Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multispectral imaging and artificial neural network: mimicking the management decision of the clinician facing pigmented skin lesions

Various instruments based on acquisition and elaboration of images of pigmented skin lesions have been developed in an attempt to in vivo establish whether a lesion is a melanoma or not. Although encouraging, the response of these instruments, e.g. epiluminescence microscopy, reflectance spectrophotometry and fluorescence imaging, cannot currently replace the well-established diagnostic procedures. However, in place of the approach to instrumentally assess the diagnosis of the lesion, recent studies suggest that instruments should rather reproduce the assessment by an expert clinician of whether a lesion has to be excised or not. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of a spectrophotometric system to mimic such a decision. The study involved 1794 consecutively recruited patients with 1966 doubtful cutaneous pigmented lesions excised for histopathological diagnosis and 348 patients with 1940 non-excised lesions because clinically reassuring. Images of all these lesions were acquired in vivo with a multispectral imaging system. The data set was randomly divided into a train (802 reassuring and 1003 excision-needing lesions, including 139 melanomas), a verify (464 reassuring and 439 excision-needing lesions, including 72 melanomas) and a test set (674 reassuring and 524 excision-needing lesions, including 76 melanomas). An artificial neural network (ANN1) was set up to perform the classification of the lesions as excision-needing or reassuring, according to the expert clinicians' decision on how to manage each examined lesion. In the independent test set, the system was able to emulate the clinicians with a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 80%. Of the 462 correctly classified as excision-needing lesions, 72 (95%) were melanomas. No major variations in receiver operating characteristic curves were found between the test and the train/verify sets. On the same data set, a further artificial neural network (ANN2) was then architected to perform classification of the lesions as melanoma or non-melanoma, according to the histological diagnosis. Having set the sensitivity in recognizing melanoma to 95%, ANN1 resulted to be significantly better in the classification of reassuring lesions than ANN2. This study suggests that multispectral image analysis and artificial neural networks could be used to support primary care physicians or general practitioners in identifying pigmented skin lesions that require further investigations.
mTFE3, an X-linked transcriptional activator containing basic helix-loop-helix and zipper domains, utilizes the zipper to stabilize both DNA binding and multimerization

Southwestern (DNA-protein) screening of a murine L-cell cDNA library by using a probe for the microE3 site in the immunoglobulin heavy-chain enhancer yielded a clone, mTFE3, which is a member of the subset of basic helix-loop-helix (BHLH) proteins that also contain a leucine zipper (ZIP). Since the individual contribution of these domains is not well understood for proteins which contain them both, mutational analyses were performed to assess the functional roles of the HLH and ZIP regions for DNA binding and multimerization. The HLH region is stringently required for DNA binding but not for multimerization. The ZIP region is not stringently required for binding or multimerization, but stabilizes both multimer formation and DNA binding. A high degree of conservation at both the amino acid and nucleotide levels between the human transcription factor TFE3 and mTFE3 suggests that mTFE3 is the murine homolog of human TFE3. By using fluorescent in situ hybridization, mTFE3 was mapped to mouse chromosome X in band A2, which is just below the centromere. We show that in addition to the immunoglobulin heavy-chain microE3 site, mTFE3 binds to transcriptional elements important for lymphoid-specific, muscle-specific, and ubiquitously expressed genes. Binding of mTFE3 to DNA induces DNA bending.
Violent Video Games Induce an Affect Processing Bias

This study investigated the effects of violent video game play and trait hostility on attentional bias toward negatively valenced words. Following video game play, participants completed an emotional Stroop task. Results indicated greater Stroop interference for participants high in trait hostility and for participants playing violent video games. Implications of these findings are discussed with respect to current models of aggressive behavior.
Gross Chemical Profile and Calculation of Nitrogen-to-Protein Conversion Factors for Five Tropical Seaweeds

Despite decades of research on marine algae, there are still significant gaps in basic knowledge about chemical composition of these organisms, especially in tropical environments. In this study, the amino acid composition and contents of total nitrogen, phosphorus, lipid, carbohydrate and protein were determined in Asparagopsis taxiformis, Centroceras clavulatum, Chaetomorpha aerea, Sargassum filipendula and Spyridia hypnoides. The seaweeds showed low lipid contents (lower than 5.5% d.w. in all species) and were rich in carbohydrates (more than 16% d.w. in all seaweeds). The percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus and protein varied widely among species, which red algae showed the highest con-centrations. The amino acid composition was similar among the seaweeds, which glutamic acid, aspartic acid and leu-cine as the most abundant. All species are poor in histidine. An average of 24.2% of the total nitrogen is non-proteinaceous. From data of total amino acid and total nitrogen, specific nitrogen-to-protein conversion factors were calculated for each species. The nitrogen-to-protein conversion factors calculated ranged from 4.51 to 5.21, with an overall average of 4.86. These findings show that the traditional conversion factor of 6.25 should be avoided for seaweeds, since it overestimates the actual protein content.
Yoga-Based Guided Relaxation Reduces Sympathetic Activity Judged from Baseline Levels

35 male volunteers whose ages ranged from 20 to 46 years were studied in two sessions of yoga-based guided relaxation and supine rest. Assessments of autonomic variables were made for 15 subjects, before, during, and after the practices, whereas oxygen consumption and breath volume were recorded for 25 subjects before and after both types of relaxation. A significant decrease in oxygen consumption and increase in breath volume were recorded after guided relaxation (paired t test). There were comparable reductions in heart rate and skin conductance during both types of relaxation. During guided relaxation the power of the low frequency component of the heart-rate variability spectrum reduced, whereas the power of the high frequency component increased, suggesting reduced sympathetic activity. Also, subjects with a baseline ratio of LF/HF >0.5 showed a significant decrease in the ratio after guided relaxation, while subjects with a ratio ≤0.5 at baseline showed no such change. The results suggest that sympathetic activity decreased after guided relaxation based on yoga, depending on the baseline levels.
Testing metapopulation dynamics using genetic, demographic and ecological data

The metapopulation concept is a cornerstone in the recent history of ecology and evolution. However, determining whether a natural system fits a metapopulation model is a complex issue. Extinction‐colonization dynamics are indeed often difficult to quantify because species detectability is not always 100%, resulting in an imperfect record of extinctions. Here, we explore whether combining population genetics with demographic and ecological surveys can yield more realistic estimates of metapopulation dynamics. We apply this approach to the freshwater snail Drepanotrema depressissimum in a fragmented landscape of tropical ponds. In addition to studying correlations between genetic diversity and demographical or ecological characteristics, we undertake, for the first time, a detailed search for genetic signatures of extinction–recolonization events using temporal changes in allele frequencies within sites. Surprisingly, genetic data indicate that extinction is much rarer than suggested by demographic surveys. Consequently, this system is better described as a set of populations with different sizes and immigration rates than as a true metapopulation. We identify several cases of apparent extinction owing to nondetection of low‐density populations, and of aestivating individuals in desiccated ponds. More generally, we observed a frequent mismatch between genetic and demographical/ecological information at small spatial and temporal scales. We discuss the causes of these discrepancies and show how these two types of data provide complementary information on population dynamics and history, especially when temporal genetic samples are available.
Smoking expectancy mediates the conditioned responses to arbitrary smoking cues

Smokers’ responses to smoking cues may be the result of a classical conditioning process. There is evidence that classical conditioning may not proceed in human subjects unless subjects are consciously aware of the stimulus (CS)–reinforcer (UCS) contingencies. In two experiments the role of CS↔UCS contingency awareness in the expression of conditioned responses (craving, salivation, and skin conductance) was studied. A discriminative classical conditioning paradigm was used during which subjects were presented with one stimulus (the CS+) always paired with cigarette smoking (the UCS) and another (the CS−) never paired with cigarette smoking. Half of the subjects were given instructions to discover the CS↔UCS contingencies (group ‘aware’, AWR), whereas the other half were not (group ‘unaware’, UWR). In experiment 1, all subjects responded to the CS+ with increased cigarette craving relative to the CS−; this effect was more pronounced in the AWR group compared to the UWR group. A lower amount of salivation in response to the CS+ compared to the CS− was found in the UWR group. These between‐group differences were interpreted as a consequence of the enhanced expectancies of smoking in the presence of CS+ in group AWR compared to group UWR. In experiment 2, the observed craving responses to CS+ and CS− were consistent with those seen in experiment 1, but no discriminative salivary response to the stimuli was found. When, after conditioning training, subjects’ expectancies of smoking were removed by instructions, and their responses to CS+ and CS− were again measured, the discriminative craving response to CS+ and CS− was eliminated and all subjects demonstrated a lower amount of salivation in response to the CS+ compared to the CS−. These data suggest that presentation of arbitrary cues previously paired with cigarette smoking can elicit CRs and that facilitation of awareness of the CS↔UCS contingency by instructions can potentiate craving CRs. In addition, these data suggest that craving CRs can be eliminated, whereas compensatory CRs can be facilitated, when cigarette expectancy is removed with instructions.
Klinik Hemşirelerin Etik Duyarlılığı

Her hemsirenin etik problemler karsisinda olaya bakisi ve gelistirdigi cozum farkli olabilmektedir. Bu duruma neden olan onemli bir faktor ise hemsirelerin etik duyarlilik duzeyidir. Bu nedenle hemsirelerin etik duyarliliklarinin incelenmesi ve etik duyarliliklarini etkileyen farkli degiskenlerin belirlenmesi son derece onemlidir. Bu baglamda yapilan calisma, hemsirelerin etik duyarliliklarinin belirlenmesi amaciyla yapilmistir. Tanimlayici ve kesitsel olarak planlanmis bu arastirma 161 hemsire ile Mart-Nisan 2016 tarihleri arasinda gerceklestirilmistir. Veriler sosyodemografik ve Ahlaki Duyarlilik Olcegi ile toplanmistir. Verilerin degerlendirilmesinde, olcegin normallik dagilimina bakilmis (Kolmogorov - Smirnov) ve nonparametrik testler uygulanmistir. Tanimlayici istatistiksel metotlarin (Frekans, Yuzde, Ortalama, Standart sapma) yani sira Mann Whitney U testi kullanilmistir. Verilerin analizinde anlamlilik degeri olarak p<0.05 alinmistir. Arastirma kapsamina alinan hemsirelerin yas ortalamasi 30,92±5,93'dur. Calismaya katilan hemsirelerin etik duyarliliklarinin yuksek duzeyde oldugu saptanmistir (2,56±0,54). Medeni durum ile catisma, meslegi sevme ile butuncul yaklasim, uygulama ve toplam etik duyarlilik puan ortalamalari arasinda, konferans/toplantiya katilma ile otonomi, catisma ve toplam etik duyarlilik puan ortalamalari, egitim durumu ile otonomi puan ortalamasi arasinda anlamli iliski saptanmistir (p< 0,05). Hemsirelerin etik duyarliliginin artirilmasi ve dolayisiyla etik sorunlari tanima ve cozumunun saglanabilmesi icin, mezuniyet sonrasi ve surekli egitim programlarinin duzenlenmesi onerilmektedir.
Comparison of an oxidative stress biomarker “urinary8‐hydroxy‐2′‐deoxyguanosine,“ between smokers and non‐smokers

A great deal of effort has been made on the effect of oxidative stress for smokers. What seems to be lacking, however, is its evidence. Analyzing 1076 participants (age 35.9 ± 12.9, urinary8‐OHdG Mean ± S.D., 11.4 ± 6.7, n = 1076), our study found the significant increase in a biomarker of DNA damage urinary 8‐OHdG/creatinine among smokers (7.75 ± 2.8 ng/ml × CRE (n = 154) and 7.36 ± 2.5 ng/ml × CRE (n = 627) (p < 0.05), Relative Risk = 2.9 (1.4–6.2) sex and age ± 2 matching 105 male smokers and non‐smokers. There was no significance on the comparison between female smokers and non‐smokers. Smokers have significantly decreased serum alpha‐tocopherol (1012 ± 455, 1152 ± 857, p < 0.03). The amount of serum ascorbate did not change. Smokers lowered serum HDL‐cholesterol compared to non‐smokers (59.3 ± 11.8, 63.9 ± 13.3, p < 0.05). The result of oxidative stress profile (OSP) also indicated that the increase of oxidative stress to smokers (p < 0.05). The calculated value of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of the meal for subjects was 1600 ORAC units.
Assessment of Bulbar Redness with a Newly Developed Keratograph

PurposeTo determine the validity and reliability of the clinical assessment of bulbar redness (BR) using a newly developed corneal topographer. MethodsThis is a cross-sectional diagnostic evaluation study. The BR scores [Oculus Index (OI)] from 30 eyes of 26 patients with different degrees of conjunctival hyperemia were assessed and scored automatically using a new method: a keratograph equipped with scanning and scoring software. The values obtained via this system were correlated with three image-based comparative subjective scales: the Institute for Eye Research (IER), the Efron, and the Validated Bulbar Redness (VBR) grading scales. The IER and Efron scores were interpolated to 0.1 unit, and the VBR scores were interpolated to 1 unit. We also evaluated the repeatability of each method and the level of agreement between the OI score and the scores achieved using the three other image-based methods. ResultsThere was a significant correlation between the OI score and the scores obtained with the IER (r = 0.921, p < 0.001), Efron (r = 0.958, p < 0.001), and VBR (r = 0.965, p < 0.001) scales. The intraobserver intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.947, 0.874, 0.810, and 0.920 for the OI, IER, Efron, and VBR, respectively, and the intraobserver coefficients of repeatability were 13.924, 16.111, 17.684, and 16.900, respectively. Furthermore, the interobserver intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.889, 0.880, 0.884, and 0.881 for the OI, IER, Efron, and VBR, respectively, and the interobserver coefficients of repeatability were 15.934, 16.366, 22.059, and 21.373, respectively. ConclusionsThe OI is an objective and reliable method for scoring BR. Its reproducibility was the highest of all the four modalities. The keratograph is recommended, therefore, as a suitable alternative for BR assessment.
Avaliação do gerenciamento ambiental do óleo lubrificante usado ou contaminado nas concessionárias de automóveis autorizadas da cidade de Caruaru-PE

A troca do oleo lubrificante do motor chega a ser algo cotidiano para qualquer proprietario de um automovel, porem poucos sabem dos riscos que o gerenciamento incorreto do residuo que e gerado a partir dessa manutencao causa ao meio ambiente, como a contaminacao do solo, causando a infertilizacao do mesmo e infiltracao em aquiferos e lencois freaticos, uma vez que o oleo lubrificante e constituido de metais pesados e compostos toxicos, se fazendo necessaria a logistica reversa desse tipo de residuo, e o encaminhamento do mesmo para o Rerrefino. Essa pesquisa tem por objetivo realizar uma analise precisa do gerenciamento ambiental que as concessionarias autorizadas de automoveis da cidade de Caruaru-PE dao ao Oleo Lubrificante usado/contaminado gerado em suas instalacoes. A coleta de Dados necessaria para a realizacao da pesquisa foi feita atraves de um questionario, buscando assim informacoes diretas a respeito das atividades executadas pela a amostra participante. Os resultados mostram que todas as Concessionarias realizam os procedimentos de coleta para o residuo Oleo Lubrificante Usado/Contaminado, agindo em conformidade com as legislacoes vigentes, e que as mesmas geram na cidade de Caruaru aproximadamente 140.400 Litros de Oleo Lubrificante usado/Contaminado por ano. Chegou-se a conclusao que apesar de existir uma deficiencia na fiscalizacao por parte dos orgaos ambientais, as Concessionarias Autorizadas Caruaruenses adotaram um gerenciamento ambiental adequado para o Oleo Lubrificante Usado/Contaminado.
Neural mechanisms of willingness to fight and die for sacred values in the context of intercultural conflict

Los conflictos interculturales a menudo se propagan y se mantienen en base a una defensa apasionada de puntos de vista opuestos, tanto de tipo religioso como nacionalista, por parte de miembros de una comunidad moral dispuestos a defenderlos a costa incluso de su propia vida. El conocimiento que se tiene del sustrato neurobiologico de estos “valores sagrados” o “creencias sobrevaloradas” que definen el grupo de pertenencia es bastante pobre. Hasta la fecha, no se ha publicado ningun estudio de neuroimagen realizado en el contexto de un conflicto intercultural real. Este es el primer estudio de neuroimagen que tiene como objetivo identificar los mecanismos neurales subyacentes a la disposicion a luchar y morir (WFD) en defensa de valores sagrados (SVs). Por otra parte, tambien es el primero en estudiar valores sagrados en una poblacion con valor “ecologico”, al incluir una muestra de varones musulmanes de origen paquistani reclutados en el area de Barcelona (Espana) que expresaron puntos de vista politicos radicalizados con respecto al conflicto de Cachemira. Se empleo un paradigma de resonancia magnetica funcional para evaluar tanto la actividad neuronal asociada con la WFD por sus valores sagrados como el efecto de la influencia social en la misma medida, evaluando sus reacciones de indignacion moral y las posibles diferencias en su puntuacion en WFD inducidas por la manipulacion social. Como resultado, la WFD por SVs suscito mayor actividad neuronal en areas asociadas con el pensamiento deontico, la valoracion afectiva de contenido auto-relevante y la propia agencia (vmPFC / vACC), asi como una disminucion de la actividad en los nodos neuronales asociadas con el razonamiento utilitarista, la deliberacion y la introspeccion (dmPFC, dlPFC, IFG). A su vez, el feedback social conflictivo suscito respuestas de ultraje moral, medida que predijo la actividad neuronal en el operculo parietal, asociada con el dolor y la repugnancia. Sin embargo, las puntuaciones en WFD se mostraron sensibles a la influencia social, cambiando en la direccion establecida por la norma social. Estos resultados sugieren que la WFD por SVs esta impulsada principalmente por una busqueda de auto-exaltacion con alta carga emocional que podria responder a expectativas sociales, apuntando a los actos de altruismo extremo como posibles herramientas de validacion social que confieren una sensacion de empoderamiento personal. Las implicaciones para diferentes estrategias de des-radicalizacion se discuten al final.
Fingering instability down the outside of a vertical cylinder

We present an experimental and numerical study examining the dynamics of a gravity-driven contact line of a thin viscous film traveling down the outside of a vertical cylinder of radius R. Experiments on cylinders with radii ranging between 0.159 and 3.81 cm show that the contact line is unstable to a fingering pattern for two fluids with differing viscosities, surface tensions, and wetting properties. The dynamics of the contact line is studied and results are compared to previous studies of inclined plane experiments in order to understand the influence substrate curvature plays on the fingering pattern. A lubrication model is derived for the film height in the limit that e=H/R≪1, where H is the upstream film thickness, and in terms of a Bond number ρgR3/(γH), and the linear stability of the contact line is analyzed using traveling wave solutions. Curvature controls the capillary ridge height of the traveling wave and the range of unstable wavelength when e=O(10-1), whereas the shape and stability of th.
Capsaicin 8% patch treatment for amputation stump and phantom limb pain: a clinical and functional MRI study

Purpose The aim of this study was to measure the efficacy of a single 60 min application of capsaicin 8% patch in reducing chronic amputation stump and phantom limb pain, associated hypersensitivity with quantitative sensory testing, and changes in brain cortical maps using functional MRI (fMRI) scans. Methods A capsaicin 8% patch (Qutenza) treatment study was conducted on 14 patients with single limb amputation, who reported pain intensity on the Numerical Pain Rating Scale ≥4/10 for chronic stump or phantom limb pain. Pain assessments, quantitative sensory testing, and fMRI (for the lip pursing task) were performed at baseline and 4 weeks after application of capsaicin 8% patch to the amputation stump. The shift into the hand representation area of the cerebral cortex with the lip pursing task has been correlated with phantom limb pain intensity in previous studies, and was the fMRI clinical model for cortical plasticity used in this study. Results The mean reduction in spontaneous amputation stump pain, phantom limb pain, and evoked stump pain were −1.007 (p=0.028), −1.414 (p=0.018), and −2.029 (p=0.007), respectively. The areas of brush allodynia and pinprick hypersensitivity in the amputation stump showed marked decreases: −165 cm2, −80% (p=0.001) and −132 cm2, −72% (p=0.001), respectively. fMRI analyses provided objective evidence of the restoration of the brain map, that is, reversal of the shift into the hand representation of the cerebral cortex with the lip pursing task (p<0.05). Conclusion The results show that capsaicin 8% patch treatment leads to significant reduction in chronic pain and, particularly, in the area of stump hypersensitivity, which may enable patients to wear prostheses, thereby improving mobility and rehabilitation. Phantom limb pain (“central” pain) and associated brain plasticity may be modulated by peripheral inputs, as they can be ameliorated by the peripherally restricted effect of the capsaicin 8% patch.
Development of an ethidium monoazide–enhanced internally controlled universal 16S rDNA real‐time polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of bacterial contamination in platelet concentrates

BACKGROUND: Bacterial contamination of platelet (PLT) concentrates remains a problem for blood transfusion services. Culture‐based bacterial screening techniques are available but offer inadequate speed and sensitivity. Alternative techniques based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification have been described but their performance is often compromised by traces of bacterial DNA in reagents.