Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of two computed tomography perfusion post-processing software to assess infarct volume in patients with acute ischemic stroke

Objectives We used two automated software commonly employed in clinical practice—Olea Sphere (Olea) and Shukun-PerfusionGo (PerfusionGo)—to compare the diagnostic utility and volumetric agreement of computed tomography perfusion (CTP)-predicted final infarct volume (FIV) with true FIV in patients with anterior-circulation acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Methods In all, 122 patients with anterior-circulation AIS who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were retrospectively enrolled and divided into two groups: intervention group (n = 52) and conservative group (n = 70), according to recanalization of blood vessels and clinical outcome (NIHSS) after different treatments. Patients in both groups underwent one-stop 4D-CT angiography (CTA)/CTP, and the raw CTP data were processed on a workstation using Olea and PerfusionGo post-processing software, to calculate and obtain the ischemic core (IC) and hypoperfusion (IC plus penumbra) volumes, hypoperfusion in the conservative group and IC in the intervention group were used to define the predicted FIV. The ITK-SNAP software was used to manually outline and measure true FIV on the follow-up non-enhanced CT or MRI-DWI images. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), Bland–Altman, and Kappa analysis were used to compare the differences in IC and penumbra volumes calculated by the Olea and PerfusionGo software to investigate the relationship between their predicted FIV and true FIV. Results The IC and penumbra difference between Olea and PerfusionGo within the same group (p < 0.001) was statistically significant. Olea obtained larger IC and smaller penumbra than PerfusionGo. Both software partially overestimated the infarct volume, but Olea significantly overestimated it by a larger percentage. ICC analysis showed that Olea performed better than PerfusionGo (intervention-Olea: ICC 0.633, 95%CI 0.439–0.771; intervention-PerfusionGo: ICC 0.526, 95%CI 0.299–0.696; conservative-Olea: ICC 0.623, 95%CI 0.457–0.747; conservative-PerfusionGo: ICC 0.507, 95%CI 0.312–0.662). Olea and PerfusionGo had the same capacity in accurately diagnosing and classifying patients with infarct volume <70 ml. Conclusion Both software had differences in the evaluation of the IC and penumbra. Olea’s predicted FIV was more closely correlated with the true FIV than PerfusionGo’s prediction. Accurate assessment of infarction on CTP post-processing software remains challenging. Our results may have important practice implications for the clinical use of perfusion post-processing software.
Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC), enveloped in elastin-like recombinamers for cell therapy of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D): preliminary data

Introduction: Therapeutic application and study of type 1 diabetes disease could benefit from the use of functional β islet-like cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Considerable efforts have been made to develop increasingly effective hiPSC differentiation protocols, although critical issues related to cost, the percentage of differentiated cells that are obtained, and reproducibility remain open. In addition, transplantation of hiPSC would require immunoprotection within encapsulation devices, to make the construct invisible to the host’s immune system and consequently avoid the recipient’s general pharmacologic immunosuppression. Methods: For this work, a microencapsulation system based on the use of “human elastin-like recombinamers” (ELRs) was tested to envelop hiPSC. Special attention was devoted to in vitro and in vivo characterization of the hiPSCs upon coating with ERLs. Results and Discussion: We observed that ELRs coating did not interfere with viability and function and other biological properties of differentiated hiPSCs, while in vivo, ELRs seemed to afford immunoprotection to the cell grafts in preliminary in vivo study. The construct ability to correct hyperglycemia in vivo is in actual progress.
Breast cancer: a randomized controlled trial assessing the effect of a decision aid on mammography screening uptake: study protocol

Introduction Breast cancer (BC) is the primary cancer among women. The World Health Organization recommends a bilateral screening mammogram every 2 years for women aged 50 to 74 years. However, it has been shown that there is an absence of information about the benefits and risks of screening. Shared medical decision-making is important to ensure patients are involved in the decision process. Decision aids can facilitative this decision-making process. This article presents a protocol to evaluate the effect of a decision aid on participation rates in the French organized BC screening program. Methods and analysis Design and setting. The design is a 2 arm randomized controlled study, performed in the Pays de la Loire region (French West Coast). Randomization will be based on general medicine practices (Primary Care). Participants Women aged between 50 and 74 years, eligible for BC screening. In this region, there are 75000 women, and 2800 general practitioners eligible for recruitment. Intervention In the « Decision aid for organized cancer screening » arm, the intervention will distribute invitation letters to eligible women combined with the provision of decision aid to these women and their general practitioners and an incentive to implement shared medical decision-making. In the « Standard organized cancer screening » arm, only the screening invitation will be sent to eligible women. Primary endpoint BC screening participation rates will be assessed after an 18-month follow-up period. Statistical analysis In this non-inferiority trial, the percentage of women who are up-to-date with their screening at 18 months after the intervention will be compared across arms using a generalized mixed linear model. Discussion The research team expect to demonstrate that providing a better explanation of the benefits and risks of BC screening is not at odds with screening participation. The study results should help policy makers thinking about implementing shared medical decision-making within the framework of organized BC screening programs in the future. Ethics and dissemination On 6 December 2021, the protocol received a favorable opinion from the French Committee for the Protection of Persons (2021-A01583-38). This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT05607849. (Version 1, November 7, 2022; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05607849). The study findings will be used for publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presentations in scientific meetings.
Circulating extracellular vesicles are associated with the clinical outcomes of sepsis

Introduction Sepsis is associated with endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction, increased vascular permeability and organ injury, which may lead to mortality, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and acute renal failure (ARF). There are no reliable biomarkers to predict these sepsis complications at present. Recent evidence suggests that circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their content caspase-1 and miR-126 may play a critical role in modulating vascular injury in sepsis; however, the association between circulating EVs and sepsis outcomes remains largely unknown. Methods We obtained plasma samples from septic patients (n=96) within 24 hours of hospital admission and from healthy controls (n=45). Total, monocyte- or EC-derived EVs were isolated from the plasma samples. Transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) was used as an indicator of EC dysfunction. Caspase-1 activity in EVs was detected and their association with sepsis outcomes including mortality, ARDS and ARF was analyzed. In another set of experiments, total EVs were isolated from plasma samples of 12 septic patients and 12 non-septic critical illness controls on days 1, and 3 after hospital admission. RNAs were isolated from these EVs and Next-generation sequencing was performed. The association between miR-126 levels and sepsis outcomes such as mortality, ARDS and ARF was analyzed. Results Septic patients with circulating EVs that induced EC injury (lower transendothelial electrical resistance) were more likely to experience ARDS (p<0.05). Higher caspase-1 activity in total EVs, monocyte- or EC-derived EVs was significantly associated with the development of ARDS (p<0.05). MiR-126-3p levels in EC EVs were significantly decreased in ARDS patients compared with healthy controls (p<0.05). Moreover, a decline in miR-126-5p levels from day 1 to day 3 was associated with increased mortality, ARDS and ARF; while decline in miR-126-3p levels from day 1 to day 3 was associated with ARDS development. Conclusions Enhanced caspase-1 activity and declining miR-126 levels in circulating EVs are associated with sepsis-related organ failure and mortality. Extracellular vesicular contents may serve as novel prognostic biomarkers and/or targets for future therapeutic approaches in sepsis.
Seasonal water source patterns in a northern Arizona pine forest

The relationships among stand density and seasonal plant water source patterns in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests are important for informed management decisions in a bimodal climate with increasing variability in winter and monsoon precipitation inputs. Winter precipitation recharges soil moisture, yet it has declined over the past 20 years in the southwestern United States, and monsoon precipitation is becoming more variable in both magnitude and timing. Near Flagstaff, Arizona in August 2013 (monsoon), October 2013 (post-monsoon), and May 2014 (post winter snow melt), we measured soil moisture, soil water δD at five depths, and xylem water δD in Muhlenbergia montana (a perennial C4 grass), Festuca arizonica (a perennial C3 grass), and P. ponderosa seedlings (< 2 years old), saplings (2–5 cm basal diameter), and mature trees (> 60 cm diameter at breast height) in treated (thinned and burned) and untreated (no thinning, no burning) stands. We found that soil moisture was higher at all soil depths in treated stands in May, after snow melt, and this pattern persisted through August in the deepest soil (60 cm). We also found that, in all sampling months, δD in xylem water of grasses and pine seedlings indicated use of shallower soil water than for pine saplings and mature trees, presumably due to differences in rooting depths. Additionally, in August, δD in xylem water of pine saplings and mature trees indicated greater reliance on a deeper water source in untreated stands than in treated stands, likely due to greater competition for shallow water in untreated stands. Our isotopic data indicate that grasses and seedlings used predominantly monsoon water in August and October, while pine saplings and mature trees used predominantly winter water during all sampling months. Importantly, our data indicate that regenerating trees (seedlings and saplings) used both winter and monsoon seasonal water sources, suggesting an increasingly important role for monsoon precipitation if winter precipitation inputs continue to decline. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that management actions can benefit forests via increased soil moisture, that overstory trees rely predominantly on winter precipitation, and that monsoon precipitation is important for herbaceous species and younger, regenerating overstory trees.
Investigating cardiovascular risk in premenopausal women on oral contraceptives: Systematic review with meta-analysis

Background The use of oral contraceptives (OCs) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events such as arterial and venous thrombosis (VTE). Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide, with low- and middle-income nations accounting for over three-quarter of CVD deaths. The aim of this systematic review is to provide a comprehensive synthesis of the available evidence on the link between OC use and CVD risk in premenopausal women and to further assess the role of geographic disparities in the reported prevalence of CVD risk in women on OCs. Methods A comprehensive search of databases such as MEDLINE, Academic Search Complete, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition was conducted, right from the inception to the present, by using the EBSCOhost search engine. The Cochrane Central Register of Clinical trials (CENTRAL) was also searched to augment relevant sources of information. OpenGrey, which is a repository of information providing open access to bibliographical references, was searched and the reference list of the selected studies was also scanned. The potential risk of bias of the included studies was assessed using the modified Downs and Black checklist. Data analysis was performed using the Review Manager (RevMan) version 5.3. Results We included 25 studies that comprised 3,245 participants, of which 1,605 (49.5%) are OC users, while 1,640 (50.5%) are non-OC users. A total of 15 studies were included for meta-analysis, and the overall pooled estimates suggested a significant increase in the traditional cardiovascular risk variables [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.73, (0.46, 0.99) (Z = 5.41, p < 0.001)] and little to no difference in endothelial activation among OC users when compared with non-OC users [SMD = −0.11, (−0.81, 0.60) (Z = 0.30, p = 0.76)]. Europe [SMD = 0.03, (−0.21, 0.27), (Z = 0.25 p = 0.88)] had the least effect size, while North America had the highest effect size [SMD = 1.86, (−0.31, 4.04), (Z = 1.68 p = 0.09)] for CVD risk in OC users when compared with non-OC users. Conclusion The use of OCs suggests a significant increase in the prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk variables with little to no difference in the risk of endothelial dysfunction when compared with non-OC users, and the magnitude of CVD risks varies across different geographical regions. Registration and protocol This systematic review was registered in the international prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO) under the registration number: CRD42020216169.
A screening study of the spatial distribution and cumulative toxicity of agricultural pesticides in the European Union’s waters

Pesticides can be an important stressor to aquatic ecosystems, and their use is strictly regulated in the European Union (EU). However, data on the use of pesticides are rather limited and poorly available, and monitoring is often insufficient to characterize their actual exposure and impact. The aim of the work presented here is to harness the limited data available and assess, for the first time, the distribution of concentrations and toxicity of 148 pesticide active substances (AS) for the whole EU. Starting from available estimates of pesticide use in agriculture and a simple screening-level model of their fate and transport, we quantify pesticide concentrations in soil and water. A comparison with monitoring data shows that predicted water concentrations are in plausible orders of magnitude, hence the model can be regarded as a first-approximation representation of the distribution of pesticides in the environment. The toxicity of individual pesticide active substances (AS) is characterized by their concentrations divided by the respective no observed effect concentrations (NOEC) for aquatic organisms, which represents the “toxic units” (TU) of each AS. The cumulative toxicity of pesticides in soils and streams of the EU is obtained by summing the TU of individual AS. We estimate that the toxicity of individual AS is generally well below 0.1 TU, indicating relatively safe environmental exposure. However, the cumulative toxicity of a mixture of AS can exceed 0.1 toxic units (TU) for more than 27% of the length of the EU’s stream network, and 1 TU for more than 4%. The cumulative toxicity at a given location is driven by only a handful of AS, but these differ from site to site reflecting the variability of pesticide use. Still, we estimate that only about 20 AS out of 148 appear among the top contributors to cumulative toxicity in most cases. While our assessment suggests a relatively widespread risk due to pesticide pollution, it also points to the important limitations concerning knowledge of pesticide use and monitoring of pesticide occurrence in the environment. These limitations need to be addressed in order to evaluate more accurately the effectiveness of EU pesticide policies. The assessment represents a proof-of-concept of a method that can be applied in support of the monitoring of pesticide policies implementation in the EU and elsewhere, once pesticide use can be estimated.
Gauge technique approximation to the 
πγ
 production and the pion transition form factor

The $2\gamma^*\rightarrow \pi$ transition form factor , $G(q^2)$ is computed on the entire domain of spacelike and timelike momenta using a quantum field theory continuum approach. The analytical continuation of the function $G(Q^2)$ is based on the utilization of the Gauge Technique with the entry of QCD Green's functions determined from Minkowski space solution of QCD Dyson-Schwinger equations. The scale is set up by the phenomena of dynamical chiral symmetry breaking, which is a striking feature of low energy QCD.
Some biological, behavioral and social aspects of the perfumery use in the Ukrainian population sample (Part 2. Education level associations)

The aim. The study represents a continuation of the previous one, and provide various aspects related to the use of perfumery, which can be characterized by certain associations with the education level of Ukrainian consumers. Factors that have direct or indirect biological and medical significance and, accordingly, may have a potential impact on the safety of the perfume products use by humans, were selected for the analysis. Materials and methods. The analysis included information about 124 individuals living in Ukraine. The respondents answered the questions of the questionnaire developed regarding some aspects of the perfumery use. The Pearson chi-squared (χ2) test was used to analyze the relationships between qualitative characteristics. Results and discussion. Most of the studied aspects related to the perfumes use demonstrate associations, caused by the dependence of the education level on age. The analysis revealed that individuals with any education most often (about half of the cases or more) choose a perfume based on its scent. The study showed that the majority of respondents believe that the price of a perfume depends on a combination of factors, namely the composition of the products, the brand and the cost of the packaging. More than 80 % of people, regardless of the education level, believe that the persistence of a perfume is definitely a sign of quality. The most common opinion among people of all education levels was that non-original perfumes can have a more negative effect on people's health than original products. The "lipstick effect" in relation to perfume products (demand for items of "affordable luxury" in times of economic crises and wars) was observed. Conclusions. The study supplemented the previously found associations of age and some biological and behavioral aspects of perfume use among the population of Ukraine with data on the presence or absence of such associations in relation to the education level
KBody: Towards general, robust, and aligned monocular whole-body estimation Supplementary Material

In the main paper, qualitative and quantitative comparisons are offered to help appreciate the gains of KBody. We select PyMAf-X [9] as a representative of a single-shot estimator that delivers high quality performance on pose capture, evident also by its quantitative and qualitative performance. On the other end, we also select SHAPY [3] as a representative of a single-shot estimator that delivers high quality performance on shape capture, also evident by its quantiative and qualitative performance. Further, as our approach is an iterative optimization based one, we also include the SMPLify-X [7] baseline and its data-driven successor ExPose [4] which is mostly used as a parameter initializer. All aforementioned methods are used with their original – best – hyper-parameters and pre-trained models, receiving the same inputs, and, where necessary, cropped with an extended bounding box calculated from OpenPose’s [2] keypoints. Performance is first evaluated on a 3D vertex level, with V2V evaluating pose and shape jointly, PVE-TSC evaluating shape only, and the body specific measurement metrics presented in SHAPY [3]. We also evaluate pixel alignment performance using the ground-truth rendered bodies when available (EHF & SSP3D), and by extracting segmentation masks using a background subtraction service [1] on the Lab images of HBW (val), which contain minimal clothing and plain backgrounds. From a strict comparison perspective, PyMAF-X and SHAPY are single-shot regressors, while SMPLify-X and KBody are iterative optimizers. Still, the latter are constrained by the estimations of third-party regressors like OpenPose [2] for the 2D keypoints and MODNet [6] for the silhouette. While the predict-and-optimize approach can be considered as a generic scheme and be applied to different regressors like PyMAF-X and SHAPY, there are conflicting arguments made in the literature. Both EFT [5] and Pose-NDF [8] show that simply postprocessing an initial regressor estimate with iterative optimization using third-party regressed constraints does not
KBody: Towards general, robust, and aligned monocular whole-body estimation

KBody is a method for fitting a low-dimensional body model to an image. It follows a predict-and-optimize approach, relying on data-driven model estimates for the constraints that will be used to solve for the body’s parameters. Acknowledging the importance of high quality correspondences, it leverages "virtual joints" to improve fitting performance, disentangles the optimization between the pose and shape parameters, and integrates asymmetric distance fields to strike a balance in terms of pose and shape capturing capacity, as well as pixel alignment. We also show that generative model inversion offers a strong appearance prior that can be used to complete partial human images and used as a building block for generalized and robust monocular body fitting. Project page: https://klothed.github. io/KBody.
Strategies of Energy-Efficient Active Filtering in the Two Wattmeter Reference Frame

Such basic concepts of power theory as apparent power, active current and minimum power losses in the transmission line are defined for a three-phase three-wire system in the shortened two wattmeter reference frame. On the basis of these concepts, two energy-efficient active filtration strategies were developed and verified by virtual experiments. The first of them minimizes the power losses of a three-phase three-wire transmission line with different values of its resistances and ensures a unit value of the power factor. The second strategy follows the recommendation of IEEE Std. 1459-2010 ensures the minimum power loss of the transmission line with symmetrical sinusoidal currents of a three-phase source.