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Background: Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is the most prevalent and fastest-growing vector-borne disease globally, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe and, in some cases, fatal. Quang Nam province in Vietnam can serve as a model for dengue epidemiological study, as it is an endemic region for DHF with a tropical climate, which significantly constrains the health system. However, there are very few epidemiological and microbiological reports on Dengue virus (DENV) serotypes in this region due to the limited availability of advanced surveillance infrastructure. Aims of the study: This study aims to (1) assess the PCR positivity rates among hospitalized patients with clinical Dengue presentation; (2) identify the circulating DENV serotypes; and (3) assess the impact of secondary DENV infections on outbreak severity by detecting the presence of DENV-specific IgG antibodies in the plasma of DENV-infected patients. Materials and methods: Blood samples from patients clinically diagnosed with DHF and admitted to Quang Nam General Hospital (2020–2022) were analyzed. RNA extraction was performed using the NKDNA/RNAprep MAGBEAD kit, followed by Multiplex Reverse Transcription real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (MLP RT-rPCR) for DENV detection and serotype identification. Positive samples were further tested for DENV-specific IgG antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The PCR positivity rate among hospitalized patients was approximately 68% throughout the study period. A significant shift in DENV serotypes was observed, with DENV-2 initially dominant and later giving way to DENV-1. IgG was detected in nearly half of the MPL RT-rPCR-positive samples, indicating secondary DENV infections. Conclusions: Our study highlights persistent dengue prevalence and dynamic shifts in DENV serotypes in Quang Nam province, emphasizing the need for improved diagnostic strategies and timely sample collection. The significant serotype shifts and the presence of IgG in hospitalized patients suggest potential severe outcomes from recurrent DENV infections, possibly linked to antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) effect, underscoring the importance of advanced surveillance, vector control, vaccination campaigns, and public education to predict and prevent future DHF epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Methods Results Conclusions Individuals with diabetes frequently encounter sleep disturbances, which can detrimentally impact glycaemic management. We reviewed the relationship between sleep outcomes and glycaemic variability in adults with diabetes.We systematically searched Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane Library (2002‐March 2023) for studies evaluating sleep and glycaemic variability in adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Among the 3049 records, 27 met the inclusion criteria (type 1 diabetes studies = 22). Due to methodological heterogeneity, a qualitative analysis was conducted.Most studies measuring sleep quality (5 out 7; 71%) reported a significant association with glycaemic variability in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Sleep duration was not significantly associated with glycaemic variability in type 1 diabetes, whereas other sleep metrics yielded inconclusive results. Hybrid closed‐loop pump interventions (n = 12) demonstrated varying sleep outcomes with improved glycaemic variability. Similarly, sleep interventions (n = 3) consistently enhanced sleep but not glycaemic variability. Limitations included moderate to high risk of study bias, confounders, methodological heterogeneity and limited type 2 diabetes data.A potential association between sleep quality and glycaemic variability exists. However, associations with other sleep metrics remain elusive, with no discernible association between sleep duration and glycaemic variability in type 1 diabetes. Despite advancements in continuous glucose monitoring and ambulatory sleep monitoring, standardised sleep assessment methodologies are lacking in real‐world studies. Establishing standard protocols for sleep assessment and defining optimal sleep targets are crucial for meaningful comparisons between studies. Understanding the complex interplay between sleep and glycaemic variability holds promise in improving diabetes management and sleep health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The incidence of cancer in young adults has been increasing worldwide, yet information on its risk factors in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is limited. This analysis of more than 39,000 participants in Vietnam, an LMIC in Southeast Asia, shows that the risk of cancer-related deaths caused by excessive smoking, particularly waterpipe smoking, and drinking alcohol in young adults (or individuals less than 50 years of age) is much higher than the risk for individuals aged 50 years or older, and the risk of death for women is almost two-folds higher than that for men younger than 50, whereas the risk of cancer-related death in women aged ≥50 is significantly lower than that in men. This suggests that the young Vietnamese population is vulnerable to the risk of cancer-related deaths. Background/Objectives: Cancer incidence in young adults or those aged 15–49 years old has increased during the past decade. Knowledge about the risk factors for cancer-related deaths in young adults is limited, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods: This analysis was based on the Hanoi Prospective Cohort Study, an ongoing study of 39,401 participants aged 15 or older in Northern Vietnam in the 2007–2019 period. A Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the association between potential factors and the risk of cancer-related deaths. Results: With a median follow-up of 11.01 years, we identified 164 deaths in young adults out of 554 total deaths. Overall, family history of cancer (HR = 7.34; 95% CI: 3.30–16.36), drinking alcohol (HR = 1.82; 95% CI: 1.18–2.81), and smoking (HR = 2.22; 95% CI: 1.36–3.63) were found to be risk factors, while drinking coffee was found to be a protective factor (HR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.24–1.00) for cancer-related deaths in young adults. Young male adults were found to be at a higher risk due to excessive cigarette smoking (HR = 1.91; 95% CI: 1.00–3.68) and alcohol consumption (HR = 2.15; 95% CI: 1.32–3.53) than those aged 50 years and older (HR = 1.36 and 95% CI: 0.96–1.93 and 1.27 and 95% CI: 0.97–1.67, respectively). The risk of death from cancer in women compared with men in the young population was twice as high as that in the older population (HR = 1.18 and 95% CI: 0.72–1.94 vs. 0.47 and 95% CI: 0.35–0.63, respectively). Conclusions: Our data suggest that the young Vietnamese population is vulnerable to the risk of cancer-related deaths and that cancer in women will increase rapidly in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key issue in the transition to decarbonized energy sources with constant power sources is inaccurate current sharing and voltage quality. The main reason which causes these issues is the inevitable system impedance mismatches. This study addresses this issue by proposing an enhanced power‐sharing strategy that regulates adjustable resistance and compensates for voltage drops across the line impedance at the output of distributed generation converters. The control approach involves analyzing the mathematical relationship between system impedance mismatches and voltage drops in DC residential systems. Utilizing low‐computation proportional‐integral controllers, the secondary current sharing and load voltage controllers regulate converter outputs to compensate for mismatched resistance and voltage, ensuring proper current sharing and load voltage quality across various load conditions. Through the implementation of the proposed scheme incorporating adjustable resistance and voltage shifting terms, both the current‐sharing error and load voltage deviation are gradually reduced to negligible values, while maintaining stable performance in steady‐state conditions, without the need for prior knowledge of system parameters. Simulations and experimental studies are both conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A neutrally buoyant float deployed in an atmospherically driven turbulent ocean boundary layer on the dense side of a submesoscale front was repeatedly carried across the boundary layer by the turbulence and then trapped beneath the slumping front. Lagrangian particles in a large‐eddy simulation of a similar baroclinically unstable front forced by surface cooling move along convergent surface filaments toward filament junctions. They are also caught by convective plumes that downwell them at speeds similar to those of the float. Subsequently, some are trapped in the pycnocline by frontal slumping due to ageostrophic secondary frontal circulations. In both observations and simulations, boundary layer turbulence and frontal circulations work together to trap and subduct particles from the mixed layer. The small‐scale boundary layer motions move them vertically within the boundary layer and larger, submesoscale frontal circulations move them laterally out of the boundary layer and under the slumping fronts. Plain Language Summary: The present study provides evidence for enhanced tracer transport at ocean fronts in both observation and numerical simulation. The finding suggests a pathway for pollutants (e.g., microplastics) to accumulate in the ocean interior. The transport pathway is driven by both large‐scale eddy dynamics and finescale turbulence, of which the latter plays a larger role in downwelling speed while the spatial sites of subduction are determined by the former. Key Points: Lagrangian float observations reveal downwelling across and trapping beneath the turbulent mixed layer at a submesoscale frontSimilar particle trajectories in convectively forced LES result from joint effects of boundary layer turbulence and submesoscale dynamicsDownwelling is due to finescale convective plumes while trapping and restratificationare due to the submesoscale circulation of the front [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article addresses the challenges faced by Limited English Proficiency (LEP) communities in accessing medical interpretation services, focusing on Michigan's policy on these services. Topics discussed include the limitations of current policies in considering patient preferences for interpreters, the challenges posed by the shortage and underutilization of medical interpreters, and the need for cultural sensitivity in interpretation practices.

Multi-stage models for cohort data are popular statistical models in several fields such as disease progressions, biological development of plants and animals, and laboratory studies of life cycle development. A Bayesian approach on adopting deterministic transformations in the Metropolis–Hastings (MH) algorithm was used to estimate parameters for these stage structured models. However, the biases in later stages are limitations of this methodology, especially the accuracy of estimates for the models having more than three stages. The main aim of this paper is to reduce these biases in parameter estimation. In particular, we conjoin insignificant previous stages or negligible later stages to estimate parameters of a desired stage, while an adjusted MH algorithm based on deterministic transformations is applied for the non-hazard rate models. This means that current stage parameters are estimated separately from the information of its later stages. This proposed method is validated in simulation studies and applied for a case study of the incubation period of COVID-19. The results show that the proposed methods could reduce the biases in later stages for estimates in stage structured models, and the results of the case study can be regarded as a valuable continuation of pandemic prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Limited data exist evaluating antiobesity medications (AOM) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS: We performed a case-control study evaluating the effectiveness and safety of AOM in patients with IBD with obesity, matched to non-IBD controls. RESULTS: After 12 months, the case (n = 36) and control (n = 36) groups achieved similar percent total body weight loss of -6.9 ± 8.3 and -8.1 ± 7.0 (P = 0.30), respectively. Side effect profiles were similar between groups. Seven patients experienced an IBD flare, all managed medically. DISCUSSION: AOM use in patients with IBD demonstrated similar effectiveness and safety when compared with that observed in the non-IBD population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreign body ingestion is a common clinical occurrence worldwide, with high morbidity in the pediatric population and in adult patients with intentional attempts. Coins and button battery ingestions are more common among children. Bone impaction and swallowed dentures are usually seen in older adults. While most ingested foreign bodies pass through the gastrointestinal tract spontaneously with no complications, some require endoscopic and/or surgical intervention. Complications such as pharyngoesophageal ulceration, perforation, stricture, and deep neck infection can develop without timely diagnosis and management. The purpose of this article is to familiarize radiologists with the imaging approach to assess for characteristics and impacted locations of ingested foreign bodies in the neck. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the impact of sleep on individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. It emphasizes the importance of sleep in diabetes management and discusses the potential consequences of inadequate sleep, such as increased morbidity and mortality, reduced quality of life, and healthcare utilization. The article addresses the physiological and hormonal aspects of sleep, the role of the circadian system, and the relationship between sleep and glucose metabolism. It also provides recommendations for assessing and optimizing sleep in diabetes management, including screening for sleep disorders. The article concludes by emphasizing the need to integrate sleep health assessments and management strategies into routine diabetes care to improve outcomes. The document contains references to scientific studies related to sleep and its impact on health, specifically in relation to diabetes. [Extracted from the article]

We investigated the effect of Fe 50 Pd 50 nanoparticle addition on the crystal structure and superconductivity of Bi 1. 6 Pb 0. 4 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O 10+δ compounds. Pure and Fe 50 Pd 50 -added Bi 1. 6 Pb 0. 4 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O 10+δ samples with different additional contents were prepared by the solid-state reaction technique. Crystal structure and surface morphology of the fabricated samples revealed the formation of Bi-2223 and Bi-2212 superconducting phases. The critical temperature (T c) of the Fe 50 Pd 50 -added samples was lower than that of the pure one. In comparison with the pure sample, magnetization J c was clearly enhanced for the samples with the addition of Fe 50 Pd 50 having stronger magnetic properties. The enhancement in J c was possibly explained by the fact that Fe 50 Pd 50 nanoparticles served as effective pinning centers. Dominant pinning mechanisms of all samples were analyzed to be δl pinning by the collective pinning theory. The geometry of artificial pinning centers was identified to be normal core volume and point-like pinning by using the Dew–Hughes model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diurnal warm layers (DWLs) form near the surface of the ocean on days with strong solar radiation, weak to moderate winds, and small surface-wave effects. Here, we use idealized second-moment turbulence modeling, validated with large-eddy simulations (LES), to study the properties, dynamics, and energetics of DWLs across the entire physically relevant parameter space. Both types of models include representations of Langmuir turbulence (LT). We find that LT only slightly modifies DWL thicknesses and other bulk parameters under equilibrium wave conditions, but leads to a strong reduction in surface temperature and velocity with possible implications for air–sea coupling. Comparing tropical and the less frequently studied high-latitude DWLs, we find that LT has a strong impact on the energy budget and that rotation at high latitudes strongly modifies the DWL energetics, suppressing net energy turnover and entrainment. We identify the key nondimensional parameters for DWL evolution and find that the scaling relations of Price et al. provide a reliable representation of the DWL bulk properties across a wide parameter space, including high-latitude DWLs. We present different sets of revised model coefficients that include the deepening of the DWL due to LT and other aspects of our more advanced turbulence model to describe DWL properties at midday and during the DWL temperature peak in the afternoon, which we find to occur around 1500–1630 local time for a broad range of parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the combined planning problem involving the routing of technicians and the stocking of spare parts for servicing geographically distributed repair tasks. The problem incorporates many operational uncertainties, such as future repair requests and the required spare parts to replace malfunctioned components. We model the problem as a sequential decision problem where decisions are made at the end of each day about the next day's technician route and spare part inventory in the van. We show that exact methods are intractable because of the inherent high-dimensional state, decision, and transition spaces involved. To overcome these challenges, we present two novel algorithmic techniques. First, we suggest a hybrid value function approximation method that combines a genetic search with a graph neural network capable of reasoning, learning, and decision making in high-dimensional, discrete decision spaces. Second, we introduce a unique state-encoding method that employs multiattribute graphs and spatial markers, eliminating the need for manually designed basis functions and allowing efficient learning. We illustrate the general adaptive learning capacity by solving a variety of instance settings without instance-specific hyperparameter tuning. An extensive numerical study demonstrates that our hybrid learning technique outperforms other benchmark policies and adapts well to changes in the environment. We also generate a wide range of insights that not only shed light on the algorithmic components but also offer guidance on how to execute on-site repair tasks more efficiently. The techniques showcased are versatile and hold potential for application in other dynamic and stochastic problems, particularly in the realm of transportation planning. Funding: This work was supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). The Research Training Group 2201 [Grant 277991500], "Advanced Optimization in a Networked Economy," funded by the DFG, has provided partial support for this work. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/trsc.2022.0434. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During cell division, precise and regulated distribution of cellular material between daughter cells is a critical step and is governed by complex biochemical and biophysical mechanisms. To achieve this, membraneless organelles and condensates often require complete disassembly during mitosis. The biophysical principles governing the disassembly of condensates remain poorly understood. Here, we used a physical biology approach to study how physical and material properties of the nucleolus, a prominent nuclear membraneless organelle in eukaryotic cells, change during mitosis and across different scales. We found that nucleolus disassembly proceeds continuously through two distinct phases with a slow and reversible preparatory phase followed by a rapid irreversible phase that was concurrent with the nuclear envelope breakdown. We measured microscopic properties of nucleolar material including effective diffusion rates and binding affinities as well as key macroscopic properties of surface tension and bending rigidity. By incorporating these measurements into the framework of critical phenomena, we found evidence that near mitosis surface tension displays a power-law behavior as a function of biochemically modulated interaction strength. This two-step disassembly mechanism maintains structural and functional stability of nucleolus while enabling its rapid and efficient disassembly in response to cell cycle cues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observations in the Pacific Equatorial Undercurrents (EUC) show that the nighttime deep-cycle turbulence (DCT) in the marginal-instability (MI) layer of the EUC exhibits seasonal variability that can modulate heat transport and sea surface temperature. Large-eddy simulations (LES), spanning a wide range of control parameters, are performed to identify the key processes that influence the turbulent heat flux at multiple time scales ranging from turbulent (minutes to hours) to daily to seasonal. The control parameters include wind stress, convective surface heat flux, shear magnitude, and thickness of the MI layer. In the LES, DCT occurs in discrete bursts during the night, exhibits high temporal variability within a burst, and modulates the mixed layer depth. At the daily time scale, turbulent heat flux generally increases with increasing wind stress, MI-layer shear, or nighttime convection. Convection is found to be important to mixing under weak wind, weak shear conditions. A parameterization for the daily averaged turbulent heat flux is developed from the LES suite to infer the variability of heat flux at the seasonal time scale. The LES-based parameterized heat flux, which takes into account the effects of all control parameters, exhibits a seasonal variability that is similar to the observed heat flux from the χ-pods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sea-level trends show a large spatial deviation from the coast to open ocean. • Sea-level variabilities are locally complicated and reveal inconsistent mechanisms. • PDO and ENSO, as remote forcings, show significant influence at the southern sites. The changes in coastal sea levels are now considered a significant concern for densely-populated coastal regions such as Vietnam, which hosts a long coastline and two large deltaic areas. In this study, we used high-resolution (20-Hz) altimetry data from the X-TRACK/ALES product to investigate the trends and variability of sea-level anomalies (SLAs) along the Vietnam coast from 2002 to 2018. We conducted comparisons of SLAs from X-TRACK/ALES with SLAs from four coastal tide gauges, and the results present a good root mean square error (0.03 m on average) and good statistically significant correlation (for p < 0.05) with an average value of 0.66. There is an exception for the Quy Nhon site (r ∼ 0.5) as its closest altimetry points lie in the open ocean. Regarding trend calculations, the tide gauge sites exhibit two-to-three times larger trends than altimetry points, indicating a significant deviation from the coast to the open ocean. We then examined the contribution of various forcing factors by stepwise regression analysis for the 2002 – 2018 and 2008–2018 periods. The stepwise model can explain the observed data in the latter period (about 63 % on average). As local factors, SST and meridional wind stress appear important, whereas PDO and ENSO are significant as remote factors, particularly at the southern sites. However, we could not find the best common forcing factors for all sites suggesting the inconsistent mechanisms causing sea-level variability along the Vietnam coast. Our study demonstrates complicated regional sea-level variability and emphasizes the benefit of high-resolution altimetry data in studying dynamic coastal regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We examined which measures of complexity are most informative when studying language produced in interaction. Specifically, using these measures, we explored whether native and nonnative speakers modified the higher level properties of their production beyond the acoustic–phonetic level based on the language background of their conversation partner. Method: Using a subset of production data from the Wildcat Corpus that used Diapix, an interactive picture matching task, to elicit production, we compared English language production at the dyad and individual level across three different pair types: eight native pairs (English–English), eight mixed pairs (four English–Chinese and four English–Korean), and eight nonnative pairs (four Chinese–Chinese and four Korean–Korean). Results: At both the dyad and individual levels, native speakers produced longer and more clausally dense speech. They also produced fewer silent pauses and fewer linguistic mazes relative to nonnative speakers. Speakers did not modify their production based on the language background of their interlocutor. Conclusions: The current study examines higher level properties of language production in true interaction. Our results suggest that speakers’ productions were determined by their own language background and were independent of that of their interlocutor. Furthermore, these demonstrated promise for capturing syntactic characteristics of language produced in true dialogue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bees Algorithm (BA) is an intelligent, nature-inspired metaheuristic algorithm first introduced in 2005 and based on the foraging activity of honeybees. Enhancements to the BA have been made continually since its introduction, with some aimed at reducing the number of user-determined parameters. The goal is to achieve optimal results without extensive efforts required for parameter tuning. This article presents an enhanced version of the BA. The enhancement uses the Fibonacci sequence, which can be found in the family tree of the male bee (drone), to give the numbers of bees assigned to conduct local searches. The proposed BA is simple, having only four parameters that must be set by the user, as opposed to five in the basic combinatorial version. To evaluate the performance of the new algorithm in robotic disassembly sequence planning, a case study is conducted on gear pump disassembly, a commonly used benchmark problem in robotic disassembly. A comparison is made between the proposed Fibonacci Bees Algorithm and the Basic Bees Algorithm (BBA). The results are assessed using a statistical performance metric and a performance evaluation index. The findings demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is better than the BBA for more complex problems while exhibiting a similar performance on simpler tasks. Future research will explore broader applications for both continuous and combinatorial problems, demonstrating the versatility of the algorithm across different domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation Summary statistics from genome-wide association studies enable many valuable downstream analyses that are more efficient than individual-level data analysis while also reducing privacy concerns. As growing sample sizes enable better-powered analysis of gene–environment interactions, there is a need for gene–environment interaction-specific methods that manipulate and use summary statistics. Results We introduce two tools to facilitate such analysis, with a focus on statistical models containing multiple gene–exposure and/or gene–covariate interaction terms. REGEM (RE-analysis of GEM summary statistics) uses summary statistics from a single, multi-exposure genome-wide interaction study to derive analogous sets of summary statistics with arbitrary sets of exposures and interaction covariate adjustments. METAGEM (META-analysis of GEM summary statistics) extends current fixed-effects meta-analysis models to incorporate multiple exposures from multiple studies. We demonstrate the value and efficiency of these tools by exploring alternative methods of accounting for ancestry-related population stratification in genome-wide interaction study in the UK Biobank as well as by conducting a multi-exposure genome-wide interaction study meta-analysis in cohorts from the diabetes-focused ProDiGY consortium. These programs help to maximize the value of summary statistics from diverse and complex gene–environment interaction studies. Availability and implementation REGEM and METAGEM are open-source projects freely available at https://github.com/large-scale-gxe-methods/REGEM and https://github.com/large-scale-gxe-methods/METAGEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Paclobutrazol (PBZ), a plant growth regulator, is usually used to promote off-season flowering in mango orchards in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Several studies demonstrated that PBZ degradation in the soil takes several months and its residue effects to the soil environment and consequently to the plants and microorganism community. The objective of this study was to identify native bacteria that can biodegrade PBZ in the soil of mango orchards. Methods: Soil samples were collected in thirty mango orchards in Vietnam's Mekong Delta. One gram of soil was mixed with distilled water and injected into a PBZ culture medium. After culturing, bacterial colonies were isolated and transferred onto the TSA medium in order to characterize morphological and biochemical assays and to evaluate PBZ biodegradation ability. Four strains of bacteria, which had high PBZ biodegradation, were identified and evaluated PBZ biodegradation ability. Additionally, 16S rDNA region was sequenced. Result: The results of identification indicated that the four high PBZ biodegradation bacterial strains related to Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas nitroreducens, Burkholderia cepacia, Acinetobacter seifertii. After 30 days, the content of paclobutrazol biodegradable by these bacteria was 36.51%, 36.23%, 34.19% and 33.56%, respectively, at an initial concentration of 60 ppm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiac papillary fibroelastomas are rare, accounting for approximately 10% of all cardiac tumors, with 44% of cases located on the aortic valve and only 15% of cases located on the tricuspid valve. However, the optimal management of papillary fibroelastomas remains varied. Case presentation: We present two successful instances of treating heart valve papillary fibroelastomas through minimally invasive surgery. These cases involved heart valve papillary fibroelastomas located in two common sites: the aortic valve on the left heart, which was accessed via an upper hemi-sternotomy, and the tricuspid valve on the right heart, which was accessed via beating heart total thoracoscopy. Conclusion: The article consistently demonstrates the effectiveness of a minimally invasive surgical approach in managing heart valve papillary fibroelastomas. This study provides further evidence by presenting two cases of heart valve papillary fibroelastomas - one on the aortic valve and the other on the tricuspid valve - that were successfully treated using this approach, resulting in favorable outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction projects are capital-intensive and risk-prone, which can lead to serious claims and disputes. Thus, early identification and intervention of potential risks in contracts play significant roles in preventing conflicts in advance. However, traditional approaches are mostly limited to the simple task of predicting fragmentary information (e.g., a type of risk) from contracts. This study aims to predict comprehensive information to determine risk-handling actions by simultaneously performing three classification tasks (i.e., risk identification, risk allocation, and risk response). Specifically, the proposed multitask model is designed to integrate shared layers extracting general features for all three tasks with task-specific layers extracting relevant features of each individual task. Thus, this approach allows learning both common and specific features within a single network. For performance evaluation, experiments were performed on a data set of 2,586 contractual clauses from 10 construction projects, in which performance was compared with single-task models not only on the entire data set but also on the smaller number of data. The results revealed that the proposed model exhibited higher performance (mean weighted F1 score of 0.90 and accuracy of 0.78) than single-task models; furthermore, shared layers may better recognize hidden patterns for each classification task with the smaller data set (e.g., 0.04 higher mean F1 score and 0.09 higher accuracy for 250 samples). Thus, the proposed model can successfully implement three tasks simultaneously. When such information (e.g., risk types, responsible parties, and corresponding response strategies) is available in an early contract review, contracting parties shall determine specific risk-handling actions for proactive risk assessment and management in construction contracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unicellular protozoan Trypanosoma brucei has a single flagellum that is involved in cell motility, cell morphogenesis, and cell division. Inheritance of the newly assembled flagellum during the cell cycle requires its correct positioning, which depends on the faithful duplication or segregation of multiple flagellum-associated cytoskeletal structures, including the basal body, the flagellum attachment zone, and the hook complex. Along the flagellum attachment zone sites a set of four microtubules termed the microtubule quartet (MtQ), whose molecular function remains enigmatic. We recently reported that the MtQ-localized protein NHL1 interacts with the microtubulebinding protein TbSpef1 and regulates flagellum inheritance by promoting basal body rotation and segregation. Here, we identified a TbSpef1- and NHL1-associated protein named SNAP1, which co-localizes with NHL1 and TbSpef1 at the proximal portion of the MtQ, depends on TbSpef1 for localization and is required for NHL1 localization to the MtQ. Knockdown of SNAP1 impairs the rotation and segregation of the basal body, the elongation of the flagellum attachment zone filament, and the positioning of the newly assembled flagellum, thereby causing mis-placement of the cell division plane, a halt in cleavage furrow ingression, and an inhibition of cytokinesis completion. Together, these findings uncover a coordinating role of SNAP1 with TbSpef1 and NHL1 in facilitating flagellum positioning and cell division plane placement for the completion of cytokinesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the superconducting properties of MgB 2 bulk samples fabricated at different conditions were investigated. Ex situ MgB 2 samples were further mixed with Mg and B at different amounts and sintered at different times and temperatures. Using Raman spectroscopy, the bearing of electron-phonon (e-ph) coupling (EPC) has been investigated. The dependence of temperature on magnetization, M(T), along with the dependence of magnetic field on magnetization, M(H), were evaluated to analyze the superconducting characteristics. Using the McMillan formular, which is modified by Allen–Dynes, and the frequency of phonon located in the mid peak centre ω 2 (E 2g), the contribution of EPC, whose value is closely proportional to the variation of critical temperature was reckoned. The lowest EPC value was determined by Raman spectrum analysis to be 1.094 for the MgB 2 sample added with 0.5 Mg and sintered at 1000 °C for 1 h. In addition, the sample showed the lowest critical temperature along with the highest critical current density. The small bundle field (B sb) as well as the large bundle field (B lb) were obtained using the collective pinning theory, demonstrating the expansion of the small also the large bundle regimes under suitable sample fabrication conditions. Based on the dependence of temperature on normalized critical current density (j) and normalized small bundle field (B sb), δT c pinning is the predominant flux pinning mechanism across totally MgB 2 bulk samples. The model of Dew–Hughes confirmed that the addition of Mg along with B creates surface pinning in the matrix by analyzing the pinning properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have investigated the short-term, momentary relationships between physical activity (PA) and well-being. This study focuses on investigating the dynamic relationships between PA and affective well-being among adults with type 1 diabetes. Participants (n = 122) wore an accelerometer and completed daily EMA surveys of current activities and affective states (e.g., happy, stressed, excited, anxious) via smartphone over 14 days. Within-person, increased sedentary time was associated with less positive affect (r = − 0.11, p < 0.001), while more PA of any intensity was associated with greater positive affect and reduced fatigue, three hours later. Between-person, increased light PA was associated with increased stress (r = 0.21, p = 0.02) and diabetes distress (r = 0.30, p = 0.001). This study provides evidence that positive affect and fatigue are predicted by previous activity regardless of the different activities that people engaged in. Positive affect increased after engaging in PA. However, participants with higher amounts of light PA reported higher stress ratings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across three studies, conducted between Spring 2020 and Spring 2021, we tested whether exposure to an Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) target person wearing a face mask would increase or decrease White Americans' perceived threat from and positivity toward AAPI individuals. Although results varied by study, a single‐paper meta‐analysis revealed that the masked (compared to unmasked) AAPI target resulted in greater positivity toward AAPIs, due to reduced perceptions of both symbolic threat to group values and realistic threat to group health. Positivity toward AAPIs did not reliably differ after exposure to a masked versus unmasked White target. Implications for interventions that encourage COVID‐safe behaviors and combat anti‐AAPI attitudes are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lagrangian formalism based on the standard Lagrangians, which are characterized by the presence of the kinetic and potential energy-like terms, is established for selected population dynamics models. A general method that allows for constructing such Lagrangians is developed, and its specific applications are presented and discussed. The obtained results are compared with the previously found Lagrangians, whose forms were different as they did not allow for identifying the energy-like terms. It is shown that the derived standard Lagrangians for the population dynamics models can be used to study the oscillatory behavior of the models and the period of their oscillations, which may have ecological and environmental implications. Moreover, other physical and biological insights that can be gained from the constructed standard Lagrangians are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of adding SnO 2 nanoparticles on the enhancements of critical current density (J c) of the Bi 1.6 Pb 0.4 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O 10+ δ superconductors was studied. Polycrystalline superconductors with stoichiometry of (Bi 1.6 Pb 0.4 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O 10+ δ) 1− x (SnO 2) x where was x was ranged from 0.000, 0.002, 0.004, 0.006, 0.008 to 0.010 were made through traditional solid state reaction technique. X-ray diffraction data revealed that all fabricated samples consisted of Bi-2223 and Bi-2212 superconducting phases. The volume fraction of the Bi-2223 phase decreased with SnO 2 addition. Analyses of textural structure using scanning electron microscopy data evidenced a clear decrease in grain orientation and porosity with increased doping levels. SnO 2 presence in connection to Bi-2223 deceleration reduced the critical temperature. Values of J c deduced from the magnetization hysteresis loops measured at different temperatures of 35 K, 45 K, 55 K, 65 K were found to enhance for the SnO 2 added samples. In the x = 0.002 samples, the field dependent J c achieved its maximum values. In order to have a deeper understanding in the improvements of flux pinning properties, small and large bundle fields were determined by using the collective pinning theory. The obtained values indicate the expansion of the two corresponding regimes with appropriate. By analyzing the dependence of normalized J c versus normalized critical temperature, the dominant flux pinning mechanisms in all samples were consistent with δl pinning. Besides, the addition of SnO 2 nanoparticles was likely to produce pinning centers in form of core point as evidenced by using the Dew–Hughes model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Based on the prospective cohort of the Vietnam Osteoporosis Study, we show that bone loss occurred before menopause, and that the loss accelerated in the first 5 years post-menopause. Purpose: To define the change in bone mineral density (BMD) among women during the menopausal transition. Methods: The study involved 1062 women aged 40–59 who were participants of the population-based prospective Vietnam Osteoporosis Study. BMD at the femoral neck (FN), lumbar spine (LS), and whole body scan was measured by DXA. Each woman has had two BMD measurements separated by approximately 2 years, and the rate of BMD change was calculated for each woman. Multivariable linear regression models were used to quantify the association between body composition parameters and the rate of BMD change. Results: At FN, there were 3 phases of BMD change: a slight decline before the age of 45–49 (average loss of 0.51%/year); a substantial decline between the ages of 49 and 54 (average loss of 1.39%/year); and then slowed down between the ages of 54 and 59 (average loss of 0.31%/year). The same trend was also observed at LS: a slight decline (− 0.56%/year) among women aged 45–49; then a significant decline between the ages of 50 and 54 (− 1.33%/year); but then slowed down at − 0.31%/year after the age of 55. Changes in BMD were not significantly associated with changes in lean mass or fat mass. Conclusions: Although bone loss occurred before menopause, the loss accelerated in the early perimenopausal transition (45–50 years of age). This finding suggests that screening for osteoporosis in women should be considered at the age of 45. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Renal colic is a common emergency department (ED) presentation. Variations in assessment and management of suspected renal colic may have significant implications on patient and hospital outcomes. We developed a clinical practice guideline to standardize the assessment and management of renal colic in the ED. We subsequently compared outcomes before and after guideline implementation. METHODS: The guideline standardizes the analgesia regimen, urology consult criteria, imaging modality, patient education, and followup instructions. This is a single-center, observational cohort study of patients presenting to the ED with renal colic prospectively collected after guideline implementation (December 2018 to May 2019) compared to a control group retrospectively collected before guideline implementation (December 2017 to May 2018). A total of 528 patients (pre-guideline n=283, post-guideline n=245) were included. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS using multivariate linear regression. RESULTS: ED length of stay (LOS) was significantly shorter after guideline implementation (pre-guideline 295.82±178.8 minutes vs. post-guideline 253.2±118.2 minutes, p=0.017). The number of computed tomography (CT) scans patients received was significantly less after guideline implementation (pre guideline 1.35±1.34 vs. post-guideline 1.00±0.68, p=0.034). Patients discharged for conservative management had a lower re-presentation rate in the post-guideline group (12.6%) than the pre-guideline group (17.2%); however, this did not reach statistical significance (p=0.18). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a clinical practice guideline for ureteric stones reduces the ED LOS and the total number of CT scan in patients who present with renal colic. Standardizing assessment and management of ureteric stones can potentially improve patient and hospital outcomes without compromising the quality of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although speaking in noisy environments is a common occurrence, few studies have investigated how noise affects language production beyond the acoustic level. In seeking to differentiate between speaker- and listener-oriented modifications, this study examines the effect of noise on the complexity of language production and examines whether cognitive control predicts noise-induced modifications. Participants completed a picture description task via videoconferencing software while both the speaker (the participant) and listener (the experimenter) were exposed to multi-talker babble. Speakers produced fewer T-units, clauses, and words as well as fewer, but longer, unfilled pauses in noise. The degree of reduction in number of clauses, words, and unfilled pauses was significantly associated with weaker cognitive control. Thus, we consider these modifications to be speaker-oriented, driven by the distracting nature of noise. However, participants also produced fewer filled pauses and mazes in noise. These modifications were not significantly correlated with cognitive control, and they diverge from prior work demonstrating that speakers tend to produce more disfluencies when they alone shoulder the burden of a noisy environment. This pattern of results suggests that speakers may alter their speech to alleviate cognitive burden on themselves as well as to facilitate comprehension for their listener. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends testing all pregnant women for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and testing HBsAg−positive pregnant women for hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid (HBV DNA). HBsAg−positive pregnant persons are recommended by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases to receive regular monitoring, including alanine transaminase (ALT) and HBV DNA and antiviral therapy for active hepatitis and to prevent perinatal HBV transmission if HBV DNA level is >200,000 IU/mL. Using Optum Clinformatics Data Mart Database claims data, pregnant women who received HBsAg testing and HBsAg−positive pregnant persons who received HBV DNA and alt testing and antiviral therapy during pregnancy and after delivery during January 1, 2015−December 31, 2020 were analyzed. Among 506,794 pregnancies, 14.6% did not receive HBsAg testing. Pregnant women more likely to receive testing for HBsAg (p <0.01) were persons aged ≥20 years, were Asian, had >1 child, or received education beyond high school. Among the 0.28% (1,437) pregnant women who tested positive for hepatitis B surface antigen, 46% were Asian. The proportion of HBsAg−positive pregnant women who received HBV DNA testing during pregnancy and in the 12 months after delivery was 44.3% and 28.6%, respectively; the proportion that received hepatitis B e antigen was 31.6% and 12.7%, respectively; the proportion that received ALT testing was 67.4% and 47%, respectively; and the proportion that received HBV antiviral therapy was 7% and 6.2%, respectively. This study suggests that as many as half a million (∼14%) pregnant persons who gave birth each year were not tested for HBsAg to prevent perinatal transmission. More than 50% of HBsAg−positive persons did not receive the recommended HBV−directed monitoring tests during pregnancy and after delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-standard Lagrangians do not display any discernible energy-like terms, yet they give the same equations of motion as standard Lagrangians, which have easily identifiable energy-like terms. A new method to derive non-standard Lagrangians for second-order nonlinear differential equations with damping is developed and the limitations of this method are explored. It is shown that the limitations do not exist only for those nonlinear dynamical systems that can be converted into linear ones. The obtained results are applied to selected population dynamics models for which non-standard Lagrangians and their corresponding null Lagrangians and gauge functions are derived, and their roles in the population dynamics are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is a shortage of bilingual speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in the United States. For Vietnamese, less than 1% of SLPs speak the language compared with a Vietnamese American population of > 2.1 million. This study examines the feasibility and social validity of remote child language assessment with the help of a caregiver to address the need for first language assessments among Vietnamese-speaking children. Method: Twenty-one dyads of caregivers and typically developing children (aged 3–6 years) completed two assessment sessions in their first language, Vietnamese, using Zoom videoconferencing. Sessions were counterbalanced between two conditions in which either the clinician or the caregiver was the task administrator. Children’s language samples were elicited using narrative tasks. Social validity was also assessed through caregiver and child questionnaires at the end of each session. Results: There were no significant differences between conditions on language sample measures nor the measures of social validity. Both caregivers and their children felt positively about the sessions. The caregivers’ feelings were related to their perception of children’s feelings about the sessions. Children’s feelings were related to their Vietnamese language proficiency, caregiver-reported language ability, and whether they were born outside of the United States. Conclusions: Findings build the evidence base for telepractice as an effective and socially valid service delivery model for bilingual children in the United States. This study supports the potential for caregivers as task administrators in a telepractice setting, making assessment in a child’s first language more feasible and accessible. Future investigation is needed to extend results to bilingual populations with disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO 2 doping content affects the critical temperature (T c) and the variations of local structure on Bi 1.6 Pb 0.4 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O 10+δ. The (Bi 1.6 Pb 0.4 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O 10+δ) 1-x (TiO 2) x samples were fabricated with the solid-state reaction process, where x = 0, 0.002, 0.004, 0.006, 0.008, and 0.01. The T c values of the samples were obtained by measuring resistivity versus temperature, indicating that T c gradually decreased with increasing doping content (x). To explain the obtained degradation of T c , carrier properties, role of interlayer coupling, and local structure were systematically investigated using Azlamozov–Larkin theory and its Lawrence–Doniach modification for strong anisotropic superconductors. The calculation of excess conductivity at the mean field region showed that the c-axis coherence length (ξ c) and the effective inter-layering spacing (d) increased with increasing doping content. X-ray diffraction patterns also showed that the bond distances increased with increasing TiO 2 content. The copper valence (V) and carrier concentration (p) of the samples were determined by analyzing the Cu L 2,3 -edge X-ray absorption near edge structure spectra. The values of V and p showed the same trend of decreasing with increasing x. A close correlation between the changes in local structure parameters and degradation of T c of (Bi 1.6 Pb 0.4 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O 10+δ) 1-x (TiO 2) x was then probably concluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the use of music intervention during scalp injections to alleviate pain and anxiety in patients. The study found that patients who received music during their PRP treatment reported higher satisfaction and a greater ability to relax compared to those without music. Additionally, the majority of patients in both groups expressed a preference for clinics that offered music during scalp injections. The article also mentions the use of virtual reality as a sensory distraction technique in medical procedures. However, the study has limitations, including a small sample size and a predominantly female cohort. Overall, the findings suggest that music can enhance the patient experience during injection procedures, but further research is needed to explore additional sensory distraction techniques. [Extracted from the article]

Ostracod shells are used extensively in paleontology, but we know little about their evolution, especially in ancient lakes. Lake Baikal (LB) is the world's most important stronghold of Candonidae diversity. These crustaceans radiated here rapidly (12–5 Ma) and with an unprecedented morphological diversity. We reconstruct their molecular phylogeny with 46 species and two markers (18S and 16S rRNA), and use it to estimate the evolution of the shell shape and size with landmark-based geometric morphometrics (LBGM). High posterior probabilities support four major clades, which differ in node depth and morphospace clustering. After removing a significant allometry, the first three principal components (PCs) describe about 88% of total variability, suggesting a strong integration. Reconstructed ancestral shapes are similar for all four clades, indicating that diversification happened after colonization. Major evolutionary changes occurred from trapezoidal to elongated shapes. Sister species are separated in morphospace, by centroid size, or both, as well as by vertical and horizontal distributions in LB. Ostracod shell is a strongly integrated structure that exhibits high evolvability, with some extreme shapes, although mostly along the first PC. This is the first study that combines molecular phylogeny and LBGM for ostracods and for any LB group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractals with different levels of self-similarity and magnification are defined as reduced fractals. It is shown that spectra of these reduced fractals can be constructed and used to describe levels of complexity of natural phenomena. Specific applications to biological systems, such as green algae, are performed, and it is suggested that the obtained spectra can be used to classify the considered algae by identifying spectra associated with them. The ranges of these spectra for green algae are determined and their extension to other biological as well as other natural systems is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cronkhite-Canada syndrome (CCS) is considered a relentlessly progressive disease with high mortality rates. Although disease understanding and treatment options have greatly improved, the prognosis from these advancements has not been well documented. This study aimed to evaluate treatment outcomes and overall survival of CCS. Methods: Seventeen patients who were diagnosed and treated over a 20-year period at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota) were included. Data were abstracted, which included clinical and endoscopic manifestations, treatment course, and survival outcomes. Results: The median (interquartile range) duration of follow-up was 8.3 (3.7–15.8) years. All patients received an initial prednisone dose equivalence of 30–80 mg daily, and five patients required steroids at the time of the last follow-up. Twelve patients trialed thiopurine therapy, and ten patients continued with a thiopurine until the last follow-up. Fifteen patients achieved clinical complete remission, and eleven patients achieved endoscopic complete remission after pharmacotherapy initiation. Seven patients required gastrointestinal surgeries during their disease course. The 5-year overall survival was 93.3% (95% confidence interval (CI): 81.5–100%), and the 3-year relapse-free survival was 82.4% (95% CI: 66.1–100%). Conclusion: The prognosis and overall survival of patients with CCS have markedly improved with advancement in disease understanding and therapies. Pharmacotherapy, including corticosteroids and immunomodulators, is effective in inducing and maintaining remission, and gastrointestinal surgery is commonly needed as an adjunct for managing CCS disease complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient portals allow patients to access their personal health information. The 21st Century Cures Act in the United States sought to eliminate ‘information blocking’, requiring timely release upon request of electronic health information including diagnostic test results. Some health systems, including the one in the present study, chose a systematic switch to immediate release of all or nearly all diagnostic test results to patient portals as part of compliance with the Cures Act. Our primary objective was to study changes in the time to view test results by patients before and after implementation of Cures Act-related changes. This retrospective pre-post study included data from two 10-month time periods before and after implementation of Cures Act-related changes at an academic medical center. The study included all patients (adult and pediatric) with diagnostic testing (laboratory and imaging) performed in the outpatient, inpatient, or emergency department settings. Between February 9, 2020 and December 9, 2021, there was a total of 3 809 397 diagnostic tests from 204 605 unique patients (3 320 423 tests for adult patients; 488 974 for pediatric patients). Overall, 56.5% (115 627) of patients were female, 84.1% (172 048) white, and 96.5% (197 517) preferred English as primary language. The odds of viewing test results within 1 and 30 days after portal release increased monthly throughout both time periods before and after the Cures Act for all patients. The rate of increase was significantly higher after implementation only in the subgroup of tests belonging to adult patients with active MyChart accounts. Immediate release shifted a higher proportion of result/report release to weekends (3.2% pre-Cures vs 15.3% post-Cures), although patient viewing patterns by day of week and time of day were similar before and after immediate release changes. The switch to immediate release of diagnostic test results to the patient portal resulted in a higher fraction of results viewed within 1 day across outpatient, inpatient, and emergency department settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chirality transfer from organic chiral molecules to lead halides is theorized as the origin of the strong Rashba‐Dresselhaus effect causing large circular dichroism (CD) and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) in metal halide perovskites (MHPs). Here, a concrete empirical evidence is provided that such strong CD and CPL can occur even in nonchiral 2D Ruddlesden‐Popper perovskites (RPPs) (BA)2(MA)n−1PbnI3n+1 (where MA = CH3NH3 and BA = CH3(CH2)3NH3). The CD and CPL responses occurring at the excitonic transition of the MHPs are strongest (≈100 mdeg and 4.8%, respectively) when a single lead halide octahedral [PbI6]4− layer is repeatedly stacked between two nonchiral molecules BA+ (n = 1). However, they are rapidly quenched as n increases. It is hypothesized that strong Rashba‐Dresselhaus splitting in the 2D RPPs originates the strong CD and CPL signatures. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the large interlayer distortions in the inorganic layers at the organic/inorganic interface give rise to the strong Rashba‐Dresselhaus splitting. A Rashba‐Dresselhaus field of ≈600 and ≈50 mT for n = 1 and 2, respectively, is estimated by magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy. The studies may have significant impact on designing 2D RPPs with large Rashba‐Dresselhaus effects at room temperature for spintronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical composition of the leaf essential oil of I T. fraxinifolium i was determined by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS) as previously described [[12]]. The essential oil from the leaves of I T. fraxinifolium i demonstrated variable levels of antimicrobial activity against all examined microorganisms (Table 2), which may be due to synergistic interactions between major and minor components in essential oils [[20]]. However, the chemical identities of the terpene compounds present in the essential oils of I T. fraxinifolium i and I T. trichotomum i differed. As expected, terpene compounds constitute the bulk of the contents of I T. fraxinifolium i essential oil, in accordance with data reported on I T. trichotomum i essential oil [[16]]. [Extracted from the article]

Metal oxide semiconductor capacitors were fabricated using p - type oxygen-terminated (001) diamond and Al2O3 deposited by atomic layer deposition at two different temperatures 250 °C and 380 °C. Current voltage I(V), capacitance voltage C(V), and capacitance frequency C(f) measurements were performed and analyzed for frequencies ranging from 1 Hz to 1 MHz and temperatures from 160 K to 360 K. A complete model for the Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Capacitors electrostatics, leakage current mechanisms through the oxide into the semiconductor and small a.c. signal equivalent circuit of the device is proposed and discussed. Interface states densities are then evaluated in the range of 10 12 eV − 1 cm − 2 . The strong Fermi level pinning is demonstrated to be induced by the combined effects of the leakage current through the oxide and the presence of diamond/oxide interface states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the spatial pattern of plant species can improve understanding of ecological processes and mechanisms that maintain forest stand stability. To better understand the population dynamics of two dipterocarp species Dipterocarpus costatus and Dipterocarpus alatus, in the semi-deciduous forest in Southern Vietnam, we used the spatial point-pattern analysis methods to evaluate the spatial patterns and the interaction of these two species. The results showed that the population structure of D. costatus and D. alatus was similar; their diameter distributions were reverse J-shaped, and the numbers of trees were high at the juvenile and premature stages. The spatial patterns of two dipterocarp species tend to shift from aggregation to randomness and regularity as the tree diameter increases. We found negative interactions between mature and premature trees of two dipterocarp species at small scales. Mature and premature trees of two dipterocarp species showed no inhibition with their juveniles. Seed dispersal and natural self-thinning may be two main processes that control the spatial distribution and association patterns of two dipterocarp species. With the obtained results, our study contributes to simulate the population dynamics of tropical forest trees by using time-replacing space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we propose a new approach for face recognition using low-resolution images. By cleverly combining conventional interpolation methods with the state-of-the-art classification approach, i.e. convolutional neural network, we introduce a new approach to efficiently leverage low-resolution images in classification task, especially in face recognition. Besides, we also do experiments on some recent popular methods, our approach outperforms some of them. Additionally, we propose a specific transfer learning strategy based on the preexisting well-known concept dedicated to low-resolution transfer learning. It boosts performance and reduces training time significantly. We also investigate on scalability by applying Bayesian optimization for hyper-parameter search. Therefore, our approach is able to be widely applied in many kinds of datasets and low-resolution classification tasks due to automatically seeking optimal hyper-parameters, which makes our method competitive to others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Question: Is a strategy starting with transvaginal hydrolaparoscopy (THL) cost-effective compared to a strategy starting with hysterosalpingography (HSG) in the work-up for subfertility?Summary Answer: A strategy starting with THL is cost-effective compared to a strategy starting with HSG in the work-up for subfertile women.What Is Known Already: Tubal pathology is a common cause of subfertility and tubal patency testing is one of the cornerstones of the fertility work-up. Both THL and HSG are safe procedures and can be used as a first-line tubal patency test.Study Design, Size, Duration: This economic evaluation was performed alongside a randomized clinical trial comparing THL and HSG in 300 subfertile women, between May 2013 and October 2016. For comparisons of THL and HSG, the unit costs were split into three main categories: costs of the diagnostic procedure, costs of fertility treatments and the costs for pregnancy outcomes.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: Subfertile women scheduled for tubal patency testing were eligible. Women were randomized to a strategy starting with THL or a strategy starting with HSG. The primary outcome of the study was conception leading to a live birth within 24 months after randomization. The mean costs and outcomes for each treatment group were compared. We used a non-parametric bootstrap resampling of 1000 re-samples to investigate the effect of uncertainty and we created a cost-effectiveness plane and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: We allocated 149 women to THL and 151 to HSG, and we were able to achieve complete follow-up of 142 versus 148 women, respectively. After the fertility work-up women were treated according to the Dutch guidelines and based on a previously published prognostic model. In the THL group, 83 women (58.4%) conceived a live born child within 24 months after randomization compared to 82 women (55.4%) in the HSG group (difference 3.0% (95% CI: -8.3 to 14.4)). The mean total costs per woman were lower in the THL group compared to the HSG group (THL group €4991 versus €5262 in the HSG group, mean cost difference = -€271 (95% CI -€273 to -€269)). Although the costs of only the diagnostic procedure were higher in the THL group, in the HSG group more women underwent diagnostic and therapeutic laparoscopies and also had higher costs for fertility treatments.Limitations, Reasons For Caution: Our trial was conducted in women with a low risk of tubal pathology; therefore, the results of our study are not generalizable to women with high risk of tubal pathology. Furthermore, this economic analysis was based on the Dutch healthcare system, and possibly our results are not generalizable to countries with different strategies or costs for fertility treatments.Wider Implications Of the Findings: After 2 years of follow-up, we found a live birth rate of 58.4% in the THL group versus 55.4% in the HSG group and a lower mean cost per woman in the THL group, with a cost difference of -€271. The findings of our trial suggest that a strategy starting with THL is cost-effective compared to a strategy starting with HSG in the workup for subfertile women. However, the cost difference between the two diagnostic strategies is limited compared to the total cost per woman in our study and before implementing THL as a first-line strategy for tubal patency testing, more research in other fields, such as patient preference and acceptance, is necessary.Study Funding/competing Interest(s): The authors received no external financial support for the research. B.W.J.M. is supported by an NHMRC Investigator Grant (GNT1176437). B.W.J.M. reports consultancy for ObsEva, Merck KGaA, Guerbet. B.W.J.M. reports receiving travel support from Merck KGaA. C.T.P. reports consultancy for Guerbet, outside of this manuscript. All other authors have no conflicts to declare.Trial Registration Number: NTR3462. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the burden and factors related to chemotherapy-induced toxicity is important in treatment planning for breast cancer patients. We conducted a prospective study among 396 newly diagnosed and chemotherapy-treated breast cancer patients recruited in two major cancer hospitals in northern Vietnam. Toxicities were captured through medical chart reviews and patient self-reports and graded using NCI CTCAE classification. Associations for sociodemographic and clinical factors with chemotherapy-induced toxicities during first-line chemotherapy were evaluated via multivariable logistic regression. Severe (i.e., grade ≥ 3) hematological (38.6%), and gastrointestinal (12.9%) toxicities were common. A pre-existing nephrological condition was significantly associated with the risk of severe hematological toxicity with adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of 2.30 (1.32–4.01). Patients living in rural areas had a lower risk of severe hematological toxicity (OR = 0.48; 95% CI, 0.30–0.77). Patients diagnosed with stage II and stage III–IV had a lower risk of severe gastrointestinal toxicity with ORs and 95% CIs of 0.26 (0.12–0.59) and 0.47 (0.20–1.10), respectively. Triple-negative/basal-like subtype was associated with a higher risk of severe hematological (OR = 3.15; 95% CI, 1.56–6.34) and gastrointestinal toxicities (OR = 3.60; 95% CI, 1.45–8.95) comparing to hormone receptor (HR)-positive HER2-negative subtype. Further research investigating underlying mechanisms would facilitate the development and delivery of personalized treatment and care plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in patients with adrenal gland metastasis (AGM) of oligometastatic lung cancer. Methods: Between June 2013 and May 2021, 44 patients with oligometastatic lung cancer (51 AGMs) were treated with SBRT. Forty-six (90%) lesions received a biological effective dose (BED10, α/β = 10) of 100 Gy. The primary endpoint was local control (LC). Local control (LC), overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) curves were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: The median follow-up was 23 months. The most common histology was non-small cell lung cancer (88.6%). The 1- and 2-year LC rates were both 95% and 91%, respectively. Overall survival was better in patients with solitary AGMs in univariate analysis. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that SBRT with higher BED is associated with satisfactory LC and low toxicity rates in patients with AGM of oligometastatic lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]