Multiscale and multiperception feature learning for pancreatic lesion detection based on noncontrast CT

Background. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most malignant tumours, demonstrating a poor prognosis and nearly identically high mortality and morbidity, mainly because of the difficulty of early diagnosis and timely treatment for localized stages.Objective. To develop a noncontrast CT (NCCT)-based pancreatic lesion detection model that could serve as an intelligent tool for diagnosing pancreatic cancer early, overcoming the challenges associated with low contrast intensities and complex anatomical structures present in NCCT images.Approach.We design a multiscale and multiperception (MSMP) feature learning network with ResNet50 coupled with a feature pyramid network as the backbone for strengthening feature expressions. We added multiscale atrous convolutions to expand different receptive fields, contextual attention to perceive contextual information, and channel and spatial attention to focus on important channels and spatial regions, respectively. The MSMP network then acts as a feature extractor for proposing an NCCT-based pancreatic lesion detection model with image patches covering the pancreas as its input; Faster R-CNN is employed as the detection method for accurately detecting pancreatic lesions.Main results. By using the new MSMP network as a feature extractor, our model outperforms the conventional object detection algorithms in terms of the recall (75.40% and 90.95%), precision (40.84% and 68.21%), F1 score (52.98% and 77.96%), F2 score (64.48% and 85.26%) and Ap50 metrics (53.53% and 70.14%) at the image and patient levels, respectively.Significance.The good performance of our new model implies that MSMP can mine NCCT imaging features for detecting pancreatic lesions from complex backgrounds well. The proposed detection model is expected to be further developed as an intelligent method for the early detection of pancreatic cancer.

[Relationship between gut microbiota and its metabolite dysregulation and postoperative cognitive dysfunction in elderly male C57BL/6J mice after laparotomy exploration]

Objective: To explore the relationship between gut microbiota and its metabolite dysregulation and postoperative cognitive dysfunction in elderly male C57BL/6J mice after laparotomy exploration. Methods: A total of 48 specific pathogen-free (SPF) male C57BL/6J mice, aged 16-17 months, were divided into two groups by random number table method: control group (n=24) and operation group (n=24). Mice in the operation group were induced with 1.4% isoflurane for 15 minutes, followed by a 10 minutes exploratory laparotomy anesthetized with 1.4% isoflurane and 100% oxygen, and anesthesia continued for 2 hours after surgery. Mice in control group were put in 100% oxygen for 2 hours. Feces and venous blood samples of both groups were collected 48 hours after surgery. Changes in the abundance and diversity of intestinal bacteria in the feces were detected by 16S rDNA gene sequencing. Functional changes of fecal metabolic profiles were detected by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS) metabolomics and differential metabolite functions were analyzed. The serum level of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were detected by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The cognitive function of the mice was detected by Morris water maze test 3 days after operation. Results: The postoperative escape latency of mice in control group and operation group was (22.0±4.9) and (35.0±5.1) s, and the target quadrant residence time was (26.0±3.7) and (16.0±2.9) s, respectively. Compared with the control group, the postoperative escape latency of mice in the operation group was prolonged (P=0.035), and the residence time in the target quadrant was reduced (P=0.006). The difference of intestinal flora between the two groups was comparable. The expression levels of Escherichia coli, shigella and clostridium in the operation group were up-regulated, while the expression levels of rumen bacteria and butyricobacteria were down-regulated. Fecal metabolic profiles of mice in control group and operation group were obtained by LC/MS, and 14 and 21 different metabolites were screened in positive and negative ion modes, respectively. The different metabolites in positive ion mode were glutamic acid, 2-indoleic acid, kynuuric acid and glyceraldehyde. The negative ion pattern differential metabolites are methionine, aspartic acid, L-threonine, tyrosyl-threonine and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid. The identified differential metabolite pathways are mainly involved in amino acid, fatty acid and tryptophan metabolism and nucleotide synthesis. There were no significant differences in serum levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion: The dysregulated changes of gut microbiota and its metabolites are correlated with the occurrence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction in elderly male C57BL/6J mice. Anesthesia and surgery alter the structure of mice intestinal bacteria on the level of abundance, and change the metabolic balance and feces metabolomic phenotype.

ESF-YOLO: an accurate and universal object detector based on neural networks

As an excellent single-stage object detector based on neural networks, YOLOv5 has found extensive applications in the industrial domain; however, it still exhibits certain design limitations. To address these issues, this paper proposes Efficient Scale Fusion YOLO (ESF-YOLO). Firstly, the Multi-Sampling Conv Module (MSCM) is designed, which enhances the backbone network's learning capability for low-level features through multi-scale receptive fields and cross-scale feature fusion. Secondly, to tackle occlusion issues, a new Block-wise Channel Attention Module (BCAM) is designed, assigning greater weights to channels corresponding to critical information. Next, a lightweight Decoupled Head (LD-Head) is devised. Additionally, the loss function is redesigned to address asynchrony between labels and confidences, alleviating the imbalance between positive and negative samples during the neural network training. Finally, an adaptive scale factor for Intersection over Union (IoU) calculation is innovatively proposed, adjusting bounding box sizes adaptively to accommodate targets of different sizes in the dataset. Experimental results on the SODA10M and CBIA8K datasets demonstrate that ESF-YOLO increases Average Precision at 0.50 IoU (AP50) by 3.93 and 2.24%, Average Precision at 0.75 IoU (AP75) by 4.77 and 4.85%, and mean Average Precision (mAP) by 4 and 5.39%, respectively, validating the model's broad applicability.

[The effect of deep neuromuscular block combined with low pneumoperitoneum pressure on postoperative pain in patients undergoing laparoscopic radical colorectal surgery]

Objective: To investigate the effect of deep neuromuscular blockade (DNMB) combined with low pneumoperitoneum pressure anesthesia strategy on postoperative pain in patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery. Methods: This study was a randomized controlled trial. One hundred and twenty patients who underwent laparoscopic colorectal surgery at Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from December 1, 2022 to May 31, 2023 were selected and randomly divided into two groups by random number table method. Moderate neuromuscular blockade [train of four stimulations count (TOFC)=1-2] was maintained in patients of the control group (group C, n=60) and pneumoperitoneum pressure level was set at 15 mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa). DNMB [post-tonic stimulation count (PTC)=1-2] was maintained in patients of the DNMB combined with low pneumoperitoneum pressuregroup (group D, n=60) and pneumoperitoneum pressure level was set at 10 mmHg. The primary measurement was incidence of moderate to severe pain at 1 h after surgery. The secondary measurements the included incidence of moderate to severe pain at 1, 2, 3, 5 d and 3 months after surgery, the incidence of rescue analgesic drug use, the doses of sufentanil in analgesic pumps, surgical rating scale (SRS) score, the incidence of postoperative residual neuromuscular block, postoperative recovery [evaluated with length of post anesthesia care unit (PACU) stay, time of first exhaust and defecation after surgery and length of hospital stay] and postoperative inflammation conditions [evaluated with serum concentration of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 at 1 d and 3 d after surgery]. Results: The incidence of moderate to severe pain in group D 1 h after surgery was 13.3% (8/60), lower than 30.0% (18/60) of group C (P<0.05). The incidence of rescue analgesia in group D at 1 h and 1 d after surgery were 13.3% (8/60) and 4.2% (5/120), respectively, lower than 30.0% (18/60) and 12.5% (15/120) of group C (both P<0.05). The IL-1β level in group D was (4.1±1.8)ng/L at 1 d after surgery, which was lower than (4.9±2.6) ng/L of group C (P=0.048). The IL-6 level in group D was (2.0±0.7)ng/L at 3 d after surgery, which was lower than (2.4±1.1) ng/L of group C (P=0.018). There was no significant difference in the doses of sufentanil in analgesic pumps, intraoperative SRS score, incidence of neuromuscular block residue, time spent in PACU, time of first exhaust and defecation after surgery, incidence of nausea and vomiting, and length of hospitalization between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion: DNMB combined with low pneumoperitoneum pressure anesthesia strategy alleviates the early-stage pain in patients after laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

Measurements of All-Particle Energy Spectrum and Mean Logarithmic Mass of Cosmic Rays from 0.3 to 30 PeV with LHAASO-KM2A

We present the measurements of all-particle energy spectrum and mean logarithmic mass of cosmic rays in the energy range of 0.3-30 PeV using data collected from LHAASO-KM2A between September 2021 and December 2022, which is based on a nearly composition-independent energy reconstruction method, achieving unprecedented accuracy. Our analysis reveals the position of the knee at 3.67±0.05±0.15  PeV. Below the knee, the spectral index is found to be -2.7413±0.0004±0.0050, while above the knee, it is -3.128±0.005±0.027, with the sharpness of the transition measured with a statistical error of 2%. The mean logarithmic mass of cosmic rays is almost heavier than helium in the whole measured energy range. It decreases from 1.7 at 0.3 PeV to 1.3 at 3 PeV, representing a 24% decline following a power law with an index of -0.1200±0.0003±0.0341. This is equivalent to an increase in abundance of light components. Above the knee, the mean logarithmic mass exhibits a power law trend towards heavier components, which is reversal to the behavior observed in the all-particle energy spectrum. Additionally, the knee position and the change in power-law index are approximately the same. These findings suggest that the knee observed in the all-particle spectrum corresponds to the knee of the light component, rather than the medium-heavy components.

Comparison of greenhouse gas emissions from sheep measured using both respiration and portable accumulation chambers

Methane (CH4) is a potent gas produced by ruminants, and new measurement techniques are required to generate large datasets suitable for genetic analysis. One such technique are portable accumulation chambers (PAC), a short-term sampling method. The objectives of the current study were to explore the relationship between CH4 and carbon dioxide (CO2) output measured using both PAC and respiration chambers (RC) in growing lambs, and separately investigate the relationship among CH4, CO2 and measured ad libitum DM intake (DMI). Methane, CO2 and DMI were measured on 30 Suffolk and 30 Texel ewe lambs (age 253 ± 12 days) using the RC and PAC sequentially. The experiment was conducted over a 14-day period, with DMI measured from days 1 to 14; measurements in RC were conducted from days 10 to 12, while measurements in PAC were taken twice, the day immediately prior to the lambs entering the RC (day 9; PAC Pre-RC) and on the day lambs exited the RC (day 13; PAC Post-RC). Greater CH4 and CO2 output was measured in the RC than in the PAC (P < 0.01); similarly mean CH4 yield was greater when measured in the RC (15.39 ± 0.452 g CH4/kg DMI) compared to PAC (8.01 ± 0.767 g CH4/kg DMI). A moderate correlation of 0.37 was found between CH4 output measured in PAC Pre-RC and the RC, the corresponding regression coefficient of CH4 output measured in the RC regressed on CH4 output measured in PAC Pre-RC was close to unity (0.74; SE 0.224). The variance of CH4 and CO2 output within the measurement technique did not differ from each other (P > 0.05). Moderate to strong correlations were found between CH4 and CO2 per kg of live weight and CH4 and CO2 yield. Results from this study highlight the suitability of PAC as a ranking tool to rank animals based on their gaseous output when compared to the RC. However, repeated measurements separated by several days may be beneficial if precise rankings are required. Given the close to unity regression coefficient of CH4 output measured in the RC regressed on CH4 output measured in PAC Pre-RC suggests that PAC could also be potentially used to estimate absolute CH4 output; however, further research is required to substantiate this claim. When DMI is unknown, CH4 and CO2 per kg of live weight are a suitable alternative to the measurement of CH4 and CO2 yield.

Has sentiment returned to the pre-pandemic level? A sentiment analysis using U.S. college subreddit data from 2019 to 2022

BACKGROUND

As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic winds down, both individuals and society are gradually returning to life and activities before the pandemic. This study aims to explore how people's emotions have changed from the pre-pandemic period during the pandemic to this post-emergency period and whether the sentiment level nowadays has returned to the pre-pandemic level.

METHOD

We collected Reddit social media data in 2019 (pre-pandemic), 2020 (peak period of the pandemic), 2021, and 2022 (late stages of the pandemic, transitioning period to the post-emergency period) from the subreddits communities in 128 universities/colleges in the U.S., and a set of school-level baseline characteristics such as location, enrollment, graduation rate, selectivity, etc. We predicted two sets of sentiments from a pre-trained Robustly Optimized BERT pre-training approach (RoBERTa) and a graph attention network (GAT) that leverages both the rich semantic information and the relational information among posted messages and then applied model stacking to obtain the final sentiment classification. After obtaining the sentiment label for each message, we employed a generalized linear mixed-effects model to estimate the temporal trend in sentiment from 2019 to 2022 and how the school-level factors may affect the sentiment.

RESULTS

Compared to the year 2019, the odds of negative sentiment in years 2020, 2021, and 2022 are 25%. 7.3%, and 6.3% higher, respectively, which are all statistically significant at the 5% significance level based on the multiplicity-adjusted p-values.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study findings suggest a partial recovery in the sentiment composition (negative vs. non-negative) in the post-pandemic-emergency era. The results align with common expectations and provide a detailed quantification of how sentiments have evolved from 2019 to 2022 in the sub-population represented by the sample examined in this study.

Application of fluorocarbon nanoparticles of 131I-fulvestrant as a targeted radiation drug for endocrine therapy on human breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignant tumor among women, with hormone receptor-positive cases constituting 70%. Fulvestrant, an antagonist for these receptors, is utilized for advanced metastatic hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Yet, its inhibitory effect on tumor cells is not strong, and it lacks direct cytotoxicity. Consequently, there's a significant challenge in preventing recurrence and metastasis once cancer cells develop resistance to fulvestrant.

METHOD

To address these challenges, we engineered tumor-targeting nanoparticles termed 131I-fulvestrant-ALA-PFP-FA-NPs. This involved labeling fulvestrant with 131I to create 131I-fulvestrant. Subsequently, we incorporated the 131I-fulvestrant and 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) into fluorocarbon nanoparticles with folate as the targeting agent. This design facilitates a tri-modal therapeutic approach-endocrine therapy, radiotherapy, and PDT for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

RESULTS

Our in vivo and in vitro tests showed that the drug-laden nanoparticles effectively zeroed in on tumors. This targeting efficiency was corroborated using SPECT-CT imaging, confocal microscopy, and small animal fluorescence imaging. The 131I-fulvestrant-ALA-PFP-FA-NPs maintained stability and showcased potent antitumor capabilities due to the synergism of endocrine therapy, radiotherapy, and CR-PDT. Throughout the treatment duration, we detected no notable irregularities in hematological, biochemical, or histological evaluations.

CONCLUSION

We've pioneered a nanoparticle system loaded with radioactive isotope 131I, endocrine therapeutic agents, and a photosensitizer precursor. This system offers a combined modality of radiotherapy, endocrine treatment, and PDT for breast cancer.

Observation on Microenvironment Changes of Dynamic Catalysts in Acidic CO2 Reduction

Electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) in acid can solve alkalinity issues while highly corrosive and reductive acidic electrolytes usually cause catalyst degradation. Inhibiting catalyst degradation is crucial for the stability of acidic CO2RR. Here, we reveal the microenvironment changes of dynamic Bi-based catalysts and develop a pulse chronoamperometry (CA) strategy to improve the stability of acidic CO2RR. In situ fluorescence mappings show that the local pH changes from neutral to acid, and the in situ Raman spectra reveal the dynamic evolution of interfacial water structures in the microenvironment. We propose that the surface charge properties of dynamic catalysts affect the competitive adsorption of K+ and protons, thereby causing the differences in local pH and CO2RR intermediate adsorption. We also develop a pulse CA strategy to reactivate catalysts, and the stability of acidic CO2RR is improved by 2 orders of magnitude for 100 h operation, which is higher than most reports on the stability of acidic CO2RR. This work gives insights on how microenvironment changes affecting the stability of acidic CO2RR, and provides guidance for designing stable catalysts in acidic electrolytes.

Intelligent maneuver strategy for hypersonic vehicles in three-player pursuit-evasion games via deep reinforcement learning

Aiming at the rapid development of anti-hypersonic collaborative interception technology, this paper designs an intelligent maneuver strategy of hypersonic vehicles (HV) based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL) to evade the collaborative interception by two interceptors. Under the meticulously designed collaborative interception strategy, the uncertainty and difficulty of evasion are significantly increased and the opportunity for maneuvers is further compressed. This paper, accordingly, selects the twin delayed deep deterministic gradient (TD3) strategy acting on the continuous action space and makes targeted improvements combining deep neural networks to grasp the maneuver strategy and achieve successful evasion. Focusing on the time-coordinated interception strategy of two interceptors, the three-player pursuit and evasion (PE) problem is modeled as the Markov decision process, and the double training strategy is proposed to juggle both interceptors. In reward functions of the training process, the energy saving factor is set to achieve the trade-off between miss distance and energy consumption. In addition, the regression neural network is introduced into the deep neural network of TD3 to enhance intelligent maneuver strategies' generalization. Finally, numerical simulations are conducted to verify that the improved TD3 algorithm can effectively evade the collaborative interception of two interceptors under tough situations, and the improvements of the algorithm in terms of convergence speed, generalization, and energy-saving effect are verified.

Temporal change of serum xanthine oxidase levels and its relation to clinical outcome of severe traumatic brain injury: a prospective cohort study

Xanthine oxidase (XO) may be involved in the induction of oxidative stress and inflammation. We measured serum XO levels at multiple days to determine whether it is associated with the severity and prognosis of severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI). In this prospective cohort study, we quantified serum XO levels in 112 sTBI patients and 112 controls. Serum XO levels of patients were measured at admission and at days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 after sTBI. Extended Glasgow outcome scale scores of 1-4 at post-trauma 180 days were defined as a poor prognosis. Multivariate analysis was employed to determine the relationship between poor prognosis and serum XO levels at multiple days. Serum XO levels were significantly increased at admission among patients, afterwards elevated gradually, peaked at day 3, and then diminished gradually until day 10, and were substantially higher during 10 days in patients than in controls. Serum XO levels at 6 different days were all correlated with admission Rotterdam computed tomography (CT) scores and Glasgow coma scale (GCS) scores. Serum XO levels at 6 different days were all substantially higher in patients with poor prognosis than in those with good prognosis. Serum XO levels at days 7 and 10, but not at days 1, 3, and 5, had significantly lower area under receiver operating characteristic (AUC) than those at admission. Serum XO levels at admission and at days 1 and 3, but not at day 5, were independently associated with 180-day poor prognosis. Prognostic prediction model containing GCS scores, Rotterdam CT scores, and serum XO levels at admission (or at days 1 and 3) showed substantially higher AUC than GCS scores and Rotterdam CT scores alone. The models were visually described using nomograms, which were comparatively stable under calibration curve and were relatively of clinical benefit under decision curve. Elevated serum XO levels during early period of sTBI are more closely associated with trauma severity and clinical adverse outcomes, assuming that serum XO may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker in sTBI.

Predefined-Time Hierarchical Coordinated Neural Control for Hypersonic Reentry Vehicle

This paper investigates the predefined-time hierarchical coordinated adaptive control on the hypersonic reentry vehicle in presence of low actuator efficiency. In order to compensate for the deficiency of rudder deflection in advantage of channel coupling, the hierarchical design is proposed for coordination of the elevator deflection and aileron deflection. Under the control scheme, the equivalent control law and switching control law are constructed with the predefined-time technology. For the dynamics uncertainty approximation, the composite learning using the tracking error and the prediction error is constructed by designing the serial-parallel estimation model. The closed-loop system stability is analyzed via the Lyapunov approach and the tracking errors are guaranteed to be uniformly ultimately bounded in a predefined time. The tracking performance and the learning accuracy of the proposed algorithm are verified via simulation tests.

A Bi-Co Corridor Construction Effectively Improving the Selectivity of Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction toward Ammonia by Nearly 100

Improving the selective ammonia production capacity of electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (NO3 RR) at ambient conditions is critical to the future development and industrial application of electrosynthesis of ammonia. However, the reaction involves multi-proton and electron transfer as well as the desorption and underutilization of intermediates, posing a challenge to the selectivity of NO3 RR. Here the electrodeposition site of Co is modulated by depositing Bi at the bottom of the catalyst, thus obtaining the Co+Bi@Cu NW catalyst with a Bi-Co corridor structure. In 50 mm NO3 - , Co+Bi@Cu NW exhibits a highest Faraday efficiency of ≈100% (99.51%), an ammonia yield rate of 1858.2 µg h-1  cm-2 and high repeatability at -0.6 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. Moreover, the change of NO2 - concentration on the catalyst surface observed by in situ reflection absorption imaging and the intermediates of the NO3 RR process detected by electrochemical in situ Raman spectroscopy together verify the NO2 - trapping effect of the Bi-Co corridor structure. It is believed that the measure of modulating the deposition site of Co by loading Bi element is an easy-to-implement general method for improving the selectivity of NH3 production as well as the corresponding scientific research and applications.

A dinoflagellate bloom caused by multiple species of Kareniaceae in the coastal waters of Fujian in June 2022 and its adverse impacts on Brachionus plicatilis and Artemia salina

Recently, dinoflagellate blooms have frequently occurred in the coastal waters of Fujian, East China Sea. In June 2022, a fish-killing bloom of Kareniaceae species occurred in this region. In this study, four species of Kareniaceae, namely, Karenia longicanalis, K. papilionacea, Karlodinium veneficum, and Karl. digitatum were identified from this bloom event based on the results of single-cell PCR and clone libraries, and intraspecies genetic diversity was found in the Karl. veneficum population. The results of acute toxicity assays of the bloom water to two zooplankton species (Brachionus plicatilis and Artemia salina) demonstrated this bloom event strongly inhibited their swimming capacities and survival. The results of this study suggested that the bloom events caused by multiple species of Kareniaceae in the Fujian coastal waters had adverse impacts on the local fishery resources and zooplankton community.

In Situ Mapping of Activity Distribution of V(II)/V(III) and Onset Potential Distribution of Hydrogen Evolution Side Reaction in Vanadium Flow Batteries

Vanadium flow batteries (VFBs) face a challenge with the low reaction rates of the V(II)/V(III) redox couple, which limits the performance of VFBs. Additionally, the negative electrode in VFBs is often accompanied by the persistent hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), which is difficult to eliminate. Therefore, understanding the spatial distribution of activity on the negative electrode and the HER side reaction on the electrode surface is of critical importance. This study proposes a weak measurement imaging method to characterize the spatial distribution of surface activity and HER onset potential on the negative electrode in VFBs). This method enables the visualization and in situ detection of key parameters such as the absolute values of |ipa |, |ipc |, |∆E|, |ipc /ipa |, and the HER onset potential. By comparing three different types of graphite felts with varying activity levels, it validates the feasibility of this method. Furthermore, electrochemical stability tests are conducted to study the electrodes repeatability, uniformity, and durability. This method holds promise in guiding the design of electrodes with enhanced activity, good reversibility, minimized HER side reactions, and uniform distribution.

Experimental study on the microwave radiation disinfection of E. coli on SiC composite filter

Filter is an important component in the air-conditioning system. The airborne microorganisms can be intercepted and further multiply on the filter, which might cause a secondary pollution. The present work proposed a SiC composite filter (SCF), namely combining the filter with the absorbing material SiC. The disinfection efficiency (η) and mechanism of the microwave radiation method (MRM) on E. coli and S. aureus attached to the SCF were experimentally explored. The impacts of the microwave power (P) and disinfection time (t) on η were investigated. The results show that the SCF can be heated well by the microwave, but the normal filter (NF) cannot. The MRM can effectively and rapidly disinfect bacteria on the SCF at a sufficiently high P and an appropriate t. Generally, η increases with P and t. Under a specific P, η can be only increased with t at a certain range and a peak η might be reached. When this peak is achieved, η will not be further increased with t. The disinfection by the MRM is attributed to the thermal and non-thermal effects. Specially, at P = 600 W and t = 10 min, the non-thermal effect contributes about 89.6% to the disinfection of the E. coli and about 43.1% to the S. aureus. A universal relationship between η and temperature is given for E. coli and S. aureus to predict η at various P and t. Finally, the effective temperatures required by the MRM to satisfactorily disinfect bacteria on the SCF are identified, i.e., about 41 °C for E. coli and 71 °C for S. aureus.

Measurement of Ultra-High-Energy Diffuse Gamma-Ray Emission of the Galactic Plane from 10 TeV to 1 PeV with LHAASO-KM2A

The diffuse Galactic γ-ray emission, mainly produced via interactions between cosmic rays and the interstellar medium and/or radiation field, is a very important probe of the distribution, propagation, and interaction of cosmic rays in the Milky Way. In this Letter, we report the measurements of diffuse γ rays from the Galactic plane between 10 TeV and 1 PeV energies, with the square kilometer array of the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO). Diffuse emissions from the inner (15°10  TeV). The energy spectrum in the inner Galaxy regions can be described by a power-law function with an index of -2.99±0.04, which is different from the curved spectrum as expected from hadronic interactions between locally measured cosmic rays and the line-of-sight integrated gas content. Furthermore, the measured flux is higher by a factor of ∼3 than the prediction. A similar spectrum with an index of -2.99±0.07 is found in the outer Galaxy region, and the absolute flux for 10≲E≲60  TeV is again higher than the prediction for hadronic cosmic ray interactions. The latitude distributions of the diffuse emission are consistent with the gas distribution, while the longitude distributions show clear deviation from the gas distribution. The LHAASO measurements imply that either additional emission sources exist or cosmic ray intensities have spatial variations.

Endoscopic image classification algorithm based on Poolformer

Image desmoking is a significant aspect of endoscopic image processing, effectively mitigating visual field obstructions without the need for additional surgical interventions. However, current smoke removal techniques tend to apply comprehensive video enhancement to all frames, encompassing both smoke-free and smoke-affected images, which not only escalates computational costs but also introduces potential noise during the enhancement of smoke-free images. In response to this challenge, this paper introduces an approach for classifying images that contain surgical smoke within endoscopic scenes. This classification method provides crucial target frame information for enhancing surgical smoke removal, improving the scientific robustness, and enhancing the real-time processing capabilities of image-based smoke removal method. The proposed endoscopic smoke image classification algorithm based on the improved Poolformer model, augments the model's capacity for endoscopic image feature extraction. This enhancement is achieved by transforming the Token Mixer within the encoder into a multi-branch structure akin to ConvNeXt, a pure convolutional neural network. Moreover, the conversion to a single-path topology during the prediction phase elevates processing speed. Experiments use the endoscopic dataset sourced from the Hamlyn Centre Laparoscopic/Endoscopic Video Dataset, augmented by Blender software rendering. The dataset comprises 3,800 training images and 1,200 test images, distributed in a 4:1 ratio of smoke-free to smoke-containing images. The outcomes affirm the superior performance of this paper's approach across multiple parameters. Comparative assessments against existing models, such as mobilenet_v3, efficientnet_b7, and ViT-B/16, substantiate that the proposed method excels in accuracy, sensitivity, and inference speed. Notably, when contrasted with the Poolformer_s12 network, the proposed method achieves a 2.3% enhancement in accuracy, an 8.2% boost in sensitivity, while incurring a mere 6.4 frames per second reduction in processing speed, maintaining 87 frames per second. The results authenticate the improved performance of the refined Poolformer model in endoscopic smoke image classification tasks. This advancement presents a lightweight yet effective solution for the automatic detection of smoke-containing images in endoscopy. This approach strikes a balance between the accuracy and real-time processing requirements of endoscopic image analysis, offering valuable insights for targeted desmoking process.

Different sedation profiles with ciprofol compared to propofol represented by objective sedation level assessments by BIS and its acute hemodynamic impact in 3 escalated doses of ciprofol and propofol in healthy subjects: a single-center, open-label, randomized, 2-stage, 2-way crossover trial

OBJECTIVE

To compare the sedation profiles and the pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and safety characteristics of ciprofol and propofol at 3 escalated dose levels in healthy Chinese male subjects.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eighteen subjects were planned to be enrolled into 3 dose groups in turn: group 1 (ciprofol-0.4 mg/kg vs. propofol-2.0 mg/kg), group 2 (ciprofol-0.6 mg/kg vs. propofol-3.0 mg/kg) and group 3 (ciprofol-0.8 mg/kg vs. propofol-4.0 mg/kg). They were randomly assigned into a ciprofol or propofol group in a ratio of 1:1, with sequences of ciprofol-propofol or propofol-ciprofol, separated with a washout period of at least 48 h.

RESULTS

A total of 19 subjects were enrolled and 18 completed the trial. The median time to being fully alert after induction by ciprofol was longer than for propofol. The bispectral index (BIS) recovered significantly slower with ciprofol than with propofol 5 min and 10 min after reaching its lowest points. Systolic blood pressure (group 1: p=0.041; group 2: p=0.015; group 3: p=0.004) and mean arterial pressures (group 1: p=0.026; group 2: p=0.015; group 3: p=0.004) measured by the area under the curve below the baseline during the 2 min after induction were significantly less for ciprofol compared to propofol, but a significant change in diastolic blood pressure was only observed in group 3 (p=0.002). Eighteen (100.0%) subjects experienced 47 ciprofol-related treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and 17 (94.4%) subjects had 54 propofol-related TEAEs, which were mainly hypotension, involuntary movements, respiratory depression, and pain at the injection site with severity of grade 1 or 2.

CONCLUSIONS

Ciprofol may be well tolerated at higher doses in the clinical practice and exhibited significantly different sedation profiles to propofol.

Effect of Cross-Linking Density on Non-Linear Viscoelasticity of Vulcanized SBR: A MD Simulation and Experimental Study

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in changes in dynamic mechanical properties of mixed rubber during dynamic shear, yet the influence of vulcanized characteristics on the dynamic shear behavior of vulcanized rubber, particularly the effect of cross-linking density, has received little attention. This study focuses on styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and aims to investigate the impact of different cross-linking densities (D_c) on dynamic shear behavior using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results reveal a remarkable Payne effect, where the storage modulus experiences a significant drop when the strain amplitude (γ₀) exceeds 0.1, which can be attributed to the fracture of the polymer bond and the decrease in the molecular chain's flexibility. The influence of various D_c values mainly resides at the level of molecular aggregation in the system, where higher D_c values impede molecular chain motion and lead to an increase in the storage modulus of SBR. The MD simulation results are verified through comparisons with existing literature.

A tera-electron volt afterglow from a narrow jet in an extremely bright gamma-ray burst

Some gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have a tera-electron volt (TeV) afterglow, but the early onset of this has not been observed. We report observations with the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory of the bright GRB 221009A, which serendipitously occurred within the instrument field of view. More than 64,000 photons >0.2 TeV were detected within the first 3000 seconds. The TeV flux began several minutes after the GRB trigger, then rose to a peak about 10 seconds later. This was followed by a decay phase, which became more rapid ~650 seconds after the peak. We interpret the emission using a model of a relativistic jet with half-opening angle ~0.8°. This is consistent with the core of a structured jet and could explain the high isotropic energy of this GRB.

Some examples of privacy-preserving sharing of COVID-19 pandemic data with statistical utility evaluation

BACKGROUND

A considerable amount of various types of data have been collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, the analysis and understanding of which have been indispensable for curbing the spread of the disease. As the pandemic moves to an endemic state, the data collected during the pandemic will continue to be rich sources for further studying and understanding the impacts of the pandemic on various aspects of our society. On the other hand, naïve release and sharing of the information can be associated with serious privacy concerns.

METHODS

We use three common but distinct data types collected during the pandemic (case surveillance tabular data, case location data, and contact tracing networks) to illustrate the publication and sharing of granular information and individual-level pandemic data in a privacy-preserving manner. We leverage and build upon the concept of differential privacy to generate and release privacy-preserving data for each data type. We investigate the inferential utility of privacy-preserving information through simulation studies at different levels of privacy guarantees and demonstrate the approaches in real-life data. All the approaches employed in the study are straightforward to apply.

RESULTS

The empirical studies in all three data cases suggest that privacy-preserving results based on the differentially privately sanitized data can be similar to the original results at a reasonably small privacy loss ([Formula: see text]). Statistical inferences based on sanitized data using the multiple synthesis technique also appear valid, with nominal coverage of 95% confidence intervals when there is no noticeable bias in point estimation. When [Formula: see text] and the sample size is not large enough, some privacy-preserving results are subject to bias, partially due to the bounding applied to sanitized data as a post-processing step to satisfy practical data constraints.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study generates statistical evidence on the practical feasibility of sharing pandemic data with privacy guarantees and on how to balance the statistical utility of released information during this process.

A prospective cohort study on serum A20 as a prognostic biomarker of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

BACKGROUND

A20 may be a neuroprotective factor. Herein, we aimed to investigate whether serum A20 levels were associated with disease severity, delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), and outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH).

METHODS

In this prospective cohort study containing 112 aSAH patients and 112 controls, serum A20 levels were quantified. At 90 d poststroke, Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) scores ≥3 were defined as a poor outcome. All correlations and associations were assessed using multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

Compared with controls, there was a significant elevation of serum A20 levels in patients (median 123.7 pg/mL vs. 25.8 pg/mL; P<0.001). Serum A20 levels were independently correlated with Hunt-Hess scores (β 9.854; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 2.481-17.227, P=0.009) and modified Fisher scores (β 10.349, 95% CI 1.273-19.424, P=0.026). Independent associations were found between serum A20 levels and poor outcome (odds ratio [OR] 1.015, 95% CI 1.000-1.031, P=0.047) and DCI (OR 1.018, 95% CI 1.001-1.035, P=0.042). Areas under the curve for predicting poor outcome and DCI were 0.771 (95% CI 0.682-0.845) and 0.777 (95% CI 0.688-0.850), respectively. Serum A20 levels ≥128.15 pg/mL predicted poor outcome, with a sensitivity of 73.9% and specificity of 74.2%, and A20 levels ≥160.55 pg/mL distinguished the risk of DCI with 65.5% sensitivity and 89.2% specificity. Its ability to predict poor outcome and DCI was similar to those of Hunt-Hess scores and modified Fisher scores (both P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Enhanced serum A20 levels are significantly associated with stroke severity and poor clinical outcome after aSAH, implying that serum A20 may be a potential prognostic biomarker for aSAH.

α-MSH as a potential biomarker of severity and prognosis after intracerebral hemorrhage: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) exerts anti-inflammatory and brain protective effects. We determined plasma α-MSH concentrations and discovered the relationship between plasma α-MSH concentrations and severity plus clinical outcome after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

METHODS

A total of 117 ICH patients and 117 healthy controls were included in this study. Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score and hematoma volume were recorded to assess disease severity. We used Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) score to evaluate the 3-month clinical prognosis. And multivariate analysis was done to discern the relation of plasma α-MSH concentrations to disease severity plus poor prognosis. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was built to evaluate the prognostic predictive capability.

RESULTS

Plasma α-MSH concentrations in ICH patients, compared with healthy controls, were significantly decreased (median, 25.37 vs 46.80 pg/ml; P < 0.001), and were independently correlated with GCS score (t = 4.091, P < 0.001). Plasma α-MSH concentrations were highly correlated with GOS scores (ρ = 0.548, P < 0.001), were substantially lower with poor prognosis (GOS scores 1-3) than good prognosis, and efficiently discriminated patients at risk of poor prognosis (AUC ROC, 0.793; 95 % CI: 0.709-0.863). Using Youden method, plasma α-MSH concentrations < 23.63 pg/ml predicted poor prognosis with sensitivity of 72.7 % and specificity of 82.2 %. Alternatively, plasma α-MSH concentrations emerged as an independent predictor of poor prognosis with odds ratio of 0.888 (95 % CI: 0.793-0.995; P = 0.040).

CONCLUSION

Plasma α-MSH concentrations are significantly associated with disease severity and poor 3-month prognosis in patients with ICH, indicating that plasma α-MSH may serve as a useful potential prognostic biomarker for ICH.

COVID-19 sentiment analysis using college subreddit data

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected our society and human well-being in various ways. In this study, we investigate how the pandemic has influenced people's emotions and psychological states compared to a pre-pandemic period using real-world data from social media.

METHOD

We collected Reddit social media data from 2019 (pre-pandemic) and 2020 (pandemic) from the subreddits communities associated with eight universities. We applied the pre-trained Robustly Optimized BERT pre-training approach (RoBERTa) to learn text embedding from the Reddit messages, and leveraged the relational information among posted messages to train a graph attention network (GAT) for sentiment classification. Finally, we applied model stacking to combine the prediction probabilities from RoBERTa and GAT to yield the final classification on sentiment. With the model-predicted sentiment labels on the collected data, we used a generalized linear mixed-effects model to estimate the effects of pandemic and in-person teaching during the pandemic on sentiment.

RESULTS

The results suggest that the odds of negative sentiments in 2020 (pandemic) were 25.7% higher than the odds in 2019 (pre-pandemic) with a p-value < 0.001; and the odds of negative sentiments associated in-person learning were 48.3% higher than with remote learning in 2020 with a p-value of 0.029.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study results are consistent with the findings in the literature on the negative impacts of the pandemic on people's emotions and psychological states. Our study contributes to the growing real-world evidence on the various negative impacts of the pandemic on our society; it also provides a good example of using both ML techniques and statistical modeling and inference to make better use of real-world data.

[Double-edged sword of opioids in the treatment of cancer pain: hyperalgesia]

Hyperalgesia is an occult complication during the treatment of cancer pain, not only related to opioids, but also pertaining to the tumor itself and cancer therapeutic drugs. Yet it is often ignored by clinicians. Patients with cancer pain who were treated with opioids often have sensory abnormalities presented with reduced pain threshold and increased sensitivity to nociceptive stimuli. This phenomenon is clinically called opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH). However, due to the complexity of pathogenesis and the lack of clinical diagnostic criteria, the pain management of cancer patients is still facing great challenges. Therefore, this article focuses on the clinical diagnosis, pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of hyperalgesia related to cancer pain treatment, in order to provide a basis for optimal use of opioids in the future.

Performance-guaranteed distributed control for multiple plant protection UAVs with collision avoidance and a directed topology

The urgent requirement for improving the efficiency of agricultural plant protection operations has spurred considerable interest in multiple plant protection UAV systems. In this study, a performance-guaranteed distributed control scheme is developed in order to address the control of multiple plant protection UAV systems with collision avoidance and a directed topology. First, a novel concept called predetermined time performance function (PTPF) is proposed, such that the tracking error can converge to an arbitrary small preassigned region in finite time. Second, combined with the two-order filter for each UAV, the information estimation from the leader is generated. The distributed protocol avoids the use of an asymmetric Laplace matrix of a directed graph and solves the difficulty of control design. Furthermore, by introducing with a collision prediction mechanism, a repulsive force field is constructed between the dynamic obstacle and the UAV, in order to avoid the collision. Finally, it is rigorously proved that the consensus of the multiple plant protection UAV system can be achieved while guaranteeing the predetermined time performance. A numerical simulation is carried out to verify the effectiveness of the presented method, such that the multiple UAVs system can fulfill time-constrained plant protection tasks.

A Massive Green Tide in the Yellow Sea in 2021: Field Investigation and Analysis

A massive green tide occurred in the Southern Yellow Sea (SYS) in 2021. As in previous years, its high biomass caused trouble to the coastal environment and landscape in 2021. Unusually, the 2021 green tide was unexpectedly massive. Thus, field surveys and remote sensing were conducted in the SYS from December 2020 to July 2021. Compared to pure satellite observations, it revealed the initial development of the green tide more clearly. Given the effects of temperature and nutrient changes on green tide biomass, we compared the environmental parameters in recent years and found no significant increase in nutrient concentrations or changes in temperature of the SYS in 2021. Relative to 2020, the 2021 green tide exhibited a wide distribution, high biomass, and prolonged duration. It was mainly affected by (1) reduced implementation of source-control measures and (2) limited Sargassum biomass, which reduced competition for Ulva prolifera. Strengthening the implementation of source control measures in Subei Shoal is recommended, which is currently the most effective way to control green tides.

A Fusion Model Based on Dynamic Web Browsing Behavior Analysis for IoT Insider Threat Detection

With the wide application of Internet of things (IoT) devices in enterprises, the traditional boundary defense mechanisms are difficult to satisfy the demands of the insider threats detection. IoT insider threat detection can be more challenging, since internal employees are born with the ability to escape the deployed information security mechanism, such as firewalls and endpoint protection. In order to detect internal attacks more accurately, we can analyze users' web browsing behaviors to identify abnormal users. The existing web browsing behavior anomaly detection methods ignore the dynamic change of the web browsing behavior of the target user and the behavior consistency of the target user in its peer group, which results in a complex modeling process, low system efficiency and low detection accuracy. Therefore, the paper respectively proposes the individual user behavior model and the peer-group behavior model to characterize the abnormal dynamic change of user browsing behavior and compare the mutual behavioral inconsistency among one peer-group. Furthermore, the fusion model is presented for insider threat detection which simultaneously considers individual behavioral abnormal dynamic changes and mutual behavioral dynamic inconsistency from peers. The experimental results show that the proposed fusion model can accurately detect insider threat based on the abnormal user web browsing behaviors in the enterprise networks.

Plasma PRPC Levels Correlate With Severity and Prognosis of Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background

Cellular prion protein (PRPC) exerts brain-protective effects. We determined the relationship between plasma PRPC levels and disease severity plus clinical outcome after acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

Methods

A total of 138 ICH patients and 138 healthy controls were included in this prospective, observational study. Hematoma volume and Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score were used to assess disease severity. Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) scores of 1–3 and 4–5 at 90 days after stroke were defined as a poor outcome and good outcome, respectively. Using multivariate analysis, we discerned the relation of plasma PRPC levels to disease severity and poor outcome. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was built to evaluate the prognostic predictive capability.

Results

Plasma PRPC levels in ICH patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls (median, 4.20 vs. 2.02 ng/ml; P &lt; 0.001), and were independently correlated with GCS score (r = −0.645, P &lt; 0.001) and hematoma volume (r = 0.627, P &lt; 0.001). Plasma PRPC levels were highly correlated with GOS score (r = −0.762, P &lt; 0.001), and were substantially higher in patients with poor outcomes than in those with the good outcomes. Using maximum Youden index, plasma PRPC levels &gt;3.893 ng/ml distinguished the risk of poor outcome at 90 days, with a sensitivity of 86.4% and a specificity of 65.8% (area under the curve, 0.809; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.737–0.881, P &lt; 0.001). Plasma PRPC levels &gt;3.893 ng/ml were independently associated with a poor 90-day outcome with an odds ratio of 12.278 (95% CI, 5.101–29.554).

Conclusion

Elevated plasma PRPC levels are significantly associated with disease severity and poor 90-day outcome in ICH patients, indicating that plasma PRPC may be used as a potential prognostic biomarker after ICH.

Role of plasma Apo-J as a biomarker of severity and outcome after intracerebral hemorrhage: a prospective and cohort study

BACKGROUND

Apolipoprotein J (Apo-J) may act as a neuroprotective factor after acute brain injury. We gauged plasma Apo-J concentrations in patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and investigated its predictive value for 90-day outcome and disease severity.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study included 123 ICH patients and 123 healthy controls. The severity of ICH was assessed using the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score and hematoma volume. Poor outcome was referred to as a Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score of 1-3 at 90 days after stroke. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify associations of plasma Apo-J concentrations with disease severity and poor outcome.

RESULTS

The plasma Apo-J concentrations of patients were significantly higher than those of healthy controls (median, 95.50 mg/l versus 55.71 mg/l; P<0.001), and were independently correlated with hematoma volume (t=2.716; P=0.008) and GCS score (t=-5.978; P<0.001). Plasma Apo-J significantly differentiated patients at risk of poor outcome (area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), 0.772; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.688-0.843; P<0.001), and its predictive ability was similar to those of GCS score (AUC, 0.851; 95% CI, 0.776-0.909; P=0.056) and hematoma volume (AUC, 0.849; 95% CI, 0.774-0.907, P=0.089). Using maximum Youden index, plasma Apo-J concentrations >113.21 mg/l distinguished the development of poor outcome, with a sensitivity of 67.3% and a specificity of 87.3%. Plasma Apo-J concentrations >113.21 mg/l (odds ratio, 4.042; 95% CI, 1.093-14.951; P=0.036) and hematoma volume (odds ratio, 1.124; 95% CI, 1.014-1.247; P=0.027) were independently associated with poor outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Plasma Apo-J concentrations are markedly associated with disease severity and 90-day poor outcome in ICH patients. Hence, plasma Apo-J is presumed to be used as a potential prognostic biomarker of ICH.

Elevated Plasma Complement C1q Levels Contribute to a Poor Prognosis After Acute Primary Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Prospective Cohort Study

Objective

The complement cascade is activated early following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and causes acute brain injury. We intended to explore the effects of plasma complement component 1q (C1q) levels on hemorrhagic severity and functional outcome in ICH patients.

Methods

In this prospective cohort study, we measured the plasma C1q levels of 101 ICH patients and 101 healthy controls. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score and hematoma volume were used to assess the ICH severity. Poor prognosis was referred to as a Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score of 1-3 at three months following a stroke. A multivariate logistic regression model was configured to determine the independent relation of plasma C1q levels to severity and poor prognosis. Under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, prognostic capability of plasma C1q levels was evaluated.

Results

There was a significant elevation of plasma C1q levels in patients, as compared to controls [median (percentiles 25th-75th), 225.04 mg/l (156.10-280.15 mg/l) versus 88.18 mg/l (70.12-117.69 mg/l); P<0.001]. Plasma C1q levels of patients were independently related to GCS score (t =-3.281, P=0.001) and hematoma volume (t = 2.401, P=0.018), and were highly correlated with the GOS score at 3 months post-stroke (r=-0.658, P<0.001). Plasma C1q levels were obviously higher in poor prognosis patients than in other remainders (median percentiles 25th-75th), 278.40 mg/l (213.81-340.05 mg/l) versus 174.69 mg/l (141.21-239.93 mg/l); P<0.001). Under the ROC curve, plasma C1q levels significantly discriminated the development of poor prognosis (area under ROC curve 0.795; 95% confidence interval, 0.703–0.869; P<0.001). Using maximum Youden method, plasma C1q levels > 270.11 mg/l distinguished patients at risk of poor prognosis at 3 months with 56.52% sensitivity and 94.55% specificity. Meanwhile, the prognostic predictive ability of plasma C1q levels was equivalent to those of GCS score and hematoma volume (both P>0.05). Moreover, plasma C1q levels > 270.11 mg/l independently predicted a poor prognosis at 3 months (odds ratio, 4.821; 95% confidence interval, 1.211-19.200; P=0.026).

Conclusion

Plasma C1q levels are closely related to the illness severity and poor prognosis of ICH at 3 months. Hence, complement C1q may play an important role in acute brain injury after ICH and plasma C1q may represent a promising prognostic predictor of ICH.

Effects of dietary crude protein concentration on animal performance and nitrogen utilisation efficiency at different stages of lactation in Holstein-Friesian dairy cows

Nitrogen (N) excretion from livestock production systems is of significant environmental concern; however, few studies have investigated the effect of dietary CP concentration on N utilisation efficiency at different stages of lactation, and the interaction between dietary CP levels and stages of lactation on N utilisation. Holstein-Friesian dairy cows (12 primiparous and 12 multiparous) used in the present study were selected from a larger group of cows involved in a whole-lactation study designed to examine the effect of dietary CP concentration on milk production and N excretion rates at different stages of lactation. The total diet CP concentrations evaluated were 114 (low CP), 144 (medium CP) and 173 (high CP) g/kg DM, with diets containing (g/kg DM) 550 concentrates, 270 grass silage and 180 maize silage. During early (70-80 days), mid- (150-160 days) and late (230-240 days) lactation, the same 24 animals were transferred from the main cow house to metabolism units for measurements of feed intake, milk production and faeces and urine outputs. Diet had no effect on BW, body condition score, or milk fat, protein or lactose concentration, but DM intake, milk yield and digestibilities of DM, energy and N increased with increasing diet CP concentration. The effect of diet on milk yield was largely due to differences between the low and medium CP diets. Increasing dietary CP concentration significantly increased urine N/N intake and urine N/manure N, and decreased faecal N/N intake, milk N/N intake and manure N/N intake. Although increasing dietary CP level significantly increased urine N/milk yield and manure N/milk yield, differences in these two variables between low and medium CP diets were not significant. There was no significant interaction between CP level and stage of lactation on any N utilisation variable, indicating that the effects of CP concentration on these variables were similar between stages of lactation. These results demonstrated that a decrease in dietary CP concentration from high (173 g/kg DM) to medium level (144 g/kg DM) may be appropriate for Holstein-Friesian dairy cow to maintain milk production efficiency, whilst reducing both urine N and manure N as a proportion of N intake or milk production.

First record of a Takayama bloom in Haizhou Bay in response to dissolved organic nitrogen and phosphorus

Since 1990s, harmful algal blooms (HABs) of Kareniaceae, primarily caused by species of Karenia and Karlodinium and rarely by Takayama species, have been substantially increasing in frequency and duration in the coastal waters of China. In this study, we recorded a bloom of high abundance of T. acrotrocha in the Haizhou Bay, the Yellow Sea in September 2020, which is the first record of a Takayama bloom in the temperate coastal waters of China. We found that high concentrations of DON and DOP accelerated the proliferation of T. acrotrocha in the Haizhou Bay. Intensive mariculture, and terrestrial nitrogen and phosphorus input may be responsible for the eutrophication in the Haizhou Bay featuring high concentrations of DON and DOP, and high DIN/DIP ratios. The results suggested that, under ocean warming, the HABs of Kareniaceae are becoming increasingly dominant in eutrophic temperate coasts with intensive mariculture activities.

Rapid and sensitive detection of Karenia mikimotoi by loop-mediated isothermal amplification combined with a lateral flow dipstick

Harmful algal blooms frequently occur in various coastal regions worldwide, deteriorating marine ecology and causing huge economic losses. Therefore, developing a potential method for rapid detection of harmful algae species is highly necessitated. In this study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method coupled with a lateral flow dipstick (LFD) was developed for detecting the harmful algae Karenia mikimotoi. In this method, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence of K. mikimotoi was used as the template, and the corresponding specific primers were designed by the online software PrimerExplorer V5. Biotin was labeled on the 5' end of forward inner primer (FIP), and the LAMP reaction was performed under the determined optimal conditions of 63℃ and 60 min. The lowest concentration of K. mikimotoi DNA tested using LAMP was 3.3 × 10^-1 pg/μL. Additionally, a 6-FAM-labeled probe was designed and displayed on the LFD after hybridization of the amplified product with the probe. The results demonstrated that LAMP-LFD could be a promising approach for detecting and monitoring harmful algae due to its high sensitivity and specificity.

Green Tides in the Yellow Sea Promoted the Proliferation of Pelagophyte Aureococcus anophagefferens

Harmful algal blooms formed by fast-growing, ephemeral macroalgae have expanded worldwide, yet there is limited knowledge of their potential ecological consequences. Here, we select intense green tides formed by Ulva prolifera in the Yellow Sea, China, to examine the ecological consequences of these blooms. Using 28-isofucosterol in the surface sediment as a biomarker of green algae, we identified the settlement region of massive floating green algae in the area southeast of the Shandong Peninsula in the southern Yellow Sea. The responses of the phytoplankton assemblage from the deep chlorophyll-a maximum layer were then resolved using high-throughput sequencing. We found striking changes in the phytoplankton community in the settlement region after an intensive green tide in 2016, characterized by a remarkable increase in the abundance of the pelagophyte Aureococcus anophagefferens, the causative species of ecosystem disruptive brown tides. Our study strongly suggests that the occurrence of massive macroalgal blooms may promote blooms of specific groups of microalgae through alteration of the marine environment.

Children neuropsychological and behavioral scale-revision 2016 in the early detection of autism spectrum disorder

BACKGROUND

The Children Neuropsychological and Behavioral Scale-Revision 2016 (CNBS-R2016) is a widely used developmental assessment tool for children aged 0-6 years in China. The communication warning behavior subscale of CNBS-R2016 is used to assess the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and its value of >30 points indicates ASD based on CNBS-R2016. However, we observed that children with relatively lower values were also diagnosed with ASD later on in clinical practice. Thus, this study aimed to identify the suitable cutoff value for ASD screening recommended by the communication warning behavior of CNBS-R2016.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 90 typically developing (TD) children and 316 children with developmental disorders such as ASD, developmental language disorder (DLD), and global developmental delay (GDD; 130 in the ASD group, 100 in the DLD group, and 86 in the GDD group) were enrolled in this study. All subjects were evaluated based on the CNBS-R2016. The newly recommended cutoff value of communication warning behavior for screening ASD was analyzed with receiver operating curves.

RESULTS

Children in the ASD group presented with lower developmental levels than TD, DLD, and GDD groups in overall developmental quotient assessed by CNBS-R2016. We compared the consistency between the scores of communication warning behavior subscale and Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, second edition (ADOS-2), and clinical diagnosis for the classification of ASD at a value of 30 based on the previously and newly recommended cutoff value of 12 by the CNBS-R2016. The Kappa values between the communication warning behavior and ABC, CARS, ADOS-2, and clinical diagnosis were 0.494, 0.476, 0.137, and 0.529, respectively, with an agreement rate of 76.90%, 76.26%, 52.03%, and 82.27%, respectively, when the cutoff point was 30. The corresponding Kappa values were 0.891, 0.816, 0.613, and 0.844, respectively, and the corresponding agreement rate was 94.62%, 90.82%, 90.54%, and 93.10%, respectively, when the cutoff point was 12.

CONCLUSION

The communication warning behavior subscale of CNBS-R2016 is important for screening ASD. When the communication warning behavior score is 12 points or greater, considerable attention and further comprehensive diagnostic evaluation for ASD are required to achieve the early detection and diagnosis of ASD in children.

Toxic effects, mechanisms, and ecological impacts of harmful algal blooms in China

Over the last 30 years, harmful algal blooms (HABs) have occurred frequently in the coastal waters of China, resulting in financial losses of over 5.9 billion yuan (about 0.87 billion US dollars) due to massive fish and shellfish mortalities and negative impacts on tourism. To better understand HABs in China, herein we summarized bloom events with massive fish/shellfish mortalities and/or economic losses. Our results suggest that the diversity of HAB species has increased over the last 30 years, with the main causative species shifting from the raphidophyte Chattonella marina and dinoflagellates Gymnodinium spp. to various other species, including the dinoflagellates Karenia mikimotoi and Prorocentrum donghaiense, the haptophyte Phaeocystis globosa, and the pelagophyte Aureococcus anophagefferens. In addition, new types of HABs, such as macroalgal blooms, emerged with severe ecological impacts. We also reviewed the toxic effects, mechanisms, and ecological impacts of common HAB causative species in China. Analysis of the toxic effects of three types of harmful algae (toxin-producing, fish killing, and ecosystem disruptive algae) on marine organisms commonly found in China at different trophic levels revealed that HABs often had toxic effects on multiple organisms in addition to fish or shellfish, with species-specific impacts. Common mechanisms of intoxication include shifting environmental parameters, shellfish poisoning, reactive oxygen species, and haemolytic/cytotoxic toxins. The main mechanism appears to vary with the type of HAB species, and for some notorious algae such as K. mikimotoi and C. marina, further investigations are needed to identify their intoxication mechanism.

Plasma SIRT3 as a Biomarker of Severity and Prognosis After Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Prospective Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

SIRT3 may act as a brain-protective factor. We measured the plasma SIRT3 levels of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and further determined the relationship between plasma SIRT3 and clinical outcome plus severity of ICH.

METHODS

In this prospective cohort study, we quantified plasma SIRT3 levels in 105 ICH patients and 72 healthy controls. Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score and hematoma volume were used to assess severity. Poor prognosis was defined as a Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score of 1-3 at 90 days after ICH.

RESULTS

Plasma SIRT3 levels were markedly lower in patients than in controls (median, 10.19 versus 13.17 ng/mL; P<0.001). Among all patients, plasma SIRT3 levels were independently correlated with hematoma volume (beta, -0.098; 95% confidence interval, -0.158--0.039; t, -3.282; P=0.001) and GCS score (beta, 0.465; 95% confidence interval, 0.107-0.823; t, 2.576; P=0.011). A total of 46 cases had a poor prognosis at post-stroke 90 days. The plasma levels of SIRT3 significantly decreased in patients with a poor prognosis, compared with those with a good prognosis (median, 6.1 versus 11.2 ng/mL; P<0.001). Plasma SIRT3 was an independent predictor for 90-day poor prognosis of patients (odds ratio, 0.837; 95% confidence interval, 0.708-0.990; P=0.038). Plasma SIRT3 levels distinguished the development of poor prognosis with area under receiver operating characteristic curve at 0.801 (95% confidence interval, 0.711-0.872) and plasma SIRT3 levels ≤7.38 ng/mL predicted poor prognosis with 63.04% sensitivity and 93.22% specificity.

CONCLUSION

Declined plasma SIRT3 levels are highly associated with hemorrhagic severity and poor 90-day outcome, thus suggesting that plasma SIRT3 may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker for ICH.

The Value of Meteorological Data in Optimizing the Pattern of Physical Load-A Forecast Model of Rowing Pacing Strategy

Mastering the information of arena environment is the premise for athletes to optimize their patterns of physical load. Therefore, improving the forecast accuracy of the arena conditions is an urgent task in competitive sports. This paper excavates the meteorological features that have great influence on outdoor events such as rowing and their influence on the pacing strategy. We selected the meteorological data of Tokyo from 1979 to 2020 to forecast the meteorology during the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games, analyzed the athletes' pacing choice under different temperatures, humidity and sports levels, and then recommend the best pacing strategy for rowing teams of China. The model proposed in this paper complements the absence of meteorological features in the arena environment assessment and provides an algorithm basis for improving the forecast performance of pacing strategies in outdoor sports.

[Effects of myocardial fibrosis on ischemic preconditioning against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in type 2 diabetic rats]

Objective: To assess whether myocardial fibrosis affects the protective efficiency of ischemic preconditioning (IPC) against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MIRI) in type 2 diabetic rats. Methods: Type 2 diabetic rat model was established. Fifty-four normal and 54 diabetic spragus-dawley (SD) rats were equally divided into 6 groups (n=18) using the random number table method: (1) Control group (C group); (2) Ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) control group (IRI group); (3) IPC group; (4) Diabetic control group (DC group); (5) Diabetic IRI group (DIRI group); (6) Diabetic IPC group (DIPC group). After the reperfusion, blood samples were obtained for measuring serum concentrations of creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The myocardial infarction size (IS) was assessed by double staining method with Evan's blue and Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC), and the myocardial collagen volume fraction (CVF) and perivascular collagen area (PVCA) were assessed by Masson staining. Results: A stable and effective rat model with long-term diabetes was established in the current study. Compared with the normal rat groups, the CVF and PVCA significantly increased (all P<0.05) in the diabetic rat groups. The levels of CK-MB, cTnI and IS in the IPC group were (6.6±0.8) ng/ml, (0.5±0.1) ng/ml and (25.1±4.7) %, which showed significant decrease compared with (12.3±1.1) ng/ml, (1.2±0.3) ng/ml and (52.3±8.1) % in IRI group (all P<0.05). Among the diabetic rat groups, the CK-MB and cTnI levels in DIPC group were (11.5±0.9) and (1.1±0.1) ng/ml, apparently lower than the levels of (16.6±2.2) and (1.4±0.3) ng/ml in the DIRI group (both P<0.05). Compared with the IPC group, the IS, CK-MB and cTnI levels significantly increased in the DIPC group (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Myocardial fibrosis exists in rats with long-term type 2 diabetes, which weakens the protective effect of IPC on diabetes MIRI.

[Application of the enhanced milieu teaching model in language intervention of children with language developmental delay in outpatient child healthcare clinic]

Objective: To explore the role of the enhanced milieu teaching (EMT) model in early intervention of children with language developmental delay (LDD) in outpatient child healthcare clinic. Methods: Case-control study design was adopted. Twenty-eight children aged 2.5 to 4.0 years who were diagnosed with LDD from June 2019 to June 2020 at the Division of Child Healthcare, Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology were recruited as the intervention group, and participated in one-on-one EMT model language rehabilitation sessions for 3 months (12 sessions). Another 27 children with LDD who attended the Division of Child Healthcare around the same period of time were recruited as control group, all of whom did not attend any types of language intervention in the subsequent three months. Both groups were followed up three months later. Gesell developmental scale (GDS) and diagnostic receptive and expressive assessment of Mandarin-comprehensive (DREAM-C) standardized language test were used to evaluate and compare children's development level at the first and follow-up visit, with the treatment effect of the EMT model being evaluated with independent sample t-test. Results: The language development quotient of GDS of the intervention group (22 boys and 6 girls) at the follow-up visit was significantly higher than that of at the first visit (64±21 vs. 52±17,t=4.960, P<0.01). The Dream-C test scores of total language (89±16 vs. 77±14, t=5.061, P<0.01), receptive language (90±16 vs. 77±15, t=5.301, P<0.01), semantics (93±20 vs. 79±19, t=5.06, P<0.01), and syntax after training (84±14 vs. 76±11, t=3.209, P<0.01) were significantly higher than those at the first visit. In the control group (19 boys and 8 girls), the only improvement was found in the Dream-C semantics score (82±26 vs. 71±18, t=2.330, P<0.05). There was no significant difference in any domains in GDS at the first and follow-up visit (all P>0.05). Conclusions: Early language rehabilitation training based on the EMT model has a significant effect on all domains of language development for children with LDD. Therefore, EMT model is a language intervention model compatible in the child healthcare outpatient clinic settings.

An off-pump biatrial mini-maze procedure for treatment of long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation

Background

Surgical treatment has assumed a more prominent role in the therapy of atrial fibrillation (AF) with favorable efficiency and acceptable safety during the last decades. The traditional Cox-Maze procedure and Wolf Mini-Maze procedure focused on left atrial ablation. However, it is ubiquitous that patients with long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (LSPAF) typically suffer from biatrial electrical and structural remodeling. The left atrial procedures are still not enough in patients with LSPAF.

Purpose

Herein, we aimed to introduce a modified biatrial off-pump ablation procedure based on the Wolf Mini-Maze procedure and to detect the safety and efficacy of the surgery for patients with LSPAF.

Methods

Between January 2016 and September 2020, 102 patients of LSPAF underwent our modified Mini-Maze procedure using bipolar radiofrequency ablation. Those patients firstly underwent a Mini-Maze procedure using Dallas lesion set, including video-assisted bilateral mini-thoracotomy, left atrial appendage excision, bilateral pulmonary vein isolation, ganglionic plexi evaluation and destruction, left atrial roof connecting lesion, and a linear lesion connecting this roofline to the root of the aorta at the junction of the left coronary and the non-coronary cusp. Secondly, a purse-string suture was performed on the right atrium, and then four ablation lesions were made to the superior vena cava, to the inferior vena cava, to the appendix of the right atrium, and to the tricuspid valve annulus from the purse-string suture point by the bipolar radiofrequency clamp. After the operation, the patients were followed up at an interval of 3, 6, 12 months, and every 1 year after that.

Results

No mortality

No surgical re-exploration for bleeding. No permanent pacemaker implantation. 99 patients were free from LSPAF upon discharge. A follow-up at interval of 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 months showed a success rate free from LSPAF was 95.1% (97/102), 94.4% (85/90), 94.8% (73/77), 91.5% (54/59), 90.3% (28/31) and 100% (9/9), respectively

Conclusions

The modified biatrial Mini-Maze suggested a safe and feasible procedure. Early follow-up demonstrated an acceptable success rate free from AF. It might have the potential to become another option for clinical treatment of LSPAF.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): General Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China Schematic of the procedure

Harmful macroalgal blooms (HMBs) in China's coastal water: Green and golden tides

Harmful macroalgal blooms (HMBs) have been increasing along China's coasts, causing significant social impacts and economic losses. Besides extensive eutrophication sustaining coastal seaweed tides, the stimuli and dynamics of macroalgal blooms in China are quite complex and require comprehensive studies. This review summarizes the distinct genesis, development and drifting patterns of three HMBs that have persistently occurred in China's coastal waters during recent years: transregional green tides of drifting Ulva prolifera in the Yellow Sea (YS), local green tides of multiple suspended seaweeds in the Bohai Sea and large-scale golden tides of pelagic Sargassum horneri in the YS and East China Sea. While specific containment measures have been developed and implemented to effectively suppress large-scale green tides in the YS, the origin and blooming mechanism of golden tides remain unclear due to lack of field research. With the broad occurrence of HMBs and their increased accumulation on beaches and coastal waters, it is necessary to investigate the blooming mechanism and ecological impacts of these HMBs, especially with the growing stresses of climate change and anthropogenic disturbances.

Determination of maintenance energy requirement and responses of dry ewes to dietary inclusion of lucerne versus concentrate meal

An accurate value for metabolizable energy (ME) requirement for maintenance (ME_m) is essential to enable sheep husbandry practice to reach its potential. The objectives of the study were to use calorimetry chamber data of dry ewes (Hu × thin-tail Han F1 crossbred) to develop updated ME_m, examine effects of substituting concentrate feed with lucerne hay on energy partitioning, and explore the relationships between energy utilization and fasting heat production (FHP). Data were collected from three experiments. In Exps. 1, 2a and 2b, lucerne hay was used to replace concentrates in three levels (0:40%, 15:25% and 30:10%), with diets containing 60% maize stover (Exp. 1), fresh rye forage (Exp. 2a) or dry rye forage (Exp. 2b). Within each experiment, diets were isoenergetic (digestible energy, DE) and isonitrogenous. Exp. 3 aimed at evaluating effects of three BW levels on nutrient utilization of dry ewes offered diets containing 60% maize stover, 15% lucerne hay and 25% concentrates. Energy metabolism data were measured using the respiration calorimeter chamber technique in all three experiments, followed by the measurement of FHP in Exps. 1, 2b and 3. The ME_m derived from the linear regression between energy balance (EB) and ME intake was 0.440 MJ/kg BW^0.75. The average FHP was 0.326 MJ/kg BW^0.75. The fasting metabolism, net energy requirement for maintenance (NE_m) and ME_m were estimated to be 0.336, 0.359 and 0.511 MJ/kg BW^0.75, respectively, through adjustment of FHP using fasting urinary energy output, activity allowance and efficiency of ME use for maintenance. The FHP was negatively correlated to EB/metabolic BW, ME/gross energy (GE), ME/DE, EB/GE intake and EB/ME intake, while positively correlated to HP/GE intake, HP/ME intake and CH₄-E/GE intake. Compared to zero lucerne hay diet, the 15% lucerne hay intake decreased HP (MJ/d), and had no negative effects on EB (MJ/d) or energy utilization efficiencies. The results indicate that nutrient requirement standards currently used across the world are likely to underestimate ME_m for dry ewes, and the selection of low FHP ewes for breeding has the potential to improve sheep production efficiency.

Discovery of a novel recombinant avian orthoreovirus in China

In mid-2020, using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, we identified a recombinant cluster 2 avian orthoreovirus (ARV) variant named PHC-2020-0545, isolated from tendons of 33-day-old broilers with leg swelling in China. Complete genomic sequencing and analyses demonstrated that the isolate was genetically significantly distinct from known ARV strains in M1 and M3 genes and its σC coding gene had an extremely high variability, compared with the identified ARV strains grouped into other genotyping cluster. Further analysis showed that many base substitutions were silent and non-silent substitutions are most likely to occur in the first positions of codons. Multiple segmental recombination, intra-segmental recombination and accumulation of point mutations might contribute to the emergence of this isolate. The PHC-2020-0545 strain had a strong replication ability in 1-day-old broilers, and mainly affected the movement, digestion and metabolism of broilers. In addition, the infection route of the isolate is related to its pathogenicity to broilers. Therefore, combined with its unique genetic characteristics and potential origin, we determined that the PHC-2020-0545 field strain is a novel recombinant ARV strain, which has certain reference value for the preparation and evaluation of new vaccines.