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The prevalence of skeletal muscle atrophy, caused by disease and aging, is rising as life expectancy increases. Exercise is the most effective treatment option; however, it is often impractical for individuals suffering from disease or bedridden. The formulation of non-exercise-based interventions is necessary. This study assessed the impact of acupuncture (AC), electro-acupuncture (EA), and electrical stimulation (ES) on muscle mass and contractile properties in a model of casting-induced muscle atrophy. Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 40) were assigned to five groups: control (CON), cast (CT), cast receiving AC (CT-AC), cast receiving EA (CT-EA), and cast receiving ES (CT-ES) (n = 8 each). Treatments were 15 min and three times/week for 14 days. Contractile properties and protein markers of atrophy and inflammation were measured. Casting decreased muscle mass and fiber cross-sectional area, but AC, EA, and ES attenuated cast-induced muscle atrophy. All treatments increased peak twitch tension compared to CT. CT increased the protein levels of MAFbx and MuRF1, while AC, EA, and ES mitigated the elevation of these proteins. Our results indicate that acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, and electrical stimulation show promise as therapeutic strategies to counteract skeletal muscle loss and dysfunction resulting from disuse atrophy caused by injury, disease, and aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Dislocations of the trapeziometacarpal joint (TMC) are uncommon in children and adolescents. Only a few isolated cases are reported in the literature. Therapeutic guidance is minimal and inconclusive. (2) Methods: The authors present four patients treated for this unusual lesion. We evaluated the evolution according to treatment, age, patient activity, and quickDASH. Despite the clear limitation of the small number of patients, it is relevant to try to better understand this lesion and its evolution. A systematic review of the literature was also conducted. (3) Results: This is the largest published series of TMC dislocations in children and adolescents. Patients included a 12-year-old girl treated conservatively with a poor quickDASH; a 9-year-old girl treated surgically with the Eaton–Littler technique for a new dislocation with a partially modified quickDASH; a 13-year-old boy with two necessary closed reductions for a new dislocation and a very good final quickDASH; and a 12-year-old boy treated with closed reduction and percutaneous fixation with excellent final results with quickDASH. (4) Conclusions: In the absence of scientific evidence, conservative treatment and ligament reconstruction did not provide good functionality. In contrast, closed reduction with percutaneous fixation provided excellent results. Therefore, the authors would recommend closed reduction and percutaneous needle fixation as an elective method to treat TMC dislocations in pediatric and adolescent patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the healthcare system, lower leg fractures remain relevant, incurring costs related to surgical treatment, hospitalization, and rehabilitation. The duration of treatment may vary depending on the individual case and its severity. Casting as a post-surgical fracture treatment is a common method in human and experimental veterinary medicine. Despite the high importance of sheep in preclinical testing materials for osteosynthesis, there is no standardised cast system ensuring proper stabilisation and functionality of hind limbs during the healing of tibia fractures or defects. Existing treatment approaches for tibial osteosynthesis in laboratory animal science include sling hanging, external fixators, or former Achilles tendon incision. These methods restrict animal movement for 4–6 weeks, limit species-typical behaviour, and impact social interactions. Our pilot study introduces a Standardised Walking Cast (SWC) for sheep, enabling immediate physiological movement post surgery. Seven Rhone sheep (female, 63.5 kg ± 6.45 kg) each with a single tibia defect (6 mm mechanical drilled defect) underwent SWC application for 4 weeks after plate osteosynthesis. The animals bore weight on their operated leg from day one, exhibiting slight lameness (grade 1–2 out of 5). Individual step lengths showed good uniformity (average deviation: 0.89 cm). Group housing successfully started on day three after surgery. Weekly X-rays and cast changes ensured proper placement, depicting the healing process. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using an SWC for up to 72 kg of body weight without sling hanging via ceiling mounting or external fixation techniques. Allowing species-typical movement and social behaviour can significantly improve the physiological behaviour of sheep in experiments, contributing to refinement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of occupational isocyanate exposure range from asthma and contact dermatitis to neurotoxicity and cancer. Respiratory sensitization due to orthopedic cast application has been well documented. This study aims to compare the safety of standard-of-care fiberglass casts and a novel waterproof cast alternative by measuring the amount of isocyanate released during off-gassing over time. A 3D-printed arm simulator with comparable casing material amounts was placed in a sealed chamber. An isocyanate-sensing color-changing (SafeAir) tag was used to measure the levels of toxic exposure. Triplicate trials were conducted across all time periods (15 min, 1 h, and 24 h) and conditions. The bare arm simulator and freshly opened tags served as negative controls. Normalized pixel intensity indexes and isocyanate release estimates in ppb were derived from ImageJ-analyzed SafeAir tag photos. Fiberglass casts exhibited greater isocyanate release than both the waterproof alternative (p = 0.0002) and no-cast controls (p = 0.0006), particularly at 24 h. The waterproof alternative and no-cast control did not statistically differ (p = 0.1603). Therefore, the waterproof alternative released less isocyanate than the fiberglass casts. Waterproof cast alternatives may be safer than fiberglass by limiting medical professionals' exposure to toxic isocyanates and, thus, decreasing their risk of suffering occupational asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attacks on the Internet of Things (IoT) are not highly considered during the design and implementation. The prioritization is making profits and supplying services to clients. Most cryptographic algorithms that are commonly used on the IoT are vulnerable to attacks such as linear, differential, differential–linear cryptanalysis attacks, and many more. In this study, we focus only on linear cryptanalysis attacks. Little has been achieved (by other researchers) to prevent or block linear cryptanalysis attacks on cryptographic algorithms used on the IoT. In this study, we managed to block the linear cryptanalysis attack using a mathematically novel approach called Galois Field of the order (232), denoted by GF (232), and high irreducible polynomials were used to re-construct weak substitution boxes (S-Box) of mostly cryptographic algorithms used on IoT. It is a novel approach because no one has ever used GF (232) and highly irreducible polynomials to block linear cryptanalysis attacks on the most commonly used cryptographic algorithms. The most commonly used cryptographic algorithms on the IoT are Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), BLOWFISH, CAMELLIA, CAST, CLEFIA, Data Encryption Standard (DES), Modular Multiplication-based Block (MMB), RC5, SERPENT, and SKIPJACK. We assume that the reader of this paper has basic knowledge of the above algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the national goal of "emission peaking and carbon neutralization", China has become the largest country in the world for offshore wind farm construction. At the same time, navigational safety problems in offshore wind farm waters have become increasingly frequent. Owing to the complexity of offshore wind farm waters and the small number of accident data samples available for reference, the system theory method is more suitable for selection than the traditional method. Based on causal analysis based on system theory (CAST) and a complex network (CN), in this study, a qualitative and quantitative accident analysis model, CAST-CN, is constructed to analyze a complete case of vessel and wind turbine allision in offshore wind farm waters. The results show that, at the micro level, in addition to the master, crew, shipping company, and typhoon Hato, the maritime safety administration and the wind farm operation management department have a certain impact on the development of the accident discussed in this study. At the macro level, internal and external factors leading to the lack of system safety are identified, and measures and suggestions for system safety improvement are proposed based on analysis. This study can fill the research gap in the systematic analysis of traffic accidents in offshore wind farm waters and provide support for the safety assessment and decision-making of government management departments and research institutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Ti-48Al-3Nb-1.5Ta powders were manufactured from cast bars by the supreme-speed plasma rotating electrode process (SS-PREP) and used to prepare hot isostatically pressed (HIPed) material at 1050–1260 °C with 150 MPa for 4 h. The phase, microstructure and mechanical performance were analyzed by XRD, SEM, electrical universal material testing machine and other methods. The results revealed that the phase constitution changed from γ phase to α2 phase and then to γ phase with the material changing from as-cast to powders and then to as-HIPed. Compared with the as-cast material, the grain size and element segregation were significantly reduced for both powders and as-HIPed. When the hot isostatic pressing (HIP) temperature was low, the genetic characteristics of the powder microstructure were evident. With the HIP temperature increasing, the homogeneity of the composition and microstructure increased, and the prior particle boundaries (PPBs) gradually disappeared. The elastic moduli of powder and as-HIPed were superior to those of as-cast, which increased with the HIP temperature increasing. The hardness of as-HIPed was lower than that of the powder. The compressive strength, compressive strain, bending strength, and tensile strength of as-HIPed were higher than those of as-cast. With an increase in the HIP temperature, the compressive strength decreased gradually, and the compressive strain first decreased and then increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cytomatrix at the active zone-associated structural protein (CAST) and its homologue, named ELKS, being rich in glutamate (E), leucine (L), lysine (K), and serine (S), belong to a family of proteins that organize presynaptic active zones at nerve terminals. These proteins interact with other active zone proteins, including RIMs, Munc13s, Bassoon, and the β subunit of Ca2+ channels, and have various roles in neurotransmitter release. A previous study showed that depletion of CAST/ELKS in the retina causes morphological changes and functional impairment of this structure. In this study, we investigated the roles of CAST and ELKS in ectopic synapse localization. We found that the involvement of these proteins in ribbon synapse distribution is complex. Unexpectedly, CAST and ELKS, in photoreceptors or in horizontal cells, did not play a major role in ribbon synapse ectopic localization. However, depletion of CAST and ELKS in the mature retina resulted in degeneration of the photoreceptors. These findings suggest that CAST and ELKS play critical roles in maintaining neural signal transduction in the retina, but the regulation of photoreceptor triad synapse distribution is not solely dependent on their actions within photoreceptors and horizontal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have reported a high percentage of ankle fracture dislocations with secondary loss of reduction during primary treatment with a splint or cast. This study aimed to assess the rate of secondary loss of reduction in unimalleolar ankle fracture dislocations treated primarily with a cast or external fixator, identify the potential influence of fracture morphology, and investigate the potential implications. Unimalleolar ankle fracture dislocations with and without posterior malleolar fracture between 2011 and 2020 were included. Patients were categorized into two groups, depending on the method of temporary treatment. Fracture morphology, time to definitive surgery, and soft-tissue complications were compared. Of 102 patients, loss of reduction tended to occur more often in the cast group (17.3%) than in the external fixator group (6.0%). The presence of a posterior malleolar fracture did not have a significant influence on loss of reduction in cast immobilization; however, the fragment proved to be significantly bigger in cases with loss of reduction. No statistically significant differences in soft tissue complications or time to definitive surgery were found. Surgeons should consider the application of interval external fixation in the primary treatment of unimalleolar ankle fracture dislocations with additional posterior malleolar fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A complete ostrich femur from the Late Pleistocene deposits of the Upper Cave at Zhoukoudian (China) was referred by Shaw to Struthio anderssoni in the 1930s, but its present whereabouts are unknown. A good quality plaster cast of the missing specimen has been found in the collections of the Natural History Museum (London). This cast provides interesting information about the morphology of this large ostrich femur, which had previously been only summarily described and not illustrated. Although smaller than the femora of the Early Pleistocene giant ostrich Pachystruthio, the robust femur from Zhoukoudian shows morphological similarities with them, and it is suggested that 'Struthio' anderssoni should be placed in the genus Pachystruthio. The importance of old palaeontological casts is emphasized, as well as the need to preserve and curate them properly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: A bibliometric analysis was carried out to know the evolution of research on genes associated with meat tenderness, of interest for the development of selection programs. Since 1993, studies have been limited to a few researchers in high-income countries due to the costs associated with the techniques. The main findings showed that the scientific production had a discontinuous growth because science experienced a significant change since approximately 2010. Marker-assisted selection was widely used, evaluating mainly CAPN (calpain) and CAST (calpastatin) genes for their contribution to meat tenderness, especially in cattle. However, the effects are small; therefore, genomic selection was implemented by genotyping thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for further explanation of genetic variation. The results shown are important for scholars to identify emerging methodologies and gaps in the literature and to know who the prolific authors and institutions in the field for possible collaborations, etc., are. Tenderness is one of the main characteristics of meat because it determines its price and acceptability. This is the first bibliometric study on the trend of research on the role of genes in meat tenderness. A total of 175 original and English-language articles published up to 2021 were retrieved from Scopus. The bibliometric analysis was carried out with VOSviewer (version 1.6.18, Eck and Waltman, Leiden, Netherlands) and complemented with the Analyze search results service from Scopus. Erroneous and duplicate data were eliminated, and incomplete information was added to standardize the results. Scientific production was evaluated by means of quantity, quality and structure indicators. As a first glance, 8.816% of authors have published more than 50% of papers mainly related to genes encoding the calpain (CAPN)-calpastatin (CAST) system and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Among other findings, a strong link was found between the contribution of the main countries (led by the United States with) and their institutions (led by the USDA Agricultural Research Service with) to their gross domestic product. Most studies on the topic are published in the Journal of Animal Science, and other journals with high impact according to the number of citations and different metrics. Finally, when evaluating the most cited articles, the occurrence and association of the main keywords, it was confirmed that research is focused on the role of CAPN and CAST genes and of SNPs in beef tenderness. The change in science was emphasized; although marker-assisted selection is still used, genes have an infinitesimal effect on complex traits. Therefore, since about 2010, new research groups adopted genomic selection to evaluate dense panels of SNPs and better explain genetic variation in meat tenderness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vehicle emission regulations in Europe and many Asian countries include a particle number limit. The number concentration is measured, typically, with condensation particle counters (CPCs). For research purposes, the size distributions provide useful information. Scanning mobility particle sizers (SMPSs) accurately provide the size distribution but are not suitable for transient aerosol. Engine (fast) exhaust particle sizers (EEPSs) cover this gap, but with less accuracy. Fast size distribution instruments are commonly used in the research and development of engines. In the last few years, instrument algorithms have been improved, but studies assessing the improvements are limited, in particular in their lower size range, around 10–20 nm, and for soot-like aerosol. In this paper, we compared the three instruments using salt, silver, diffusion flame soot (CAST), and spark discharge graphite particles. Moreover, vehicle exhaust number concentration measurements with EEPSs over a seven-year period were presented. In terms of particle concentration, EEPS overestimated, on average, 25% compared to CPC, in agreement with previous studies. Its accuracy for mean particle size determination was better than 5 nm compared to SMPS. The agreement between the instruments was satisfactory but the uncertainty increased at low concentrations and larger particle sizes, showing that there is still room for further improvements. Experimental challenges, such as low concentration levels of modern vehicles, losses in the diluters, use of photometric mode by the CPCs, and the material impact, are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading malignant diseases worldwide, especially in Asia. CAST is a potential oncogene in GC carcinogenesis. The character of macrophage infiltration in the GC microenvironment also remains unaddressed. Methods: We first applied machine searching to evaluate gene candidates for GC. CAST expression and pan-cancer surveyance were analyzed using the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA2) database. The protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was downloaded from STRING. We investigated the impact of CAST on clinical prognosis using a Kaplan–Meier plotter. The correlations between CAST and Lgr5 and macrophage infiltration in GC were determined using TIMER 2.0. Finally, GeneMANIA was also used to evaluate the possible functional linkages between genes. Results: After the machine-assisted search, CAST expression was found to significantly influence the overall survival of GC patients. STRING revealed CAST-related proteomic and transcriptomic associations, mainly concerning the CAPN family. Moreover, CAST significantly impacts the prognosis of GC based on the validation of other datasets. Notably, high CAST expression was correlated with worse overall survival in GC patients (hazard ratio = 1.59; log-rank P = 9.4 × 10−8). CAST and Lgr5 expression were both positively correlated with WNT 2 and WNT 2B. Among the GC patients in several datasets, CAST and macrophage infiltration, evaluated together, showed no obvious association with poor clinical overall survival. Conclusions: CAST plays an important role in the clinical prognosis of GC and is associated with WNT 2/WNT 2B/Lgr5. Our study demonstrates that CAST's influence on overall survival in GC is regulated by macrophage infiltration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This in vitro study was designed to investigate whether conventionally produced casts and printed casts for prosthodontic purposes show comparable full-arch accuracy; a ceramic reference cast with inlay and crown preparations was fabricated. Ten gypsum casts were fabricated from conventional silicone elastomeric impressions. Ten digital impressions [IOS] of the reference cast were obtained by an intraoral scanner to fabricate 3D-printed resin casts. The ceramic reference cast, the gypsum, and the printed casts were digitized by an industrial structured light scanner (ILS) and provided as stl files. To evaluate absolute mean trueness values, the digitized gypsum casts [CON], digitized printed casts [PRINT], and [IOS] were superimposed with the digitized ceramic reference cast [REF]. Additionally, each [IOS] scan was compared with its corresponding [PRINT]. The precision was calculated for [CON], [IOS], and [PRINT]. The Mann–Whitney U test for independent samples and the Wilcoxon test for connected samples were performed (p ≤ 0.05). As absolute mean deviation trueness values were obtained: 69 ± 24 µm for [REF]-[CON], 33 ± 4 µm for [REF]-[PRINT], and 19 ± 3 µm for [REF]-[IOS]. The superimposition [IOS]-[PRINT] revealed 38 ± 6 µm. The precision was 74 ± 22 µm for [CON], 32 ± 10 µm for [PRINT], and 15 ± 4 µm for [IOS]. With respect to the workflow, the trueness values of [REF]-[CON] and [REF]-[PRINT] differed significantly. Within the digital workflow, [REF]-[PRINT], [REF]-[IOS], and [IOS]-[PRINT], all values differed significantly. Within the limitations of the study, digital impression and printed cast fabrication were more accurate and reproducible than the conventional workflow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although fracture displacement in children is easily treated by cast wedging, no data on pain associated with the procedure are available. We hypothesized that there is no clinically relevant difference in pain before and after cast wedging in children between 3 and 12 years of age. Patients and Methods: This international, multicenter, prospective, observational study included 68 children (39 male, 29 female) aged 3 to 12 years (median age 8 years) with forearm fractures. Cast wedging was performed 5 to 10 days after the injury. Before starting the procedure, we administered a single oral dose of sodium metamizole (10 mg/kg body weight), and the children inhaled a nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture (50%/50%) during the wedging procedure. Pain was rated on a visual analog scale (VAS) 5 to 10 min before incision of the cast as well as 3 to 5 min and 30 min (maximum remembered pain) after inhalation stop. The degree of bending was judged either by the surgeon or was determined on the basis of first signs of pain expressed by the patient. We assessed the effectiveness of the procedure by obtaining X-ray images in two planes after 3 to 9 days. Results: Among the 68 patients, median VAS score before cast wedging was 0. This increased to a score of 1 (p = 0.015) at 3 to 5 min after the procedure. Median VAS score for the maximum remembered pain measured after 30 min was 0. Median differences in angulation between proximal and distal bone fragments before and after the intervention were 0° (p < 0.0001) in the a.p. view and 8.4° (p < 0.0001) in the lateral view. Conclusion: Cast wedging improved the position of forearm fracture fragments at the expense of minimal short-term pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precipitation of (Cr,Fe)23C6 carbide could significantly degrade the mechanical properties of Nb-bearing cast austenitic heat-resistant steels, designed for exhaust components of automotive gasoline engines at 1000 °C. In the current research, the precipitation behavior of (Cr,Fe)23C6 carbide in these alloys, with great variations in N/C (Nitrogen/Carbon) ratio, was investigated through the liquid metal cooling directional solidification method, combined with thermodynamic calculations. Microstructural characterization suggested that the (Cr,Fe)23C6 carbide formed in the steady-state zone and the competitive zone, upon cooling to room temperature, after the solidification ended. It grew in the colony of the δ-ferrite, through the eutectoid reaction and showed different concentrations of C and Si from the δ-ferrite. Its precipitation temperature decreased significantly with increasing the N/C ratio, thereby retarding its precipitation. Therefore, the quantity of (Cr,Fe)23C6 carbide could be limited though increasing the N/C ratio of this type of alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Use of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in external layers (A-layers) of ABA-trilayer polypropylene films was investigated, with the purpose of determining intrinsic and extrinsic factors that could lead to antistatic behavior of transparent films. The incorporation of 0.01, 0.1, and 1 wt % of MWCTNs in the A-layers was done by dilution through the masterbatch method. Masterbatches were fabricated using isotactic polypropylene (iPP) with different melt flow indexes 2.5, 34, and 1200 g/10 min, and using different ultrasound assist methods. It was found that films containing MWCNTs show surface electrical resistivity of 1012 and 1012 Ω/sq, regardless of the iPP melt flow index (MFI) and masterbatch fabrication method. However, electrostatic charge was found to depend upon the iPP MFI, the ultrasound assist method and MWCNT concentration. A percolation electron transport mechanism was determined most likely responsible for this behavior. Optical properties for films containingMWCNTs do not show significant differences compared to the reference filmatMWCNT concentrations below0.1wt%. However, an enhancement in brightnesswas observed, and it was attributed to ordered iPP molecules wrapping the MWCNTs. Bright transparent films with low electrostatic charge were obtained even for MWCNTs concentrations as low as 0.01 wt %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An NbC-Fe composite powder was synthesized from an Nb2O5/Fe/C mixture by electrochemical reduction and subsequent carbonization in molten CaCl2-NaCl. The composite has a core-shell structure, in which NbC acts as the cores distributing in the Fe matrix. A strong bonding between NbC and Fe is benefit from the core-shell structure. The sintering and electrochemical reduction processes were investigated to probe the mechanism for the reactions. The results show that NbC particles about several nanometers were embraced by the Fe shell to form a composite about 100 nm in size. This featured structure can feasibly improve the wettability and sinterability of NbC as well as the uniform distribution of the carbide in the cast steel. By adding the composite into steel in the casting process, the grain size of the casted steel was markedly deceased from 1 mm to 500 μm on average, favoring the hardening of the casted steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain refinement by elemental addition has been extensively investigated within the last decades in Al or Mg alloys. In contrast, in the Cu system, the role of solute on grain size is less investigated. In this study, the grain refinement potency of several alloying elements of the Cu system was examined. To predict grain size depending on the growth restriction factor Q, grain size modelling was performed. The results obtained by the grain size model were compared to variations in the grain size of binary Cu alloys with increasing solute content under defined cooling conditions of the TP-1 grain refiner test of the Aluminium Association©. It was found that the experimental results differed significantly from the predicted grain size values for several alloying elements. A decreasing grain size with increasing alloy concentration was observed independently of the growth restriction potency of the alloying elements. Furthermore, excessive grain coarsening was found for several solutes beyond a transition point. It is assumed that contradictory variations in grain size result from a change in the nucleating particle density of the melt. Significant decreases in grain size are supposed to be due to the in-situ formation of potent nucleation sites. Excessive grain coarsening with increasing solute content may occur due to the removal of nucleating particles. The model shows that the difference in the actual number of particles before and beyond the transition point must be in the range of several orders of magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a non-invasive measurement based on the intervals between normal heart beats that characterize cardiac autonomic function. Decreased HRV is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events. Characterizing HRV using only moment statistics fails to capture abnormalities in regulatory function that are important aspects of disease risk. Thus, entropy measures are a promising approach to quantify HRV for risk stratification. The purpose of this study was to investigate this potential for approximate, corrected approximate, sample, fuzzy, and fuzzy measure entropy and its dependency on the parameter selection. Recently, published parameter sets and further parameter combinations were investigated. Heart rate data were obtained from the "Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST) RR Interval Sub-Study Database" (Physionet). Corresponding outcomes and clinical data were provided by one of the investigators. The use of previously-reported parameter sets on the pre-treatment data did not significantly add to the identification of patients at risk for cardiovascular death on follow-up. After arrhythmia suppression treatment, several parameter sets predicted outcomes for all patients and patients without coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The strongest results were seen using the threshold parameter as a multiple of the data's standard deviation (r = 0.2 · σ). Approximate and sample entropy provided significant hazard ratios for patients without CABG and without diabetes for an entropy maximizing threshold approximation. Additional parameter combinations did not improve the results for pre-treatment data. The results of this study illustrate the influence of parameter selection on entropy measures' potential for cardiovascular risk stratification and support the potential use of entropy measures in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergency management research is used to deal with the increasing number of extreme weather threats in urban areas. This paper uses causal analysis based on systems theory (CAST) to review the subway water ingress accident and the government's emergency management actions in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, during the heavy rainstorm disaster on 20 July 2021. The aims of this article are to establish safety control structures at both the enterprise level and the government level, and to systematically analyze the problems in emergency management in Zhengzhou City. Our analysis found that the construction of disaster prevention facilities restricted emergency management. Therefore, we suggest that enterprises and governments not only pay attention to emergency management, but also to the construction of disaster prevention facilities. This article also points out that the system of chief executive responsibility that is implemented in China is becoming a double-edged sword in emergency management. Our study makes recommendations for enhancing the capacities of emergency management, points out the shortcomings of the existing emergency management structure, and provides knowledge gained for future emergency management research.

Flecainide is an IC antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) that received in 1984 Food and Drug Administration approval for the treatment of sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) and subsequently for rhythm control of atrial fibrillation (AF). Currently, flecainide is mainly employed for sinus rhythm maintenance in AF and the treatment of idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias (IVA) in absence of ischaemic and structural heart disease on the basis of CAST data. Recent studies enrolling patients with different structural heart diseases demonstrated good effectiveness and safety profile of flecainide. The purpose of this review is to assess current evidence for appropriate and safe use of flecainide, 30 years after CAST data, in the light of new diagnostic and therapeutic tools in the field of ischaemic and non-ischaemic heart disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcatheter ablation was increasingly and successfully used to treat symptomatic drug refractory patients affected by supraventricular arrhythmias. Antiarrhythmic drug treatment still plays a major role in patient management, alone or combined with non-pharmacological therapies. Flecainide is an IC antiarrhythmic drug approved in 1984 from the Food and Drug Administration for the suppression of sustained ventricular tachycardia and later for acute cardioversion of atrial fibrillation and for sinus rhythm maintenance. Currently, flecainide is mostly used for sinus rhythm maintenance in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients without structural cardiomyopathy although recent studies enrolling different patient populations have demonstrated a good effectiveness and safety profile. How should we interpret the results of the CAST after the latest evidence? Is it possible to expand the indications of flecainide, and therefore, its use? This review aims to highlight the main characteristics of flecainide, as well as its optimal clinical use, delineating drug indications and contraindications and appropriate monitoring, based on the most recent evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructural characteristics and Young's modulus of the as-cast Ti–15Ta–15Nb alloy are reported in this study. On the basis of the examined XRD and TEM results, the microstructure of the current alloy is essentially a mixture (α + β+ α′ + α″ + ω + H) phase. The new H phase has not previously been identified as a known phase in the Ti–Ta–Nb alloy system. On the basis of examination of the Kikuchi maps, the new H phase belongs to a tetragonal structural class with lattice parameters of a = b = 0.328 nm and c = 0.343 nm, denoting an optimal presentation of the atomic arrangement. The relationships of orientation between these phases would be {0001}α//{110}β//{ 1 ¯ 2 1 ¯ 0}ω//{10 1 ¯ }H and (01 1 ¯ 0)α//(1 1 ¯ 2)β//( 1 ¯ 010)ω//(121)H. Moreover, the Young's modulus of the as-cast Ti–15Ta–15Nb alloy is approximately E = 80.2 ± 10.66 GPa. It is implied that the Young's modulus can be decreased by the mixing of phases, especially with the presence of the H phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caries measurement methods vary considerably in terms of the stages of lesion considered making the comparison problematic among different surveys. In this cross-sectional study, four caries measurement methods, the WHO-DMFT, the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS), the Caries Assessment Spectrum and Treatment (CAST), and the Nyvad Criteria were tested in a sample of children. Five-hundred 12-year old children (236 males and 264 females) were examined four times by four calibrated examiners. The calibration process showed that Cohen's Kappa exceeded the criterion of K = 0.75 and K = 0.80 for inter/intra-examiner agreement, respectively. In the survey, the total number of misclassification errors for the four methods amounted to 312 observations (67.94% regarding enamel lesions). The greatest difference among methods was shown by number of sound teeth ( p < 0.01): WHO-DMFT n = 9505, 74.14%; ICDAS n = 2628, 20.49%; CAST n = 5053, 39.41%; and Nyvad Criteria n = 4117, 32.11%. At the level of dentinal Distinct/Active Cavity lesions, no statistically significant difference was observed ( p = 0.40) between ICDAS ( n = 1373, 10.71%), CAST ( n = 1371, 0.69%), and Nyvad Criteria ( n = 1720, 13.41%). In the severe caries levels, all methods were partially in agreement, while no accordance was found for the initial (enamel) lesions. A common language in caries detection is critical when different studies are compared.

An NbC-Fe composite powder was synthesized from an Nb₂O₅/Fe/C mixture by electrochemical reduction and subsequent carbonization in molten CaCl₂-NaCl. The composite has a core-shell structure, in which NbC acts as the cores distributing in the Fe matrix. A strong bonding between NbC and Fe is benefit from the core-shell structure. The sintering and electrochemical reduction processes were investigated to probe the mechanism for the reactions. The results show that NbC particles about several nanometers were embraced by the Fe shell to form a composite about 100 nm in size. This featured structure can feasibly improve the wettability and sinterability of NbC as well as the uniform distribution of the carbide in the cast steel. By adding the composite into steel in the casting process, the grain size of the casted steel was markedly deceased from 1 mm to 500 μm on average, favoring the hardening of the casted steel., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.