Astragalus polysaccharides-induced gut microbiota play a predominant role in enhancing of intestinal barrier function of broiler chickens.

Background: The intestinal barrier is the first line of defense against intestinal invasion by pathogens and foreign antigens and is closely associated with the gut microbiota. Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) have a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine owing to its protective properties against intestinal barrier function. The mechanism of APS-induced gut microbiota enhancing intestinal barrier function is urgently needed.

Anatomical variations of the brachial plexus in adult cadavers: A descriptive study and clinical significance.

Background: Brachial plexus injury is recognized as one of the most severe clinical challenges due to the complex anatomical configuration of the brachial plexus and its propensity for variation, which complicates safe clinical interventions. This study aimed to ascertain the prevalence and characterize the types of brachial plexus variations, and to elucidate their clinical implications.

Materials And Methods: We conducted meticulous dissections of 60 formalin-fixed cadavers' upper arm, axilla and lower neck to reveal and assess the roots, trunks, divisions, cords, and branches of the brachial plexus.

Clinical validation of automated depth camera-based measurement of the Fugl-Meyer assessment for upper extremity.

Objective: Depth camera-based measurement has demonstrated efficacy in automated assessment of upper limb Fugl-Meyer Assessment for paralysis rehabilitation. However, there is a lack of adequately sized studies to provide clinical support. Thus, we developed an automated system utilizing depth camera and machine learning, and assessed its feasibility and validity in a clinical setting.

Deciphering the nutritional strategies for polysaccharides effects on intestinal barrier in broilers: Selectively promote microbial ecosystems.

The gut microbiota, a complex and dynamic microbial ecosystem, plays a crucial role in regulating the intestinal barrier. Polysaccharide foraging is specifically dedicated to establishing and maintaining microbial communities, contributing to the shaping of the intestinal ecosystem and ultimately enhancing the integrity of the intestinal barrier. The utilization and regulation of individual polysaccharides often rely on distinct gut-colonizing bacteria.

Microbiota-accessible fiber activates short-chain fatty acid and bile acid metabolism to improve intestinal mucus barrier in broiler chickens.

The intestinal mucus barrier, located at the interface of the intestinal epithelium and the microbiota, is the first line of defense against pathogenic microorganisms and environmental antigens. Dietary polysaccharides, which act as microbiota-accessible fiber, play a key role in the regulation of intestinal microbial communities. However, the mechanism via which dietary fiber affects the intestinal mucus barrier through targeted regulation of the gut microbiota is not clear.

Dietary oregano aqueous extract improves growth performance and intestinal health of broilers through modulating gut microbial compositions.

Background: Intestinal health plays a pivotal role in broiler chicken growth. Oregano aqueous extract (OAE) effectively exerts anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. However, the protective effects of OAE on intestinal health in broilers and the underlying mechanism remain unclear.

Repetitive Impedance Learning-Based Physically Human-Robot Interactive Control.

Model-based impedance learning control can provide variable impedance regulation for robots through online impedance learning without interaction force sensing. However, the existing related results only guarantee the closed-loop control systems to be uniformly ultimately bounded (UUB) and require the human impedance profiles being periodic, iteration-dependent, or slowly varying. In this article, a repetitive impedance learning control approach is proposed for physical human-robot interaction (PHRI) in repetitive tasks.

Cecal Microbial Succession and Its Apparent Association with Nutrient Metabolism in Broiler Chickens.

The chicken gut microbiota plays an influential role in nutrient absorption and metabolism. A clear picture of microbiota succession can enhance host nutrition and disease resistance. This study investigated the cecal microbiota succession of broilers between 3 and 42 days after hatching using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and analyzed its potential association with intestinal nutrient metabolism.

Pretherapy investigations using highly robust visualized biomarkers from CT imaging by multiple machine-learning techniques toward its prognosis prediction for ALK-inhibitor therapy in NSCLC: a feasibility study.

Purpose: Molecularly targeted therapy has revolutionized the therapeutic landscape and is emerging as the first-line treatment option for ALK-rearranged non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, the highly informative and robust biomarkers based on pre-treatment CT images and clinicopathologic features will be developed and validated to predict the prognosis for ALK-inhibitor therapy in NSCLC patients.

Methods: A total of 161 ALK-positive NSCLC patients treated with ALK inhibitors were retrospectively collected as training, validation and test sets from multi-center institutions.

Spatial hybrid adaptive impedance learning control for robots in repetitive interactive tasks.

The existing model-based impedance learning control methods can provide variable impedance regulation for physical human-robot interaction (PHRI) in repetitive tasks without interactive force sensing, however, these methods require the completion of the repetitive tasks with constant time, which restricts their applications. For PHRI in repetitive tasks with different completion time, this paper proposes a spatial hybrid adaptive impedance learning control (SHAILC) strategy by using the spatial periodic characteristics of the tasks. In the spatial hybrid adaptation, spatial periodic adaptation is used for estimating time-varying human impedance and differential adaptation is designed for estimating robotic constant unknown parameters.

Predicting the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors monotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a machine learning method based on multidimensional data.

Immunotherapy has improved the prognosis of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but only a small subset of patients achieved clinical benefit. The purpose of our study was to integrate multidimensional data using a machine learning method to predict the therapeutic efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) monotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC. We retrospectively enrolled 112 patients with stage IIIB-IV NSCLC receiving ICIs monotherapy.

Validity and Reliability of a Depth Camera-Based Quantitative Measurement for Joint Motion of the Hand.

Purpose: Quantitative measurement of hand motion is essential in evaluating hand function. This study aimed to investigate the validity and reliability of a novel depth camera-based contactless automatic measurement system to assess hand range of motion and its potential benefits in clinical applications.

Methods: Five hand gestures were designed to evaluate the hand range of motion using a depth camera-based measurement system.

Automatic detection of abnormal hand gestures in patients with radial, ulnar, or median nerve injury using hand pose estimation.

Background: Radial, ulnar, or median nerve injuries are common peripheral nerve injuries. They usually present specific abnormal signs on the hands as evidence for hand surgeons to diagnose. However, without specialized knowledge, it is difficult for primary healthcare providers to recognize the clinical meaning and the potential nerve injuries through the abnormalities, often leading to misdiagnosis.

Adaptive Interaction Control of Compliant Robots Using Impedance Learning.

This paper presents an impedance learning-based adaptive control strategy for series elastic actuator (SEA)-driven compliant robots without the measurement of the robot-environment interaction force. The adaptive controller is designed based on the command filter-based adaptive backstepping approach, where a command filter is used to decrease computational complexity and avoid the requirement of high derivatives of the robot position. In the controller, environmental impedance profiles and robotic parameter uncertainties are estimated using adaptive learning laws.

Automatic Detection of Horner Syndrome by Using Facial Images.

Horner syndrome is a clinical constellation that presents with miosis, ptosis, and facial anhidrosis. It is important as a warning sign of the damaged oculosympathetic chain, potentially with serious causes. However, the diagnosis of Horner syndrome is operator dependent and subjective.

Dietary folic acid addition reduces abdominal fat deposition mediated by alterations in gut microbiota and SCFA production in broilers.

Intensive selective breeding for high growth rate and body weight cause excess abdominal fat in broilers. Gut microbiota and folic acid were reported to regulate lipid metabolism. A total of 210 one-day-old broilers were divided into the control (folic acid at 1.

Precision and accuracy of measuring finger motion with a depth camera: a cross-sectional study of healthy participants.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the precision and accuracy of the measurement of finger motion with a depth camera. Fifty-five healthy adult hands were included. Measurements were done with a depth camera and compared with traditional manual goniometer measurements.

Reliability of a human pose tracking algorithm for measuring upper limb joints: comparison with photography-based goniometry.

Background: Range of motion (ROM) measurements are essential for diagnosing and evaluating upper extremity conditions. Clinical goniometry is the most commonly used methods but it is time-consuming and skill-demanding. Recent advances in human tracking algorithm suggest potential for automatic angle measuring from RGB images.

Joint torques estimation in human gait based on Gaussian process.

Background: Human gait involves activities in nervous and musculoskeletal dynamics to modulate joint torques with time continuously for adapting to varieties of walking conditions.

Objective: The goal of this paper is to estimate the joint torques of lower limbs in human gait based on Gaussian process.

Method: The potential uses of this study include optimization of exoskeleton assistance, control of the active prostheses, and modulating the joint torque for human-like robots.

How do Paraspinal Muscles Contract during the Schroth Exercise Treatment in Patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS)?

The Schroth exercise can train the paraspinal muscles of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), however, muscle performance during the training remains unknown. This study applied surface electromyography (sEMG) to investigate the paraspinal muscle activities before, during and after Schroth exercise in nine AIS patients. This study found that after the Schroth exercise, the paraspinal muscle symmetry index (PMSI) was significantly reduced (PMSI = 1.

Finite-Time Interactive Control of Robots with Multiple Interaction Modes.

This paper proposes a finite-time multi-modal robotic control strategy for physical human-robot interaction. The proposed multi-modal controller consists of a modified super-twisting-based finite-time control term that is designed in each interaction mode and a continuity-guaranteed control term. The finite-time control term guarantees finite-time achievement of the desired impedance dynamics in active interaction mode (AIM), makes the tracking error of the reference trajectory converge to zero in finite time in passive interaction mode (PIM), and also guarantees robotic motion stop in finite time in safety-stop mode (SSM).

[Accuracy of key point matrix technology based contactless automatic measurement for joint motion of hand].

Objective: To validate the use of key point matrix technology based contactless automatic measurement for evaluation of joint motion of hand.

Methods: Thirty-three volunteers were enrolled to evaluate the extension and flexion of hand joints between May 2021 and November 2021. There were 20 males and 13 females, the age ranged from 16 to 70 years with an average of 30.