Browse Articles
Discover research articles across all indexed journals
Modeling the detection range of pulsed calls from resident killer whale in nearshore waters of British Columbia, Canada
Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) using underwater listening stations is widely employed to assess the presence and movements of marine mammals. Accurate interpretation of PAM data requires knowledge of vocalization detection ranges, which vary spatially and temporally with ambient sound levels and sound propagation conditions. This study presents a Monte Carlo framework for estimating call detection probabilities as a function of distance incorporating variability in frequency dependent source levels, ambient sound levels and caller depths. This methodology was applied to underwater listening stations deployed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in the Salish Sea to monitor endangered Southern and threatened Northern Resident Killer Whales (Orcinus orca ater). The approach integrates in situ ambient sound measurements and modeled propagation losses to account for variability in source levels and vocalizing depths. To reflect frequency-dependent detectability by an automated detector, the analysis was performed independently across consecutive 300 Hz frequency bands. Median estimated detection ranges for Southern Resident Killer Whale pulsed calls varied from 650 m under the worst conditions (high ambient noise levels, low source level, high propagation loss) to 7.9 km under the best conditions (low ambient noise levels, high source level, low propagation loss). Maximum detection ranges were generally greater in summer than in winter, primarily due to higher ambient noise levels in winter associated with increased weather activity. Calls from Northern Resident Killer Whales were detectable at shorter ranges than those from Southern Residents, reflecting their lower source levels and weaker low-frequency components. Sensitivity analysis showed that the frequency distribution of source levels was the primary factor influencing detection range estimates, while seasonal changes in propagation loss had comparatively limited impact. Although developed for killer whales, this approach can be adapted to other vocal species to quantify species-specific detection range probabilities, guide optimal hydrophone placement to maximize coverage in noisy environments (with application to noise impact mitigation strategies), and provide needed inputs for passive acoustic density estimation models.
Inverted shear-strain magnetoelastic coupling at the Fe/BaTiO3 interface from polarised x-ray imaging
Abstract The elastic degree of freedom is widely exploited to mediate magnetoelectric coupling between ferromagnetic films and ferroelectric substrates. For epitaxial Fe films grown on clean BaTiO3 substrates, shear strain can determine the underlying magnetoelastic coupling. Here, we use PhotoEmission Electron Microscopy of ferroic Fe and BaTiO3 domains, combined with micromagnetic simulations, to directly reveal an inverted interfacial magnetoelastic coupling in the low-dimensional limit. We show that the magnetocrystalline anisotropy competes with the epitaxial shear strain to align the local magnetization of ultrathin Fe films close to the local polarization direction of the ferroelectric BaTiO3 in-plane domains. Poling the BaTiO3 substrate creates c-domains with no shear strain contribution with the local magnetization rotated by ~45°. Tuning shear strain magnetoelastic contributions suggests new routes for designing magnetoelectric devices.
A novel deep neural architecture for efficient and scalable multidomain image classification
Incidence and risk factors associated with ischemic cerebrovascular disease in patients with retinal artery occlusion: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Automatic road damage recognition based on improved YOLOv11 with multi-scale feature extraction and fusion attention mechanism
Rapid urbanization and growing traffic volumes have increased the demand for efficient and accurate road damage detection to ensure traffic safety and optimize maintenance. Traditional manual and vehicle-mounted inspection methods are often inefficient, costly, and prone to error. Deep learning-based approaches have made progress but still face challenges in detecting small objects, handling complex backgrounds, and meeting real-time requirements due to high computational costs and limited generalization. This study proposes an improved road damage detection method based on YOLOv11, incorporating a Tiny Object Detection Layer for enhanced small object recognition through high-resolution and multi-scale feature fusion. A Global Attention Mechanism is integrated to emphasize critical regions and suppress background noise. Additionally, lightweight convolution modules (C3k2CrossConv and C3k2Ghost) optimize the network to reduce computational complexity and improve inference speed. Experimental results on the RDD2022 dataset show that the YOLOv11-ATL model achieves 3.2% and 3.1% gains in mAP@0.50 and mAP@0.50:0.95, respectively, demonstrating robust performance in complex environments while maintaining a favorable balance between accuracy and efficiency. Overall, the proposed approach offers a practical and effective solution for intelligent road damage detection, supporting urban infrastructure management and intelligent transportation systems.
A protein-proximity screen reveals Ebola virus co-opts the mRNA decapping complex through the scaffold protein EDC4
Abstract The interaction of host and Ebola virus (EBOV) proteins is required for establishing infection. In this study, we use proximity-dependent biotinylation to identify cellular proteins that bind to EBOV proteins encoded by six of the seven viral genes. Hits are computationally mapped onto a human protein-protein interactome and annotated with viral proteins, confirming known EBOV-host protein interactions and revealing previously undescribed interactions and processes. This approach efficiently arranges proteins into functional complexes associated with single viral proteins. Focused characterization of interactions between EBOV VP35 and the mRNA decapping complex shows that VP35 binds the scaffold protein EDC4 through the C-terminal subdomain, with both proteins colocalizing in EBOV-infected cells. siRNA depletion of EDC4, DCP2, and EDC3 reduces virus replication by inhibiting early viral RNA synthesis. Overall, the analytical approach efficiently identifies EBOV protein interactions with cellular protein complexes, providing a deeper understanding of replication mechanisms for therapeutic intervention.
Comparing the predictive performance of diabetes complications using administrative health data and clinical data
Psychometric analyses of the general mattering scale, anti-mattering scale, and the fear of not mattering inventory in Chinese youth
Exosomal miR-320b regulates cardiomyocyte FOXM1 expression and may serve as an early-stage compensatory mechanism in obstructive sleep apnea
This study aimed to investigate the potential compensatory role of plasma exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs), particularly miR-320b, in mitigating early myocardial damage in severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients without comorbidities. AC16 human cardiomyocytes were co-incubated with plasma exosomes isolated from healthy volunteers (Ctrl-exo) and patients with uncomplicated severe OSA (OSA-exo). Functional assays revealed that OSA-exo significantly enhanced AC16 cell viability, promoted proliferation, and reduced apoptosis. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) identified 14 myocardial function-related mRNAs in AC16 cardiomyocytes differentially influenced by OSA-exo. Out of the 14 mRNAs, FOXM1, a critical regulator of cardiomyocyte stress response, survival, and regeneration, was verified to be upregulated by OSA-exo by RT-qPCR. Bioinformatic analysis predicted a regulatory relationship between miR-320b and FOXM1, which was confirmed by a dual-luciferase reporter assay. MiR-320b was found to be downregulated in OSA-exo by RT-qPCR. MiR-320b overexpression downregulated FOXM1, induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, reduced cell viability, and increased apoptosis. In a mouse model of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), myocardial FOXM1 exhibited a biphasic expression pattern during disease progression. After 4 weeks of CIH exposure, the mouse myocardium exhibited significantly increased FOXM1 expression and reduced levels of apoptosis compared to control, suggesting an early compensatory response. However, after 12 weeks of CIH exposure, decreased myocardial FOXM1 expression and increased apoptosis were detected, suggesting that the early compensatory protective mechanism was overwhelmed by myocardial injury caused by chronic hypoxia, leading to enhanced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and consequent FOXM1 downregulation. These results suggested that miR-320b downregulation in OSA-exo may serve as a compensatory mechanism to protect against early myocardial injury through the upregulation of FOXM1, highlighting miR-320b and FOXM1 as potential therapeutic targets for OSA-associated cardiomyopathy.
Gustatory thalamic neurons mediate aversive behaviors
Abstract The parvicellular part of the ventral posteromedial nucleus (VPMpc) of the thalamus, also known as the gustatory thalamus, receives input from the parabrachial nucleus and relays taste sensation to the gustatory (or insular) cortex. Prior research has focused on the role of the VPMpc in relaying taste signals. Here we provide evidence showing that VPMpc also mediates aversive behaviors. By recording calcium transients in vivo from single neurons in mice, we show that neurons expressing cholecystokinin and the mu-opioid receptor in the VPMpc respond to various noxious stimuli and fear memory. Chemogenetic and optogenetic activation of these neurons enhances the response to aversive stimuli, whereas silencing them attenuates aversive behaviors. The VPMpc neurons directly innervate neurons in the insular cortex and rostral lateral amygdala. This study expands the role of the VPMpc to include transmitting aversive and threatening signals to the insular cortex and lateral amygdala.
Microstructural organization of superior longitudinal fasciculus and cingulum bundle support metacognition driven cognitive offloading
Abstract People often use external tools to offload cognitive demands associated with remembering future intentions. While previous research has established a causal role of metacognition in cognitive offloading, the neural basis of white matter tracts supporting this metacognitive control process remains unclear. To address this, we conducted a study with 34 participants using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine how white matter connectivity supports metacognition driven cognitive offloading. Behaviorally, we replicated prior findings showing that under-confidence in internal memory predicts a bias toward using external reminders. At the neural level, we used diffusion tensor imaging to quantify fractional anisotropy (FA), a measure of microstructural integrity in white matter. We found the microstructural integrity of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) and cingulum bundle (CB) predicted deviations from the optimal use of reminders. The microstructural integrity of the fornix negatively predicted participants’ confidence in performing the task when restricted to internal memory. Our findings reveal the microstructural organization of the white-matter tracts in the fronto-temporal-parietal network are related to metacognition driven cognitive offloading. We discuss several aspects of metacognition driven cognitive offloading from a white matter microstructural perspective.
Improved circulating tumor DNA identification for detection of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by enzymatic methyl sequencing and hybrid neural network
Ageing-driven molecular and functional changes in the bovine endometrium
Understanding how ageing impacts endometrial function is crucial for preserving fertility in older females. While ageing-related cellular dysfunction and inflammation are observed in the bovine uterus, its effects on endometrial physiology remain unclear. Using an experimental model of young (4−7 years) and old (13−15 years) cloned female cattle, we assessed the effect of ageing on the endometrium through transcriptome profiling and responses of cultured endometrial cells to interferon tau (IFNT) and of cultured endometrial explants to LPS. Progesterone profiles were similar between young and old females. Transcriptomic analysis of endometrial biopsies on day 15 of the estrous cycle identified 859 differentially expressed genes (DEG; p ≤ 0.05, |FC| ≥ 1.5), among which 402 DEG were over-expressed and 457 DEG were under-expresssed in old females. These DEG are linked to immune, inflammatory, metabolic, and cell organization pathways and networks. RT-qPCR validation of selected candidate DEG revealed an increased expression of COL4A3, CPA3, IGFBP1, IGFBP2, RSAD2, SCARA5, and SERPINA14 in young females. In vitro stimulation with IFNT of primary uterine glandular epithelial and stromal cells revealed that glandular epithelial cells exhibit a greater sensitivity to IFNT than stromal cells, both in old and young females. Glandular epithelial cells derived from old females exhibit a weaker response to IFNT, in terms of the number of differentially expressed genes, compared to those from young females. The effect of LPS treatment on cytokine concentrations was lightly more pronounced in young females than in old females, with LPS leading to a significant increase in the concentration of IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-10 in young females. By altering the transcriptomic profile of the endometrium and its capacity to respond to both the embryo’s signal and inflammatory factors, we propose that age may be a key factor underlying uterine-related reproductive failures. Further experiments are required to confirm this hypothesis.
Non-canonical resource allocation in heterotrophically growing Thermoanaerobacter kivui
Longitudinal changes in sleep quality, and their predictors in patients with multiple sclerosis
Abstract Sleep disturbances are common among patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), yet their longitudinal course and clinical determinants remain unclear. Here, we aimed to examine sleep quality in PwMS, investigate its association with quality of life, and evaluate its trajectory and clinical predictors over time. Between September 2022 and September 2023, PwMS who had not experienced a recent clinical relapse (within ≤ 2 months) were prospectively recruited. Sleep quality at baseline and after 6–12 months was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Clinical factors associated with PSQI scores, and their longitudinal trajectories, were examined. A total of 118 patients with MS (median age, 46 years) were enrolled, with 54% identified as poor sleepers (PSQI > 5) at baseline and a comparable prevalence (53%) at follow-up. Poor sleep quality was associated independently with reduced quality of life. While PSQI scores remained generally stable over time in participants without clinical relapses during follow-up (n = 114), 23 (20.2%) exhibited a marked deterioration in sleep quality (PSQI score increase ≥ 3). Baseline optic Functional Systems scores (baseline: β = 0.226 (95% confidence interval, 0.021, 1.115), follow-up: β = 0.233, (0.038, 1.311)) and depression (baseline: β = 0.261, (1.031, 5.822), follow-up: β = 0.215, (0.473, 5.935)) independently predicted both baseline and future PSQI scores. In conclusion, poor sleep quality is common and persistent in PwMS, with depression and the severity of optic dysfunction identified as key predictors. These findings emphasize the need for targeted sleep management in MS care.
An open source platform to automate the design, verification, and manufacture of 3D printed microfluidic devices
Phytochemical characterization, anticancer potential, and nanoemulsion-based delivery of Chiliadenus montanus
Chiliadenus montanus (Vahl) Boiss. (Asteraceae) is a pharmacologically significant plant with different potent pharmacological properties. This study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical and anticancer activity of C. montanus, and to develop nanoemulsions (NEs) to enhance pulmonary delivery for lung carcinoma treatment. For that ethanol and water extracts, along with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol fractions, were assessed for total phenol and flavonoid contents, antioxidant activity, and cytotoxicity against H1299 and A549 lung cancer cell lines. The results showed that ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the highest phenol (47.94 ± 0.32 mg GAE/g of DW) and flavonoid (20.34 ± 1.48 mg rutin/g of DW) contents, while the ethanol extract showed the most potent antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 322.1 µg/mL) and selective cytotoxicity (IC₅₀ = 641.2 µg/mL) against H1299 cells. Nevadensin, chlorogenic acid, and sorbifolin were identified as the major constituents of the ethanol extract using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed α-phellandrene, 1,8-cineole, and α-cadinol as the lead volatile constituents. The major volatile compound of the aroma profile of the aerial parts, determined by solid phase micro extraction (SPME) was 1,8-cineole. Spontaneous emulsification was used to formulate ethanolic NE (S1-S4 NEs) with varying concentrations of ethanol extract, surfactant, cosurfactant, and oil phase. The optimal S4 NE demonstrated thermodynamic stability, appropriate pulmonary pH, and droplet sizes below 100 nm. These findings highlight the promising potential of C. montanus NE as a stable pulmonary drug delivery system for lung carcinoma therapy.