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Cyclotriphosphazene (CP) is a cyclic inorganic compound with the chemical formula N3P3. This unique molecule consists of a six‐membered ring composed of alternating nitrogen and phosphorus atoms, each bonded to two chlorine atoms. CP exhibits remarkable versatility and significance in the realm of materials chemistry due to its easy functionalization via facile nucleophilic substitution reactions in mild conditions as well as intriguing properties of resultant final CP‐based molecules or polymers. CP has been served as an important building block for numerous functional materials. This review provides a general and broad overview of the synthesis of CP‐based small molecules through nucleophilic substitution of hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene (HCCP), and their applications, including flame retardants, liquid crystals (LC), chemosensors, electronics, biomedical materials, and lubricants, have been summarized and discussed. It would be expected that this review would offer a timely summary of various CP‐based materials and hence give an insight into further exploration of CP‐based molecules in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the optimal research and development (R &D) investment problem under the framework of real options in a regime-switching environment. We assume that the firm has an R &D project whose input process with technical uncertainty is affected by different regimes. By the method of dynamic programming, we have obtained the related Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation and solved it in three different cases. Then, the optimal solution for our model is constructed and the related verification theorem is also provided. Finally, some numerical examples are given to investigate the properties of our model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the functions of lncRNA H19 on glomerular endothelial structural damage of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Materials and Methods: Rats were fed a high sugar and fat high feed die, and intraperitoneally administrated with streptozotocin (30 mg/kg) to induce DN model. Meanwile, rat glomerular endothelial cells (rGEnCs) were treated with high a level of glucose （HG, 30 mM glucose）to induce structural damage. Results: Our results showed that H19 level was drastically increased in diabetic glomeruli and high-glucose (HG)-stimulated rat glomerular endothelial cells (rGEnCs). Deficiency of H19 ameliorated microalbumin, creatinine, BUN, and histopathological alterations in diabetic rats. In addition, H19 deficiency significantly attenuated the damage of endothelial structure by upregulating the expression of junction proteins ZO-1 and Occludin, glycolcalyx protein Syndecan-1, and endothelial activation marker sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1 in diabetic rats. The in vitro results also showed that H19-siRNA alleviated glycocalyx shedding, tight junctions damage, and endothelial activation in HG-stimulated rGEnCs. Moreover, H19 deficiency significantly enhanced the expression of p-Akt and p-eNOS and NO concentration in vitro and in vivo. Pre-treatment with Akt inhibitor LY294002 abrogated these favourable effects mediated by H19 deficiency. Discussion and Conclusion: These results indicate that H19 deficiency could mitigate the structural damage of glomerular endothelium in DN via activating Akt/eNOS pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study sought to evaluate the late toxicity associated with neoadjuvant and concurrent docetaxel and radiation therapy in patients with prostate cancer. Methods: A secondary analysis was performed of the phase 3 multicenter randomized trial (Dana‐Farber Cancer Institute 05‐043) including 350 patients with nonmetastatic unfavorable‐risk prostate cancer. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive androgen deprivation therapy, radiation therapy, and docetaxel versus androgen deprivation therapy and radiation therapy. The study assessed the cumulative incidence rates of grade 2 and grade 3 or higher gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and sexual toxicity. A multivariable Fine and Gray's competing risks regression model adjusted for age at randomization and pelvic lymph node radiation therapy was used to evaluate the treatment effect of docetaxel on time to late genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicities. Results: The study included 338 patients who primarily had minimal or no comorbidity (74.9%) and median age 66 years (interquartile range: 61,71). At a median follow‐up of 10.2 years, docetaxel was not associated with increased risk of any grade 3 or higher (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36–2.67; p =.96) or grade 2 gastrointestinal (p =.75), genitourinary (p =.44), and sexual (p =.29) toxicity. Age was associated with increased grade 3 or higher (AHR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.01–1.16; p =.03) and grade 2 gastrointestinal toxicity (AHR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.03–1.20; p =.005). A nonsignificant trend (p =.09) toward increased late grade 3 or higher toxicity was observed for pelvic radiation therapy use. Conclusions: Docetaxel combined with radiotherapy has an acceptable long‐term toxicity profile. Docetaxel combined with radiotherapy has an acceptable long‐term toxicity profile, affirming the safety of this regimen as evidence supporting its efficacy continues to emerge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document summarizes a study on endogenous Staphylococcus aureus endophthalmitis (ESaE), a rare but serious complication that can lead to vision loss. The study focused on cases in Taiwan and examined the source of infection, risk factors, treatments, and visual outcomes. The most common predisposing factor for ESaE was diabetes mellitus, and septic arthritis was the most frequently identified source of infection. Poor initial visual acuity and retinal detachment were predictors for worse visual outcomes. All MRSA and MSSA strains were susceptible to vancomycin. The study did not find a statistically significant difference in visual acuity outcomes between the MRSA and MSSA groups. [Extracted from the article]

Two new Schiff‐base bismuth (III) complexes were prepared by an equivalent reaction between Schiff‐base ligand and Bi (NO3)3•5H2O with the assistance of Mannitol. The chemical structures of the two complexes were characterized by spectroscopic studies (FT‐IR, NMR, and MS), elemental analysis, and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. The ligand‐to‐metal ion ratio was found to be 1:1 in the complexes. During the formation of the complexes, Schiff bases changed from the amidic forms to the iminol forms, and the resulting tautomers could coordinate with bismuth (III) ions to produce dinuclear BiIII complexes(1a and 2a). Structural analyses showed that each Bi (III) ion held a distorted capped octahedron geometry with a seven‐coordinate mode in two complexes. Screening in vitro biological activities revealed that two bismuth (III) complexes exhibited much higher antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity than their parent ligands. The cytotoxic activity of the complex(1a) was close to that of the known anticancer drug (Doxorubicin) by evaluating against SGC7901 cells, with the IC50 value 0.59 μM. The complex(1a) could effectively induce SGC7901 cell apoptosis and its oral acute toxicity for LD50 value was found to be 576 mg kg−1. The content of bismuth (III) in mitochondria was higher than that in the nucleus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the low-cycle fatigue properties of flexure-shear critical columns, nine reinforced concrete (RC) columns were subjected to monotonic and constant-amplitude cyclic loading. The effects of loading displacement amplitudes and shear span ratios on failure modes, load-displacement response, strength degradation, and energy dissipation capacities of RC flexure-shear columns were explored. Test results indicated that the low-cycle fatigue and damage properties of column specimens were dependent on the displacement amplitudes. The cumulative damage effects and shear effects induced by cyclic loading were intensified with increasing displacement amplitudes and decreasing shear span ratios, respectively, resulting in flexure-shear failure. The maximum loading cycles (i.e., fatigue life) of low-cycle fatigue specimens decreased apparently as displacement amplitudes increased, with a maximum variation range of 98.8%. Meanwhile, the low-cycle fatigue characteristics of flexure-shear columns were also relevant to energy dissipation capacities. The normalized energy dissipation capacity of specimens diminished exponentially with increases in loading cycles due to the cyclic effects, and the cumulative energy dissipation decreased significantly as displacement amplitude increased. Test columns had a maximum degradation rate of energy dissipation up to 0.43 times that of the first hysteresis cycle. Furthermore, a new fatigue-life model was proposed based on the cumulative damage properties of cyclic loading columns. This model considered the effects of deformation and energy dissipation on low-cycle fatigue properties, providing a basis for evaluating the damage properties of flexure-shear critical columns subjected to low-cycle fatigue loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the associations between perceived social support, perceived competence, and physical activity in children with physical and intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the third wave of the pandemic in Hong Kong (i.e., July through December 2020), 291 participants age 6–17 years from 27 special schools were included. After controlling for demographic variables, the total variance explained by perceived social support and perceived competence was 24%, F(2, 240) = 12.42, p <.001, with perceived competence having a stronger association with physical activity (β = 0.29, p <.001) than perceived social support (β = 0.07, p =.22). This study highlights two key facilitators for shaping physical activity involvement among children with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquefaction conversion technology has become one of the hottest biomass conversion methods due to its flexible material selection and extensive product applications. Exploring biomass liquefaction conversion focuses on catalysts, biomass/water ratio, and reaction temperature. However, it is found that solvents are crucial in the biomass liquefaction process and significantly impact the type of liquefied products and bio-oil yield. Given the current rapid development trend, timely sorting and summary of the solvent effect in the biomass liquefaction process can promote the subsequent development and industrialization of more efficient and cleaner biomass liquefaction technology. Therefore, this review first introduces the characteristics of water as the liquefaction solvent, then summarizes the effects of organic solvents on liquefaction, and finally elaborates on the synergistic effect of co-solvents, which provides a more systematic overview of solvent effects in the liquefaction process. Meanwhile, prospects are put forward for the future development of biomass liquefaction conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variations are present in common clinical practices regarding best practice in managing hyperkalaemia (HK), there is therefore a need to establish a multi-specialty approach to optimal rennin-angiotension-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi) usage and HK management in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) & heart failure (HF). This study aimed to establish a multi-speciality approach to the optimal use of RAASi and the management of HK in patients with CKD and HF. A steering expert group of cardiology and nephrology experts across China were convened to discuss challenges to HK management through a nominal group technique. The group then created a list of 41 statements for a consensus questionnaire, which was distributed for a further survey in extended panel group of cardiologists and nephrologists across China. Consensus was assessed using a modified Delphi technique, with agreement defined as "strong" (≥75% and <90%) and "very strong" (≥90%). The steering group, data collection, and analysis were aided by an independent facilitator. A total of 150 responses from 21 provinces across China were recruited in the survey. Respondents were comprised of an even split (n =75, 50%) between cardiologists and nephrologists. All 41 statements achieved the 75% consensus agreement threshold, of which 27 statements attained very strong consensus (≥90% agreement) and 14 attained strong consensus (agreement between 75% and 90%). Based on the agreement levels from respondents, the steering group agreed a set of recommendations intended to improve patient outcomes in the use of RAASi therapy and HK management in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant defense priming involves the release of air-borne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by plants, serving to prepare defense-related mechanisms against herbivores and pathogens in adjacent receiver plants. While the concept of VOC-mediated plant defense priming for enhancing plant resistance has garnered considerable attention in the last two decades, it has yet to be fully realized and applied in practical crop protection. This review summarizes current research, examining the spectrum of VOC-mediated plant defense priming in terms of anti-herbivore or anti-pathogen properties, the cost–benefit implications for plants, and the influence of abiotic factors on the priming. Additionally, we explore two promising approaches within the framework of Integrated Pest Management (IPM): the implementation of companion sentinel intercropping and the application of synthetic VOCs. In conclusion, we propose future research directions for this promising area, anticipating that this review will stimulate efforts aimed at harnessing the effects of plant defense priming for the development of innovative pest management strategies and optimized IPM programs in crop protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elastomer sealing performance is of critical importance for downhole tools application including the use of fracturing (Frac) plugs during multi-stage hydraulic fracking. In practice sealing performances of such plugs are normally evaluated through pressure tests, and in numerical simulation studies, maximum contact stress, average contact stress and contact length data are used to determine sealing quality between a packer and casing. In previous studies, the impact of friction forces on sealing performance is often overlooked. This work aims to fill this knowledge gap in determining the influence of friction forces on elastomer packer sealing performances. We first determined the most appropriate constitutive hyperelastic model for the elastomers used in frac plug. Then we compared analytical calculation results with Finite Element Analysis simulation using a simplified tubular geometry and showed the significant influences on interfacial friction on elastomer packer stress distribution, deformation, and contact stress after setting. With the demonstration of validity of FEA method, we conducted systematic numerical simulation studies to show how the interfacial friction coefficients can affect the maximum contact stress, average contact stress, contact stress distribution, and maximum mises stress for an actual packer used in plug products. In addition, we also demonstrated how the groove in a packer can affect packer deformation and evolvement during setting with the consideration of interfacial stress. This study underscores the critical role that friction forces play in Frac plug performance and provides a new dimension for optimizing packer design by controlling interfacial interactions at the packer contact surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Objective: There is some controversy about the effects of calcitonin (CT) on lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). This systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the strength of the evidence supporting the use of CT in the treatment of patients with LSS. Material and Method: We performed an electronic search depicting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) through 4 databases from the date of database creation to January 2023. 3 different researchers conducted independent literature screening, data extractions, and quality assessments. The outcome measures included visual analogue scale (VAS), walking distance, and oswestry disability index (ODI). Meta-analysis and trial sequence analysis (TSA) were carried out using RevMan 5.4, Stata 16.0, and TSA 0.9. GRADE 3.6 was used to evaluate the evidence quality. Results: We accepted 9 studies with 496 participants. The meta-analysis revealed that CT offered no significant improvement in VAS, walking distance, or ODI in patients with LSS. Conclusion: There is no evidence that CT has a benefit in patients with LSS, either alone or in combination with other treatments, or depending on the route of administration, according to the systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant RCTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Having a comprehensive understanding of genetic differentiation, responses to environmental change and demographic history is critical for genetic improvement and conservation efforts. Forest trees are an excellent resource for understanding population differentiation and adaptive genetic variation due to their ability to adapt to different climates and environments. Cephalotaxus oliveri is a relict conifer endemic to China. In this study, we generated transcriptome data and identified 17 728 high‐quality single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 18 populations. We found significant negative correlations between expression diversity and nucleotide diversity within and among populations, suggesting that gene expression and nucleotide diversity have a reciprocal relationship when the species adapts to the environment. The analyses of population structure showed that C. oliveri displayed a striking genetic structure with four groups. BayeScEnv and RDA methods detected the signatures of local adaptation, and identified that 738 outlier SNPs were associated with precipitation, temperature and soil conditions across heterogeneous environmental conditions. Approximate Bayesian computation analyses showed that the first and second divergence occurred in the late Miocene (c. 10.075 million years ago [Ma]) and the middle Pleistocene transition (c. 0.815 Ma), respectively. Ecological niche modeling of C. oliveri revealed signs of westward expansion after the last glacial maximum, while it was predicted to experience significant range contractions in future climate change scenarios. Geographical factors and environmental factors in southern China have played a critical role in establishing the current genetic diversity and population structure of C. oliveri. This study provides an important reference for forest resource management and conservation for C. oliveri. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most commonly used data types, methods in testing or designing a trial for binary endpoints from two independent populations are still being developed until recently. However, the power and the minimum required sample size comparisons between different tests may not be valid if their type I errors are not controlled at the same level. In this article, we unify all related testing procedures into a decision framework, including both frequentist and Bayesian methods. Sufficient conditions of the type I error attained at the boundary of hypotheses are derived, which help reduce the magnitude of the exact calculations and lay out a foundation for developing computational algorithms to correctly specify the actual type I error. The efficient algorithms are thus proposed to calculate the cutoff value in a deterministic decision rule and the probability value in a randomized decision rule, such that the actual type I error is under but closest to, or equal to, the intended level, respectively. The algorithm may also be used to calculate the sample size to achieve the prespecified type I error and power. The usefulness of the proposed methodology is further demonstrated in the power calculation for designing superiority and noninferiority trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the single-machine group scheduling problem with convex resource allocation and learning effect. The number of jobs in each group is different, and the corresponding common due dates are also different, where the processing time of jobs follows a convex function of resource allocation. Under common due date assignment, the objective is to minimize the weighted sum of earliness, tardiness, common due date, resource consumption, and makespan. To solve the problem, we present the heuristic, simulated annealing, and branch-and-bound algorithms. Computational experiments indicate that the proposed algorithms are effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannibalism, an act of killing and consuming conspecific individuals, is a common behavior among various insect taxa. This study investigated the effects of food limitation and larval health status on cannibalistic behavior in the South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), a devastating insect pest on solanaceous crops. In "no-choice" trials, where either a healthy versus weak conspecific larva was provided, T. absoluta larvae exhibited a significantly higher cannibalism rate toward weak conspecific individuals compared with healthy ones. This pattern was further confirmed in "choice" trials where T. absoluta larvae significantly preferred to consume weak larvae to healthy ones when both targets were supplied. When plant food was supplied as an alternative to a healthy or a weak conspecific larva, cannibalism was observed only when weak conspecific individuals were available, despite a significant preference for tomato leaflets. Therefore, cannibalism in T. absoluta is largely opportunistic and is significantly influenced by plant food limitation and larval health status. These findings enhance our understanding of conspecific interactions in herbivorous insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), has invaded most Afro-Eurasian countries. Since its first detection in China in late 2017, this pest has been now present in nearly 20 provinces/prefectures in China and is threating tomato and other Solanaceous crops such as potato, eggplant, and tobacco. Here, we provide a timely review on the current distribution, damage, management, and research in China. A standard survey form was designed and 30 answered surveys from 25 provinces have been received. The data showed that the damage has been witnessed in most of the regions despite that the severities vary among the regions. The management is chemicalcontrol biased, and more efforts are needed to increase the adoption of non-chemical alternatives in the Integrated Pest Management packages. An Integrated Pest Management (IPM) package called "CAMEFA" was developed and demonstrated in Yunnan and Xinjiang, the two earliest regions for the invasion. Yet, the adoption by local growers is still limited. Besides T. absoluta, we suggest a multi-pest approach by combining IPM tactics coping with other major insect pests sharing the crop. Lastly, international projects are deemed to serve as key lever for promoting IPM of T. absoluta and other invasive insect pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The self-assembly of cluster-based halide framework materials has been a matter of great interest but with great challenges. Herein, by exploiting hexamethylenetetramine (Hmta) with Td symmetry as a structural modifier, we successfully constructed and systematically characterized an unusual three-dimensional (3D) hybrid bromoargentate, namely K[NH4][Ag4Br6(Hmta)] (1), bearing a diamond-type [Ag4Br6(Hmta)]n2n− anionic skeleton built up from adamantane-like units of inorganic [Ag4Br6] clusters and organic Hmta ligands. UV–Vis diffuse reflectance analysis showed that the optical bandgap of the title compound was 2.68 eV, indicating a visible-light-responsive semiconductive behavior. More importantly, upon alternate light illumination, the so-designed compound exhibited remarkable photoelectric switching properties, with photocurrent densities (0.38 and 1.10 μA cm−2 for visible and full-spectrum light, respectively) that compete well with and even exceed those of some high-performance metal halide counterparts. Further theoretical calculations, including band structure, density of states, and wave functions, revealed that compound 1 has a unique valence band and conduction band distribution, rendering it with small effective masses (especially the electrons), which may be responsible for its good photoelectricity. Furthermore, in this work, Hirshfeld surface analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies were performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Rice taste is closely associated with endosperm composition, which varies among different rice layers. Although clarifying the relationship between this difference and nutritional taste can guide rice breeding and cultivation practices, research on this topic is limited. RESULTS: Here, typical rice varieties having excellent and poor taste characteristics were selected to analyze the distribution characteristics and differences of their components. The varieties with excellent taste exhibited lower apparent amylose content (AAC) and protein content (PC), lesser short‐chain (Fa) and long‐chain (Fb3) amylopectin (AP) and more medium‐chain (Fb1+2) AP, higher long‐to‐short chain ratio (Fa:Fb3), and higher nitrogen (N), magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) content in layer 1 (L1) than the varieties with poor taste. Layer 2 (L2) played a key role in AAC and PC regulation in the varieties with excellent taste by reducing AAC and appropriately increasing PC, consequently improving rice taste. AP structure in layer 3 (L3) substantially affected the taste of the two types of varieties. The mineral content was the highest in L1, and increased potassium (K), Ca, and Mg content improved taste in all varieties. CONCLUSION: AAC in each layer contributes to rice taste. PC and minerals primarily act on L1 and L2, whereas AP acts on L2 and L3. Therefore, the endosperm formation process should be exploited for improving rice taste. Furthermore, key resources and cultivation should be identified and regulated, respectively, to improve rice taste. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual‐frequency (DF) dual‐antenna inductively coupled plasma (ICP) sources have been proposed as one of the methods to produce large‐area uniform plasma. In this study, a hybrid model, consisting of a fluid module and an electron Monte Carlo (eMC) module, is used to further investigate the modulation of the plasma characteristics (i.e., induced electric field, electron energy distribution, electron heating mechanism, electron temperature, and plasma density) by the low‐frequency (LF) and high‐frequency (HF) currents in a DF argon discharge. When the inner LF current increases from 12 to 22 A at a fixed outer HF current of 10 A, the induced electric field is strengthened near the LF coil and weakened near the HF coil. The fraction of high‐energy electrons at different spatial positions increases with the increase of LF current, which is caused by the sufficient collision heating in the skin layer of LF source, leading to an increase in electron temperature. When the outer HF current rises from 7 to 13 A with the inner LF current fixed at 17 A, the induced electric field is enhanced near the HF coil and weakened near the LF coil. The fraction of low‐energy electrons at different positions increases with the increase of HF current since the energetic electrons from the skin layer of HF source are cooled due to the ionization, excitation, and stepwise ionization collisions between electrons and neutral particles, as well as the weakened induced electric field near the LF coil. As a result, the electron temperature drops with the increase of HF current. Moreover, when the LF and HF currents increase, the plasma density increases, and the distribution of plasma density is also significantly modulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Comorbidities, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), are common in patients with rhinosinusitis (RS). However, the link between RS and GERD has not been fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the causal relationship between GERD and acute (ARS) or chronic RS (CRS), providing references for the pathogenesis and management of RS. Methods: The data were obtained from the Integrative Epidemiology Unit Open GWAS project and FinnGen. A total of 972,838 individuals were included. The inverse variance-weighted (IVW) method was applied to obtain the primary results of the study. Weighted median, MR-Egger, and mode-based methods were used to determine the robustness of the results. Cochran's Q statistic and MR-Egger method were applied to detect heterogeneity and pleiotrophy in instrumental variables (IVs). Other sensitivity analyses included MR-PRESSO and leave-one-out analysis. Results: The MR study showed that GERD was associated with an increased risk of CRS (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.18–1.57, p < 0.001). The results of other analysis methods were broadly consistent with the IVW estimate. No heterogeneity was detected by Cochran's Q test (p = 0.061) and MR-PRESSO (p = 0.074). No horizontal pleiotropy was shown in IVs (p = 0.700). GERD was also associated with an increased risk of ARS (OR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.17–1.48, p < 0.001). Some analytical results were inconsistent with the IVW estimate. No heterogeneity and pleiotropy were observed. There was no sufficient evidence for a reverse causal effect of RS on GERD. Conclusion: Our study supported that GERD promoted the risk of CRS and may be a potential risk factor for ARS. This provides additional support for further investigation into the mechanisms of GERD on RS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to assess the relationship between cumulative blood pressure load (cBPL) and the risk of renal function decline in hypertensive patients and determine the blood pressure (BP) threshold required to prevent hypertensive nephropathy. A single‐center prospective cohort study was conducted on hypertensive patients. The cBPL was defined as the proportion of area beyond variable BP cutoffs under ambulatory BP monitoring. Renal events were defined as > 25% (minor) or > 50% (major) decline of baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Cox regression analysis was conducted between cBPL, other ambulatory BP parameters, and renal events. The results revealed a total of 436 Han Chinese hypertensive patients were eligible for enrollment. During an average follow‐up period of 5.1 ± 3.3 years, a decline of > 25% and > 50% in eGFR was observed in 77 and eight participants, respectively. Cox regression analysis revealed that cSBPL140 (hazard ratio [HR], 1.102; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.017–1.193; p =.017), cSBPL130 (HR, 1.076; 95% CI, 1.019–1.137; p =.008), and cSBPL120 (HR, 1.054; 95% CI, 1.010–1.099; p =.015) were independently associated with minor renal events. Similarly, cSBPL140 (HR, 1.228; 95% CI, 1.037–1.455; p =.017), cSBPL130 (HR, 1.189; 95% CI, 1.045–1.354; p =.009), and cSBPL120 (HR, 1.155; 95% CI, 1.039–1.285; p =.008) were independently associated with major renal events. In conclusion, cBPL is associated with renal function decline in hypertensive patients. Minimizing cBPL120 may decrease the risk of hypertensive nephropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) has proven to be an effective treatment for improving cognition, a crucial factor in motor learning. However, current studies are predominantly focused on the motor cortex, and the potential brain mechanisms responsible for the therapeutic effects are still unclear. Given the interconnected nature of motor learning within the brain network, we have proposed a novel approach known as multi-target tACS. This study aims to ascertain whether multi-target tACS is more effective than single-target stimulation in stroke patients and to further explore the potential underlying brain mechanisms by using techniques such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: This study employs a double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized controlled trial design with a 2-week intervention period. Both participants and outcome assessors will remain unaware of treatment allocation throughout the study. Thirty-nine stroke patients will be recruited and randomized into three distinct groups, including the sham tACS group (SS group), the single-target tACS group (ST group), and the multi-target tACS group (MT group), at a 1:1:1 ratio. The primary outcomes are series reaction time tests (SRTTs) combined with electroencephalograms (EEGs). The secondary outcomes include motor evoked potential (MEP), central motor conduction time (CMCT), short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI), intracortical facilitation (ICF), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Box and Block Test (BBT), and blood sample RNA sequencing. The tACS interventions for all three groups will be administered over a 2-week period, with outcome assessments conducted at baseline (T0) and 1 day (T1), 7 days (T2), and 14 days (T3) of the intervention phase. Discussion: The study's findings will determine the potential of 40-Hz tACS to improve motor learning in stroke patients. Additionally, it will compare the effectiveness of multi-target and single-target approaches, shedding light on their respective improvement effects. Through the utilization of techniques such as TMS and MRI, the study aims to uncover the underlying brain mechanisms responsible for the therapeutic impact. Furthermore, the intervention has the potential to facilitate motor learning efficiency, thereby contributing to the advancement of future stroke rehabilitation treatment. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2300073465. Registered on 11 July 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BRAF V600E attracts wide attention in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) as stratifying and predicting a refractory classification of CRC. Recent evidence indicates that Wnt/β‐catenin signaling is broadly activated and participates in the refractoriness of BRAF V600E CRC, but the underlying molecular mechanism needs to be elucidated. Here, heat shock 70 kDa protein 8 (HSPA8), an essential regulator in chaperone‐mediated autophagy (CMA), is identified as a potential therapeutic target for advanced BRAF V600E CRC. These results show that HSPA8 is transcriptionally upregulated in BRAF V600E CRC, which promotes CMA‐dependent degradation of caveolin‐1 (CAV1) to release β‐catenin into the nucleus and thus activates the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway, contributing to metastasis and progression of BRAF V600E CRC. Of note, HSPA8 directly interacts with the KIFSN motif on CAV1, the interaction can be enhanced by p38 MAPK‐mediated CAV1 S168 phosphorylation. Furthermore, pharmacological targeting HSPA8 by VER155008 exhibits synergistic effects with BRAF inhibitors on CRC mouse models. In summary, these findings discover the important role of the HSPA8/CAV1/β‐catenin axis in the development of refractory BRAF V600E CRC and highlight HSPA8 as a predictive biomarker and therapeutic target in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Quadriceps training is necessary in function and activity of daily living for patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). However, it did not reduce the rate of surgical treatment for end-stage KOA in the long term. This may be related to brain structure changes and maladaptive plasticity in KOA patients. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) could enhance the functional connectivity of brain regions and improves maladaptive plasticity. However, the synergistic effect of the combination of the two for treat KOA is still unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate whether the High-Frequency rTMS combined with quadriceps strength training can improve the pain and function in KOA more effectively than quadriceps training alone and explore the mechanism of action. Methods: This study is an assessor-blind, sham-controlled, randomized controlled trial involving 12 weeks of intervention and 6 months follow-up. 148 participants with KOA will receive usual care management and be randomized into four subgroups equally, including quadriceps strength training, high-frequency rTMS training, sham rTMS and quadriceps strength training, high-frequency rTMS and quadriceps strength training. The rehabilitation interventions will be carried out 5 days per week for a total of 12 weeks. All outcomes will be measured at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks during the intervention and 1 month, 3 months and 6 months during the follow-up period. The effectiveness outcomes will be included visual analog scale, isokinetic knee muscle strength, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome score and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey score; The act mechanism outcomes will be included motor evoked potential, grey matter density, white matter, subcortical nuclei volumes, cortical thickness and functional connectivity by MRI. Two-way of variance with repeated measures will be used to test the group and time effect for outcome measures. Discussion: The study will be the first protocol to examine whether there are synergistic effects following high-frequency rTMS combined with quadriceps strength training for treat KOA and clarify the mechanism of action. High-frequency rTMS can be added into the training program for KOA patients if it is proven effective. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2300067617. Registered on Jan.13,2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims This study aimed to characterize the first complete genome of Corynebacterium parakroppenstedtii and clarify the evolutionary relationship in the Corynebacterium kroppenstedtii complex (CKC) by using comparative genomics analysis. Methods and results The genome of isolate yu01 from a breast specimen was sequenced, and 35 CKC genomes were collected. Analysis of 16S rRNA, rpoB , and fusA suggested ambiguous identification, whereas ANI analysis assigned isolate yu01 as Coryne. parakroppenstedtii. The fourth genospecies " Corynebacterium aliikroppenstedtii " was identified in CKC. Comparative genomics analysis suggested that the genomic arrangement in CKC was highly conserved. A total of 43 potential virulence genes and 79 species-specific genes were detected. Most genome-based phylogenetic analysis were incapable of resolving the interspecific evolutionary relationships among CKCs. A total of 20 core genes were found to be distinguishable in CKC. Conclusions This study suggested the limited divergence and unavailability of normal single gene-based identification in CKC and questioned the precise species of strains associated with mastitis, identified as Coryne. kroppenstedtii in previous studies. The 20 genes showed potential to enhance the methods for the identification and epidemiological investigation of CKC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macro-microporous silicate-1 zeolites(MFI crystalline form) were synthesized via the "dissolution-recrystallization process", utilizing monodisperse silica spheres (500 nm) as the silica source and macroporous templates, as well as tetrapropylammonium hydroxide as the microporous template, to enable in-situ formation of the macropores. The samples displayed macropore diameters ranging between 150 ~ 350 nm, a specific surface area of 350 m²/g, and a total pore volume of 0.24 cm³/g. The influence of synthetic conditions, such as crystal time, the addition of ethanol, the drying method, the amount of structure directing agent and the size of silica spheres, on the introduction of macropores was revealed. On this basis, macroporous ZSM-5 zeolites were further successfully synthesized with aluminum atoms incorporated into the pure silica zeolite framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the associations between physical activity (PA) levels and mental health in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities (IDs) during the COVID-19 pandemic, 117 participants aged between 6 and 17 years with IDs from 10 Hong Kong special schools were included. There were positive dose–response associations between PA (i.e., light PA, moderate PA, and vigorous PA) and mental health, and participants with higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and self-concept (SC) had better social quality of life (QoL) than those with lower levels of MVPA and SC. Moreover, personal and environmental factors such as age, body mass index, school, sex, ID level, and parental education level influenced the PA levels and QoL in children and adolescents with IDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose and study several inverse problems of identifying/determining unknown coefficients for a class of coupled PDE systems by measuring the average flux data on part of the underlying boundary. In these coupled systems, we mainly consider the non-negative solutions of the coupled equations, which are consistent with realistic settings in biology and ecology. There are several salient features of our inverse problem study: the drastic reduction of the measurement/observation data due to averaging effects, the nonlinear coupling of multiple equations, and the non-negative constraints on the solutions, which pose significant challenges to the inverse problems. We develop a new and effective scheme to tackle the inverse problems and achieve unique identifiability results by properly controlling the injection of different source terms to obtain multiple sets of mean flux data. The approach relies on certain monotonicity properties which are related to the intrinsic structures of the coupled PDE system. We also connect our study to biological applications of practical interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prostate cancer represents a significant global health issue, yet our understanding of its impact in the Middle East remains limited. This study aimed to assess the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer in the Middle East, and compare these rates to those in Europe and North America. Materials and Methods: We utilized the 2020 Global Cancer Observatory data, compiling incidence and mortality rates of prostate cancer in 20 Middle Eastern countries. We calculated mortality‐to‐incidence ratios (MIR) and compared the age‐standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and MIR between the Middle East and the combined regions of North America and Europe. The countries were further stratified based on the Human Development Index (HDI) and income level for additional analysis. Results: In 2020, the Middle East documented an estimated 51,649 new prostate cancer diagnoses, accounting for 3.7% of global cases. Despite a significantly lower ASIR in the Middle East compared with Europe and North America (10.50 vs. 21.50, p = 0.0087), the region had a higher MIR (12.35 vs. 3.00, p = 0.0476). When stratified based on HDI or income levels, there was no significant difference in MIRs; however, a significant trend of increasing MIR with decreasing HDI (p = 0.028) and income levels (p = 0.016) was observed. Conclusions: Despite a lower incidence, our analysis showed a significantly higher MIR for prostate cancer in the Middle East compared with Europe and North America. These findings underscore the unique challenges posed by prostate cancer in the Middle East and emphasize the necessity of tailored strategies to address this pressing public health issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The island paradigm for the fine-grained entropy of Hawking radiation is applied to eternal charged accelerating black holes. In the absence of the island, the entanglement entropy grows linearly and divergent at late times, while once the island outside the event horizon is taken into account, the unitary Page curve is reproduced naturally. The impact of the charge and the acceleration on Page curves is investigated at late times. For the Page time and the scrambling time, they both increase as the acceleration increases, while decreasing as the charge increases. In particular, neutral black holes have the largest Page time and scrambling time. It is worth noting that the Page time and the scrambling time is divergent at the extremal case, which implies that islands may be related to the causal structure of spacetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As constituents of the sodium-dependent glucose cotransporter (SGLT) family of proteins, both SGLT1 and SGLT2 assume significant physiological functions in the human body. Few research studies have attempted to delve into the unbinding processes that underlie the substrate-binding site of SGLT. In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of high-resolution X-ray crystal structures revealed the conserved properties of the ligand-binding pockets of SGLT1 and SGLT2. The conserved residues, Phe98, His80, and Glu99, at the SGLT2 substrate binding site contribute to hydrogen bond formation as well as hydrophobic interactions, allowing for the targeted selective inhibition as a result. van der Waals forces have played a crucial role in developing successful medications that block SGLT1/2. Additionally, electrostatic attractions were instrumental in identifying empagliflozin as a potent antidiabetic drug. Our research demonstrated that empagliflozin, ertugliflozin, and LX2761 competed more effectively, whether targeting SGLT1 or SGLT2. The principles of competitive inhibition have been newly understood based on potential mean force (PMF) simulations, where high-affinity inhibitors show route lengths of ∼17.6 Å and ∼17.5 Å from the binding sites to the open state for SGLT1 and SGLT2, respectively. Consequently, we hypothesized that potent antidiabetic agents would tend to bind more deeply within the SGLT1/2 binding site compared to the substrate. In this investigation, a broad pathway was identified, involving the three ligands empagliflozin, ertugliflozin, and LX2761, and the substrate glucose, all being drawn towards an opening between M1b, M2, M6a, and M10 (for SGLT1), as well as TM1b, TM2, TM6a, and TM10 (for SGLT2). This noteworthy observation may significantly contribute to our understanding of drug dissociation mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on a stochastic goodwill model involving a single manufacturer and a single retailer in a supply chain, in which both quality level and goodwill level are governed by stochastic differential equations. In both the linear-quadratic Stackelberg game and linear-quadratic cooperative game, explicit expressions are obtained for the optimal quality improvement efforts level of the manufacturer, the optimal advertising efforts level of the retailer as well as the optimal profit of the supply chain. We also derive the expectation and variance values for quality and goodwill levels, respectively. The distribution of incremental profit and subsidy are analysed in the cooperative game via the utility theory. Finally, several numerical experiments are reported to show the influence of decay rates and white noise disturbance of the quality and goodwill levels on the expectation of quality and goodwill levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two types of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, lisinopril and benazepril HCl, were tested in neuroblastoma cells and found to upregulate low-density lipoprotein-receptor-related protein 1B (LRP1B) and 14-3-3 protein zeta/delta. Additionally, benazepril HCl was found to increase the expression of calreticulin. The upregulation of these proteins by ACE inhibitors may contribute to the amelioration of cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease/dementia, as well as the clinically observed deceleration of functional decline in Alzheimer's patients. This discovery suggests that the supplementation of ACE inhibitors may promote neuronal cell survival independently of their antihypertensive effect. Overall, these findings indicate that ACE inhibitors may be a promising avenue for developing effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In steel surface inspection, an accurate steel surface defect identification method is needed to evaluate the impact of defects on structural performance and system maintenance. Traditionally, the recognition accuracy of methods based on handcrafted features is limited, but the system performance can be improved by feature fusion extracted by different methods. Therefore, this research uses the pre-trained convolutional neural network (CNN) combined with transfer learning to extract effective abstract features, and carries out adaptive weighting multimodal fusion of three the abstract features and handcrafted feature sets at the decision-making level, that is, proposes an adaptive weighting multimodal fusion classification system. The system uses handcrafted features as a supplement to abstract features, and accurately classifies steel surface defects in completely different feature representation spaces. Based on the NEU steel plate surface defect benchmark database, the classification results of feature sets before and after fusion are compared and analyzed. The experimental results show that the classification accuracy of the fusion system is improved by at least 3.4% compared with that before fusion, and the final accuracy rate is 99.0%, which proves the effectiveness of the proposed system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twin-field quantum key distribution (TF-QKD) has the advantage of beating the rate-loss limit (PLOB bound) for a repeaterless quantum key distribution (QKD) system. In practice, parameter optimization is of great significance in maximizing the secret key rate. Nevertheless, traditional local search algorithms (LSA) are often time-consuming and limited by the computing capabilities of devices. In this paper, we use the machine learning method instead of LSA to directly predict the optimal parameters for TF-QKD system. Specifically, three neural networks, namely back propagation neural network, radial basis function neural network, and generalized regression neural network, are trained and evaluated. The performance of neural networks and LSA in optimizing parameters is discussed and analyzed in this study. It is proved that the performance of machine learning-based prediction method is comparable to LSA, but the calculation time is shortened by 6 orders of magnitude. Furthermore, a comprehensive comparison of three networks in terms of prediction accuracy and time consumption is conducted, serving as a guide for selecting the most suitable network to optimize parameters in a practical TF-QKD system with different optimization requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the effects of loading cycles on seismic behaviors and damage properties of flexure–shear critical reinforced concrete columns. Two sets of circular columns (including eight specimens) with different shear span ratios were tested under quasi-static loads with various numbers of loading cycles, namely 0 (i.e., monotonic loading), 3, 10, and 20 cycles. The failure modes, load-deformation curves, ductility, and energy dissipation capacities of the flexure–shear critical columns with various loading cycles were explored. The test results revealed that the flexure–shear failures of columns were more likely to occur with an increase in loading cycles, as evidenced by intensified shear effects and cumulative damage effects induced by cyclic loading. The study examined that the ultimate deformation was the most crucial factor that affects the damage properties of the flexure–shear critical columns. The ultimate displacements diminished with the loading cycles increasing and reduced by 38%, 50%, and 62% when the loading cycles increased from 0 to 3, 10, and 20 cycles, respectively. Additionally, the damage properties of the flexure–shear critical columns were also pertinent to cumulative energy dissipation. The cumulative energy dissipation of the column specimens significantly increased after yielding and rose in proportion to the loading cycles. Two analytical models were proposed for the evaluation of equivalent viscous damping and seismic damage index in flexure–shear columns, which considered the effects of the number of loading cycles. These models could better provide an optimal analysis of the energy dissipation capacities and damage properties for flexure–shear critical columns subjected to seismic excitations, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cat scratch disease (CSD) is a benign condition caused by the inoculation of Bartonella henselae. The imaging findings are non-specific, and it is difficult to diagnose the disease via imaging. However, imaging studies help exclude other differential diagnoses in diagnostic dilemmas. We encountered a case of a 17-year-old adolescent who presented with painful neck swelling. CT showed multiple bilateral cervical lymphadenopathies with triangular soft tissue mass at the anterior mediastinum likely to be thymic hyperplasia, which is unusual in CSD and was mistaken for a lymphoproliferative disorder. Tissue diagnosis with a thorough clinical history yielded the diagnosis of cat scratch disease, and follow-up imaging showed resolution of the cervical lymphadenopathy and thymic hyperplasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

P2-Na0.6Li0.11Fe0.27−xMn0.62YxO2 (x = 0, 0.5%, 1%, and 2%) cathode materials were successfully prepared using a traditional solid-state method with ball milling-assisted modification. The effect of Y-doping on the crystal structure, grain size, morphology and sodium storage performance of Na0.6Li0.11Fe0.27Mn0.62O2 was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), galvanostatic charge–discharge cycling tests, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results demonstrated that the ball-milling pre-treatment method could effectively reduce the grain size and mitigate the aggregation of Na0.6Li0.11Fe0.27Mn0.62O2. Additionally, reasonable Y-doping (x = 1%) significantly enhances the rate capability and cycling stability of Na0.6Li0.11Fe0.27Mn0.62O2via improving the Na+ diffusion kinetics and the reversibility of the oxygen redox reaction. These results indicate that Na0.6Li0.11Fe0.26Mn0.62Y0.01O2 is a promising candidate material for high-rate and long-life cathodes for Na-ion battery application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a mesoscopic numerical method for evaluating the fracture energy of concrete. In this method, concrete is modeled as a three‐phase composite material, composed of mortar, coarse aggregate, and the interface between them. The actual mixed‐mode I–II crack growth path in mode I fracture tests is traced by applying crack propagation criteria. After verifying the numerical method by a series of three‐point bending tests, the effects of aggregate location, aggregate size, and crack propagation path on the fracture energy of concrete are evaluated. It is found that for the fracture mode of crack bypassing aggregates, the actual fracture energy of concrete is significantly affected by the aggregate location but independent of the aggregate size and the crack propagation path. Highlights: A mesoscopic numerical method is proposed for the fracture energy of concrete.The actual mixed‐mode I–II crack growth path is traced by applying crack growth criteria.The actual fracture energy of concrete is significantly affected by aggregate location.The actual fracture energy of concrete is independent of crack growth path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multitype recurrent events are commonly observed in transportation studies, since commercial truck drivers may encounter different types of safety critical events (SCEs) and take different lengths of on-duty breaks in a driving shift. Bayesian nonhomogeneous Poisson process models are a flexible approach to jointly model the intensity functions of the multitype recurrent events. For evaluating and comparing these models, the deviance information criterion (DIC) and the logarithm of the pseudo-marginal likelihood (LPML) are studied and Monte Carlo methods are developed for computing these model assessment measures. We also propose a set of new concordance indices (C-indices) to evaluate various discrimination abilities of a Bayesian multitype recurrent event model. Specifically, the within-event C-index quantifies adequacy of a given model in fitting the recurrent event data for each type, the between-event C-index provides an assessment of the model fit between two types of recurrent events, and the overall C-index measures the model's discrimination ability among multiple types of recurrent events simultaneously. Moreover, we jointly model the incidence of SCEs and on-duty breaks with driving behaviors using a Bayesian Poisson process model with time-varying coefficients and time-dependent covariates. An in-depth analysis of a real dataset from the commercial truck driver naturalistic driving study is carried out to demonstrate the usefulness and applicability of the proposed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose multivariate stochastic volatility models with a spherical parameterization of a Cholesky decomposition to make a time-dependent correlation matrix be positive definite without any constraints. An attractive feature of our model is that it can be easily fit using the R package NIMBLE. In addition to the spherical transformation, we introduce a multivariate L measure as a Bayesian model comparison criterion to assess the fit of different models. We present extensive simulation studies to examine the empirical performance of the proposed method and illustrate the methodology on time series of energy usage in a science building on the main campus of the University of Connecticut.Please confirm if the inserted city and country name is correct. Amend if necessary.RightPlease confirm if the corresponding author is correctly identified. Amend if necessary.Right [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how microbial communities adapt to environmental stresses is critical for interpreting ecological patterns and microbial diversity. In the case of the Gobi Desert, little is known on the environmental factors that explain hypolithic colonization under quartz stones. By analyzing nine hypolithic communities across an arid gradient and the effects of the season of the year in the Hexi Corridor of this desert, we found a significant decrease in hypolithic colonization rates (from 47.24 to 15.73%) with the increasing drought gradient and found two distinct communities in Hot and Cold samples, which survived or proliferated after a hot or a cold period. While Cold communities showed a greater species diversity and a predominance of Cyanobacteria, Hot communities showed a predominance of members of the Proteobacteria and the Firmicutes. In comparison, Cold communities also possessed stronger functions in the photosynthesis and carbon metabolism. Based on the findings of this study, we proposed that the hypolithic communities of the Hexi Corridor of the Gobi Desert might follow a seasonal developmental cycle in which temperature play an important role. Thus after a critical thermal threshold is crossed, heterotrophic microorganisms predominate in the hot period, while Cyanobacteria predominate in the cold period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competing risks survival data in the presence of partially masked causes are frequently encountered in medical research or clinical trials. When longitudinal biomarkers are also available, it is of great clinical importance to examine associations between the longitudinal biomarkers and the cause‐specific survival outcomes. In this article, we propose a cause‐specific C‐index for joint models of longitudinal and competing risks survival data accounting for masked causes. We also develop a posterior predictive algorithm for computing the out‐of‐sample cause‐specific C‐index using Markov chain Monte Carlo samples from the joint posterior of the in‐sample longitudinal and competing risks survival data. We further construct the Δ$$ \Delta $$C‐index to quantify the strength of association between the longitudinal and cause‐specific survival data, or between the out‐of‐sample longitudinal and survival data. Empirical performance of the proposed assessment criteria is examined through an extensive simulation study. An in‐depth analysis of the real data from large cancer prevention trials is carried out to demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) commonly exhibit socially problematic behaviours. Investigating the prosocial decision-making of individuals with MUD could enable a better understanding of their impaired social functioning and help improve their social relationships. We conducted two studies to examine the performance of individuals with MUD and healthy controls on a modified dictator game. In Study 1, 55 male individuals with MUD and 34 healthy male participants made a series of choices between two pairs of monetary prizes for themselves and for others. In Study 2, 62 male individuals with MUD and 31 healthy male participants made the same choices as in Study 1 after a brief exposure to methamphetamine-related pictures. In both studies, we consistently found a context dependency of decreased prosociality in individuals with MUD. That is, individuals with MUD made fewer prosocial choices than healthy individuals in disadvantageous contexts (but not advantageous contexts). The results of the computational model suggested that the lower prosociality of individuals with MUD in disadvantageous contexts could be attributed to the lower weight placed on others' benefits. Moreover, when exposed to methamphetamine-related pictures, individuals with MUD showed less caution and slower encoding/motor speed than healthy individuals, and individuals with MUD with a longer history of methamphetamine use tended to respond less cautiously. Our findings provide evidence that in disadvantageous contexts, individuals with MUD show reduced prosociality and less consideration of others' benefits. Identifying the origin of the alterations in prosocial decision-making has implications for diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Extensive knowledge of allergic multimorbidities is required to improve the management of allergic diseases with the industrialization of China. However, the demography and allergen distribution patterns of allergic multimorbidities in China remain unclear, despite the increasing prevalence of allergies. Methods: This was a real-world, cross-sectional study of 1273 outpatients diagnosed with one or more allergic diseases in Guangzhou, the most populated city of southern China, with leading industrial and commercial centers, between April 2021 and March 2022. Seven allergic diseases (allergic rhinitis (AR), asthma (AS)/cough variant asthma (CVA), atopic dermatitis (AD)/eczema, food allergy (FA), allergic conjunctivitis (AC), drug allergy (DA), and anaphylaxis) were assessed. Positive rates of sensitization to different allergens were measured using an allergen detection system of the UniCAP (Pharmacia Diagnostics, Sweden) instrument platform to compare the groups of allergic multimorbidities against a single entity. Results: There were 659 (51.8%) males and 614 (48.2%) females aged from 4 months to 74 years included in the analysis. The study participants who were diagnosed with allergic diseases had an average of 1.6 diagnoses. Overall, 46.5% (592 of 1273) of the patients had more than one allergic condition, and allergic rhinitis was the most common type of multimorbidity. Women were more likely to suffer from an allergic disease alone, whereas allergic multimorbidities were more likely to be diagnosed in men (p = 0.005). In addition, allergic multimorbidities were common in all age groups, with an incidence ranging from 37.1% to 57.4%, in which children and adolescents were more frequently diagnosed with allergic multimorbidities than adults (18–60 years old) (all p < 0.05). Allergic multimorbidity was observed throughout the year. A difference in the positive rate of allergens sensitization and total immunoglobulin E (tIgE) levels between different allergic multimorbidities was observed. Conclusions: Allergic multimorbidities were very commonly found in nearly half of all patients with allergies. The proportion of allergic multimorbidities varied with the type of disease, sex, age, and allergen distribution pattern. These findings may help clinicians to develop "One health" strategies for the clinical management of allergic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pursuits of new types of Pb-free heterometallic halides adequate for photovoltaic applications are still urgent but challenging. In this study, by using in situ-produced [(Me)2-(DABCO)]2+ (DABCO = 1,4-diazabicyclo[ 2.2.2]octane; Me = methyl) cations as structure-directing agents, we successfully constructed a nonperovskite copper iodobismuthate hybrid, namely [(Me)2-(DABCO)]2Cu2Bi2I12 (1), which features discrete [Cu2Bi2I12]4- anionic moieties formed by the building units of [CuI4] tetrahedra and [BiI6] octahedra. UV-Vis diffuse reflectance analyses showed that compound 1 possesses semiconductive behaviors with a narrow optical bandgap of 1.80 eV. More importantly, it exhibits excellent photoelectric switching abilities, and its photocurrent density (2.30 µA cm-2) far exceeds those of some high-performance halide-based counterparts. Different from many heterometallic analogues, noteworthily, it also has dispersive band structure and strong electronic coupling near the Fermi level, resulting in a material with small effective masses that may be responsible for the good photoelectricity. This study may offer new guidance for the design and synthesis of eco-friendly heterometallic halides with unique structures and desirable properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]