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Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is a luminescence production technique triggered by electrochemistry, which has emerged as a powerful analytical technique in bioanalysis and clinical diagnosis. During ECL, charge transfer (CT) is an important process between electrochemical excitation and luminescent emission, and dramatically affects the efficiency of exciton generation, playing a pivotal role in the light-emitting properties of nanomaterials. Reticular framework materials with intramolecular/intermolecular interactions offer a promising platform for regulating CT pathways and enhancing luminescence efficiency. Deciphering the role of intramolecular/intermolecular CT processes in reticular framework materials allows for the targeted design and synthesis of emitters with precisely controlled CT properties. This sheds light on the microscopic mechanisms of electro-optical conversion in ECL, propelling advancements in their efficiency and breakthrough applications. This mini-review focuses on recent advancements in engineering CT within reticular frameworks to boost ECL efficiency. We summarized strategies including intra-reticular charge transfer, CT between the metal and ligands, and CT between guest molecules and frameworks within reticular frameworks, which holds promise for developing next-generation ECL devices with enhanced sensitivity and light emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with various nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1) mutations are controversial in the prognosis. This study aimed to investigate the prognosis of patients according to types of NPM1 mutations (NPM1mut). Methods: Bone marrow samples of 528 patients newly diagnosed with AML, were collected for morphology, immunology, cytogenetics, and molecular biology examinations. Gene mutations were detected by next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. Results: About 25.2% of cases exhibited NPM1mut. 83.5% of cases were type A, while type B and D were respectively account for 2.3% and 3.0%. Furthermore, 15 cases of rare types were identified, of which 2 cases have not been reported. Clinical characteristics were similar between patients with A-type NPM1 mutations (NPM1A − type mut) and non-A-type NPM1 mutations (NPM1non − A−type mut). Event-free survival (EFS) was significantly different between patients with low NPM1non − A−type mut variant allele frequency (VAF) and low NPM1A − type mut VAF (median EFS = 3.9 vs. 8.5 months, P = 0.020). The median overall survival (OS) of the NPM1non − A−type mutFLT3-ITDmut group, the NPM1A − type mutFLT3-ITDmut group, the NPM1non − A−type mutFLT3-ITDwt group, and the NPM1A − type mutFLT3-ITDwt group were 3.9, 10.7, 17.3 and 18.8 months, while the median EFS of the corresponding groups was 1.4, 5.0, 7.6 and 9.2 months (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.004, respectively). Conclusions: No significant difference was observed in OS and EFS between patients with NPM1A − type mut and NPM1non − A−type mut. However, types of NPM1 mutations and the status of FLT3-ITD mutations may jointly have an impact on the prognosis of AML patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistence reinforces continuous action, which benefits animals in many aspects. Diverse external or internal signals may trigger animals to start a persistent movement. However, it is unclear how the brain decides to persist with current actions by selecting specific information. Using single-unit extracellular recordings and opto-tagging in awake mice, we demonstrated that a group of dorsal mPFC (dmPFC) motor cortex projecting (MP) neurons initiate a persistent movement by selectively encoding contextual information rather than natural valence. Inactivation of dmPFC MP neurons impairs the initiation and reduces neuronal activity in the insular and motor cortex. After the persistent movement is initiated, the dmPFC MP neurons are not required to maintain it. Finally, a computational model suggests that a successive sensory stimulus acts as an input signal for the dmPFC MP neurons to initiate a persistent movement. These results reveal a neural initiation mechanism on the persistent movement. How the brain decides to persist with current action remains unclear. Here, the authors show that a prefrontal circuit utilizes contextual signals to initiate such persistent movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The application of silicon could effectively alleviate Cd contamination in the soil. However, the interaction between silicon and Cd in soils is not well understood. Our research aims to investigate the mechanism of the impact of silicate on the sorption of Cd on metal oxides in soils. Materials and methods: Sodium silicate and Cd(II) co-sorption on γ-Al2O3 and goethite at pH 5.5 and 7.5 was studied using a combination of batch sorption experiments, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results and discussion: Silicate enhanced the sorption of Cd(II) onto γ-Al2O3 at pH 5.5 and 7.5. However, the sorption of Cd(II) on goethite at pH 5.5 and 7.5 was only promoted when the silicate concentration reached 1 mmol L−1. Cadmium(II) enhanced silicate sorption on γ-Al2O3 at pH 5.5 and on goethite at pH 7.5, while it decreased silicate sorption on γ-Al2O3 at pH 7.5 and had no significant effect on goethite at pH 5.5. At pH 5.5, Cd(II) reacted with silicate to generate Cd2SiO4, and Cd-Si-Al ternary complexes were formed on γ-Al2O3. At pH 7.5, silicate promoted the formation of Cd(OH)2 on γ-Al2O3, which ultimately transformed into CdCO3. When silicate concentration reached 1 mmol L−1, more silicate complexes were formed through the Fe-O-Si bound on goethite at both pH 5.5 and 7.5 to promote the adsorption of Cd(II) owing to its electronegative functional group on the surface of the complex. Conclusions: The type of clay minerals, pH, and the presence of silicate all significantly affected Cd sorption. Furthermore, the sorption mechanism of Cd on γ-Al2O3 and goethite in the presence of silicate has been elucidated. The above findings improve our understanding of the mechanism for immobilizing Cd in soils using silicon-containing materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The objective of this study was to analyze the correlation between skeletal muscle mass and the distribution of peripheral blood lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells, as well as their impact on prognosis in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A retrospective analysis was conducted on 211 newly diagnosed AML patients, evaluating skeletal muscle index (SMI), NK cell proportion, and absolute value, along with relevant clinical data. Linear regression and Spearman's correlation coefficient were used to assess the relationship between various indicators and SMI, followed by multiple linear regression for further modeling. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to identify independent predictors for overall survival (OS). Among the 211 AML patients, 38 cases (18.0%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia. Multiple linear regression analysis included weight, fat mass, ECOG score, body mass index, and peripheral blood NK cell proportion, constructing a correlation model for SMI (R2 = 0.745). Univariate analysis identified higher NK cell count (> 9.53 × 106/L) as a poor predictor for OS. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model indicated that age ≥ 60 years, PLT < 100 × 109/L, ELN high risk, sarcopenia, and B cell count > 94.6 × 106/L were independent adverse prognostic factors for AML patients. Low skeletal muscle mass may negatively impact the count and function of NK cells, thereby affecting the prognosis of AML. However, further basic and clinical research is needed to explore the specific mechanisms underlying the relationship between NK cells and SMI in AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer has become one of the most important causes of human death. In particular, the 5 year survival rate of patients with digestive tract cancer is low. Although chemotherapy drugs have a certain efficacy, they are highly toxic and prone to chemotherapy resistance. With the advancement of antitumor research, many natural drugs have gradually entered basic clinical research. They have low toxicity, few adverse reactions, and play an important synergistic role in the combined targeted therapy of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. A large number of studies have shown that the active components of Paris polyphylla (PPA), a common natural medicinal plant, can play an antitumor role in a variety of digestive tract cancers. In this paper, the main components of PPA such as polyphyllin, C21 steroids, sterols, and flavonoids, amongst others, are introduced, and the mechanisms of action and research progress of PPA and its active components in the treatment of various digestive tract cancers are reviewed and summarized. The main components of PPA have been thoroughly explored to provide more detailed references and innovative ideas for the further development and utilization of similar natural antitumor drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advantages of flexible deployment and configuration, fast response, and strong environmental adaptability, UAV-aided communication has significant applications in temporary hotspot areas, edge areas, and emergency communication scenarios. In comparison to traditional wired backhaul links from ground base stations, this paper considers a UAV-aided communication system that utilizes in-band backhaul technology to maximize the minimum reachable rate of ground users by jointly optimizing the hovering position, bandwidth allocation, transmit power, and user association of UAVs. To tackle this problem, a multi-coding artificial bee colony algorithm is proposed in this study to address the joint optimization problem, thereby expanding the dimensionality of the search conducted in the solution space. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed multivariate coded artificial bee colony algorithm achieves substantial rate gains and improves the minimum reachable rate of ground users in UAV-aided communication systems within a limited number of iterations, as compared to the BCD (BCD) method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, although there are tumor markers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), markers with better predictive efficiency are needed. SAA4 gene expression in liver tumor and paracancerous tissues was analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed and visualized by heatmap and volcano plot. Survival analysis was performed based on SAA4 expression. SAA4 expression was compared in patients grouped based on clinicopathological features, and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted. Immunohistochemical staining was used to verify the SAA4 protein staining intensity from The Human Protein Atlas database and our center’s samples. The diagnostic value of SAA4 for HCC was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curves. SAA4 was expressed at low levels in HCC tissues, and low SAA4 expression was associated with a poor prognosis in HCC. In addition, SAA4 expression decreased with HCC progression. There were 188 upregulated DEGs and 1551 downregulated DEGs between the high and low SAA4 expression groups. Complement and coagulation cascades, fatty acid metabolism, and ECM receptor interaction were significantly enriched in the GSEA. SAA4 had good predictive efficacy for HCC and even early HCC and was superior to AFP. In general, low SAA4 expression was associated with advanced HCC stage and a poor prognosis. In addition, SAA4 may be helpful for the diagnosis of early HCC and may become a novel tumor marker with good predictive power for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If there was abundant fluorine in shotcrete, it might leach out and pollute the soil or migrate to corrode the reinforcement.Therefore, this research mainly investigated the basic properties of high-fluorine alkali free liquid accelerator (HF-AFA) and its occurrence forms in cement hydration products.The macro-test results showed that with the increase of HF-AFA dosage, it appeared excellent coagulation promoting property. However, when the HF-AFA dosage exceeded 7.0%, the 1d compressive strength of mortar was lower than 7.0 MPa. In addition, by measuring the early hydration heat of cement, C3A, C3S, C2S and C4AF pastes with and without HF-AFA, and combining XRD and SEM micro-analysis, the occurrence forms of fluorine in different clinker minerals were obtained.The final analysis results indicated that fluorine mainly existed in the form of CaF2, CaAlF5 and Ca2AlF7 crystals in C3A and C3S minerals, while only little CaF2 crystals appeared in C2S and C4AF minerals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To further improve the thermal stability of capturing radioactive gaseous iodine in nuclear industrial waste gas, "Ionic liquids (ILs)" was introduced into the field of iodine adsorption. By regulating the aging temperature, aging time and molar ratio of reactants, the amine compound was prepared into ILs, and the micro structure and orthogonal test were studied to obtain the best quality response combination of ILs preparation. The physical properties, thermal stability and iodine adsorption properties of different ILs are tested. The results show that the iodine adsorption efficiency of amine compounds ILs is at the same level as that of activated carbon base composites under the same load conditions, while the thermal stability is improved by 113%, which has important theoretical guiding significance for the improvement of the adsorption properties of the iodine adsorbents under the high temperature conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Scarce research has reported the comparison between robotic and laparoscopic surgery in mid–low rectal cancer. Therefore, this meta-analysis is aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of the two surgical approaches. Methods: A comprehensive search of the databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Web of Science) was performed for studies comparing robotic and laparoscopic surgery. The outcomes of interest acquired from eight articles included three aspects: intraoperative conditions, postoperative status of patients, and complications. All data (robotic = 1350 patients, laparoscopic = 1330 patients) enrolled were analyzed using Rev Man 5.4. Results: Compared to the laparoscopic group, the robotic group indicated a noticeable superiority in estimated blood loss (P < 0.0001), number of lymph nodes dissected (P = 0.004), time to first flatus (P = 0.001), time to first fluid diet (P = 0.001), hospital stay (P < 0.0001), conversion (P = 0.009), and urinary retention (P = 0.0006), but devoted much more operation time (P = 0.0004). Conclusion: Robotic surgery was associated with superiority over laparoscopic surgery in increasing surgical safety, accelerating postoperative recovery, and reducing complications, which suggested that robotic surgery could be a safe and effective method for treating mid–low rectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral oedema is associated with morbidity and mortality after traumatic brain injury (TBI)1. Noradrenaline levels are increased after TBI2–4, and the amplitude of the increase in noradrenaline predicts both the extent of injury5 and the likelihood of mortality6. Glymphatic impairment is both a feature of and a contributor to brain injury7,8, but its relationship with the injury-associated surge in noradrenaline is unclear. Here we report that acute post-traumatic oedema results from a suppression of glymphatic and lymphatic fluid flow that occurs in response to excessive systemic release of noradrenaline. This post-TBI adrenergic storm was associated with reduced contractility of cervical lymphatic vessels, consistent with diminished return of glymphatic and lymphatic fluid to the systemic circulation. Accordingly, pan-adrenergic receptor inhibition normalized central venous pressure and partly restored glymphatic and cervical lymphatic flow in a mouse model of TBI, and these actions led to substantially reduced brain oedema and improved functional outcomes. Furthermore, post-traumatic inhibition of adrenergic signalling boosted lymphatic export of cellular debris from the traumatic lesion, substantially reducing secondary inflammation and accumulation of phosphorylated tau. These observations suggest that targeting the noradrenergic control of central glymphatic flow may offer a therapeutic approach for treating acute TBI.Acute oedema after traumatic brain injury is accompanied by the suppression of glymphatic and lymphatic fluid flow due to excessive systemic release of noradrenaline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The feasibility and effectiveness of selecting an intracorporeal or extracorporeal technique in left hemicolectomy remain poorly understood. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the difference between the two approaches regarding intraoperative and postoperative outcomes. Methods: A thorough exploration of online databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science) was executed to identify randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and case control studies. The outcomes contained four aspects: intraoperative outcomes, postoperative complications, postoperative patient conditions, and postoperative outcomes. All of these data were analyzed using RevMan 5.4. Seven retrospective control trials (intracorporeal, 396 patients; extracorporeal, 426 patients) were evaluated. Results: Compared to the extracorporeal group, the intracorporeal group demonstrated superiority in incision length (P = 0.005), overall complications (P = 0.01), time to first flatus (P < 0.001), time to first stool (P = 0.005), time to first diet (P < 0.001) and hospital stay duration (P = 0.001). Conclusions: The intracorporeal technique is associated with superiority over the extracorporeal technique in reducing postoperative complications, promoting postoperative recovery of gastrointestinal function, and reducing hospital stay duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel electromagnetic shocking treatment (EST) was put forward to selectively embellish interface microstructure of solid alloy and improve its performance in our previous work. However, considering the nonlinear response characteristic of phase evolution under EST, the effect of precipitates evolution on precipitate and microhardness distribution of Al7075-T73 alloy is worth of attention and still unknown. Herein, microhardness distribution test and TEM characterization of precipitates for Al7075-T73 alloy are carried out to explore the influence mechanism of EST on the precipitate and microhardness distribution. Compared with the received sample, the microhardness distribution turns more homogeneous, while the average microhardness remains basically constant for EST sample. Besides, for EST sample, grain boundary precipitates (GBPs) dissolve and coarsen obviously, while there also exists that the distribution of matrix intragranular precipitates remains basically constant with that of the received sample. Meanwhile, stripy grain boundaries (GBs) can be observed more commonly and GB wetting occurs for EST sample. It indicates that EST promotes nonlinear interface wetting and results in nonlinear phase transition, inducing significant GBPs transformation and then gradient phase transition of precipitates within grain size scale. The resultant gradient phase distribution combined with nonlinear interface bridging promotes a more homogeneous microhardness distribution without losing the mechanical properties of aluminum alloy. This work provides a new understanding about the effect of EST on the microstructure evolution process of solid alloy and is beneficial to the optimization of EST process to improve the service performance of alloys and even finished parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The staggered distribution of joints and fissures in space constitutes the weak part of any rock mass. The identification of rock mass structural planes and the extraction of characteristic parameters are the basis of rock-mass integrity evaluation, which is very important for analysis of slope stability. The laser scanning technique can be used to acquire the coordinate information pertaining to each point of the structural plane, but large amount of point cloud data, uneven density distribution, and noise point interference make the identification efficiency and accuracy of different types of structural planes limited by point cloud data analysis technology. A new point cloud identification and segmentation algorithm for rock mass structural surfaces is proposed. Based on the distribution states of the original point cloud in different neighborhoods in space, the point clouds are characterized by multi-dimensional eigenvalues and calculated by the robust randomized Hough transform (RRHT). The normal vector difference and the final eigenvalue are proposed for characteristic distinction, and the identification of rock mass structural surfaces is completed through regional growth, which strengthens the difference expression of point clouds. In addition, nearest Voxel downsampling is also introduced in the RRHT calculation, which further reduces the number of sources of neighborhood noises, thereby improving the accuracy and stability of the calculation. The advantages of the method have been verified by laboratory models. The results showed that the proposed method can better achieve the segmentation and statistics of structural planes with interfaces and sharp boundaries. The method works well in the identification of joints, fissures, and other structural planes on Mangshezhai slope in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, China. It can provide a stable and effective technique for the identification and segmentation of rock mass structural planes, which is beneficial in engineering practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare the clinical effectiveness and safety of novel biologics for the treatment of lupus nephritis based on a reticulated meta-analysis approach. Registered clinical trials in 4 major databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, The Cochrane Register of Clinical Trials) and ClinicalTrials.gov were systematically searched with a search time frame of build to June 2022. And we screened registered randomized controlled clinical trials of biologics for the treatment of lupus nephritis according to the protocol's nadir criteria. Trials were evaluated for quality using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool, and data were statistically analyzed using Stata 16.0 and Review Manager 5.3 software to compare and rank differences in effectiveness and safety between the biologics. A total of 10 registered randomized controlled clinical trials involving 2148 subjects were included in this study. The interventions were ranked from best to worst in terms of the primary outcome indicator of effectiveness, renal complete remission: belimumab > anifrolumab (900 + 300) mg > obinutuzumab > ocrelizumab 400 mg > abatacept 30/10 mg/kg > belimumab + rituximab > abatacept 10/10 mg/kg > abatacept (30/10 + 10/10) mg/kg > placeo > ocrelizumab 1000 mg > rituximab > anifrolumab 300 mg, belimumab was superior to placebo [OR = 1.75, 95% CI (1.13, 2.70)] and anifrolumab 300 mg [OR = 3.27, 95% CI (1.05, 10.14)], anifrolumab (900 + 300) mg was superior to anifrolumab 300 mg [OR = 3.56, 95% CI (1.30, 9.76)], and all were statistically significant. The ranking of each intervention in terms of overall renal remission for secondary outcome indicators from best to worst was: obinutuzumab > belimumab + rituximab > anifrolumab (900 + 300) mg > ocrelizumab 1000 mg > ocrelizumab 400 mg > belimumab > rituximab 1000 mg > abatacept 30/10 mg/kg > abatacept (30/10 + 10/10) mg/kg > placeo > abatacept 10/10 mg/kg > anifrolumab 300 mg, obinutuzumab was superior to placebo [OR = 2.27, 95% CI (1.11, 4.67)] and belimumab was also superior to placebo [OR = 1.56, 95% CI (1.07, 2.27)], and all were statistically significant. In terms of safety, with a focus on serious adverse events and serious infections, the results were: Serious adverse events at 1 year of monitoring occurred better with ocrelizumab 1000 mg than ocrelizumab 400 mg [OR = 0.51, 95% CI (0.29, 0.89)] and were statistically different; serious adverse events at 2 years of monitoring infection adverse events occurred better with obinutuzumab than with abatacept (30/10 + 10/10) mg/kg [OR = 0.24, 95% CI (0.07, 0.81)] and were statistically different. The safety of the new biologics in combination with conventional standard therapies is generally good, but it is belimumab and obinutuzumab that are most effective in achieving complete and overall remission in the kidney. This study protocol has been registered with PROSPERO, with a registration number of CRD42021262498. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scarce research has been performed to assess the safety and efficacy of anastomosis technique on robotic-assisted sigmoidectomy. This study was designed to evaluate the difference between intracorporeal and extracorporeal techniques during robotic-assisted sigmoidectomy. Clinical data of 193 cases who received robotic-assisted sigmoidectomy were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Only 116 cases were available for analysis (intracorporeal group = 58 and extracorporeal group = 58) after propensity score matching. Independent sample t test was conducted to evaluate the continuous variables. Moreover, the statistical significance of categorical variables was tested using Chi-square or Fisher's exact tests. Statistical analysis showed that the intracorporeal group demonstrated greater superiorities in pain scale on the first and second postoperative day (P < 0.05), time of catheter indwelling (P = 0.009), and length of hospital stay (P = 0.019). Additionally, the intracorporeal technique contributed to fewer complications including urinary retention (P = 0.027) and hernia (P = 0.037) than the extracorporeal group. Our analysis revealed that intracorporeal technique was safe and feasible due to the shorter time of catheter indwelling and length of hospital stay and fewer post-operation complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-(2-hydroxyethyl) nicotinamide nitrate (nicorandil), a nitrate that activates adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels, is generally used in the treatment of angina and offers long-term cardioprotective effects. It has been reported that several KATP channel openers can effectively alleviate the symptoms of seizure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the improvement in seizures induced by nicorandil. In this study, seizure tests were used to evaluate the effect of different doses of nicorandil by analysing seizure incidence, including minimal clonic seizure and generalised tonic–clonic seizure. We used a maximal electroshock seizure (MES) model, a metrazol maximal seizure (MMS) model and a chronic pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizure model to evaluate the effect of nicorandil in improving seizures. Each mouse in the MES model was given an electric shock, while those in the nicorandil group received 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 6 mg/kg of nicorandil by intraperitoneal injection, respectively. In the MMS model, the mice in the PTZ group and the nicorandil group were injected subcutaneously with PTZ (90 mg/kg), and the mice in the nicorandil group were injected intraperitoneally with 1, 3 and 5 mg/kg nicorandil, respectively. In the chronic PTZ-induced seizure model, the mice in the PTZ group and the nicorandil group were injected intraperitoneally with PTZ (40 mg/kg), and the mice in the nicorandil group were each given 1 and 3 mg/kg of PTZ at a volume of 200 nL. Brain slices containing the hippocampus were prepared, and cell-attached recording was used to record the spontaneous firing of pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region. Nicorandil (i.p.) significantly increased both the maximum electroconvulsive protection rate in the MES model and the seizure latency in the MMS model. Nicorandil infused directly onto the hippocampal CA1 region via an implanted cannula relieved symptoms in chronic PTZ-induced seizures. The excitability of pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region of the mice was significantly increased after both the acute and chronic administration of PTZ. To a certain extent, nicorandil reversed the increase in both firing frequency and proportion of burst spikes caused by PTZ (P < 0.05). Our results suggest that nicorandil functions by downregulating the excitability of pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region of mice and is a potential candidate for the treatment of seizures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) model to automatically identify the manufacturer and model of hip internal fixation devices from anteroposterior (AP) radiographs. Materials and methods: In this retrospective study, 1721 hip AP radiographs, including six internal fixation devices from 1012 patients, were collected from an orthopedic center between June 2014 and June 2022 to establish a classification network. The images were divided into training set (1106 images), validation set (272 images), and test set (343 images). The model efficacy is evaluated by using the data on the test set. The overall TOP-1 accuracy, and the precision, sensitivity, specificity, and F1 score of each model are calculated, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves are plotted to evaluate the model performance. Gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM) images are used to determine the image features that are most important for DCNN decisions. Results: A total of 1378 (80%) images were used for model development, and model efficacy was validated on a test set with 343 (20%) images. The overall TOP-1 accuracy was 98.5%. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) values for each internal fixation model were 1.000, 1.000, 0.980, 1.000, 0.999, and 1.000, respectively. Gradient-weighted class activation mapping showed the unique design of the internal fixation device. Conclusion: We developed a deep convolutional neural network model that can identify the manufacturer and model of hip internal fixation devices from the hip AP radiographs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study highlights the occurrence, spatial distribution, and risk assessment of 16 endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) including their transformation products (TPs) in the wastewater and surface water of Lahore, Pakistan, using solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The parent EDCs include bisphenol A (BPA), triclosan (TCS), triclocarban (TCC), estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), ethinylestradiol (EE2), 4-n-octylphenol (4n-OP), and 4-n-nonylphenol (4n-NP). The TPs include two TPs each of BPA, TCC, and estrogens along with a TP of TCS. Most EDCs showed 100% detection frequency in the wastewater with highest median concentration of 1310 ng/L for E3. In the surface water, the highest median concentration was, however, observed for BPA (54.6 ng/L). Spatial variations in terms of sum of concentration due to all EDCs and their TPs were observed at different sampling points which suggest contamination due to industrial waste from nearby industrial estate. Risk evaluation in terms of risk quotient (RQ) and estradiol equivalent factor (EEQ) showed that most of EDCs and their TPs could pose high risk and estrogenicity to the surrounding environment. From the results of the current study, it is observed that the environment of Pakistan is deteriorating and is potential risk for endocrine disruption. It is, therefore, recommended to take stringent measures to make it sustainable for current as well as for future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To provide an overview of the global, regional, and national incidence and mortality of neonatal sepsis and other neonatal infections (NS) and their change trends from 1990 to 2019, based on the data from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study. This was a retrospective demographic analysis based on aggregated data. Annual incident cases, deaths, age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) and their percentage changes of NS during 1990–2019 were collected from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study. Globally, the incident cases of NS increased by 12.79% (from 5.59 million in 1990 to 6.31 million in 2019), and the deaths decreased by 12.93% (from 0.26 million in 1990 to 0.23 million in 2019). In the globe, the ASIR of NS per 100,000 population increased by 14.35% (from 85.21 in 1990 to 97.43 in 2019), and the ASMR decreased by 11.91% (from 3.97 in 1990 to 3.5 in 2019). Conclusion: Increasing trends in incidence and decreasing trends in mortality of NS were observed worldwide from 1990 to 2019. More robust epidemiological research and effective health strategies are urgently needed to reduce the disease burden of neonatal sepsis worldwide. What is Known: • Neonatal sepsis has significant impacts on neonatal health, but estimates on the global burden and trends of neonatal sepsis are scarce and existing findings vary considerably. What is New: • Globally, there were 6.31 million incident cases of neonatal sepsis and 0.23 million deaths due to neonatal sepsis. • Increasing trends in incidence and decreasing trends in mortality of neonatal sepsis were observed worldwide from 1990 to 2019, with the highest absolute burden in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technique has been greatly improved in both scientific studies and engineering applications as more and more InSAR observations become available. However, the long-term and dynamic deformation analysis would be more challenging for ordinary users due to the so big volume of InSAR data. In this paper, we proposed a method, termed as SeaInSAR, which introduces the rationale of sequential adjustment (Sea) algorithm to dynamically estimate the surface deformations with wrapped interferometric phase. The proposed method focuses on the arcs of adjacent coherent points in the short-baseline interferograms to avoid the time-consuming and error-prone phase-unwrapping procedure. When dynamically monitoring the temporal deformations with respect to the area of interest, the Sea algorithm, based on the previous result together with newly observed data, can accelerate the procedure of estimating deformation parameters. Furthermore, by only involving the partial previous deformation time series result rather than all the result, the efficiency of the SeaInSAR method can be significantly improved without any compromise of the accuracy. The Sea algorithm is also used to realize the dynamic estimation of a fading signal in the multi-looked or filtered interferograms. This signal is induced by the temporally varying surface moisture and can bias the deformations when only short temporal-baseline interferograms are used. Its dynamic estimation benefits the high-accuracy and high-efficiency deformation monitoring in the era of big InSAR data. Simulated and real data experiments are conducted in this paper, demonstrating that the proposed SeaInSAR method can improve the computational efficiency by more than 20 times compared with the classical static method. With the availability of more and more SAR data as well as the increasing demand of InSAR engineering applications, the proposed SeaInSAR method has a great potential in the InSAR post-processing procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A plasmonic refractive index sensor based on metal–insulator–metal (MIM) waveguide coupled with concentric ring and disk resonator (CRDR) is proposed in this work. The plasmonic refractive index sensor with a sensitivity of 1039 nm/RIU and a high figure of merit (FOM) of 401 in the near-infrared region is numerically investigated using a finite element method (FEM). The physical mechanism of high Q factor of the mode of CRDR can be explained by the coupled mode theory. The structural parameters of the plasmonic sensor are also discussed. The structural parameters can be changed to adjust the sensor properties. Furthermore, the application of proposed plasmonic sensor in bio-sensing is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates whether state-owned enterprise (SOE) wage premium exists in China. Our contribution is empirical and twofold. First, previous studies commonly use conventional methods, including OLS and fixed effects model, to identify SOE wage premium. It is unclear if the assumptions of these methods are met and if the evidence from these methods is subject to selection bias. In this paper, we use alternative methods to account for selection bias. The first method explores restrictions on a factor model of unobservables to identify the premium. The second method is the minimum-bias (MB) approach of Millimet and Tchernis (J Appl Econ 28:982–1017, 2013). These methods do not rely on the conventional identification assumptions and thus provide a robust check on evidence obtained from conventional methods. Our results show that significant SOE premium exists, that OLS underestimates the premium in early periods and overestimates it in recent periods, and that fixed effects method underestimates the premium. Second, we utilize data that cover a longer period than studied by previous research and thus provide estimates of the SOE wage premium for an extended period. Our results show that the premium averages at 13% in 1990–1995, 9% in 2002–2007, and 10% in 2009–2017. Our results also show considerable variation in SOE wage premium over time, between industrial sectors and between rural–urban migrant and urban local workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sambucus javanica Blume is a Chinese native medicinal plant with high medicinal value. In this study, the MaxEnt model was used to explore the relationship between the geographical distribution of S. javanica and environmental factors, and to construct the distribution pattern of S. javanica under different climate scenarios. The results showed that the environmental conditions suitable for the distribution of S. javanica were as follows: precipitation in June ranged from 156.36 to 383.25 mm; solar radiation in December ranged from 6750.00 to 10,521.00 kJm−2day−1; isothermality ranged from 24.06 to 35.50; precipitation of warmest quarter ranged from 447.92 to 825.00 mm. Among them, precipitation and temperature were the key environmental factors affecting the distribution patterns of S. javanica. This plant could grow well mainly in two regions in China, covering a total area of 2.73 × 106 km2. The first region mainly consists of Guizhou, western Hubei, southeastern Chongqing, southwestern Hunan, northern Guangxi, and a small part of eastern Yunnan. The second region mainly consists of Zhejiang, southern Anhui, and northern Fujian. Under the future SSP126 and SSP585 scenarios, potentially suitable habitats in the eastern part of the potential distribution of S. javanica (Jiangxi, Fujian, Zhejiang, and Anhui) might be at risk of habitat fragmentation. Future climate change might have little effect on the distribution areas of S. javanica. But its suitable distribution has a tendency shift to higher altitude areas. Based on the result of this study, real-time monitoring of wild groups of S. javanica is now recommended to protect its genetic diversity. These findings are supposed to promote the effective conservation and utilization of S. javanica in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing amount of experimental evidence has proven that the application of gold nanorods (AuNRs) in photodynamic therapy (PDT) can significantly enhance its therapeutic efficacy. The aim of this study was to establish a protocol for investigating the effect of gold nanorods loaded with the photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6) on photodynamic therapy in the OVCAR3 human ovarian cancer cell line in vitro and to determine whether the PDT effect was different from that of Ce6 alone. OVCAR3 cells were randomly divided into three groups: the control group, Ce6-PDT group, and AuNRs@SiO2@Ce6-PDT group. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured by a fluorescence microplate reader. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. The expression of apoptotic proteins was detected by immunofluorescence and western blotting. The results showed that compared with that of the Ce6-PDT group, the cell viability of the AuNRs@SiO2@Ce6-PDT group was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in a dose-dependent manner, and ROS production increased significantly (P < 0.05). The flow cytometry results showed that the proportion of apoptotic cells in the AuNRs@SiO2@Ce6-PDT group was significantly higher than that in the Ce6-PDT group (P < 0.05). Immunofluorescence and western blot results showed that the protein expression levels of cleaved caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3, cleaved PARP, and Bax in the AuNRs@SiO2@Ce6-PDT-treated-OVCAR3 cells were higher than those in the Ce6-PDT-treated cells (P < 0.05), and the protein expression levels of caspase-3, caspase-9, PARP, and Bcl-2 were slightly lower than those in the Ce6-PDT group (P < 0.05). In summary, our results show that AuNRs@SiO2@Ce6-PDT has a significantly stronger effect on OVCAR3 cells than the effect of Ce6-PDT alone. The mechanism may be related to the expression of Bcl-2 family and caspase family in the mitochondrial pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reverse electrodialysis (RED), based on ion-selective membranes, is one of the most promising technologies for capturing osmotic energy. As key elements of the RED system, ion-selective membranes must meet the crucial demands of mechanical stability, anti-fouling characteristics, easy fabrication, and high power density; however, this still remains a challenge. In this study, we demonstrated a large-scale, mechanically stable, and high-porosity membrane obtained by combining carbon nanomaterials and hyperbranched polyethyleneimine (h-PEI), thereby achieving a high power density of 5.0 W·m−2 with seawater and river water. Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were subsequently bridged with graphene and h-PEI to strengthen the interaction between the CNFs, reduce the channel size and increase the space charge density, mechanical strength, and toughness. The large-scale and mechanically stable membrane fabricated using the modified CNFs exhibited anion selectivity and high ionic conductivity, thereby achieving a high-performance osmotic energy conversion. Furthermore, the anti-fouling property of the membrane was confirmed by the stability of the osmotic energy conversion in a solution with algae, which can be attributed to the high porosity of carbon nanomaterials. This economic and convenient method for the ion-selective membrane preparation is believed to be promising for large-scale osmotic energy harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are two major diseases in the nervous system with a similar peak age of onset, which has the typical characteristics of high cost, difficult treatment, and poor prognosis. Epidemiological studies and a few molecular biological studies have hinted at an opposite relationship between AD and GBM. However, there are few studies on their reverse relationship, and the regulatory mechanism is still unclear, indicating that further systematic research is urgently needed. Our study firstly employs advanced bioinformatics methods to explore the inverse relationship between them and find various target drugs. We obtained the gene expression dataset from public databases (GEO, TCGA, and GTEx). Then, we identified 122 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of AD and GBM. Four significant gene modules were identified through protein-protein interaction (PPI) and module construction, and 13 hub genes were found using cytoHubba. We constructed co-expression networks and found various target drugs through these hub genes. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the AMPK pathway, cell cycle, and cellular senescence play important roles in AD and GBM. Our study may provide a potential direction for studying the opposite molecular mechanism of AD and GBM in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ischemia and reperfusion injury (IRI) is an ineluctable immune-related pathophysiological process during organ transplantation, which not only causes a shortage of donor organs, but also has long-term and short-term negative consequences on patients. Severe IRI-induced cell death leads to the release of endogenous substances, which bind specifically to receptors on immune cells to initiate an immune response. Although innate and adaptive immunity have been discovered to play essential roles in IRI in the context of organ transplantation, the pathway and precise involvement of the immune response at various stages has not yet to be elucidated. Methods: We combined "IRI" and "organ transplantation" with keywords, respectively such as immune cells, danger signal molecules, macrophages, neutrophils, natural killer cells, complement cascade, T cells or B cells in PubMed and the Web of Science to search for relevant literatures. Conclusion: Comprehension of the immune mechanisms involved in organ transplantation is promising for the treatment of IRI, this review summarizes the similarities and differences in both innate and adaptive immunity and advancements in the immune response associated with IRI during diverse organ transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an electrodynamic levitation gravity compensation system based on a new type of annular Halbach array permanent magnet is proposed. The magnetic levitation force model is established using the equivalent expansion method, and the reliability of the model is verified by comparing the results of numerical calculation and simulation analysis. Through magnetic field simulation experiments, the effects of rotating speed and air gap on magnetic levitation force and eddy current loss are analyzed. The control model of the electric magnetic levitation system considering the vertical speed is investigated, and the hybrid control method of force and position is used to realize the stable magnetic levitation control. Finally, an experimental platform is built to verify the feasibility of the electric magnetic levitation system. The results show that the magnetic levitation force can be improved and the eddy current loss can be reduced by setting the rotating speed and air gap reasonably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser oscillating welding was employed to fabricate Al-Si coated press-hardened steel (PHS) to improve the element homogeneity in the fusion zone. Laser oscillating welding was employed with various oscillation amplitudes (0 mm, 0.5 mm and 1.3 mm) in this present. Ni foil of 0.06 mm thickness was used as an interlayer between two tailored PHS welded. The weld morphology, elemental profile, microstructure and tensile strength of welded joints were studied. The results showed that full penetration weld without any weld defects were achieved for any oscillation amplitudes, and weld width increased with increasing oscillation amplitudes. With the oscillation amplitudes increased, Ni and Al had an uneven elemental profile due to strong stirring force, but the Ni and Al content in the weld was decreased and Ni had a sharp descent compared to Al element. Only few δ-ferrite was presented in fusion line with the oscillation amplitudes increased to 1.3 mm. The oscillation amplitudes did not have an effect on the tensile properties, which was similar to that of base metal. But if keeping increasing the oscillation amplitudes or reducing the thickness of Ni interlayer, it has a potential risk to form more and more δ ferrite such that deteriorate the mechnical properties of welded joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interests in evaluation of the effect of air pollution and weather conditions on cardiovascular disease have increased. However, the relationship between short-term particulate matter (PM) exposure and first incident ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains unclear. Medical records were collected from December 2013 to December 2016. A total of 1354 patients with first incident STEMI were included. The daily average of air pollution and weather conditions were calculated. In this case-crossover study, conditional logistic regression was performed to assess the association between daily concentrations of PM and first incident STEMI. The daily average of PM2.5 and PM10 were 58.9 μg/m3 and 80.2 μg/m3, respectively. In this case-crossover study, single-pollutant models showed that each 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was associated with a percent change of 3.36, 95% confidence interval (CI): (1.01–5.77), or in PM10 percent change of 2.1%, 95%CI: (0.2–4.04) for patients with first incident STEMI. The association remained stable after adjusting for ozone (O3). The results from subgroup analysis showed the association slightly enhanced in women, elder patients, patients with history of diabetes, patients without history of smoking, and cold seasons. The p values were not significant between these strata, which may be due to small sample size. This investigation showed that short-term PM exposure associated with first incident STEMI in Suzhou. Given the effect of PM on the first incident STEMI, strategies to decrease PM should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress can negatively impact crop yield and quality. Improving wheat yields under drought stress is a major objective of agronomic research. Glutamine synthetase (GS) is a key enzyme of nitrogen metabolism that is critical to plant growth and development in abiotic stress response. However, to date, no systemic characterization of the GS genes has yet been conducted in wheat and its close relatives. We identified a total of 15 GS genes in Triticum aestivum (2n = 6x = 42; AABBDD), as well as 9 GS genes in Triticum dicoccoides (2n = 4x = 28; AABB), 6 in Aegilops tauschii (2n = 2x = 14; DD), and 5 in Triticum urartu (2n = 2x = 14; AA). The 35 GSs were further clustered into five lineages according to the phylogenetic tree. Synteny analysis revealed that the three subgenomes in bread wheat retained extensive synteny between bread wheat and its three relative species. We identified three up-regulated TaGSs (Ta4A.GSe, Ta4B.GSe, and Ta4D.GSe) from transcriptome data after drought and salt stress. Ta4D.GSe was subsequently used for further functional studies, and its subcellular localization were determined in Arabidopsis protoplasts. Its overexpression in Arabidopsis enhanced drought tolerance by increasing the ability of scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and osmotic adjustment. We identified GS gene family in four wheat species and performed comparative analyses of their relationships, chromosome locations, conserved motif, gene structure, and synteny. The subcellular localization of Ta4D.GSe was detected and its drought tolerance function was demonstrated. Taken together, these findings provide insight into the potential functional roles of the GS genes in abiotic stress tolerance. Key message: This report clearly shows detailed characterization of GS gene family in four wheat species and demonstrates that Ta4D.GSe plays an important role in enhancing drought tolerance by improving the scavenging of ROS and osmotic adjustment ability in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental divorce has been extensively documented as a risk factor for adolescent psychosocial functions. However, recent empirical findings argue that adolescents following parental divorce are not disadvantaged, indicating that adolescents' reactions to parental divorce may vary substantially. Given these mixed findings in the existing literature, the current study uses a person-centered approach to explore psychosocial adjustment profiles in Chinese adolescents and compare these emerging profiles between adolescents from divorced and intact families. Likewise, this study investigates the direct and interactive effects of paternal attachment, maternal attachment, adolescent's gender, and family structure (divorced vs. intact) on these emerging profiles. A total of 681 adolescents aged 13 to 18 years old (Mage = 15.64; SD = 1.59) were involved in this study. Of these adolescents, 237 adolescents (59% girls) were from divorced families, and 444 adolescents (66% girls) were from intact families. The results of a latent profile analysis showed four empirically driven adjustment profiles: severely maladaptive, slightly maladaptive, indifferent, and adaptive. Adolescents from divorced families exhibited a higher proportion of the severely maladaptive profile and a lower percentage of the adaptive profile than those from intact families. Moreover, the results of a multinomial logistic regression exhibited that parental divorce enhanced the probability of being members of the maladaptive profile (vs. the adaptive profile) for boys. In addition, girls from divorced families with secure maternal attachment were more likely to be members of the adaptive profile (vs. the slightly maladaptive). The current findings indicate that Chinese adolescents following parental divorce exhibit a maladaptive pattern of psychosocial functions, and this maladjustment pattern is particularly heightened for boys. Secure maternal attachment significantly contributes to girls' (but not boys') post-divorce adaptive functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing vulnerability to natural hazards is at the heart of hazard risk reduction. However, many countries such as Australia lack measuring systems to quantity vulnerability for hazard risk evaluation. Drawing on 41 indicators from multiple data sources at the finest spatial unit of the Australian census, we re-forged the Cutter's classic vulnerability measuring framework by involving the '4D' quantification of built environment (diversity, design, density and distance), and constructed the first nationwide fine-grained measures of vulnerability for urban and rural locales, respectively. Our measures of vulnerability include five themes—(1) socioeconomic status; (2) demographics and disability; (3) minority and languages; (4) housing characteristics; and (5) built environment—that were further used to assess the inequality of vulnerability to three widely affected natural hazards in Australia (wildfires, floods, and earthquakes). We found the inequality of vulnerability in the affected areas of the three hazards in eight capital cities are more significant than that of their rural counterparts. The most vulnerable areas in capital cities were peri-urban locales which must be prioritised for hazard adaptation. Our findings contribute to the risk profiling and sustainable urban–rural development in Australia, and the broad understanding of place-based risk reduction in South Hemisphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop diseases are among the major natural disasters in agricultural production that seriously restrict the growth and development of crops, threatening food security. Timely classification, accurate identification, and the application of methods suitable for the situation can effectively prevent and control crop diseases, improving the quality of agricultural products. Considering the huge variety of crops, diseases, and differences in the characteristics of diseases during each stage, the current convolutional neural network models based on deep learning need to meet the higher requirement of classifying crop diseases accurately. It is necessary to introduce a new architecture scheme to improve the recognition effect. Therefore, in this study, we optimized the deep learning-based classification model for multiple crop leaf diseases using combined transfer learning and the attention mechanism, the modified model was deployed in the smartphone for testing. Dataset that containing 10 types of crops, 61 types of diseases, and different degrees was established, the algorithm structure based on ResNet50 was designed using transfer learning and the SE attention mechanism. The classification performances of different improvement methods were compared by model training. Result indicates that the average accuracy of the proposed TL-SE-ResNet50 model is increased by 7.7%, reaching 96.32%. The model was also integrated and implemented in the smartphone and the test result of the application reaches 94.8%, and the average response time is 882 ms. The improved model proposed has a good effect on the identification of diseases and their condition of multiple crops, and the application can meet the portable usage needs of farmers. This study can provide reference for more crop disease management research in agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the chemo-mechanical influence of injected CO2 on the Morrow B sandstone reservoir and the upper Morrow shale caprock utilizing data from the inverted 5-spot pattern centered on Well 13-10A within the Farnsworth unit (FWU). This study also seeks to evaluate the integrity of the caprock and the long-term CO2 storage capability of the FWU. The inverted 5-spot pattern was extracted from the field-scale model and tuned with the available field observed data before the modeling work. Two coupled numerical simulation models were utilized to continue the study. First, a coupled hydro-geochemical model was constructed to simulate the dissolution and precipitation of formation minerals by modeling three intra-aqueous and six mineral reactions. In addition, a coupled hydro-geomechanical model was constructed and employed to study the effects of stress changes on the caprock's porosity, permeability, and ground displacement. The Mohr–Coulomb circle and failure envelope were used to determine caprock failure. In this work, the CO2-WAG injection is followed by the historical field-observed strategy. During the forecasting period, a Water Alternating Gas (WAG) injection ratio of 1:3 was utilized with a baseline bottom-hole pressure constraint of 5500 psi for 20 years. A post-injection period of 1000 years was simulated to monitor the CO2 plume and its effects on the CO2 storage reservoir and caprock integrity. The simulation results indicated that the impacts of the geochemical reactions on the porosity of the caprock were insignificant as it experienced a decrease of about 0.0003% at the end of the 1000-year post-injection monitoring. On the other hand, the maximum stress-induced porosity change was about a 1.4% increase, resulting in about 4% in permeability change. It was estimated that about 3.3% of the sequestered CO2 in the formation interacted with the caprock. Despite these petrophysical property alterations and CO2 interactions in the caprock, the caprock still maintained its elastic properties and was determined to be far from its failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Music therapy can improve mood in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, live music (LM) delivered by professional music therapists is not common in developing countries owing to the shortage of professional music therapists. Thus, in this study, we explored the effects of a multidisciplinary collaborative intervention based on LM on physical and psychological well-being of adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients undergoing HSCT with a quasi-experimental design.Methods: A total of 62 AYA patients agreed to participate and were randomly assigned to the intervention group receiving 4-week LM therapy (n = 31) or control group receiving usual care (n = 31). Depression, salivary cortisol, fatigue, and quality of life were the main outcome indicators measured at baseline, immediately after the intervention, 1 month, and 3 months follow-up. The intervention effects were analyzed by generalized estimating equations.Results: Significant decrease in HADS-D scores occurred in the intervention group compared with wait-list controls at immediately after intervention (p < 0.05). Participants in the LM group had greater improvement in quality of life and lower salivary cortisol level than those in the wait-list control group at immediately, 1 month, and 3 months after intervention (p < 0.05). However, the interaction effects of the BFI scores were not significant.Conclusions: LM therapy significantly alleviated depression and salivary cortisol levels as well as improved quality of life of AYA patients undergoing HSCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trust in automation plays a leading role in human-automation interaction. As there lack of scales measuring trust in automation in China, the purpose of this study was to adapt the trust between People and Automation Scale (TPAS) into Chinese and to demonstrate its psychometric properties among Chinese adults. A total of 310 Chinese adults were randomly selected as sample 1, and 508 Chinese adults as sample 2. Results of the item analysis revealed that each item had a good quality, and the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) suggested that the two-factor model with 12 items was the best fitting model. In addition, the TPAS was positively correlated with Interpersonal Trust Scale (ITS), proving good evidence based on relations to other variables to support the TPAS. In sum, the study suggested that the Chinese version of the TPAS could be used as an effective tool to assess trust in automation in the Chinese context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]