Self-propulsive active nematics.

Increasing evidence suggests that active matter exhibits instances of mixed symmetry that cannot be fully described by either polar or nematic formalism. Here, we introduce a minimal model that integrates self-propulsion into the active nematic framework. Our linear stability analyses reveal how self-propulsion shifts the onset of instability, fundamentally altering the dynamical landscape.

Quantification of flagellar gait changes with combined shape mode analysis and swimming simulations.

Many different microswimmers propel themselves using flagella that beat periodically. The shape of the flagellar beat and swimming speed have been observed to change with fluid rheology. We quantify changes in the flagellar waveforms of in response to changes in fluid viscosity using (i) shape mode analysis and (ii) a full swimmer simulation to analyse how shape changes affect the swimming speed and to explore the dimensionality of the shape space.

A computational approach to simulating a three-sphere swimmer in a viscoelastic fluid modelled via the Giesekus constitutive law.

Microswimmer locomotion in non-Newtonian fluids is crucial for biological processes, including infection, fertilization and biofilm formation. The behaviour of microswimmers in these media is an area with many conflicting results, with swimmers displaying varying responses depending on their morphology, actuation and the complex properties of the surrounding fluid. Using a hybrid computational approach, we numerically investigate the effect of shear-thinning rheology and viscoelasticity on a simple conceptual microswimmer consisting of three linked spheres.

Restoring Synaptic Balance in Schizophrenia: Insights From a Thalamo-Cortical Conductance-Based Model.

Background And Hypothesis: The dysconnectivity hypothesis of schizophrenia suggests that atypical neural communication underlies the disorder's diverse symptoms. Building on this framework, we propose that specific synaptic disturbances within thalamo-cortical circuits contribute to an imbalance in excitation and inhibition, leading to alteration in oscillations. Our study investigates these alterations and explores whether synaptic restoration can remediate neural activity of schizophrenia and align it with healthy patterns.

Cardiovascular Effects of Exposure to Microgravity: A Literature Review.

Background: Space exploration has progressed significantly, with increased human presence in orbit, the development of space stations, and the planning of increasingly prolonged missions. However, the space environment poses substantial physiological challenges, particularly for the cardiovascular system. According to NASA's Human Research Program, the five primary risks associated with human spaceflight are: (1) microgravity, (2) ionizing cosmic radiation, (3) isolation and confinement, (4) closed environmental systems, and (5) the great distance from Earth.

On the structural and practical identifiability of multi-echo BBB-ASL tracer kinetic models.

Purpose: Tracer kinetic models are used in arterial spin labeling (ASL); however, deciding which model parameters to fix or fit is not always trivial. The identifiability of the resultant system of equations is useful to consider, since it will likely impact parameter uncertainty. Here, we analyze the identifiability of two-compartment models used in multi-echo (ME) blood-brain-barrier (BBB)-ASL and evaluate the reliability of the fitted water-transfer rate ).

Flexible Parametric Accelerated Failure Time Models With Cure.

Accelerated failure time (AFT) models offer an attractive alternative to Cox proportional hazards models. AFT models are collapsible and, unlike hazard ratios in proportional hazards models, the acceleration factor-a key effect measure in AFT models-is collapsible, meaning its value remains unchanged when adjusting for additional covariates. In addition, AFT models provide an intuitive interpretation directly on the survival time scale.

Comparison of and SAR efficiency for a high-impedance metamaterial shield with different remote RF arrays at 7 T MRI: A simulation study.

Introduction: This study explores high-impedance surface (HIS) metamaterial shields for enhancing the transmit field in whole-body MRI at 7 T. We studied the possibility of placing a metamaterial layer between the gradient coil and bore liner using electromagnetic simulations to evaluate B and SAR efficiency across different impedances.

Materials And Methods: Simulations were performed in three stages, first metamaterial design and characterization, then single-element dipole simulations with a homogenous phantom, and finally, simulations including a four-element arrays with a virtual body model, including the whole scanner geometry.

Transition behavior of the waiting time distribution in a stochastic model with the internal state.

It has been noticed that when the waiting time distribution exhibits a transition from an intermediate time power-law decay to a long-time exponential decay in the continuous time random walk model, a transition from anomalous diffusion to normal diffusion can be observed at the population level. However, the mechanism behind the transition of waiting time distribution is rarely studied. In this paper, we provide one possible mechanism to explain the origin of such a transition.

Probing the Kitaev honeycomb model on a neutral-atom quantum computer.

Quantum simulations of many-body systems are among the most promising applications of quantum computers. In particular, models based on strongly correlated fermions are central to our understanding of quantum chemistry and materials problems, and can lead to exotic, topological phases of matter. However, owing to the non-local nature of fermions, such models are challenging to simulate with qubit devices.

The emergence of globular clusters and globular-cluster-like dwarfs.

Globular clusters (GCs) are among the oldest and densest stellar systems in the Universe, yet how they form remains a mystery. Here we present a suite of cosmological simulations in which both dark-matter-free GCs and dark-matter-rich dwarf galaxies naturally emerge in the Standard Cosmology. We show that these objects inhabit distinct locations in the size-luminosity plane and that they have similar ages, age spread, metallicity and metallicity spread to globulars and dwarfs in the nearby Universe.

Targeted hotspot profiling reveals a functionally relevant mutation in bladder cancer.

Background: Understanding the mutational landscape is critical for elucidating the molecular mechanisms driving cancer progression. This study aimed to profile somatic mutations in bladder cancer patients (N=7) from Bangladesh to provide insights into the genetic alterations underlying this malignancy.

Methods: We performed targeted sequencing of 50 oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes using the Ion AmpliSeq Cancer Hotspot Panel v2 on tumor and matched blood samples from seven bladder cancer patients.

Biomechanical impact of sagittal curvature radius in glenoid fossa on TMJ prosthesis performance: A finite element study of custom designs.

Statement Of Problem: Although custom temporomandibular joint (TMJ) prostheses manufactured via computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD-CAM) and produced through 3-dimensional (3D) printing or computer numerical control (CNC) allow for sagittal curvature adjustments in the glenoid fossa, their design remains unregulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Consequently, the geometry is determined largely by the engineer's discretion, with limited biomechanical evidence to guide these decisions. The lack of validation regarding how sagittal curvature influences joint stress distribution under various anatomical and functional conditions represents a gap in current knowledge that warrants investigation.

Validating traffic simulation for crash risk assessment using field crash data.

Introduction: Assessing safety using traffic simulation is becoming increasingly feasible with advancements in methodological frameworks and tools, emphasizing the critical importance of accuracy and reliability. This study aims to bridge the gap between simulation models and real-world safety observations, contributing to the advancement of more robust safety assessment methodologies. It presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of traffic safety metrics derived from both simulated and real-world data, employing clustering technique to identify safety patterns.

Individual hearts: computational models for improved management of cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with conventional management often applying standardised approaches that struggle to address individual variability in increasingly complex patient populations. Computational models, both knowledge-driven and data-driven, have the potential to reshape cardiovascular medicine by offering innovative tools that integrate patient-specific information with physiological understanding or statistical inference to generate insights beyond conventional diagnostics. This review traces how computational modelling has evolved from theoretical research tools into clinical decision support systems that enable personalised cardiovascular care.

Towards goal-directed perfusion - Part I: Developing physiology-inspired mathematical framework using high-resolution paediatric CPB data.

BackgroundDuring cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), goal-directed perfusion (GDP) seeks to match oxygen delivery to metabolic demand, but the dynamics of oxygen extraction and intraoperative oxygen demand remain poorly understood, especially in paediatric populations. Existing models rely on limited data and assume, for example, a linear relationship between log oxygen demand and temperature.MethodsWe developed GARIX (Global AutoRegressive Integrated model with eXogenous variables and an equilibrium force) to predict minute-by-minute changes in oxygen extraction ratio (OER) using high-resolution intraoperative data.

Integrated Micro-CT and Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of Stepwise Enlargement in Mesial Root Canals of Mandibular Molars.

Introduction: To evaluate how stepwise enlargement in the mesial root canals of mandibular first molars affect shaping outcomes and irrigant dynamics.

Methods: The shaping ability and irrigant flow patterns in mesial canals of mandibular first molars enlarged with ProTaper Next instruments (25/.06v, 30/.

Intestinal mucosa-mimetic double-layer gelatin hydrogel for recapitulation of 3D immune microenvironment.

The intestinal immune microenvironment plays a crucial role in regulating systemic immune responses and is implicated in various diseases. Nevertheless, no existing model simultaneously replicates the three-dimensional (3D) immune microenvironment and the mucosal barrier. This study presents a novel mucosa-mimic model that consists of a cell-laden hydrogel matrix and a pseudo-mucus layer that emulate the intestinal lamina propria and mucosal barrier, respectively.

Population pharmacokinetics of intravenous ampicillin in awake and anesthetised dogs.

The aim of this study is to describe a population pharmacokinetic model for intravenous ampicillin-sulbactam in awake and anaesthetized dogs in these two treatment scenarios and to compute PK/PD cut-offs (PK/PD). This was a prospective clinical trial in 20 client-owned dogs, either treated by ampicillin after post-surgical infection, or in the context of surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis. All animals received 20mg/kg of ampicillin by slow iv route.

Using Machine Learning to Predict-Then-Optimize Elective Orthopedic Surgery Scheduling to Improve Operating Room Utilization: Retrospective Study.

Background: Total knee and hip arthroplasty (TKA and THA) are among the most performed elective procedures. Rising demand and the resource-intensive nature of these procedures have contributed to longer wait times despite significant health care investment. Current scheduling methods often rely on average surgical durations, overlooking patient-specific variability.

Airborne bioaerosol transmission in hospital waiting corridor: Characteristic, exposure risk and evaluation of prevention strategies.

Following the global COVID-19 pandemic, greater attention has been paid to public health safety, especially in hospital environments. In waiting areas with interconnected spaces, complex airflow, unclear bioaerosol dispersion, and the limitations of traditional control methods pose major challenges. This study combined real-world experiments and numerical simulations to investigate the airborne transmission characteristics of pathogen-laden aerosols in a hospital waiting corridor.

A model research study on persistence, recovery and analysis of trace DNA under fingernails of drowned bodies.

DNA obtained from the crime scene or in the form of trace evidence is one of the most crucial pieces of evidence to individualize an assailant. During a violent physical assault, DNA, in the form of epithelial cells or blood due to violent scratching, is deposited in the hyponychium of the fingernail. This trace DNA is recovered and extracted from the fingernail debris by nail swabbing, and genetic profiling is done from the extracted DNA.

A study on prediction of radioactive fallout based on the WRF-NAQPMS model.

The WRF-NAQPMS (Weather Research and Forecasting- Nested Air Quality Prediction Modeling System) model are used to simulate radioactive fallout of nuclear explosions from the stabilized nuclear cloud. The distribution of particle radioactivity and the radioactive distribution are described by modeling the stabilized nuclear cloud. In addition, a three-dimensional radiation calculation module and a radionuclide calculation module are constructed based on the vertical diffusion theory of radioactive materials and the radionuclide fractionation model.

Comparison of Navier-Stokes and lattice Boltzmann solvers for subject-specific modelling of intracranial aneurysms.

Modelling cardiovascular disease is at the forefront of efforts to use computational tools to assist in the analysis and forecasting of an individual's state of health. To build trust in such tools, it is crucial to understand how different approaches perform when applied to a nominally identical scenario, both singularly and across a population. To examine such differences, we have studied the flow in aneurysms located on the internal carotid artery and middle cerebral artery using the commercial solver Ansys CFX and the open-source code HemeLB.

Intracellular Galectin-3 as a Crucial Regulator of Foam Cell Formation and Apoptosis Progression through the Modulation of Membrane Lipid Rafts.

Background: Atherosclerosis, a leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality worldwide, is characterized by dysregulated lipid metabolism and unresolved inflammation. Macrophage-derived foam cell formation and apoptosis contribute to plaque formation and vulnerability. Elevated serum galectin-3 (Gal-3) levels are associated with increased CVD risk, and Gal-3 in plaques is strongly associated with macrophages.