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Highly efficient stacking ensemble learning model for automated keratoconus screening
No full textYesBackground
Despite extensive research on keratoconus (KC) detection with traditional machine learning models, stacking ensemble learning approaches remain underexplored. This paper presents a stacking ensemble learning method to enhance automated KC screening.
Methods
This study utilizes a clinical dataset containing detailed corneal data from 2491 cases classified as non-KC (NKC), subclinical KC (SCKC) and clinical KC (CKC). Each cornea is represented by 79 features extracted from Pentacam imaging. Following extensive pre-processing, key corneal features that are strongly correlated with the target diagnosis are identified. These features are the keratometry of the steepest anterior point, surface variance index, vertical asymmetry index, height decentration index, and height asymmetry index. A novel stacking ensemble model is developed using the selected features to improve corneal classification into NKC, SCKC, and CKC by integrating top tree-based classifiers (random forest, gradient boosting, decision trees) with a support vector machine meta-classifier.
Results
The pre-processing and feature selection techniques reduced the model's parameters to just 6.33% of the original dataset, improving classification performance, and cutting over 85% of the training time. The performance of the developed model was validated and tested on unseen data. Experimental results showed that the model outperforms existing studies, achieving 99.72% accuracy, precision, sensitivity, F1, and F2 scores, with a Matthews correlation coefficient of 0.995. It accurately classified all NKC and CKC cases, with just one misclassification involving an SCKC case. The model also demonstrated consistent performance on 100 additional unseen test cases, underscoring its generalizability and robustness in KC screening.
Conclusions
By combining the strengths of diverse base models and key Pentacam indices, the stacking ensemble approach ensures reliable, accurate KC screening, providing clinicians with an automated tool for early detection and better patient management
Computational Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and Molecular Dynamics to Decipher Natural Compounds of Alchornea laxiflora for Liver Cancer Chemotherapy
No full textYesBackground: Alchornea laxiflora (Benth.) Pax & K. Hoffm. (A. laxiflora) is utilized as a traditional herb for treating several diseases. Objective: Our study aims to identify the active phytochemical candidates from A. laxiflora and analyses to predict their anticancer activity mechanism by employing network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (MD). Methods: The phytoconstituents of A. laxiflora were retrieved from the literature, and phytoconstituent-related targets implicated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were collected from respective databases. Computational methods were employed to recognize essential compounds, hub gene targets, and signaling pathways. Results: Our study has identified 12 potentially bioactive compounds, 150 potential anti-HCC targets, and 15 hub gene targets for A. laxiflora. Molecular docking results recognized the better binding energy values of below −5.6 kcal/mol. Further, MD simulations of the three of the top-scoring protein–ligand complexes (MAPK—3-acetylursolic acid, AKT1—quercetin, and AKT1—3-acetylursolic acid) allowed us to validate the docking results, evaluate the stability of the complexes, and associated conformational changes. Conclusions: Our research claims that phytoconstituents of A. laxiflora are crucial for treating liver cancer, and the recognized protein targets can serve as biomarkers, respectively
Immunophenotypical characterization of immune checkpoint receptor expression in cynomolgus monkeys and human healthy volunteers in resting and in T-cell stimulatory conditions in vitro
No full textYesImmunotherapeutics targeting immune checkpoint receptors or their ligands (i.e., immune checkpoint inhibitors), have been groundbreaking in the field of oncology, radically changing the approach to treatment and improving the clinical outcomes of an ever-expanding list of solid tumors and hematological malignancies. However, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are not devoid of side effects, collectively regarded as immune-related adverse events (irAE); they are not easily uncovered in preclinical immunotoxicological investigations and are often due to the very low expression of their targets in immunologically-unchallenged non-clinical species. We have characterized expression of a broad range of immune checkpoint receptors in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) subpopulations from cynomolgus monkeys and healthy human volunteers, under resting and T-cell stimulatory conditions by multicolor flow cytometry to inform appropriate species selection for modeling potential irAE in immunotherapeutic preclinical research. Focusing on the response of the main lymphocyte populations to interleukin (IL)-2 alone, or in combination with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies, checkpoints with shared similarities and key differences between the two species were identified. The results of this first study provide a database for the expression and response to stimulation for immune checkpoint receptors and can help guide future model selection in the design of preclinical studies involving immunotherapeutics directed against these targets.Funding was from Labcor
Impact of Pilates Training on Lower Limb Joint Muscle Strength in Unilateral Transtibial Amputees: a single-cohort pre-post-intervention study
No full textYesPurpose
This study investigates the impact of a 3-month Pilates training program on lower limb joint muscle strength in unilateral transtibial amputees (TTA), focusing on enhancing muscle function in both the intact and residual limbs.
Materials and methods
This is a single-cohort pre-post-intervention study without a control group. Ten TTA participants, actively using prostheses for at least six months, completed a Pilates intervention with 36 sessions online, involving progressively increasing exercise intensities. Measurements of joint muscle strength in the intact limb and residual limb hip were taken at baseline, pre- and post-intervention, and at a three-month follow-up using an isokinetic dynamometer. Repeated measures ANOVA determined statistical significance (alpha level, p < 0.05); and effect size (ES) differences were determined to highlight clinical meaningfulness.
Results
Significant muscle strength increases were observed in the intact limb ankle (45.6 % plantarflexors, 11.9 % dorsiflexors), knee (25.9 % extensors, 28.7 % flexors), hip (22.9 % flexors, 42.2 % extensors) and hip of the residual limb (23.1 % flexors, 52.1 % extensors) – all increases represented a large effect size (ES > 3.0). These improvements persisted at follow-up.
Conclusions
This pilot study demonstrated that Pilates training significantly improved joint muscle strength in the intact and residual limbs of the TTA participant group. These preliminary findings support Pilates as a beneficial and accessible modality for enhancing strength and mobility in lower limb amputees. However, further randomised controlled studies are required to fully determine the effects of Pilates training on functional outcomes and mobility in lower limb amputees
Decolonial psychology in a zone of proximal development: From Monism to Pluralism
No full textYesThe ethical commitments of decolonial psychology are not well articulated. In this chapter, we consider the dialogue between values and knowledge, with a focus on different moral perspectives – universalism, relativism, and pluralism in decolonial psychology. This discussion is necessary if we are to disentangle different versions of decolonial psychology from another and even more necessary if we are to understand the role of outside cultures in engaging colonially with other cultures. A plurality of moral worlds means that outsideness is engaged with a continuum of (dis)comfort from within a variety of zones of proximal development. This chapter will interpret these zones as axiological in nature and outline the skills involved in mastering them. These skills include the mastery of a singular voice, the skill of imagination, and the skill to maintain an authorial center amidst plurality. Drawing on the work of Vygotsky and Bakhtin, we will discuss the acquisition of these skills within decolonial psychology – as an anchor to start considering decolonial psychology as a set of moral commitments and skills to be mastered.The full-text of this article will be released for public view at the end of the publisher embargo on 11 Jan 2027
Fifty years of excellence in water resources research: insights from the most cited articles per decade published in Water International
No full textYesTo celebrate fifty years of Water International, this article presents fifty articles that have stood the test of time and have made significant contributions to the field of water resources knowledge. In particular, it identifies which articles received the most citations over the past fifty years, focusing on the top ten cited articles per decade published in Water International. This provides a basis for reflecting on the themes and topics that have been prominent in these pages, and whether any trends, discontinuities, or forever issues can be identified. Importantly, we do not use the citation scores as a proxy for research quality but rather to assess the relevance of the papers in the context of their overall contributions to the evolving water sustainability discourse at the global level. To bring it all together, we provide the twenty most cited articles of all time, together with abstracts, and provide some overall observations and thoughts about the future
Remotely Actuated Magnetic Nanocarpets for Bone Tissue Engineering: Non-Invasive Modulation of Mechanosensitive Ion Channels for Enhanced Osteogenesis
No full textYesNon-invasive approaches using remotely controllable nanomaterials have demonstrated their potential ability to enhance treatment efficacy in regenerative medicine and tissue repair. Although magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have been used for multiple healthcare applications where their remote control properties can show significant advances, enhanced surface functional groups, and electrical properties would expand their capabilities. To address this, in this study, MNPs incorporated Graphene Oxide (GO) based nanocomposites (GOMNPs) are developed and functionalized with TREK1 and Piezo1 antibodies to specifically target the respective mechanosensitive ion channels. Magnetic ion channel activation (MICA) technology is used to remotely activate MG63 osteoblast-like cells tagged with these functionalized GOMNPs. Remote activation of mechanotransduction pathways shows significant upregulation in osteogenic gene expression as well as enhanced alkaline phosphate activity and calcium mineralization with enhanced bone formation. The development of a GOMNP composite has extensive applicability for future clinical translation
Planetary health leadership to drive climate action across pharmaceutical supply chains: insights from qualitative research and a call to action
No full textYesIntroduction: Pharmaceutical manufacture, delivery, and use produces an estimated 10-55% of national health care greenhouse gas emissions. Addressing pharmaceutical supply chain
emissions is essential to mitigating health care’s climate impact. Our research aimed to explore the constraints to pharmaceutical supply chain climate action, and how planetary health
leadership can overcome these challenges.
Methods: We conducted 21 narrative interviews with representatives from pharmaceutical companies, and industry and health system stakeholders. Interviews explored perspectives on
climate action across pharmaceutical supply chains. Analysis was informed by argumentative discourse analysis enabling identification of key storylines.
Results: Climate action across pharmaceutical supply chains is sporadic and insufficient to achieve health system climate goals. Critical constraints to climate action include: (a) structural
constraints, particularly complex, fragmented, global supply chains as well as restrictive net zero infrastructure in some countries where supply chains operate, and (b) conceptual constraints, the ‘patient-profit-planet dilemma’, where climate action is perceived to conflict with patient wellbeing and financial considerations. Planetary health leadership can help overcome these constraints in three key ways. Firstly, planetary health leadership can help reconceptualise health care delivery, and the role of pharmaceuticals, to align patient and planetary wellbeing whilst meeting financial pressures. Secondly, planetary health leadership can mobilise collective climate action across pharmaceutical supply chains, reframing climate change as a shared problem, and challenging issues of transparency, competition, and blame. Thirdly, planetary health leadership can challenge wider systems that constrain climate action, leveraging the economic and political power of pharmaceutical supply chains to drive global decarbonisation efforts.
Conclusion: Planetary health leadership must confront considerable constraints to embed planetary health considerations across pharmaceutical supply chains. Leaders in this space
must be willing to go against the status quo, challenge entrenched norms and structures, to enable wider spread and support for sustainable health care deliver
Standardising Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hubs (MASH): Building a Framework to Effectively Identify and Manage Risk
No full textYesMASH has been a feature of safeguarding practices in England and Wales since 2011, bringing safeguarding agencies together to effectively share information and prevent organizational silos. Core agencies include the police, social care, and health, with key features of co-location, joint decision-making and co-ordination. A standardised definition for MASH implementation does not exist, and this lack of a clear definition has meant various structures have emerged, impacting on safeguarding practices. This policy brief draws on workshops with a range of safeguarding practitioners between May and July 2022, about the challenges of collaborative working practices and how MASH can become more standardised. Whilst national standardisation is required, there needs to be flexibility when implementing guidelines, so that practices and processes reflect regional needs and resources
Aerial RIS Aided NOMA Networks with Optimized Secrecy Metrics Performance, Radio Frequency
No full textYesReconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) technology is a promising technique for enhancing the performance of reconfigurable next-generation wireless networks. In this paper, we investigate the physical layer security of the downlink in RIS-aided non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) networks in the presence of an eavesdropper. To characterize the network performance, the expected value of the new channel statistics is derived for the reflected links in the case of Rayleigh fading distribution. Furthermore, the performance of the proposed network is evaluated in terms of the secrecy outage probability (SOP) and the strictly positive secrecy capacity (SPSC). To optimize these metrics, we employ the multi-objective artificial vultures optimization algorithm (MOAVOA), using the power allocation coefficients of the nearby and distant users as key parameters. Two case studies are considered in simulation: perfect channel state information (CSI) and imperfect CSI.UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) under grant EP/Y035135/1, and HORIZON-MSCA-2022SE-01-01-ID: 101131501, Marie Skłodowska-Curie, Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE), titled: 6G Terahertz Communications for Future Heterogeneous Wireless Network (6G-TERAFIT)