The reduction of nitrate to nitrite by the oral microbiota has been proposed to be important for oral health and results in nitricoxide formation that can improve cardiometabolic conditions.Studies of bacterial compos...The reduction of nitrate to nitrite by the oral microbiota has been proposed to be important for oral health and results in nitricoxide formation that can improve cardiometabolic conditions.Studies of bacterial composition in subgingival plaque suggest thatnitrate-reducing bacteria are associated with periodontal health,but the impact of periodontitis on nitrate-reducing capacity(NRC)and,therefore,nitric oxide availability has not been evaluated.The current study aimed to evaluate how periodontitis affects theNRC of the oral microbiota.First,16S rRNA sequencing data from five different countries were analyzed,revealing that nitratereducing bacteria were significantly lower in subgingival plaque of periodontitis patients compared with healthy individuals(P<0.05 in all five datasets with n=20–82 samples per dataset).Secondly,subgingival plaque,saliva,and plasma samples wereobtained from 42 periodontitis patients before and after periodontal treatment.The oral NRC was determined in vitro by incubatingsaliva with 8 mmol/L nitrate(a concentration found in saliva after nitrate-rich vegetable intake)and compared with the NRC of 15healthy individuals.Salivary NRC was found to be diminished in periodontal patients before treatment(P<0.05)but recovered tohealthy levels 90 days post-treatment.Additionally,the subgingival levels of nitrate-reducing bacteria increased after treatment andcorrelated negatively with periodontitis-associated bacteria(P<0.01).No significant effect of periodontal treatment on the baselinesaliva and plasma nitrate and nitrite levels was found,indicating that differences in the NRC may only be revealed after nitrateintake.Our results suggest that an impaired NRC in periodontitis could limit dietary nitrate-derived nitric oxide levels,and the effecton systemic health should be explored in future studies.展开更多
The problem of producing a natural language description of an image for describing the visual content has gained more attention in natural language processing(NLP)and computer vision(CV).It can be driven by applicatio...The problem of producing a natural language description of an image for describing the visual content has gained more attention in natural language processing(NLP)and computer vision(CV).It can be driven by applications like image retrieval or indexing,virtual assistants,image understanding,and support of visually impaired people(VIP).Though the VIP uses other senses,touch and hearing,for recognizing objects and events,the quality of life of those persons is lower than the standard level.Automatic Image captioning generates captions that will be read loudly to the VIP,thereby realizing matters happening around them.This article introduces a Red Deer Optimization with Artificial Intelligence Enabled Image Captioning System(RDOAI-ICS)for Visually Impaired People.The presented RDOAI-ICS technique aids in generating image captions for VIPs.The presented RDOAIICS technique utilizes a neural architectural search network(NASNet)model to produce image representations.Besides,the RDOAI-ICS technique uses the radial basis function neural network(RBFNN)method to generate a textual description.To enhance the performance of the RDOAI-ICS method,the parameter optimization process takes place using the RDO algorithm for NasNet and the butterfly optimization algorithm(BOA)for the RBFNN model,showing the novelty of the work.The experimental evaluation of the RDOAI-ICS method can be tested using a benchmark dataset.The outcomes show the enhancements of the RDOAI-ICS method over other recent Image captioning approaches.展开更多
BACKGROUND Impaired glucose tolerance(IGT)is a homeostatic state between euglycemia and hyperglycemia and is considered an early high-risk state of diabetes.When IGT occurs,insulin sensitivity decreases,causing a redu...BACKGROUND Impaired glucose tolerance(IGT)is a homeostatic state between euglycemia and hyperglycemia and is considered an early high-risk state of diabetes.When IGT occurs,insulin sensitivity decreases,causing a reduction in insulin secretion and an increase in glucagon secretion.Recently,vascular endothelial growth factor B(VEGFB)has been demonstrated to play a positive role in improving glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.Therefore,we constructed a mouse model of IGT through high-fat diet feeding and speculated that VEGFB can regulate hyperglycemia in IGT by influencing insulin-mediated glucagon secretion,thus contributing to the prevention and cure of prediabetes.AIM To explore the potential molecular mechanism and regulatory effects of VEGFB on insulin-mediated glucagon in mice with IGT.METHODS We conducted in vivo experiments through systematic VEGFB knockout and pancreatic-specific VEGFB overexpression.Insulin and glucagon secretions were detected via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,and the protein expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)was determined using western blot.Further,mRNA expression of forkhead box protein O1,phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase,and glucose-6 phosphatase was detected via quantitative polymerase chain reaction,and the correlation between the expression of proteins was analyzed via bioinformatics.RESULTS In mice with IGT and VEGFB knockout,glucagon secretion increased,and the protein expression of PI3K/AKT decreased dramatically.Further,in mice with VEGFB overexpression,glucagon levels declined,with the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.CONCLUSION VEGFB/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 can promote insulin-mediated glucagon secretion by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to regulate glucose metabolism disorders in mice with IGT.展开更多
Visual impairment is one of the major problems among people of all age groups across the globe.Visually Impaired Persons(VIPs)require help from others to carry out their day-to-day tasks.Since they experience several ...Visual impairment is one of the major problems among people of all age groups across the globe.Visually Impaired Persons(VIPs)require help from others to carry out their day-to-day tasks.Since they experience several problems in their daily lives,technical intervention can help them resolve the challenges.In this background,an automatic object detection tool is the need of the hour to empower VIPs with safe navigation.The recent advances in the Internet of Things(IoT)and Deep Learning(DL)techniques make it possible.The current study proposes IoT-assisted Transient Search Optimization with a Lightweight RetinaNetbased object detection(TSOLWR-ODVIP)model to help VIPs.The primary aim of the presented TSOLWR-ODVIP technique is to identify different objects surrounding VIPs and to convey the information via audio message to them.For data acquisition,IoT devices are used in this study.Then,the Lightweight RetinaNet(LWR)model is applied to detect objects accurately.Next,the TSO algorithm is employed for fine-tuning the hyperparameters involved in the LWR model.Finally,the Long Short-Term Memory(LSTM)model is exploited for classifying objects.The performance of the proposed TSOLWR-ODVIP technique was evaluated using a set of objects,and the results were examined under distinct aspects.The comparison study outcomes confirmed that the TSOLWR-ODVIP model could effectually detect and classify the objects,enhancing the quality of life of VIPs.展开更多
Haematuria is the presence of red blood cells in urine. It is most often caused by urinary tract infections of which Escherichia coli is frequently implicated. Impairment of kidney functions could occur as a result of...Haematuria is the presence of red blood cells in urine. It is most often caused by urinary tract infections of which Escherichia coli is frequently implicated. Impairment of kidney functions could occur as a result of infection or other complications of the kidney. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of uropathogenic Escherichia coli among adult male patients with haematuria and impaired kidneys attending a general hospital in Benue state. Three hundred and sixty-eight (368) samples of urine were collected from 368 male patients (≥ 40 years) attending the 23 general hospitals in Benue state. Each of the urine samples was divided into two parts for haematuria and isolation and identification of Escherichia coli. Blood samples (368) were also collected from the patients and used for quantitative determination of creatinine and estimation of glomerular filtration rate. The presence of haematuria was 45.1% and ranges from 12.5% to 100%. Prevalence of haematuria with respect to age shows that patients within the age group of 90 - 99 years had the highest rate (100%) and the least were those within the ages of 40 - 49 years (20.0%). Isolation rate of uropathogenic Escherichia coli was 16.3% and ranged from 6.3 to 37.5%. Patients within the age group of 90 - 99 years had the highest elevated impaired renal function of 4 (80%), followed by patients within the ages of 80 - 89 years [17 (77.3%)] and the lowest were those within the ages of 40 - 49 [6 (10.0%)]. The overall presence of haematuria in the patients was high (45.1%) with similar high Escherichia coli isolation rate and impaired renal function which could mean that acute or chronic kidney disease may set in.展开更多
Objective: Breast cancer in women of childbearing age (WCBA) is a major public health concern. This study aimed to determine variation and determinants in lipid profile among Cameroonian WCBA diagnosed with breast can...Objective: Breast cancer in women of childbearing age (WCBA) is a major public health concern. This study aimed to determine variation and determinants in lipid profile among Cameroonian WCBA diagnosed with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: A case-control study took place at two reference hospitals in Douala, Cameroon. A total of 176 WCBA (88 cases and 88 controls) were finally enrolled. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect sociodemographic, behavioural, clinical and anthropometric data. Three millilitres of venous blood were collected for analysis of total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and triglycerides (TG). Results: Overweight was predominantly seen in cases and controls. Serum levels of TC and LDL-c were significantly lower in cancer women (167.02 ± 45.46 vs 183.12 ± 27.38 mg/dL, p = 0.005 for TC;85.83 ± 40.34 vs 105.25 ± 29.95 mg/dL, p = 0.0004 for LDL-c), while HDL-c levels were higher in controls (45.09 ± 7.20 vs 38.24 ± 11.14 mg/dL, p Conclusion: This study suggests the influence of breast cancer on lipid profile parameters especially HDL-c and LDL-c, and possibly their putative clinical utility for early diagnosis in premenopausal women in Cameroon.展开更多
Cell wall invertase(CWIN)are known to play important roles in seed development.However,most reports to date have focused on a single gene family member,and have mainly investigated CWIN functions during the filling st...Cell wall invertase(CWIN)are known to play important roles in seed development.However,most reports to date have focused on a single gene family member,and have mainly investigated CWIN functions during the filling stage of seed development.In this study,we found significant lower levels of CWIN protein and activity associated with seed abortion in the Litchi chinensis cultivar“Nuomici.”We identified five litchi CWIN genes and observed that the expression of LcCWIN5 was limited to the flower tissues and decreased sharply with fruit development.Silencing of LcCWIN5 expression before 28 DAA(cell division stage)resulted in perturbed liquid endosperm development,smaller seeds,and higher seed abortion rate,while silencing after 28 DAA(filling stage)had no effect on seed development.In contrast,LcCWIN2 was mostly expressed in the funicle and seed coat,and increased with fruit development.Decreased LcCWIN2 expression and CWIN activity during early seed filling coincided with smaller seeds in the cultivar“Feizixiao.”Silencing of LcCWIN2 caused a reduction in the seed size without inducing seed abortion.We propose that CWIN activity in seed maternal tissues during cell division stage is likely due to LcCWIN5 expression,which regulates early seed development.On the other hand,CWIN activity during the filling stage is due to the expression of LcCWIN2,which may promote carbon import by creating a sucrose gradient.Comparable LcCWIN5 expression,but much lower CWIN activity,detected in the funicle of“Nuomici”is consistent with post-translational regulation.展开更多
Among the risk factors for late onset sporadic Alzheimer's disease(AD)is the expression ofε4 allele of apolipoprotein E(APOE4)gene(Mahley et al.,2006).Elevated amyloid processing and reduced degradation of Aβ,wh...Among the risk factors for late onset sporadic Alzheimer's disease(AD)is the expression ofε4 allele of apolipoprotein E(APOE4)gene(Mahley et al.,2006).Elevated amyloid processing and reduced degradation of Aβ,which lead to Ap plaque deposition,are evident in APOE4-positive AD patients and mice(Mahley et al.,2006).These features correlate with neuronal cell loss.Impaired mitochondrial activity and increased oxidative stress have long been recognized as additional hallmarks of AD pathology(Mahley et al.,2006).The effect of APOE4 expression on autophagy and mitochondrial dynamics and activity in astrocytes is discussed in this perspective and is summarized in Figure 1.展开更多
Anti-B cell maturation antigen(BCMA)chimeric antigen receptor(CAR)T-cell therapyis effective and well-tolerated for refractory or relapsed multiple myeloma(RRMM).The purposcof the present study was to analyze efficacy...Anti-B cell maturation antigen(BCMA)chimeric antigen receptor(CAR)T-cell therapyis effective and well-tolerated for refractory or relapsed multiple myeloma(RRMM).The purposcof the present study was to analyze efficacy in RRMM patients with renal impairment treated byanti-BCMA CAR-T cell therapy.A total of 59 RRMM patients were selected,and divided intoimpaired renal function(lRF)group[basclinc cstimated giomerular filtration rate(eSFR)<90 m/min/1.73 m^2(n=18)]and normal renal function(NRF)group(baseline eGFR≥90 mL/min/1.73 m,n=41).For patients with IRF,eGFR at the 6th month post-CAR-T cells infusion was significantlyhigher than the baseline(P<0.05).The multivariate analysis showed that light chain type and beta-2 micro-globulin(bcta-2M)were associated factors with the decrease of serum creatinine.Medianprogression-free survival(PFS)in the NRF group and IRF group was 266 days and 181 daysrespectively.Overall survival(OS)in the NRF group and lRF group was 877 days and 238 daysrespectively.There was no significant difference in the objective response rate(ORR)between thelRF group and the NRF group.It is suggested that CAR-T cells therapy could improve the renalfunction during the treatment of RRMM.The renal function could be more significantly improvedin RRMM patients with light chain type than with other types.展开更多
The purpose of this study is to prepare a nursing protocol for preventing discontinuation of treatments using a method other than physical restraint during acute exacerbation of chronic heart failure in patients with ...The purpose of this study is to prepare a nursing protocol for preventing discontinuation of treatments using a method other than physical restraint during acute exacerbation of chronic heart failure in patients with impaired cognitive function. For the first stage of the study, we prepared a draft of the nursing protocol based on a basic survey. For the second stage, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 5 nurses specialized in chronic heart failure and 10 nurses in dementia case to ensure content validity of the draft protocol. For the third stage, we examined the possibility of clinical application of the revised version of the protocol draft prepared in the second stage of the study. For assessment items, significant points of nursing care, and specific nursing care practice in this revised version, 154 subjects (93.9%) considered effective for patients, in terms of prevention of treatment discontinuation using a method other than physical restraint. All items and contents were considered useful by more than 60% of the nurses. Considering that the nurses working in the clinical setting reported 93.9% of usefulness, we concluded that this nursing protocol remained valid at a certain level. We also received a comment from the certified nurses that we should include the basic contents for newly graduated nurses. We consider that this nursing protocol will be also useful for newly graduated nurses to acquire knowledge. It helped to standardize nursing care in order to predict potential risks for patients with impaired cognitive function.展开更多
AIM:To investigate which obese children have an increased risk for impaired glucose tolerance(IGT),a risk factor for later diabetes.METHODS:We studied 169 European untreated obese children and adolescents with normal ...AIM:To investigate which obese children have an increased risk for impaired glucose tolerance(IGT),a risk factor for later diabetes.METHODS:We studied 169 European untreated obese children and adolescents with normal glucose tolerance at baseline.Waist circumference,fasting glucose,lipids,blood pressure,pubertal stage,2 h glucose in oral glucose tolerance test(oGTT),and HbA1c were deter mined at baseline and 1 year later.RESULTS:One year after baseline,19(11.2) children demonstrated IGT,4(2.4) children had impaired fas ting glucose,no(0) child suffered from diabetes,and 146(86) children still showed normal glucose tolerance.At baseline,the children with IGT and with normal glucose tolerance in a one-year follow-up did not differ significantly in respect of any analyzed parameter,apart from pubertal stage.The children developing IGT entered puberty significantly more frequently(37 vs 3,P < 0.001).One year after baseline,the childr en with IGT demonstrated significantly increased waist circumference,blood pressure values,insulin and triglyceride concentrations,and insulin resistance index HOMA.The children remaining in the normal glucose tolerance status 1 year after baseline did not demonstrate any significant changes.CONCLUSION:During the study period of 1 year,more than 10 of the obese children with normal glucose tolerance converted to IGT.Repeated screening with oGTT seems meaningful in obese children entering puberty or demonstrating increased insulin resistance,waist circumference,blood pressure,or triglyceride concen trations.展开更多
Heme oxygenase(HO)is the enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of heme and leads to the formation of carbon monoxide,free iron and biliverdin.Emerging evidence suggests that HO-1,an inducible isoform of HO,can exert v...Heme oxygenase(HO)is the enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of heme and leads to the formation of carbon monoxide,free iron and biliverdin.Emerging evidence suggests that HO-1,an inducible isoform of HO,can exert vaso-protective effects.However,such vascular benefit展开更多
AIM:To investigate whether impaired fasting glucose(IFG)confers cardiovascular risk.METHODS:A non-diabetic population-based sample representative of middle-aged and elderly Turks was studied at 8.5 years’follow-up fo...AIM:To investigate whether impaired fasting glucose(IFG)confers cardiovascular risk.METHODS:A non-diabetic population-based sample representative of middle-aged and elderly Turks was studied at 8.5 years’follow-up for incident diabetes and coronary heart disease(CHD).Metabolic syndrome(MetS)was defined by ATP-Ⅲcriteria modifiedfor male abdominal obesity,and IFG and type 2 diabetes were identified by criteria of the American Diabetes Association.Stratification by presence of MetS was used.Outcomes were predicted providing estimates for hazard ratio(HR)obtained by use of Cox proportional hazards regression analysis in models that controlled for potential confounders.RESULTS:In 3181 adults(aged 52±11.5 years at baseline),analysis stratified by MetS,gender and IFG status distinguished normoglycemic subjects by a"hypertriglyceridemic waist"phenotype consisting of significantly higher waist circumference,fasting triglyceride and lower high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol,regardless of gender and MetS.Additionally,lipoprotein(Lp)(a)tended to be lower in(especially female)participants with MetS.Multivariable linear regression in a subset of the sample demonstrated decreased Lp(a)levels to be associated with increased fasting glucose and insulin concentrations,again particularly in women.In Cox regression analysis,compared with normoglycemia,baseline IFG adjusted for major confounders significantly predicted incident diabetes at a 3-fold HR in men and only women with MetS.Cox models for developing CHD in 339 individuals,adjusted for conventional risk factors,revealed that IFG status protected against CHD risk[HR=0.37(95%CI:0.14-0.998)]in subjects free of MetS,a protection that attenuated partly in male and fully in female participants with MetS.CONCLUSION:IFG status in non-diabetic people without MetS displays reduced future CHD risk,yet is modulated by MetS,likely due to autoimmune activation linked to serum Lp(a).展开更多
Coffin–Lowry–Syndrome(CLS)is a X-linked mental retardation characterized by skeletal dysplasia and premature tooth loss.We and others have previously demonstrated that the ribosomal S6 kinase RSK2,mutated in CLS,is ...Coffin–Lowry–Syndrome(CLS)is a X-linked mental retardation characterized by skeletal dysplasia and premature tooth loss.We and others have previously demonstrated that the ribosomal S6 kinase RSK2,mutated in CLS,is essential for bone and cementum formation;however,it remains to be established whether RSK2 plays also a role in mechanically induced bone remodeling during orthodontic tooth movement(OTM).We,therefore,performed OTM in wild-type(WT)mice and Rsk2-deficient mice using Nitinol tension springs that were fixed between the upper left molars and the incisors.The untreated contralateral molars served as internal controls.After 12 days of OTM,the jaws were removed and examined by micro-computed tomography(μCT),decalcified histology,and immunohistochemistry.Our analysis of the untreated teeth confirmed that the periodontal phenotype of Rsk2-deficient mice is characterized by alveolar bone loss and hypoplasia of root cementum.Quantification of OTM usingμCT revealed that OTM was more than two-fold faster in Rsk2-deficient mice as compared to WT.We also observed that OTM caused alveolar bone loss and root resorptions in WT and Rsk2-deficient mice.However,quantification of these orthodontic side effects revealed no differences between WT and Rsk2-deficient mice.Taken together,Rsk2 loss-of-function accelerates OTM in mice without causing more side effects.展开更多
Mutations in actin-bundling protein plastin 3(PLS3)emerged as a cause of congenital osteoporosis,but neither the role of PLS3 in bone development nor the mechanisms underlying PLS3-dependent osteoporosis are understoo...Mutations in actin-bundling protein plastin 3(PLS3)emerged as a cause of congenital osteoporosis,but neither the role of PLS3 in bone development nor the mechanisms underlying PLS3-dependent osteoporosis are understood.Of the over 20 identified osteoporosis-linked PLS3 mutations,we investigated all five that are expected to produce full-length protein.One of the mutations distorted an actin-binding loop in the second actin-binding domain of PLS3 and abolished F-actin bundling as revealed by cryo-EM reconstruction and protein interaction assays.Surprisingly,the remaining four mutants fully retained F-actin bundling ability.However,they displayed defects in Ca2+sensitivity:two of the mutants lost the ability to be inhibited by Ca2+;while the other two became hypersensitive to Ca2a.Each group of the mutants with similar biochemical properties showed highly characteristic cellular behavior.Wild-type PLS3 was distributed between lamellipodia and focal adhesions.In striking contrast,the Ca2+-hyposensitive mutants were not found at the leading edge but localized exclusively at focal adhesions/stress fibers,which displayed reinforced morphology.Consistently,the Ca2+-hypersensitive PLS3 mutants were restricted to lamellipodia,while chelation of Ca2+caused their redistribution to focal adhesions.Finally,the bundling-deficient mutant failed to co-localize with any F-actin structures in cells despite a preserved F-actin binding through a non-mutation-bearing actin-binding domain.Our findings revealed that severe osteoporosis can be caused by a mutational disruption of the Ca2+-controlled PLS3’s cycling between adhesion complexes and the leading edge.Integration of the structural,biochemical,and cell biology insights enabled us to propose a molecular mechanism of plastin activity regulation by Ca2+.展开更多
To elucidate the physiology underlying the development of superficial scald in pears,susceptible“Blanquilla”fruit was treated with different compounds that either promoted(ethylene)or repressed(1-methylcyclopropene ...To elucidate the physiology underlying the development of superficial scald in pears,susceptible“Blanquilla”fruit was treated with different compounds that either promoted(ethylene)or repressed(1-methylcyclopropene and lovastatin)the incidence of this disorder after 4 months of cold storage.Our data show that scald was negligible for the fruit treated with 1-methylcyclopropene or lovastatin,but highly manifested in untreated(78%incidence)or ethylenetreated fruit(97%incidence).The comparison between the fruit metabolomic profile and transcriptome evidenced a distinct reprogramming associated with each treatment.In all treated samples,cold storage led to an activation of a cold-acclimation-resistance mechanism,including the biosynthesis of very-long-chain fatty acids,which was especially evident in 1-methylcyclopropane-treated fruit.Among the treatments applied,only 1-methylcyclopropene inhibited ethylene production,hence supporting the involvement of this hormone in the development of scald.However,a common repression effect on the PPO gene combined with higher sorbitol content was found for both lovastatin and 1-methylcyclopropene-treated samples,suggesting also a non-ethylene-mediated process preventing the development of this disorder.The results presented in this work represent a step forward to better understand the physiological mechanisms governing the etiology of superficial scald in pears.展开更多
Many studies report the relationship between coliform indicator bacteria levels and the overall quality of environmental water for public use. This study, an outgrowth of a long-term water-monitoring program within th...Many studies report the relationship between coliform indicator bacteria levels and the overall quality of environmental water for public use. This study, an outgrowth of a long-term water-monitoring program within the upper Appomattox River (Virginia) watershed, employs a zebrafish model to examine the relationship between impaired stream water and aquatic vertebrate development. We report results that suggest an expansion of the indicator bacteria concept, showing a possible relationship between waters containing high levels of the indicator bacterium, Escherichia coli (E. coli), with developmental defects upon zebrafish embryos. These effects are not directly attributable to bacterial presence, as filtered test waters void of bacteria produce the same results in embryos, indicating these developmental defects are due to the presence of other toxins or contaminants. Fish embryos exposed to the test waters show reduced survivorship and altered brain and heart development. Furthermore, fish surviving to adulthood exhibit altered gonads and skewed sex ratios. We suggest that this broadly focused approach examining the complex interactions (biotic and abiotic) within raw water sources could be used in conjunction with traditional chemical assays and/or dose-response studies on vertebrate models for a more complete analysis of stream water quality conditions.展开更多
Vision impairment is a latent problem that affects numerous people across the globe.Technological advancements,particularly the rise of computer processing abilities like Deep Learning(DL)models and emergence of weara...Vision impairment is a latent problem that affects numerous people across the globe.Technological advancements,particularly the rise of computer processing abilities like Deep Learning(DL)models and emergence of wearables pave a way for assisting visually-impaired persons.The models developed earlier specifically for visually-impaired people work effectually on single object detection in unconstrained environment.But,in real-time scenarios,these systems are inconsistent in providing effective guidance for visually-impaired people.In addition to object detection,extra information about the location of objects in the scene is essential for visually-impaired people.Keeping this in mind,the current research work presents an Efficient Object Detection Model with Audio Assistive System(EODM-AAS)using DL-based YOLO v3 model for visually-impaired people.The aim of the research article is to construct a model that can provide a detailed description of the objects around visually-impaired people.The presented model involves a DL-based YOLO v3 model for multi-label object detection.Besides,the presented model determines the position of object in the scene and finally generates an audio signal to notify the visually-impaired people.In order to validate the detection performance of the presented method,a detailed simulation analysis was conducted on four datasets.The simulation results established that the presented model produces effectual outcome over existing methods.展开更多
The pattern password method is amongst the most attractive authentication methods and involves drawing a pattern;this is seen as easier than typing a password.However,since people with visual impairments have been inc...The pattern password method is amongst the most attractive authentication methods and involves drawing a pattern;this is seen as easier than typing a password.However,since people with visual impairments have been increasing their usage of smart devices,this method is inaccessible for them as it requires them to select points on the touch screen.Therefore,this paper exploits the haptic technology by introducing a vibration-based pattern password approach in which the vibration feedback plays an important role.This approach allows visually impaired people to use a pattern password through two developed vibration feedback:pulses,which are counted by the user,and duration,which has to be estimated by the user.In order to make the proposed approach capable to prevent shoulder-surfing attacks,a camouflage pattern approach is applied.An experimental study is conducted to evaluate the proposed approach,the results of which show that the vibration pulses feedback is usable and resistant to shoulder-surfing attacks.展开更多
Background: Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) is a prediabetic condition and is a high-risk state for developing diabetes and associated complications. The aim of this study was to explore the association of vitamin D wi...Background: Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) is a prediabetic condition and is a high-risk state for developing diabetes and associated complications. The aim of this study was to explore the association of vitamin D with insulin secretory function among the IFG subjects. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Bangladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS), Dhaka, Bangladesh;from June 2016 to May 2017, on forty-six (46) IFG subjects. Serum blood glucose was measured by glucose-oxidase method, Fasting serum lipid profile (Total cholesterol, TG and HDL-c);liver enzyme like alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was measured by enzymatic-colorimetric method;Serum creatinine was measured by colorimetric kinetic method;Serum Insulin and vitamin D [25(OH)D] were measured by ELISA method;insulin secretory capacity (HOMA%B) and insulin sensitivity (HOMA%S) were calculated by Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) using HOMA-CIGMA software. Results: Among 46 IFG subjects, 22 (47.8%) were male and rest 24 (52.2%) were female and their mean age was 40 (±8) years. Mean fasting serum glucose level of the study subjects was 6.33 (±0.23) mmol/l and mean postprandial serum glucose level was 7.23 (±0.41) mmol/l. Mean serum vitamin D level of the study subjects was 26.54 (±8.83) ng/ml. Mean HOMA%S, HOMA%B and HOMA%IR of the total study subjects were 48.34 (±16.70), 102.16 (±23.13) and 2.28 (±0.70) respectively. Insulin secretory capacity (HOMA%B) was significantly higher (p = 0.047) in the subjects having higher vitamin D [25(OH)D level ≥ 20 ng/ml] compared to the subjects having lower vitamin D [25(OH)D levels Conclusion: High prevalence of hypovitaminosis D exists among IFG subjects. Vitamin D is associated with insulin secretory function in IFG subjects. Population based prospective studies using larger sample size should be done to confirm the results.展开更多
基金funded by grants from EU Marie Curie ITN RAPID(grant number 290246)Versus Arthritis(Grant Number 20823)+4 种基金the BBSRC(BB/P504567/1)supported by a student stipend from the University of Glasgow and Dentsply Sirona(Project Number 300881)supported by a grant from the European Regional Development Fund and the Spanish Ministry of Science,Innovation and Universities with the reference RTI2018-102032-B-I00the Valencian Innovation Agency with the reference INNVAL20/19/006supported by an FPI fellowship from the Spanish Ministry of Science,Innovation,and Universities with the reference Bio2015-68711-R。
文摘The reduction of nitrate to nitrite by the oral microbiota has been proposed to be important for oral health and results in nitricoxide formation that can improve cardiometabolic conditions.Studies of bacterial composition in subgingival plaque suggest thatnitrate-reducing bacteria are associated with periodontal health,but the impact of periodontitis on nitrate-reducing capacity(NRC)and,therefore,nitric oxide availability has not been evaluated.The current study aimed to evaluate how periodontitis affects theNRC of the oral microbiota.First,16S rRNA sequencing data from five different countries were analyzed,revealing that nitratereducing bacteria were significantly lower in subgingival plaque of periodontitis patients compared with healthy individuals(P<0.05 in all five datasets with n=20–82 samples per dataset).Secondly,subgingival plaque,saliva,and plasma samples wereobtained from 42 periodontitis patients before and after periodontal treatment.The oral NRC was determined in vitro by incubatingsaliva with 8 mmol/L nitrate(a concentration found in saliva after nitrate-rich vegetable intake)and compared with the NRC of 15healthy individuals.Salivary NRC was found to be diminished in periodontal patients before treatment(P<0.05)but recovered tohealthy levels 90 days post-treatment.Additionally,the subgingival levels of nitrate-reducing bacteria increased after treatment andcorrelated negatively with periodontitis-associated bacteria(P<0.01).No significant effect of periodontal treatment on the baselinesaliva and plasma nitrate and nitrite levels was found,indicating that differences in the NRC may only be revealed after nitrateintake.Our results suggest that an impaired NRC in periodontitis could limit dietary nitrate-derived nitric oxide levels,and the effecton systemic health should be explored in future studies.
基金The authors extend their appreciation to the King Salman center for Disability Research for funding this work through Research Group no KSRG-2022-017.
文摘The problem of producing a natural language description of an image for describing the visual content has gained more attention in natural language processing(NLP)and computer vision(CV).It can be driven by applications like image retrieval or indexing,virtual assistants,image understanding,and support of visually impaired people(VIP).Though the VIP uses other senses,touch and hearing,for recognizing objects and events,the quality of life of those persons is lower than the standard level.Automatic Image captioning generates captions that will be read loudly to the VIP,thereby realizing matters happening around them.This article introduces a Red Deer Optimization with Artificial Intelligence Enabled Image Captioning System(RDOAI-ICS)for Visually Impaired People.The presented RDOAI-ICS technique aids in generating image captions for VIPs.The presented RDOAIICS technique utilizes a neural architectural search network(NASNet)model to produce image representations.Besides,the RDOAI-ICS technique uses the radial basis function neural network(RBFNN)method to generate a textual description.To enhance the performance of the RDOAI-ICS method,the parameter optimization process takes place using the RDO algorithm for NasNet and the butterfly optimization algorithm(BOA)for the RBFNN model,showing the novelty of the work.The experimental evaluation of the RDOAI-ICS method can be tested using a benchmark dataset.The outcomes show the enhancements of the RDOAI-ICS method over other recent Image captioning approaches.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.31771284Basic Research Project of Yantai Science and Technology Innovation and Development Plan,No.2022JCYJ026+1 种基金Natural Science Foundation of Shandong province,No.ZR202111250163Yantai Science and Technology Plan Project,No.2022YD062.
文摘BACKGROUND Impaired glucose tolerance(IGT)is a homeostatic state between euglycemia and hyperglycemia and is considered an early high-risk state of diabetes.When IGT occurs,insulin sensitivity decreases,causing a reduction in insulin secretion and an increase in glucagon secretion.Recently,vascular endothelial growth factor B(VEGFB)has been demonstrated to play a positive role in improving glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.Therefore,we constructed a mouse model of IGT through high-fat diet feeding and speculated that VEGFB can regulate hyperglycemia in IGT by influencing insulin-mediated glucagon secretion,thus contributing to the prevention and cure of prediabetes.AIM To explore the potential molecular mechanism and regulatory effects of VEGFB on insulin-mediated glucagon in mice with IGT.METHODS We conducted in vivo experiments through systematic VEGFB knockout and pancreatic-specific VEGFB overexpression.Insulin and glucagon secretions were detected via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,and the protein expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)was determined using western blot.Further,mRNA expression of forkhead box protein O1,phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase,and glucose-6 phosphatase was detected via quantitative polymerase chain reaction,and the correlation between the expression of proteins was analyzed via bioinformatics.RESULTS In mice with IGT and VEGFB knockout,glucagon secretion increased,and the protein expression of PI3K/AKT decreased dramatically.Further,in mice with VEGFB overexpression,glucagon levels declined,with the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.CONCLUSION VEGFB/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 can promote insulin-mediated glucagon secretion by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to regulate glucose metabolism disorders in mice with IGT.
基金The authors extend their appreciation to the King Salman center for Disability Research for funding this work through Research Group no KSRG-2022-030。
文摘Visual impairment is one of the major problems among people of all age groups across the globe.Visually Impaired Persons(VIPs)require help from others to carry out their day-to-day tasks.Since they experience several problems in their daily lives,technical intervention can help them resolve the challenges.In this background,an automatic object detection tool is the need of the hour to empower VIPs with safe navigation.The recent advances in the Internet of Things(IoT)and Deep Learning(DL)techniques make it possible.The current study proposes IoT-assisted Transient Search Optimization with a Lightweight RetinaNetbased object detection(TSOLWR-ODVIP)model to help VIPs.The primary aim of the presented TSOLWR-ODVIP technique is to identify different objects surrounding VIPs and to convey the information via audio message to them.For data acquisition,IoT devices are used in this study.Then,the Lightweight RetinaNet(LWR)model is applied to detect objects accurately.Next,the TSO algorithm is employed for fine-tuning the hyperparameters involved in the LWR model.Finally,the Long Short-Term Memory(LSTM)model is exploited for classifying objects.The performance of the proposed TSOLWR-ODVIP technique was evaluated using a set of objects,and the results were examined under distinct aspects.The comparison study outcomes confirmed that the TSOLWR-ODVIP model could effectually detect and classify the objects,enhancing the quality of life of VIPs.
文摘Haematuria is the presence of red blood cells in urine. It is most often caused by urinary tract infections of which Escherichia coli is frequently implicated. Impairment of kidney functions could occur as a result of infection or other complications of the kidney. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of uropathogenic Escherichia coli among adult male patients with haematuria and impaired kidneys attending a general hospital in Benue state. Three hundred and sixty-eight (368) samples of urine were collected from 368 male patients (≥ 40 years) attending the 23 general hospitals in Benue state. Each of the urine samples was divided into two parts for haematuria and isolation and identification of Escherichia coli. Blood samples (368) were also collected from the patients and used for quantitative determination of creatinine and estimation of glomerular filtration rate. The presence of haematuria was 45.1% and ranges from 12.5% to 100%. Prevalence of haematuria with respect to age shows that patients within the age group of 90 - 99 years had the highest rate (100%) and the least were those within the ages of 40 - 49 years (20.0%). Isolation rate of uropathogenic Escherichia coli was 16.3% and ranged from 6.3 to 37.5%. Patients within the age group of 90 - 99 years had the highest elevated impaired renal function of 4 (80%), followed by patients within the ages of 80 - 89 years [17 (77.3%)] and the lowest were those within the ages of 40 - 49 [6 (10.0%)]. The overall presence of haematuria in the patients was high (45.1%) with similar high Escherichia coli isolation rate and impaired renal function which could mean that acute or chronic kidney disease may set in.
文摘Objective: Breast cancer in women of childbearing age (WCBA) is a major public health concern. This study aimed to determine variation and determinants in lipid profile among Cameroonian WCBA diagnosed with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: A case-control study took place at two reference hospitals in Douala, Cameroon. A total of 176 WCBA (88 cases and 88 controls) were finally enrolled. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect sociodemographic, behavioural, clinical and anthropometric data. Three millilitres of venous blood were collected for analysis of total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and triglycerides (TG). Results: Overweight was predominantly seen in cases and controls. Serum levels of TC and LDL-c were significantly lower in cancer women (167.02 ± 45.46 vs 183.12 ± 27.38 mg/dL, p = 0.005 for TC;85.83 ± 40.34 vs 105.25 ± 29.95 mg/dL, p = 0.0004 for LDL-c), while HDL-c levels were higher in controls (45.09 ± 7.20 vs 38.24 ± 11.14 mg/dL, p Conclusion: This study suggests the influence of breast cancer on lipid profile parameters especially HDL-c and LDL-c, and possibly their putative clinical utility for early diagnosis in premenopausal women in Cameroon.
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Fund of China(project No.31501734)the China Litchi and Longan Industry Technology Research System(project No.CARS-33-11).
文摘Cell wall invertase(CWIN)are known to play important roles in seed development.However,most reports to date have focused on a single gene family member,and have mainly investigated CWIN functions during the filling stage of seed development.In this study,we found significant lower levels of CWIN protein and activity associated with seed abortion in the Litchi chinensis cultivar“Nuomici.”We identified five litchi CWIN genes and observed that the expression of LcCWIN5 was limited to the flower tissues and decreased sharply with fruit development.Silencing of LcCWIN5 expression before 28 DAA(cell division stage)resulted in perturbed liquid endosperm development,smaller seeds,and higher seed abortion rate,while silencing after 28 DAA(filling stage)had no effect on seed development.In contrast,LcCWIN2 was mostly expressed in the funicle and seed coat,and increased with fruit development.Decreased LcCWIN2 expression and CWIN activity during early seed filling coincided with smaller seeds in the cultivar“Feizixiao.”Silencing of LcCWIN2 caused a reduction in the seed size without inducing seed abortion.We propose that CWIN activity in seed maternal tissues during cell division stage is likely due to LcCWIN5 expression,which regulates early seed development.On the other hand,CWIN activity during the filling stage is due to the expression of LcCWIN2,which may promote carbon import by creating a sucrose gradient.Comparable LcCWIN5 expression,but much lower CWIN activity,detected in the funicle of“Nuomici”is consistent with post-translational regulation.
文摘Among the risk factors for late onset sporadic Alzheimer's disease(AD)is the expression ofε4 allele of apolipoprotein E(APOE4)gene(Mahley et al.,2006).Elevated amyloid processing and reduced degradation of Aβ,which lead to Ap plaque deposition,are evident in APOE4-positive AD patients and mice(Mahley et al.,2006).These features correlate with neuronal cell loss.Impaired mitochondrial activity and increased oxidative stress have long been recognized as additional hallmarks of AD pathology(Mahley et al.,2006).The effect of APOE4 expression on autophagy and mitochondrial dynamics and activity in astrocytes is discussed in this perspective and is summarized in Figure 1.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81873452)the Clinical Research Program of Huazhong University of Science and Technology Affiliated Tongji Hospital(No.2020003).
文摘Anti-B cell maturation antigen(BCMA)chimeric antigen receptor(CAR)T-cell therapyis effective and well-tolerated for refractory or relapsed multiple myeloma(RRMM).The purposcof the present study was to analyze efficacy in RRMM patients with renal impairment treated byanti-BCMA CAR-T cell therapy.A total of 59 RRMM patients were selected,and divided intoimpaired renal function(lRF)group[basclinc cstimated giomerular filtration rate(eSFR)<90 m/min/1.73 m^2(n=18)]and normal renal function(NRF)group(baseline eGFR≥90 mL/min/1.73 m,n=41).For patients with IRF,eGFR at the 6th month post-CAR-T cells infusion was significantlyhigher than the baseline(P<0.05).The multivariate analysis showed that light chain type and beta-2 micro-globulin(bcta-2M)were associated factors with the decrease of serum creatinine.Medianprogression-free survival(PFS)in the NRF group and IRF group was 266 days and 181 daysrespectively.Overall survival(OS)in the NRF group and lRF group was 877 days and 238 daysrespectively.There was no significant difference in the objective response rate(ORR)between thelRF group and the NRF group.It is suggested that CAR-T cells therapy could improve the renalfunction during the treatment of RRMM.The renal function could be more significantly improvedin RRMM patients with light chain type than with other types.
文摘The purpose of this study is to prepare a nursing protocol for preventing discontinuation of treatments using a method other than physical restraint during acute exacerbation of chronic heart failure in patients with impaired cognitive function. For the first stage of the study, we prepared a draft of the nursing protocol based on a basic survey. For the second stage, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 5 nurses specialized in chronic heart failure and 10 nurses in dementia case to ensure content validity of the draft protocol. For the third stage, we examined the possibility of clinical application of the revised version of the protocol draft prepared in the second stage of the study. For assessment items, significant points of nursing care, and specific nursing care practice in this revised version, 154 subjects (93.9%) considered effective for patients, in terms of prevention of treatment discontinuation using a method other than physical restraint. All items and contents were considered useful by more than 60% of the nurses. Considering that the nurses working in the clinical setting reported 93.9% of usefulness, we concluded that this nursing protocol remained valid at a certain level. We also received a comment from the certified nurses that we should include the basic contents for newly graduated nurses. We consider that this nursing protocol will be also useful for newly graduated nurses to acquire knowledge. It helped to standardize nursing care in order to predict potential risks for patients with impaired cognitive function.
基金Supported by the Grants from the German ‘Competence Net Obesity’,which is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research,No. 01 GI0839the University of Witten/Herdecke and the German Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und ForschungNational Genome Research Network,NGFNplus,No. 01GS0820)
文摘AIM:To investigate which obese children have an increased risk for impaired glucose tolerance(IGT),a risk factor for later diabetes.METHODS:We studied 169 European untreated obese children and adolescents with normal glucose tolerance at baseline.Waist circumference,fasting glucose,lipids,blood pressure,pubertal stage,2 h glucose in oral glucose tolerance test(oGTT),and HbA1c were deter mined at baseline and 1 year later.RESULTS:One year after baseline,19(11.2) children demonstrated IGT,4(2.4) children had impaired fas ting glucose,no(0) child suffered from diabetes,and 146(86) children still showed normal glucose tolerance.At baseline,the children with IGT and with normal glucose tolerance in a one-year follow-up did not differ significantly in respect of any analyzed parameter,apart from pubertal stage.The children developing IGT entered puberty significantly more frequently(37 vs 3,P < 0.001).One year after baseline,the childr en with IGT demonstrated significantly increased waist circumference,blood pressure values,insulin and triglyceride concentrations,and insulin resistance index HOMA.The children remaining in the normal glucose tolerance status 1 year after baseline did not demonstrate any significant changes.CONCLUSION:During the study period of 1 year,more than 10 of the obese children with normal glucose tolerance converted to IGT.Repeated screening with oGTT seems meaningful in obese children entering puberty or demonstrating increased insulin resistance,waist circumference,blood pressure,or triglyceride concen trations.
文摘Heme oxygenase(HO)is the enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of heme and leads to the formation of carbon monoxide,free iron and biliverdin.Emerging evidence suggests that HO-1,an inducible isoform of HO,can exert vaso-protective effects.However,such vascular benefit
文摘AIM:To investigate whether impaired fasting glucose(IFG)confers cardiovascular risk.METHODS:A non-diabetic population-based sample representative of middle-aged and elderly Turks was studied at 8.5 years’follow-up for incident diabetes and coronary heart disease(CHD).Metabolic syndrome(MetS)was defined by ATP-Ⅲcriteria modifiedfor male abdominal obesity,and IFG and type 2 diabetes were identified by criteria of the American Diabetes Association.Stratification by presence of MetS was used.Outcomes were predicted providing estimates for hazard ratio(HR)obtained by use of Cox proportional hazards regression analysis in models that controlled for potential confounders.RESULTS:In 3181 adults(aged 52±11.5 years at baseline),analysis stratified by MetS,gender and IFG status distinguished normoglycemic subjects by a"hypertriglyceridemic waist"phenotype consisting of significantly higher waist circumference,fasting triglyceride and lower high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol,regardless of gender and MetS.Additionally,lipoprotein(Lp)(a)tended to be lower in(especially female)participants with MetS.Multivariable linear regression in a subset of the sample demonstrated decreased Lp(a)levels to be associated with increased fasting glucose and insulin concentrations,again particularly in women.In Cox regression analysis,compared with normoglycemia,baseline IFG adjusted for major confounders significantly predicted incident diabetes at a 3-fold HR in men and only women with MetS.Cox models for developing CHD in 339 individuals,adjusted for conventional risk factors,revealed that IFG status protected against CHD risk[HR=0.37(95%CI:0.14-0.998)]in subjects free of MetS,a protection that attenuated partly in male and fully in female participants with MetS.CONCLUSION:IFG status in non-diabetic people without MetS displays reduced future CHD risk,yet is modulated by MetS,likely due to autoimmune activation linked to serum Lp(a).
文摘Coffin–Lowry–Syndrome(CLS)is a X-linked mental retardation characterized by skeletal dysplasia and premature tooth loss.We and others have previously demonstrated that the ribosomal S6 kinase RSK2,mutated in CLS,is essential for bone and cementum formation;however,it remains to be established whether RSK2 plays also a role in mechanically induced bone remodeling during orthodontic tooth movement(OTM).We,therefore,performed OTM in wild-type(WT)mice and Rsk2-deficient mice using Nitinol tension springs that were fixed between the upper left molars and the incisors.The untreated contralateral molars served as internal controls.After 12 days of OTM,the jaws were removed and examined by micro-computed tomography(μCT),decalcified histology,and immunohistochemistry.Our analysis of the untreated teeth confirmed that the periodontal phenotype of Rsk2-deficient mice is characterized by alveolar bone loss and hypoplasia of root cementum.Quantification of OTM usingμCT revealed that OTM was more than two-fold faster in Rsk2-deficient mice as compared to WT.We also observed that OTM caused alveolar bone loss and root resorptions in WT and Rsk2-deficient mice.However,quantification of these orthodontic side effects revealed no differences between WT and Rsk2-deficient mice.Taken together,Rsk2 loss-of-function accelerates OTM in mice without causing more side effects.
基金This work was supported by the American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant(to D.S.K.),NIH GM114666(to D.S.K.)and GM122510(to E.H.E.)the Ohio State University Cancer Comprehensive Center Pelotonia Graduate Fellowship(to C.L.S.)Any opinions,findings,and conclusions expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of NIH and the Pelotonia Fellowship Program.
文摘Mutations in actin-bundling protein plastin 3(PLS3)emerged as a cause of congenital osteoporosis,but neither the role of PLS3 in bone development nor the mechanisms underlying PLS3-dependent osteoporosis are understood.Of the over 20 identified osteoporosis-linked PLS3 mutations,we investigated all five that are expected to produce full-length protein.One of the mutations distorted an actin-binding loop in the second actin-binding domain of PLS3 and abolished F-actin bundling as revealed by cryo-EM reconstruction and protein interaction assays.Surprisingly,the remaining four mutants fully retained F-actin bundling ability.However,they displayed defects in Ca2+sensitivity:two of the mutants lost the ability to be inhibited by Ca2+;while the other two became hypersensitive to Ca2a.Each group of the mutants with similar biochemical properties showed highly characteristic cellular behavior.Wild-type PLS3 was distributed between lamellipodia and focal adhesions.In striking contrast,the Ca2+-hyposensitive mutants were not found at the leading edge but localized exclusively at focal adhesions/stress fibers,which displayed reinforced morphology.Consistently,the Ca2+-hypersensitive PLS3 mutants were restricted to lamellipodia,while chelation of Ca2+caused their redistribution to focal adhesions.Finally,the bundling-deficient mutant failed to co-localize with any F-actin structures in cells despite a preserved F-actin binding through a non-mutation-bearing actin-binding domain.Our findings revealed that severe osteoporosis can be caused by a mutational disruption of the Ca2+-controlled PLS3’s cycling between adhesion complexes and the leading edge.Integration of the structural,biochemical,and cell biology insights enabled us to propose a molecular mechanism of plastin activity regulation by Ca2+.
基金supported by the CERCA program from the Generalitat de Catalunya and by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad(MINECOgrant AGL2017-87923-R).J.G.B.was the recipient of a JoséCastillejo Mobility Fellowship(CAS18/00186).
文摘To elucidate the physiology underlying the development of superficial scald in pears,susceptible“Blanquilla”fruit was treated with different compounds that either promoted(ethylene)or repressed(1-methylcyclopropene and lovastatin)the incidence of this disorder after 4 months of cold storage.Our data show that scald was negligible for the fruit treated with 1-methylcyclopropene or lovastatin,but highly manifested in untreated(78%incidence)or ethylenetreated fruit(97%incidence).The comparison between the fruit metabolomic profile and transcriptome evidenced a distinct reprogramming associated with each treatment.In all treated samples,cold storage led to an activation of a cold-acclimation-resistance mechanism,including the biosynthesis of very-long-chain fatty acids,which was especially evident in 1-methylcyclopropane-treated fruit.Among the treatments applied,only 1-methylcyclopropene inhibited ethylene production,hence supporting the involvement of this hormone in the development of scald.However,a common repression effect on the PPO gene combined with higher sorbitol content was found for both lovastatin and 1-methylcyclopropene-treated samples,suggesting also a non-ethylene-mediated process preventing the development of this disorder.The results presented in this work represent a step forward to better understand the physiological mechanisms governing the etiology of superficial scald in pears.
文摘Many studies report the relationship between coliform indicator bacteria levels and the overall quality of environmental water for public use. This study, an outgrowth of a long-term water-monitoring program within the upper Appomattox River (Virginia) watershed, employs a zebrafish model to examine the relationship between impaired stream water and aquatic vertebrate development. We report results that suggest an expansion of the indicator bacteria concept, showing a possible relationship between waters containing high levels of the indicator bacterium, Escherichia coli (E. coli), with developmental defects upon zebrafish embryos. These effects are not directly attributable to bacterial presence, as filtered test waters void of bacteria produce the same results in embryos, indicating these developmental defects are due to the presence of other toxins or contaminants. Fish embryos exposed to the test waters show reduced survivorship and altered brain and heart development. Furthermore, fish surviving to adulthood exhibit altered gonads and skewed sex ratios. We suggest that this broadly focused approach examining the complex interactions (biotic and abiotic) within raw water sources could be used in conjunction with traditional chemical assays and/or dose-response studies on vertebrate models for a more complete analysis of stream water quality conditions.
文摘Vision impairment is a latent problem that affects numerous people across the globe.Technological advancements,particularly the rise of computer processing abilities like Deep Learning(DL)models and emergence of wearables pave a way for assisting visually-impaired persons.The models developed earlier specifically for visually-impaired people work effectually on single object detection in unconstrained environment.But,in real-time scenarios,these systems are inconsistent in providing effective guidance for visually-impaired people.In addition to object detection,extra information about the location of objects in the scene is essential for visually-impaired people.Keeping this in mind,the current research work presents an Efficient Object Detection Model with Audio Assistive System(EODM-AAS)using DL-based YOLO v3 model for visually-impaired people.The aim of the research article is to construct a model that can provide a detailed description of the objects around visually-impaired people.The presented model involves a DL-based YOLO v3 model for multi-label object detection.Besides,the presented model determines the position of object in the scene and finally generates an audio signal to notify the visually-impaired people.In order to validate the detection performance of the presented method,a detailed simulation analysis was conducted on four datasets.The simulation results established that the presented model produces effectual outcome over existing methods.
文摘The pattern password method is amongst the most attractive authentication methods and involves drawing a pattern;this is seen as easier than typing a password.However,since people with visual impairments have been increasing their usage of smart devices,this method is inaccessible for them as it requires them to select points on the touch screen.Therefore,this paper exploits the haptic technology by introducing a vibration-based pattern password approach in which the vibration feedback plays an important role.This approach allows visually impaired people to use a pattern password through two developed vibration feedback:pulses,which are counted by the user,and duration,which has to be estimated by the user.In order to make the proposed approach capable to prevent shoulder-surfing attacks,a camouflage pattern approach is applied.An experimental study is conducted to evaluate the proposed approach,the results of which show that the vibration pulses feedback is usable and resistant to shoulder-surfing attacks.
文摘Background: Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) is a prediabetic condition and is a high-risk state for developing diabetes and associated complications. The aim of this study was to explore the association of vitamin D with insulin secretory function among the IFG subjects. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Bangladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS), Dhaka, Bangladesh;from June 2016 to May 2017, on forty-six (46) IFG subjects. Serum blood glucose was measured by glucose-oxidase method, Fasting serum lipid profile (Total cholesterol, TG and HDL-c);liver enzyme like alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was measured by enzymatic-colorimetric method;Serum creatinine was measured by colorimetric kinetic method;Serum Insulin and vitamin D [25(OH)D] were measured by ELISA method;insulin secretory capacity (HOMA%B) and insulin sensitivity (HOMA%S) were calculated by Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) using HOMA-CIGMA software. Results: Among 46 IFG subjects, 22 (47.8%) were male and rest 24 (52.2%) were female and their mean age was 40 (±8) years. Mean fasting serum glucose level of the study subjects was 6.33 (±0.23) mmol/l and mean postprandial serum glucose level was 7.23 (±0.41) mmol/l. Mean serum vitamin D level of the study subjects was 26.54 (±8.83) ng/ml. Mean HOMA%S, HOMA%B and HOMA%IR of the total study subjects were 48.34 (±16.70), 102.16 (±23.13) and 2.28 (±0.70) respectively. Insulin secretory capacity (HOMA%B) was significantly higher (p = 0.047) in the subjects having higher vitamin D [25(OH)D level ≥ 20 ng/ml] compared to the subjects having lower vitamin D [25(OH)D levels Conclusion: High prevalence of hypovitaminosis D exists among IFG subjects. Vitamin D is associated with insulin secretory function in IFG subjects. Population based prospective studies using larger sample size should be done to confirm the results.
