Browse Articles

18S rRNA gene metabarcoding for investigation of gastrointestinal parasite diversity in great cormorants

Past warm intervals inform the future South Asian summer monsoon

Author Correction: Production, isolation, optimization, and characterization of microbial PHA from Bacillus australimaris

Haploid facultative parthenogenesis in sunflower sexual reproduction

Development and validation of collaborative robot-assisted cutting method for iliac crest flap raising: Randomized crossover trial

Abstract The current gold standard of computer-assisted jaw reconstruction includes raising microvascular bone flaps with patient-specific 3D-printed cutting guides. The downsides of cutting guides are invasive fixation, periosteal denudation, preoperative lead time and missing intraoperative flexibility. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and accuracy of a robot-assisted cutting method for raising iliac crest flaps compared to a conventional 3D-printed cutting guide. In a randomized crossover design, 40 participants raised flaps on pelvic models using conventional cutting guides and a robot-assisted cutting method. The accuracy was measured and compared regarding osteotomy angle deviation, Hausdorff Distance (HD) and Average Hausdorff Distance (AVD). Duration, workload and usability were further evaluated. The mean angular deviation for the robot-assisted cutting method was 1.9 ± 1.1° (mean ± sd) and for the 3D-printed cutting guide it was 4.7 ± 2.9° (p < 0.001). The HD resulted in a mean value of 1.5 ± 0.6 mm (robot) and 2.0 ± 0.9 mm (conventional) (p < 0.001). For the AVD, this was 0.8 ± 0.5 mm (robot) and 0.8 ± 0.4 mm (conventional) (p = 0.320). Collaborative robot-assisted cutting is an alternative to 3D-printed cutting guides in experimental static settings, achieving slot design benefits with less invasiveness and higher intraoperative flexibility. In the next step, the results should be tested in a dynamic environment with a moving phantom and on the cadaver.

Experimental investigation on loads of nets with different types under current

Is it OK for AI to write science papers? Nature survey shows researchers are split

Prepregnancy overweight and obesity and the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes

Do look up: how science and international cooperation closed the ozone hole

Continuous non-contact vital sign monitoring of neonates in intensive care units using RGB-D cameras

Abstract Neonates in intensive care require continuous monitoring. Current measurement devices are limited for long-term use due to the fragility of newborn skin and the interference of wires with medical care and parental interactions. Camera-based vital sign monitoring has the potential to address these limitations and has become of considerable interest in recent years due to the absence of physical contact between the recording equipment and the neonates, as well as the introduction of low-cost devices. We present a novel system to capture vital signs while offering clinical insights beyond current technologies using a single RGB-D camera. Heart rate and oxygen saturation were measured using colour and infrared signals with mean absolute errors (MAE) of 7.69 bpm and $$3.37\%$$ , respectively. Using the depth signals, an MAE of 4.83 breaths per minute was achieved for respiratory rate. Tidal volume measurements were obtained with a MAE of 0.61 mL. Flow-volume loops can also be calculated from camera data, which have applications in respiratory disease diagnosis. Our system demonstrates promising capabilities for neonatal monitoring, augmenting current clinical recording techniques to potentially improve outcomes for neonates.

My PhD adviser was fired and I was collateral damage. I learnt how to build resilience into graduate school

TLR4 deficiency does not alter glaucomatous progression in a mouse model of chronic glaucoma

Empower communities to fight climate change at grassroots level

Response of seed germination and seedling growth of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) to drought, salinity, and pH in Karst regions

‘Loss and damage fund’ for climate change needs broader remit

Risk factors and foot biomechanical characteristics of idiopathic scoliosis: a cross-sectional study

US researchers must stand up to protect freedoms, not just funding

Modulation of HER2 internalization enhances single-dose antibody-drug potency in HER2+ gastric cancer

China needs to deal with discarded electric-vehicle batteries

Transcriptomic analysis of differential expression between surviving and nonsurviving patients infected by the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant

Abstract For a more precise understanding of the course of the pathological process in patients with severe COVID-19, it is necessary to continue the search for factors that affect the course of the pathological process and the possibility of a favorable outcome in critically ill patients. Comparative RNA-seq analysis of the transcriptome of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMCs) in patients with a severe clinical course of COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Delta strain revealed a number of differentially expressed genes that distinguish patients with different clinical outcomes (survivors vs. nonsurvivors) in the period of 30 days after admission to the hospital. Most of them are associated with the “negative regulation of viral process” and “negative regulation of immune response” clusters. Moreover, in surviving patients, there is increased expression of the key genes C1QB , C1QA , ISG15 , SERPING1 , VSIG4 , KLRD1 , TRPM4 , and HFE incorporated in these clusters. Among these key genes, the ISG15 gene, which links several clusters of gene ontology enrichments and encodes an interferon-induced ubiquitin-like protein, deserves special attention. Its product, ISG15, is known to be a primary substrate for SARS-CoV-2 protease PLpro, which plays a role in counteracting hosts’ antiviral mechanisms.