A significant negative correlation was found between the SvTVQMtF and fundamental frequency after voice feminization surgery. Cronbach's α was .79. Conclusion The SvTVQMtF-10 is a valid short version of the SvTVQMtF and can be used to quantify voice-related quality of life in MtF transsexuals.Artificial intelligence (AI) for the purpose of this review is an umbrella term for technologies emulating a nephropathologist's ability to extract information on diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy responsiveness from native or transplant kidney biopsies. Although AI can be used to analyze a wide variety of biopsy-related data, this review focuses on whole slide images traditionally used in nephropathology. AI applications in nephropathology have recently become available through several advancing technologies, including (i) widespread introduction of glass slide scanners, (ii) data servers in pathology departments worldwide, and (iii) through greatly improved computer hardware to enable AI training. In this review, we explain how AI can enhance the reproducibility of nephropathology results for certain parameters in the context of precision medicine using advanced architectures, such as convolutional neural networks, that are currently the state of the art in machine learning software for this task. Because AI applications in nephropathology are still in their infancy, we show the power and potential of AI applications mostly in the example of oncopathology. Moreover, we discuss the technological obstacles as well as the current stakeholder and regulatory concerns about developing AI applications in nephropathology from the perspective of nephropathologists and the wider nephrology community. We expect the gradual introduction of these technologies into routine diagnostics and research for selective tasks, suggesting that this technology will enhance the performance of nephropathologists rather than making them redundant.Diabetic kidney disease continues to be the leading cause of chronic kidney disease, often advancing to end stage kidney disease. In addition to the well characterized glomerular alterations including mesangial expansion, podocyte injury, and glomerulosclerosis, tubulointerstitial fibrosis is also an important component of diabetic kidney injury. Similarly, tubulointerstitial fibrosis is a critical component of any chronic kidney injury. Therefore, sensitive and quantitative identification of tubulointerstitial fibrosis is critical for the assessment of long-term prognosis of kidney disease. Here, we employed phasor approach to fluorescence lifetime imaging, commonly known as FLIM, to understand tissue heterogeneity and calculate changes in the tissue autofluorescence lifetime signatures due to diabetic kidney disease. FLIM imaging was performed on cryostat sections of snap-frozen biopsy material of patients with diabetic nephropathy.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/CP-690550.html  There was an overall increase in phase lifetime (τphase) with increased disease severity. Multicomponent phasor analysis shows the distinctive differences between the different disease states. Thus, phasor autofluorescence lifetime imaging, which does not involve any staining, can be used to understand and evaluate the severity of kidney disease.The work by Foote et al. (2020) 1 has highlighted the degree to which medical students are included within different clerkships. As medical students, we have had our shared experiences of different clerkships, and we understand the frustration expressed by medical students at the lack of their involvement in different clerkships. We would like to propose a few suggestions that might improve the experience of medical students during these clerkships.Rationale & objective Comparative benefits and harms of calcimimetic agents used for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism have not been well characterized. We sought to compare the effectiveness of 3 calcimimetic agents using published data. Study design Systematic review of randomized controlled trials and network meta-analysis. Setting & study population Adults with chronic kidney disease enrolled in a clinical trial of a calcimetic agent. Search strategy & sources MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL (from February 7, 2013, to November 21, 2019), and a published meta-analysis. Data extraction Two reviewers independently extracted the study data, assessed risk of bias, and rated evidence certainty using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria. Analytical approach Frequentist network meta-analysis was conducted. The primary review outcomes were achievement of a target reduction in serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels and hypocalcemia. Additional outcomes were nausea limited to short-term assessment of a putative surrogate outcome (serum PTH). Although etelcalcetide was associated with the largest reduction in PTH levels, side-effect profiles differed across the 3 calcimimetic agents, making it not possible to identify 1 preferred agent.Flocculation of marine microalgae is challenging because of the high ionic strength of the culture medium. We investigated cationic cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as biobased flocculants for the marine microalgae Nannochloropsis oculata, and compared its performance to chitosan. Cationic CNCs induced flocculation at a low dose of 11 mg L-1, while chitosan required a dose of 35 mg L-1. Our cationic CNCs possess a permanent positive charge, allowing flocculation over a wide pH-range (4 to 10). The CNC maximum flocculation efficiency was 90 %, while chitosan achieved > 95 %, attributed to small flocs remaining in suspension for CNCs. However, centrifugation for 1 min at 180 g or gravity filtration using a 30 μm nylon filter after CNC flocculation resulted in the removal of these small, stable flocs (∼150 μm diam) and > 95% harvesting efficiency. Cationic CNCs can thus serve as a sustainable alternative natural flocculant for harvesting both freshwater and marine microalgae.To investigate effect of molecular weight distribution on formation of the short-chain amylose-lipid complex, debranched waxy rice starch (Unf) was fractionated into F1, F2 and F3, and the four fractions were used to complex with palmitic acid (C160). The peak molecular weight was in the order of F1 100 °C. Moreover, the F1-C160 complex was more ordered than the Unf-C160 complex, although F1 had lower molecular weight. These results suggested that improving homogeneity of short-chain amylose promoted ordered arrangement of the short-chain amylose-lipid complex. Moreover, the F3-C160 complex was the most resistant, which accorded with its highest crystallinity.