The NIRS Analysis Package: Noise Reduction and Statistical Inference

Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-invasive optical imaging technique that can be used to measure cortical hemodynamic responses to specific stimuli or tasks. While analyses of NIRS data are normally adapted from established fMRI techniques, there are nevertheless substantial differences between the two modalities. Here, we investigate the impact of NIRS-specific noise; e.g., systemic (physiological), motion-related artifacts, and serial autocorrelations, upon the validity of statistical inference within the framework of the general linear model. We present a comprehensive framework for noise reduction and statistical inference, which is custom-tailored to the noise characteristics of NIRS. These methods have been implemented in a public domain Matlab toolbox, the NIRS Analysis Package (NAP). Finally, we validate NAP using both simulated and actual data, showing marked improvement in the detection power and reliability of NIRS

Registering fNIR Data to Brain Surface Image using MRI templates

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Effect of breeder age and lighting regimen on growth performance, organ weights, villus development, and bursa of fabricius histological structure in broiler chickens

WOS: 000354765400004This study was carried out to investigate the effect of breeder age and lighting regimen on performance, some organ weights, villus development, and bursa of fabricius histological structure in broiler chickens. A total of 384 one-day-old chicks were obtained from two Ross broiler breeder flocks at 32 (young; Y) and 49 (old, O) weeks of age. Chicks from each breeder age were reared under 18 h light : 6 h dark (18 L : 6 D) (control; CL) or 14 L : 4 D : 2 L : 4 D (split darkness, SD). Body weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and mortality were measured weekly during the experiment. At 21 days of age, liver, heart, spleen, and bursa of fabricius weights were recorded, gastrointestinal tract and jejunum lengths were measured, and histomorphometry of villi and bursa of fabricius structure were investigated. Interaction between breeder age and lighting regimen was observed, where Y-CL chicks had the lightest body weight from 7 to 35 days (P < 0.05). Neither breeder age nor lighting regimen influenced feed conversion ratio. SD chicks had longer (P < 0.05) gastrointestinal tract and jejunum, and wider villus in comparison to CL chicks. Lower relative spleen weight was observed in CL chicks compared to SD ones (P < 0.05). It was concluded that split darkness lighting regimen could be used for broiler chickens from young breeders to improve live body weight without affecting feed conversion ratio.Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK)Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK)The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) is deeply acknowledged for its support through the Research Fellowship Program for Foreign Citizens

Premalignant lesions of the kidney share the same genetics changes as conventional renal cell carcinoma

This study investigated the frequency of allelic imbalance (AI) in particular loci in conventional renal cell carcinoma tissue and premalignant lesions of the kidney. DNA from the tumor tissue, premalignant lesions and normal kidney tissue of radical nephrectomy specimens from 33 patients was obtained. It was amplified with a set of eight microsatellite markers, which are located on chromosomes 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 11, 16, 17. AI in DNA samples was determined by analysis of the alteration in (CA)n repeats. The rates of AI in tumor tissue were found to be between 22.2% and 53.3% and in premalignant lesions between 11.1% and 40.0%. Premalignant lesions and tumor tissues in conventional renal cell carcinoma have the same genotypic changes in 50.0-87.8% (informative cases). These results suggest that the progressive accumulation of AI in areas of premalignant lesions may contribute to the development of renal cell carcinoma, representing an important molecular event in the multistep renal carcinogenesis cascade