Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Accuracy of Dynamic Computed Tomography Adenosine Stress Myocardial Perfusion Imaging in Estimating Myocardial Blood Flow at Various Degrees of Coronary Artery Stenosis Using a Porcine Animal Model

Objective:To determine the accuracy of computed tomography (CT) dynamic stress myocardial perfusion imaging to estimate myocardial blood flow (MBF) in a porcine animal model with variable degrees of induced coronary artery stenosis in comparison with microsphere-derived MBF. Methods and Materials:Seven domestic pigs (36 ± 4 kg) received stents (confirmed 3.0 mm diameter) in the left anterior descending coronary artery distal to first diagonal branch. A balloon catheter was placed within the stent and inflated to various degrees to obtain a defined luminal narrowing (50% and 75% diameter stenosis) as confirmed by intra-arterial flow wire measurement. All models underwent adenosine-mediated (140 &mgr;g/kg/min) dynamic stress and rest myocardial perfusion CT imaging using a dual-source CT scanner (shuttle-mode with 100 kV/300 mAs, 20 mL iopromide) with prospective acquisitions every second heartbeat for 30 seconds. CT-estimated MBF (MBFCT) was calculated using a model-based parametric deconvolution method and correlated to that of fluorescent microspheres (MBFmic) injected at each perfusion state. Results:All study procedures were performed without complications, and all animals completed the study protocol. Among 448 myocardial segments, 31 (7%) were considered nonevaluable because of motion artifacts. With stress, MBFCT increased significantly (1.10 ± 0.25 vs. 0.80 ± 0.28 mL/g/min, P < 0.001; at stress and rest, respectively) in all myocardial segments and correlated with MBFmic (r = 0.67, P < 0.001). MBFCT overestimated MBFmic, independently of adenosine-stress and degree of coronary stenosis (&bgr; = 2.3, 95% confidence interval: 1.81–2.79 mL/g/min, P < 0.001). Although there were no differences in MBFCT between 50% and 75% coronary stenosis at rest (0.01 ± 0.08 mL/g/min, P = 0.86), MBFCT was significantly lower at 75% than at 50% under stress conditions (0.53 ± 0.19 vs. 0.71 ± 0.24 mL/g/min, P = 0.002). Conclusions:CT-derived MBF measurements at rest and stress with varying degrees of coronary stenosis show a valid difference but an underestimated correlation with microsphere-derived MBF in a porcine animal model.
Joint L1 and total variation regularization for fluorescence molecular tomography

Fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) is an imaging modality that exploits the specificity of fluorescent biomarkers to enable 3D visualization of molecular targets and pathways in vivo in small animals. Owing to the high degree of absorption and scattering of light through tissue, the FMT inverse problem is inherently ill-conditioned making image reconstruction highly susceptible to the effects of noise and numerical errors. Appropriate priors or penalties are needed to facilitate reconstruction and to restrict the search space to a specific solution set. Typically, fluorescent probes are locally concentrated within specific areas of interest (e.g., inside tumors). The commonly used L2 norm penalty generates the minimum energy solution, which tends to be spread out in space. Instead, we present here an approach involving a combination of the L1 and total variation norm penalties, the former to suppress spurious background signals and enforce sparsity and the latter to preserve local smoothness and piecewise constancy in the reconstructed images. We have developed a surrogate-based optimization method for minimizing the joint penalties. The method was validated using both simulated and experimental data obtained from a mouse-shaped phantom mimicking tissue optical properties and containing two embedded fluorescent sources. Fluorescence data were collected using a 3D FMT setup that uses an EMCCD camera for image acquisition and a conical mirror for full-surface viewing. A range of performance metrics was utilized to evaluate our simulation results and to compare our method with the L1, L2 and total variation norm penalty-based approaches. The experimental results were assessed using the Dice similarity coefficients computed after co-registration with a CT image of the phantom.
Epigenetics regulate centromere formation and kinetochore function

The eukaryote centromere was initially defined cytologically as the primary constriction on vertebrate chromosomes and functionally as a chromosomal feature with a relatively low recombination frequency. Structurally, the centromere is the foundation for sister chromatid cohesion and kinetochore formation. Together these provide the basis for interaction between chromosomes and the mitotic spindle, allowing the efficient segregation of sister chromatids during cell division. Although centromeric (CEN) DNA is highly variable between species, in all cases the functional centromere forms in a chromatin domain defined by the substitution of histone H3 with the centromere specific H3 variant centromere protein A (CENP‐A), also known as CENH3. Kinetochore formation and function are dependent on a variety of regional epigenetic modifications that appear to result in a loop chromatin conformation providing exterior CENH3 domains for kinetochore construction, and interior heterochromatin domains essential for sister chromatid cohesion. In addition pericentric heterochromatin provides a structural element required for spindle assembly checkpoint function. Advances in our understanding of CENH3 biology have resulted in a model where kinetochore location is specified by the epigenetic mark left after dilution of CENH3 to daughter DNA strands during S phase. This results in a self‐renewing and self‐reinforcing epigenetic state favorable to reliably mark centromere location, as well as to provide the optimal chromatin configuration for kinetochore formation and function. J. Cell. Biochem. 104: 2027–2039, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Integrative review: nurses' and physicians' experiences and attitudes towards inpatient-witnessed resuscitation of an adult patient.

AIM An integrative review of attitudes and experiences of healthcare professionals regarding family-witnessed resuscitation. BACKGROUND Allowing family members to be present during resuscitation has been a topic of debate in the last years. Increased focus on family centred care led to preparation of official statements concerning this phenomenon. While in some countries witnessed resuscitation is accepted and used, there are many places where it is not respected and remains controversial. DESIGN Integrative literature review. DATA SOURCES Databases: CINAHL, PsycINFO and PubMed. REVIEW METHODS Cooper's five-stage integrative review method has been used. Results were limited to original publications in English, published between 2007-2012, describing nurses' and doctors' experiences and attitudes on inpatient family-witnessed resuscitation of an adult patient. RESULTS Fifteen articles were included. Healthcare professionals indicated different opinions on family-witnessed resuscitation. Perceptions vary in different cultural settings. There are both positive and negative effects of this practice on the family members and the rescue team. There is a lack of local guidelines. CONCLUSION Further research with larger sample sizes and different cultural settings would help identify outcomes following the family presence during resuscitation practice. Qualitative research is needed to examine the impact of those outcomes and develop policies and guidelines on cultural variability.
Bulk nanostructure of the prototypical 'good' and 'poor' solvate ionic liquids [Li(G4)][TFSI] and [Li(G4)][NO3].

The bulk nanostructures of a prototypical 'good' solvate ionic liquid (SIL) and 'poor' SIL have been examined using neutron diffraction and empirical potential structure refinement (EPSR) simulated fits. The good SIL formed by a 1 : 1 mixture of lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (Li[TFSI]) in tetraglyme (G4), denoted [Li(G4)][TFSI], and the poor SIL formed from a 1 : 1 mixture of lithium nitrate (Li[NO3]) in G4, denoted [Li(G4)][NO3], have been studied. In both SILs there are strong Lewis acid-base interactions between Li(+) and ligating O atoms. However, the O atoms coordinated to Li(+) depend strongly on the counter anion present. LiO coordination numbers with G4 are 2-3 times higher for [Li(G4)][TFSI] than [Li(G4)][NO3], and conversely the LiO anion coordination number is 2-3 times higher in [Li(G4)][NO3]. In both solvates the local packing of Li around G4 O atoms are identical but these interactions are less frequent in [Li(G4)][NO3]. In both SILs, Li(+) has a distribution of coordination numbers and a wide variety of different complex structures are present. For [Li(G4)][NO3], there is a significant proportion uncoordinated G4 in the bulk; ∼37% of glyme molecules have no LiO contacts and each G4 molecule coordinates to an average of 0.5 Li(+) cations. Conversely, in [Li(G4)][TFSI] only ∼5% of G4 molecules lack LiO contacts and G4 molecules coordinates to an average of 1.3 Li(+) cations. Li(+) and G4 form polynuclear complexes, of the form [Lix(G4)y](x+), in both solvates. For [Li(G4)][TFSI] ∼35% of Li(+) and G4 form 1 polynuclear complexes, while only ∼10% of Li(+) and G4 form polynuclear complexes in [Li(G4)][NO3].
Effect of Active Smoking During Pregnancy on Women and Newborn Health

The aim of the study was to identify the effect of prenatal smoking on mother and newborn health. The study was carried out in 700 women, who delivered at Merkez Efendi Maternity and Childrenâ€™s Hospital between 1 st January, 2011 and 31 st December, 2011. Of the sample of women, 15.6% were current and 7.3% were quitting smokers. Women who continued smoking during pregnancy lived in households with husband who smoked and had higher rates of depressive symptoms and pregnancy included hypertension. Smoker women more likely reported to expose physical violence during pregnancy by their partner. Meconium in amniotic fluid was associated with women smoking status. Newborns who were exposed to tobacco smoke prenatally had deficits in weight (-186.6 gr), height (-0.9 cm) and head circumference at birth (-0.6 cm). In the study when women quit smoking during the first trimester, their infants have anthropometric measures similar to infants of nonsmokers. Smoking during pregnancy was related to low birth weight, height, and with small head circumference. Smoking cessation during pregnancy may have a greater impact on baby anthropometrics measures which were similar to infants of nonsmokers. To protect the health of their future unborn children, it would be optimal to target all women of reproductive age to quit smoking before they consider becoming pregnant
Optimizing SHIELD-HIT for carbon ion treatment

The SHIELD-HIT Monte Carlo transport code has been widely used in particle therapy, but has previously shown some discrepancies, when compared with experimental data. In this work, the inelastic nuclear cross sections of SHIELD-HIT are calibrated to experimental data for carbon ions. In addition, the models for nuclear fragmentation were adjusted to experiments, for the partial charge-changing cross section of carbon ions in water. Comparison with fragmentation yield experiments for carbon and neon primaries were made for validation. For carbon primaries, excellent agreement between simulation and experiment was observed, with only minor discrepancies. For neon primaries, the agreement was also good, but larger discrepancies were observed, which require further investigation. In conclusion, the current version SHIELD-HIT10A is well suited for simulating problems arising in particle therapy for clinical ion beams.
Nonrigid point registration for 2D curves and 3D surfaces and its various applications

A nonrigid B-spline-based point-matching (BPM) method is proposed to match dense surface points. The method solves both the point correspondence and nonrigid transformation without features extraction. The registration method integrates a motion model, which combines a global transformation and a B-spline-based local deformation, into a robust point-matching framework. The point correspondence and deformable transformation are estimated simultaneously by fuzzy correspondence and by a deterministic annealing technique. Prior information about global translation, rotation and scaling is incorporated into the optimization. A local B-spline motion model decreases the degrees of freedom for optimization and thus enables the registration of a larger number of feature points. The performance of the BPM method has been demonstrated and validated using synthesized 2D and 3D data, mouse MRI and micro-CT images. The proposed BPM method can be used to register feature point sets, 2D curves, 3D surfaces and various image data.
Tumor tracking based on correlation models in scanned ion beam therapy: an experimental study

Accurate dose delivery to extra-cranial lesions requires tumor motion compensation. An effective compensation can be achieved by real-time tracking of the target position, either measured in fluoroscopy or estimated through correlation models as a function of external surrogate motion. In this work, we integrated two internal/external correlation models (a state space model and an artificial neural network-based model) into a custom infra-red optical tracking system (OTS). Dedicated experiments were designed and conducted at GSI (Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung). A robotic breathing phantom was used to reproduce regular and irregular internal target motion as well as external thorax motion. The position of a set of markers placed on the phantom thorax was measured with the OTS and used by the correlation models to infer the internal target position in real-time. Finally, the estimated target position was provided as input for the dynamic steering of a carbon ion beam. Geometric results showed that the correlation models transversal (2D) targeting error was always lower than 1.3 mm (root mean square). A significant decrease of the dosimetric error with respect to the uncompensated irradiation was achieved in four out of six experiments, demonstrating that phase shifts are the most critical irregularity for external/internal correlation models.
Attitudes towards Drinking and Drunkenness in Four Scandinavian Countries

This report, which attempts to discuss drinking cultures over time, is part of a comparative survey of drinking in Scandinavia. ‘ One of the aims of the project is to compare the interactions of drinking behaviors and the consequences of drinking in various structural and cultural settings. Attitudes towards drinking and drunkenness were examined in an attempt to describe the cultural climate prevailing in each of four Scandinavian countries as one crucial factor affecting personal experiences related to drinking.
Enfermedades diarreicas agudas asociadas a rotavirus

Acute diarrhea diseases associated to Rotavirus In the period of 2001-2002, a total of 1163 fecal samples were collected from children less than five years of age with diarrhea, at the Hospital Albina Patino and other health centers in Cochabamba city. Rotavirus infection general prevalence was 19% (220), distributed among hospitalized children 24% (77) and outpatients 17% (143). Rotavirus infections were observed along the whole study period, with highest prevalence in coldest months: April (24%), May (34%) and June (28%) and lowest frequencies (8-15%) in February, August, and September. Major rotavirus outbreak was significantly associated with the driest and colder season. The highest percentage of rotavirus infections (36,3%) was found among children between 7-12 months of age. Moderate dehydration, vomits and fever were the clinical symptoms more frequently associated with rotavirus acute gastroenteritis, being dehydration more common in hospitalized patients. The distribution of P and G genotypes analyzed by RT-PCR was: G1 (44%), G2 (6%), P[8] (24%) and P4 (15%). A co-infection P[8]P[6] was observed in 3 samples (4%). Genotype P[6] was found associated to outpatients. These findings, highlight that rotavirus is an important cause of acute gastroenteritis and that any of the currently available vaccines would potentially be protective against circulating strains found in the city of Cochabamba. (Key words: acute diarrheal diseases, rotavirus, G and P genotypes, RT-PCR). Rev Soc Bol Ped 2005; 44 (2): 75-82
Effects of Iejimalide B, a marine macrolide, on growth and apoptosis in prostate cancer cell lines

Iejimalide B, a marine macrolide, causes growth inhibition in a variety of cancer cell lines at nanomolar concentrations. We have investigated the effects of Iejimalide B on cell cycle kinetics and apoptosis in the p53+/AR+ LNCaP and p53−/AR− PC‐3 prostate cancer cell lines. Iejimalide B, has a dose and time dependent effect on cell number (as measured by crystal violet assay) in both cell lines. In LNCaP cells Iejimalide B induces a dose dependent G0/G1 arrest and apoptosis at 48 h (as measured by Apo‐BrdU staining). In contrast, Iejimalide B initially induces G0/G1 arrest followed by S phase arrest but does not induce apoptosis in PC‐3 cells. qPCR and Western analysis suggests that Iejimalide B modulates the steady state level of many gene products associated with cell cycle (including cyclins D, E, and B and p21waf1/cip1) and cell death (including survivin, p21B and BNIP3L) in LNCaP cells. In PC‐3 cells Iejimalide B induces the expression of p21waf1/cip1, down regulates the expression of cyclin A, and does not modulate the expression of the genes associated with cell death. Comparison of the effects of Iejimalide B on the two cell lines suggests that Iejimalide B induces cell cycle arrest by two different mechanisms and that the induction of apoptosis in LNCaP cells is p53‐dependent. J. Cell. Biochem. 105: 998–1007, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Antinociceptive effect of gabapentin in visceral pain is not mediated by GABAA or opioid receptors.

Aims: There is evidence supporting the antinociceptive effect of gabapentin in visceral pain, however, the underlying mechanism(s) is not determined yet. So this study was performed to evaluate probable involvement of opioid and GABAergic receptors in the gabapentin effects on acetic acid-induced visceral pain in mice. Place and Duration of Study: Kerman Neuroscience Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran, between June 2012 and March 2013. Methodology: The acetic acid test was induced by intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) of acetic acid 0.6% (10ml/kg of body weight) in male mice. Writhing reflex was measured as the number of abdominal contractions in 45min. Animals received saline (as control) or gabapentin (1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 or 200mg/kg/ i.p.) 40min before acetic acid. The least effective dose of gabapentin (50mg/kg i.p.) was selected for further assessments and mice were pretreated either picrotoxin (0.75, 1 and 1.5mg/kg/i.p.) as chloride Original Research Article British Journal of Medicine & Medical Research, 4(31): 5062-5073, 2014 5063 channel blocker, bicuculline (0.5, 0.75, 1.5 and 2mg/kg) as GABAA receptor antagonist or naloxone (2mg/kg/i.p.) as opioid receptor antagonist, 10min before gabapentin (50mg/kg i.p.) treatment. Separate groups received naloxone or picrotoxin (1.5mg/kg) or bicuculline (2mg/kg) alone 10min before saline in acetic acid induced visceral contractions test. Results: Gabapentin reduced acetic acid-induced writhing in dose-dependent manner. Visceral contractions following naloxone, picrotoxin and bicuculline administration prior to gabapentin was not significantly different from that of gabapentin alone. Only toxic doses of picrotoxin and bicuculline (1.5 and 2mg/kg, respectively) abolished the inhibitory effect of gabapentin. Conclusion: The effect of gabapentin on visceral nociception is not mediated through opioid and/or GABAA receptors.
Sphingosine‐1‐phosphate acts as a developmental stage specific inhibitor of platelet‐derived growth factor‐induced chemotaxis of osteoblasts

The development and maintenance of a healthy skeleton depends on the migration of cells to areas of new bone formation. Osteoblasts, the bone forming cells of the body, mature from mesenchymal stem cells under the influence of bone morphogenetic protein. It is unclear at what developmental stage the osteoblasts start to migrate to their functional location. We have studied migration of immature pre‐osteoblasts and of mature osteoblasts in response to Platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) and sphingosine‐1‐phosphate (S1P). PDGF is a growth factor involved in bone remodeling and fracture healing whereas S1P is a circulating sphingolipid known to control cell trafficking. Our data indicate that PDGF acts as a chemotactic cue for pre‐osteoblasts. In contrast, S1P is a chemorepellent to these cells. Upon Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2‐induced conversion to the osteoblast phenotype, the chemotaxis response to PDGF is retained whereas the sensitivity to S1P is lost. By RNA interference and overexpression experiments we showed that the expression level of the S1P2 receptor is the sole determinant controlling responsiveness to S1P. The combined data indicate that migration of osteoblasts is controlled by the balance between PDGF, S1P and the differentiation state of the cells. We propose that this mechanism preserves the osteoprogenitor pool in the bone marrow, only allowing the more differentiated cell to travel to sites of bone formation. J. Cell. Biochem. 105: 1128–1138, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nitrotyrosinylation, remodeling and endothelial‐myocyte uncoupling in iNOS, cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) knockouts and iNOS/CBS double knockout mice

Increased levels of homocysteine (Hcy), recognized as hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy), were associated with cardiovascular diseases. There was controversy regarding the detrimental versus cardio protective role of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in ischemic heart disease. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the Hcy generated nitrotyrosine by inducing the endothelial nitric oxide synthase, causing endothelial‐myocyte (E‐M) coupling. To differentiate the role of iNOS versus constitutive nitric oxide synthase (eNOS and nNOS) in Hcy‐mediated nitrotyrosine generation and matrix remodeling in cardiac dysfunction, left ventricular (LV) tissue was analyzed from cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) heterozygote knockout, iNOS homozygote knockout, CBS−/+/iNOS−/− double knockout, and wild‐type (WT) mice. The levels of nitrotyrosine, MMP‐2 and ‐9 (zymographic analysis), and fibrosis (by trichrome stain) were measured. The endothelial‐myocyte function was determined in cardiac rings. In CBS−/+ mice, homocysteine was elevated and in iNOS−/− mice, nitric oxide was significantly reduced. The nitrotyrosine and matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9) levels were elevated in double knockout and CBS−/+ as compared to WT mice. Although MMP‐2 levels were similar in CBS−/+, iNOS−/−, and CBS−/+/iNOS−/−, the levels were three‐ to fourfold higher than WT. The levels of collagen were similar in CBS−/+ and iNOS−/−, but they were threefold higher than WT. Interesting, the levels of collagen increased sixfold in double knockouts, compared to WT, suggesting synergism between high Hcy and lack of iNOS. Left ventricular hypertrophy was exaggerated in the iNOS−/− and double knockout, and mildly increased in the CBS−/+, compared to WT mice. The endothelial‐dependent relaxation was attenuated to the same extent in the CBS−/+ and iNOS−/−, compared to WT, but it was robustly blunted in double knockouts. The results concluded that homocysteine generated nitrotyrosine in the vicinity of endothelium, caused MMP activation and endothelium‐myocyte uncoupling. The generation of nitrotyrosine was independent of iNOS. J. Cell. Biochem. 106: 119–126, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.