Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of anti-VEGF treatment on the recovery of the developing retina following oxygen-induced retinopathy.

PURPOSE Inhibition of VEGF is widely used in patients to control neovascularization and decrease vascular permeability. To date, the effect of VEGF inhibition has not been evaluated in the developing retina such as that seen in premature infants. The goal of this study was to address the effect of anti-VEGF treatment on retinal development of a mouse model of retinopathy. METHODS C57BL/6J mice were evaluated using a model of oxygen-induced retinopathy. Test animals were treated at postnatal day (P) 14 with intravitreal injections of the VEGF inhibitor aflibercept (2.5 or 10 μg) in one eye. Control animals were treated with injection of PBS in one eye. The noninjected fellow eyes were used as internal controls. Areas of avascular retina and neovascular tufts in injected (treated) eyes and noninjected fellow eyes were determined at P17, and the difference related to these characteristics was obtained among them. To evaluate the effect of VEGF inhibition on neurogenesis, focal ERG was performed at P21 and P42. Histologic evaluation of the retinal structure was also evaluated at P42. RESULTS Aflibercept treatment reduced the amount of neovascular tufts but significantly increased the area of avascular retina (low dose and high dose) at P17. The delayed vascular growth corresponded to decreased ERG amplitudes (at P21 and P42) and structural changes in the retinal layers that persisted (at P42), despite vascular recovery. CONCLUSIONS Inhibition of VEGF in developing eyes has the short-term effect of delayed vascular growth and the long-term effects of decreased function with persistent changes in the neuroretinal structures.
A real-time simulation platform for power system operation

This paper describes the real-time digital simulation platform that can be used for power system operation, analysis, and power system modeling. This particular platform gives grid operators, planners and researchers the opportunity to observe how a power system behaves and can be used to demonstrate modeling, system disturbances of various types, and proper recovery actions, as well as to illustrate complex power system concepts. The Kundur power system consists of two fully symmetrical areas linked together by two 230kV lines is modeled by using RSCAD in order to carry out simulations in real time. Various phenomena commonly encountered when dealing with the two-area system is studied. Despite its small size, it mimics very closely the behavior of typical systems in actual operation. The electromagnetic transient type of simulation made in RSCAD enables the study of fast and detailed phenomena like single-phase faults in the two-area network and to observe their effects on a larger time scale. Also, the case study of 16 bus system with 5 generators has been also used and the results are presented.
Radiologic Findings of Gastrointestinal Tract Involvement in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Purpose The purpose of this work was to evaluate the radiologic findings of gastrointestinal (GI) tract involvement in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to discuss mechanisms of spread. Method Eighteen patients with histologically proven GI tract metastasis in HCC for 4.5 years underwent CT and five also underwent upper GI (UGI) series. The cases were classified according to the mode of spread, based on the radiologic findings. Results The involved portion of the GI tract was the stomach (n = 11), duodenum (n = 4), and colon (n = 4). The mode of spread was direct invasion from a contiguous primary tumor (n = 12), hematogenous metastasis (n = 3), peritoneal seeding (n = 1), and undetermined (n = 2). In cases of direct invasion from contiguous primary tumors, CT revealed GI tract invasion directly from bulky hepatic masses (n = 9) or daughter masses at the portion of the bowel wall contiguous to the hepatic masses (n = 3). In cases of hematogenous spread, CT revealed an intramural mass in the stomach and duodenum (n = 2) or a diffuse thickening of the wall of the stomach (n = 1). In the case of peritoneal seeding, CT revealed multiple small nodules in the right paracolic gutter, omentum, and mesentery with invasion to the colon. Conclusion GI tract involvement in HCC shows various radiologic findings according to the mode of spread, but the most common finding is direct invasion of the stomach, duodenum, or colon from contiguous primary tumor. Index Terms: Computed tomography—Gastrointestinal tract—Gastrointestinal tract, neoplasms—Liver, neoplasms.
Standardization of sampling and staining methods for the morphometric evaluation of sperm heads in the Cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) using computer-assisted image analysis.

Automated sperm morphology analysis (ASMA) technology has improved the assessment of sperm morphology, but the results depend on the use of adequate and standardized procedures. In this study the Sperm-Class Analyzer (SCA) ASMA system was used to assess sperm head morphometry in the Cynomolgus monkey and to evaluate the influence of sample size, intraslide variation, and the use of three staining techniques on the accuracy of image processing and sperm head morphometry. Haematoxylin is the staining technique of choice for Cynomolgus spermatozoa, as optimum contrast of sperm heads with the surrounding background allows efficient segmentation, i.e. sperm head boundary detection, making the image analysis process more accurate. The analysis of 100 spermatozoa is recommended since a larger sample size did not result in more accurate sperm head morphometry. There were no differences in either the percentage of correctly binarized sperm heads or sperm head dimensions among samples obtained from different zones of the slides, although differences in stain intensity (grey level) were detected. The measurements made on Haematoxylin, Diff-Quik and Hemacolor-stained slides yielded different values for all of the sperm head parameters under consideration. This result demonstrates that the procedures of fixation and staining significantly affect the dimensions of sperm heads.
Axodendritic sorting and pathological missorting of Tau are isoform-specific and determined by axon initial segment architecture

Subcellular mislocalization of the microtubule-associated protein Tau is a hallmark of Alzheimer disease (AD) and other tauopathies. Six Tau isoforms, differentiated by the presence or absence of a second repeat or of N-terminal inserts, exist in the human CNS, but their physiological and pathological differences have long remained elusive. Here, we investigated the properties and distributions of human and rodent Tau isoforms in primary forebrain rodent neurons. We found that the Tau diffusion barrier (TDB), located within the axon initial segment (AIS), controls retrograde (axon-to-soma) and anterograde (soma-to-axon) traffic of Tau. Tau isoforms without the N-terminal inserts were sorted efficiently into the axon. However, the longest isoform (2N4R-Tau) was partially retained in cell bodies and dendrites, where it accelerated spine and dendrite growth. The TDB (located within the AIS) was impaired when AIS components (ankyrin G, EB1) were knocked down or when glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β; an AD-associated kinase tethered to the AIS) was overexpressed. Using superresolution nanoscopy and live-cell imaging, we observed that microtubules within the AIS appeared highly dynamic, a feature essential for the TDB. Pathomechanistically, amyloid-β insult caused cofilin activation and F-actin remodeling and decreased microtubule dynamics in the AIS. Concomitantly with these amyloid-β–induced disruptions, the AIS/TDB sorting function failed, causing AD-like Tau missorting. In summary, we provide evidence that the human and rodent Tau isoforms differ in axodendritic sorting and amyloid-β–induced missorting and that the axodendritic distribution of Tau depends on AIS integrity.
VEGA: variational segmentation for copy number detection

MOTIVATION Genomic copy number (CN) information is useful to study genetic traits of many diseases. Using array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH), researchers are able to measure the copy number of thousands of DNA loci at the same time. Therefore, a current challenge in bioinformatics is the development of efficient algorithms to detect the map of aberrant chromosomal regions. METHODS We describe an approach for the segmentation of copy number aCGH data. Variational estimator for genomic aberrations (VEGA) adopt a variational model used in image segmentation. The optimal segmentation is modeled as the minimum of an energy functional encompassing both the quality of interpolation of the data and the complexity of the solution measured by the length of the boundaries between segmented regions. This solution is obtained by a region growing process where the stop condition is completely data driven. RESULTS VEGA is compared with three algorithms that represent the state of the art in CN segmentation. Performance assessment is made both on synthetic and real data. Synthetic data simulate different noise conditions. Results on these data show the robustness with respect to noise of variational models and the accuracy of VEGA in terms of recall and precision. Eight mantle cell lymphoma cell lines and two samples of glioblastoma multiforme are used to evaluate the behavior of VEGA on real biological data. Comparison between results and current biological knowledge shows the ability of the proposed method in detecting known chromosomal aberrations. AVAILABILITY VEGA has been implemented in R and is available at the address http://www.dsba. unisannio.it/Members/ceccarelli/vega in the section Download.
Increased resting energy expenditure and weight loss are related to a systemic inflammatory response in lung cancer patients.

PURPOSE To determine whether an increased resting energy expenditure (REE) and weight loss in lung cancer patients are related to a systemic inflammatory response. MATERIALS AND METHODS REE was measured by indirect calorimetry using a ventilated hood system. Soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 55 (sTNF-R55) and sTNF-R75, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM)-1, soluble E (sE)-selectin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein (LBP), interleukin (IL)-6, and TNF-alpha were measured using sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and C-reactive protein (CRP) was measured by turbidimetry. A cross-sectional study was performed to compare inflammatory mediators between hypermetabolic (REE/Harris Benedict [HB] equation > or = 110%) versus normometabolic (REE/HB < 110%) patients and between patients who lost weight (more than 10% loss of preillness weight) versus those whose weight remained stable. RESULTS Eighty-seven patients with primary non-small-cell lung cancer were consecutively entered onto the study. Mean REE expressed as a percentage of the HB reference values was 118% +/- 12%; 67 patients were considered hypermetabolic. Twenty-six patients had a substantial loss of more than 10% of their preillness weight. Hypermetabolic patients were found to have significantly increased levels of sTNF-R55, sE-selectin, LBP, and CRP compared with normometabolic patients. Weight loss was related with increased levels of the sTNF-Rs, sICAM-1, IL-6, LBP, and CRP. CONCLUSION Hypermetabolism and weight loss are related to the presence of a systemic inflammatory response as reflected by enhanced levels of inflammatory mediators and acute phase proteins in patients with primary non-small-cell lung cancer.
Association between quality of life and self‐stigma, insight, and adverse effects of medication in patients with depressive disorders

Background: The aims of this study were to examine whether different domains of quality of life (QOL) are differently affected by depressive disorders by comparing QOL of subjects with and without depressive disorders, and to examine the association of QOL with self‐stigma, insight and adverse effects of medication among subjects with depressive disorders. Method: The QOL on the four domains of the WHOQOL‐BREF Taiwan version were compared between the 229 subjects with depressive disorders and 106 control subjects. Among the depressive subjects, the association between the four QOL domains and subjects' self‐stigma, insight, and adverse effects of medication were examined using multiple regression analyses by controlling for the influence of depression, socio‐demographic and clinical characteristics and family function. Results: Depressive subjects had poorer QOL on the physical, psychological and social relationship domains than the non‐depressive control group. The depressive subjects who had more severe self‐stigma had poorer QOL on all four domains. The depressive subjects who perceived more severe adverse effects from medication had poorer QOL on the physical, psychological and environmental domains. However, insight was not associated with any domain of QOL in patients with depressive disorders. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that different domains of QOL are differently affected by depressive disorders, and that clinicians must consider the negative influences of self‐stigma and adverse effects from medication on QOL of subjects with depressive disorders. Depression and Anxiety 26:1033–1039, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Participants’ experiences of facilitated physical activity for the management of depression in primary care

A qualitative study was conducted within a randomised trial of facilitated physical activity for depression based on Self-Determination Theory and motivational interviewing. Interviews were held with 19 participants at 4 months, and 12 participants were re-interviewed 8 months later. The interviews were analysed in accordance with Grounded Theory using framework. Themes consisted of the following: relationship with the physical activity facilitators, mode of facilitation, impact of contact with physical activity facilitator/assimilation and future plans, change in activity, and effectiveness of physical activity facilitator techniques. Engagement in physical activity was enhanced within an autonomy-supportive environment.
In vivo comparison of PET and SPECT radiopharmaceuticals in detecting breast cancer.

UNLABELLED Various radiopharmaceuticals for breast cancer detection have been used for scintimammography and PET. However, few comparative studies have described the uptake of radiopharmaceuticals as a method of detecting breast cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the radiopharmaceuticals for breast cancer imaging in experimental mice implanted with breast cancer cells. METHODS Six radiopharmaceuticals were studied: three for PET [18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), L-18F-alpha-methyltyrosine (FMT) and 11C-methionine (C-Met)] and three for scintimammography [99mTc-tetrofosmin (TF), 99mTc-sestamibi (MIBI) and 201Tl-chloride (Tl)]. Biodistributions of six different tracers in mice implanted with MCF-7 breast cancer cells were studied 1 and 3 hr after injection. RESULTS Tumor uptake 1 hr after injection was FMT = C-Met > FDG = TF > MIBI = Tl. Thallium-201-chloride showed the highest tumor-to-blood ratio (T/B) among all radiopharmaceuticals because of its fast clearance from circulation. The T/B of the six radionuclides used in this study ranged from 1.26 for C-Met to 12.83 for Tl. Tumor-to-muscle ratio (T/M) revealed FMT = C-Met > FDG > MIBI > TF = Tl. The T/M ranged from 0.20 for TF to 2.29 for FMT. Tumor-to-lung ratio (T/L) varied from 0.45 for TF to 2.41 for FMT. FMT revealed the highest T/L of all six radiopharmaceuticals. CONCLUSION Among radiopharmaceuticals for PET, FMT seemed to be suitable in detecting MCF-7 tumor; whereas for scintimammography, MIBI, TF and Tl appeared to have almost the same detectability of MCF-7 tumor. The results of this study strongly suggest that FMT may have a potential in breast cancer imaging.
Nutrient re‐routing and altered gut‐islet cell crosstalk may explain early relief of severe postprandial hypoglycaemia after reversal of Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass

Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass is associated with an increased risk of postprandial hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia, but the underlying pathophysiology remains poorly understood. We therefore examined the effect of re‐routing of nutrient delivery on gut‐islet cell crosstalk in a person with severe postprandial hypoglycaemia after Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass.
Amplification of spatial dispersion of repolarization underlies sudden cardiac death associated with catecholaminergic polymorphic VT, long QT, short QT and Brugada syndromes

This review examines the hypothesis that amplification of spatial dispersion of repolarization in the form of transmural dispersion of repolarization (TDR) underlies the development of life‐threatening ventricular arrhythmias associated with inherited ion channelopathies including the long QT, short QT and Brugada syndromes as well as catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. In the long QT syndrome, amplification of TDR is often secondary to preferential prolongation of the action potential duration (APD) of M cells, whereas in the Brugada syndrome, it is thought to be because of selective abbreviation of the APD of right ventricular epicardium. Preferential abbreviation of APD of either endocardium or epicardium appears to be responsible for amplification of TDR in the short QT syndrome. In catecholaminergic polymorphic VT, the reversal of the direction of activation of the ventricular wall is responsible for the increase in TDR. In conclusion, the long QT, short QT, Brugada and catecholaminergic VT syndromes are pathologies with very different phenotypes and aetiologies, but which share a common final pathway in causing sudden death.
Essays on economic growth: institutions and policies

This dissertation is on general principles of growth, comprising of three chapters and a short introduction. Chapter 1 analyses the macroeconomic adjustment experienced in IMF/EU-programme countries during the Eurozone crisis by creating counterfactuals based on comparable historical or contemporaneous episodes worldwide. It therefore shows how crisis management and the institutional framework in which it operates have important implications for the depth of the recession. In particular, an incomplete Eurozone institutional setup contributed to aggravate the crisis through higher uncertainty. The first general principle that can be drawn is that sustained growth rests not only in preventing booms but also in designing institutions that well-manage busts. When growth slows down, calls for deep structural reforms multiply. However, estimations of the short- and medium-term impact of these reforms on GDP growth remain methodologically problematic and still highly controversial. As such, Chapter 2 estimates the impact of 23 wide-reaching structural reform packages (including both real and financial sector measures) rolled out in 22 countries between 1961 and 2000. It therefore illustrates how large reform packages tend to have on average a positive medium-term impact on growth, but these effects were highly heterogeneous across countries. The second general principle that can be drawn is that deep economic reforms are no growth silver bullet per se, and rather require careful design, tailored to local conditions. Finally, Chapter 3 explores factors behind the largest growth acceleration episodes that took place worldwide between 1962 and 2002 and identifies general principles that should underlie a successful growth strategy. In particular, it shows how accelerationstend to be preceded by a deep recession and major economic policy changes. Once this information is combined with a set of counterfactual analyses, it finds that acceleration strategies should not contain off-the-shelf approaches or necessarily all-encompassing ‘shock therapy’solutions. Despite standard growth determinants doing a fairly good job at characterising successful accelerations, the quest for take-offs remains elusive, as they seemextremely hard to engineer with a high degree of certainty.
Visualization of nitric oxide production and intracellular calcium in juxtamedullary afferent arteriolar endothelial cells.

AIM Nitric oxide (NO) is an important signal transmitter with multiple haemodynamic functions in the kidney. Study of these is complicated by the difficulty in measuring NO directly or visualizing its production. Recently the synthesis of a group of new NO-sensitive fluorescent dyes, diaminofluoresceins (DAF), suitable for imaging applications has been reported. We attempted to use one DAF (DAF-2 DA) to investigate the relationship between endothelial calcium, NO production and afferent arteriolar reactivity. METHODS We used the isolated, perfused juxtamedullary nephron preparation (JMN) and loaded the afferent arteriolar endothelium with Fura-2 AM and DAF-2 DA (4,5-diaminofluorescein-2-diacetyl). After in vitro calibration of the imaging system, we measured Fura-2 and DAF-2 fluorescence in single endothelial cells of afferent arterioles (AA) perfused at a pressure of 100 mmHg. RESULTS Carboxy-2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-imidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (carboxy-PTIO) (10-3 m), a specific NO scavenger, decreased DAF-2 fluorescence in the endothelium by 16.1% and the mid-afferent arteriolar diameter by 10.2%, and increased endothelial calcium by 17.8%. Nomega-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) (10-4 m) decreased fluorescence intensity of DAF-2 by 18.6%, increased cellular calcium level by 19.7% and constricted the vessels by 11.6%. Addition of carbachol (10-4 m) increased average DAF-2 fluorescence by 22.8% and endothelial calcium concentration by 28.9%, whereas the arteriolar diameter remained essentially unchanged. Carbachol failed to increase DAF-2 fluorescence when administered after l-NAME pre-treatment. CONCLUSION We conclude that endothelial NO homeostasis is an important determinant of AA reactivity and suggest that DAF are suitable for real-time imaging of afferent arteriolar NO production in the isolated, perfused JMN and may be used in combination with calcium-sensitive fluorophores. We have found that NO reduction by carboxy-PTIO or l-NAME increases endothelial calcium, suggesting involvement of calcium signalling in an autocrine NO production feedback in the endothelium. This method should help to further clarify the role of endothelial NO in renal haemodynamics.
The Pattern of HMB‐45 Antibody Staining in Compound Spitz Nevi

We studied the staining pattern of HMB-45 antibody in 29 compound Spitz nevi (SNs) of the epithelioid cell variety, 17 of which showed extension of nevus cells into the reticular dermis (i.e., “deep”); 20 ordinary compound nevi (CNs), all with a deep dermal component; and 22 primary cutaneous invasive malignant melanomas (MMs) (excluding the desmoplastic and spindle cell types), 12 of which extended into Clark level IV or V. Of the 29 SNs, eight (28%) stained negatively; five (17%), including two deep SNs, stained in the epidermal component only; and 16 (55%), including 10 deep SNs, stained in both the epidermal and dermal components. Of the latter 10 deep SNs, eight stained in the upper dermis only, and in the remaining two lesions, a smaller number of positively stained nevus cells were detectable in the lower dermis as well; these two SNs were not atypical histologically. Of the 20 CNs, four (20%) stained negatively, two (10%) stained in the epidermal component only, and 14 (70%) stained in the epidermal component and the upper dermis only. Of the 22 MMs, one stained negatively, and 21 (95%) stained positively in both the epidermal and dermal components. The pattern was variable in frequency of both staining and distribution, but showed no stratification. We conclude that the majority of our positively stained deep compound SNs showed a stratified pattern of HMB-45 staining, similar to ordinary CNs and different from MMs, and that this pattern might be used as an adjunct in the histopathologic differential diagnosis of compound SN and MM, in the proper clinicopathological context.