Search Results (123,776)

We introduce a high-throughput 3D scanning system designed to accurately measure cattle phenotypes. This scanner employs an array of depth sensors, i.e., time-of-flight (ToF) sensors, each controlled by dedicated embedded devices. The sensors generate high-fidelity 3D point clouds, which are automatically stitched using a point could segmentation approach through deep learning. The deep learner combines raw RGB and depth data to identify correspondences between the multiple 3D point clouds, thus creating a single and accurate mesh that reconstructs the cattle geometry on the fly. In order to evaluate the performance of our system, we implemented a two-fold validation process. Initially, we quantitatively tested the scanner for its ability to determine accurate volume and surface area measurements in a controlled environment featuring known objects. Next, we explored the impact and need for multi-device synchronization when scanning moving targets (cattle). Finally, we performed qualitative and quantitative measurements on cattle. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed system is capable of producing high-quality meshes of untamed cattle with accurate volume and surface area measurements for livestock studies. Full article

(1) Background: The identification of tumor subtypes is fundamental in precision medicine for accurate diagnoses and personalized therapies. Cancer development is often driven by the accumulation of somatic mutations that can cause alterations in tissue functions and morphologies. In this work, a method based on a deep neural network integrated into a network-based stratification framework (D3NS) is proposed to stratify tumors according to somatic mutations. (2) Methods: This approach leverages the power of deep neural networks to detect hidden information in the data by combining the knowledge contained in a network of gene interactions, as typical of network-based stratification methods. D3NS was applied using real-world data from The Cancer Genome Atlas for bladder, ovarian, and kidney cancers. (3) Results: This technique allows for the identification of tumor subtypes characterized by different survival rates and significant associations with several clinical outcomes (tumor stage, grade or response to therapy). (4) Conclusion: D3NS can provide a base model in cancer research and could be considered as a useful tool for tumor stratification, offering potential support in clinical settings. Full article

Due to the paucity of information on circus management effects on the welfare of horses, this study investigated the plasma concentrations of noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin, known to be indices of mental status, as well as the reactive oxygen metabolites (d-Roms) and the biological antioxidant potential (BAP), likely to denote the oxidant/antioxidant equilibrium of organisms, in horses managed in different Italian circuses. For the study, 56 circus horses of different breeds and ages were enrolled and divided into six groups according to the horses’ management (circus management, groups G1–G5; classic riding management representing the control group, CG). From each horse, blood samples were collected in order to assess the concentration of selected parameters. One-way ANOVA showed no differences (p > 0.05) in serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline, d-Roms and BAP values between circus and control horses. No differences related to the breed of the horses enrolled in the study were found in the values of all investigated parameters (p > 0.05). Furthermore, neurotransmitters showed overlapping levels between the different age classes of investigated horses (p > 0.05); contrariwise, the age of the horse displayed a significant effect on BAP values, with the oldest horses (16–21 age class) exhibiting lower BAP values compared to 4–5, 6–10 and 11–15 age classes (p < 0.05), whereas the d-Roms showed similar values in horses of different age classes (p > 0.05). The results gathered in the present study suggest that the mental status of horses under circus management was not compromised; however, better attention and care in the management of older horses is advocated, as they showed a lower biological antioxidant potential than younger horses; thus, they could be more susceptible to oxidative stress. Full article

Low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites are widely acknowledged as a promising infrastructure solution for global Internet of Things (IoT) services. However, the Doppler effect presents a significant challenge in the context of long-range (LoRa) modulation uplink connectivity. This study comprehensively examines the operational efficiency of LEO satellites concerning the Doppler weather effect, with state-of-the-art artificial intelligence techniques. Two LEO satellite constellations—Globalstar and the International Space Station (ISS)—were detected and tracked using ground radars in Perth and Brisbane, Australia, for 24 h starting 1 January 2024. The study involves modelling the constellation, calculating latency, and frequency offset and designing a hybrid Iterative Input Selection–Long Short-Term Memory Network (IIS-LSTM) integrated model to predict the Doppler weather profile for LEO satellites. The IIS algorithm selects relevant input variables for the model, while the LSTM algorithm learns and predicts patterns. This model is compared with Convolutional Neural Network and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) models. The results show that the packet delivery rate is above 91% for the sensitive spread factor 12 with a bandwidth of 11.5 MHz for Globalstar and 145.8 MHz for ISS NAUKA. The carrier frequency for ISS orbiting at 402.3 km is 631 MHz and 500 MHz for Globalstar at 1414 km altitude, aiding in combating packet losses. The ISS-LSTM model achieved an accuracy of 97.51% and a loss of 1.17% with signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) ranging from 0–30 dB. The XGB model has the fastest testing time, attaining ≈0.0997 s for higher SNRs and an accuracy of 87%. However, in lower SNR, it proves to be computationally expensive. IIS-LSTM attains a better computation time for lower SNRs at ≈0.4651 s, followed by XGB at ≈0.5990 and CNN at ≈0.6120 s. The study calls for further research on LoRa Doppler analysis, considering atmospheric attenuation, and relevant space parameters for future work. Full article

Many patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have a compromised intestinal barrier associated with low-grade inflammation. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are potential mediators of inflammation: omega-6 PUFAs are pro-inflammatory, while omega-3 PUFAs are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Zonulin is a potential biomarker for small intestinal permeability (s-IP). This study investigated the relationship between PUFAs and gastrointestinal (GI) barrier integrity in IBS patients with predominant diarrhea (IBS-D). We evaluated GI barrier function indicators in the urine and bloodstream and erythrocyte membrane PUFA composition in 38 IBS-D patients (5 men, 33 women, 44.11 ± 1.64 years), categorized at baseline by fecal zonulin levels into high (≥107 ng/mL, H-FZ) and normal (<107 ng/mL N-FZ) groups. Evaluations were conducted prior to and following a 12-week diet low in FODMAPs (LFD). At baseline, H-FZ patients had s-IP significantly higher than the reference value, lower n-3 PUFAs levels, and higher n-6/n-3 PUFAs and arachidonic acid (AA) to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) ratios than N-FZ. After LFD, H-FZ patients showed significant increases in n-3 PUFAs levels; decreases in n-6 PUFAs, n-6/n-3 PUFAs and AA/EPA ratios; and improved s-IP. The n-6/n-3 PUFAs ratio positively correlated with fecal zonulin levels in all subjects. These findings highlight the relationship between PUFAs and the intestinal barrier, suggesting their role in IBS-D pathophysiology and confirming the positive effects of LFD in managing IBS-D. Full article

Promoting optimal nutrition in pregnant and lactating women is crucial for maternal and infant health. This study evaluated their nutritional status and dietary habits, assessing macro and micronutrient intake based on recommendations. A descriptive study with Spanish participants examined social, obstetric, dietary, and anthropometric data using quantitative and qualitative methods. The analysis of fatty acids by gas chromatography revealed significant variability, with notable deviations in specific fatty acids like C:10:0 and C:12:0. Despite some differences, the overall composition aligns with standards. During pregnancy, 53.8% consumed five meals/day. Grilling (92.3%) and baking (76.9%) were common. Food consumption frequency differed from recommendations. Lactating mothers’ mean energy intake was 2575.88 kcal/day ± 730.59 standard deviation (SD), with 45% from carbohydrates and 40% from lipids, including 37.16 g ± 10.43 of saturated fatty acids. Diets during pregnancy lacked fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and cereals. Lactating mothers partially met nutritional objectives, with an energy distribution skewed towards lipids and deficiencies in calcium, iodine, vitamin D, E, and folic acid. Promoting proper nutrition during pregnancy and lactation is essential to safeguard health and prevent chronic diseases. Full article

Background. One hundred years have passed since the discovery of insulin, which is one of the most relevant events of the 20th century. This period resulted in extraordinary progress in the development of novel molecules to improve glucose control, simplify the insulin regimen, and ameliorate the quality of life. In late March 2024, the first once-weekly basal analog Icodec was approved for diabetes mellitus, generating high expectations. Our aim was to systematically review and meta-analyze the efficacy and safety of Icodec compared to once-daily insulin analogs in type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods. PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Studies were included for the synthesis according to the following prespecified inclusion criteria: uncontrolled T1D or T2D, age ≥ 18 years, insulin Icodec vs. active comparators (Degludec U100, Glargine U100, Glargine U300, and Detemir), phase 3, multicenter, double-blind or open-label RCTs, and a study duration ≥ 24 weeks. Results. The systematic review included 4347 patients with T1D and T2D inadequately controlled (2172 randomized to Icodec vs. 2175 randomized to once-daily basal analogs). Icodec, compared to once-daily basal analogs, slightly reduced the levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) with an estimated treatment difference (ETD) of −0.14% [95%CI −0.25; −0.03], p = 0.01, and I² 68%. Patients randomized to Icodec compared to those on once-daily basal analogs had a greater probability to achieve HbA1c < 7% without clinically relevant or severe hypoglycemic events in 12 weeks from randomization with an estimated risk ratio (ERR) of 1.17, [95%CI 1.01, 1.36], p = 0.03, and I² 66%. We did not find a difference in fasting glucose levels, time in range, and time above range between Icodec and comparators. Icodec, compared to once-daily basal analogs, resulted in a slight but statistically significant weight gain of 0.62 kg [95%CI 0.25; 0.99], p = 0.001, and I² 25%. The frequency of hypoglycemic events (ERR 1.16 [95%CI 0.95; 1.41]), adverse events (ERR 1.04 [95%CI 1.00; 1.08]), injection-site reactions (ERR 1.08 [95%CI 0.62; 1.90]), and the discontinuation of treatments were similar between the two groups. Icodec was found to work better when used in a basal-only than basal-bolus regimen with an ETD in HbA1c of −0.22%, a probability of achieving glucose control of +33%, a probability of achieving glucose control without clinically relevant or severe hypoglycemia of +28%, more time spent in target (+4.55%) and less time spent in hyperglycemia (−5.14%). The risk of clinically relevant or severe hypoglycemic events was significantly higher when background glinides and sulfonylureas were added to basal analogs (ERR 1.42 [95%CI 1.05; 1.93]). Conclusion. Insulin Icodec is substantially non-inferior to once-daily insulin analogs in T2D, either insulin-naïve or insulin-treated. However, Icodec works slightly better than competitors when used in a basal-only rather than basal-bolus regimen. Weight gain and hypoglycemic risk are substantially low but not negligible. Patients’ education, adequate lifestyle and pharmacological interventions, and appropriate therapy adjustments are essential to minimize risks. This systematic review is registered as PROSPERO CRD42024568680. Full article

Providing an exercise paddock may improve the behavior and health of cows in their dry period. We compared a control group of cows in a shed with no exercise paddock and an experimental group in the same shed but with access to an exercise paddock. Both groups had ad libitum total mixed ration (TMR) indoors combined with access to a paddock (Group EX). The other group was just offered TMR indoors (Group IN). Total lying time was longer for cows without the exercise paddock (859 min/d) than for those with the paddock (733 min/d) (p = 0.012). Lying bouts were shorter, there were more allogrooming bouts, and drinking time was longer if an exercise paddock was provided. Cows with the paddock spent on average 76 min/d in paddock activity. Non-esterified fatty acids in the blood were increased by providing the exercise paddock. No significant differences in postpartum milk yield and calf weight of dry cows with or without access to exercise paddock were observed. However, crude protein and neutral detergent fiber digestibility were increased by providing the exercise paddock. The results suggest that providing an exercise paddock for cows in their dry period increased activity, including allogrooming, reduced lying, and improved digestibility of some major nutrients in the feed. Full article

High-resolution three-dimensional (3D) variations in ocean temperature and salinity fields are of great significance for ocean environment monitoring. Currently, AI-based 3D temperature and salinity field predictions rely on expensive 3D data, and as the prediction period increases, the stacking of high-resolution 3D data greatly increases the difficulty of model training. This paper transforms the prediction of 3D temperature and salinity into the prediction of sea surface elements and the inversion of subsurface temperature and salinity using sea surface elements, by leveraging the relationship between sea surface factors and subsurface temperature and salinity. This method comprehensively utilizes multi-source ocean data to avoid the issue of data volume caused by stacking high-resolution historical data. Specifically, the model first utilizes 1/4° low-resolution satellite remote sensing data to construct prediction models for sea surface temperature (SST) and sea level anomaly (SLA), and then uses 1/12° high-resolution temperature and salinity data as labels to build an inversion model of subsurface temperature and salinity based on SST and SLA. The prediction model and inversion model are integrated to obtain the final high-resolution 3D temperature and salinity prediction model. Experimental results show that the 20-day prediction results in the two sea areas of the coastal waters of China and the Northwest Pacific show good performance, accurately predicting ocean temperature and salinity in the vast majority of layers, and demonstrate higher resource utilization efficiency. Full article

Background: Obesity in pregnancy is linked to adverse clinical outcomes such as gestational diabetes. Recently, a risk score calculated by different ceramide concentrations was recognized as a new way to investigate cardiovascular risk. The aim was to analyze if the ceramide risk score and cardiometabolic risk vary between normal-weight, obese, and females with prior Roux-en-Y bypass surgery (RYGB) during pregnancy. Methods: Three cohorts were investigated: first, 25 pregnant females with a history of RYGB; second, 19 with preconception BMI ≥ 35 kg/m²; and third, 19 normal-weight (preconception BMI < 25 kg/m²). Around the 24th to 28th weeks of gestation routine laboratory assessments, 3 h 75 g oral and intravenous glucose tolerance tests were carried out. The correlation of ceramide risk scores and ceramide ratios (Cer(d18:1/18:0)/Cer(d18:1/16:0)) with metabolic parameters was analyzed via Pearson correlation. The cohorts were compared via ANOVA and unpaired t-tests. Results: The RYGB cohort had lower ceramide risk scores and ratios compared to obese pregnant females (7.42 vs.9.34, p = 0.025; 0.33 vs.0.47, p < 0.001). Ceramide risk score and ratio were found to correlate negatively with insulin sensitivity (measured with the Matsuda (r = −0.376, p = 0.031; r = −0.455, p = 0.008) and calculated sensitivity index (r = −0.358, p = 0.044; r = −0.621, p < 0.001)) in females without RYGB. The ceramide risk score correlated positively with body fat in RYGB females (r = 0.650, p = 0.012). Conclusions: We found that females after RYGB have lower ceramide risk scores and ceramide ratios compared to obese pregnant females, possibly indicating lower metabolic risk. Full article

Landslide risk management contributes to the sustainable development of the region. Understanding the spatial controls on the distribution of landslides triggered by earthquakes (EqTLs) is difficult in terms of the prediction and risk assessment of EqTLs. In this study, landslides are regarded as a spatial point pattern to test the controls on the spatial distribution of landslides and model the landslide density prediction. Taking more than 190,000 landslides triggered by the 2008 Wenchuan Ms 8.0 earthquake (WcEqTLs) as the research object, the relative density estimation, Kolmogorov–Smirnov testing based on cumulative distribution, receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, and Poisson density modeling are comprehensively applied to quantitatively determine and discuss the different control effects of seven factors representing earthquakes, geology, and topography. The distance to the surface ruptures (dSR) and the distance to the epicenter (dEp) show significant and strong control effects, which are far stronger than the other five factors. Using only the dSR, dEp, engineering geological rock group (Eg), and the range, a particularly effective Poisson model of landslide density is constructed, whose area under the ROC (AUC) reaches 0.9244 and whose very high-density (VHD) zones can contain 50% of landslides and only comprise 3.9% of the study areas. This research not only deepens our understanding of the spatial distribution of WcEqTLs but also provides new technical methods for such investigation and analysis. Full article

To enable unmanned aerial vehicles to generate coverage paths that balance inspection quality and efficiency when performing three-dimensional inspection tasks, we propose a quality and efficiency coupled iterative coverage path planning (QECI-CPP) method. First, starting from a cleaned and refined mesh model, this was segmented into narrow and normal spaces, each with distinct constraint settings. During the initialization phase of viewpoint generation, factors such as image resolution and orthogonality degree were considered to enhance the inspection quality along the path. Then, the optimization objective was designed to simultaneously consider inspection quality and efficiency, with the relative importance of these factors adjustable according to specific task requirements. Through iterative adjustments and optimizations, the coverage path was continuously refined. In numerical simulations, the proposed method was compared with three other classic methods, evaluated across five aspects: image resolution, orthogonality degree, path distance, computation time, and total path cost. The comparative simulation results show that the QECI-CPP achieves maximum image resolution and orthogonality degree while maintaining inspection efficiency within a moderate computation time, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed method. Additionally, the flexibility of the planned path is validated by adjusting the weight coefficient in the optimized objective function. Full article

5β-Dihydrosteroids are produced by the reduction of Δ⁴-3-ketosteroids catalyzed by steroid 5β-reductase (AKR1D1). By analogy with steroid 5α-reductase, genetic deficiency exists in AKR1D1 which leads to errors in newborn metabolism and in this case to bile acid deficiency. Also, like the 5α-dihydrosteroids (e.g., 5α-dihydrotestosterone), the 5β-dihydrosteroids produced by AKR1D1 are not inactive but regulate ligand access to nuclear receptors, can act as ligands for nuclear and membrane-bound receptors, and regulate ion-channel opening. For example, 5β-reduction of cortisol and cortisone yields the corresponding 5β-dihydroglucocorticoids which are inactive on the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and provides an additional mechanism of pre-receptor regulation of ligands for the GR in liver cells. By contrast, 5β-pregnanes can act as neuroactive steroids at the GABA_A and NMDA receptors and at low-voltage-activated calcium channels, act as tocolytic agents, have analgesic activity and act as ligands for PXR, while bile acids act as ligands for FXR and thereby control cholesterol homeostasis. The 5β-androstanes also have potent vasodilatory properties and work through blockade of Ca²⁺ channels. Thus, a preference for 5β-dihydrosteroids to work at the membrane level exists via a variety of mechanisms. This article reviews the field and identifies gaps in knowledge to be addressed in future research. Full article

Constitutive activation of STAT3 contributes to tumor development and metastasis, making it a promising target for cancer therapy. (1R,4R,5S)-10-hydroxy-9-methoxy-8,11-dimethyl-3-(naphthalen-2-ylmethyl)-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexahydro-1,5-epiminobenzo[d]azocine-4-carbonitrile, DH_31, a new derivative of the marine natural product Renieramycin T, showed potent activity against H292 and H460 cells, with IC₅₀ values of 5.54 ± 1.04 µM and 2.9 ± 0.58 µM, respectively. Structure–activity relationship (SAR) analysis suggests that adding a naphthalene ring with methyl linkers to ring C and a hydroxyl group to ring E enhances the cytotoxic effect of DH_31. At 1–2.5 µM, DH_31 significantly inhibited EMT phenotypes such as migration, and sensitized cells to anoikis. Consistent with the upregulation of ZO1 and the downregulation of Snail, Slug, N-cadherin, and Vimentin at both mRNA and protein levels, in silico prediction identified STAT3 as a target, validated by protein analysis showing that DH_31 significantly decreases STAT3 levels through ubiquitin-proteasomal degradation. Immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis confirmed that DH_31 significantly decreased STAT3 and EMT markers. Additionally, molecular docking suggests a covalent interaction between the cyano group of DH_31 and Cys-468 in the DNA-binding domain of STAT3 (binding affinity = −7.630 kcal/mol), leading to destabilization thereafter. In conclusion, DH_31, a novel RT derivative, demonstrates potential as a STAT3-targeting drug that significantly contribute to understanding of the development of new targeted therapy. Full article

Polycaprolactone (PCL) implants in large animals show great promise for tracheal transplantation. However, the longest survival time achieved to date is only about three weeks. To meet clinical application standards, it is essential to extend the survival time and ensure the complete integration and functionality of the implant. Our study investigates the use of three-dimensional (3D)-printed, biodegradable, PCL-based tracheal grafts for large-scale porcine tracheal transplantation, assessing the feasibility and early structural integrity crucial for long-term survival experiments. A biodegradable PCL tracheal graft was fabricated using a BIOX bioprinter and transplanted into large-scale porcine models. The grafts, measuring 20 × 20 × 1.5 mm, were implanted following a 2 cm circumferential resection of the porcine trachea. The experiment design was traditionally implanted in eight porcines to replace four-ring tracheal segments, only two of which survived more than three months. Data were collected on the graft construction and clinical outcomes. The 3D-printed biosynthetic grafts replicated the native organ with high fidelity. The implantations were successful, without immediate complications. At two weeks, bronchoscopy revealed significant granulation tissue around the anastomosis, which was managed with laser ablation. The presence of neocartilage, neoglands, and partial epithelialization near the anastomosis was verified in the final pathology findings. Our study demonstrates in situ regenerative tissue growth with intact cartilage following transplantation, marked by neotissue formation on the graft’s exterior. The 90-day survival milestone was achieved due to innovative surgical strategies, reinforced with strap muscle attached to the distal trachea. Further improvements in graft design and granulation tissue management are essential to optimize outcomes. Full article