Effects of age/gender profiles and physical activity level on symmetry of lumbar muscle activation in pain-free older adults during various spinal movements.

Background: Back muscles simultaneously drive spinal movements and stabilize the trunk. Paraspinal muscle activity is presumed to be symmetric and gender-insensitive, and more activated with aging to protect the spine during functional tasks.

Research Question: Does over-activated and asymmetric behaviors exist in the pain-free elderly population which is affected by their physical activity levels?

Methods: Forty healthy participants (aged 64.

The immune cells profiles of individuals with sulfur mustard-induced serious long-term respiratory complications.

Sulfur mustard (SM) induced pulmonary disorder is a heterogeneous disease characterized by uncontrolled inflammatory immune responses. In this cross-sectional study carried out in Isfahan-Iran, our objective was to thoroughly evaluate the clinical health and peripheral blood leukocyte profiles of adult veterans exposed to SM 25-30 years. In total, 361 people were studied in two groups, 287 chemical veterans with pulmonary complications and 64 healthy individuals as a control group.

L-MAE: Longitudinal masked auto-encoder with time and severity-aware encoding for diabetic retinopathy progression prediction.

Pre-training strategies based on self-supervised learning (SSL) have demonstrated success as pretext tasks for downstream tasks in computer vision. However, while SSL methods are often domain-agnostic, their direct application to medical imaging is challenging due to the distinct nature of medical images, including specific anatomical and temporal patterns relevant to disease progression. Additionally, traditional SSL pretext tasks often lack the contextual knowledge that is essential for clinical decision support.

Association of NLRP3 single nucleotide polymorphisms with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a case-control study.

Background: Although juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is one of the most common pediatric rheumatologic diseases, the exact etiology of JIA remains unclear. Genetic factors, including variations in the NLRP3 gene, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between NLRP3 polymorphisms and JIA.

Prediction of vertebral failure under general loadings of compression, flexion, extension, and side-bending.

Bone pathologies such as osteoporosis and metastasis can significantly compromise the load-bearing capacity of the spinal column, increasing the risk of vertebral fractures, some of which may occur during routine physical activities. Currently, there is no clinical tool that accurately assesses the risk of vertebral fractures associated with these activities in osteoporotic and metastatic spines. In this paper, we develop and validate a quantitative computed tomography-based finite element analysis (QCT/FEA) method to predict vertebral fractures under general load conditions that simulate flexion, extension, and side-bending movements, reflecting the body's activities under various scenarios.

A Comprehensive Bioinformatic Analysis Identifies a Tumor Suppressor Landscape of the MEG3 lncRNA in Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer mortality in women and a major risk to world health. Therefore, effective strategies are required for prompt diagnosis and treatment. Nowadays, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), particularly long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), have assumed a significant role in the prognosis and diagnosis of diseases, including cancer.

Vitamin D3 capsulation using maillard reaction complex of sodium caseinate and tragacanth gum.

The encapsulation of vitamin D3 (VitD3) using the Maillard reaction complex of sodium caseinate-tragacanth gum (TG) to the production of water-soluble vitamins were studied. Spray drying was used to prepare the complex. Its physicochemical properties, stability, and release characteristics were ealuated.

A single-center analysis of clonal transmission of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii among intensive care unit patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) outbreak in intensive care units (ICUs) is a significant problem for healthcare facilities. In this study, we aimed to investigate the occurrence of CRAB isolates among ICU-admitted patients during the three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran using Multiple-Locus Variable Number Tandem-Repeat Analysis (MLVA). We obtained 50 (A) baumannii isolates from tracheal aspirate and blood culture samples.

Age-related changes in gait, balance, and strength parameters: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Longevity is increasing worldwide due to improvements in healthcare and living standards. Aging is often associated with disability and multiple health concerns. To address these challenges, effective interventions are essential.

Enhancing leachate management with antibacterial nanocomposites incorporating plant-based carbon dots and Satureja Khuzestanica essential oils.

Landfill leachate, a complex mixture of pollutants, poses a significant environmental hazard. This study reports the synthesis and characterization of superabsorbent nanocomposites (SANs) designed for enhanced performance in waste management applications. SANs were prepared using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and sodium polyacrylate (SPA) as the main components, carbon dots (CDs) to improve absorption, and Satureja Khuzestanica essential oil (SEO) for antibacterial performance.

Chirality governs the structure and activity changes of firefly luciferase induced by carbon quantum dots.

Nanobiocatalysis is a novel area integrating various advantages of nanotechnology and enzymatic catalysis. However, great efforts are still needed to fully understand the interactions between nanostructures and enzymes. The biological properties of nano-hybrid enzymes greatly depend on the size and chemical properties of their nano element.

Dogs may carry Leishmania tropica and Leishmania major in their blood circulation: a molecular and hematological study.

Background: Dogs may be infected with species of Leishmania parasites that are disseminated through blood circulation and invade the internal organs. In this study, we aim to detect the parasite in the blood of dogs using the PCR technique. The present work was performed from February 2022 to May 2023 in Fars Province, southern Iran, where the disease is endemic.

Evaluation of autophagy related ATG4B gene, protein and miR-655-3p expression levels in endometrial cancer and hyperplasia.

Objective: The pathogenesis of endometrial cancer (EC) and hyperplasia is complex and poorly understood. Autophagy has emerged as a crucial aspect of this process.

Methods: This study examines the role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of EC and hyperplasia by investigating the expression of the autophagy-related 4B cysteine peptidase (ATG4B) gene, protein, and miR-665-3p levels in patients compared to a control group.

Lipid-based nanodelivery systems of curcumin: Recent advances, approaches, and applications.

Despite its many beneficial effects, pharmaceutical applications of curcumin (CUR) are limited due to its chemical instability, low solubility/absorption and weak bioavailability. Recent advances in nanotechnology have enabled the development of CUR-loaded nanodelivery systems to tackle those issues. Within many different nanocarriers developed for CUR up to date, lipid-based nanocarriers (LBNs) are among the most extensively studied systems.

Recurrence quantification analysis of rs-fMRI data: A method to detect subtle changes in the TgF344-AD rat model.

Background And Objective: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the leading causes of dementia, affecting the world's population at a growing rate. The preclinical stage of AD lasts over a decade, hence understanding AD-related early neuropathological effects on brain function at this stage facilitates early detection of the disease.

Methods: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has been a powerful tool for understanding brain function, and it has been widely used in AD research.

Metabolipidomic changes induced by dermal nickel penetration determined in an ex vivo porcine ear skin model.

Rational: Nickel is one of humans' most prevalent triggers of allergic contact dermatitis. However, the underlying mechanisms of this allergy still need to be fully understood. One aspect that has yet to be explored is the direct impact of common metal allergens on the skin's metabolites and lipids composition.

Joule-Thomson expansion in a mimetic black hole.

This paper investigates some implications of mimetic gravity on the black hole thermodynamics. We begin with an analysis of the mimetic action and its relationship to the spacetime curvature, highlighting the field equations and their contributions to the black hole solutions. Then we explore the behavior of various thermodynamic parameters including pressure, temperature and heat capacity, revealing some intriguing features of the system near the event horizon.

Reproductive outcomes in Holstein heifers synchronized with timed-AI protocols that provide for a lengthened proestrus.

This study compared reproductive outcomes among two protocols for synchronization of ovulation that provide for a lengthened proestrus with the conventional oestradiol-based protocol currently used for timed-AI (TAI). Holstein heifers (13-15 months) at one location were assigned randomly to one of three TAI protocols. Heifers (n = 150) in the 7-day oestradiol benzoate (EB) group received a progesterone device (Cue-Mate) and 2 mg EB on Day 0; 500 μg of cloprostenol (PGF) and Cue-Mate removal on Day 7; 1 mg of EB on Day 8 and TAI on Day 9 (54 h after Cue-Mate removal).

Prediction of runoff characteristics in permeable pavements using experimental data and intelligent models.

Considering the growing use of permeable pavements, the prediction of runoff passing through this pavement model is of considerable importance. The prediction of rainfall-runoff relationships can be a challenge because of several factors including data uncertainty, non-linear relationships, and high temporal and spatial variability. To deal with these challenges, intelligent algorithms are often used to predict such complex phenomena.

Immediate and Transient Perturbances in EEG Within Seconds Following Controlled Soccer Head Impact.

Athletes in contact and collision sports can sustain frequent subconcussive head impacts. Although most impacts exhibit low kinematics around or below 10 g of head linear acceleration, there is growing concern regarding the cumulative effects of repetitive sports head impacts. Even mild impacts can lead to brain deformations as shown through neuroimaging and finite element modeling, and thus may result in mild and transient effects on the brain, prompting further investigations of the biomechanical dose-brain response relationship.

A Label-Free Sensor Array Based on Carbon Quantum Dots for Detection of α-Synuclein Oligomers in Saliva.

Salivary oligomeric α-synuclein (α-Syn) has been introduced as a promising biomarker for the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Herein, a fluorescence sensor array based on three carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with different surface functional groups was developed for the identification and quantification of salivary α-Syn oligomers. Each of the CQDs generated a different fluorescence response to the target analyte, and the responses were analyzed by NPLS-DA to create a unique response pattern for the target analyte.

A Hierarchical Nano to Micro Scale Modelling of 3D Printed Nano-Reinforced Polylactic Acid: Micropolar Modelling and Molecular Dynamics Simulation.

Fused deposition modelling (FDM) is an additive manufacturing technique widely used for rapid prototyping. This method facilitates the creation of parts with intricate geometries, making it suitable for advanced applications in fields such as tissue engineering, aerospace, and electronics. Despite its advantages, FDM often results in the formation of voids between the deposited filaments, which can compromise mechanical properties.

Nanomaterial strategies in wound healing: A comprehensive review of nanoparticles, nanofibres and nanosheets.

Wound healing is a complex process that orchestrates the coordinated action of various cells, cytokines and growth factors. Nanotechnology offers exciting new possibilities for enhancing the healing process by providing novel materials and approaches to deliver bioactive molecules to the wound site. This article elucidates recent advancements in utilizing nanoparticles, nanofibres and nanosheets for wound healing.