Digitizing Wildlife: The Case of a Reptile 3-D Virtual Museum.

In this article, we design and develop a 3-D virtual museum with holistic metadata documentation and a variety of reptile behaviors and movements. First, we reconstruct the reptile's mesh in high resolution, and then create its rigged/skinned digital counterpart. We acquire the movement of two subjects using an optical motion capture system, accelerometers, and RGB-vision cameras; these movements are then segmented and annotated to various behaviors.

Implementation and evaluation of a novel real-time multiplex assay for SARS-CoV-2: in-field learnings from a clinical microbiology laboratory.

The unprecedented scale of testing required to effectively control the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has necessitated urgent implementation of rapid testing in clinical microbiology laboratories. To date, there are limited data available on the analytical performance of emerging commercially available assays for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and integration of these assays into laboratory workflows. Here, we performed a prospective validation study of a commercially available assay, the AusDiagnostics Coronavirus Typing (8-well) assay.

Helicobacter pylori infection as a potential risk factor for multiple sclerosis.

Helicobacter pylori infection (Hp-I) has been associated with a wide spectrum of gastrointestinal and extra-digestive manifestations, including neurodegenerative diseases. Contradictory data have been published on Hp-I and multiple sclerosis (MS) association, with studies mainly using serology for Hp-I detection that cannot distinguish between active and past infections. We herein hypothesize that humoral and cellular immune responses induced by active Hp-I, beyond damaging locally the gastric mucosa, they may shape the character of systemic autoimmune responses, contributing to MS pathogenesis.

Diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis: a systematic review on the role of imaging and biomarkers.

Background: Cardiac Amyloidosis (CA) pertains to the cardiac involvement of a group of diseases, in which misfolded proteins deposit in tissues and cause progressive organ damage. The vast majority of CA cases are caused by light chain amyloidosis (AL) and transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR). The increased awareness of these diseases has led to an increment of newly diagnosed cases each year.

Impact of Radiofrequency Ablation and Antiarrhythmic Medications on the Quality of Life of Patients with Supraventricular Tachycardias: Preliminary Validation of the Greek Version of the Umea22 (U22) Questionnaire.

Objective: This study aims to (i) translate, culturally adapt, and preliminarily validate the arrhythmia-specific Umea22 (U22) questionnaire and (ii) assess the impact of radiofrequency (RF) ablation and medical treatment on the quality of life of patients with supraventricular tachycardias (SVTs).

Methods: A total of 140 patients with atrioventricular nodal re-entry tachycardia (AVNRT) and atrioventricular re-entry tachycardia (AVRT) were enrolled in the study. Of these, 100 patients underwent RF ablation (group A) and 40 patients were managed with antiarrhythmic medications (group B).

Health service impact of testing for respiratory pathogens using cartridge-based multiplex array versus molecular batch testing.

There is increasing demand for access to rapid microbiological testing, with a view to improving clinical outcomes. The possibility of rapid testing has been facilitated by development of cartridge-based random access molecular technologies that are now widely available. Whether the expense of cartridge-based assays is justified in terms of clinical or laboratory cost savings is controversial.

Electrophysiological markers predicting impeding AV-block during ablation of atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia.

Background: Radiofrequency (RF) ablation of the slow pathway (SP) in atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) is occasionally complicated with atrioventricular block (AVB) often predicted by junctional beats (JB) with loss of ventriculo-atrial (VA) conduction.

Methods: We analyzed retrospectively 153 patients undergoing ablation of SP for typical AVNRT. Patients were divided into two age groups: 127 ≤ 70 years and 26 > 70 years.

Structure-Function Analysis of the Two-Peptide Bacteriocin Plantaricin EF.

Plantaricin EF is a two-peptide bacteriocin that depends on the complementary action of two different peptides (PlnE and PlnF) to function. The structures of the individual peptides have previously been analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( Fimland, N. et al.

Os parietale partitum: Exploring the prevalence of this trait in four contemporary populations.

Os parietale partitum is a variable segmentation of the parietal bone. This manifests as a parietal division in the anteroposterior or superoinferior planes that is separated by an unusual suture and can be complete or incomplete. The existence of parietal divisions was observed and documented more than 260 years ago.

Interactions of a class IIb bacteriocin with a model lipid bilayer, investigated through molecular dynamics simulations.

The emergence of antibiotic resistant microorganisms poses an alarming threat to global health. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are considered a possible effective alternative to conventional antibiotic therapies. An understanding of the mechanism of action of AMPs is needed in order to better control and optimize their bactericidal activity.

Association Between rs2200733 Polymorphism on Chromosome 4q25 and Atrial Fibrillation in a Greek Population.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia with evidence of genetic susceptibility. The rs2200733 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in a non-coding region on chromosome 4q25 has been associated with AF. The purpose of this case-control study was to examine the possible association of the rs2200733 polymorphism with AF in the Greek population.

Endocarditis caused by unusual Streptococcus species (Streptococcus pluranimalium).

Background: Infective endocarditis in intravenous drug abusers is caused mainly by Staphylococcus species and usually affects the right heart valves.

Case Description: We report the case of a 37-years-old intravenous drug abuser, who was diagnosed with infective endocarditis of the mitral and aortic valve. An unusual Streptococcus species (Streptococcus pluranimalium) was isolated from surgical specimens (peripheral arterial emboli, valves' vegetations) which, according to the literature, is related to animals' diseases such as infective endocarditis in adult broiler parents, with no references existing regarding causing such disease in humans.

The good student is more than a listener - The 12+1 roles of the medical student.

Background: The process of medical education, particularly in the fast evolving new era of medical metaschools, is a broad and complex issue. Harden & Crosby claimed that a good teacher is more than a lecturer, and identified 12 roles that certify a good and capable teacher. However, this is only half the truth: the good student is more than a listener.

Sinus nodal response to adenosine relates to the severity of sinus node dysfunction.

Aims: It is unknown as to whether the result of adenosine testing for the diagnosis of sinus node dysfunction (SND) depends on the clinical presentation. We investigated whether syncope or presyncope are associated with a more pronounced sinus nodal inhibition by adenosine in SND.

Methods And Results: We studied 46 patients with SND, 33 with syncope or presyncope and 13 without such history.

Mannan-MUC1-pulsed dendritic cell immunotherapy: a phase I trial in patients with adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: Tumor antigen-loaded dendritic cells show promise for cancer immunotherapy. This phase I study evaluated immunization with autologous dendritic cells pulsed with mannan-MUC1 fusion protein (MFP) to treat patients with advanced malignancy.

Experimental Design: Eligible patients had adenocarcinoma expressing MUC1, were of performance status 0 to 1, with no autoimmune disease.

Muon spin relaxation studies of magnetic-field-induced effects in high-Tc superconductors.

Muon spin relaxation measurements in high transverse magnetic fields [FORMULA: SEE TEXT] revealed strong field-induced quasistatic magnetism in the underdoped and Eu-doped (La,Sr)2CuO4 and La1.875Ba0.125CuO4, existing well above Tc and TN.

Characterization of a CD46 transgenic pig and protection of transgenic kidneys against hyperacute rejection in non-immunosuppressed baboons.

Human membrane cofactor protein (CD46) controls complement activation and when expressed sufficiently as a transgene protects xenografts against complement-mediated rejection, as shown here using non-immunosuppressed baboons and heterotopic CD46 transgenic pig kidney xenografts. This report is of a carefully engineered transgene that enables high-level CD46 expression. A novel CD46 minigene was validated by transfection and production of a transgenic pig line.

Muon spin relaxation and susceptibility studies of the pure and diluted spin 1/2 kagomé-like lattice system (CuxZn(1-x))3V2O7(OH2) 2H2O.

Muon spin relaxation and magnetic susceptibility measurements have been performed on the pure and diluted spin 1/2 kagomé system (CuxZn(1-x))3V2O7(OH)2 2H2O. In the pure x=1 system we found a slowing down of Cu spin fluctuations with decreasing temperature towards T approximately 1 K, followed by slow and nearly temperature-independent spin fluctuations persisting down to T=50 mK, indicative of quantum fluctuations. No indication of static spin freezing was detected in either of the pure (x=1.