University of Coimbra

About: University of Coimbra is a education organization based out in Coimbra, Portugal. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Mitochondrion. The organization has 14318 authors who have published 43067 publications receiving 994733 citations. The organization is also known as: UC & Universidade dos Estudos Gerais.

Automated polyp detection in colon capsule endoscopy.

Abstract: Colorectal polyps are important precursors to colon cancer, a major health problem. Colon capsule endoscopy is a safe and minimally invasive examination procedure, in which the images of the intestine are obtained via digital cameras on board of a small capsule ingested by a patient. The video sequence is then analyzed for the presence of polyps. We propose an algorithm that relieves the labor of a human operator analyzing the frames in the video sequence. The algorithm acts as a binary classifier, which labels the frame as either containing polyps or not, based on the geometrical analysis and the texture content of the frame.We assume that the polyps are characterized as protrusions that are mostly round in shape. Thus, a best fit ball radius is used as a decision parameter of the classifier. We present a statistical performance evaluation of our approach on a data set containing over 18 900 frames from the endoscopic video sequences of five adult patients. The algorithm achieves 47% sensitivity per frame and 81% sensitivity per polyp at a specificity level of 90%. On average, with a video sequence length of 3747 frames, only 367 false positive frames need to be inspected by an operator.

Effects of Sitagliptin Treatment on Dysmetabolism, Inflammation, and Oxidative Stress in an Animal Model of Type 2 Diabetes (ZDF Rat)

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the chronic effect of sitagliptin on metabolic profile, inflammation, and redox status in the Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) rat, an animal model of obese type 2 diabetes. Diabetic and obese ZDF (fa/fa) rats and their controls (ZDF +/+) were treated during 6 weeks with vehicle (control) and sitagliptin (10 mg/kg/bw). Glucose, HbA1c, insulin, Total-c, TGs, IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, CRPhs, and adiponectin were assessed in serum and MDA and TAS in serum, pancreas, and heart. Pancreatic histology was also evaluated. Sitagliptin in diabetic rats promoted a decrease in glucose, HbA1c, Total-c, and TGs accompanied by a partial prevention of insulinopenia, together, with a decrease in CRPhs and IL-1beta. Sitagliptin also showed a positive impact on lipid peroxidation and hypertension prevention. In conclusion, chronic sitagliptin treatment corrected the glycaemic dysmetabolism, hypertriglyceridaemia, inflammation, and hypertension, reduced the severity of the histopathological lesions of pancreatic endocrine and exocrine tissues, together with a favourable redox status, which might be a further advantage in the management of diabetes and its proatherogenic comorbidities.

Do hyperons exist in the interior of neutron stars

Abstract: In this work we review the role of hyperons on the properties of neutron and proto-neutron stars. In particular, we revise the so-called “hyperon puzzle”, go over some of the solutions proposed to tackle it, and discuss the implications that the recent measurements of unusually high neutron star masses have on our present knowledge of hypernuclear physics. We re-examine also the role of hyperons on the cooling properties of newly born neutron stars and on the so-called r-mode instability.