robust

Spirulina (Arthrospira and Spirulina spp.) has always been characterized by the helical trichomes, despite the existence of linear forms. A great debate is now open on the morphological flexibility of Spirulina, but it seems that both trichome morphology and C-phycocyanin (C-PC) concentrations are influenced by the culture conditions.This work compared the effect of some key growth factors (medium pH as well as its carbon, potassium, and salt contents) on the growth and C-PC concentration of helical and linear Spirulina strains...

PURPOSE: Office-based rhinologic procedures (OBRP) have become widely available in North America due to technological advances and appropriate patient selection. Nevertheless, the literature exploring the safety of these procedures remains limited. The objective of this study was to further evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of these procedures with a more robust sample size to allow for capture of rare events. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of all patients who underwent OBRP from May 2015 to March 2023...

PURPOSE: The high efficacy of flow diverters (FD) in the case of wide-neck aneurysms is well demonstrated, yet new challenges have arisen because of reported posttreatment failures and the growing number of new generation of devices. Our aim is to present a measurement-supported in silico workflow that automates the virtual deployment and subsequent hemodynamic analysis of FDs. In this work, the objective is to analyze the effects of FD deployment variability of two manufacturers on posttreatment flow reduction...

BACKGROUND: The association between allogenic blood transfusions (ABT) and all-cause mortality in surgically treated hip fracture patients with perioperative transfusion (STHFPT) remained unknown. We aim to introduce transfusion-related factors, new variables to develop and validate models to predict mortality in these patients. METHODS: A prospective multicenter cohort study was conducted with STHFPT hospitalized during Jan. 2018 and Jun. 2021. The database was divided into training cohort and validation cohort in a ratio of 70% to 30% using the randomization method...

The evolving landscape of personalized medicine necessitates a shift from traditional therapeutic interventions towards precision-driven approaches. Embracing this paradigm, our research probes the therapeutic efficacy of the aqueous crude extract (ACE) of Calocybe indica in cervical cancer treatment, merging botanical insights with advanced molecular research. We observed that ACE exerts significant influences on nuclear morphology and cell cycle modulation, further inducing early apoptosis and showcasing prebiotic attributes...

BACKGROUND: The application of deep learning methods in rapid bone scintigraphy is increasingly promising for minimizing the duration of SPECT examinations. Recent works showed several deep learning models based on simulated data for the synthesis of high-count bone scintigraphy images from low-count counterparts. Few studies have been conducted and validated on real clinical pairs due to the misalignment inherent in multiple scan procedures. PURPOSE: To generate high quality whole-body bone images from 2× and 3× fast scans using deep learning based enhancement method...

BACKGROUND: Motion induced image artifacts have been the focus of many investigations for x-ray computed tomography (CT). Methodologies of combating patient motion include the use of gating devices to optimize the data acquisition, reduction in patient scan time via faster gantry rotation and large detector coverage, and the development of advanced reconstruction and post-processing algorithms to minimize motion artifacts. PURPOSE: Previously proposed approaches are generally "global" in nature in that motion is characterized for the entire image...

Direct or indirect consumption of pesticides and their related products by humans and other living organisms without safe dosing may pose a health risk. The risk may arise after a short/long time which depends on the nature and amount of chemicals consumed. Therefore, the maximum acceptable daily intake of chemicals must be calculated to prevent these risks. In the present work, regression-based quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models were developed using 39 pesticides with maximum acceptable daily intake (MADI) for humans as the endpoint...

The laminar flow profiles in microfluidic systems coupled to rapid diffusion at flow streamlines have been widely utilized to create well-controlled chemical gradients in cell cultures for spatially directing cell migration. However, within hydrogel-based closed microfluidic systems of limited depth (≤0.1 mm), the biomechanical cues for the cell culture are dominated by cell interactions with channel surfaces rather than with the hydrogel microenvironment. Also, leaching of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) constituents in closed systems and the adsorption of small molecules to PDMS alter chemotactic profiles...

The progress of research focused on cholangiocytes and the biliary tree during development and following injury is hindered by limited available quantitative methodologies. Current techniques include two-dimensional standard histological cell-counting approaches, which are rapidly performed error-prone and lack architectural context; or three-dimensional analysis of the biliary tree in opacified livers, which introduce technical issues along with minimal quantitation. The present study aims to fill these quantitative gaps with a supervised machine learning model (BiliQML) able to quantify biliary forms in the liver of anti-Keratin 19 antibody-stained whole slide images...

UNLABELLED: The airway milieu of individuals with muco-obstructive airway diseases (MADs) is defined by the accumulation of dehydrated mucus due to hyperabsorption of airway surface liquid and defective mucociliary clearance. Pathological mucus becomes progressively more viscous with age and disease severity due to the concentration and overproduction of mucin and accumulation of host-derived extracellular DNA (eDNA). Respiratory mucus of MADs provides a niche for recurrent and persistent colonization by respiratory pathogens, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa , which is responsible for the majority of morbidity and mortality in MADs...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate sex differences in suicide ideation and attempt at different career stages and test hypotheses derived from the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS) in a sample of veterinarians. METHOD: The sample of currently practicing veterinarians used for this study ( N  = 10,319) was derived from a larger sample. Participants completed an online self-report questionnaire. RESULTS: As predicted, women generally had a higher prevalence of suicide ideation and attempt across career stages, except men and women showed similar rates of suicide attempt after veterinary school...

The confinement effect of catalytic nanoreactors containing metal catalysts within nanometer-sized volumes has attracted significant attention for their potential to enhance reaction rate and selectivity. Nevertheless, unregulated catalyst loading, aggregation, leaching, and limited reusability remain obstacles to achieving an efficient nanoreactor. A robust and durable catalytic membrane nanoreactor prepared by incorporating palladium nanocatalysts within a 3D-continuous nanoporous covalent framework membrane is presented...

The relationship between phthalates, a group of chemical pollutants classified as endocrine disruptors, and oxidative stress is not fully understood. The aim of the present hospital-based study was to explore the associations between circulating levels of 10 phthalate metabolites and 8 biomarkers of oxidative stress in adipose tissue. The study population ( n = 143) was recruited in two hospitals in the province of Granada (Spain). Phthalate metabolite concentrations were analyzed by isotope diluted online-TurboFlow-LC-MS/MS in serum samples, while oxidative stress markers were measured by commercially available kits in adipose tissue collected during routine surgery...

Herein, we present the preparation and properties of an ultrathin, mechanically robust, quasi-solid composite electrolyte (SEO-QSCE) for solid-state lithium metal battery (SLB) from a well-defined polystyrene- b -poly(ethylene oxide) diblock copolymer (SEO), Li6.75 La3 Zr1.75 Ta0.25 O12 nanofiller, and fluoroethylene carbonate plasticizer. Compared with the ordered lamellar microphase separation of SEO, the SEO-QSCE displays bicontinuous phases, consisting of a Li+ ion conductive poly(ethylene oxide) domain and a mechanically robust framework of the polystyrene domain...

Light-element-based fluorescent materials, colloidal graphene quantum dots, and carbon dots (CDs) have sparked an immense amount of scientific interest in the past decade. However, a significant challenge in practical applications has emerged concerning the development of solid-state fluorescence (SSF) materials. This study addresses this knowledge gap by exploring the unexplored photonic facets of C-based solid-state microphotonic emitters. The proposed synthesis approach focuses on carbonized polymer microspheres (CPMs) instead of conventional nanodots...

Electrocatalytic nitrogen fixation to ammonia (NH3 ), a precursor for fertilizer production and a promising energy carrier, has garnered widespread interest as an environment-friendly and sustainable alternative to the energy-intensive fossil-feedstock-dependent Haber-Bosch process. The large-scale deployment of this process is contingent on the identification of inexpensive, Earth-abundant systems that can operate efficiently, irrespective of the electrolyte pH for the selective production of NH3 . In this regard, we discuss the scalable synthesis of VO2 anchored on N-doped carbon (VO2@CN), and its applicability as a robust electrocatalyst for the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR)...

Selective and sensitive detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) holds paramount importance in real-world applications. This study proposes an innovative approach utilizing a single ReS2 field-effect transistor (FET) characterized by distinct in-plane anisotropy, specifically tailored for VOC recognition. The unique responses of ReS2, endowed with robust in-plane anisotropic properties, demonstrate significant difference along the a-axis and b-axis directions when exposed to four kinds of VOCs: acetone, methanol, ethanol, and IPA...

BACKGROUND: Many patients with quiescent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like symptoms. Although these symptoms cause significant reductions in quality of life, evidence-based treatments are lacking as risk factors and pathophysiology of these symptoms are not clearly defined. We aimed to identify risk factors for development of IBS-like symptoms in IBD patients with quiescent disease. METHODS: We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study of adults with IBD from 2015 to 2021...

The Python-based program, XMECP, is developed for realizing robust, efficient, and state-of-the-art minimum energy crossing point (MECP) optimization in multiscale complex systems. This article introduces the basic capabilities of the XMECP program by theoretically investigating the MECP mechanism of several example systems including (1) the photosensitization mechanism of benzophenone, (2) photoinduced proton-coupled electron transfer in the cytosine-guanine base pair in DNA, (3) the spin-flip process in oxygen activation catalyzed by an iron-containing 2-oxoglutarate-dependent oxygenase (Fe/2OGX), and (4) the photochemical pathway of flavoprotein adjusted by the intensity of an external electric field...