Search

Abstract Tracheal pooling for Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) DNA detection allows for decreased diagnostic cost, one of the main constraints in surveillance programs. The objectives of this study were to estimate the sensitivity of pooled-sample testing for the detection of M. hyopneumoniae in tracheal samples and to develop probability of M. hyopneumoniae detection estimates for tracheal samples pooled by 3, 5, and 10. A total of 48 M. hyopneumoniae PCR-positive field samples were pooled 3-, 5-, and 10-times using field M. hyopneumoniae DNA-negative samples and tested in triplicate. The sensitivity was estimated at 0.96 (95% credible interval [Cred. Int.]: 0.93, 0.98) for pools of 3, 0.95 (95% Cred. Int: 0.92, 0.98) for pools of 5, and 0.93 (95% Cred. Int.: 0.89, 0.96) for pools of 10. All pool sizes resulted in PCR-positive if the individual tracheal sample Ct value was

When developing JavaScript (JS) applications, the assessment and selection of JS packages becomes challenging for developers due to the growing number of technology options available. Given a technology-related task, a common developers’ strategy is to query Web repositories (e.g., from GitHub) via a search engine (e.g., NPM, Google) and then shortlist candidate JS packages. However, this search might return a long list of results and not all of them might be relevant. Thus, these results often need to be (re-)ordered according to the developer’s criteria. To address these problems, in prior work, we developed a recommender system called AIDT that assists developers in the package selection task. AIDT relies on meta-search and machine learning techniques to infer the relevant packages for a query. An initial evaluation of AIDT showed good search effectiveness, but the tool was unable to explain its choices to the developer. Research on Large Language Models (LLMs) has recently opened new opportunities for this kind of recommender systems. Anyway, human developers should judge whether the recommendations (e.g., JS packages) of these tools (either AIDT or LLMs) are fit to purpose. In this paper, we propose a Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) architecture for using LLMs in the domain of technology selection, which enhances the AIDT original design. Furthermore, we report on a user study using both AIDT and different LLM-based variants (ChatGPT, Cohere, Llama2) on a sample of JS-related queries, in which we compared their results and also validated them against developers’ criteria for the task. Our findings show that, although the ranking capabilities of LLMs are not yet on par with AIDT or human efforts, the RAG architecture can achieve a decent performance and is good at providing explanations for the package choices in the rankings. The latter feature makes it more transparent than AIDT and, thus, potentially more flexible to support developers’ tasks.

Biocompatible ceramic scaffolds offer a promising approach to address the challenges in bone reconstruction. Wollastonite, well-known for its exceptional biocompatibility, has attracted significant attention in orthopedics and craniofacial fields. However, the antimicrobial properties of wollastonite have contradictory findings, necessitating further research to enhance its antibacterial characteristics. This study aimed to explore a new approach to improve in vitro biological response in terms of antimicrobial activity and cell proliferation by taking advantage of additive manufacturing for the development of scaffolds with complex geometries by 3D printing using propolis-modified wollastonite. The scaffolds were designed with a TPMS (Triply Periodic Minimal Surface) gyroid geometric shape and 3D printed prior to impregnation with propolis extract. The paste formulation was characterized by rheometric measurements, and the presence of propolis was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. The scaffolds were comprehensively assessed for their mechanical strength. The biological characterization involved evaluating the antimicrobial effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, employing Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), Zone of Inhibition (ZOI), and biofilm formation assays. Additionally, SaOs-2 cultures were used to study cell proliferation (Alamar blue assay), and potential osteogenic was tested (von Kossa, Alizarin Red, and ALP stainings) at different time points. Propolis impregnation did not compromise the mechanical properties of the scaffolds, which exhibited values comparable to human trabecular bone. Propolis incorporation conferred antibacterial activity against both Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. The implementation of TPMS gyroid geometry in the scaffold design demonstrated favorable cell proliferation with increased metabolic activity and osteogenic potential after 21 days of cell cultures.

Seven novel porcine parvoviruses (nPPVs) (PPV2 through PPV8) have been described, although their pathogenicity and possible effects on porcine reproductive failure (PRF) are undefined. In this study, these nPPVs were assessed in gilts from Colombia; their coinfections with PPV1, PCV2, PCV3, PCV4, and PRRSV and an association between the nPPVs and the reproductive performance parameters (RPPs) in sows were determined. For this, 234 serum samples were collected from healthy gilts from 40 herds in five Colombian regions, and the viruses were detected via real-time PCR. The results confirmed the circulation of PPV2 through PPV7 in Colombia, with PPV3 (40%), PPV5 (20%), and PPV6 (17%) being the most frequent. Additionally, no PCV4 or PPV8 was detected. PPV2 to PPV7 were detected in concurrence with each other and with the primary PRF viruses, and these coinfections varied from double to sextuple coinfections. Additionally, the association between nPPVs and PRF primary viruses was statistically significant for the presence of PPV6 in PCV3-positive (p < 0.01) and PPV5 in PPRSV-positive (p < 0.05) gilts; conversely, there was a significant presence of PPV3 in both PCV2-negative (p < 0.01) and PRRSV-negative (p < 0.05) gilts. Regarding the RPPs, the crude association between virus detection (positive or negative) and a high or low RPP was only statistically significant for PCV3 and the farrowing rate (FR), indicating that the crude odds of a low FR were 94% lower in herds with PCV3-positive gilts. This finding means that the detection of PCV3 in gilts (PCV3-positive by PCR) is associated with a higher FR in the farm or that these farms (with positive gilts) have lower odds (OR 0.06, p-value 0.0043) of a low FR. Additionally, a low FR tended to be associated with the detection of PPV4 and PPV5 (p-value < 0.20). This study is important for establishing the possible participation of nPPVs in PRF.

The genetic diversity of influenza A viruses circulating in swine in Mexico complicates control efforts in animals and presents a threat to humans, as shown by influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus. To describe evolution of swine influenza A viruses in Mexico and evaluate strains for vaccine development, we sequenced the genomes of 59 viruses and performed antigenic cartography on strains from 5 regions. We found that genetic and antigenic diversity were particularly high in southeast Mexico because of repeated introductions of viruses from humans and swine in other regions in Mexico. We identified novel reassortant H3N2 viruses with genome segments derived from 2 different viruses that were independently introduced from humans into swine: pandemic H1N1 viruses and seasonal H3N2 viruses. The Mexico swine viruses are antigenically distinct from US swine lineages. Protection against these viruses is unlikely to be afforded by US virus vaccines and would require development of new vaccines specifically targeting these diverse strains.

Abstract Background Most current algorithms for automatic glaucoma assessment using fundus images rely on handcrafted features based on segmentation, which are affected by the performance of the chosen segmentation method and the extracted features. Among other characteristics, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are known because of their ability to learn highly discriminative features from raw pixel intensities. Methods In this paper, we employed five different ImageNet-trained models (VGG16, VGG19, InceptionV3, ResNet50 and Xception) for automatic glaucoma assessment using fundus images. Results from an extensive validation using cross-validation and cross-testing strategies were compared with previous works in the literature. Results Using five public databases (1707 images), an average AUC of 0.9605 with a 95% confidence interval of 95.92–97.07%, an average specificity of 0.8580 and an average sensitivity of 0.9346 were obtained after using the Xception architecture, significantly improving the performance of other state-of-the-art works. Moreover, a new clinical database, ACRIMA, has been made publicly available, containing 705 labelled images. It is composed of 396 glaucomatous images and 309 normal images, which means, the largest public database for glaucoma diagnosis. The high specificity and sensitivity obtained from the proposed approach are supported by an extensive validation using not only the cross-validation strategy but also the cross-testing validation on, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, all publicly available glaucoma-labelled databases. Conclusions These results suggest that using ImageNet-trained models is a robust alternative for automatic glaucoma screening system. All images, CNN weights and software used to fine-tune and test the five CNNs are publicly available, which could be used as a testbed for further comparisons.

This paper presents the complete development and experimental validation of a microsystem designed to systematically assess the impact of surface topography on cell adhesion and dynamics. The microsystem includes two pools for culturing cells and for including chemicals. These pools are connected by several channels that have different microtextures, along which the cells crawl from one well to another. The impact of channel surface topography on cell performance, as well as the influence of other relevant factors, can therefore be assessed. The microsystem stands out for its being able to precisely define the surface topographies from the design stage and also has the advantage of including the different textures under study in a single device. Validation has been carried out by culturing human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) on the microsystem pre-treated with a coating of hMSC conditioned medium (CM) produced by these cells. The impact of surface topography on cell adhesion, motility, and velocity has been quantified, and the relevance of using a coating of hMSC-CM for these kinds of studies has been analyzed. Main results, current challenges, and future proposals based on the use of the proposed microsystem as an experimental resource for studying cell mechanobiology are also presented.

Innovative hip implants should be designed in accordance with biomechanical models of the proximal femur and take into account both body weight and muscle action in order to improve usability and biomimetic performance. This article proposes a finite element analysis of the proximal femur using both cortical and trabecular regions and employing transverse isotropic properties with standardized loads taken from active and young patients. Maximum principal stresses are plotted to show the mechanical behavior of the femur and grouped to evaluate stress shielding. Tsai–Wu and the maximum principal stress fields are useful for finding the areas more prone to failure and analyzing the influence of the stems on femoral mechanics. Other parameters, such as the stem material, absence of neck and osteotomy level, are explained. This paper is expected to provide a guide for designers and surgeons of femoral stems for assessing qualitatively and quantitatively the risks of stress shielding.

Avian influenza or bird flu is a highly contagious acute viral disease that can occur in epidemics and cross-border forms in poultry and wild birds. The characteristics of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) allow the emergence of new viral variants, some with zoonotic and pandemic potential. AIVs have been identified in Latin America; however, there is a lack of understanding of these viruses at the regional level. We performed a systematic literature review on serological or molecular evidence of AIVs circulation in Latin America. Methods were designed based on the PRISMA and STROME guidelines. Only peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 to 2015 and data was analysed based on country, viral subtype, avian species, and phylogenetic origins. From 271 studies initially found only twenty-six met our inclusion criteria. Evidence of AIVs infection was found in most Latin American countries, with Mexico as the country with the largest number of conducted studies and reported cases during the period analysed, followed by Chile and Argentina. Most of the AIVs were early reported through surveillance systems and at least 14 different subtypes of influenza viruses were reported in birds, and the presence of both low (92.9%) and high (7.1%) pathogenic AIVs was shown in Latin America. Of the reported AIVs in Latin America, 43.7% belong to migratory birds, 28.1% to local wild birds, and 28.1% to poultry. The migratory bird population mainly comprises families belonging to the orders Anseriformes and Charadriformes. We highlight the importance of epidemiological surveillance systems and the possible role of different migratory birds in the transmission of AIVs within the Americas. Our findings demonstrate the limited information on AIVs in Latin America and highlight the need of more studies on AIVs at the regional level, particularly those focused on identifying the endemic subtypes in regional wild birds.

Rotaviruses (RV) are important causes of diarrhea in animals, especially in domestic animals. Of the 9 RV species, rotavirus A, B, and C (RVA, RVB, and RVC, respectively) had been established as important causes of diarrhea in pigs. The Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory receives swine stool samples from North America to determine the etiologic agents of disease. Between November 2009 and October 2011, 7,508 samples from pigs with diarrhea were submitted to determine if enteric pathogens, including RV, were present in the samples. All samples were tested for RVA, RVB, and RVC by real time RT-PCR. The majority of the samples (82%) were positive for RVA, RVB, and/or RVC. To better understand the risk factors associated with RV infections in swine diagnostic samples, three-level mixed-effects logistic regression models (3L-MLMs) were used to estimate associations among RV species, age, and geographical variability within the major swine production regions in North America. The conditional odds ratios (cORs) for RVA and RVB detection were lower for 1-3 day old pigs when compared to any other age group. However, the cOR of RVC detection in 1-3 day old pigs was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than pigs in the 4-20 days old and >55 day old age groups. Furthermore, pigs in the 21-55 day old age group had statistically higher cORs of RV co-detection compared to 1-3 day old pigs (p < 0.001). The 3L-MLMs indicated that RV status was more similar within states than among states or within each region. Our results indicated that 3L-MLMs are a powerful and adaptable tool to handle and analyze large-hierarchical datasets. In addition, our results indicated that, overall, swine RV epidemiology is complex, and RV species are associated with different age groups and vary by regions in North America.

Intraoral devices for bite-force sensing have several applications in odontology and maxillofacial surgery, as bite-force measurements provide additional information to help understand the characteristics of bruxism disorders and can also be of help for the evaluation of post-surgical evolution and for comparison of alternative treatments. A new system for measuring human bite forces is proposed in this work. This system has future applications for the monitoring of bruxism events and as a complement for its conventional diagnosis. Bruxism is a pathology consisting of grinding or tight clenching of the upper and lower teeth, which leads to several problems such as lesions to the teeth, headaches, orofacial pain and important disorders of the temporomandibular joint. The prototype uses a magnetic field communication scheme similar to low-frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) technology (NFC). The reader generates a low-frequency magnetic field that is used as the information carrier and powers the sensor. The system is notable because it uses an intra-mouth passive sensor and an external interrogator, which remotely records and processes information regarding a patient’s dental activity. This permits a quantitative assessment of bite-force, without requiring intra-mouth batteries, and can provide supplementary information to polysomnographic recordings, current most adequate early diagnostic method, so as to initiate corrective actions before irreversible dental wear appears. In addition to describing the system’s operational principles and the manufacture of personalized prototypes, this report will also demonstrate the feasibility of the system and results from the first in vitro and in vivo trials.

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) are distributed worldwide in birds, pigs and humans, and cause important endemic disease affecting hosts in all countries. Although pigs play a key role in the ecology of IAVs, the epidemiology of IAVs within swine herds is poorly understood. In this longitudinal study we describe the prevalence of IAVs infection in three subpopulations of pigs in 5 breeding herds in the Midwestern USA. Each herd was sampled monthly for a year and, at each visit, 30 individual nasal swabs were collected from the three subpopulations, namely, a) replacement females, resident on-farm for less than 4 weeks (new gilts), b) replacement females, resident on-farm for more than 4 weeks (gilts), and c) neonatal pigs less than 21 days of age (piglets). Real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR) was used to detect IAVs, and the association between IAVs infection and pig subpopulation was measured using a mixed logistic regression model. Nasal swabs (n = 4,190) were collected from 141 groups of pigs. At least, one IAV-positive nasal swab was found in 19.9% (n = 28) of the sampled groups, and 7.7% (n = 324) of all nasal swabs tested positive. After adjusting by annual quarter and sampling event, the odds of testing IAV positive were 7.9 (95% CI 1.4, 43.9) and 4.4 (95% CI 1.1, 17.1) times higher in groups of new gilts and piglets compared to groups of gilts, respectively. Results indicate that new gilts and piglets had higher odds of testing IAV positive than gilts in swine breeding herds and that season influences IAV infection in pigs. Based on these findings, we recommend that IAV control strategies be aimed at preventing infection before gilts are introduced into the farm, and in pigs prior to weaning.

Hip fractures in the elderly individuals are a complex problem. Our objective was to determine whether orthogeriatric treatment is effective in terms of reducing length of hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality of elderly patients with a hip fracture compared with orthopedic (traditional) treatment. From July 2009 to May 2011, patients older than 65 years with a hip fracture were followed prospectively. They were co-treated by geriatric and orthopedic teams. This cohort was compared with a retrospective cohort followed from January 2007 to June 2009 that was managed by the orthopedic surgery team only. Epidemiology, pre- and postoperative hematocrit, and renal function were registered. Also, in-hospital and distant mortality data (determined by consulting the national registry), mortality-associated factors, postoperative complications, hospital stay length, and transfers to other services were registered. One hundred and eighty-three patients in the retrospective group and 92 in the prospective group were included in this study with a median follow-up of 26 months (interquartile range: 13-41). The average age was 84 years and 74% of patients were female. Intertrochanteric fracture accounted for 51% of the cases. There was no difference between groups with regard to hospital stay length, hematocrit at discharge, in-hospital mortality, long-term survival, or transfers to internal medicine or the intensive care unit. It did show differences in the transfer to the intermediate care unit, prolonged hospitalizations (>20 days), and diagnosis of delirium and anemia requiring transfusion. In the present study, orthogeriatric treatment is slightly more effective than traditional treatment in terms of morbidity, but there is no difference in hospital stay length or mortality. Further studies and longer follow-up are needed to draw more conclusions.

Emergent technologies are frequently demonized due to the fear of the unknown. The doubts and alarms are more often than not sparked by their own developers, in a secret wish to become the masters of such fears, and thereby increase their control and influence upon laymen. The story is as old as the use of fire by the sorcerers guiding most ancient rituals. Now it seems to be the turn of artificial intelligence (AI), which is being continuously tainted with quasi-apocalyptic shadows, despite its remarkable potentials for supporting highly desirable societal transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the dawn of additive manufacturing technologies in the 1980s and 90s, now commonly named 3D printing, the possibility of processing raw materials into freeform designed objects with unprecedented shape complexity opened new avenues for the development of medical devices. Indeed, the geometries of nature and the human body are extremely multifaceted, with even fractal- like or multiscale levels of detail, counting with functional gradients of properties, including topology and topography optimizations, to cite some interesting features. In consequence, classical subtracting manufacturing technologies, shape forming tools, and mass production chains are suboptimal for personalizing medical devices and adequately emulating life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polydora hoplura is an invasive species and a harmful pest in commercial shellfish aquaculture, particularly for farmed abalone species. Different lines of treatment for Polydora affecting abalone have been explored, but with limited success. Using selective breeding to increase abalone resistance to and reduce shell damage from Polydora infestation could be a promising alternative. However, in abalone there is currently no information on the genetic variability for resistance to Polydora infestation. In the present study, heritability (h2) of traits associated with Pacific abalone resistance to P. hoplura were estimated after challenging abalone juveniles with trojan abalones heavily infested, using a nested experimental design, with 1 male crossed with 2–4 females. The heritability values were low but significant for some of those traits: survival h2=0.09; Infestation Intensity at Q50 h2 = 0.16 ± 0.11; and the proportion of the shell area occupied by blisters caused by the mud-worms h2 = 0.29 ± 0.14. These results suggest a significant potential for improving resistance or tolerance to P. hoplura infestation through selective breeding in Pacific abalone.