Search Results (326)

Fat embolism is a critical medical emergency often resulting from long bone fractures or amputations, leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, a key regulator of innate immunity, is activated by reactive oxygen species and tissue damage, contributing to inflammatory responses. This study examines the role of NLRP3 in fat embolism-induced ARDS and evaluates the therapeutic potential of MCC950, a selective NLRP3 antagonist. Fat embolism was induced by fatty micelle injection into the tail vein of Sprague Dawley rats. Pulmonary injury was assessed through lung weight gain as an edema indicator, NLRP3 expression via Western blot, and IL-1β levels using ELISA. Histological damage and macrophage infiltration were evaluated with hematoxylin and eosin staining. Fat embolism significantly increased pulmonary NLRP3 expression, lipid peroxidation, IL-1β release, and macrophage infiltration within four hours, accompanied by severe pulmonary edema. NLRP3 was localized in type I alveolar cells, co-localizing with aquaporin 5. Administration of MCC950 significantly reduced inflammatory responses, lipid peroxidation, pulmonary edema, and histological damage, while attenuating MAPK cascade phosphorylation of ERK and Raf. These findings suggest that NLRP3 plays a critical role in fat embolism-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome, and its inhibition by MCC950 may offer a promising therapeutic approach. Full article

Chronic postsurgical or posttraumatic pain (CPSP) is a persistent pain condition lasting beyond three months after tissue injury, often associated with neuropathic features and pathological angiogenesis. This study investigated the feasibility, safety, and therapeutic potential of transarterial embolization (TAE) in patients with CPSP arising from prior musculoskeletal surgeries or interventions. Six patients with refractory pain and imaging evidence of abnormal neovascularization were retrospectively reviewed. TAE was performed using imipenem/cilastatin particles to selectively target pathological vasculature. Eleven procedures were conducted, achieving 100% technical and clinical success. Mean Numeric Rating Scale scores improved significantly from 7.8 at baseline to 1.3 at final follow-up (p < 0.001). No major adverse events occurred, and follow-up imaging demonstrated resolution of inflammation in selected cases. These results support the role of TAE as a minimally invasive treatment option for intervention-related CPSP involving the musculoskeletal system, and further prospective studies are warranted. Full article

The intranasal delivery of exogenous mitochondria is a potential therapy for Parkinson’s disease (PD). The regulatory mechanisms and effectiveness in genetic models remains uncertain, as well as the impact of modulating the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) in grafts. Utilizing UQCRC1 (p.Tyr314Ser) knock-in mice, and a cellular model, this study validated the transplantation of mitochondria with or without cyclosporin A (CsA) preloading as a method to treat mitochondrial dysfunction and improve disease progression through intranasal delivery. Liver-derived mitochondria were labeled with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), incubated with CsA to inhibit mPTP opening, and were administered weekly via the nasal route to 6-month-old mice for six months. Both treatment groups showed significant locomotor improvements in open-field tests. PET imaging showed increased striatal tracer uptake, indicating enhanced dopamine synthesis capacity. The immunohistochemical analysis revealed increased neuron survival in the dentate gyrus, a higher number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) and striatum (ST), and a thicker granule cell layer. In SN neurons, the function of mitochondrial complex III was reinstated. Additionally, the CsA-accumulated mitochondria reduced more proinflammatory cytokine levels, yet their therapeutic effectiveness was similar to that of unmodified mitochondria. External mitochondria were detected in multiple brain areas through BrdU tracking, showing a 3.6-fold increase in the ST compared to the SN. In the ST, about 47% of TH-positive neurons incorporated exogenous mitochondria compared to 8% in the SN. Notably, GFAP-labeled striatal astrocytes (ASTs) also displayed external mitochondria, while MBP-labeled striatal oligodendrocytes (OLs) did not. On the other hand, fewer ASTs and increased OLs were noted, along with lower S100β levels, indicating reduced reactive gliosis and a more supportive environment for OLs. Intranasally, mitochondrial transplantation showed neuroprotective effects in genetic PD, validating a noninvasive therapeutic approach. This supports mitochondrial recovery and is linked to anti-inflammatory responses and glial modulation. Full article

Bilingual communication is increasingly prevalent in this globally connected world, where cultural exchanges and international interactions are unavoidable. Existing automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems are often limited to single languages. However, the growing demand for bilingual ASR in human–computer interactions, particularly in medical services, has become indispensable. This article addresses this need by creating an application programming interface (API)-based platform using VOSK, a popular open-source single-language ASR toolkit, to efficiently deploy a self-evaluated bilingual ASR system that seamlessly handles both primary and secondary languages in tasks like Mandarin–English mixed-speech recognition. The mixed error rate (MER) is used as a performance metric, and a workflow is outlined for its calculation using the edit distance algorithm. Results show a remarkable reduction in the Mandarin–English MER, dropping from ∼65% to under 13%, after implementing the self-evaluation framework and mixed-language algorithms. These findings highlight the importance of a well-designed system to manage the complexities of mixed-language speech recognition, offering a promising method for building a bilingual ASR system using existing monolingual models. The framework might be further extended to a trilingual or multilingual ASR system by preparing mixed-language datasets and computer development without involving complex training. Full article

Introduction: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a treatment for knee pain, but some patients are not satisfied with their outcomes. Utilizing shared decision making (SDM) can lead to better decisions, satisfaction, and fewer regrets. However, healthcare professionals have little knowledge of risk factors for regret. The aim of this study is to evaluate decisional regret using the Decision Regret Scale (DRS) after primary TKA among patients who engaged in SDM. Method: A total of 118 patients who underwent TKA surgery between March 2020 and May 2022 participated in this study, and they were able to reflect on their outcomes. The primary outcome was decisional regret assessed using the DRS, and the secondary outcome was post-operative pain at a three-month follow-up, measured using the Lequesne Index. Result: The study found that 49% of the patients reported no regret, 25% reported mild regret, and 26% reported moderate-to-severe regret. There was a significant correlation between greater levels of decision regret and a higher three-month Lequesne Index. Post-operative pain and post-operative mobility status and the range of motion of the knee joint were also strongly correlated. Conclusion: The study found that more than half of the patients undergoing primary TKAs experienced regret even following SDM counseling. Regret levels were associated with higher post-operative pain and poorer mobility. This underscores the importance of informing patients about potential adverse effects of TKA to manage their expectations and reduce regret in future SDM interviews. Practice implications: This study incorporated patient perspectives through their direct engagement in the SDM process prior to surgery. Patients participated in the design of the SDM framework, which included educational pamphlets and structured interviews to assess their values and preferences. Their involvement ensured that the SDM procedure was tailored to patient-centered outcomes. Furthermore, the follow-up assessments were conducted with patients to evaluate decisional regret and post-operative outcomes, providing valuable insights into the effectiveness of the SDM process. By actively participating in the research through decision making and outcome reflection, the patients contributed to the understanding of factors influencing decisional regret after undergoing TKA. Full article

Gene therapy for hemophilia B offers the advantage of a single administration with sustained therapeutic effects. This study evaluated the systemic safety, efficacy, biodistribution, and immunogenicity of AAV8-FIX-TripleL, a recombinant adeno-associated virus type 8 (AAV8) vector encoding a modified factor IX (FIX) variant with increased activity. In this good laboratory practice (GLP)-compliant study, 180 male FIX-knockout hemophilia B mice were randomized into 12 groups (n = 15) and received intravenous AAV8-FIX-TripleL at therapeutic (5 × 10¹¹ VG/kg) or supraphysiological (5 × 10¹² VG/kg) doses on Day 1. The mice were sacrificed on Days 2, 15, 28, and 91 for comprehensive evaluations, including hematological and biochemical assessments, histopathological examination, FIX protein/activity analysis, immunogenicity assessment, and vector biodistribution via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in major organs. AAV8-FIX-TripleL demonstrated dose-dependent increases in FIX activity and protein levels, with FIX activity exceeding physiological levels and the maintenance of a favorable safety profile. Biodistribution analysis confirmed predominant hepatic accumulation and vector persistence up to 91 days post-injection, with minimal off-target distribution. These findings indicate that AAV8-FIX-TripleL is a promising gene therapy candidate for hemophilia B, as it has robust expression, sustained efficacy, and a favorable safety profile, and that further translational studies are warranted. Full article

Background: This study aimed to compare the effects of an eight-week horizontal versus vertical vector resistance training program on swim start performance and lower-limb neuromuscular function in competitive swimmers. Methods: A total of 16 collegiate swimmers (14 males and 2 females; height: 176.3 ± 10 cm; body mass: 68.8 ± 10.3 kg; age: 20.5 ± 2.3 year) were assigned to either a horizontal vector training (HOR) or a vertical vector training (VER) group and completed an eight-week training program. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included flight time, flight distance, underwater speed, 15 m swim speed, 25 m swim speed, and force–time metrics within both concentric and eccentric phases of the countermovement jump and squat jumps. Results: No group or interaction effects were observed. However, time effects were found for flight distance (↑ 4.1–5.5%), flight time (↑ 6.2–12%), 15 m swim speed (↑ 0.3–0.7%), and jump performance. The HOR showed more favorable within-group trends in regards to swim start performance and concentric performance of countermovement and squat jumps. Moderate correlations (r = 0.450–0.476) were found between changes in concentric jump variables and 15 m swim speed. Conclusions: These results suggest that both vertical and horizontal vector resistance training can improve lower-limb neuromuscular performance and swim start performance. Full article

Breath-actuated nebulizers used in aerosol therapy are vital to children and patients with disabilities and stand out for their ability to accurat ely deliver medication while minimizing waste. Their performance can be measured according to the mass output and droplet size. This study aimed to analyze how the baffle impact surface geometries affect the pressure and flow streamlines inside the nebulizer using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Computer-aided design models of conical symmetric, conical asymmetric, and arc-shaped baffle designs were analyzed using CFD simulations, with the optimal spray output validated through the differences in mass. Conical baffles exhibited superior pressure distribution and output streamlines at 0.25 cm protrusion, suggesting that the nebulizer spray performance can be enhanced by using such a conical baffle impact surface. This result serves as a valuable reference for future research. Full article

Metabolic syndrome (MetS), characterized by obesity, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia, is a major risk factor for renal injury. Oxidative stress (OxS) plays a pivotal role in its progression; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we established a rat model of MetS using a high-fat diet combined with a single-dose streptozotocin injection in male Wistar rats. MetS rats exhibited systemic OxS, evidenced by elevated circulating levels of free oxygen radicals and decreased antioxidant defense capacity, as well as hypertension, renal lipid peroxidation, glomerular hyperfiltration, and renal tubular injury. Transcriptomic profiling of renal tissue revealed significant downregulation of six OxS-related genes: C-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5), glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit, glutathione peroxidase 6, recombination activating gene 2, NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1, and selenoprotein P-1. Among these downregulated genes, CCL5 was further confirmed to be repressed at both mRNA and protein levels across intrarenal and systemic compartments. Given its documented functions in immune signaling and redox homeostasis, CCL5 downregulation may contribute to enhanced oxidative damage in MetS-associated renal injury. These findings highlight the role of redox gene dysregulation in the pathogenesis of MetS-related kidney disease and support the potential of CCL5 as a biomarker for oxidative renal injury. Full article

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) frequently involves cervical lymph node (LN) metastases and is a major determinant of prognosis and recurrence. However, cytology alone has limitations. Fine-needle aspiration thyroglobulin (FNA-Tg) has emerged as a promising diagnostic marker, although its cutoff value remains controversial, particularly in patients with thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAbs). We retrospectively analyzed 63 LNs of 60 patients with PTC at a single medical center. Patients underwent FNA-Tg measurements and concurrent cytological evaluation. Diagnostic performance metrics, including sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, and overall accuracy, were evaluated; the cutoff value was determined; and the potential influence of factors such as TgAb on FNA-Tg levels was investigated. A cutoff value of 4.23 ng/mL for FNA-Tg achieved 100% sensitivity and 90.2% specificity, with an overall accuracy of 93.6%. TgAb positivity did not significantly affect the diagnostic performance in patients with FNA-Tg. FNA-Tg might be useful for detecting local LN recurrence and providing valuable diagnostic insights, particularly in patients with residual thyroid tissue or positive TgAbs. Full article

This study was conducted at SPINLab. The full-scale experiments were performed using two experimental spaces of identical specifications to investigate the effects of electrochromic film (OG + EC_ON or OG + EC_OFF) on indoor environment and air conditioning electricity consumption in buildings with different orientations (East and West). The electricity-saving effects are more pronounced on the building’s west-facing side than on its east-facing side. For the east-facing side, the average electricity savings for OG + EC_ON and OG + EC_OFF were 4.5%, and 5.1%, respectively. For the west-facing side, the average electricity savings increased to 9.2% and 9.4% for OG + EC_ON and OG + EC_OFF. The research results on thermal comfort indicate (PMV) that applying electrochromic film (OG + EC_ON or OG + EC_OFF) significantly improved indoor thermal comfort compared to using clear glass (OG) alone. The visual comfort analysis results indicate that the opaque (OG + EC_OFF) and transparent (OG + EC_ON) states of electrochromic film could reduce daylight glare probability (DGP) values. However, due to the light-scattering properties of the liquid crystal droplets, the OG + EC_OFF and OG + EC_ON states of the electrochromic film increased DGP values in 26.5% and 41.5% of the cases, respectively, when sunlight directly entered the interior. Full article

Water pesticide contamination represents a major threat to ecological systems and public health, particularly in agricultural regions. Although conventional detection methods such as liquid chromatography and electrochemical analysis are highly accurate, they are expensive, require skilled operators, and cannot provide real-time results. This study developed a portable miniaturized electrochemical analysis platform based on cyclic voltammetry (CV) for rapid pesticide detection. The platform was compared with a commercial electrochemical analyzer and yielded similar performance in detecting chlorpyrifos at different concentrations. When ultrapure water was used as the background solution, the total area under the CV curve exhibited a linear correlation (R² = 0.89) with the pesticide concentration, indicating its potential as a characteristic index. When molecularly imprinted polymers were added, the platform achieved a limit of detection of 50 ppm, with the area under the CV curve maintaining a logarithmic linear relationship (R² = 0.98) with the pesticide concentration. These findings confirm the total area under the CV curve as the most reliable characteristic index for pesticide quantification. Overall, the proposed platform offers portability, straightforward operation, cost-effectiveness, and expandability, making it promising for on-site environmental monitoring. By incorporating GPS functionality, the platform can provide real-time pesticide concentration mapping, supporting its use in precision agriculture and water quality management. Full article

Modern education is characterized by diversity and the need for extensibility. Educational experimental platforms are rapidly evolving according to these factors. However, software and hardware are provided by major domestic manufacturers, which imposes limitations on the development of teaching materials. We investigate the implementation of a rotational inverted pendulum control system within the NI ELVIS III embedded system. The mathematical model of the rotational inverted pendulum is constructed using Lagrangian equations and then represented in matrix form. Following linearization of the nonlinear state equations, the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) controller of the rotational inverted pendulum apparatus is designed and implemented on the NI ELVIS III embedded system by using LabVIEW graphical programming software. Illustrations are generated to compare the continuous tracking performance of LQR and PID controllers with preset target values. The results are then analyzed to evaluate and contrast the effectiveness of both control strategies in tracking the target values. The findings of this study enhance the development of educational content related to the ELVIS III embedded system’s experimental platform. Full article

Background: The optimal timing of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) application in acute respiratory failure patients remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the impact of HFNC on the outcomes of patients with acute respiratory failure, focusing on its use after extubation. Methods: This multicenter retrospective study enrolled adult acute respiratory failure patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation during the first major outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan from April to July 2021. Endpoints included prognosis after extubation as 28-day post-extubation mortality. Results: Among the patients, 107 received HFNC before intubation and 461 received conventional oxygen therapy (COT). Pre-intubation HFNC failure did not significantly affect hospital mortality but was associated with prolonged durations of mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit stay. Among 375 patients who underwent planned extubation, 158 received post-extubation HFNC and 217 received COT. HFNC application after extubation was associated with significantly reduced post-extubation 28-day mortality compared with COT. Conclusions: HFNC application after extubation is associated with reduced post-extubation 28-day mortality risks in acute respiratory failure patients who received planned extubation. Full article

Wind power generation plays an important role in renewable energy, and the core casting components have extremely high requirements for precision and quality. In actual practice, we found that an insufficient workforce limits traditional manual inspection methods and often creates difficulty in unifying quality judgment standards. Customized optical path design is often required, especially when conducting internal and external defect inspections, which increases overall operational complexity and reduces inspection efficiency. We developed an automated optical inspection (AOI) system to address these challenges. The system integrates a semantic segmentation neural network to handle external surface detection and an anomaly detection model to detect internal defects. In terms of internal defect detection, the GC-AD-Local model we tested achieved 100% accuracy on experimental images, and the results were relatively stable. In the external detection part, we compared five different semantic segmentation models and found that MobileNetV2 performed the best in terms of average accuracy (65.8%). It was incredibly stable when dealing with surface defects with significant shape variations, and the prediction results were more consistent, making it more suitable for introduction into actual production line applications. Overall, this AOI system boosts inspection efficiency and quality consistency, reduces reliance on manual experience, and is of great assistance in quality control and process intelligence for wind power castings. We look forward to further expanding the amount of data and improving the generalization capabilities of the model in the future, making the system more complete and suitable for practical applications. Full article