Simulation Method for the Physical Deformation of a Three-Dimensional Soft Body in Augmented Reality-Based External Ventricular Drainage

Objectives Intraoperative navigation reduces the risk of major complications and increases the likelihood of optimal surgical outcomes. This paper presents an augmented reality (AR)-based simulation technique for ventriculostomy that visualizes brain deformations caused by the movements of a surgical instrument in a three-dimensional brain model. This is achieved by utilizing a position-based dynamics (PBD) physical deformation method on a preoperative brain image. Methods An infrared camera-based AR surgical environment aligns the real-world space with a virtual space and tracks the surgical instruments. For a realistic representation and reduced simulation computation load, a hybrid geometric model is employed, which combines a high-resolution mesh model and a multiresolution tetrahedron model. Collision handling is executed when a collision between the brain and surgical instrument is detected. Constraints are used to preserve the properties of the soft body and ensure stable deformation. Results The experiment was conducted once in a phantom environment and once in an actual surgical environment. The tasks of inserting the surgical instrument into the ventricle using only the navigation information presented through the smart glasses and verifying the drainage of cerebrospinal fluid were evaluated. These tasks were successfully completed, as indicated by the drainage, and the deformation simulation speed averaged 18.78 fps. Conclusions This experiment confirmed that the AR-based method for external ventricular drain surgery was beneficial to clinicians

Sclerostin inhibits Wnt signaling through tandem interaction with two LRP6 ectodomains

Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) is a coreceptor of the beta -catenin-dependent Wnt signaling pathway. The LRP6 ectodomain binds Wnt proteins, as well as Wnt inhibitors such as sclerostin (SOST), which negatively regulates Wnt signaling in osteocytes. Although LRP6 ectodomain 1 (E1) is known to interact with SOST, several unresolved questions remain, such as the reason why SOST binds to LRP6 E1E2 with higher affinity than to the E1 domain alone. Here, we present the crystal structure of the LRP6 E1E2-SOST complex with two interaction sites in tandem. The unexpected additional binding site was identified between the C-terminus of SOST and the LRP6 E2 domain. This interaction was confirmed by in vitro binding and cell-based signaling assays. Its functional significance was further demonstrated in vivo using Xenopus laevis embryos. Our results provide insights into the inhibitory mechanism of SOST on Wnt signaling. The low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) is a co-receptor of the beta -catenin-dependent Wnt signaling pathway and interacts with the Wnt inhibitor sclerostin (SOST). Here the authors present the crystal structure of SOST in complex with the LRP6 E1E2 ectodomain construct, which reveals that the SOST C-terminus binds to the LRP6 E2 domain, and further validate this binding site with in vitro and in vivo experiments.Y

Green growth

The chapter explores the concept of “green growth” as it has emerged in international policy discourse over recent years. Identifying the core meaning of the concept and sister terms such as “green economy,” it relates green growth to the prior concept of sustainable development. The chapter distinguishes between a “standard” version of green growth which asserts the long-run economic benefit of environmental protection and a “strong” interpretation which claims, more boldly, that environmental policy can be a driver for growth. Three different forms of this claim are identified and the evidence for them surveyed. The first is a Keynesian argument for short-term “green stimulus” in times of recession. Second, a revision of standard growth theory identifies the contribution made to growth by investment in natural capital and the correction of a variety of market failures through environmental policy. Third, the theories of comparative advantage and long waves of growth emphasize the importance of technological innovation in generating growth. The chapter offers some conclusions on the political economy of green growth and how likely it is to succeed in increasing the priority given to environmental policy

National-Scale Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on Two Native Freshwater Fish Using a Habitat Suitability Model

Climate change, which has the potential to alter water flow and temperature in aquatic environments, can influence the freshwater fish habitat. This study used an ecological habitat suitability model (EHSM), which integrates hydraulic (water depth and velocity) and physiologic (water temperature) suitability, to investigate the impact of climate change on two native freshwater fish species (Zacco platypus and Nipponocypris koreanus) in South Korea. The model predicted that in 2080 (2076–2085), the decrease in average ecological habitat suitability (EHS) will be higher for N. koreanus (19.2%) than for Z. platypus (9.87%) under the representative concentration pathway (RCP) 8.5 scenario. Under the same condition, EHS for Z. platypus and N. koreanus at 36.5% and 44.4% of 115 sites, respectively, were expected to degrade significantly (p < 0.05). However, the habitat degradation for Z. platypus and N. koreanus was much lower (7.8% and 10.4%, respectively) under the RCP 4.5 scenario, suggesting a preventive measure for carbon dioxide emission. Partial correlation analysis indicated that the number of hot days (i.e., days on which the temperature exceeds the heat stress threshold) is the variable most significantly (p < 0.05) related to EHS changes for both species. This study suggests that the EHSM incorporating the effect of water temperature on the growth and heat stress of fish can be a promising model for the assessment of climate change impacts on habitat suitability for freshwater fish

National-Scale Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on Two Native Freshwater Fish Using a Habitat Suitability Model

Climate change, which has the potential to alter water flow and temperature in aquatic environments, can influence the freshwater fish habitat. This study used an ecological habitat suitability model (EHSM), which integrates hydraulic (water depth and velocity) and physiologic (water temperature) suitability, to investigate the impact of climate change on two native freshwater fish species (Zacco platypus and Nipponocypris koreanus) in South Korea. The model predicted that in 2080 (2076–2085), the decrease in average ecological habitat suitability (EHS) will be higher for N. koreanus (19.2%) than for Z. platypus (9.87%) under the representative concentration pathway (RCP) 8.5 scenario. Under the same condition, EHS for Z. platypus and N. koreanus at 36.5% and 44.4% of 115 sites, respectively, were expected to degrade significantly (p Z. platypus and N. koreanus was much lower (7.8% and 10.4%, respectively) under the RCP 4.5 scenario, suggesting a preventive measure for carbon dioxide emission. Partial correlation analysis indicated that the number of hot days (i.e., days on which the temperature exceeds the heat stress threshold) is the variable most significantly (p < 0.05) related to EHS changes for both species. This study suggests that the EHSM incorporating the effect of water temperature on the growth and heat stress of fish can be a promising model for the assessment of climate change impacts on habitat suitability for freshwater fish

Controlled Sulfurization of Ag Nanorod into Ag-Ag2S Hetero-Nanorod

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Defending Against Adversarial Fingerprint Attacks Based on Deep Image Prior

Recently, deep learning-based biometric authentication systems, especially fingerprint authentication, have been used widely in real-world. However, these systems are vulnerable to adversarial attacks which prevent deep learning models from distinguishing input data properly. To solve these problems, various defense methods have been proposed, especially utilizing denoising mechanisms, but they provided limited defense performance. In this study, we proposed a new defense method against adversarial fingerprint attacks. To ensure defense performance, we have introduced Deep Image Prior mechanism which has superior performance in image reconstruction without prior training and a large amount of dataset. The proposed method aims to remove adversarial perturbations of the input fingerprint image and reconstruct it close to the original fingerprint image by adapting Deep Image Prior. Our method has achieved robust defense performance against various types of adversarial fingerprint attacks across different datasets, encompassing variations in sensors, shapes, and materials of fingerprint images. Furthermore, our method has demonstrated that it is superior to other image reconstruction methods

Life-history habitat suitability modelling of a potential invasive alien species, smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), in South Korea

The aim of this study was to predict the distribution of a potential invasive alien species, smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), in South Korea using a life-history-based habitat suitability model. Environmental data (air temperature, water temperature, and fish occurrence) at present (2011–2020) were collected from 160 representative sites across the five river basins (Han, Nakdong, Guem, Seomjin, and Yeongsan). Future predictions were conducted under the representative concentration pathway 8.5 scenario in the 2050s (2046–2055) and the 2080s (2076–2085). Two spawning scenarios were implemented in the future, where smallmouth bass will not change the spawning season in the non-adaptive scenario and change the season in the adaptive scenario. The life-history habitat suitability (LHS) of smallmouth bass was evaluated using the geometric mean of the annual habitat suitability indices (HSIs) for each life stage (adult, juvenile, fry, and spawner). The LHS model was validated using the occurrence data of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), which shares most of its habitats with smallmouth bass. The average LHS of smallmouth bass in South Korea was predicted to be 0.519 at present and expected to be 0.491 and 0.541 in the 2080s under non-adaptive and adaptive scenarios, respectively. Considering that the period for spawner fish may change in the future under climate change, the adaptive scenario seems to be more reasonable. The potential presence rate of smallmouth bass in South Korea was 100% at present, except for the Han River Basin (66%) which was expected to increase to 86% in the 2080s under the adaptive scenarios. The LHS model predicted that smallmouth bass could inhabit South Korea, and its distribution may expand under global warming, requiring urgent preventive measures