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Characterization of the Erosion of Soft Tissue by Surgical Mesh In Vitro
No full textSurgical mesh implants have been extensively used in hernia treatment and pelvic organ procedures, such as organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence. Since the onset of the use of such implants, major complications have been widely reported. Mesh erosion, where neighbouring tissues are worn from the rubbing of mesh, has been a concern in a significantly large number of clinical cases. However, there is still a lack in the literature on the mechanics of this occurrence. In this study, a purposely built apparatus was used to generate and measure the erosion of soft tissue (porcine muscle) by surgical mesh, and other products for comparison purposes. Three types of edge conditions were made from a typical knitted polypropylene mesh, scalpel cut, laser cut and hot-wire cut. Six stress urinary incontinence slings were tested: Gynecare with a mechanical cut edge, Gynecare with laser cut edge, Obtrix, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx. In addition, a polypropylene sheet with serrations and a polypropylene suture were also tested. A close relationship was found between the roughness of the product?s edge and the rate of soft tissue erosion, though this was also affected by other factors such as the flexibility of the edge. A relationship between erosion and force applied was also demonstrated. From the tests carried out, results show that current commercially available meshes can erode through pelvic tissues in as little as a few weeks. Products advertised by companies as safer options, such as laser cut edges, produced the highest erosion rates. The specially knitted mesh slings (Xxxxxx and Xxxxxx), though apparently designed to avoid the problems with the knitted meshes, performed no better in the erosion tests. It was concluded that more research should be carried out on surgical mesh devices, and its risks should be well stated to patients
"Making our own language": The translanguaging practices of transnational youths in Zacatecas, Mexico
No full textThis dissertation explores the discursive practices of twenty-three transnational youths located in Zacatecas, Mexico. The analysis of the qualitative data obtained is informed by Translanguaging )—a practical theory of language (Li Wei, 2018b)—. Translanguaging breaks away from the structuralist paradigm of linguistic analysis and is rather described as a "practice that involves dynamic and functionally integrated use of different languages and language varieties. More importantly, it is taken as a process of knowledge construction that goes beyond language(s)" (Li Wei, 2018b, p. 15 italics in original). In incorporating translanguaging, this study draws on moment analysis as the core unit of inquiry focusing on naturally occurring languaging and participants\u27 metalinguistic commentaries (Li Wei, 2011; Zhu Hua & Li Wei, 2016). The study has two main objectives. The first is to identify the translanguaging practices of the participants. This is achieved through the analysis of their discourse within the context of semi-structured interviews and writing compositions conceived as translanguaging spaces. The data analysis resulted in a collection of Translanguaging Natural Occurrences (TNOs) )—representing participants\u27 translanguaging practices in their everyday activities across myriad social domains)—. The second objective is to explore the ways in which the translanguaging practices of participants explain their identity construction. This is accomplished by analyzing the data corresponding to participants\u27 Metalinguistic Commentaries (MLCs). Through their insights, the youths in this study reveal personal processes of identity construction at the same time as illuminating broader discourses of belonging anchored in the prevailing ideologies of language and identity across the multiple social domains they navigate within the transnational fields they inhabit
Man the Tamer: case studies in masculine ideology, power and the domestication of the wild in Ancient Greek social thought
No full textDrawing on the strong tradition of structuralism in the Classics, this thesis argues that the binary opposition between wild and tame was fundamental to the Ancient Greek man\u27s understanding of social power relations. It maintains that, in the ancient polis, the language of taming was closely linked to a broad range of hegemonic masculine conduct, ranging from self-control and sexual potency to political assertiveness and martial courage. The literary sources indicate that a Greek man, when exhibiting ideals of masculinity in his relations with disfranchised members of his community, was imagined as playing the role of a "tamer": the individual who possesses the ability to impose his will on the wild realm of nature
SV40 T antigen interactions with ssDNA and replication protein A: a regulatory role of T antigen monomers in lagging strand DNA replication
No full textDNA replication is a central process in all living organisms. Polyomavirus DNA replication serves as a model system for eukaryotic DNA replication and has considerably contributed to our understanding of basic replication mechanisms. However, the details of the involved processes are still unclear, in particular regarding lagging strand synthesis. To delineate the complex mechanism of coordination of various cellular proteins binding simultaneously or consecutively to DNA to initiate replication, we investigated single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) interactions by the SV40 large T antigen (Tag). Using single molecule imaging by atomic force microscopy (AFM) combined with biochemical and spectroscopic analyses we reveal independent activity of monomeric and oligomeric Tag in high affinity binding to ssDNA. Depending on ssDNA length, we obtain dissociation constants for Tag-ssDNA interactions (K-D values of 10-30 nM) that are in the same order of magnitude as ssDNA binding by human replication protein A (RPA). Furthermore, we observe the formation of RPA-Tag-ssDNA complexes containing hexameric as well as monomeric Tag forms. Importantly, our data clearly show stimulation of primase function in lagging strand Okazaki fragment synthesis by monomeric Tag whereas hexameric Tag inhibits the reaction, redefining DNA replication initiation on the lagging strand.Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (EKFS) [2013_A215]; PML Consortium (Washington, USA) [RIB1099] to H.P.N. Funding for open access charge: Funding by NUI Galway and University of Würzburg
Simulating a Transition to Autonomous Mobility
No full texthttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.simpat.2020.102175This study examined the transition from Traditional Vehicles (TVs) to Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) using microsimulation modelling approaches. For this purpose, the study first optimised the parameters of human driving behaviours to find out what would happen if AVs could drive with modified human behaviours. Then, the study acquired the optimised driving behaviours to evaluate how efficient AVs can be within the context of the anticipated driving behaviours. The shared road of AVs and TVs was tested for where the proportion of the AVs incremented by 10% from an entirely traditional network to a network fully occupied by AVs. Such an assessment of the shared road represented the transition periods between TVs and AVs in highway transport. Overall, the simulation results in this study indicated that AVs could substantially improve the quality of traffic, especially by reducing the number of stops, queue length, and delay time. The study also found that TVs and AVs can efficiently share their road, and the improvement in the quality of traffic increases with an increase in the proportion of AVs to TVs, up to a specific level, on the road. In this regard, according to the results from the peak and normal traffic conditions, a road with a 60% share of AVs can see its traffic quality improved as much as a road entirely populated by AVs. Therefore, dedicating 100% of the road traffic to AVs or devoting a dedicated lane for AVs in peak traffic hours might be as efficient as a shared road with 60% AVs
Priming exercise accelerates pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics during "work-to-work" cycle exercise in middle-aged individuals with type 2 diabetes
No full textPurpose: The time constant of phase II pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics ([Formula: see text]) is increased when high-intensity exercise is initiated from an elevated baseline (work-to-work). A high-intensity priming exercise (PE), which enhances muscle oxygen supply, does not reduce this prolonged [Formula: see text] in healthy active individuals, likely because [Formula: see text] is limited by metabolic inertia (rather than oxygen delivery) in these individuals. Since [Formula: see text] is more influenced by oxygen delivery in type 2 diabetes (T2D), this study tested the hypothesis that PE would reduce [Formula: see text] in T2D during work-to-work cycle exercise.
Methods: Nine middle-aged individuals with T2D and nine controls (ND) performed four bouts of constant-load, high-intensity work-to-work transitions, each commencing from a baseline of moderate-intensity. Two bouts were completed without PE and two were preceded by PE. The rate of muscle deoxygenation ([HHb + Mb]) and surface integrated electromyography (iEMG) were measured at the right and left vastus lateralis, respectively.
Results: Subsequent to PE, [Formula: see text] was reduced (P = 0.001) in T2D (from 59 ± 17 to 37 ± 20 s) but not (P = 0.24) in ND (44 ± 10 to 38 ± 7 s). The amplitude of the [Formula: see text] slow component ([Formula: see text]2 As) was reduced (P = 0.001) in both groups (T2D: 0.16 ± 0.09 to 0.11 ± 0.04 l/min; ND: 0.21 ± 0.13 to 0.13 ± 0.09 l/min). This was accompanied by a reduction in ΔiEMG from the onset of [Formula: see text] slow component to end-exercise in both groups (P < 0.001), while [HHb + Mb] kinetics remained unchanged.
Conclusions: PE accelerates [Formula: see text] in T2D, likely by negating the O2 delivery limitation extant in the unprimed condition, and reduces the [Formula: see text]As possibly due to changes in muscle fibre activation
Associations between neurocardiovascular signal entropy and physical frailty
No full textIn this cross-sectional study, the relationship between noninvasively measured neurocardiovascular signal entropy and physical frailty was explored in a sample of community-dwelling older adults from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). The hypothesis under investigation was that dysfunction in the neurovascular and cardiovascular systems, as quantified by short-length signal complexity during a lying-to-stand test (active stand), could provide a marker for frailty. Frailty status (i.e., “non-frail”, “pre-frail”, and “frail”) was based on Fried’s criteria (i.e., exhaustion, unexplained weight loss, weakness, slowness, and low physical activity). Approximate entropy (ApEn) and sample entropy (SampEn) were calculated during resting (lying down), active standing, and recovery phases. There was continuously measured blood pressure/heart rate data from 2645 individuals (53.0% female) and frontal lobe tissue oxygenation data from 2225 participants (52.3% female); both samples had a mean (SD) age of 64.3 (7.7) years. Results revealed statistically significant associations between neurocardiovascular signal entropy and frailty status. Entropy differences between non-frail and pre-frail/frail were greater during resting state compared with standing and recovery phases. Compared with ApEn, SampEn seemed to have better discriminating power between non-frail and pre-frail/frail individuals. The quantification of entropy in short length neurocardiovascular signals could provide a clinically useful marker of the multiple physiological dysregulations that underlie physical frailty
Interactions, mechanisms and impact of future coastal urban flooding. A case study of Cork city
No full textIn coastal floodplains, high river flows and high coastal water levels can result in extensive flooding. Mechanisms of flooding play a crucial role in flood characteristics with distinctive differences in flood wave propagation pattern and geographical extent of inundation. Climate change is expected to alter these flood mechanisms. This paper presents an assessment of urban inundation due to a combined effect of multiple source flooding. Cork City, a coastal city in the south of Ireland, frequently subject to complex coastal-fluvial flooding is used as a case study to investigate changes in flood mechanisms, dynamics and extents due to climate change. Interactions and dependencies between tides, surges and river discharges were computed to understand the likelihood of cooccurrence of compound drivers. The MSN Flood was used to predict potential future inundation patterns for a range of climate scenarios under various hydrological conditions. Scenarios were based on estimates of current, medium-range and high-end projections of extreme river flows and sea levels
Towards robust learning with different label noise distributions
No full textNoisy labels are an unavoidable consequence of labeling processes and detecting them is an important step towards preventing performance degradations in Convolutional Neural Networks. Discarding noisy labels avoids a harmful memorization, while the associated image content can still be exploited in a semi-supervised learning (SSL) setup. Clean samples are usually identified using the small loss trick, i.e. they exhibit a low loss. However, we show that different noise distributions make the application of this trick less straightforward and propose to continuously relabel all images to reveal a discriminative loss against multiple distributions. SSL is then applied twice, once to improve the clean-noisy detection and again for training the final model. We design an experimental setup based on ImageNet32/64 for better understanding the consequences of representation learning with differing label noise distributions and find that non-uniform out-of-distribution noise better resembles real-world noise and that in most cases intermediate features are not affected by label noise corruption. Experiments in CIFAR-10/100, ImageNet32/64 and WebVision (real-world noise) demonstrate that the proposed label noise Distribution Robust Pseudo-Labeling (DRPL) approach gives substantial improvements over recent state-of-the-art. Code is available at https://git.io/JJ0PV
FastSal: a computationally efficient network for visual saliency prediction
No full textThis paper focuses on the problem of visual saliency prediction, predicting regions of an image that tend to attract hu- man visual attention, under a constrained computational budget. We modify and test various recent efficient convolutional neural network architectures like EfficientNet and MobileNetV2 and compare them with existing state-of-the-art saliency models such as SalGAN and DeepGaze II both in terms of standard accuracy metrics like Area Under Curve (AUC) and Normalized Scanpath Saliency (NSS), and in terms of the computational complexity and model size. We find that MobileNetV2 makes an excellent backbone for a visual saliency model and can be effective even without a complex decoder. We also show that knowledge transfer from a more computationally expensive model like DeepGaze II can be achieved via pseudo-labelling an unlabelled dataset, and that this approach gives result on-par with many state-of-the-art algorithms with a fraction of the computational cost and model size