Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Platelet function recovery after ticagrelor withdrawal in patients awaiting urgent coronary surgery

Objective Dual antiplatelet therapy with ticagrelor and aspirin is associated with an increased risk of perioperative bleeding complications. Current guidelines recommend therefore discontinuation of ticagrelor 5 days before surgery to allow sufficient recovery of platelet function. It is not known how the time to recovery varies between individual patients after discontinuation of ticagrelor. Methods Twenty-five patients accepted for urgent coronary artery bypass surgery and treated with ticagrelor and aspirin were included in a prospective observational study. Platelet aggregation was evaluated with impedance aggregometry at five timepoints 12-96 h after discontinuation of ticagrelor. In a subset of patients ( n = 15), we also tested the ex vivo efficacy of platelet concentrate supplementation on platelet aggregation. Results There was a gradual increase in mean adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet aggregation after discontinuation of ticagrelor. After 72 h, mean aggregation was 38 ±23 aggregation units (U), which is above a previously suggested cut-off of 22 U, when patients can be operated without increased bleeding risk. However, there was a large interindividual variability (range 4‒88 U at 72 h) and 6/24 patients (25%) had <22 U after 72 h. Ex vivo administration of platelet concentrate did not improve adenosine diphosphate-induced aggregation at any timepoint after ticagrelor discontinuation. Conclusions Adenosine diphosphate-induced aggregation was acceptable after 72 h in the majority of patients but with a large interindividual variability. Due to the large variability, platelet function testing may prove to be a valuable tool in timing of surgery in patients with ongoing or recently stopped ticagrelor treatment. Adenosine diphosphate-induced aggregation was not improved by addition of platelet concentrate.
Environmentally relevant concentrations of amine-functionalized copper nanoparticles exhibit different mechanisms of bioactivity in Fundulus Heteroclitus in fresh and brackish water

Abstract The bioavailability of engineered nanomaterials should be limited in marine environments, but uptake and toxicity has been noted in marine fish and invertebrates, albeit at exposure doses far exceeding predicted environmental levels. We examined the bioactivity of amine functionalized copper nanoparticles (nCu; 5–10 nm core diameter) to the euryhaline killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus, in fresh (FW) and brackish water (BW). Free copper dissolution was undetectable in either water type and nCu remained relatively well dispersed in BW, despite the high ionic strength. Exposure to an environmentally relevant concentration of nCu (10 µg L−1) for 48 h significantly increased the maximum rate of oxygen consumption and aerobic scope in BW killifish. This effect was associated with gill remodeling which likely increased surface area and scope for oxygen uptake. In contrast, nCu exposure had no effect on oxygen consumption in FW killifish, but gill Na+/K+-ATPase activity was reduced by >40%, an effect not seen in BW. Osmotic and ionic homeostasis were protected and no indications of physiological or oxidative stress were observed in either FW and BW exposure groups. The results show that functionalized nCu formulations can exhibit bioactivity in both FW and BW and that the underlying mechanisms are different between water types.
A Flexible Multiring Concentric Electrode for Non-Invasive Identification of Intestinal Slow Waves

Developing new types of optimized electrodes for specific biomedical applications can substantially improve the quality of the sensed signals. Concentric ring electrodes have been shown to provide enhanced spatial resolution to that of conventional disc electrodes. A sensor with different electrode sizes and configurations (monopolar, bipolar, etc.) that provides simultaneous records would be very helpful for studying the best signal-sensing arrangement. A 5-pole electrode with an inner disc and four concentric rings of different sizes was developed and tested on surface intestinal myoelectrical recordings from healthy humans. For good adaptation to a curved body surface, the electrode was screen-printed onto a flexible polyester substrate. To facilitate clinical use, it is self-adhesive, incorporates a single connector and can perform dry or wet (with gel) recordings. The results show it to be a versatile electrode that can evaluate the optimal configuration for the identification of the intestinal slow wave and reject undesired interference. A bipolar concentric record with an outer ring diameter of 30 mm, a foam-free adhesive material, and electrolytic gel gave the best results.
Cuff Algometry for Estimation of Hyperalgesia and Pain Summation

Objective Cuff algometry is useful to assess pain sensitivity mechanisms, but effects of cuff position and stimulation pattern are not clear. Methods In 20 healthy volunteers, cuff pain detection threshold (PDT) and pain tolerance (PTT) were recorded with cuffs accommodating two individual chambers at four locations (eight positions) along the leg, using ramp inflation (1 kPa/s) until subjects indicated PDT and PTT. Repeated stimulations (1-s stimulation, 4-s break) with a staircase increase in stimulus intensity (5 kPa/step) were used to assess PDT and PTT on a single location. Spatial pain summation was calculated as the ratio between PTTs recorded with one chamber or simultaneously with two neighbor chambers. Temporal pain summation was assessed by repeated cuff stimulations (1-s stimulation, 1-s break) and the pain intensity was recorded on a visual analog scale (VAS); the PTT from ramp and staircase assessments were used as stimulus intensity. Results For the most distal cuff position, the PTT was higher compared with other leg positions except when in proximity to the knee ( P < 0.01). The PDT was higher for the distal part compared with the mid-portions of the lower and upper leg ( P < 0.01). Compared with other leg locations, the spatial summation ratio was highest at the proximal lower leg ( P < 0.02). The staircase versus ramp pattern revealed higher PDT and PTT (P < 0.01), as well as pronounced temporal pain summation ( P < 0.01). Conclusion The mid-portion of the lower leg is recommended for cuff placement, and the staircase paradigm provides relevant stimulus intensity for assessment of temporal pain summation.
Investigating Influenza A Virus Infection: Tools To Track Infection and Limit Tropism

ABSTRACT Influenza A viruses display a broad cellular tropism within the respiratory tracts of mammalian hosts. Uncovering the relationship between tropism and virus immunity, pathogenesis, and transmission will be critical for the development of therapeutic interventions. Here we discuss recent developments of several recombinant strains of influenza A virus. These viruses have inserted reporters to track tropism, microRNA target sites to restrict tropism, or barcodes to assess transmission dynamics, expanding our understanding of pathogen-host interactions.
Molecular epidemiology of NDM-1- and OXA-48-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in an Iranian hospital: clonal dissemination of ST11 and ST893

Objectives Despite the fact that the blaOXA-48 and blaNDM-1 genes have successfully disseminated among Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates worldwide, outbreaks remain unidentified in Iran. Here we examined the molecular epidemiology of 96 carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae recovered from an Iranian hospital. Methods A total of 96 non-replicate carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae were recovered from clinical specimens in a university hospital. Detection of ESBLs and carbapenemases produced by studied strains was performed using PCR and DNA sequencing. The bacterial isolates were assigned to clonal lineages by PFGE and MLST. In addition, plasmids were analysed by PCR-based replicon typing and conjugation assays. Results All isolates harboured blaOXA-48 and blaNDM-1 genes together or alone. Almost all strains also carried ESBL genes. Eighty-seven isolates of K. pneumoniae were categorized into seven pulsotypes. The predominant strain clusters/pulsotypes associated with the outbreak corresponded to ST11 (48/96) and ST893 (31/96). Plasmids carrying blaOXA-48 and blaNDM-1 were successfully transferred to Escherichia coli K12 as the recipient strain. blaOXA-48 was located on IncL/M plasmids of ∼39 kb, while blaNDM-1 was carried by either an IncFII plasmid of ∼50 kb or an untypeable plasmid of ∼4 or 10 kb. Conclusions We describe two separate outbreaks of blaOXA-48- and blaNDM-1-carrying K. pneumoniae strains associated with dissemination of the ST11 and ST893 clones, with the ICU acting as the epicentre. The spread of plasmids carrying carbapenemase genes resulting in fulminant antimicrobial resistance is a severe concern.
Improved visual odometry system based on kinect RGB-D sensor

In conventional visual odometry (VO) systems, perspective-n-point (PnP) method and random sample consensus (RANSAC) algorithm are generally used to estimate camera poses. However, heavy computational burden is incurred, and the pose estimations are not reliable as well. Therefore, in this paper, an improved VO system is proposed, where an off-line camera calibration method is used to obtain lesser measurement errors of image features. Moreover, an improved approach of P3P algorithm is proposed to increase the efficiency of the VO system. To validate the performances of the proposed approach, several experiments are conducted based on a Kinect sensor, where accuracy of pose estimations and runtime efficiency are both improved in comparison to the conventional VO algorithms.
Models for Simulation and Control of Underwater Vehicles

Nowadays, the computational power of the average personal computer provides to a vast audience the possibility of simulating complex models of reality within reasonable time frames. This chapter presents a review of modelling techniques for underwater vehicles with fixed geometry, giving emphasis on their application to real-time or faster than realtime simulation. In the last decade there was a strong movement towards the development of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV). These two classes of underwater vehicles are intended to provide researchers with simple, long-range, low-cost, rapid response capability to collect pertinent environmental data. There are numerous applications for AUV and ROV, including underwater structure inspection, oceanographic surveys, operations in hazardous environments, and military applications. In order to fulfil these objectives, the vehicles must be provided with a set of controllers assuring the desired type of autonomous operation and offering some aid to the operator, for vehicles which can be teleoperated. The design and tuning of controllers requires, on most methodologies, a mathematical model of the system to be controlled. Control of underwater vehicles is no exception to this rule. The most common model in control theory is the classic system of differential equations, where x and u are denominated respectively state vector and input vector: ( ) & x = f x,u (1)
Cohomology for Drinfeld doubles of some infinitesimal group schemes

Consider a field k of characteristic p > 0, G_r the r-th Frobenius kernel of a smooth algebraic group G, DG_r the Drinfeld double of G_r, and M a finite dimensional DG_r-module. We prove that the cohomology algebra H*(DG_r,k) is finitely generated and that H*(DG_r,M) is a finitely generated module over this cohomology algebra. We exhibit a finite map of algebras \theta_r:H*(G_r,k) \otimes S(g) \to H*(DG_r,k) which offers an approach to support varieties for DG_r-modules. For many examples of interest, \theta_r is injective and induces an isomorphism of associated reduced schemes. Additionally, for M an irreducible DG_r-module, \theta_r enables us to identify the support variety of M in terms of the support variety of M viewed as a G_r-module.
Calculation of Haem Iron Intake and Its Role in the Development of Iron Deficiency in Young Women from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health

Total iron intake is not strongly associated with iron stores, but haem iron intake may be more predictive. Haem iron is not available in most nutrient databases, so experimentally determined haem contents were applied to an Australian Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) to estimate haem iron intake in a representative sample of young women (25–30 years). The association between dietary haem iron intakes and incident self-reported diagnosed iron deficiency over six years of follow-up was examined. Haem iron contents for Australian red meats, fish, and poultry were applied to haem-containing foods in the Dietary Questionnaire for Epidemiological Studies V2 (DQESv2) FFQ. Haem iron intakes were calculated for 9076 women from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH) using the DQESv2 dietary data from 2003. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between haem iron intake (2003) and the incidence of iron deficiency in 2006 and 2009. Multiple logistic regression showed baseline haem iron intake was a statistically significant predictor of iron deficiency in 2006 (Odds Ratio (OR): 0.91; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.84–0.99; p-value: 0.020) and 2009 (OR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.82–0.99; p-value: 0.007). Using the energy-adjusted haem intake made little difference to the associations. Higher haem iron intake is associated with reduced odds of iron deficiency developing in young adult Australian women.
On the possibility of using instantaneous high pressure treatment to modify physical properties of dietary fiber in soybean dregs

Instantaneous high pressure(IHP)was used to modify the physical properties of soybean dregs dietary fiber. Soybean dregs was diposed by enzyme to produce dietary fiber without most protein. The dietary fiber was then processed by the Microfluidizer,which is the basic equipment of IHP operation. The water retention capacity,swelling capacity and water combining capacity of DF products were higher. Broolfield programmable rheometer was used to determine the viscosity of the DF solution,the time sensitivity,speed sensitivity and temperature sensitivity were studied.
Linked color imaging enhances endoscopic detection of sessile serrated adenoma/polyps

Abstract Background and study aims Although new image-enhanced endoscopy (IEE) technologies such as blue laser imaging (BLI), BLI-bright, and linked color imaging (LCI) have been developed, their utility for the detection of sessile serrated adenoma/polyps (SSA/Ps) is still unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of BLI, BLI-bright, and LCI for SSA/P detection in still image examinations and in a prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT). Patients and methods A group of 6 expert and non-expert endoscopists read 200 endoscopic still images containing SSA/P lesions using white light image (WLI), BLI, BLI-bright, and LCI. Color differences were calculated using the color space method. A prospective RCT of tandem colonoscopy with WLI and LCI was performed. Patients with SSA/P and those with a history of SSA/P that had been endoscopically removed were enrolled and randomly allocated to WLI-LCI or LCI-WLI groups. Additional endoscopic detection rates for SSA/P were compared between the 2 groups. Results LCI showed the highest SSA/P detection rate among the 4 modes for both expert and non-expert endoscopists. The detection rate with LCI for the 6 expert endoscopists (mean 98.3 ± standard deviation 2.0 %) was significantly higher than that with WLI (86.7 ± 6.0 %, P < 0.01). Likewise, the detection rate with LCI for the 6 non-expert endoscopists (92.3 ± 2.9 %) was significantly higher than that with WLI (72.7 ± 11.5 %, P < 0.01). The color difference of SSA/P with LCI was the highest among the 4 modes, and was significantly higher than with WLI (median 15.9, (interquartile range 13.7 – 20.6) vs. 10.2, (7.6 – 14.2); P < 0.0001). In the RCT, a total of 44 patients (WLI-LCI 22 vs. LCI-WLI 22) underwent colonoscopy. The additional detection rate for SSA/P in the second inspection in the WLI-LCI group (21.6 %, 8/37) was significantly higher than in the LCI-WLI group (3.2 %, 1/31; P = 0.02). The small, flat, non-mucus and isochromatic SSA/Ps in the transverse colon were detected more frequently in the second inspection with LCI. Conclusions LCI was the most sensitive mode for SSA/P detection among WLI, BLI, BLI-bright, and LCI in the still image examinations. Our RCT strongly suggests that LCI is superior to conventional WLI for SSA/P detection during colonoscopy. UMIN000017599.
Analyzing at-home prosthesis use in unilateral upper-limb amputees to inform treatment & device design

New upper limb prosthetic devices are continuously being developed by a variety of industrial, academic, and hobbyist groups. Yet, little research has evaluated the long term use of currently available prostheses in daily life activities, beyond laboratory or survey studies. We seek to objectively measure how experienced unilateral upper limb prosthesis-users employ their prosthetic devices and unaffected limb for manipulation during everyday activities. In particular, our goal is to create a method for evaluating all types of amputee manipulation, including non-prehensile actions beyond conventional grasp functions, as well as to examine the relative use of both limbs in unilateral and bilateral cases. This study employs a head-mounted video camera to record participant's hands and arms as they complete unstructured domestic tasks within their own homes. A new ‘Unilateral Prosthesis-User Manipulation Taxonomy’ is presented based observations from 10 hours of recorded videos. The taxonomy addresses manipulation actions of the intact hand, prostheses, bilateral activities, and environmental feature-use (aiïordances). Our preliminary results involved tagging 23 minute segments of the full videos from 3 amputee participants using the taxonomy. This resulted in over 2,300 tag instances. Observations included that non-prehensile interactions outnumbered prehensile interactions in the affected limb for users with more distal amputation that allowed arm mobility.
Skeletal Microstructure and Estimated Bone Strength Improve Following Parathyroidectomy in Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Context High-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HRpQCT) is a noninvasive imaging technology that can provide insight into skeletal microstructure and strength. In asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), HRpQCT imaging has demonstrated both decreased cortical and trabecular indices, consistent with evidence for increased fracture risk. There are limited data regarding changes in HRpQCT parameters postparathyroidectomy. Objective To evaluate changes in skeletal microstructure by HRpQCT in subjects with PHPT after parathyroidectomy. Design We studied 29 subjects with PHPT (21 women, 8 men) with HRpQCT at baseline and 6, 12, 18, and 24 months postparathyroidectomy. Main Outcome Measures Volumetric bone mineral density, microarchitectural indices, and finite element analysis at the distal radius and tibia. Results At both the radius and tibia, there were significant improvements in total, cortical, and trabecular volumetric bone density as early as 6 months postparathyroidectomy (24-month values for total volumetric bone density, radius: +2.8 ± 4%, tibia: +4.4 ± 4%; P < 0.0001 for both), cortical thickness (radius: +1.1 ± 2%, tibia: +2.0 ± 3%; P < 0.01 for both), and trabecular bone volume (radius: +3.8 ± 5%, tibia: +3.2 ± 4%; P < 0.0001 for both). At both sites, by finite element analysis, stiffness and failure load were improved starting at 6 months postparathyroidectomy (24-month values for failure load, radius: +6.2 ± 6%, tibia: +4.8 ± 7%; P < 0.0001 for both). Conclusions These results provide information about skeletal microarchitecture in subjects with PHPT followed through 2 years after parathyroidectomy. Estimated bone strength is improved, consistent with data showing decreased fracture risk postparathyroidectomy.
Systematic review: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and construction workers

Abstract Background Between 15 and 20% of prevalent cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been attributed to occupational exposures to vapours, gases, dusts and fumes. Dust at construction sites is still a challenge, but no overview exists of COPD among construction workers. Aims To assess the occurrence of COPD among construction workers. Methods We performed a systematic search in PubMed and Embase between 1 January 1990 and 31 August 2016 in order to identify epidemiological studies with a risk estimate for either COPD morbidity/mortality or a spirometry-based definition of airway obstruction among workers in the construction industry. The authors independently assessed studies to determine their eligibility and performed a quality assessment of the included papers. Results Twelve studies were included. Nine studies found a statistically significant association between COPD and work in the construction industry, although only among never-smokers in one study and only for the period after 2000 in another study. One study found that the annual decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 s was significantly higher among construction workers compared with bus drivers. Conclusions This review suggests that COPD occurs more often among construction workers than among workers who are not exposed to construction dust. It is not possible to draw any conclusions on specific subgroups as most studies analysed construction workers as one united group. In addition, no potential exposure–effect relationship could be identified.
Role of NLRP3 Inflammasomes in Atherosclerosis

Inflammation with macrophage infiltration is a key feature of atherosclerosis. Although the mechanisms had been unclear, emerging evidence unveiled that NLRP3 inflammasomes, which regulate caspase-1 activation and subsequent processing of pro-IL-1β, trigger vascular wall inflammatory responses and lead to progression of atherosclerosis. NLRP3 inflammasomes are activated by various danger signals, such as cholesterol crystals, calcium phosphate crystals, and oxidized low-density lipoprotein in macrophages, to initiate inflammatory responses in the atherosclerotic lesion. Recent studies have further clarified the regulatory mechanisms and the potential therapeutic agents that target NLRP3 inflammasomes. In this study, we reviewed the present state of knowledge on the role of NLRP3 inflammasomes in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and discussed the therapeutic approaches that target NLRP3 inflammasomes.
Information Propagation Prediction Based on Key Users Authentication in Microblogging

In microblogging, key users are a significant factor for information propagation. Key users can affect information propagation size while retweeting the information. In this paper, to predict information propagation, we propose a novel linear model based on key users authentication. This model mines key users to dynamically improve the linear model while predicting information propagation. So our model can not only predict information propagation but also mine key users. Experimental results show that our model can achieve remarkable efficiency on predicting information propagation problem in real microblogging networks. At the same time, our model can find the key users who affect information propagation.