Peristalsis Movement Research Articles

A Comprehensive Study of Allium Sativum Linn

Abstract: Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, has been employed for ages for both cui-sines and restorative purposes. Many sulfur-containing phytochemical constituents are abundant in garlic and they are responsible for its many pharmacological properties. The most extensively studied compound in garlic is allicin, however, other forms of garlic such as aged garlic, raw garlic, and oil maceration of garlic, have their own unique chemical properties. Garlic has been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, improve insulin sensitivity, inhibit cell prolifera-tion, enhance peristalsis motion, modulate acetylcholine, and inhibit lipid oxidation. Apart from all its traditional therapeutic activity, it has much more potential for further study such as cancer treatment with lesser side-effects, improving mitochondrial dysfunction in Huntington’s disease, enhancement psoriasis treatment, affinity to treat glomerular disease, and vast scope in polycystic ovary syndrome and in uterine contraction. This review talks about pharmacology activities, future aspects, phytochemicals, and the privileged aspects of Allium sativum.

Performance of β-carotene-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers under dynamic in vitro digestion system: Influence of the emulsifier type.

A better understanding of how emulsifier type could differently influence the behavior of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) under the gastrointestinal digestion process, as well as at the cellular level, is of utmost importance for the NLC-based formulations' optimization and risk assessment in the food field. In this study, NLC composed by fully hydrogenated soybean and high-oleic sunflower oils were prepared using soy lecithin (NLC Lβ) or Tween 80 (NLC Tβ) as an emulsifier. β-Carotene was entrapped within NLC developed as a promising strategy to overcome β-carotene's low bioavailability and stability. The effect of emulsifier type on the digestibility of β-carotene-loaded NLC was evaluated using an in vitro dynamic digestion model mimicking peristalsis motion. The influence of β-carotene-loaded NLC on cell viability was assessed using Caco-2 cells in vitro. NLC Tβ remained stable in the gastric compartment, presenting particle size (PS) similar to the initial NLC (PS: 245.68 and 218.18nm, respectively), while NLC Lβ showed lower stability (PS>1000nm) in stomach and duodenum phases. NLC Tβ also provided high β-carotene protection and delivery capacity (i.e., β-carotene bioaccessibility increased 10-fold). Based on the results of digestion studies, NLC Tβ has shown better physical stability during the passage through the in vitro dynamic gastrointestinal system than NLC Lβ. Moreover, the developed NLC did not compromise cell viability up to 25µg/mL of β-carotene. Thus, the NLC developed proved to be a biocompatible structure and able to incorporate and protect β-carotene for further food applications. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The findings of this study hold significant implications for industrial applications in terms of developing nanostructured lipid carriers from natural raw materials widely available and used to produce other lipid-based products in the food industry, as an alternative to synthetic ones. In this respect, the β-carotene-loaded NLC developed in this study would find a great industrial application in the food industry, which is in constant search to develop functional foods capable of increasing the bioavailability of bioactive compounds.

CFD investigation of multiple peristaltic waves in a 3D unobstructed ureter

Ureters are essential components of the urinary system and play a crucial role in the transportation of urine from the kidneys to the bladder. In the current study, a three-dimensional ureter is modelled. A series of peristaltic waves are made to travel on the ureter wall to analyse and measure parameter effects such as pressure, velocity, gradient pressure, and wall shear at different time steps. The flow dynamics in the ureters are thoroughly analysed using the commercially available ANSYS-CFX software. The maximum pressure is found in the triple wave at the ureteropelvic junction and maximum velocity is observed in the single and double wave motion due to the contraction produced by the peristalsis motion. The pressure gradient is maximum at the inlet of the ureter during the single bolus motion. The contraction produces a high jet of velocity due to neck formation and also helps in urine trapping in the form of a bolus, which leads to the formation of reverse flow. Due to the reduction in area, shear stress builds on the ureter wall. The high shear stress may rupture the junctions in the ureter.

Active distance control in multi-capsule endoscopy via closed loop electromagnetic force between capsules.

Capsule endoscopy offers a non-invasive and patient-friendly method for imaging the gastrointestinal tract, boasting superior tissue accessibility compared to traditional endoscopy and colonoscopy. While advances have led to capsules capable of drug delivery, tactile sensing, and biopsy, size constraints often limit a single capsule from having multifunctionality. In response, we introduce multi-capsule endoscopy, where individually ingested capsules, each with unique functionalities, work collaboratively. However, synchronized navigation of these capsules is essential for this approach. In this paper, we present an active distance control strategy using a closed-loop system. This entails equipping one capsule with a sphere permanent magnet and the other with a solenoid. We utilized a Simulink model, incorporating (i) the peristalsis motion on the primary capsule, (ii) a PID controller, (iii) force dynamics between capsules through magnetic dipole approximation, and (iv) position tracking of the secondary capsule. For practical implementation, Hall effect sensors determined theinter-capsule distance, and a PID controller adjusted the solenoid's current to maintain the desired capsule spacing. Our proof-of-concept experiments, conducted on phantoms and ex vivo bovine tissues, pulled the leading capsule mimicking a typical human peristalsis speed of 1cm/min. Results showcased an inter-capsule distance of 1.94mm ± 0.097mm for radii of curvature at 500mm, 250mm, and 100mm, aiming for a 2-mm capsule spacing. For ex vivo bovine tissue, the achieved distance was 0.97 ± 0.28mm against a target inter-capsule distance of 1mm. Through the successful demonstration of precise inter-capsule control, this study paves the way for the potential of multi-capsule endoscopy in future research.

A Case Report on the Effect of Triphala Decoction in Tartar-Induced Periodontitis in Dentistry

Dental tartar causes irritation and inflammation in gingival tissue. Further, it attacks the soft periodontal tissue which supports the teeth. Therefore, all supragingival and subgingival tartar was removed by an ultrasonic scaler on the 1st day, and the patient was advised to swish Triphala (equal amount of Amla, Haritaki, and Vibhitaki) decoction in the oral cavity from the evening on the same day of scaling. The lukewarm decoction was kept in the oral cavity for 10 minutes and then swallowed. It was given twice a day for 30 days after the meal. The patient was advised to visit on the 7th, 15th, and 30th day of follow-up. Triphala itself has an antimicrobial property. Its decoction kept in the oral cavity stimulated the saliva flow. Saliva has lysozymes that have a bactericidal effect on the oral micro-organisms. Triphala expelled the toxins from the gut by increasing the peristalsis movement of GIT. It had a digestive stimulant property which increased the digestive fire and improved overall oral health. As the Triphala decoction showed very effective results on scaling wound, it may be used as herbal mouthwash in the future. Besides, Triphala powder is easily available, economical, and has negligible side effects.

Biomorphic Actuation Driven Via On‐Chip Buckling of Photoresponsive Hydrogel Films

AbstractRemotely controllable photoresponsive hydrogel actuators are promising for applications in multiple fields. However, simple deformation mechanisms, which rely on the general swelling/deswelling, limit their performance and application. Herein, we report a displacement amplification mechanism based on the buckling deformation of photoresponsive hydrogel film. The on‐chip buckled architecture of the hydrogel enables actuation between a flat 2D shape and tubular 3D buckled shape with remarkable performances, including high deformation ratio (height ratio: ≈360%), tunable cycle motion frequency (0.1—1 Hz) and high cyclic stability. Moreover, localized buckling deformation, such as tube opening and closing, can be controlled in response to photostimulation. Inspired by these biomorphic shapes and motions, an intestine‐mimetic device and demonstrate segmentation with substance crushing and peristalsis motion with substance propelling were further fabricated. This study will provide a useful design principle for hydrogel actuators and shed light on diverse applications in soft robotics, dynamic microfluidics and organs‐on‐chips.

Effects of Porous Size and Membrane Pattern on Shear Stress Characteristic in Gut-on-a-Chip with Peristalsis Motion.

Dynamic gut-on-a-chip platform allows better recreation of the intestinal environment in vitro compared to the traditional static cell culture. However, the underlying mechanism is still not fully discovered. In this study, the shear stress behavior in a gut-on-a-chip device with porous membrane subjected to peristalsis motion is numerically investigated using CFD simulation for three different pore sizes and two pattern layouts. The results reveal that, in the stationary microchannel, the average shear stress on the porous membrane is approximately 15% greater than that of the flat membrane, regardless of the pore size. However, when subjected to cyclic deformation, the porous membrane with smaller pore size experiences stronger variation of shear stress which is ±5.61%, ±10.12% and ±34.45% from its average for the pore diameters of 10 μm, 5 μm and 1 μm, respectively. The shear stress distribution is more consistent in case of the staggered pattern layout while the in-line pattern layout allows for a 32% wider range of shear stress at the identical pore size during a cyclic deformation. These changes in the shear stress caused by peristalsis motion, porous size and membrane pattern could be the key factors that promote cell differentiation in the deforming gut-on-a-chip model.

Primary Cilia Structure Is Prolonged in Enteric Neurons of 5xFAD Alzheimer's Disease Model Mice.

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have long been acknowledged as mere disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). However, in recent years the gut with its autonomous nervous system and the multitude of microbial commensals has come into focus. Changes in gut properties have been described in patients and animal disease models such as altered enzyme secretion or architecture of the enteric nervous system. The underlying cellular mechanisms have so far only been poorly investigated. An important organelle for integrating potentially toxic signals such as the AD characteristic A-beta peptide is the primary cilium. This microtubule-based signaling organelle regulates numerous cellular processes. Even though the role of primary cilia in a variety of developmental and disease processes has recently been recognized, the contribution of defective ciliary signaling to neurodegenerative diseases such as AD, however, has not been investigated in detail so far. The AD mouse model 5xFAD was used to analyze possible changes in gut functionality by organ bath measurement of peristalsis movement. Subsequently, we cultured primary enteric neurons from mutant mice and wild type littermate controls and assessed for cellular pathomechanisms. Neurite mass was quantified within transwell culturing experiments. Using a combination of different markers for the primary cilium, cilia number and length were determined using fluorescence microscopy. 5xFAD mice showed altered gut anatomy, motility, and neurite mass of enteric neurons. Moreover, primary cilia could be demonstrated on the surface of enteric neurons and exhibited an elongated phenotype in 5xFAD mice. In parallel, we observed reduced β-Catenin expression, a key signaling molecule that regulates Wnt signaling, which is regulated in part via ciliary associated mechanisms. Both results could be recapitulated via in vitro treatments of enteric neurons from wild type mice with A-beta. So far, only a few reports on the probable role of primary cilia in AD can be found. Here, we reveal for the first time an architectural altered phenotype of primary cilia in the enteric nervous system of AD model mice, elicited potentially by neurotoxic A-beta. Potential changes on the sub-organelle level—also in CNS-derived neurons—require further investigations.

A transport of Jeffrey model viscoelastic fluid by complex peristalsis motion of nonuniform curved channel's walls under resistance of magnetic field

AbstractThe main aim of the present investigation is that the viscoelastic fluids, such as blood, can easily be manipulated due to their magnetic features with an electromagnetic field. These peristaltic pumps are new inventions in bio‐engineering domains that provide more sustainable and sophisticated efficiencies as compared with unadventurous surgical pumps. Inspire by such uses, in the present study, a mathematical investigation into the peristaltic motion of viscoelastic fluid under the magnetic influence on a complex and curved nonuniform channel is considered. For the viscoelastic fluid, the Jeffrey model is used. The rheological equations are mathematically expressed in curvilinear coordinates and simplify by using the transformations. The transformed rheological equations are solved numerically by using the BVP4C method. The consequences of numerous flow feature such as axial velocity, pumping and trapping phenomena under the magnetic, radius of curvature, and viscoelastic parameters are calculated and displayed in graphical form for discussion. Additionally, an association with the curve and straight channels is deliberated with the help of graphs for both simple and complex peristaltic scenarios in MATLAB Software. The magnitude of pumping phenomena is enhanced by increasing magnetic parameter. The curved peristaltic pump has a larger magnitude of peristaltic pumping as compared with the straight peristaltic pump. The efficiency of complex pumps in the rheology of a viscoelastic fluid is much better than the simple peristaltic channel under both curvature and magnetic effects.

Effect of Azadirachta indica A. Juss (Meliaceae) on the serotonin rhythm of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

ABSTRACT Circadian rhythms are an adaptive response of organisms to the environment that enables them to measure time. Circadian rhythms are some of the most studied biological rhythms. Serotonin (5HT) has been proposed as their modulator of circadian rhythms, playing a pivotal role in their establishment. However, 5HT concentrations are altered in insect organisms when they feed on some plant extracts. Insects show a variety of rhythms. The larval stage of the lepidopteran Spodoptera frugiperda is a pest of economically important crops. As a response, plants have developed secondary metabolites, such as azadirachtin, obtained from Azadirachta indica. We assessed the circadian rhythm of 5HT in the brain and digestive tube of larvae of S. frugiperda; furthermore, the effect of A. indica extract on the oscillations was evaluated. 5HT modulates the rhythms of locomotor activity, and if extracts of A. indica alter the concentration of 5HT, it can indirectly alter the rhythms of locomotor activity, as well as peristaltic movements of the intestine. Larvae were exposed to a 12 h:12 h light-dark (LD) photoperiod, and half of them remained for 72 h under constant darkness (DD). Tissue samples were obtained at six different times during a single 24 h period, and the amount of 5HT was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Data were statistically compared by a one-way ANOVA followed by a Tukey post hoc test and subjected to Cosinor analysis for assessment of 24 h rhythmicity. The results showed that the A. indica methanolic extract had an effect on the 5HT concentration of the brain and digestive tube of the larvae. In the brain, the 5HT increase in larvae fed with the extract could alter memory, learning, sleep, and locomotor activity processes. Whereas in the intestine, the 5HT decrease in the larvae fed with the extract could decrease peristalsis movements and, therefore, indirectly influence the antifeedant effect.

Diagnosis System for Swallowing and Peristalsis Function for Artificial Tongue and Esophagus Development.

With the progress of surgical technology, the survival rate after resection of esophageal and tongue carcinomas has improved. However, the surgical protocol for esophageal and tongue surgery is complex, and surgery for elderly esophageal and tongue carcinoma patients with cardiopulmonary dysfunction is difficult. Using an artificial tongue and esophagus will be helpful for patients. However, peristalsis of foods depends on food size, taste, and viscosity. This study developed and evaluated a new diagnosis machine for drinking and peristalsis motion. Before clinical evaluation, animal experiments were performed on healthy adult goats using a stereo camera. After a feasibility study of the diagnosis system for peristalsis, clinical evaluation was conducted on healthy normal volunteers. We observed no aspiration pneumonia. The foods and drinks tested were safe. There was no mis-swallowing, but the participants' feeling with regard to taste differed. Overall, the results indicated that the quantitative swallowing and peristalsis diagnosis system is safe. Evaluation of the visual imaging and spectral analysis gave us useful information about peristalsis, which will help us design an artificial tongue and esophagus with a good control mechanism in the near future.

Human Visual System Consistent Model for Wireless Capsule Endoscopy Image Enhancement and Applications

Visualization of inner gastrointestinal (GI) tract is an important aspect in diagnosis of diseases such as the bleeding and colon cancer. Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) provides painless imaging of the GI tract without much discomfort to patients via near-lights imaging model and with burst light emitting diodes (LEDs). This imaging system is designed to minimize battery power and the capsule moves through the GI tract with natural peristalsis movement and the color video data are captured via wireless transmitter in the WCE. Despite the advantages of WCE videos, the obtained frames exhibit uneven illumination and sometimes result in darker regions that may require enhancement afterwards for better visualization of regions of interest. In this work, we extend a human visual system (HVS) based image enhancement model that uses a feature-linking neural network model based on timing precisely of the spiking neurons. Experimental results on various WCE frames show that we can obtain better enhancement of regions of interest and compared to other enhancement approaches in the literature we obtain better quality restorations in general. Further, we show the applicability of our enhancement method on improving the automatic image segmentation, and 3D shape from shading visualization reconstruction indicating that it is viable to be used within a computer-aided diagnosis systems for GI tract diseases.

Influence of gastrointestinal activity on the absorption of nilotinib

Nilotinib has bioavailability (BA) of only about 25% or less. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of gastrointestinal activity on the absorption of nilotinib. In order to change gastrointestinal activity, mosapride was used for enhancement and butylscopolamine was used for suppression. Experiments on oral administration of nilotinib using rats whose gastrointestinal activity was altered by mosapride or butylscopolamine were carried out. The results of oral administration of acetaminophen to rats with peristalsis movement changed showed that the effects of peristalsis and gastric emptying rate (GER) on drug absorption could be evaluated in this experimental system. Similarly, even with nilotinib, no change in Tmax was observed, but Cmax increased and decreased significantly. Due to the change in gastrointestinal activity, Cmax of nilotinib changed greatly. This showed that gastrointestinal activity affected the emulsifying action of bile and that the absorbability changed. As a result of examining the contribution to the emulsifying action, it was found that when the bile does not exist in the gastrointestinal tract, absorption of nilotinib did not change even when gastrointestinal motility was enhanced. Therefore, the results suggested that gastrointestinal activity influenced the emulsifying action of bile and the absorption of nilotinib was changed.

Variations of MRI-assessed peristaltic motions during radiation therapy

PurposeUnderstanding complex abdominal organ motion is essential for motion management in radiation therapy (RT) of abdominal tumors. This study investigates abdominal motion induced by respiration and peristalsis, during various time durations relevant to RT, using various CT and MRI techniques acquired under free breathing (FB) and breath hold (BH).MethodsA series of CT and MRI images acquired with various techniques under free breathing and/or breath hold from 37 randomly-selected pancreatic or liver cancer patients were analyzed to assess the motion in various time frames. These data include FB 4DCT from 15 patients (for motion in time duration of 5 sec), FB 2D cine-MRI from 4 patients (time duration of 1.7 min, 1 second acquisition time per slice), FB cine-MRI acquired using MR-Linac from 6 patients in various fractions (acquisition time is less than 0.6 seconds per slice), FB 4DMRI from 2 patients (time duration of 2 min), respiration-gated T2 with gating at the end expiration (time duration of 3–5 min), and BH T1 with multiphase dynamic contrast in acquisition times of 17 seconds for each of five phases (pre-contrast, arterial, venous, portal venous and delayed post-contrast) from 10 patients. Motions of various organs including gallbladder (GB) and liver were measured based on these MRI data. The GB motion includes both respiration and peristalsis, while liver motion is primarily respiration. By subtracting liver motion (respiration) from GB motion (respiration and peristalsis), the peristaltic motion, along with small residual motion, was obtained.ResultsFrom cine-MRI, the residual motion beyond the respiratory motion was found to be up to 0.6 cm in superior-inferior (SI) and 0.55 cm in anterior-posterior (AP) directions. From 2D cine-MRI acquired by the MR-Linac, different peristaltic motions were found from different fractions for each patient. The peristaltic motion was found to vary between 0.3–1 cm. From BH T1 phase images, the average motions that were primarily due to peristalsis movements were found to be 1.2 cm in SI, 0.7 cm in AP, and 0.9 cm in left-right (LR) directions. The average motions assessed from 4DCT were 1.0 cm in SI and 0.3 cm in AP directions, which were generally smaller than the motions assessed from cine-MRI, i.e., 1.8 cm in SI and 0.6 cm in AP directions, for the same patients. However, average motions from 4DMRI, which are coming from respiratory were measured to be 1.5, 0.5, and 0.4 cm in SI, AP, and LR directions, respectively.ConclusionThe abdominal motion due to peristalsis can be similar in magnitude to respiratory motion as assessed. These motions can be irregular and persistent throughout the imaging and RT delivery procedures, and should be considered together with respiratory motion during RT for abdominal tumors.

Effect of gantry rotation speed and scan mode on peristalsis motion artifact frequency and severity at abdominal CT.

The purpose of the study was to understand the effect of CT gantry speed and axial vs. helical scan mode on the frequency and severity of bowel peristalsis artifacts. We retrospectively identified 150 oncologic abdominopelvic CT scans obtained on a 256 slice CT scanner: 50 scans obtained with Axial mode and 0.5-s gantry rotation time (Slow-Axial); 50 with Axial mode and 0.28-s gantry rotation time (Fast-Axial); and 50 scans with Helical mode and 0.28-s gantry rotation time (Fast-Helical). The patients included 74 women and 76 men with a mean age of 61years (range 22-85years). Two readers viewed all CT scans to record the presence and severity of bowel peristalsis artifact, location of artifact (stomach, duodenum/jejunum, ileum, and colon) and artifact location relative to bowel interface (gas-bowel, fluid-bowel, and gas-fluid). The severity of artifacts was recorded subjectively on a 3-point scale, and objectively based on maximum length of the artifact. Peristalsis artifact was more commonly seen with Slow-Axial scan acquisition (37 of 50 patient scans, or 74%) than Fast-Axial (15 in 50 patient scans, or 30%, p<0.001) and Fast-Helical (22 of 50 patient scans, or 44%, p<0.005). The bowel segment distribution and severity of peristalsis artifacts were not significantly different between scan techniques. Peristalsis artifacts are common at abdominopelvic CT scans. Fast gantry rotation speed significantly reduces the frequency of bowel peristalsis artifacts and should be a consideration when imaging of bowel and structures near bowel is critical.

The evaluation of functional results before and after laparoscopic Heller myotomy for achalasia: a single center experience.

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the functional results before and after laparoscopic Heller myotomy for Iranian patients with achalasia. Achalasia is a severe neuromuscular disorder of the esophagus, characterized by the loss of peristalsis and an inability of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to reach optimal relaxation. In this cross sectional study, patients who underwent Heller myotomy for achalasia via laparoscopy in Taleghani Hospital Tehran, Iran were evaluated. Symptoms including pressure of residual, integrated relaxation sphincter (IRP), pressure of free drinking, pressure of LES, dysphasia score and peristalsis movement was measured and recorded by manometry before and after (2 months) treating with Heller myotomy. In this study, 23 patients with achalasia (12 females and 11 males) with a mean age of 30±3.5 years (minimum 20, maximum 44 years) who met the inclusion criteria of the study were examined. Results of this study showed that, all the diagnostic criteria that were measured before the treatment was significantly different from after the treatment (P<0.05). The average decline in LES, IRP, Residual Pressure, Free drinking esophagus, and dysphasia score were 23.1 mmHg, 16.24 mmHg, 18,7 mmHg, 18.9 mmHg, and 5.0 unit, respectively. Also the average increase of the peristalsis movement was 8.26±13.7 in 8 patients. Considering the results of Heller myotomy surgery can be as a treatment of choice for achalasia. Free Drinking pressure can be a suitable criteria after treatment for evaluation and prediction of the reducing the dysphasia score after the surgery.

Taiwanin A incorporated polyurethane fiber sheets for prevention of postoperative cancer recurrence

In this study, we propose a single solution for prevention of postoperative complications and recurrence of highly metastatic gastrointestinal tract cancers. Here, we demonstrate preparation and characterization of Taiwanin A incorporated polyurethane fiber sheets with excellent mechanical properties and sustained drug release. Sheets with elastic modulus of 8 MPa and ultimate tensile strength of 30 MPa will provide support on surgical staple line preventing leakage at anastomosis. Slight burst release of the drug within 7 days (15%) and further sustained release will inhibit proliferation and migration of remaining cancer cells and maintain locoregional high drug concentration to prevent recurrence of the disease. High elasticity of the material will promote healing process without impeding natural peristalsis movement of gastrointestinal organs.

An automated system for quantitative analysis of Drosophila larval locomotion.

BackgroundDrosophila larvae have been used as a model to study to genetic and cellular circuitries modulating behaviors. One of the challenges in behavioral study is the quantification of complex phenotypes such as locomotive behaviors. Experimental capability can be greatly enhanced by an automatic single-animal tracker that records an animal at a high resolution for an extended period, and analyzes multiple behavioral parameters.ResultsHere we present MaggotTracker, a single-animal tracking system for Drosophila larval locomotion analysis. This system controls the motorized microscope stage while taking a video, so that the animal remains in the viewing center. It then reduces the animal to 13 evenly distributed points along the midline, and computes over 20 parameters evaluating the shape, peristalsis movement, stamina, and track of the animal.To demonstrate its utility, we applied MaggotTracker to analyze both wild-type and mutant animals to identify factors affecting locomotive behaviors. Each animal was tracked for four minutes. Our analysis on Canton-S third-instar larvae revealed that the distance an animal travelled was correlated to its striding speed rather than the percentage of time the animal spent striding, and that the striding speed was correlated to both the distance and the duration of one stride. Sexual dimorphism was observed in body length but not in locomotive parameters such as speed. Locomotive parameters were affected by animal developmental stage and the crawling surface. No significant changes in movement speed were detected in mutants of circadian genes such as period (per), timeout, and timeless (tim). The MaggotTracker analysis showed that ether a go-go (eag), Shaker (Sh), slowpoke (slo), and dunce (dnc) mutant larvae had severe phenotypes in multiple locomotive parameters such as stride distance and speed, consistent with their function in neuromuscular junctions. Further, the phenotypic patterns of the K+ channel genes eag, Sh and slo are highly similar.ConclusionsThese results showed that MaggotTracker is an efficient tool for automatic phenotyping. The MaggotTracker software as well as the data presented here can be downloaded from our open-access site www.WormLoco.org/Mag.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12861-015-0062-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Motion Compensated Abdominal Diffusion Weighted MRI by Simultaneous Image Registration and Model Estimation (SIR-ME).

Non-invasive characterization of water molecule's mobility variations by quantitative analysis of diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) signal decay in the abdomen has the potential to serve as a biomarker in gastrointestinal and oncological applications. Accurate and reproducible estimation of the signal decay model parameters is challenging due to the presence of respiratory, cardiac, and peristalsis motion. Independent registration of each b-value image to the b-value=0 s/mm(2) image prior to parameter estimation might be sub-optimal because of the low SNR and contrast difference between images of varying b-value. In this work, we introduce a motion-compensated parameter estimation framework that simultaneously solves image registration and model estimation (SIR-ME) problems by utilizing the interdependence of acquired volumes along the diffusion weighting dimension. We evaluated the improvement in model parameters estimation accuracy using 16 in-vivo DW-MRI data sets of Crohn's disease patients by comparing parameter estimates obtained using the SIR-ME model to the parameter estimates obtained by fitting the signal decay model to the acquired DW-MRI images. The proposed SIR-ME model reduced the average root-mean-square error between the observed signal and the fitted model by more than 50%. Moreover, the SIR-ME model estimates discriminate between normal and abnormal bowel loops better than the standard parameter estimates.

진행파를 이용한 압전 마이크로 펌프의 설계와 해석

최근에, 의학 분야의 MEMS 기술이 발전하면서 다양한 미세 유체 이송 시스템이 연구되고 있다. 본 논문에서는 기존의 펌프와는 다른, 두 개의 분리된 압전 판을 이용해 위장의 연동 운동을 모방한 마이크로 압전 펌프를 제안한다. 본 펌프는 진행파를 이용해 연동 운동을 일으켜 작동된다. 특히, 압전판에서 인가된 입력 전압에 의해 발생된 변위에 의해 동작된다. 이에 두 판 사이에서 진행파가 일어나며 유체는 진행파에 의해 생성된 압력차에 의해 이동된다. 압전 소자, 탄성체, 유체가 복합된 시스템을 이해하기 위해서 유한 요소 해석을 사용하였다. 챔버의 높이, 세라믹 개수 등의 설계 변수들을 변화시켜 유체의 유량을 확인하였다.