Body Size Parameters Research Articles

Estimating body size in the large carpenter bees (<i>Xylocopa</i>)

Body size is a salient functional trait in bees, with implications for reproductive fitness, pollination ecology, and responses to environmental change. Methods for quantifying bee body size commonly rely on indirect estimates and vary widely across studies, particularly in studies of the large carpenter bees (Xylocopa Latreille) (Apidae: Xylocopinini). We evaluate the robustness of three common body size parameters (intertegular distance, head width, and costal vein length) as predictors of dry body mass within and among 11 species of Xylocopa (and 5 subspecies). We found that all three size measurements provide robust body size estimates, accounting for 92–93% of intraspecific variation in body mass. Within species, however, these measurements were considerably less predictive of body mass, explaining on average only 36.8% (intertegular distance), 57.4% (head width), and 38.8% (costal vein length) of the variation in body mass. We also highlight a novel application of photogrammetry and 3D modeling to estimate surface area and volume across species, and comment on the utility of these methods for body size estimates in Xylocopa and in insects more broadly. These findings provide practical guidelines for body size estimation methods within and among carpenter bee species.

A novel indicator to assess PIT tag retention in an aquatic amphibian: impact of body size

The comprehensive study of organisms is often hindered by the difficulty of consistently capturing, detecting, and tracking all life stages and age classes. This challenge is particularly pronounced for aquatic amphibians such as Siren intermedia (lesser siren), which can aestivate underground in dry burrows during extended droughts. In addition, obtaining year-round data on the habitat use, occupancy, and movement ecology of S. intermedia is notably difficult due to their cryptic nature, mobility, aestivation behaviors, trap-shy habits, and the impracticality of outfitting hatchlings and small juveniles with telemetry devices like subcutaneous Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags. Moreover, there is the lack of a non-physical method to distinguish retained tags from those that have been dropped. In this study, we developed a novel indicator to assess the field retention status of PIT tags inserted into the tail tissue of S. intermedia. This was achieved by analyzing individual spatial redetection patterns of 8- and 12-mm PIT tags inserted into juveniles and adults, respectively, over 2 years in a remnant Cypress–Tupelo swamp wetland complex in southern Illinois, using systematic dipnetting, trapping, and PIT scanning telemetry surveys. Tags were considered dropped if the average distance between subsequent scanned PIT detections after the first redetection was ≤ 5 m and if the distance between the second detection and final redetection location was also ≤ 5 m. We then examined PIT tag retention in relation to initial body size and marking parameters. Ultimately, 29% of the 8-mm PIT tags initially injected into juveniles with tail lengths (Tail) 46–84 mm were redetected at least once. Using our spatial–temporal PIT telemetry indicator, we found that 45% of the redetected PIT tags had been dropped by juveniles. In contrast, all three of the 12-mm tagged adults were redetected at least once, with movement patterns indicative of tag retention. Our findings suggest that 8-mm PIT tags are likely to be expelled from juvenile S. intermedia with a mean ± standard deviation (SD) Tail of 50.2 ± 2.8 mm. This study underscores the importance of determining appropriate size requirements and cutoffs for effective telemetry device application across different age classes of a species.

Impact of Chinese visceral adiposity index on all-cause mortality risk in community-dwelling older adults: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundsWhether excess visceral fat tissue increases the risk of death in older individuals remains controversial.AimsTo investigate the association between the Chinese Visceral Adiposity Index (CVAI) and all-cause mortality risk in older Chinese individuals.MethodsThis cohort study utilized data of individuals aged ≥ 65 years in 2014 to 2018 wave from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey database. Older individuals in the 2014 wave were included and followed up in 2018. CVAI was calculated based on age, body size, and blood lipid parameters, with higher values indicating increased visceral fat. Survival status was determined from official death certificates, local primary healthcare providers, or the family members of participants. Kaplan-Meier survival curve and log-rank test were employed to analyze cumulative mortality risk through CVAI tertiles (tertile 1: CVAI index < 97.34; tertile 2: 97.43 ≤ CVAI index < 132.21; and tertile 3: CVAI index ≥ 132.21). A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to assess the relationship between the CVAI groups and all-cause mortality risk. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis was performed by excluding participants who died within the first year of follow-up. A subgroup analysis was performed based on age and sex, and a restricted cubic spline plot was created to analyze the dose-response relationship between CVAI and mortality risk.ResultsA total of 1414 individuals were included, and the mean age of the participants was 84.6 (standard deviation: 10.9) years, of which 46.4% were women and 32.8% were died during a median follow-up time of 36.4 months. In the multivariable adjusted Cox regression model, we observed a significantly lower risk of mortality in the CVAI tertile 2 and 3 groups than in the tertile 1 group. The hazard ratios (HR) of the tertile 2 and 3 groups were 0.68 (95% CI, approximately 0.52–0.89) and 0.63 (95% CI, approximately 0.48–0.82), respectively. Subgroup analysis revealed that the protective effect of higher CVAI levels on mortality was more pronounced in participants aged 65–79 years and in women.ConclusionOur study established a linear relationship between CVAI and mortality risk among community-dwelling older adults, with higher CVAI levels associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality. These findings highlight the potential importance of visceral adiposity in predicting mortality risk in community-dwelling older adults.

Measurement of body size parameters and body weight prediction in beef cattle based on image analysis

The body size parameter of cattle is an important index reflecting the growth and development and health condition of cattle. The traditional manual contact measurement is not only a large workload and difficult to measure, but also prone to problems such as affecting the normal life habits of cattle. In this paper, we address this problem by proposing a contactless body size measurement method for cattle based on machine vision. Firstly, the cattle is confined to a fixed space using a position-limiting device, and images of the body of the cattle are taken from three directions: top, left, and right, using multiple cameras. Secondly, the image is segmented using a fuzzy clustering algorithm based on neighborhood adaptive local spatial information improvement, and the image is processed to extract the contour images of the top view and side view. The key points of body measurements were extracted using interval division and curvature calculation for the side view images, and the key point information was extracted using skeleton extraction and pruning for the top view images, which realized the measurements of body height(BH), rump height(RH), body slanting length(BSL), and abdominal circumference(AC) parameters of the cattle. The correlation between body size and weight data obtained by contactless methods was investigated and the modeled using one-factor linear regression, one-factor nonlinear regression, multivariate stepwise regression, RBF network fitting, BP neural network fitting, support vector machine, and particle swarm optimization-based support vector machine methods, respectively. Information on body size parameters was collected from 137 cattles, and the results showed that the maximum errors between the measured and actual values of BH, RH, BSL and AC were 5.0%, 4.4%, 3.6%, and 5.5%, respectively. Correlation of BH, RH, BSL and AC with weight obtained by non-contact methods was &gt; 0.75. The BH parameter can be selected in the single-factor growth monitoring. The multi-body scale can reflect the growth status of cattle more comprehensively, in which RH, BSL and AC are important detection parameter; the multi-factor nonlinear model can reflect the growth characteristics of cattle more comprehensively. The contactless measurement method proposed in the paper can effectively improve the work efficiency and reduce the stress reaction of cattle, which is a long-term and effective monitoring method, and is of great significance in promoting accurate and welfare cattle rearing.

Skeletal Phenotyping of Period-1-Deficient Melatonin-Proficient Mice.

In mice, variability in adult bone size and density has been observed among common inbred strains. Also, in the group of genes regulating circadian rhythmicity in mice, so called clock genes, changes in body size and skeletal parameters have been noted in knockout mice. Here, we studied the size and density of prominent bones of the axial and appendicular skeleton of clock gene Period-1-deficient (Per1-/-) mice by means of microcomputed tomography. Our data show shorter spinal length, smaller and less dense femora and tibiae, but no significant changes in the shape of the skull and the length of the head. Together with the significantly lower total body weight of Per1-/- mice, we conclude that Per1-deficiency in a melatonin-proficient mouse strain is associated with an altered body phenotype with smaller appendicular (hind limb) bone size, shorter spine length and lower total body weight while normal head length and brain weight. The observed changes suggest an involvement of secondary bone mineralisation with impact on long bones, but lesser impact on those of the skull. Evidence and overall physiological implications of these findings are discussed.

Automated body measurement of beef cattle based on keypoint detection and local point cloud clustering

Abstract Body size parameters of beef cattle are crucial for assessing growth status and breeding value. In actual farming environments, the various postures of beef cattle and complex backgrounds can affect the accuracy and stability of non-contact body measurement methods. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel method called the cattle body measurement method (CBMM), which combines keypoint detection with local point cloud clustering. First, a keypoint detection model based on YOLOv8-SimBiFPN is constructed. This model enhances the feature extraction and fusion capabilities of YOLOv8-pose by introducing SimAM and BiFPN into the backbone and neck networks, respectively, and realizes 2D keypoint detection for beef cattle in various postures. Second, a 3D keypoint-locating algorithm based on Density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) is proposed. This algorithm utilizes 2D keypoints, depth maps and camera parameters to generate local point clouds, which are then clustered using DBSCAN to segment cattle body point clouds, thereby relocating the 3D keypoints based on their positional features. Finally, body size parameters are calculated based on the 3D keypoints and distance formulae. In our experiment, the mean average precision (mAP@0.5) of YOLOv8-SimBiFPN reached 99.1% on an Angus beef cattle keypoint detection dataset. The mean absolute percentage errors for measuring beef cattle withers height, hip height, body depth, body length, and oblique body length using the CBMM were 4.37%, 4.96%, 6.47%, 4.84%, and 4.14%, respectively. In summary, our method can achieve non-contact body measurement for beef cattle in a free-moving state with high accuracy and stability.

Machine Vision Analysis of Ujumqin Sheep's Walking Posture and Body Size.

The ability to recognize the body sizes of sheep is significantly influenced by posture, especially without artificial fixation, leading to more noticeable changes. This study presents a recognition model using the Mask R-CNN convolutional neural network to identify the sides and backs of sheep. The proposed approach includes an algorithm for extracting key frames through mask calculation and specific algorithms for head-down, head-up, and jumping postures of Ujumqin sheep. The study reported an accuracy of 94.70% in posture classification. We measured the body size parameters of Ujumqin sheep of different sexes and in different walking states, including observations of head-down and head-up. The errors for the head-down position of rams, in terms of body slanting length, withers height, hip height, and chest depth, were recorded as 0.08 ± 0.06, 0.09 ± 0.07, 0.07 ± 0.05, and 0.12 ± 0.09, respectively. For rams in the head-up position, the corresponding errors were 0.06 ± 0.05, 0.06 ± 0.05, 0.07 ± 0.05, and 0.13 ± 0.07, respectively. The errors for the head-down position of ewes, in terms of body slanting length, withers height, hip height, and chest depth, were recorded as 0.06 ± 0.05, 0.09 ± 0.08, 0.07 ± 0.06, and 0.13 ± 0.10, respectively. For ewes in the head-up position, the corresponding errors were 0.06 ± 0.05, 0.08 ± 0.06, 0.06 ± 0.04, and 0.16 ± 0.12, respectively. The study observed that sheep walking through a passage exhibited a more curved knee posture compared to normal measurements, often with a lowered head. This research presents a cost-effective data collection scheme for studying multiple postures in animal husbandry.

Plasma d-asparagine and the d/l-serine ratio reflect chronic kidney diseases in children regardless of physique

Biomarkers that accurately reflect renal function are essential in management of chronic kidney diseases (CKD). However, in children, age/physique and medication often alter established renal biomarkers. We studied whether amino acid enantiomers in body fluids correlate with renal function and whether they are influenced by physique or steroid medication during development. We conducted a prospective study of children 2 to 18 years old with and without CKD. We analyzed associations of serine/asparagine enantiomers in body fluids with major biochemical parameters as well as physique. To study consequences of kidney dysfunction and steroids on serine/asparagine enantiomers, we generated juvenile mice with uninephrectomy, ischemic reperfusion injury, or dexamethasone treatment. We obtained samples from 27 children, of which 12 had CKD due to congenital (n = 7) and perinatal (n = 5) causes. Plasma d-asparagine and the d/l-serine ratio had robust, positive linear associations with serum creatinine and cystatin C, and detected CKD with high sensitivity and specificity, uninfluenced by body size or biochemical parameters. In the animal study, kidney dysfunction increased plasma d-asparagine and the d/l-serine ratio, but dexamethasone treatment did not. Thus, plasma d-asparagine and the d/l-serine ratio can be useful markers for renal function in children.

Response to Incremental Replacement of Palm Oil with Fish Oil in Starter Diet on Growth Performance, Plasma Metabolites, Ruminal Fermentation, and Behavior of Dairy Calves.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the incremental levels of n-3 fatty acids (FA) in starter feed (SF) on growth and metabolic performance of milk-fed calves. From day 3 of age, 30 female calves (39.4 ± 3.1 kg of body weight) were randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments: (1) SF supplemented with 3.3% palm fatty acids (PO), (2) SF supplemented with 1.7% of PO and 1.9% fish oil (PFO), or (3) SF supplemented with 3.9% fish oil (FO). Chopped straw (7.5% of DM) was included in the SF of all treatments as total mixed ration (TMR). Diets had similar energy and protein contents. Total n-3 FA (% of total FA) and n-6/n-3 of PO, PFO, and FO were 1.90, 6.80, and 11.8 and 15.5, 4.50, and 2.70, respectively. The BW was greater for calves receiving FO (60.2 ± 0.3 kg) compared with PFO (58.7 ± 0.3 kg; p = 0.007) and tended to be greater for calves receiving FO vs. PO (59.0 ± 0.3 kg; p = 0.050). Because there was no interaction effect between diet × week of experiment, the greater BW of FO could not be attributed to the dietary treatment. Accordingly, average daily gain, total dry matter intake (DMI), starter DMI, and gain to intake ratio (G:FI) did not differ among dietary treatments during the entire period of the study (p > 0.05). Dietary treatments did not impact body size parameters such as body length, body girth, withers height, heart girth, hip height, and width (p > 0.05). Neither ruminal fermentation parameters nor blood variables were influenced by supplementing the types of oil at different time points. Calves' behavioral parameters, such as standing, lying, eating, and ruminating, were not influenced by different dietary treatments (p > 0.05). The number of days with abnormal fecal score was not different among dietary groups (p > 0.05). Overall, our findings suggest that changing the n-6/n-3 ratio in starter feed by incremental replacement of palm fatty acid with fish oil at a moderate supplemental level of ~3% of DM may not affect the growth and metabolic performance of young calves under non-challenged conditions.

Morphological Characterization of Kage and Baruwal Sheep (Ovis aries Linnaeus, 1758) Breeds in Nepal

Sheep farming in Nepal is closely linked to its agricultural heritage and contributes to livelihoods and the socio-economic fabric. This study synthesizes the morphological characterization of Kage and Baruwal (Ovis aries Linnaeus, 1758) sheep, highlighting their genetic and functional attributes, including body size, conformation, coat color, horn morphology, and reproductive parameters. This study synthesizes the morphological characterization of Kage and Baruwal (O. aries) sheep, highlighting their genetic and functional attributes, including body size, conformation, coat color, horn morphology, and reproductive parameters. The analysis revealed a significant difference (P ≤ 0.01**) in quantitative traits between the two breeds. The Baruwal sheep exhibited higher mean values for tail length (12.96 ± 0.47 cm), ear length (10.67±0.20 cm), neck length (21.75±0.38 cm), chest girth (67.14±0.50), height at hip bone (64.78±0.44 cm), body weight (33.04±0.65 Kg), and height below withers (67.10±0.56). Additionally, correlation analysis of different quantitative traits was found to be significant at the 0.01 level on a two-tailed test. The study's results indicate significant quantitative variations, which suggest genetic adaptations and selective pressures. The analysis of qualitative traits highlights differences in horn presence, shape, fleece, head color, neckline, and tail shape, providing insights into genetic diversity and functional adaptations. The study concludes that comprehending such phenotypic traits helps with breed management, conservation, and sustainable agriculture. The preservation of genetic diversity and adaptability is underscored by indigenous sheep breeds, which requires further research to elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying these traits.

Eye morphometry, body size, and flexibility parameters in myopic adolescents

The aim of this study was to investigate the anatomical and physiological ocular parameters in adolescents with myopia and to examine the relations between refractive error (SER), ocular biometry, body size and flexibility parameters in myopic adolescents. A cross-sectional study of 184 myopic adolescents, aged 15 to 19 years was conducted. Refractive error and corneal curvature measures of the eye were evaluated using an autorefractometer under cycloplegia. Central corneal thickness was determined by contact pachymetry. The ocular axial length, anterior and vitreous chamber depth, and lens thickness were measured using A-scan biometry ultrasonography. Height and body weight were measured according to a standardized protocol. Body mass index (BMI) was subsequently calculated. Beighton scale was used to measure joint flexibility. Body stature was positively correlated with ocular axial length (r = 0.39, p < 0.001) and vitreous chamber depth (r = 0.37, p < 0.001). There was a negative correlation between height and SER (r = − 0.46; p < 0.001). Beighton score and body weight had weak positive correlations with axial length and vitreous chamber depth, and a weak negative correlation with SER. A significantly more negative SER was observed in the increased joint mobility group (p < 0.05; U = 5065.5) as compared to normal joint mobility group: mean − 4.37 ± 1.85 D (median − 4.25; IQR − 6.25 to − 3.25 D) and mean − 3.72 ± 1.66 D (median − 3.50; IQR − 4.75 to − 2.25 D) respectively. There was a strong association between height and axial length, as well as SER. Higher degree of myopia significantly correlated with greater Beighton score (increased joint mobility).

Indexing of Left Atrial Volume by various body size parameters in the Indian non-obese normal subjects: Is there an incremental value ?

BackgroundLeft atrial (LA) volume indexing for body surface area (BSA) is the common practice. Since LA volume index is of cardiovascular pathophysiologic significance, it is suggested that indexing for other body size parameters be explored to evaluate a more appropriate alternative method. The aims of this study were to find normal and the best cutoff values for LA volume indexed for multiple body size parameters in normal Indian subjects. MethodsData from the multicentric prospective INDEA study conducted through 2018 to 2020 was reviewed and subjects without known cardiac disease and completely normal echocardiograms that had the left atrial volume (LAV) measured by biplane Simpson's method were included. LAV was indexed by BSA (ml/m2), by height (LAV/m), by height raised to exponent 1.72 (mL/m 1.72 and 2.7 (ml/m2.7), by body weight, by ideal body weight (IBW), by ideal body surface area (IBSA) and by height squared (ml/h2). ResultsA total of 1046 healthy volunteers (382 female, 38%), mean age 38 ± 10.4 years (range 30–48 years) and body mass index 23.6 kg/m2 (22–25 kg/m2) were analyzed. Mean and normal values were: LAV/BSA 18.7 + 3.15 ml/m2 (range 15–21 ml/m2), LAV/ht 26.0 ± 4.5 ml/m, (range 17–35 ml/m), LAV/ht2 16 ± 2.8 ml/m2 (range 10.4–21.6 ml/m2) and LAV/ht2.7 8.71 ± 2.2 ml/m2.7 (range 6.98–13.58 ml/m2.7). Using ROC curve analysis, LAV/h 1.72 had the highest AUC and the best predictive value to identify LA enlargement but not very different from LAV/BSA. Ideal BSA and ideal body weight as a denominator did not provide any incremental value. ConclusionNormal values for LAV indexed for height, weight, body surface area by three different methods of height as an allometric parameter are described in normal Indian individuals. We reinforce that LA volume indexation for BSA is an acceptable and robust method in non-obese Indian subjects. Indexing for height 1.72 is probably slightly superior method to evaluate LAV.

Variability in body weight and morphology of Uganda's indigenous goat breeds across agroecological zones.

Indigenous goat breeds in Uganda are classified based on average body size parameters and coat color. However, variations in the body size of animals may be influenced by several factors, including management and the environment. To understand the effect of the agroecological zone on the physical characteristics and live weight of Uganda's indigenous goats, this study evaluated the body size characteristics of the three indigenous goat breeds of Uganda across ten agroecological zones. The cross-sectional survey was conducted in 323 households from the ten zones, where 1020 goats composed of three breeds (Mubende, Kigezi, and Small East African) were sampled and measured for body weight, linear body size, and age. We confirmed that Mubende and Kigezi goats from the original homeland had a higher mean body weight than reported in FAO reports. In addition, Mubende appeared to perform better in pastoral rangelands, with a higher mean body weight (38.1 kg) and body size being significantly higher (P < 0.0001) compared to other zones. The mean body weight for the Kigezi breed in the original homeland (34 kg) was comparable to those from Western Savannah grasslands and pastoral rangelands and less than that initially reported by FAO (30 kg). Similarly, there was no significant difference in the linear body size characteristics of Kigezi goats in the home zone of highland ranges relative to those found in other agroecological zones (P > 0.05). Although the Small East African goats were originally found in Northwestern Savannah grassland and Northeastern dryland zones, they performed poorly regarding mean body weight and body size characteristics in the former zone. In the Northwestern Savannah grasslands, the mean body weight (23.8 kg) was even less than that reported by FAO, which ranged between 25 and 30 kg. Finally, we confirmed that Mubende and Kigezi goats are significantly heavier than small East African goats (p ≤ 0.0001). The results of this study can be useful in designing precise management strategies to improve indigenous goat productivity in different environments in Uganda.

Genetic evaluation for production and body size traits using different animal models in purebred-Duroc pigs.

Duroc pigs are popular crossbred terminal sires, and accurate assessment of genetic parameters in the population can help to rationalize breeding programmes. The principle aim of this study were to evaluate the genetic parameters of production (birth weight, BW; age at 115 kg, AGE; feed conversion ratio, FCR) and body size (body length, BL; body height, BH; front cannon circumference, FCC) traits of Duroc pigs. The second objective was to analyze the fit of different genetic assessment models. The variance components and correlations of BW (28,348 records), AGE (28,335 records), FCR (11,135 records), BL (31,544 records), BH (21,862 records), and FCC (14,684 records) traits were calculated by using DMU and AIREMLF90 from BLUPF90 package. In the common environment model, the heritability of BW, AGE, FCR, BL, BH, and FCC traits were 0.17 ± 0.014, 0.30 ± 0.019, 0.28 ± 0.024, 0.16 ± 0.013, 0.14 ± 0.017, and 0.081 ± 0.016, with common litter effect values of 0.25, 0.20, 0.18, 0.23, 0.19, and 0.16, respectively. According to the results of the Akaike information criterion (AIC) calculations, models with smaller AIC values have a better fit. We found that the common environment model with litter effects as random effects for estimating genetic parameters had a better fit. In this Model, the estimated genetic correlations between AGE with BW, FCR, BL, BH, and FCC traits were -0.28 (0.040), 0.76 (0.038), -0.71 (0.036), -0.44 (0.060), and -0.60 (0.073), respectively, with phenotypic correlations of -0.17, 0.52, -0.22, -0.13 and -0.24, respectively. In our analysis of genetic trends for six traits in the Duroc population from 2012 to 2021, we observed significant genetic trends for AGE, BL, and BH. Particularly noteworthy is the rapid decline in the genetic trend for AGE, indicating an enhancement in the pig's growth rate through selective breeding. Therefore, we believe that some challenging-to-select traits can benefit from the genetic correlations between traits. By selecting easily measurable traits, they can gain from synergistic selection effects, leading to genetic progress. Conducting population genetic parameter analysis can assist us in devising breeding strategies.

Impact of post-percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty mitral valve area indexed for the body size on long-term outcomes in rheumatic mitral stenosis: a 20-year retrospective analysis

Abstract Introduction Percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PBMV) remains one of the standard treatments for symptomatic rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS)(1). The procedural success criteria are generally defined as a post-procedural mitral valve area (MVA) of more than 1.5 cm2 without significant mitral regurgitation or in-hospital complications(2, 3). However, the effect of body size on the post-procedural MVA is not well examined. Purpose This study intended to investigate the association between the different methods of indexing post-PBMV MVA for the body size parameters and event-free survival compared to the absolute MVA in rheumatic MS patients treated with PBMV. Methods We retrospectively enrolled clinically significant rheumatic MS patients (MVA ≤1.5 cm2) who underwent PBMV with Inoue balloon between June 2002 and February 2021. The patients who experienced in-hospital complications (stroke, emergency surgery, or death) were excluded. A final number of 584 out of 618 patients were included in the analysis. Post-procedural MVA was assessed using echocardiographic 2D planimetry or pressure half-time if planimetry was not available. Post-PBMV MVA was indexed by body surface area (BSA), body mass index (BMI), body weight or height. The median value of absolute MVA and indexed MVA was used to stratify patients into two groups. The primary outcome was the composite of death, repeat PBMV, and mitral valve surgery. We performed Cox regression analyses to assess the association between groups and outcomes. C-index was calculated to assess the discriminative ability of each index. Results The mean age was 41.5 (±11.9) years, and 490 patients (82.8%) were female. The prevalence of atrial fibrillation was 39.5%. The median Wilkin score was 8 (interquartile range of 7-9). The mean pre-procedural and post-procedural MVA was 0.92 (±0.24) and 1.57 (±0.28) cm2, respectively. The average pre-procedural and post-procedural mean pressure gradient was 13.1 (±6.3) and 5.7 (±3.0) mmHg, respectively. The prevalence of post-procedural MR in a moderately severe to a severe degree was 3.8%. Over a median follow-up of 3.9 years, 194 composite events occurred. Patients with post-procedural indexed MVA of any type greater than a median were not associated with a significantly lower risk of primary outcome compared to those with indexed MVA less than the median (Picture 1). Moreover, absolute MVA greater than a median (1.55 cm2) was independently associated with a lower risk of primary outcome after adjusting with age and gender (Hazard ratio [95% CI] = 0.658 [0.493-0.879], p = 0.005). The discriminative ability of the absolute MVA was highest than the indexed MVA (Picture 2). Conclusion Indexing post-procedural MVA did not provide additional benefit on long-term risk stratification after PBMV compared with the absolute MVA.

Physiological role of dietary energy in the sexual maturity: clues of body size, gonad development, and serum biochemical parameters of Chinese indigenous chicken

Sexual maturity is a crucial factor in the formation and development of poultry reproductive capacity. The nutritional status has been confirmed to play an important role in the regulation of sexual maturity. To investigate the effect of dietary energy levels on sexual maturity in chicken, diets with 3 energy levels (group L: 2,573 kcal/kg, group C: 2,836 kcal/kg, group H: 3,122 kcal/kg) were implemented to feed Guangyuan Gray chickens. During this trial, body weight, body size, organ development, sexual maturity, reproductive performance and blood biochemical parameters were monitored. The earlier sexual maturity was observed in group H, as well as a heavier first egg weight, larger interpubic distance and higher total cholesterol (T-CHO) content at sexual maturity. The dietary energy levels had no significant effect on body weight at first egg and egg production at 300 d of age. Although dietary energy levels had a significant effect on body weight, comb length, tibia length and girth, abdominal fat weight, oviduct weight and length, T-CHO, triglyceride (TG) content and estradiol (E2) level during the rearing period. No significant difference of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) level among 3 groups was observed during the trial. The dietary energy levels had effects on mRNA expression of GnRH, estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), estrogen receptor 2 (ESR2) in hypothalamus, gonadotropin inhibitory hormone receptor (GnIHR) in pituitary and luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR), ESR2 in ovary. The GnIHR/GnRHR ratio in pituitary was higher before sexual maturity and decreased at sexual maturity. The results of correlations analysis found that all the body size, carcass traits, serum biochemical parameters negatively correlated with age at first egg except for interpubic distance and serum blood glucose content. Collectively, dietary energy levels had effects on sexual maturity of chicken, which may be achieved by affecting body weight, gonad development, endocrine and the mRNA expression of genes related to hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis. These results further set our understanding of how dietary energy regulates sexual maturity.

Developing a Generalized Regression Forecasting Network for the Prediction of Human Body Dimensions

With the increasing demand for intelligent custom clothing, the development of highly accurate human body dimension prediction tools using artificial neural network technology has become essential to ensuring high-quality, fashionable, and personalized clothing. Although support vector regression (SVR) networks have demonstrated state-of-the-art (SOTA) performances, they still fall short on prediction accuracy and computation efficiency. We propose a novel generalized regression forecasting network (GRFN) that incorporates kernel ridge regression (KRR) within a multi-strategy multi-subswarm particle swarm optimizer (MMPSO)-SVR nonlinear regression model that applies a residual correction prediction mechanism to enhance prediction accuracy for body dimensions. Importantly, the predictions are generated using only a few basic body size parameters from small-batch samples. The KRR regression model is employed for preliminary residual sequence prediction, and the MMPSO component optimizes the SVR parameters to ensure superior correction of nonlinear relations and noise data, thereby yielding more accurate residual correction value predictions. The GRFN hybrid model is superior to SOTA SVR models and increases the root mean square performance by 91.73–97.12% with a remarkably low mean square error of 0.0054 ± 0.07. This outstanding advancement sets the stage for marketable intelligent apparel design tools for the fast fashion industry.

The unique buckspoor webs of Seothyra optimize silk use and capture efficiency

Buckspoor-web spiders of the genus Seothyra are southern African endemics predominantly occurring in arid and semi-arid habitats. They have evolved a uniquely shaped web, comprising a burrow in which the spider rests, linked to a slightly asymmetrical two- to four-lobed web on the soil surface. We investigated the association between three web parameters (periphery, surface area and compactness) and three body size parameters (carapace length, total length and mass) of S. schreineri in central South Africa. Using a novel pixel-seeding image analysis, we were able to accurately determine the surface area of individual webs and compare their area:periphery ratio with that of hypothetical circular webs with the same perimeter length to determine the isoperimetric quotient of each. Isoperimetric quotients across all life stages indicated an average reduction of approximately 25% in silk investment, being highest in juveniles (∼35%). Web periphery was related to web area by a power function, but web area increased at a progressively faster rate than periphery with increasing web size, indicating that larger spiders build less compact webs, i.e. web shape is affected by spider size. Web area and periphery scaled positively and allometrically with the three measures of spider body size, but no significant effect of body size on web compactness was found. We conclude that the unique shape of Seothyra webs evolved as a mechanism to optimize the periphery and concurrently reduce the surface area, thereby enhancing their potential to capture prey and reduce silk investment in the web structure.

Monte Carlo investigation of PET [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-TOC activity-administration protocols for consistent image quality

One example of a PET exam that suffers from noise problems is [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-TOC, where patients are generally administered between 100 and 200 MBq [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-TOC, irrespective of size. However, a fixed activity can result in low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) in larger patients. This study aimed to evaluate the impact on image quality with respect to injected activity and patient habitus through Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. Eight anthropomorphic computer phantoms with body mass indices (BMIs) between 19 kg/m2 and 38 kg/m2 and tumours distributed in the liver were simulated using the MC software Gate v8.2 with an activity distribution defined according to [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-TOC standardised uptake values. Three activity-administration protocols were simulated: (i) with a fixed activity of 100 MBq, (ii) with the activity scaled by 2 MBq/kg, and (iii) with the activity scaled by a body size-dependent power-function based on the SNR obtained with (ii). BMI, weight, body surface area, and abdominal circumference were evaluated body size parameters. Images were reconstructed with the CASToR software and evaluated for background SNR and lesion contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Large SNR variabilities were obtained with protocols (i) and (ii), while (iii) generated good consistency. Several tumours failed to reach a CNR of 5 for large phantoms with protocol (i), but the CNR was generally improved by (ii) and (iii). An activity scaled by patient habitus generate better image quality consistency, which increases the likelihood that patients receive a similar standard of care.

The impact of body compositions on contrast medium enhancement in chest CT: a randomised controlled trial.

To compare a fixed-volume contrast medium (CM) protocol with a combined total body weight (TBW) and body composition-tailored protocol in chest CT. Patients referred for routine contrast enhanced chest CT were prospectively categorised as normal, muscular or overweight. Patients were accordingly randomised into two groups; Group 1 received a fixed CM protocol. Group 2 received CM volume according to a body composition-tailored protocol. Objective image quality comparisons between protocols and body compositions were performed. Differences between groups and correlation were analysed using t-test and Pearson's r. A total of 179 patients were included: 87 in Group 1 (mean age, 51 ± 17 years); and 92 in Group 2 (mean age, 52 ± 17 years). Compared to Group 2, Group 1 showed lower vascular attenuation in muscular (mean 346 Hounsfield unit (HU) vs 396 HU; p = 0.004) and overweight categories (mean 342 HU vs 367 HU; p = 0.12), while normal category patients showed increased attenuation (385 vs 367; p = 0.61). In Group 1, strongest correlation was found between attenuation and TBW in muscular (r = -.49, p = 0.009) and waist circumference in overweight patients (r = -.50, p = 0.005). In Group 2, no significant correlations were found for the same body size parameters. In Group 1, 13% of the overweight patients was below 250 HU (p = 0.053). A combined TBW and body composition-tailored CM protocol in chest CT resulted in more homogenous enhancement and fewer outliers compared to a fixed-volume protocol. This is, to our knowledge, the first study to investigate the impact of various body compositions on contrast medium enhancement in chest CT.