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Background: Enzalutamide and abiraterone may differ in their immunomodulatory effects, and the prednisone coadministered with abiraterone can be immunosuppressive. This study aimed to compare the risk of different types of infection in patients with prostate cancer receiving enzalutamide or abiraterone in combination with androgen deprivation therapy. Methods: Patients with prostate cancer receiving enzalutamide or abiraterone in addition to androgen deprivation therapy in Hong Kong between December 1999 to March 2021 were identified in this retrospective cohort study and followed up until September 2021, death, or crossover. Outcomes, including any sepsis, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, cellulitis or skin abscess, central nervous system infections, and tuberculosis, were analyzed as both time‐to‐event outcomes (multivariable Fine‐Gray regression, with mortality considered a competing event) and recurrent‐event outcomes (multivariable negative binomial regression). Results: Altogether, 1582 patients were analyzed (923 abiraterone users; 659 enzalutamide users) with a median follow‐up of 10.6 months (interquartile range: 5.3–19.9 months). Compared to abiraterone users, enzalutamide users had lower cumulative incidences of sepsis (adjusted subhazard ratio [SHR] 0.70 [0.53–0.93], p =.014), pneumonia (adjusted SHR 0.76 [0.59–0.99], p =.040), and cellulitis or skin abscess (adjusted SHR 0.55 [0.39–0.79], p =.001), but not urinary tract infection (adjusted SHR 0.91 [0.62–1.35], p =.643). Associations between exposure and central nervous system infections and tuberculosis were not assessed because of low event rates. Analyzing the outcomes as recurrent events gave similar results. Enzalutamide use may be associated with a lower risk of urinary tract infection in patients with diabetes mellitus. Conclusions: Compared to abiraterone users, enzalutamide users have significantly lower risks of sepsis, pneumonia, cellulitis, or skin abscess. This study compared the risk of infections in patients with prostate cancer taking enzalutamide versus abiraterone. The results showed that enzalutamide users had a lower risk of sepsis, pneumonia, and cellulitis or skin abscess compared to those on abiraterone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Optimal glycaemic control has well‐established health benefits in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). It is uncertain whether optimal glycaemic control can benefit liver‐related outcomes. Aims: To examine the association of optimal glycaemic control with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver‐related mortality. Methods: In a population‐based cohort, we identified patients with newly diagnosed DM between 2001 and 2016 in Hong Kong. Optimal glycaemic control was defined as mean haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) <7% during the 3‐year lead‐in period after DM diagnosis. By applying propensity score matching to balance covariates, we analysed glycaemic control via competing risk models with outcomes of interest being HCC and liver‐related mortality. Results: We identified 146,430 patients (52.2% males, mean age 61.4 ± 11.8 years). During a median follow‐up duration of 7.0 years, 1099 (0.8%) and 978 (0.7%) patients developed HCC and liver‐related deaths. Optimal glycaemic control, when compared to suboptimal glycaemic control, was associated with reduced risk of HCC (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR] 0.70, 95% CI 0.61–0.79). The risk of HCC increased with incremental HbA1c increases beyond >7% (SHR 1.29–1.71). Significant associations with HCC were also found irrespective of age (SHR 0.54–0.80), sex (SHR 0.68–0.69), BMI <25 or ≥25 kg/m2 (SHR 0.63–0.75), smoking (SHR 0.61–0.72), hepatic steatosis (SHR 0.67–0.68) and aspirin/statin/metformin use (SHR 0.67–0.75). A lower risk of liver‐related mortality in relation to optimal glycaemic control was also observed (SHR 0.70, 95% CI 0.61–0.80). Conclusions: Glycaemic control is an independent risk factor for HCC and liver‐related mortality, and should be incorporated into oncoprotective strategies in the general DM population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Home-based care (HBC) services have gained global attention for their potential to reduce caregiver burden among informal caregivers of persons with dementia (PwDs), who experience high caregiving intensity. However, research on HBC and its effects on dementia caregiving in China remains limited. Methods: Data were collected from primary caregivers of PwDs in Jiangsu Province, China. Caregiving intensity and HBC utilization were measured using self-developed instruments. Caregiver burden was assessed by The Burden Scale for Family Caregivers-short. Factor analysis was employed to decompose HBC services. Hierarchical multiple regression analysed the moderating effects of HBC on the relationship between caregiving intensity and burden. Results: A community sample of 318 caregiver and PwDs dyads was included. Caregivers averagely aged 62.16 years, with 61% being female, 84% not employed, and 66.2% having low income. PwDs aged 77.45 years averagely, with 52.8% being female and an average behavioural problems score of 42.27. Caregivers averaged 15.19 on response measures. The number and time spent on ADL-based tasks were positively associated with caregiver burden (β = 0.26, p <.001; β = 0.16, p <.01). However, attendance and time of supervision tasks were not significant predictors of burden. HBC services in China comprised four dimensions: Referral service, Household care, Skilled care, and Mental health service. While these did not directly predict caregiver burden, they moderated the associations between ADL-based tasks and caregiver burden (β=-0.25, p <.001; β=-0.24, p <.001; β=-0.23, p <.001; β=-0.20, p <.001), between time of ADL-based tasks and caregiver burden (β=-0.17, p <.001; β=-0.18, p <.001; β=-0.17, p <.001; β=-0.15, p <.01), and between the attendance at supervision tasks and caregiver burden (β=-0.11, p <.05; β=-0.20, p <.001; β=-0.17, p <.001; β=-0.17, p <.001). Only Referral service buffered the relationship between supervision time and caregiver burden (β = -0.13, p <.01). Conclusion: Informal caregivers of PwDs face high caregiving intensity and burden. HBC services may moderate this relationship, with different services playing varying roles. Further research is essential to explore the impact of supervision levels and develop effective strategies to enhance HBC services for dementia caregiving in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For more than a decade, the unusual distribution of electrons observed in ARPES (angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy) data within the energy range of ~30 meV to ~300 meV below the Fermi level, known as the ARPES energy range, has remained a puzzle in the field of iron-based superconductivity. As the electron–phonon coupling of FeSe/SrTiO3 is very strong, our investigation is centered on exploring the synergistic interplay between spin-density waves (SDW) and charge-density waves (CDW) with differential phonons at the interface between antiferromagnetic maxima and minima under wave interference. Our analysis reveals that the synergistic energy is proportional to the ARPES energy range, as seen in the comparison between FeSe and FeSe/SrTiO3. This finding may suggest that the instantaneous interplay between these intricate phenomena may play a role in triggering the observed energy range in ARPES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid growth of e-commerce has significantly increased demands on logistics providers, particularly in the areas of product handling and shipment. One of the most challenging and critical aspects of this process is the handling of dangerous goods (DG). This is a complex and time-intensive operation that requires safety measures and proper packaging and labelling, because mishandling DG can lead to severe injuries, property loss, and legal liability. This puts additional pressure on logistics providers to efficiently manage DG while maintaining speed and safety in the context of e-commerce. To meet this challenge, there is an urgent need to advance training programs and enhance the operational efficiency for DG handling. The use of mixed reality (MR) technology offers a promising solution. By seamlessly integrating virtual elements with real-world environments, MR has the potential to greatly improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the training of DG handling. Earlier research has examined MR in various fields, while there is still a research gap in applying MR specifically to the training of DG handling. This paper seeks to address the current research gap by presenting a novel MR model, named "MRSafe," for a training program on the safe handling of DG. The model offers users virtual experiences and comprehensive guidance to provide operational decision support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While it has been recognized that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education requires an interdisciplinary approach, integrating multiple subjects in a meaningful way remains challenging for teachers. This study aimed to design a STEM curriculum, emphasizing explicit and continuous scaffolding of students' reflection on scientific and engineering knowledge. The primary goal was to foster knowledge integration in their engineering designs and enhance their attitudes toward STEM. The study involved fifty tenth-grade students who were guided to discuss and reflect on relevant scientific and engineering knowledge and to apply mathematics for data collection and analysis during the design of their technology products. The research instruments included an assessment of the progression of knowledge integration in students' engineering designs through student journals and pre- and post-test surveys on attitudes toward science, technology, engineering, and the learning environment. The results reveal that the introduction and explicit scaffolding students' reflection on scientific and engineering knowledge led to a gradual improvement in knowledge integration within their engineering designs. Students also significantly enhanced their attitudes toward STEM and the learning environment compared to the general school curriculum. This study contributes to interdisciplinary learning that promotes the integration of scientific and engineering knowledge in students' engineering design processes, and to interdisciplinary assessment that evaluates students' knowledge integration across learning progressions and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effect of supplements on mortality risk in patients with cancer remains uncertain and has scarcely been investigated in subgroups of patients with varying characteristics. This study aimed to investigate the association between two popular supplements, fish oil and glucosamine, and mortality risk in a large population-based cohort and determine whether cardiovascular health and clinical prognosis influence these associations. Methods: This prospective cohort study analyzed the data of UK Biobank participants who were diagnosed with cancer. The associations of fish oil and glucosamine consumption with mortality were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models. Subgroup analyses were performed to assess the effects of Life Essential 8 [LE8] scores (a measure of cardiovascular health) and cancer prognosis (grouped according to the survival rates of specific cancer types) on the associations between supplement use and mortality. Results: This analysis included 14,920 participants (mean age = 59.9 years; 60.2% female). One third (34.1%) of the participants reported using fish oil, and one fifth (20.5%) reported using glucosamine. Over a median follow-up of 12.0 years, 2,708 all-cause deaths were registered. The use of fish oil was associated with reduced risks of all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 0.89, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 0.81–0.97) and cancer mortality (aHR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.81–0.98). Similarly, glucosamine use was associated with reduced risks of all-cause mortality (aHR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.74–0.92) and cancer mortality (aHR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.74–0.93) in the fully adjusted model. Subgroup analyses revealed that the protective effects of fish oil and glucosamine against mortality risk were only observed in patients with LE8 scores lower than the mean score or a poor cancer prognosis. Additionally, the association between glucosamine use and a reduced risk of CVD-related mortality was only observed in patients with lower LE8 scores. Conclusions: This large cohort study identified the potential differential impact of LE8 scores and cancer prognosis on the associations of fish oil and glucosamine supplementation with survival in patients with cancer. This suggests the importance of considering these factors in future research on supplements and in the provision of personalized integrative cancer care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effect of supplements on mortality risk in patients with cancer remains uncertain and has scarcely been investigated in subgroups of patients with varying characteristics. This study aimed to investigate the association between two popular supplements, fish oil and glucosamine, and mortality risk in a large population-based cohort and determine whether cardiovascular health and clinical prognosis influence these associations. Methods: This prospective cohort study analyzed the data of UK Biobank participants who were diagnosed with cancer. The associations of fish oil and glucosamine consumption with mortality were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models. Subgroup analyses were performed to assess the effects of Life Essential 8 [LE8] scores (a measure of cardiovascular health) and cancer prognosis (grouped according to the survival rates of specific cancer types) on the associations between supplement use and mortality. Results: This analysis included 14,920 participants (mean age = 59.9 years; 60.2% female). One third (34.1%) of the participants reported using fish oil, and one fifth (20.5%) reported using glucosamine. Over a median follow-up of 12.0 years, 2,708 all-cause deaths were registered. The use of fish oil was associated with reduced risks of all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 0.89, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 0.81–0.97) and cancer mortality (aHR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.81–0.98). Similarly, glucosamine use was associated with reduced risks of all-cause mortality (aHR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.74–0.92) and cancer mortality (aHR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.74–0.93) in the fully adjusted model. Subgroup analyses revealed that the protective effects of fish oil and glucosamine against mortality risk were only observed in patients with LE8 scores lower than the mean score or a poor cancer prognosis. Additionally, the association between glucosamine use and a reduced risk of CVD-related mortality was only observed in patients with lower LE8 scores. Conclusions: This large cohort study identified the potential differential impact of LE8 scores and cancer prognosis on the associations of fish oil and glucosamine supplementation with survival in patients with cancer. This suggests the importance of considering these factors in future research on supplements and in the provision of personalized integrative cancer care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the proliferation of video content continues, and many video archives lack suitable metadata, therefore, video retrieval, particularly through example‐based search, has become increasingly crucial. Existing metadata often fails to meet the needs of specific types of searches, especially when videos contain elements from different modalities, such as visual and audio. Consequently, developing video retrieval methods that can handle multi‐modal content is essential. An innovative Multi‐modal Video Search by Examples (MVSE) framework is introduced, employing state‐of‐the‐art techniques in its various components. In designing MVSE, the authors focused on accuracy, efficiency, interactivity, and extensibility, with key components including advanced data processing and a user‐friendly interface aimed at enhancing search effectiveness and user experience. Furthermore, the framework was comprehensively evaluated, assessing individual components, data quality issues, and overall retrieval performance using high‐quality and low‐quality BBC archive videos. The evaluation reveals that: (1) multi‐modal search yields better results than single‐modal search; (2) the quality of video, both visual and audio, has an impact on the query precision. Compared with image query results, audio quality has a greater impact on the query precision (3) a two‐stage search process (i.e. searching by Hamming distance based on hashing, followed by searching by Cosine similarity based on embedding); is effective but increases time overhead; (4) large‐scale video retrieval is not only feasible but also expected to emerge shortly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ricin, a toxin extracted from the seeds of Ricinus communis, is classified as a ribosome-inactivating protein. The A-subunit of ricin shows RNA N-glycosidase activity that cleaves ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and exhibits toxicity by inhibiting protein synthesis and inducing vascular leak syndrome. Methods: In this study, we created a truncated version of the previously developed R51 ricin vaccine (RTA 1-194 D75C Y80C) through in silico analysis. Results: The resulting R51-3 vaccine showed a more-than-six-fold increase in soluble protein expression when compared to R51, with over 85% solubility. In a pilot toxicity test, no toxicity was observed in hematological and biochemical parameters in BALB/c mice and New Zealand white rabbits following five repeated administrations of R51-3. Furthermore, R51-3 successfully protected mice and rabbits from a 20 × LD50 ricin challenge after three intramuscular injections spaced 2 weeks apart. Similarly, monkeys that received three injections of R51-3 survived a 60 µg/kg ricin challenge. Conclusions: These findings support R51-3 as a promising candidate antigen for ricin vaccine development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vitreous humor (VH) is a transparent gelatin-like substance that occupies two-thirds of the eyeball and undergoes the most significant changes during eye elongation. Quantitative proteomics on the normal growth period in the VH could provide new insights into understanding its progression mechanism in the early stages of myopia. In this study, a data-independent acquisition (SWATH-MS) was combined with targeted LC-ESI-MS/MS to identify and quantify the relative protein changes in the vitreous during the normal growth period (4, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days old) in the chick model. Chicks were raised under normal growing conditions (12/12 h Dark/light cycle) for 28 days, where ocular measurements, including refractive and biometric measurements, were performed on days 4 (baseline), 7, 14, 21 and 28 (n = 6 chicks at each time point). Extracted vitreous proteins from individual animals were digested and pooled into a left eye pool and a right pool at each time point for protein analysis. The vitreous proteome for chicks was generated using an information-dependent acquisition (IDA) method by combining injections from individual time points. Using individual pool samples, SWATH-MS was employed to quantify proteins between each time point. DEPs were subsequently confirmed in separate batches of animals individually on random eyes (n = 4) using MRMHR between day 7 and day 14. Refraction and vitreous chamber depth (VCD) were found to be significantly changed (p < 0.05, n = 6 at each time point) during the period. A comprehensive vitreous protein ion library was built with 1576 non-redundant proteins (22987 distinct peptides) identified at a 1% false discovery rate (FDR). A total of 12 up-regulated and 26 down-regulated proteins were found across all time points compared to day 7 using SWATH-MS. Several DEPs, such as alpha-fetoprotein, the cadherin family group, neurocan, and reelin, involved in structural and growth-related pathways, were validated for the first time using MRMHR under this experimental condition. This study provided the first comprehensive spectral library of the vitreous for chicks during normal growth as well as a list of potential growth-related protein biomarker candidates using SWATH-MS and MRMHR during the emmetropization period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sandpile group of a connected graph G, defined to be the torsion part of the cokernel of the graph Laplacian, is a subtle graph invariant with combinatorial, algebraic, and geometric descriptions. Extending and improving previous works on the sandpile group of hypercubes, we study the sandpile groups of the Cayley graphs of F 2 r , focusing on their poorly understood Sylow-2 component. We find the number of Sylow-2 cyclic factors for "generic" Cayley graphs and deduce a bound for the non-generic ones. Moreover, we provide a sharp upper bound for their largest Sylow-2 cyclic factors. In the case of hypercubes, we give exact formulae for the largest n–1 Sylow-2 cyclic factors. Some key ingredients of our work include the natural ring structure on these sandpile groups from representation theory, and calculation of the 2-adic valuations of binomial sums via the combinatorics of carries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immunoglobulin G4-related ophthalmic disease (IgG4-ROD) poses clinical challenges due to its heterogeneous ocular and systemic manifestations. We aim to report the systemic involvement and the clinical, serological and radiological associations of a cohort of Chinese patients. Methods: A territory-wide, biopsy-proven, Chinese cohort. A retrospective, masked chart review of medical records, orbital images, and histopathology reports. Results: A total of 122 (65 male) patients with a follow-up of 81 ± 49 (24 to 84) months were reviewed. Ninety (74%) patients presented bilaterally. Subacute upper eyelid swelling was the commonest presentation (82/122, 67%). During follow-up, 91/122 patients (75%) underwent extra-orbital imaging including computer tomography (692 films), ultrasonography (182 films), magnetic resonance imaging (76 films) and whole body FDG-PET scan (33 films). Eighty-six (95%) of these 91 patients had extra-orbital involvement radiologically (2.7 ± 1.6 regions, range: 0 to 9). Lymph node was the most prevalent (N = 60,66%), followed by salivary gland (N = 51,56%), lung (N = 49,54%), kidney (N = 22, 24%), hepatobiliary tree (N = 18, 20%) and pancreas (N = 17, 19%). Other organs include thyroid, aorta, meninges/brain and skin. Twenty-eight (23%) patients had allergic diseases (19 asthma, 16 allergic rhinitis, and 6 eczemas). Fifty-seven (48%) patients had paranasal sinusitis. Serum eosinophilia was associated with a higher number (3.24 versus 2.52, P = 0.0304) of organ involvement. Patients with deep organ involvement was associated with a higher age of IgG4-ROD onset (70 ± 12 versus 56 ± 13, P < 0.0001). Conclusions: 95% of the patients who underwent systemic imaging in our cohort had systemic organ involvement. An early physicians' assessment and radiological imaging are recommended after the diagnosis of IgG4-ROD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the impact of ageing on survival outcomes in Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) treated non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients and its synergy with adequate BCG treatment. Method: Patients with NMIBC who received BCG treatment from 2001 to 2020 were divided into group 1 (< = 70 years) and group 2 (> 70 years). Overall Survival (OS), Cancer-Specific Survival (CSS), Recurrence-Free Survival (RFS), and Progression-Free Survival (PFS) were analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to adjust potential confounding factors and to estimate Hazard Ratio (HR) and 95% Confidence Interval (CI). Subgroup analysis was performed according to adequate versus inadequate BCG treatment. Results: Overall, 2602 NMIBC patients were included: 1051 (40.4%) and 1551 (59.6%) in groups 1 and 2, respectively. At median follow-up of 11.0 years, group 1 (< = 70 years) was associated with better OS, CSS, and RFS, but not PFS as compared to group 2 (> 70 years). At subgroup analysis, patients in group 1 treated with adequate BCG showed better OS, CSS, RFS, and PFS as compared with inadequate BCG treatment in group 2, while patients in group 2 receiving adequate BCG treatment had 41% less progression than those treated with inadequate BCG from the same group. Conclusions: Being younger (< = 70 years) was associated with better OS, CSS, and RFS, but not PFS. Older patients (> 70 years) who received adequate BCG treatment had similar PFS as those younger with adequate BCG treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparative assessment of the risks of the three current wastewater effluent disposal options and three other potential options was conducted for Southeast Florida communities. The question was how the risk to humans from the use of potable reuse compares to the other five available wastewater disposal alternatives. The need for this type of risk assessment is due to the potential to use potable reuse as a water supply and the potential resistance from the public as a result of such a proposal. Water quality data relevant to disposal of wastewater treatment plant effluent from South Florida utilities along with water quality data on the receiving waters and drinking water standards were obtained for the project. The comparison of the public health risks associated with these disposal alternatives indicated that health risks associated with deep wells and direct potable reuse were generally lower than those of the other alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To determine the effect of nurses' mood at work (positive and negative) on work engagement and whether work morale mediates this relationship. Background: Nurses' work engagement is a key research area, yet limited data regarding the relationship between nurses' mood at work and work engagement are available. Therefore, how nurses' positive or negative mood at work affects their work engagement remains unclear. Methods: This study analyzed nurses from a medical center in Taipei City. A total of 279 completed questionnaires were returned. The data were analyzed using two‐stage structural equation modeling to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings: Nurses' positive mood had a significantly positive effect on work morale, whereas their negative mood had a significantly negative effect on work morale. Additionally, work morale played a mediating role in the relationship between mood at work and work engagement. Conclusion: The results revealed that nurses' moods affected their work engagement and that this relationship was affected by work morale. Implications for nursing and health policy: Healthcare institutions and hospitals could develop a positive work environment to help nurses maintain their good mood and reduce negative affectivity. They should also provide nurses with counseling services, offer morale‐boosting activities, and adopt an inspirational leadership style to maintain their work morale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Systematic reviews (SRs) could offer the best evidence supporting interventions, but methodological flaws limit their trustworthiness in decision-making. This cross-sectional study appraised the methodological quality of SRs on atopic dermatitis (AD) treatments. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Database for SRs on AD treatments published in 2019–2022. We extracted SRs’ bibliographical data and appraised SRs’ methodological quality with AMSTAR (A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews) 2. We explored associations between methodological quality and bibliographical characteristics. Results: Among the 52 appraised SRs, only one (1.9%) had high methodological quality, while 45 (86.5%) critically low. For critical domains, only five (9.6%) employed comprehensive search strategy, seven (13.5%) provided list of excluded studies, 17 (32.7%) considered risk of bias in primary studies, 21 (40.4%) contained registered protocol, and 24 (46.2%) investigated publication bias. Cochrane reviews, SR updates, SRs with European corresponding authors, and SRs funded by European institutions had better overall quality. Impact factor and author number positively associated with overall quality. Conclusions: Methodological quality of SRs on AD treatments is unsatisfactory. Future reviewers should improve the above critical methodological aspects. Resources should be devolved into upscaling evidence synthesis infrastructure and improving critical appraisal skills of evidence users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β‐flecks are a type of segregation defect commonly encountered during the solidification of titanium alloys enriched with β‐stabilizing elements. These defects are associated with a detrimental impact on mechanical properties, which potentially limit the service life of parts containing them. Despite their significance, a standardized method for identifying these defects is lacking. In this study, a systematic approach is provided to detecting and characterizing β‐flecks in a representative metastable β‐Ti alloy and β‐C (ASTM Grade 19/Ti–3Al–8V–6Cr–4Mo–4Zr). By combining low temperature but prolonged aging, time‐dependent etching, and Fiji‐assisted image analysis, the presence and characteristics of β‐flecks are determined with precision and impartiality. This straightforward technique offers a reliable means for visualizing and quantifying β‐flecks in titanium alloys. It establishes a foundational framework that can be broadly applied to various β‐Ti alloys prone to β‐fleck formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2019, COVID-19 has been raging around the world. Respiratory viral infectious diseases such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection are also prevalent, with influenza having the ability to cause seasonal pandemics. While vaccines and antiviral drugs are available to prevent and treat disease, herbal extracts would be another option. This study investigated the inhibitory effects of extracts of Echinacea purpurea (EP) and Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) and the advanced G. lucidum drink (AG) on influenza A/B viruses. To determine whether EP and G. lucidum extracts enhance cell immunity and thus prevent virus infection or act to directly suppress viruses, cell survival and hemagglutination (HA) assays were used in this study. Cells were treated with samples at different concentrations (each sample concentration was tested from the highest non-cytotoxic concentration) and incubated with influenza A/B for 24 h, with the results showing that both G. lucidum and EP extracts and mixtures exhibited the ability to enhance cell survival against viruses. In the HA assay, AG and EP extract showed good inhibitory effect on influenza A/B viruses. All of the samples demonstrated an improvement of the mitochondrial membrane potential and improved resistance to influenza A/B virus infection. EP and G. lucidum extracts at noncytotoxic concentrations increased cell viability, but only AG and EP extract directly decreased influenza virus titers. In conclusion, results indicate the ability of EP and G. lucidum extract to prevent viruses from entering cells by improving cell viability and mitochondrial dysfunction and EP extract showed direct inhibition on viruses and prevented viral infection at post-infection strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing sleep posture, a critical component in sleep tests, is crucial for understanding an individual's sleep quality and identifying potential sleep disorders. However, monitoring sleep posture has traditionally posed significant challenges due to factors such as low light conditions and obstructions like blankets. The use of radar technolsogy could be a potential solution. The objective of this study is to identify the optimal quantity and placement of radar sensors to achieve accurate sleep posture estimation. We invited 70 participants to assume nine different sleep postures under blankets of varying thicknesses. This was conducted in a setting equipped with a baseline of eight radars—three positioned at the headboard and five along the side. We proposed a novel technique for generating radar maps, Spatial Radio Echo Map (SREM), designed specifically for data fusion across multiple radars. Sleep posture estimation was conducted using a Multiview Convolutional Neural Network (MVCNN), which serves as the overarching framework for the comparative evaluation of various deep feature extractors, including ResNet-50, EfficientNet-50, DenseNet-121, PHResNet-50, Attention-50, and Swin Transformer. Among these, DenseNet-121 achieved the highest accuracy, scoring 0.534 and 0.804 for nine-class coarse- and four-class fine-grained classification, respectively. This led to further analysis on the optimal ensemble of radars. For the radars positioned at the head, a single left-located radar proved both essential and sufficient, achieving an accuracy of 0.809. When only one central head radar was used, omitting the central side radar and retaining only the three upper-body radars resulted in accuracies of 0.779 and 0.753, respectively. This study established the foundation for determining the optimal sensor configuration in this application, while also exploring the trade-offs between accuracy and the use of fewer sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing, particularly 3D printing, has revolutionized the manufacturing industry by allowing the production of complex and intricate parts at a lower cost and with greater efficiency. However, 3D-printed parts frequently require post-processing or integration with other machining technologies to achieve the desired surface finish, accuracy, and mechanical properties. Ultra-precision machining (UPM) is a potential machining technology that addresses these challenges by enabling high surface quality, accuracy, and repeatability in 3D-printed components. This study provides an overview of the current state of UPM for 3D printing, including the current UPM and 3D printing stages, and the application of UPM to 3D printing. Following the presentation of current stage perspectives, this study presents a detailed discussion of the benefits of combining UPM with 3D printing and the opportunities for leveraging UPM on 3D printing or supporting each other. In particular, future opportunities focus on cutting tools manufactured via 3D printing for UPM, UPM of 3D-printed components for real-world applications, and post-machining of 3D-printed components. Finally, future prospects for integrating the two advanced manufacturing technologies into potential industries are discussed. This study concludes that UPM is a promising technology for 3D-printed components, exhibiting the potential to improve the functionality and performance of 3D-printed products in various applications. It also discusses how UPM and 3D printing can complement each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy landscapes are high-dimensional surfaces underlie all physical systems, which determine crucially the energetic and behavioral dependence of the systems on variable configurations, but are difficult to be analyzed due to their high-dimensional nature. Here we introduce an approach to reveal for the complete energy landscapes of spin glasses and Boolean satisfiability problems with a small system size, and unravels their non-equilibrium dynamics at an arbitrary temperature for an arbitrarily long time. Remarkably, our results show that it can be less likely for the system to attain ground states when temperature decreases, due to trapping in individual local minima, which ceases at a different time, leading to multiple abrupt jumps in the ground-state probability. For large systems, we introduce a variant approach to extract partially the energy landscapes and observe both semi-analytically and in simulations similar phenomena. This work introduces new methodology to unravel the energy landscapes and non-equilibrium dynamics of glassy systems, and provides us with a clear, complete and new physical picture on their long-time behaviors inaccessible by existing approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potential threat of smallpox bioterrorism and concerns related to the adverse effects of currently licensed live-virus vaccines suggest the need to develop novel vaccines with better efficacy against smallpox. Use of DNA vaccines containing specific antigen-encoding plasmids prevents the risks associated with live-virus vaccines, offering a promising alternative to conventional smallpox vaccines. In this study, we investigated the efficiency of toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands in enhancing the immunogenicity of smallpox DNA vaccines. BALB/c mice were immunized with a DNA vaccine encoding the vaccinia virus L1R protein, along with the cytosine–phosphate–guanine (CpG) motif as a vaccine adjuvant, and their immune response was analyzed. Administration of B-type CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) as TLR9 ligands 24 h after DNA vaccination enhanced the Th2-biased L1R-specific antibody immunity in mice. Moreover, B-type CpG ODNs improved the protective effects of the DNA vaccine against the lethal Orthopoxvirus challenge. Therefore, use of L1R DNA vaccines with CpG ODNs as adjuvants is a promising approach to achieve effective immunogenicity against smallpox infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a construction of oriented matroids from a triangulation of a product of two simplices. For this, we use the structure of such a triangulation in terms of polyhedral matching fields. The oriented matroid is composed of compatible chirotopes on the cells in a matroid subdivision of the hypersimplex, which might be of independent interest. In particular, we generalize this using the language of matroids over hyperfields, which gives a new approach to construct matroids over hyperfields. A recurring theme in our work is that various tropical constructions can be extended beyond tropicalization with new formulations and proof methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We evaluated changes in glycemic status, over 1 year, of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survivors with dysglycemia in acute COVID-19. Methods: COVID-19 survivors who had dysglycemia (defined by glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c] 5.7% to 6.4% or random glucose ≥10.0 mmol/L) in acute COVID-19 were recruited from a major COVID-19 treatment center from September to October 2020. Matched non-COVID controls were recruited from community. The 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were performed at baseline (6 weeks after acute COVID-19) and 1 year after acute COVID-19, with HbA1c, insulin and C-peptide measurements. Progression in glycemic status was defined by progression from normoglycemia to prediabetes/diabetes, or prediabetes to diabetes. Results: Fifty-two COVID-19 survivors were recruited. Compared with non-COVID controls, they had higher C-peptide (P< 0.001) and trend towards higher homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (P=0.065). Forty-three COVID-19 survivors attended 1-year reassessment. HbA1c increased from 5.5%±0.3% to 5.7%±0.2% (P<0.001), with increases in glucose on OGTT at fasting (P=0.089), 30-minute (P=0.126), 1-hour (P=0.014), and 2-hour (P=0.165). At baseline, 19 subjects had normoglycemia, 23 had prediabetes, and one had diabetes. Over 1 year, 10 subjects (23.8%; of 42 non-diabetes subjects at baseline) had progression in glycemic status. C-peptide levels remained unchanged (P=0.835). Matsuda index decreased (P=0.007) and there was a trend of body mass index increase from 24.4±2.7 kg/m2 to 25.6±5.2 (P=0.083). Subjects with progression in glycemic status had more severe COVID-19 illness than non-progressors (P=0.030). Reassessment was not performed in the control group. Conclusion: Subjects who had dysglycemia in acute COVID-19 were characterized by insulin resistance. Over 1 year, a quarter had progression in glycemic status, especially those with more severe COVID-19. Importantly, there was no significant deterioration in insulin secretory capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Myopia, characterized by excessive axial elongation of the eyeball, increases risks of having sight-threatening diseases and impose a financial burden to healthcare system. Although myopic control interventions showed their effectiveness in slowing progression, the efficacy varies between individuals and does not completely halt progression. The study aims to investigate the efficacy of combining 0.01% atropine administered twice daily with optical defocus for myopia control in schoolchildren. Methods and design: This is a prospective, parallel-group, single-blinded, randomized, active-control trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06358755). Myopic schoolchildren with no previous myopic control interventions aged between 7 to 12 years will be recruited. They will be randomly allocated into two groups (n = 56 per group) after baseline measurement. Both groups will receive 0.01% atropine twice per day for 18 months (one drop in the morning and the other drop at night before bedtime). Defocus incorporated multiple segments (DIMS) spectacle lenses will be prescribed in atropine plus optical defocus (ATD) treatment group while single vision spectacle lenses will be given in atropine only (AT) group. Cycloplegic refraction and axial lengths will be monitored every 6 months over 18-month study period. The primary outcomes are changes in cycloplegic refraction and axial lengths relative to the baseline over the study period. Discussion: The result will examine the combination effect of low dose atropine and myopic defocus on myopia control in a randomized controlled study. The findings will also explore the potential benefits of applying 0.01% atropine twice per day on myopic control and its potential side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a rare but potentially life-threatening soft tissue infection. The objective of this study was to assess the association between timely surgery within 6 h and hospital mortality in patients with limb NF, and to describe the trends in patients with NF, time to surgery and standardized mortality ratio (SMR) over 11 years. Methods: This was a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of all intensive care unit patients who had emergency surgery within 24 h of hospitalization for limb NF between April 1, 2008 and March 31, 2019 in Hong Kong. Timely surgery was defined as the first surgical treatment within 6 h of initial hospitalization. Appropriate antibiotics were achieved if the patient was given antibiotic(s) for all documented pathogens prior to or on day of culture results. The primary outcome was hospital mortality. Results: There were 495 patients (median age 62 years, 349 (70.5%) males) with limb NF treated by surgery within 24 h of hospitalization over the 11 years. Appropriate antibiotic(s) were used in 392 (79.2%) patients. There were 181 (36.5%) deaths. Timely surgery was not associated with hospital mortality (Relative Risk 0.89, 95% CI: 0.73 to 1.07) but admission year, advanced age, higher severity of illness, comorbidities, renal replacement therapy, vasopressor use, and type of surgery were significant predictors in the multivariable model. There was an upward trend in NF diagnosis (1.9 cases/year, 95% CI: 0.7 to 3.1; P < 0.01; R2 = 0.60) but there was no downward trend in median time to surgery (-0.2 h/year, 95% CI: -0.4 to 0.1; P = 0.16) or SMR (-0.02/year, 95% CI: -0.06 to 0.01; P = 0.22; R2 = 0.16). Conclusions: Among patients operated within 24 h, very early surgery within 6–12 h was not associated with survival. Increasing limb NF cases were reported each year but mortality remained high despite a high rate of appropriate antibiotic use and timely surgical intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given a complex vector subspace V of \mathbb {C}^n, the dimension of the amoeba of V \cap (\mathbb {C}^*)^n depends only on the matroid that V defines on the ground set \{1,\ldots,n\}. Here we prove that this dimension is given by the minimum of a certain function over all partitions of the ground set, as previously conjectured by Rau. We also prove that this formula can be evaluated in polynomial time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The 2022 World Health Organization (WHO) classification of pituitary neuroendocrine tumour (PitNET) supersedes the previous one in 2017 and further consolidates the role of transcription factors (TF) in the diagnosis of PitNET. Here, we investigated the clinical utility of the 2022 WHO classification, as compared to that of 2017, in a cohort of patients with non-functioning PitNET (NF-PitNET). Methods: A total of 113 NF-PitNET patients who underwent resection between 2010 and 2021, and had follow-up at Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, were recruited. Surgical specimens were re-stained for the three TF: steroidogenic factor (SF-1), T-box family member TBX19 (TPIT) and POU class 1 homeobox 1 (Pit-1). The associations of different NF-PitNET subtypes with tumour-related outcomes were evaluated by logistic and Cox regression analyses. Results: Based on the 2022 WHO classification, the majority of NF-PitNET was SF-1-lineage tumours (58.4%), followed by TPIT-lineage tumours (18.6%), tumours with no distinct lineage (16.8%) and Pit-1-lineage tumours (6.2%). Despite fewer entities than the 2017 classification, significant differences in disease-free survival were present amongst these four subtypes (Log-rank test p=0.003), specifically between SF-1-lineage PitNET and PitNET without distinct lineage (Log-rank test p<0.001). In multivariable Cox regression analysis, the subtype of PitNET without distinct lineage (HR 3.02, 95% CI 1.28-7.16, p=0.012), together with tumour volume (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.07, p=0.017), were independent predictors of a composite of residual or recurrent disease. Conclusion: The 2022 WHO classification of PitNET is a clinically useful TF and lineage-based system for subtyping NF-PitNET with different tumour behaviour and prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population-based epidemiological studies on post-acute phase coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)-related fractures in older adults are lacking. This study aims to examine the risk of incident major osteoporotic fractures following SARS-CoV-2 infection among individuals aged ≥50, compared to individuals without COVID-19. It was a retrospective, propensity-score matched, population-based cohort study of COVID-19 patients and non-COVID individuals identified from the electronic database of the Hong Kong Hospital Authority from January 2020 to March 2022. The primary outcome was a composite of major osteoporotic fractures (hip, clinical vertebral, and upper limb). COVID-19 patients were 1:1 matched to controls using propensity-score according to age, sex, vaccination status, medical comorbidities and baseline medications. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. A total of 429 459 COVID-19 patients were included, 1:1 matched to non-COVID individuals. Upon median follow-up of 11 months, COVID-19 patients had higher risks of major osteoporotic fractures (5.08 vs 3.95 per 1000 persons; HR 1.22 95%CI [1.15–1.31]), hip fractures (2.71 vs 1.94; 1.33 [1.22–1.46]), clinical vertebral fractures (0.42 vs 0.31; 1.29 [1.03–1.62]), and falls (13.83 vs 10.36; 1.28 [1.23–1.33]). Subgroup analyses revealed no significant interaction. In acute (within 30 days) and post-acute phases (beyond 30 days) following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, we consistently observed a significant increase in fractures and falls risks. Our study demonstrated increased risk of major osteoporotic fractures after SARS-CoV-2 infection in both acute and post-acute phases in older adults, partly due to increased fall risk. Clinicians should be aware of musculoskeletal health of COVID-19 survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Rezūm is a novel treatment for patients with moderate to severe lower urinary tract symptoms as a result of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Recently, it has expanded to patients with urinary retention causing catheter dependence and the results are promising in Whites. However, it is unclear how effective Rezūm is in the Chinese population. Here, we report our experience in performing Rezūm on catheter‐dependent Chinese men with BPH and evaluate its safety and efficacy. Methods: A retrospective review of catheter‐dependent patients with BPH who underwent Rezūm from January to August 2022 was conducted. We evaluated the success rate of trial without catheter (TWOC) and compared pre‐ and post‐operative (at 6 months) uroflowmetry results, International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS), IPSS Quality of Life Score (IPSS QoL), and prostate volume. Results: Sixty‐three patients had Rezūm performed (44 and 19 patients had refractory urinary retention and obstructive uropathy, respectively) with a mean age of 74 years and a mean prostate size of 53.9 mL. The first attempt at TWOC was successful in 53 patients (85.5%; range 15–44 days post‐operation). By 98 days after the operation, all patients could void spontaneously. The 6‐month follow‐up showed that IPSS and IPSS QoL scores decreased by a mean of 9.0 and 1.8 points, respectively (both P <.01). The mean pre‐operative post‐voided residual urine was reduced by 559 mL (P <.01), with a mean prostate size reduction of 9.4 mL (P <.01). Seven patients had non‐serious complications (Grade 1–2 Clavien–Dindo classification) within 30 days of operation. Conclusion: Rezūm was shown to be effective and safe in catheter‐dependent Chinese men with BPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the polysulfide shuttle effect, a major impediment to the efficiency of lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries, is addressed. A titanium nitride-oxide (TiO2–TiN) composite is synthesized via a single-step liquid-phase reaction at 60 °C only, significantly streamlining the production for large-scale applications. This composite, serving as a cathode material in Li–S batteries, demonstrates remarkable performance, with an initial capacity of 774 mA h g−1, and maintains 517 mA h g−1 after 500 cycles at a 0.5C rate with a decay rate of 0.066% per cycle. The integration of a Super P carbon-coated separator further enhances the battery performance, achieving an initial capacity of 926 mA h g−1 and maintaining 628 mA h g−1 after 500 cycles, with the lower decay rate of 0.064% per cycle. Moreover, the integration of Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks into data analysis has facilitated the creation of a deep learning-based predictive model. This model is adept at accurately forecasting the aging effects of batteries up to 100 cycles in advance. This AI-driven approach represents a novel paradigm in battery research, offering the potential to expedite the battery testing process and streamline quality control procedures. Such advancements are pivotal in making the commercialization of Li–S batteries more feasible and efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we construct a new family of generalization of the positive representations of split-real quantum groups based on the degeneration of the Casimir operators acting as zero on some Hilbert spaces. It is motivated by a new observation arising from modifying the representation in the simplest case of U q (sl (2 , R)) compatible with Faddeev’s modular double, while having a surprising tensor product decomposition. For higher rank, the representations are obtained by the polarization of Chevalley generators of U q (g) in a new realization as universally Laurent polynomials of a certain skew-symmetrizable quantum cluster algebra. We also calculate explicitly the Casimir actions of the maximal A n - 1 degenerate representations of U q (g R) for general Lie types based on the complexification of the central parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We described the clinical and densitometric characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients who developed atypical femoral fractures (AFF) while on bisphosphonate for osteoporosis. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study including all adults aged ≥50 years who developed AFF while on bisphosphonates between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2020, and subsequently managed in the Osteoporosis Centre at Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong. A control group of patients who developed fragility hip fractures while on bisphosphonates in the same period was included for comparison. We compared the clinical and densitometric characteristics between the two groups, and described the clinical outcomes for the AFF group. Results: In total, 75 patients were included (AFF: n = 35; fragility hip fracture: n = 40). All were related to oral bisphosphonates. The AFF group was characterised by a longer duration of bisphosphonate use (median of 5 years), higher bone mineral density (BMD) and more acute neck-shaft angle (all p < 0.05). Following AFF, 8 patients (22.9%) did not receive any subsequent bone-active agents: due to refusal to use an injectable, or BMD out of osteoporotic range. Most of those who received bone-active agents were given teriparatide, followed by raloxifene, and achieved stable BMD. However, subsequent fragility risk remained high. Nonetheless, AFF did not confer excess morbidity and mortality. Conclusion: AFF was characterised by usually long duration of bisphosphonate use, higher BMD and more acute neck-shaft angle. AFF did not confer significant impairment in mobility or mortality. Nonetheless, further research work is necessary to optimise bone health among patients who develop AFF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the effect of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Asian men with all stages of prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: READT (real-life evaluation of the effect of ADT in prostate cancer patients in Asia) was a multicenter, prospective observational study involving six sites across four Asian populations. We enrolled eligible prostate cancer patients, who opted for ADT alone or in combination without prior neoadjuvant or adjuvant ADT within 12 months. The EuroQoL-5 dimensions, 5 level scale (EQ-5D-5L) utility index scores and visual analog scale (VAS) were evaluated at baseline, month 6 and month 12. Results: A total of 504 patients were recruited into READT between September 2016 and May 2020 with 52.9% diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. The EQ-5D-5L was evaluable in 442/504 (87.7%) of patients. Overall baseline EQ-5D-5L utility index score was 0.924 (interquartile range [IQR] 0.876–1.000). We observed a statistically significant difference in baseline EQ-5D-5L utility index score among different populations with a median EQ-5D-5L utility index score of 1 for Taiwan & Hong Kong, 0.897 for China and 0.838 for Malaysia. Similar trend was observed throughout multiple treatment timepoints. Stage IV prostate cancer were significantly associated with a lower baseline EQ-5D-5L utility index score compared to stage I–III prostate cancer, producing a median disutility value of -0.080. Participants had a high median VAS (80, IQR 70–90), indicating good overall health on average during ADT initiation. Conclusions: The study highlights the differences in health state utility index scores among various Asian prostate cancer patients receiving ADT at real-world setting. Our findings will be informative and useful in cost-effectiveness evaluation and policy decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Tsukushi (TSK) is a recently identified hepatokine, and we aimed to investigate the association between systemic TSK and the severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in subjects with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods: Three hundred ninety-three DM and 289 without DM individuals were recruited for transient elastography assessment to determine liver steatosis and fibrosis. Serum TSK was measured by ELISA. The presence of NAFLD was defined as controlled attenuation parameter ≥ 248 dB/m. Results: NAFLD was present in 276 (70.2%) and 129 (44.6%) subjects with and without DM respectively, and they had higher serum TSK levels than those without NAFLD [DM group: 91.0 ng/mL (61.7-133.8) vs 82.5 (60.9-118.5), P < .01 respectively; without DM group: 97.1 ng/mL (69.3-148.6) vs 80.8 (53.4-111.6) respectively, P < .01]. Univariate analysis showed that serum TSK significantly correlated with the degree of steatosis and fibrosis both in subjects with and without DM. On multivariable regression analysis, only liver stiffness and estimated glomerular filtration rate were significant determinants of TSK level, and the relationship was independent of diabetes and serum adiponectin. Out of 405 subjects with NAFLD, 49 had either advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve of serum TSK to indicate advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis was 0.70 (95% CI .62-.77), which was significantly better than that of fibrosis-4 index, 0.64 (95% CI .55-.72), P < .05. Conclusion: Serum TSK levels were increased in subjects with NAFLD and reflected the severity of liver fibrosis. Background and Aims: Tsukushi (TSK) is a recently identified hepatokine, and we aimed to investigate the association between systemic TSK and the severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in subjects with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods: Three hundred ninety-three DM and 289 without DM individuals were recruited for transient elastography assessment to determine liver steatosis and fibrosis. Serum TSK was measured by ELISA. The presence of NAFLD was defined as controlled attenuation parameter ≥ 248 dB/m. Results: NAFLD was present in 276 (70.2%) and 129 (44.6%) subjects with and without DM respectively, and they had higher serum TSK levels than those without NAFLD [DM group: 91.0 ng/mL (61.7-133.8) vs 82.5 (60.9-118.5), P < .01 respectively; without DM group: 97.1 ng/mL (69.3-148.6) vs 80.8 (53.4-111.6) respectively, P < .01]. Univariate analysis showed that serum TSK significantly correlated with the degree of steatosis and fibrosis both in subjects with and without DM. On multivariable regression analysis, only liver stiffness and estimated glomerular filtration rate were significant determinants of TSK level, and the relationship was independent of diabetes and serum adiponectin. Out of 405 subjects with NAFLD, 49 had either advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve of serum TSK to indicate advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis was 0.70 (95% CI .62-.77), which was significantly better than that of fibrosis-4 index, 0.64 (95% CI .55-.72), P < .05. Conclusion: Serum TSK levels were increased in subjects with NAFLD and reflected the severity of liver fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) is a clinical manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis and is always associated with cerebrovascular disease and various complications. The aim of our study is to evaluate the relationship between the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) infection and the subsequent PAOD development. A retrospective cohort study was conducted and individuals with COVID‐19 infection were identified from the TriNetX analytics platform. A total of 2 206 065 patients with COVID‐19 infection and 2 206 065 patients without COVID‐19 infection were recruited after exclusion and matching. The primary outcome was the development of PAOD after the COVID‐19 infection. The Cox proportional hazard regression was adopted to yield the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of PAOD between groups. After the whole follow‐up period, the incidence of PAOD was significantly higher in the COVID‐19 group at both the 3‐month follow‐up (HR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.24–1.30) and the 12‐month follow‐up (HR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.31–1.35) The Kaplan‐Meier analysis with the log‐rank test demonstrated a higher cumulative probability of PAOD in the COVID‐19 group compared to the non‐COVID‐19 group (p < 0.001). In stratified analysis using 65 years as the threshold, both age groups in the COVID‐19 group exhibited a higher risk of PAOD. Similarly, in the sex and race stratified analysis, the COVID‐19 group performed a higher risk of PAOD in both subgroups. In conclusion, the COVID‐19 infections are strongly associated with an increment of PAOD incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study aimed to explore the unheard grief of young people following the 2019 social movement in Hong Kong. Sixteen participants were interviewed in-depth. Thematic analysis was conducted. Participants perceived Hong Kong as no longer the place they knew and expressed collective grief over the loss of their hometown. The understanding of their hometown was shattered amidst losses of freedom and justice. They grieved because of their unique relationships with Hong Kong and their identity as Hongkongers. This symbolic home-loss grief can be better understood at both emotional and existential levels. Findings suggest the importance of acknowledging and articulating this grief and a deeper understanding of the collective grief emerging from losses, in which people were connected by shared values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Carers of patients with advanced organ failure (AOF) experience a tremendous caregiving burden. Social capital utilizes the internal strength of a community to support its members and may provide carers with comprehensive support. This study aimed to identify the different sources of social capital that can support carers of patients with AOF from the perspectives of stakeholders. Method: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted in community settings from April 2021 to May 2022. Stakeholders from medical social work departments, self-help groups, and non-governmental organizations were recruited, while some community members were invited through online media platforms. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted using an interview guide. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a qualitative description approach. In total, 98 stakeholders, including 25 carers, 25 patients, 24 professionals, and 24 community members, were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. Results: Six categories about social capital for carers emerged, namely, carer attributes, the community, social care services, healthcare services, information, and policies. While the attributes of carers and their relationships with care recipients had a significant influence on caregiving, support from different groups in the community, such as neighbors and employers, was valued. Good communication of information about caregiving and social services was emphasized as being helpful by carers and other stakeholders. While carers presented a need for various healthcare and social care services, several features of these services, including their person-centeredness and proactive reach, were deemed useful. At the societal level, policies and research on comprehensive supportive services are warranted. The different sources of social capital constitute a multi-layer support system in the community. Conclusion: Carers can utilize personal attributes, interpersonal relationships, community resources, and societal contexts to enhance their caregiving. While this system can serve as a framework for building carer-friendly communities, interventions may be required to strengthen some aspects of social capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Baseline circulating thrombospondin‐2 (TSP2) level was identified as a potential novel hepatic fibrosis biomarker that associates with development and progression of hepatic fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes. Here, we investigated whether circulating TSP2 levels changed with improvement in liver stiffness (LS), which reflects liver fibrosis on transient elastography. Design: Serum TSP2 levels were measured in participants from a randomized, open‐label intervention study, at baseline and after 24‐weeks treatment of either dapagliflozin 10 mg (N = 30) or sitagliptin 100 mg daily (N = 30). Vibration‐controlled transient elastography was performed to evaluate the severity of hepatic fibrosis and steatosis using LS and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), respectively. Patients and Measurements: Among all 60 participants with similar clinical characteristics at baseline (mean HbA1c 8.9%, CAP 289 dB/m and LS 5.8 kPa), despite similar HbA1c lowering, treatment with dapagliflozin, but not sitagliptin, led to significant improvements in body weight (BW) (p =.012), CAP (p =.015) and LS (p =.011) after 24 weeks. Results: Serum TSP2 level decreased significantly from baseline in dapagliflozin‐treated participants (p =.035), whereas no significant change was observed with sitagliptin. In correlation analysis, change in serum TSP2 levels only positively correlated with change in LS (r =.487, p =.006), but not with changes in BW, CAP or HbA1c after dapagliflozin treatment. Conclusions: Serum TSP2 level decreased with LS after dapagliflozin treatment, and was independent of improvements in BW, glycemic control and hepatic steatosis, further supporting the potential of serum TSP2 level as a novel hepatic fibrosis biomarker in type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In bereavement literature, the significance of open communication within the family is often highlighted. However, in recent years, scholars have noticed the complexity of grief communication in the family, especially challenges and obstacles to sharing grief. Our study seeks to contribute to the research by offering a deeper understanding of the grief‐sharing experiences of parentally bereaved adolescents and young adults from China, a family‐centered society with strong traditions of treating bereavement and grief as taboo. We used a narrative approach to analyze 82 interviews with 44 participants. We found that almost all the participants, regardless of their gender, parent's gender, cause of death, or time since loss, indicated that they never shared grief with other family members. Specifically, three themes emerged from the analysis. "Holding back tears during the funeral" reflects participants' struggle to protect the family (especially the surviving parent) through hiding their grief during the family crisis. "Pretending no grief at all after loss" shows how participants intentionally avoided any grief conversations within the family to not trigger others' grief. In addition, "Keeping grief secret as a family rule" indicates how Chinese families powerfully guided and influenced participants in avoiding the open expression of their grief. Our findings have drawn attention to the not‐disclosing‐grief experiences of bereaved adolescents and young adults in the Chinese context and the role of the family in it, therefore, calling for further support for bereaved young people, either within the family or through professional services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article summarizes a study on corneal endothelial evaluations in patients with immunoglobulin G4-related ophthalmic disease (IgG4-ROD). The study found that IgG4-ROD patients had lower corneal endothelial cell density and increased average cell area compared to healthy subjects. The study suggests that corneal endothelial evaluation should be included in the assessment of IgG4-ROD, but further research is needed to understand its long-term implications and utility. The report provides factual information without biases or judgments, allowing library patrons to decide if they want to explore the topic further. [Extracted from the article]

The 12th Asian Pacific Topic Conference (APTC) on Gut Microbiota, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, focused on translating gut microbiota research into clinical practice. The conference covered six key areas of recent advances in microbiome research, including the microbiome throughout human life, new microbiome analytical technology, the role of gut dysbiosis in cancer, gut microbiota manipulation, and brain-gut axis disorders. The conference emphasized practical innovation and personalized healthcare. Various organizations, including universities and private companies, are working to translate microbiome research into clinical practice and improve patient outcomes. [Extracted from the article]

This short report evaluated the accuracy and quality of information provided by ChatGPT regarding the use of complementary and integrative medicine for cancer. Using the QUality Evaluation Scoring Tool, a panel of 12 reviewers assessed ChatGPT's responses to 8 questions. The study found that ChatGPT provided moderate-quality responses that were relatively unbiased and not misleading. However, the chatbot's inability to reference specific scientific studies was a significant limitation. Patients with cancer should not rely on ChatGPT for clinical advice until further systematic validation. Future studies should examine how patients perceive ChatGPT's information and its impact on communication with health care professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing design codes for predicting the strength of stud shear connections in composite structures are limited when adapting to constant changes in materials and configurations. Machine learning (ML) models for predicting shear connection are often constrained by the number of input variables, resembling conventional design equations. Moreover, these models tend to overlook considerations beyond those directly comprising the connection. In addition, the data used in ML are often biased and limited in quantity. This study proposes a model using AutoML to automate and optimize the process for predicting the ultimate strength and deformation capacity of shear connections. The proposed model leverages a comprehensive dataset derived from experimental studies and finite element analyses, offering an advanced data-driven solution to overcome the limitations of traditional empirical equations. A digital twin model for the static design of pushout specimens was defined to replace existing empirical design codes. The digital twin model incorporates predictions of the geometry model, ultimate strength, and slip as input parameters and provides criteria for evaluating the limit state through a bilinear load–slip curve. This study advances predictive methodologies in structural engineering by emphasizing the importance of ML in addressing the dynamic and multifaceted nature of shear connection behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]