Viability and hatchability of brine shrimp Artemia franciscana cysts after passing through the digestive system of eared grebes Podiceps nigricollis

Brine shrimp Artemia franciscana provide food for many migrating and staging birds that spend summer and fall on Great Salt Lake,Utah,USA.Artemia produce live young and cysts(hard-walled eggs);these cysts are commercially harvested on Great Salt Lake and support a large industry in Utah.It is unclear the impact that millions of hungry birds have on the Artemia population in the lake.To help assess that,this study evaluated cyst viability(percentage of cysts that contain an embryo)and hatchability(percent of cysts that hatch)from cysts that had passed through the digestive tract of eared grebes Podiceps nigricollis and cysts obtained directly from Great Salt Lake at the same site where each grebe was collected.Hatchability was significantly higher for cysts collected from the water column(19%)than from the stomach(0.3%)or intestines(3%)of eared grebes.Viability also was significantly different for cysts collected from the water column(29%),stomach(0.7%),and intestines(5%).These results indicate that eared grebes nutritionally benefit from eating cysts and that they may be an important food source for grebes in late fall after the adult population of Artemia dies off due to the water becoming too cold.Also,enough cysts survive their passage through the digestive system that grebes can vector hatchable cysts to other waterbodies.

Genetically modified pigs:Emerging animal models for hereditary hearing loss

Hereditary hearing loss(HHL),a genetic disorder that impairs auditory function,significantly affects quality of life and incurs substantial economic losses for society.To investigate the underlying causes of HHL and evaluate therapeutic outcomes,appropriate animal models are necessary.Pigs have been extensively used as valuable large animal models in biomedical research.In this review,we highlight the advantages of pig models in terms of ear anatomy,inner ear morphology,and electrophysiological characteristics,as well as recent advancements in the development of distinct genetically modified porcine models of hearing loss.Additionally,we discuss the prospects,challenges,and recommendations regarding the use pig models in HHL research.Overall,this review provides insights and perspectives for future studies on HHL using porcine models.

Study of the Constraints of Millet Production (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) and the Peasant Perception of Biological Control in the Tahoua Region

Millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) is the Sahelian crop par excellence due to its adaptation to the particular production conditions in this region. Unfortunately, in recent years this crop has been threatened by very strong parasitic pressure and drought during the production period. The objective of this study is to analyze the main constraints of millet production and the solutions known to producers. A survey was carried out in November 2022 with a sample of 298 producers in five municipalities in the Tahoua region. The main constraints are drought and pressure from crop pests (locust, millet ear miner, floricultural insects) according to 57.9% of respondents. The millet ear miner is the most formidable pest according to 55% of respondents. Thus, the average yield obtained in a year of good production without the leafminer is 194 kg/ha and that obtained in a year of millet ear leafminer is around 27 kg to 43 kg/ha depending on the municipality. The yield obtained this last campaign after the attack of this leafminer varies from 64 to 77 kg/ha depending on the municipalities compared to a potential yield of over 1000 kg/ha. More than half of producers (58.1%) are unaware of the existence of biological control compared to only 12.5% who are aware of this alternative method. Work to popularize this technology is necessary in the five municipalities and the entire region in general.

Nest-site selection of the White Eared pheasant in southwestern Sichuan Province,China

From April to July 2003 and 2004,we surveyed the nest-site selection of the White Eared pheasant(Crossoptilon crossoptilon)in the Zhujie Monastery and in the mountain facing it in Sichuan Province,China.In this paper,we studied the nest characteristics and the clutch size of the pheasant.Habitat sampling method was used to determine the variables that might affect the nest-site selection of the White Eared pheasant.Chi-square test was used to identify which habitat type was likely to be preferred by the bird.Independent-samples t test and Mann–Whitney U test were used to find which variables were important for the birds’nest-site selection.A total of 13 nests were found.Oak shrub was greatly preferred as nest sites(84.62%).Nests under a rock wall(7.69%)and a fallen tree(7.69%)were also found.The average clutch size of a White Eared pheasant is 7.33±0.54(range,5–11;n=12).Laying period was between April 27 and May 21.In the Zhujie area,1 nest was in the forest and 11 nests were in oak shrubs.The species preferred oak shrub as its nesting habitat(χ^(2)=8.333,df=1,P<0.05).The bird was more likely to place its nest in sites with a high coverage,i.e.0.5,1,and 2 m above the ground(independent-samples t test,P<0.05),and with a large shrub diameter(Mann–Whitney U test,P<0.05).The species are more likely to prefer sites with plant cover,shrub cover(independentsamples t test,P<0.05),and shrub height(Mann–Whitney U test,P<0.05)in a relatively small range.

基于Dlib的疲劳驾驶远程监测系统设计

阐述设计疲劳驾驶远程监测系统,利用Dlib人脸检测模型,通过计算EAR与MAR参数值来判断驾驶员是否闭眼或打哈欠,并通过HPE算法判断驾驶员头部姿态。若发现疲劳驾驶,系统会进行警告提示,并通过云端发送到监测平台进行人为干预,实现“双重保险”。经实验测试,此系统可以准确判定货车驾驶员的疲劳状态,降低事故风险。

Expression and Clinical Significance of Various Cytokines in Otitis Media

The expression and clinical significance of relevant cytokines in otitis media (OM) are discussed, and the alterations to the pathological state of the otitis media mucosa are further understood through the study of cytokine transduction pathways. More and more studies have shown that relevant cell proliferation and inflammation progression pathways play a role in the development of otitis media, such as the Jun amino-terminal protein kinase (JNK) mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, the NF-κB signaling pathway, and the PI3K/AKT/PTEN pathway, which are involved in the proliferation of the middle ear mucosa during otitis media, which affects the mucosal cilia, motor function, Eustachian tube function, and the mucosal ciliary function. These studies provide new ideas for the treatment of otitis media and further explore the feasibility of immunotherapy in the future treatment of otitis media. In this paper, we present a review of the latest research progress on the expression of various cytokines in otitis media.

Evaluation of the Effect and Efficiency of Ear Tip Bloodletting Combined with Xianfang Huoming Yin in the Treatment of Early-Stage Wheals

Objective:To evaluate the effect and efficiency of ear tip bloodletting combined with Xianfang Huoming Yin(XFH)in the treatment of early-stage wheals.Methods:70 patients with early-stage wheals admitted from September 2020 to September 2022 were divided into two groups by randomized numerical table method,with 35 cases/group.Both groups received conventional treatment,the control group combined with XFH,and the observation group combined with ear tip bloodletting therapy and XFH.Conscious symptom scores,ocular indexes,therapeutic effects,and sleep quality between the two groups were compared.Results:After the treatment,the patients in the observation group had lower self-awareness symptom scores and sleep quality scores as compared to those in the control group;the diameter of the mass in the observation group was smaller than that of the control group after treatment;the average tear film rupture time and the time taken for the first non-contact tear film to rupture were longer in the observation group than those in the control group;the total effective rate of the treatment in the observation group was higher than that of the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Ear tip bloodletting combined with XFH was ideal for the treatment of early-stage wheals and has a high effective rate.

Effects of Drilling in Mastoid Cavity over Hearing in the Contralateral Ear

In advanced otological surgeries, powered instruments form an indispensable part. The risk of deterioration to hearing in the operated ear is a commonly discussed issue, however, there remains a possibility of affecting the hearing in the contralateral ear due to transcranial vibration. So in this study we aimed to assess the possibility of the non-operated ear being affected by the noise generated during ear surgeries and whether it is temporary or permanent in nature. Methodology: This study included 63 patients diagnosed with unilateral disease who underwent mastoid surgery. Preoperatively all the patients were subjected to Pure tone audiometry (PTA), Transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) and Distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE). Patients were operated using both cutting and diamond burrs of ranging from sizes 1 - 6 mm. Total drilling time was recorded. Results: Post-operative hearing evaluation was done at 1 week, 4 weeks and 12 weeks. The sound emitted by various burrs was recorded by Sound Level Meter. Out of the total 58 patients that followed up, 46 showed change in at least one of the hearing parameters. Patients showing changes had a higher drilling time as compared to those with no changes. Of these, the changes associated with the total drilling time and with cutting burr time were found to be significant. The hearing changes seen on PTA, TEOAE and DPOAE were transient in nature with only one patient having a persistent decreased high frequency threshold at the end of 12 weeks. It was also found that cutting burrs produce more sound as compared to diamond burrs and a larger size burr of a type produces more sound than a smaller one of its type. Conclusion: The drilling of mastoid bone during ear surgeries can transiently impair the hearing in the contralateral ear which is of great significance in patients with only one hearing ear.

EARS计划在结直肠癌外科患者中的应用效果分析

目的对结直肠癌外科患者治疗过程中,快速康复(enhanced recovery after surgery,ERAS)计划的应用价值进行分析。方法选择2020年7月1日—2022年3月1日常德市第一人民医院普通外科结直肠癌患者150例,按随机数字表法分为研究组与对照组,每组各75例,分别对患者进行传统开腹手术+EARS计划与传统开腹手术治疗,分析两组并发症、炎症因子水平、首次下床活动时间、进食时间、术后住院天数、排气时间、排便时间、满意度。结果研究组术后住院天数、排便、首次下床活动、进食、排气时间等指标均短于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗有效率比较,研究组高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。对照组并发症发生率高于研究组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。研究组炎症因子水平均低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论EARS计划推广价值较高,可以抑制炎症因子水平,提升治疗效果,预后效果显著。

婴儿分泌性中耳炎的听力学结果分析

目的 探讨226、1 000 Hz鼓室声导抗测试和气-骨导听性脑干反应(ABR)以及畸变产物耳声发射(DPOAE)在诊断低月龄婴儿分泌性中耳炎(OME)中的作用。方法 回顾性分析年龄为1~6个月的119例(192耳)中耳积液患儿(异常组)和66例(132耳)正常婴儿(正常组)的226、1 000 Hz鼓室声导抗测试和气-骨导ABR,以及DPOAE检测结果。结果 (1)OME婴儿,1 000 Hz鼓室声导抗异常图形(As型、B型、C型)有189耳(98.44%),226 Hz鼓室声导抗异常图形(As型、B型、C型)有135耳(70.31%);(2)OME婴儿ABR波Ⅰ潜伏期延长179耳(93.23%),ABR波Ⅴ反应阈中度异常69耳(35.94%)、轻度异常97耳(50.52%)、阈值正常26耳(13.54%),骨导ABR阈值正常164耳(85.42%),阈值轻度异常28耳(14.58%),气-骨导ABR阈值差值变大162耳(84.37%);(3)OME婴儿DPOAE未引出151耳(78.65%)。结论 1 000 Hz声导抗异常、气-骨导ABR阈值差变大、ABR波I潜伏期延长和气导ABR阈值异常对低月龄婴儿中耳积液的诊断有重要参考价值,226 Hz声导抗对部分低月龄婴儿中耳积液的诊断不能提供准确信息。

Physiological strategies of moult-migrating Black-necked Grebes(Podiceps nigricollis)in a polluted staging site according to blood chemistry

After breeding,Black-necked Grebes(Podiceps nigricollis)perform a moult-migration to autumn hypersaline staging sites,where they moult the flight feathers and forage on superabundant brine shrimp(Artemia spp.)before leaving for wintering areas.During the stay in moulting sites,the grebes experience changes in organs and muscle size(atrophy,hypertrophy),and almost double their body mass,which has been suggested to act as an insurance against a collapse in prey availability in late autumn.During two years we collected blood samples from hundreds of individuals at one of the most important European moulting sites(the Odiel marshes,SW Spain),which is a highly polluted area due to mining drainage and chemical industry.We assessed the potential effect of moulting stage,day of the year and body condition on 16 blood biochemical parameters.Because of the changes in prey availability and body composition of grebes,we expected some physiological adjustments during moult.Elevated levels of cholesterol suggested that birds in active moult increased foraging effort to face the costs of moulting.There was increased amount of lactate dehydrogenase,corresponding to periods of breast muscle atrophy.Birds in active moult augmented protein ingestion,likely to account for the requirements of feather growth.We also show that the probability of fasting due to low prey availability increased late in the moulting season,as demonstrated by an increase in plasmaβ-hydroxy-butyrate.

基于改进YOLOv7的疲劳驾驶检测算法研究

疲劳驾驶是一种常见的危险驾驶行为,准确检测驾驶员是否处于疲劳驾驶状态对于道路安全至关重要。提出一种基于YOLOv7的疲劳驾驶检测算法,该方法使用改进的YOLOv7模型识别驾驶员的眼部、嘴部疲劳状态,再通过计算眼睑纵横比(Eye Aspect Ratio,EAR)、嘴巴纵横比(Mouth Aspect Ratio,MAR)、头部3个欧拉角来判别驾驶员是否疲劳驾驶。实验结果表明,使用MobileOne轻量化的网络作为主干网络,使模型检测速度达到每秒71帧,在Neck部分引入卷积块注意力模块(Convolutional Block Attention Module,CBAM)和Focal EIoU Loss损失函数,在基本不影响速度的情况下使检测精度达到95.35%。本方法在公开数据集NTHU-DDD上取得了较好的疲劳检测效果,可应用于实际场景中的实时安全监测。

改良开放和完壁式乳突根治鼓室成形术对慢性中耳病变患者听力改善效果的影响

目的探讨改良开放和完壁乳突根治鼓室成形术对慢性中耳病变患者平均纯音听阈(pure tone audiometry,PTA及骨导值的影响。方法回顾性纳入河南省中医院2015年1月~2018年1月收治慢性中耳病变患者共176例,其中84例采用改良开放乳突根治鼓室成形术治疗设为A组,另92例采用完壁乳突根治鼓室成形术设为B组。比较两组术后复发率、术后干耳率、术后PTA下降值、术后骨导下降值、术后气骨导差下降值、术后听力频率阈下降值及并发症发生情况。结果两组术后PTA下降值、术后骨导下降值及术后气骨导差下降值比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);两组术后250、500、1000、2000 Hz听力频率阈下降值比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);B组术后4000 Hz听力频率阈下降值显著小于A组(P<0.05)。结论相较于完壁乳突根治鼓室成形术,改良开放乳突根治鼓室成形术治疗慢性中耳病变可获得相近听力改善效果。

33例耳廓化脓性软骨膜炎诊治经验

目的总结分析33例不同病因引起的耳廓化脓性软骨膜炎的治疗体会。方法回顾性分析南昌大学第一附属医院耳鼻咽喉头颈外科2015年1月~2020年6月收治的不同病因的耳廓化脓性软骨膜炎患者33例,分析总结病因及诊治经验。结果33例患者中行药物保守治疗者9例,治疗后9例均痊愈,未出现耳廓畸形等并发症;行局麻下脓肿切开引流治疗者4例,治疗后4例均痊愈,未出现耳廓畸形等并发症;行全麻下耳廓软骨清创缝合术者20例,术后痊愈20例,出现耳廓“菜花样”畸形1例。33例患者,取得脓液样本细菌培养及药敏者24例,微生物检出者20例,4例培养后未见微生物生长,检出金黄色葡萄球菌9例,检出率45%,检出铜绿假单胞菌12例,检出率60%,真菌均未检出。检出微生物舒普深均敏感。结论耳廓化脓性软骨膜炎病因较多,诊断相对简单,治疗上首选针对铜绿假单胞菌及金黄色葡萄球菌敏感的抗生素,病情较轻的可行药物保守治疗,病变严重时则应切开引流及清除病变的软骨,同时超短波辅助治疗也是十分有效的治疗手段。

外耳道神经内分泌肿瘤1例

1临床资料患者,男,35岁,因左耳堵塞感1个月于2022-01-16就诊,既往体健。耳内镜检查示左侧外耳道深部上方可见一淡红色新生物,表面光滑,血管丰富,基底广,触之质地稍韧,鼓膜被遮盖(图1A);颞骨高分辨率CT(HRCT)示左侧骨性外耳道结节状密度增高灶,外耳道骨质未见明显破坏,中耳结构未见明显异常,考虑炎性改变(图1B)。

基于Dlib与OpenCV的疲劳驾驶检测系统

为有效降低叉车驾驶员由于疲劳驾驶造成的安全事故发生率,实现“以人为主、机器为辅”的智慧工厂,本文设计了基于Dlib与OpenCV的疲劳驾驶检测系统。该系统通过Dlib识别人脸并用OpenCV进行图像处理,结合EAR算法和MAR算法检测驾驶员的眨眼频率以及哈欠频率来判断驾驶员的状态,并对疲劳驾驶状态进行报警提醒。经应用测试发现,针对叉车驾驶员的驾驶特点,该系统可以快速准确地检测出驾驶员的状态,且准确率可高达94.43%。

Barley FASCIATED EAR genes determine inflorescence meristem size and yield traits

In flowering plants,the inflorescence meristem(IM)provides founder cells to form successive floral meristems,which are precursors of fruits and seeds.The activity and developmental progression of IM are thus critical for yield production in seed crops.In some cereals,such as rice(Oryza sativa)and maize(Zea mays),the size of undifferentiated IM,which is located at the inflorescence apex,is positively associated with yield traits such as spikelet number.However,the relationship between IM size and yieldrelated spike traits remains unknown in the Triticeae tribe.Here we report that IM size has a negative correlation with yield traits in barley(Hordeum vulgare).Three FASCIATED EAR(FEA)orthologs,HvFEA2,HvFEA3,and HvFEA4,regulate IM size and spike morphogenesis and ultimately affect yield traits.Three HvFEAs genes are highly expressed in developing spikes,and all three loss-of-function mutants exhibit enlarged IM size,shortened spikes,and reduced spikelet number,which may lead to reduced grain yield.Natural variations identified in HvFEAs indicate selection events during barley domestication.We further reveal that HvFEA4,as a transcription factor,potentially targets multiple pathways during reproductive development,including transcriptional control,phytohormone signaling,and redox status.The roles of barley FEA genes in limiting IM size and promoting spikelet formation suggest the potential of increasing yield by manipulating IM activity.

Fine-Grained Soft Ear Biometrics for Augmenting Human Recognition

Human recognition technology based on biometrics has become a fundamental requirement in all aspects of life due to increased concerns about security and privacy issues.Therefore,biometric systems have emerged as a technology with the capability to identify or authenticate individuals based on their physiological and behavioral characteristics.Among different viable biometric modalities,the human ear structure can offer unique and valuable discriminative characteristics for human recognition systems.In recent years,most existing traditional ear recognition systems have been designed based on computer vision models and have achieved successful results.Nevertheless,such traditional models can be sensitive to several unconstrained environmental factors.As such,some traits may be difficult to extract automatically but can still be semantically perceived as soft biometrics.This research proposes a new group of semantic features to be used as soft ear biometrics,mainly inspired by conventional descriptive traits used naturally by humans when identifying or describing each other.Hence,the research study is focused on the fusion of the soft ear biometric traits with traditional(hard)ear biometric features to investigate their validity and efficacy in augmenting human identification performance.The proposed framework has two subsystems:first,a computer vision-based subsystem,extracting traditional(hard)ear biometric traits using principal component analysis(PCA)and local binary patterns(LBP),and second,a crowdsourcing-based subsystem,deriving semantic(soft)ear biometric traits.Several feature-level fusion experiments were conducted using the AMI database to evaluate the proposed algorithm’s performance.The obtained results for both identification and verification showed that the proposed soft ear biometric information significantly improved the recognition performance of traditional ear biometrics,reaching up to 12%for LBP and 5%for PCA descriptors;when fusing all three capacities PCA,LBP,and soft traits using k-nearest neighbors(KNN)classifier.

Nodular fasciitis of the external auditory canal: Clinical case report and review of the literature

Nodular fasciitis is a benign reactive soft tissue tumor arising from fibroblasts and myofibroblasts.Its incidence is low and misdiagnosis is frequent especially for malignant lesions.This can lead to inappropriate and unnecessary invasive treatment.Nodular fasciitis of the external auditory canal is extremely rare.So far,around fifteen cases have been reported.We present here the case of a 90-year-old patient with nodular fasciitis of the right external auditory canal.The lesion extends anteriorly for 6.5 cm and reaches the posterior wall of the maxillary sinus.To our knowledge,this is the first case in the literature of an external auditory canal nodular fasciitis presenting as an inflammatory ear polyp with such a wide extension.

Effect of dynamic loading conditions on the dynamic performance of MP1 energy-absorbing rockbolts:Insight from laboratory drop test

Energy-absorbing rockbolts have been widely adopted in burst-prone excavation support, and their serviceability is closely related to the frequency and magnitude of seismic events. In this research, the splittube drop test with varying impact energy was conducted to reproduce the dynamic performance of MP1rockbolts under a wide range of seismic event magnitudes. The test results showed that the impact process could be subdivided into four distinct stages, i.e. mobilization, strain hardening, plastic flow(ductile), and rebound stage, of which strain hardening and plastic flow are the primary energy absorbing stages. As the impact energy per drop increases from 8.1 to 46.7 k J, the strain rate of the shank varies between 1.20 and 2.70 s^(-1), and the average impact load is between 240 and 270kN, which may be considered as constant. The MP1 rockbolt has a cumulative maximum energy absorption(CMEA) of 31.9–40.0 k J/m, with an average of 35.0 k J/m, and the elongation rate is 11.4%–14.7%, with an average of 12.7%, both of which are negatively correlated with the impact energy per drop. Regression analysis shows that energy absorption and shank elongation, as well as momentum input and impact duration,conform to the linear relationship. The complete dynamic capacity envelope of MP1 rockbolts is proposed, which reflects the dynamic bearing capacity, elongation, and distinct stages. This study is helpful to better understand the dynamic characteristics of energy-absorbing rockbolts and assist design engineers in robust reinforcement systems design to mitigate rockburst damage in seismically active underground excavations.