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Magnification-independent breast cancer diagnosis using a GWO-enhanced vision transformer with multi-stage stain normalization
Abstract Breast cancer diagnosis from histopathological images remains a critical yet challenging task due to staining variability, magnification differences, and complex tissue morphology. This study presents a comprehensive preprocessing, balancing, and classification framework for the BreakHis dataset, integrating advanced stain normalization, magnification-wise augmentation, and an optimized Vision Transformer architecture. A four-stage normalization pipeline comprising CLAHE, histogram matching, Shades-of-Gray correction, and Macenko stain normalization was developed to standardize color distribution and enhance structural clarity across 7909 images. To address severe class imbalance, a targeted magnification-specific augmentation strategy expanded the dataset to 11,848 images with equal benign and malignant representation. A Vision Transformer (ViT) model was designed for each of the four magnifications (40X, 100X, 200X, 400X), and further optimized using the Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO) to automatically tune hyperparameters such as transformer depth, attention heads, embedding dimensions, dropout, and learning rate. Experimental results demonstrate high and consistent performance across magnifications, with accuracies of 92.1%, 92.9%, 93.5%, and 94.0%, respectively. Cross-validation reveals minimal variance, confirming model robustness and generalization. The proposed GWO-ViT framework establishes a reliable, magnification-invariant, and computationally efficient solution for automated breast cancer histopathology classification, offering strong potential for clinical integration.
An acetylation-dependent switch underlies host disease tolerance during streptococcal infection
Evaluating mammographic density polygenic risk score for contralateral breast cancer risk prediction
Exploratory randomized trial of Weissella cibaria CMU and oral microbiome changes in peri implant mucositis
Development of a scalable production bioprocess for HIV-1 virus-like particles coupling continuous VLP harvesting with end-to-end downstream processing
A city-based framework identifies wild Hedychium species suitable for near-nature urban landscaping in China
Space–time variable-order fractional analysis of nonlinear longitudinal wave propagation in magneto-electro-elastic materials
Medial Pulvinar Nucleus as a Causal Hub for Heteromodal Naming
Our ability to retrieve the names of objects in our environment is a fundamental aspect of everyday life. This process requires a complex, dynamic network of cortical and subcortical interactions. While the cortical constituents of this network have been extensively studied with intracranial recordings, the subcortical nodes of the naming network are unclear. We probed the role of the left medial pulvinar nucleus in naming with direct intracranial recordings and stimulation in eight humans (three male, five female) as they named objects using pictures and auditory and written descriptions. We found a spectrotemporal signature of naming in the left medial pulvinar nucleus, characterized by a low frequency (8–20 Hz) suppression, consistent across sensory modalities during naming, and absent during other non-naming language tasks. Within this frequency band, Granger causal interactions showed that the pulvinar nucleus received strong inputs from early visual, ventral temporal, and parahippocampal cortices. Direct thalamic stimulation reliably induced anomia, confirming that the left medial pulvinar nucleus is a critical node in the distributed naming network.
Smart city traffic optimization using IoD and IoT integration
Automating the assessment of quality indicators using a clinical data warehouse: a pilot study on door-to-imaging time in stroke management
POLAR-DETR: Polarized occlusion-aware local-global attention real-time detection transformer for total laboratory automation
Green DOE based RP-HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of Azelastine and Losartan in spiked human plasma samples
Abstract A green RP-HPLC approach coupled with spectrofluorometric detection was established for the simultaneous estimation of the co-administered drugs Azelastine (AZL) and Losartan (LOS) in spiked human plasma samples. Preliminary trials were carried out for determination of the Critical Method Parameters (CMPs) and Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs). Design of Experiment (DOE) was developed relying on the use of Central Composite Design (CCD) for the optimization of conditions to establish a simple, rapid, cost-effective and environmentally benign approach. The chromatographic separation was based on using a mobile phase composed of methanol: acetonitrile: 0.02M phosphate buffer of pH 3.25 with 0.05% tri-ethylamine (60: 1.5: 38.5, v/v/v) at a flow rate of 1.2 mL/min and injection volume of 10µL. The fluorescence detection was carried out at 245 nm/400 nm and 290 nm/360 nm for estimation of LOS and AZL, respectively. The retention times of AZL and LOS were 8.9 ± 0.2 min and 13.4 ± 0.1 min, respectively. The developed method was validated according to ICH Guidelines with linear relationship in concentration ranges of 0.10–50.0µg/mL for AZL and 0.30–40.0µg/mL for LOS, while in spiked plasma samples the concentration ranges were 0.025–0.07µg/mL for AZL and 0.025–0.10 µg/mL for LOS. The developed approach was successfully applied for the quantitation of both drugs in spiked human plasma samples. Complex MoGAPI and AGREE methodologies were used for greenness assessment.
Environmental Enrichment Preserves Retrosplenial Parvalbumin Density and Cognitive Function in Female 5xFAD Mice
The rate of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD) varies considerably from person to person. Numerous epidemiological studies point to the protective effects of cognitive, social, and physical enrichment as potential mediators of cognitive decline in AD; however, there is much debate as to the mechanism underlying these protective effects. The retrosplenial cortex (RSC) is one of the earliest brain regions with impaired functions during AD pathogenesis, and its activity is affected by cognitive, social, and physical stimulation, making it a particularly interesting region to investigate the influences of an enriched lifestyle on AD pathogenesis. In the current study, we use the 5xFAD mouse mode of AD to examine the impact of enriched housing conditions on cognitive function in AD and the viability of a particularly vulnerable cell population within the RSC—parvalbumin interneurons (PV-INs). Enriched housing conditions improved cognitive performance in female 5xFAD mice. These changes in cognitive performance coincided with restored functional connectivity of the RSC and preserved PV-IN density within this region. Along with preserved PV-IN density, there was an increase in the density of Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive perineuronal nets (WFA + PNNs) across the RSC of 5xFAD mice housed in enriched conditions. Direct manipulation of WFA + PNNs revealed that these extracellular matrix structures protect PV-INs from amyloid toxicity and may be the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of enrichment. Together, these results provide support for the WFA + PNN-mediated maintenance of PV-INs in the RSC as a potential mechanism mediating the protective effects of enrichment against cognitive decline in AD.
A latent class analysis of cardiometabolic risk factors and the predicted prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis in middle-aged Swedish adults
Abstract Previous research on cardiometabolic risk has mostly used a variable-centred approach, assessing risk factors separately or in predefined combinations. This study used a probabilistic modelling approach to identify distinct cardiometabolic risk classes and estimate the predicted prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis. The analysis included 28,307 middle-aged adults from the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (2013–2018), linked to national registers. Eleven risk factors were assessed: smoking, alcohol consumption, sodium and fibre intake, physical activity, stress, waist circumference, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, blood pressure, and fasting glucose. Subclinical atherosclerosis was defined using coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores and the presence of carotid plaque. A three-step latent class analysis identified four cardiometabolic risk classes: “low fibre intake and normolipidemia” (55.2%, Class 1), “high sodium intake and normolipidemia” (12.8%, Class 2), “unhealthy lifestyle and heightened metabolic risk” (10.1%, Class 3), and “unhealthy lifestyle and high metabolic risk” (21.9%, Class 4). Predicted mean CAC scores ranged from 42.6 (Class 2, 95% CI 39.0–46.3) to 92.1 (Class 4, 95% CI 86.2–98.0). Predicted carotid plaque prevalence ranged from 51.6% (Class 2, 95% CI 50.6–52.6) to 60.8% (Class 4, 95% CI 59.8–61.9). Latent classes offered a complementary descriptive framework beyond single risk factors, supporting more tailored prevention according to risk profiles.
Contactin-2 protects against aortic valve calcification via osteogenic differentiation inhibition
Medicinal and aromatic plants as climate-smart crops: case studies on Pelargonium graveolens and Viola odorata under Egyptian conditions
Abnormal Neuronal Excitability and Reduced Parvalbumin Expression in Shank3-Deficient Parvalbumin Neurons of the Thalamic Reticular Nucleus
Fast-spiking, nonadaptive inhibitory neurons in the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) critically gate the reciprocal communication between the thalamus and the cortex. Parvalbumin (PV) neurons express high levels of PV, the sole role of which appears to be calcium buffering. The significance of the PV protein—and its related high calcium-buffering capacity—under pathological conditions, especially in various neuropsychiatric disorders, is underappreciated. Deficiency of SHANK3, an important neuronal protein containing ankyrin, SH3, and PDZ, three canonical domains for protein recognition, causes behavioral changes relevant to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Here we report TRN PV neurons of Shank3−/− (exon 4–22 deletion) mice of either sex exhibit pronounced increases in burst firing occurrence, decreased tonic firing frequency, and faster dendritic calcium transient decay. We pinpointed reduced PV expression as the culprit and used the added buffer approach to confirm the decrease in calcium-buffering capacity in mutant neurons. Conversely, supplementing Shank3−/− PV neurons with extra EGTA reverses the abnormal action potential (AP) firing. In addition, the PV neurons from HCN2−/− mice exhibit consistent changes in neuronal excitability, PV expression, and calcium signaling. Together with the study of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), these results uncover reduced PV expression, calcium-buffering capacity, and altered neuronal excitability in Shank3−/− and HCN2−/− mice. This pathway, downstream of Shank3 deficiency and HCN channelopathy, may form an important pathological basis not only for ASD but also other neuropsychiatric disorders.
Protective role of lycopene against salinity-induced oxidative stress in Medicago sativa L. seedlings
Dynamic Representation of Multidimensional Object Properties in the Human Brain
Our visual world consists of an immense number of unique objects and yet, we are easily able to identify, distinguish, and reason about the things we see within a few hundred milliseconds. Here, we used a large-scale and comprehensively sampled stimulus set and developed an analysis approach to capture how rich, multidimensional object representations unfold over time in the human brain. We modeled time-resolved MEG signals of four humans (two females and two males) viewing single presentations of tens of thousands of object images based on millions of behavioral judgments. Extracting behavior-derived object dimensions from similarity judgments, we developed a data-driven approach to guide our understanding of the neural representation of the object space and found that every dimension is reflected in the neural signal. Studying the temporal profiles for different object dimensions, we found that the time courses fell into two broad types, with either a distinct and early peak (∼125 ms) or a slow rise to a late peak (∼300 ms). Further, early effects were stable across participants, in contrast to later effects which showed more variability, suggesting that early peaks may carry stimulus-specific and later peaks more participant-specific information. Dimensions with early peaks appeared to be primarily visual dimensions and those with later peaks more conceptual, suggesting that conceptual representations are more variable across people. Together, these data provide a comprehensive account of how behavior-derived object properties unfold in the human brain and form the basis for the rich nature of object vision.