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In addition to selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) which are available to remove NOx from flue gas, oxidation method is receiving more and more attention because this method makes it possible to remove NOx and SO2 from flue gas simultaneously by wet scrubbing. O3 as a strong oxidant has a high oxidation capacity and it can oxide NO to N2O5 which has a higher water solubility compared with NO2. However, it needs a long reaction time and the escape of unreacted ozone may cause secondary pollution. In this study, FeMnCo/Al2O3 catalyst and FeMnCe/Al2O3 catalyst were prepared and applied to enhance the deep oxidation of NOx with ozone and reduce O3 slip. Effects of various operating parameters such as O3/NO ratio, gas residence time, and operating temperature were evaluated, and the results demonstrate that N2O5 began to generate when O3/NO ratio was higher than 1.0 and increased with increasing O3/NO ratio. Little residual O3 was formed in the presence of catalyst, while 350 ppm O3 was measured at the outlet gas when O3/NO ratio was controlled at 2.0. The N2O5 conversion efficiency increased with increasing gas residence time and operating temperature, and the highest N2O5 conversion efficiency was achieved at 100°C. Furthermore, the conversion efficiency remained around 90% during 20 h operation over FeMnCe/Al2O3 catalyst with an O3/NO ratio of 1.73, a gas residence time of 1.2 s, and a temperature of 100°C. On the other hand, the N2O5 conversion efficiency remained around 80% during 3 h operation over FeMnCo/Al2O3 catalyst. Overall, FeMnCe/Al2O3 catalyst reveals good potential for deep oxidation of NO by O3 and can be further developed as a viable catalyst for reducing NO emission from industries.Implications: In this study, FeMnCo/Al2O3 catalyst and FeMnCe/Al2O3 catalyst were applied to enhance the deep oxidation of NO into N2O5 with O3. The catalysts can improve the conversion of NO into N2O5, shorten the reaction time and reduce the unreacted O3 slip, which are beneficial to reduce the size of the reactor required and cost of APCDs (air pollution control devices) in practical application. This method can make it possible to simultaneously remove NOx and SO2 from flue gas by wet scrubbing for reducing NO emissions from industries, especially small and medium scaled industries, to meet increasingly stringent emission standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical thrombectomy has emerged as a promising treatment for acute ischemic stroke caused by large vessel occlusion. However, cases involving cancerous emboli retrieved during endovascular embolectomy are rare. We present a case of a 65-year-old man with a history of heavily treated rectal cancer, who developed a middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction due to metastatic adenocarcinoma. The patient presented with sudden onset right-side weakness, right facial palsy, global aphasia, and left gaze deviation, with a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of 16. Following intravenous thrombolysis, endovascular thrombectomy was performed, achieving nearly complete recanalization. Pathological examination of the retrieved thrombus revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma of rectal origin. The patient's neurological deficits gradually improved, and he was successfully discharged to undergo further palliative therapy. This case underscores the importance of considering mechanical thrombectomy for patients with advanced solid organ malignancy presenting with acute ischemic stroke, even when the etiology could be a tumor embolus. Our findings highlight the potential for mechanical thrombectomy to restore neurological function in such cases, allowing patients to proceed to the next level of care with a reasonably good post-stroke quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal contaminants have serious consequences for the environment and human health. Consequently, effective methods for detecting their presence, particularly in water and food, are urgently required. Accordingly, the present study proposes a sensor capable of detecting mercury Hg(II) and lead Pb(II) ions simultaneously, using graphene oxide (GO) as a quenching agent and an aptamer solution as a reagent. In the proposed device, the aptamer sequences are labeled by FAM and HEX fluorescent dyes, respectively, and are mixed well with 500 ppm GO solution before injection into one inlet of the microchannel, and the heavy metal sample solution is injected into another inlet. The presence of Hg(II) and Pb(II) ions is then detected by measuring the change in the fluorescence intensity of the GO/aptamer suspension as the aptamer molecules undergo fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). The selectivity of these two ions is also shown to be clear among other mixed heavy metal ions. The experimental results show that the aptamer sensors have a linear range of 10~250 nM (i.e., 2.0~50 ppb) for Hg(II) ions and 10~100 nM (i.e., 2.1~20.7 ppb) for Pb(II) ions. Furthermore, the limit of detection is around 0.70 ppb and 0.53 ppb for Hg(II) and Pb(II), respectively, which is lower than the maximum limits of 6 ppb and 10 ppb prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for Hg(II) and Pb(II) in drinking water, respectively.

Abstract Background Naringenin (Nar), a common dietary flavonoid abundantly present in fruits, vegetables, and Chinese herbs, is believed to possess strong anti-inflammatory properties and to modulate hepatic apolipoprotein and lipid synthesis. However, there are no reports describing Nar’s effects on the hepatitis B virus protein X (HBx) -induced hepatic steatosis, and the detailed molecular mechanisms of the compound’s effects are still unclear. Methods Nar was administered by oral gavage to HBx-transgenic mice from 4 to 6 weeks of age. Mice were sacrificed after 14 days of once-daily naringenin administration. Liver tissues and sera were collected for histopathology and biochemical analysis. Results Nar counteracted hepatic lipid accumulation and liver dysfunction in HBx-transgenic mice. In addition, Nar significantly decreased expression of adipogenic and lipogenic genes in mice, suggesting that the compound may have therapeutic effects in the early stages of HBx-mediated hepatic steatosis. These results indicated that naringenin inhibits HBx-induced expression of hepatic adipogenic and lipogenic genes through suppression of HBx-induced gene expression, including decreases in the transcriptional activity of SREBP1c, LXRα, and PPARγ in HBx-trangenic mice and HBx-transfected HepG2 cells. Conclusions Results from this study suggested that Nar may serve as a therapeutic agent for preventing HBx-infected hepatic steatosis in humans.

We propose a simple method to design a wave trapping mechanism, referred to as an elastic open cavity, for shear horizontal waves using the concept of metasurfaces. Conventional open cavity designs have utilized bulk metamaterial media with negative refractive indices at certain frequencies. Here, we show that wave trapping can be attained depending on the incident angle with a suitable design and arrangement of several metasurfaces. This design strategy can be applied to waves with various incident angles and frequencies. We show that the incident angles and the number of metasurfaces are closely related. In addition, connections between the characteristic length of the metasurfaces and the resonance frequency are discussed. As an illustration, we theoretically derive the wave fields for an elastic open cavity with six metasurfaces. Numerical simulations based on the finite element calculations are performed to verify the correctness and consistency of the theory. Instead of using reflecting walls to localize energy, this wave trapping mechanism stores mechanical energy via constructive interference by guiding wave fronts that travel around closed contours. The demonstration of this concept could be a potential guide to design new energy harvesting devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robotic-exoskeleton-assisted gait rehabilitation improves lower limb strength and functions in post-stroke patients. However, the predicting factors of significant improvement are unclear. We recruited 38 post-stroke hemiparetic patients whose stroke onsets were <6 months. They were randomly assigned to two groups: a control group receiving a regular rehabilitation program, and an experimental group receiving in addition a robotic exoskeletal rehabilitation component. After 4 weeks of training, both groups showed significant improvement in the strength and functions of their lower limbs, as well as health-related quality of life. However, the experimental group showed significantly better improvement in the following aspects: knee flexion torque at 60°/s, 6 min walk test distance, and the mental subdomain and the total score on a 12-item Short Form Survey (SF-12). Further logistic regression analyses showed that robotic training was the best predictor of a greater improvement in both the 6 min walk test and the total score on the SF-12. In conclusion, robotic-exoskeleton-assisted gait rehabilitation improved lower limb strength, motor performance, walking speed, and quality of life in these stroke patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic surgery has become the standard for treating appendicitis. The cosmetic benefits of using single-incision laparoscopy are well known, but its duration, complications and time to recovery have not been well documented. We compared 2 laparoscopic approaches for treating appendicitis and evaluated postoperative pain, complications and time to full recovery. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the cases of consecutive patients with appendicitis and compared those who underwent conventional laparoscopic appendectomy (CLA) performed using 3 incisions and those who underwent single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy (SILA). During SILA, the single port was prepared to increase visibility of the operative site. Results: Our analysis included 688 consecutive patients: 618 who underwent CLA and 70 who underwent SILA. Postsurgical complications occurred more frequently in the CLA than the SILA group (18.1% v. 7.1%, p = 0.018). Patients who underwent SILA returned to oral feeding sooner than those who underwent CLA (median 12 h v. 22 h, p < 0.001). These between-group differences remained significant after controlling for other factors. Direct comparison of only nonperforated cases, which was determined by pathological examination, revealed that SILA was significantly longer than CLA (60 min v. 50 min, p < 0.001). Patients who underwent SILA had longer in-hospital stays than those who underwent CLA (72 v. 55 h, p < 0.001); however, they had significantly fewer complications (3.0% v. 14.4%, p = 0.006). Conclusion: In addition to its cosmetic advantages, SILA led to rapid recovery and no increase in postsurgical pain or complications. Contexte : La chirurgie laparoscopique est devenue la norme pour le traitement de l'appendicite. Les avantages de la laparoscopie a simple incision au plan esthetique sont bien connus, mais la duree de l'intervention, ses complications et le temps de recuperation n'ont pas ete adequatement documentes. Nous avons compare 2 approches laparoscopiques pour le traitement de l'appendicite et evalue la douleur et les complications postoperatoires, de meme que le temps de recuperation complete. Methodes : Nous avons passe en revue de maniere retrospective les dossiers de patients consecutifs atteints d'appendicite et compare ceux qui ont subi une appendicectomie laparoscopique classique (ALC) a 3 incisions a ceux qui ont subi une appendicectomie laparoscopique a simple incision (ALSI). Durant l'ALSI, l'incision etait preparee de maniere a ameliorer la visibilite du champ operatoire. Resultats : Notre analyse a inclus 688 patients consecutifs : 618 qui ont subi une ALC et 70, une ALSI. Les complications postoperatoires ont ete plus nombreuses dans le groupe soumis a l'ALC qu'a l'ALSI (18,1 % c. 7,1 %, p = 0,018). Les patients soumis a l'ALSI ont repris l'alimentation orale plus rapidement que ceux qui avaient subi une ALC (temps median 12 h c. 22 h, p < 0,001). Ces differences entre les groupes sont demeurees significatives apres incorporation d'autres facteurs. La comparaison directe des cas non perfores seulement, reveles par l'examen anatomopathologique, a revele que l'ALSI a demande significativement plus de temps que l'ALC (60 min c. 50 min, p < 0,001). Les patients soumis a l'ALSI ont sejourne plus longtemps a l'hopital que les patients soumis a l'ALC (72 h c. 55 h, p < 0,001); toutefois, ils ont presente significativement moins de complications (3,0 % c. 14,4 %, p = 0,006). Conclusion : En plus de ses avantages au plan esthetique, l'ALSI a permis une recuperation rapide, sans accroissement de la douleur ou des complications postoperatoires., The benefits of laparoscopic surgery compared with conventional abdominal surgery have been demonstrated, including reduced postoperative pain and morbidity, shorter hospital stays and shorter recovery time for various abdominal surgeries. [...]

Motor-based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) were developed from the brain signals during motor imagery (MI), motor preparation (MP), and motor execution (ME). Motor-based BCIs provide an active rehabilitation scheme for post-stroke patients. However, BCI based solely on MP was rarely investigated. Since MP is the precedence phase before MI or ME, MP-BCI could potentially detect brain commands at an earlier state. This study proposes a bipedal MP-BCI system, which is actuated by the reduction in frontoparietal connectivity strength. Three substudies, including bipedal classification, neurofeedback, and post-stroke analysis, were performed to validate the performance of our proposed model. In bipedal classification, functional connectivity was extracted by Pearson’s correlation model from electroencephalogram (EEG) signals recorded while the subjects were performing MP and MI. The binary classification of MP achieved short-lived peak accuracy of 73.73(±7.99)% around 200-400 ms post-cue. The peak accuracy was found synchronized to the MP-related potential and the decrement in frontoparietal connection strength. The connection strengths of the right frontal and left parietal lobes in the alpha range were found negatively correlated to the classification accuracy. In the subjective neurofeedback study, the majority of subjects reported that motor preparation instead of the motor imagery activated the frontoparietal dysconnection. Post-stroke study also showed that patients exhibit lower frontoparietal connections compared to healthy subjects during both MP and ME phases. These findings suggest that MP reduced alpha band functional frontoparietal connectivity and the EEG signatures of left and right foot MP could be discriminated more effectively during this phase. A neurofeedback paradigm based on the frontoparietal network could also be utilized to evaluate post-stroke rehabilitation training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE2) is a component of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) that negatively regulates angiotensin II (Ang II). Ang II, in turn, affects the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) to induce heart remodeling. The specific mechanisms by which ACE2 regulates MMP-2, however, remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the regulatory relationships between Ang II, ACE2, and MMP-2. ACE2 expression was upregulated and downregulated in human cardiofibroblasts (HCFs) by lentiviral infection. Effects on MMP-2 activity, shed ACE2 activity, extracellular signalregulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway, and ADAM metallopeptidase domain 17 (ADAM17) expression were assessed. ACE2 increased MMP-2 activity, and Ang II inhibited this effect through the Ang II type-1 receptor (AT1R) and ERK1/2 signaling pathway. Ang II also reduced the effect of ACE2 on ERK1/2 levels, the activity of shed ACE2, and adam17 expression in HCFs. Additionally, these Ang II-mediated reductions could be attenuated by AT1R antagonist valsartan. In conclusion, these data help to clarify how ACE2 and Ang II interact to regulate MMP-2 and control tissue remodeling in heart disease. Key words: angiotensin II, angiotensin-converting enzyme II, matrix metalloproteinases-2, human cardiofibroblasts. L'enzyme de conversion de l'angiotensine II (ECA2) est une composante du systeme renine-angiotensine (SRA) qui regule negativement l'angiotensine II (Ang II). L'Ang II, elle, affecte l'expression des metalloproteases de la matrice (MMP) pour induire un remodelage cardiaque. Les mecanismes specifiques par lesquels l'ECA2 regule la MMP-2 demeurent cependant flous. Le but de cette etude etait d'examiner les relations regulatrices entre l'Ang II, l'ECA2 et la MMP-2. L'expression d'ECA2 a ete regulee a la hausse ou a la baisse par une infection lentivirale chez les fibroblastes cardiaques humains (FCH). Les effets sur l'activite de MMP-2, l'activite proteolytique d'ECA2, la voie signaletique de la kinase ERK et l'expression de ADAM17 ont ete evalues. L'ECA2 stimulait l'activite de la MMP-2, et l'Ang II inhibait cet effet par l'intermediaire du recepteur de l'Ang II de type 1 (AT1R) et de la voie signaletique de ERK1/2. L'Ang II reduisait aussi l'effet de l'ECA2 sur les niveaux de ERK1/2, l'activite proteolytique d'ECA2 et l'expression d'adam17 chez les FCH. De plus, ces reductions provoquees par l'Ang II pouvaient etre attenuees par le valsartan, un antagoniste du AT1R. En conclusion, ces donnees contribuent a clarifier comment l'ECA2 et l'Ang II interagissent pour reguler la MMP-2 et controler le remodelage tissulaire lors de maladies cardiaques. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : angiotensine II, enzyme de conversion de l'angiotensine II, metalloprotease de la matrice-2, fibroblastes cardiaques humains., Introduction Angiotensin II (Ang II) is a main regulator of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and functions to repair and remodel tissues by stimulating inflammation, cell growth, apoptosis, fibrogenesis, and differentiation (Ruiz-Ortega [...]

This study presents a long-term vital signs sensing gown consisting of two components: a miniaturized monitoring device and an intelligent computation platform. Vital signs are signs that indicate the functional state of the human body. The general physical health of a person can be assessed by monitoring vital signs, which typically include blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate, and respiration rate. The miniaturized monitoring device is composed of a compact circuit which can acquire two kinds of physiological signals including bioelectrical potentials and skin surface temperature. These two signals were pre-processed in the circuit and transmitted to the intelligent computation platform for further analysis using three algorithms, which incorporate R-wave detection, ECG-derived respiration, and core body temperature estimation. After the processing, the derived vital signs would be displayed on a portable device screen, including ECG signals, heart rate (HR), respiration rate (RR), and core body temperature. An experiment for validating the performance of the intelligent computation platform was conducted in clinical practices. Thirty-one participants were recruited in the study (ten healthy participants and twenty-one clinical patients). The results showed that the relative error of HR is lower than 1.41%, RR is lower than 5.52%, and the bias of core body temperature is lower than 0.04 °C in both healthy participant and clinical patient trials. In this study, a miniaturized monitoring device and three algorithms which derive vital signs including HR, RR, and core body temperature were integrated for developing the vital signs sensing gown. The proposed sensing gown outperformed the commonly used equipment in terms of usability and price in clinical practices. Employing algorithms for estimating vital signs is a continuous and non-invasive approach, and it could be a novel and potential device for home-caring and clinical monitoring, especially during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drivers' fatigue contributes to traffic accidents, so drivers must maintain adequate alertness. The effectiveness of audio alarms in maintaining driving performance and characteristics of alarms was studied in a virtural reality-based driving environment. Response time to the car's drifting was measured under seven conditions: with no warnings and with continuous warning tones (500 Hz, 1750 Hz, and 3000 Hz), and with tone bursts at 500 Hz, 1750 Hz, and 3000 Hz. Analyses showed the audio warning signals significantly improved driving. Further, the tones' spectral characteristics significantly influenced the effectiveness of the warning.

Objectives: This study investigated the discriminative validity of various single or combined measurements of electroencephalogram (EEG) data, Conners' Kiddie Continuous Performance Test (K-CPT), and Disruptive Behavior Disorder Rating Scale (DBDRS) to differentiate preschool children with ADHD from those with typical development (TD). Method: We recruited 70 preschoolers, of whom 38 were diagnosed with ADHD and 32 exhibited TD; all participants underwent the K-CPT and wireless EEG recording in different conditions (rest, slow-rate, and fast-rate task). Results: Slow-rate task-related central parietal delta (1–4 Hz) and central alpha (8–13 Hz) and beta (13–30 Hz) powers between groups with ADHD and TD were significantly distinct (p <.05). A combination of DBDRS, K-CPT, and specific EEG data provided the best probability scores (area under curve = 0.926, p <.001) and discriminative validity to identify preschool children with ADHD (overall correct classification rate = 85.71%). Conclusions: Multi-method and multi-informant evaluations should be emphasized in clinical diagnosis of preschool ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The study investigated the electroencephalography (EEG) functional connectivity (FC) profiles during rest and tasks of young children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and typical development (TD). Methods: In total, 78 children (aged 5–7 years) were enrolled in this study; 43 of them were diagnosed with ADHD and 35 exhibited TD. Four FC metrics, coherence, phase‐locking value (PLV), pairwise phase consistency, and phase lag index, were computed for feature selection to discriminate ADHD from TD. Results: The support vector machine classifier trained by phase‐locking value (PLV) features yielded the best performance to differentiate the ADHD from the TD group and was used for further analysis. In comparing PLVs with the TD group at rest, the ADHD group exhibited significantly lower values on left intrahemispheric long interelectrode lower‐alpha and beta as well as frontal interhemispheric beta frequency bands. However, the ADHD group showed higher values of central interhemispheric PLVs on the theta, higher‐alpha, and beta bands. Regarding PLV alterations within resting and task conditions, left intrahemispheric long interelectrode beta PLVs declined from rest to task in the TD group, but the alterations did not differ in the ADHD group. Negative correlations were observed between frontal interhemispheric beta PLVs and the Disruptive Behavior Disorder Rating Scale as rated by teachers. Conclusions: These results, which complement the findings of other sparse studies that have investigated task‐related brain FC dynamics, particularly in young children with ADHD, can provide clinicians with significant and interpretable neural biomarkers for facilitating the diagnosis of ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomedical signal monitoring systems have been rapidly advanced with electronic and information technologies in recent years. However, most of the existing physiological signal monitoring systems can only record the signals without the capability of automatic analysis. In this paper, we proposed a novel brain--computer interface (BCI) system that can acquire and analyze electroencephalogram (EEG) signals in real-time to monitor human physiological as well as cognitive states, and, in turn, provide warning signals to the users when needed. The BCI system consists of a four-channel biosignal acquisition/amplification module, a wireless transmission module, a dual-core signal processing unit, and a host system for display and storage. The embedded dual-core processing system with multitask scheduling capability was proposed to acquire and process the input EEG signals in real time. In addition, the wireless transmission module, which eliminates the inconvenience of wiring, can be switched between radio frequency (RF) and Bluetooth according to the transmission distance. Finally, the real-time EEG-based drowsiness monitoring and warning algorithms were implemented and integrated into the system to close the loop of the BCI system. The practical online testing demonstrates the feasibility of using the proposed system with the ability of real-time processing, automatic analysis, and online warning feedback in real-world operation and living environments. Index Terms--Brain-computer interface (BCI), electroencephalogram (EEG), online, drowsiness detection, wireless.