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Small bowel motility quantified by cine MRI to predict longer term response in patients with Crohn’s disease commencing biological therapy: The Motility study
Get PDFBackground:Small bowel Crohn’s Disease (SBCD) is increasingly treated with biological therapies. Predicting response or remission (RoR) for individual patients is difficult and complicates treatment strategy. We aimed to determine if motility magnetic resonance imaging (mMRI) is superior to CRP and faecal calprotectin (FC) for prediction of RoR at one year in patients commencing biologics for SBCD.Methods:Prospective, multicentre (n=13) cohort study of patients with active non-stricturing SBCD requiring anti-TNF or anti-IL-12/23 treatment. We measured mMRI and CRP at baseline and post-induction (visit 2: 12-30 weeks), and FC in a subset. RoR was assessed at one year using clinical and structural magnetic resonance enterography parameters. We compared sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC) of changes in mMRI and CRP to predict RoR at 1 year. Secondary outcomes compared mMRI with FC, and prediction of improved quality of life (QoL).Results:Eighty-six participants completed all assessments. Stable or improved mMRI at visit 2 was more sensitive than normalisation of CRP for RoR (mMRI:71.0%, 95%CI 52.0-85.8; CRP:45.2%, 95%CI 27.3-64.0%, p=0.008) but less specific (mMRI:30.9%, 95%CI 19.1-44.8; CRP:67.3%, 95%CI 53.3-79.3%, p<0.001). There was no significant difference in ROC-AUC (mMRI:0.48; CRP:0.53, p=0.65). Similar results were obtained for FC. None of mMRI, CRP or FC predicted patient QoL at 1 year.Conclusions:Although improved mMRI is more sensitive than CRP and FC to predict RoR at 1 year, it is less specific. No factor predicted patient QoL. Motility MRI remains a marker of disease activity at given timepoints
Women Prisoners Regulating Prisons: Did Corston Achieve Networked, Participatory Regulation?
Get PDFPrison regulators across scales hold potential to illuminate harms of imprisonment and influence alternatives, yet criminologists rarely engage with these mechanisms. We analyse prisoners' participatory roles in the 'transformative' Corston Report (2007) and The Corston Report 10 Years On (Women in Prison, 2017), using actor-network-theory to guide document analysis. Corston called for a radically different, woman-centred approach to criminal justice, but women's voices were often peripheral, or they were constructed as 'pathetic'. There is unrealised potential for regulatory efforts to network imprisoned women and their families with other regulators, deepening understanding of problems connected to prisons, for broader social benefit
Evaluation of the ‘take time to think’ safer gambling message: a randomised, online experimental study
Get PDFIn October 2021, a majority of the UK gambling industry implemented a new UK safer gambling message, “take time to think”, which features on gambling advertising and websites. An effective safer gambling message could plausibly affect several relevant gambling behaviours, with previous research suggesting that message effectiveness is maximised via messages that are displayed prominently immediately prior to gambling. We experimentally tested this message’s effect on four contemporaneous gambling behaviours (the proportion of available funds bet, clicks for help service information, mean speed of play, and the total number of roulette spins made) in an incentivised online roulette game in a sample of UK-based online gamblers. Participants (N=2,305) were randomly allocated to either a: ‘no-message’ control, ‘message’ shown throughout condition, or a ‘message+’ condition, where the message was shown throughout and also via a popup immediately prior to the roulette game. Overall, the results showed no credible effects across the four outcome measures when comparing either of the message conditions to the no-message control. Even the prominent display of the “take time to think” message did not lead to credible beneficial effects on a range of contemporaneous gambling behaviours
Design and Validation of a Fuzzy Logic Controller for Multisection Continuum Robots
No full textThe rise of multisection continuum robots (CRs) has captivated researchers and practitioners across diverse industries and medical fields. Researchers have devised a spectrum of model-based and learning-based strategies to conquer the modeling problem and elevate control performance. Despite the advancements in these approaches, they encounter challenges stemming from their complex design and intricate learning processes. This article introduces a simply structured, model-free fuzzy logic controller (FLC) for the closed-loop control of continuum robots. This controller boasts a built-in shape classification algorithm. This algorithm allows it to achieve robust control using only the feedback of end position and orientation, significantly reducing sensor dependence. It efficiently adapts to various nonlinearities such as hysteresis, cable elongation, and unexpected external disturbances. The experimental results conclusively demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of the proposed FLC. On a three-section, six-degree-of-freedom continuum robot, it achieved a minuscule trajectory tracking root mean square error from 0.31 to 1.00 mm, representing just 0.19% to 0.60% of the robot’s length. Additionally, the controller demonstrates robustness by successfully handling unexpected external disturbances during the trajectory tracking
Prenatal fructose exposure independently impacts placental phenotype and female offspring kidney function and liver composition in rats
Get PDFArchaeological and anthropological evidence suggests that human ancestors' diets were rich in fiber, potassium, and complex carbohydrates, while low in sodium, refined sugars, and energy density. Over time, agroindustrialization led to diets poorer in fiber and micronutrients but higher in sodium, simple sugars, and calorie-dense foods. This shift contributed to the rise of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, which now account for 70% of global premature deaths. Maternal nutrition affects fetal development and long-term health. High sucrose or fructose intake during pregnancy can alter placental function, impacting fetal growth and metabolism. Placentae from male and female fetuses may respond differently to maternal diet. However, the effects of excessive maternal fructose intake on the placenta and offspring remain underexplored. In this study, rat dams consuming fructose-sweetened beverages ate less food but drank more, significantly impacting placental volume and vascular structure. Long-term effects on offspring were sex-specific: females showed greater water retention and liver fat accumulation. High maternal fructose intake altered placental anatomy and had sex-specific effects on kidney and liver function in adult offspring, even without further fructose exposure. These findings highlight the importance of maternal diet in preventing future metabolic diseases
Self-Attenuating Real-Time Vibration Control of a Flexible Long-Reach Robot
Get PDFIn this article, we address the critical challenge of vibration control of flexible long-reach robot manipulators used in nuclear decommissioning. The research is motivated by the urgent need to ensure precision and safety during the deployment of robotic systems in confined and hazardous environments, such as the through-wall deployment (TWD) system for the Sellafield nuclear site. The TWD system, featuring a rigid manipulator on a flexible two-link boom, is designed to maneuver through small openings in containment vessels. While this design avoids the need for bulky structures, the slenderness of the boom makes it prone to significant vibrations, potentially compromising the system’s stability and accuracy. To address these challenges, we propose a novel real-time flexible control system that suppresses vibrations using only the robot manipulator’s own actuation, without requiring additional actuators. The control strategy is based on the mixed-sensitivity H∞ synthesis for a dedicated dynamics model via inertial sensing, enhancing the robustness and adaptability over the multimodal flexibilities. Experimental validation demonstrated the control system’s effectiveness in reducing vibrations, thereby improving operational efficiency and safety. These findings have broader implications for deploying flexible, intelligent control systems in other high-stakes environments, such as the Fukushima Daiichi site, where similar vibration-related challenges are encountered
Toxoplasma gondii disrupts intestinal microbiota and host metabolism in a rat model
Get PDFToxoplasma gondii infection disrupts the gut microbiota and host systemic metabolism, which plays a key role in the pathophysiology of toxoplasmosis. To investigate these interactions, we conducted metagenomic sequencing and untargeted serum metabolomics on 18 Sprague-Dawley rats across control, acute, and chronic stages of infection. De novo assembly of 148 Gb of high-quality reads produced a comprehensive non-redundant microbial gene catalog comprising over 5.7 million genes. Infection led to a marked reduction in microbial diversity and significant shifts in community structure. Chronic infection, in particular, was characterized by the enrichment of Lactobacillus johnsonii, Lactobacillus intestinalis, and Limosilactobacillus reuteri, alongside a marked depletion of Akkermansia muciniphila and Rothia nasimurium. These compositional changes coincided with reduced abundance of carbohydrate-active enzymes, suggesting impaired microbial metabolic capacity. Pathway analysis revealed distinct, stage- and gut-region-specific metabolic disruptions, including suppressed amino acid and energy metabolism, and enhanced glycan and carbohydrate pathways during chronic infection. Untargeted LC-MS/MS profiling uncovered 883 differentially abundant serum metabolites, enriched in pathways related to amino acid metabolism, bile acid transformation, and aromatic compound processing. Importantly, L. johnsonii and L. reuteri were positively correlated with metabolites implicated in immune modulation and oxidative stress response, whereas A. muciniphila showed negative associations. These findings demonstrate that T. gondii infection orchestrates a coordinated host-microbiota-metabolome network, advancing our understanding of disease mechanisms and pointing to novel microbial and metabolic targets for therapy
Does irrigating with chlorhexidine slow the speed of canine skin wound healing when compared with saline?
No full textAmino acid and protein losses in adult patients receiving maintenance dialysis: a literature review
No full textThis comprehensive review aimed to provide an update regarding amino acid/protein losses in maintenance haemodialysis/haemodiafiltration (HD/HDF), peritoneal dialysis (PD), home HD (HHD) and nocturnal HD (NHD). From 2000 to 2024, all records that measured amino acid, peptide/protein losses in the dialysate effluent were included.Twenty-nine eligible records were identified (14 HD/15 PD). Amino acid losses ranged from 9.3±2.9g to 12.0±2.0g per four-hour HD session, and 0.314g to 0.522g/day in PD. Albumin losses ranged from 0.448g to 3.99g per HD/HDF session, and 4.23g to 6.12g/day in PD. Albumin losses were higher with post-dilution HDF compared to HD. Total protein losses were not reported in HD studies. Daily protein losses in PD ranged from 4.37±1.71g to 10.0±0.6g. No studies in HHD or NHD populations were identified.Amino acid/protein losses differ between HD/HDF and PD. Since PD occurs daily, patients receiving PD have greater weekly amino acid/protein losses than HD. Whether individualised replacement of these losses is linked to better clinical outcomes needs to be further explored
Quasi-Decoupled Arc-Shaped Magnetic Integrated Couplers for Underwater Wireless Power Transfer Systems and Its Multi-Objective Parameter Optimization Scheme
Get PDFOwing to the unique shape and spatial constraints of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), designing magnetic couplers presents significant challenges. Current researches on AUV coupler design has produced limited findings regarding the magnetic integration of arc-shaped coils, and there is a notable absence of systematic methods for optimizing parameter design. In terms of the aforementioned challenges, this paper proposes arc-shaped magnetic integrated couplers designed for AUV wireless power transfer (WPT) systems, along with a multi- objective parameter optimization plan. The proposed magnetic integration scheme can achieve approximate decoupling among compensation inductors and between compensation inductors and the main coils. This design offers the benefits of reducing spatial leakage magnetic flux and significantly improving system power density. Furthermore, this scheme can be extended to other underwater high-order WPT systems. Subsequently, using output power and efficiency as optimization objectives and migration adaptability as one of the constraints, a multi-objective salp swarm algorithm (MSSA) is applied. Finally, the proposed quasi-decoupled arc-shaped magnetic integrated coupler is applied to an underwater hybrid WPT system with input series and output parallel (ISOP) configuration, and the feasibility of the proposed scheme is validated through experiments. The experimental results demonstrate that, under a rated power of 1.2 kW, the peak efficiency of the system is 92.4%, and the allowable offset ranges in the axial, radial and angular directions are [-20mm, 20mm], [0mm, 20mm] and [-20°, 20°], respectively
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