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In this paper, we introduce two new classes of mixed $ (\mathcal{S, T}) $-$ \alpha $-admissible mappings and interspersed $ (\mathcal{S}, \mathfrak{g}, \mathcal{T}) $-$ \alpha $-admissible mappings and study the sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of a common fixed point of generalized $ (\alpha_s, \xi, \hbar, \tau) $-Geraghty contractive mapping in the framework of partial $ b $-metric spaces. We also provide two examples to show the applicability and validity of our results. Moreover, we present an application to the existence of solutions to an integral equation by means of one of our results.

In the article, we considered the fixed point problem for contractive mappings of integral type in the setting of $ b $-metric spaces for the first time. First, we introduced the concepts of $ \theta $-weak contraction and $ \theta $-$ \psi $-weak contraction. Second, the existence and uniqueness of fixed points of contractive mappings of integral type in $ b $-metric spaces were studied. Meanwhile, two examples were given to prove the feasibility of our results. As an application, we proved the solvability of a functional equation arising in dynamic programming.

Abstract Background The clinical significance of group B streptococcus (GBS) was different among different clonal complexes (CCs), accurate strain typing of GBS would facilitate clinical prognostic evaluation, epidemiological investigation and infection control. The aim of this study was to construct a practical and facile CCs prediction model for S. agalactiae. Methods A total of 325 non-duplicated GBS strains were collected from clinical samples in Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai, China. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) method was used for molecular classification, the results were analyzed to derive CCs by Bionumeric 8.0 software. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using Vitek-2 Compact system combined with K-B method. Multiplex PCR method was used for serotype identification. A total of 45 virulence genes associated with adhesion, invasion, immune evasion were detected by PCR method and electrophoresis. Three types of features, including antibiotic susceptibility (A), serotypes (S) and virulence genes (V) tests, and XGBoost algorithm was established to develop multi-class CCs identification models. The performance of proposed models was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Results The 325 GBS were divided into 47 STs, and then calculated into 7 major CCs, including CC1, CC10, CC12, CC17, CC19, CC23, CC24. A total of 18 features in three kinds of tests (A, S, V) were significantly different from each CC. The model based on all the features (S&A&V) performed best with AUC 0.9536. The model based on serotype and antibiotic resistance (S&A) only enrolled 5 weighed features, performed well in predicting CCs with mean AUC 0.9212, and had no statistical difference in predicting CC10, CC12, CC17, CC19, CC23 and CC24 when compared with S&A&V model (all p > 0.05). Conclusions The S&A model requires least parameters while maintaining a high accuracy and predictive power of CCs prediction. The established model could be used as a promising tool to classify the GBS molecular types, and suggests a substantive improvement in clinical application and epidemiology surveillance in GBS phenotyping.

An exploratory study was undertaken to examine the prevalence of infants’ feeding patterns in Beijing, China, as well as the factors linked to infants’ self-feeding proportion during the introduction of complementary foods, and the impact of professional feeding guidance on this proportion. A total of 122 families with infants aged 6–11 months from Beijing were included in the study. A descriptive analysis was employed to assess the prevalence of infants’ feeding patterns, while generalized linear model analysis was utilized to investigate the factors associated with these patterns. All families were provided with comprehensive and personalized professional guidance regarding the introduction of complementary foods for infants. However, 64 families were lost to follow-up, leaving 58 families who were re-evaluated and queried after one month. To exclude the influence of infants aging, both the 64 families prior to receiving feeding guidance, and the 58 families after receiving feeding guidance, were included in the analysis. The families with infants aged 6–8 months and 9–11 months were compared separately based on the presence or absence of feeding guidance. Statistical tests, including the Wilcoxon rank-sum test and χ2 test, were conducted to assess any significant differences. The study revealed that the proportion of infants engaging in self-feeding was found to be remarkably low (10% [0%, 40%]). Furthermore, a significant positive association was observed between the proportion of infants engaging in self-feeding and their age (p < 0.001). Notably, after receiving professional feeding guidance, the proportion of infants engaging in self-feeding significantly increased (from 1% [0%, 20%] to 30% [10%, 50%], p < 0.001 for infants aged 6–8 months; from 20% [10%, 50%] to 40% [30%, 50%], p < 0.001 for infants aged 9–11 months). These findings contribute valuable insights for improving postnatal care practices during the introduction of complementary foods for infants.

In this paper, we study the existence and uniqueness of common fixed point of $ \alpha_{i, j} $-$ \varphi_{{E}_{M, N}} $-Geraghty contraction mappings and the existence of coincidence point of $ \alpha_{i, j} $-$ \varphi_{E_N} $-Geraghty contraction mapping in the framework of $ b $-metric spaces. We also give two examples to support our results.

Firstly, the concept of a new triangular α-orbital admissible condition is introduced, and two fixed point theorems for Sehgal-Guseman-type mappings are investigated in the framework of rectangular b-metric spaces. Secondly, some examples are presented to illustrate the availability of our results. At the same time, we furnished the existence and uniqueness of solution of an integral equation.

ABSTRACT Emerging hypervirulent carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (hv-CRKP) is a severe public health problem worldwide. To assess the cooccurrence of CRKP and hv-CRKP, a total of 1,181 CRKP isolates were collected from 2009 to 2018, covering their initial occurrence to outbreaks. Overall, two major capsular serotypes, namely, wzi209-CRKP and K14.K64-CRKP, were identified as being prevalent in pediatric and adult patients, respectively. Most isolates carried blaKPC, and the blaKPC-carrying hybrid plasmid IncFII-IncR, which was stable and transferable, was identified. The conjugation region (traN/traC) of IncFII-IncR was found to be variable, and the genes were used as markers to identify the transmission of strains among patient groups in this study. Notably, hv-CRKP was characterized by screening for four virulence genes (rmpA, iroN, terW, and rmpA2) in all 977 blaKPC-carrying K14.K64-CRKP and wzi209-CRKP strains. Two virulence types, namely, rmpA/iroN/terW/rmpA2 positive and terW/rmpA2 positive, were found. The corresponding virulence plasmids Vir1, i.e., nonconjugative IncFIB(k)-IncHI1B, and Vir2, i.e., conjugative antibiotic-resistant IncFIB-IncHI1B, were further characterized. Both Vir1 and Vir2 were stable, and the transferability of Vir2 was significantly higher than that of IncFII-IncR. However, none of the Vir1- or Vir2-carrying strains exhibited the hypervirulent phenotype. Meanwhile, hv-CRKP (terW/rmpA2 positive) was found in late 2018 among wzi209-CRKP strains. The corresponding Vir2-related fragment was characterized as chromosomally integrated, which dramatically enhanced the virulence of wzi209-CRKP. Transmission of hv-CRKP among patient groups was also confirmed according to virulence elements. Taken together, CRKP and hv-CRKP occurred on a large scale. Plasmids and their derivatives played an important role on this process. Surveillance and intervention of hv-CRKP are urgently needed. IMPORTANCE Currently, an increasing number of hv-CRKP strains have been reported and pose a substantial threat to public health worldwide, because these strains are considered to be simultaneously hypervirulent, carbapenem resistant, and transmissible. In this study, we provided a complete transition process of CRKP and hv-CRKP from their early emergence to outbreak in 10 years. We identified two epidemic groups, K14.K64 (wzi64)-CRKP and wzi209-CRKP, in adult and pediatric patients, respectively. K14.K64 (wzi64)-CRKP was widely present, while wzi209-CRKP was rarely reported as an epidemic type. We discovered a large scale of hv-CRKP transmission from CRKP and determined the importance of antibiotic resistance and virulence plasmids and their derivatives for the transition of CRKP and hv-CRKP. Two virulence plasmids coexist in out hospital, but neither of them enhanced virulence. Notably, we found a newly emerged type of CRKP, hypervirulent wzi209-CRKP, which had dramatically enhanced virulence, making it a great threat to human health.

Coating products are widely used for the interior decoration of residential property. However, there is growing concern regarding their odor emissions and their impact on indoor air quality (IAQ). Most manufacturers and government agencies set odor intensity limits to control the odor of coating products, including their raw materials. However, it is difficult to determine product performance by means of their odor intensity index. Although evaluating odor intensity requires odor assessors to distinguish between different intensity levels, low consensus and reproducibility represent challenges that are difficult to avoid. As the odor concentration index only requires odor assessors to ascertain whether the odor is felt or not, the reproducibility of the evaluation results is relatively better. Moreover, suitable methodologies for determining odor concentrations in volatile coating product emissions have rarely been reported. Therefore, establishing an evaluation method for odor concentration of coating products and exploring its key influencing factors should bridge this gap. We examined the influence of the airbag material on the recovery rate of typical volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using direct injection by GC-MS and established that their adsorption effects were in the order: PET > PVF > PTFE. We then explored the influences of the sample curing and odor emission times on odor concentration. The solvent-based and water-based coatings reached equilibrium after 8 h and 16 h curing, respectively, and after 8 h and 12 h odor emission, respectively. The odor concentrations of real coating samples were measured and compared against their odor intensities. The odor concentration method more accurately and reliably discriminated coating products than the odor intensity approach. Thus, to assist manufacturers in improving coating formulations to reduce the odor impact of coating products, we used headspace gas chromatography to determine the odor substances in water- and solvent-based coatings and analyzed the odor contribution of various volatile compounds using the odor activity value (OAV) method. Butyl acetate, ethylbenzene, and 1-methoxy-2-propyl acetate were the key odorants in solvent-based coatings while 1-butanol, ethylbenzene, and butyl acetate were the key odorants in water-based coatings.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) shows complicated and not clearly defined etiology and pathogenesis. Although no pharmacotherapeutics have improved the survival rate in HFpEF, exercise training has become an efficient intervention to improve functional outcomes. Here, we investigated N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation modification in a “two-hit” mouse model with HFpEF and HFpEF with exercise (HFpEF + EXT). The manner of m6A in HFpEF and HFpEF + EXT hearts was explored via m6A-specific methylated RNA immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput and RNA sequencing methods. A total amount of 3992 novel m6A peaks were spotted in HFpEF + EXT, and 426 differently methylated sites, including 371 hypermethylated and 55 hypomethylated m6A sites, were singled out for further analysis (fold change >2, p < 0.05). According to gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses, unique m6A-modified transcripts in HFpEF + EXT were associated with apoptosis-related pathway and myocardial energy metabolism. HFpEF + EXT had higher total m6A levels and downregulated fat mass and obesity-related (FTO) protein levels. Overexpression of FTO cancels out the benefits of exercise in HFpEF + EXT mice by promoting myocyte apoptosis, myocardial fibrosis and myocyte hypertrophy. Totally, m6A is a significant alternation of epitranscriptomic processes, which is also a potentially meaningful therapeutic target.

Abstract This study aims to explore the psychosocial and behavioral problems of children and adolescents in the early stage of reopening schools. In this national cross-sectional study, a total of 11072 students from China were naturally divided into two groups based on their schooling status: reopened schools (RS) and home schooling (HS) group. The psychosocial and behavioral functioning were measured by Achenbach Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) and compared in these two groups. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore the independent predictors associated with the psychosocial and behavioral problems. Our results showed that the students in the RS group had more adverse behaviors than that of HS group. The RS group had the higher rates of parent-offspring conflict, prolonged homework time, increased sedentary time and sleep problems (all p

Abstract Background The restrictions associated with the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in changes to young children’s daily routines and habits. The impact on their participation in movement behaviours (physical activity, sedentary screen time and sleep) is unknown. This international longitudinal study compared young children’s movement behaviours before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Parents of children aged 3–5 years, from 14 countries (8 low- and middle-income countries, LMICs) completed surveys to assess changes in movement behaviours and how these changes were associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveys were completed in the 12 months up to March 2020 and again between May and June 2020 (at the height of restrictions). Physical activity (PA), sedentary screen time (SST) and sleep were assessed via parent survey. At Time 2, COVID-19 factors including level of restriction, environmental conditions, and parental stress were measured. Compliance with the World Health Organizations (WHO) Global guidelines for PA (180 min/day [≥60 min moderate- vigorous PA]), SST (≤1 h/day) and sleep (10-13 h/day) for children under 5 years of age, was determined. Results Nine hundred- forty-eight parents completed the survey at both time points. Children from LMICs were more likely to meet the PA (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AdjOR] = 2.0, 95%Confidence Interval [CI] 1.0,3.8) and SST (AdjOR = 2.2, 95%CI 1.2,3.9) guidelines than their high-income country (HIC) counterparts. Children who could go outside during COVID-19 were more likely to meet all WHO Global guidelines (AdjOR = 3.3, 95%CI 1.1,9.8) than those who were not. Children of parents with higher compared to lower stress were less likely to meet all three guidelines (AdjOR = 0.5, 95%CI 0.3,0.9). Conclusion PA and SST levels of children from LMICs have been less impacted by COVID-19 than in HICs. Ensuring children can access an outdoor space, and supporting parents’ mental health are important prerequisites for enabling pre-schoolers to practice healthy movement behaviours and meet the Global guidelines.

BackgroundThe association between preterm birth and neurodevelopmental delays have been well examined, however, reliable estimates for the full range of gestational age (GA) are limited, and few studies explored the impact of post-term birth on child development.ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the long-term neuropsychological outcomes of children born in a full range of GA with a national representative sample in China.MethodsIn this retrospective population-based cohort study, a total of 137,530 preschoolers aged 3–5 years old (65,295/47.5% females and 72,235/52.5% males) were included in the final analysis. The Ages and Stages Questionnaires-Third Edition (ASQ-3) was completed by parents to evaluate children's neurodevelopment. The associations between GA and neurodevelopment were analyzed by a generalized additive mixed model with thin plate regression splines. Logistic regression was also conducted to examine the differences in children's development with different GAs.ResultsThere was a non-linear relationship between GA and children's neurodevelopmental outcomes with the highest scores at 40 weeks gestational age. The adjusted risks of GAs (very and moderately preterm, late-preterm, early-term, and post-term groups) on suspected developmental delays were observed in communication (OR were 1.83, 1.28, 1.13, and 1.21 respectively, each p < 0.05), gross motor skill (OR were 1.67, 1.38, 1.10, and 1.05 respectively, each p < 0.05), and personal social behavior (OR were 1.01, 1.36, 1.12, and 1.18 respectively, each p < 0.05). The adjusted OR of very and moderately preterm, late-preterm, and early-term were observed in fine motor skills (OR were 1.53, 1.22, and 1.09 respectively, each p < 0.05) and problem-solving (OR were 1.33, 1.12, and 1.06 respectively, each p < 0.05).ConclusionGAs is a risk factor for neurodevelopmental delays in preschoolers after controlling for a wide range of covariates, and 40–41 weeks may be the ideal delivery GA for optimal neurodevelopmental outcomes. Close observation and monitoring should be considered for early- and post-term born children as well as pre-term children.

Stampede is a concern of urban pubic security management. The current academic research focus is the identification of risk factors of trampling accidents and determination of correlation patterns and accident-causing mechanisms among stampede elements in order to effectively obtain the influencing factors of stampede and clarify the transmission routes of stampede risk factors. Previous index cases were scrutinized and analyzed in 78 typical stampedes from 2010 - 2019 based on "pedestrian-equipment-environment-management" framework, and 17 influencing factors of stampede by adopting a conceptual coding method were obscured. Then, the degree centrality, intermediate centrality and respective weights of the influencing factors were calculated based on the social network analysis (SNA) method. The influencing level of the factors was signified, and the transmission mechanism of risk in the system network was determined. The results reveal that the degree centrality and weight with conspicuous features of over-density of crowds, pedestrian swarming and falling, and insufficient on-site transactions contribute the most. This finding indicates that these factors play a relatively major role in the stampede system. Furthermore, the intermediate centrality of insufficient on-site transactions is the top factor, meaning that this factor has a strong controlling force in the incident system and considerably influences other factors. This study shows that the SNA method is feasible in analyzing the mechanism of stampede incidents, simultaneously addressing the shortcomings of the linear statistical model of factors and providing theoretical support for comprehensive control of crowd risk.

In this manuscript, two new classes of generalized weakly contractions are introduced and common fixed point results concerning the new contractions are proved in the context of rectangular b-metric spaces. Also, some examples are included to present the validity of our theorems. As an application, we provide the existence and uniqueness of solution of an integral equation.

The epigenetic landscape of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) at genome-wide high resolution is incompletely studied. Here, the authors performed an integrated multi-omics analysis of ESCC and non-tumor tissues to define the genome-wide methylome landscape and epigenetic alterations to uncover oncogenic drivers of ESCC.

Abstract Background World Health Organisation (WHO) Guidelines on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Sleep for Children under 5 Years of Age were released in 2019. The aim of this study was to examine the proportion of Chinese kindergarten children who met each individual guideline and each combination of the guidelines and the associations with adiposity. Methods Participants were 254 kindergarten children aged 4.1–6.3 years recruited from three kindergartens in urban area of Beijing. Physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep duration were assessed using 24-h accelerometry over three consecutive days. Screen time was reported by parents. Weight and height were measured; and children were categorised into normal weight and overweight/obese groups according to the WHO age- and sex- specific criteria. Frequency analyses were performed to examine the proportion of children meeting individual and combination of these guidelines. Logistics regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between guideline compliance and adiposity. Results The proportion of children who met the physical activity (≥ 3 h daily physical activity, including ≥1 h daily moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA)), sedentary screen time (

Streptococcus agalactiae [also known as group B Streptococcus (GBS)] is a tremendous threat to young infants. Eighty pediatric GBS infection cases were enrolled from a teaching hospital in Shanghai between 2009 and 2020; among them, 72.5% (58/80) were diagnosed with bloodstream infection (BSI). Sequence types (STs) and serotypes of associated GBS strains were identified, and most of the Ib/clonal complex (CC)12 (86.7%, 13/15) strains caused BSIs, which was significantly higher than that of the genetically related clone Ib/CC10 (20%, 2/10; p < 0.05). Ib/CC12 BSI (30.8%) mortality was significantly higher than that of non-Ib/CC12 BSI (2.2%; p < 0.05). Virulence genes associated with adhesion, invasion, and immune evasion were detected using polymerase chain reaction. The fbsA and gbsPC1 positive rates of Ib/CC12 strains was higher than that of non-Ib/CC12 strains, whereas cpsIaJ, cpsJ, cpsI, and cpsG positive rates were lower than those of non-Ib/CC12 (p < 0.05). In in vitro studies, the Ib/CC12 strains had strong invasiveness in RAW264.7 cells, but less invasiveness in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, human brain microvascular endothelial cells, and human mammary epithelial cells when compared to other two clones. In the in vivo model, the Ib/CC12 GBS invaded the circulation system more rapidly after intraperitoneal injection, was more difficult to eradicate by phagocytes, and caused significantly higher mortality than Ib/CC10 and III/ST17 (p < 0.05). Genome analysis showed that the Ib/CC12 strains had two clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat-Cas systems and carried more antibiotic resistant genes, which conferred resistance to macrolides, clindamycin, aminoglycosides, and tetracycline. The Ib/CC12 strains had 45 unique annotated genes compared to that of Ib/CC10, including the pathogen-related toxin/antitoxin system, PezA/T. In conclusion, Ib/CC12 is an emerging hypervirulent multiresistant GBS clone that causes invasive and fatal infections in pediatric patients. The prevention and control of Ib/CC12 GBS infection should be emphasized.

In this paper, we introduce a new class of generalized weakly contractive mappings and prove common fixed point results by using different algorithms involving this new class of mappings in the framework of b-metric spaces, which generalize the results of Cho. We also provide two examples to show the applicability and validity of our results. As an application of our result, we obtain a solution to an integral equation. Our results extend and improve several comparable results in the existing literature.

In this paper, we prove some common fixed-point theorems of generalized ψ,φ−weakly contractive mappings in b−metric-like spaces. We also give two examples to support our results. Meanwhile, we present an application to the existence of solutions for a system of integral equations by means of our results.

In this paper, we introduce a new class of g−αsp−admissible mappings and prove some common fixed point theorems involving this new class of mappings which satisfy generalized contractive conditions in the framework of b−metric spaces. We also provide two examples to show the applicability and validity of our results. Meanwhile, we present an application to the existence of solutions to an integral equation by means of one of our results.

Introduction Early childhood development (ECD) is a critical component for building the foundation of future physical and emotional health and subsequent academic success. The quality of the home environment to promote development is an important factor in ECD. Since large rural–urban disparities in the home environment exist in China, there is a critical need to develop and evaluate interventions to promote ECD in rural areas. Individual center-based or home-based interventions dominate the current ECD programmes in rural China. However, group-based interventions offer potential advantages in terms of both effectiveness and cost. Thus, we aim to: (1) evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated group-based intervention, the Care Group Intervention, in enhancing ECD among children age 6–18 months and (2) conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis.Methods and analysis The Care Group Intervention uses a cluster (by township) randomised controlled trial conducted in Fenxi county, Shanxi province, China, from July 2019, for 1 year. The intervention focuses on five key components of nurturing care including good health, adequate nutrition, responsive caregiving, security and safety, and opportunities for early learning. The intervention comprises small groups of 3–10 children within a certain age range and their primary caregivers that are led by well-trained local facilitators. Outcomes includes infants’ developmental quotient (Bayley Scales of Infant Development III, Ages & Stages Questionnaire: Social–Emotional, second edition); anaemia (HemoCue Hb 301+); nurturing environment (Infant/Toddler Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment), parent-child interaction (Teaching Scale) and caregiver depression (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression). Cost data are collected throughout the entire study to carry out a cost-effectiveness analysis.Ethics and dissemination This study was approved by the Ethical Committee of Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China on 10 July 2018 (SHERLL2018014). Findings and results from this project will be disseminated via publications and presentations.Trial registration number Chinese Clinical Trials Registry: ChiCTR1900022894. Registered on 30 April 2019.

We study some algebraic properties of Toeplitz operator with quasihomogeneous or separately quasihomogeneous symbol on the pluriharmonic Bergman space of the unit ball in ℂn. We determine when the product of two Toeplitz operators with certain separately quasi-homogeneous symbols is a Toeplitz operator. Next, we discuss the zero-product problem for several Toeplitz operators, one of whose symbols is separately quasihomogeneous and the others are quasi-homogeneous functions, and show that the zero-product problem for two Toeplitz operators has only a trivial solution if one of the symbols is separately quasihomogeneous and the other is arbitrary. Finally, we also characterize the commutativity of certain quasihomogeneous or separately quasihomogeneous Toeplitz operators.

In this paper, we introduce two new classes of mixed (S,T)-α-admissible mappings and interspersed (S, g,T)-α-admissible mappings and study the sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of a common fixed point of generalized (αs, ξ, ħ, τ)-Geraghty contractive mapping in the framework of partial b-metric spaces. We also provide two examples to show the applicability and validity of our results. Moreover, we present an application to the existence of solutions to an integral equation by means of one of our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]