Search Results (1,463)

Fish are vital for material cycling and energy flow in aquatic ecosystems. The genus Triplophysa, with over 100 known species, is significant in the Central Asian highlands’ freshwater ecosystems. T. strauchii and T. tenuis, as representatives, occupy distinct ecological niches and face challenges from climate change and human activities. There is a lack of research on Triplophysa fishes’ digestive systems, especially comparative studies, so this research aims to fill this gap. In September 2024, 40 samples of T. strauchii were collected from Sayram Lake and 40 samples of T. tenuis were collected from the Muzat River in Xinjiang. After acclimation, morphological observations (measuring fish and digestive tract parameters) and histological analyses (paraffin sectioning, HE staining, and microscopy) were carried out. The data were sorted in Excel and analyzed with an independent samples t-test in SPSS 27.0. Morphologically, T. strauchii has an obtuse snout, terminal mouth, specific upper lip papillae, and an S-shaped intestine about (1.45 ± 0.11) times its body length, while T. tenuis has an arc-shaped subterminal mouth, fringed papillae, and a spiral-shaped intestine around (0.82 ± 0.09) times its body length. Both possess a digestive tract, glands, and a hepatopancreas attached to the mesentery. Histologically, a large number of club cells were found in the oropharyngeal cavities of both species; their secretions have an adhesive effect on food, aiding food selection. Their digestive systems vary in structure and cell composition: the oropharyngeal cavity has three layers; the esophagus has four layers with more goblet cells in T. strauchii; the stomach has three regions without goblet cells and a thicker muscular layer in T. strauchii; the intestinal wall has four layers with different villi and goblet cell distributions; the hepatopancreas has lobules; and T. strauchii has a typical portal area. In conclusion, this study systematically compared the gastrointestinal systems of T. strauchii and T. tenuis for the first time, revealing significant structural differences related to their niches and feeding patterns as adaptations to specific environments. It fills the research gap, provides a basis for exploring fish ecological adaptation and environmental impacts on digestion, offers new ideas for Triplophysa protection strategies, and guides fish evolutionary biology research and Triplophysa resource protection and utilization. Full article

Lip-reading, a crucial technique to recognize human lip movement patterns for semantic output, has gained increasing attention due to its broad applications in public safety, healthcare, the military, and entertainment. Spatiotemporal feature enhancement techniques have played a significant role in advancing lip-reading research in deep learning. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the latest advancements in methods for lip-reading by exploring key properties of diversity enhancement techniques, involving spatial features, spatiotemporal convolution, attention mechanisms, pulse features, audio-visual features, and so on. Furthermore, according to different network structures, the six spatiotemporal feature enhancement method for lip-reading is offered. And each spatiotemporal feature enhancement method was divided into different subclasses based on the differences in the architecture structure, feature attributes, and application types. Ultimately, this is followed by an in-depth discussion of state-of-the-art spatiotemporal feature enhancement methods, accompanied by an analysis of the challenges and limitations faced, and a discussion of future research directions. From different views, this comprehensive review reveals the limitations and intrinsic disparities among these techniques in different categories for scholars to embark on innovative paths in the advancement of lip-reading. Full article

Background and Clinical Significance: The current study aims to show the diagnostic challenge of mandibular exposed necrotic bone in a patient with locally aggressive cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the lower lip and carrying risk factors for osteoradionecrosis and medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws. Case Presentation: In March 2023, an 80-year-old ex-farmer male patient complaining of feeding difficulty showed a 3 cm area of exposed bone in the left region of the mandible. In July 2020, the patient underwent an incisional biopsy of a lower labial cutaneous keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma, which developed within actinic cheilitis. The cancer was unresectable due to the extent of the local invasion; thus, the patient underwent radiotherapy. In February 2022, the cancer reached the left mandibular canal by completely infiltrating the homolateral canal of the mental nerve. Therefore, the oncologist prescribed cemiplimab and denosumab as palliative immunotherapy. The differential diagnosis included osteoradionecrosis, stage-III medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws, and intraoral localization of the cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. The oral surgeon performed a sequestrectomy under local anesthesia and antibiotic prophylaxis; a histological examination confirmed the hypothesis of medication-related osteonecrosis. The patient currently undergoes follow-up visits monthly; the combination of photobiomodulation therapy and cycles of antibiotics keeps the necrotic lesion steady, and the oncological therapy prevents the growth of the cutaneous squamous cell cancer. Conclusions: The current case supports the need for histological examination to resolve the diagnostic challenge of mandibular exposed necrotic bone and to differentiate among osteoradionecrosis, stage-III medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws, and intraoral localization of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Full article

Visual speech recognition is a technology that relies on visual information, offering unique advantages in noisy environments or when communicating with individuals with speech impairments. However, this technology still faces challenges, such as limited generalization ability due to different speech habits, high recognition error rates caused by confusable phonemes, and difficulties adapting to complex lighting conditions and facial occlusions. This paper proposes a lip reading data augmentation method—Partition-Time Masking (PTM)—to address these challenges and improve lip reading models’ performance and generalization ability. Applying nonlinear transformations to the training data enhances the model’s generalization ability when handling diverse speakers and environmental conditions. A lip-reading recognition model architecture, Swin Transformer and 3D Convolution (ST3D), was designed to overcome the limitations of traditional lip-reading models that use ResNet-based front-end feature extraction networks. By adopting a strategy that combines Swin Transformer and 3D convolution, the proposed model enhances performance. To validate the effectiveness of the Partition-Time Masking data augmentation method, experiments were conducted on the LRW video dataset using the DC-TCN model, achieving a peak accuracy of 92.15%. The ST3D model was validated on the LRW and LRW1000 video datasets, achieving a maximum accuracy of 56.1% on the LRW1000 dataset and 91.8% on the LRW dataset, outperforming current mainstream lip reading models and demonstrating superior performance on challenging easily confused samples. Full article

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is mainly triggered by the abnormal activation of pancreatic enzymes. Obesity acts as an independent risk factor for SAP; however, the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. In this study, SAP models were established in mice with normal and high-fat diets. Subsequently, this study examined ferroptosis and inflammatory markers in pancreas and epididymal adipose tissues. To mimic obesity-related SAP in adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs), lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and palmitic acid (PA) were introduced, and alterations in ferroptosis and inflammation were assessed. To elucidate the regulatory role of cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) in ferroptosis, liproxstatin-1 (Lip-1) and sulfosuccinimidyl oleate sodium (SSO) were utilized for in-depth analysis in the pancreas, epididymal adipose tissues, and ATMs. Our findings suggest that obesity aggravates ferroptosis in pancreas tissue, epididymal adipose tissues, and ATMs during SAP, as evidenced by increased lipid peroxidation, elevated Fe²⁺ levels, and alterations in ferroptosis markers, while these alterations were regained by Lip-1. Notably, CD36 levels were significantly increased in pancreatic tissue, epididymal adipose tissue, and ATMs, indicating that CD36 promotes ferroptosis and induces inflammation. SSO treatment alleviated changes in ferroptosis markers and reduced inflammation. Western blot results showed that CD36 promoted ferroptosis through the acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4)/glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) axis in pancreatic tissue, while a similar regulatory role was mediated by the ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1)/GPX4 axis and ATMs. These findings demonstrate that CD36 induces inflammation by facilitating ferroptosis in pancreas tissue, epididymal adipose tissue, and ATMs in obesity-related SAP. The inhibition of CD36 could provide novel viewpoints for the prevention and treatment of obesity-related SAP. Full article

Nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL ± P) is strongly associated with both environmental and genetic risk factors, but its genetic underpinnings remain partially known. While variants in interferon regulatory factor 6 (IRF6) are linked to NSCL ± P risk in populations from Asia and Europe, studies on the highly admixed Brazilian population are scarce and have produced ambiguous results. This study aimed to investigate the contribution of IRF6 variants to the risk of NSCL ± P. Five tag-single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs599021, rs2073485, rs2235375, rs7552506, and rs642961) were analyzed in a large multicenter cohort composed of 1006 patients with NSCL ± P and 942 healthy controls. Statistical analyses involved multiple logistic regression tests consideration the tri-hybrid genetic origin of the Brazilian population, under a Bonferroni p value correcting for multiple comparisons. The A allele (OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.22–1.67, p < 0.0001) and AA genotype (OR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.46–2.86, p < 0.0001) frequencies of rs642961 were significantly associated with NSCL ± P risk. Stratified analyses indicated that the variant is associated with susceptibility to both nonsyndromic cleft lip only (NSCLO) and nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate (NSCLP). However, the association with NSCLO was primarily observed in patients with high African ancestry, whereas the association with NSCLP was predominantly seen in patients with high European ancestry. No significant associations were found for the other investigated variants. Our results support the notion that the IRF6 rs642961 variant represents a marker of susceptibility to NSCL ± P in the Brazilian population, and that genetic ancestry composition plays a central role in the association with the cleft type. Full article

Objective: Relaxation delivered via audiotapes can reduce stress and improve wound healing. Virtual humans are a promising technology to deliver relaxation, but robust research is needed into their effectiveness. This randomised controlled trial investigated whether relaxation delivered by a virtual human could improve healing and reduce stress after an experimental wound. Methods: A total of 159 healthy adults underwent a tape-stripping wounding procedure and were randomly assigned to relaxation delivered by a virtual human, human audiotape, or a control condition. Skin barrier recovery (SBR) was measured by assessing changes in transepidermal water loss at baseline, post-tape-stripping, and post-intervention. Psychological and physiological variables were measured over the session. Participants’ perceptions of the interventions were assessed. Results: There were no significant differences in SBR between conditions. All conditions experienced significant improvements in the psychological variables, heart rate, and cortisol over time. After controlling for the baseline values, the virtual human and audiotape conditions were significantly more relaxed post-intervention than the control condition (p = 0.005), the audiotape condition had lower post-intervention anxiety than the control condition (p = 0.016), and alpha-amylase was significantly reduced in the virtual human group compared with the audiotape (p = 0.041). The audiotape received the highest satisfaction and engagement ratings, with qualitative results suggesting the appearance and lip-syncing of the virtual human could be improved. Conclusions: Relaxation instructions delivered by a virtual human increased participants’ relaxation levels with similar effects to traditional audiotapes. Furthermore, it reduced physiological stress indices. Further work with other wound types and stressed samples is needed. The voice and interactiveness of the virtual human should be improved to promote greater engagement and satisfaction. Full article

Background: The lower third of the face plays a crucial role in overall facial harmony, and age-related volume loss in areas such as the pre-jowl region, labiomental folds, and lips can significantly impact esthetic appearance. High-resolution ultrasound is helpful for identifying key structures, such as the facial artery, parotid gland, and masseter muscle, which are critical to avoid during filler injections. Objectives: This article, the final installment in a three-part series on ultrasound-guided facial injections, provides an in-depth analysis of the sonographic anatomy of the lower face, including the mandibular, marionette, and chin regions. Methods: This article outlines step-by-step techniques for ultrasound-guided filler procedures, with a focus on the importance of pre- and intra-procedural scanning to ensure safe and accurate filler placement. Results: By employing techniques like “scan before injecting” and “scan while injecting”, injectors aim to reduce risks such as vascular occlusion, muscle injection, and skin necrosis. Discussion: The use of ultrasound guidance in these regions enhances both esthetic outcomes and patient safety, providing optimal results while minimizing complications. With continued advancements, ultrasound-guided injections will become increasingly precise, enabling more targeted and safer treatments in the lower face. Full article

Background/Objectives: Iron overload is a serious condition that can increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to oxidative tissue damage and organ dysfunction. While current pharmaceutical drugs for iron chelation have limitations, the search for natural herbs with iron-chelating properties is crucial. This study aimed to explore the various biological functions of the Perilla frutescens seed, regarding antioxidant activity and hepatoprotective and iron-chelating properties. Methods:Perilla frutescens seeds were subjected to extraction using a solvent-partitioning technique. Each fraction was evaluated for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and rosmarinic acid (RA) content by Folin–Ciocalteu assay, aluminum chloride colorimetric assay, and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), respectively. Antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. The inhibition of lipid peroxidation was evaluated using the TBARS assay in HepG2 cells and an egg yolk model. The iron-chelating activity was examined using a ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe³⁺-NTA)-binding assay, labile iron pool (LIP) level assessment, and the transferrin receptor (TfR) expression in HepG2 cells. Results: Phytochemical analysis indicated that the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction had the highest TPC, TFC, and RA. This fraction demonstrated strong antioxidant properties and attenuated lipid peroxidation in HepG2 cells and egg yolk. In addition, this fraction exhibited iron-binding activity, decreased LIP levels, and induced TfR expression in iron-loaded HepG2 cells similar to the rosmarinic acid standard. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the EtOAc fraction of the Perilla frutescens seed possesses promising potential as a therapeutic agent for treating iron overload. Full article

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most prevalent cancer in males globally, impacting one out of every six males. However, the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy on PCa is restricted. Methods: To address this, we developed a tumor-targeted multifunctional liposomal platform (PTX-PS/Zn@Lip-Apt) for zinc-enhanced chemo-photodynamic therapy of PCa. Co-delivery of PTX and an aggregation-induced emission photosensitizer (TPEDPD) enables combined chemotherapy and photody-namic therapy. Zinc ions were loaded into liposomes to improve the chemosensitivity of PCa to chemodrugs. Then, the AS1411 aptamer was further modified onto the sur-face of the liposome to enhance its tumor targeting ability. Moreover, to improve the cellular uptake efficiency of the nanoparticles, the photochemical internalization (PCI) strategy was also employed. Results: In vitro experiments indicated that aptamer conjugation and PCI application enhanced the cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of PTX/PS-Zn@Lip-Apt. The zinc ion enhanced cytotoxicity could also be found. In vivo experiments demonstrated the good antitumor effect and biosafety of PTX/PS-Zn@Lip-Apt. Conclusions: Our findings provide an important basis for innovatively applying zinc-enhanced combined chemo-photodynamic therapy in prostate cancer. Full article

Doxorubicin (DOX), an anthracycline chemotherapeutic agent, demonstrates efficacy against various types of cancer. Combining DOX with the antihypertensive drug hydralazine (HDZ) has been proposed as cardioprotective combination therapy, allowing for the use of a reduced DOX dose. The current study describes the remote co-loading of DOX and HDZ into PEGylated liposomes using, for the first time, a simultaneous pH gradient technique. First, PEGylated liposomes were prepared using an ethanol injection method and remotely loaded with DOX and HDZ. Then, DOX- and HDZ-loaded liposomes (Lip-DOX-HDZ) were characterized using DLS, TEM, FTIR, thermal analysis, drug leakage, and stability. Furthermore, the cellular uptake and cytotoxicity were evaluated in two human breast cancer cell lines (MCF7 and MDA-MB-231) and two normal cell lines (human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) and rat cardiac cells (H9C2)). The results revealed that Lip-DOX-HDZ had a particle size of 158 ± 18 nm, PDI of 0.22 ± 0.08, and zeta potential of −22 ± 5 mV. The encapsulation efficiency of DOX and HDZ was 90% and 30%, respectively. Moreover, the IC₅₀ values of Lip-DOX-HDZ showed higher cytotoxicity against the MDA-MB-231 (5.5 ± 0.4 µM) and MCF7 (6.25 ± 0.9 µM) breast cancer cell lines compared to normal cells: HDF cells (20 ± 3.0 µM) and H9C2 cardiac cells (19.37 ± 2.0 µM). Our study found that remotely loaded Lip-DOX-HDZ showed a ~4-fold lower toxicity and selectivity for normal cells (HDFs and H9C2), compared to breast cancer cells. This suggests that Lip-DOX-HDZ is a promising nanocarrier for both DOX and HDZ, clinically potent molecules. Full article

By 2050, 700 million people will have hearing loss, requiring rehabilitation services. For about 80% of deaf and hard-hearing individuals, face coverings hinders their ability to lip-read. Also, the normal hearing population experiences issues socializing when wearing face masks. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate and further develop transparent face masks. In this work, the properties of polymers used in ten commercial transparent face masks were determined. The chemical composition of the polymers including nose bridges and ear loops was determined by FTIR spectroscopy. The focus of the characterizations was on the polymers in the transparent portion of each face mask. In half of the masks, the transparent portion contained PET, while in the other masks it consisted of PETG, PC, iPP, PVC, or SR (silicone rubber). Most masks had been coated with anti-fog material, and a few with scratch-resistant compounds, as indicated by XRF/EDX, SEM/EDX, and contact angle measurements. Thermal, molecular weight, and mechanical properties were determined by TGA/DSC, SEC, and tensile tests, respectively. To measure optical properties, UV-Vis reflectance and UV-Vis haze were applied. An assessment of the ten masks and recommendations to develop better transparent face masks were made, including improvement of their sustainability. Full article

Background: When defects occur in the lips due to conditions such as lip cancer, it is essential to reconstruct them both functionally and aesthetically, given the vital roles that lips play in communication, nutrition, and overall appearance. Various flap techniques are available for lip reconstruction, and the surgical method should be chosen based on the location and extent of the defect. Methods: This article discusses two cases of successful lip reconstruction using a combination of the Abbe flap and additional flaps, tailored to the extent of the defects. In case 1, a 52-year-old female diagnosed with angiosarcoma underwent a wide resection of 1/3 to 2/3 of her upper lip. Reconstruction was performed using an Abbe flap combined with a perialar crescentic flap. In case 2, a 54-year-old male with squamous cell carcinoma had more than 2/3 of his lower lip excised. Although the Bernard–Burrow–Webster flap is typically used for such cases, the patient was reconstructed with an Abbe flap combined with a staircase flap, addressing the limitations of traditional methods. Results: Both reconstruction surgeries achieved excellent aesthetic and functional outcomes. In case 1, the combination of the Abbe flap and perialar crescentic flap provided the patient with a natural appearance and preserved lip functionality. In case 2, the Abbe flap and staircase flap technique effectively restored lip function while avoiding complications such as microstomia and surgical scars associated with more conventional methods. Conclusions: The findings underscore that using the Abbe flap in combination with the perialar crescentic advancement flap or staircase flap can effectively restore both the functional and aesthetic integrity of the lips, particularly in cases involving significant tissue loss. Full article

Impeded by the limited light penetration of photodynamic therapy (PDT) to tissues and the hypoxic environment of solid tumors, the clinical therapeutic efficacy and application are below expectations. In this study, a glutathione (GSH)-responsive nano-photosensitizer, based on the chlorquinaldol (CQD)-loaded iron-containing nanorod composed of meso-tetra (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin (TCPP), was prepared to serve as the laser-ignited ferroptosis sensitizer to improve the tumoricidal effect of PDT. In the tumor microenvironment (TME) with elevated GSH levels, therapeutic cargos and ferrous ions are released and are accompanied by the degradation of the nano-photosensitizer and GSH exhaustion. This not only increases liable iron pool (LIP) accumulation by the released ferrous ions but also decreases glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) activity by GSH exhaustion. Simultaneously, GSH exhaustion disrupts intracellular redox homeostasis, heightening NIR light irradiation-triggered photosensitive oxidative stress. Moreover, the released CQD elevates the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), enabling the nanorods to gain an oxygen radical generation ability and enhancing the photosensitive oxidative therapeutic efficacy. Strikingly, CQD exacerbates the downregulation of GPX4 expression to promote the accumulation of lipid peroxides. Therefore, we herald a new paradigm for synergistically potentiating PDT based on the “all-in-one” nano-photosensitizer through the multi-pronged upregulation of ferroptosis sensitivity. Full article

This work presents the modified Lagrange interpolating polynomial (MLIP) method, which aims to provide a straightforward procedure for deriving accurate analytical approximations of a given function. The method introduces an exponential function with several parameters which multiplies one of the terms of a Lagrange interpolating polynomial. These parameters will adjust their values to ensure that the proposed approximation passes through several points of the target function, while also adopting the correct values of its derivative at several points, showing versatility. Lagrange interpolating polynomials (LIPs) present the problem of introducing oscillatory terms and are, therefore, expected to provide poor approximations for the derivative of a given function. We will see that one of the relevant contributions of MLIPs is that their approximations contain fewer oscillatory terms compared to those obtained by LIPs when both approximations pass through the same points of the function to be represented; consequently, better MLIP approximations are expected. A comparison of the results obtained by MLIPs with those from other methods reported in the literature highlights the method’s potential as a useful tool for obtaining accurate analytical approximations when interpolating a set of points. It is expected that this work contributes to break the paradigm that an effective modification of a known method has to be lengthy and complex. Full article