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Perception based investigation exploring recurrence of violations by motorist and non-motorist at rail road grade crossings
Limits of life: Thermal tolerance of deep-sea hydrothermal vent copepods and implications for community succession
Organisms that live in extreme marine environments naturally experience intermittent exposures to the limits of their physiological potential at different time scales and have developed diverse strategies to survive these variations. We tested the tolerance to thermal stress of deep-sea dirivultid copepod communities from focused and diffuse flows at East Pacific Rise 9°50’N hydrothermal vents in relation to habitat type, oxygen concentration and habitat pressure to unravel their physiological limits to extreme temperature. Lethal median time and temperature experiments were performed to derive the respective thermal death time (TDT) curves. Results showed that dirivultid copepods possess high thermal tolerance exclusively for short exposures and that in situ vent fluid flow conditions were an important predictor for maximum tolerated temperatures. Anoxia had a major negative impact on vent copepod survival, whereas atmospheric pressure did not have a significant effect. Results for the upper thermal tolerance of copepods were remarkably similar to macro- and megafauna from the same habitats, while tolerance to hypoxia or anoxia seems to increase with size. Data on relative abundance of dirivultid copepods in their habitats over the past two decades, coupled with data on temperature and anoxia tolerance, suggest that physiological limits strongly impact copepod community composition at focused flow habitats regardless of successional stage. In contrast, complex interplays of interspecific competition, food-source partitioning and experienced small-scale environmental heterogeneity within megafauna aggregations might shape dirivultid community dynamics in diffuse flow habitats.
Impact of resection margins on local recurrence in patients with myxofibrosarcoma
Adapting the WHO Behavioural and Social Drivers of Vaccination (BeSD) tools and Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) scale for pregnant women in South Africa: Insights from a mixed-methods pilot study
Background Understanding vaccine attitudes, knowledge, and perceptions is critical for improving vaccine uptake, particularly among vulnerable populations such as pregnant women. This study aimed to test and adapt quantitative survey tools and an interview guide for assessing maternal and childhood vaccine attitudes among pregnant women in the South African context. Methods We conducted a mixed-methods pilot study among pregnant women attending antenatal care at two public hospitals in Cape Town, South Africa, between September 2023 and January 2024. Quantitative data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire on tablets, incorporating the adapted BeSD and VAX tools, while qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews. Additionally, the quantitative questionnaire contained the General Vaccine Attitude Survey questions developed by the World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (WHO SAGE) Working Group on Vaccine Hesitancy and a validated tool on knowledge of influenza and attitudes toward influenza vaccination during pregnancy. Adaptations to the tools were informed by participant feedback and pretesting. Results Eighty pregnant women agreed to participate in the quantitative survey, one participant dropped out of the study and seven completed follow-up qualitative interviews. The tools were well received, with participants reporting ease of use and understanding. Minor linguistic adjustments improved clarity, and participants identified healthcare providers as key influencers in vaccine decision-making. Knowledge gaps regarding maternal vaccination and concerns about vaccine safety during pregnancy were prominent. The mixed-methods approach provided complementary insights into the tools’ applicability and participants’ attitudes. Conclusions This pilot study demonstrated that the WHO BeSD tools, the VAX Scale, the General Vaccine Attitude Survey, and the questions on knowledge of influenza and attitudes toward influenza vaccination during pregnancy, with minor adaptations, are feasible and acceptable for use in South Africa. These findings support their application in larger studies to explore maternal vaccine confidence and decision-making. Addressing knowledge gaps and leveraging trusted sources of information is critical to enhancing vaccine uptake in similar settings.
Temporal and intra-horse consistency of circulating myostatin concentrations in Thoroughbred racehorses
Abstract In Thoroughbred horses, a highly prevalent short interspersed nuclear element (SINE) mutation in the myostatin gene ( MSTN ) promoter influences circulating myostatin concentration and is associated with muscle morphology, fracture risk and optimal race distance. Our prior data reveal that within horses there is substantial variation in serum myostatin concentration, particularly in MSTN heterozygotes and wild type horses but it was unclear whether such variation relates to within-horse differences or to environmental or temporal effects. Here we report the intra-horse consistency of circulating myostatin, and investigated the hypothesis that it is affected by season. 49 racing Thoroughbreds under identical management were genotyped for the MSTN promoter SINE insertion and myostatin concentrations were measured in plasma with a validated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, from blood samples collected repeatedly over a year. As expected, genotype was significantly associated with circulating myostatin, with homozygotes having the lowest concentration, followed by heterozygous and then wild-type horses. Intra-horse plasma myostatin had low to moderate variability throughout the year, within genotyped groups (coefficient of variation: 17 to 23%): aside from a direct mutation effect, horses tended to be low, moderate, or higher myostatin expressers. Neither season, sex, nor age significantly influenced plasma myostatin concentration. Further work is necessary to determine whether an individual’s plasma myostatin concentration is associated with any performance advantages, muscle characteristics or fracture risk within SINE genotyped groups.
Investigation on the influence of unbalanced shaft component in gearbox on displacement using the Newmark-β method
This study introduces an enhanced numerical approach for analyzing the dynamic behavior of a rotor-bearing system subjected to unbalanced excitation from a gearbox drive shaft. The Newmark-β method with the integration of a variable time-step algorithm was used, allowing the system to be solved rapidly and accurately without compromising stability. This technique enables a precise computation of displacement and torsional deformation of the rotating shaft during its operational cycle. The proposed computational model is validated against experimental data, showing deviations of displacement in normal operation below the critical speed of about 6%. A comprehensive parametric analysis is conducted to evaluate the influence of rotational speed, trial mass, and initial phase angle on the system dynamics. The findings confirm that our enhanced numerical approach yields rapid convergence and reliable predictions, making it a valuable tool for dynamic analysis of rotating systems.
Metabolome analysis as a potential source of endometriosis biomarkers with the use of multiomics approach in its diagnosis
Environmental heterogeneity plays a bigger role than diet quality in driving divergent California sea lion population trends
While the global population of California sea lions ( Zalophus californianus ) is increasing, regional trends show a decline in the Gulf of California (GoC, Mexico) and an increase in the Channel Islands (CI, U.S.) over the last 40 years. The drivers of these divergent trends remain unclear, but previous pinniped studies suggest that differences in diet quality—rather than prey abundance—may play a role. We therefore examined how California sea lion population trajectories relate to diet quality, specifically looking at diet energy density and diet diversity. Using population and diet data from 1980 to 2020 for sea lions in the GoC and CI, we found no simple relationships between population trajectories and diet quality over time at either the local or regional level. Energy densities of sea lion diets were similar between the two regions, but GoC sea lions consumed a more diverse range of prey (n = 88 vs. 23 main prey taxa) dominated by benthic species and schooling fishes, while CI diets consisted mainly of schooling fishes and squid. We also found that GoC sea lions ate more benthic prey and less schooling fish during the 2014–2016 heatwave—decreasing their overall diet energy density. This shift coincided with a temporary population decline in the CI but had variable effects on GoC populations. Overall, our findings suggest that regional population trends are influenced by complex ecological factors beyond diet quality alone, highlighting the need to consider environmental variability and prey composition when assessing the resilience of sea lion populations to climate-driven changes.
Assessment of monocular human pose estimation models for clinical movement analysis
Abstract Recent advances in computer vision and learning-based approaches have led to the emergence of markerless human pose estimation as a promising alternative to established motion capturing methods. Markerless methods offer several advantages, including low hardware requirements, affordability, fast setup, and reduced post-processing efforts. However, the accuracy of these methods and the speed at which poses are inferred tend to be lower when compared with marker-based optical motion capturing, which might restrict their range of applications. This study assessed the accuracy, precision, and inference speed of 11 different open source monocular markerless human pose estimators. For this we created Physio2.2M, a dataset comprising 2.2 million RGB frames of 25 unimpaired participants engaged in physical exercise paired with the corresponding ground truth measurements from an optical motion capture system using passive markers. The mean per joint position error between markerless human pose estimators and marker-based optical motion capturing was found to be in the range of 72 to 122 mm in 2D within the image plane and 146 to 249 mm in 3D when considering depth. The knee flexion angle was measured with a mean absolute error of $$9.3-21.9^{\circ }$$ in 2D and $$14.1-25.8^{\circ }$$ in 3D. The elbow flexion angle was measured with a mean absolute error of $$21.5-28.9^{\circ }$$ in 2D and $$16.3-26.0^{\circ }$$ in 3D. Some of the investigated 2D human pose estimators can achieve accuracies comparable to visual assessments. The inference speed of direct pose estimators ranged between 25 and 200 FPS and 2D-to-3D lifting methods achieved inference speeds of 117 to 9341 FPS. The accuracy and precision varied greatly between different pose estimators and between different image dimensions. This study offers a valuable comparison on the performance of different pose estimators in applications involving physical activities and highlights current limitations.
Relationship between HLA-DRB1 shared epitope alleles and peripheral blood monocyte counts in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Objectives To investigate the relationship between Human Leukocyte Antigen-DR beta 1 (HLA-DRB1) shared epitope (SE) alleles and peripheral blood monocyte counts in disease-modifying antirheumatic drug-naïve patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and also the relationship between specific SE alleles and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (anti-CCP Ab) titers. Methods This retrospective single-center study included 86 Japanese patients with RA. HLA-DRB1 genotyping was performed, and SE alleles associated with a high risk of developing RA were classified into the S 2 (*04:01) and S 3P (*01:01, *01:02, *04:04, *04:05, *04:08, and *10:01) categories. Patients were stratified based on monocyte count tertiles. The relationships between monocyte counts at diagnosis and clinical, serological, and genetic factors were analyzed. Logistic regression was used to identify independent factors associated with high monocyte counts. Results SE-positive patients, particularly those with S 3P alleles, had significantly higher monocyte counts than SE-negative patients. A multivariate analysis revealed that male sex and S 3P positivity, particularly HLA-DRB1 *01:01 or *04:05, were independently associated with higher monocyte counts. Patients carrying at least one S 3P allele had significantly higher anti-CCP Ab titers, with patients homozygous for HLA-DRB1 *04:05 having the highest levels. A similar relationship was not found with HLA-DRB1 *01:01 despite its strong effect on monocyte counts. Conclusions This is the first study to demonstrate a significant association between SE alleles and peripheral blood monocyte counts in RA. The results obtained suggest that specific SE alleles, particularly S 3P alleles, contribute to the early pathogenesis of RA by enhancing monocyte-driven immune activation and anti-CCP Ab production.
Prevalence of comorbidities and their impact on prognosis among patients with rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis: a multicenter retrospective cohort study in China
Retraction: Unleashing the role of e-word of mouth on purchase intention in select Facebook fan pages of smart phone users
Evaluating the efficiency of vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanoides) for municipal wastewater treatment in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia
Comparative evaluation of score criteria for dynamic Bayesian Network structure learning
Dynamic Bayesian Networks (DBNs) are probabilistic models with a directional structure employed to model temporal processes. Three approaches to DBN structure learning are constraint-based, score-based, and hybrid. The score criterion determined in the score-based and hybrid approach has a certain effect on structure learning and this study aims to examine their performance by diversifying the score criteria used in DBN structure learning in addition to the scores commonly used in the literature. Thus, the Akaike-based information criteria as Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), Consistent AIC (CAIC), Kullback-Leibler Information Criterion (KIC), AIC4, and the Bayesian-based information criteria as Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC), Adjusted BIC (BICadj), Haughton BIC (HBIC), BICQ were adapted into the DBN structure learning. The obtained results were discussed.
MIL-101-DIST/g-C3N4/Ni a new nano-photocatalyst for nitrobenzene photo-reduction via in-situ hydrogen generation from water splitting
Retraction: Synergistic antitumor activities of docetaxel and octreotide associated with apoptotic-upregulation in castration-resistant prostate cancer
Transcriptomic and in vitro analysis of red pitahaya betacyanin fraction as a natural anti-biofilm agent against oral Streptococcus mutans
Exploring the association between stress-related hormonal changes, behaviours and facial movements after an interval training exercise in French Standardbred
Physical exercise can act as a physiological and a mental stressor. Monitoring exercise-induced stress is therefore essential to understand racehorses ‘responses to effort and to ensure their welfare. Stress perceived by the horse during physical activity can be measured using various indicators, including stress-related hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, and other neuromodulators such as serotonin, all involved in the stress response and its regulation. Another approach to assess physiological and emotional responses to stimuli such as exercise is through behaviours and facial movements. In this study, we aimed to 1) evaluate the changes in these three hormones following a trotting exercise, 2) determine the changes in behaviour and facial movements in response to the same exercise and 3) investigate potential relationships between hormonal variations and specific behavioural patterns that could serve as indicators of exercise-induced stress in horses. Fourteen French Standardbred horses from two stables were monitored over one day. In the morning, they performed an interval training trotting exercise. Behaviours and facial movements were recorded via video for 2 min 30 both before and just after exercise. Saliva and blood samples were collected at four time points: before exercise, just after exercise, 1 h post-exercise and 24 h post-exercise to assess salivary cortisol, and serum concentrations concentration of adrenaline and serotonin. Results showed significant post-exercise increases in all three hormones with peak concentrations observed immediately after exercise, and elevated cortisol and adrenaline levels persisting one hour later. These variations are consistent with normal physiological responses to physical effort, reflecting activation of regulatory systems rather than necessarily indicating negative stress. However, inter-individual variability in the magnitude of these responses suggests that horses did not all experience the exercise in the same way, highlighting potential differences exercise-induced stress. In terms of behaviour, horses exhibited higher frequencies of facial movements, particularly mouth movements, after exercise than before. Moreover, increases in serotonin and adrenaline concentrations were positively associated with agitation-related behaviours (pawing and head turning) and mouth movements. Overall, our findings suggest that a behavioural profile characterised by increased agitation and mouth movements may reflect a post-exercise arousal response in French Standardbreds. These behaviours, in association with hormonal changes, could provide a useful non-invasive tool to assess to assess horses’ response to exercise, and potentially exercise-induced stress. However, further studies are needed to confirm this interpretation, particularly by investigating the potential effects of post-exercise management practices such as cross-tying, which may induce frustration.