Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fractal analysis of the retinal vascular network in fundus images

Complexity of the retinal vascular network is quantified through the measurement of fractal dimension. A computerized approach enhances and segments the retinal vasculature in digital fundus images with an accuracy of 94% in comparison to the gold standard of manual tracing. Fractal analysis was performed on skeletonized versions of the network in 40 images from a study of stroke. Mean fractal dimension was found to be 1.398 (with standard deviation 0.024) from 20 images of the hypertensives sub-group and 1.408 (with standard deviation 0.025) from 18 images of the non-hypertensives subgroup. No evidence of a significant difference in the results was found for this sample size. However, statistical analysis showed that to detect a significant difference at the level seen in the data would require a larger sample size of 88 per group.
Fungemia Caused by Zygoascus hellenicus in an Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant Recipient

ABSTRACT Zygoascus hellenicus (Candida hellenica) was isolated from a blood culture from a patient who had received an allogeneic stem cell transplant. The isolate displayed an antifungal susceptibility pattern of decreased susceptibility to fluconazole and itraconazole, high susceptibility to voriconazole, and low susceptibility to caspofungin. The organism was misidentified by a commercial yeast identification system. This is the first reported case of human infection with this rare ascomycetous yeast.
Oscillation transmission and volume delivery during face mask‐delivered HFOV in infants: Bench and in vivo study

Noninvasive high frequency oscillatory ventilation (NHFOV) has not been studied beyond neonatal age and with interfaces other than nasal prongs. We set up a preliminary study to investigate feasibility, oscillation transmission, and volume delivery of face mask‐delivered NHFOV in a bench model mimicking a normal 1‐year infant without any lung disease and then in vivo in a series of infants with same characteristics.
Mechanisms of Haploinsufficiency Revealed by Genome-Wide Profiling in Yeast

Haploinsufficiency is defined as a dominant phenotype in diploid organisms that are heterozygous for a loss-of-function allele. Despite its relevance to human disease, neither the extent of haploinsufficiency nor its precise molecular mechanisms are well understood. We used the complete set of Saccharomyces cerevisiae heterozygous deletion strains to survey the genome for haploinsufficiency via fitness profiling in rich (YPD) and minimal media to identify all genes that confer a haploinsufficient growth defect. This assay revealed that ∼3% of all ∼5900 genes tested are haploinsufficient for growth in YPD. This class of genes is functionally enriched for metabolic processes carried out by molecular complexes such as the ribosome. Much of the haploinsufficiency in YPD is alleviated by slowing the growth rate of each strain in minimal media, suggesting that certain gene products are rate limiting for growth only in YPD. Overall, our results suggest that the primary mechanism of haploinsufficiency in yeast is due to insufficient protein production. We discuss the relevance of our findings in yeast to human haploinsufficiency disorders.
Hyperthermia treatment planning for cervical cancer patients based on electrical conductivity tissue properties acquired in vivo with EPT at 3 T MRI

Abstract Introduction The reliability of hyperthermia treatment planning (HTP) is strongly dependent on the accuracy of the electric properties of each tissue. The values currently used are mostly based on ex vivo measurements. In this study, in vivo conductivity of human muscle, bladder content and cervical tumours, acquired with magnetic resonance-based electric properties tomography (MR-EPT), are exploited to investigate the effect on HTP for cervical cancer patients. Methods Temperature-based optimisation of five different patients was performed using literature-based conductivity values yielding certain antenna settings, which are then used to compute the temperature distribution of the patient models with EPT-based conductivity values. Furthermore, the effects of altered bladder and muscle conductivity were studied separately. Finally, the temperature-based optimisation was performed with patient models based on EPT conductivity values. Results The tumour temperatures for all EPT-based dielectric patient models were lower compared to the optimal tumour temperatures based on literature values. The largest deviation was observed for patient 1 with ΔT90 = −1.37 °C. A negative impact was also observed when the treatment was optimised based on the EPT values. For four patients ΔT90 was less than 0.6 °C; for one patient it was 1.5 °C. Conclusions Electric conductivity values acquired by EPT are higher than commonly used from literature. This difference has a substantial impact on cervical tumour temperatures achieved during hyperthermia. A higher conductivity in the bladder and in the muscle tissue surrounding the tumour leads to higher power dissipation in the bladder and muscle, and therefore to lower tumour temperatures.
Past, Present, and Future Vulnerability to Dengue in Jamaica: A Spatial Analysis of Monthly Variations

Over the years, Jamaica has experienced sporadic cases of dengue fever. Even though the island is vulnerable to dengue, there is paucity in the spatio-temporal analysis of the disease using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing tools. Further, access to time series dengue data at the community level is a major challenge on the island. This study therefore applies the Water-Associated Disease Index (WADI) framework to analyze vulnerability to dengue in Jamaica based on past, current and future climate change conditions using three scenarios: (1) WorldClim rainfall and temperature dataset from 1970 to 2000; (2) Climate Hazard Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS) rainfall and land surface temperature (LST) as proxy for air temperature from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) for the period 2002 to 2016, and (3) maximum temperature and rainfall under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 climate change scenario for 2030. downscaled at 25 km based on the Regional Climate Model, RegCM4.3. 5. Although vulnerability to dengue varies spatially and temporally, a higher vulnerability was depicted in urban areas in comparison to rural areas. The results also demonstrate the possibility for expansion in the geographical range of dengue in higher altitudes under climate change conditions based on scenario 3. This study provides an insight into the use of data with different temporal and spatial resolution in the analysis of dengue vulnerability.
Overcoming neurite‐inhibitory chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans in the astrocyte matrix

Acute trauma to the central nervous system (CNS) can result in permanent damage and loss of function related to the poor regeneration of injured axons. Injured axons encounter several barriers to regeneration, such as the glial scar at the injury site. The glial scar contains extracellular matrix (ECM) macromolecules deposited by reactive astrocytes in response to injury. The scar ECM is rich in chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs), macromolecules that inhibit axonal growth. CSPGs consist of a core protein with attachment sites for glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains. An extensive literature demonstrates that enzymatic removal of the GAG chains by chondroitinase ABC permits some axonal regrowth; however, the remaining intact core proteins also possess inhibitory domains. Because metalloproteinases can degrade core proteins of CSPGs, we have evaluated five matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and a related protease—a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs‐4 (ADAMTS‐4)—for their capacity to overcome CSPG inhibition of neuritic growth in culture. The metalloproteinases were selected for their known expression after CNS injuries. Of the MMPs, MMP‐3, ‐7 and ‐8 reduced or abolished inhibition of neurite outgrowth on a purified CSPG substrate and on an astrocyte‐derived ECM. ADAMTS‐4 also attenuated CSPG inhibition of neurites and had the additional benefits of neither degrading laminin nor causing neurotoxicity. The efficacy of ADAMTS‐4 matched that of blocking the EGFR signaling previously reported to mediate CSPG inhibition. These findings highlight ADAMTS‐4 as a superior protease for overcoming CSPG inhibition of axonal regeneration in the CNS.
Enamel matrix derivative and coronal flaps to cover marginal tissue recessions.

BACKGROUND Correcting recession defects is one of the goals of periodontal therapy, and the efficacy and predictability of the various techniques are important considerations for both patients and clinicians. Several reports have examined the outcome of gingival recession treatment by means of coronally positioned flaps (CPF) and enamel matrix derivative (EMD). The purpose of this study was to clinically evaluate the use of EMD in association with CPF to cover localized gingival recessions compared to CPF alone. METHODS Twenty-two patients with Miller Class I or II gingival recessions >2 mm were included. One recession from each patient was treated in the study. Two treatments were randomly assigned: coronally positioned flap with EMD (test) and coronally positioned flap alone (control). Clinical parameters measured at baseline and 1, 6, and 12 months included gingival index, plaque index, probing depth, clinical attachment level, vertical and horizontal recession, and width of keratinized gingiva. RESULTS At 12 months, both treatment modalities showed significant root coverage, gain in clinical attachment, and gain in width of keratinized gingiva (P <0.05). Vertical recessions were reduced from 2.68 +/- 1.63 mm to 0.36 +/- 0.60 mm in the test group and from 2.31 +/- 1.52 mm to 0.90 +/- 0.95 mm in the control group. Horizontal recessions decreased from 4.27 +/- 2.06 mm to 0.77 +/- 0.87 mm in the test group and from 3.68 +/- 1.91 mm to 1.72 +/- 1.31 mm in the control group. Changes in keratinized gingiva went from 3.81 +/- 1.95 mm to 4.63 +/- 2.15 mm in the test group and from 3.31 +/- 1.81 mm to 3.27 +/- 1.80 mm in the control group. When both treatments were compared at 12 months, there was a significant difference in vertical tooth coverage and gain in keratinized gingiva in favor of the experimental group (P <0.05). The average percentage of root coverage for test and control groups was 88.6% and 62.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The coronally positioned flap alone or with EMD is an effective procedure to cover localized gingival recessions. The addition of EMD significantly improves the amount of root coverage.
Mortality salience reduces the discrimination between in‐group and out‐group interactions: A functional MRI investigation using multi‐voxel pattern analysis

As a fundamental concern of human beings, mortality salience impacts various human social behaviors including intergroup interactions; however, the underlying neural signature remains obscure. Here, we examined the neural signatures underlying the impact of mortality reminders on in‐group bias in costly punishment combining a second‐party punishment task with multivariate pattern analysis of fMRI data. After mortality salience (MS) priming or general negative affect priming, participants received offers from racial in‐group and out‐group proposers and decided how to punish proposers by reducing their payoffs. We revealed that MS priming attenuated in‐group bias and dampened the discriminated activation patterns pertaining to group identities in regions previously implicated in costly punishment, including dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, temporo‐parietal junction, anterior cingulate cortex, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The group identity represented in multivariate patterns of activity of these regions predicted in‐group bias for the control condition, i.e., the stronger discriminative representations of group identities in these regions; the larger was the in‐group bias. Furthermore, the in‐group bias was reliably decoded by distributed activation patterns in the punishment‐related networks but only in the control condition and not in the MS condition. These findings elucidate the neural underpinnings of the effects of mortality reminders on intergroup interaction. Hum Brain Mapp 38:1281–1298, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Attentional Capture by Taboo Words: A Functional View of Auditory Distraction

It is well established that task-irrelevant, to-be-ignored speech adversely affects serial short-term memory (STM) for visually presented items compared with a quiet control condition. However, there is an ongoing debate about whether the semantic content of the speech has the capacity to capture attention and to disrupt memory performance. In the present article, we tested whether taboo words are more difficult to ignore than neutral words. Taboo words or neutral words were presented as (a) steady state sequences in which the same distractor word was repeated, (b) changing state sequences in which different distractor words were presented, and (c) auditory deviant sequences in which a single distractor word deviated from a sequence of repeated words. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that taboo words disrupted performance more than neutral words. This taboo effect did not habituate and it did not differ between individuals with high and low working memory capacity. In Experiments 3 and 4, in which only a single deviant taboo word was presented, no taboo effect was obtained. These results do not support the idea that the processing of the auditory distractors’ semantic content is the result of occasional attention switches to the auditory modality. Instead, the overall pattern of results is more in line with a functional view of auditory distraction, according to which the to-be-ignored modality is routinely monitored for potentially important stimuli (e.g., self-relevant or threatening information), the detection of which draws processing resources away from the primary task.
Effect of Glycine on the Induction of Orotic Aciduria and Urinary Bladder Tumorigenesis in the Rat

The mechanism by which amino acids increase the cellular levels of orotic acid (OA) was investigated. Administration of glycine (2.5 mmoles/100 g) to rats resulted in a 100-fold increase in urinary OA excretion, which was inhibited by pretreatment with cycloheximide or actinomycin D. The induction of OA synthesis from NH4Cl but not from carbamoylaspartate (CA) was inhibited by cycloheximide, indicating that the cycloheximide sensitive step was after the formation of ammonia and before the formation of CA. The glycine-stimulated OA synthesis was not inhibited by acivicin, a potent inhibitor of the cytosolic carbamoylphosphate (CP) synthetase, implicating the mitochondrial CP synthetase in supplying the CP for OA synthesis. Preliminary results indicated that cycloheximide did not inhibit glycine-induced urea synthesis to any significant extent. The results thus suggest that (i) the increased OA synthesis induced by glycine requires a transcription-translation dependent step and (ii) the regulatory step may be the transport of mitochondrial CP to cytosol and/or the synthesis of cytosolic CA. Attempts to determine whether increased exposure of urinary bladder to high concentrations of OA will influence bladder tumorigenesis revealed that chronic administration of glycine (2.5 mmoles/100 g, ip, daily, 5 days a week for 20 weeks) resulted in a 44% increased incidence of hyperplastic, preneoplastic, and neoplastic lesions. Some of these rats also exhibited stones in urinary bladders. The mechanism by which glycine induces tumorigenesis in the urinary bladder is currently being explored.
[Perioperative changes of blood coagulability evaluated by thromboelastography (TEG) in patients undergoing total knee and total hip arthroplasty].

BACKGROUND A large number of studies have examined the incidence of thromboembolic complications after orthopedic surgery of the lower extremity. We investigated the perioperative changes of coagulability following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) or total hip arthroplasty (THA) using thromboelastography (TEG), which could comprehensively assess the coagulation and fibrinolytic system. METHODS Thirty patients scheduled for TKA (n= 10), THA (n= 10) and other lower extremity orthopedic surgery (control, n= 10) were studied. TEG was analyzed with K-value, MA-value and coagulation index (CI) before induction of anesthesia and 24 hours after surgery. RESULTS K-values decreased significantly after TKA and THA compared with the values before the induction of anesthesia. MA-values and CI increased significantly after TKA and THA compared with the values before the induction. There were no significant changes in K-value, MA-value and CI in the control group during the perioperative period. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that TKA and THA lead blood coagulation to hypercoagulable state at the early postoperative stage.
Presence of mononuclear cells in normal and affected laminae from the black walnut extract model of laminitis.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY There is increasing evidence of involvement of inflammatory cells in acute laminitis. OBJECTIVE To immunolocalise monocytes/macrophages and B and T lymphocytes in the laminar tissue of normal horses and those with black walnut extract (BWE)-induced laminitis. METHODS Immunohistochemistry was used in archived laminar tissue samples from 20 horses divided equally into 4 groups: control animals (CON), and those administered BWE at 1.5 h (1.5H DTP group), at the onset of leucopenia (3H DTP group) and at the onset of lameness (LAM group). Antibodies against CD3, CD20 and CD163 were used to recognise lymphocytes (T and B) and monocytes/macrophages, respectively. RESULTS Mononuclear cells were present in laminar tissue of normal horses. The majority of CD3- and CD20-positive lymphocytes were localised around the deep dermal vessels but were also evident around vessels of the primary dermal laminae. CD163-positive macrophages were primarily perivascular in deep dermis or in dermal laminae. No changes in the number of laminar B or T lymphocytes occurred at any time point post BWE administration. However, increases (P=0.0016) in laminar CD163-positive cells occurred in the secondary dermal laminae (SDL) in the 1.5H DTP and 3H DTP groups, returning to basal values in LAM group. CONCLUSIONS Lymphocyte and macrophage populations are present in the laminar tissue of clinically normal horses and BWE administration induces an increase in CD163-positive macrophages in SDL. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE Both the host tissue population of mononuclear cells and the influx of monocytes may play an important role in the pathophysiological changes leading to laminar injury.
Mitosis-specific Phosphorylation and Subcellular Redistribution of the RIIα Regulatory Subunit of cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase*

Phosphorylation of the RII regulatory subunits of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases (PKAs) was examined during the HeLa cell cycle. Three RIIα isoforms of 51, 54, and 57 kDa were identified by RIIα immunodetection and labeling with 8-azido[32P]cAMP in different cell cycle phases. These isoforms were characterized as different phosphorylation states by the use of selective PKA and cyclin-directed kinase inhibitors. Whereas RIIα autophosphorylation by PKA caused RIIα to shift from 51 to 54 kDa, phosphorylation of RIIα by one other or a combination of several kinases activated during mitosis caused RIIα to shift from 51 to 57 kDa. In vivo incorporation of [32P]orthophosphate into mitotic cells and RIIα immunoprecipitation demonstrated that RIIα was hyperphosphorylated on a different site than the one phosphorylated by PKA. Deletion and mutation analysis demonstrated that the cyclin B-p34 cdc2 kinase (CDK1) phosphorylated human recombinant RIIα in vitro on Thr54. Whereas RIIα was associated with the Golgi-centrosomal region during interphase, it was dissociated from its centrosomal localization at metaphase-anaphase transition. Furthermore, particulate RIIα from HeLa cell extracts was solubilized following incubation with CDK1 in vitro. Our results suggest that at the onset of mitosis, CDK1 phosphorylates RIIα, and this may alter its subcellular localization.
CUSUM analysis to assess competence: what failure rate is acceptable?

Introduction: Cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis is used to assess competency in practical procedures. Previous studies have used CUSUM to assess competence in administering labour epidural, but these assessments were mainly performed with novice trainees. Different acceptable failure rates for the same procedure, such as administering labour epidural, have been used. In this article, we describe our experience of using CUSUM for the continuing assessment of competence among experienced trainees. We also tested the hypothesis that setting different failure rates can lead to different conclusions about a trainee’s competency.
Human Becoming: Parse's Theory of Nursing

This article updates Parse's theory of human becoming (formerly man-living-health) and the congruent practice and research methodologies. The language of the assumptions and principles is revised to be in keeping with the change in name, from "man-living-health" to "human becoming. " No other aspects of the theory are changed. Assumptions underpinning the Parse research method are specified for the first time. Specific examples are included to illustrate the practice methodology and references named to demonstrate the research methodologies. The practice and research methodologies are presently evolving, and it is anticipated that the evolution and use of these methodologies will enhance the theory. The ontology and the congruent methodologies are offered as a contribution to the evolution of nursing science.
The association between oral examination findings and computed tomographic appearance of the equine temporomandibular joint

BACKGROUND The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) forms the junction between the maxilla and mandible. Movement of the jaw and resulting masticatory forces have been extensively studied in the horse; however, less is known about the inter-relationship between this joint and oral and dental pathology. OBJECTIVES To determine the association between specific oral and dental pathologies and anatomical variations of the TMJ imaged with computed tomography (CT) in horses with asymptomatic TMJs. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cross-sectional study. METHODS Horses (n = 201) from three practices with a complete oral examination and skull or upper cervical CT study were reviewed. Age, breed, sex, clinical presentation, oral examination findings, slice width and practice were recorded. Alterations in contour and density of the mandibular condyle, mandibular fossa and intra-articular disc were also documented. Logistic regression, corrected for clustering by practice, was used to determine whether CT anatomical variations were significantly associated with the oral examination findings. RESULTS Horses categorised as having abnormal TMJs were older than those with normal TMJ. Horses with periodontal disease were less likely to have abnormal TMJ findings compared with horses with no oral pathology. In contrast, horses with infundibular disease were more likely to have TMJ abnormalities. MAIN LIMITATIONS Due to the cross-sectional nature of the study, it was difficult to establish whether oral pathology preceded TMJ abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS Despite examining over 200 horses of varying ages, the biological significance of the observed associations between oral, or dental disease and anatomically appreciable temporomandibular joint disorders remains uncertain.