Critical Stage Research Articles

Bromodomain containing 4 inhibition combats gastric precancerous lesions via modulating macrophage polarization

ObjectiveGastric precancerous lesions (GPL), characterized by intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia, marks a pivotal juncture in the transformation from gastritis to gastric cancer. Research on GPL could offer fresh perspectives on preventing cancer occurrence. MethodsThis study employed 1-methyl-3-nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) to establish GPL rat models and knocked BRD4 down in vivo to assess its impact on the lesions and macrophage morphology. Following that, the impacts of BRD4 knockdown on the malignant phenotypes of human gastric epithelial GES-1 cells were determined. Moreover, conditioned medium from macrophage was gathered and used for GES-1 cell culture. The involvement of macrophage polarization in the BRD4 regulatory mechanism in GES-1 cells was assessed. ResultsThis study elucidated that MNNG induced an increase level of BRD4 in the rat models. BRD4 knockdown reduced lesions based on pathological sections and immunohistochemistry to detect proliferative antigens. Western blotting and immunofluorescence showed that BRD4 knockdown suppressed epithelial-mesenchymal transition and macrophage M2 polarization. In in vitro experiments, BRD4 knockdown inhibited the malignant phenotype of GES-1 cells and the differentiation of THP-1 cells into M2 macrophages, respectively. The conditioned medium from M2 macrophages with BRD4 knockdown was co-incubated with GES-1 cells, which attenuated the malignant phenotypes compared with the medium from M2 macrophages. ConclusionThrough in vivo and in vitro experiments, BRD4 upregulation was found to already occur during GPL, affecting macrophage polarization and epithelial cell cancerization. This finding provides an experimental basis for strategies targeting BRD4 inhibition at this critical stage.

Leveraging machine learning to discriminate wheat scab infection levels through hyperspectral reflectance and feature selection methods

Real-time or pre-symptomatic wheat scab (WS) detection is inevitable for precision agriculture to secure yield and quality at the critical grain formation stage. For this, feature selection (FS) techniques and machine learning (ML) have demonstrated their capabilities. However, for the same type and size of dataset, all FS and ML techniques behave differently due to their diverse primary constituents. This study attempts to leverage ML for WS classification and prediction employing different FS techniques on hyperspectral data of wheat spikes. The spectral features were selected and assessed to regress and classify disease occurrence. Relief-F-neural net (NN) manifested the best results with classification accuracy (CA) of 67 % and 89 % at the pre-symptomatic scale and 3 days after inoculation (DAI), respectively. Followed by continuous wavelet transform (CWT)-NN with 63 % CA at the pre-symptomatic scale and CWT-Xgboost with 89 % CA at 3DAI. For prediction, random forest regression revealed best accuracy of R2 = 0.94 and RMSE = 7.70, followed by partial least squares regression with R2 = 0.90 and RMSE = 10.37. The results offer a precise quantitative benchmark for future investigations into the capacity of hyperspectral data and FS for the real-time quantification of plant diseases.

Vitamin D Receptor Gene Polymorphisms Differentiated Between Tuberculosis Disease and Infection: Causal Association Study.

Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is a critical stage in tuberculosis (TB)control, and few studies have addressed the role of vitamin D receptor(VDR) gene polymorphisms in differentiating between TB and late-onset TB from an immunogenetic perspective. Recruitment of tuberculosis patients and latently infected population in Urumqi, Xinjiang, and use of propensity score matching(PSM) to match the two groups and control confounding to further construct a Bayesian network to analyze causal associations between VDR polymorphisms and tuberculosis disease status. 137 LTBI and 237 TB were obtained through PSM. Logistic regression showed that the VDR gene BsmI locus, TaqI locus, and ApaI locus were associated with a higher risk of TB in a codominant model (P<0.05). Further Bayesian network construction showed that occupation and being a VDR gene BsmI locus were direct influences on TB disease status, and the VDR gene TaqI locus played an indirect role through the BsmI locus, and the probability of TB risk was highest in individuals with manual labour and BsmI locus of the C/T type, which was 84.15%. Bayesian network modelling intuitively revealed that individuals with a C/T type of BsmI locus and physical labour are at high risk of TB compared with TB infection, and they are key factors between with TB disease, providing reference evidence for controlling TB progression.

Assessing the effects of early and timely sowing on wheat cultivar HD 2967 under current and future tropospheric ozone scenarios

This study investigates the impact of elevated ozone (eO3) levels on the growth and yield of the wheat cultivar HD 2967 under different sowing dates in open-top chambers. Wheat was sown early on November 1st and timely on November 20th, 2017, under ambient and elevated O3 (ambient + 20 ppb), resulting in four treatment groups: AT (ambient + timely), ET (elevated + timely), AE (ambient + early), and EE (elevated + early). Results showed significant reductions in morphological traits and gas-exchange parameters, including photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and water use efficiency under elevated O3. The most notable decreases were observed 40 days after germination (DAG) compared to 80 DAG. Interestingly, while a higher percentage reduction was observed under ET at 80 DAG, a reversal in the trend of percentage reduction between the two stages was noted, suggesting a dynamic response of the wheat cultivar to stress across the growth stage. However, compared with ET's results, early sowing mitigated these negative effects under a futuristic O3 level scenario, showing no significant impact on grain yield and productivity factors. This resilience is attributed to the extended growth period, enhancing photosynthesis and biomass accumulation while avoiding high eO3 concentrations during critical reproductive stages. Furthermore, a trade-off in ET plants suggests resources are allocated towards defense (enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants) at the expense of growth, while EE conditions favor growth at later stages, maintaining reproductive fitness despite eO3 levels. Under conventional timely sowing, wheat may suffer yield declines of up to 30% amidst rising eO3 levels. Early sowing emerges as a proactive strategy to enhance wheat productivity under increasing O3 stress. Future studies should explore the effectiveness of early sowing across multiple wheat cultivars and climatic conditions to inform sustainable agricultural practices in high O3 areas.

A procedure for assessing of machine health index data prediction quality

The paper discusses the challenge of evaluating the prognosis quality of machine health index (HI) data. Many existing solutions in machine health forecasting involve visual assessing of the quality of predictions to roughly gauge the similarity between predicted and actual samples, lacking precise measures or decisions. In this paper, we introduce a universal procedure with multiple variants and criteria. The overarching concept involves comparing predicted data with true HI time series, but each procedure variant has a specific pattern determined through statistical analysis. Additionally, a statistically established threshold is employed to classify the result as either a reliable or non-reliable prognosis. The criteria include both simple measures (MSE, MAPE) and more advanced ones (Space quantiles-inclusion factor, Kupiec’s POF, and TUFF statistics). Depending on the criterion chosen, the pattern and decision-making process vary. To illustrate effectiveness, we apply the proposed procedure to HI data sourced from the literature, covering both warning (linear degradation) and critical (exponential degradation) stages. While the method yields a binary output, there is potential for extension to a multi-class classification. Furthermore, experienced users can use the quality measure expressed in percentage for more in-depth analysis.

Molecular responses in the intestine of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) following light and diet stimulation of smoltification: Potential molecular markers for a seawater-ready smolt

The transfer to seawater (SW) represents a critical stage in the production of Atlantic salmon. The success of the transfer links with the optimal development of hypo-osmoregulatory capacities during smoltification. While various strategies are adopted in aquaculture to stimulate smoltification, considerable fish loss still occurs after transfer to sea cages. Therefore, we investigated the molecular responses in the anterior and posterior intestine of Atlantic salmon, following 1) a photoperiod treatment (24 h light (L):0 h dark (D) → 24 L:0D vs. 7 L:17D → 24 L:0D) and 2) dietary treatment (regular feed or feed enriched with a salt mix/tryptophan), combined with, or without a photoperiodic treatment in freshwater (FW), to evaluate how intestinal osmoregulatory mechanisms are modulated by these treatments, and to identify potential intestinal markers indicative of a SW-ready smolt. Using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), we investigated transcript levels of transporters and channels involved in ion movements through the enterocytes, tight junction components, and receptors (i.e., calcium-sensing receptor and prolactin receptor). The two intestinal regions showed different gene profiles and responsiveness towards the experimental treatments. In the anterior intestine, the exposure to short photoperiod (7 L:17D) upregulated Na+/K+ − ATPase subunit alpha 1c (nkaα1c), Na+/K+/2Cl− cotransporter 1 (nkcc1), Na+/K+/2Cl− cotransporter 2 (nkcc2), Cl−/HCO3− exchanger Slc26a6 (slc26a6), and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator I (cftrI), in FW and SW. Also, Na+/K+ − ATPase subunit alpha 1b (nkaα1b), occludin (ocln), and prolactin receptor (prlr) were upregulated in FW and claudin 15 (cldn15) in SW groups exposed to this photoperiod. The posterior intestine was less responsive to the experimental treatments, although upregulation of nkcc1, nkcc2, slc26a6, and cftrI was observed in FW in the short photoperiod groups. Hence, our findings show that exposure to a winter signal in FW more effectively activates hypo-osmoregulatory mechanisms in the intestine of Atlantic salmon, where a coordinated and complementary role of the anterior and posterior intestine ensures optimal SW processing. Dietary treatment had a positive but more marginal effect on the regulation of the genes investigated, mainly enhancing the impact of short photoperiod when the two treatments were combined. Overall, we propose the apical Na+/K+/2Cl− cotransporter, nkcc2, and the apical Cl−/HCO3− exchanger, slc26a6, as potential FW molecular markers in the anterior intestine to assess “SW-readiness” in Atlantic salmon smolts.

Impact of Glucocorticoid Therapy on 28-Day Mortality in Patients Having Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome in an Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective Analysis.

The high mortality rate associated with the critical stages of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) does not have effective treatment. We aimed to evaluate the 28-day mortality and potential impact of glucocorticoid therapy in these patients. This retrospective observational study included participants from the intensive care unit between July 2019 and April 2023. The participants were categorized into glucocorticoid (GC) and non-GC groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to ensure comparability between groups. We used Cox proportional hazard models to examine mortality risk associated with GC use, Kaplan-Meier survival analyses for overall survival, stratified Cox proportional hazard models for subgroup analyses, and likelihood ratio tests to examine interactions between subgroups. Of 218 patients with SFTS (median age, 71 years; male, 49.1%), 61.9% required mechanical ventilation, 58.3% received GC treatment, and the 28-day mortality rate was 61.5%. After PSM, there were 58 patients in each group; post-PSM analysis revealed improved 28-day mortality rates with GC treatment, particularly for patients with Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score <13 (hazard ratio [HR], 95% confidence interval [CI] for GCS score: 9-12: 0.39, 0.17-0.88, p=0.024 and for GCS score: 3-8: 0.09, 0.02-0.35, p=0.001); lactate levels >2mmol/L (0.35, 0.15-0.83, p=0.017); and norepinephrine usage (0.26, 0.13-0.49, p<0.001). Combining antiviral (0.41, 0.22-0.78, p=0.006) or immunoglobulin therapy (0.22, 0.1-0.51, p<0.001) with GC treatment significantly decreased the 28-day mortality rates, compared with GC monotherapy. Using GCs reduced the high 28-day mortality rate in the patients, especially with low GCS score, high lactate levels, norepinephrine intake, and on antiviral or immunoglobulin therapy.

Single-cell transcriptome and chromatin accessibility mapping of upper lip and primary palate fusion.

Cleft lip and/or primary palate (CL/P) represent a prevalent congenital malformation, the aetiology of which is highly intricate. Although it is generally accepted that the condition arises from failed fusion between the upper lip and primary palate, the precise mechanism underlying this fusion process remains enigmatic. In this study, we utilized transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing (scATAC-seq) and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to interrogate lambdoidal junction tissue derived from C57BL/6J mouse embryos at critical stages of embryogenesis (10.5, 11.5 and 12.5 embryonic days). We successfully identified distinct subgroups of mesenchymal and ectodermal cells involved in the fusion process and characterized their unique transcriptional profiles. Furthermore, we conducted cell differentiation trajectory analysis, revealing a dynamic repertoire of genes that are sequentially activated or repressed during pseudotime, facilitating the transition of relevant cell types. Additionally, we employed scATAC data to identify key genes associated with the fusion process and demonstrated differential chromatin accessibility across major cell types. Finally, we constructed a dynamic intercellular communication network and predicted upstream transcriptional regulators of critical genes involved in important signalling pathways. Our findings provide a valuable resource for future studies on upper lip and primary palate development, as well as congenital defects.

A multi-step mathematical model-based predictive strategy for software release timing during testing stage

Mathematically precise modeling is important to be established to accurately examine the quantitative relationship between software testing and software reliability. Software testing process is complex since it is concerned with various factors such as test case execution, defect debugging, tester expertise, test case selection, and so forth. For this reason, it is required to be meticulous in formulating the software testing process in a manner which is mathematically concise. The software release life cycle or sequential release timeline, referring to the process related to the development, testing and distribution of a software product comprises several critical stages, and the length of this particular life cycle reveals variations depending on different factors like the type of product, the intended use of it, industry security, general standards and compliance. One consideration software engineers have is related to the release date of the software so that future commitments about the software’s release time can be formulated beforehand. In view of these aspects, a multi-step strategy for predicting software release dates is proposed in the current study along with the following stages: firstly, the proposed technique selects the utmost reliability growth model that very well fits the observed test data halfway through the testing period, and then employs it to forecast the probable date of release. This technique entails approximating the unknown parameters of suitable Software Reliability Growth Models (SRGMs). Finally, the chosen SRGM is used to forecast the release date of the software under test by fitting it to available fault data. The proposed method is straightforward and applied to test on a total of ten actual datasets collected from the literature. The results of the proposed technique reveal that in the majority of the situations, nearly exact approximation of date of release can be made halfway through the testing period. Moreover, the proposed method’s performance is also compared to that of a number of previous strategies present in the literature. The outcomes obtained by our study demonstrate that the proposed strategy may be used to forecast the release date of software in practical situations.

THE POWER OF OPEN COMMUNICATION: EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENT-ADOLESCENT COMMUNICATION AND PROBLEM EXTENT AND THE MODERATING ROLE OF SIBLING INFLUENCE

Adolescence is the period of extensive physical, emotional, and social transformation. This article focuses on the primary role of effective communication within the family, especially parents and siblings influence, in shaping adolescence development. It considers how open, supportive, and sincere interactions help in identity formation, peer relationships, cognitive development, and affect regulation during this critical stage. The article draws both on Eastern and Western psychological paradigms, showing how academic psychology has evolved over the years and the main theoretical frameworks which inform our understanding of adolescent development. It is in this regard that the current study will explore the importance of effective family communication in developing a positive identity, building self-esteem, and supplying a sense of belonging. Emphasized herein is the role of parents in guiding adolescents through open discussions that will help them think critically, solve problems, and make independent decisions. Attention falls onto sibling influence in that they are in a special position to offer emotional support, companionship, and modeling behaviors. It draws from quantitative studies how family dynamics impact adolescent results. Construction and standardization processes of psychological measures are described to explain why reliable and valid instruments are needed when studying adolescent behavior and family interaction. This article concludes with the practical recommendations to enhance family communication strategies in supporting adolescent development. This integration of theoretical perspectives and empirical findings thus provides critical insights for educators, practitioners, and families seeking to promote healthy developmental trajectories among adolescents through effective communication and supportive sibling relationships.

Differential effects of salinity and drought on germination and early seedling growth of Parkinsonia praecox

Context Germination and seedling growth are critical stages in the establishment of a species under adverse environmental conditions. Parkinsonia praecox is a species that can establish in soils with high salt concentrations and water deficit conditions. Aims This study focused on the germination and early growth responses of P. praecox seeds exposed to different salinity and water deficit treatments, to understand its distribution and its potential to persist in stressful environments. Methods P. praecox seeds were exposed to solutions containing NaCl (for salinity) and polyethylene glycol (PEG; for water deficit) at a range of potentials −0.4, −0.8, −1.2, −1.5 and −1.9 MPa, and germination and early growth responses were evaluated. Controls were exposed to distilled water treatments (0 MPa). Key results The highest germination was obtained in the distilled water treatment, whereas drought imposed by PEG and salinity caused a decrease in the percentage and speed of germination. Seed germination significantly decreased at 1.2 MPa in the saline treatments but at −0.8 MPa in PEG solutions. However, at −1.2 MPa and higher, the germination rate was higher in PEG-treated seedlings compared to those exposed to NaCl. Considerable early seedling growth was observed in low potentials and high saline conditions. Conclusions The effects of salinity and drought on germination and early growth response of P. praecox contributes to the species’ restricted distribution in arid and saline regions. Implications These findings advance our knowledge of P. praecox responses under stressful conditions, highlighting this woody species’ potential as a candidate in the rehabilitation of degraded environments.

Analysis and Simulation of Misinformation Spread in Social Networks: A Hybrid Stochastic-Deterministic Approach with NEAB Model

This paper examined and simulated the dynamics of misinformation spread within social networks using the NEAB model [32]. In this model, (N) represents non-believers, (E) denotes individuals exposed to the information but undecided, (A) refers to those who accept the information and may propagate it, and (B) are the believers. Similar to epidemiological models like SEIR (Susceptible-Exposed-Infected-Recovered), the NEAB model adapts to study the spread of various types of information and behaviors within a population [20]. By combining elements of network theory [28] and epidemiology, the model investigates how behaviors and network structures influence information transmission. Our simulations, particularly when applied to real-world scenarios like misinformation spread during events such as COVID-19 or natural disasters, highlight key factors influencing dissemination [7]. Rates of exposure to misinformation, the transition of individuals from exposed to active spreaders, and the rate of recovery all play crucial roles in shaping how misinformation spreads [33]. Misinformation propagates more easily when exposure rates are high, while higher recovery rates help limit its spread. Sensitivity analysis shows that variations in (β) and (δ) significantly impact the spread, emphasizing the importance of targeted interventions during these critical stages [22]. The objective of this study is to evaluate strategies for reducing the effects of misinformation on public discourse and health outcomes while offering insights into the key factors that drive its dissemination based on model simulations.

Morphological, histological and transcriptomic mechanisms underlying different fruit shapes in Capsicum spp.

Pepper (Capsicum spp.) has a long domestication history and has accumulated diverse fruit shape variations. The illustration of the mechanisms underlying different fruit shape is not only important for clarifying the regulation of pepper fruit development but also critical for fully understanding the plant organ morphogenesis. Thus, in this study, morphological, histological and transcriptional investigations have been performed on pepper accessions bearing fruits with five types of shapes. From the results it can be presumed that pepper fruit shape was determined during the developmental processes before and after anthesis, and the anthesis was a critical developmental stage for fruit shape determination. Ovary shape index variations of the studied accessions were mainly due to cell number alterations, while, fruit shape index variations were mainly attributed to the cell division and cell expansion variations. As to the ovary wall thickness and pericarp thickness, they were regulated by both cell division in the abaxial-adaxial direction and cell expansion in the proximal-distal and medio-lateral directions. Transcriptional analysis discovered that the OFP-TRM and IQD-CaM pathways may be involved in the regulation of the slender fruit shape and the largest ovary wall cell number in the blocky-shaped accession can be attributed to the higher expression of CYP735A1, which may lead to an increased cytokinin level. Genes related to development, cell proliferation/division, cytoskeleton, and cell wall may also contribute to the regulation of helical growth in pepper. The insights gained from this study are valuable for further investigations into pepper fruit shape development.

A deep learning approach for deriving wheat phenology from near-surface RGB image series using spatiotemporal fusion

Accurate monitoring of wheat phenological stages is essential for effective crop management and informed agricultural decision-making. Traditional methods often rely on labour-intensive field surveys, which are prone to subjective bias and limited temporal resolution. To address these challenges, this study explores the potential of near-surface cameras combined with an advanced deep-learning approach to derive wheat phenological stages from high-quality, real-time RGB image series. Three deep learning models based on three different spatiotemporal feature fusion methods, namely sequential fusion, synchronous fusion, and parallel fusion, were constructed and evaluated for deriving wheat phenological stages with these near-surface RGB image series. Moreover, the impact of different image resolutions, capture perspectives, and model training strategies on the performance of deep learning models was also investigated. The results indicate that the model using the sequential fusion method is optimal, with an overall accuracy (OA) of 0.935, a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.069, F1-score (F1) of 0.936, and kappa coefficients (Kappa) of 0.924 in wheat phenological stages. Besides, the enhanced image resolution of 512 × 512 pixels and a suitable image capture perspective, specifically a sensor viewing angle of 40° to 60° vertically, introduce more effective features for phenological stage detection, thereby enhancing the model’s accuracy. Furthermore, concerning the model training, applying a two-step fine-tuning strategy will also enhance the model’s robustness to random variations in perspective. This research introduces an innovative approach for real-time phenological stage detection and provides a solid foundation for precision agriculture. By accurately deriving critical phenological stages, the methodology developed in this study supports the optimization of crop management practices, which may result in improved resource efficiency and sustainability across diverse agricultural settings. The implications of this work extend beyond wheat, offering a scalable solution that can be adapted to monitor other crops, thereby contributing to more efficient and sustainable agricultural systems.

Thermal conditions alter the mating behaviour of males in a polygynous system

Abstract Males in polygynous systems may be facing a trade‐off between the traits that enhance reproductive success and the need to cope with environmental change. To secure mates, males invest into large bodies, lavish ornaments and costly activities, but these investments may be incompatible with future environments. As climatic change intensifies, thermal stressors could be disrupting the energy‐intensive pathways that historically have yielded mating opportunity. We evaluated how traits associated with social dominance interacted with environmental conditions to shape mating behaviour and opportunity in moose (Alces alces), a heat‐sensitive species in which southern populations live at the edge of their thermal tolerance. We anticipated that males with favourable characteristics (e.g. age, weaponry) would allocate more to reproduction, resulting in increased mating opportunity. We expected that warm temperatures would limit reproductive effort, especially as age and weapon size increased. We quantified mating tactics, effort, and opportunity for male moose ranging in age from 1.5 to 11.5 years. We used hidden Markov models to detect mating tactics, accelerometer data to quantify movement effort, and proximity to females as a proxy for mating opportunity. We modelled these mating dynamics as a function of age, weapon size, and ambient temperature. Warm temperatures exaggerated age‐related differences in time and effort allocated to reproductive movement. Heat disproportionately limited reproductive effort in old males, the ages that also had the greatest mating opportunity. Even though warm temperatures altered mating behaviour, they did not reduce mating opportunity. Across temperatures, mating opportunity was highest in prime‐age and old males, yet time and effort devoted to reproductive movement decreased with age. Climate change, which is increasing autumn temperatures, may increase variation in reproductive effort across ages and depress the movement of old males, who are typically the primary breeders. The discrepancy between behaviour and opportunity suggests that movement is not a reliable pathway to reproduction and emphasizes the advantages of energy‐saving strategies, especially as environments become more taxing for heat‐sensitive species. We reveal the limitations of movement effort in polygynous mating strategies and the susceptibility of this critical life history stage to environmental change. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Prospective mathematic teachers’ reflective thinking in solving numeracy problems at the critical reflection stage

The low numeracy skills in Indonesia are one factor affecting the quality of mathematics education, so reflective thinking is needed to improve this ability. This study aims to describe prospective mathematics teachers' reflective thinking process in solving numeracy problems at the critical reflection stage based on prior knowledge. This study used a qualitative, descriptive research methodology. The research participants were 34 prospective mathematics teachers at the State University of Malang, East Java. The instruments used are numeracy tests and interview guidelines. Data analysis includes data reduction, presentation, and conclusion drawing. The findings revealed notable differences in reflective thinking based on prior knowledge levels at the critical reflection stage. Subjects with high prior knowledge tried various solutions, were confident in their answers, and accurately drew conclusions and explained their reasons. Subjects with medium prior knowledge tried different methods but needed more confidence in their results. They could conclude but struggled to explain their reasons. Subjects with low prior knowledge used the same method, needed more confidence, and needed help explaining their reasons despite concluding. These findings imply creating a better training program for prospective mathematics teachers, emphasizing numeracy and reflective thinking growth.

Link Aggregation for Skip Connection–Mamba: Remote Sensing Image Segmentation Network Based on Link Aggregation Mamba

The semantic segmentation of satellite and UAV remote sensing imagery is pivotal for address exploration, change detection, quantitative analysis and urban planning. Recent advancements have seen an influx of segmentation networks utilizing convolutional neural networks and transformers. However, the intricate geographical features and varied land cover boundary interferences in remote sensing imagery still challenge conventional segmentation networks’ spatial representation and long-range dependency capabilities. This paper introduces a novel U-Net-like network for UAV image segmentation. We developed a link aggregation Mamba at the critical skip connection stage of UNetFormer. This approach maps and aggregates multi-scale features from different stages into a unified linear dimension through four Mamba branches containing state-space models (SSMs), ultimately decoupling and fusing these features to restore the contextual relationships in the mask. Moreover, the Mix-Mamba module is incorporated, leveraging a parallel self-attention mechanism with SSMs to merge the advantages of a global receptive field and reduce modeling complexity. This module facilitates nonlinear modeling across different channels and spaces through multipath activation, catering to international and local long-range dependencies. Evaluations on public remote sensing datasets like LovaDA, UAVid and Vaihingen underscore the state-of-the-art performance of our approach.

Fatigue delamination damage analysis in composite materials through a rule of mixtures approach

The present study investigates delamination damage initiation and propagation within a homogenization theory of mixtures, using the concept of virtual layers and virtual interfaces. It eliminates spatial discretization of layers, introducing a resultant damage variable to capture structure’s bulk response under both monotonic and cyclic loads. Fatigue-induced deterioration is classified into sub-critical, critical, and over-critical stages based on interfacial stresses. Calibration is conducted employing the widely-available Wöhler curves for each loading mode independently. An advance-in-time strategy is included in the model to enhance the simulation speed. The reliability of the approach is assessed for crack initiation and propagation separately through standard test coupons, showing good correlation with experimental data in mode I, mode II, and mixed-mode loading conditions. Depending on the calibration procedure adopted, the model is applicable to a wide range of stress ratios. In addition, it could be integrated into any standard finite element framework using the desired number of elements through the thickness regardless of the physical amount of layers. This allows easy modification of stacking sequences or the number of layers within the constitutive law without mesh structure changes, facilitating simulation of large-scale composite laminates with minimal accuracy loss and reduced computational costs.

Longitudinal Changes in Lifestyle Behaviors and Cardiovascular Health During the Transition to Fatherhood: The Dad Bod Study Rationale and Design.

Despite the importance of the transition to fatherhood as a critical life stage among young adult men, much remains unknown about the factors predictive of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) and how CVH is impacted as young men face new roles and responsibilities associated with fatherhood. To address this gap, the Dad Bod Study is a prospective, longitudinal and observational study designed to examine how fatherhood affects young men's CVH. A total of 125, first-time prospective fathers (men, 19-39 years) will be enrolled and followed over 1.5 years. Metrics of the American Heart Association's "Life's Essential 8" as well as demographic, social, and psychosocial factors will be collected at four time points ((baseline (during the pregnant partner's 2nd trimester) 1-month postpartum, 6-months postpartum, and 1-year postpartum). The primary aims are to measure predictors of CVH among first-time fathers and describe longitudinal changes in CVH. A secondary aim is to identify best practices for recruitment, retention, and remote data collection in this population. The Dad Bod Study offers a novel examination of CVH among first-time fathers, exploring how new paternal roles and responsibilities impact cardiovascular health. Findings may provide key insights into critical CVH behaviors and risk factors to monitor, preserve, and improve as young men transition to fatherhood.

Irisin in Reproduction: Its Roles and Therapeutic Potential in Male and Female Fertility Disorders.

The current study focused on identifying the potential of irisin in mammalian reproduction. The established role of irisin, a proteolytic product of FNDC5, in adipose tissue browning, energy metabolism, and thermogenesis suggests its role in reproductive health, often disturbed by metabolic imbalances. Various studies on mice demonstrated irisin's role in improving spermatogenesis, sperm count, and testosterone levels by influencing the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis. Moreover, in females, there is a fluctuation in levels of irisin during critical reproductive stages, including menstrual cycles, puberty, and pregnancy. Conditions like pregnancy complications, precocious puberty, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are found to have an association with abnormal irisin levels. The potential role of irisin in endometrial receptivity and preventing endometritis is also discussed in this review. Overall, the influence of irisin on female and male reproduction is evident from various studies. However, further research is needed to elucidate irisin mechanism in reproduction and its potential as a therapeutic or diagnostic tool for reproductive dysfunctions and infertility.