Gender differences in V˙O2 and HR kinetics at the onset of moderate and heavy exercise intensity in adolescents

The majority of the studies on (V)over dotO(2) kinetics in pediatric populations investigated gender differences in prepubertal children during submaximal intensity exercise, but studies are lacking in adolescents. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that gender differences exist in the (V)over dotO(2) and heart rate (HR) kinetic responses to moderate (M) and heavy (H) intensity exercise in adolescents. Twenty-one healthy African-American adolescents (9 males, 15.8 +/- 1.1 year; 12 females, 15.7 +/- 1 year) performed constant work load exercise on a cycle ergometer at M and H. The (V)over dotO(2) kinetics of the male group was previously analyzed (Lai et al., Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. 33:107-117, 2008b). For both genders, (V)over dotO(2) and HR kinetics were described with a single exponential at M and a double exponential at H. The fundamental time constant (tau(1)) of (V)over dotO(2) was significantly higher in female than male at M (45 +/- 7 vs. 36 +/- 11 sec, P < 0.01) and H (41 +/- 8 vs. 29 +/- 9 sec, P < 0.01), respectively. The functional gain (G(1)) was not statistically different between gender at M and statistically higher in females than males at H: 9.7 +/- 1.2 versus 10.9 +/- 1.3 mL min(-1) W-1, respectively. The amplitude of the slow component was not significantly different between genders. The HR kinetics were significantly (tau(1), P < 0.01) slower in females than males at M (61 +/- 16 sec vs. 45 +/- 20 sec, P < 0.01) and H (42 +/- 10 sec vs. 30 +/- 8 sec, P = 0.03). The G(1) of HR was higher in females than males at M: 0.53 +/- 0.11 versus 0.98 +/- 0.2 bpm W-1 and H: 0.40 +/- 0.11 versus 0.73 +/- 0.23 bpm W-1, respectively. Gender differences in the (V)over dotO(2) and HR kinetics suggest that oxygen delivery and utilization kinetics of female adolescents differ from those in male adolescents

Precision sketching with de-aging networks in forensics

Addressing the intricacies of facial aging in forensic facial recognition, traditional sketch portraits often fall short in precision. This study introduces a pioneering system that seamlessly integrates a de-aging module and a sketch generator module to overcome the limitations inherent in existing methodologies. The de-aging module utilizes a deepfake-based neural network to rejuvenate facial features, while the sketch generator module leverages a pix2pix-based Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) for the generation of lifelike sketches. Comprehensive evaluations on the CUHK and AR datasets underscore the system’s superior efficiency. Significantly, comprehensive testing reveals marked enhancements in realism during the training process, demonstrated by notable reductions in Frechet Inception Distance (FID) scores (41.7 for CUHK, 60.2 for AR), augmented Structural Similarity Index (SSIM) values (0.789 for CUHK, 0.692 for AR), and improved Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) metrics (20.26 for CUHK, 19.42 for AR). These findings underscore substantial advancements in the accuracy and reliability of facial recognition applications. Importantly, the system, proficient in handling diverse facial characteristics across gender, race, and culture, produces both composite and hand-drawn sketches, surpassing the capabilities of current state-of-the-art methods. This research emphasizes the transformative potential arising from the integration of de-aging networks with sketch generation, particularly for age-invariant forensic applications, and highlights the ongoing necessity for innovative developments in de-aging technology with broader societal and technological implications

The near-infrared imager and slitless spectrograph for the James Webb Space Telescope. II. Wide field slitless spectroscopy

We acknowledge support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) through a variety of its funding programs. This work is in part supported by Canadian Space Agency grant 18JWSTGTO1. C.P., S.R. and K.V. are supported by the Canadian Space Agency under a contract with NRC Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics. K.M. acknowledges funding by the Science and Technology Foundation of Portugal (FCT), grants No. IF/00194/2015, PTDC/FIS-AST/28731/2017, UIDB/00099/2020.We present the wide field slitless spectroscopy mode of the NIRISS instrument on the James Webb Space Telescope. This mode employs two orthogonal low-resolution (resolving power ≈150) grisms in combination with a set of six blocking filters in the wavelength range 0.8–2.3 μm to provide a spectrum of almost every source across the field-of-view. When combined with the low background, high sensitivity and high spatial resolution afforded by the telescope, this mode will enable unprecedented studies of the structure and evolution of distant galaxies. We describe the performance of the as-built hardware relevant to this mode and expected imaging and spectroscopic sensitivity. We discuss operational and calibration procedures to obtain the highest quality data. As examples of the observing mode usage, we present details of two planned Guaranteed Time Observations programs: The Canadian NIRISS Unbiased Cluster Survey and The NIRISS Survey for Young Brown Dwarfs and Rogue Planets.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Gaussian Mixture Model of Heart Rate Variability

Heart rate variability (HRV) is an important measure of sympathetic and parasympathetic functions of the autonomic nervous system and a key indicator of cardiovascular condition. This paper proposes a novel method to investigate HRV, namely by modelling it as a linear combination of Gaussians. Results show that three Gaussians are enough to describe the stationary statistics of heart variability and to provide a straightforward interpretation of the HRV power spectrum. Comparisons have been made also with synthetic data generated from different physiologically based models showing the plausibility of the Gaussian mixture parameters

Multiview classification and dimensionality reduction of scalp and intracranial EEG data through tensor factorisation

Electroencephalography (EEG) signals arise as a mixture of various neural processes that occur in different spatial, frequency and temporal locations. In classification paradigms, algorithms are developed that can distinguish between these processes. In this work, we apply tensor factorisation to a set of EEG data from a group of epileptic patients and factorise the data into three modes; space, time and frequency with each mode containing a number of components or signatures. We train separate classifiers on various feature sets corresponding to complementary combinations of those modes and components and test the classification accuracy of each set. The relative influence on the classification accuracy of the respective spatial, temporal or frequency signatures can then be analysed and useful interpretations can be made. Additionaly, we show that through tensor factorisation we can perform dimensionality reduction by evaluating the classification performance with regards to the number mode components and by rejecting components with insignificant contribution to the classification accuracy

Academic detailing and adherence to guidelines for Group B streptococci prenatal screening: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) recommend universal prenatal screening for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) to identify candidates for intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent early onset neonatal GBS infection. Interventions to promote physician adherence to these guidelines are imperative. This study examined the effectiveness of academic detailing (AD) of obstetricians, compared with CPG mailshot and no intervention, on the screening of pregnant women for GBS. METHODS: A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in the medical cooperative of Porto Alegre, Brazil. All obstetricians who assisted in a delivery covered by private health insurance managed by the cooperative in the 3 months preceding the study (n = 241) were invited to participate. The obstetricians were randomized to three groups: direct mail (DM, n = 76), AD (n = 76) and control (C, n = 89, no intervention). Those in the DM group were sent guidelines on GBS. The AD group received the guidelines and an educational visit detailing the guidelines, which was conducted by a trained physician. Data on obstetrician age, gender, time since graduation, whether patients received GBS screening during pregnancy, and obstetricians who requested screening were collected for all participant obstetricians for 3 months before and after the intervention, using database from the private health insurance information system. RESULTS: Three months post-intervention, the data showed that the proportion of pregnant women screened for GBS was higher in the AD group (25.4%) than in the DM (15.9%) and C (17.7%) groups (P = 0.023). Similar results emerged when the three groups were taken as a cluster (pregnant women and their obstetricians), but the difference was not statistically significant (Poisson regression, P = 0.108). Additionally, when vaginal deliveries were analyzed separately, the proportion screened was higher in the AD group (75%) than in the DM group (41.9%) and the C group (30.4%) (chi-square, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that AD increased the prevalence of GBS screening in pregnant women in this population

A 4-gigabase physical map unlocks the structure and evolution of the complex genome of Aegilops tauschii, the wheat D-genome progenitor

The current limitations in genome sequencing technology require the construction of physical maps for high-quality draft sequences of large plant genomes, such as that of Aegilops tauschii, the wheat D-genome progenitor. To construct a physical map of the Ae. tauschii genome, we fingerprinted 461,706 bacterial artificial chromosome clones, assembled contigs, designed a 10K Ae. tauschii Infinium SNP array, constructed a 7,185-marker genetic map, and anchored on the map contigs totaling 4.03 Gb. Using whole genome shotgun reads, we extended the SNP marker sequences and found 17,093 genes and gene fragments. We showed that collinearity of the Ae. tauschii genes with Brachypodium distachyon, rice, and sorghum decreased with phylogenetic distance and that structural genome evolution rates have been high across all investigated lineages in subfamily Pooideae, including that of Brachypodieae. We obtained additional information about the evolution of the seven Triticeae chromosomes from 12 ancestral chromosomes and uncovered a pattern of centromere inactivation accompanying nested chromosome insertions in grasses. We showed that the density of noncollinear genes along the Ae. tauschii chromosomes positively correlates with recombination rates, suggested a cause, and showed that new genes, exemplified by disease resistance genes, are preferentially located in high-recombination chromosome regions

Machine Learning to Quantitate Neutrophil NETosis

We introduce machine learning (ML) to perform classifcation and quantitation of images of nuclei from human blood neutrophils. Here we assessed the use of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) using free, open source software to accurately quantitate neutrophil NETosis, a recently discovered process involved in multiple human diseases. CNNs achieved \u3e94% in performance accuracy in diferentiating NETotic from non-NETotic cells and vastly facilitated dose-response analysis and screening of the NETotic response in neutrophils from patients. Using only features learned from nuclear morphology, CNNs can distinguish between NETosis and necrosis and between distinct NETosis signaling pathways, making them a precise tool for NETosis detection. Furthermore, by using CNNs and tools to determine object dispersion, we uncovered diferences in NETotic nuclei clustering between major NETosis pathways that is useful in understanding NETosis signaling events. Our study also shows that neutrophils from patients with sickle cell disease were unresponsive to one of two major NETosis pathways. Thus, we demonstrate the design, performance, and implementation of ML tools for rapid quantitative and qualitative cell analysis in basic science

The growth of a culture of evidence-based obstetrics in South Africa: a qualitative case study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>While the past two decades have seen a shift towards evidence-based obstetrics and midwifery, the process through which a culture of evidence-based practice develops and is sustained within particular fields of clinical practice has not been well documented, particularly in LMICs (low- and middle-income countries). Forming part of a broader qualitative study of evidence-based policy making, this paper describes the development of a culture of evidence-based practice amongst maternal health policy makers and senior academic obstetricians in South Africa</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A qualitative case-study approach was used. This included a literature review, a policy document review, a timeline of key events and the collection and analysis of 15 interviews with policy makers and academic clinicians involved in these policy processes and sampled using a purposive approach. The data was analysed thematically.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The concept of evidence-based medicine became embedded in South African academic obstetrics at a very early stage in relation to the development of the concept internationally. The diffusion of this concept into local academic obstetrics was facilitated by contact and exchange between local academic obstetricians, opinion leaders in international research and structures promoting evidence-based practice. Furthermore the growing acceptance of the concept was stimulated locally through the use of existing professional networks and meetings to share ideas and the contribution of local researchers to building the evidence base for obstetrics both locally and internationally. As a testimony to the extent of the diffusion of evidence-based medicine, South Africa has strongly evidence-based policies for maternal health.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This case study shows that the combined efforts of local and international researchers can create a culture of evidence-based medicine within one country. It also shows that doing so required time and perseverance from international researchers combined with a readiness by local researchers to receive and actively promote the practice.</p