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Monitoring of changes in skeletal muscle oxygenation during exercise has increased in recent years. Tissue oxygenation, which is related to fatigue and muscle hypertrophy, is often measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). This study aimed to determine the test-retest reliability of a non-portable NIRS (NIRO200Nx) during the full-squat exercise and recovery in young healthy men. Twenty-five male participants (21.8 ± 2.6 years) were recruited for this original research. Each participant completed an 8-repetition test with a load that elicited a velocity of 1 m·s−1. The test was conducted twice, with a 48-hour washout period between sessions. The NIRS measured the changes of oxygenated-Hemoglobin (O 2 Hb), deoxygenated-Hemoglobin (HHb) and Tissue Oxygenation Index (TOI) in both Vastus Lateralis and Vastus Medialis during rest, exercise, and recovery. Coefficient of Variation (CV), Standard Error Measurement (SEM) and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) were used to evaluate the reliability of the data. Significance was set at p < 0.05. The results indicated that TOI had good to acceptable absolute reliability (CV TOI = 2.7–10.2 %). A good relative relativity for the overall test was found for Vastus Medialis O 2 Hb (ICC = 0.851), HHb (ICC = 0.852), and TOI (ICC = 0.864), and Vastus Lateralis O 2 Hb (ICC = 0.898), HHb (ICC = 0.899), and TOI (ICC = 0.897). We conclude that NIRO200Nx is a reliable instrument for measuring muscle oxygen saturation through the TOI parameter in not-to-failure dynamic resistance exercises (1 set of 8 reps against ∼ 40 % 1 repetition maximum). Tissue oxygenation assessment could be a new way of individualizing exercise through dynamic resistance exercises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current investigation addresses the pressing need to integrate orphan or underutilized crops into mainstream agriculture, focusing on Perilla (Perilla frutescens L.) due to its superior nutritional profile. A major challenge is the lack of fast, cost-effective, and labor-efficient screening methods for germplasm. Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) addresses this by providing precise and rapid determination of crucial biochemical parameters. This study developed Modified Partial Least Squares (mPLS) regression-based NIRS prediction models using WinISI and 1D Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) to enable high-throughput screening for moisture, ash, proteins, total soluble sugars (TSS), and phenols in Perilla germplasm. Calibration with WinISI involved mathematical treatments, optimizing for each trait: "2,6,6,1" for moisture, "3,4,4,1" for ash and TSS, "3,4,6,1" for protein, and "2,4,6,1" for phenols. The 1D CNN model, with lower mean absolute error (MAE), was further validated. External validation metrics, including RSQexternal, SEP(C), slope, bias, and RPD, assessed prediction accuracy. Comparative evaluation showed WinISI performed better for moisture prediction, while the 1D CNN model excelled in predicting ash, protein, TSS, and total phenol, highlighting the importance of model selection for specific traits. This rapid screening tool aids in identifying nutritionally dense Perilla genotypes, guiding targeted breeding efforts, and represents the first comparative mPLS and DL-based modeling using NIRS data for Perilla. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder with lifelong impairments. ADHD‐related behaviors have been observed as early as toddlerhood for children who later develop ADHD. Children with ADHD have disrupted connectivity in neural circuitry involved in executive control of attention, including the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and dorsal attention network (DAN). It is not known if these alterations in connectivity can be identified before the onset of ADHD. Children (N = 51) 1.5–3 years old were assessed using functional near‐infrared spectroscopy while engaging with a book. The relation between mother‐reported ADHD‐related behaviors and neural connectivity, computed using robust innovation‐based correlation, was examined. Task engagement was high across the sample and unrelated to ADHD‐related behaviors. Observed attention was associated with greater connectivity between the right lateral PFC and the right temporal parietal junction (TPJ). Children with greater ADHD‐related behaviors had greater frontoparietal connectivity, particularly between the PFC bilaterally and the right TPJ. Toddlers at risk for developing ADHD may require increased frontoparietal connectivity to sustain attention. Future work is needed to examine early interventions that enhance developing attention and their effect on neural connectivity between the PFC and attention networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Methods Results Conclusion Current non‐invasive near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) tissue oximetry suffers from suboptimal reproducibility over probe repositioning, hindering clinical threshold establishment. Time Domain‐NIRS (TD‐NIRS) offers higher precision but lacks sufficient paediatric data, preventing effective clinical application. We aimed to establish reference ranges for cerebral and mid‐upper arm (MUA) tissue haemodynamics in paediatric subjects using TD‐NIRS and explore correlations with auxological variables.TD‐NIRS measurements were conducted acquiring data from cerebral and MUA regions with the NIRSBOX tissue oximeter. Morphological and clinically relevant information were collected to explore potential correlations with TD‐NIRS derived parameters.TD‐NIRS assessment was applied in 350 children (8.4 ± 5.0 years). Precision of TD‐NIRS was demonstrated with standard deviations of 0.9% (StO2) and 4.2 μM (tHb) for frontotemporal cerebral cortex, and 0.8% (StO2) and 3.7 μM (tHb) for MUA. No user dependency was observed. The trends of values for cerebral and peripheral regions vary differently according to age and auxological parameters.This study reports resting‐state optical and haemodynamic values for a healthy paediatric population, providing a foundation for future investigations into clinically relevant deviations in these parameters. Furthermore, correlations with anthropometric and demographic values provide valuable insights for a deeper understanding of tissue haemodynamic evolution in childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study was conducted to determine the effect of nursing care practices on the Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) levels of premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Materials and Method: This is a cross-sectional, analytical study. It was conducted over the in the NICU of a hospital in Eskişehir province. We did not calculate sample size, but included in the study, after the parents had been informed about the research, the entire universe of neonates in the NICU who matched the inclusion criteria during the period March 1 - April 26, 2019. The study was completed with 40 neonates. Data collection was performed with a “Descriptive Data Form,” and a “Procedures Performed Chart.” The data were evaluated with the IBM SPSS 24 package program. Results: A significant difference was discovered between the nursing care practices included in the study and the neonates’ Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) values, oxygen saturation (SpO2), and peak heart rates (PHR) (p<0.01). Conclusion and Recommendations: At the end of the study, we concluded that the nursing care practices conducted with premature infants had an adverse impact on cerebral oxygenation. We suggest that nursing practices carried out with premature infants be executed with sensitivity and care; no unnecessary practice should be implemented, and lengthy collective care practices should be divided into convenient increments so that the neonates are allowed to rest in-between. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preterm birth represents a public health problem, with prematurity being the leading cause of infant mortality. An objective brain maturation and oxygenation measurement are necessary. The objective has been To test the feasibility of EEG and NIRS combination in the assessment of physiological brain maturation and oxygenation in preterm and non-preterm babies. A systematic review in Pubmed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, Cochrane, Dialnet, CINAHL, Scopus, Lilacs and PEDro databases until December 2022 was developed. 598 registers were found, finally 5 of them reached the inclusion criteria. Two independent reviewers analyzed data and a third reviewer were available for discrepancies. All articles combined EEG and NIRS to assess brain oxygenation and maturation in healthy new-born babies. There is an agreement on the electrode's placement for EEG at P3 and P4; besides, these regions have been shown to be a development predictive area, as well as the frontoparietal region for the NIRS region and comparison between regions. There is little evidence about the physiological brain electrical activity and oxygenation without stimuli. Conclusion: EEG and NIRS have been useful to assess brain electrical activity and oxygenation in preterm and non-preterm. The combined measurement of these instruments could be essential in neurological disorders diagnosis or their sequels. Unfortunately, the heterogeneity of the results found prevents a consensus on which variables are the most appropriate for the assessment of this population. What is Known • Brain assessment could help clinicians to prevent sequels. • There is an agreement for EEG electrodes placement at P3 and P4 region. What is New • EEG and NIRS assessment are effective measurements for preterm babies. • P3 and P4 regions have shown to be a predictive area of development, as well as the frontoparietal region for NIRS assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to monitor the oxygenation and blood supply in three quadriceps muscles [the vastus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), and rectus femoris (RF)] during squatting exercise to exhaustion. Eighteen young resistance-trained males performed five sets of 15 back squats in a Smith machine, with two warm-up sets [at 14% and 45% of the 15-repetition maximum (15RM)] and three main sets at 100% of the 15RM. Three near-infrared spectroscopy devices were attached to the VL, VM, and RF to record the muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) and total hemoglobin (tHb, an index of muscle blood supply). The blood lactate concentration was measured after each set with a portable analyzer. The SmO2 and tHb data were analyzed by repeated-measures two-way ANOVA (muscle × set). Lactate data were analyzed by repeated-measures one-way ANOVA. The statistical significance was set at α = 0.05. The SmO2 dropped during each set (hitting zero in many instances) and was reinstated during recovery. The three main sets caused severe deoxygenation in the VL and VM, as opposed to moderate deoxygenation in the RF. From one set to the next, the initial value and the drop in the SmO2 increased, whereas the final SmO2 value decreased. The tHb increased in the VL, did not change considerably in the VM, and decreased in the RF during each set. The blood lactate concentration increased gradually from one set to the next, reaching about 10 mmol/L. These findings show pronounced differences in the physiological and metabolic responses of three quadriceps muscles to squatting exercise, thus highlighting the importance of studying such responses at multiple sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the impact of peanut straw mulching on the N change and the functional genes in Camellia oleifera intercropping systems. Methods: A field experiment with different types of straw mulch treatments (conventional tillage, whole, and crushed) and timing was (50 d and 150 d) established between 2018–2022; the soil N fractions, N transformation rates, the abundance and dominant species compositions of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), nirK, and nirS-harboring genes were investigated. Results: The whole peanut straw mulching of 150 d significantly improved (P < 0.05) the content of soil microbial biomass N (MBN), ammonia N (NH4+), and nitrate N (NO3-). The soil nitrification and ammonification rates increased by 96.8% and 132% in the 150 d of peanut crushed and whole straw mulching, respectively. Notably, the peanut straw mulching of 50 d mainly affects the diversity and relative abundance of AOA while the soil nirK and nirS-harboring genes were affected by 150 d crushed and whole peanut straw mulching, respectively. Redundancy analysis showed that crushed and whole peanut straw mulching affects nitrate reductase as the primary factor in regulating the soil N cycle via functional genes and soil variables. Conclusions: Long-term whole peanut straw or whole and crushed mixed straw mulching could hence be recommended to dryland farming communities to increase the soil N cycle and crop productivity in the C.oleifera-peanut intercropping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide, yet its quantitative and noninvasive assessment remains challenging. Considering that near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) became a promising noninvasive tool for monitoring muscle and cupping therapy could regulate muscle blood flow to relieve LBP, we attempted to incorporate cupping and hemodynamics monitoring in muscle tissue by NIRS to assess LBP. We collected 3‐min NIRS recordings on 12 LBP patients and 12 healthy subjects before and after 20‐min cupping. Initially, no significant hemodynamic differences were observed between the groups. After cupping, the concentration changes of oxy‐hemoglobin (Δ[HbO2]) in the emitter‐detector channel parallel to spine unexpectedly exhibited that LBP was remarkably lower by approximately 67% compared with the controls. This study highlighted the potential of combining NIRS and cupping protocol as a quantitative assessment technique for LBP, also providing a new idea for clinical integration of novel optical assessment technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic Preconditioning (IPC) has emerged as a promising approach to mitigate the impact of hypoxia on physiological functions. However, the heterogeneity of occlusion pressures for inducing arterial occlusion has led to inconsistent hemodynamic outcomes across studies. This study aims to evaluate the peripheral hemodynamic responses to partial and total blood-flow occlusions on the left arm at rest, using absolute or individualized pressures, on two occasions. Thirty-five young males volunteered to participate in this study. IPC procedure (3 × 7-min) was performed on the left upper arm with cuff pressures at 50 mmHg (G1), 50 mmHg over the systolic blood pressure (SBP + 50 mmHg) (G2) or 250 mmHg (G3). NIRS-derived parameters were assessed for each occlusion and reperfusion phase in the brachioradialis. Results showed a significantly lower magnitude of deoxygenation (TSIAUC) for G1 compared to G2 (-1959.2 ± 1417.4 vs. -10908.1 ± 1607.5, P < 0.001) and G3 -1959.2 ± 1417.4 vs. -11079.3 ± 1828.1, P < 0.001), without differences between G2 and G3. However, G3 showed a significantly faster reoxygenation only for tissue saturation index (TSIslope) compared to G2 (1.3 ± 0.1 vs. 1.0 ± 0.2, P = 0.010), but without differences in the speed of recovery of deoxyhemoglobin [(HHb) slope], or in the magnitude of post-occlusive hyperemia (PORH). Besides TSI reoxygenation speed, G2 and G3 elicit comparable resting hemodynamic responses measured by NIRS. Thus, this study highlights the practicality and effectiveness of using relative occlusion pressures based on systolic blood pressure (SBP) rather than relying on excessively high absolute pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We tested whether gene polymorphisms for angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE, rs1799752) and tenascin-C (TNC, rs2104772) are associated with variability in fatigue resistance and metabolic strain during static lumbar exercise through interactions with chronic nonspecific lower back pain and habitual physical exercise levels (PA). Methods: Forty-eight patients and matched controls performed an isometric endurance test for lumbar extensors. Metabolic strain to longissimus muscle (oxygen saturation, lactate) and cardiovascular system (muscle hemoglobin, blood pressure) and holding time were monitored. Subjects were genotyped for rs1799752 (II, ID, DD) and rs2104772 (AA, AT, TT). Associations of variance with group, genotype, and PA were analyzed under a 5% false discovery rate. Results: The holding time was lower in patients than in controls (150.9 vs. 188.6 s). This difference was associated with both genotypes, as patients with DD-rs1799752-genotype (p = 0.007) and TT-rs2104772-genotype (p = 0.041) showed lower fatigue resistance. Muscle deoxygenation during exercise varied in positive association with the rs2104772-genotype and PA (p = 0.010, η2 = 0.236). Mean arterial blood pressure (p = 0.028, η2 = 0.108) and recovery of hemoglobin concentration (p = 0.003, η2 = 0.907) demonstrated complex group x rs2104772 interactions. Conclusions: Polymorphisms rs1799752 and rs2104772 influence back pain-related variability in lumbar fatigue resistance. rs2104772 was linked to cardiovascular strain during isometric exercise and recovery via muscle perfusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to verify whether the level of mental resilience would differentiate reading comprehension performance when using different information carriers. More than 150 people filled out a test regarding the level of resilience. They then participated in a survey using fNIRS. Their task was to read a one-page informational text and answer several questions. The results showed no differences in correct answers between groups of people with different levels of resilience. In the groups of people with high and low levels of resilience, the number of correct answers was not differentiated by the type of carrier. Among those with moderate levels of resilience, better results were obtained by those who read text printed on paper. Analyses of neuronal mechanisms showed that the type of carrier differentiated brain activity in each group. Obtaining the same number of correct answers in the test was the result of different neuronal mechanisms activated in those who used a computer and those who read a printed text. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring the metabolic cost or oxygen consumption associated with rest and exercise is crucial to understanding the impact of disease or physical training on the health of individuals. Traditionally, measuring the skeletal muscle oxygen cost associated with exercise/muscle contractions can be rather expensive or invasive (i.e., muscle biopsies). More recently, specific protocols designed around the use of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) have been shown to provide a quick, noninvasive easy-to-use tool to measure skeletal muscle oxygen consumption (M V ˙ o 2 ). However, the data and results from NIRS devices are often misunderstood. Thus the primary purpose of this sourcebook update is to provide several experimental protocols students can utilize to improve their understanding of NIRS technology, learn how to analyze results from NIRS devices, and better understand how muscle contraction intensity and type (isometric, concentric, or eccentric) influence the oxygen cost of muscle contractions. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: Compared to traditional methods, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) provides a relatively cheap and easy-to-use noninvasive technique to measure skeletal muscle oxygen uptake following exercise. This laboratory not only enables students to learn about the basics of NIRS and muscle energetics but also addresses more complex questions regarding skeletal muscle physiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The critical force (CF) concept, differentiating steady and non-steady state conditions, extends the critical power paradigm for sport climbing. This study aimed to validate CF for finger flexors derived from the 4 min all-out test as a boundary for the highest sustainable work intensity in sport climbers. Methods: Twelve participants underwent multiple laboratory visits. Initially, they performed the 4 min intermittent contraction all-out test for CF determination. Subsequent verification visits involved finger-flexor contractions at various intensities, including CF, CF −2 kg, CF −4 kg, and CF −6 kg, lasting for 720 s or until failure, while monitoring muscle-oxygen dynamics of forearm muscles. Results: CF, determined from the mean force of last three contractions, was measured at 20.1 ± 5.7 kg, while the end-force at 16.8 ± 5.2 kg. In the verification trials, the mean time to failure at CF was 440 ± 140 s, with only one participant completing the 720 s task. When the load was continuously lowered (−2 kg, −4 kg, and −6 kg), a greater number of participants (38%, 69%, and 92%, respectively) successfully completed the 720 s task. Changes of muscle-oxygen dynamics showed a high variability and could not clearly distinguish between exhaustive and non-exhaustive trials. Conclusions: CF, based on the mean force of the last three contractions, failed to reliably predict the highest sustainable work rate. In contrast, determining CF as the end-force of the last three contractions exhibited a stronger link to sustainable work. Caution is advised in interpreting forearm muscle-oxygen dynamics, lacking sensitivity for nuanced metabolic responses during climbing-related tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thirty years ago, the first attempt by Saliba and colleagues was made to reduce the negative effects (hypercarbia) of exogenous surfactant (ES) by slowing its administration. Sixteen years later, we observed the first less invasive surfactant administration (LISA) attempt by Kribs and colleagues. Many studies, since that time, have tried to minimize the invasiveness of ES and subsequent cerebral blood flow perturbations through studies using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). We sought to address this medical challenge by identifying a less problematic modality of ES administration by delivering multiple aliquots of ES instead of a single one, as typically performed. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that a different way of administering ES using more aliquots could be a safe alternative that should be assessed in further studies. Methods: Patients between 26 + 0 and 35 + 6 weeks of gestational age (GA) requiring ES administration were enrolled (April 2023–February 2024). Differently fractioned doses were delivered according to an arbitrary standard dosage (0.3 mL per aliquot in babies < 29 weeks; 0.6 mL in babies ≥ 29 weeks), while NIRS and transcutaneous CO2 (tCO2) monitoring were always performed. ES's effectiveness was assessed based on the reduction in the Oxygen Saturation Index (OSI) after administration. Persistent desaturation, bradycardia, and airway obstruction were defined as adverse effects and used to evaluate safety during ES administration, as well as variability in NIRS-rSO2 values and tCO2. Results: Twenty-four patients were enrolled with a median GA of 29 weeks (IQR 4.5) and BW of 1223 ± 560 g. In addition, 50% of the cohort received fewer than three aliquots, whereas the other 50% received more than three. Monitoring was started before the procedure and continued 30′ after the last ES aliquot administration. The variability in NIRS-SpO2 values was significantly higher in the group (p = 0.007) with a lower number of aliquots administered. Similarly, increased NIRS-rSO2 values (p = 0.003) and increased tCO2 levels (p = 0.005) were observed in infants who underwent an ES split after the administration of a low number of aliquots. Conclusions: Our data obtained from the group with > 3 fractionated doses of ES seem to justify the preparation of a more robust study, as the combination of reduced NIRS variability and reduced tCO2 maximum levels is consistent with more stable cerebral blood flow during the challenging time of ES administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Cocoa bean shell (CBS) remains a commonly produced by-product of cocoa bean processing. It is usually obtained from fermented and dried cocoa beans that are roasted. The study investigated the potential use of Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) analysis for discriminating roasted and unroasted CBS among cocoa clones and quantifying some nutritional and bioactive components in Ghana. Five clones, comprising four important seed gardens clones used across West Africa and one criollo were evaluated. Cocoa beans from the different clones (T60/887, VENC 4, MO 20, PA 150 and T60/887 × POUND 7) were divided into two parts, with one part roasted at a temperature of 120 °C for 50 min while the other part was kept unroasted. The CBSs were milled and passed through a 425 μm pore-sized sieve to obtain the powder. A handheld portable NIRS was used to scan the CBS powder in Ziplock bags. The nutritional and bioactive characterisation was carried out using official methods. NIRS discriminated the various clones of roasted and unroasted CBS. Carbohydrate was the predominant macronutrient, and ash content ranged from 5.25 to 8.24%. The CBS was high in potassium (2382–3144 mg/100 g) and low in sodium (25.67–51.33 mg/100 g). Total flavonoids and phenolics ranged from 8.61 to 40.71 mgQE/g and 6.34–12.25 mgGAE/g, respectively, for the roasted and unroasted CBS. To ensure better differentiation of cocoa beans from different clones using NIRS, incorporating roasting as a processing parameter is recommended.

ABSTRACTFor decades researches have been conducted in Ethiopia to improve wheat productivity and quality. This involved extensive selection of breeding lines based on agronomic and laboratory data from numerous trials. However, generating laboratory data for all these services was both time-consuming and expensive. Hence, the study aimed to develop a very rapid and cost-effective testing method for wheat genotypes and varieties using near-infrared spectroscopy. For this purpose, we collected 155 bread wheat samples from high-growing potential areas of Sinana, Kulumsa, and Holeta. The wet chemistry analysis was done in duplicate following the international standard official methods. The same samples were also scanned using TANGO’S Bruker NIRS machine in duplicate to acquire spectral data. A calibration model was then developed by fitting the reference and spectral data using the partial least square (PLS). The calibration models exhibited a high level of strength for all parameters. The performance of the calibration model for protein (R2 = 0.99; RPD = 9.63), moisture (R2 = 0.96; RPD = 5.29), ash (R2 = 0.98; RPD = 6.39), total gluten (R2 = 0.98; RPD = 8.09), dry gluten (R2 = 0.97; RPD = 5.57), gluten index (R2 = 0.96; RPD = 5.23), and falling number (R2 = 0.97 and RPD = 6.23) were deemed suitable for wheat process and quality control purposes. But the models for moisture and gluten index (R2 = 0.96) were found to be suitable for screening and simple quality control purposes only. Therefore, this study clearly demonstrated that the near-infrared spectroscopy model is a highly reliable and robust method for predicting the key quality traits of bread wheat grains, serving the needs of both breeding programs and industry raw material control.

The aim was to evaluate near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) potential to discriminate among β-casein (CN), κ-CN and β-lactoglobulin (LG) genotypes to be used as an authentication method. A total of 168 milk samples with known genetic information for β-CN, κ-CN and β-LG were collected at the same farm and paired with the NIRS spectrum. Spectra were evaluated with an unsupervised method (principal component analysis, PCA) and a supervised method (partial least squares-discriminant analysis, PLS-DA). For the PLS-DA, data were split into a train (75%) and a test set (25%), and the variable in projection >1 criterion was applied to select informative wavelengths. Results obtained confirmed that milk quality was similar among genetic variants. For the PCA, the observed variance explained by the first two principal components was 94%, but samples were not clustered by their genotypes of β-CN (i.e. A1A2, A2A2), κ-CN (i.e. AA, AB, AE, BB, BE) and β-LG (i.e. AA, AB, BB). The best accuracy for the PLS-DA models was reached by β-CN (train and test set, 64%), followed by β-LG (train set, 56%; test set, 52%) and κ-CN (train set, 41%; test set, 36%). In conclusion, the PCA on milk spectra was not able to cluster β-CN, κ-CN and β-LG genotypes, but the PLS-DA models revealed promising results for β-CN and β-LG. It could be interesting to increase the number of samples to equilibrate genetic variants and to apply a sampling selection method before discarding the applicability of NIRS as an authentication method.

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Background: We tested whether gene polymorphisms for angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE, rs1799752) and tenascin-C (TNC, rs2104772) are associated with variability in fatigue resistance and metabolic strain during static lumbar exercise through interactions with chronic nonspecific lower back pain and habitual physical exercise levels (PA). Methods: Forty-eight patients and matched controls performed an isometric endurance test for lumbar extensors. Metabolic strain to longissimus muscle (oxygen saturation, lactate) and cardiovascular system (muscle hemoglobin, blood pressure) and holding time were monitored. Subjects were genotyped for rs1799752 (II, ID, DD) and rs2104772 (AA, AT, TT). Associations of variance with group, genotype, and PA were analyzed under a 5% false discovery rate. Results: The holding time was lower in patients than in controls (150.9 vs. 188.6 s). This difference was associated with both genotypes, as patients with DD-rs1799752-genotype (p = 0.007) and TT-rs2104772-genotype (p = 0.041) showed lower fatigue resistance. Muscle deoxygenation during exercise varied in positive association with the rs2104772-genotype and PA (p = 0.010, η2 = 0.236). Mean arterial blood pressure (p = 0.028, η2 = 0.108) and recovery of hemoglobin concentration (p = 0.003, η2 = 0.907) demonstrated complex group x rs2104772 interactions. Conclusions: Polymorphisms rs1799752 and rs2104772 influence back pain-related variability in lumbar fatigue resistance. rs2104772 was linked to cardiovascular strain during isometric exercise and recovery via muscle perfusion.

This study delves into the ability of near infrared (NIR) techniques by means of a self-developed portable sensing device near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) i16 USK instrument to accurately predict the moisture content (MC) and chlorogenic acid (CGA) within intact coffee beans through the development of calibration models. Spectral absorbance measurements were conducted across the 1,000‒2,500 nm wavelength range. Leveraging two multivariate calibration approaches namely principal component regression and partial least square regression (PLSR) for 74 bulk coffee beans (60 g) in calibration and 36 bulk coffee beans samples in external validation. The results reveal a notably high determination coefficient (R 2) of 0.984 for MC and 0.908 for CGA in calibration using PLSR, indicating the feasibility of rapid, simultaneous, and non-destructive prediction. Furthermore, upon external validation, the PLSR model exhibited consistent predictive performance, with R 2 values for MC and CGA contents reaching 0.978 and 0.846, respectively. Consequently, these outcomes underscore NIR as an effective, concurrent, and non-invasive means to assess the quality parameters and attributes of intact coffee beans, presenting promising prospects for the advancement of coffee quality evaluation.

Cranberries are rich in polyphenols, have a high antioxidant capacity, and may protect against exercise-induced free radical production. Mitochondria are known producers of free radical in skeletal muscle, and preventing overproduction of radicals may be a viable approach to improve muscle health. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a polyphenol-rich cranberry extract (CE) on muscle oxidative capacity and oxygenation metrics in healthy active adults. 17 participants (9 males and 8 females) were tested at: (i) baseline, (ii) 2 h following an acute CE dose (0.7 g/kg of body mass), and (iii) after 4 weeks of daily supplement consumption (0.3 g/kg of body mass). At each time point, muscle oxidative capacity was determined using near-infrared spectroscopy to measure the recovery kinetics of muscle oxygen consumption following a 15–20 s contraction of the vastus lateralis. Cranberry supplementation over 28 days significantly improved muscle oxidative capacity (k-constant, 2.8 ± 1.8 vs. 3.9 ± 2.2; p = 0.02). This was supported by a greater rate of oxygen depletion during a sustained cuff occlusion (−0.04 ± 0.02 vs. −0.07 ± 0.03; p = 0.02). Resting muscle oxygen consumption was not affected by cranberry consumption. Our results suggest that cranberry supplementation may play a role in improving mitochondrial health, which could lead to better muscle oxidative capacity in healthy active adult populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the requirements of Tartary buckwheat breeding, it is necessary to develop a method for the rapid detection of functional substances in seeds. To ensure a diverse sample pool, we utilized the stable recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of Tartary buckwheat. The coefficients of variation of the total flavonoid, vitamin E (VE), and GABA contents of the RIL population were 15.06, 16.53, and 36.93, respectively. Subsequently, we established prediction models for the functional substance contents in Tartary buckwheat using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) combined with chemometrics. The Kennard–Stone algorithm divided the dataset into training and test sets, employing six different methods for preprocessing spectra. The Competitive Adaptive Reweighted Sampling algorithm extracted the characteristic spectra. The best models for total flavonoid and VE were normalized using the first derivative. The calibration correlation coefficient (Rc) and prediction correlation coefficient (Rp) of the total flavonoid and VE prediction models were greater than 0.94. The optimal GABA prediction model underwent preprocessing via normalization combined with the standard normal variate, and the Rc and Rp values were greater than 0.93. The results demonstrated that the NIRS-based prediction model could satisfy the requirements for the rapid determination of total flavonoids, VE, and GABA in Tartary buckwheat seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red guava is highly preferred by Indonesians because of its delightful flavor, refreshing taste, and numerous advantages. It is a climacteric fruit, and the age at which red guava is picked affects the quality of the fruit. The estimation of the maturity parameters of red guava is physically destructive (damages the fruit). This study aimed to assess the NIR method to predict the maturity parameters of red guava fruit with wavelengths of 1000-2500 nm. Red guavas of four different picking ages were used in this study. The tested maturity parameters included firmness, moisture content, total soluble solids (TSS), acidity, and sugar-acid ratio at various harvest ages. The partial least squares (PLS) method was used for calibration and validation of NIRS data and reference data. The results of this study show that NIRS can estimate the ripeness of red guava fruit based on firmness, acidity, sugar-acid ratio, and water content. The best-estimated value for firmness parameters was obtained with pretreatment MSC factor PLS 14, resulting in r calibration of 0.94, SEP 7.20, CV 25.91%, and RPD 2.90; acidity without pretreatment factor PLS 13 obtained r calibration of 0.82, SEP 0.17, CV 24.42%, RPD 1.68; sugar acid ratio with pretreatment SNV factor PLS 10 obtained r calibration 0.75, SEP 4.03, CV 30.81%, RPD 1.51; and for moisture content using SNV pretreatment factor PLS 13, r calibration 0.88, SEP 0.95, CV 1.08%, RPD 1.95. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engaging intracoronary imaging (IC) techniques such as intravascular ultrasound or optical coherence tomography enables the precise description of vessel architecture. These imaging modalities have well-established roles in providing guidance and optimizing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) outcomes. Furthermore, IC is increasingly recognized for its diagnostic capabilities, as it has the unique capacity to reveal vessel wall characteristics that may not be apparent through angiography alone. This manuscript thoroughly reviews the contemporary landscape of IC in clinical practice. Focused on current methodologies, the review explores the utility and advancements in IC techniques. Emphasizing their role in clarifying coronary pathophysiology, guiding PCI, and optimizing patient outcomes, the manuscript critically evaluates the strengths and limitations of each modality. Additionally, the integration of IC into routine clinical workflows and its impact on decision-making processes are discussed. By synthesizing the latest evidence, this review provides valuable insights for clinicians, researchers, and healthcare professionals involved in the dynamic field of interventional cardiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is crucial for winegrowers to make informed decisions about the optimum time to harvest the grapes to ensure the production of premium wines. Global warming contributes to decreasing acidity and increasing sugar levels in grapes, resulting in bland wines with high contents of alcohol. Predicting quality in viticulture is thus pivotal. To assess the average ripeness, typically a sample of one hundred berries representative for the entire vineyard is collected. However, this process, along with the subsequent detailed must analysis, is time consuming and expensive. This study focusses on predicting essential quality parameters like sugar and acid content in Vitis vinifera (L.) varieties 'Chardonnay', 'Riesling', 'Dornfelder', and 'Pinot Noir'. A small near-infrared spectrometer was used measuring non-destructively in the wavelength range from 1 100 nm to 1 350 nm while the reference contents were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. Chemometric models were developed employing partial least squares regression and using spectra of all four grapevine varieties, spectra gained from berries of the same colour, or from the individual varieties. The models exhibited high accuracy in predicting main quality-determining parameters in independent test sets. On average, the model regression coefficients exceeded 93% for the sugars fructose and glucose, 86% for malic acid, and 73% for tartaric acid. Using these models, prediction accuracies revealed the ability to forecast individual sugar contents within an range of ± 6.97 g/L to ± 10.08 g/L, and malic acid within ± 2.01 g/L to ± 3.69 g/L. This approach indicates the potential to develop robust models by incorporating spectra from diverse grape varieties and berries of different colours. Such insight is crucial for the potential widespread adoption of a handheld near-infrared sensor, possibly integrated into devices used in everyday life, like smartphones. A server-side and cloud-based solution for pre-processing and modelling could thus avoid pitfalls of using near-infrared sensors on unknown varieties and in diverse wine-producing regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Different strategies for near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-derived muscle oxidative capacity assessment have been reported. This study compared and evaluated (I) approaches for averaging trials; (II) NIRS signals and blood volume correction equations; (III) the assessment of vastus lateralis (VL) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles in two fitness levels groups. Methods: Thirty-six participants [18 chronically trained (CT: 14 males, 4 females) and 18 untrained (UT: 10 males, 8 females)] participated in this study. Two trials of twenty transient arterial occlusions were performed for NIRS-derived muscle oxidative capacity assessment. Muscle oxygen consumption ( V ˙ O2m) was estimated from deoxygenated hemoglobin (HHb), corrected for blood volume changes following Ryan (HHbR) and Beever (HHbB) equations, and from oxygen saturation (StO2) in VL and TA. Results: Superimposing or averaging V ˙ O2m or averaging the rate constants (k) from the two trials resulted in equivalent k values [two one-sided tests (TOST) procedure with 5% equivalence margin—P < 0.001]. Whereas HHbR (2.35 ± 0.61 min−1) and HHbB (2.34 ± 0.58 min−1) derived k were equivalent (P < 0.001), StO2 derived k (2.81 ± 0.92 min−1) was greater (P < 0.001) than both. k values were greater in CT vs UT in both muscles (VL: + 0.68 min−1, P = 0.002; TA: + 0.43 min−1, P = 0.01). Conclusion: Different approaches for averaging trials lead to similar k. HHb and StO2 signals provided different k, although different blood volume corrections did not impact k. Group differences in k were detected in both muscles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Adequate organ perfusion during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) requires accurate estimation and adjustment of flow rates which conventional methods may not always achieve. Perioperative monitoring of cerebral oxygen saturation (ScO2) may detect changes in oxygen transport. This study aims to compare estimated and measured perfusion flow rates and assess the capacity of ScO2 to detect subtle changes in oxygen transport during CPB. (2) Methods: This observational study included 50 patients scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery, all of whom provided written informed consent. Perfusion flow rates were estimated using the DuBois formula and measured using echocardiography and a flow probe in the arterial line of the CPB system. ScO2 was continuously monitored, alongside intermittent measurements of oxygen delivery and extraction ratios. (3) Results: Significant discrepancies were found between estimated flow rates (5.2 [4.8–5.5] L/min) and those measured at the start of the surgery (4.6 [4.0–5.0] L/min). These discrepancies were flow rate-dependent, being more pronounced at lower perfusion rates and diminishing as rates increased. Furthermore, ScO2 showed a consistent correlation with both oxygen delivery (r = 0.48) and oxygen extraction ratio (r = 0.45). (4) Conclusions: This study highlights discrepancies between estimated and actual perfusion flow rates during CPB and underscores the value of ScO2 monitoring as a continuous, noninvasive tool for maintaining adequate organ perfusion, suggesting a need for improved, patient-tailored perfusion strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-stream convolutional neural network (TCNN) for breathing pattern classification has been devised for the continuous monitoring of patients with infectious respiratory diseases. The TCNN consists of a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based autoencoder and classifier. The encoder of the autoencoder generates deep compressed feature maps, which contain the most important information constituting data. These maps are concatenated with feature maps generated by the classifier to classify breathing patterns. The TCNN, single-stream CNN (SCNN), and state-of-the-art classification models were applied to classify four breathing patterns: normal, slow, rapid, and breath holding. The input data consisted of chest tissue hemodynamic responses measured using a wearable near-infrared spectroscopy device on 14 healthy adult participants. Among the classification models evaluated, random forest had the lowest classification accuracy at 88.49%, while the TCNN achieved the highest classification accuracy at 94.63%. In addition, the proposed TCNN performed 2.6% better in terms of classification accuracy than an SCNN (without an autoencoder). Moreover, the TCNN mitigates the issue of declining learning performance with increasing network depth, as observed in the SCNN model. These results prove the robustness of the TCNN in classifying breathing patterns despite using a significantly smaller number of parameters and computations compared to state-of-the-art classification models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis continues to be challenging to diagnose due to its non-specific clinical signs and symptoms, emphasizing the importance of early detection. Our study aimed to enhance the accuracy of sepsis diagnosis by integrating multimodal monitoring technologies with conventional diagnostic methods. The research included a total of 121 newborns, with 39 cases of late-onset sepsis, 35 cases of early-onset sepsis, and 47 control subjects. Continuous monitoring of biosignals, including pulse oximetry (PO), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and skin temperature (ST), was conducted. An algorithm was then developed in Python to identify early signs of sepsis. The model demonstrated the capability to detect sepsis 6 to 48 h in advance with an accuracy rate of 87.67 ± 7.42%. Sensitivity and specificity were recorded at 76% and 90%, respectively, with NIRS and ST having the most significant impact on predictive accuracy. Despite the promising results, limitations such as sample size, data variability, and potential biases were noted. These findings highlight the critical role of non-invasive biosensing methods in conjunction with conventional biomarkers and cultures, offering a strong foundation for early sepsis detection and improved neonatal care. Further research should be conducted to validate these results across different clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in paediatric anaesthetic equipment and monitoring continue to be made. While the mainstay of airway intubating equipment currently is the direct laryngoscope, videolaryngoscopes and endoscopes are increasing in their use. These continue to evolve, generating better quality pictures, with more sophisticated yet easier to use equipment. Vascular access in paediatric anaesthesia can be challenging. Ultrasound has become an integral piece of equipment in the management of these children with difficult access. As the population increases in weight, so the management of the obese child is now a reality. This requires thought and careful planning of their perioperative care. Newer techniques such as high flow nasal oxygen are useful both to prevent hypoxia at induction, but also to facilitate surgery. Total intravenous anaesthesia will be discussed with reference to paediatric algorithms and equipment. Neurological monitoring in the form of near-infrared spectroscopy and depth of anaesthesia monitoring are discussed with evidence relevant to paediatric practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low‐load resistance exercise (LLRE) to failure can increase muscle mass, strength, endurance, and mitochondrial oxidative capacity (OXPHOS). However, the impact of adding blood flow restriction to low‐load resistance exercise (LLBFR) when matched for volume on these outcomes is incompletely understood. This pilot study examined the impact of 6 weeks of single‐legged LLBFR and volume‐matched LLRE on thigh bone‐free lean mass, strength, endurance, and mitochondrial OXPHOS. Twenty (12 males and 8 females) untrained young adults (mean ± SD; 21 ± 2 years, 168 ± 11 cm, 68 ± 12 kg) completed 6 weeks of either single‐legged LLBFR or volume‐matched LLRE. Participants performed four sets of 30, 15, 15, and 15 repetitions at 25% 1‐RM of leg press and knee extension with or without BFR three times per week. LLBFR increased knee extension 1‐RM, knee extension endurance, and thigh bone‐free lean mass relative to control (all p < 0.05). LLRE increased leg press and knee extension 1‐RM relative to control (p = 0.012 and p = 0.054, respectively). LLRE also increased mitochondrial OXPHOS (p = 0.047 (nonparametric)). Our study showed that LLBFR increased muscle strength, muscle endurance, and thigh bone‐free lean mass in the absence of improvements in mitochondrial OXPHOS. LLRE improved muscle strength and mitochondrial OXPHOS in the absence of improvements in thigh bone‐free lean mass or muscle endurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Potato varieties have diverse biophysical characteristics, so it is important for breeders to have the capacity to choose those that meet the preferences of end users, such as mealiness, firmness, and taste, among others. Combining user preferences with descriptive information regarding the sensory characteristics of boiled potatoes can contribute to the improvement of consumer‐driven varieties. This study aimed to factor in the preferences of end users to improve the prospects for varietal acceptance, adoption, and discrimination among genotypes in potato breeding. RESULTS: The priority quality traits (traits that play the most significant roles in acceptance and adoption) of the boiled potatoes were determined by evaluating gender and livelihood using the G+ tool. The G+ tool is designed to assess gender impact on roots, tubers and bananas (RTB) traits by serving as a validation check to reflect on important gender‐based issues in agricultural food systems in order to reduce harm and promote positive impact. Potato genotypes were differentiated by penetration (textural parameters as measured by standard texture probe) and the procedure was repeatable, as there was no significant difference between the cooking replicates at 40 min of cooking. Instrument‐based texture parameters, such as penetration peak force (hardness/firmness) and area (area under the curve, which represents energy needed to penetrate) of boiled potato tubers were significantly associated with sensory attributes such as fracturability and hardness in the mouth. An attempt to differentiate genotypes using near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) revealed that the average results observed for the calibration for yellow color (r2 = 0.70), homogeneity of color (r2 = 0.48), moisture in mass (r2 = 0.40), and uniformity of texture (r2 = 0.56) suggested that these parameters could be used for initial breeding screening purposes. CONCLUSIONS: The preferred traits of the boiled potato can be integrated into the potato‐breeding program/product profile. Near‐infrared spectroscopy shows strong potential to predict potato color and the ability of NIRS models to predict some texture attributes is also promising. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Cassava utilization for food and/or industrial products depends on inherent properties of root dry matter content (DMC) and the starch fraction of amylose content (AC). Accordingly, in the present study, near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) models were developed to aid breeding and selection of DMC and AC as critical industrial traits taking care of root sample preparation and cassava germplasm diversity available in Uganda. RESULTS: Upon undertaking calibrations and cross‐validations, best models were adopted for validation. DMC in calibration samples ranged from 20 to 45 g 100g−1, whereas, for amylose content, it ranged from 14 to 33 g 100g−1. In the validation set, average DMC was 29.5 g 100g−1, whereas, for amylose content, it was 24.64 g 100g−1. For DMC, a modified partial least square regression model had regression coefficients (R2) of 0.98 and 0.96, respectively, in the calibration and validation set. These were also associated with low bias (−0.018) and ratio of performance deviation that ranged from 4.7 to 5.0. In addition, standard error of prediction values ranged from 0.9 g 100g−1 to 1.06 g 100g−1. For AC, the regression coefficient was 0.91 for the calibration set and 0.94 for the validation set. A bias equivalent to −0.03 and a ratio of performance deviation of 4.23 were observed. CONCLUSION: These findings confirm the robustness of NIRS in the estimation of dry matter content and amylose content in cassava roots and thus justify its use in routine cassava breeding operations. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Variability in sugar content between raw and cooked sweetpotato storage roots impact nutritional and dietary importance with implications for consumer preference. High‐throughput phenotyping is required to breed varieties that satisfy consumer preferences. Results: Near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) calibration curves were developed for analysing sugars in baked storage roots using 147 genotypes from a population segregating for sugar content and other traits. The NIRS prediction curves had high coefficients of determination in calibration (R2c) of 0.96 (glucose), 0.93 (fructose), 0.96 (sucrose), and 0.96 (maltose). The corresponding coefficients of determination for cross‐validation (R2cv) were 0.92 (glucose), 0.89 (fructose), 0.96 (sucrose) and 0.93 (maltose) and were similar to the R2c for all sugars measured. The ratios of the standard deviation of the reference set to the standard error of cross‐validation were greater than three for all sugars. These results confirm the applicability of the NIRS curves in efficiently determining sugar content in baked sweetpotato storage roots. External validation was performed on an additional 70 genotypes. Coefficients of determination (r2) were 0.88 (glucose), 0.88 (fructose), 0.86 (sucrose) and 0.49 (maltose). The results were comparable to those found for the calibration and cross‐validation in fructose, glucose, and sucrose, but were moderate for maltose due to the low variability of maltose content in the population. Conclusions: NIRS can be used for screening sugar content in baked sweetpotato storage roots in breeding programs and can be used to assist with the development of improved sweetpotato varieties that better meet consumer preferences. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a non-destructive, fast, and cost-effective technique, near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has been widely used to determine the content of bioactive components in tea. However, due to the similar chemical structures of various catechins in black tea, the NIR spectra of black tea severely overlap in certain bands, causing nonlinear relationships and reducing analytical accuracy. In addition, the number of NIR spectral wavelengths is much larger than that of the modeled samples, and the small-sample learning problem is rather typical. These issues make the use of NIRS to simultaneously determine black tea catechins challenging. To address the above problems, this study innovatively proposed a wavelength selection algorithm based on feature interval combination sensitivity segmentation (FIC-SS). This algorithm extracts wavelengths at both coarse-grained and fine-grained levels, achieving higher accuracy and stability in feature wavelength extraction. On this basis, the study built four simultaneous prediction models for catechins based on extreme learning machines (ELMs), utilizing their powerful nonlinear learning ability and simple model structure to achieve simultaneous and accurate prediction of catechins. The experimental results showed that for the full spectrum, the ELM model has better prediction performance than the partial least squares model for epicatechin (EC), epicatechin gallate (ECG), epigallocatechin (EGC), and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). For the feature wavelengths, our proposed FIC-SS-ELM model enjoys higher prediction performance than ELM models based on other wavelength selection algorithms; it can simultaneously and accurately predict the content of EC ( R p 2 = 0.91, RMSEP = 0.019), ECG ( R p 2 = 0.96, RMSEP = 0.11), EGC ( R p 2 = 0.97, RMSEP = 0.15), and EGCG ( R p 2 = 0.97, RMSEP = 0.35) in black tea. The results of this study provide a new method for the quantitative determination of the bioactive components of black tea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thyroid nodules are common clinical entities, with a significant proportion being malignant. Early, accurate, and non-invasive tools to differentiate benign and malignant nodules can optimize patient management and reduce unnecessary surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and accuracy of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in distinguishing benign from malignant thyroid nodules. A diffuse reflectance spectrum for a total of 20 thyroid nodule samples (10 samples as colloid goiter and 10 samples as thyroid cancer), were acquired in the wavelength range from 1000 to 2500 nm. Spectral data from NIRS were analyzed by means of principal component analysis (PCA), quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA), and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to classify and differentiate thyroid nodule samples. The present study found that NIRS effectively distinguished colloid goiter and thyroid cancer using the first two principal components (PCs), explaining 90% and 10% of the variance, respectively. QDA discrimination plot displayed a clear separation between colloid goiter and thyroid cancer with minimal overlap, aligning with reported 95% accuracy. Additionally, applying LDA to seven PCs from PCA achieved a 100% accuracy rate in classifying colloid goiter and thyroid cancer from near-infrared spectral data. In conclusion, NIRS offers a promising, non-invasive complementing diagnostic tool for differentiating benign from malignant thyroid nodules with high accuracy. Future work should integrate these results into predictive model development, emphasizing external validation, alternative performance metrics, and protecting against potential overfitting translation of a machine learning model to a clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Reduce the climate cost of plastic mulch is an important issue for the sustainable development of dryland. Previous studies suggest plastic mulch has risk to increase nitrous oxide emission, but how this produced by the complex interaction between soil properties and microbial is still an unsolved problem and need to research to develop targeted practice. Methods: To address this question, molecular ecology tools, including real-time quantitative and high-throughput sequencing were employed to explore how plastic mulch induced change on soil environment and then stimulates denitrification. Three mulching treatments were compared, including no mulching, spring and autumn mulching. Results: Plastic mulch induced significant increase in the richness and diversity of nir-containing denitrifiers. The nirS and nirK-gene abundance was the greatest under the autumn mulching, and a more conspicuous change in the community structure and abundance was observed for nirK gene than for nirS denitrifiers. The most differentially abundant taxa in the autumn mulching were Anaeromyxobacter, Terriglobus, Edwardsiella, Catenulispora and Acidobacterium for nirK genes and Cupriavidus for nirS genes. Mulching increased the potential denitrification enzyme activity by 58% and 29% for autumn and spring mulching, respectively, and this effect was mirrored by the abundance of nirK, but not by nirS denitrifiers. The nirK gene was significantly correlated to variations in soil moisture, temperature, and nitrate nitrogen. Conclusion: Plastic mulch stimulates denitrification by inducing higher moisture, temperature and nitrate nitrogen content and structural change in the community of nirK denitrifying bacteria in dryland agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The study assessed vastus lateralis oxygen desaturation kinetics (SmO2) in 32 male cyclists (16 Seniors, 16 Juniors) during a 30 s sprint, examining effects of age and performance. An incremental test was used to determine ventilatory thresholds (VT1, VT2) and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2kg), followed by a sprint test to evaluate anaerobic performance. Cyclists' performance phenotype was determined as the ratio of power at VT2 to 5 s peak sprint power. Juniors exhibited sprinter-like traits, excelling in all functional tests except for lactate levels post-sprint. SmO2 data showed no age-related or bilateral differences across participants. The combined mean response time (MRT) revealed stronger bilateral goodness of fit (R2 = 0.64) than individual time delay (TD) and time constant (τ). Higher VO2kg at VT2, peak power, and maximal uptake were linked to longer TD, while shorter TD correlated with higher lactate production and increased fatigue. Bilaterally averaged SmO2 kinetics distinguished between sprint and endurance athletes, indicating the potential to reflect the alactic anaerobic system's capacity and depletion. Age did not affect desaturation rates, but younger cyclists showed greater response amplitude, attributed to a higher initial baseline rather than maximal desaturation at the end of the exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in sports science has become increasingly important in the past few years (Perrey et al., 2024). One application is to determine thresholds from different NIRS parameters like oxygenated (O2Hb) or deoxygenated (HHb) hemoglobin to distinguish between hard and severe-intensity exercise (Caen et al., 2018). Such applications are frequently validated by comparison to established threshold determination concepts. However, it is not yet known which of the two parameters is more closely related to classical concepts. Therefore, the aim of this project was do analyze which NIRS parameter (oxygenated [O2Hb] or deoxygenated [HHb] hemoglobin) better reflects systemic behavior determined from ventilation (VE). Thirteen physically active participants (4 females, 9 males; mean age: 26.3 ± 4.4 years, height: 176.0 ± 10.3 cm, weight: 71.9 ± 9.3 kg) were included in the study. VE and NIRS data from a major locomotor muscle (vastus lateralis) during a step-incremental single leg cycle ergometer test were recorded. We used a custom MATLAB script to fit piecewise linear continuous functions by regression to estimate NIRS and VE thresholds. We used two distinct segments for NIRS data and three distinct segments for VE data. NIRS thresholds were defined as the point of intersection of the two segments in O2Hb and HHb signals, respectively. The ventilatory threshold was defined as the second increase in VE. We used a resampling strategy to reduce the impact of outliers or peculiar data distributions on threshold estimates. Thresholds from O2Hb and HHb in the active leg and VE were observed at 78.24%, 76.37%, and 84.15% of the maximum power achieved. Both O2Hb (r = 0.85, p < 0.001) and HHb (r = 0.75, p = 0.0051) thresholds were significantly correlated, but mean values were significantly different (p < 0.05) from the respiratory compensation point (RCP) mean value. Correlations between O2Hb and HHb values from the passive leg and the RCP values were in the same range (r = 0.88, p < 0.001 and r = 0.79, p = 0.0023, respectively). The results indicate that, based on the correlations, O2Hb is slightly closer related to the second ventilatory threshold compared to HHb. The present study shows that thresholds from both NIRS parameters are closely related to the second ventilatory threshold which indicates a physiological relationship. However, thresholds cannot be used interchangeably as NIRS parameters derived from the working muscle appear earlier than systemic thresholds that demonstrate a delay in kinetics between the working muscle and the system. References Caen, K., Vermeire, K., Bourgois, J. G., & Boone, J. (2018). Exercise thresholds on trial: Are they really equivalent? Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 50(6), 1277-1284. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0000000000001547 Perrey, S., Quaresima, V., & Ferrari, M. (2024). Muscle oximetry in sports science: An updated systematic review. Sports Medicine, 54, 975-996. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-023-01987-x

Introduction: Evidence supports the clinical applicability of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in intracranial hematoma detection in prehospital settings. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the diagnostic yield of NIRS for detecting intracranial hematoma in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. Methods: A systematic search was performed in July 2024 in Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. We included studies that evaluated the diagnostic performance of NIRS in detecting intracranial hematoma in both adult and pediatric patients suspected of TBI in prehospital or emergency settings, using brain computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging as the gold standard. Results: Eighteen studies enrolling 2979 patients were included. NIRS exhibited an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.91 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.88, 0.93), with a sensitivity of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.78, 0.91), and specificity of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.89) across all age groups. In children, the results demonstrated an AUC of 0.92 (95% CI: 0.89, 0.94), sensitivity of 0.95 (95% CI: 0.21, 1.00), and specificity of 0.81 (95% CI: 0.65, 0.91). Among adults, the AUC was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.88, 0.93), with sensitivity and specificity of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.78, 0.92) and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.70, 0.91), respectively. Performance improved when NIRS was operated by non-physicians (AUC = 0.94 [95% CI: 0.91, 0.96], sensitivity = 0.90 [95% CI: 0.79, 0.95], specificity = 0.85 [95% CI: 0.71, 0.93]) compared to physicians (AUC = 0.90 [95% CI: 0.87, 0.92], sensitivity = 0.88 [95% CI: 0.77, 0.94], specificity = 0.75 [95% CI: 0.59, 0.76]). Patients' age group and operator type were identified as potential sources of heterogeneity. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the findings, particularly in mild TBI cases and studies implementing a ΔOD > 0.2 as the threshold for a positive NIRS result. Conclusion: NIRS proves to be an effective diagnostic tool for detecting traumatic intracranial hematoma in both pediatric and adult groups, with high sensitivity and specificity. Its utility in prehospital triage, operated by physicians or paramedics, underscores its potential for broader clinical application.

Ischemic Preconditioning (IPC) has emerged as a promising approach to mitigate the impact of hypoxia on physiological functions. However, the heterogeneity of occlusion pressures for inducing arterial occlusion has led to inconsistent hemodynamic outcomes across studies. This study aims to evaluate the peripheral hemodynamic responses to partial and total blood-flow occlusions on the left arm at rest, using absolute or individualized pressures, on two occasions. Thirty-five young males volunteered to participate in this study. IPC procedure (3 × 7-min) was performed on the left upper arm with cuff pressures at 50 mmHg (G1), 50 mmHg over the systolic blood pressure (SBP + 50 mmHg) (G2) or 250 mmHg (G3). NIRS-derived parameters were assessed for each occlusion and reperfusion phase in the brachioradialis. Results showed a significantly lower magnitude of deoxygenation (TSIAUC) for G1 compared to G2 (−1959.2 ± 1417.4 vs. −10908.1 ± 1607.5, P < 0.001) and G3 -1959.2 ± 1417.4 vs. −11079.3 ± 1828.1, P < 0.001), without differences between G2 and G3. However, G3 showed a significantly faster reoxygenation only for tissue saturation index (TSIslope) compared to G2 (1.3 ± 0.1 vs. 1.0 ± 0.2, P = 0.010), but without differences in the speed of recovery of deoxyhemoglobin [(HHb) slope], or in the magnitude of post-occlusive hyperemia (PORH). Besides TSI reoxygenation speed, G2 and G3 elicit comparable resting hemodynamic responses measured by NIRS. Thus, this study highlights the practicality and effectiveness of using relative occlusion pressures based on systolic blood pressure (SBP) rather than relying on excessively high absolute pressures.

A low-cost novel spectral camera able to be used for near infrared spectroscopy was made by using a Jetson Nano to synchronize a Sony IMX219 NOIR autofocus image sensor, an AMS AS7265x 18-channel spectral sensor and Osram SFH 4737 broadband infrared LED’s. Synchronizing an image sensor and spectral sensor augments a standard RGB image with light spectrum information; capturing the light distribution information normally lost in RGB image capture. Sutherland et al. [1] used this novel spectral camera to examine the dorsal surface of juvenile lobsters as a possible pre-moult detector. Having the image and spectrum in combination allowed the incomplete and unmineralized post-moult dorsal surface to be characterized with 86.7% accuracy for the first time. A proposed application for the spectral camera is to omit the local SFH 4737 light source and use the camera in daylight, effectively making a low-cost substitute hyperspectral snapshot camera. In this configuration the camera may have application for low-cost drone deployment for small scale agriculture.

SUMMARY: Feedstuff variability negatively affects the poultry production chain. The nutritional value of soybean meal (SBM) is variable, especially among countries of origin. Complete nutrient analysis by traditional laboratory methods takes time, and not all this data is applied timely for feed formulation. The nutrient, energy, and digestibility information obtained with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) could be used to describe feedstuffs, improve feed formulation, potentially reduce feed costs, and enhance accuracy to meet nutrient target levels. Diets for broilers and laying hens were formulated using variability due to country of origin, harvest year, SBM and corn prices to demonstrate the effects of applying NIRS information on feed cost and SBM valuation. The nutritional data was obtained from the NIRS Precision Nutrition Evaluation (PNE) service (Adisseo) for all feedstuffs. Only SBM by origin (Argentina, Brazil, and the USA) harvested in 2 yr varied in 3 feeding phases for broilers and in 2 phases for white and brown laying hens. The 378 diets were formulated to meet recommended nutrient levels and be similar within each feeding phase. Feed prices were analyzed using a 3 × 2 × 3 × 3 factorial arrangement with SBM origin, harvest year, corn, and SBM prices as main factors in a mixed model where SBM origin was the only fixed effect. Almost all diets that included USA SBM were cheaper than using other sources. Therefore, USA SBM was the base for estimating relative and premium SBM values. This exercise demonstrated the economic value of segregating SBM by origin and utilizing NIRS to obtain nutritional information.

SUMMARY: Considerable variability has been reported for soybean meal (SBM) nutrient and energy content and protein and amino acid (AA) digestibility. Furthermore, analytical variability among labs can introduce bias in feedstuff valuation. Energy values are typically estimated with prediction equations that may require digestibility values and nutrient contents that are not always available for every SBM batch. Adequate valuation of SBM nutrient value remains an issue. Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) can reduce analytical inconsistencies and aid with valuation. Direct NIRS calibration curves obtained with in vivo data can estimate ME and AA digestibility. We evaluated the effects of SBM origin and year of harvest on SBM nutrient, AME, AMEn, AA content, and digestibility using data estimated with the NIRS Precision Nutrition Evaluation (PNE) service (Adisseo). The database contained 77,478 SBM samples from Argentina, Brazil, and the United States (USA) scanned in nine countries between 2018 and 2021. Results confirmed that SBM varied by country of origin and year of harvest. Generally, Argentina had the lowest CP, EE, CF, Leu, Phe, His, and Arg, intermediate Lys, Ile, and energy values. Brazilian SBM had the highest CP, EE, CF, and Lys digestibility values but the lowest AME, AMEn, Lys, Met, Cys, and Trp per unit of CP. The USA SBM had the highest AME, AMEn, Lys, and Arg content per unit of CP, nutritional uniformity, and AA digestibility, similar to Argentina. The NIRS PNE service detected the variability caused by the origin and harvest year interaction on SBM nutrient and energy value.