Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Targeted drug delivery under MRI guidance

The main goal of local drug delivery is to increase the concentration of a specific therapeutic agent in a target tissue with minimal nontarget distribution. Compared to systemic therapy, local drug delivery provides a high level of therapeutic efficacy with minimal systemic effects. The current primary imaging modality for drug delivery has been x‐ray angiography, but it has major limitations including anatomical ambiguity and inability to visualize the targeted tissues. Due to these inherent problems, MR guidance has been explored as an alternative imaging modality for guiding and monitoring of drug therapy. Recently, interventional MR (XMR) systems have been implemented that have both dual x‐ray and MRI capabilities in a single suite and allow for real‐time interventional procedures to be performed in a clinical setting. In cases where drug delivery is required, this system provides a significant leap for catheter‐based therapies. Although clinical drug delivery procedures utilizing MR guidance are still in the early stages of development and application, recent technological advances should help further promote the adoption of such procedures. This review covers the emerging techniques of drug delivery using MR guidance. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2008;27:292–298. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Diffusion tensor imaging of the auditory pathway in sensorineural hearing loss: Changes in radial diffusivity and diffusion anisotropy

To prospectively compare diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures of axial diffusivity (λ∥), radial diffusivity (λ⟂), mean diffusivity (MD), and fractional anisotropy (FA) along the auditory pathway of patients with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and normal controls.
Decreasing magnitude of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome despite increasingly severe critical surgical illness: a 17-year longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) remains prevalent and the leading cause of mortality in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU). Improvements in ICU care in the last 10 years (e.g., tight glycemic control, activated protein C, fewer transfusions causing fewer nosocomial infections) may have decreased the incidence, magnitude, and mortality of MODS, as hypothesized in this study. METHODS Longitudinal 17-year prospective study of 11,314 ICU patients (academic/tertiary unit, Level I trauma center), 5,157 (45.5%) of whom developed any degree of MODS (Marshall score, cumulative). Data collected included Admission Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE)-II and APACHE-III scores, MOD score (MODsc), hospital mortality, and the incidence and magnitude of MODS. The ratio of MODsc: APACHE III was calculated. Analyses (X +/- SEM, chi2, repeated-measures ANOVA, linear and polynomial regression, c-statistic) were performed for calendar-year intervals beginning in 1990 through 2006. RESULTS Among MODS patients, the mean MODsc was 6.3 +/- 0.1 points, and the mortality rate was 22%. The APACHE III score increased significantly (p < 0.0001) over time, but the mortality rate was unchanged (r2 = 0.02). Adjusted for illness severity (MODsc:A3), the magnitude of MODS decreased significantly (p < 0.0001) during the time period. CONCLUSIONS Despite significant increases in admission APACHE III score over 17 years, the adjusted magnitude of MODS (MODsc:A3) decreased. Given the strong association between MODS and mortality for critically ill surgical patients, it is likely that the unchanged risk-adjusted mortality observed over time is due to the reduced magnitude of MODS.
Testing hypotheses of bat baculum function with 3D models derived from microCT

The baculum (os penis) has been extensively studied as a taxon‐specific character in bats and other mammals but its mechanical function is still unclear. There is a wide consensus in the literature that the baculum is probably a sexually selected character. Using a novel approach combining postmortem manipulation and three‐dimensional (3D) imaging, we tested two functional hypotheses in the common noctule bat Nyctalus noctula, the common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus, and Nathusius’ pipistrelle Pipistrellus nathusii: (i) whether the baculum can protect the distal urethra and urethral opening from compression during erection and copulation; and (ii) whether the baculum and corpora cavernosa form a functional unit to support both the penile shaft and the more distal glans tip. In freshly dead or frozen and thawed bats, we compared flaccid penises with artificially ‘erect’ penises that were inflated with 10% formalin. Penises were stained with alcoholic iodine and imaged with a lab‐based high‐resolution x‐ray microtomography system. Analysis of the 3D images enabled us to compare the changes in relative positions of the baculum, corpora cavernosa, urethra, and corpus spongiosum with one another between flaccid and ‘erect’ penises. Our results support both functional hypotheses, indicating that the baculum probably performs two different roles during erection. Our approach should prove valuable for comparing and testing the functions of different baculum morphologies in bats and other mammals. Moreover, we have validated an essential component of the groundwork necessary to extend this approach with finite element analysis for quantitative 3D biomechanical modeling of penis function.
Teaching Strategies with Pedometers for All Children.

ABSTRACT: The authors suggest incorporating pedometers into the physical education curricula for schoolchildren, especially children with visual impair-ment, as a way to combat childhood obesity. The authors offer activity ideas to incorporate pedometers into physical education classes and to encourage children with visual impairment to participate more fully in the classes. They also urge physical education teachers to promote physical activity outside the school.KEYWORDS: childhood obesity, peer tutor training, talking pedometersDiscussion in the public health domain about childhood obesity has con-tained recent estimates that have suggested that more than 30% of elemen-tary school-aged children either are at risk for becoming overweight or are overweight (Hedley et al., 2004; Ogden et al., 2006). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have reported that because childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions, it now is one of the leading global health concerns (Cole, Bellizzi, Flegal, & Dietz, 2000). Overweight youth not only have a greater chance of being overweight in adulthood but also increase their risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and type II diabetes (Ebbeling, Pawlak, & Ludwig, 2002; Styne, 2001; World Health Organization, 1990). Childhood is a critical time for preventing obesity by lim-iting the excess accumulation of fat (Hill & Peters, 1998; Institute of Medicine, 2004), and one way to combat body fatness in children is to increase physical activity (Maffeis & Castellani, 2007; Wittmeier, Mollard, & Kriellaars, 2007). Children with disabilities are of great concern because, traditionally, they have a higher level of obesity and inactivity than their peers without disabilities.
Interferon alfa (pegylated and non-pegylated) and ribavirin for the treatment of mild chronic hepatitis C : a systematic review and economic evaluation

Objectives: To assess the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of pegylated interferon alfa (PEG) and non-pegylated interferon alfa (IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) for the treatment of adults with histologically mild chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection. Data sources: Electronic bibliographic databases were searched up to July 2005. Review methods: A systematic review and an economic evaluation were carried out. A Markov state transition model was developed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of treatment strategies for adults with mild chronic HCV. Results: Among the included studies, eight randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of antiviral treatment in mild HCV were identified and included. In general these RCTs were of good quality. The results suggested that effectiveness, particularly with respect to sustained virological response was similar in patients with mild disease to the results obtained in patients with moderate/severe disease. This finding was supported by RCTs reporting the results for mild HCV sub-groups. The authors’ cost-effectiveness analysis showed that early treatment compared with watchful waiting is associated with quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gains but with increased treatment costs. The base-case incremental costs per QALY for 48 weeks of treatment are: watchful waiting with IFN + RBV versus best supportive care = £3097–6585; early treatment with IFN + RBV versus watchful waiting with IFN + RBV = £5043–8092; watchful waiting with PEG 2a + RBV versus best supportive care = £3052; early treatment with PEG 2a + RBV versus watchful waiting with PEG 2a + RBV = £5900; watchful waiting with PEG 2b + RBV versus best supportive care = £2534; and early treatment with PEG 2b + RBV versus watchful waiting with PEG 2b + RBV = £5774.These results were consistent with previous assessments of cost-effectiveness. Conclusion: This systematic review and economic evaluation show that patients with histologically mild HCV can be successfully treated with both pegylated and non-pegylated interferon alfa. Early treatment and watchful waiting strategies are associated with acceptable cost-per-QALY estimates. Research needs to be directed towards newer, potentially more effective interventions, particularly those that improve treatment response in patients with genotype 1, with minimal adverse effects. Further research is required into the natural history of HCV to estimate better the rate of liver disease progression, and also into the effectiveness of non-invasive biochemical markers of liver disease, as an alternative to liver biopsy.
Online adaptive neural control of a robotic lower limb prosthesis

Objective. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate an adaptive intent recognition algorithm that continuously learns to incorporate a lower limb amputee’s neural information (acquired via electromyography (EMG)) as they ambulate with a robotic leg prosthesis. Approach. We present a powered lower limb prosthesis that was configured to acquire the user’s neural information and kinetic/kinematic information from embedded mechanical sensors, and identify and respond to the user’s intent. We conducted an experiment with eight transfemoral amputees over multiple days. EMG and mechanical sensor data were collected while subjects using a powered knee/ankle prosthesis completed various ambulation activities such as walking on level ground, stairs, and ramps. Our adaptive intent recognition algorithm automatically transitioned the prosthesis into the different locomotion modes and continuously updated the user’s model of neural data during ambulation. Main results. Our proposed algorithm accurately and consistently identified the user’s intent over multiple days, despite changing neural signals. The algorithm incorporated 96.31% [0.91%] (mean, [standard error]) of neural information across multiple experimental sessions, and outperformed non-adaptive versions of our algorithm—with a 6.66% [3.16%] relative decrease in error rate. Significance. This study demonstrates that our adaptive intent recognition algorithm enables incorporation of neural information over long periods of use, allowing assistive robotic devices to accurately respond to the user’s intent with low error rates.
Direct electrical stimulation of human cortex evokes high gamma activity that predicts conscious somatosensory perception

Objective. Direct electrical stimulation (DES) is a clinical gold standard for human brain mapping and readily evokes conscious percepts, yet the neurophysiological changes underlying these percepts are not well understood. Approach. To determine the neural correlates of DES, we stimulated the somatosensory cortex of ten human participants at frequency-amplitude combinations that both elicited and failed to elicit conscious percepts, meanwhile recording neural activity directly surrounding the stimulation site. We then compared the neural activity of perceived trials to that of non-perceived trials. Main results. We found that stimulation evokes distributed high gamma activity, which correlates with conscious perception better than stimulation parameters themselves. Significance. Our findings suggest that high gamma activity is a reliable biomarker for perception evoked by both natural and electrical stimuli.
Effects of cranial integration on hominid endocranial shape

Because brains do not fossilize, the internal surface of the braincase (endocast) serves as an important source of information about brain growth, development, and evolution. Recent studies of endocranial morphology and development in great apes, fossil hominins, and modern humans have revealed taxon‐specific differences. However, it remains to be investigated to which extent differences in endocranial morphology reflect differences in actual brain morphology and development, and to which extent they reflect different interactions of the brain and its case with the cranial base and face. Here we address this question by analyzing the effects of cranial integration on endocranial morphology. We test the ‘spatial packing’ and ‘facial orientation’ hypotheses, which propose that size and orientation of the neurocranium relative to the viscerocranium influence endocranial shape. Results show that a substantial proportion of endocranial shape variation along and across ontogenetic trajectories is due to cranial integration. Specifically, the uniquely globular shape of the human endocast mainly results from the combination of an exceptionally large brain with a comparatively small face. Overall, thus, cranial integration has pervasive effects on endocranial morphology, and only a comparatively small proportion of inter‐ and intra‐taxon variation can directly be associated with variation in brain morphology.
Pitfalls in gamma camera field uniformity correction

We read with interest the recent letter from Hannan and Bessent (1974) regarding errors which can be introduced when correcting for non-uniformity in gamma camera sensitivity. In the light of our own experience with a Searle-Radiographic PHO-Gamma HP camera we agree that when a large disc source is used for uniformity corrections the count-rate should be similar to that obtained in clinical investigations. However, in our case the effect of high count rate (in excess of about 5 × 104 counts per second within a 30 per cent window) is to affect the uniformity rather than to cause a spatial shift as reported by Hannan and Bessent.
EGF 10 Association with Schizophrenia

esults: In the ICCSS sample, associations with the disease were found in the same risk alleles and haplotypes as that observed in our ne-mapping studies. The major allele (A) of rs27388 was overrepresented in affected individuals (p .0169), which remained significant fter correction for multiple testing. In expression studies, MEGF10 had higher expression levels in the affected than the unaffected (p 015). Schizophrenia patients with a 1/1 genotype at rs27388 had higher expressions than those patients with 1/2 and 2/2 genotypes (p 0008).
Rapid automated landmarking for morphometric analysis of three‐dimensional facial scans

Automated phenotyping is essential for the creation of large, highly standardized datasets from anatomical imaging data. Such datasets can support large‐scale studies of complex traits or clinical studies related to precision medicine or clinical trials. We have developed a method that generates three‐dimensional landmark data that meet the requirements of standard geometric morphometric analyses. The method is robust and can be implemented without high‐performance computing resources. We validated the method using both direct comparison to manual landmarking on the same individuals and also analyses of the variation patterns and outlier patterns in a large dataset of automated and manual landmark data. Direct comparison of manual and automated landmarks reveals that automated landmark data are less variable, but more highly integrated and reproducible. Automated data produce covariation structure that closely resembles that of manual landmarks. We further find that while our method does produce some landmarking errors, they tend to be readily detectable and can be fixed by adjusting parameters used in the registration and control‐point steps. Data generated using the method described here have been successfully used to study the genomic architecture of facial shape in two different genome‐wide association studies of facial shape.
A closed-loop neurobotic system for fine touch sensing

Objective. Fine touch sensing relies on peripheral-to-central neurotransmission of somesthetic percepts, as well as on active motion policies shaping tactile exploration. This paper presents a novel neuroengineering framework for robotic applications based on the multistage processing of fine tactile information in the closed action–perception loop. Approach. The integrated system modules focus on (i) neural coding principles of spatiotemporal spiking patterns at the periphery of the somatosensory pathway, (ii) probabilistic decoding mechanisms mediating cortical-like tactile recognition and (iii) decision-making and low-level motor adaptation underlying active touch sensing. We probed the resulting neural architecture through a Braille reading task. Main results. Our results on the peripheral encoding of primary contact features are consistent with experimental data on human slow-adapting type I mechanoreceptors. They also suggest second-order processing by cuneate neurons may resolve perceptual ambiguities, contributing to a fast and highly performing online discrimination of Braille inputs by a downstream probabilistic decoder. The implemented multilevel adaptive control provides robustness to motion inaccuracy, while making the number of finger accelerations covariate with Braille character complexity. The resulting modulation of fingertip kinematics is coherent with that observed in human Braille readers. Significance. This work provides a basis for the design and implementation of modular neuromimetic systems for fine touch discrimination in robotics.
A biomechanical view on stinger diversity in scorpions

Scorpions have elongated metasomas that bear a telson, which is used as a stinger for venom injection. There is a remarkable diversity in the use of the stinger among scorpions, comprising defensive behavior, prey subjugation and mating. This diversity could be reflected by the shape of the telson, as different stinging behaviors will result in very different functional demands. Here we explored the diversity of telson shapes in scorpions by providing morphological measurements, such as curvature and tip angle, as well as by testing stingers under load using finite element analysis (FEA). FEA models were loaded with forces scaled to the surface area of the models, to allow comparison of the relative strain energy based on shape alone. Load force angle was rotated to identify the optimal stinging angle based on the lowest strain energy. Aculeus length and mean aculeus height correlated with minimal strain energy. Optimal stinging angle correlated with tip angle, and differed from the tip angle by about 28.4 ± 6.22 °. We found that species that are more venomous have long aculei (stinger barbs) with a larger radius of curvature. FEA models of these longer aculei showed basal stress concentrations, indicating a potential greater risk of basal breakage due to shape alone. Telsons with shorter and thicker aculeus shapes showed stress concentrations at the tip only. Despite these marked differences in shape, we found no difference in the scaled strain energy between groups of species that are more venomous and less venomous groups of species. These results show that scorpion stingers may be biomechanically optimized, and this may indicate different usage of the stinger in different species.
Selective activation of the human tibial and common peroneal nerves with a flat interface nerve electrode

Objective. Electrical stimulation has been shown effective in restoring basic lower extremity motor function in individuals with paralysis. We tested the hypothesis that a flat interface nerve electrode (FINE) placed around the human tibial or common peroneal nerve above the knee can selectively activate each of the most important muscles these nerves innervate for use in a neuroprosthesis to control ankle motion. Approach. During intraoperative trials involving three subjects, an eight-contact FINE was placed around the tibial and/or common peroneal nerve, proximal to the popliteal fossa. The FINE's ability to selectively recruit muscles innervated by these nerves was assessed. Data were used to estimate the potential to restore active plantarflexion or dorsiflexion while balancing inversion and eversion using a biomechanical simulation. Main results. With minimal spillover to non-targets, at least three of the four targets in the tibial nerve, including two of the three muscles constituting the triceps surae, were independently and selectively recruited in all subjects. As acceptable levels of spillover increased, recruitment of the target muscles increased. Selective activation of muscles innervated by the peroneal nerve was more challenging. Significance. Estimated joint moments suggest that plantarflexion sufficient for propulsion during stance phase of gait and dorsiflexion sufficient to prevent foot drop during swing can be achieved, accompanied by a small but tolerable inversion or eversion moment.
Detection and classification of movement-related cortical potentials associated with task force and speed

Objective. In this study, the objective was to detect movement intentions and extract different levels of force and speed of the intended movement from scalp electroencephalography (EEG). We then estimated the performance of the closed loop system. Approach. Cued movements were detected from continuous EEG recordings using a template of the initial phase of the movement-related cortical potential in 12 healthy subjects. The temporal features, extracted from the movement intention, were classified with an optimized support vector machine. The system performance was evaluated when combining detection with classification. Main results. The system detected 81% of the movements and correctly classified 75 ± 9% and 80 ± 10% of these at the point of detection when varying the force and speed, respectively. When the detector was combined with the classifier, the system detected and correctly classified 64 ± 13% and 67 ± 13% of these movements. The system detected and incorrectly classified 21 ± 7% and 16 ± 9% of the movements. The movements were detected 317 ± 73 ms before the movement onset. Significance. The results indicate that it is possible to detect movement intentions with limited latencies, and extract and classify different levels of force and speed, which may be combined with assistive technologies for patient-driven neurorehabilitation.
Initial feasibility of a multi‐station high resolution three‐dimensional dark blood angiography protocol for the assessment of peripheral arterial disease

To evaluate the feasibility of a multi‐station three dimensional (3D) T1‐weighted turbo spin echo (TSE) dark‐blood Sampling Perfection with Application optimized Contrasts using different flip angle Evolution sequence (T1w‐SPACE), to assess aorta, iliac, and superficial femoral (SFA) arteries (inflow vessels) by comparing it with a multi‐station contrast enhanced MR angiography (CE‐MRA) with identical resolution.