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In China, Tongluo-Qutong rubber plaster (TQRP) is commonly used for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy, but lacks high-quality trials. This study aimed to conduct a multicenter, open-label, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial in China to investigate the practical efficacy and safety of TQRP in the treatment of CSR. A total of 240 patients diagnosed with CSR were recruited for the investigation from multiple hospitals in Gansu province, China. The patients were randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group. The experimental group received treatment with TQRP, whereas the control group was administered a diclofenac sodium patch (DSP) for a maximum duration of 21 days. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score for pain, the proportion of patients experiencing 50% or more pain relief, the neck disability index (NDI), changes as per the Eaton trial, and recurrence during the follow-up period were evaluated for both groups. The safety and adverse events associated with the concurrent drug therapy were also evaluated. At each time point, the mean VAS and NDI scores of both groups demonstrated a downward trend. The experimental group exhibited a greater decline in VAS score at each time point compared to the control group (P< 0.01). In the Eaton trial, both the percentage of patients experiencing pain relief of 50% or more and the number of abnormal results exhibited improvement. However, the outcomes in the 21 ± 3d experimental group were significantly superior to those in the control group (P< 0.01). During the follow-up period, the recurrence events in the experimental group were reduced compared to the control group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P< 0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions was 1.74% for TQRP and 3.54% for DSP. TQRP is effective and safe in the treatment of CSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, anxiety and suicide are increasing in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), although no research has systematically examined these trends yet. Here, we explore the prevalence of the occurrence of comorbidities, such as ADHD, depression, anxiety and suicide with AD. We searched seven electronic databases from inception to October 2022 to identify relevant studies, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) tools were used to assess the quality of observational studies. Statistical analysis was performed using R software. Publication bias was evaluated using Egger's and Begg's linear tests. The global prevalence rates of ADHD, depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation in patients with AD were 7%, 17%, 21% and 13%, respectively, between 1998 and October 2022. Among children (aged <18 years), North American children with AD had the highest prevalence rates of ADHD (10%), depression (13%) and anxiety (20%). Among the adult (aged ≥18 years) population, patients with AD in Africa had the highest prevalence rates of depression (36%) and anxiety (44%), while Asian adults with AD had the highest prevalence rates of ADHD (7%) and suicidal ideation (20%). These results highlight the high prevalence and comorbidity rates of mental illnesses with AD, which should be brought to the attention of patients with AD and their physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the performance of machine learning models and to propose an interpretable prediction framework for feed material prices. Soybean meal was selected as the representative raw material of feed products. Based on the monthly settlement price data of soybean meal futures from January 2006 to April 2023, BP neural network, GBDT and XGBoost machine learning algorithms were used to conduct training tests, and then Bayesian optimization algorithm was used to adjust the parameters of each model. Finally, the optimal model and SHAP model are selected to analyze the prediction results. The prediction performance of the BO-XGBoost model proposed in this study is significantly better than that of other benchmark models. The MAPE and R2 of the forecast set are 0.03 and 0.892, indicating a high accuracy of the model. The research shows that the model has a good application prospect, and can provide some reference for the decision making of feed-related enterprise managers and relevant departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectral variation accompanied by flux variability is a commonly observed phenomenon for blazars. In order to investigate the optical spectral feature of blazars further, we collected the long-term optical V- and R -band data of 27 blazars (14 BL Lacaerte objects, BL Lacs, and 13 flat-spectrum radio quasars, FSRQs) and calculated their optical spectral indices. The results show that the spectral indices vary with respect to brightness for all of these blazars. In general, the optical spectrum progressively becomes flatter (or steeper), when the brightness increases. However the spectrum changes more and more slowly, until it tends to stability. In other words, the source becomes bluer (or redder) and then gradually stabilizes when it brightens, behaviours that are referred to as bluer-stable-when-brighter (BSWB) and redder-stable-when-brighter (RSWB), respectively. A total of 13 of the 14 BL Lacs show the BSWB behaviour, the exception being AO 0235+164. In contrast, most of the FSRQs (10 out of 13) exhibit the RSWB trend. It is confirmed that blazars follow the two universal optical spectral behaviours, namely BSWB and RSWB. The model of two constant-spectral-index components can explain the optical spectral features well both qualitatively and quantitatively. The results illustrate that the optical emission is composed mainly of two stable-colour components, namely less variable thermal emission and highly variable synchrotron radiation. Furthermore, in most cases, the thermal component of BL Lacs is redder than that of synchrotron radiation, whereas the opposite is true for FSRQs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]