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Plasma-activated water irrigation increases mortality of immature spider mites (Tetranychus urticae) on tomato plants
Abstract Supplementary irrigation with plasma-activated water (PAW) has been shown to boost seed germination and seedling vigor, and it has the potential to induce host plant resistance against pest populations, such as, two-spotted spider mites (TSSM) (Tetranychus urticae Koch). However, there is limited knowledge about the relative susceptibility of TSSM life stages to supplementary PAW irrigation. Here, we used age two-sex life table analysis to examine demographic parameters on leaf discs from control tomato plants (no PAW irrigation) and from plants receiving supplementary PAW irrigation, PAW1 and PAW2 (treatment of water for 6.0 and 9.4 min with atmospheric plasma jet respectively). Immature TSSM mortality was significantly higher on PAW1 (52%) and PAW2 (26%) treatments compared to control (6%). Immature developmental duration, adult pre-oviposition period and total pre-oviposition periods, adult longevity, fecundity, and sex ratio were all significantly reduced in response to PAW irrigation. Life table analyses showed that intrinsic rate of increase (r), net reproductive rate (R 0), and finite rate of increase (λ) were significantly reduced on leaf discs from PAW-irrigated plants compared to control. Population modeling over a 60-day time showed a 10-11-fold reduction in TSSM populations on PAW-irrigated plants compared to control. These findings confirm the suppressive effects of supplementary PAW irrigation on TSSM population dynamics. Furthermore, results support the hypothesis that early-stage susceptibility, prolonged developmental times of individual life stages, and reduced fecundity are key factors driving PAW-based suppression of TSSM population dynamics. Thus, we conclude that supplementary PAW irrigation should be considered a potential component of long-term and sustainable pest management against TSSM and other major crop pests.
Experimentally profiling dielectric properties of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus by movement velocity and force
Deficiency of integrin β4 contributes bronchopulmonary dysplasia by compromising cellular stability through the activation of RhoA-(ZO-1) signaling pathways
Machine learning–based multimodal radiomics and transcriptomics models for predicting radiotherapy sensitivity and prognosis in esophageal cancer
Chiliadenus iphionoides: From chemical profiling to anticancer, antioxidant, α-amylase, and α-glycosidase activities
Recently, essential oils (EOs) have garnered attention for their biological properties as a source of natural compounds with anticancer, antibacterial, and antioxidant effects. Chiliadenus iphionoides (Boiss.& Blanche) Brullo is a fragrant aromatic species indigenous to Palestine and the neighboring countries. It is utilized by the Bedouins for the treatment of many ailments. This study aimed to analyze the chemical composition of essential oil extracted from the desiccated leaves of Chiliadenus iphionoides (Boiss.& Blanche) Brullo and to assess its in vitro antioxidant, anticancer, and α-amylase and lipase inhibitory activities. The EO obtained during hydrodistillation was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to ascertain their chemical composition. GC-MS analysis of the EO from dried Chiliadenus iphionoides (Boiss.& Blanche) Brullo leaves identified 47 compounds, comprising 98.81% of the total oil. The predominant constituents included cresol methyl ether (52.93%), ethyl 2-octynoate (14.36%), epi-α-cadinol (6.56%), 1,8-cineole (4.25%), and 7-epi-α-eudesmol (3.66%). The EO exhibited significant antioxidant activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) with an IC50 value of 19.83 ± 0.99 μg/mL. Nevertheless, it exhibited limited lipase activity and subpar α-amylase activity. Chiliadenus iphionoides (Boiss.& Blanche) Brullo EO exhibited significant cytotoxicity against B16F10 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines, with IC50 values of 8.74 ± 0.11 and 13.68 ± 0.17 μg/mL, respectively. The combination of the anticancer medication Taxol (10 ng) with Chiliadenus iphionoides (Boiss.& Blanche) Brullo EO at concentrations of 25 μg/mL and 50 μg/mL significantly enhanced the inhibitory efficacy of Taxol against MCF-7 and B16F10 cells.
Two-stage Mamba-based diffusion model for image restoration
Extreme performance of multi-layer laminated glass designs under blast loads
Abstract Laminated Glass (LG) is a safety glass made by bonding multiple glass layers together with a polymeric interlayer, offering protection against flying shards, especially in explosive scenarios. In this paper, a numerical study was performed to study the effect of the laminated glass cross-section on the blast performance of the panel. Different configurations were studied, such as a double glass layer with interlayers, a double glass layer with hybrid interlayers, and a variety of multi-glass layer configurations with interlayers. Variations of glass layer thicknesses, number of glass layers, and order of glass layers were studied to evaluate the optimal design of the LG panel. Four different polymer interlayers were considered in this analysis: polyvinyl butyral (PVB), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), and the ionomer SentryGlas® (SG). A high-fidelity numerical model, capable of capturing damage and fracture of the LG, was employed using the Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian three-dimensional analysis (ALE3D) multiphysics software, and blast load simulations were developed and verified against experimental data from the literature. Results show that interlayer type affects blast resistance differently, with EVA panels exhibiting the highest deformation and SG panels the least, indicating higher strength and better performance in SG interlayer panels. Increasing interlayer thickness enhances LG panel resistance in the pre-cracked stage. It was found that SG performs better than PVB and much better than TPU/EVA. EVA and TPU performed poorly and completely tore under the used blast loading. Hybrid interlayers underperformed, possibly due to unbalanced load sharing between the stiffer middle interlayer and the more compliant EVA outer membrane. Finally, unique combinations of glass thicknesses and configurations were studied and indicate that LG systems with a thick middle layer and thin outer layers deflect the least during a blast load. These findings underscore the critical role of layup design in enhancing the blast resistance of multi-layer LG panels.
Association of miR-938 rs2505901 T > C polymorphism with reduced risk of venous malformations in a Chinese population
Associations between retinal thickness and background factors in eyes without retinal diseases
Abstract Retinal thickness measured using optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a major parameter to evaluate retinal diseases. However, it may be influenced by systemic factors. We retrospectively analyzed OCT images and blood sample data from 266 participants (49.1 ± 10.5 years) including 181 (68.0%) males who underwent medical checkups at Fujita Medical Innovation Center, Tokyo. Those with retinal pathological findings were excluded. Males had thicker retinas in the center and inner circles of Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study grid (P < 0.01 for all). Mean thicknesses of the superior areas were greater than those of the inferior areas in inner and outer circles (P < 0.01 for both). However, there were eyes with thicker inner inferior areas (72 eyes, 27.1%), which was observed more frequently in males (P = 0.018). Thicker retinas were associated with lower hemoglobin A1c levels in the center (P = 0.012), and inner temporal (P = 0.042) and inferior (P = 0.047) areas; lower creatinine levels in the inner temporal (P = 0.002), superior (P = 0.026), and inferior (P < 0.001) areas; and higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the inner nasal (P = 0.029) and inferior (P = 0.029) areas after adjusting for age and sex. These results may be kept in mind in evaluating OCT data during clinical practice and future clinical trials, although further studies are warranted.
Robust face mask detection in complex scenarios using YOLOv8 and context-aware convolutions
Naringin mitigates experimental autoimmune prostatitis by modulating oxidative stress and the NLRP3 inflammasome via the PPAR-γ/NF-κB pathway
In vitro evaluation of the susceptibility of Echinococcus granulosus hydatid cysts to lavender and green tea extracts
Association of glucocorticoids with outcomes in critically ill patients with sepsis-associated acute kidney injury: a multicenter retrospective cohort study
Blocking a cell surface protein beats AML
Structural basis of cuproenzyme nitrite reduction at the level of a single hydrogen atom
Whole genome-based reclassification of several species of the genus Nonomuraea
Earlier classification methods lacked the resolution necessary to delineate species comparing to current standards, particularly since a significant number of bacterial taxa were described before the integration of whole-genome sequencing into microbial taxonomy. With the advent of genome-based taxonomic approaches and integrated genomic metrics, including sequence similarity and phylogenomic frameworks, it has become essential to reevaluate the taxonomic status of older taxa defined before the era of genome-based microbial taxonomy. Applying these modern genomic criteria enables a more accurate assessment of species boundaries and helps to determine whether the old taxa represent distinct species or should be reclassified as synonyms, subspecies, or members of different genera. Such reclassification efforts are crucial for ensuring taxonomic accuracy, improving the reliability of comparative genomics, and maintaining stable and evolutionariy meaningful nomenclature. In this study, we re-evaluated the taxonomy of Nonomuraea using genome-based methods, including digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH), average nucleotide identity (FastANI), average amino acid identity (AAI), and percentage of conserved proteins (POCP) analyses, complemented by phylogenomic analysis. Based on comprehensive genomic studies, our results support the elevation of both Nonomuraea roseoviolacea subsp. carminata and Nonomuraea roseoviolacea subsp. roseoviolacea to an unified species without subspecies distinction: Nonomuraea roseoviolacea (ATCC 27297T = BCRC 13406T = CBS 260.72T = CCM 3491T = CCRC 13406T = CGMCC 4.1072T = CIP 106924T = DSM 43144T = IFO 14098T = IMET 9751T = JCM 3145T = KCTC 9283T = NBRC 14098T = NCIB 11117T = NCIMB 11117T = NRRL B-16127T = VKM Ac-909T). Furthermore, we propose the reclassification of Nonomuraea recticatena, Nonomuraea roseola and Nonomuraea dietziae as subspecies within N. roseola. Consequently, we propose the establishment of the following two subspecies: Nonomuraea roseola subsp. roseola subsp. nov. (= ATCC 33579T = DSM 43767T = DSM 44323T = IFO 14685T = IMET 9576T = INA 1671T = JCM 3323 T = KCTC 9282T = NBRC 14685T = VKM Ac-1180T) and Nonomuraea roseola subsp. recticatena subsp. nov., comb. nov. (= DSM 43937T = IFO 14525T = INA 308T = JCM 6835T = KCTC 9279T = NBRC 14525T = VKM Ac-940T) and. In addition, we propose Nonomuraea harbinensis as later heterotypic synonyms of Nonomuraea ferruginea.
Auto-Segmentation via deep-learning approaches for the assessment of flap volume after reconstructive surgery or radiotherapy in head and neck cancer
Abstract Reconstructive flap surgery aims to restore the substance and function losses associated with tumor resection. Automatic flap segmentation could allow quantification of flap volume and correlations with functional outcomes after surgery or post-operative RT (poRT). Flaps being ectopic tissues of various components (fat, skin, fascia, muscle, bone) of various volume, shape and texture, the anatomical modifications, inflammation and edema of the postoperative bed make the segmentation task challenging. We built a artificial intelligence-enabled automatic soft-tissue flap segmentation method from CT scans of Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) patients. Ground-truth flap segmentation masks were delineated by two experts on postoperative CT scans of 148 HNC patients undergoing poRT. All CTs and flaps (free or pedicled, soft tissue only or bone) were kept, including those with artefacts, to ensure generalizability. A deep-learning nnUNetv2 framework was built using Hounsfield Units (HU) windowing to mimic radiological assessment. A transformer-based 2D “Segment Anything Model” (MedSAM) was also built and fine-tuned to medical CTs. Models were compared with the Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) and Hausdorff Distance 95th percentile (HD95) metrics. Flaps were in the oral cavity (N = 102), oropharynx (N = 26) or larynx/hypopharynx (N = 20). There were free flaps (N = 137), pedicled flaps (N = 11), of soft tissue flap-only (N = 92), reconstructed bone (N = 42), or bone resected without reconstruction (N = 40). The nnUNet-windowing model outperformed the nnUNetv2 and MedSam models. It achieved mean DSCs of 0.69 and HD95 of 25.6 mm using 5-fold cross-validation. Segmentation performed better in the absence of artifacts, and rare situations such as pedicled flaps, laryngeal primaries and resected bone without bone reconstruction (p < 0.01). Automatic flap segmentation demonstrates clinical performances that allow to quantify spontaneous and radiation-induced volume shrinkage of flaps. Free flaps achieved excellent performances; rare situations will be addressed by fine-tuning the network.
Estimating the prevalence, socioeconomic determinants, and health seeking behavior of individuals with depression in Ghana
Abstract Depression is a growing public health concern in Ghana, exacerbated by limited mental health services, stigma, and socio-economic disparities. While awareness is rising, research on its prevalence, health-seeking behavior, and socio-economic determinants remains limited. This study estimates depression prevalence, assesses health-seeking behavior, and identifies socio-economic drivers influencing these outcomes. Using three waves of the Ghana Socioeconomic Panel Survey (2009/2010, 2013/2014, 2018/2019), depression was measured via the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). Logistic regression and random-effects models analyzed the socio-economic factors affecting depression and mental health-seeking behavior. Depression prevalence declined from 31.04% in 2009/2010 to 27.21% in 2013/2014 but rose again to 29.54% in 2018/2019. Health-seeking behavior improved from 6.38 to 14.88%, though rural and disadvantaged groups remained underserved. Older adults (65+) and Northern Region residents had significantly higher odds of depression, while post-secondary education reduced risk. Unemployment correlated with lower depression odds, likely reflecting the protective role of communal networks in Ghana. Depression remains a significant issue, with persistent disparities in access to care. Expanding rural mental health services, improving mental health literacy, and addressing regional inequalities are crucial to reducing Ghana’s mental health burden.