Search

Abstract Background Ages of 0–3 years are critical stages for children’s neurodevelopment. However, the impact of the home nurturing environment on early childhood neurodevelopment remains unclear. Objective To explore the role of the home nurturing environment on early childhood neurodevelopment and to provide evidence of an association between fostering quality home nurturing and achieving optimal neurodevelopment. Participants and setting An online cross-sectional survey using the stratified sampling method was conducted from 16 June, 2021 to 18, February, 2022 in all 13 communities of Minhang District, Shanghai. A total of 2,402 children aged 0–3 years with balanced sex distribution were included. Methods The quality of home nurturing environments was measured using validated Child Home Nurture Environment Scales. Neurodevelopment was measured using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire - Third edition (ASQ-3). Generalized Linear Mixed Modeling was used to analyze the association between the quality of home nurturing environments and neurodevelopment. Results Among children aged 0–1, neglect or restriction was reported as the most prevalent problem (8.02%) among home nurturing environment dimensions, and was associated with an increased risk of suspected fine motor development delay (OR = 2.82, 95% CI: 1.18–6.69, P = 0.019). Among children aged 1–3, inadequate parental warmth, as the foremost (16.10%) problem, was associated with an increased risk of suspected gross motor development delay (OR = 4.12, 95% CI: 1.35–12.53, P = 0.013) and suspected personal-social development delay (OR = 12.50, 95%CI: 1.48-105.36, P = 0.020). Conclusions Poor home nurturing environments were associated with an increased risk of suspected early childhood neurodevelopment delay. There exists a need for services to guide for establishing a quality home nurturing environment.

Background Simplified left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is one of the important treatment methods for preventing thromboembolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Currently, there are few studies on the value of cardiac 3-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) in the simplified LAAO. Objective To investigate the feasibility, safety, surgical efficacy and postoperative follow-up value of 3D-CT in simplified LAAO. Methods We prospectively recruited 52 patients who underwent simplified LAAO in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from May 2021 to January 2024. They were randomly assigned into the control group and study group by lottery. Preoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and preoperative cardiac 3D-CT were performed in the control group and study group, respectively. The baseline data, maximum ostium diameter and maximum depth of the left atrial appendage (LAA), match rate between the delivered sheath and the axis of LAA, operation time, time for x-ray exposure and dose, consumption of contrast agent, the rate of non-recapture and non-change of occlusion device, peri-device leakage (PDL), and perioperative complications were collected. A 3D-CT follow-up was performed for 90 days after LAAO. Results Both the control group and the study group comprised 26 cases each, using the WATCHMAN device for LAAO, with no serious perioperative complications. Preoperative examinations showed no intracardiac thrombus in all patients. In the control group, the maximum ostium diameter of the LAA measured by preoperative TEE and intraoperative DSA was (22.9±4.1) mm and (25.4±2.9) mm, respectively, not showing a positive correlation (r=0.374, P=0.060). The usable depth of the LAA in the control group measured by preoperative TEE and intraoperative DSA was (25.7±8.1) mm and (23.7±3.4) mm, respectively, showing a positive correlation (r=0.392, P=0.048). In the study group, the maximum ostium diameter of the LAA measured by preoperative 3D-CT and intraoperative DSA was (25.0±3.3) mm and (24.9±5.8) mm, respectively, showing a positive correlation (r=0.566, P=0.003). The usable depth of the LAA in the study group measured by preoperative 3D-CT and intraoperative DSA was (23.5±4.2) mm and (23.1±4.0) mm, respectively, showing a positive correlation (r=0.774, P

Abstract The dose–response of intravenous lidocaine in preventing postoperative vomiting (POV) in children remains unclear. This study investigated whether intravenous lidocaine dose-dependently decreased POV risk within 24 h postoperatively in children undergoing tonsillectomy (with or without adenoidectomy) without severe complications. Patients aged 3–12 years (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade I–II) scheduled for elective tonsillectomy (with or without adenoidectomy) were enroled from December 2021 to March 2022. They were randomly grouped according to the lidocaine dose (A [0 mg kg−1], B [1 mg kg−1], C [1.5 mg kg−1], and D [2 mg kg−1]) and were administered the same induction protocol (sufentanil, propofol, and suxamethonium chloride). Anaesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane. The incidence of POV within 24 h postoperatively was 46, 40, 36, and 20% in groups A, B, C, and D, respectively, with significant differences between groups D and A. Postoperative analgesic rescues in groups A, B, C, and D were 62, 36, 34, and 16%, respectively, with significant differences between groups D and B, C and A, and D and A. No severe adverse events were reported. Intravenous lidocaine has a dose-dependent effect on reducing the risk of POV in children undergoing tonsillectomy (with or without adenoidectomy) without serious adverse events. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2100053006.

Abstract Develop a radiomics nomogram that integrates deep learning, radiomics, and clinical variables to predict epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status in patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We retrospectively included 438 patients who underwent curative surgery and completed driver-gene mutation tests for stage I NSCLC from four academic medical centers. Predictive models were established by extracting and analyzing radiomic features in intratumoral, peritumoral, and habitat regions of CT images to identify EGFR mutation status in stage I NSCLC. Additionally, three deep learning models based on the intratumoral region were constructed. A nomogram was developed by integrating representative radiomic signatures, deep learning, and clinical features. Model performance was assessed by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The established habitat radiomics features demonstrated encouraging performance in discriminating between EGFR mutant and wild-type, with predictive ability superior to other single models (AUC 0.886, 0.812, and 0.790 for the training, validation, and external test sets, respectively). The radiomics-based nomogram exhibited excellent performance, achieving the highest AUC values of 0.917, 0.837, and 0.809 in the training, validation, and external test sets, respectively. Decision curve analysis (DCA) indicated that the nomogram provided a higher net benefit than other radiomics models, offering valuable information for treatment.

Chlorophenols (CPs) are widely used in industries such as petrochemicals, insecticides, pharmaceuticals, synthetic dyes and wood preservatives. However, owing to the improper discharge and disposal, they have become major contaminants that are ubiquitously distributed in water, soil, and sewage sediments, posing a significant threat to ecosystems and human health. Consequently, accurate, sensitive and effective pretreatment and analysis methods for CPs are urgently required and have been actively explored in recent years. This review encompasses the pretreatment and detection methods for CPs in environmental samples from 2010 to 2024. The pretreatment methods for CPs primarily include solid-phase extraction, liquid-liquid extraction, solid-phase microextraction, liquid-phase microextraction, and QuEChERS. These methods are evolving towards more effective and environmentally friendly technologies, such as the miniaturization and automation of equipment, the development of innovative materials (including graphene, molecularly imprinted polymers, layered double hydroxides, porous organic polymers, and porous carbon), and the use of green solvents like deep eutectic solvents. Detection methods emphasize liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, sensors, and capillary electrophoresis. Advances in chromatographic columns, novel ion sources, and high-resolution mass spectrometry have significantly improved detection performance. In addition, the pros and cons of diverse techniques, critical comments and future perspectives are elaborated.

Triazoles, due to their high bactericidal performance, have been widely used in the agricultural, clinical, and chemical industry. However, triazoles have been proven to cause endocrine-toxic and organ impairment in humans as a potentially toxic substance. Besides, because of the improper use and difficulty of degradation, triazoles pesticide residues left in the environment could pose a threat to the environment. Therefore, the rapid, reliable, accurate, and high-sensitivity triazoles analysis methods are significantly essential to effectively monitor their presence in various samples and safeguard human health. This review aims to summarize and update the progress of the pretreatment and analytical methods of triazole fungicides in environmental samples from 2012 to 2024. Common pretreatment methods used to extract and purify targets include simple steps (e.g., protein precipitation and coated blade spray), liquid-liquid extraction, solid-phase extraction, and various microextraction methods such as liquid-phase microextraction and solid-phase microextraction, among others. Detection methods mainly include liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, supercritical fluid chromatography, sensing methods, and capillary electrophoresis. In addition, we elaborate and compare the advantages and disadvantages of different pretreatment and analytical methods, and their development prospects are discussed.

Marine toxins pose a significant safety risk, leading to human intoxications and causing substantial economic losses in seafood-producing regions. The development of rapid, cost-effective, efficient, and reliable approaches for the containment of these substances is therefore crucial in order to mitigate the adverse impact of marine toxins. This research conducted a comprehensive review on the toxicity and influencing factors of marine toxins production. Additionally, depuration technologies, including adsorption, advanced oxidation processes, biodegradation, heating treatment, temporary maintenance and purification, and drug inhibition, were systematically summarized. The study also provided a comparative analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of various depuration technologies and proposed strategies for future development.

BackgroundIncreasing evidence indicates a close relationship between alterations in human immune cells and plasma metabolites with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). However, limited studies have left the causal relationships behind these links unclear.MethodsA bidirectional Mendelian Randomization (MR) study was conducted, combined with mediation analysis, using data from genome-wide association study database covering 731 immune cell phenotypes and 1,400 plasma metabolite traits to explore their causal relationships with RA and potential mediating effects. The primary method used for MR analysis was inverse-variance weighted and False Discovery Rate (FDR) correction was applied to verify the robustness of our results.ResultsHLA DR on CD33- HLA DR+ (myeloid cell group) (OR, 1.422; 95% CI, 1.194–1.694; P

Abstract Background Opioids such as sufentanil are used as anaesthetics due to their rapid action and superior analgesic effect. However, sufentanil induces a huge cough in paediatric patients. In contrast, intravenous (IV) lidocaine suppresses opioid-induced cough in children, but its use is limited due to anaesthetists’ concern about its toxicity. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of dose-dependent IV lidocaine on sufentanil-induced cough (SIC) in paediatric patients. Methods A total of 188 patients aged 3–12 years scheduled for elective tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy were enrolled and divided into four groups depending on different dose of lidocaine: A (0 mg.kg-1), B (1 mg.kg-1), C (1.5 mg.kg-1), and D (2 mg.kg-1). The primary outcome was the SIC grade observed during the induction of general anaesthesia. The secondary outcomes were the incidence of SIC, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate at T0, T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5. Results The SIC grade was significantly different between groups A and D (P = 0.04) and between groups B and D (P = 0.03). Moreover, the incidence of SIC in groups A, B, C, and D was 81%, 87%, 68%, and 64%, respectively, and the difference between groups B and C (P = 0.03) and between groups B and D (P = 0.0083) was statistically significant. No statistical differences were observed in the hemodynamic parameters between the groups. The incidence of severe cough was statistically different between group D and group A (P

Abstract Background Equine piroplasmosis is caused by two tick-borne protozoan parasites, Theileria equi and Babesia caballi,, which are clinically relevant in susceptible horses, donkeys, and mules. Moreover, equine piroplasmosis significantly constrains international trading and equestrian events. Rapidly diagnosing both parasites in carrier animals is essential for implementing effective control measures. Here, a rapid immunochromatographic test for the simultaneous detection of antibodies to T. equi and B. caballi was evaluated using samples from horses and donkeys collected in Greece, Israel, and Italy. The results were compared with an improved competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) for detecting antibodies to both parasites using the same panel of samples. Methods Blood samples were collected from 255 horses and donkeys. The panel consisted of 129 horses sampled at four locations in northern Greece, 105 donkeys sampled at four locations in Sicily, and 21 horses sampled at two locations in Israel. The rapid test and the cELISA were performed according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and the results were subjected to a statistical analysis to determine the sensitivity and specificity of both tests and their association. Results The immunochromatographic test provided a result within 15 min and can be performed in the field, detecting both pathogens simultaneously. The overall coincidence rate between the rapid test and the cELISA for detecting antibodies against T. equi was 93% and 92.9% for B. caballi. The rapid test’s sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for T. equi were above 91.5%. Sixteen samples were positive for both parasites in the rapid test and eight in the cELISA. Either test had no significant association between T. equi and B. caballi detection. The detection rates of both parasites were significantly higher in Italy than in Greece or Israel and in donkeys than in horses. The agreement for T. equi between the results of both tests was high in Greece (93.8%) and Italy (95.2%) and moderate in Israel (76.2%). For B. caballi, the specificity and NPV of the rapid test were high (94.2% and 98.3%, respectively), although the sensitivity and PPV were moderate (69.2% and 39.1%, respectively) due to the small sample size. However, for B. caballi, the sensitivity was higher with the rapid test. Conclusions The rapid test detected T. equi and B. caballi simultaneously in the field, potentially replacing laborious cELISA testing and is recommended for import/export purposes. The test can also be helpful for the differential diagnosis of clinical cases, since seropositivity may rule out equine piroplasmosis since it does not indicate current or active infection. Graphical Abstract

BackgroundCreatinine-to-cystatin C ratio (CCR) and body composition (BC) parameters have emerged as significant prognostic factors in cancer patients. However, the potential effects of CCR in gastric cancer (GC) remains to be elucidated. This multi-center retrospective study explored the predictive and prognostic value of CCR and BC-parameters in patients with metastatic GC receiving PD-1 inhibitors-based combination therapy.MethodsOne hundred and thirteen GC patients undergoing PD-1 inhibitors-based combination therapy were enrolled at three academic medical centers from January 2021 to July 2023. A deep-learning platform based on U-Net was developed to automatically segment skeletal muscle index (SMI), subcutaneous adipose tissue index (SATI) and visceral adipose tissue index (VATI). Patients were divided into two groups based on the median of CCR or the upper tertile of BC-parameters. Logistic and Cox regression analysis were used to determine the effect of CCR and BC-parameters in predicting response rates and survival rates.ResultsThe CCR was positively correlated with SMI (r=0.43; P0.05). Multivariable logistic analysis identified that both low CCR (OR=0.423, P=0.066 for ORR; OR=0.026, P=0.005 for DCR) and low SATI (OR=0.270, P=0.020 for ORR; OR=0.149, P=0.056 for DCR) were independently associated with worse objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR). Patients with low CCR or low SATI had significantly lower 8-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate and 16-month overall survival (OS) rate than those with high CCR (PFS rate, 37.6% vs. 55.1%, P=0.011; OS rate, 19.4% vs. 44.9%, P=0.002) or those with high SATI (PFS rate, 37.2% vs. 53.8%, P=0.035; OS rate, 8.0% vs. 36.0%, P

In this study, a high-efficiency superparamagnetic drug delivery system was developed for preclinical treatment of bladder cancer in small animals. Two types of nanoparticles with magnetic particle imaging (MPI) capability, i.e., single- and multi-core superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), were selected and coupled with bladder anti-tumor drugs by a covalent coupling scheme. Owing to the minimal particle size, magnetic field strengths of 270 mT with a gradient of 3.2 T/m and 260 mT with a gradient of 3.7 T/m were found to be necessary to reach an average velocity of 2 mm/s for single- and multi-core SPIONs, respectively. To achieve this, a method of constructing an in vitro magnetic field for drug delivery was developed based on hollow multi-coils arranged coaxially in close rows, and magnetic field simulation was used to study the laws of the influence of the coil structure and parameters on the magnetic field. Using this method, a magnetic drug delivery system of single-core SPIONs was developed for rabbit bladder therapy. The delivery system consisted of three coaxially and equidistantly arranged coils with an inner diameter of Φ50 mm, radial height of 85 mm, and width of 15 mm that were positioned in close proximity to each other. CCK8 experimental results showed that the three types of drug-coupled SPION killed tumor cells effectively. By adjusting the axial and radial positions of the rabbit bladder within the inner hole of the delivery coil structure, the magnetic drugs injected could undergo two-dimensional delivery motions and were delivered and aggregated to the specified target location within 12 s, with an aggregation range of about 5 mm × 5 mm. In addition, the SPION distribution before and after delivery was imaged using a home-made open-bore MPI system that could realistically reflect the physical state. This study contributes to the development of local, rapid, and precise drug delivery and the visualization of this process during cancer therapy, and further research on MPI/delivery synchronization technology is planned for the future.

Abstract Few prognostic biomarkers exist for lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), which has a poor five-year survival rate. Using bioinformatics, this study evaluated NPLOC4 as a prognostic marker for patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma. Shorter survival periods and tumor growth were linked to high NPLOC4 expression.Disulfiram (DSF) combined with copper (Cu) targets NPLOC4 to achieve antitumor effects in lung squamous cell carcinoma. Thus, we investigated the effects of DSF with Cu in LUSC. Gene-set enrichment analysis identified ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis as the NPLOC4-associated mechanism influencing LUSC prognosis. In SK-MES-1 cell lines, DSF + Cu increased K48-linked ubiquitinated protein expression and apoptosis. This study identified NPLOC4 as a prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for LUSC.

Abstract Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction into value-added multicarbon products offers a means to close the anthropogenic carbon cycle using renewable electricity. However, the unsatisfactory catalytic selectivity for multicarbon products severely hinders the practical application of this technology. In this paper, we report a cascade AgCu single-atom and nanoparticle electrocatalyst, in which Ag nanoparticles produce CO and AgCu single-atom alloys promote C-C coupling kinetics. As a result, a Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 94 ± 4% toward multicarbon products is achieved with the as-prepared AgCu single-atom and nanoparticle catalyst under ~720 mA cm−2 working current density at −0.65 V in a flow cell with alkaline electrolyte. Density functional theory calculations further demonstrate that the high multicarbon product selectivity results from cooperation between AgCu single-atom alloys and Ag nanoparticles, wherein the Ag single-atom doping of Cu nanoparticles increases the adsorption energy of *CO on Cu sites due to the asymmetric bonding of the Cu atom to the adjacent Ag atom with a compressive strain.

A thermophilic strain of Laceyella sacchari designated as FBKL4.014 was isolated from high-temperature Moutai-flavor Daqu, and its whole genome was sequenced. The results showed that the full genomic length of L. sacchari FBKL4.014 was 3.35 Mb, with a GC content of 48.67%. The sequencing depth was 433 ×, and a total of 3 328 protein-coding genes were predicted. Strain FBKL4.014 had the potential for complete carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism, and it was further inferred that the strain may have the potential to biosynthesize tetramethylpyrazine. This study provides genetic data for understanding the mechanism for the production of flavor substances in Maotai-flavor baijiu by Thermoactinomycetaceae metabolism, and also provides a reference for further research on the discovery of unknown functional genes of this strain and its genetic modification.

ObjectiveTo assess the interplay among psychopathological symptoms and real-life functioning, and to further detect their influence with violent behavior in patient with schizophrenia.MethodsA sample of 1,664 patients with post-violence assessments and their propensity score–matched controls without violence from a disease registration report system of community mental health service in Guangdong, China, were studied by network analysis. Ising-Model was used to estimate networks of psychopathological symptoms and real-life functioning. Then, we tested whether network properties indicated the patterns of interaction were different between cases and controls, and calculated centrality indices of each node to identify the central nodes. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine the difference of interaction patterns between pre-violence and post-violence assessments in violence cases.ResultsSome nodes in the same domain were highly positive interrelations, while psychopathological symptoms were negatively related to real-life functioning in all networks. Many symptom-symptom connections and symptom-functioning connections were disconnected after the violence. The network density decreased from 23.53% to 12.42% without statistical significance (p = 0.338). The network structure, the global network strength, and the global clustering coefficient decreased significantly after the violence (p

BackgroundTo examine the trends in morbidity and mortality among ovarian cancer patients with liver metastases, and investigate the impact of different treatments on both overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS).Methods2,925 ovarian cancer patients with liver metastases from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 2010-2019 were included. The primary endpoint was considered as OS and CSS. We conducted trend analysis of the incidence, OS and CSS rates of liver metastases in ovarian cancer. Univariate and multivariate COX proportional risk models were used to investigate the association between different treatment methods and OS, and univariate and multivariate competing risk models were employed to evaluate the impact of treatment methods on CSS.ResultsAt the end of follow-up, 689 patients remained alive. The OS and CSS rates were 76.44% and 72.99% for all patients, respectively. There was a significant decreasing trend in the incidence [average annual percent change (AAPC) = -2.3, 95% confidence interval (CI): -3.9, -0.7], all-cause mortality (AAPC = -12.8, 95% CI: -15.6, -9.9) and specific mortality (AAPC = -13.0, 95% CI: -16.1, -9.8) rate of liver metastases in ovarian cancer. After adjusting all confounding factor, only receiving surgery was associated with OS [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.39, 95%CI: 0.31-0.48]/CSS (HR = 0.37, 95%CI: 0.30-0.47). Chemotherapy was found to be protective factor for OS (HR = 0.33, 95%CI: 0.30-0.37)/CSS (HR = 0.44, 95%CI: 0.39-0.50) of ovarian cancer patients, while not receiving surgery remained a risk factor. Additionally, the result of subgroup analyses also showed that only receiving surgery and chemotherapy still were significant protective factor of OS and CSS for patients without other distant metastases, with distant metastases to the bone, lung, brain or other organs, with bone metastasis, and with lung metastasis.ConclusionOur research has elucidated a downward trend in morbidity and mortality rates among patients with liver metastases originating from ovarian cancer. Only receiving surgery and chemotherapy as therapies methods confer survival benefits to patients.

ABSTRACT Equine infectious anemia (EIA) has a worldwide distribution and causes severe economic losses to the equine industry. The EIA virus (EIAV) genome sequences from different countries are highly diverse, which poses a great challenge for pathogen identification with PCR. Phylogenetic analysis showed that although gag is the most conserved structural gene, it still has great genome variability. Currently, most existing PCR methods are designed based on the gag gene sequence and therefore do not cover all the viral strains, especially Asian EIAV strains. In this study, we developed a tat-gag-based real-time quantitative PCR (TG-qPCR) for the detection of EIAV by targeting the fragment between the tat and gag genes, which was relatively conserved in all the known EIAV strains. The performance of the TG-qPCR was evaluated against that of the standard qPCR (recommended by WOAH) by testing viral RNA extracted from viral supernatants of EIAVDLV2-6 and EIAVUK3, proviral DNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of artificially immunized horses, and virus nucleic acid from EIAV positive serum samples. The TG-qPCR assay had high specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility. The detection limit of the TG-qPCR assay was 1 copy/reaction for both viral RNA and proviral DNA based on the Poisson distribution. Compared to the qPCR, the TG-qPCR has better inclusivity and can detect not only Asian EIAV strains but also almost all the representative EIAV strains from other continents. The above results show that the TG-qPCR assay could serve as an effective tool for the early diagnosis of clinical EIA disease. IMPORTANCE Equine infectious anemia (EIA) has a worldwide distribution and causes significant losses to the equine industry worldwide. A reliable detection method is necessary to control the transmission of EIA virus (EIAV). Currently, most of the available real-time PCR assays, including the qPCR of recommended by WOAH, are developed according to the sequences of European or American EIAV strains; however, the primers and probe sequences have low homology with Asian EIAV strains. To the best of our knowledge, no qPCR method capable of the well detection of Asian EIAV strains, especially Chinese EIAV strains, has been published to date. The development of a sensitive, specific, and rapid qPCR assay for the detection of the EIAV strains is therefore of great importance.

ObjectiveTo develop a deep learning (DL) model for predicting axillary lymph node (ALN) metastasis using dynamic ultrasound (US) videos in breast cancer patients.MethodsA total of 271 US videos from 271 early breast cancer patients collected from Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University andShantou Central Hospitabetween September 2019 and June 2021 were used as the training, validation, and internal testing set (testing set A). Additionally, an independent dataset of 49 US videos from 49 patients with breast cancer, collected from Shanghai 10th Hospital of Tongji University from July 2021 to May 2022, was used as an external testing set (testing set B). All ALN metastases were confirmed using pathological examination. Three different convolutional neural networks (CNNs) with R2 + 1D, TIN, and ResNet-3D architectures were used to build the models. The performance of the US video DL models was compared with that of US static image DL models and axillary US examination performed by ultra-sonographers. The performances of the DL models and ultra-sonographers were evaluated based on accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Additionally, gradient class activation mapping (Grad-CAM) technology was also used to enhance the interpretability of the models.ResultsAmong the three US video DL models, TIN showed the best performance, achieving an AUC of 0.914 (95% CI: 0.843-0.985) in predicting ALN metastasis in testing set A. The model achieved an accuracy of 85.25% (52/61), with a sensitivity of 76.19% (16/21) and a specificity of 90.00% (36/40). The AUC of the US video DL model was superior to that of the US static image DL model (0.856, 95% CI: 0.753-0.959, P

Orbital angular momentum (OAM) mode division multiplexing (MDM) amplification in a seven-ring-core erbium-doped fiber (7-RC-EDF) has been experimentally demonstrated, in which the 1st–4th order OAM modes within each core of the 7-RC-EDF can be supported. By combining the OAM modes with the pump laser into the 7-RC-EDF, 112 OAM modes are predicted to be amplified in the C-band with a net gain of more than 22.36 dB with the differential modal gain (DMG) of less than 1.7 dB. The optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) can be higher than 30 dB. As a proof of concept, signals with three wavelengths were individually converted into the 2nd–4th higher order OAM modes, respectively, and then injected together into one ring core of the 7-RC-EDF. The amplification with a net gain of more than 27.7 dB and OSNR of more than 22 dB was achieved. The proposed wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) combined with the OAM-MDM technique verified its potential applications in large-capacity OAM-MDM optical fiber communication systems.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the impact of the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on HIV services in Taiwan. Methods: An online, cross-sectional survey was conducted among people living with HIV (PLWH), individuals at risk of HIV infection (IAR), and service prescribers between 20th October and 30th November, 2020. Representatives from patient advocacy groups were interviewed. Results: In total, 66 PLWH, 104 IAR, and 32 prescribers from Taiwan completed the survey. Mild to moderate disruptions to HIV-related services (including medical consultation, HIV-related testing, and medications) were found by the survey, with IAR appearing more affected than PLWH. Nine (13.6%) PLWH and 31 (29.8%) IAR reported disruptions in hospital/clinic visits and two (3.0%) PLWH and 25 (24.0%) IAR reported decreased frequency of HIV testing. Similar observations were also made by four patient advocacy group representatives interviewed. Telehealth services were received by only limited proportions of PLWH and IAR who participated in the survey. Conclusion: HIV services in Taiwan were not severely affected by the initial wave of COVID-19, but notable disruptions were still observed in HIV screening and prevention services. Multi-pronged strategies, including telehealth services, are warranted to overcome new challenges in HIV care in the COVID-19 era.

T-LAK-cell-originated protein kinase (TOPK), a novel member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family, is considered an effective therapeutic target for skin inflammation. In this study, a series (A − D) of paeonol derivatives was designed and synthesised using a fragment growing approach, and their anti-inflammatory activities against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide production in RAW264.7 cells were tested. Among them, compound B12 yielded the best results (IC50 = 2.14 μM) with low toxicity (IC50 > 50 µM). Preliminary mechanistic studies indicated that this compound could inhibit the TOPK-p38/JNK signalling pathway and phosphorylate downstream related proteins. A murine psoriasis-like skin inflammation model was used to determine its therapeutic effect.

Human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV-1) infection remains a major public health problem worldwide. Early diagnosis of HIV-1 is crucial to treat and control this infection effectively. Here, for the first time, we reported a novel molecular diagnostic assay called reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification combined with a visual gold nanoparticle-based lateral flow assay (RT-LAMP-AuNPs-LFA), which we devised for rapid, specific, sensitive, and visual identification of HIV-1. The unique LAMP primers were successfully designed based on the pol gene from the major HIV-1 genotypes CRF01_AE, CRF07_BC, CRF08_BC, and subtype B, which are prevalent in China. The optimal HIV-1-RT-LAMP-AuNPs-LFA reaction conditions were determined to be 68°C for 35 min. The detection procedure, including crude genomic RNA isolation (approximately 5 min), RT-LAMP amplification (35 min), and visual result readout (

Environmental pollution has been decreased by using photocatalytic technology in conjunction with solar energy. An efficient method to obtain highly efficient photocatalysts is to build heterojunction photocatalysts by combining graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) with layered double hydroxides (LDHs). In this review, recent developments in LDH/g-C3N4 heterojunctions and their applications for organic pollutant removal are systematically exhibited. The advantages of LDH/g-C3N4 heterojunction are first summarized to provide some overall understanding of them. Then, a variety of approaches to successfully assembling LDH and g-C3N4 are simply illustrated. Last but not least, certain unmet research needs for the LDH/g-C3N4 heterojunction are suggested. This review can provide some new insights for the development of high-performance LDH/g-C3N4 heterojunction photocatalysts. It is indisputable that the LDH/g-C3N4 heterojunctions can serve as high-performance photocatalysts to make new progress in organic pollutant removal.

Article Highlights Basswood-derived free-standing thick carbon electrodes were developed for supercapacitors. The capacitance performance was enhanced by pre-oxidation, solvothermal treatment and KOH activation. Supercapacitors assembled from the optimized electrode exhibited good rate performance and stability.

AIM: To evaluate the accuracy of the single measurement of intraocular pressure in 24h and to explore the differences of intraocular pressure in different body positions at night. METHODS: A prospective study. A handheld tonometer(iCare-PRO rebound tonometer)was used to measure the intraocular pressure for 24h with 24 patients(48 eyes)who were measured for 48h at 7:00, 10:00, 14:00, 18:00, 22:00, 02:00, 05:00 from July to August in 2019 in the department of Ophthalmology, Jiaxing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Intraocular pressure measurements in sitting and lying positions were performed at 22:00, 2:00, and 5:00. Intraocular pressure measurements in lying positions were measured at first. Then the patients were required to remain the sitting position for 10min, and measured the intraocular pressure in sitting positions again. Repeated measurements were used in the intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC)within-group to analyze consistency. The intraocular pressure of different body positions at night was analyzed and compared with the paired t test.RESULTS: The ICC value at each time point fluctuates between 0.79-0.94, most of which are around 0.90 and both eyes are basically the same. The ICC values in the night time decubitus position fluctuated from 0.73 - 0.91, mostly above 0.86. The ICC value at each time point was above 0.75, most of which was around 0.90 which shows the consistency of repeated intraocular pressure measurements at each time point is good. However, the ICC results of intraocular pressure fluctuations were poor. The ICC value of the right eye was 0.49 and the left eye was 0.55. The ICC value of the right eye in lying positions was 0.40 and the left eye was 0.43. The consistency of the right eye was poor. The intraocular pressures in lying positions at night were higher than that in the sitting position, which was a difference at all time points.CONCLUSION: A single 24h intraocular pressure measurement may not be highly reproducible, especially for intraocular pressure fluctuations. The reliability of the results of one measurement needs to be studied. The intraocular pressure measurement in the sitting position at night may not represent the actual intraocular pressure during sleep at night.

PurposeThe current study aimed to investigate whether red blood cell distribution width (RDW) can predict the prognosis of patients with breast cancer (BC).MethodsWe searched four databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library databases, and CNKI, from inception to Jun 13, 2022. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and the secondary outcome was disease-free survival (DFS). A subgroup analysis was conducted based on different treatments. This meta-analysis was performed with RevMan 5.3 (The Cochrane Collaboration, London, United Kingdom).ResultsA total of seven studies including 4,884 BC patients were identified. The high RDW group had a larger tumor size (OR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.67 to 2.68, P

Objective To investigate the outcomes of open reduction and internal fixation combined with medial buttress plate (MBP) and allograft bone‐assisted cannulated screw (CS) fixation for patients with unstable femoral neck fracture with comminuted posteromedial cortex. Methods In a retrospective study of patients operated on for unstable femoral neck fractures with comminuted posteromedial cortex from March 2016 to August 2020, the clinical and radiographic outcomes of 48 patients treated with CS + MBP were compared with the outcomes of 54 patients treated with CS only. All patients in the CS + MBP group were fixed by three CS and MBP (one‐third tubular plates or reconstructive plates) with bone allografts. The surgery‐related outcomes and complications were evaluated, including operative time, blood loss, union time, femoral head necrosis, femoral neck shortening, and other complications after the operation. The Harris score was evaluated at 12 months after the operation. Results All patients were followed up for 12–40 months. The average age of patients in the CS‐only group (54 cases, 22 females) and CS + MBP group (48 cases, 20 females) was 48.46 ± 7.26 and 48.73 ± 6.38 years, respectively. More intraoperative blood loss was observed in the CS + MBP group than that of patients in CS‐only group (153.45 ± 64.27 vs 21.86 ± 18.19 ml, t = 4.058, P = 0.015). The average operative time for patients in the CS + MBP group (75.35 ± 27.67 min) was almost double than that of patients in the CS‐only group (36.87 ± 15.39 min) (t = 2.455, P

Pareto dominance-based algorithms face a significant challenge in handling many-objective optimization problems. As the number of objectives increases, the sharp rise in non-dominated individuals makes it challenging for the algorithm to differentiate their quality, resulting in a loss of selection pressure. The application of the penalty-based boundary intersection (PBI) method can balance convergence and diversity in algorithms. The PBI method guides the evolution of individuals by integrating the parallel and perpendicular distances between individuals and reference vectors, where the penalty factor is crucial for balancing these two distances and significantly affects algorithm performance. Therefore, a comprehensive adaptive penalty scheme was proposed and applied to NSGA-III, named caps-NSGA-III, to achieve balance and symmetry between convergence and diversity. Initially, each reference vector's penalty factor is computed based on its own characteristic. Then, during the iteration process, the penalty factor is adaptively adjusted according to the evolutionary state of the individuals associated with the corresponding reference vector. Finally, a monitoring strategy is designed to oversee the penalty factor, ensuring that adaptive adjustments align with the algorithm's needs at different stages. Through a comparison involving benchmark experiments and two real-world problems, the competitiveness of caps-NSGA-III was demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]