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Inhibiting the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps to prevent the recurrence of post-operative glioblastoma
Retinal vessel segmentation using multi scale feature attention with MobileNetV2 encoder
Myofilamental integrity of the myometrium due to cold ischaemia stress during autotransplantation in the experimental sheep model
Uterine transplantation is currently the only solution that enables women with absolute uterine factor infertility to become pregnant and give birth to a child. In the preparatory phase of a human uterus transplantation, the sheep is the most recommended species. Cold ischaemia, i.e., a period of reduced or absent blood flow at cold conditions, can significantly impair the function of the transplanted organ. Cold ischaemia impairs smooth muscle function in general and reduces smooth muscle contractile activity. However, it seems to provide some protection against cold storage. Our main goal was to investigate the molecular mechanisms leading to reversible changes in myometrial myofilaments and to distinguish these from permanent changes, which was supported by histological imaging of uterine samples. Using fluorescence spectroscopy, we investigated important interactions between major components of smooth muscle such as actin and tissue-specific actin-binding proteins. We characterized functional changes by denaturation sensitivity and protein-protein interactions under low and high salt conditions by intrinsic tryptophan, Alexa488-phalloidin and eosin fluorescence emission spectroscopy assays. Our results suggest that short-term cold ischaemia causes minor disruption of muscle cells. The protein extracts of myometrium contained large amounts of actin, which was present in soluble complexes with actin-binding proteins after ischaemic stress. The results indicate that the contractile filament system underwent molecular stabilization and reassembly due to ischaemic stress and that the actin monomers were unable to form polymers due to increased heterologous protein-protein interactions. The content of necrotic proteins cannot be detected after brief ischaemia, but eosin selectively binds to large proteins (caldesmon, myosin chains, tropomyosin) and protein complexes. Based on these results, we can assume that short-term preservation of cold ischaemia in uterine transplantation reduces the risk of using it in clinical trials for complete myometrial recovery after reperfusion.
Circulating tumor DNA refines risk stratification of neoadjuvant therapy-resistant breast tumors
Abstract Early-stage breast cancers resistant to neoadjuvant therapy (NAT), characterized by high residual cancer burden (RCB) after treatment, have an increased risk of metastatic recurrence. Here, we show that circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) detected using a tumor-informed test (1) can improve risk stratification of patients with NAT-resistant tumors (RCB-II/RCB-III) and (2) predict response to NAT. Stratification using ctDNA status at pretreatment or post-NAT and ctDNA dynamics identified NAT-resistant tumors with a significantly decreased risk of metastatic recurrence. ctDNA clearance as early as week 3 across receptor subtypes predicted favorable responses to NAT, including immunotherapies. Interestingly, less than a fifth of patients with NAT-resistant tumors were ctDNA-positive post-NAT. Serial mutation profiling of NAT-resistant tumors revealed that patient-specific ctDNA assay variants remained detectable over time, including in tumors of patients ctDNA-negative post-NAT. Refining risk stratification for NAT-resistant tumors using ctDNA and understanding ctDNA shedding in these tumors could guide treatment decisions to prevent or delay metastatic recurrence.
Surface distributed acoustic sensing for mineral exploration
Abstract As a receiver array for active-source seismic studies, the use of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) technology is well established for vertical seismic profiling. However, given the sensitivity of fiber-optic cables, successful and cost-effective surface array studies in reflection seismology and for mineral exploration are still missing. In a feasibility study, we investigate the performance of surface DAS technology for mineral exploration in a hardrock environment. The target is an iron-oxide deposit located in the Bergslagen district in central Sweden. The fiber-optic cable was laid on the surface above the dipping mineralization and covered with a few centimeters of gravel to increase its ground coupling. The data quality varies significantly along the fiber cable. Nonetheless, it is possible to delineate the mineralization in several raw receiver gathers, justifying the development of this technology as a surface array for deep targeting. The adopted processing workflow handles noise issues inherent to DAS data and allows us to image the mineralization and surrounding host geological structures including a fault system thought to have played a role in the termination of the deposits at about 1000 m depth.
Examining the changing demand for orthotic service provision from routinely collected digital patient data: A national retrospective descriptive study across three clinics in Cambodia
Available data on the demand for orthotic services is limited, especially in low- and middle-income countries, yet the development and delivery of services relies on this information. In this study, routinely collected digital patient records are used to provide insights into orthotic service users from three Cambodian physical rehabilitation centres. Analysis of the digital patient records from 1998–2019 investigated trends by sex, clinic, reason for orthosis use, orthotic type, and age. The analysis showed that the characteristics of service users and the provision of orthotics have changed over time. The predominant reason for orthosis use prior to 2006 was polio, whereas in 2019 it was cerebral palsy. Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFOs) are the most common type of orthosis provided; however, key differences have been found between type of orthosis and age which suggests older individuals have different experiences of physical rehabilitation compared to younger age groups. Longitudinal trends indicate a substantial reduction in orthotics appointments which may be associated with change in service delivery and changing service user characteristics. The study has illustrated the insights which can be derived from digital patient records into the demand for orthotics services over two decades and demonstrates the need for targeted resources and planning for the provision of services.
Digital twin driven smart factories: real time physics based co-simulation using edge a.i. and federated learning
Association between Anti-Helicobacter pylori IgG seropositivity on coronary heart disease and potential pathogenesis: a Mendelian randomization study
Background Currently, observational studies and clinical trials have shown that the occurrence of coronary heart disease (CHD) is closely related to anti-Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) IgG seropositivity, but these studies may be affected by confounding factors, resulting in a causal relationship that is still controversial. Methods We conducted a Mendelian randomization analysis to clarify the association between anti-H. pylori IgG seropositivity and CHD and explore its potential pathogenesis. Exposure, outcome, and mediator data were obtained all from the genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary data. The inverse variance weighting (IVW) analysis method under the fixed-effect model was used as our primary statistical method. Other statistical methods are supplements, such as IVW under the random-effects model, weighted median, and MR-Egger regression method. Causal estimates are presented as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). To ensure the stability and reliability of the results, we also performed sensitivity and heterogeneity analysis. Results This study shows that increases of anti-H. pylori IgG seropositivity was significantly associated with an increased risk of CHD (OR=1.003, 95% CI:1.0001.006, P = 0.048) and increases in peak insulin response (β = 0.214, 95% CI: 0.025–0.403, P = 0.026), decrease in total free cholesterol levels (β = ‒0.031, 95% CI: ‒0.061 to ‒0.000, P = 0.045), decreased waist circumference (β = ‒0.073, 95% CI: ‒0.138 to ‒0.008, P = 0.027) and waist-to-hip ratio (β = ‒0.069, 95% CI: ‒0.136 to ‒0.002, P = 0.044). The leave-one-out method proved inadequate in detecting instances where a single SNP exhibited a bias towards or dependency on the causation. Furthermore, our findings revealed no heterogeneity or pleiotropy. Conclusion Our MR study provided strong evidence of a causal relationship between anti-H. pylori IgG seropositivity and related to an increased risk of CHD. The effect of anti-H. pylori IgG seropositivity on CHD may be related to a higher peak insulin response or lower total free cholesterol levels and a decrease in waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio. However, further research is needed to prove the results.
A yield design approach to the stability analysis of A seabed subjected to wave loading and pseudo-static seismic forces
Endemic vascular plants provide reliable indicators for mapping seasonally dry tropical forests
Plant communities are unevenly distributed in space, shaped by both abiotic and biotic factors. Several methods have been developed for delineating their extent, including the spatial analysis of vegetation patterns using tools such as vegetation maps, climate-based simulations, and the use of characteristic species distribution. However, limited knowledge exists about which species are most suitable for this purpose. In this study, we aimed to delimit the seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF) in Mexico based on the distribution area of vascular plant species endemic to Mexico and registered to this biome. Endemic species serve as key indicators for delineating biomes, highlighting regions with stable conditions and unique evolutionary and biological characteristics. The occurrence records of species were obtained from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) database, and ecological niche models were generated using the ENMTML package in R. The boundaries of the SDTF were delineated by stacking species distribution models, grouping endemic species according to the proportion of their occurrence records located within the SDTF: i ) ≥50% of records (SDTF 50%), ii ) ≥75% (SDTF 75%), and iii ) 100% (SDTF 100%). Model performance was evaluated using Kappa, sensitivity, and specificity metrics. We validated our results using Asteraceae points distributed across Mexico’s major biomes and analyzed confusion matrices. A total of 3,673 endemic species were registered, and 228 met the criteria for species distribution modeling. Of these, 96% yielded models with high predictive accuracy. Among the three approaches, the model based on high-affinity species (SDTF 75%) performed best in terms of all evaluation metrics, delineating approximately 14% of Mexico’s surface as SDTF. In conclusion, high-affinity species serve as reliable indicators for delineating plant communities with well-defined environmental characteristics, facilitating both the precise delineation of biomes and their application in conservation ecology and in other biomes.
Reply to: “Comment on volcanic monitoring of the 2021 La Palma eruption using long-period magnetotelluric data”
Multilevel obstacles to heart-healthy living in the context of Ischemic heart disease: A qualitative study
Background Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a major contributor to global morbidity and mortality. Lifestyle modifications play a central role in preventing and management of IHD, yet patients face barriers to engaging in healthy behaviors. This study explored these barriers among IHD patients in Lorestan Province, Iran. Methods A qualitative study using conventional content analysis was conducted. Semi-structured interviews were held with 31 IHD patients and 8 key informants (3 cardiologists, 2 cardiology residents, and 3 ward nurses), selected through purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using MAXQDA-2020 based on the Granheim and Lundman approach. Guba and Lincoln’s criteria were applied to ensure trustworthiness. Results Data analysis led to the identification of four main categories, 17 subcategories, and 413 primary codes. The categories identified included socio-cultural barriers, such as taboos surrounding women’s sports, misconceptions about sports, fatalism, unhealthy dietary patterns and beliefs, and patterns and beliefs regarding the use of addictive substances. Economic barriers included the economic crisis and the high cost of a healthy lifestyle. Individual barriers included a lack of prioritization of personal health, unhealthy food preferences, lack of access to facilities and conditions for a healthy lifestyle, personality traits, and low health literacy. Healthcare-medical barriers included communication challenges in healthcare, management and infrastructure challenges in healthcare services, gaps in patient education and healthcare delivery, and the perceived insignificance of lifestyle recommendations by patients. These interrelated barriers highlight the compounded difficulties IHD patients face in adopting and sustaining a healthy lifestyle. Conclusion This study identified multifaceted lifestyle modification barriers in IHD patients including sociocultural, economic, individual, and healthcare system factors. These necessitate community-based intervention, financial support for healthy living, tailored education, and health system reform to include systematic lifestyle counseling in regular care. Future studies are needed to evaluate the feasibility of these interventions to improve long-term health outcomes in IHD patients.
The Effect of progressive muscle relaxation and physical exercises on subjective well-being and fatigue of patients receiving hemodialysis: a randomized clinical trial
Fabrication of Ag3PO4/g-C3N4 heterojunction photocatalyst via in-situ growth and its photocatalytic performance
Current methods for fabricating heterojunction photocatalysts often involve complex processes and weak interfacial bonding. To address the limitations of complex processes and weak interfacial bonding in existing heterojunction photocatalyst fabrication, this study proposes an in-situ growth method to fabricate an Ag 3 PO 4 /g-C 3 N 4 heterojunction photocatalyst, achieving atomic-level tight interfacial bonding between the two components via in-situ ion exchange. The well-aligned band structures created an internal electric field, which facilitated the migration from the conduction band of graphitic carbon nitride to the valence band of silver phosphate, thereby promoting effective charge separation. Experimental results show that for methylene blue (MB, 5 mg/L) as the target pollutant, the Ag 3 PO 4 /g-C 3 N 4 heterojunction achieves 100% degradation within 15 minutes without any scavenger. In contrast, the Ti 3 C 2 /g-C 3 N 4 composite only reaches 98% degradation for the same MB solution, with a reaction time of 50 minutes (35 minutes longer than Ag 3 PO 4 /g-C 3 N 4 ). For rhodamine B (RhB, 5 mg/L), Ag 3 PO 4 /g-C 3 N 4 reaches degradation equilibrium after 62 minutes with a degradation rate over 96%, while Ti 3 C 2 /g-C 3 N 4 requires 133 minutes to reach 63% degradation for RhB. Under 400 nanometer excitation, graphitic carbon nitride showed intense fluorescence, suggesting that a significant portion of the photogenerated electrons underwent rapid recombination. When the temperature ranges from 15°C to 700°C, titanium carbide/graphitic carbon nitride shows a higher weight loss rate than silver phosphate/graphitic carbon nitride, which maintains a weight loss rate below 1%. Silver phosphate reaches degradation equilibrium after 62 minutes of visible-light irradiation, with a degradation rate exceeding 96%. These results indicate that the heterojunction photocatalyst fabricated by in-situ growth presents excellent photocatalytic activity and stability. It provides an approach for designing efficient and stable Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts.
Enhanced three-dimensional mapping of soil texture components using quantile regression forest and spline techniques in Jiangsu Province, China
A novel preparation method for monodisperse streptavidin magnetic beads and its application in electrochemiluminescent immunoassay for CEA
The magnetic microspheres coated with streptavidin (PS-SA) were successfully prepared by loading streptavidin onto modified hyperbranched poly(glycerol) (HPG) magnetic microspheres. This material was comprehensively characterized using various methods, including scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry and zeta potential measurement. This study introduced a novel electrochemiluminescence immunoassay utilizing functionalized magnetic microspheres for the ultrasensitive detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). The sensor employed Ru(bpy) 3 2+ -labeled anti-CEA-Ab2 (Ru-Ab2) as the signal probe and combined it with monodisperse streptavidin magnetic beads and biotinylated anti-CEA-Ab1 (bio-Ab1) to selectively capture CEA. Under optimized conditions, the immunosensor exhibited a broad linear range from 0.05 to 1000 ng/mL for CEA detection (R² = 0.998), along with an exceptionally low detection limit (LOD) of 0.02383 ng/mL. Moreover, the developed immunosensor demonstrated remarkable selectivity, excellent stability, and satisfactory reproducibility, indicating its significant potential for clinical diagnostic applications.