Search Results (749)

The use of a stochastic artificial neural network (SANN) implemented on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) provides a promising method of performing image recognition on event camera recordings, however, challenges exist due to the fact that event camera data has an inherent unevenness in the timing at which data is sent out of the camera. This paper proposes a sampling system to overcome this challenge, by which all “events” occurring at specific timestamps in an event camera recording are selected (sampled) to be processed and sent to the SANN at regular intervals. This system is implemented on an FPGA in SystemVerilog, and to test it, simulated event camera data is sent to the system from a computer running MATLAB (version 2022+). The sampling system is shown to be functional. Analysis is shown demonstrating its performance regarding data sparsity, time convergence, normalization, repeatability, range, and some characteristics of the hold system. Full article

Background/Objectives: Oral health (OH) in early childhood is a key determinant of long-term well-being, shaped by parenting-related dietary and hygiene habits. While these influences are well-documented, they remain underexplored among Brazilian immigrant families in the United States (U.S.). Therefore, this study was designed to examine how Brazilian immigrant parents’ perceptions and practices regarding diet and oral hygiene affect their preschool-aged children’s OH. Methods: This qualitative study consisted of in-depth interviews with Brazilian immigrant parents of preschool-aged children (ages 2–5) living in the U.S. Individual, in-depth interviews were conducted via Zoom, recorded, and transcribed in Brazilian Portuguese. Two native Brazilian researchers experienced in qualitative methods conducted a thematic analysis of the transcripts in Brazilian Portuguese using MAXQDA, a qualitative data analysis software. The analysis focused on identifying key perceptions, parenting practices, and barriers related to children’s diet and OH. Results: Parents strongly associated sugary foods with poor OH, identifying sugar as a major contributor to dental issues. Both mothers and fathers reported limiting sugar intake and encouraging good oral hygiene practices. While parents prioritized educating their children on healthy habits, barriers such as time constraints, reliance on external childcare, and economic limitations affected the consistent implementation of strategies. Conclusions: Brazilian immigrant parents understand the importance of diet and oral hygiene in in supporting their children’s early OH but face barriers in broader social contexts, such as daycare, preschools, and communities. Interventions should aim to support parents in their caregiving roles while simultaneously addressing systemic and environmental obstacles. Public health efforts should account for cultural, economic, and contextual factors to more effectively support Brazilian immigrant families in promoting their children’s OH. Full article

Natural and man-made disasters are occurring more frequently, making household emergency preparedness essential for an effective response. Enrollees of the World Trade Center Health Registry have been found to be less prepared than the US national average despite their prior disaster exposure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of two interventions—a mailed brochure and a structured phone call—for increasing emergency preparedness knowledge among this population. We conducted a two-arm parallel group trial between February 2019 and August 2020. Participants were Registry enrollees who completed the Wave 4 Registry (2015–2016) survey, whose primary language was English or Spanish, who lived in New York City, and who did not report being a rescue and recovery worker affiliated with FDNY or NYPD. Enrollees were randomized to receive either a brochure by mail summarizing the components of emergency preparedness or a 15 min phone call describing the same. The primary outcome measure was the number of “yes” responses to the ten-item CDC CASPER emergency preparedness questionnaire, measured at baseline and post-intervention. Enrollees were sequentially alternatively assigned to either the brochure or phone call groups. In total, 705 enrollees were assigned to the brochure (n = 353) or phone call (n = 352) groups, and a total of 702 enrollees were analyzed. The Incident Rate Ratio (IRR) for the effect of time was 1.17 (95% CI = (1.14, 1.20)) and for intervention was 1.00 (95% CI = (0.95, 1.05)) Both the brochure and phone call interventions improved knowledge of emergency preparedness from baseline to post-intervention assessment, and to the same extent. Full article

Accurate short-term wave forecasting is critical for the safe and efficient operation of marine structures that rely on real-time, phase-resolved ocean wave information for control and monitoring purposes (e.g., digital twins). These systems often depend on environmental sensors (e.g., waverider buoys, wave-sensing LIDAR). Challenges arise when upstream sensor data are missing, sparse, or phase-shifted due to drift. This study investigates the performance of two machine learning models, time-series dense encoder (TiDE) and long short-term memory (LSTM), for forecasting phase-resolved ocean surface elevations under varying degrees of data degradation. We introduce the $\tau$-trimming algorithm, which adapts the prediction horizon based on uncertainty thresholds derived from historical forecasts. Numerical wave tank (NWT) and wave basin experiments are used to benchmark model performance under short- and long-term data masking, spatially coarse sensor grids, and upstream phase shifts. Results show under a 50% probability of upstream data loss, the $\tau$-trimmed TiDE model achieves a 46% reduction in error at the most upstream target, compared to 22% for LSTM. Furthermore, phase misalignment in upstream data introduces a near-linear increase in forecast error. Under moderate model settings, a ±3 s misalignment increases the mean absolute error by approximately 0.5 m, while the same error is accumulated at ±4 s using the more conservative approach. These findings inform the design of resilient, uncertainty-aware wave forecasting systems suited for realistic offshore sensing environments. Full article

Evaluation of semen quality is crucial for predicting fertility success in artificial insemination and eventual rooster selection within poultry breeding programs. However, the multitude of parameters obtained in semen quality analysis makes it challenging for breeders to make informed selection decisions. This study evaluated semen samples from 210 roosters in seven chicken breeds, using a computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA) system. A multivariate approach utilizing factor analysis (FA) was applied to simplify the data. The FA condensed 14 semen quality traits into 3 factors, linearity factor, velocity factor, and quantitative factor, explaining 75.82% of the original variations. The Beijing-You breed was selected to analyze the association between fertility and these semen quality factors, and we found high correlation between fertility and quantitative (r = 0.84) and linearity (r = 0.63) factors, and low correlation with the velocity factor (r = 0.19). Based on individual factor scores, breed clustering revealed distinct profiles with Houdan, Tibetan, and White Leghorn demonstrating lower sperm counts and poor linearity. Columbian Plymouth Rock exhibited high speed with poor linearity while Beijing-You, Rhode Island Red, and Barred Plymouth Rock displayed higher sperm counts with compromised speed and linearity. This study demonstrates that FA effectively consolidates multiple semen quality traits into fewer, biologically relevant factors. These findings provide valuable insights into breed-specific reproductive characteristics and offer actionable information for optimizing breeding in poultry production. Full article

Background: Monitoring knee range of motion (ROM) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) via clinically deployed wearable motion sensors is increasingly common. Prior work from our own lab showed promising results in one wearable motion sensor system; however, we did not investigate errors across different activities. Accordingly, herein we conducted secondary analyses of error using wearable inertial measurement units (IMUs) quantifying sagittal knee angles across activities in TKA patients. Methods: After Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, TKA patients were recruited for participation in two visits (n = 20 enrolled, n = 5 lost to follow-up). Following a sensor tutorial (MotionSense, Stryker, Mahwah, NJ, USA), sensors and motion capture (MOCAP) markers were applied for data capture before surgery. One surgeon then performed TKA. An identical data capture was then completed postoperatively. MOCAP and wearable motion sensor knee angles were computed during a series of activities and compared. Two-way ANOVA evaluated the impact of time (pre- vs. post-TKA) and activity on average error. Another two-way ANOVA was completed, assessing if error at local maxima was different than at local minima and if either was different across activities. Results: Pre-TKA/post-TKA errors were not different. No differences were noted across activities. On average, the errors were under clinically acceptable thresholds (i.e., 4.9 ± 2.6° vs. ≤5°). Conclusions: With average error ≤ 5°, these specific sensors accurately quantify knee angles before/after surgical intervention. Future investigations should explore leveraging this type of technology to evaluate preoperative function decline and postoperative function recovery. Full article

Purpose: Intramedullary spinal cord tumors (IMSCTs) account for 2–8% of all primary CNS tumors, with ependymal tumors astrocytic tumors and hemangioblastoma being the most prevalent. Due to scarcity of large-scale studies, we aim to provide insights into the long-term neurological and functional outcomes following their resection. Methods: A single-center study where retrospective review of all patients’ medical records with IMSCT resection between October 2001 and March 2023 was conducted. Data on demographic characteristics, clinical presentations, and surgical outcomes were collected and analyzed. Results: This study included 253 patients (57.7% male) with a mean age of 36.2 ± 19. The cohort comprised ependymal tumors (45.1%), astrocytic tumors (35.6%), hemangioblastoma (11.1%), and miscellaneous tumors (n = 21; 8.3%). Differences were observed in age at surgery (p < 0.001) and mortality (p = 0.002) across tumor types. Gross total resection was more frequently achieved in hemangioblastoma (96.4%) and ependymal tumors (82.5%) compared to astrocytic tumors (55.6%) (p < 0.001). Long-term postoperative improvements were significant, with reductions in numbness from 74.7% to 52.2%, pain from 42.2% to 25.7%, and bladder incontinence from 23.7% to 11.6%, particularly in ependymal tumors and astrocytic tumors. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that patients with ependymal tumors had the highest overall survival rates (94.8% at 5 years, 86.7% at 10 years, 76.3% at 15 years, and 65.4% at 20 years) compared to hemangioblastoma (88.7% at 5 and 10 years, and 53.2% at 15 years) and astrocytic tumors (67.8% at 5 years, 58.1% at 10 and 15 years) (p = 0.001). Conclusions: This study highlights the differences in survival and long-term functional outcomes among patients with IMSCTs based on tumor histology and grade. Full article

Background: Nutrition literacy, defined as “the skills to comprehend and implement nutrition information into everyday practice”, is a new area of study. Preschool teachers affect children’s perception of nutrition and health and contribute to their nutrition literacy skills. Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the level of nutrition literacy (NLS-Gr) of preschool teachers. Methods: The research included two stages of cluster sampling in a sample of kindergarten teachers in Greece (Rhodes Island). Nutrition literacy was assessed with the NLS-Gr, the Greek version of the NLS, and adherence to a Mediterranean diet with the MedDiet score. Results: The mean NLS-Gr score was 25.87 (SD ± 2.2) and is considered adequate. The correct answers range from 65.1% to 100%. The MedDiet score was calculated at 33.94 (SD ± 3.8), and no correlation was found between the MedDiet score and the NLS-Gr. The NLS-Gr score of kindergarten teachers was adequate, higher than that of previous research on different populations. Conclusions: The study concluded that adherence to the Mediterranean diet requires improvement, and food waste needs to be reduced. Educators should be empowered through targeted educational interventions to improve their dietary habits and, therefore, enhance students’ health and nutritional behaviors. Further research is needed to contribute to formulating nutrition strategies and policies in kindergarten. Full article

Breed bias exists within many of the top disciplines of equestrian sport. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of breed on performance at the CCI5*-L level of eventing. To do so, the results of all CCI5*-L events from 2014 to 2024 were assessed. Initially, Thoroughbreds were compared to all non-Thoroughbreds, and this was followed by assessing the ten primary breeds. Data included penalties accrued in dressage, cross country, show jumping, and overall. Additionally, the likelihood of completing each phase was assessed. It was found that Thoroughbreds accrued more dressage penalties than non-Thoroughbreds (p < 0.001). When comparing primary breeds, Thoroughbreds were found to accumulate more dressage penalties than Hannoverian, Irish Sport Horse, Dutch Warmblood, Oldenburg, and Selle Francais (p < 0.03). When assessing cross-country, Thoroughbreds were more likely to finish without fault when compared to non-Thoroughbreds (p < 0.001). Non-Thoroughbreds were more likely to show jump without fault (p < 0.001), while Thoroughbred were found to have higher overall show jumping penalties in comparison to Anglo-European Studbook, Holsteiner, Irish Sport Horse, Dutch Warmblood, Oldenburg, and Selle Francais (p = 0.01). When evaluating overall penalties accumulated throughout the event, there was no effect of breed (p = 0.42). Overall, there was no advantage in competing a non-Thoroughbred in comparison to a Thoroughbred when considering total penalties accrued, indicating a level playing field within competition. Therefore, breed bias against TBs should be negated when selecting for CCI5*-L eventing prospects. Full article

As humans continue to develop the undersea engineering ecosystem of systems, the consequences of catastrophic events must continue to be investigated and understood. Almost every undersea pressure vessel, from pipelines to sensors to unmanned vehicles, has the potential to experience a catastrophic collapse, known as an implosion. This collapse can be caused by hydrostatic pressure or any combination of external loadings from natural disasters to pressure waves imparted by other implosion or explosion events. During an implosion, high-magnitude pressure waves can be emitted, which can cause adverse effects on surrounding structures, marine life, or even people. The imploding structure, known as an implodable volume, can be in a free-field or confined environment. Confined implosion is characterized by a surrounding structure that significantly affects the flow of fluid around the implodable volume. Often, the confining structure is cylindrical, with one closed end and one open end. This work seeks to understand the effect of fluid flow restriction on the physics of implosion inside a confining tube. To do so, a comprehensive experimental study is conducted using a unique experimental facility. Thin-walled aluminum cylinders are collapsed inside a confining tube within a large pressure vessel. High-speed photography and 3D Digital Image Correlation are used to gather structural displacement and velocities during the event while an array of dynamic pressure sensors capture the pressure data inside the confining tube. The results of this work show that by changing the size of the open end, referred to as the flow area ratio, there can be a significant effect on the structural deformations and implosion severity. It also reveals that only certain configurations of holes at the open end of the tube play a role in the dynamic pressure pulse measured at the closed end of the tube. By understanding the consequences of an implosion, designers can make decisions about where these pressure vessels should be in relation to other pressure vessels, critical infrastructure, marine life, or people. In the same way that engineers design for earthquakes and analyze the impact their structures have on the environment around them, contributors to the undersea engineering ecosystem should design with implosion in mind. Full article

Aging is associated with altered itch perception, potentially due to changes in neuronal function and pruriceptive signaling. The underlying mechanisms, however, remain unclear. We investigated age-related differences in itch sensitivity at behavioral, cellular, and molecular levels. Young and old mice were intradermally injected with various pruritogens, including small molecules (histamine, chloroquine, and serotonin) and peptides (BAM8–22, AY-NH₂, and SLIGRL-NH₂). Scratching behavior and mechanical itch sensitivity were assessed, and calcium imaging was used to evaluate sensory neuron responses in the dorsal root ganglia. Additionally, immunofluorescence staining was performed to analyze the expression of TRPV1 and Cav3.2. Old mice exhibited reduced scratching behavior following injections, and their neuronal responses to histamine and chloroquine were diminished. Although all treated groups showed increased mechanical alloknesis, the effect was less pronounced in old animals. The expression of TRPV1 and Cav3.2 was also reduced in dorsal root ganglia neurons of old mice. These findings suggest that aging impairs both functional responsiveness and molecular signaling in sensory neurons, contributing to reduced chemical itch sensitivity in aged individuals. Full article

Cryoablation is a promising, cost-effective option to de-escalate surgical breast cancer morbidity, but presently is only suggested for breast cancers < 1.5 cm, in select candidates. Breast cancer cryoablation is not a reliably covered procedure by insurance and is mainly guided by ultrasound (US), using a single cryoprobe. Yet, cryoablation is an accepted treatment option for various malignancies, including those of the kidney, liver and lung, utilizing a predominantly CT-guided, multi-probe approach using crucial cytotoxic isotherms for thorough tumor coverage. Cryoablation thus continues to find new clinical utility and is rapidly advancing on multiple fronts, similar to immunotherapy. Clinical concerns of expanding cryoablation to breast tumors > 1.5 cm is more related to the greater risk of metastatic spread to local lymph nodes and beyond. Combined adjuvant treatment, such as radiation and/or chemotherapy, are currently used for regional and systemic breast cancer control, but have significant associated morbidities. US/CT-guided multi-probe large-volume breast cryoablation is presented as a thorough local control option for select patients. Intratumoral chemotherapy by direct tumor injection has been shown to be safe and is currently being tested with immunotherapy drugs and exhibits much lower morbidity. Cryoablation combined with intratumoral immunotherapy is presented to show robust systemic immune response and the potential to provide additional protection from regional and/or metastatic disease spread while de-escalating the morbidities from current adjuvant treatments for larger breast cancers. While further clinical trials are needed, it is essential to pursue safe and effective breast cancer treatments that offer the potential for cost-efficiency and therapeutic de-escalation across a wide spectrum of breast cancer cases. Full article

Sustainable consumer behavior refers to any behavior that benefits environmental protection and social justice. Previous research has shown that sustainable consumer behavior is positively associated with consumer wellbeing. Recycling behavior is a type of sustainable behavior that has been studied extensively. However, research on behavior change in recycling is limited. The purpose of this study is to identify the change stages for recycling behavior among American consumers. Using national data collected in the U.S. and under the guidance of the transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM), the results showed that most Americans engage in recycling behavior, but a minority of them do not. Among them, 13% have never considered recycling in the near future. We also identified the differences in behavior change stages in terms of psychological, cognitive, socioeconomic, and environmental factors. The findings have implications for policy makers, business professionals, and consumer educators to develop strategies to encourage consumer recycling behavior. Full article

Mortality from Marek’s disease virus (MDV) infection results in economic loss for the poultry industry. It is controlled by vaccination, but the virus mutates and becomes more virulent. Variation within the MHC is well known to impact the outcomes following MDV infection from research performed utilizing the White Leghorn breed, with laboratory strains of the virus. The effect of the MHC haplotype following MDV challenge was determined from six lines of commercial elite (White Plymouth Rock (two), White Leghorn (three), and Rhode Island Red (one)) egg layer lines, challenged with vv+ virus. Mortality was recorded as sire daughter averages at 16–18 weeks of age from 19 generations of data. Sires were genotyped using a set of MHC-specific SNPs, encompassing 210,000 bp. Across all lines, there was a total of 23 unique MHC haplotypes, of which 15 were found at a frequency greater than 5% and used for further analysis. A significant impact on mortality was found for 16 of the haplotypes, with 9 haplotypes associated with decreased mortality and 7 haplotypes with increased mortality. There were three haplotypes identified in more than one line, allowing cross-line comparisons. The effect of these common haplotypes was consistent (either negative, positive or neutral) between lines. Full article

Micro- and nanoplastics (NMPs) have recently gained attention as one of the most pervasive and potentially dangerous environmental pollutants. An increasing number of studies have explored the presence and potential health consequences of NMPs exposure, leading to calls for techniques to assess their bioaccumulation. Significant gaps that remain in this growing field of research are methodologies to quantify discrete particle counts of NMPs below 5 μm in size and evaluate the recovery rate of such methods to ensure accuracy and comparability across studies. To address these gaps, we aimed to develop a high-throughput protocol for the extraction, isolation, and quantification of a 1:1 volume mixture of 2 and 0.1 μm pristine fluorescently labeled spherical polystyrene NMPs (PS-NMPs) from mouse tissue, and to determine recovery rates of both sizes to assess the success of the methodology. We found that we were able to successfully recover 85% of 2 μm NMPs and 30% of 0.1 μm NMPs, and that this workflow could be applied to tissues from mice experimentally exposed to a concentration gradient of PS-NMPs to detect differences in accumulation. This methodology is the first to attempt a continuous workflow to assess particle counts of both micro- and nanoplastics from biological tissues, including calculations of recovery rates, and we anticipate that the workflow described here may be applied and modified in future studies to answer outstanding questions regarding the accumulation of small NMPs that may not be addressed with traditional techniques. Additionally, in identifying the significant differences in recovery rates for micro- versus nanoplastics, we highlight the considerations that must be taken into account for nanoplastics that are often not discussed within the NMPs literature. Full article