bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High intensity interval training vs. moderate intensity continuous training on aerobic capacity and functional capacity in patients with heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Yang Changran , Zhang Lizhuang , Cheng Yu , Zhang Manman , Zhao Yuxin , Zhang Tianzi , Dong Jiawang , Xing Jun , Zhen Yuzhi , Wang Cuihua
Published: February 2024

Background

Exercise training is commonly employed as a efficacious supplementary treatment for individuals suffering from heart failure, but the optimal exercise regimen is still controversial. The objective of the review was to compare the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on the exercise capacity, cardiac function, quality of life (QoL) and heart rate among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

Methods

A systematic search was performed using the following eight databases from their inception to July 5, 2023: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, Clinical Trials, China Knowledge Network, Wan fang Data, and the China Biology Medicine databases. The meta-analysis results were presented as mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence interval (CI). The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was used for the included studies. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluations was used to assess the certainty of evidence.

Results

Thirteen randomized controlled trials were included in the study. The results showed that HIIT had a significant positive effect on peak oxygen uptake (MD = 1.78, 95% CI for 0.80–2.76), left ventricular ejection fraction (MD = 3.13, 95% CI for 1.25–5.02), six-minute walk test (MD = 28.13, 95% CI for 14.56–41.70), and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MD = −4.45, 95% CI for −6.25 to −2.64) compared to MICT. However, there were no statistically significant differences observed in resting heart rate and peak heart rate.

Conclusions

HIIT significantly improves peak oxygen uptake, left ventricular ejection fraction, six-minute walk test, and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Additionally, HIIT exhibits greater effectiveness in improving peak oxygen uptake among patients with lower body mass index.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.doi.org/10.37766/inplasy2023.7.0100, identifier (INPLASY2023.7.0100).
Multidisciplinary management of cardiovascular disease in women: Delphi consensus
Authors: Gámez José M. , Pedreira Pérez Milagros , Fernández Olmo María Rosa , Fasero Laiz María , Inaraja Verónica , Pallarés Carratalá Vicente
Published: February 2024

Background

Current clinical guidelines on cardiovascular disease (CVD) do not specifically address the female population. The aim of this consensus is to know the opinion of a group of experts on the management of CVD in women.

Methods

Through a Delphi consensus, 31 experts in cardiology, 9 in gynecology and obstetrics, and 14 primary care physicians, showed their degree of agreement on 44 items on CVD in women divided into the following groups: (1) risk factors and prevention strategies; (2) diagnosis and clinical manifestations; and (3) treatment and follow-up.

Results

After two rounds, consensus in agreement was reached on 27 items (61.4%). Most of the non-consensus items (31.8%) belonged to group 3. The lack of consensus in this group was mainly among gynecologists and primary care physicians. The panelists agreed on periodic blood pressure control during pregnancy and delivery to detect hypertensive disorders, especially in women with a history of preeclampsia and/or gestational hypertension, and diabetes mellitus control in those with gestational diabetes. Also, the panelists agreed that women receive statins at a lower intensity than men, although there was no consensus as to whether the efficacy of drug treatments differs between women and men.

Conclusions

The high degree of consensus shows that the panelists are aware of the differences that exist between men and women in the management of CVD and the need to propose interventions to reduce this inequality. The low level of consensus reveals the lack of knowledge, and the need for information and training on this topic.
A novel hybrid machine learning model for auxiliary diagnosing myocardial ischemia
Authors: Wang Jing , Xu Jing , Mao Jingsong , Fu Suzhong , Gu Haowei , Wu Naiming , Su Guoqing , Lin Zhiping , Zhang Kaiyue , Lin Yuetong , Zhao Yang , Liu Gang , Zhao Hengyu , Zhao Qingliang
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Accurate identification of the myocardial texture features of fat around the coronary artery on coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) images are crucial to improve clinical diagnostic efficiency of myocardial ischemia (MI). However, current coronary CT examination is difficult to recognize and segment the MI characteristics accurately during earlier period of inflammation.

Materials and methods

We proposed a random forest model to automatically segment myocardium and extract peripheral fat features. This hybrid machine learning (HML) model is integrated by CCTA images and clinical data. A total of 1,316 radiomics features were extracted from CCTA images. To further obtain the features that contribute the most to the diagnostic model, dimensionality reduction was applied to filter features to three: LNS, GFE, and WLGM. Moreover, statistical hypothesis tests were applied to improve the ability of discriminating and screening clinical features between the ischemic and non-ischemic groups.

Results

By comparing the accuracy, recall, specificity and AUC of the three models, it can be found that HML had the best performance, with the value of 0.848, 0.762, 0.704 and 0.729.

Conclusion

In sum, this study demonstrates that ML-based radiomics model showed good predictive value in MI, and offer an enhanced tool for predicting prognosis with greater accuracy.
Insulator defect detection based on improved Yolov5s
Authors: Wei Dehong , Hu Bo , Shan Chaoyang , Liu Hanlin
Published: February 2024

The stable operation of a power supply system is inseparable from the work of detecting defects in transmission lines. However, the insulator defect detection model based on deep learning is widely used in wire inspection work. Therefore, this paper proposes an improved YOLOv5s insulator defect detection model in order to solve the problems of insufficient training data and low recognition accuracy of the target detection model in the real-time detection of small target insulator defects. To expand and enhance the training data, experiments were conducted using the addition of noise and random black blocks. The spatial and channel weight coefficients were obtained by adding an attention mechanism (Convolutional Block Attention Module, CBAM), and the dimensions of the input feature maps were transformed to enhance the model’s ability to extract and fuse small target defect features. Experiments show that with Faster RCNN, YOLOv3, SSD and YOLOv4 comparison experiments verified that the algorithm achieves 97.38% detection accuracy for insulators and 93.32% detection accuracy for small target insulator defects with a fast detection speed, which is a better solution to the problem of detecting insulator defects with too small a proportion in the image.
Characterization of deep ore-forming fluid in the Zhaoxian gold deposit within the Jiaodong gold province: insights from quartz vein fluid inclusion, in-situ trace element analysis, and S isotopic composition in pyrite
Authors: Zhang Zheming , Zeng Qingdong , Fan Hong-Rui , Bai Rui , Wu Jinjian , Li Xinghui , Zhang Yongwen , Huang Liangliang
Published: February 2024

The Jiaodong gold province, situated in the southeastern margin of the North China Craton, is globally renowned for its substantial gold reserves exceeding 5,000 tonnes. The Zhaoxian gold deposit is part of the significant Jiaojia gold belt within the Jiaodong gold province. Fieldwork has identified four distinct stages of ore formation in this study: an early barren quartz vein stage (Stage 1) containing fine-grained pyrite; a gold-bearing stage (Stage 2) consisting of quartz, pyrite, and native gold; a polymetallic sulfide-rich stage (Stage 3) comprising quartz, polymetallic sulfides, and native gold; and a late-stage (Stage 4) primarily composed of quartz and calcite with minimal pyrite content. We conducted fluid inclusion analysis using microthermometry and Raman spectroscopy techniques to examine the fluid characteristics. In-situ analysis of trace elements in pyrite was performed to investigate the fluid composition and evolution. Additionally, we determined the sulfur isotope composition in pyrite to analyze the source of sulfur. Our findings indicate that the ore-forming fluid in the Zhaoxian gold deposit belongs to a medium-to-low-salinity H₂O-NaCl-CO₂-CH₄ system. Fluctuations in Au and As concentrations observed along with oscillating zones and sulfide inclusions during Stage 2 suggest potential fluid boiling processes occurring during mineralization. High concentrations of Ag, Cu, Zn, Cd, In, Pb, and Bi without oscillating zones during Stage 3 imply precipitation of polymetallic sulfides under stable fluid conditions. The δ34S values observed in the Zhaoxian gold deposit are slightly higher than those found in granitoids from other areas within Jiaodong but similar to those seen in other deposits within the Jiaojia gold belt region. In conclusion, magmatic-hydrothermal ore-forming fluids were involved along with significant fluid-rock interaction during metallogenic processes of the Zhaoxian gold deposit.
Research and application of macro-micro fracture correlation of heterogeneous granite
Authors: Chen Yunjuan , Su Jiarui , Gao Tao , Jing Yi , Zhang Huifu , Duan Hongjie , Zhao Wenbin
Published: February 2024

Granite structure has the characteristics of discrete distribution and random distribution of minerals, which is particularly critical to the stability of surrounding rock of underground caverns, and the research process is extremely complicated. In this paper, the granite of Dagangshan tunnel in rock sections of class Ⅲ was taken as the research object, and the mineral composition and proportion, the macro and micro characteristics of granite was analyzed by XRD analysis, SEM and laboratory compressive test; Dagangshan tunnel’s section model with surrounding rock of class Ⅲ was established using the particle flow program PFC and the numerical simulation was done, thus the influence of micro composition and proportion on surrounding rock masses’ stability with the tunnel excavation was analyzed. Results show that: The content of illite and albite is the most, and illite is the weak mineral of the granite. For the granite of Dagangshan tunnel with rock masses of class Ⅲ, the rock failure is mainly caused by shear force and secondary by tensile force. Fracture is mainly concentrated in the enrichment area of “weakened minerals,” where as the breakthrough point and expands to other parts, and further connects. The “enhanced minerals” are basically stable because of their high hardness and strong link between each other. After tunnel excavation, cracks of tunnel’s side walls and the arch foots are more serious, so the supporting measures of these parts should be strengthened.
Enjoyment and oral English proficiency in future teachers
Authors: Guerra Ayala Margit Julia , Reynosa Navarro Enaidy , Durand Gómez Emma Lourdes , Florez Lucana Apolinar , Chambi Catacora Maria Amparo del Pilar , Vargas Onofre Elizabeth , Cari Checa Edith
Published: February 2024

This study analyzed the relationship between enjoyment and oral English proficiency in Peruvian future teachers. It previously validated a measurement instrument of enjoyment setting for future teachers who are learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and then delved into understanding the role of enjoyment as a predictor of oral proficiency. The sample comprised 119 students from a State Higher School of Education in Peru, randomly selected from various careers and grouped according to English language competency levels ranging from A1 to B1+ based on a subscale inspired by the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Students’ oral proficiency was evaluated using a rubric covering five aspects, and enjoyment was assessed through a nine-question questionnaire. The results initially demonstrated a significant positive relationship (r = 0.900, p < 0.001) between enjoyment and oral proficiency in EFL. Secondly, a linear regression model determined that enjoyment was a highly significant predictor (β = 0.957, p < 0.001) of oral proficiency. These findings support the importance of enjoyment in developing oral proficiency as a reliable tool to predict oral proficiency in EFL in the context of EFL teacher education. This study highlighted a significant influence of enjoyment on oral proficiency in learning EFL to prospective teachers. Results analysis underscored the importance of enjoyment as a significant predictor of oral proficiency, suggesting that promoting enjoyment in the learning and teaching process can be an effective strategy to foster significant development of oral skills in English. These findings have significant implications for teacher education, emphasizing the need to integrate activities and psycho-pedagogical approaches that promote enjoyment in the English classroom. Furthermore, the proposed model was validated as a reliable tool to assess teachers’ enjoyment of learning EFL. Understanding and nurturing enjoyment in learning English can significantly enhance the oral English proficiency of future teachers and, ultimately, contribute to a more robust command of the EFL.
Pregnancy outcomes in infertile patients with endometrial hyperplasia with or without atypia undergoing in vitro fertilization: the early-follicular long protocol is superior to midluteal long protocol
Authors: An Huiling , Li Tongjie , Huang Kai , Shi Hao , Wang Chen , Chu Ting , Zhai Jun
Published: February 2024

Background

Although in vitro fertilization (IVF) in infertile patients with endometrial hyperplasia is common after drug treatment, the pregnancy outcomes are often unsatisfactory. Till date, no studies have reported the outcome of patients with endometrial hyperplasia treated using early-follicular long (EL) protocol and midluteal long (ML) protocol.

Objective

To evaluate the pregnancy outcomes and disease prognosis of patients with endometrial hyperplasia with or without atypia undergoing IVF treatment with EL protocol or ML protocol.

Methods

This was a retrospective study in university-affiliated reproductive medical center. A total of 138 patients with endometrial hyperplasia undergoing IVF treatment were included to compare the pregnancy outcomes and disease prognosis between EL and ML protocols. We further matched 276 patients with normal endometrium to compare the pregnancy outcomes between patients with endometrial hyperplasia and patients with normal endometrium under different controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) protocol.

Results

In patients with endometrial hyperplasia, the clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rate (LBR) were significantly higher in EL protocol than in ML protocol (61.8% vs. 43.5%, P=0.032; 50.0% vs. 30.6%, P= 0.022). In the ML protocol, patients with endometrial hyperplasia had significantly lower CPR and LBR than those with normal endometrium (43.5% vs. 59.7%, P=0.037; 30.6% vs. 49.2%, P=0.016). While in the EL protocol, they achieved similar CPR and LBR as patients with normal endometrium (61.8% vs. 69.7%, P=0.232; 50.0% vs. 59.9%, P=0.156). In patients with endometrial hyperplasia, COS protocol was an independent factor affecting clinical pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.479; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.154-5.327) and live birth (adjusted OR 2.730; 95% CI 1.249-5.966). After 1–10 years of follow-up, no significant difference was found in the recurrence rate of endometrial lesions between both treatment groups.

Conclusions

For patients with endometrial hyperplasia undergoing IVF treatment, the EL protocol is superior to ML protocol, and in the EL protocol, they can achieve similar pregnancy outcomes as patients with normal endometrium.
Improved coordinated control strategy for VSC-MTDC system with DC voltage secondary regulation
Authors: Li Congshan , Zhang Xiaowei , He Ping , Zhao Kefeng , Liu Libing
Published: February 2024

Droop control is widely used in multi-terminal flexible DC (VSC-MTDC) transmission systems by virtue of the advantage of multi-station cooperative unbalanced power dissipation, however, the essence of the droop control strategy is to change the DC current to realize the unbalanced power dissipation, and the resulting DC voltage deviation will affect the normal operation of the system. Firstly, this paper theoretically analyses the working characteristics of the conventional droop control and proposes a control method to realize the quasi-differential-free regulation of DC voltage by translating the droop curve. Second, according to the power margin of the converter station, the feedforward compensation amount of each converter station is reasonably set to avoid the power impact on the converter station. Finally, for the problem that the actual value of DC voltage still deviates from the rated value, a control strategy containing secondary regulation of DC voltage is proposed to further restore the DC voltage to the initial value on the basis of ensuring the effect of power regulation, which improves the stability of the operation of the VSC-MTDC system. The final simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
An innovative method for building electricity energy management in smart homes based on electric vehicle energy capacity
Authors: Dodo Yakubu Aminu , Ibrahim Ahmed Osman , Abuhussain Mohammed Awad , Baba Girei Zulai Jarmai , Maghrabi Ammar , Naibi Ahmad Usman
Published: February 2024

The surging demand for electricity, fueled by environmental concerns, economic considerations, and the integration of distributed energy resources, underscores the need for innovative approaches to smart home energy management. This research introduces a novel optimization algorithm that leverages electric vehicles (EVs) as integral components, addressing the intricate dynamics of household load management. The study’s significance lies in optimizing energy consumption, reducing costs, and enhancing power grid reliability. Three distinct modes of smart home load management are investigated, ranging from no household load management to load outages, with a focus on the time-of-use (ToU) tariff impact, inclining block rate (IBR) pricing, and the combined effect of ToU and IBR on load management outcomes. The algorithm, a multi-objective approach, minimizes the peak demand and optimizes cost factors, resulting in a 7.9% reduction in integrated payment costs. Notably, EVs play a pivotal role in load planning, showcasing a 16.4% reduction in peak loads and a 7.9% decrease in payment expenses. Numerical results affirm the algorithm’s adaptability, even under load interruptions, preventing excessive increases in paid costs. Incorporating dynamic pricing structures like inclining block rates alongside the time of use reveals a 7.9% reduction in payment costs and a 16.4% decrease in peak loads. In conclusion, this research provides a robust optimization framework for smart home energy management, demonstrating economic benefits, peak load reduction potential, and enhanced reliability through strategic EV integration and dynamic pricing.
The key role of miRNA in syndromic and sporadic forms of ascending aortic aneurysms as biomarkers and targets of novel therapeutic strategies
Authors: Terriaca Sonia , Monastero Roberto , Orlandi Augusto , Balistreri Carmela Rita
Published: February 2024

Increasing evidence shows that epigenetics also plays a key role in regulating the pathogenetic mechanism of all types of aortic aneurysms. It is well-known that epigenetic factors modulate gene expression. This mechanism appears to be of interest especially knowing the relevance of genetic susceptibility and genetic factors in the complex pathophysiology of aortic aneurysms, and of sporadic forms; in fact, the latter are the result of a close interaction between genetic and modifiable lifestyle factors (i.e., nutrition, smoking, infections, use of drugs, alcohol, sedentary lifestyle, etc.). Epigenetic factors include DNA methylation, post-translational histone modifications, and non-coding RNA. Here, our attention is focused on the role of miRNA in syndromic and sporadic forms of thoracic aortic aneurysms. They could be both biomarkers and targets of novel therapeutic strategies.
Receipt of core antenatal care components and associated factors in Ethiopia: a multilevel analysis
Authors: Mebratie Anagaw Derseh
Published: February 2024

Background

Despite recent promising progress, maternal morbidity and mortality are still unacceptably high in Ethiopia. This is partly attributed to the lack of quality health services. Pregnant women may not receive adequate services that are essential to protect the health of women and their unborn children. This study aimed to examine the extent of receiving prenatal care components and associated factors in Ethiopia. It also assessed prenatal service use inequality between urban and rural residents.

Methods

The analysis was carried out using the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS), which is nationally representative survey data. A weighted sample of 4,772 women nested within 595 communities who had live births five years preceding the survey was included in the study. Necessary adjustments were made to account for the design of the survey, and sampling weights were used to adjust for nonproportional allocation of the sample to strata. Bivariate and multivariable multilevel ordered logit models were used to analyze factors associated with receiving comprehensive ANC contents. Statistically significant predictors were identified atpvalue ≤ 0.05.

Results

Among those women who had at least one ANC visit, only 15% (95% CI: 13, 16) received six core elements of antenatal care. The proportion of mothers who had essential prenatal components in rural areas was less than 13 percentage points. Approximately 43% of women did not receive at least two doses of tetanus toxoid vaccines to protect them and newborn infants against this life-threatening disease. Moreover, the majority of them, particularly those in rural Ethiopia, were not informed about pregnancy danger signs. Mothers who had at least four ANC visits received more types of prenatal components compared to those who had fewer ANC visits. The multilevel regression analysis revealed that receiving adequate ANC content is positively associated with having more frequent ANC visits, attaining a higher education level, being a member of a household in the highest wealth quintile and residing in urban areas.

Conclusion

The evidence implies that the quality of maternal health services needs to be improved. Health programs and interventions should also give priority to rural areas where the majority of Ethiopian women reside.
Unveiling macrophage diversity in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury: identification of a distinct lipid-associated macrophage subset
Authors: Jiang Ying , Yu Wenpeng , Hu Tie , Peng Hanzhi , Hu Fajia , Yuan Yong , Liu Xufeng , Lai Songqing , Zhou Jianliang , Dong Xiao
Published: February 2024

Background and objective

Macrophages play a crucial and dichotomous role cardiac repair following myocardial ischemia-reperfusion, as they can both facilitate tissue healing and contribute to injury. This duality is intricately linked to environmental factors, and the identification of macrophage subtypes within the context of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) may offer insights for the development of more precise intervention strategies.

Methods

Specific marker genes were used to identify macrophage subtypes in GSE227088 (mouse single-cell RNA sequencing dataset). Genome Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was further employed to validate the identified LAM subtypes. Trajectory analysis and single-cell regulatory network inference were executed using the R packages Monocle2 and SCENIC, respectively. The conservation of LAM was verified using human ischemic cardiomyopathy heart failure samples from the GSE145154 (human single-cell RNA sequencing dataset). Fluorescent homologous double-labeling experiments were performed to determine the spatial localization of LAM-tagged gene expression in the MIRI mouse model.

Results

In this study, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was employed to investigate the cellular landscape in ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). Macrophage subtypes, including a novel Lipid-Associated Macrophage (LAM) subtype characterized by high expression of Spp1, Trem2, and other genes, were identified. Enrichment and Progeny pathway analyses highlighted the distinctive functional role of the SPP1+ LAM subtype, particularly in lipid metabolism and the regulation of the MAPK pathway. Pseudotime analysis revealed the dynamic differentiation of macrophage subtypes during IRI, with the activation of pro-inflammatory pathways in specific clusters. Transcription factor analysis using SCENIC identified key regulators associated with macrophage differentiation. Furthermore, validation in human samples confirmed the presence of SPP1+ LAM. Co-staining experiments provided definitive evidence of LAM marker expression in the infarct zone. These findings shed light on the role of LAM in IRI and its potential as a therapeutic target.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the study identifies SPP1+ LAM macrophages in ischemia-reperfusion injury and highlights their potential in cardiac remodeling.
Revolutionizing cancer treatment: enhancing CAR-T cell therapy with CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology
Authors: Tao Ruiyu , Han Xiaopeng , Bai Xue , Yu Jianping , Ma Youwei , Chen Weikai , Zhang Dawei , Li Zhengkai
Published: February 2024

CAR-T cell therapy, a novel immunotherapy, has made significant breakthroughs in clinical practice, particularly in treating B-cell-associated leukemia and lymphoma. However, it still faces challenges such as poor persistence, limited proliferation capacity, high manufacturing costs, and suboptimal efficacy. CRISPR/Cas system, an efficient and simple method for precise gene editing, offers new possibilities for optimizing CAR-T cells. It can increase the function of CAR-T cells and reduce manufacturing costs. The combination of CRISPR/Cas9 technology and CAR-T cell therapy may promote the development of this therapy and provide more effective and personalized treatment for cancer patients. Meanwhile, the safety issues surrounding the application of this technology in CAR-T cells require further research and evaluation. Future research should focus on improving the accuracy and safety of CRISPR/Cas9 technology to facilitate the better development and application of CAR-T cell therapy. This review focuses on the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in CAR-T cell therapy, including eliminating the inhibitory effect of immune checkpoints, enhancing the ability of CAR-T cells to resist exhaustion, assisting in the construction of universal CAR-T cells, reducing the manufacturing costs of CAR-T cells, and the security problems faced. The objective is to show the revolutionary role of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in CAR-T cell therapy for researchers.
Iodide, iodate & dissolved organic iodine in the temperate coastal ocean
Authors: Jones Matthew R. , Chance Rosie , Bell Thomas , Jones Oban , Loades David C. , May Rebecca , Tinel Liselotte , Weddell Katherine , Widdicombe Claire , Carpenter Lucy J.
Published: February 2024

The surface ocean is the main source of iodine to the atmosphere, where it plays a crucial role including in the catalytic removal of tropospheric ozone. The availability of surface oceanic iodine is governed by its biogeochemical cycling, the controls of which are poorly constrained. Here we show a near two-year time series of the primary iodine species, iodide, iodate and dissolved organic iodine (DOI) in inner shelf marine surface waters of the Western English Channel (UK). The median ± standard deviation concentrations between November 2019 and September 2021 (n=76) were: iodide 88 ± 17 nM (range 61-149 nM), iodate 293 ± 28 nM (198-382 nM), DOI 16 ± 16 nM (<0.12-75 nM) and total dissolved iodine (dIT) 399 ± 30 nM (314-477 nM). Though lower than inorganic iodine ion concentrations, DOI was a persistent and non-negligible component of dIT, which is consistent with previous studies in coastal waters. Over the time series, dIT was not conserved and the missing pool of iodine accounted for ~6% of the observed concentration suggesting complex mechanisms governing dIT removal and renewal. The contribution of excess iodine (I*) sourced from the coastal margin towards dIT was generally low (3 ± 29 nM) but exceptional events influenced dIT concentrations by up to ±100 nM. The seasonal variability in iodine speciation was asynchronous with the observed phytoplankton primary productivity. Nevertheless, iodate reduction began as light levels and then biomass increased in spring and iodide attained its peak concentration in mid to late autumn during post-bloom conditions. Dissolved organic iodine was present, but variable, throughout the year. During winter, iodate concentrations increased due to the advection of North Atlantic surface waters. The timing of changes in iodine speciation and the magnitude of I* subsumed by seawater processes supports the paradigm that transformations between iodine species are biologically mediated, though not directly linked.
OPO-CVI: design and implementation of an ocean profiling observation system for wave-powered vertical profiler following an ISO standard
Authors: Jiang Sining , Guo Zhongwen , Zhao Hailei , Cui Ziyuan , Wang Weigang
Published: February 2024

This paper presents the design and implementation of an ISO-compliant ocean profiling observation system for wave-powered vertical profiler. This system aims to provide a comprehensive, scalable, and interoperable solution for high-resolution, real-time oceanic observation. As a part of this system, we introduce a wave-powered vertical profiler, known as “Wave Master,” designed to offer enhanced stability and reliability for long-term oceanic data collection. The core of the paper focuses on the Ocean Profiling Observation Complex Virtual Instrument (OPO-CVI), a comprehensive system developed in alignment with ISO 21851 standard. OPO-CVI seamlessly integrates data collection, transmission, storage, and visualization. Specifically, OPO-CVI addresses the challenges of information isolation, system rigidity, and lack of modularity in traditional ocean profiling methods by standardizing data formats and transmission protocols, allowing for seamless integration of new observation elements, and employing a modular architecture for enhanced scalability and reusability. By offering detailed technical insights into the OPO-CVI architecture and its compliance with ISO 21851 standard, this paper aims to contribute significantly to the advancement of standardized, efficient, and reliable oceanic observation systems.
Women’s sexual health improvement: sexual quality of life and pelvic floor muscle assessment in asymptomatic women
Authors: Baszak-Radomańska Ewa , Wańczyk-Baszak Jadwiga , Paszkowski Tomasz
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Problems related to the quality of sexual life in gynecological practice are usually neglected. This study aimed to highlight the significance of this area of concern and evaluate the usefulness of tools, such as patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and pelvic floor examination, to improve women’s sexual wellbeing and to identify predictors of poor quality of sexual life during the well-woman annual visit.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was designed to examine 300 healthy women to determine whether the sexual quality of life (SQOL) questionnaire (on electronic devices) and pelvic floor muscle assessment (the vulva, anus, muscles, and periurethral (VAMP) protocol) of asymptomatic women during the annual bimanual examination (BME) help differentiate patients who would benefit from discussing sexual problems with a gynecologist. Dyspareunia was an exclusion criterion.

Results

The majority of subjects experienced high sexual wellbeing (82.0% with SQOL score of ≥84), with a mean of 85.7 points. SQOL scores were lower for psychiatric disorders or symptoms (37.0% of subjects), although they did not correlate with age, BMI, parity, contraception use, history of vulvovaginal symptoms, neurosurgical/orthopedic problems, and rectal, bowel, or bladder symptoms. Patients with dyspareunia (16.0% of participants, although they denied it during the face-to-face consultation) had a 3.6 times higher prevalence of low or moderate quality of sexual life. The VAMP protocol score was low in asymptomatic women, 33.0% met positive criteria (VAMP+, NRS ≥3) for pelvic floor dysfunction (overactivity), although at borderline levels. VAMP+ was positively correlated with chronic pain and genitourinary symptoms, but neither with dyspareunia nor incontinence, and was unrelated to the SQOL score (p = 0.151).

Conclusion

Women’s sexual health is a global health priority. Finding a way to start a discussion with an asymptomatic patient is crucial to increasing patients’ interest in disclosing a sexual health problem to be resolved. PROs or simple questions about sexual wellbeing direct the discussion mainly toward the at-risk group for sexual deterioration: those with mental health problems and women with dyspareunia. Dyspareunia is considered a predictor of decreased quality of sexual life, a major sexual disorder that should not be overlooked. Gynecological consultation should resolve concerns, identify the problem, and refer for professional sexual care if still needed.
COVID-19-associated hypertriglyceridemia and impact of treatment
Authors: Kaddoura Rasha , Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Izham , Al-Amri Maha , Prabhakaran Nair Arun , Alharafsheh Ahmad , Alyafei Sumaya Alsaadi , Albakri Mutaz
Published: February 2024

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) associated hypertriglyceridemia was observed among patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) in Qatar. This study aimed to describe COVID-19-associated-hypertriglyceridemia in ICU patients and the impact of treating hypertriglyceridemia on clinical outcomes.

Methods

A retrospective observational cohort study of adult patients who were admitted to the ICU with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia according to the World Health Organization criteria. Hypertriglyceridemia was defined as triglyceride level of 1.7 mmol/L (≥150 mg/dL) and severe hypertriglyceridemia as fasting TG of ≥5.6 mmol/L (≥500 mg/dL).

Results

Of 1,234 enrolled patients, 1,016 (82.3%) had hypertriglyceridemia. Median age was 50 years and 87.9% were males. Patients with hypertriglyceridemia showed significantly longer time to COVID-19 recovery, ICU and hospital stay, and time to death (29.3 vs. 16.9 days) without a difference in mortality between groups. Of patients with hypertriglyceridemia, 343 (33.8%) received treatment (i.e., fibrate and/or omega-3). Patients in treatment group showed longer time to COVID-19 recovery and hospital stay with no difference in death rates in comparison with those in no-treatment group. Relatively older patients were less likely to experience hypertriglyceridemia (odd ratio (OR) 0.976; 95% CI: 0.956, 0.995) or to receive treatment (OR 0.977; 95% CI: 0.960, 0.994). Whereas patients who received tocilizumab were more likely to experience high TG level (OR 3.508; 95% CI: 2.046, 6.015) and to receive treatment for it (OR 2.528; 95% CI: 1.628, 3.926).

Conclusion

Hypertriglyceridemia associated with COVID-19 did not increase death rate, but prolonged time to death and length of stay. Treating hypertriglyceridemia did not translate into improvement in clinical outcomes including mortality.
The bacterial and archaeal communities of flies, manure, lagoons, and troughs at a working dairy
Authors: Crippen Tawni L. , Kim Dongmin , Poole Toni L. , Swiger Sonja L. , Anderson Robin C.
Published: February 2024

Background

Fundamental investigations into the location, load, and persistence of microbes, whether beneficial or detrimental, are scarce. Many questions about the retention and survival of microbes on various surfaces, as well as the load necessary for spread, exist. To answer these questions, we must know more about where to find various microbes and in what concentrations, the composition of the microbial communities, and the extent of dissemination between various elements. This study investigated the diversity, composition, and relative abundance of the communities associated with manure, lagoons, troughs, house flies, and stable flies present at a dairy, implementing two different free-stall management systems: flow-through and cross-vent. Shotgun metagenomics at the community level was used to compare the microbiomes within the dairy, allowing confident interpretation at the species level.

Results

The results showed that there were significant difference in microbial composition between not only each of the dairy elements but also management styles. The primary exceptions were the microbiomes of the house fly and the stable fly. Their compositions heavily overlapped with one another, but interestingly, not with the other components sampled. Additionally, both species of flies carried more pathogens than the other elements of the dairy, indicating that they may not share these organisms with the other components, or that the environments offered by the other components are unsatisfactory for the survival of some pathogens..

Conclusion

The lack of overlapping pathogen profiles suggests a lack of transfer from flies to other dairy elements. Dairy health data, showing a low incidence of disease, suggests minimal sharing of bacteria by the flies at a level required for infection, given the health program of this dairy. While flies did carry a multitude of pathogenic bacteria, the mere presence of the bacteria associated with the flies did not necessarily translate into high risk leading to morbidity and mortality at this dairy. Thus, using flies as the sole sentinel of dairy health may not be appropriate for all bacterial pathogens or dairies.
Oral Clostridium butyricum on mice endometritis through uterine microbiome and metabolic alternations
Authors: Hagihara Mao , Ariyoshi Tadashi , Eguchi Shuhei , Oka Kentaro , Takahashi Motomichi , Kato Hideo , Shibata Yuichi , Umemura Takumi , Mori Takeshi , Miyazaki Narimi , Hirai Jun , Asai Nobuhiro , Mori Nobuaki , Mikamo Hiroshige
Published: February 2024

Endometritis occurs frequently in humans and animals, which can negatively affect fertility and cause preterm parturition syndrome. Orally administered Clostridium butyricum, a butyrate-producing gram-positive anaerobe, exhibits anti-inflammatory effects. However, the precise mechanism by which Clostridium butyricum attenuates endometritis remains unclear. This in vivo study evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of orally administered Clostridium butyricum on uterine tissues. In addition, we conducted uterine microbiome and lipid metabolome analyses to determine the underlying mechanisms. Female Balb/c mice were divided into the following four groups (n = 5–20): (1) mock group, (2) only operation group (mice only underwent operation to exposed uterine horns from the side), (3) control group (mice underwent the same operation with the operation group + perfusion of lipopolysaccharide solution from uterine horns), and (4) Clostridium butyricum administration group (mice underwent the same operation with the control group + oral Clostridium butyricum administration from days 0 to 9). Clostridium butyricum was administered via oral gavage. On day 10, we investigated protein expression, uterine microbiome, and lipid metabolism in uterine tissues. Consequently, orally administered Clostridium butyricum altered the uterine microbiome and induced proliferation of Lactobacillus and Limosilactobacillus species. The effects can contribute to show the anti-inflammatory effect through the interferon-β upregulation in uterine tissues. Additionally, oral Clostridium butyricum administration resulted in the upregulations of some lipid metabolites, such as ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid resolvin D5, in uterine tissues, and resolvin D5 showed anti-inflammatory effects. However, the orally administered Clostridium butyricum induced anti-inflammatory effect was attenuated with the deletion of G protein-coupled receptor 120 and 15-lipooxgenase inhibition. In conclusion, Clostridium butyricum in the gut has anti-inflammatory effects on uterine tissues through alterations in the uterine microbiome and lipid metabolism. This study revealed a gut-uterus axis mechanism and provided insights into the treatment and prophylaxis of endometritis.
End-to-end model-based trajectory prediction for ro-ro ship route using dual-attention mechanism
Authors: Zhao Licheng , Zuo Yi , Zhang Wenjun , Li Tieshan , Chen C. L. Philip
Published: February 2024

With the rapid increase of economic globalization, the significant expansion of shipping volume has resulted in shipping route congestion, causing the necessity of trajectory prediction for effective service and efficient management. While trajectory prediction can achieve a relatively high level of accuracy, the performance and generalization of prediction models remain critical bottlenecks. Therefore, this article proposes a dual-attention (DA) based end-to-end (E2E) neural network (DAE2ENet) for trajectory prediction. In the E2E structure, long short-term memory (LSTM) units are included for the task of pursuing sequential trajectory data from the encoder layer to the decoder layer. In DA mechanisms, global attention is introduced between the encoder and decoder layers to facilitate interactions between input and output trajectory sequences, and multi-head self-attention is utilized to extract sequential features from the input trajectory. In experiments, we use a ro-ro ship with a fixed navigation route as a case study. Compared with baseline models and benchmark neural networks, DAE2ENet can obtain higher performance on trajectory prediction, and better validation of environmental factors on ship navigation.
Multi-frequency VEMPs improve detection of present otolith responses in bilateral vestibulopathy
Authors: Lucieer F. , van der Lubbe M. , van Stiphout L. , Janssen M. , Van Rompaey V. , Devocht E. , Perez-Fornos A. , Guinand N. , van de Berg R.
Published: February 2024

Objective

To investigate whether multi-frequency Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP) testing at 500, 750, 1,000, and 2,000 Hz, would improve the detection of present dynamic otolith responses in patients with bilateral vestibulopathy (BV).

Methods

Prospective study in a tertiary referral center. BV patients underwent multi-frequency VEMP testing. Cervical VEMPs and ocular VEMPs were recorded with the Neuro-Audio system (v2010, Neurosoft, Ivanovo, Russia). The stimuli included air-conducted tone bursts of 500, 750, 1,000, and 2,000 Hz, at a stimulation rate of 13 Hz. Outcome measures included the percentage of present and absent VEMP responses, and VEMP thresholds. Outcomes were compared between frequencies and type of VEMPs (cVEMPs, oVEMPs). VEMP outcomes obtained with the 500 Hz stimulus, were also compared to normative values obtained in healthy subjects.

Results

Forty-nine BV patients completed VEMP testing: 47 patients completed cVEMP testing and 48 patients completed oVEMP testing. Six to 15 % more present VEMP responses were obtained with multifrequency testing, compared to only testing at 500 Hz. The 2,000 Hz stimulus elicited significantly fewer present cVEMP responses (right and left ears) and oVEMP responses (right ears) compared to the other frequencies (p ≤ 0.044). Using multi-frequency testing, 78% of BV patients demonstrated at least one present VEMP response in at least one ear. In 46% a present VEMP response was found bilaterally. BV patients demonstrated a significantly higher percentage of absent VEMP responses and significantly higher VEMP thresholds than healthy subjects, when corrected for age (p ≤ 0.002). Based on these results, a pragmatic VEMP testing paradigm is proposed, taking into account multi-frequency VEMP testing.

Conclusion

Multi-frequency VEMP testing improves the detection rate of present otolith responses in BV patients. Therefore, multi-frequency VEMPs should be considered when evaluation of (residual) otolith function is indicated.
Association of CLDN molecules with sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome: new biomarker candidates
Authors: Liu Dan , Meng Han , Wan Nansheng , Feng Jing
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep-related breathing disorder, and has become a serious threat to public health. Intermittent hypoxia caused by OSA results in a low-grade inflammatory response that leads to impaired mucosal barrier function. Claudin (CLDN) molecules are important for the permeability of the mucosal epithelium. This study aimed to explore whether CLDN molecules can be a potential biomarker of OSA.

Methods

A total of 37 healthy controls and 40 OSA patients underwent a physical assessment for OSA and filled out the STOP-Bang Questionnaire (SBQ) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Clinical specimens of plasma and urine were obtained to observe the difference between OSA patients and healthy controls and diagnostic accuracy of CLDN molecules for OSA.

Results

CLDN1, CLDN2, and CLDN3 molecules in plasma and urine decreased in OSA patients (both p < 0.05). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) of urinary CLDN1, plasma CLDN1, urinary CLDN2, plasma CLDN2, urinary CLDN3, and plasma CLDN3 were 0.887, 0.724, 0.779, 0.676, 0.828, and 0.665, respectively. The AUC of urinary CLDN1 + CLDN2 + CLDN3 was 0.906 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.831–0.981). The AUC of plasma CLDN1 + CLDN2 + CLDN3 was 0.776 (95% CI, 0.645–0.878). The AUC of urinary CLDN3 + SBQ was 0.899 (95% CI, 0.832–0.967). The AUC of urinary CLDN3 + ESS was 0.896 (95% CI, 0.826–0.966). In addition, Urinary CLDN-3 was negative associated with the severity of OSA.

Conclusion

CLDN molecules are promising as useful biomarkers for OSA, which may be related to the impaired barrier function related to OSA.
Evaluating the efficacy and acceptability of vagus nerve stimulation for fibromyalgia: a PRISMA-compliant protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Cai Yunhuo , Zhang Yajun , Fang Yiyan , Hu Hantong , Li Xingling , Fang Lianqiang
Published: February 2024

Background

Fibromyalgia has imposed substantial burdens on patients’ health and well-being, yet effective therapeutic options for this condition remain limited. Recently, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has emerged as a promising therapy for fibromyalgia. Nonetheless, despite the increasing number of randomized clinical trials (RCTs), current evidence remains inconclusive. Therefore, this protocol of a systematic review and meta-analysis aims to synthesize the existing evidence to clarify the efficacy and acceptability of VNS for treating fibromyalgia.

Methods

A comprehensive search for eligible RCTs will be conducted across nine bibliographic databases, namely PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, AMED, PsycINFO, PEDro, Chinese BioMedical Literature Database, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wangfang database. Data obtained from the included studies will be synthesized quantitively using RevMan 5.4.1 for meta-analyses. The methodological soundness of included RCTs will be assessed via the Cochrane’s updated risk of bias tool (version 2.0). Additionally, sensitivity analyses, publication bias assessment, and subgroup analyses will be conducted as appropriate. Finally, we will utilize the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system to evaluate the certainty for the body of evidence.

Conclusion

The findings of our study are anticipated to ascertain the efficacy and acceptability of VNS as a promising treatment option for fibromyalgia. This will not only fill current research gap but also identify potential areas for future research. The findings will provide essential guidance for evidence-based treatment decisions for fibromyalgia, benefiting both patients and clinicians.