Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of chest tomosynthesis and chest radiography for detection of pulmonary nodules: human observer study of clinical cases.

PURPOSE To compare chest tomosynthesis with chest radiography in the detection of pulmonary nodules by using multidetector computed tomography (CT) as the reference method. MATERIALS AND METHODS The Regional Ethical Review Board approved this study, and all participants gave informed consent. Four thoracic radiologists acted as observers in a jackknife free-response receiver operating characteristic (JAFROC) study conducted in 42 patients with and 47 patients without pulmonary nodules examined with chest tomosynthesis and chest radiography. Multidetector CT served as reference method. The observers marked suspected nodules on the images by using a four-point rating scale for the confidence of presence. The JAFROC figure of merit was used as the measure of detectability. The number of lesion localizations relative to the total number of lesions (lesion localization fraction [LLF]) and the number of nonlesion localizations relative to the total number of cases (nonlesion localization fraction [NLF]) were determined. RESULTS Performance of chest tomosynthesis was significantly better than that of chest radiography with regard to detectability (F statistic = 32.7, df = 1, 34.8, P < .0001). For tomosynthesis, the LLF for the smallest nodules (< or = 4 mm) was 0.39 and increased with an increase in size to an LLF for the largest nodules (> 8 mm) of 0.83. The LLF for radiography was small, except for the largest nodules, for which it was 0.52. In total, the LLF was three times higher for tomosynthesis. The NLF was approximately 50% higher for tomosynthesis. CONCLUSION For the detection of pulmonary nodules, the performance of chest tomosynthesis is better, with increased sensitivity especially for nodules smaller than 9 mm, than that of chest radiography.
Assessing bioink shape fidelity to aid material development in 3D bioprinting

During extrusion-based bioprinting, the deposited bioink filaments are subjected to deformations, such as collapse of overhanging filaments, which compromises the ability to stack several layers of bioink, and fusion between adjacent filaments, which compromises the resolution and maintenance of a desired pore structure. When developing new bioinks, approaches to assess their shape fidelity after printing would be beneficial to evaluate the degree of deformation of the deposited filament and to estimate how similar the final printed construct would be to the design. However, shape fidelity has been prevalently assessed qualitatively through visual inspection after printing, hampering the direct comparison of the printability of different bioinks. In this technical note, we propose a quantitative evaluation for shape fidelity of bioinks based on testing the filament collapse on overhanging structures and the filament fusion of parallel printed strands. Both tests were applied on a hydrogel platform based on poloxamer 407 and poly(ethylene glycol) blends, providing a library of hydrogels with different yield stresses. The presented approach is an easy way to assess bioink shape fidelity, applicable to any filament-based bioprinting system and able to quantitatively evaluate this aspect of printability, based on the degree of deformation of the printed filament. In addition, we built a simple theoretical model that relates filament collapse with bioink yield stress. The results of both shape fidelity tests underline the role of yield stress as one of the parameters influencing the printability of a bioink. The presented quantitative evaluation will allow for reproducible comparisons between different bioink platforms.
The Effect of Non-nutritive Sucking on Expression of BMAL1 and CRY1 in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Preterm Neonates: A Preliminary Study

Objectives: To determine whether non-nutritive sucking (NNS) has an effect on circadian rhythm of circadian genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in preterm neonates. Methods: Ten premature neonates, gestational age from 30 to 31 weeks, were recruited. Infants with birth asphyxia, respiratory distress syndrome, apnoea, malformation, infection or haemolytic diseases were excluded. All infants were provided with fifteen minutes of NNS every three hours before a tube feed over a period of two weeks. At 7am and 7pm on the 1st day, 7th day and 14th day of hospitalisation, peripheral venous blood was obtained from the premature babies and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the expressions of BMAL1 and CRY1. Results: In this study, preterm infants treated with NNS, the expressions of BMAL1 and CRY1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells did not have a statistical difference between 7am and 7pm on the 1st day, 7th day or 14th day of hospitalisation. Conclusions: The study results suggested that NNS did not affect BMAL1 and CRY1 gene expressions in PBMC of preterm neonates.
Influence of intracoronary shunt on myocardial ischemic injury during off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery.

AIM The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of intracoronary shunt during off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery in patients with isolated left anterior descending coronary artery lesion. METHODS Forty patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass using the left internal mammary artery to bypass the left anterior descending coronary artery were randomly assigned to have the bypass performed with intracoronary shunt or by occlusive snaring. Potential damage from the shunt or from snaring was monitored by clinical follow-up, monitoring of cardiac enzymes (cardiac troponin I, CK, CK-MB), electrocardiography, and echocardiography before and 24 h. after the surgery. Left ventricular myocardial biopsies were performed during surgery for histopathological analysis. RESULTS None of the patients in this study died during or after the surgery. Duration of the anastomosis was significantly longer in the shunt group. No significant difference concerning the preoperative and postoperative CK levels between groups. The preoperative CK-MB levels of the groups were not significantly different, whereas postoperative levels was significantly lower in the shunt group. The preoperative troponin I levels of the groups were not significantly different, whereas postoperative levels was significantly higher in the snare group. Myocardial edema was significantly less in shunt group compared with snare group. There were no electrocardiographic abnormalities, severe CK-MB elevation, or hemodynamic deterioration after the operation in both groups. CONCLUSION Intracoronary shunt may have beneficial effects due to the reduction of postoperative troponin I levels and myocardial edema during grafting of the left anterior descending coronary artery. However, further trials need to be performed for the documentation of their impacts precisely.
Communication acoustique chez un poisson Cichlidé : analyse expérimentale du rôle et de la structure des signaux

De nombreuses especes de poissons sont connues pour produire des sons dans differents contextes sociaux suggerant un role important des signaux acoustiques dans la communication. L‘objectif de cette these est d‘etudier la structure et la fonction des sons produits lors d‘interactions agressives entre mâles chez le poisson cichlide Metriaclima zebra. Grâce a des experiences de playback, le role relatif des indices acoustiques et visuels lors des interactions agonistiques est evalue. Les resultats montrent que les comportements agressifs reposent essentiellement sur des stimuli visuels. Les stimuli acoustiques seuls ne declenchent jamais d‘agression mais modulent le comportement des mâles en diminuant le niveau eleve d‘agressivite observe lorsque le canal visuel est seul present. Une analyse fine de la structure acoustique des sons produits pendant des conflits montre que les signaux emis par M. zebra codent des informations relatives a la taille de l‘individu emetteur. La signature individuelle reste assez mal definie. Pour comprendre le decodage de l‘information au niveau du poisson recepteur, j‘ai mis au point un protocole de test permettant de constater que des mâles territoriaux augmentent leur activite territoriale et approchent le haut-parleur en reponse aux playbacks. Des experiences de playback utilisant des signaux aux parametres acoustiques artificiellement modifies suggerent une grande tolerance des individus envers les variations temporelles. Cette these participe ainsi a la comprehension de la fonction biologique de la communication acoustique chez un poisson. Elle appelle de nouvelles etudes concernant les informations transmises et leur codage
Impact of eicosapentaenoic acid treatment on the fibrous cap thickness in patients with coronary atherosclerotic plaque: an optical coherence tomography study.

AIM Previous clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in preventing cardiovascular events. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of EPA treatment on the accumulation of coronary atherosclerotic plaque using optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS A total of 46 acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients without dyslipidemia were divided into two groups: those who received 1,800 mg/day of EPA (n = 15) or the control group (n = 31). Serial OCT examinations were performed at baseline and after eight months of follow-up. The target for the OCT analysis was non-culprit plaque with a percent diameter of stenosis of 30% to 70% in non-culprit vessels of ACS. RESULTS Between the baseline and follow-up visits, the serum EPA levels increased (50 ± 26 mg/dL to 200 ± 41 mg/dL, p ＜ 0.001) in the EPA group, although they did not change in the control group. According to the OCT analysis, the lipid arc did not change in the EPA group (131 ± 52 degrees to 126 ± 54 degrees, p = 0.106) or the control group (137 ± 50 degrees to 138 ± 50 degrees, p=0.603). In contrast, the fibrous cap thickness significantly increased in both the EPA group (169 ± 70 μm to 201 ± 49 μm, p ＜ 0.001) and the control group (164 ± 63 μm to 174 ± 72 μm, p=0.018); however, the relative change in the fibrous cap thickness was significantly greater in the EPA group than in the control group (131 ± 35% vs. 106 ± 15%, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS In the present study, the administration of EPA for eight months significantly increased the fibrous cap thickness in patients with coronary atherosclerotic plaque.
Postprandial antropyloroduodenal motility and gastric emptying in gastroparesis--effects of cisapride.

There is little information about the organisation of antroduodenal contractions or pyloric motility in patients with gastroparesis. The mechanisms responsible for the acceleration of gastric emptying by cisapride in patients with gastroparesis are also poorly understood. Simultaneous manometric and scintigraphic recordings were performed in 12 patients with gastroparesis and nine healthy volunteers before and after cisapride administration. Antropyloroduodenal pressures were recorded with a sleeve/side hole manometric assembly and gastric emptying with a scintigraphic method. Thirty minutes after the solid component of the test meal had begun to empty from the stomach all subjects received 5 mg cisapride intravenously over 10 minutes and recordings continued for a further 60 minutes. In the 30 minutes before cisapride there was no significant difference in the number of antral pressure waves (median 20 v 33, NS), basal pyloric pressure, or the number of isolated pyloric pressure waves between patients and volunteers, but the number of antral waves of extent > or = 6 cm (median 1 v 5, p < 0.05) was less in the patients, as was gastric emptying (8% v 20%, p < 0.05). In the patients, there was no change in the number of antral waves after cisapride, but there was an increase in the number of antral waves > or = 6 cm in extent (median 7 v 1, p < 0.05) and in the rate of gastric emptying (26% v 8%, p < 0.01). In the healthy subjects, cisapride increased gastric emptying (31% v 20%, p < 0.05), but reduced the number of antral waves (10 v 33, p < 0.05). Cisapride had no significant effect on the number of antral waves of extent more than or equal to 6 cm (11 v 5, NS). The number of isolated pyloric pressure waves decreased after cisapride (4 v 11, p < 0.05). There was a relationship between gastric emptying and the number of antral pressure waves of extent more than or equal to 6 cm in both the patients (r=0.38, p<0.05) and healthy subjects (r=0.05, p<0.01). There was no significant relationship between gastric emptying and the number of antral waves. It is concluded that disturbance of the relationship between antral, pyloric, and duodenal pressure waves is a major abnormality of postprandial gastric motor function in patients with gastroparesis. The stimulation of antral pressure waves of extent more than or equal to 6 cm may contribute to the acceleration of gastric emptying produced by cisapride in patients with gastroparesis and in normal subjects.
A Non-local Sparse Model for Intrinsic Images

This paper deals with the intrinsic image decomposition problem, a long-standing ill-posed problem that decomposes an input image into shading and reflectance ones. Based on the observation that colors in the scene are usually dominated by a set of representative material colors, we sample material colors in the scene and recover a set of dominant material colors through a voting scheme. With this set of material colors, based on the assumption that pixels with similar chroma likely have similar reflectance values, we adopt global sparsity and non-local constraints on the reflectance and formulate the problem as a least-square minimization problem. We show the effectiveness of our method on a benchmark and demonstrate its use on a few applications.
Étude de pollution atmosphérique en Afrique Sub-Saharienne : Cas de Cotonou (Bénin) : Caractérisation physicochimique des matières particulaires d'origine urbaine et impact toxicologique sur des cellules épithéliales bronchiques humaines (BEAS-2B) cultivées in vitro

La pollution de l'environnement, et particulierement la pollution atmospherique et son possible impact sur la sante humaine, suscite un interet grandissant dans les pays en voie de developpement. Ce travail de these s'inscrit dans cette thematique et constitue une etude pionniere en Afrique, et au Benin plus particulierement. Nos resultats ont montre que l'essence utilisee a Cotonou etait de pietre qualite, caracterisee par l'absence d'additifs et par une forte concentration en benzene, et pouvait etre a l'origine de la degradation de la qualite de l'air de la ville. De meme, l'analyse d'echantillons de particules (PM₂․₅ et PM>₂․₅) preleves dans le quartier de St Michel a Cotonou, a mis en exergue un taux anormalement eleve de particules en suspension dans l'air. La caracterisation physicochimique de ces particules a montre la presence d'un cocktail de composes chimiques (ions, metaux, COVs, paraffines, HAPs, etc.), en proportion plus elevees dans les particules fines PM₂․₅. L'appareil respiratoire constituant la principale voie d'exposition de l'Homme a ces particules atmospheriques, leur potentiel toxique a ete evalue au travers d'une etude in vitro menee sur des cellules epitheliales bronchiques humaines (BEAS-2B). Il a ete ainsi demontre les proprietes cytotoxiques des deux echantillons de particules ainsi que leur capacite a induire l'expression genique des enzymes de metabolisation des composes organiques et a generer un stress oxydatif. Le declenchement du processus inflammatoire via l'induction de l'expression genique et la secretion proteique de cytokines et l'apparition de modifications dans la voie de l'acide arachidonique (leucotrienes, prostaglandine, thromboxane) ont ete notes. Enfin l'approche comparative des PM₂․₅ prelevees au niveau de trois villes d'Afrique de l'Ouest a permis de mettre en evidence des caracteristiques proches au Benin, en Cote d'Ivoire et au Senegal et la contribution des emissions du trafic routier dans la pollution de l'air.
Clinical and biochemical profile of lean type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the most prevalent form of diabetes worldwide. In western countries majority of the cases are obese. The scenario may be different in certain parts of India. Various studies have reported a high prevalence of lean type 2 diabetes mellitus with a body mass index < 19 kg/m2. Materials and Methods: We evaluated 100 cases of lean type 2 diabetes mellitus (62 males and 38 females). Results and Conclusion: The mean duration of diabetes was 51.7 months (range 5-180 months). The glycemic control was poor according to standard guidelines. The majority of them showed response to oral hypoglycemic agents. Secondary failure to oral hypoglycemic agents was seen in 27 patients. The prevalence of microvascular complications was much higher than macrovascular complications. Neuropathy was the commonest complication seen in 70%, followed by retinopathy in 25%. Only 12 patients had hypertension, one had coronary artery disease and two had cerebrovascular accident. Lipid profile was not significantly deranged in our patients.
Bioenergetics and intermuscular fat in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease‐associated quadriceps weakness

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with metabolic abnormalities in muscles of the lower limbs, but it is not known whether these abnormalities are generalized or limited to specific muscle groups, nor is there an easy way of predicting their presence. Methods: Metabolism in the quadriceps and biceps of 14 COPD patients and controls was assessed during sustained contraction using 31‐phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P MRS). T1 MRI was used to measure quadriceps intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT). Results: COPD patients had prolonged quadriceps phosphocreatine time (patients: 38.8 ± 12.7 s; controls: 25.2 ± 10.6 s; P = 0.006) and a lower pH (patents: 6.88 ± 0.1; controls: 6.99 ± 0.06; P = 0.002). Biceps measures were not significantly different. IMAT was associated with a nadir pH <7.0 (area under the curve = 0.84). Conclusions: Anaerobic metabolism during contraction was characteristic of quadriceps, but not biceps, muscles of patients with COPD and was associated with increased IMAT. Because IMAT can be assessed quickly by conventional MRI, it may be a useful approach for identifying patients with abnormal muscle bioenergetics. Muscle Nerve 51: 214–221, 2015
Rat stomach enterochromaffin-like cells are not stimulated by pylorus ligation. A biochemical and ultrastructural study.

BACKGROUND The enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells in the rat oxyntic mucosa produce histamine and contain cytoplasmic granules, microvesicles, and secretory vesicles. The cells respond to gastrin by the release of histamine (associated with loss of secretory vesicles), which is thought to mediate the gastrin-induced stimulation of the parietal cells. Gastric acid secretion is stimulated also by vagal excitation, which can be induced, for instance, by pylorus ligation. The present study addresses the question whether the ECL cells are involved in the acid response to pylorus ligation. METHODS Rats were subjected to pylorus ligation and killed 4 or 16 h later. Other rats were subjected to sham operation (laparotomy). Some of the rats received human Leu15-gastrin-17 (5 nmol/kg/h) by intravenous infusion for 30 or 60 min before being killed. The serum gastrin concentration, the oxyntic mucosal histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity, HDC mRNA concentration, histamine concentration, and gastric acid output were measured. Specimens from the oxyntic mucosa were processed for transmission electron microscopy. Electron micrographs of ECL cells were analyzed planimetrically. RESULTS The gastric acid output was high, but the serum gastrin concentration was not affected by the pylorus ligation. The HDC activity and the level of HDC mRNA in the oxyntic mucosa were reduced, but the histamine concentration was unchanged. The secretory vesicles and granules of the ECL cells were unaffected, whereas the number and volume density of the microvesicles were reduced. Gastrin administration to sham-operated and pylorus-ligated rats lowered the oxyntic mucosal histamine concentration and increased the HDC activity in both groups. CONCLUSIONS ECL cells in the rat stomach do not mediate the gastric acid response to pylorus ligation, and ECL cells in the pylorus-ligated stomach retain their ability to respond to gastrin with activation.
Cytokines

Over the past 30 years, the world of pharmaceutical toxicology has seen an explosion in the area of cytokines. An overview of the many aspects of cytokine safety evaluation currently in progress and evolving strategies for evaluating these important entities was presented at this symposium. Cytokines play a broad role to help the immune system respond to diseases, and drugs which modulate their effect have led to some amazing therapies. Cytokines may be “good” when stimulating the immune system to fight a foreign pathogen or attack tumors. Other “good” cytokine effects include reduction of an immune response, for example interferon β reduction of neuron inflammation in patients with multiple sclerosis. They may be “bad” when their expression causes inflammatory diseases, such as the role of tumor necrosis factor α in rheumatoid arthritis or asthma and Crohn’s disease. Therapeutic modulation of cytokine expression can help the “good” cytokines to generate or quench the immune system and block the “bad” cytokines to prevent damaging inflammatory events. However, care must be exercised, as some antibody therapeutics can cause “ugly” cytokine release which can be deadly. Well-designed toxicology studies should incorporate careful assessment of cytokine modulation that will allow effective therapies to treat unmet needs. This symposium discussed lessons learned in cytokine toxicology using case studies and suggested future directions.
Studies of Transformational Leadership: Evaluating Two Alternative Models of Trust and Satisfaction

This study evaluates the influence of leadership style and employee trust in their leaders on job satisfaction. 341 personnel (164 men, 177 women; M age=33.5yr., SD=5.1) from four large insurance companies in Taiwan completed the transformational leadership behavior inventory, the leadership trust scale and a short version of the Minnesota (Job) Satisfaction Questionnaire. A bootstrapping mediation and structural equation modeling revealed that the effect of transformational leadership on job satisfaction was mediated by leadership trust. This study highlights the importance of leadership trust in leadership-satisfaction relationships, and provides managers with practical ways to enhance job satisfaction.
Mutations in Costello Syndrome : Detection of Constitutional Activating Mutations in Codon 12 and 13 and Loss of Wild-Type Allele in Malignancy

Anne L. Estep, William E. Tidyman, Michael A. Teitell, Philip D. Cotter, and Katherine A. Rauen* Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California Department of Anatomy, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California Department of Pathology and Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California Department of Pathology, Children’s Hospital and Research Center at Oakland, Oakland, California Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California