Natural Growth Pattern Research Articles

Replicating biological 3D root and hyphal networks in transparent glass chips

Replicating the complex 3D microvascular architectures found in biological systems is a critical challenge in tissue engineering and other fields requiring efficient mass transport. Conventional microfabrication techniques often face limitations in creating extensive hierarchical networks, especially within bulk materials. Here, we report a versatile bioinspired approach to generate optimized 3D microvascular networks within transparent glass matrix by transcribing the natural growth patterns of plants and fungi. Plant seeds or fungal spores are first cultivated on nanoparticle-based culture media. Subsequent heat treatment removes the biological species while sintering the surrounding compound into a solidified chip with replica root/hyphal architectures as open microchannels. A diverse range of architectures, including the hierarchical branching of plant roots and the intricate networks formed by fungal hyphae, can be faithfully replicated. The resultant glass microvascular networks exhibit high chemical and thermal stability, enabling applications under harsh conditions. Fluid flow experiments validate the functionalities of the fabricated channels. By co-cultivating plants and fungi, hierarchical multi-scale architectures mimicking natural vascular systems are achieved. This bioinspired manufacturing technique leverages autonomous biological growth for architectural optimization, offering a complementary approach to existing microfabrication methods. The transparent nature of the glass chips allows for direct optical inspection, potentially facilitating integration with imaging components. This versatile platform holds promise for various engineering applications, such as microreactors, heat exchangers, and advanced filtration systems.

A New Approach to Vertical Plant Cultivation Maximises Crop Efficiency

This publication presents an innovative tower cultivation device designed to significantly increase vertical farming’s efficiency. The device divides the cultivation system into separate chambers. One division corresponds to the different growth phases of the plants, while another reflects the daily variation in conditions. Each chamber presents slightly different conditions and cultivation patterns from the others. For the early stages, crops are grown horizontally in trays; once they mature, they are transplanted into mobile cultivation towers. The closed circulation of ventilation and irrigation reduces water consumption by up to 95%. A unique separate day–night division optimises light, temperature, and humidity conditions, mimicking natural growth patterns. This approach not only saves water and energy but also improves cultivation in a three-dimensional space. The presented solution focuses on the often-overlooked aspects of cultivating in vertical farms and makes this method of growing much more cost-effective and feasible to implement on a large scale. Our comparative analysis with other vertical farming solutions is based on publicly available data and provides valuable insights, while acknowledging the potential limitations at play.

Quantifying the natural growth rate of hepatocellular carcinoma: A real-world retrospective study in southwestern China.

In recent years, approximately half of the newly diagnosed cases and mortalities attributed to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been reported in China. Despite the high incidence of HCC, there remains a paucity of data regarding the natural growth pattern and the determination of optimal surveillance intervals specific to the Chinese population. To quantify the natural tumor growth pattern of HCC in regional China. A retrospective analysis was performed on patients from a single institution in Southwest China who had undergone two or more serial dynamic computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scans between 2014 and 2020, without having received any anti-cancer therapy. Tumor growth was assessed using tumor volume doubling time (TVDT) and tumor growth rate (TGR), with volumes measured manually by experienced radiologists. Simple univariate linear regression and descriptive analysis were applied to explore associations between growth rates and clinical factors. This study identifies the median TVDT for HCC as 163.4 d, interquartile range (IQR) 72.1 to 302.3 d, with a daily TGR of 0.42% (IQR 0.206%-0.97%). HCC growth patterns reveal that about one-third of tumors grow indolently with TVDT exceeding 270 d, another one-third of tumors exhibit rapid growth with TVDT under 90 d, and the remaining tumors show intermediate growth rates, with TVDT ranging between 3 to 9 months. The identified TGRs support biannual surveillance and follow-up for HCC patients in certain regions of China. Given the observed heterogeneity in HCC growth, further investigation is warranted.

Autologous follicular unit extraction transplant for postburn cicatricial alopecia: A single-center's retrospective case series.

Cicatricial alopecia not only affects patients' appearance but also has negative effects on their physical and mental well-being, as well as their daily lives. Therefore, it is essential to provide proactive treatment to patients. To explore the clinical effects of autologous follicular unit extraction (FUE) transplantation in the treatment of secondary scarring alopecia caused by burn, and to evaluate its effectiveness. A retrospective observational study has been conducted, which included 41 patients with secondary scarring alopecia caused by burn. All patients underwent initial autologous FUE hair transplantation surgery, and the occurrence of postoperative complications was monitored. Patient satisfaction was evaluated after 12 months post-surgery. Satisfaction assessments were conducted for all 41 patients. Out of the total, 31 individuals expressed being very satisfied, 7 individuals reported being satisfied, and 3 individuals indicated being not very satisfied. Among the patients, 3 experienced complications, including herpes in the donor area for one patient, temporary hair loss for another patient, and thick scab for the third patient. FUE hair transplantation yields positive results for secondary scarring alopecia caused by burn. It offers natural hair growth patterns, minimal trauma, quick recovery, high patient satisfaction, and few complications.

EXPLORING PATTERNS IN DENDROCHRONOLOGICAL DATA THROUGH CLUSTER ANALYSIS

This study employed the dendrogram methodology to analyze time series data obtained from measuring tree growth rings. A total of 64 samples were collected from 21 individual trees. Polynomials were applied to filter the natural growth pattern of the trees and enhance the impact of external factors, such as climate influences. Cluster analysis using Ward's minimum variance and Euclidean squared distance was utilized to group the data based on similarity. Three dendrograms were constructed, consisting of 10, 47, and 64 samples, respectively. The analysis revealed that the samples with the highest correlations, encompassing over 95% of the total samples, formed homogeneous groups. Pearson correlation was also employed to confirm the results obtained from the dendrograms. Consequently, it can be affirmed that the most suitable samples were utilized in constructing the average chronology from the available data.

Geometrical analysis of naturally grown timber for the design of load-bearing structures

Abstract Combining tradition and innovation, timber plays essential roles in building structures for architecture and engineering. Tree branching geometries and timber in its natural state often serve as sources of inspiration. However, the mechanical properties of naturally grown timber, inherently inconsistent and geometrically varied, remain insufficiently studied, particularly for construction and simulations. This knowledge gap perpetuates the prevalent use of straight, uniformly harvested timber while neglecting curved and bifurcated elements with smaller cross-sections. This research investigates the potential of naturally grown timber in structural design, emphasizing the importance of understanding the natural characteristics and growth patterns of trees to optimize timber use. The developed methodology leverages noninvasive technologies, such as computerized tomography (CT), to precisely capture the geometrical and material properties of wood. These data sources are then integrated to visualize cross-sectional geometries and material properties, forming the basis for our analytical approach. Utilizing generalized scaled boundary isogeometric analysis, the methodology enhances the accuracy and efficiency of simulations, aligning structural design with natural growth principles. This approach not only fosters sustainable resource practices by promoting the use of major tree parts but also transforms discarded materials into valuable resources. The paper concludes with a demonstration of this methodology applied in a practical construction scenario.

PlantBiCNet: A new paradigm in plant science with bi-directional cascade neural network for detection and counting

Deep learning is increasingly popular for precise plant detection and counting in computer vision applications. Despite the rising cross-disciplinary research in this field, an important issue has been neglected: due to the inherent constraints imposed by the natural growth patterns of plants, the costly and time-consuming process of collecting plant image data, resulting in a scarcity of real-world available data. Consequently, researchers are often constrained to exploring large-scale data representations or limited applications. Currently, still no generalized network architecture excels in demanding environments. To address this, we introduce two new bi-directional cascade neural network paradigms, PlantBiCNet and its lightweight variant, PlantBiCNet-Lite. Unlike previous research, we place greater emphasis on the network decoding process itself rather than the encoder. Our bi-directional cascade and weight fusion decoding approach maximizes high-level semantics and low-level spatial data, enhancing the localization signal in a way that respects gradient diversity. We evaluate PlantBiCNet and PlantBiCNet-Lite on five public plant detection and counting datasets and a novel plant dataset. The average precision AP50 on these six small-scale datasets reached 0.905, with a high coefficient of determination R2 of 0.935, while the reported frame rate was 196 FPS. These results significantly outperform state-of-the-art computer vision methods. Moreover, we found that the introduction of the Dropout mechanism markedly enhances the model's performance and generalization ability. Further analysis supports our experiments and provides valuable insights into network optimization. Overall, our organization's open datasets and network modeling details provide a solid foundation for future research in the field of plant science.

Dense orchard landscape mapping based on image merging with skeleton prediction

To address the difficulty of individual vine-plant segmentation in large orchards, this study proposes a segmentation model for individual canopies that combines the characteristics of tree deciduousness and natural growth patterns. This enables the landscape mapping of orchards under intensive planting conditions. In this study, winter and summer unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote-sensing images of kiwifruit orchards were used for canopy segmentation. It involved: 1) target location identification of tree trunks in winter images and alignment of winter and summer image information; 2) semantic segmentation of branches in winter images; 3) screening of individual skeletons and prediction of branch growth; 4) removal of non-canopy parts of summer images using digital image processing to obtain canopy leaf segmentation results; and 5) segmentation of the extent of the individual plant canopies based on the predicted results of the individual plants. The branch precision rate for the final kiwifruit canopy at the plant level was 99.25% and the recall rate was 95.96%. The average recall rate of the canopy precision segmentation was 82.79%, the accuracy rate of which was 73.31%. This model does not involve plant height information and can implement instance segmentation of deciduous trees of the same species, with similar characteristics, and dense planting. The proposed solution addresses the problem of large-scale standardized planting of the same species, especially those that do not have obvious height or color differences and cannot be segmented using a digital elevation model.

Exploring the Centennial-Scale Climate History of Southern Brazil with Ocotea porosa (Nees & Mart.) Barroso Tree-Rings

This article explores the dendrochronological potential of Ocotea porosa (Nees & Mart) Barroso (Imbuia) for reconstructing past climate conditions in the General Carneiro region, Southern Brazil, utilizing well-established dendroclimatic techniques. A total of 41 samples of Imbuia were subjected to dendroclimatic analysis to reconstruct precipitation and temperature patterns over the period from 1446 to 2011. Notably, we achieved the longest reconstructions of spring precipitation and temperature for the Brazilian southern region, spanning an impressive 566-year timeframe, by employing a mean chronology approach. To achieve our objectives, we conducted a Pearson’s correlation analysis between the mean chronology and the climatic time series, with a monthly temporal resolution employed for model calibration. Impressively, our findings reveal significant correlations with coefficients as high as |rx,P| = 0.32 for precipitation and |rx,T| = 0.45 for temperature during the spring season. Importantly, our climate reconstructions may elucidate a direct influence of the El Niño—South Oscillation phenomenon on precipitation and temperature patterns, which, in turn, are intricately linked to the natural growth patterns of the Imbuia trees. These results shed valuable light on the historical climate variability in the Southern Brazil region and provide insights into the climatic drivers affecting the growth dynamics of Ocotea porosa (Nees & Mart) Barroso.

Applications and sensory utilizations of magnetic levitation in 3D cell culture for tissue Engineering.

3D cell culture approaches are cell culture methods that provide good visualization of interactions between cells while preserving the natural growth pattern. In recent years, several studies have managed to implement magnetic levitation technology on 3D cell culture applications by either combining cells with magnetic nanoparticles (positive magnetophoresis) or applying a magnetic field directly to the cells in a high-intensity medium (negative magnetophoresis). The positive magnetophoresis technique consists of integrating magnetic nanoparticles into the cells, while the negative magnetophoresis technique consists of levitating the cells without labelling them with magnetic nanoparticles. Magnetic levitation methods can be used to manipulate 3D culture, provide more complex habitats and custom control, or display density data as a sensor.The present review aims to show the advantages, limitations, and promises of magnetic 3D cell culture, along with its application methods, tools, and capabilities as a density sensor. In this context, the promising magnetic levitation technique on 3D cell cultures could be fully utilized in further studies with precise control.

Neglected bilateral geno valgum deformity managed with a dynamic compression plate and the ilizarov construct: a case report.

A 20-year-old male has suffered from bilateral knee pain and genu valgum deformity centered at both tibias with a closed physis. Management was challenging, requiring multiple surgeries and high patient cooperation. The patient underwent two surgeries: a right-sided osteotomy and Ilizarov fixation with gradual deformity correction. In the second operation, a proximal tibia osteotomy of the left side was executed with acute correction of the deformity and open reduction and internal fixation of the tibia with a medial tibial dynamic compression plate. Ultimately, the authors successfully corrected both leg deformities. This results reflect the efficacy of dynamic compression plates and Ilizarov for correcting genu valgum deformity in patients with closed epiphyseal plates.

The response of plant diversity to human dominance in the meta-watershed ecosystem of Southwest China

• Intensified urban development threatened forest and riparian plant diversity. • Socioeconomic and water conservancy development deteriorated plant diversity. • Riparian plants were more susceptible to artificial development than forest plants. • Human dominance destroys ecosystem services provision in meta-watershed ecosystems. Plant diversity is essential to maintain terrestrial ecosystem stability and balance, but it is highly susceptible to environmental changes that are generally dominated by human activities. In the natural habitat, plant growth and distribution patterns are known to be regulated by abiotic environments such as water, temperature, and nutrient. However, how growing human dominance impacts plant diversity at the watershed scale remains unclear. From the view of the meta-watershed ecosystem, this study constructed indicators to examine the plant diversity responses in karst watersheds of different urban development intensities. The results revealed that the growing urban development intensity deteriorated plant diversity and riparian plant diversity in the meta-watershed ecosystem. Both socioeconomic and water conservancy development had noticeable adverse effects on plant diversity. The riparian plants were more susceptible to artificial development than forest plants. The predicted results of various development scenarios suggest that, by the middle of the 21st century, plant diversity and food production in the watershed will meet a crisis unless forest protection policies are applied, and large-scale urban expansion is curbed. In the meta-watershed ecosystem, growing human dominance increasingly destroys plant diversity and the ecosystem supply. Policies and measures are urgently needed to reverse the potential deteriorating trend of the ecosystem, maintain the stability of the ecosystem, and promote the sustainable development of human society.

Natural History of Brachial Plexus, Peripheral Nerve, and Spinal Schwannomas.

Management of sporadic schwannomas is often dictated by a patient's clinical presentation and the tumor's behavior. For patients who are managed nonsurgically, there are little data available about the expected natural history. To evaluate the natural history and growth patterns of extracranial schwannomas including tumors of the distal peripheral nerves, spine, and brachial plexus. A retrospective review was performed to identify patients with nonsyndromic extracranial schwannomas at a single tertiary care institution diagnosed between 2002 and 2019. Patient data and tumor characteristics including volume were recorded. Two hundred twenty-seven patients were identified (mean age 51 years, 42% male, average of 27.8-month follow-up). Tumor location was distal peripheral nerve in 82, brachial plexus in 36, and paraspinal in 109. At the time of diagnosis, peripheral lesions were significantly larger than spinal (59 m 3 vs 13 cm 3 ) and brachial plexus lesions (15 cm 3 ). Distinct growth patterns were seen with both distal peripheral nerve and spinal lesions; 34/82 peripheral nerve lesions had fast growth (β = 0.176%/day), and 48 had slow growth (β = 0.021%/day; P < .01). Spinal schwannomas similarly had 30 fast-growing (β = 0.229%/day), 16 moderate-growing (β = 0.071%/day), and 63 slow-growing (β = 0.022%/day; P = .03) subtypes. The brachial plexus had relatively homogeneous growth patterns (β = 0.065%/day). Females had 2.9 times greater odds of having the fast-growing subtype. Distinct growth patterns were seen in extracranial sporadic schwannomas based on tumor location and patient demographics. Fast (>80% volume change per year) vs slow (5%-10% per year) tumor growth can often be ascertained within 2 follow-up images. Awareness of these patterns might have implications for patient counseling and therapeutic decision-making.

Conformity between Pacifier Design and Palate Shape in Preterm and Term Infants Considering Age-Specific Palate Size, Facial Profile and Lip Thickness.

This retrospective case-control study is the first to examine the spatial conformity between pacifiers and palates in 39 preterm infants (12 females, 27 males) and 34 term infants (19 females, 15 males), taking into account the facial-soft-tissue profile and thickness. The shape of 74 available pacifiers was spatially matched to the palate, and conformity was examined using width, height, and length measurements. In summary, the size concept of pacifiers is highly variable and does not follow a growth pattern, like infant palates do. Pacifiers are too undersized in width, length, and height to physiologically fit the palate structures from 0 to 14 months of age. There are two exceptions, but only for premature palates: the palatal depth index at 9–11 months of age, which has no clinical meaning, and the nipple length at <37 weeks of age, which bears a resemblance to the maternal nipple during non-nutritive sucking. It can be concluded that the age-size concept of the studied pacifiers does not correspond to any natural growth pattern. Physiologically aligned, pacifiers do not achieve the age-specific dimensions of the palate. The effects attributed to the products on oral health in term infants cannot be supposed.

Differences in skeletal growth pattern of yoga practising adolescent girls: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundYogasana improves both mental and physical health. There is sparse systematic research on the growth of yogasana practising adolescents. ObjectivesThis study aims to assess the differential skeletal growth pattern among pre-adolescent and adolescent girls as a result of yoga practice. MethodsA cross-sectional anthropometric study was conducted on stature (height), sitting height and leg length of 757 school-going girls (4-15 years old), divided in two groups, Yoga Group (YG) (n=380) and age matched Control Group (CG) (n=377) participants participating in recreational games other than yoga. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were applied. Unpaired t-test was performed for assessment of level of significance and Pearson's correlation (r) test was performed to to identify the association between growth pattern of stature and leg length at specific ages. ResultsThe physical growth showed an ascending trend in both Yoga group (YG) participants and control group (CG). At the onset of adolescence (10–12 years) the mean stature and leg length of YG participants were retarded (p < 0.05). Sitting height in YG was significantly (p < 0.05) low only in 10-year-olds. The similar trends were observed in stature and leg length in YG participants at 10 years (5th and 10th percentile) and 12 years (90th and 95th percentile). There was strong positive relationship between stature and leg length of YG participants (10 years, r = 0.86, p < 0.01; 11 years, r = 0.86, p < 0.01; 12 years, r = 0.72, p < 0.01). The stunted growth in YG participants during adolescence may be related to retarded growth of leg length. ConclusionsIntense yogasana practice with greater skeletal stress possibly hinders stature in adolescent girls from 10 to 12 years. This may compromise with the natural growth pattern, necessitating special care during yoga training among adolescents while selecting the type, intensity and duration of yogasanas practice.

JUVENILE NASOPHARYNGEALANGIOFIBROMA: OUR EXPERIENCE AND LITERATURE REVIEW

ABSTRACT&#x0D; Introduction: Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma is a benign vasculartumor.It is commonly found in teen age males. Its site of origin is sphenopalatine foramen. Exact pathogenesis of angiofibroma is not known. It has predictable natural history and growth pattern. This tumor most often involves nasopharynx, nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, pterygopalatine fossa and infratemporal fossa. It can also involve orbit and can spread intracranially. Its very important to diagnose this tumor very early on the basis of clinical examination and imaging. As early tumor confined to nose and sinuses can be removed exclusively with endoscope. It is very helpful to do angiography before surgery to ascertain itsblood supply and then embolization can be done to reduce intraoperative bleeding. Objective: To describe our experience of Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma cases in ENT Unit-I of Lahore General Hospital. Study Design: Descriptive Study with retrospective analysis after approval from Institutional Review Board (IRB) of LGH/PGMI/AMC Lahore. Methods: We studied 20 patients who underwent surgery in our department from October 2019 to October 2020. We analyzed following factors: age, gender, symptoms, staging, mode of surgery and need for intraoperative blood transfusion, hospital stay, complications and recurrences. Results: Range of patient’s age was 12 to 25 years. Eight patients underwent surgery with endoscope. Mean blood loss was about 400 ml and mean operating time was 140 minutes. All the cases were embolized preoperatively. Conclusion: Endoscopic surgery is a safe and effective method in early stage JNA patients. While patients with advance stage tumors should be managed with combined endoscopic and conventional open approaches.&#x0D; KEYWORDS: juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma, JNA, endoscopic surgery&#x0D;

How we approach hemangiomas in infants.

Pediatric oncologists are increasingly involved in the management of benign vascular tumors and their associated life-threatening complications. Hemangiomas are the most common referring diagnosis to multidisciplinary vascular anomalies clinics. However, as contemporary research has revealed, hemangiomas are not a single, easily defined entity but rather a diverse set of related vascular tumors, each having a unique natural history, growth pattern, and response to therapy. This manuscript seeks to illustrate how we evaluate and manage these complex tumors, their complications, and associated syndromes, while remaining ever vigilant for malignant hemangioma mimickers such as soft tissue sarcomas and congenital leukemia.

Evaluation of natural growth rate and recommended age for shaving procedure by volumetric analysis of craniofacial fibrous dysplasia.

We evaluated the preoperative natural growth pattern of craniofacial fibrous dysplasia and postoperative volume changes in patients undergoing shaving procedures. Thirty-three patients who underwent serial computed tomography (CT) preoperatively and/or postoperatively were identified. The natural tumor growth rate was assessed using preoperative CT scans. The postoperative tumor regrowth rates and relevant variables were analyzed. The preoperative tumor growth rates were significantly lower in patients aged ≥ 16 years than in those aged < 16 years (P < .001). The postoperative tumor regrowth rates were significantly greater when a shaving operation was performed at age < 16 years than at age ≥ 16 years (P = .04). In patients with clinical recurrence, the postoperative remnant tumor volume was inversely correlated with the tumor regrowth rate. The tumor growth rate of craniofacial fibrous dysplasia significantly decreased after age 16. This should be considered when conducting functional and aesthetic assessments in planning for the shaving of craniofacial fibrous dysplasia.

Mammalian cells genetic manipulations for enhanced monoclonal antibody production: from traditional to novel trends, a review

Novel therapeutics and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specifically, are under massive demands for the treatment of various illnesses. Research in cell engineering has been able to develop mammalian cell lines able to produce higher yields of potent recombinant proteins using different genetic manipulations. However, the public demands for these potent drugs keep increasing and as such, it is needed for the field of biopharmaceuticals to create highly efficient producers to increase volumetric productivity and lower overall costs. Several ways have been investigated up to date, from impacting on cells' natural growth pattern, by apoptosis regulation and cell cycle control, enhancement of its production pathways, by stimulating secretary factors, and production of enzymes to use growth-related metabolites. These approaches, most of the time, involve a considerable amount of resources and time, with an impact mostly on a couple of natural traits of mammalian cells. The ideal scenario is to use other vectors to impact entire pathways and the global cellular functioning to provide better workhorses. Novel approaches, namely micro RNAs (miRNAs), RNA interferences (RNAi) and CRISPR/Cas9, have been used in the last few years and have demonstrated a broader impact on cellular pathways, and also more efficiency in recombinant genes transfection or complete knock-out of specific sequences. In this review, traditional and novel aspects are described, discussed while expressing what approach to be taken next would be of interest, from a productivity standpoint.

Natural growth pattern of sporadic renal angiomyolipoma.

Surveillance of sporadic renal angiomyolipomas is a growing issue for physicians and radiologists. Current treatment recommendations favor active surveillance. However, the evidence underlying these is based on small case series, which also typically include angiomyolipomas associated with tuberous sclerosis. To evaluate the natural growth pattern of sporadic renal angiomyolipomas in patients without tuberous sclerosis. A retrospective review was performed in three separate tertiary referral centers. A keyword search of each institutions PACS history was performed. Inclusion criteria were angiomyolipomas > 1 cm in size, three years of follow-up, and lesions requiring treatment before reaching three years of follow-up. Exclusion criteria included a diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis, pregnancy, prior treatment with embolization without any prior imaging, and lesions which were treated on presentation. Growth of the angiomyolipomas was evaluated on the basis of maximum dimension on initial and follow-up images. Sixty-three patients were identified in total, with 64 lesions eligible for inclusion. The majority of patients were women (55/63). The mean age at which the angiomyolipomas discovered was 56.4 years. Mean total growth was 0.085 mm and mean follow-up was 65.5 months. At initial measurement, the mean maximum dimension of the lesions in our cohort was 2.08 cm. After follow-up, this was 2.16 cm. The average rate of growth was 0.015 cm per year. Sporadic angiomyolipomas exhibit minimal, if any, natural growth. Current surveillance strategies could be relaxed.