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Traditional silica-based optical fiber strain sensors suffer from a limited range of strain detection, mismatched mechanical performance, and complicated sensing structures that hinder their practical applications involving complex strain patterns and large strain measurement. To solve these issues, the development of novel flexible optical fiber strain sensors with distributed and multimodal strain sensing performance is critical but challenging. In this work, a flexible hydrogel optical fiber with a step-index core/cladding structure was successfully designed and fabricated using a simple thermal polymerization method involving calcium alginate and polyacrylamide. The resulting flexible fiber exhibited a large stretch deformation capacity and good optical transmission property as well as an effective and reversible strain response. Significantly, a flexible hydrogel functional fiber was further constructed by doping quantum dots with different fluorescent emission wavelengths in different positions. By exploiting a combination of emission wavelength encoding and transmission loss, the assembled flexible hydrogel functional optical fibers could distinguish and recognize the locations, magnitudes, and modes (stretch or bend) of mechanical deformation through a single wavelength of visible light (365 nm) excitation. An ultra-large dynamic range (0–120%) of axial strain and bending deformation (10°–80°) could be effectively detected. This work offers a versatile solution to develop promising stretchable and distributed fiber strain sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circadian clock is an autonomous timekeeping system evolved by organisms to adapt to external changes, regulating a variety of important physiological and behavioral processes. Recent studies have shown that the sirtuin family of histone deacetylases is involved in regulating the expression of clock genes and plays an important role in maintaining the normal rhythm of clock gene expression and behavior. Moreover, sirtuins are regulated directly or indirectly by the circadian clock system. The mutual regulation between the circadian clock and sirtuins is likely involved in a variety of signal transduction and metabolism processes. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms and research progress on the intertwined relationship between the circadian clock and sirtuins, mainly in mammals, highlighting sirtuins as molecular links between metabolic control and circadian rhythms and offering our perspectives on future developments in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ever-growing electronic medical corpora provide unprecedented opportunities for researchers to analyze patient conditions and drug effects. Meanwhile, severe challenges emerged in the large-scale electronic medical records process phase. Primarily, emerging words for medical terms, including informal descriptions, are difficult to recognize. Moreover, although deep models can help in entity extraction on medical texts, they require large-scale labels, which are time-intensive to obtain and not always available in the medical domain. However, when encountering a situation where massive unseen concepts appear or labeled data is insufficient, the performance of existing algorithms will suffer an intolerable decline. In this article, we propose a balanced and deep active learning framework for Medical Named Entity Recognition (MedNER) to alleviate the above problems. Specifically, to describe our selection strategy precisely, we first define the uncertainty of a medical sentence as a labeling loss predicted by a loss-prediction module and define diversity as the least text distance between pairs of sentences in a sample batch computed based on word-morpheme embeddings. Furthermore, aiming to make a trade-off between uncertainty and diversity, we formulate a Distinct-K optimization problem to maximize the slightest uncertainty and diversity of chosen sentences. Finally, we propose a threshold-based approximation selection algorithm, Distinct-K Filter, which selects the most beneficial training samples by balancing diversity and uncertainty. Extensive experimental results on real datasets demonstrate that MedNER significantly outperforms existing approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the relationship between oxidative stress and insulin resistance (IR) has been established, the associations of the composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI) and its components with the surrogate index of insulin resistance (IR), triglyceride-glucose index (TyG), is still not clear. Methods: This study analyzed the cross-sectional data of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2003 to 2018. Multivariate linear regression, weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used to analyze the associations of the CDAI and its components with the TyG. In addition, subgroup analysis and several sensitivity analyses were conducted. Results: A total of 14,673 participants with complete data were included, with a median age of 50 years and 7,257 women (49%). Multivariate linear regression showed that after full adjustment, the CDAI was significantly negatively associated with the TyG [β: -0.005, 95% CI: (-0.008, -0.002), p = 0.002]. The model in which six nutrients were mutually corrected showed that vitamin E (per-SD increase) was most strongly associated with the TyG [β: -0.062, 95% CI: (-0.074, -0.050), p < 0.0001]. In the WQS model, the WQS index of the antioxidant diet was negatively associated with the TyG (β: -0.060; P < 0.0001). Similar effects were observed in the BKMR analysis. Notably, in the WQS and BKMR models, vitamin E became the most influential component. In addition, in the subgroup analysis, the association between the CDAI and the TyG in overweight or obese and diabetic populations was significantly weaker. Conclusion: Antioxidant diets, especially vitamin E, are significantly negatively correlated with TyG. This study emphasizes the important value of supplementing vitamin E to improve IR. However, patients with poor weight management and diabetes seem to benefit less from antioxidant diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avacincaptad pegol (IZERVAYTM), a complement C5 inhibitor, is a promising new treatment option for patients with geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In phase 2/3 (GATHER1) and phase 3 (GATHER2) trials in adults with non-center point involving GA secondary to AMD, monthly intravitreal injection of avacincaptad pegol demonstrated a significant reduction in GA lesion growth rate over a period of 12 months. There were no significant differences in the mean change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and low-luminance BCVA between the avacincaptad pegol and sham groups. Avacincaptad pegol was generally well tolerated, with the most common adverse reactions being conjunctival hemorrhage, increased intraocular pressure, blurred vision, and choroidal neovascularization. Preliminary data from the 24-month analyses of GATHER2 have shown continued efficacy up to 24 months. Plain Language Summary: Geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a degenerative disease that leads to the progressive, irreversible loss of vision. Overactivation of the complement system is associated with the progression of GA; thus, complement inhibitors have been investigated as a treatment for GA. Complement C5 is one of the proteins in the complement cascade that initiates the downstream actions that lead to retina cell death. Avacincaptad pegol (IZERVAYTM) is a complement C5 inhibitor approved in the USA for the treatment of GA secondary to AMD. Administered by intravitreal injection to each affected eye once a month for 12 months, avacincaptad pegol significantly reduced the rate of GA lesion growth in patients with GA secondary to AMD in clinical trials. However, there were no significant differences in visual acuity between the avacincaptad pegol and sham groups. The efficacy of avacincaptad pegol is sustained up to 24 months. Avacincaptad pegol is generally well tolerated. Avacincaptad pegol is a promising new treatment option for patients with GA secondary to AMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex hormonal and immunological changes that occur during pregnancy can lead to the development of specific skin conditions, of which atopic dermatitis, now referred to as atopic eruption of pregnancy (AEP), is the most common. AEP typically presents before the third trimester and is characterized by eczematous or prurigo skin lesions that predominantly involve the flexures, extremities and/or trunk. Management options for AEP include topical treatments, phototherapy and systemic therapies. Novel therapies have been developed for the treatment of atopic dermatitis and further studies of their use in pregnant people will be useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is typically an indolent cancer, yet a minority of cases develop lymph node metastasis. Due to the unclear mechanisms of lymph node metastasis, a considerable number of patients undergo unnecessary surgeries. Currently, the identification of key genetic biomarkers in high-dimensional data presents a significant challenge, thereby limiting research progress in this area. Here, we proposed a hybrid filter-wrapper feature selection strategy for core factor detection and developed MethyAE, a metastasis prediction model based on DNA methylation, utilizing an end-to-end learning auto-encoder. 46 methylated CpG sites were successfully identified as crucial biomarkers for lymph node metastasis. Leveraging 447 PTC samples from the Cancer Genome Atlas (221 with metastasis, 226 without), the MethyAE model achieves 88.9% accuracy and a recall rate of 88.6% in predicting lymph node metastasis, outperforming commonly used machine learning methods like logistic regression and random forest. Furthermore, the MethyAE model exhibits favorable performance in DNA methylation data from colon cancer, bladder cancer, and breast cancer. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to predict PTC lymph node metastasis through DNA methylation, offering pivotal decision-making criteria for avoiding unnecessary surgeries and selecting appropriate treatment plans for a substantial cohort of PTC patients. DNA methylation as biomarkers for quantitative prediction of PTC lymph node metastasis. A hybrid filter-wrapper feature selection strategy for core factor detection. Development of MethyAE, a lymph node metastasis prediction model, using an end-to-end learning auto-encoder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background There is a close association between diet and abdominal pain; however, relationship between inflammatory diet and characteristics of abdominal pain has not been characterized yet. Methods This study analyzed baseline data from the UK Biobank, 3-item DHQ-Abdominal Pain Questionnaire (DHQ-3Q), which including abdominal pain in the past 3 months, severity of abdominal pain, and frequency of abdominal pain, and data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2017 to 2020. Energy-adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index (E-DII), constructed based on 26 or 27 nutrients, was analyzed using continuous or categorical methods. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline analyses examined the association between E-DII and abdominal pain. Results In UK Biobank, compared to participants in the lowest quintile of E-DII, the adjusted ORs for the highest quintile were 1.12 (95% CI 1.02–1.24; P  = .022), 1.05 (95% CI 1.00–1.09; P  = .030), 1.26 (95% CI 1.17–1.36; P  < .001), and 1.10 (95% CI 1.00–1.20; P  = .044) for chronic abdominal pain, abdominal pain in the past three months, severity of abdominal pain, and frequency of abdominal pain, respectively. In NHANES, compared to participants in the lowest quintile of E-DII, the adjusted ORs for the highest quintile were 1.46 (95% CI 1.20–1.77; P  < .001), 1.75 (95% CI 1.20–2.60; P  = .005), 1.45 (95% CI 1.14–1.87; P  = .003), and 1.18 (95% CI 0.82–1.72; P  = .380) for abdominal pain in the past year, upper left abdominal pain, upper middle abdominal pain, and upper right abdominal pain. Additionally, there was a nonlinear correlation between E-DII score and DHQ-3Q (P nonlinear <.001). Conclusion Following a pro-inflammatory diet is linked to a higher likelihood of experiencing abdominal pain, as well as increased severity and frequency of such pain. Therefore, further longitudinal studies are necessary to investigate this relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution (Miebo®) is a single-entity, water-, steroid- and preservative-free, first-in-class semifluorinated alkane that is approved in the USA for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease (DED). DED is often linked with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), which causes an excessive evaporation of tears. Perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution stabilizes the lipid layer of the tear film and inhibits tear evaporation by forming a monolayer at the air-liquid interface. In the phase III GOBI and MOJAVE trials in adults with DED associated with MGD, one drop of perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution instilled in each eye four times daily over 8 weeks resulted in statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in the signs and symptoms of DED compared with hypotonic saline (0.6%). The agent was generally well tolerated, with most ocular adverse events being mild or moderate in severity. The efficacy and tolerability of perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution was sustained for up to 52 weeks in an extension study (KALAHARI). As the first and currently the only prescription treatment approved in the USA directly addressing the pathophysiology of excessive tear evaporation, perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution is a valuable emerging option for the management of DED. Plain Language Summary: Dry eye disease (DED) is a common eye disorder caused by many factors. In most cases, DED is linked with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), which causes an excessive evaporation of tears. Perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution (Miebo®), a single-entity, water-, steroid- and preservative-free, first-in-class semifluorinated alkane, is approved in the USA for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of DED. The agent stabilizes the lipid layer of the tear film and prevents the evaporation of tears by forming a layer on the surface of the tear film. In two phase III clinical trials in adults with MGD-associated DED, one drop of perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution instilled in each eye four times daily over 8 weeks led to significant improvements in the signs and symptoms of DED when compared with hypotonic saline (0.6%). Perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution was generally well tolerated, with most ocular adverse events being mild or moderate in severity. Thus, as the first and currently the only prescription treatment approved in the USA directly addressing excessive tear evaporation, perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution is a valuable emerging option for the management of DED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amoxicillin and third-generation cephalosporins are widely used in the prevention and treatment of established infections. These broad-spectrum antibiotics are mainly excreted via urine and are considered relatively safe. However, several reports have indicated that substantial nephrotoxicity (e.g. acute interstitial nephritis and crystal nephropathy) occurs with amoxicillin and several cases of nephrotoxicity have been reported with ceftriaxone. While corticosteroids have been shown to improve kidney function in some patients with acute interstitial nephritis, close monitoring of kidney function for acute kidney injury can lead to an early diagnosis and recovery. Strategies preventing acute kidney injury can also be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Protein‐energy wasting is commonly observed in patients undergoing hemodialysis, leading to reduced muscle mass and, in severe cases, sarcopenia, which significantly impacts the patients' quality of life and clinical outcomes. Exercise interventions are frequently employed to address muscle loss in these patients. However, the relationship between exercise capacity and skeletal muscle mass in this context remains uncertain. In this study, researchers conducted a series of body composition analysis and exercise capacity test to explore the relationship between exercise capacity and skeletal muscle mass. Methods: This study recruited 32 patients undergoing hemodialysis and analyzed their demographic and clinical parameters. To assess aerobic exercise capacity, the incremental shuttle walking test (ISWT) was conducted, while the handgrip strength test was used to evaluate muscle strength. The patients' body compositions were assessed using the Fresenius Body Composition Monitor, and the appendicular skeletal muscle was scanned using a GE Healthcare Lunar iDXA scanner. Three sequential linear models were employed to model the relationship between ISWT and skeletal muscle mass. Model 1 regressed ISWT against gender and age; Model 2 added handgrip strength, fat tissue index, and Davies comorbidity scores as additional predictors; and Model 3 further included the appendicular skeletal muscle index (appendicular skeletal muscle/height). Findings: After controlling for age and gender (Model 1: R2 = 0.373), and subsequently including handgrip strength, fat tissue index, and Davies comorbidity score effects (Model 2: R2 = 0.581), the impact of appendicular skeletal muscle on ISWT was found to be non‐significant (Model 3: R2 = 0.600). Conclusion: There was no significant correlation observed between exercise capacity and skeletal muscle mass in patients undergoing hemodialysis, indicating the factors influencing exercise capacity in this patient population are complex and that increasing skeletal muscle mass may not necessarily involve solely addressing the improvement of exercise capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the existence of invariant curves of real analytic reversible mappings which are quasi-periodic in the angle variables. By the normal form theorem, we prove that under some assumptions, the original mapping is changed into its linear part via an analytic convergent transformation, so that invariants curves are obtained. In the iterative process, by solving the modified homological equations, we ensure that the transformed mapping is still reversible. As an application, we investigate the invariant curves of a class of nonlinear resonant oscillators, with the Birkhoff constants of the corresponding Poincaré mapping all zeros or not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitapivat (Pyrukynd®), an oral, allosteric activator of pyruvate kinase (PK), is approved in the USA for the treatment of haemolytic anaemia in adults with PK deficiency and in the EU and UK for the treatment of PK deficiency in adults. Mitapivat acts by restoring activity of the red blood cell (RBC) PK enzyme, which is dysfunctional due to genetic mutations in the PKLR gene in patients with PK deficiency. In the double-blind placebo-controlled phase III ACTIVATE trial in adults with PK deficiency who were not regularly RBC transfused, mitapivat was superior to placebo in improving haemoglobin levels. In the single-arm phase III ACTIVATE-T trial in adults with PK deficiency who were regularly RBC transfused, a reduction in RBC transfusion burden was observed with mitapivat. In both trials, mitapivat improved other clinical parameters of haemolysis and patient-reported health-related quality of life. At the approved twice-daily dosage range, mitapivat was generally well tolerated, with adverse events generally being mild to moderate in severity. Results from an ongoing extension study in previously enrolled phase III trial patients will be of interest. Currently available data indicate that mitapivat, the first approved disease-modifying drug for PK deficiency in adults, is a valuable treatment option for this rare disease. Plain Language Summary: Pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency is a rare hereditary disease caused by mutations affecting the function of the PK enzyme in red blood cells (RBCs) and is characterized by chronic haemolytic anaemia. Treatment options for adults with PK deficiency have historically been limited to supportive care and are themselves associated with potentially serious complications. Oral mitapivat (Pyrukynd®) is the first disease-modifying drug to be approved for use in adults with PK deficiency and acts by restoring activity of the dysfunctional RBC PK enzyme. Based on findings from two phase III clinical trials, twice-daily oral mitapivat provided clinical benefit in adults with PK deficiency, both in patients not requiring, and requiring, regular RBC transfusions. Improvements in disease-specific health-related quality of life were observed in adults with PK deficiency treated with mitapivat. Mitapivat was generally well tolerated, with most adverse events being mild to moderate in severity. In conclusion, current evidence indicates that mitapivat is a valuable treatment option for adults with PK deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adding discrete fibres to sand has been seen as a feasible technique to improve sand's strength as well as liquefaction resistance. Considering the anisotropic distribution of fibre orientations, the anisotropy in the liquefaction resistance of the reinforced sand is also introduced using fibres. Here, the triaxial compression and extension test results of unreinforced and fibre-reinforced sand in different density states are provided, from which the anisotropy in the liquefaction resistance of fibre-reinforced sand is demonstrated. Fibre reinforcement improves the liquefaction resistance of sand by introducing both the densifying effect and the confining effect. The inclusion of fibres increases both the slope and the intercept of the strength envelope in comparison with the unreinforced sand under triaxial compression, while the strength envelope is not affected by fibres under triaxial extension. Stress contribution of fibres makes the ESP of the composite under undrained loading reverse its direction to develop even though the phase transformation is absent. The stress ratio initiating the ESP reversal is irrespective of the fibre content but dependent on the density state under triaxial compression. Under triaxial extension, the stress ratio initiating the ESP reversal remains the same in the samples with varied density states and fibre contents. The mechanism correlating to the strength envelope and ESP reversal of the fibre-reinforced sand was demonstrated following a rule of mixture based constitutive modelling framework. By introducing an alternatively defined pore pressure ratio that incorporates the stress contribution of fibres, the liquefaction state of the fibre reinforced sand is reasonably assessed. Liquefaction remains absent in the sand once the fibres are mixed. The anisotropy in the liquefaction resistance of fibre-reinforced sand arises, as the predominant role played by the fibres to suppress the liquefaction is different when varied loading paths are involved, which is sourced from the anisotropic distribution of fibre orientations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geotextile filters have been used as substitution of granular filters for decades. Despite their technical and commercial success, the behavior of geotextile filters can be quite complex and difficult to understand, especially the erosion or clogging problems that lead to instability of a filtration system. This paper focuses on the influence of soil particle migration on the permeability of the filtration system and whether the system will be unstable due to excessive erosion of soil particles when a large opening–size geotextile is used as a filter. A series of model tests with a dimension of 120×79×25 cm under different hydraulic conditions were carried out. The microscopic image analysis method was used for the particle-grading analysis. Finally, from the experiments performed, the modified research approach for criteria for determining the instability of the filtration system due to excessive erosion of soil particles and the modified research approach for criteria for determining the limit soil-retained state were proposed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colchicine has multiple anti-inflammatory properties and is used for a variety of disorders. As the use of colchicine expands from its approved uses (e.g. gout) to various off-label indications (e.g. pericarditis), the risk for drug–drug interactions (DDIs) to occur with colchicine increases. Colchicine is a substrate for cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) and permeability glycoprotein (P-gp) and, when used concurrently with other CYP3A4 and/or P-gp inhibitors, can lead to life-threatening outcomes. This article summarises the risks associated with colchicine use, mechanisms behind adverse DDIs and various management options to minimise patient harm from colchicine DDIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the association of reproductive hormones with primary dysmenorrhea in Chinese women.Methods: A case–control study was conducted and patients with primary dysmenorrhea and non-dysmenorrhea participants were recruited. Oxytocin, PGF2α, vasopressin, estriol and estradiol were respectively measured in plasma collected three to five days after menstruation. Restricted cubic spline and multiple logistic regression models were adopted to analyze the association between hormones and primary dysmenorrhea.Results: There were 604 participants enrolled in our study including 300 patients with primary dysmenorrhea. After adjustment for the potential confounders, oxytocin levels (Q3: OR (95% CI) = 0.50 (0.27~0.95) (p=0.035); Q4: 0.34 (0.17~0.66) (p=0.001)) and PGF2α levels (Q3: 0.45 (0.24~0.87) (p=0.017); Q4: 0.43 (0.22~0.84) (p=0.013)) were respectively associated with an decreased risk of primary dysmenorrhea, but estradiol (Q2: 2.18 (1.13~4.19) (p=0.020); Q3: 2.17 (1.12~4.19) (p=0.022)) and vasopressin (Q3: 2.88 (1.48~5.63) (p=0.002); Q4: 3.20 (1.65~6.22) (p< 0.001)) with an increased risk of primary dysmenorrhea, respectively. Among patients with primary dysmenorrhea, the higher estriol level was associated with higher frequent dysmenorrhea (Q2: 3.12 (1.32~7.34) (p=0.009); Q3: 4.97 (2.08~11.85) (p< 0.001)) and always dysmenorrhea (Q2: 2.51 (1.03~6.11) (p=0.041); Q3: 3.10 (1.25~7.73) (p=0.015)). Similarly, high estriol levels were associated with the higher degree of pain significantly only when hormone levels were at a high level (Q3: 2.06 (1.03~4.18) (p=0.043)).Conclusion: Higher serum vasopressin and estradiol concentrations as well as lower oxytocin and PGF2α levels were associated with higher risk of primary dysmenorrhea. Estrogen showed a reverse U-shape association on the frequency and degree of pain among patients with primary dysmenorrhea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the equation x ̈ + x 2 n + 1 + q (t) x l = p (t) , where p and q are quasi-periodic functions, and prove that the set of initial values leading to escaping orbits has typically zero Lebesgue measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emergence of high-throughput sequencing technology, a number of non-avian reptile species have been sequenced at the genome scale, shedding light on various scientific inquiries related to reptile ecology and evolution. However, the routine requirement of tissue or blood samples for genome sequencing often poses challenges in many elusive reptiles, hence limiting the application of high-throughput sequencing technologies to reptile studies. An alternative reptilian DNA resource suitable for genome sequencing is in urgent need. Here, we used the corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus) as a reptile model species to demonstrate that the shed skin is a high-quality DNA source for genome sequencing. Skin sheds provide a noninvasive type of sample that can be easily collected without restraining or harming the animal. Our findings suggest that shed skin from corn snakes yields DNA of sufficient quantity and quality that are comparable to tissue DNA extracts. Genome sequencing data analysis revealed that shed skin DNA is subject to bacteria contamination at variable levels, which is a major issue related to shed skin DNA and may be addressed by a modified DNA extraction method through introduction of a 30 min pre-digestion step. This study provides an enhanced method for the use of reptile shed skins as a high-quality DNA source for whole genome sequencing. Utilizing shed skin DNA enables researchers to overcome the limitations generally associated with obtaining traditional tissue or blood samples and promises to facilitate the application of genome sequencing in reptilian research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common type of hair loss disorder and affects both men and women. It is characterized by the progressive miniaturization of hair follicles in androgenetic areas of the scalp resulting in a decrease in hair density. While the number of options for managing AGA has increased over the years, evidence-based information and guidelines are limited. Treatments range from the approved and off-label use of pharmacological agents [including oral 5α-reductase inhibitors (e.g. dutasteride) and vasodilators (e.g. topical minoxidil)] to non-pharmacological treatments (e.g. low-level laser therapy) and emerging investigational therapies (e.g. botulinum toxin). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a contagious and seasonal viral disease in children. The gut microbiota of HFMD children is not clear now. The study aimed to explore the gut microbiota of HFMD children. The 16S rRNA gene of the gut microbiota of ten HFMD patients and ten healthy children were sequenced on the NovaSeq and PacBio platforms respectively. There were significant differences in gut microbiota between the patients and healthy children. The diversity and abundance of gut microbiota in HFMD patients were lower than that in healthy children. The species Roseburia inulinivorans and Romboutsia timonensis were more abundant in healthy children than those in HFMD patients, which suggests that the two species may be used as probiotics for adjusting the gut microbiota of HFMD patients. Meanwhile, the results of 16S rRNA gene sequences from the two platforms were different. The NovaSeq platform identified more microbiota and has the characteristics of high throughput, short time and low price. However, the NovaSeq platform has low resolution at the species level. The PacBio platform has high resolution based on its long reads length, which is more suitable for species-level analysis. But, the shortcomings of the high price and low throughput of PacBio still need to be overcome. With the development of sequencing technology, the reduction in sequencing price and the increase in throughput will promote the third-generation sequencing technology used in the study of gut microbes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direction of electroosmotic flow in clay is normal from the anode to the cathode, and the opposite direction is rarely observed. However, electroosmotic flow from the cathode to the anode was observed in kaolin acidified to pH 4 by acetic acid during an electroosmosis experiment. It had an impact on the electrokinetic remediation occurring with lead-contaminated kaolin. The experimental results indicated that reverse electroosmotic flow from the cathode to the anode was caused by a decrease in the absolute value of the soil zeta potential due to the compressed double electric layer and the hydrophilic carboxyl groups in acetate ions. The reverse electroosmotic flow was stronger than normal electroosmotic flow from anode to cathode. The reverse electroosmotic flow had an impact on migration of lead ions in the lead-contaminated kaolin during electrokinetic remediation experiments. The experimental results indicated that the rate for removal of Pb was increased by 10.1% due to the reverse electroosmotic flow. A micro-mechanism model for lead ion migration was built according to the functions of electric field and electroosmotic flows on lead ions, and it explained well the mechanism for the impact of reverse electroosmosis on lead ion removal. The micro-mechanism model indicated that when the direction of the stronger electroosmotic flow is the same as the migration direction of Pb, the rate for removal of Pb is improved, and vice versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simplified method for assessing the serviceability performance of geosynthetic reinforced and pile-supported embankment is presented, where the subsoil consolidation is introduced remaining compatible with the development of soil arching and the reinforcement sag. A piecewise function of the ground reaction curve is developed and used to quantify the arching efficiency. The link between the arching evolution and the subsoil consolidation is then established through the load-carrying equilibrium in the area between piles together with the tensile membrane theory. The reaction of the subsoil is described using the 1-D consolidation theory where the stress history is considered. A parametric study is performed to demonstrate the serviceability performance of a geosynthetic reinforced and pile-supported embankment. The serviceability design of the geosynthetic reinforced and pile-supported embankment is achieved with the proposed method which offers an approach to estimate the time consumed and the subsoil settlement required to achieve a service state. • A simple method is proposed for assessing the serviceability performance of the GRPS embankment. • The evolution of soil arching remains compatible with the development of subsoil settlement and reinforcement sag. • A piecewise function of GRC is newly defined and adopted in the method to quantify arching efficiency. • The parametric study was performed and the serviceability performance of a GRPS embankment is assessed. • The method is capable of determining the time consumed and the subsoil settlement required to achieve a service state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In sequential testing with binary data, sample size and time to detect a signal are the key performance measures to optimize. While the former should be optimized in Phase III clinical trials, minimizing the latter is of major importance in post-market drug and vaccine safety surveillance of adverse events. The precision of the relative risk estimator on termination of the analysis is a meaningful design criterion as well. This paper presents a linear programming framework to find the optimal alpha spending that minimizes expected time to signal, or expected sample size as needed. The solution enables (a) to bound the width of the confidence interval following the end of the analysis, (b) designs with outer signaling thresholds and inner non-signaling thresholds, and (c) sequential designs with variable Bernoulli probabilities. To illustrate, we use real data on the monitoring of adverse events following the H1N1 vaccination. The numerical results are obtained using the R Sequential package. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we design an innovative and general class of modified two-stage sampling schemes to enhance double sampling and modified double sampling procedures. Under the squared error loss plus linear cost of sampling, we revisit the classic problem of minimum risk point estimation (MRPE) for an unknown normal mean μ ( ∈ R ) when the population variance σ 2 ( ∈ R + ) also remains unknown. With stopping variables constructed based on an arbitrary general estimator Wm for σ, which satisfies a set of certain conditions, our procedures are proved to enjoy asymptotic first- and second-order efficiency as well as asymptotic first-order risk efficiency. For illustrative purposes, we further investigate specific modified two-stage MRPE procedures, where we substitute appropriate multiples of sample standard deviation, Gini's mean difference (GMD), and mean absolute deviation (MAD) in the place of Wm, respectively. Extensive simulation studies are utilized to validate our theoretical findings. A real-life data set of weight change from female anorexic patients is then analyzed to demonstrate the practical applicability of these modified two-stage MRPE procedures. Comparing them in the case where there exist suspect outliers in the pilot sample, we are empirically confident that the GMD- and MAD-based procedures appear more robust than the sample-standard-deviation-based procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reveals the strong affinity of lanthanum for kaolinite and its unique pH-insensitive adsorption behavior, differing significantly from that of conventional heavy metal ions. To elucidate this phenomenon, surface complexation models were used to simulate and interpret lanthanum's adsorption on kaolinite in various background electrolytes. The results shed light on the probable existence of sites within kaolinite exhibiting relatively high degrees of deprotonation, showcasing a robust affinity for lanthanum while displaying diminished affinity towards heavy metal ions. Leveraging the surface complexation model, the adsorption behavior of lanthanum in the presence of ammonium sulfate as a background electrolyte was successfully anticipated, thereby validating the significant role played by sulfate ions in the leaching of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores. Given the distinct adsorption behaviors of lanthanides and heavy metals on kaolinite at different pH levels, mining at relatively high pH levels is recommended to minimize heavy metal ion leaching. This strategic approach serves to mitigate the excessive leaching of heavy metal ions into the surrounding ecosystem under conditions of low pH. Moreover, our findings underscore the extensive research prospects associated with surface complexation models in elucidating phenomena related to organic acid-enhanced leaching and electrokinetic mining processes. [Display omitted] • Lanthanum shows pH-insensitive adsorption on kaolinite, unlike typical heavy metals. • Sulfate ions boost REE leaching efficiency through complexation, surpassing chlorides. • Surface complexation models aid enhanced leaching and electrokinetic mining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we develop testing procedures for hypotheses regarding the difference of location parameters from two independent two-parameter exponential populations with unknown but proportional scale parameters. We design appropriate two-stage and purely sequential procedures to determine the appropriate sample sizes while controlling both type-I and type-II error probabilities at or below the preassigned levels α, β respectively. We prove that both two-stage and purely sequential testing strategies enjoy a number of practically appealing properties. Extensive sets of computer simulations validate our theoretical findings. We illustrate the testing methodologies along with sampling procedures on a cancer studies data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the membrane effect of geogrid reinforcement was investigated based on numerical simulation to understand the serviceability and deformation of highway piled embankments under moving vehicle loads. The membrane effect of geogrid reinforcement in low embankments (i.e., the ratio of embankment height to pile spacing is less than 1.5) was clearly emphasized. It has been found that the maximum settlement of geogrid occurs in the central area between the piles, and the maximum tension was concentrated at the corner of the pile cap. Due to the attenuation of the soil arching effect under moving dynamic loads and the punching mechanism, the settlement and tension of the geogrid increased considerably by approximately 35% and 23% compared to those under static loads. A parametric study was also achieved, and the results presented that the geogrid reinforcement tension increased by increasing the pile spacing, embankment height and geogrid stiffness, vehicle wheel load and vehicle velocity. It was also found that the reinforcement tension was most sensitive to the pile spacing among all the parameters considered in this paper, whose magnitude increased by approximately 104% as the pile spacing increased from 2.0 m to 2.5 m under dynamic loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floating pile-supported embankment involves more complex load transfer mechanisms, and there are no clear uniform guidelines available for its design. The concepts of flexible floating, rigid floating and end-bearing pile-supported embankments were proposed in this paper. Based on three typical field cases, their pile-soil interactions and soil arching effect were examined using the three-dimensional finite element method. Due to symmetry, only a half-width embankment model was simulated here. It has been found that the flexible floating piles carry the load mainly relying on the skin friction, but end-bearing piles rely on the pile tip resistance. The rigid floating piles were somehow in between. The earth pressure coefficient (K) in the end-bearing pile-supported embankment reached a maximum of 3.28, greater than Rankine passive values of the earth pressure coefficient (KP), in which the soil arching was fully developed. The K in the embankment with rigid floating pile reached 2.21, where soil arching might be partially formed. At the bottom of the flexible floating pile-supported embankment, the K tended to equal the Rankine active values of the earth pressure coefficient (Ka), and thus soil arching was insignificant. It has also been found that using rigid floating piles might significantly improve the bearing capacity of the embankments and was cost-effective for deep soft soil areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed and conducted to clarify the impact of RNF128 expression on malignant biological behaviors of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and the underlying mechanism. The expression of RNF128 in CRC tissues was analyzed using mRNA sequencing data of TCGA database and was validated by Western blot assay. The experimental studies on biological functions of RNF128 in vitro were conducted to assess its impact on the proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis of CRC cells. Furthermore, tumor xenograft models in nude mice were established to investigate the relationship between RNF128 expression and tumor growth in vivo. The expression levels of both RNF128 mRNA and protein were significantly increased in CRC tissues (p <.001). The knockdown of RNF128 markedly suppressed the malignant phenotype of HCT116 and SW480 cells in vitro, including cell growth, antiapoptosis, migration, and invasion (p <.001). On the other hand, knockdown of RNF128 exerted a remarkable effect on the growth inhibition of tumor xenografts in vivo (p <.001). Further investigation revealed that RNF128 knockdown lead to a significant decrease in the expression of p‐AKT and p‐PI3K protein. More importantly, the proliferative, antiapoptotic, metastatic abilities of RNF128‐knockdown cells were markedly increased by 740 Y‐P treatment (p <.001). These findings further suggested that PI3K/AKT signaling pathway played a key role in RNF128‐mediated aggressive phenotype of CRC cells. RNF128 functions as a tumor promoter in the pathogenesis of CRC via regulating PI3K/AKT pathway, and it could be a valuable target for CRC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider a two-stage sequential estimation procedure to estimate the parameters of a cumulative exposure model under an accelerated testing scenario. In particular, we focus on a step-stress model where the stress level changes after a pre-specified number of failures occur, which is also random. This is termed as a 'random stress change time' in the literature. We further aim to estimate these parameters using maximum precision and hence use a certain variance optimality criteria. Our proposed two-stage estimation procedures follow interesting efficiency properties and their applicability is seen through extensive simulation analyses and a pseudo-real data example from reliability studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raoul ornithine-releasing bacteria widely exist in water, plants, and soil, and colonize the digestive tract and upper respiratory tract of the human body. They are aerobic, unpowered, and capsular opportunistic pathogens. The infectivity of this bacterium is still uncertain, but the possibility of nosocomial infection has been mentioned in the literature. Studies have pointed out that the bacterium should be diagnosed in time and sensitive antibiotics should be used early. Once complicated with sepsis, it can cause multiple organ failure with a poor prognosis. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of nine cases of neonatal L. ornithine septicemia, to explore the clinical characteristics of neonatal L. ornithine septicemia and anti-infection therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presented a numerical investigation of the tensile membrane effect in the geogrid reinforced piled embankment under dynamic loading. It has been found that the maximum sag of the geogrid was attained at the center of two adjacent piles, while localization of tensile force was observed at the corners of the pile caps. Under the dynamic loading, the sag and the strain of the geogrid increased when compared with the static loading, an increase of around 45.9% and 24% was, respectively, yielded for the sag and the strain of the geogrid. This increase of tension in the geogrid may mainly result from the degradation of the soil arching effect under dynamic loading. A parameter study was performed, and it showed that the tensile force in the geogrid increases with the rise of the embankment height, the clear pile spacing, and the tensile stiffness of the geogrid. However, the increase of the friction angle of the embankment fill led to a decrease in the tension in the geogrid, which may benefit from the improvement of the soil arching developed in the embankment fill. It was found that the tensile behavior of the geogrid was the most sensitive to the pile spacing. When pile spacing increased from 2.0 m to 3.0 m, the tensile force in the geogrid increased by about 248%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most monocular visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (vSLAM) and visual odometry (VO) algorithms focus on either feature-based methods or direct methods. Hybrid (semi-direct) approach is less studied although it is equally important. In this paper, a hybrid sparse visual odometry (HSO) algorithm with online photometric calibration is proposed for monocular vision. HSO introduces two novel measures, that is, direct image alignment with adaptive mode selection and image photometric description using ratio factors, to enhance the robustness against dramatic image intensity changes and motion blur. Moreover, HSO is able to establish pose constraints between keyframes far apart in time and space by using KLT tracking enhanced with a local-global brightness consistency. The convergence speed of candidate map points is adopted as the basis for keyframe selection, which strengthens the coordination between the front end and the back end. Photometric calibration is elegantly integrated into the VO system working in tandem: (1) Photometric interference from the camera, such as vignetting and changes in exposure time, is accurately calibrated and compensated in HSO, thereby improving the accuracy and robustness of VO. (2) On the other hand, VO provides pre-calculated data for the photometric calibration algorithm, which reduces resource consumption and improves the estimation accuracy of photometric parameters. Extensive experiments are performed on various public datasets to evaluate the proposed HSO against the state-of-the-art monocular vSLAM/VO and online photometric calibration methods. The results show that the proposed HSO achieves superior performance on VO and photometric calibration in terms of accuracy, robustness, and efficiency, being comparable with the state-of-the-art VO/vSLAM systems. We open source HSO for the benefit of the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: With the emergence of continuously mutating variants of coronavirus, it is urgent to develop a deep learning model for automatic COVID-19 diagnosis at early stages from chest X-ray images. Since laboratory testing is time-consuming and requires trained laboratory personal, diagnosis using chest X-ray (CXR) is a befitting option. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we proposed an interpretable multi-task system for automatic lung detection and COVID-19 screening in chest X-rays to find an alternate method of testing which are reliable, fast and easily accessible, and able to generate interpretable predictions that are strongly correlated with radiological findings. METHODS: The proposed system consists of image preprocessing and an unsupervised machine learning (UML) algorithm for lung region detection, as well as a truncated CNN model based on deep transfer learning (DTL) to classify chest X-rays into three classes of COVID-19, pneumonia, and normal. The Grad-CAM technique was applied to create class-specific heatmap images in order to establish trust in the medical AI system. RESULTS: Experiments were performed with 15,884 frontal CXR images to show that the proposed system achieves an accuracy of 91.94% in a test dataset with 2,680 images including a sensitivity of 94.48% on COVID-19 cases, a specificity of 88.46% on normal cases, and a precision of 88.01% on pneumonia cases. Our system also produced state-of-the-art outcomes with a sensitivity of 97.40% on public test data and 88.23% on a previously unseen clinical data (1,000 cases) for binary classification of COVID-19-positive and COVID-19-negative films. CONCLUSION: Our automatic computerized evaluation for grading lung infections exhibited sensitivity comparable to that of radiologist interpretation in clinical applicability. Therefore, the proposed solution can be used as one element of patient evaluation along with gold-standard clinical and laboratory testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of metal particles into microbe-based carbon materials for application to lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries has the three major advantages of pore formation, chemisorption for polysulfides, and catalysis of electrochemical reactions. Metal particles and high specific surface area are often considered to enhance the properties of Li–S batteries. However, there are few data to support the claim that metal particles implanted in microbe-based carbon hosts can improve Li–S battery performance without interfering with the specific surface area. In this work, hollow-cavity cobalt-embedded yeast-based carbon (HC–Co–YC) with low specific surface area was successfully produced by impregnating yeast cells with a solution containing 0.075 M CoCl2 (designated as HC–Co–YC–0.075M). Cobalt particles implanted in yeast carbon (YC) could improve the conductive properties, lithium-ion diffusion, and cycling stability of the sulfur cathode. Compared to previously reported counterpart electrodes without metal particles, the HC–Co–YC–0.075M/S electrode in this study had a high initial specific capacity of 1061.9 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C, maintained a reversible specific capacity of 504.9 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles, and showed a capacity fading rate of 0.1049% per cycle. In conclusion, the combination of cobalt particles and YC with low specific surface area exhibited better cycle stability, emphasizing the importance of implantation of metal particles into carbon hosts for improving the electrochemical properties of Li–S batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is one of the common clinical intracranial hemorrhagic disorders, accounting for 16%–20% of bilateral CSDH. At present, the surgical treatment of bilateral CSDH mainly includes drilling drainage and neuroendoscopic assistance. The main objective of this paper was to compare the effects of two surgical methods on CSDH. Methods. 153 patients who were diagnosed with CSDH were included in this study. 79 patients were treated with bilateral drilling drainage, and the other 74 patients were treated with neuroendoscope-assisted drainage. The clinical data of the two groups were compared, and the surgical indexes, neurological function, cure rate, and recurrence rate of the two groups were compared. The operation indexes of patients include operation time, postoperative hematoma volume, hospital stay, extubation time, misplacement of drainage tube, recurrence, and hematoma clearance rate. Results. All patients underwent CT examination one day after operation. The CT imaging detection of the two groups was generally good. The cranial CT was reexamined before discharge. The bilateral hematoma disappeared in 114 patients, the unilateral hematoma disappeared in 29 patients, a small amount of compensatory crescent very low-density shadow subdural effusion was observed on the other side, and a small amount of compensatory crescent very low-density shadow subdural effusion was observed on both sides in 10 patients. There was no space occupying effect and intracranial gas disappeared. Compared with neuroendoscopic assisted drainage, the operation time of drilling drainage patients was significantly shorter. The extubation time, drainage tube dislocation, recurrence rate, postoperative hematoma volume, and hematoma clearance rate of patients receiving neuroendoscopic assisted drainage were significantly better than those receiving drilling drainage. The Markwalder score and hospital stay between the two groups were not significant. Conclusions. Drilling drainage and neuroendoscopic assisted surgery have good therapeutic effects on bilateral CSDH. The operation time of drilling drainage is shorter. Neuroendoscopic assisted surgery has more advantages in extubation time, misplacement of drainage tube, recurrence, postoperative hematoma volume, and hematoma clearance rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The methods available to predict the strain and tension of geogrid are regularly based on two-dimensional condition, however, the three-dimensional deformed shape of geogrid is seldom considered in the literature. This paper proposed an analytical method to calculate the settlement of reinforced piled embankment considering three-dimensional deformed geogrid, in which the arching effect, the bearing capacity of geogrid and subsoil were taken into account. Firstly, three-dimensional deformation formula of geogrid was derived. Then the load transfer mechanism in the reinforced piled embankment was analyzed, including deriving the vertical stress at the base of the embankment, the vertical stress acting on the geogrid and that taken by the subsoil for piles arranged in the square pattern and in triangle pattern. The proposed analytical method can calculate the maximum settlement at the surface of the subsoil directly, and then the vertical stress acting on the subsoil surface, as well as the distribution of vertical stress along the embankment height can be derived. Finally, the proposed analytical method was used to calculate the settlement of two field cases. The difference between the results calculated from the proposed analytical method and the measurements was 19.5% and 9.2%, respectively, which validated the proposed analytical method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adding acetic acid to specific kaolin induces reverse electroosmotic flow (EOF). The experimental results indicate that the pH of the kaolin after experimentation ranged from 3.78 to 10.48, which did not reach the point of zero charge (pHPZC) identified by previous studies as the critical factor causing the reverse EOF. This reverse EOF was attributed to the differential water-binding capabilities of ions, with hydration numbers of CH3COO− and Na+ being 6 and 5, respectively, and the distinct migration mechanisms of various ions, notably the unique chain migration of H+. EDTA was utilized to complex Pb into PbEDTA2−, thereby altering its ionic charge and facilitating its application in the electrokinetic remediation (EKR) of acetic acid-acidified, Pb-contaminated kaolin. This intervention was crucial as it induced the migration of anionic Pb towards the anode. To mitigate polarization near the electrodes, the electrolytes of the anode and cathode were linked and circulated. The results demonstrated a successful Pb removal rate of up to 97.44% while retaining the kaolin's inherent elements, indicating that electrolyte circulation helps maintain soil fertility during EKR by preserving ionic components essential for plant growth.Graphical abstract: Adding acetic acid to specific kaolin induces reverse electroosmotic flow (EOF). The experimental results indicate that the pH of the kaolin after experimentation ranged from 3.78 to 10.48, which did not reach the point of zero charge (pHPZC) identified by previous studies as the critical factor causing the reverse EOF. This reverse EOF was attributed to the differential water-binding capabilities of ions, with hydration numbers of CH3COO− and Na+ being 6 and 5, respectively, and the distinct migration mechanisms of various ions, notably the unique chain migration of H+. EDTA was utilized to complex Pb into PbEDTA2−, thereby altering its ionic charge and facilitating its application in the electrokinetic remediation (EKR) of acetic acid-acidified, Pb-contaminated kaolin. This intervention was crucial as it induced the migration of anionic Pb towards the anode. To mitigate polarization near the electrodes, the electrolytes of the anode and cathode were linked and circulated. The results demonstrated a successful Pb removal rate of up to 97.44% while retaining the kaolin's inherent elements, indicating that electrolyte circulation helps maintain soil fertility during EKR by preserving ionic components essential for plant growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management of cardiovascular disease in pregnancy is important, yet the association between cardiovascular health and infertility is rarely reported. In this study, we aimed to explore the association between Life’s Essential 8 (LE8), a novel cardiovascular health (CVH) measure, and infertility, and to investigate potential mediating mechanisms. This study investigated cross-sectional data from the 2013–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. LE8 score (ranging from 0 to 100) was calculated as the unweighted average of eight CVH metrics. The association between LE8 and infertility was explored through weighted multiple logistic regression. Restricted cubic splines were used to explore nonlinear correlation. In addition, mediation analysis was conducted to investigate the role of oxidative stress and inflammatory markers systematically. After strict exclusion criteria, 1703 American women aged 18–45 years were included. After full adjustment, the LE8 score showed a negative correlation with infertility [per 1 SD increase, OR = 0.675, 95% CI: 0.553–0.824], with a linear dose-response relationship (non-linear P = 0.122). Similar linear negative correlations were found between health factor scores and infertility, with higher body mass index and glucose scores having a significantly lower risk of infertility. Stratified analyses showed a stronger inversed relationship between LE8 and infertility in younger populations. Moreover, mediation analysis revealed that uric acid concentration and lymphocyte count mediated the effect of LE8 on infertility (P < 0.05). LE8 and its subscale scores were linearly and negatively associated with infertility, which may be mediated in part through uric acid and lymphocyte count. Focusing on weight management and glycemic control can effectively reduce the risk of infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The structural changes were clarified through fixed-point observation experiments. • The distribution and variation of shale minerals were determined. • The chemical mechanism of shale structural changes has been revealed. The interaction between a water-based working fluid and shale causes a change in shale structure, resulting in wellbore instability and greatly increasing drilling costs. On the basis of the black rock samples of the Longmaxi Formation, the structural change characteristics and internal mechanisms of shale hydration are investigated using scanning electron microscopy, fixed-point observation experiments, X-ray diffraction experiments, ion analysis, and energy spectroscopy analysis. In this study, the changes in the microscopic elements during the propagation of macroscopic cracks to hydration were studied and the ion exchange of brine and mineral hydration was analyzed. The results indicate that the interaction between water and shale leads to shale fracture along the bedding plane, the expansion of primary fractures, the generation of new fractures, and the occurrence of a high number of dissolution phenomena. The ion exchange cation precipitation of shale and the fluid is dominated by Ca2+, and the anion precipitated is mainly SO 4 2−. Through the energy spectrum analysis of the whole-rock mineral composition changes and shale structural changes, it is believed that shale dissolution is mainly from carbonatite minerals, such as calcite. While the oxidation of pyrite in the aqueous environment provides a large amount of SO 4 2− and H+ and fracture propagation mainly occurs in areas where non quartz inorganic minerals are distributed on the bedding plane. The intrinsic mechanism of shale hydration structural changes is revealed through the structural changes, mineral composition changes, and chemical reactions present during the water–shale interaction, which is significant for ensuring the wellbore stability of drilling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which explores about the single-molecule field effect and conductance switching driven by electric field and proton transfer. It mentions that single-molecule junctions (SMJs) offer a novel strategy for miniaturization of electronic devices, along with deciphering the intrinsic properties of matters at the molecular scale.

The load transfer mechanism is complicated and closely concerned with the control of settlement in Geogrid-reinforced and pile-supported (GRPS) embankments. However, the research on load transfer mechanism in GRPS systems subjected to cyclic loadings and unloading is limited. This paper conducted a finite-element analysis to investigate the load transfer mechanism of GRPS system subjected to cyclic loading and unloading. The settlement and the stress in the embankment both were found redistributed under cyclic load and unloading. Compared with the results under static loads, the maximum settlement at the base of the embankment increased by 23–55% due to cyclic load, while was slightly rebound under unloading. The efficiency in terms of vertical load carried by piles is decreased by 3–14% experienced the cyclic load, whereas 11–26% of the reduction of the efficiency was rebound under unloading. To comprehensively investigate the rebound phenomenon, parametric studies with the variation of velocity, vehicle wheel load, geogrid stiffness and geometry of piled embankment were conducted. It is found that the rebound phenomenon is most apparent as varying the vehicle wheel load (10–48% of the increment of the normalised vertical stress rebounded), which phenomenon will be further strengthened for the larger value of h/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the performances of the NWP models on two heavy rainfalls on 20 July and 22 August 2021 over Henan Province were investigated. The impacts of the water vapor transport to the extreme rainfall were further discussed. The results showed that the regional model system in the Guangzhou Meteorological Service generally showed high scores on the extreme rainfall over Henan. The maximum 24h accumulative rainfall by the 24h forecasts by the CMA-GD reached 556 mm over Henan Province. The 24-h and 48-h Threat Score (TS) of heavy rainfall reached 0.56 and 0.64. The comparisons of the Fraction Skill Score (FSS) verifications of the heavy rainfall by CMA-GD and CMA-TRAMS at the radium of 40km reached 0.96 and 0.87. The water vapor transport to the extreme rainfall showed that the vertically integrated water vapor transport (IVT) of the whole layer before the occurrence of the heavy rainfall exhibited a double-eyes distribution in case 7 · 20. The north eye over Henan reached the same magnitude of IVT as the typhoon eye (Cempaka) over south China. The IVT over the lower troposphere (<500 hPa) showed an overwhelming magnitude than the upper level, especially in the planetary boundary layer (<700 hPa). More practical technical needs to be developed to improve its performances on the forecasting of extreme rainfall, as well as more experiments need to be conducted to examine the effects of the specific terrain and physical schemes on the extreme rainfall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the development of next-generation sequencing (NGS), several anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion partner genes have been identified. However, ALK fusion is extremely rare in small cell lung cancer (SCLC), and there is no standard treatment option. Here, we report a patient with SCLC who carried an ALK- Intergenic Region (IR) rearrangement and responded to Alectinib. Case Presentation: A 26-year-old man was pathologically diagnosed with extensive-stage SCLC. After 2 cycles of first-line chemotherapy, CT showed a large soft tissue mass in the middle lobe of the right lung and increased liver nodules, left kidney lesions and right kidney lesions. To seek potential therapeutic regimens, ALK rearrangement was identified. The patient achieved a rapid and durable partial response with Alectinib (600 mg BID). The patient experienced a significant clinical response with a progression-free survival of more than 6 months. There were no grade 3 or more adverse events reported, and there was no dose reduction during treatment. Following Alectinib treatment, the allele frequency of ALK rearrangement and RB1 and TP53 mutations in plasma circulating tumor DNA decreased with the reduction in tumor size. Conclusion: This case provides a meaningful reference for the treatment of SCLC patients with ALK rearrangement. This case also provides valuable information on the response to ALK inhibitors in patients with ALK-IR rearrangement and better understanding of ALK-TKI applications in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Facial weakness is a common sign of neurological diseases such as Bell's palsy and stroke. However, recognizing facial weakness still remains as a challenge, because it requires experience and neurological training. Methods: We propose a framework for facial weakness detection, which models the temporal dynamics of both shape and appearance-based features of each target frame through a bi-directional long short-term memory network (Bi-LSTM). The system is evaluated on a “in-the-wild”video dataset that is verified by three board-certified neurologists. In addition, three emergency medical services (EMS) personnel and three upper level residents rated the dataset. We compare the evaluation of the proposed algorithm with other comparison methods as well as the human raters. Results: Experimental evaluation demonstrates that: (1) the proposed algorithm achieves the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 94.3%, 91.4%, and 95.7%, which outperforms other comparison methods and achieves the equal performance to paramedics; (2) the framework can provide visualizable and interpretable results that increases model transparency and interpretability; (3) a prototype is implemented as a proof-of-concept showcase to show the feasibility of an inexpensive solution for facial weakness detection. Conclusion: The experiment results suggest that the proposed framework can identify facial weakness effectively. Significance: We provide a proof-of-concept study, showing that such technology could be used by non-neurologists to more readily identify facial weakness in the field, leading to increasing coverage and earlier treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In intensive care unit (ICU) patients undergoing mechanical ventilation (MV), the occurrence of difficult weaning contributes to increased ventilator-related complications, prolonged hospitalization duration, and a significant rise in healthcare costs. Therefore, early identification of influencing factors and prediction of patients at risk of difficult weaning can facilitate early intervention and preventive measures. This study aimed to strengthen airway management for ICU patients by constructing a risk prediction model with comprehensive and individualized offline programs based on machine learning techniques. This study involved the collection of data from 487 patients undergoing MV in the ICU, with a total of 36 variables recorded. The dataset was divided into a training set (70% of the data) and a test set (30% of the data). Five machine learning models, namely logistic regression, random forest, support vector machine, light gradient boosting machine, and extreme gradient boosting, were compared to predict the risk of difficult weaning in ICU patients with MV. Significant influencing factors were identified based on the results of these models, and a risk prediction model for ICU patients with MV was established. When evaluating the models using AUC (Area under the Curve of ROC) and Accuracy as performance metrics, the Random Forest algorithm exhibited the best performance among the five machine learning algorithms. The area under the operating characteristic curve for the subjects was 0.805, with an accuracy of 0.748, recall (0.888), specificity (0.767) and F1 score (0.825). This study successfully developed a risk prediction model for ICU patients with MV using a machine learning algorithm. The Random Forest algorithm demonstrated the highest prediction performance. These findings can assist clinicians in accurately assessing the risk of difficult weaning in patients and formulating effective individualized treatment plans. Ultimately, this can help reduce the risk of difficult weaning and improve the quality of life for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field test of electro-osmotic consolidation with area of 800 square meters was carried out using electrokinetic geosynthetics (EKG). By introducing this field test, new concepts and solutions of difficulties in large scale application of electro-osmosis is introduced. Strategies of building smart DC power source to meet the large current intensity requirement of electro-osmosis are introduced. Roll polling program is a key program for the control system of smart DC power source. It reduces the requirement of current intensity to 1/3; it also decreases the energy consumption to less than 1 kW·h/m3. Design method for electro-osmotic consolidation is demonstrated while designing a field test. It is based on the energy level gradient theory. Design includes power estimation, wires and cables configuration, treatment time estimation and settlement estimation. The field test show that large scale application of electro-osmotic consolidation is feasible with acceptable power requirement and energy consumption. Electro-osmosis can accelerate consolidation and achieve better consolidation effect. •Strategies of building smart DC power source to meet the large current intensity requirement of electro-osmosis are introduced. •Roll polling program developed in this paper reduces the requirement of current intensity to 1/3; it also decreases the energy consumption to less than 1 kW h/m3. •Design method for electro-osmotic consolidation using EKG based on the energy level gradient theory is demonstrated while designing the field test. Design method includes power estimation, wires and cables configuration, treatment time estimation and settlement estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of stabilising piles is an effective method of reinforcing a slope against landslides. Soil arching between the piles promotes more load transfer into the piles, thus improving slope safety. However, few analytical solutions have been proposed for assessing the safety of an anisotropic slope with soil arching between stabilising piles, especially in most current design procedures. Based on BS 8006-1:2010, an analytical method was developed to evaluate the stability of a slope reinforced with stabilising piles, taking the anisotropy of soil strength and the horizontal soil-arching effect into account. A field case was used to assess the results of the proposed analytical method; differences of approximately 0·6–8·9% were found. To validate the proposed analytical method, a three-dimensional numerical simulation considering soil anisotropy was conducted; variation of the soil cohesion with depth and the direction of principal stress was introduced into the numerical analysis. The safety factors predicted by the numerical simulation agreed well with those derived by the proposed analytical method, with differences of 0·7–17%. The safety factor was found to decrease with increasing anisotropy coefficient and increase with higher effective cohesion and effective friction angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most research exploring the correlation between volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hematological parameters have focused on single VOCs. Our study aimed to explore the single and combined effects of VOCs on hematological parameters through three statistical models. Data from 4 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used in this study. The correlations between single exposure to 16 VOCs and hematological parameters in the general population were assessed by weighted multiple linear regression. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models were used to explore the relationship between the combined important VOCs selected by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and hematological parameters, as well as the effects of smoking status on them. A total of 4089 adults were included in the study. We found that a variety of VOCs were significantly associated with hematological parameters. Among them, N-acetyl-S-(benzyl)- l -cysteine (BMA) was significantly negatively correlated with white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), lymphocyte, and neutrophil counts. N-acetyl-S-(3-hydroxypropyl-1-methyl)- l -cysteine (HPMMA) was significantly positively correlated with WBC, monocyte, lymphocyte, and neutrophil counts. In the WQS analysis, the WQS index of the VOCs mixtures was positively correlated with WBC (β: 0.031; P < 0.001), monocyte (0.023; P = 0.021), and neutrophil (0.040; P = 0.001) counts, while negatively associated with RBC (−0.013; P < 0.001) counts. The BKMR model revealed that combined exposure to VOCs levels ≥70th percentile was significantly associated with lower RBC counts, and BMA was identified as the dominant contributor. Smoking significantly influenced the relationship between VOCs and hematological parameters. Our study indicated the effects of single and overall VOCs exposure on hematological parameters and suggested the hematotoxicity as well as pro-inflammatory effects of VOCs, which had strong public health implications for reducing the potential health hazards of VOCs exposure to the hematologic system. [Display omitted] • People are co-exposed to multiple VOCs in the real world. • Multiple single VOCs exposure indicators were associated with hematological parameters. • Combined VOCs exposure was associated with decreased RBC counts and elevated WBC, monocyte, and neutrophil counts. • Smoke can affect the relationship between VOCs and hematological parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]