Segment Size Research Articles

The Value of ROH Metrics for Predicting Morbidity: Insights From a Large Cohort Analysis of Chromosomal Microarray.

This retrospective cohort study aimed to define the optimal Regions of Homozygosity (ROH) size cut-offs for prediction of morbidity, based on 13 483 Chromosomal Microarray Analyses (CMA). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated, and area under the curve (AUC) was used to assess the predictive capability of total ROH percentage (TRPS), ROH number and ROH segment size in distinguishing between healthy (n=6,196) and affected (n=6,839) cohorts. The metrics were examined for telomeric and interstitial segments, distinct TRPS categories, and across different ancestral origins. ROH segments were identified in 13 035 samples (96.7%), encompassing 66 710 ROH segments. Significant differences in TRPS and ROH segment size were observed between healthy and affected cohorts (p=0.012 and p < 0.001, respectively). However, no clinically significant thresholds could be established based on ROC curves for TRPS and ROH number per sample, as well as for ROH size (AUC 0.64, 0.55, and 0.62, respectively, Figure1). The same was noted for telomeric versus interstitial locations, various origins, and subcategories of TRPS. In conclusion, this study highlights the complexity of ROH interpretation and emphasizes the importance of tailored reporting strategies in clinical practice. Our findings underscore the need for context-specific reporting guidelines and further research, particularly in consanguineous populations.

Construction of a physical map for Aegilops geniculata chromosome 7Mg and localization of its novel purple coleoptile gene.

A physical map of Aegilops geniculata chromosome 7Mg was constructed, and a novel purple coleoptile gene was localized at 7MgS bin FL 0.60-0.65 by development of wheat-Ae. geniculata structural aberrations. The development of wheat-wild relative chromosomal structure aberrations not only provides novel germplasm resources for wheat improvement, but also aids in mapping desirable genes to specific chromosomal regions. Aegilops geniculata (2n = 4x = 28, UgUgMgMg), a wild relative of common wheat, possesses many favorable genes. In this study, Ae. geniculata chromosome 7Mg was identified as harboring a purple coleoptile gene by phenotypic evaluation of Chinese Spring (CS)-Ae. geniculata addition and substitution lines. To construct a physical map of chromosome 7Mg and localize the purple coleoptile gene, 59 molecular markers specific to 7Mg were developed, and 43 wheat-Ae. geniculata 7Mg chromosome structure aberrations were generated based on chromosome centromeric breakage-fusion and ph1b-induced homoeologous recombination. Segment sizes and breakpoint positions of each 7Mg structure aberration were further characterized using in situ hybridization and molecular marker analysis. Consequently, a physical map of chromosome 7Mg was constructed with 59 molecular markers, comprising six bins with 28 markers on 7MgS and six bins with 31 markers on 7MgL, and the purple coleoptile gene was mapped to an interval of FL 0.60-0.65 on 7MgS. The newly developed wheat-Ae. geniculata 7Mg structural aberrations and the physical map of 7Mg will facilitate the transfer and utilization of desirable genes from 7Mg in the future.

Workflow automation of SEM acquisitions and feature tracking.

Acquiring multiple high magnification, high resolution images with scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) for quantitative analysis is a time consuming and repetitive task for microscopists. We propose a workflow to automate SEM image acquisition and demonstrate its use in the context of nanoparticle (NP) analysis. Acquiring multiple images of this type of specimen is necessary to obtain a complete and proper characterization of the NP population and obtain statistically representative results. Indeed, a single high magnification image only scans a small area of sample, containing only few NPs. The proposed workflow is successfully applied to obtain size distributions from image montages at three different magnifications (20,000x, 60,000x and 200,000x) on the same area of the sample using a Python based script. The automated workflow consists of sequential repositioning of the electron beam, stitching of adjacent images, feature segmentation, and NP size computation. Results show that NPs are best characterized at higher magnifications, since lower magnifications are limited by their pixel size. Increased accuracy of feature characterization at high magnification highlights the importance of automation: many high-magnification acquisitions are required to cover a similar area of the sample at low magnification. Therefore, we also present feature tracking with smart beam positioning as an alternative to blind acquisition of very large image arrays. Feature tracking is achieved by integrating microscope tasks with image processing tasks, and only areas of interest will be imaged at high resolution, reducing total acquisition duration.

Optimization of Segmentation of Electrolyte to Enhance Polarization Behaviors and Cycling Performance of Zinc Rechargeable Battery

Zinc is one of the promising materials for a next-generation rechargeable battery, because it is cheap, abundant, and highly safe with the low redox potential which is attractive to make the cell voltage of aqueous secondary battery high (e.g., 1.73 V of Zn-Ni and 1.65 V of Zn-Air), while the zinc anode for secondary uses is still suffering from the issues on dendrite growth and non-uniform redistribution of zinc and zinc oxide, resulting in an internal short circuit and a poor capacity retention. Against the issues, one of the authors of this paper has reported a new concept of zinc anode, Segmentation of Electrolyte (SoE) which is to segment the space of the electrolyte between the zinc anode and the cathode, and this results in a stable performance for 5,500 charge-discharge cycles or more at 1 C rate [1-3]. In case of KOH solutions containing zincate ions that are the intermediate of the redox reaction between zinc and zinc oxide, SoE gives the limited space for zincate ions, within which they can move free but the non-uniformization of the spatial concentration distribution is suppressed. As a result, the reaction distribution on the zinc anode during charge and discharge is made more uniform than that without SoE. In this paper, we report the optimization of SoE for zinc-nickel secondary battery, in which the effects of the size of segmentation on the voltage performance during charge and discharge and the capacity retention with the cycle are contained.The zinc anode with SoE was fabricated by attaching a PTFE sheet with an open area to one side of a zinc foil, where the size of the SoE area was varied between φ5mm and φ22mm. The zinc anode and the nickel cathode were placed opposite each other in an acrylic container, and the distance between the two electrodes was controlled in the range of 0.5 mm to 1 mm depending on the thickness of the PTFE sheet, by which the charge and discharge reactions of the zinc anode were limited within the open area of PTFE sheet. A zinc foil of 300 μm thickness was used as the zinc anode, which was also served as a current collector. The segmented reaction space was filled with a 7 mol/L KOH solution saturated with zinc oxide, and a constant current was applied to the cell at room temperature. The charge-discharge voltages and the potential of the zinc anode as referred to the zinc wire quasi-reference electrode were measured.The cell with the SoE area of φ5mm operated without no significant change in the cell voltage and the anode’s potential over 100 cycles or more and the anode showed no dendrite on the surface observed by SEM after the operation. However, the SoE area strongly affected the cycling performance in other cases of φ8mm，φ11mm，φ16mm，and φ22mm, in which the stable charge-discharge cycles were shortened with the increase in the SoE area. In such cases, the cell voltage and the anode’s potential indicated large fluctuation during charge, suggesting that the internal short circuit by zinc dendrite was made and broken repeatedly. From the results, we obtained the relationship between the SoE area and the number of cycles until the first internal short circuit occurs, in which it was clearly indicated that the possibility of the dendrite formation depends on the SoE area. Thus, the optimization of the size of SoE can enhance the cycling performance of the zinc anode. Similarly, we examined the effects of the distance between the anode and the cathode, which is another factor to determine the reaction zone of SoE, on the charge-discharge characteristics, and the results will be also presented in this paper.This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 23K2345.Ref.[1] M. Morimitsu, Patent No. US-11652204-B2 (2023).[2] M. Morimitsu, 2022 International Battery Seminar & Exhibit, Orlando, USA, March 2022.[3] M. Morimitsu, The 12th Battery Safety Summit, Tysons Corner, USA, October 2022.

Prenatal diagnosis and genetic analysis: rare familial chromosomal duplications larger than 5 Mb without disease phenotypes.

This study aimed to identify large duplications (>5 Mb) that are harmless through long-term clinical follow-ups of fetuses and phenotype analyses of carrier family members. We retrospectively analyzed fetuses undergoing prenatal diagnosis and who had >5 Mb chromosomal duplications. Routine karyotyping and single-nucleotide polymorphism array analysis were performed to identify the source and location information of the duplicated segments. Genotype-phenotype analyses were conducted based on genetic information and phenotypes during postnatal follow-up. Eight eligible cases were included. All fetuses carried maternal or paternal duplications ranging in length from 5.3 to 12.2 Mb. The locations were as follows: 2q32.3q33.1 (Chr2:192322509-199548704), 4q22.1 (Chr4: 88347368-93602855), 4q34.2q35.2 (Chr4:176956406-189189971), 4q34.3q35.2 (Chr4:180613345-189353740), 5p14.3p14.1 (Chr5:19093749-28557664), 10q22.2q23.2 (Chr10:77448435-88786593), 12q21.31q21.32 (Chr12:81983257-87322734), and 13q14.11q14.2 (Chr13: 40825382-47633710). Karyotyping revealed that these duplications occurred within their respective chromosomal regions, except in pedigrees 6 and 7. In the eight pedigrees, the coordinates and lengths of duplicated segments in family members were matched with those in fetuses. Neither the fetuses nor other carriers were clinically symptomatic. Our findings revealed that the eight pedigrees carrying duplications >5 Mb were asymptomatic, providing new data to inform genetic counseling for the observed segments. We focused on unrelated fetuses among eight pedigrees who carried duplications of different chromosomal segments. These duplications had been stably transmitted through 2 or 3 generations of normal individuals. Importantly, phenotypic abnormalities were lacking, which was unexpected given that the maximum segment size was approximately 12.2 Mb. We found that duplications in these regions were benign in the context of prenatal genetic counseling. These results provide a foundation for addressing genotype-phenotype correlations. To our knowledge, this is the first description of normal phenotypes in individuals with duplications in these regions.

Exploring the human genomic landscape: patterns of common homozygosity regions in a large middle eastern cohort.

Regions of Homozygosity (ROH) typically reflect normal demographic history of a human population, but may also relate to cryptic consanguinity, and, additionally, have been associated with specific medical conditions. The objective of this study was to investigate the location, size, and prevalence of common ROH segments in a Middle Eastern cohort. This retrospective study included 13 483 samples collected from all Chromosomal Microarray analyses (CMA) performed using Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) arrays at the genetic clinical laboratory of Rabin Medical Center between 2017-2023 (primary data set). An additional replication cohort including 100 842 samples from another SNP array platform, obtained from Maccabi Health Organization, was analyzed. Common ROH locations were defined as those ROH locations involving 1% or more of the samples. A total of 66 710 ROH segments, involving 13 035 samples (96.7%) were identified in the primary data set. Of the 4069 cytogenetic ROH locations, 68 were identified as common. The prevalence of non-common ROH was relatively high in affected individuals, and for acrocentric chromosomes, chromosomes associated with common trisomies, and non-imprinted chromosomes. In addition, differences in common ROH locations were observed between the primary and the replication cohorts. Our findings highlight the need for population-specific guidelines in determining ROH reporting cutoffs, considering factors such as population-specific prevalence and testing platform differences. Future research with larger, varied cohorts is essential to advance understanding of ROH's associations with medical conditions and to improve clinical practices accordingly.

Plug-and-play adaptive optics microscopy with full-field correction using isoplanatic patch estimation and field segmentation.

We discuss the implementation and performance of a plug-play adaptive optics (AO) module for commercial microscopes comprising indirect wavefront sensing, and a deformable phase plate (DPP) located directly between the objective and the turret. With the DPP at this location, the system closely resembles a pupil-AO scheme, in which effective aberration correction is only possible within the isoplanatic patch. We overcome this limitation by estimating the aberration profiles at multiple field points in parallel and correcting them in sequence to obtain a 2D array of high-quality sub-aperture images. These are then stitched together to form a corrected full-field image. To minimize the measurement time without compromising correction quality, we propose an empirical method to identify the size of the isoplanatic patch, which is both sample and system dependent. Matching the field segment size to that of the isoplanatic patch provides the best compromise between consistent correction quality across the image and measurement time. We demonstrate the performance of the developed system in a commercial microscope using synthetic samples and discuss the performance and limitations of the system.

Impact of surface-roughness and fractality on electrical conductivity of SnS thin films

Mono- and multi-fractal geometry have been used to explore the surface characteristics of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs of the SnS films with thicknesses of 100 nm (SnS1) to 600 nm (SnS4), respectively. For this investigation, the SnS thin films have been grown on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)-coated glass substrate through the thermal evaporation route, and surface morphologies are captured by SEM. Two-dimensional multi-fractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MFDFA) based on the partition function is used to examine whether the surfaces have a multi-fractal nature or not. The partition function is applied to extract the generalized Hurst exponent from the segment size. It has been found that surfaces with higher surface roughness induce substantial nonlinearity and a wider width of the multi-fractal spectrum. The multi-fractal spectrum acquired from the analysis of the geometry and shape of the singularity spectrum is used to quantify the irregularity and complexity of surfaces. Minkowski functionals (MFs) parameters such as volume, boundary, and connectivity were measured for each thin film. Moreover, we tried to correlate the electrical conductivity with the mono- and multi-fractal parameters such as fractal dimension (Df), singularity strength function (Δα), singularity spectrum Δf(α), and it is observed that the conductivity of a thin film decreases with decreasing fractal dimension. The minimum (maximum) resistivity (conductivity) was observed for the surface having a larger fractal dimension. The present investigation suggests that such SnS surfaces, having minimal resistivity and maximum conductivity on the roughest surface, indicate enhanced light trapping capacity and can be utilized as active layers for advanced optoelectronics devices.

WC electron microscopy image segmentation based on improved watershed and Hu-moment edge matching algorithms

The particle size distribution of WC powder particles has a great influence on material properties. However, the traditional manual particle size analysis methods are both time-consuming and inaccurate, and the commonly used particle size detection methods belong to statistical indexes, which cannot reflect the real particle size. To address the above problems, this paper proposes an image segmentation method based on the improved watershed algorithm and the Hu-moment edge matching algorithm, which can realize accurate segmentation and particle size analysis of adherent particles in WC electron microscope images. First, an improved bilateral filtering and Otsu image coarse segmentation method is proposed to extract the target region of particles; then, an improved watershed algorithm based on the multi-threshold H-maxima transform is proposed to realize the segmentation of adherent particles; and a region merging correction based on the Hu-moment edge matching algorithm is proposed to avoid over-segmentation. We compare and analyze the performance of this method with manual segmentation and some other common segmentation methods. The experimental results show that the standard deviations of the particle sizes obtained by the method proposed in this paper are less than 3%, and the segmentation accuracy is greatly improved compared with other segmentation algorithms.

Endogenous Merger Decisions Among Competitors: Impact of Limited Capacity and Loyal Segments

We study endogenous merger decisions among three competing firms with asymmetric capacity: one large firm has ample capacity, and two small firms have limited capacity. Each firm can either operate independently or merge with another firm. Because of antitrust laws, all three firms merging is not permitted. When two firms merge, the merged entity and the remaining independent firm use the resulting capacity to capture their own “loyal buyers” and compete in price for price-sensitive “disloyal switchers.” We first consider a base model in which the size of loyal buyers for different firms is symmetric. We find that, in equilibrium, either there is no merger or the large firm will merge with a small firm as a “mixed merger.” We explain how this equilibrium structure is driven by the mergers’ impacts on market competition and firms’ pricing aggressiveness. Specifically, the mixed merger that can most effectively reduce price competition is the equilibrium under relatively competitive market conditions (i.e., the size of loyal buyers is small and capacity is large but limited). We also extend to the case with asymmetric size of loyal segments and show that two small firms merging (“small merger” structure) can be the equilibrium structure when the large firm has a much larger loyal segment than the small firms and the small firms’ capacity is sufficiently large. The impacts of mergers on social welfare and consumer surplus provide practical implications from the antitrust perspective. The antitrust agencies can approve a mixed merger to improve social welfare under certain conditions, but if the agencies pay more attention to consumer surplus, then mixed mergers should not be permitted. Small mergers, though sometimes not the equilibrium structures, can improve social welfare and consumer surplus. In such cases, the government can appropriately promote mergers that are beneficial for society and/or consumers by adopting some restrictive measures or offering incentives. This paper was accepted by Jeannette Song, operations management. Funding: The work of D. Wang was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant 72401275]; the work of X. Wu was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grants 72025102, 72293560/72293565]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.01943 .

Heteronanotrimers by Selective Photodeposition of Gold Nanodots on Janus-Type Cu2‒ xS/CuInS2 Heteronanocrystals.

This study focuses on the development of environmentally friendly Au-Cu2-xS/CuInS2 heteronanotrimers. The chosen strategy relies on the laser photodeposition of a single gold nanodot (ND) onto Janus Cu2- xS/CuInS2 heteronanocrystals (HNCs). This method offers precise control over the number, location, and size (5 to 8nm) of the Au NDs by adjusting laser power for the career production, concentration of hole scavenger for charge equilibration in redox reactions, and gold precursor concentration, and exposure time for the final ND size. The photoreduction of gold ions onto HNCs starts systematically at the Cu2- xS tip. The Au deposition then depends on the CuInS2 segment length. For short HNCs, stable Au-Cu2- xS/CuInS2 heteronanotrimers form, while long HNCs undergo a secondary photo-induced step: the initial Au ND is progressively oxidized, with concomitant deposition of a second gold ND on the CuInS2 side, to yield Au2S-Cu2- xS/CuInS2-Au heteronanotrimers. Results are rationalized by quantitative comparison with a model that describes the growth kinetics of NDs and Au-Cu2- xS transformation and emphasizes the importance of charge separation in predicting selective deposition in heteronanotrimer production. The key parameter controlling Au-Cu2‒ xS/CuInS2 HNCs is the photoinduced electric field gradient generated by charge separation, which is tailored by controlling the CuInS2 segment size.

Derivation and Evaluation of LAI from the ICESat-2 Data over the NEON Sites: The Impact of Segment Size and Beam Type

Derivation and Evaluation of LAI from the ICESat-2 Data over the NEON Sites: The Impact of Segment Size and Beam Type

Exploring Computational Techniques in Preprocessing Neonatal Physiological Signals for Detecting Adverse Outcomes: Scoping Review.

Computational signal preprocessing is a prerequisite for developing data-driven predictive models for clinical decision support. Thus, identifying the best practices that adhere to clinical principles is critical to ensure transparency and reproducibility to drive clinical adoption. It further fosters reproducible, ethical, and reliable conduct of studies. This procedure is also crucial for setting up a software quality management system to ensure regulatory compliance in developing software as a medical device aimed at early preclinical detection of clinical deterioration. This scoping review focuses on the neonatal intensive care unit setting and summarizes the state-of-the-art computational methods used for preprocessing neonatal clinical physiological signals; these signals are used for the development of machine learning models to predict the risk of adverse outcomes. Five databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, IEEE, and ACM Digital Library) were searched using a combination of keywords and MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms. A total of 3585 papers from 2013 to January 2023 were identified based on the defined search terms and inclusion criteria. After removing duplicates, 2994 (83.51%) papers were screened by title and abstract, and 81 (0.03%) were selected for full-text review. Of these, 52 (64%) were eligible for inclusion in the detailed analysis. Of the 52 articles reviewed, 24 (46%) studies focused on diagnostic models, while the remainder (n=28, 54%) focused on prognostic models. The analysis conducted in these studies involved various physiological signals, with electrocardiograms being the most prevalent. Different programming languages were used, with MATLAB and Python being notable. The monitoring and capturing of physiological data used diverse systems, impacting data quality and introducing study heterogeneity. Outcomes of interest included sepsis, apnea, bradycardia, mortality, necrotizing enterocolitis, and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, with some studies analyzing combinations of adverse outcomes. We found a partial or complete lack of transparency in reporting the setting and the methods used for signal preprocessing. This includes reporting methods to handle missing data, segment size for considered analysis, and details regarding the modification of the state-of-the-art methods for physiological signal processing to align with the clinical principles for neonates. Only 7 (13%) of the 52 reviewed studies reported all the recommended preprocessing steps, which could have impacts on the downstream analysis. The review found heterogeneity in the techniques used and inconsistent reporting of parameters and procedures used for preprocessing neonatal physiological signals, which is necessary to confirm adherence to clinical and software quality management system practices, usefulness, and choice of best practices. Enhancing transparency in reporting and standardizing procedures will boost study interpretation and reproducibility and expedite clinical adoption, instilling confidence in the research findings and streamlining the translation of research outcomes into clinical practice, ultimately contributing to the advancement of neonatal care and patient outcomes.

Regions of Homozygocity size patterns among diverse ethnic groups in Israel: Toward tailored diagnostic reporting thresholds.

Long contiguous stretches of homozygosity or regions of homozygosity (ROH) are frequently detected via microarray and sequencing technologies. However, consensus on the establishment of specific size cutoffs for reporting ROH remains elusive. This study aims to assess the Total ROH Percentages (TRPS) and size of ROH segments across different ethnic origins, exploring potential disparities and proposing tailored diagnostic thresholds. This retrospective study included 13,035 microarray analyses conducted between 2017 to 2023. ROH segments on autosomal chromosomes were retrieved, and samples lacking ROH segments were excluded. The cohort was categorized based on reported ethnic origins, and TRPS and ROH segment size were analyzed for each origin. Distinct TRPS values were noted among different ethnic groups, ranging from median 0.36% in Ethiopian Jewish cohort and up to 6.42% in the Bedouin population. Wide range of 99th percentiles of ROH segment size for various origins was noted, ranging from 10.6 to 51.5 Mb. A significant correlation between ROH segment sizes and TRPS was noted in each origin. Statistically significant differences in ROH segment sizes were noted between the Jewish and the Israeli Arab/Druze origins in TRPS from 1% to 9.99%, whereas extremities of low (0.11%-0.99%) and high (over 10%) TRPS yielded no significant differences. In conclusion, as fixed absolute size thresholds may overlook pathogenic segments in certain populations while generating excessive reports in others, tailored approaches to define ROH reporting thresholds can be considered to facilitate the accuracy and clinical relevance of genomic analyses.

Evaluation of the use of box size priors for 6D plane segment tracking from point clouds with applications in cargo packing

This paper addresses the problem of 6D pose tracking of plane segments from point clouds acquired from a mobile camera. This is motivated by manual packing operations, where an opportunity exists to enhance performance, aiding operators with instructions based on augmented reality. The approach uses as input point clouds, by its advantages for extracting geometric information relevant to estimating the 6D pose of rigid objects. The proposed algorithm begins with a RANSAC fitting stage on the raw point cloud. It then implements strategies to compute the 2D size and 6D pose of plane segments from geometric analysis of the fitted point cloud. Redundant detections are combined using a new quality factor that predicts point cloud mapping density and allows the selection of the most accurate detection. The algorithm is designed for dynamic scenes, employing a novel particle concept in the point cloud space to track detections’ validity over time. A variant of the algorithm uses box size priors (available in most packing operations) to filter out irrelevant detections. The impact of this prior knowledge is evaluated through an experimental design that compares the performance of a plane segment tracking system, considering variations in the tracking algorithm and camera speed (onboard the packing operator). The tracking algorithm varies at two levels: algorithm (Awpk\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$A_{wpk}$$\\end{document}), which integrates prior knowledge of box sizes, and algorithm (Awoutpk\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$A_{woutpk}$$\\end{document}), which assumes ignorance of box properties. Camera speed is evaluated at low and high speeds. Results indicate increments in the precision and F1-score associated with using the Awpk\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$A_{wpk}$$\\end{document} algorithm and consistent performance across both velocities. These results confirm the enhancement of the performance of a tracking system in a real-life and complex scenario by including previous knowledge of the elements in the scene. The proposed algorithm is limited to tracking plane segments of boxes fully supported on surfaces parallel to the ground plane and not stacked. Future works are proposed to include strategies to resolve this limitation.

Can the diameter of nerve fibers be effectively utilized to enhance the accuracy of determining the length of the aganglionic segment compared to intraoperative biopsy in patients with Hirschsprung’s disease?

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to investigate the accuracy of utilizing neural fiber trunk diameter in accurately diagnosing the length of the aganglionic segment in patients definitively diagnosed with Hirschsprung’s disease.ResultsIn this study, 40 patients (19 males, 21 females; mean age 2.5 ± 2.2646 years) were assessed for Hirschsprung’s disease. Constipation was the main symptom (75%), followed by abdominal issues. All underwent contrast enema and rectal suction biopsy for diagnosis, followed by surgery (predominantly Soave and Swensen techniques). Majority (85%) had rectosigmoid involvement. Neural fiber diameter was measured, with 52.5% ≤40 μm and 47.5% >40 μm. Statistical analysis showed 40% sensitivity(CI:95%) and 47% specificity(CI:95%) with a cutoff of 40.5 μm. Cohen’s kappa index for aganglionic segment size was 0.7.

The choice of sustainable coproduction technology in a supply chain

Coproduction is recognised as a sustainable technique that promotes optimal resource use by extracting value from leftover materials that would otherwise be wasted in traditional manufacturing processes. However, the sustainability of coproduction technology in supply chains remains uncertain, subject to fluctuations in suppliers' raw material prices. In this paper, we model a decentralised supply chain consisting of a raw material supplier and a coproduction manufacturer, and investigate how their interactions affect the economic and environmental performance of coproduction. We find that manufacturers should consider adopting coproduction technology when the size of the green consumer segment is either relatively small or significantly large. Specifically, if applicable, the manufacturer will endogenously set the coproduct quality at a moderate level, maximising material utilisation. This result offers novel insights into the choice of coproduction technology within a supply chain, particularly considering that a significant motivation for manufacturers to embrace coproduction is to capture value from green consumption. Additionally, when the size of the green consumer segment is sufficiently large, the supplier can benefit from coproduction by raising the wholesale price for raw materials, creating a win-win outcome for both the supplier and the manufacturer. However, we also find that coproduction technology is not always beneficial to the environment. The manufacturer may produce large quantities of coproducts due to high demand from green consumers, leading to increased total material consumption and waste generation.

The tale of the rattle: Using rattle size to understand growth and sexual dimorphism in an insular population of rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus caliginis).

Islands have played a key role in our understanding of rapid evolution. A large body of literature has examined morphological changes in response to insularity and isolation, which has yielded useful generalizations about how animals can adapt to live in very small geographic areas. However, understanding the evolution of morphological variation in insular populations often requires detailed data sets on longitudinal patterns of growth and development, and such studies typically necessitate long-term mark-recapture on a large sample of individuals. Rattlesnakes provide a unique opportunity to address some of these difficulties because the addition of rattle segments to the rattle string occurs with regular periodicity and their size directly correlates with the body size of the snake at the time of the ecdysis cycle generating the segment. Here, we used a large database of rattle segment sizes recorded from island (Isla Coronado Sur, Baja California, Mexico) and mainland (Camp Pendleton, California, United States) populations of Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus and C. o. caliginis) that separated approximately 10,000 years ago to compare body sizes at different ecdysis cycles, which allowed us to assess differences in growth rates and patterns of sexual size dimorphism. Our results show that rattlesnakes on Isla Coronado Sur appear to be born smaller and grow more slowly than their mainland counterparts, resulting in a "dwarfed" island population. However, despite significant differences in body size, both populations exhibited the same degree of sexual dimorphism. Our study demonstrates the potential to use rattle characteristics to recover detailed estimates of fundamental demographic parameters.

Evaluation of fetal cardiac morphology and function by fetal heart quantification technique in the normal second and third trimesters.

The study of fetal heart is receiving increasing attention. Fetal heart quantification (Fetal HQ) technology is a new speckle tracking technology that can analyze the 24-segment morphology and function of fetal ventricles. This study aims to use Fetal HQ to assess the changes in the structure and function of the fetal heart in normal mid to late pregnancy, providing a foundation for the clinical application of fetal cardiac speckle tracking technology. The heart size, global sphericity index (GSI), left ventricular [stroke volume (SV)], cardiac output (CO), ejection fraction (EF), global longitudinal strain (GLS), fractional area change (FAC), 24-segment end-diastolic diameter (EDD), sphericity index (SI) and fractional shortening (FS) of the two ventricles of 500 normal pregnant fetuses were evaluated by Fetal HQ. The subjects were divided into 5 groups according to gestational weeks (GA), and the changes of fetal heart morphology and function were observed. P<0.05 indicated the statistically significant difference. The fetal heart rate decreased gradually with the increase of GA (P<0.05). The size parameters of the fetal heart and two ventricles gradually increased with increasing GA (P<0.05). The 24 segments EDD of both ventricles increased with increasing GA (P<0.05), while the EDD increased first and then decreased from the ventricle base to the apex. The GSI and the 24 segments SI of two ventricles were basically not significantly different among the groups (P>0.05). The EF, GLS, FAC of the left ventricle and the GLS, FAC of the right ventricle decreased with the increase of GA (P<0.05), and SV and CO increased with increasing GA (P<0.05). The 24 segments FS of the left ventricle showed a downward trend with the increase of GA and gradually increased from the base to the apex. The FS of most segments of the right ventricle decreased with the increase of the GA and increased first and then decreased from the base to the apex. The whole and segmental size parameters of fetal heart can quantitatively evaluate the growth and development of fetal heart; the GSI and segmental SI are reliable morphological indexes for evaluating fetal heart; fetal ventricular function parameters EF, FAC, GLS and segmental FS can evaluate fetal cardiac function. The Fetal HQ technique can help us to evaluate the heart growth and development of normal fetuses in the second and third trimester of pregnancy.

Вплив результатів внутрішньосудинного дослідження на безпосередній результат стентування основного стовбура лівої коронарної артерії

The purpose of the study is to optimize the immediate results of stenting of the main trunk of the left coronary artery (LCA) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) using intravascular imaging methods and modern technological approaches.Materials and methods. We present the experience of 186 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease in whom stenting of the Left Main (LM) coronary artery was performed.Results. Patients were divided into 2 groups – group I, «historical» (100 patients), where the intervention was performed without the use of intravascular imaging methods and proximal optimization methods (POT), and group II, which consisted of 86 patients in whom LM stenting was performed using intravascular imaging and modern methods of optimizing the stented segment. In general, groups I and II were comparable. About 20 % of patients had an isolated LM lesion. In other cases, according to the results of coronary angiography, multivessel lesions of the coronary vessels were recorded in the patients. The localization of the lesion was defined as ostial in 7.5 %, stem – 6.9 %, and distal with the involvement of LAD&amp;CX in 85.6 %. Stenting with 1 stent was used in 132 patients (71 % of cases).Analyzing the final size of the stented LM segment in the groups, we noticed, that in group I, this figure was 3.41±0.41 mm, while in group II it was 3.97±0.61 mm (p&lt;0.0001). In 3 patients of group I in 30 day period cardiac death were recorded, in the group II there were 2 (2.3 %) cases of LM dissection treated with additional stent implantation.In 3 patients (3 %) group I sudden cardiac death was registered in the 30-day period. In group II, there were 2 (2.3 %) cases of ossification, which were resolved by additional stent implantation.Conclusions. Intravascular imaging to assess the size and results of the intervention, as well as the use of the POT technique, significantly improves the positioning of the stent in the artery and provides a significantly larger diameter of the stented LM. Adequate optimization of the size of the stented LM can be obtained only with the help of intravascular imaging methods.