Browse Articles
Discover research articles across all indexed journals
Inter-lower limb and intra-lower limb muscle activity correlations during walking: A comparative study of stroke patients and healthy individuals
Gait analysis is a crucial tool for understanding human locomotion, particularly in clinical settings where it aids in diagnosing and managing conditions that affect movement. This study investigated muscle activity, intra-, and inter-muscular correlations during gait phases, including first double support (DS1), single support (SS), second double support (DS2), and swing (SW) in both healthy individuals and stroke patients. By examining the root mean square (RMS) values and the area under the curve of RMS envelope of EMG for the gluteus medius (GM), rectus femoris (RF), biceps femoris (BF), medial gastrocnemius (MG), tibialis anterior (TA) and peroneus longus (PL) muscles, this research was designed to enhance our understanding of muscle coordination and its complications in stroke gait rehabilitation. The findings indicated significant differences in muscular activity and inter-limb correlations between limbs within both groups. Stroke patients exhibited knee hyperextension during stance phase, primarily due to muscle weakness and compensatory mechanisms, which may coexist with stiff knee gait during swing phase. Healthy participants showed proximal muscle weakness, likely age-related. Asymmetries in muscle activation between limbs were also observed in both groups, contributing to gait instability and an increased risk of falls. This study provides insights into the differences in muscle coordination between healthy individuals and stroke patients during various phases of walking. The findings emphasize the importance of training distal muscles, including the MG, TA, and PL muscles, in stroke patients, particularly in elderly, while also focusing on core/proximal muscles like the GM, RF, and BF muscles to improve weight-bearing support and gait stability, especially in cases of limited ankle movement. For age-induced muscle weakness, the emphasis should be on distal muscles. These findings have the potential to improve clinical practices by offering better-tailored interventions to enhance mobility and quality of life in stroke survivors.
Unveiling the flexural strength of corroded prestressed self compacting concrete beams enhanced with M-sand and polypropylene fibres
Abstract Prestressing steel corrosion is one of the barriers to the serviceability of prestressed concrete structures. The presence of aggressive environmental conditions leads to a reduction in the efficiency of the structures by degradation. Hence, untimely deterioration of the structures before completion of the expected service life is of great concern for engineers and researchers. The development of corrosion is faster and more severe in prestressed steel than in normal steel because of the high stress in prestressing steel. Therefore, a detailed investigation of the prestressed concrete structure under a corrosive environment is essential. This particular study focused on studying the corrosion effect on flexural behaviour of prestressed self compacting concrete beams made of M40 and M60 grade mixes using M-sand as fine aggregate, also with and without polypropylene fibre. The beam specimens were artificially corroded by the accelerated corrosion method, and the flexural strength of the corroded and non corroded prestressed concrete beam specimens were studied under four point bending method. The comparison study of prestressed concrete beams with and without polypropylene fibre showed that corrosion levels obtained in the corroded prestressed concrete beam specimens with fibre were less than the corroded prestressed concrete beam specimens without fibre at a constant period with a constant current. The corrosion levels obtained in M60 self compacting concrete were less than that of M40 self compacting concrete specimens. Also, corrosion of the strand reduced the cracking load, ultimate load, ultimate deflection, energy absorption capacity and stiffness of prestressed concrete beam specimens. The study concludes that the addition of polypropylene fibre to the self compacting concrete mixes improves the corrosion resistance of prestressed concrete beam and the flexural performance of the corroded prestressed concrete beam.
High-resolution spatial transcriptomics and cell lineage analysis reveal spatiotemporal cell fate determination during craniofacial development
Correction: An Anti-β-Amyloid vaccine for treating cognitive deficits in a mouse model of down syndrome
Practical security analysis and attack strategies on permutation functions used in IoT supply chain systems
Micrometer-scale poly(ethylene glycol) with enhanced mechanical performance
Symbolic and non-symbolic numbers differently affect center identification in a number-line bisection task
Numerical and spatial representations are intertwined as in the Mental Number Line, where smaller numbers are on the left and larger numbers on the right. This relationship has been repeatedly demonstrated with various experimental approaches, such as the line bisection task. Spatial accuracy appears to be systematically distorted leftward for smaller digits by elaboration of spatial codes during number processing. Other studies have investigated perceptual and visuo-spatial attention bias using the digit line bisection task, suggesting that these effects may be related to a cognitive illusion in which the reference numbers project their values onto the straight line, creating an illusory lateral disparity. On the other hand, both dot arrays (non-symbolic stimuli) and arabic numbers (symbolic stimuli) demonstrate a privileged relation between spatial and numerical elaboration. The bias toward the larger numerosity flanker was attributed to a length illusion. There is, however, no consensus regarding whether physical features and symbolic and non-symbolic numerical representations exert the same influence over spatial ones. In the present study, we carried out a series of 4 Experiments to provide further evidence for a better understanding of the nature of this differential influence. All experiments presented the numbers in both symbolic and non-symbolic formats. In Experiment 1, the numbers “2-8” were presented in a variety of left-right orientations. In Experiment 2, the flankers were identical, “2-2” or “8-8”, and symmetrically displaced with respect to the line. In Experiment 3, we employed asymmetrically distributed eight dots, or font sizes in “8-8” numerals, to create a perceptual imbalance. In Experiment 4, we replicated the manipulation used in Experiment 3, but with two dots and “2-2” numerals. The Non-Symbolic format induced stronger leftward biases, particularly when the larger numerosity (Experiment 1) or the denser stimuli near the line (Experiments 3 and 4) were on the left, while no bias emerged when flankers were numerically equivalent and symmetrical (Experiment 2). The left bias may result from a tendency to estimate the influence of stimulus perception associated with participants’ scanning direction, similar to the direction of pseudoneglect. Conversely, the Symbolic format induced mostly right bias, possibly due to left-lateralized processing and a tendency to use a common strategy involving scanning from left to right. Altogether our data support the view that abstract numbers and non-symbolic magnitude affect perceptual and attentional biases, yet in distinctive ways.
Unveiling the effect of chia seeds and matcha tea on growth performance, metabolism, carcass characteristics, and gene expression on New Zealand rabbits
Influence of the grounding zone on the internal structure of ice shelves
Abstract Antarctic ice shelves typically comprise continental meteoric ice, in situ-accumulated meteoric ice, and marine ice accumulated at the shelf base. Using borehole optical televiewer logs from across Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula, we identify and report an intermediate ice unit, located between continental and in situ meteoric ice, that is tens of metres thick and formed of layers that progressively increase in dip (by ~60°) with depth. The unit’s stratigraphic position and depth, supported by flowline modelling, indicate formation at the grounding zone. We hypothesise that the unit forms due to changes in the surface slope of feeder glaciers at the grounding zone, resulting in both variable surface accumulation and intense deformation. The top of the unit also marks the depth at which lateral consistency in radar layering is lost from radargrams, which may, to some degree, mark the depth of grounding zone ice across all ice shelves.
Automatic large-scale political bias detection of news outlets
Political bias is an inescapable characteristic in news and media reporting, and understanding what political biases people are exposed to when interacting with online news is of crucial import. However, quantifying political bias is problematic. To systematically study the political biases of online news, much of previous research has used human-labelled databases. Yet, these databases tend to be costly, and cover only a few thousand instances at most. Additionally, despite the wide recognition that bias can be expressed in a multitude of ways, many have only examined narrow expressions of bias. For example, most have focused on biased wording in news articles, but ignore bias expressed when an outlet avoids reporting on certain topics or events. In this article, we introduce a data-driven approach that uses machine learning techniques to analyse multiple forms of bias, and that can estimate the political leaning of hundreds of thousands of Web domains with high accuracy. Crucially, this approach also allows us to provide detailed explanations for why a news outlet is assigned a particular political bias. Our work thereby presents a scalable and comprehensive approach to studying political bias in news on a larger scale than ever before.
Spectrum of genetic mutations in methylmalonic aciduria among Iranian patients
Post-oxidation of all-organic electrocatalysts to promote O−O coupling in water oxidation
Spatial and temporal detection of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ in Diaphorina citri through optimized scouting, sampling, DNA isolation, and qPCR amplification in California citrus groves
Huanglongbing (citrus greening disease) is caused by the bacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (CLas) (Alphaproteobacteria) and is one of the most destructive bacterial-vector diseases affecting the citrus industry. The bacterium is transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP; Diaphorina citri). Early detection in citrus trees is challenging due to uneven distribution of CLas throughout the tree and a long pre-symptomatic phase of the disease. Due to these limitations, ACP sampling has been suggested as a more reliable early detection strategy. The objective of this study was to develop and optimize approaches for detecting CLas in ACP adults and nymphs collected in citrus groves in California using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). The goal was to establish the optimal number of ACP adults and nymphal instar life stages (stages 1–2, 3, or 4–5) that yielded the most reliable detection of CLas (Cq values ≤ 38). Results indicated that CLas detection correlated with psyllid developmental stage, with the 4th–5th instar nymphs (sample size of five to ten per tube) or adult ACP (sample size of three to ten per tube) providing the most consistent qPCR detection. While CLas detection rates increased with adult ACP age, nymphs were preferred for field sampling as adult ACP might have dispersed from non-infected trees, potentially misrepresenting the grove’s CLas status. Detection by droplet digital PCR confirmed the presence and genome copies of CLas in a subset of ACP across life stages. In field populations, detection rates in nymphs were consistent or stable throughout the year, whereas CLas detection in adults exhibited seasonal variation, with CLas detection and genome load peaking in January. These targeted ACP sampling strategies and optimized laboratory processing methods will facilitate CLas detection in psyllids for streamlining citrus greening disease management.
Coherence lengths and quantum entanglement in radiative capture reactions
Comprehensive molecular profiling of FH-deficient renal cell carcinoma identifies molecular subtypes and potential therapeutic targets
Difficult-to-treat resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in Lebanese hospitals: Impact on mortality and the role of initial antibiotic therapy
Background Difficult-to-treat resistant (DTR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections have emerged as a significant global public health threat, characterized by limited treatment options and a heightened mortality risk. This study aimed to assess the appropriateness of initial antibiotic therapy, estimate 30-day all-cause mortality, and determine the impact of DTR P. aeruginosa infections on mortality. Methods A retrospective, multicenter study was conducted at four teaching hospitals in Beirut, Lebanon, between January 2021 and December 2023. The primary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to assess time-to-mortality, and the log-rank test was applied to compare survival outcomes relative to DTR infections and the appropriateness of initial antibiotic therapy. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of mortality. Results Out of 2,639 screened cases, 477 patients met the inclusion criteria. Respiratory tract infections accounted for 38.8% of cases. Carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa (CRPA) comprised nearly one-third of isolates, and 15.3% were categorized as DTR. The most common empirical antibiotics were piperacillin-tazobactam (33.9%) and meropenem (24.5%). Inappropriate initial antibiotic therapy was observed in 43.8% of cases, with 33.8% of patients receiving antibiotics to which the pathogen was resistant. DTR infections were significantly more likely to be associated with inappropriate therapy (odds ratio [OR] = 4.21, 95% CI = 2.43–7.32, P < 0.001). The 30-day all-cause mortality rate was 14.8%, with a mean time-to-mortality of 13.29 ± 9.81 days. Patients who received inappropriate therapy had a shorter time-to-mortality (11.76 ± 8.80 days) compared to those receiving appropriate therapy (15.46 ± 10.90 days, P = 0.03). Predictors of mortality included DTR P. aeruginosa infection (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.48, 95% CI = 1.32–4.63, P < 0.01), and inappropriate initial therapy (AOR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.04–2.35, P < 0.01). Conclusion DTR P. aeruginosa infections and inappropriate initial antibiotic therapy are associated with increased mortality risk in hospitalized patients.
Nrf2 deficiency enhances oxidative stress and promotes susceptibility to tinnitus in mice
Secretion and endocytosis in subapical cells support hyphal tip growth in the fungus Trichoderma reesei
Abstract Filamentous fungi colonise substrates by invasive growth of multi-cellular hyphae. It is commonly accepted that hyphae expand by tip growth that is restricted to the first apical cell, where turgor pressure, exocytosis and endocytosis cooperate to expand the apex. Here we show that, contrary to expectations, subapical cells play important roles in hyphal growth in the industrial enzyme-producing fungus Trichoderma reesei. We find that the second and third cells are crucial for hyphal extension, which correlates with tip-ward cytoplasmic streaming, and the fourth-to-sixth cells support rapid growth rates. Live cell imaging reveals exocytotic and endocytic activity in both apical and subapical cells, associated with microtubule-based bi-directional transport of secretory vesicles and early endosomes across septa. Moreover, visualisation of 1,3-β-glucan synthase in subapical cells reveals that these compartments deliver cell wall-forming enzymes to the apical growth region. Thus, subapical cells are active in exocytosis and endocytosis, and deliver growth supplies and enzymes to the expanding hyphal apex.
Towards clinical applicability of fMRI via systematic filtering
It is a common practice to evaluate the reproducibility of fMRI at the group level. However, for clinical applications of fMRI, where the focus is on reproducibility of single individuals, the high test-retest reliability that is sometimes reported for group-based measures can be misleading. On the level of single subjects, reproducibility of fMRI is still far too low for clinical applications, not even meeting the standards to use fMRI for scientific purposes. The goal of this work is to enhance the poor single-subject time course reproducibility of fMRI. For this purpose, we have developed a framework for post-processing fMRI signals using Savitzky-Golay (SG) filters in conjunction with general linear model (GLM) based data cleaning. The parameters of these filters were trained to be the optimal ones based on a dataset of working memory relevant signals. By employing our data-driven filtering framework, we successfully improve the average reproducibility correlation of a single fMRI time course from r = 0.26 (as obtained with a conventional statistical parametric mapping (SPM) data cleaning pipeline) to a fair level of r = 0.41. Additionally, we are able to enhance the average connectivity correlation from r = 0.44 to r = 0.54. Our conclusion is that signal post-processing with a data-driven SG filter framework may substantially improve time course reproducibility compared to conventional denoising pipelines. As a conservative estimate, we conjecture that roughly 10–30% of the population may benefit from optimized fMRI pipelines in a clinical setting depending on the measure of interest while this number was nihil for conventional fMRI pipelines.