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Enterococcus faecalis SI-FC-01 enhances the stress resistance and healthspan of C. elegans via AKT signaling pathway
Study on precision reliability evaluation method of harmonic drive based on NIPCE considering wear
Vision transformer and deep learning based weighted ensemble model for automated spine fracture type identification with GAN generated CT images
Abstract The most common causes of spine fractures, or vertebral column fractures (VCF), are traumas like falls, injuries from sports, or accidents. CT scans are affordable and effective at detecting VCF types in an accurate manner. VCF type identification in cervical, thoracic, and lumbar (C3-L5) regions is limited and sensitive to inter-observer variability. To solve this problem, this work introduces an autonomous approach for identifying VCF type by developing a novel ensemble model of Vision Transformers (ViT) and best-performing deep learning (DL) models. It assists orthopaedicians in easy and early identification of VCF types. The performance of numerous fine-tuned DL architectures, including VGG16, ResNet50, and DenseNet121, was investigated, and an ensemble classification model was developed to identify the best-performing combination of DL models. A ViT model is also trained to identify VCF. Later, the best-performing DL models and ViT were fused by weighted average technique for type identification. To overcome data limitations, an extended Deep Convolutional Generative Adversarial Network (DCGAN) and Progressive Growing Generative Adversarial Network (PGGAN) were developed. The VGG16-ResNet50-ViT ensemble model outperformed all ensemble models and got an accuracy of 89.98%. Extended DCGAN and PGGAN augmentation increased the accuracy of type identification to 90.28% and 93.68%, respectively. This demonstrates efficacy of PGGANs in augmenting VCF images. The study emphasizes the distinctive contributions of the ResNet50, VGG16, and ViT models in feature extraction, generalization, and global shape-based pattern capturing in VCF type identification. CT scans collected from a tertiary care hospital are used to validate these models.
Differential biomarker expression of blood and lymphatic vasculature in multi-organ-chips
Abstract Since the blood and lymphatic endothelium regulates homeostasis and inflammation during health and disease, establishment of vascularized Organ-on-Chip platforms with blood and lymphatic endothelial cells (BEC/LEC) is a pre-requisite to further advance the field of tissue engineering. Here, we aimed to determine whether characteristics of BECs and LECs cultured under flow in a multi-organ-chip (MOC) are influenced by shear stress or inflammation. Dermis-derived primary BECs and LECs were used to endothelialize a MOC followed by culture for up to 14 days at lymphatic and blood flow rates. Under blood flow, both cell types changed morphology, aligned in flow direction, and showed close cell-cell contacts as in in vivo blood vasculature. Under lymphatic flow, neither BEC nor LEC aligned, and both showed a cobblestone-appearance with limited intercellular contacts similar to lymphatics. Cells retained their cell type-specific phenotype and cytokine secretion profiles. CCL21 expression in LECs was rescued by flow, but diminished again with TNFα exposure, together with the LEC-specific markers PROX1 and TFF3. Homeostatic cytokine secretion was higher in BECs, but the response to TNFα was more pronounced in LECs. Results indicate that BEC and LEC phenotype and cytokine secretion is mostly an intrinsic property with only morphology and CCL21 being influenced by flow.
Deformation and force analysis of reinforced soil Bridge abutment under dynamic vehicle loading
Chronic chlorothalonil exposure inhibits locomotion and interferes with the gut-liver axis in Pelophylax nigromaculatus tadpoles
Abstract Chlorothalonil is a widely used fungicide that has a negative effect on individual movement, but its impact pathway needs further refinement. Here, the effects of exposure to chlorothalonil on the locomotion behavior of Pelophylax nigromaculatus tadpoles (GS23) were measured at three different levels (0 µg/L, 10 µg/L, and 50 µg/L), and the possible pathways of its effects were analyzed from the gut-liver axis. Chlorothalonil exposure levels of 10 µg/L and 50 µg/L significantly reduced the average speed of P. nigromaculatus tadpoles by 26% and 32.7%, respectively, and significantly decreased the locomotor frequency by 27.1% and 58.6%, respectively. Gut microbiota analysis revealed chlorothalonil exposure significantly increased the abundance of Firmicutes, while significantly decreased the abundance of Actinobacteriota, Pseudomonas, and Rhodococcus. Metabolomics analysis identified that chlorothalonil treatment changed amino acid-related metabolism pathways in the gut and liver and altered the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway in the liver. This study indicated that chlorothalonil can affect individual locomotor abilities and interfering with the gut-liver axis of aquatic animals. These findings establish that chlorothalonil compromises aquatic organism motility through a multi-target mechanism involving gut microbiota modulation, amino acid metabolic interference, and hepatic lipid pathway disruption.
Maintenance of time-restricted eating and high-intensity interval training in women with overweight/obesity 2 years after a randomized controlled trial
Abstract Time-restricted eating (TRE) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) improve cardiometabolic health in individuals with overweight/obesity, with high adherence rates in supervised settings. Long-term maintenance of TRE and HIIT in real-world settings is unknown. In our previous TREHIIT trial, 131 women (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 27 kg/m2) were randomized to 7 weeks of TRE (eating window 10-h/day), HIIT (3 sessions/week), a combination (TREHIIT), or no intervention (CON). We investigated self-reported continuation of TRE and/or HIIT after 2 years. Fifty-nine participants (39.0 years (standard deviation (SD) 6.1), BMI 30.7 kg/m2 (SD 4.2)) attended the follow-up. Of those who completed the 7-week TRE or HIIT intervention, 46% maintained TRE and 45% continued HIIT for 2 years. There were no statistically significant (at p < .01) between-group differences in cardiometabolic outcomes, but non-significant lower body mass in HIIT (-4.2 kg, 95% confidence interval (CI), -7.7 to -0.7, p = .019) and visceral fat in TREHIIT (-18 cm2, CI, -33 to -4, p = .015) versus CON. After 2 years, HIIT and TREHIIT had ~ 4 kg lower fat mass and ~ 20 cm² lower visceral fat (both p < .001) compared with baseline. A short-term TRE and HIIT intervention may promote long-term lifestyle changes and health benefits. Future studies should collect objective adherence data to understand long-term maintenance of TRE and HIIT.
Application and accuracy analysis of raw one way inter-satellite link observations of BDS-3 full operational constellation
Regulatory B cells attenuate sepsis-associated pancreatic injury by regulating T cell homeostasis
Associations of healthy lifestyle and accelerated aging with incident breast cancer in pre- and postmenopausal women: a population-based cohort study
Optical and green catalytic properties of fenugreek water for diabetes and skincare treatments
Singers of the high Arctic; Seasonal acoustic presence of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) around Svalbard, Norway
Abstract The bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) is an Arctic endemic cetacean that spends its entire life in Arctic waters, living in tight association with sea ice. In this study, passive acoustic data recorded between 2017 and 2022 at six locations around the Svalbard Archipelago, Norway, were analysed for the seasonal and spatial vocal occurrence of this endangered bowhead whale stock, using a combination of Long-Term Spectral Averages and visual/auditory verification. The results were subsequently correlated to seasonal patterns in environmental conditions. Bowhead whale vocalizations were detected at all study sites, but there was significant variation between locations and years in acoustic presence and singing behaviour. Consistent, high detection rates of singing west and east of Svalbard suggest that these sites serve as key areas for overwintering and breeding. The lower and fluctuating detection rates north of Svalbard suggest that this area serves as a movement corridor between regions. Significant positive correlations between bowhead whale acoustic activity and high sea ice concentrations emphasizes their ice-affiliated nature. This study provides novel information on the distribution and habitat use of bowhead whales in the Svalbard area and raises concern for the future of this population, in an Arctic that is experiencing rapid sea ice habitat loss.