Research on Path Planning Algorithm of Driverless Ferry Vehicles Combining Improved A* and DWA.

In view of the fact that the global planning algorithm cannot avoid unknown dynamic and static obstacles and the local planning algorithm easily falls into local optimization in large-scale environments, an improved path planning algorithm based on the integration of A* and DWA is proposed and applied to driverless ferry vehicles. Aiming at the traditional A* algorithm, the vector angle cosine value is introduced to improve the heuristic function to enhance the search direction; the search neighborhood is expanded and optimized to improve the search efficiency; aiming at the problem that there are many turning points in the A* algorithm, a cubic quasi-uniform B-spline curve is used to smooth the path. At the same time, fuzzy control theory is introduced to improve the traditional DWA so that the weight coefficient of the evaluation function can be dynamically adjusted in different environments, effectively avoiding the problem of a local optimal solution. Through the fusion of the improved DWA and the improved A* algorithm, the key nodes in global planning are used as sub-target punctuation to guide the DWA for local planning, so as to ensure that the ferry vehicle avoids obstacles in real time. Simulation results show that the fusion algorithm can avoid unknown dynamic and static obstacles efficiently and in real time on the basis of obtaining the global optimal path. In different environment maps, the effectiveness and adaptability of the fusion algorithm are verified.

Andrographolide induces protective autophagy and targeting DJ-1 triggers reactive oxygen species-induced cell death in pancreatic cancer.

Background: Andrographolide (Andro), an extract of Andrographis paniculate (Burm.f.) Wall. ex Nees (Acanthaceae), possesses diverse biologically active properties. However, the precise mechanisms and effects of Andro on pancreatic cancer (PC) remain unclear. Methods: The cytotoxic potential of Andro and underlying mechanism towards PC cells was investigated through in vitro experiments and a xenograft mouse model. PC cells were first subjected to varying concentrations of Andro. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) was assessed using flow cytometry and DCFH-DA staining. The apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry. Additionally, western blot was applied to evaluate the expression levels of cleaved-caspase-3, DJ-1, LC3-I, LC3-II, and p62. To further elucidate the involvement of ROS accumulation and autophagy, we employed N-acetylcysteine as a scavenger of ROS and 3-Methyladenine as an inhibitor of autophagy. Results: Andro demonstrated potent anti-proliferative effects on PC cells and induced apoptosis, both in vitro and in vivo. The cytotoxicity of Andro on PC cells was counteracted by DJ-1 overexpression. The reduction in DJ-1 expression caused by Andro led to ROS accumulation, subsequently inhibiting the growth of PC cells. Furthermore, Andro stimulated cytoprotective autophagy, thus weakening the antitumor effect. Pharmacological blockade of autophagy further enhanced the antitumor efficacy of Andro. Conclusion: Our study indicated that ROS accumulation induced by the DJ-1 reduction played a key role in Andro-mediated PC cell inhibition. Furthermore, the protective autophagy induced by the Andro in PC cells is a mechanism that needs to be addressed in future studies.

A self-supervised spatio-temporal attention network for video-based 3D infant pose estimation.

General movement and pose assessment of infants is crucial for the early detection of cerebral palsy (CP). Nevertheless, most human pose estimation methods, in 2D or 3D, focus on adults due to the lack of large datasets and pose annotations on infants. To solve these problems, here we present a model known as YOLO-infantPose, which has been fine-tuned, for infant pose estimation in 2D. We further propose a self-supervised model called STAPose3D for 3D infant pose estimation based on videos. We employ multi-view video data during the training process as a strategy to address the challenge posed by the absence of 3D pose annotations. STAPose3D combines temporal convolution, temporal attention, and graph attention to jointly learn spatio-temporal features of infant pose. Our methods are summarized into two stages: applying YOLO-infantPose on input videos, followed by lifting these 2D poses along with respective confidences for every joint to 3D. The employment of the best-performing 2D detector in the first stage significantly improves the precision of 3D pose estimation. We reveal that fine-tuned YOLO-infantPose outperforms other models tested on our clinical dataset as well as two public datasets MINI-RGBD and YouTube-Infant dataset. Results from our infant movement video dataset demonstrate that STAPose3D effectively comprehends the spatio-temporal features among different views and significantly improves the performance of 3D infant pose estimation in videos. Finally, we explore the clinical application of our method for general movement assessment (GMA) in a clinical dataset annotated as normal writhing movements or abnormal monotonic movements according to the GMA standards. We show that the 3D pose estimation results produced by our STAPose3D model significantly boost the GMA prediction performance than 2D pose estimation. Our code is available at github.com/wwYinYin/STAPose3D.

Dual-functional pentamode metamaterial with water-like and topological transmission properties.

In this paper, a water-like pentamode metamaterial (PM) with a single metallic material is designed and the topological edge-state transmission properties of elastic waves in the PM are thoroughly investigated. Numerical results indicate that by introducing structural perturbation into PM, the Dirac point degeneracy atK-point can be opened and topological band inversion can be generated. Topological edge states are also obtained by organizing PM structural units, which are robust to defects such as bending and cavities. In addition, it also has the mimics water in acoustic properties over a wide frequency range, i.e. it exhibits transparency when surrounded by water. Therefore, it will have both good transmission efficiency and acoustic stealth performance when used as an underwater waveguide. The dual-functional PM proposed in this study provides theoretical guidance for designing underwater stealth acoustic waveguides.

Impact of COVID-19 on football attacking players' match technical performance: a longitudinal study.

This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on 28 indicators of match technical performance (MTP) for football attacking players upon their return to play. Analyzing data from 100 players in the Big Five European football leagues, covering 1500 matches each before and after COVID-19 over 3 years (2020-2023), revealed significant differences in 76% of players' MTP indicators. Notably, 14 indicators, particularly the five indicators linked to scoring, significantly decreased post-COVID-19. On average, players needed 3.09 matches to regain pre-infection MTP levels. The impact varied across player groups, with those in the elite group showing a milder effect; they required an average of 2.64 matches for recovery, compared to the control group's 3.55 matches. We found that, with increasing age, the majority of players' MTP indicators did not exhibit significant changes, both before and after they contracted COVID-19. In conclusion, the study highlighted the negative impact of COVID-19 on football attacking players' MTP. Players in the elite group experienced fewer adverse effects than those in the control group. This insight assisted coaches and managers in evaluating the impact of COVID-19 and similar virus-induced illnesses on players' MTP, enabling them to formulate training regimens for recovery and specific match tactics upon players' return to play.

Wolbachia Interactions with Diverse Insect Hosts: From Reproductive Modulations to Sustainable Pest Management Strategies.

Effective in a variety of insect orders, including dipteran, lepidopteran, and hemipteran, Wolbachia-based control tactics are investigated, noting the importance of sterile and incompatible insect techniques. Encouraging approaches for controlling Aedes mosquitoes are necessary, as demonstrated by the evaluation of a new SIT/IIT combination and the incorporation of SIT into Drosophila suzukii management. For example, Wolbachia may protect plants from rice pests, demonstrating its potential for agricultural biological vector management. Maternal transmission and cytoplasmic incompatibility dynamics are explored, while Wolbachia phenotypic impacts on mosquito and rice pest management are examined. The importance of host evolutionary distance is emphasised in recent scale insect research that addresses host-shifting. Using greater information, a suggested method for comprehending Wolbachia host variations in various contexts emphasises ecological connectivity. Endosymbionts passed on maternally in nematodes and arthropods, Wolbachia are widely distributed around the world and have evolved both mutualistic and parasitic traits. Wolbachia is positioned as a paradigm for microbial symbiosis due to advancements in multiomics, gene functional assays, and its effect on human health. The challenges and opportunities facing Wolbachia research include scale issues, ecological implications, ethical conundrums, and the possibility of customising strains through genetic engineering. It is thought that cooperative efforts are required to include Wolbachia-based therapies into pest management techniques while ensuring responsible and sustainable ways.

Prognostic Biomarkers for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based on Serine and Glycine Metabolism-related Genes.

Background and Aims: Targeted therapy and immunotherapy have emerged as treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in recent years. The significance of serine and glycine metabolism in various cancers is widely acknowledged. This study aims to investigate their correlation with the prognosis and tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) of HCC. Methods: Based on the public database, different subtypes were identified by cluster analysis, and the prognostic model was constructed through regression analysis. The gene expression omnibus (GEO) data set was used as the validation set to verify the performance of the model. The survival curve evaluated prognostic ability. CIBERSORT was used to evaluate the level of immune cell infiltration, and maftools analyzed the mutations. DsigDB screened small molecule compounds related to prognostic genes. Results: HCC was found to have two distinct subtypes. Subsequently, we constructed a risk score prognostic model through regression analysis based on serine and glycine metabolism-related genes (SGMGs). A nomogram was constructed based on risk scores and other clinical factors. HCC patients with a higher risk score showed a poor prognosis, and there were significant differences in immune cell infiltration between the high- and low-risk groups. In addition, three potential drugs associated with prognostic genes, streptozocin, norfloxacin, and hydrocotarnine, were identified. Conclusions: This study investigated the expression patterns of SGMGs and their relationship with tumor characteristics, resulting in the development of a novel model for predicting the prognosis of HCC patients. The study provides a reference for clinical prognosis prediction and treatment of HCC patients.

Ginsenoside Rg3 suppresses vasculogenic mimicry by impairing DVL3-maintained stemness via PAAD cell-derived exosomal miR-204 in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is an angiogenesis-independent process that potentially contributes to the poor clinical outcome of anti-angiogenesis therapy in multiple malignant cancers, including pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD). Several studies have shown that ginsenoside Rg3, a bioactive component of ginseng, holds considerable potential for cancer treatment. Our previous work has proved that Rg3 can inhibit VM formation in PAAD. However, its underlying mechanism remains unclear. PURPOSE: To explore the underlying mechanism by which Rg3 affects VM formation in PAAD. METHODS: We first investigated the effects of Rg3 on the cellular phenotypes of two PAAD cell lines (SW-1990 and PCI-35), and the expression of EMT- and stemness-related proteins. SW-1990 cells were adopted to construct xenograft models, and the anti-tumor effects of Rg3 in vivo were validated. Subsequently, we isolated the exosomes from the two PAAD cell lines with Rg3 treatment or not, and explored whether Rg3 regulated VM via PAAD cell-derived exosomes. MiRNA sequencing, clinical analysis, and rescue experiments were performed to investigate whether and which miRNA was involved. Subsequently, the target gene of miRNA was predicted using the miRDB website (https://mirdb.org/), and rescue experiments were further conducted to validate those in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: Rg3 indeed exhibited excellent anti-tumor effects both in vitro and in vivo, with inhibitory effects on EMT and stemness of PAAD cells. More interestingly, Rg3-treated PAAD cell-derived exosomes suppressed the tube-forming ability of HUVEC and PAAD cells, with a decrease in stemness-related protein expression, indicating that Rg3 inhibited both angiogenesis and VM processes. Subsequently, we found that Rg3 induced the up-regulation of miR-204 in PAAD cell-derived exosomes, and miR-204 alone inhibited tube and sphere formation abilities of PAAD cells like exosomes. Specifically, miR-204 down-regulated DVL3 expression, which was involved in regulating cancer cell stemness, and ultimately affected VM. The in vivo experiments further indicated that Rg3-treated SW-1990 cell-derived exosome-inhibited tumor growth, VM formation, and stemness-related protein expression can be abrogated by DVL3 overexpression. CONCLUSION: Ginsenoside Rg3 increased the PAAD cell-derived exosomal miR-204 levels, which subsequently inhibited its target genes DVL3 expression in the receptor PAAD cells, and the down-regulated DVL3 broke stemness maintenance, ultimately suppressing VM formation of PAAD. Our findings revealed a novel mechanism by which Rg3 exerted its anti-tumor activity in PAAD via inhibiting VM, and provided a promising strategy to make up for the deficiency of anti-angiogenesis therapy in cancer.

Effects of dietary mulberry leaves on growth, production performance, gut microbiota, and immunological parameters in poultry and livestock: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the effects of dietary mulberry leaves on the growth, production performance, gut microbiota, and immunological parameters of poultry and livestock. METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases were systematically analyzed to identify pertinent studies up to December 2022. The effects of mulberry leaf diet was assessed using the weighted mean difference, and the 95% confidence interval was calculated using a random-effects model. RESULTS: In total, 18 studies that sampled 2,335 poultry and livestock were selected for analysis. Mulberry leaves improved the average daily gain and reduced the feed/meat ratio in finishing pigs, and the average daily gain and average daily feed intake in chicken. In production performance, mulberry leaves lowered the half carcass weight, slaughter rate, and loin eye area in pigs, and the slaughter rate in chickens. Regarding meat quality in pigs, mulberry leaves reduced the cooked meat percentage, shear force, crude protein, and crude ash, and increased the 24 h pH and water content. In chickens, it increased the drip loss, shear force, 45 min and 24 h pH, crude protein, and crude ash. Mulberry leaves also affect the abundances of gut microbiota, including Bacteroides, Prevotella, Megamonas, Escherichia-Shigella, Butyricicoccus, unclassified Ruminococcaceae, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Escherichia coli in poultry and livestock. Mulberry leaves at different doses were associated with changes in antioxidant capacity in chickens, and immune organ indexes in pigs. With respect to egg quality, mulberry leaves at different doses improved the shell strength, yolk color, eggshell thickness, and eggshell weight. However, moderate doses diminished the egg yolk ratio and the egg yolk moisture content. CONCLUSION: In general, dietary mulberry leaves improved the growth, production performance, and immunological parameters in poultry and livestock, although the effects varied at different doses.

Wedge osteotomy combined with internal fixation in the treatment of Mayo IIB olecranon fractures.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to present the clinical outcomes and establish a safe range for olecranon wedge osteotomy combined with internal fixation in treating Mayo IIB-type olecranon fractures. METHODS: Ten consecutive patients (10 elbows) underwent treatment involving wedge osteotomy combined with internal fixation. Primary outcome measures included the evaluation of the Oxford Elbow Score (OES), Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS), pain severity assessed via a visual analogue scale (VAS), elbow mobility, and the extent of osteotomy at the final follow-up. RESULTS: At the last follow-up, the median OES was 45 (range 38-48), and the median MEPS was 90 (range 75-100). Six out of 10 patients reported no pain based on the VAS. No significant differences were observed between the healthy and affected sides regarding flexion-extension and rotation activities. The mean horizontal lengths of the olecranon articular surface and base osteotomy were 6.2 mm (range 5.5-7.4 mm) and 14.4 mm (range 10.2-16.5 mm), respectively. The mean olecranon shortening was 4.2 mm (range 2.2-5.4 mm), resulting in a shortening rate of 7.3% to 18.9%. Fracture union was achieved in all patients, with a mean time to union of 11.2 weeks (range 8-16 weeks). Early mild (grade 1) degenerative changes were observed in 3 cases. CONCLUSION: Wedge osteotomy combined with internal fixation represents a reliable treatment option for Mayo IIB olecranon fractures, particularly in cases of severe comminuted fractures that are challenging to restore anatomically. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, Therapeutic Study.