Near-optimal combination of disparity across a log-polar scaled visual field

The human visual system is foveated: we can see fine spatial details in central vision, whereas resolution is poor in our peripheral visual field, and this loss of resolution follows an approximately logarithmic decrease. Additionally, our brain organizes visual input in polar coordinates. Therefore, the image projection occurring between retina and primary visual cortex can be mathematically described by the log-polar transform. Here, we test and model how this space-variant visual processing affects how we process binocular disparity, a key component of human depth perception. We observe that the fovea preferentially processes disparities at fine spatial scales, whereas the visual periphery is tuned for coarse spatial scales, in line with the naturally occurring distributions of depths and disparities in the real-world. We further show that the visual system integrates disparity information across the visual field, in a near-optimal fashion. We develop a foveated, log-polar model that mimics the processing of depth information in primary visual cortex and that can process disparity directly in the cortical domain representation. This model takes real images as input and recreates the observed topography of human disparity sensitivity. Our findings support the notion that our foveated, binocular visual system has been moulded by the statistics of our visual environment

Low-dose aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular events in postmenopausal women with type-2 diabetes: The prescriptive approach in the real world

Background: The long-Term efficacy of low-dose aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular (CV) events in postmenopausal women with type-2 diabetes is controversial. Therefore, it is recommended only on an individual basis, recommendation of grade C. Methods: We enrolled 275 consecutive postmenopausal women with type-2 diabetes, without an increased bleeding risk and without preexisting CV disease as coronary artery disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease, but with a high risk assessed by score >10%, aged 60-69 years. All were receiving aspirin (75-100 mg daily), aspirin group (AG). 170 postmenopausal women with type-2 diabetes and without preexisting cardiovascular (CV) disease, but not on aspirin treatment, despite a high risk assessed by score >10%, were control group (CG). Mean age was 66 ± 4 years for AG and 65 ± 7 years for CG. Our goal was to identify the prevalence of low-dose aspirin prescriptions in these populations according to different clinical conditions. Results: Women with only high risk were 41/275 (15%) on AG and 72/170 (42.3%) on CG, Chi-squared 41, Odds ratio 0.2, c.i. 95%, P < 0.0001. Women affected by metabolic syndrome were 105/275 (38.1%) on AG and 47/170 (27.6%) on CG, Chi-squared 5.1, Odds ratio 1.6, c.i. 95%, P < 0.02. Women affected by metabolic cardiomyopathy were 111/275 (40.3%) on AG and 44/170 (25.9%) on CG, Chi-squared 8, Odds ratio 1.8, c.i. 95%, P < 0.004. Women affected by diabetic cardiomyopathy were 18/275 (6.6%) on AG and 7/170 (4.2%) on CG, Chi-squared 1.2, Odds ratio 16, c.i. 95%, P < 0.2 n.s. Conclusions: Low-dose aspirin in our population is prescribed preferentially in postmenopausal women with type-2 diabetes when affected by metabolic syndrome or metabolic cardiomyopathy, at the opposite women with only high risk have lower chance to receive aspirin

Modelling Short-Latency Disparity-Vergence Eye Movements Under Dichoptic Unbalanced Stimulation

Vergence eye movements align the optical axes of our two eyes onto an object of interest, thus facilitating the binocular summation of the images projected onto the left and the right retinae into a single percept. Both the computational substrate and the functional behaviour of binocular vergence eye movements have been the topic of in depth investigation. Here, we attempt to bring together what is known about computation and function of vergence mechanism. To this aim, we evaluated of a biologically inspired model of horizontal and vertical vergence control, based on a network of V1 simple and complex cells. The model performances were compared to that of human observers, with dichoptic stimuli characterized by a varying amounts of interocular correlation, interocular contrast, and vertical disparity. The model provides a qualitative explanation of psychophysiological data. Nevertheless, human vergence response to interocular contrast differs from model’s behavior, suggesting that the proposed disparity-vergence model may be improved to account for human behavior. More than this, this observation also highlights how dichoptic unbalanced stimulation can be used to investigate the significant but neglected role of sensory processing in motor planning of eye movements in depth

Epigenetic therapies for heart failure: Current insights and future potential

Despite the current reductionist approach providing an optimal indication for diagnosis and treatment of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), there are no standard pharmacological therapies for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Although in its infancy in cardiovascular diseases, the epigenetic-based therapy (“epidrugs”) is capturing the interest of physician community. In fact, an increasing number of controlled clinical trials is evaluating the putative beneficial effects of: 1) direct epigenetic-oriented drugs, eg, apabetalone, and 2) repurposed drugs with a possible indirect epigenetic interference, eg, metformin, statins, sodium glucose transporter inhibitors 2 (SGLT2i), and omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in both HFrEF and HFpEF, separately. Apabetalone is the first and unique direct epidrug tested in cardiovascular patients to date, and the BETonMACE trial has reported a reduction in first HF hospitalization (any EF value) and cardiovascular death in patients with type 2 diabetes and recent acute coronary syndrome, suggesting a possible role in secondary prevention. Patients with HFpEF seem to benefit from supplementation to the standard therapy with statins, metformin, and SGLT2i owing to their ability in reducing mortality. In contrast, the vasodilator hydralazine, with or without isosorbide dinitrate, did not provide beneficial effects. In HFrEF, metformin and SGLT2i could reduce the risk of incident HF and mortality in affected patients whereas clinical trials based on statins provided mixed results. Furthermore, PUFAs diet supplementation was significantly associated with reduced cardiovascular risk in both HFpEF and HFrEF. Future large trials will reveal whether direct and indirect epitherapy will remain a work in progress or become a useful way to customize the therapy in the real-world management of HFpEF and HFrEF. Our goal is to discuss the recent advancement in the epitherapy as a possible way to improve personalized therapy of HF

Reflectivity and velocity radar data assimilation for two flash flood events in central Italy: A comparison between 3D and 4D variational methods

The aim of this study is to provide an evaluation of the impact of two largely used data assimilation techniques, namely three- and four-dimensional variational data assimilation systems (3D-Var and 4D-Var), on the forecasting of heavy precipitation events using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. For this purpose, two flash flood events in central Italy are analysed. The first occurred on September 14, 2012 during an Intensive Observation Period of the Hydrological cycle in the Mediterranean experiment (HyMeX) campaign, while the other occurred on May 3, 2018. Radial velocity and reflectivity acquired by C-band weather radars at Mt. Midia (central Italy) and San Pietro Capofiume (northern Italy), as well as conventional observations (SYNOP and TEMP), are assimilated into the WRF model to simulate these damaging flash flood events. In order to evaluate the impact of the 3D-Var and 4D-Var assimilation systems on the estimation of short-term quantitative precipitation forecasts, several experiments are carried out using conventional observations with and without radar data. Rainfall evaluation is performed by means of point-by-point and filtering methodologies. The results point to a positive impact of the 4D-Var technique compared to results without assimilation and with 3D-Var experiments. More specifically, the 4D-Var system produces an increase of up to 22% in terms of the Fractions Skill Score compared to 3D-Var for the first flash flood event, while an increase of about 5% is achieved for the second event. The use of a warm start initialization results in a considerable reduction in the spin-up time and a significant improvement in the rainfall forecast, suggesting that the initial precipitation spin-up problem still occurs when using 4D-Var

487 Left atrial strain/strain rate analysis in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. correlation with clinical, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings

n/

DNA metabarcoding of trawling bycatch reveals diversity and distribution patterns of sharks and rays in the central Tyrrhenian Sea

Conservation and management of chondrichthyans are becoming increasingly important, as many species are particularly vulnerable to fishing activities, primarily as bycatch, which leads to incomplete catch reporting, potentially hiding the impact on these organisms. Here, we aimed at implementing an eDNA metabarcoding approach to reconstruct shark and ray bycatch composition from 24 hauls of a bottom trawl fishing vessel in the central Mediterranean. eDNA samples were collected through the passive filtration of seawater by simple gauze rolls encapsulated in a probe (the "metaprobe"), which already showed great efficiency in detecting marine species from trace DNA in the environment. To improve molecular taxonomic detection, we enhanced the 12S target marker reference library by generating sequences for 14 Mediterranean chondrichthyans previously unrepresented in public repositories. DNA metabarcoding data correctly identifies almost all bycaught species and detected five additional species not present in the net, highlighting the potential of this method to detect rare species. Chondrichthyan diversity showed significant association with some key environmental variables (depth and distance from the coast) and the fishing effort, which are known to influence demersal communities. As DNA metabarcoding progressively positions itself as a staple tool for biodiversity monitoring, we expect that its melding with opportunistic, fishery-dependent surveys could reveal additional distribution features of threatened and elusive megafauna

Left Ventricular Diastolic Function in Hypertension: Methodological Considerations and Clinical Implications

The assessment of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function should be an integral part of a routine examination of hypertensive patient; indeed when LV diastolic function is impaired, it is possible to have heart failure even with preserved LV ejection fraction. Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) occurs frequently and is associated to heart disease. Doppler echocardiography is the best tool for early LVDD diagnosis. Hypertension affects LV relaxation and when left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) occurs, it decreases compliance too, so it is important to calculate Doppler echocardiography parameters, for diastolic function evaluation, in all hypertensive patients. The purpose of our review was to discuss about the strong relationship between LVDD and hypertension, and their relationship with LV systolic function. Furthermore, we aimed to assess the relationship between the arterial stiffness and LV structure and function in hypertensive patients

Ventricular-vascular coupling in hypertension: methodological considerations and clinical implications

The present review is addressed to analyse the complex interplay between left ventricle and arterial tree in hypertension. The different methodological approaches to the analysis of ventricular vascular coupling in the time and frequency domain are discussed. Moreover, the role of hypertension-related changes of arterial structure and function (stiffness and wave reflection) on arterial load and how ventricular-vascular coupling modulates the process of left ventricular adaptation to hypertension are analysed.The different interplay between vascular bed and left ventricle emerges as the pathophysiological basis for the development of the multiple patterns of ventricular structural adaptation in hypertension and provides a pathway for the interpretation of systolic and diastolic functional abnormalities observed in hypertensive patients. Targeting the therapeutic approach to improve ventricular-vascular coupling may have relevant impact on reversing left ventricular hypertrophy and improving systolic and diastolic dysfunctio

Automatic lung segmentation and quantification of aeration in computed tomography of the chest using 3D transfer learning

Background: Identification of lung parenchyma on computer tomographic (CT) scans in the research setting is done semi-automatically and requires cumbersome manual correction. This is especially true in pathological conditions, hindering the clinical application of aeration compartment (AC) analysis. Deep learning based algorithms have lately been shown to be reliable and time-efficient in segmenting pathologic lungs. In this contribution, we thus propose a novel 3D transfer learning based approach to quantify lung volumes, aeration compartments and lung recruitability. Methods: Two convolutional neural networks developed for biomedical image segmentation (uNet), with different resolutions and fields of view, were implemented using Matlab. Training and evaluation was done on 180 scans of 18 pigs in experimental ARDS (u2NetPig) and on a clinical data set of 150 scans from 58 ICU patients with lung conditions varying from healthy, to COPD, to ARDS and COVID-19 (u2NetHuman). One manual segmentations (MS) was available for each scan, being a consensus by two experts. Transfer learning was then applied to train u2NetPig on the clinical data set generating u2NetTransfer. General segmentation quality was quantified using the Jaccard index (JI) and the Boundary Function score (BF). The slope between JI or BF and relative volume of non-aerated compartment (SJI and SBF, respectively) was calculated over data sets to assess robustness toward non-aerated lung regions. Additionally, the relative volume of ACs and lung volumes (LV) were compared between automatic and MS. Results: On the experimental data set, u2NetPig resulted in JI = 0.892 [0.88 : 091] (median [inter-quartile range]), BF = 0.995 [0.98 : 1.0] and slopes SJI = −0.2 {95% conf. int. −0.23 : −0.16} and SBF = −0.1 {−0.5 : −0.06}. u2NetHuman showed similar performance compared to u2NetPig in JI, BF but with reduced robustness SJI = −0.29 {−0.36 : −0.22} and SBF = −0.43 {−0.54 : −0.31}. Transfer learning improved overall JI = 0.92 [0.88 : 0.94], P < 0.001, but reduced robustness SJI = −0.46 {−0.52 : −0.40}, and affected neither BF = 0.96 [0.91 : 0.98] nor SBF = −0.48 {−0.59 : −0.36}. u2NetTransfer improved JI compared to u2NetHuman in segmenting healthy (P = 0.008), ARDS (P < 0.001) and COPD (P = 0.004) patients but not in COVID-19 patients (P = 0.298). ACs and LV determined using u2NetTransfer segmentations exhibited < 5% volume difference compared to MS. Conclusion: Compared to manual segmentations, automatic uNet based 3D lung segmentation provides acceptable quality for both clinical and scientific purposes in the quantification of lung volumes, aeration compartments, and recruitability