Sex Differentiation of Trabecular Bone Structure Based on Textural Analysis of Pelvic Radiographs.

Objectives: The purpose of this paper is to assess the determination of male and female sex from trabecular bone structures in the pelvic region. The study involved analyzing digital radiographs for 343 patients and identifying fourteen areas of interest based on their medical significance, with seven regions on each side of the body for symmetry. Methods: Textural parameters for each region were obtained using various methods, and a thorough investigation of data normalization was conducted. Feature selection approaches were then evaluated to determine a small set of the most representative features, which were input into several classification machine learning models. Results: The findings revealed a sex-dependent correlation in the bone structure observed in X-ray images, with the degree of dependency varying based on the anatomical location. Notably, the femoral neck and ischium regions exhibited distinctive characteristics between sexes. Conclusions: This insight is crucial for medical professionals seeking to estimate sex dependencies from such image data. For these four specific areas, the balanced accuracy exceeded 70%. The results demonstrated symmetry, confirming the genuine dependencies in the trabecular bone structures.

Patient and public understanding and knowledge of antimicrobial resistance and stewardship in a UK hospital: should public campaigns change focus?

BACKGROUND: The rising global tide of antimicrobial resistance is a well-described phenomenon. Employing effective and innovative antimicrobial stewardship strategies is an essential approach to combat this public health threat. Education of the public and patients is paramount to enable the success of such strategies. METHODS: A panel of hospital multidisciplinary healthcare professionals was set up and a short quiz containing true/false statements around antimicrobial stewardship and resistance was designed and piloted. An educational leaflet with the correct replies and supporting information was also produced and disseminated. Participants were recruited on a single day (18 November 2015) from the hospital outpatient clinics and the hospital outpatient pharmacy waiting room. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-five completed quizzes were returned, providing a total of 1450 answers. Overall, 934 of 1450 (64%) statements were scored correctly whilst 481 (33%) were scored incorrectly; 35 (3%) statements were left unscored. We speculate that these results may demonstrate that respondents understood the statements, as only a small proportion of statements were left unanswered. The question dealing with the definition of antimicrobial resistance and the question dealing with the definition of antimicrobial stewardship obtained the most incorrect replies (85% and 72%, respectively). However, a specific factual recall question regarding only one microorganism (MRSA) received the most correct responses (99%). CONCLUSIONS: We describe a simple, innovative method of engagement with patients and the general public to help educate and disseminate important public health messages around antimicrobial resistance and stewardship. We also identified the need for public health campaigns to address the knowledge gaps found around this topic.

Evaluation of selected ultrasonography parameters in the second stage of labor in prediction mode of delivery.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to determine the usefulness of ultrasound parameters in the second stage of labor in prediction of the method of delivery and to evaluate the benefits to be derived from this study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ultrasound scan was performed with Convex transabdominal probe on 68 pregnant women in labor at term with fetuses in cephalic presentation at the beginning of the second stage of labor and parameters such as angle of progression, head progression distance, head-symphysis distance and head-perineum distance were measured. The parameters were observed in two scans: a midline scan visualizing the pubic symphysis with the head of the fetus and a transverse scan approximately 1-2 cm below the pubic symphysis visualizing the head of the fetus. RESULTS: The ultrasound parameters measured at the beginning of the second stage of labor, differed in the group in which women have delivered vaginally and in the group, in which caesarean section was performed: angle of progression and head progression distance were greater in group of women who delivered naturally and head-perineum distance and head-symphysis distance were smaller in this group. Some relations between each measured parameter and time left to delivery were observed as well as strong relations among parameters were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: Intrapartum sonography is a useful and objective tool to assess the progress of labor. Transperineal ultra-sound scans performed in the second stage of labor may play a role in making the decision about the mode of delivery.

Taxol-induced polyploidy and cell death in CHO AA8 cells.

The purpose of this study was to assess whether Taxol-induced changes in microtubular dynamics are accompanied by apoptosis. CHO AA8 cells were treated with different Taxol concentrations (0.25microM, 0.5microM, 1microM) for 24h. The effects of Taxol exposure were analyzed using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry (TUNEL and annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide assays). 0.25microM Taxol caused the appearance of few multinucleated giant cells exhibiting extensive arrays of fine filaments. Slight increases in the level of polyploidy, phosphatidylserine externalization and in the percentage of TUNEL positive cells were noticed. Concentrations of 0.5 and 1microM resulted in the appearance of a large number of giant cells, which exhibited, depending on the cell, an extensive microtubular network or loose or tightly packed bundles of microtubules. Cells of reduced volume and showing chromatin condensation were also seen. Cell cycle analysis revealed that almost half of the cell population was polyploid. Except in cells exposed to 1microM Taxol, annexin V-FITC/PI labelling did not reveal the loss of plasma membrane integrity or increase in phosphatidylserine externalization; however, TUNEL assay revealed a significant increase in the percentage of cells with DNA fragmentation. These data indicate that CHO AA8 cells treated with Taxol undergo cell death of a type which considerably differs from apoptosis.

[The Rho protein family and its role in the cellular cytoskeleton]. / Rodzina bialek Rho i ich rola w cytoszkielecie komórki.

Proteins of the Rho protein family (RhoA, Rac1, Cdc42) work as molecular switches in the regulation of many cellular processes. They are involved in cell migration, cell-cycle control, apoptosis, and the regulation of gene transcription. Rho proteins show their activity mainly in the cell's cytoskeleton by taking part in the reorganization of microfilaments and microtubules. In recent years, significant progress has been made in understanding the biochemical and genetic nature of many processes controlled by Rho proteins. Although there are still seveal unknowns and hypothesizes which require confirmation, newer and more precise experimental results allow us to better understand these processes. It has also been suggested to use Rho family proteins in the therapy of some diseases. The purpose of this study was to characterize the significance of Rho processes in the cellular cytoskeleton.

[The types of cell death]. / Rodzaje smierci komórki.

Apoptosis was long considered the major mechanism of programmed cell death. However, results obtained during the last years have proved that chemotherapeuticals as well as a number of other factors may induce modes of cell death different from apoptosis. The identified mechanisms include mitotic catastrophe, autophagy, necrosis and, in the context of cancer therapy, senescence. The purpose of the following review is a general description of these processes.

Expression of cyclin A in human leukemia cell line HL-60 following treatment with doxorubicin and etoposide: the potential involvement of cyclin A in apoptosis.

We investigated expression of cyclin A in HL-60 cells after induction of apoptosis with doxorubicin and etoposide. Following apoptotic trigger, both cells arrested in G2/M phase of the cell cycle and changes in morphology were noticed. Moreover, compared to control, the number of cells with cyclin A expression was changed and translocation of this protein from the nucleus to the cytoplasm was observed. The decrease in the number of cells with cyclin A expression, followed by the increase, and cyclin A distribution throughout the cell, appeared to be dose-dependent. Cells treated with lower doses of doxorubicin and etoposide as well as the untreated cells were found to have cyclin A scattered mainly throughout the nucleus. However, immunogold labeling of cyclin A in both cell lines treated with 5- and 10-microM doses of doxorubicin, and 20 and 200 microM of etoposide was observed more often in the cytoplasm than in the nucleus. Cells with features of apoptosis with bodies resembling micro-nuclei labeled with gold particles for cyclin A were recognized. However, the small amount of giant cells was also seen. These results suggest that cyclin A expression is linked to cell death pathways.