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Bone nonunion and bone defects frequently occur following high‐energy open injuries or debridement surgeries, presenting complex challenges to treatment and significantly affecting patients' quality of life. At present, there are three primary treatment options available for addressing bone nonunion and bone defects: vascularized bone grafts, the Masquelet technique, and the Ilizarov technique. The Ilizarov technique, also known as distraction osteogenesis, is widely favored by orthopedic surgeons because of several advantages, including minimal soft tissue requirements, low infection risk, and short consolidation time. However, in recent years, the application of the Masquelet technique has resulted in novel treatment methods for managing post‐traumatic bone infections when bone defects are present. Although these new techniques do not constitute a panacea, they continue to be the most commonly employed options for treating complex large bone nonunion and bone defects. This review evaluates the currently available research on the Ilizarov and Masquelet bone transport techniques applied at various anatomical sites. Additionally, it explores treatment durations and associated complications to establish a theoretical foundation that can guide clinical treatment decisions and surgical procedures for the management of bone nonunion and bone defects.

Summary: Background: Dysbiosis of the oral mycobiome has been linked to some diseases, including cancers. However, the role of oral fungal communities in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) carcinogenesis has not previously been investigated. Methods: We characterized the oral salivary fungal mycobiome in 476 untreated incident NPC patients and 537 population-based controls using fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-2 sequencing. The relationship between oral fungal mycobiome and the risk of NPC was assessed through bioinformatic and biostatistical analyses. Findings: We found that lower fungal alpha diversity was associated with an increased odds of NPC [lower vs. higher: observed features (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 5.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.60–9.38); Simpson diversity (1.53, 1.03–2.29); Shannon diversity (2.03, 1.35–3.04)]. We also observed a significant difference in global fungal community patterns between cases and controls based on Bray–Curtis dissimilarity (P

We have established a novel method for quadrature signal construction in a semiconductor laser diode self-mixing interferometry system using two photodiodes and a beam splitter with a liquid crystal phase shifter (LCPS). This method entails placing an LCPS between the photodiode and the beam splitter so that another phase shift self-mixing signal can be obtained. Then, an arctangent phase algorithm can be used to demodulate the pair of quadrature signals to reconstruct the vibration information of the target object. This method simplifies the self-mixing signal demodulation process and the reconstruction of vibration information. Our experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of using self-mixing phase shifter detection for self-mixing optical measurements. The work illustrates a sort of efficient and referable novel design guidance model which supports the quadrature signals construction in a self-mixing interferometer based on a semiconductor laser diode.

Previous research on antibiotic resistance genes and microorganisms centered on those in urban sewage treatment plants, breeding farms, hospitals and others with serious antibiotic pollution. However, at present, there are evident proofs that antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) indeed exist in a primitive environment hardly without any human’s footprints. Accordingly, an original karst mountain swamp ecosystem in Niangniang Mountain, Guizhou, China, including herbaceous swamp, shrub swamp, sphagnum bog and forest swamp, was selected to analyze the physical and chemical parameters of sediments. Moreover, microbial compositions, functions, as well as their connections with ARGs were assayed and analyzed using metagenomic technology. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the dominant microorganisms and ARGs in the four marshes, in which the dominant bacteria phyla were Proteobacteria (37.82 %), Acidobacteriota (22.17 %) and Actinobacteriota (20.64 %); the dominant archaea Euryarchaeota. (1.00 %); and the dominant eukaryotes Ascomycota (0.07 %), with metabolism as their major functions. Based on the ARDB database, the number of ARGs annotated reached 209 including 30 subtypes, and the dominant ARGs were all Bacitracin resistance genes (bacA, 84.77 %). In terms of the diversity of microorganisms and ARGs, the herbaceous swamp ranked the top, and the shrub swamp were at the bottom. Correlation analysis between microorganisms and resistance genes showed that, apart from aac2ic, macB, smeE, tetQ, and tetL, other ARGs were positively correlated with microorganisms. Among them, baca coexisted with microorganisms. Pearson correlation analysis results showed that contrary to ARGs, microorganisms were more affected by environmental factors.

Background: To study the pathogenesis of steroid-induced femoral head osteonecrosis, an ideal animal model is very important. As experimental animals, mice are beneficial for studying the pathogenesis of disease. However, there are currently few mouse models of steroid-induced femoral head osteonecrosis, and there are many questions that require further exploration and research.Purposes: The purpose of this study was to establish a new model of osteonecrosis in mice using angiotensin II (Ang II) combined with asparaginase (ASP) and dexamethasone (DEX) and to study the effects of this drug combination on femoral head osteonecrosis in mice.Methods: Male BALB/c mice (n = 60) were randomly divided into three groups. Group A (normal control, NC) was treated with physiological saline and given a normal diet. Group B (DEX + ASP, DA) was given free access to food and water (containing 2 mg/L DEX) and subjected to intraperitoneal injection of ASP (1200 IU/kg twice/week for 8 weeks). Group C (DEX + ASP + Ang II, DAA) was treated the same as group B, it was also given free access to food and water (containing 2 mg/L DEX) and subjected to intraperitoneal injection of ASP (1200 IU/kg twice/week for 8 weeks), but in the 4th and 8th weeks, subcutaneous implantation of a capsule osmotic pump (0.28 mg/kg/day Ang II) was performed. The mice were sacrificed in the 4th and 8th weeks, and the model success rate, mouse mortality rate, body weight, blood lipids, coagulation factors, histopathology, and number of local vessels in the femoral head were evaluated.Results: DAA increased the model success rate [4th week, 30% (DA) vs. 40% (DAA) vs. 0% (NC); 8th week, 40% (DA) vs. 70% (DAA) vs. 0% (NC)]. There was no significant difference in mortality rate between the groups [4th week, 0% (DA) vs. 0% (DAA) vs. 0% (NC); 8th week, 5% (DA) vs. 10% (DAA) vs. 0% (NC)]. DAA affected mouse body weight and significantly affected blood lipids and blood coagulation factors. DAA reduces the number of blood vessels in the femoral head and destroys the local blood supply.Conclusion: Angiotensin II combined with asparaginase and dexamethasone can obviously promote the necrosis of femoral head and provide a new idea for the model and treatment of osteonecrosis.

BackgroundMarijuana use is common in persons with HIV, but there is limited evidence of its relationship with potential health benefits or harms. ObjectiveThe Marijuana Associated Planning and Long-term Effects (MAPLE) study was designed to evaluate the impact of marijuana use on HIV-related health outcomes, cognitive function, and systemic inflammation. MethodsThe MAPLE study is a longitudinal cohort study of participants living with HIV who were recruited from 3 locations in Florida and were either current marijuana users or never regular marijuana users. At enrollment, participants completed questionnaires that included detailed marijuana use assessments, underwent interviewer-administered neurocognitive assessments, and provided blood and urine samples. Ongoing follow-ups included brief telephone assessments (every 3 months), detailed questionnaires (annually), repeated blood and urine samples (2 years), and linkage to medical records and statewide HIV surveillance data. Supplemental measures related to intracellular RNA, COVID-19, Alzheimer disease, and the gut microbiome were added after study initiation. ResultsThe MAPLE study completed enrollment of 333 persons between 2018 and 2021. The majority of participants in the sample were ≥50 years of age (200/333, 60.1%), male (181/333, 54.4%), cisgender men (173/329, 52.6%), non-Hispanic Black (221/333, 66.4%), and self-reported marijuana users (260/333, 78.1%). Participant follow-up was completed in 2022, with annual updates to HIV surveillance data through at least 2027. ConclusionsThe MAPLE study is the largest cohort specifically designed to understand the use of marijuana and its effects on HIV-related outcomes. The study population has significant diversity across age, sex, gender, and race. The data will help clinicians and public health officials to better understand patterns of marijuana use associated with both positive and negative health outcomes, and may inform recommendations for future clinical trials related to medical marijuana and HIV. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/37153

Background We hypothesized that specific amino acids or acylcarnitines would have benefits for the differential diagnosis of diabetes. Thus, a targeted metabolomics for amino acids and acylcarnitines in patients with diabetes and its complications was carried out. Methods A cohort of 54 normal individuals and 156 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or diabetic complications enrolled from the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University was studied. The subjects were divided into five main groups: normal individuals, impaired fasting glucose, overt diabetes, diabetic microvascular complications, and diabetic peripheral vascular disease. The technique of tandem mass spectrometry was applied to obtain the plasma metabolite profiles. Metabolomics multivariate statistics were applied for the metabolic data analysis and the differential metabolites determination. Results A total of 10 cross-comparisons within diabetes and its complications were designed to explore the differential metabolites. The results demonstrated that eight comparisons existed and yielded significant metabolic differences. A total number of 24 differential metabolites were determined from six selected comparisons, including up-regulated amino acids, down-regulated medium-chain and long-chain acylcarnitines. Altered differential metabolites provided six panels of biomarkers, which were helpful in distinguishing diabetic patients. Conclusion Our results demonstrated that the biomarker panels consisted of specific amino acids and acylcarnitines which could reflect the metabolic variations among the different stages of diabetes and might be useful for the differential diagnosis of prediabetes, overt diabetes and diabetic complications.

BackgroundThe human microbiome has been reported to mediate the response to anticancer therapies. However, research about the influence of the oral microbiome on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) survival is lacking. We aimed to explore the effect of oral microbiota on NPC prognosis.MethodsFour hundred eighty-two population-based NPC cases in southern China between 2010 and 2013 were followed for survival, and their saliva samples were profiled using 16s rRNA sequencing. We analyzed associations of the oral microbiome diversity with mortality from all causes and NPC.ResultsWithin- and between-community diversities of saliva were associated with mortality with an average of 5.29 years follow-up. Lower Faith’s phylogenetic diversity was related to higher all-cause mortality [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 1.52 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.06–2.17)] and NPC-specific mortality [aHR, 1.57 (95% CI, 1.07–2.29)], compared with medium diversity, but higher phylogenetic diversity was not protective. The third principal coordinate (PC3) identified from principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) on Bray–Curtis distance was marginally associated with reduced all-cause mortality [aHR, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.73–1.00)], as was the first principal coordinate (PC1) from PCoA on weighted UniFrac [aHR, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.74–1.00)], but neither was associated with NPC-specific mortality. PC3 from robust principal components analysis was associated with lower all-cause and NPC-specific mortalities, with HRs of 0.72 (95% CI, 0.61–0.85) and 0.71 (95% CI, 0.60–0.85), respectively.ConclusionsOral microbiome may be an explanatory factor for NPC prognosis. Lower within-community diversity was associated with higher mortality, and certain measures of between-community diversity were related to mortality. Specifically, candidate bacteria were not related to mortality, suggesting that observed associations may be due to global patterns rather than particular pathogens.

Objectives: Given the role of exposures related to residence in the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has not been well explored, present study aims to investigate the magnitude and pattern of associations for NPC with lifelong residential exposures. Materials and Methods: We carried out a multi-center, population-based case-control study with 2533 incident NPC cases and 2597 randomly selected population controls in southern China between 2010 and 2014. We performed multivariate logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the risk of NPC associated with residential exposures. Results: Compared with those living in a building over lifetime, risk of NPC was higher for individuals living in a cottage (OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.34–1.81) or in a boat (3.87; 2.07–7.21). NPC risk was also increased in individuals using wood (1.34; 1.03–1.75), coal (1.70; 1.17–2.47), or kerosene (3.58; 1.75–7.36) vs. using gas/electricity as cooking fuel; using well water (1.57; 1.34–1.83), river water (1.80; 1.47–2.21), or spring/pond/stream water (2.03; 1.70–2.41) vs. tap water for source of drinking water; living in houses with smaller-sized vs. larger windows in the bedroom (3.08; 2.46–3.86), hall (1.89; 1.55–2.31) or kitchen (1.67; 1.34–2.08); and increasing exposure to cooking smoke [(1.53; 1.20–1.94) for high exposure)] or burned incense [(1.59; 1.31–1.95) for daily use)]. Weighted Cox regression analysis corroborated these results. Conclusion: Poorer residential conditions and household air pollution are associated with an increased risk of NPC. Large-scale studies in other populations or longitudinal studies are warranted to further corroborate these findings.

This article investigates the influence of frequency on the field-dependent non-linear rheology of magnetorheological (MR) grease under large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS). First, the LAOS tests with different driving frequencies were conducted on MR grease at four magnetic fields, and the storage and loss moduli under the frequency of 0.1, 0.5, 1, and 5 Hz were compared to obtain an overall understanding of the frequency-dependent viscoelastic behavior of MR grease. Based on this, the three-dimensional (3D) Lissajous curves and decomposed stress curves under two typical frequencies were depicted to provide the non-linear elastic and viscous behavior. Finally, the elastic and viscous measures containing higher harmonics from Fourier transform (FT)-Chebyshev analysis were used to quantitatively interpret the influence of the frequency on the non-linear rheology of MR grease, namely, strain stiffening (softening) and shear thickening (thinning), under LAOS with different magnetic fields. It was found that, under the application of the magnetic field, the onset of the non-linear behavior of MR grease was frequency-dependent. However, when the shear strain amplitude increased in the post-yield region, the non-linear rheology of MRG-70 was not affected by the oscillatory frequency.

A novel enriched finite element method (EFEM) was employed to analyze the transient wave propagation problems. In the present method, the traditional finite element approximation was enriched by employing the appropriate interpolation covers. We mathematically and numerically showed that the present EFEM possessed the important monotonic convergence property with the decrease of the used time steps for transient wave propagation problems when the unconditional stable Newmark time integration scheme was used for time integration. This attractive property markedly distinguishes the present EFEM from the traditional FEM for transient wave propagation problems. Two typical numerical examples were given to demonstrate the capabilities of the present method.

In this paper, a novel enriched three-node triangular element with the augmented interpolation cover functions is proposed based on the original linear triangular element for two-dimensional solids. In this enriched triangular element, the augmented interpolation cover functions are employed to enrich the original standard linear shape functions over element patches. As a result, the original linear approximation space can be effectively enriched without adding extra nodes. To eliminate the linear dependence issue of the present method, an effective scheme is used to make the system matrices of the numerical model completely positive-definite. Through several typical numerical examples, the abilities of the present enriched three node triangular element in forced and free vibration analysis of two-dimensional solids are studied. The results show that, compared with the original linear triangular element, the present element can not only provide more accurate numerical results, but also have higher computational efficiency and convergence rate.

Magnetorheological gel (MRG) excels in the material properties in term of adjustability and sedimentation performance, which could upgrade the performances of the current magnetorheological fluid based adjustable devices for structural control and vibration mitigation. However, the characterization and modelling of the stress-strain hysteresis responses of MRG has not been reported in the past, which are fundamental steps towards engineering applications. In this study, the stress-strain hysteresis of polyurethane based MRG sample with 60% carbonyl iron particle weight fraction was characterized under sinusoidal shear excitations with broad ranges of strain amplitude (5%–100%), excitation frequency (0.1 Hz–2 Hz) and magnetic fields (0–0.91 T). Significant stress overshooting phenomenon were observed under the application of low magnetic fields (0.27 T). A structurally-simple and accurate phenomenological model has been established to capture this unique nonlinearity. By validating the experimental results, the proposed model accurately predicts the hysteretic behaviour and the overshoot of the MRG under the excitation scenarios and the magnetic fields considered. Finally, the support vector machine (SVM) was implemented to provide the solution to the model generalization. The SVM-assisted model showed good agreement with the experimental data and can benefit the efficiency and viability in developing controllable MRG-based devices and system.

ABSTRACT Oral health and changes in the oral microbiome have been associated with both local and systemic cancer. Poor oral hygiene is a known risk factor for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a virally associated head and neck cancer endemic to southern China. We explored the relationship between NPC and the oral microbiome using 16S rRNA sequencing in a study of 499 NPC patients and 495 population-based age and sex frequency-matched controls from an area of endemicity of Southern China. We found a significant reduction in community richness in cases compared to that in controls. Differences in the overall microbial community structure between cases and controls could not be explained by other potential confounders; disease status explained 5 times more variation in the unweighted UniFrac distance than the next most explanatory variable. In feature-based analyses, we identified a pair of coexcluding Granulicatella adiacens amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) which were strongly associated with NPC status and differed by a single nucleotide. The G. adiacens variant an individual carried was also associated with the overall microbial community based on beta diversity. Co-occurrence analysis suggested the two G. adiacens ASVs sit at the center of two coexcluding clusters of closely related organisms. Our results suggest there are differences in the oral microbiomes between NPC patients and healthy controls, and these may be associated with both a loss of microbial diversity and niche specialization among closely related commensals. IMPORTANCE The relationship between oral health and the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) was previously established. However, the role of oral microbiome has not been evaluated in the disease in a large epidemiological study. This paper clearly establishes a difference in the oral microbiomes between NPC patients and healthy controls which cannot be explained by other confounding factors. It furthermore identifies a pair of closely related coexcluding organisms associated with the disease, highlighting the importance of modern methods for single-nucleotide resolution in 16S rRNA sequence characterization. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first examples of cancer-associated niche specialization of the oral microbiome.

Abstract Background Subjects with elevated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) immunoglobulin A (IgA) titers have a higher risk of developing nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), indicating that reactivation of EBV in the local mucosa might be important for NPC carcinogenesis. Cigarette smoking appears to be one of the environmental risk factors for NPC. However, it remains unclear whether smoking-induced nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis acts through reactivating EBV in the nasopharyngeal mucosa. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the association between cigarette smoking and nasopharyngeal EBV reactivation in a NPC high-risk population. Methods A NPC high-risk cohort study, established from a population-based NPC screening program of 22,816 subjects, consisted of 1045 subjects with elevated serum IgA antibodies against EBV viral capsid antigen (VCA/IgA). Among high-risk subjects, information on detailed cigarette smoking history was collected among 313 male subjects. The associations between cigarette smoking and EBV antibody levels, EBV DNA load of the nasopharynx were analyzed. Results No significant association was observed between either nasopharyngeal EBV DNA load or serum VCA/IgA titers and smoking status, age at smoking initiation, daily smoking intensity, smoking duration, cigarette type, or pack-years of smoking. Cigarette smoking characteristics in all subgroups did not correlate with nasopharyngeal EBV DNA positivity or EBV VCA/IgA seropositivity. Conclusions In a population at high risk of NPC, our study suggests that cigarette smoking is neither associated with nasopharyngeal EBV DNA load nor serum VCA/IgA antibody level. Smoking-associated NPC carcinogenesis may act through other mechanisms than reactivating nasopharyngeal EBV replication.

In this paper, to improve the heat dissipation efficiency of a radiator for focal plane assemblies, a topology optimization method is introduced into the design process. For the realization of the optimization, an objective of maximal thermal stiffness concerning the radiator is formulated. The topology optimization is performed under the same mass constraint of 2.05 kg as the initial design. To improve the manufacturability of topology optimization result, an inverse design is conducted to reconstruct a new model. In transient thermal simulation, the average maximal temperature on focal plane assemblies with a reconstructed radiator is 8.626 °C, while the average maximal temperature with the initial design is 9.793 °C. Compared to the initial design, a decrease of 1.167 °C on maximal temperature is achieved. As the heat dissipation efficiency of the proposed radiator design is improved compared to the initial design, it is meaningful in future applications.

The paper tests the influence of mass fractions of carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) on the rheological properties of magnetorheological (MR) gels. Polyurethane-based MR gels with different weight fraction of CIPs, i.e., 40, 60, and 80%, were firstly prepared by mechanical mixing, respectively. The changes of shear stress and viscosity with shear rate under different magnetic flux density were tested and analyzed. It was found that the shear stress increases with mass fraction under magnetic flux density. The viscoelastic properties of MRGs were achieved by oscillatory shear measure. The effects of strain amplitude and frequency on viscoelastic of MRGs under different magnetic flux density were measured and analyzed. The study results shown that the elastic characteristics become more obvious with the increase of CIPs mass fraction. However, it has opposite effect on the viscous properties of materials.

The cable-driven soft arm is mostly made of soft material; it is difficult to control because of the material characteristics, so the traditional robot arm modeling and control methods cannot be directly applied to the soft robot arm. In this paper, we combine the data-driven modeling method with the reinforcement learning control method to realize the position control task of robotic soft arm, the method of control strategy based on deep Q learning. In order to solve slow convergence and unstable effect in the process of simulation and migration when deep reinforcement learning is applied to the actual robot control task, a control strategy learning method is designed, which is based on the experimental data, to establish a simulation environment for control strategy training, and then applied to the real environment. Finally, it is proved by experiment that the method can effectively complete the control of the soft robot arm, which has better robustness than the traditional method.

In order to analyze the partial discharge (PD) characteristics of a liquid/solid composite medium in an oil-filled submarine cable terminal; we have designed five discharge models including needle-plate, plate-to-plate air gap, surface, slide-flash and suspension potential. At the same time, the ultrasonic signals of PD have been extracted through the typical fault model research platform of oil-filled submarine cable equipment. First, we use SureShrink threshold wavelet denoising to suppress the ultrasonic signal noise. Secondly, through the multi-scale analysis of the signal, the energy distribution maps of five different types of PD are obtained; the analysis found that needle-plate discharge, suspension discharge, and slide-flash discharge have better resolution; and plate-to-plate air gap discharge and creeping discharge have similar characteristics and are not easy to distinguish. Finally, we designed six characteristic parameters of the ultrasound signal, and screened three feature quantities by a back propagation (BP) neural network to distinguish between plate-to-plate air gap discharge and surface discharge. In summary, the method of combining multi-scale analysis and neural networks is used to distinguish the five discharge types by extracting the characteristic values of the characteristic signals.

Magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) is a type of magnetic soft material consisting of ferromagnetic particles embedded in a polymeric matrix. MRE-based devices have characteristics of adjustable stiffness and damping properties, and highly nonlinear and hysteretic force−displacement responses that are dependent on external excitations and applied magnetic fields. To effectively implement the devices in mitigating the hazard vibrations of structures, numerically traceable and computationally efficient models should be firstly developed to accurately present the unique behaviors of MREs, including the typical Payne effect and strain stiffening of rubbers etc. In this study, the up-to-date phenomenological models for describing hysteresis response of MRE devices are experimentally investigated. A prototype of MRE isolator is dynamically tested using a shaking table in the laboratory, and the tests are conducted based on displacement control using harmonic inputs with various loading frequencies, amplitudes and applied current levels. Then, the test results are used to identify the parameters of different phenomenological models for model performance evaluation. The procedure of model identification can be considered as solving a global minimization optimization problem, in which the fitness function is the root mean square error between the experimental data and the model prediction. The genetic algorithm (GA) is employed to solve the optimization problem for optimal model parameters due to its advantages of easy coding and fast convergence. Finally, several evaluation indices are adopted to compare the performances of different models, and the result shows that the improved LuGre friction model outperforms other models and has optimal accuracy in predicting the hysteresis response of the MRE device.

With extensive application of foil gas journal bearings in high temperature conditions, the effect of increasing temperature on performance in the bearings have attracted more attention. High temperature can result in significant effects on static and dynamic characteristics and stability in foil gas journal bearings. In-depth understanding about thermal performance of foil bearings is in favor of structural optimization and developing more advanced foil bearings. This paper presents a short introduction about operational mechanisms and advantages of foil gas journal bearings firstly. Then, many works concerning thermal effects in foil gas journal bearings are detailedly reviewed. The problems that need to be improved or developed in the study of thermal effects of foil bearings are also presented, that is, accuracy and reliability of thermal predicting model, cooling methods and details of bearings and solid lubricant coatings which can be applied to a more wide temperature range.

Serological detection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibodies is frequently used in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) mass screening. However, the large number of seropositive subjects who require close follow-up is still a big burden. The present study aimed to detect the nasopharyngeal EBV load in a high-risk population seropositive for antibodies against EBV, as well as to examine whether assay for nasopharyngeal EBV DNA load might reduce the number of high-risk subjects for follow-up and improve early detection of NPC. A prospective and population-based cohort study was conducted in southern China from 2006 through 2013. Among 22,186 participants, 1045 subjects with serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies against viral capsid antigen (VCA) titers ≥ 1:5 were defined as high-risk group, and were then followed-up for NPC occurrence. Qualified nasopharyngeal swab specimens were available from 905 participants and used for quantitative PCR assay. Our study revealed that 89% (802/905) subjects showed positive EBV DNA in nasopharyngeal swab. The nasopharyngeal EBV load in females was higher than that in males. The nasopharyngeal EBV load increased with increasing serum VCA/IgA titers. Eight cases of newly diagnosed NPC showed an extremely elevated EBV load, and 87.5% (7 of 8 patients) were early-stage NPCs. The EBV loads of 8 NPCs were significantly higher than those of 897 NPC-free subjects (mean, 2.8 × 10(6) copies/swab [range 4.8 × 10(4)-1.1 × 10(8)] vs. 5.6 × 10(3) [range 0-3.8 × 10(6)]). Using mean EBV load in NPC-free population plus two standard deviations as cut-off value, a higher diagnostic performance was obtained for EBV load test than serum VCA/IgA test (area under ROC, 0.980 vs 0.895). In conclusion, in a prospective and population-based study we demonstrated that an additional assay of EBV load in the nasopharynx among high-risk individuals may reduce the number of subjects needed to be closely followed up and could serve as part of a NPC screening program in high-risk populations.

Polyurethane concrete has excellent mechanical properties, rapid solidification and durability, but brittle damage is easy to occur at room temperature. To solve the problem of insufficient bending toughness of polyurethane concrete, steel fibers were added into the traditional polyurethane concrete to prepare steel fiber polyurethane concrete in this paper. A total of 8 test beams with dimensions of 150 mm × 150 mm × 550 mm were made. The influence of steel fibers with different length-diameter ratios and volume ratios on the flexural strength of polyurethane concrete was studied through four points bending tests. The results show that under the same volume ratio and diameter, as the length of steel fiber increases from 30 mm to 60 mm, the peak load decreased by 8.6%, and the displacement corresponding to the peak load decreased by 41.1%. Under the same length-diameter ratio, the steel fiber volume ratio from 0.5% to 2.0%, the peak load increased by 49.1%, and the displacement corresponding to the peak load increased by 100.8%. The toughening degree, relative initial flexural toughness ratio and relative residual flexural toughness ratio were proposed, and the inconsistencies of calculation criteria for flexural toughness in steel fiber reinforced concrete (JG/T 472–2015) were optimized.

The dc-link voltage oscillation caused by the negative impedance characteristic of the constant power load is a significant issue in the series LC branch-permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) cascade system. To this end, this paper proposes a voltage prediction compensation (VPC) strategy to suppress the dc-link voltage oscillation by adding a voltage stability constraint term to the finite control set model predictive current control (FCS-MPCC). First, the linearized q-axis reference voltage is obtained by taking the derivation of the cost function of the VPC, thereby deriving the input impedance of the inverter-permanent magnet motor system. Then, the impedance matching criterion and Nyquist stability criterion are used to theoretically prove that the proposed strategy can effectively improve system stability, and the robustness of the proposed method to changes in motor parameters is analyzed. Finally, experimental verification was conducted on a 1 kW motor platform. The results show that when the motor is running under rated working conditions, after adding the stability constraint, the dc-link voltage fluctuation drops from 40 V to 7 V; the q-axis current pulsation rate also drops to 3.8 %. Theoretical analysis and experimental results show that the VPC strategy can effectively suppress the dc-link voltage oscillation of the cascade drive system.

The warm shed method is commonly employed in concrete construction during winter as an effective technique. This study aims to investigate the impact of different sizes and heating methods on the temperature inside the shed and the concrete through scale model testing. The hot air heating method is simulated using finite element software, and a prediction model is developed. The findings reveal an inverse relationship between the size of the warm shed and its heat preservation effect. When utilizing hot air, both the maximum temperature inside the warm shed and at the center of the concrete increase by 15.5 °C and 25.2 °C respectively compared to when employing a point heat source, resulting in earlier stabilization times of 390 min and 1000 min respectively, as well as a more uniform temperature distribution across all parts. Based on finite element simulation results, an optimal wind speed μ is proposed along with a corresponding prediction model.

Background: Studies have shown that circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be detected in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, the relationship between CTCs and tumor stage is still controversial. This study aims to investigate the correlations among CTCs, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) status, clinicopathologic features, and epidemiological risk factors in patients with NPC. Methods: Three hundred and thirty primary NPC patients with complete clinical data and epidemiology information were collected. Analysis of CTCs was performed using the CTCBIOPSY system. The plasma EBV DNA load was detected by quantitative real-time PCR. Detection of VCA-IgA and EA-IgA antibodies titers was conducted by immunoenzymatic assay. EBNA1-IgA and Zta-IgA were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The presence of CTCs was associated with high EBV DNA load (p < 0.05). The positive rate of CTCs was correlated with T and M classifications of NPC (T: 13.2% vs. 22.9%; M: 17.9% vs. 34.8%, p < 0.05). Compared with never and former smokers, current smokers exhibited a higher positive rate of EBNA1-IgA (83.3% and 81.0% vs. 92.5%, p < 0.05); the patients with pack-years of smoking ≥ 15 displayed a significantly higher positive rate of EBNA1-IgA than those with pack-years of smoking < 15 (98.0% and 92.5% vs. 81.0%, p < 0.05). Conclusions: CTCs positivity was closely associated with tumor burden and distant metastasis of NPC. Smoking status and smoking cumulative dose of NPC patients might be correlated with EBV activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity has become an increasingly severe problem in the United States. From 2008 to 2018, the adult obesity rate rose from 33.8% to 42.4%, with rates that are notably higher in rural areas when compared to their urban counterparts. Meanwhile, rural regions have experienced relatively slower employment growth and higher poverty rates during the recovery from the Great Recession. Social scientists are interested in determinants of -- and potential solutions to -- this rise in obesity rates. The existing literature has focused on the relationship between obesity and social/economic factors, such as the number of fastfood restaurants, limited physical activity, and unemployment rates. However, one unexplored question is whether the level of economic growth experienced by a rural area plays a role in the obesity problem. This paper assesses the impact of economic growth (measured by county-level GDP per capita) on obesity rates (measured by the county-level percentage of adults with BMI higher than 30) in rural America. Nationwide, data is collected on a host of demographic and economic characteristics for all non-metropolitan counties from 2012 to 2016, resulting in a county-level panel data set (n=1,948, t=5). Control variables include age, race and ethnicity, unemployment rates, rates of physical inactivity, food assistance program participation, and an index measuring healthy food availability. Two different econometric approaches were applied: (1) a fixed-effects panel regression model and (2) a difference-in-difference model using propensity score matching (PSM). The results of both econometric models suggest there is no relationship between economic growth and future obesity rates. This suggests that programs focused on rural economic growth may not affect other quality-of-life metrics. The conclusion discusses these competing interests and how regional scientists can play a role in future research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objective: The study aims to explore the relationship between lipoprotein lipase (LPL) variants and hyperlipidemic acute pancreatitis (HLAP) in the southeastern Chinese population. Subjects and methods: In total, 80 participants were involved in this study (54 patients with HLAP and 26 controls). All coding regions and intron-exon boundaries of the LPL gene were sequenced. The correlations between variants and phenotypes were also analysed. Results: The rate of rare LPL variants in the HLAP group is 14.81% (8 of 54), higher than in controls. Among the detected four variants (rs3735959, rs371282890, rs761886494 and rs761265900), the most common variant was rs371282890. Further analysis demonstrated that subjects with rs371282890 "GC" genotype had a 2.843-fold higher risk for HLAP (odds ratio [OR]: 2.843, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.119-7.225, p = 0.028) than subjects with the "CC" genotype. After adjusting for sex, the association remained significant (adjusted OR: 3.083, 95% CI: 1.208-7.869, p = 0.018). Subjects with rs371282890 "GC" genotype also exhibited significantly elevated total cholesterol, triglyceride and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in all the participants and the HLAP group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Detecting rare variants in LPL might be valuable for identifying higher-risk patients with HLAP and guiding future individualised therapeutic strategies.

The gas-water distribution and production heterogeneity of tight gas reservoirs have been summarized from experimental and geological observations, but the charging and accumulation mechanisms have not been examined quantitatively by mathematical model. The tight gas charging and accumulation mechanisms were revealed from a combination of physical simulation of nuclear magnetic resonance coupling displacement, numerical simulation considering material and mechanical equilibria, as well as actual geological observation. The results show that gas migrates into tight rocks to preferentially form a gas saturation stabilization zone near the source-reservoir interface. When the gas source is insufficient, gas saturation reduction zone and uncharged zone are formed in sequence from the source-reservoir interface. The better the source rock conditions with more gas expulsion volume and higher overpressure, the thicker the gas saturation stabilization and reduction zones, and the higher the overall gas saturation. When the source rock conditions are limited, the better the tight reservoir conditions with higher porosity and permeability as well as larger pore throat, the thinner the gas saturation stabilization and reduction zones, but the gas saturation is high. The sweet spot of tight gas is developed in the high-quality reservoir near the source rock, which often corresponds to the gas saturation stabilization zone. The numerical simulation results by mathematical model agree well with the physical simulation results by nuclear magnetic resonance coupling displacement, and reasonably explain the gas-water distribution and production pattern of deep reservoirs in the Xujiaweizi fault depression of the Songliao Basin and tight gas reservoirs in the Linxing–Huangfu area of the Ordos Basin.

Abstract Background Prosthesis subsidence and mechanical failure were considered significant threats after vertebral body replacement during the long-term follow-up. Therefore, improving and optimizing the structure of vertebral substitutes for exceptional performance has become a pivotal challenge in spinal reconstruction. Methods The study aimed to develop a novel artificial vertebral implant (AVI) with triply periodic minimal surface Gyroid porous structures to enhance the safety and stability of prostheses. The biomechanical performance of AVIs under different loading conditions was analyzed using the finite element method. These implants were fabricated using selective laser melting technology and evaluated through static compression and subsidence experiments. Results The results demonstrated that the peak stress in the Gyroid porous AVI was consistently lower than that in the traditional porous AVI under all loading conditions, with a maximum reduction of 73.4%. Additionally, it effectively reduced peak stress at the bone-implant interface of the vertebrae. Static compression experiments demonstrated that the Gyroid porous AVI was about 1.63 times to traditional porous AVI in terms of the maximum compression load, indicating that Gyroid porous AVI could meet the safety requirement. Furthermore, static subsidence experiments revealed that the subsidence tendency of Gyroid porous AVI in polyurethane foam (simulated cancellous bone) was approximately 15.7% lower than that of traditional porous AVI. Conclusions The Gyroid porous AVI exhibited higher compressive strength and lower subsidence tendency than the strut-based traditional porous AVI, indicating it may be a promising substitute for spinal reconstruction.

The relationship between biodegraded oil and its source has long been a complex and contentious topic. The Western Halaalate area is located in the Piedmont area on the northwest margin of the Junggar Basin. Source rocks of the Fengcheng Formation exist both locally and in the nearby Mahu Depression. In order to determine the source of biodegraded crude oil in this area, the molecular marker characteristics of biodegraded crude oil were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that the vitrinite reflectance (Ro) of source rocks of the Permian Fengcheng Formation in the nearby Mahu Depression is greater than 1.3% and has entered a high mature stage of condensate oil and moisture gas; the source rock of Permian Fengcheng Formation in Western Halaalate area is in a mature stage with Ro of 0.79%~1.13%. The ascending configuration of tricyclic terpenes C20-C21-C23 for the crude oil samples found in the Carboniferous strata of the Western Halaalate Area is consistent with the characteristics of the Fengcheng Formation source rocks, which are present in both the Western Halaalate Area and the nearby Mahu Depression. Chromatography spectrometry examination shows that crude oils have undergone a varying degree of biodegradation. The Carboniferous oil was originated from the in situ Fengcheng Formation source rocks based on the application of molecular markers resistant to biodegradation, such as maturity parameters, salinity parameters, the new gammacerane index, and aromatic hydrocarbon parameters, combined with the analysis of hydrocarbon migration pathway. In addition, the oil biodegradation alteration rules in the Western Halaalate area were clarified, which advances regional knowledge of the relationship between biodegraded oil and source rocks.

Fatigue detection based on vision is widely employed in vehicles due to its real-time and reliable detection results. With the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, many proposed detection systems based on facial characteristics would be unreliable due to the face covering with the mask. In this paper, we propose a robust visual-based fatigue detection system for monitoring drivers, which is robust regarding the coverings of masks, changing illumination and head movement of drivers. Our system has three main modules: face key point alignment, fatigue feature extraction and fatigue measurement based on fused features. The innovative core techniques are described as follows: (1) a robust key point alignment algorithm by fusing global face information and regional eye information, (2) dynamic threshold methods to extract fatigue characteristics and (3) a stable fatigue measurement based on fusing percentage of eyelid closure (PERCLOS) and proportion of long closure duration blink (PLCDB). The excellent performance of our proposed algorithm and methods are verified in experiments. The experimental results show that our key point alignment algorithm is robust to different scenes, and the performance of our proposed fatigue measurement is more reliable due to the fusion of PERCLOS and PLCDB.

The vibration of concrete is a typical concealed construction process, in which mature supervisory methods are lacking. The quality of vibration relies heavily on the subjective experience and sense of responsibility of the vibration operators. For the widely used hand-held concrete vibrators, existing methods for monitoring the quality of vibration primarily focus on the horizontal positioning of the vibrator. Due to the limited measurable range of vibration depth, these methods are inapplicable for monitoring the vibration depth during the vibration of deeper structures such as walls, columns, and large volumes of concrete. This paper makes the initial attempt to address the issue of monitoring concrete vibration depth, presenting a method that broadens the measurable range of depth in vibration monitoring. Inspired by the principles of optical and magnetic scales, this paper introduces a radio frequency identification (RFID) scales positioning system for the real-time monitoring of vibration depth. The proposed RFID scales vibration depth monitoring method theoretically has no upper limit on the measurable vibration depth, rendering it applicable to monitoring vibration depth of any extent. By comparing the positioning accuracy of different RFID scales hardware compositions, the optimal RFID scales hardware composition and the most effective RFID scales positioning algorithm were identified. The feasibility and accuracy of the vibration depth monitoring method based on RFID scales were validated through engineering field application. This method achieves centimeter-level accuracy in monitoring vibration depth, offers a tool for the precise control of vibration depth, and helps avoid potential quality issues in vibration.

Repetitive control (RC) has been widely used in many fields due to its excellent ability to suppress periodic disturbances. However, when the permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) operates at variable speeds, the speed loop sampling frequency is usually not equal to an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency of speed ripple, which prevents disturbances from being completely suppressed. In addition, the open-loop gain of the motor control system with RC is too large at certain frequencies, resulting in excessive speed overshoot during startup and loading. To solve these two problems, this paper proposes a fractional order repetitive control (FORC) strategy with dynamically adjustable gain. A fractional order delay link is introduced to make up for the shortcomings of the conventional repetitive controller (CRC) in its ability to suppress periodic speed ripples when the sampling frequency is not an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency of the motor. Then, to weaken the speed overshoot caused by RC, a nonlinear function fal(e,α,δ) is added in the front of the FORC to dynamically adjust the FORC gain. Simulation and experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

This paper proposes a new method for compensating current measurement errors in shipboard permanent magnet propulsion motors. The method utilizes cascade decoupling second-order generalized integrators (SOGIs) and adaptive linear neurons (ADALINEs) as the current harmonic extractor and the compensator, respectively. It can compensate for the dq-axes offset and scaling errors simultaneously, improving phase current distortion while reducing the ripples of motor speed and torque. Compared to the traditional motor model-based compensation strategies, the proposed method is robust against the changes in motor parameters with the online adaptive capability of the ADALINE algorithm. Furthermore, due to the good real-time performance of SOGIs and ADALINEs, the proposed compensation strategy can effectively operate in both the steady state and transient state of the motor. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified through the physical and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) experiments. After compensating for the current measurement errors of a 1 kW test motor with the propeller-characteristics load, the torque ripple and speed ripple are reduced by more than 65% and 80%, respectively. At the same time, the DC component and the second-order and third-order harmonics in the phase currents are also significantly reduced. Similar test results can be also obtained on the HIL platform with a 100 kW permanent magnet motor.

Objective To assess the tibio‐femoral contact forces before and after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) by three‐dimensional (3D) finite element analysis (FEA) models and gait analysis. Methods Two hospitalized patients with Kellgren–Lawrence grade IV varus KOA and two healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. Both patients underwent unilateral TKA. FEA models were established based on CT and MR images of the knees of the patients with KOA and healthy subjects. Gait analysis was performed using a three‐dimensional motion capture system with a force plate. Three direction forces at the ankle joints were calculated by inverse dynamic analysis, which provided the load for the FEA models. The total contact forces of the knee joints were also calculated by inverse dynamic analysis to enable comparisons with the results from the FEA models. The total knee contact forces, maximum von Mises stress, and stress distribution of the medial plateau were compared between the patients and healthy subjects. The distributions of the medial plateau force at 2 and 6 months postoperatively were compared with the distributions of the forces preoperatively and those in the healthy subjects. Results During static standing, the medial plateau bore the most of the total contact forces in the knees with varus KOA (90.78% for patient 1 and 93.53% for patient 2) compared with 64.75 ± 3.34% of the total force in the healthy knees. At the first and second peaks of the ground reaction force during the stance phase of a gait cycle, the medial plateau bore a much higher percentage of contact forces in patients with KOA (74.78% and 86.48%, respectively, for patient 1; 70.68% and 83.56%, respectively, for patient 2) than healthy subjects (61.06% ± 3.43% at the first peak and 72.09% ± 1.83% at the second peak). Two months after TKA, the percentages of contact forces on the medial tibial plateau were 79.65%–85.19% at the first and second peaks of ground reaction forces during the stance phase of a gait cycle, and the percentages decreased to 53.99% – 68.13% 6 months after TKA. Conclusion FEA showed that TKA effectively restored the distribution of tibio‐femoral contact forces during static standing and walking, especially 6 months after the surgery. The changes in the gait were consistent with the changes in the contact force distribution calculated by the FEA model.