Journal Of Visualized Experiments[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Plate-Based Imaging Assay for Quantifying Photoperiodic Responses in Neurospora crassa Using Protoperithecia Development.
Siner A, Lee K
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42372025 · Publisher ↗
Neurospora crassa is a well-established model organism for studying biological timing and light-regulated development. The Protoperithecia Assay (PPA) is a plate-based imaging method for quantifying photoperiodic respons...
Neurospora crassa is a well-established model organism for studying biological timing and light-regulated development. The Protoperithecia Assay (PPA) is a plate-based imaging method for quantifying photoperiodic responses by measuring protoperithecia formation as a developmental output. The goal of this protocol is to provide a reproducible and scalable workflow for assessing how defined light-dark cycles influence fungal sexual development. In this assay, fungal cultures are grown on synthetic crossing medium under controlled photoperiod conditions, followed by standardized removal of surface conidia to improve visualization. Protoperithecia are quantified by manual image-based counting, and average counts per plate are used for statistical comparisons across photoperiod conditions. Unlike prior approaches, the PPA integrates standardized culture conditions, controlled photoperiod exposure, and quadrant-based imaging to enable reproducible quantitative comparisons across strains. This workflow extends beyond a basic protocol by establishing a consistent and scalable framework for measuring photoperiod-dependent developmental output under defined experimental conditions. The method requires approximately one week from inoculation to analysis and can be applied across multiple strains under defined environmental conditions. The PPA provides a simple and accessible platform for comparative analysis of photoperiod-dependent development in fungi under controlled laboratory conditions.
Association between Atherogenic Index of Plasma and Hypertension in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome-A Retrospective Study.
Wang N, Wu T
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42372024 · Publisher ↗
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) and hypertension in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). A total of 381 OSAHS patients admitted t...
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) and hypertension in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). A total of 381 OSAHS patients admitted to the hospital from January 2023 to December 2025 were retrospectively enrolled and divided into a hypertension group (n = 161) and a non-hypertension group (n = 220). Univariate and binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify influencing factors. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve is used to evaluate the discriminative ability of the identified hypertension indicators. Significant differences between the two groups were observed in coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Gastric Burning, chronic rhinitis, chronic pharyngitis, alcohol consumption, smoking, sedative use, strong tea consumption, family history, neck circumference, red cell distribution width-standard deviation (RDW-SD), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and AIP (P < 0.05). Binary logistic regression indicated that both Coronary Heart Disease and AIP were independent factors for hypertension (P < 0.05). ROC analysis results showed that the AUC for AIP was 0.813 (95%CI: 0.767~0.859), with a standard error of 0.023 and Youden's index of 0.52, resulting in a sensitivity of 77.02% and specificity of 75.00%. These findings suggest that AIP was independently associated with the presence of hypertension in patients with OSAHS and showed moderate discriminatory ability for identifying patients with concomitant hypertension. However, the single-center design and limited sample size of this study warrant caution when generalizing the results.
A Standardized In Vitro Procedure For Evaluating Surface Microhardness Changes In Nanohybrid Resin Composites After Whey Protein Beverage Exposure.
Tunac AT, Ayaz T
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42372020 · Publisher ↗
The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of different whey protein beverages on the surface microhardness of three nanohybrid resin composites. A total of 90 disc-shaped specimens were prepared from thre...
The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of different whey protein beverages on the surface microhardness of three nanohybrid resin composites. A total of 90 disc-shaped specimens were prepared from three nanohybrid resin composites (n = 30 per material) and subdivided into three groups (n = 10) according to the immersion medium: whey concentrate, whey isolate, and distilled water. The specimens were immersed for 10 min twice daily for 30 days. Surface microhardness was measured at baseline and after immersion using a Vickers microhardness tester, and hardness change was calculated as ΔVHN. The data were analyzed using two-way repeated measures ANOVA and post-hoc tests. The analysis revealed that composite type, immersion solution, and their interaction had statistically significant effects on ΔVHN values (p < 0.0001). The highest hardness loss was observed in the injectable composite exposed to whey concentrate (ΔVHN: 10.4 ± 2.1), whereas the lowest change was recorded in the highly filled composite stored in distilled water (ΔVHN: 0.9 ± 0.4). Immersion in whey concentrate resulted in significantly greater hardness loss in all composites compared to distilled water (p < 0.05). Whey isolate also produced significantly greater hardness loss in all composites except the highly filled composite, in which no statistically significant difference was observed (p = 0.076). These findings indicate that whey protein beverages may reduce the surface microhardness of resin composites, with the extent of degradation depending on both material composition and beverage formulation.
Soft Hip Exoskeleton Reduces Physiological Cost and Perceived Exertion In Older Adults During Uphill Walking.
Wu X, Qi B, Yao Z
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42372016 · Publisher ↗
Mountain hiking and mountaineering are common activities for active older adults to maintain cardiovascular fitness; however, the high physiological demands of these activities often accelerate the onset of neuromuscular...
Mountain hiking and mountaineering are common activities for active older adults to maintain cardiovascular fitness; however, the high physiological demands of these activities often accelerate the onset of neuromuscular fatigue. This fatigue is a critical risk factor for sports-related injuries, such as falls and musculoskeletal strains. This study aims to investigate whether a lightweight soft hip exoskeleton can mitigate these risks and support safe physical activity for older adults during simulated mountaineering tasks. Twenty healthy older adults (63.45 ± 3.70 years) participated in a randomized crossover trial on a treadmill set to a 15% incline at 3.5 km/h. Participants walked for 15 min under three conditions: No Exoskeleton (NO_EXO), Exoskeleton Active (EXO_ON), and Exoskeleton Passive (EXO_OFF). Outcomes included Physiological Cost Index (PCI), Peak Heart Rate (HR_Peak), and Rating of Perceived Exertion (Borg RPE). Active assistance (EXO_ON) significantly reduced the Physiological Cost Index to 13.80 ± 1.51, compared to NO_EXO (14.68 ± 2.11) and EXO_OFF (15.35 ± 1.83; p = 0.033). Similarly, RPE was significantly lower with active assistance (12.95 ± 1.15) than with unassisted (13.50 ± 1.19) or passive (14.00 ± 1.17) conditions (p = 0.023). Although Peak Heart Rate was lowest in EXO_ON (133.65 ± 7.74 bpm), differences across conditions were not statistically significant (p = 0.267). The device effectively offsets the physiological burden of its own mass, resulting in a net reduction in cardiovascular effort, as evidenced by lower PCI and RPE. These findings suggest that soft hip exoskeletons may improve walking efficiency and reduce perceived exertion during uphill walking in older adults.
Treatment-Related Cystitis During Intravesical Chemotherapy: Incidence, Risk Factors, And Nursing-Pathway Associations.
Zhang J, Wu B, Xie C … +1 more , Qian X
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42372015 · Publisher ↗
Intravesical chemotherapy is routinely used after transurethral resection of bladder tumors for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, but treatment-related cystitis (TRC) may disrupt planned care. This retrospective, singl...
Intravesical chemotherapy is routinely used after transurethral resection of bladder tumors for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, but treatment-related cystitis (TRC) may disrupt planned care. This retrospective, single-center, observational cohort study quantified TRC incidence, identified associated clinical and procedural factors, and examined the association between a preventive nursing pathway and TRC-related outcomes. We analyzed 120 consecutive patients receiving intravesical chemotherapy and compared patients managed under standard care (n = 60) with those managed under a preventive nursing pathway (n = 60) according to routine clinical pathway assignment. TRC was assessed within 7 days after each documented instillation, and interruption-free completion was evaluated during the documented intravesical treatment course. TRC events were captured from electronic medical records using predefined symptom documentation and follow-up records. Risk factors were evaluated using multivariable regression, and time to event analysis was used to assess treatment interruption attributable to TRC. TRC occurred in 45.8% of patients. A shorter interval from transurethral resection to first instillation (OR = 0.83 per 7-day increase), multiple catheterization attempts (OR = 1.41), and higher baseline symptom burden were associated with increased TRC risk. After adjustment, management under the preventive nursing pathway was associated with lower odds of TRC (aOR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.29-0.98; P = 0.043). As this study was non-randomized and based on routine care pathway assignment, these findings should be interpreted as adjusted associations rather than evidence of a causal intervention effect. The findings suggest that TRC is a substantial real-world burden during intravesical chemotherapy and that structured nursing documentation, baseline assessment, catheterization quality control, symptom monitoring, and early escalation may support risk-stratified follow-up. As no direct mucosal or biomarker measurements were obtained, urothelial barrier injury is discussed as a plausible mechanism rather than a demonstrated effect.
Future of Educational Science: Generative AI Use, Trust, and Cognitive Load as Predictors of Self-Perceived Academic Performance in Higher Education.
Ningjian H, Li X
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42372014 · Publisher ↗
This study investigates the complex relationships between generative AI usage, trust in AI, cognitive load, and academic performance among higher education students. Grounded in cognitive load theory and trust literature...
This study investigates the complex relationships between generative AI usage, trust in AI, cognitive load, and academic performance among higher education students. Grounded in cognitive load theory and trust literature, the research examines how students' engagement with generative AI tools and their trust in these systems influence academic outcomes, with cognitive load as the mediating mechanism. A quantitative cross-sectional research design was employed with a stratified random sample of 390 higher education students. Data were collected using validated scales measuring generative AI usage trust in AI (human-like and functionality dimensions), cognitive load (intrinsic load, extraneous load, and self-perceived learning), and academic performance. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with bootstrapping procedures (5,000 resamples) was used to test the hypothesized direct and mediating relationships. The results revealed that generative AI usage (β = 0.34, p < 0.001) and trust in AI (β = 0.28, p < 0.001) were significantly positively associated with cognitive load. Cognitive load was also positively associated with academic performance (β = 0.52, p < 0.001). Furthermore, cognitive load significantly mediates the relationships between generative AI usage and academic performance (β = 0.18, p < 0.001) and between trust in AI and academic performance (β = 0.15, p < 0.001). The model explained 45% of the variance in academic performance, and PLS Predict confirmed high predictive power. The findings extend cognitive load theory to AI-enhanced learning contexts and suggest that cognitive load may function as an important explanatory pathway linking AI-related factors to academic outcomes. Practically, the study underscores the importance of fostering AI literacy, designing learning environments that optimize cognitive load, and prioritizing functional reliability in AI tool development. This study provides empirical evidence that cognitive load serves as a significant mediating mechanism through which generative AI usage and trust in AI translate into academic performance.
Rat Animal Models for Evaluation of the Effects of Sacral and Peripheral Nerve Stimulation on Bladder Function.
Kanaan R, Krhut J, Zvara P
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42372012 · Publisher ↗
Neuromodulation, a therapeutic approach to the dysfunction of various organs, has proven effective in treating lower urinary tract dysfunctions. Despite its clinical success, the mechanisms underlying neuromodulation rem...
Neuromodulation, a therapeutic approach to the dysfunction of various organs, has proven effective in treating lower urinary tract dysfunctions. Despite its clinical success, the mechanisms underlying neuromodulation remain incompletely understood, emphasizing the need for standardized and reproducible animal models. Preclinical models of urinary bladder neuromodulation using sacral and peripheral nerve stimulation have been established for more than two decades; however, the existing literature provides limited methodological detail regarding the surgical procedures. This article offers a detailed description and visual representation of well-established techniques for sacral nerve stimulation. It also describes a modified approach to tibial nerve stimulation and introduces a novel bladder neuromodulation method using peroneal nerve stimulation in a rat model. The modified tibial nerve stimulation approach involves exposing and stimulating the tibial nerve at its origin, as a branch of the sciatic nerve, rather than at the medial ankle, as described in previous studies. Given the recent introduction of peroneal nerve stimulation for bladder neuromodulation in clinical practice, this article proposes a unique rat model to investigate its mechanisms in the control of lower urinary tract function. Step-by-step guidance for all three neuromodulation methods is outlined for nerve exposure, electrode placement, and verification of successful electrode placement based on characteristic motor responses. A representative example of the effect of peroneal nerve stimulation on bladder function in a rat model of acetic acid-induced bladder overactivity is included to demonstrate its applicability. This article presents a standardized, technically accessible protocol for studying neuromodulation mechanisms, including alterations in bladder sensory signaling, spinal and supraspinal regulatory pathways, optimization of stimulation parameters, and comparison of the efficacy of different stimulation targets.
Resveratrol Suppresses Lung Cancer through the NLRP3/IL-1β Signaling Axis to Improve Immune Microenvironment.
Sui H, Lin Z, Zheng X … +6 more , Li B, Dai W, Zhu Q, Li D, Wu C, Cao T
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42372010 · Publisher ↗
The incidence and mortality rates of lung cancer remain high, posing a serious threat to human health. This study aims to investigate the role of resveratrol in lung cancer and its regulatory mechanism on the immune micr...
The incidence and mortality rates of lung cancer remain high, posing a serious threat to human health. This study aims to investigate the role of resveratrol in lung cancer and its regulatory mechanism on the immune microenvironment. Human lung cancer A549 cells were treated with different concentrations of resveratrol, and a syngeneic mouse model of lung cancer was established to evaluate the effects of resveratrol and the NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 on cell growth and the expression of NLRP3/IL-1β. Meanwhile, tumor growth, cell apoptosis, T cell infiltration, and the expression of key signaling proteins were examined in vivo. The results showed that resveratrol significantly inhibited the proliferation of A549 cells, induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and was accompanied by reduced expression of NLRP3 and IL-1β. In the syngeneic mouse model of lung cancer, resveratrol treatment suppressed tumor cell proliferation, improved tumor morphology, enhanced T lymphocyte infiltration, and concurrently decreased the expression of NLRP3, IL-1β, ASC, and cleaved-caspase-1. These findings indicate that resveratrol inhibits tumor growth and remodels the immune microenvironment by targeting the NLRP3/IL-1β signaling axis, offering new insights and potential strategies for lung cancer immunotherapy.
Systemic Immune-Inflammatory Index For Evaluating Robotic and Laparoscopic Proximal Gastrectomy in Upper Gastric Cancer.
Dai J, Bai J, Gao Z … +8 more , Zhang C, Ding F, Dai D, Shi L, Han X, Huang Y, Song X, Tao G
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42372008 · Publisher ↗
Tumor resection is a commonly used treatment method in clinical practice. With the increasing refinement of tumor surgery, the application of robotic-assisted surgery in clinical procedures has expanded. However, effecti...
Tumor resection is a commonly used treatment method in clinical practice. With the increasing refinement of tumor surgery, the application of robotic-assisted surgery in clinical procedures has expanded. However, effective indicators for evaluating surgical efficacy and postoperative prognosis remain limited. This study introduced the systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII) to evaluate perioperative inflammatory responses and postoperative recovery following robotic and conventional laparoscopic surgery. A total of 81 patients who underwent robotic-assisted gastrointestinal tumor resection and 81 patients who underwent conventional laparoscopic gastrointestinal tumor resection were included. SII was calculated using the formula: platelet count × (neutrophil count/lymphocyte count). Postoperative SII, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) increased after surgery, peaked on postoperative day 3, and gradually returned toward baseline by postoperative day 7. From postoperative day 3 onward, SII and NLR values in the robotic surgery group were significantly lower than those in the laparoscopic surgery group (P < 0.05), and these differences remained significant on postoperative days 5 and 7 (P < 0.05). PLR values were significantly lower in the robotic surgery group on postoperative day 3 only (P < 0.05), whereas no significant differences were observed on postoperative days 5 or 7 (P > 0.05). Patients in the robotic surgery group also demonstrated improved postoperative recovery indicators, including earlier ambulation, earlier postoperative exhaust and feeding, lower average drainage volume and shorter postoperative hospital stay. These findings suggest that SII may serve as a useful indicator for evaluating postoperative inflammatory status and perioperative recovery following minimally invasive gastric cancer surgery.
A Microfluidic Platform to Investigate Microbial Precipitation of Metal Oxides in Porous Media.
Fadely EC, Seker E, Morales VL … +1 more , Peña J
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42372006 · Publisher ↗
Microorganisms commonly precipitate metal oxide nanoparticles in soils, sediments, and other environmentally relevant porous media. However, the formation and reactivity of manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) oxides remain poor...
Microorganisms commonly precipitate metal oxide nanoparticles in soils, sediments, and other environmentally relevant porous media. However, the formation and reactivity of manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) oxides remain poorly characterized in physically complex environments. While laboratory systems can incorporate porous media as a substrate, they require destructive sampling and are not readily amenable to pore-scale analyses. The dynamic yet inaccessible nature of porous media, therefore, requires the ability to resolve microbially mediated mineral precipitation in situ and in real time. To close this gap, a microfluidic platform is developed to evaluate microbial precipitation of metal oxides in a model pore space. This platform is validated with the Mn-oxidizing bacterium Pseudomonas putida GB-1. Biofilm development and associated Mn oxide precipitation are visualized under continuous flow with time-lapse color brightfield microscopy. An image subtraction algorithm is then combined with endpoint mass measurements to estimate the rate of Mn oxide precipitation. This approach provides a tool to systematically test how microbial precipitation of metal oxides varies in response to changing physical and chemical conditions.
Internet of Things-Driven Smart Furniture Systems for Human-Centered Personalization: Experimental Evaluation Using Behavioral Sensor Data.
Wang S
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42372002 · Publisher ↗
This paper introduces an advanced Internet of Things (IoT)-driven smart furniture system designed to dynamically adapt to individual users by integrating deep reinforcement learning with federated meta-learning. Personal...
This paper introduces an advanced Internet of Things (IoT)-driven smart furniture system designed to dynamically adapt to individual users by integrating deep reinforcement learning with federated meta-learning. Personalization is formulated as a Markov decision process, enabling the system to make optimized, sequential adjustments tailored to each user's behavior. To estimate hidden ergonomic preferences in real time, an adaptive Kalman filter is applied, while a sparse autoencoder reduces raw sensor signals by 82 %, preserving key temporal features essential for accurate modeling. In a comprehensive user study involving 48 participants and more than 160,000 time-series sensor samples, the framework significantly reduced cumulative user dissatisfaction by 43 % and cut energy consumption by 21 %, compared with conventional rule-based control systems. Real-time adaptations occur with an average latency of 280 ms, and constraints for ergonomics are upheld in 95 % of use cases, confirming the system operates swiftly and safely. Federated learning (FL) enables privacy-preserving collaboration across distributed furniture units. Training converges to 87 % of global performance within 30 global iterations, without any raw data exchange, reinforcing both scalability and data privacy. These empirical results strongly support the framework's suitability for deployment in health-aware workspaces, smart homes, and eldercare environments, delivering a robust, responsive, and interpretable solution for enriching human-furniture interaction.
Tribocorrosion Assessment of Laser Clad Ceramic Reinforced TI6Al4V Surface Composites.
Franklin OO, Walker M, Mphahlele M
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42372001 · Publisher ↗
This article presents a comprehensive experimental protocol for evaluating the tribocorrosion behavior of additively manufactured TI6Al4V based composites reinforced with ceramic phases using laser metal deposition (LMD)...
This article presents a comprehensive experimental protocol for evaluating the tribocorrosion behavior of additively manufactured TI6Al4V based composites reinforced with ceramic phases using laser metal deposition (LMD). This protocol addresses the need to understand the synergistic degradation mechanisms that arise in components exposed to mechanical loading and corrosive environments in biomedical and aerospace applications. The protocol includes controlled laser cladding of TI6Al4V with Zr/TiC and Ti/TiC reinforcements, followed by detailed microstructural, mechanical, electrochemical, and tribocorrosion characterization. The procedures cover powder handling, substrate preparation, laser processing, metallographic preparation, microscopy, X-ray diffraction, microhardness testing, electrochemical corrosion measurements, and tribocorrosion testing using a reciprocating ball-on-plate tribometer under electrochemical control in a NaCl/H₂SO₄ electrolyte. This method enables real-time assessment of wear-corrosion interactions, including passive film breakdown and re-passivation under sliding conditions, while accounting for additive manufacturing-induced microstructural features. The protocol serves as a standardized framework for evaluating the effectiveness of ceramic reinforcement strategies in improving the functionality of additively manufactured metallic systems intended for challenging environments.
An Efficient and Rapid HPLC-QQQ-MS Method for the Quantitation of Tropane Alkaloids in Medicinal Plants.
Li Z, Liu Z, Feng L … +5 more , Zheng Q, Zhou T, Xu B, Ma Y, Pan Y
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42371997 · Publisher ↗
Anisodus tanguticus is an important Tibetan medicinal plant. The tropane alkaloids (TAs), such as hyoscyamine, anisodamine, and scopolamine, exhibit significant analgesic and sedative pharmacological activities, making t...
Anisodus tanguticus is an important Tibetan medicinal plant. The tropane alkaloids (TAs), such as hyoscyamine, anisodamine, and scopolamine, exhibit significant analgesic and sedative pharmacological activities, making this species a valuable natural source for extracting these bioactive compounds. However, the chemical composition of A. tanguticus is highly complex. It includes a large number of compounds without elucidated structures, rendering systematic identification and structural characterization of its active constituents particularly important. Although high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been widely used for the separation of extracts from this plant, many unknown components remain challenging to accurately identify, even with spectral database matching. This study established an analytical method based on high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-QQQ-MS) for the determination of tropane alkaloids in A. tanguticus. The method encompasses a series of systematic procedures, including standardized sample preparation, mass spectrometric parameter configuration, LC pre-equilibration, method establishment, acquisition of MS data, multistage mass spectrometry (MSⁿ) scanning, and manual data interpretation. Using this strategy, we successfully identified three representative tropane alkaloids in A. tanguticus: hyoscyamine, anisodamine, and scopolamine. Additionally, it validates the precision of the established HPLC-QQQ-MS method, confirming that the method is rapid, sensitive, feasible, and accurate for the quantitative determination of tropane alkaloids (TAs) in A. tanguticus. The established approach demonstrates good versatility and reliability, and is suitable for the high-throughput identification and quantification of tropane alkaloids in A. tanguticus and other medicinal plants.
An In Vitro System for Applying Tensile Force to Skeletal Stem Cells Using a Cyclic Cell Stress Tension System.
Zhang Z, Sun M, Zhang H … +1 more , Wang L
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42371996 · Publisher ↗
Bone is a major mechanosensitive organ that continuously responds to physical cues in the body. Although mechanical stimulation plays important roles in skeletal development, homeostasis, and injury repair, the specific...
Bone is a major mechanosensitive organ that continuously responds to physical cues in the body. Although mechanical stimulation plays important roles in skeletal development, homeostasis, and injury repair, the specific responses of skeletal stem cells (SSCs) to mechanical stress remain incompletely understood. To address this question, we established an in vitro model to isolate mouse periosteal SSCs and apply mechanical stimulation. Mouse periosteal cells were first obtained by enzymatic digestion, and SSCs were subsequently isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) based on established surface markers. After attachment to culture, SSCs were subjected to tensile mechanical stimulation using a cyclic cell stress-tension system. This system enables the reproducible application of tensile force to cultured cells and provides a platform for analyzing SSC responses to mechanical input. Using this approach, we found that the expression of the cellular senescence-associated genes p16 and p21 was markedly reduced in SSCs following mechanical stimulation. These findings suggest that tensile stimulation may influence senescence-related changes in SSCs under in vitro conditions. Overall, this protocol provides a useful and suitable platform for studying SSC behavior under mechanical stimulation and for investigating how mechanical cues affect SSC function.
Design and Implementation of a Field Programmable Gate Array-Based Pedestrian Detection Framework for Autonomous Driving Application.
Gupta I, Prit Kaur D
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42371994 · Publisher ↗
Autonomous driving offers a promising way to tackle the rising number of fatalities from traffic accidents. An autonomous vehicle includes many features, but the ability to detect pedestrians is crucial, challenging, and...
Autonomous driving offers a promising way to tackle the rising number of fatalities from traffic accidents. An autonomous vehicle includes many features, but the ability to detect pedestrians is crucial, challenging, and relevant to various real-time situations like surveillance, tracking people, and monitoring. Accurately identifying pedestrians is difficult because they can appear in different shapes, positions, and postures. They can wear various types of clothing and sometimes be partially hidden or blend in with nearby objects. This paper focuses on the real-time detection of pedestrians for self-driving cars using a popular hardware platform: The field programmable gate array (FPGA), Ultra 96 v2. The study implements a method for pedestrian detection based on a histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) combined with a support vector machine (SVM) classifier to recognize individuals on the FPGA board, leveraging high-level synthesis (HLS) tools. The effectiveness of the system has been tested on both still images and live video. The results show that advanced FPGA boards like the Ultra 96 v2 significantly improve performance metrics. The system operates at a clock frequency of 150 MHz while using less than half of the available resources and consuming around 2.5 W of power. Also, the system reports the pedestrian detection accuracy close to 95% and other efficient metrics for detection evaluation, like precision (78.6%), recall (88.3%), and F1 Score (83.1%). In summary, the developed system can detect pedestrians in real-time and has the potential to significantly improve the development of a smart and safe transportation environment.
Ultrasound-guided Fire Needle Acupuncture For Treating Sialorrhea In Tracheotomized Patients.
Wang RF, Feng PY, Zheng XY … +5 more , Wei HW, Liu SZ, Lai SH, Liu Y, Lu YQ
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42371993 · Publisher ↗
Sialorrhea is a syndrome characterized by the overflow of saliva from the oral cavity, resulting from either hypersecretion of the salivary glands or dysphagia. As a common sequela in stroke patients, sialorrhea can indu...
Sialorrhea is a syndrome characterized by the overflow of saliva from the oral cavity, resulting from either hypersecretion of the salivary glands or dysphagia. As a common sequela in stroke patients, sialorrhea can induce feelings of low self-esteem, perioral and facial inflammation, aspiration pneumonia, and significantly increase healthcare costs. Current clinical management primarily relies on anticholinergic medications or botulinum toxin to inhibit saliva production. However, these treatments offer limited efficacy and are associated with adverse effects such as xerostomia and dysphagia. Consequently, non-pharmacological therapies, including acupuncture in traditional Chinese medicine and rehabilitation training, have emerged as effective alternatives. Fire needling, a traditional Chinese medicine technique, possesses dual properties: needle stimulation and a thermal effect. It is characterized by rapid operation, no needle retention, and transient pain. For patients with suboptimal response to pharmacotherapy, we developed an ultrasound-guided fire needling method to reduce salivary volume and salivation frequency while avoiding adverse effects. Details are described in the text. Ultrasound guidance allows preoperative visualization of muscular and glandular tissues and their surrounding structures, facilitating precise insertion of the fire needle into the targeted glandular or muscular layers, thereby optimizing treatment efficacy and safety.
Retrospective Comparative Study of Tacrolimus and Cyclophosphamide Treatment in Pediatric Lupus Nephritis.
Li Q, Zhang Y, Di J
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42371988 · Publisher ↗
Lupus nephritis (LN) is a kidney injury caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and can lead to serious impairment of renal function. Glucocorticoid (GC) combined with cyclophosphamide (CTX) is currently a commonly...
Lupus nephritis (LN) is a kidney injury caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and can lead to serious impairment of renal function. Glucocorticoid (GC) combined with cyclophosphamide (CTX) is currently a commonly used treatment for LN; however, it is associated with several limitations, including a high proportion of refractory cases, a high recurrence rate after remission, and a long treatment cycle. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Tacrolimus (Tac) combined with GC in the treatment of lupus nephritis. This retrospective cohort study included 112 pediatric LN patients at Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region People's Hospital (January 2022 to June 2025), divided into two groups (n = 56 each): Tac group [Tac + GC] and CTX group (CTX + GC), with a treatment duration of 6 months. Primary endpoints included post-treatment overall response rate, pre/post-treatment renal function, and disease activity scores. Secondary endpoints included immune-inflammatory markers, immune function parameters, anti-dsDNA antibody positivity rate (pre/post-treatment), and adverse reaction incidence. Baseline characteristics showed no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). Post-treatment, the Tac group had a significantly higher complete remission rate than the CTX group (P < 0.05). Both groups exhibited improved renal function, reduced immune-inflammatory markers, immunoglobulins, and anti-dsDNA positivity (P < 0.05), and increased complement C3 and C4 levels (P < 0.05). The Tac group showed more pronounced improvements and a lower overall adverse reaction incidence (P < 0.05). Tac combined with GC can improve renal function and immune-inflammatory status in children with lupus nephritis, with good safety.
Nasolabial Fold Retrograde Island Flap With Local Heparin Injection For Nasal Defect Repair Following Basal Cell Carcinoma Excision.
Gu J, Cao L, Zou Y … +1 more , Feng G
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42371978 · Publisher ↗
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) frequently involves the external nose, necessitating radical surgical excision that often results in complex soft-tissue defects. While the nasolabial fold retrograde island flap offers an aest...
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) frequently involves the external nose, necessitating radical surgical excision that often results in complex soft-tissue defects. While the nasolabial fold retrograde island flap offers an aesthetically superior reconstructive option due to its excellent color and texture match, its reliance on a reverse-flow subcutaneous pedicle makes it highly susceptible to venous congestion, which can compromise flap survival. The goal of this protocol is to demonstrate a modified surgical technique that incorporates immediate postoperative local microinjection of heparin sodium to mitigate this specific vascular risk. The procedure involves the radical excision of the nasal tumor, followed by the harvesting and rotation of a subcutaneous pedicle island flap from the ipsilateral nasolabial fold. To address the challenge of venous stasis, heparin sodium is micro-injected into the full thickness of the flap in a multi-point grid pattern immediately after suturing. This intervention utilizes both pharmacological anticoagulation to prevent microthrombosis and mechanical decompression via needle puncture to facilitate venous drainage. In a clinical application involving 24 patients, this protocol achieved a 100% flap survival rate. Early signs of severe venous congestion observed in three cases (12.5%) were successfully reversed within one week through continuous local heparin therapy. Advanced clinical data analysis indicated that flap size was not an independent predictor of venous congestion, demonstrating the robustness of this technique even for larger defects. Furthermore, systemic safety assessments confirmed no clinically significant coagulation abnormalities or adverse events. This method offers a safe, reproducible, and effective strategy for ensuring high-quality flap survival and favorable aesthetic outcomes in nasal reconstruction, avoiding the risks associated with systemic anticoagulation.
Sex Hormone Detection In Human Tear Film Using Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assays.
Puangmalai N, Tichenor AA
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42371967 · Publisher ↗
The tear film is a complex, multi-layered fluid essential for maintaining ocular surface health, visual clarity, and protection against pathogens and environmental stressors. Composed primarily of lipids, aqueous fluid,...
The tear film is a complex, multi-layered fluid essential for maintaining ocular surface health, visual clarity, and protection against pathogens and environmental stressors. Composed primarily of lipids, aqueous fluid, soluble proteins, and mucins, it serves not only to lubricate and protect the eye but as a valuable diagnostic medium for ocular surface disorders such as dry eye disease (DED). Sex hormones, including androgens and estrogens, are known to influence tear film composition, but measurement of these hormones in tear fluid is limited by low sample volume and technical challenges. This protocol describes a step-by-step method for adapting commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits to detect and quantify 17β-estradiol and testosterone in basal tears collected using microcapillary tubes. The workflow incorporates optimized sample collection, dilution, and assay preparation strategies to enable analysis of low-volume tear samples. The protocol demonstrates the feasibility and reproducibility of hormone detection in tear fluid using adapted ELISA methods. Representative results are derived from pooled pilot samples and are intended to illustrate assay performance rather than biological differences. This approach may support future studies investigating tear fluid as a matrix for hormone measurement in ocular surface research.
Lipid-Protein Membrane Structure-Function Characterization using Droplet Interface Bilayers.
Podar PT, Adkisson-Washington A, Ziemer O … +10 more , Sullivan V, Milem C, Hagar-Montoya J, Khule S, Griffith Z, Tantawi K, Zhai X, Bolmatov D, Katsaras J, Collier CP
J Vis Exp · 2026 Jun · PMID 42371965 · Publisher ↗
Droplet interface bilayers (DIBs) offer a tunable platform for probing the electromechanical properties of lipid and lipid-peptide membranes under controlled electrical stimulation. DIBs enable both single-channel and en...
Droplet interface bilayers (DIBs) offer a tunable platform for probing the electromechanical properties of lipid and lipid-peptide membranes under controlled electrical stimulation. DIBs enable both single-channel and ensemble ion conductance measurements over membrane areas orders of magnitude larger than those accessible by traditional patch clamp techniques, thereby allowing membrane-level analyses of electromechanical deformation and its influence on ion-conducting peptides. By systematically tuning membrane structure through the bulk hydrocarbon oil phase (e.g., hexadecane [C16] vs. dodecane/hexadecane [C12/C16] [25%/75%, v/v]), this bottom-up platform enables systematic variation of membrane composition and oil environment, which influence membrane viscoelasticity and structural reorganization, and thereby peptide ion conduction. Detailed procedures are provided for the assembly of gramicidin A-doped 1,2-diphytanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPhPC) membranes using different hydrocarbon oil compositions and for the application of voltage-pulse protocols that drive membranes into metastable electromechanical states. Adaptive membrane ion conduction is characterized, including short-term plasticity-like (STP-like) and long-term potentiation- and depression-like (LTP-like/LTD-like) responses in a model membrane system. More broadly, this protocol provides a robust, reproducible approach for systematically investigating composition-dependent, membrane-level electromechanical contributions to synaptic-like conductive behavior and for understanding how lipid membrane environments modulate ion channel function.
About
- Frequency
- Sun
- Papers found
- 200
- RSS feed
- Subscribe