Browse Articles

An improved adaptive variable neighborhood search algorithm for stochastic order allocation problem

Infrared nanosensors of piconewton to micronewton forces

Correction: The final plague outbreak in Scotland 1644–1649: Historical, archaeological, and genetic evidence

Beam steering by two vertically faced metasurfaces using polarization free unit cells with three operating modes

Mechanistic modelling of allergen-induced airways disease in early life

AbstractAsthma affects approximately 300 million individuals worldwide and the onset predominantly arises in childhood. Children are exposed to multiple environmental irritants, such as viruses and allergens, that are common triggers for asthma onset, whilst their immune systems are developing in early life. Understanding the impact of allergen exposures on the developing immune system and resulting alterations in lung function in early life will help prevent the onset and progression of allergic asthma in children. In this study, we developed an in silico model describing the pulmonary immune response to a common allergen, house dust mite, to investigate its downstream impact on the pathophysiology of asthma, including airway eosinophilic inflammation, remodelling, and lung function. We hypothesised that altered epithelial function following allergen exposure determines the onset of airway remodelling and abnormal lung function, which are irreversible with current asthma therapies. We calibrated the in silico model using age appropriate in vivo data from neonatal and adult mice. We validated the in silico model using in vivo data from mice on the effects of current treatment strategies. The in silico model recapitulates experimental observations and provides an interpretable in silico tool to assess airway pathology and the underlying immune responses upon allergen exposure. The in silico model simulations predict the extent of bronchial epithelial barrier damage observed when allergen sensitisation occurs and demonstrate that epithelial barrier damage and impaired immune maturation are critical determinants of reduced lung function and asthma development. The in silico model demonstrates that both epithelial barrier repair and immune maturation are potential targets for therapeutic intervention to achieve successful asthma prevention.

Effect of gabapentin on solution surface properties and micellization behavior of betaine-based surfactant ionic liquids

AbstractThis study investigates the surface properties, micellization, and electrical conductivity of betaine-based ionic liquids (ILs) composed of [R-bet][Br] where R represents the C4, C6 and C8 (specifically [C4bet][Br], [C6bet][Br], and [C8bet][Br]) in aqueous gabapentin solutions at concentrations of (0.0000, 0.0100, 0.0300, and 0.0500) mol kg−1 at 298.15 K. The surface tension measurements revealed that increasing gabapentin concentration and alkyl chain length decrease surface tension, indicating significant hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions. The related thermophysical micellization parameters, including critical micelle concentration (CMC) and minimum surface area per molecule (Amin), exhibited improved micellization and interfacial efficiency with longer alkyl chains. Thermodynamic analysis confirm the spontaneous nature of micelle formation, with more negative Gibbs free energy values for SAILs with longer alkyl chains. The electrical conductivity studies indicate lower limiting molar conductivity (Λ0) at higher gabapentin concentrations, due to increased viscosity and ion-ion interactions. Ion association constants (KA) and DFT-COSMO calculations support stronger hydrophobic interactions and molecular packing influenced by alkyl chain length and gabapentin.

Living alone predicts non-home discharge post elective hip arthroplasty: A matched-pair cohort study

The impact of home support and interaction with family members on recovery and perioperative outcomes remains unclear. We determined whether living alone was predictive of discharge disposition following total hip arthroplasty (THA). Data were from American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program participating hospitals in 2021. The primary endpoint was discharging disposition. A total of 1716 patients living alone and 3961 with others at home were identified. The 1:1 propensity-matched cohort included 3248 total patients (1624 in each group). On univariate analysis, living alone was associated with non-home discharge (22.0% [358/1624] vs. 10.5% [170/1623]; odds ratio [OR], 2.42 [95% CI, 1.98 to 2.94]; P < .001), need for services in those returning home (63.1% [799/1266] vs. 57.7% [839/1453]; OR, 1.25 [95% CI, 1.07 to 1.46]; P = .004), and increased length of hospital stay (2.05 vs. 1.72 days; mean difference, 0.34 [95% CI, 0.18 to 0.49]; P < .001). On multivariable analysis, living alone remained an independent predictor of non-home discharge (adjusted odds ratio, 2.84 [95% CI, 2.30 to 3.54]; c = 0.734). Thus, compared to propensity-matched THA patients with others at home, those living alone experience a much greater rate of non-home discharge and need for support.

A hybrid attention generative adversarial network for Chinese landscape painting

The role of user participation and psychological distance in consumer brand attitudes in gamified marketing

Alendronate partially rescues the periodontal defects in OIM mouse model of osteogenesis imperfecta

AbstractOsteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a fairly common generalized connective disorder characterized by low bone mass, bone deformities and impaired bone quality that predisposes affected individuals to musculoskeletal fragility. Periodontal ligament (PDL)-alveolar bone and PDL-cementum entheses’ roles under OI conditions during physiological loading and orthodontic forces remain largely unknown. In addition, bisphosphonates (e.g., alendronate) are commonly used therapeutics for the treatment of OI. Our knowledge, in terms of the affects of alendronate treatment on the PDL entheses in OI is also far from complete. In this study, we identified craniofacial skeletal defects in an osteogenesis imperfecta (oim) murine model of OI. Relative to wild-type littermates, oim mice were found to have decreased skull length, cranial height/width/length, nose length, nasal length, and frontal length. Next, we discovered that oim mice exhibited defects in several dental structures, including short roots and decreased volumes of the alveolar bone, dentin, and cellular cementum. Further, we specifically investigated periodontal defects in the oim mice. Alveolar bone loss in oim mice was primarily associated with elevated bone resorption due to an increased osteoclast number, along with reduced bone formation related to increased sclerostin (SOST) expression. PDL fibers in oim mice were disrupted and discontinuous, while Sharpey’s fibers at the PDL-bone entheses were reduced. Mechanism-based studies showed that catabolism of the PDL was elevated in oim mice, as revealed by an increase in MMP13 and CTSK expression. Meanwhile, the quality of the collagen fibers were impaired in oim mice due to a large accumulation of uncleaved collagen I fibers. With alendronate treatment, however, we could partially rescue these phenotypes. This study, for the first time, characterized periodontal defects in oim mice, detailed craniofacial defects and demonstrated the effectiveness of alendronate in partially restoring these defects.

Formation of individual stripes in a mixed-dimensional cold-atom Fermi–Hubbard system

AbstractThe relation between d-wave superconductivity and stripes is fundamental to the understanding of ordered phases in high-temperature cuprate superconductors1–6. These phases can be strongly influenced by anisotropic couplings, leading to higher critical temperatures, as emphasized by the recent discovery of superconductivity in nickelates7–10. Quantum simulators with ultracold atoms provide a versatile platform to engineer such couplings and to observe emergent structures in real space with single-particle resolution. Here we show, to our knowledge, the first signatures of individual stripes in a cold-atom Fermi–Hubbard quantum simulator using mixed-dimensional (mixD) settings. Increasing the energy scale of hole–hole attraction to the spin exchange energy, we access the interesting crossover temperature regime in which stripes begin to form11. We observe extended, attractive correlations between hole dopants and find an increased probability of forming larger structures akin to individual stripes. In the spin sector, we study correlation functions up to the third order and find results consistent with stripe formation. These observations are interpreted as a precursor to the stripe phase, which is characterized by interleaved charge and spin density wave ordering with fluctuating lines of dopants separating domains of opposite antiferromagnetic order12–14.

What are the hidden shortcomings of balance training research in older adults that prevent its transfer into practice? Scoping review

Background Although a lot of attention is paid to the flaws of balance training research in older adults, the low methodological quality and incomplete reporting of studies still limit the knowledge transfer between research and practice. These known shortcomings are considered also as barriers for creating recommendations for balance training in older adults. Despite the considerable efforts to improve the scientific quality of studies, such recommendations have not yet been formulated to date. Therefore, this scoping review aims (1) to analyze the literature that addresses balance training in older adults, (2) to identify and summarize gaps in the existing literature, and (3) to propose future research on this topic. Methods We focused on studies that evaluated the effect of balance training on balance control in apparently healthy older adults over 60 years of age. Results Out of 6910 potentially relevant studies, only 26 met the eligibility criteria. The identified shortcomings were as follows: missing a priori criteria for training session attendance and leisure-time physical activities, insufficiently described exercises and training load, and inappropriately chosen tests. Conclusions Among the shortcomings of the balance training research, the insufficiently described balance training program and inappropriately chosen tests can be considered the most important. For this reason, even with an excellently designed experiment, it is almost impossible for practitioners to apply the results of such studies into practice. Therefore, researchers should pay more attention to possible users of the acquired knowledge, which is more than desirable in the case of exercise programs for older adults.

Enhancing Persian text summarization through a three-phase fine-tuning and reinforcement learning approach with the mT5 transformer model

Protective effect of compound K against podocyte injury in chronic kidney disease by maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis

Neuromodulation of risk and reward processing during decision making in individuals with general anxiety disorder (GAD)

Substance use and disordered eating risk among college students with obsessive-compulsive conditions

Purpose College students are at higher risk for problematic substance use and disordered eating. Few studies have examined the comorbid risks associated with OCD despite the increased prevalence of OCD among young adults. This study examined substance use and disordered eating risk associated with OCD conditions among college students and how this association may vary by sex/gender. Methods Data were from 92,757 undergraduate students aged 18–24 enrolled in 216 colleges between Fall 2021 and Fall 2022, from the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment III. Regression models were used to estimate alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, and disordered eating risk among those with OCD related conditions compared to those without conditions, overall and by sex/gender, while adjusting for covariates and school clustering. Results Students with OCD conditions displayed a higher prevalence of substance use and disordered eating risks. In adjusted models, OCD conditions were associated with increased odds of moderate/high tobacco (aOR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.05, 1.21), cannabis (aOR = 1.11, 95% CI 1.04, 1.18), alcohol (aOR = 1.14, 95% CI 1.05, 1.24) and disordered eating risk (aOR = 2.28, 95% CI 2.13, 2.43). Analyses stratified by gender revealed cis-female students with OCD conditions were at increased risk for moderate/high risk alcohol (aOR = 1.18, 95% CI 1.08, 1.29), tobacco (aOR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.03, 1.22), cannabis (aOR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.06, 1.23) and disordered eating (aOR = 2.30, 9%% CI 2.14, 2.47). Among TGNC students, OCD conditions were associated with increased risk for moderate/high tobacco risk (aOR = 1.24, 95% CI 1.05, 1.48) and disordered eating (aOR = 2.14, 95% CI 1.85, 2.47). OCD conditions was only associated with disordered eating among male students (aOR = 2.34, 95% CI 1.93, 2.83). Discussion Young adult college students with OCD conditions exhibit a higher prevalence of medium/high risk alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use and disordered eating compared to their counterparts without such conditions, even after adjusting for stress, depression, and anxiety.

Personalized tourism recommendation model based on temporal multilayer sequential neural network

Clinical outcomes of endocrine and other disorders induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors in Japanese patients

Development of colorimetric and fluorescent closed tube LAMP assay using simplified extraction for diagnosis of Meloidogyne enterolobii in root tissues

“MoSpec”: A customized and integrated system for model development, verification and validation

Background and objective The growing availability of patient data from several clinical settings, fueled by advanced analysis systems and new diagnostics, presents a unique opportunity. These data can be used to understand disease progression and predict future outcomes. However, analysing this vast amount of data requires collaboration between physicians and experts from diverse fields like mathematics and engineering. Methods Mathematical models play a crucial role in interpreting patient data and enable in-silico simulations for diagnosis and treatment. To facilitate the creation and sharing of such models, the CNR-IASI BioMatLab group developed the “Gemini” (MoSpec/Autocoder) system, a framework allowing researchers with basic mathematical knowledge to quickly and correctly translate biological problems into Ordinary Differential Equations models. The system facilitates the development and computation of mathematical models for the interpretation of medical and biological phenomena, also using data from the clinical setting or laboratory experiments for parameter estimation. Results Gemini automatically generates code in multiple languages (C++, Matlab, R, and Julia) and automatically creates documentation, including code, figures, and visualizations. Conclusions This user-friendly approach promotes model sharing and collaboration among researchers, besides vastly increasing group productivity.