in pulmonary arterial pressure. CONCLUSION Quantitative assessment of lung perfusion irregularity might provide useful information about the severity of disease and the effect of therapy in addition to the routine visual representation.
Smoking rate and periodontal disease prevalence: 40-year trends in Sweden 1970-2010.

AIM To investigate the relationship between smoking rate and periodontal disease prevalence in Sweden. MATERIAL AND METHODS National smoking rates were found from Swedish National Statistics on smoking habits. Based on smoking rates for the years 1970-2010, periodontal disease prevalence estimates were calculated for the age bracket 40-70 years and smoking-associated relative risks between 2.0 and 20.0. The impact of smoking on the population was estimated according to the concept of population attributable fraction. RESULTS The age-standardized smoking rate in Sweden declined from 44% in 1970 to 15% in 2010. In parallel with the smoking decline the calculated prevalence estimate of periodontal disease dropped from 26% to 12% assuming a 10-fold smoking-associated relative risk. Even at more moderate magnitudes of the relative risk, e.g. 2-fold or 5-fold, the prevalence decrease was quite tangible, suggesting that the current prevalence in Sweden is about 20-50% of the level 40 years ago. The population attributable fraction, estimating the portion of the disease that would have been avoided in the absence of smoking, was 80% in 1970 and 58% in 2010 at a ten-fold relative risk. CONCLUSION Calculated estimates of periodontal disease prevalence are closely related to real changes in smoking rate. As smoking rate drops periodontal disease prevalence will drop.
Mutational analysis of BRCA2 in Spanish breast cancer patients from Castilla‐Leon: Identification of four novel truncating mutations

Mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 account for approximately 5% of the overall familial risk of breast cancer. We have carried out a mutational analysis of the entire coding sequence of the BRCA2 gene in 150 breast cancer patients from Castilla‐Leon by two different methods: Protein Truncation Test (PTT) and Conformation‐Sensitive Gel Electrophoresis (CSGE). We have identified 10 distinct truncating mutations of the BRCA2 protein in 17 unrelated patients. Four mutations had not been previously described in any other population: two nonsense, Q2354X and K3083X, and two frameshift deletions, 6126delT and 5374delTATG. Moreover, three further mutations, 1538delAAGA, E1308X and S2219X, had not been reported in Spanish patients until now. Five mutations were recurrent: 3036delACAA, 1538delAAGA, 9538delAA and the novel mutations, 6126delT and 5374delTATG. The most prevalent mutation was 3036delACAA found in four unrelated patients. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Lungworms in the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep of western Canada.

In 58 sets of lungs from bighorns from western Alberta or eastern British Columbia, 91% were infected with Protostrongylus stilesi, and 38% were infected with P. rushi. Four of the five sheep free of P. stilesi were lambs. Lungs from nine near-term fetuses were negative for lungworms.All but 1 of 409 field-collected fecal samples from the same ranges contained larvae of Protostrongylus spp. ; counts of larvae per gram of dry feces suggest a clumped distribution of lungworms. Analysis of monthly samples from one herd indicated a significant seasonal variation, with high numbers of larvae shed by bighorns on winter range. The use of fecal analyses in assessing severity of infection and the evolutionary significance of the clumped distribution of lungworms are discussed.
Estimation of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Composite Board via Adaptive Neural Networks, Polynomial Curve Fitting, and the Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System

Several physical and mechanical properties of particle board were investigated using estimation modeling. Particleboards (0.65 g/cm3) were produced for five experimental groups, in which lavender plant waste, red pine chips, and urea formaldehyde (UF) resin were mixed in different proportions. After immersing the particleboards in water for 24 h, several properties including thickness swelling (TS), modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), and internal bond strength (IBS) were determined. The statistical relevance of the experimental results was evaluated using multi-variance analysis (ANOVA), and the homogeneity between experimental groups was evaluated using Duncan tests. With the use of variable inputs and experimental results, estimation models using polynomial curve fitting (CF), adaptive neural networks (ANN), and an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) were generated. The results obtained from the estimation models and experiments were then compared via root-mean-square error (RMSE) and R2 values. The ANFIS estimation model was the best alternative to the costly, long-term experimental methods, as it produced more economical and reliable results in a shorter period of time.
Connexin32 deficiency is associated with liver injury, inflammation and oxidative stress in experimental non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis

Non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis is a highly prevalent liver pathology featured by hepatocellular fat deposition and inflammation. Connexin32, which is the major building block of hepatocellular gap junctions, has a protective role in hepatocarcinogenesis and is downregulated in chronic liver diseases. However, the role of connexin32 in non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis remains unclear. Connexin32−/− mice and their wild‐type littermates were fed a choline‐deficient high‐fat diet. The manifestation of non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis was evaluated based on a battery of clinically relevant read‐outs, including histopathological examination, diverse indicators of inflammation and liver damage, in‐depth lipid analysis, assessment of oxidative stress, insulin and glucose tolerance, liver regeneration and lipid‐related biomarkers. Overall, more pronounced liver damage, inflammation and oxidative stress were observed in connexin32−/− mice compared to wild‐type animals. No differences were found in insulin and glucose tolerance measurements and liver regeneration. However, two lipid‐related genes, srebf1 and fabp3, were upregulated in Cx32−/− mice in comparison with wild‐type animals. These findings suggest that connexin32‐based signalling is not directly involved in steatosis as such, but rather in the sequelae of this process, which underlie progression of non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis.
Computer-assisted analysis of oral brush biopsies at an oral cancer screening program.

BACKGROUND Dentists and dental hygienists attending a health screening program were screened for oral cancer. Select oral epithelial lesions were evaluated by oral brush biopsy with a computer-assisted method of analysis (OralCDx, OralScan Laboratories Inc., Suffern, N.Y.). METHODS After those who had oral epithelial lesions were identified, the clinical characteristics of each lesion were recorded. Participants with abnormal oral brush biopsy results ("positive" and "atypical") subsequently underwent incisional biopsy of their lesions by an oral surgeon. RESULTS A total of 930 dentists and dental hygienists were screened over a four-day period at each of the American Dental Association's 1999 and 2000 annual sessions. Eighty-nine people (9.7 percent) with 93 oral epithelial lesions were identified and evaluated by brush biopsy. Seven of the 93 oral lesions-all benign appearing in their clinical appearance-were determined to be "atypical" or "positive. " Of these, three were diagnosed as precancerous by scalpel biopsy and histologic evaluation. CONCLUSIONS Computer-assisted brush biopsy analysis is a valuable adjunct to the oral screening examination. The identification of three innocuous-looking precancerous lesions in this low-risk group of dentists and dental hygienists underscores the necessity of evaluating all oral lesions of unknown etiology. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS As 9.7 percent of the screened dentists and dental hygienists had epithelial oral lesions, general dentists most likely routinely encounter an even higher percentage of oral lesions in their patients. The minimally invasive brush biopsy lets general dentists evaluate these lesions. Like Pap smears and mammograms, this tool can help identify precancers and potentially curable cancers.