Dense Motion Estimation for Smoke

Motion estimation for highly dynamic phenomena such as smoke is an open challenge for Computer Vision. Traditional dense motion estimation algorithms have difficulties with non-rigid and large motions, both of which are frequently observed in smoke motion. We propose an algorithm for dense motion estimation of smoke. Our algorithm is robust, fast, and has better performance over different types of smoke compared to other dense motion estimation algorithms, including state of the art and neural network approaches. The key to our contribution is to use skeletal flow, without explicit point matching, to provide a sparse flow. This sparse flow is upgraded to a dense flow. In this paper we describe our algorithm in greater detail, and provide experimental evidence to support our claims.Comment: ACCV201

Are Dutch dental students and dental-care providers competent prescribers of drugs?

Dental students and dental-care providers should be able to prescribe drugs safely and effectively. As it is unknown whether this is the case, we assessed and compared the prescribing competence of dental students and dental-care providers in the Netherlands. In 2017, all Dutch final-year dental students and a random sample of all qualified general dental practitioners and dental specialists (oral and maxillofacial surgeons and orthodontists) were invited to complete validated prescribing knowledge-assessment and skills-assessment instruments. The knowledge assessment comprised 40 multiple-choice questions covering important drug topics. The skills assessment comprised three common clinical case scenarios. For the knowledge assessment, the response rates were 26 (20%) dental students, 28 (8%) general dental practitioners, and 19 (19%) dental specialists, and for the skills assessment the response rates were 14 (11%) dental students, eight (2%) general dental practitioners, and eight (8%) dental specialists. Dental specialists had higher knowledge scores (78% correct answers) than either dental practitioners (69% correct answers) or dental students (69% correct answers). A substantial proportion of all three groups made inappropriate treatment choices (35%-49%) and prescribing errors (47%-70%). Although there were some differences, dental students and dental-care providers in the Netherlands lack prescribing competence, which is probably because of poor prescribing education during under- and postgraduate dental training. Educational interventions are urgently needed

Sprint interval and sprint continuous training increases circulating CD34+ cells and cardio-respiratory fitness in young healthy women

The improvement of vascular health in the exercising limb can be attained by sprint interval training (SIT). However, the effects on systemic vascular function and on circulating angiogenic cells (CACs) which may contribute to endothelial repair have not been investigated. Additionally, a comparison between SIT and sprint continuous training (SCT) which is less time committing has not been made

Long-term effects of STN DBS on mood: psychosocial profiles remain stable in a 3-year follow-up

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus significantly improves motor function in patients with severe Parkinson's disease. However, the effects on nonmotor aspects remain uncertain. The present study investigated the effects of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation on mood and psychosocial functions in 33 patients with advanced Parkinson's disease in a three year follow-up.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Self-rating questionnaires were administered to 33 patients prior to surgery as well as three, six, twelve and 36 months after surgery.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the long run, motor function significantly improved after surgery. Mood and psychosocial functions transiently improved at one year but returned to baseline at 36 months after surgery. In addition, we performed cluster and discriminant function analyses and revealed four distinct psychosocial profiles, which remained relatively stable in the course of time. Two profiles featured impaired psychosocial functioning while the other two of them were characterized by greater psychosocial stability.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Compared to baseline no worsening in mood and psychosocial functions was found three years after electrode implantation. Moreover, patients can be assigned to four distinct psychosocial profiles that are relatively stable in the time course. Since these subtypes already exist preoperatively the extent of psychosocial support can be anticipatory adjusted to the patients' needs in order to enhance coping strategies and compliance. This would allow early detection and even prevention of potential psychiatric adverse events after surgery. Given adequate psychosocial support, these findings imply that patients with mild psychiatric disturbances should not be excluded from surgery.</p

Initial experience of a large, self-expanding, and fully recapturable transcatheter aortic valve: The UK & Ireland Implanters' registry.

OBJECTIVES: The UK & Ireland Implanters' registry is a multicenter registry which reports on real-world experience with novel transcatheter heart valves. BACKGROUND: The 34 mm Evolut R transcatheter aortic valve is a self-expanding and fully recapturable transcatheter aortic valve, designed to treat patients with a large aortic annulus. METHODS: Between January 2017 and April 2018, clinical, procedural and 30-day outcome data were prospectively collected from all patients receiving the 34 mm Evolut R valve across 17 participating centers in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The primary efficacy outcome was the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2(VARC-2)-defined endpoint of device success. The primary safety outcome was the VARC-2-defined composite endpoint of early safety at 30 days. RESULTS: A total of 217 patients underwent attempted implant. Mean age was 79.5 ± 8.8 years and Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality Score 5.2% ± 3.4%. Iliofemoral access was used in 91.2% of patients. Device success was 79.7%. Mean gradient was 7.0 ± 4.6 mmHg and effective orifice area 2.0 ± 0.6 cm2 . Paravalvular regurgitation was more than mild in 7.2%. A new permanent pacemaker was implanted in 15.7%. Early safety was demonstrated in 91.2%. At 30 days, all-cause mortality was 3.2%, stroke 3.7%, and major vascular complication 2.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Real-world experience of the 34 mm Evolut R transcatheter aortic valve demonstrated acceptable procedural success, safety, valve function, and incidence of new permanent pacemaker implantation

LINE-1 Hypomethylation in Cancer Is Highly Variable and Inversely Correlated with Microsatellite Instability

BACKGROUND: Alterations in DNA methylation in cancer include global hypomethylation and gene-specific hypermethylation. It is not clear whether these two epigenetic errors are mechanistically linked or occur independently. This study was performed to determine the relationship between DNA hypomethylation, hypermethylation and microsatellite instability in cancer. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We examined 61 cancer cell lines and 60 colorectal carcinomas and their adjacent tissues using LINE-1 bisulfite-PCR as a surrogate for global demethylation. Colorectal carcinomas with sporadic microsatellite instability (MSI), most of which are due to a CpG island methylation phenotype (CIMP) and associated MLH1 promoter methylation, showed in average no difference in LINE-1 methylation between normal adjacent and cancer tissues. Interestingly, some tumor samples in this group showed increase in LINE-1 methylation. In contrast, MSI-showed a significant decrease in LINE-1 methylation between normal adjacent and cancer tissues (P<0.001). Microarray analysis of repetitive element methylation confirmed this observation and showed a high degree of variability in hypomethylation between samples. Additionally, unsupervised hierarchical clustering identified a group of highly hypomethylated tumors, composed mostly of tumors without microsatellite instability. We extended LINE-1 analysis to cancer cell lines from different tissues and found that 50/61 were hypomethylated compared to peripheral blood lymphocytes and normal colon mucosa. Interestingly, these cancer cell lines also exhibited a large variation in demethylation, which was tissue-specific and thus unlikely to be resultant from a stochastic process. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Global hypomethylation is partially reversed in cancers with microsatellite instability and also shows high variability in cancer, which may reflect alternative progression pathways in cancer

Impact of inactivity and exercise on the vasculature in humans

The effects of inactivity and exercise training on established and novel cardiovascular risk factors are relatively modest and do not account for the impact of inactivity and exercise on vascular risk. We examine evidence that inactivity and exercise have direct effects on both vasculature function and structure in humans. Physical deconditioning is associated with enhanced vasoconstrictor tone and has profound and rapid effects on arterial remodelling in both large and smaller arteries. Evidence for an effect of deconditioning on vasodilator function is less consistent. Studies of the impact of exercise training suggest that both functional and structural remodelling adaptations occur and that the magnitude and time-course of these changes depends upon training duration and intensity and the vessel beds involved. Inactivity and exercise have direct “vascular deconditioning and conditioning” effects which likely modify cardiovascular risk