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Motion Estimation (ME) and the two-dimensional (2D) discrete cosine transform (2D-DCT) are both computationally expensive parts of HEVC standard, therefore real-time performance of the HEVC may not be free from glitches. To address this issue, this study deploys the graphics processing units (GPUs) to perform the ME and 2D-DCT tasks. In this concern, authors probed into four levels of parallelism (i.e., frame, macroblock, search area, and sum of the absolute difference (SAD) levels) existing in ME. For comparative analysis, authors involved full search (FS), test zone search (TZS) of HEVC, and hierarchical diamond search (EHDS) ME algorithms. Similarly, two levels of parallelism (i.e., macroblock and sub-macroblock) are also explored in 2D-DCT. Notably, the least computationally complex multithreaded Loeffler DCT algorithm is utilized for computing 2D-DCT. Experimental results show that ME processing task corresponding to 25 frames, with each frame of size (3840×2160) pixels, is accomplished in 0.15 seconds on the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080, whereas the 2D-DCT task along with the image reconstruction and differencing corresponding to 25 frames took 0.1 seconds. Collectively, both ME and 2D-DCT tasks are processed in 0.25 seconds, which still leaves enough room for the encoder's remaining parts to be executed within one second. Due to this enhancement, the resultant encoder can safely be used in real-time applications.
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Algoritmos , Gráficos por Computador , Movimento (Física) , Processamento de Imagem Assistida por Computador/métodosRESUMO
Calcium Hydroxide-based endodontic sealer loaded with antimicrobial agents have been commonly employed in conventional root canal treatment. These sealers are not effective against E. faecalis due to the persistent nature of this bacterium and its ability to evade the antibacterial action of calcium hydroxide. Therefore, endodontic sealer containing Carbon nanodots stabilized silver nanoparticles (CD-AgNPs) was proposed to combat E. faecalis. The therapeutic effect of CD-AgNPs was investigated and a new cytocompatible Calcium Hydroxide-based endodontic sealer enriched with CD-AgNPs was synthesized that exhibited a steady release of Ag+ ions and lower water solubility at 24 hours, and enhanced antibacterial potential against E. faecalis. CD-AgNPs was synthesized and characterized morphologically and compositionally by Scanning Electron Microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV-Vis Spectroscopy, followed by optimization via minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination against E. faecalis by broth microdilution technique and Cytotoxicity analysis against NIH3T3 cell lines via Alamar Blue assay. Calcium hydroxide in distilled water was taken as control (C), Calcium hydroxide with to CD-AgNPs (5mg/ml and 10mg/ml) yielded novel endodontic sealers (E1 and E2). Morphological and chemical analysis of the novel sealers were done by SEM and FTIR; followed by in vitro assessment for antibacterial potential against E. faecalis via agar disc diffusion method, release of Ag+ ions for 21 days by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry and water solubility by weight change for 21 days. CD-AgNPs were 15-20 nm spherical-shaped particles in uniformly distributed clusters and revealed presence of constituent elements in nano-assembly. FTIR spectra revealed absorption peaks that correspond to various functional groups. UV-Vis absorption spectra showed prominent peaks that correspond to Carbon nanodots and Silver nanoparticles. CD-AgNPs exhibited MIC value of 5mg/ml and cytocompatibility of 84.47% with NIH3T3 cell lines. Novel endodontic sealer cut-discs revealed irregular, hexagonal particles (100-120 nm) with aggregation and rough structure with the presence of constituent elements. FTIR spectra of novel endodontic sealers revealed absorption peaks that correspond to various functional groups. Novel endodontic sealers exhibited enhanced antibacterial potential where E-2 showed greatest inhibition zone against E. faecalis (6.3±2 mm), a steady but highest release of Ag+ ions was exhibited by E-1 (0.043±0.0001 mg/mL) and showed water solubility of <3% at 24 hours where E-2 showed minimal weight loss at all time intervals. Novel endodontic sealers were cytocompatible and showed enhanced antibacterial potential against E. faecalis, however, E2 outperformed in this study in all aspects.
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Antibacterianos , Hidróxido de Cálcio , Carbono , Enterococcus faecalis , Nanopartículas Metálicas , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Materiais Restauradores do Canal Radicular , Prata , Prata/química , Prata/farmacologia , Hidróxido de Cálcio/química , Hidróxido de Cálcio/farmacologia , Animais , Camundongos , Nanopartículas Metálicas/química , Materiais Restauradores do Canal Radicular/química , Materiais Restauradores do Canal Radicular/farmacologia , Enterococcus faecalis/efeitos dos fármacos , Enterococcus faecalis/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Células NIH 3T3 , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Antibacterianos/química , Carbono/química , Espectroscopia de Infravermelho com Transformada de FourierRESUMO
Recent studies have exhibited a very promising role of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) in mitigation of abiotic stresses in plants. Arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi (AMF) assisted plants to trigger their defense mechanism against abiotic stresses. Arsenic (As) is a non-essential and injurious heavy-metal contaminant. Current research work was designed to elucidate role of CuNPs (100, 200 and 300 mM) and a commercial inoculum of Glomus species (Clonex® Root Maximizer) either alone or in combination (CuNPs + Clonex) on physiology, growth, and stress alleviation mechanisms of E. sibiricus growing in As spiked soils (0, 50, and 100 mg Kg- 1 soil). Arsenic induced oxidative stress, enhanced biosynthesis of hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxidation and methylglyoxal (MG) in E. sibiricus. Moreover, As-phytotoxicity reduced photosynthetic activities and growth of plants. Results showed that individual and combined treatments, CuNPs (100 mM) as well as soil inoculation of AMF significantly enhanced root growth and shoot growth by declining As content in root tissues and shoot tissues in As polluted soils. E. sibiricus plants treated with CuNPs (100 mM) and/or AMF alleviated As induced phytotoxicity through upregulating the activity of antioxidative enzymes such as catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) besides the biosynthesis of non-enzymatic antioxidants including phytochelatin (PC) and glutathione (GSH). In brief, supplementation of CuNPs (100 mM) alone or in combination with AMF reduced As uptake and alleviated the As-phytotoxicity in E. sibiricus by inducing stress tolerance mechanism resulting in the improvement of the plant growth parameters.
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Arsênio , Cobre , Elymus , Metabolômica , Micorrizas , Poluentes do Solo , Arsênio/metabolismo , Cobre/metabolismo , Micorrizas/fisiologia , Micorrizas/efeitos dos fármacos , Poluentes do Solo/metabolismo , Elymus/metabolismo , Elymus/efeitos dos fármacos , Nanopartículas Metálicas , Estresse Oxidativo/efeitos dos fármacos , Raízes de Plantas/efeitos dos fármacos , Raízes de Plantas/metabolismo , Raízes de Plantas/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Estresse Fisiológico/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Responses of turfgrass to shade vary in individual species, and the degree and quality of low light; therefore, the selection of low light tolerant cultivars of turfgrass is important and beneficial for turf management rather than other practices. The stolons of thirteen bermudagrass genotypes were planted with two treatments and three replications of each treatment to establish for one month in the Yangzhou University Jiangsu China greenhouse. The established plants were transferred outside of the greenhouse, and 50% shading was applied to them with a black net. After 30 days of stress treatment, the morpho-physiological and biochemical analyses were performed. The expression of genes such as HEMA, HY5, PIF4, and Cu/ZnSOD was assessed. Cynodon dactylon is a C4, and perennial that grows as lawn grass and is used as forage. Based on different indicator measurements, the most shade-tolerant germplasm was L01 and L06 along the longitudes and L09 and L10 along the latitudes. At the same time, L02 and L08 were more susceptible, respectively. However, germplasm showed greater tolerance in higher latitudes while longitudinal plants showed less stress response. The current study aimed (1) to screen out the most shade-tolerant Cynodon dactylon genotype among 13 along longitudinal and latitudinal gradients in China. (2) to examine morpho-physiological indicators of different bermudagrassgenotypes; (3) to evaluate if and how differences in various indicators of bermudagrass correlated with geographic region. This study will significantly advance the use of Cynodon germplasm in breeding, genomics, management, nomenclature, and phylogeographical study. It will decisively define whether natural selection and migration can drive evolutionary responses for populations to adapt to their new environments effectively.
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Cynodon , Cynodon/genética , Cynodon/fisiologia , China , Genótipo , Adaptação Fisiológica/genéticaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: A major shortcoming in optimizing care for patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is the lack of robust quantitative imaging tools offered by conventional MRI. Advanced MRI modalities, such as diffusion MRI (dMRI), including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and diffusion basis spectrum imaging (DBSI), may help address this limitation by providing granular evaluations of spinal cord microstructure. METHODS: Forty-seven patients with CSM underwent comprehensive clinical assessments and dMRI, followed by DTI and DBSI modeling. Conventional MRI metrics included 10 total qualitative and quantitative assessments of spinal cord compression in both the sagittal and axial planes. The dMRI metrics included 12 unique measures including anisotropic tensors, reflecting axonal diffusion, and isotropic tensors, describing extraaxonal diffusion. The primary outcome was the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) score measured at 2 years postoperatively. Extreme gradient boosting-supervised classification algorithms were used to classify patients into disease groups and to prognosticate surgical outcomes at 2-year follow-up. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients with CSM, including 24 (51%) with a mild mJOA score, 12 (26%) with a moderate mJOA score, and 11 (23%) with a severe mJOA score, as well as 21 control subjects were included. In the classification task, the traditional MRI metrics correctly assigned patients to healthy control versus mild CSM versus moderate/severe CSM cohorts, with an accuracy of 0.647 (95% CI 0.64-0.65). In comparison, the DTI model performed with an accuracy of 0.52 (95% CI 0.51-0.52) and the DBSI model's accuracy was 0.81 (95% CI 0.808-0.814). In the prognostication task, the traditional MRI metrics correctly predicted patients with CSM who improved at 2-year follow-up on the basis of change in mJOA, with an accuracy of 0.58 (95% CI 0.57-0.58). In comparison, the DTI model performed with an accuracy of 0.62 (95% CI 0.61-0.62) and the DBSI model had an accuracy of 0.72 (95% CI 0.718-0.73). CONCLUSIONS: Conventional MRI is a powerful tool to assess structural abnormality in CSM but is inherently limited in its ability to characterize spinal cord tissue injury. The results of this study demonstrate that advanced imaging techniques, namely DBSI-derived metrics from dMRI, provide granular assessments of spinal cord microstructure that can offer better diagnostic and prognostic utility.
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BACKGROUND: Traumatic high cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) can result in a devastating loss of functional respiration, leaving patients permanently dependent on mechanical ventilation. Nerve transfer is a promising reinnervation strategy that has the potential to restore connectivity in paralyzed distal muscles. The spinal accessory nerve (SAN) remains functional in most cases after high cervical SCI and can serve as a donor to reinnervate the phrenic nerve (PN), thereby improving diaphragmatic function. OBSERVATIONS: Information regarding thorough physical, electrodiagnostic, and pulmonary assessments to establish candidacy for nerve transfer, as well as the surgical procedure, was summarized with an illustrative case. The patient demonstrated improvement in pulmonary function testing but did not achieve independent respiration. A systematic literature review identified 3 studies with 9 additional patients who had undergone SAN-to-PN transfer. The nerve transfer meaningfully restored diaphragmatic function, improving pulmonary function tests and reducing ventilator dependency. LESSONS: Respiratory dependency significantly impacts the quality of life of patients with a high cervical SCI. The use of the lower SAN motor branch for PN transfer is safe and does not result in a meaningful downgrade in trapezius function. Outcomes following this procedure are promising but heterogeneous, indicating a need for significant innovation and improvement for future therapies. https://thejns.org/doi/10.3171/CASE24236.
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This paper presents a novel approach to enhance the accuracy of patch-level Gleason grading in prostate histopathology images, a critical task in the diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer. This study shows that the Gleason grading accuracy can be improved by addressing the prevalent issue of label inconsistencies in the SICAPv2 prostate dataset, which employs a majority voting scheme for patch-level labels. We propose a multi-label ensemble deep-learning classifier that effectively mitigates these inconsistencies and yields more accurate results than the state-of-the-art works. Specifically, our approach leverages the strengths of three different one-vs-all deep learning models in an ensemble to learn diverse features from the histopathology images to individually indicate the presence of one or more Gleason grades (G3, G4, and G5) in each patch. These deep learning models have been trained using transfer learning to fine-tune a variant of the ResNet18 CNN classifier chosen after an extensive ablation study. Experimental results demonstrate that our multi-label ensemble classifier significantly outperforms traditional single-label classifiers reported in the literature by at least 14% and 4% on accuracy and f1-score metrics respectively. These results underscore the potential of our proposed machine learning approach to improve the accuracy and consistency of prostate cancer grading.
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Aprendizado Profundo , Gradação de Tumores , Neoplasias da Próstata , Humanos , Masculino , Neoplasias da Próstata/patologia , Redes Neurais de Computação , Próstata/patologia , AlgoritmosRESUMO
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Advanced diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) modeling, such as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and diffusion basis spectrum imaging (DBSI), may help guide rehabilitation strategies after surgical decompression for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). Currently, however, postoperative DWI is difficult to interpret, owing to signal distortions from spinal instrumentation. Therefore, we examined the relationship between postoperative DTI/DBSI-extracted from the rostral C3 spinal level-and clinical outcome measures at 2-year follow-up after decompressive surgery for CSM. METHODS: Fifty patients with CSM underwent complete clinical and DWI evaluation-followed by DTI/DBSI analysis-at baseline and 2-year follow-up. Clinical outcomes included the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association score and comprehensive patient-reported outcomes. DTI metrics included apparent diffusion coefficient, fractional anisotropy, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity. DBSI metrics evaluated white matter tracts through fractional anisotropy, fiber fraction, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity as well as extra-axonal pathology through restricted and nonrestricted fraction. Cross-sectional Spearman's correlations were used to compare postoperative DTI/DBSI metrics with clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients with CSM, including 15, 7, and 5 with mild, moderate, and severe disease, respectively, possessed complete baseline and postoperative DWI scans. At 2-year follow-up, there were 10 significant correlations among postoperative DBSI metrics and postoperative clinical outcomes compared with 3 among postoperative DTI metrics. Of the 13 significant correlations, 7 involved the neck disability index (NDI). The strongest relationships were between DBSI axial diffusivity and NDI (r = 0.60, P < .001), DBSI fiber fraction and NDI (rs = -0.58, P < .001), and DBSI restricted fraction and NDI (rs = 0.56, P < .001). The weakest correlation was between DTI apparent diffusion coefficient and NDI (r = 0.35, P = .02). CONCLUSION: Quantitative measures of spinal cord microstructure after surgery correlate with postoperative neurofunctional status, quality of life, and pain/disability at 2 years after decompressive surgery for CSM. In particular, DBSI metrics may serve as meaningful biomarkers for postoperative disease severity for patients with CSM.
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An ample amount of water and soil nutrients is required for economic wheat production to meet the current food demands. Nitrogen (N) and zinc (Zn) fertigation in soils can produce a substantial wheat yield for a rapidly increasing population and bring a limelight to researchers. The present study was designed to ascertain N and Zn's synergistic role in wheat growth, yield, and physio-biochemical traits. A pot experiment was laid out under a complete randomized design with four N levels (N1-0, N2-60, N3- 120, and N4-180 kg ha-1), Zn (T1-0, T2-5, T3-10, and T4-15 kg ha-1) with four replications. After the emergence of the plants, N and Zn fertigation was applied in the soil. The growth traits were considerably increased by combined applications as compared to the sole applications of the N and Zn. The photosynthetic pigments were found maximum due to combined applications of N and Zn, which were positively associated with biomass, growth, yield, and wheat grain quality. The combined application also substantially enhances the antioxidant enzyme activities to scavenge the ROS as H2O2 and reduce lipid peroxidation to protect the permeability of the biologic membranes. The combined higher applications of N and Zn were more responsive to ionic balance in a shoot by maintaining the Na+ for osmotic adjustments, accumulating more Ca2+ for cellular signaling; but, combined applications resulted in K+ reduction. Our present results suggest that appropriate sole or combined applications of N and Zn improve wheat's growth, yield, and antioxidant mechanisms. Previous studies lack sufficient information on N and Zn combined fertigation. We intend to investigate both the sole and combined roles of N and Zn to exploit their potential synergistic effects on wheat.
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Antioxidantes , Nitrogênio , Triticum , Zinco , Triticum/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Triticum/metabolismo , Zinco/metabolismo , Nitrogênio/metabolismo , Antioxidantes/metabolismo , Solo/química , Fotossíntese , BiomassaRESUMO
Green-synthesized metal oxide nanoparticles have garnered considerable attention due to their simple, sustainable, and eco-friendly attributes, coupled with their diverse applications in biomedicine and environmental context. The current study shows a sustainable approach for synthesizing molybdenum oxide nanoparticles (MoONPs) utilizing an extract from Anabaena sp. A-1. This novel approach marks a significant milestone as various spectral approaches were employed for characterization of the green-synthesized MoONPs. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopic analysis revealed a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak of MoONPs at 538 nm. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectral analysis facilitated the identification of functional groups responsible for both the stability and production of MoONPs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized revealing a rod shape morphology of the MoONPs. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis yielded a calculated crystal size of 31 nm, indicating the crystalline nature of MoONPs. Subsequently, biological assays were employed to ascertain the potential of the bioengineered MoONPs. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay was used to quantify free radical scavenging activity, revealing an antioxidant capacity of 68.1% at 200 µg/mL. To evaluate antibacterial and antifungal efficacy, the disc diffusion method was employed across varying concentrations of MoONPs (6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 150, 200 µg/mL). Quantification of cytotoxicity was performed via a brine shrimp assay, yielding an IC50 value of 552.3 µg/mL, a metric of moderate cytotoxicity. To assess the biocompatibility of MoONPs, an antihemolytic assay was conducted, confirming their safety profile. Additionally, MoONPs exhibited non-toxic attributes in an insecticidal assay. Notably, in anti-inflammatory assay MoONPs showed an inactive nature towards the reactive oxygen species. In conclusion, these findings highlight the potential versatility of MoONPs in various biological applications, extending beyond their recognized anti-inflammatory and insecticidal properties. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: This study marks an advancement in nanotechnology, exploring ways for MoONPs fabrication, representing a unique and unexplored research domain. Green-synthesized MoONPs using Anabaena sp. A-1 extract offers a sustainable and eco-friendly approach. Characterized by UV-Vis, FTIR, SEM, and XRD, MoONPs demonstrate rod-shaped morphology and crystalline nature. Bioengineered MoONPs exhibit versatility in biological applications, demonstrating notable antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal efficacy, moderate cytotoxicity, biocompatibility, and insecticidal properties, emphasizing their multifaceted utility. The research findings highlight the potential utilization of MoONPs across a spectrum of biological applications, thereby suggesting their promising role in the realm of biomedicine and environmental context.
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Anabaena , Química Verde , Nanopartículas Metálicas , Molibdênio , Óxidos , Molibdênio/química , Molibdênio/farmacologia , Óxidos/química , Óxidos/farmacologia , Química Verde/métodos , Nanopartículas Metálicas/química , Anabaena/química , Antioxidantes/farmacologia , Antioxidantes/química , Animais , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Antibacterianos/química , Espectroscopia de Infravermelho com Transformada de Fourier , Difração de Raios X , Artemia/efeitos dos fármacos , Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura , Testes de Sensibilidade MicrobianaRESUMO
Drought stress considered a key restrictive factor for a warm-season bermudagrass growth during summers in China. Genotypic variation against drought stress exists among bermudagrass (Cynodon sp.), but the selection of highly drought-tolerant germplasm is important for its growth in limited water regions and for future breeding. Our study aimed to investigate the most tolerant bermudagrass germplasm among thirteen, along latitude and longitudinal gradient under a well-watered and drought stress condition. Current study included high drought-resistant germplasm, "Tianshui" and "Linxiang", and drought-sensitive cultivars; "Zhengzhou" and "Cixian" under drought treatments along longitude and latitudinal gradients, respectively. Under water deficit conditions, the tolerant genotypes showed over-expression of a dehydrin gene cdDHN4, antioxidant genes Cu/ZnSOD and APX which leads to higher antioxidant activities to scavenge the excessive reactive oxygen species and minimizing the membrane damage. It helps in maintenance of cell membrane permeability and osmotic adjustment by producing organic osmolytes. Proline an osmolyte has the ability to keep osmotic water potential and water use efficiency high via stomatal conductance and maintain transpiration rate. It leads to optimum CO2 assimilation rate, high chlorophyll contents for photosynthesis and elongation of leaf mesophyll, palisade and thick spongy cells. Consequently, it results in elongation of leaf length, stolon and internode length; plant height and deep rooting system. The CdDHN4 gene highly expressed in "Tianshui" and "Youxian", Cu/ZnSOD gene in "Tianshui" and "Linxiang" and APX gene in "Shanxian" and "Linxiang". The genotypes "Zhongshan" and "Xiaochang" showed no gene expression under water deficit conditions. Our results indicate that turfgrass show morphological modifications firstly when subjected to drought stress; however the gene expression is directly associated and crucial for drought tolerance in bermudagrass. Hence, current research has provided excellent germplasm of drought tolerant bermudagrass for physiological and molecular study and future breeding.
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Antioxidantes , Cynodon , Cynodon/fisiologia , Antioxidantes/metabolismo , Secas , Melhoramento Vegetal , Fotossíntese/genética , Água/metabolismo , Expressão GênicaRESUMO
This study explores the association between phthalates and total vitamin D levels and the link between phthalates exposure and subclinical inflammation using monocyte percentage to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR), utilizing three National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) survey cycles 2013-2018. This study is cross-sectional, utilizing one-time urine samples from randomly selected NHANES participants to assess phthalate metabolites. An inverse association between vitamin D and all Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) metabolites was found. The molar sum of DEHP metabolites was inversely associated with vitamin D (ß -2.329; 95% CI -3.937,-0.720). An inverse association was observed between monocarboxynonyl phthalate and vitamin D (ß -0.0278; 95% CI -0.0527,-0.00298). A similar relationship was found between monocarboxyoctyl phthalate and vitamin D (ß -0.0160; 95% CI -0.0242,-0.00775). There was no association between phthalate metabolites and MHR. Stratified analysis showed that the association between phthalate metabolites and MHR may vary according to vitamin D status.
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Inflamação , Inquéritos Nutricionais , Ácidos Ftálicos , Vitamina D , Humanos , Ácidos Ftálicos/urina , Vitamina D/sangue , Adulto , Masculino , Feminino , Estudos Transversais , Inflamação/induzido quimicamente , Inflamação/sangue , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Adulto Jovem , Poluentes Ambientais/urina , Poluentes Ambientais/sangue , Exposição Ambiental , Estados Unidos/epidemiologia , Idoso , AdolescenteRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: Early introduction to research prepares medical students for the practice of evidence-based medicine. Few studies have examined the experiences of research among medical students in the Arab region. This study assesses medical students' experiences in pursuing research at the national College of Medicine (CMED) in the state of Qatar. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire distributed through Google Forms. The inclusion criteria called for students over 18 years old enrolled in the college in Years 2 to 6 (pre-clinical and clinical phases) during the spring semester of 2022. The questionnaire included 5 sections with multiple-choice questions and 5-point Likert-scale questions. The questionnaire was validated using esperts review and by piloting it on 10% of the eligible students. STATA 17.0 was used to perform the statistical analysis, which involved a logistic regression and Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: The study had 179 student participants (over half of the eligible group). Half were in the preclinical phase, and half were in the clinical phase. Approximately half had published at least 1 paper. For voluntary research, the main motivators were passion and positive past experiences, while the main demoralizer was inadequate time. For mandatory medical-student research, supervisor help was the main facilitator, and an academic load leaving insufficient time for research was the main barrier. The factors positively influencing voluntary research participation were being older, being male, studying in a more advanced program phase, and having a lower score for negative attitudes toward research. The main limitation of the study was the inclusion of only 1 medical school with 1 type of curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that better research experience can be ensured by providing space, time, and proper academic and moral support to students. The authors believe that doing so will indirectly positively affect the future translation of skills in evidence-based medicine into clinical practice.
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Diabetes mellitus type 2 is increasingly being called a modern preventable pandemic, as even with excellent available treatments, the rate of complications of diabetes is rapidly increasing. Predicting diabetes and identifying it in its early stages could make it easier to prevent, allowing enough time to implement therapies before it gets out of control. Leveraging longitudinal electronic medical record (EMR) data with deep learning has great potential for diabetes prediction. This paper examines the predictive competency of deep learning models in contrast to state-of-the-art machine learning models to incorporate the time dimension of risk. The proposed research investigates a variety of deep learning models and features for predicting diabetes. Model performance was appraised and compared in relation to predominant features, risk factors, training data density and visit history. The framework was implemented on the longitudinal EMR records of over 19K patients extracted from the Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network (CPCSSN). Empirical findings demonstrate that deep learning models consistently outperform other state-of-the-art competitors with prediction accuracy of above 91%, without overfitting. Fasting blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c and body mass index are the key predictors of future onset of diabetes. Overweight, middle aged patients and patients with hypertension are more vulnerable to developing diabetes, consistent with what is already known. Model performance improves as training data density or the visit history of a patient increases. This study confirms the ability of the LSTM deep learning model to incorporate the time dimension of risk in its predictive capabilities.
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Anthropogenic activities, such as industrial wastewater and use of water softeners, cause hyper-accumulation of Cl- in water sources and soils. Currently, industries have no sustainable method to remove these Cl- ions from wastewater. This study was conducted to evaluate the integrative responses of wheat cultivated in five industrial effluent-affected areas (S2-S6) by investigating soil characters and bioaccumulation of metals in wheat plants and grains. The S4 site (near the second chloride outlet) exhibited a higher concentration of CO2, SO2, NO2, Cl-, Cd, Mn, Ni, Cr, and Zn. Soil from S6 (sewage wastewater downstream getting mixed with chloride-contaminated water) had a minimum level of nutrients (Na, K, and Ca), maximum metals (Cd, Fe, Pb, Mn), and reduction in plant biomass. In site S2 (sewage wastewater upstream of the chloride factory), a higher level of minerals and metals was noted in the roots. Maximum metals in grains occurred in S6 with higher organic osmolytes. The sequestration capacity of metals in leaves was also increased by alterations in anatomical traits. Results indicated that metals and hyper-Cl- concentration employed a negative influence on the plants because of poor soil quality, extremely damaged microstructures leading to reduced yield, poor grain quality, and excessive translocation from roots to wheat grains. These findings revealed that contaminated plants used as either green forage or hay are noxious to animals and if used as grain for feed or humans can lead to serious health hazards.
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Metais Pesados , Poluentes do Solo , Humanos , Cádmio/análise , Triticum/química , Cloretos/análise , Águas Residuárias , Esgotos/análise , Metais/análise , Solo/química , Grão Comestível/química , Poluentes do Solo/análise , Água/análise , Metais Pesados/análiseRESUMO
Nanoparticles have emerged as a prominent area of research in recent times, and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized via phyco-technology have gained significant attention due to their potential therapeutic applications. Nodularia haraviana, a unique and lesser-explored cyanobacterial strain, holds substantial promise as a novel candidate for synthesizing nanoparticles. This noticeable research gap underscores the novelty and untapped potential of Nodularia haraviana in applied nanotechnology. A range of analytical techniques, including UV-vis spectral analysis, dynamic light scattering spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction, were used to investigate and characterize the AgNPs. Successful synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed through UV-visible spectroscopy, which showed a surface plasmon resonance peak at 428 nm. The crystalline size of AgNPs was 24.1 nm. Dynamic light scattering analysis revealed that silver oxide nanoparticles had 179.3 nm diameters and a negative surface charge of -18 mV. Comprehensive in vitro pharmacogenetic properties revealed that AgNPs have significant therapeutic potential. The antimicrobial properties of AgNPs were evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration against various microbial strains. Dose-dependent cytotoxicity assays were performed on Leishmanial promastigotes (IC50: 18.71 µgmL-1), amastigotes (IC50: 38.6 µgmL-1), and brine shrimps (IC50: 134.1 µg mL-1) using various concentrations of AgNPs. The findings of this study revealed that AgNPs had significant antioxidant results (DPPH: 57.5%, TRP: 55.4%, TAC: 61%) and enzyme inhibition potential against protein kinase (ZOI: 17.11 mm) and alpha-amylase (25.3%). Furthermore, biocompatibility tests were performed against macrophages (IC50: >395 µg mL-1) and human RBCs (IC50: 2124 µg mL-1). This study showed that phyco-synthesized AgNPs were less toxic and could be used in multiple biological applications, including drug design and in the pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. This study offers valuable insights and paves the way for further advancements in AgNPs research.
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The accurate diagnosis of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is crucial, as treatment strategies differ from those of other lung cancers. This systematic review aims to identify proteins differentially expressed in SCLC compared to normal lung tissue, evaluating their potential utility in diagnosing and prognosing the disease. Additionally, the study identifies proteins differentially expressed between SCLC and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC), aiming to discover biomarkers distinguishing between these two subtypes of neuroendocrine lung cancers. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Studies reporting proteomics information and confirming SCLC and/or LCNEC through histopathological and/or cytopathological examination were included, while review articles, non-original articles, and studies based on animal samples or cell lines were excluded. The initial search yielded 1705 articles, and after deduplication and screening, 16 articles were deemed eligible. These studies revealed 117 unique proteins significantly differentially expressed in SCLC compared to normal lung tissue, along with 37 unique proteins differentially expressed between SCLC and LCNEC. In conclusion, this review highlights the potential of proteomics technology in identifying novel biomarkers for diagnosing SCLC, predicting its prognosis, and distinguishing it from LCNEC.
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Cenchrus ciliaris L. is a perennial grass that can grow in a diverse range of habitats including challenging deserts. The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of aridity on morpho-anatomical and physiological traits in C. ciliaris populations collected from arid and semi-arid areas of Punjab, Pakistan. The populations growing in extremely arid conditions displayed a range of structural and physiological adaptations. Under extremely dry conditions, root epidermal thickness (90.29 µm), cortical cell area (7677.78 µm2), and metaxylem cell area (11,884.79 µm2) increased while root pith cell area (2681.96 µm2) decreased in tolerant populations. The populations under extremely aridity maximized leaf lamina (184.21 µm) and midrib thickness (316.46 µm). Additionally, highly tolerant populations were characterized by the accumulation of organic osmolytes such as glycinebetaine (132.60 µmol g-1 FW) was increased in QN poulations, proline (118.01 µmol g-1 F.W) was maximum in DF populations, and total amino acids (69.90 mg g-1 FW) under extreme water deficit conditions. In arid conditions, abaxial stomatal density (2630.21 µm) and stomatal area (8 per mm2) were also reduced in DF populations to check water loss through transpiration. These findings suggest that various parameters are crucial for the survival of C. ciliaris in arid environments. The main strategies used by C. ciliaris was intensive sclerification, effective retention of ions, and osmotic adjustment through proline and glycinebetaine under arid conditions. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-023-01351-3.
RESUMO
Soil contamination with cadmium (Cd) is a severe concern for the developing world due to its non-biodegradability and significant potential to damage the ecosystem and associated services. Industries such as mining, manufacturing, building, etc., rapidly produce a substantial amount of Cd, posing environmental risks. Cd toxicity in crop plants decreases nutrient and water uptake and translocation, increases oxidative damage, interferes with plant metabolism and inhibits plant morphology and physiology. However, various conventional physicochemical approaches are available to remove Cd from the soil, including chemical reduction, immobilization, stabilization and electro-remediation. Nevertheless, these processes are costly and unfriendly to the environment because they require much energy, skilled labor and hazardous chemicals. In contrasting, contaminated soils can be restored by using bioremediation techniques, which use plants alone and in association with different beneficial microbes as cutting-edge approaches. This review covers the bioremediation of soils contaminated with Cd in various new ways. The bioremediation capability of bacteria and fungi alone and in combination with plants are studied and analyzed. Microbes, including bacteria, fungi and algae, are reported to have a high tolerance for metals, having a 98% bioremediation capability. The internal structure of microorganisms, their cell surface characteristics and the surrounding environmental circumstances are all discussed concerning how microbes detoxify metals. Moreover, issues affecting the effectiveness of bioremediation are explored, along with potential difficulties, solutions and prospects.