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We investigated the challenge of unconstrained distributed optimization with a time-varying objective function, employing a prediction-correction approach. Our method introduced a backward Euler prediction step that used the differential information from consecutive moments to forecast the trajectory's future direction. This predicted value was then refined through an iterative correction process. Our analysis and experimental results demonstrated that this approach effectively addresses the optimization problem without requiring the computation of the Hessian matrix's inverse.

Abstract Background Existing data on maternal dietary patterns and birth weight remains limited and inconsistent, especially in non-Western populations. We aimed to examine the relationship between maternal dietary patterns and birth weight among a cohort of Chinese. Methods In this study, 4,184 mother-child pairs were included from the Iodine Status in Pregnancy and Offspring Health Cohort. Maternal diet during pregnancy was evaluated using a self-administered food frequency questionnaire with 69 food items. Principal component analysis was used to identify dietary patterns. Information on birth weight and gestational age was obtained through medical records. Adverse outcomes of birth weight were defined according to standard clinical cutoffs, including low birth weight, macrosomia, small for gestational age, and large for gestational age. Results Three maternal dietary patterns were identified: plant-based, animal-based, and processed food and beverage dietary patterns, which explained 23.7% variance in the diet. In the multivariate-adjusted model, women with higher adherence to the plant-based dietary patten had a significantly higher risk of macrosomia (middle tertile vs. low tertile: odds ratio (OR) 1.45, 95% CI 1.00-2.10; high tertile vs. low tertile: OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.03–2.34; P-trend = 0.039). For individual food groups, potato intake showed positive association with macrosomia (high tertile vs. low tertile: OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.20–2.47; P-trend = 0.002). Excluding potatoes from the plant-based dietary pattern attenuated its association with macrosomia risk. No significant associations was observed for the animal-based or processed food and beverage dietary pattern with birth weight outcomes. Conclusions Adherence to a plant-based diet high in carbohydrate intake was associated with higher macrosomia risk among Chinese women. Future studies are required to replicate these findings and explore the potential mechanisms involved.

Abstract Regenerating inflamed bone defects represents a severe clinical challenge due to the undesirable inflammatory microenvironment. The inflammatory stimulus poses a weighty threat to the regenerative capacity of endogenously derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are mainly responsible for osteogenic differentiation, thereby resulting in compromised endogenous bone formation. Consequently, alleviating the biological characteristics of inflammatory-impaired MSCs is crucial for promoting inflamed bone regeneration. Nano-sized small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) have emerged as promising therapeutic tools to orchestrate MSCs fate due to their intrinsic biocompatibility and encapsulated bioactive contents. In the present study, we extracted sEVs from youthful and adult dental pulp MSCs and explored their ability to recover inflammation-compromised periodontal ligament stem cells (IPDLSCs). The results indicated that both types of sEVs were capable of facilitating IPDLSCs osteogenesis. However, young sEVs exhibited a more robust potential at a lower concentration compared to adult sEVs. Mechanically, young sEVs enhanced the expression of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) via delivering the protein Biglycan, which correspondingly promoted the osteogenic capability of IPDLSCs. Collectively, our findings emphasized that young sEVs hold enormous potential to rescue the inherent function and regenerative competence of inflammation-impaired MSCs, shedding light on their promising therapeutic prospects for infected bone regeneration.

Abstract. Background:. In vitro fertilization (IVF) has emerged as a transformative solution for infertility. However, achieving favorable live-birth outcomes remains challenging. Current clinical IVF practices in IVF involve the collection of heterogeneous embryo data through diverse methods, including static images and temporal videos. However, traditional embryo selection methods, primarily reliant on visual inspection of morphology, exhibit variability and are contingent on the experience of practitioners. Therefore, an automated system that can evaluate heterogeneous embryo data to predict the final outcomes of live births is highly desirable. Methods:. We employed artificial intelligence (AI) for embryo morphological grading, blastocyst embryo selection, aneuploidy prediction, and final live-birth outcome prediction. We developed and validated the AI models using multitask learning for embryo morphological assessment, including pronucleus type on day 1 and the number of blastomeres, asymmetry, and fragmentation of blastomeres on day 3, using 19,201 embryo photographs from 8271 patients. A neural network was trained on embryo and clinical metadata to identify good-quality embryos for implantation on day 3 or day 5, and predict live-birth outcomes. Additionally, a 3D convolutional neural network was trained on 418 time-lapse videos of preimplantation genetic testing (PGT)-based ploidy outcomes for the prediction of aneuploidy and consequent live-birth outcomes. Results:. These two approaches enabled us to automatically assess the implantation potential. By combining embryo and maternal metrics in an ensemble AI model, we evaluated live-birth outcomes in a prospective cohort that achieved higher accuracy than experienced embryologists (46.1% vs. 30.7% on day 3, 55.0% vs. 40.7% on day 5). Our results demonstrate the potential for AI-based selection of embryos based on characteristics beyond the observational abilities of human clinicians (area under the curve: 0.769, 95% confidence interval: 0.709–0.820). These findings could potentially provide a noninvasive, high-throughput, and low-cost screening tool to facilitate embryo selection and achieve better outcomes. Conclusions:. Our study underscores the AI model’s ability to provide interpretable evidence for clinicians in assisted reproduction, highlighting its potential as a noninvasive, efficient, and cost-effective tool for improved embryo selection and enhanced IVF outcomes. The convergence of cutting-edge technology and reproductive medicine has opened new avenues for addressing infertility challenges and optimizing IVF success rates.

Abstract Background The prevalence of sarcopenia is increasing in worldwide with accelerated aging process. The high dietary protein intakes are associated with improved muscle mass and strength especially in Asian countries. However, there are few researches on amino acid levels or mechanism exploration. We conducted a case-control study to explore the amino acid metabolic characteristics and potential mechanism of elderly women with sarcopenia using targeted amino acid metabolomics approach combined with an analysis of dietary intake. Methods For our case-control study, we recruited women (65–75 y) from a Shanghai community with 50 patients with sarcopenia and 50 healthy controls. The consensus updated by the Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia in 2019 was used to screening for sarcopenia and control groups. We collected fasting blood samples and evaluated dietary intake. We used the amino acid-targeted metabolomics by ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry to identify metabolic differentials between the case and control groups and significantly enriched metabolic pathways. Results The case (sarcopenia) group had a lower intake of energy, protein, and high-quality protein (P

Background: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the efficacy of bispectral index (BIS) to reduce intra-operative awareness (IOA) have reported conflicting results. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to consolidate results from RCTs to assess the efficacy of BIS in reducing IOA when compared to controls. Secondary outcomes included time to extubation, time to spontaneous and/or verbal eye opening, PACU discharge time, and utilization of inhaled anesthetics. Methods: RCTs which reported on one of the primary and/or secondary outcomes were included. Literature search utilized keywords “randomized control trial” and “intraoperative awareness.” Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5. Results: Twenty-seven RCTs were included in the study with a total of 35,585 patients, with 18,146 patients in the BIS and 17,439 in the control group. Eighteen of 14,062 patients (0.12%) and 42 of 16,765 (0.25%) reported definite IOA in the BIS and control group, respectively, with no statistically significant difference. BIS was effective in reducing the time to spontaneous eye opening by an average of 1.3 minutes and the time to extubation by an average of 1.97 minutes. There was no difference in PACU discharge times among the groups. There was a significant decrease in consumption of sevoflurane but no difference in desflurane and propofol compared to the control group. Conclusion: While BIS monitoring results in decreased incidence of intra-operative awareness by half, it was not statistically significant. BIS provides modest benefits with regard to reducing the time to extubation, the time to spontaneous eye opening, and consumption of sevoflurane. Level of evidence: I.

Ammonia is an important environmental pollutant that is toxic to most aquatic animals, and nutrient manipulation is an effective regulatory pathway. To assess the influence of taurine supplementation on growth, liver detoxification and anti-bacterial infection of yellow catfish subjected to ammonia exposure for a long time, three experiment diets with different taurine levels (0.50, 1.00, and 2.00 %) were formulated and fed to fish (7.28 ± 0.05) g under three ammonia levels (0.00, 25.00 and 50.00 mg/L total ammonia nitrogen) for 56 days. The results showed that hepatic glycogen and whole-body protein contents were reduced, suggesting that energy deficiency caused by ammonia poisoning plays an important role in growth inhibition; elevated serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels suggest liver injury, which may be caused by oxidative stress (decreased activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase, and expressions of SOD and CAT) and inflammation (increased contents of tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 1 and interleukin 8, and expressions of TNF α, IL 1 and IL8), analysis of tissue sections further confirmed this finding. Furthermore, after injection with Aeromonas hydrophila, cumulative mortality increased proportionally with the rise in ammonia levels, the observed decrease in serum complements C3, C4, immunoglobulin M, and antibody titer contents emerged as a crucial factor contributing to the decreased disease resistance. The exogenous taurine was found to alleviate the negative impact of the above-mentioned ammonia poisoning. This study provides valuable insights into the mechanism of ammonia-induced aquatic toxicology in fish.

Abstract A novel variant of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus, designated RHDV2/b/GI.2, was first discovered in France in 2010. Subsequently, RHDV2 rapidly spread to Africa, North America, Australia, and Asia. RHDV2 outbreaks have resulted in significant economic losses in the global rabbit industry and disrupted the balance of natural ecosystems. Our study investigated the seasonal characteristics of RHDV2 outbreaks using seasonal indices. RHDV2 is prone to causing significant outbreaks within domestic and wild rabbit populations during the spring season and is more likely to induce outbreaks within wild rabbit populations during late autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Furthermore, based on outbreak data for domestic and wild rabbits and environmental variables, our study established two MaxEnt models to explore the relationship between RHDV2 outbreaks and the environmental factors and conducted outbreak risk predictions for RHDV2 in global domestic and wild rabbit populations. Both models demonstrated good predictive performance, with AUC values of 0.960 and 0.974, respectively. Road density, isothermality, and population density were identified as important variables in the outbreak of RHDV2 in domestic rabbits, while road density, normalized difference vegetation index, and mean annual solar radiation were considered key variables in the outbreak of RHDV2 in wild rabbits. The environmental factors associated with RHDV2 outbreaks identified in our study and the outbreak risk prediction maps generated in our study will aid in the formulation of appropriate RHDV2 control measures to reduce the risk of morbidity in domestic and wild rabbits.

Abstract Soft magnetic materials with flake geometry can provide shape anisotropy for breaking the Snoek limit, which is promising for achieving high-frequency ferromagnetic resonances and microwave absorption properties. Here, two-dimensional (2D) Fe3C microflakes with crystal orientation are obtained by solid-state phase transformation assisted by electrochemical dealloying. The shape anisotropy can be further regulated by manipulating the thickness of 2D Fe3C microflakes under different isothermally quenching temperatures. Thus, the resonant frequency is adjusted effectively from 9.47 and 11.56 GHz under isothermal quenching from 700 °C to 550 °C. The imaginary part of the complex permeability can reach 0.9 at 11.56 GHz, and the minimum reflection loss (RL min ) is −52.09 dB (15.85 GHz, 2.90 mm) with an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB≤−10 dB) of 2.55 GHz. This study provides insight into the preparation of high-frequency magnetic loss materials for obtaining high-performance microwave absorbers and achieves the preparation of functional materials from traditional structural materials.

Team sports athletes may encounter significant stress, leading to competitive anxiety. The anxiety levels can be influenced by team behaviors and achievement goals. This study aims to investigate the relationship between team behaviors (i.e., perceptions of controlling coaching behavior and team cohesion) and competitive anxiety, and to examine the mediation effects of achievement goals (i.e., task-oriented and ego-oriented) on the relationship. A total of 298 team-handball players were involved in the study, ages ranging from 16 to 24 years old (M = 18.44, SD = 3.09). A cross-sectional research design was adopted, and structural equation modeling was utilized to analyze path coefficients and mediating effects. Findings indicated that perceptions of controlling coaching behaviors had significant positive predictions for state and somatic anxiety (β = 0.22, 0.29) and negative predictions for self-confidence (β = −0.19). Team cohesion had significant negative predictions for state anxiety (β = −0.31) and positive predictions for self-confidence (β = 0.58). In addition, ego-oriented goals play a positive mediating role in the relationship between team behaviors and competitive anxiety (β = 0.03–0.35), while task-oriented goals play a negative mediating role in the relationship between team behaviors and competitive anxiety (β = −0.18 - −0.03). In conclusion, team behaviors have a significant relationship with competitive anxiety, with achievement goals playing a mediating role among them. Therefore, to alleviate team sports athletes’ competitive anxiety, it is recommended to reduce coach control behaviors, enhance team cohesion, and employ psychological training methods (e.g., mindfulness or meditation) to strengthen athletes’ task-oriented goals.

Urban expansion and fossil fuel dependence have led to energy and environmental concerns, highlighting the need for sustainable solutions. Rooftop photovoltaic (RPV) systems offer a viable solution for urban energy transition by utilizing idle rooftop space and meeting decentralized energy needs. However, due to limited information on building function attributes, detailed assessments of RPV potential at the city scale are still complicated. This study introduces a cost-effective framework that combines big Earth data and deep learning to evaluate RPV potential for various investment entities. We introduced a sample construction strategy that considers built environment and location awareness to improve the effectiveness and generalizability of the framework. Applied to Shanghai, our building function recognition model achieved 88.67%, 88.51%, and 67.18% for accuracy, weighted-F1, and kappa, respectively. We identified a potential installed capacity of 42 GW with annual electricity generation of 17 TWh for industrial and commercial, 16 TWh for residential, and 10 TWh for public RPVs. The levelized cost of electricity ranges from 0.32 to 0.41 CNY/kWh, demonstrating that both user-side and plant-side grid parity was achieved. This study supports sustainable development by providing detailed urban energy assessments and guiding local energy planning. The methods and findings may offer insights for similar studies globally.

Herein, a method of true-temperature inversion for a multi-wavelength pyrometer based on fractional-order particle-swarm optimization is proposed for difficult inversion problems with unknown emissivity. Fractional-order calculus has the inherent advantage of easily jumping out of local extreme values; here, it is introduced into the particle-swarm algorithm to invert the true temperature. An improved adaptive-adjustment mechanism is applied to automatically adjust the current velocity order of the particles and update their velocity and position values, increasing the accuracy of the true temperature values. The results of simulations using the proposed algorithm were compared with three algorithms using typical emissivity models: the internal penalty function algorithm, the optimization function (fmincon) algorithm, and the conventional particle-swarm optimization algorithm. The results show that the proposed algorithm has good accuracy for true-temperature inversion. Actual experimental results from a rocket-motor plume were used to demonstrate that the true-temperature inversion results of this algorithm are in good agreement with the theoretical true-temperature values.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the characteristics of occurrence and spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 (HPAI-H5N1) globally, understand its spatiotemporal characteristics, investigate the risk factors influencing outbreaks, and identify high-risk areas for disease occurrence. We collected the data on global poultry HPAI-H5N1 outbreaks from January 2005 to April 2023, and conducted a thorough analysis of the spatial and temporal characteristics of the disease through time series decomposition and directional distribution analysis. Additionally, an ecological niche model was established to explore the major factors influencing the occurrence of HPAI-H5N1 and to pinpoint high-risk areas. Our findings revealed that HPAI-H5N1 outbreaks were cyclical, and seasonal, exhibiting a rising trend, with a predominant northwest-southeast transmission direction. The ecological niche model highlighted that species factors and economic trade factors are critical in influencing the outbreak of HPAI-H5N1. Variables such as chicken and duck density, population density, isothermality, and road density, contributed to importantly risk of outbreaks. High-risk areas for HPAI-H5N1 occurrence were primarily identified in Europe, West Africa, Southeast Asia, and Southeast China. This study provided valuable insights into the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics and risk factors of global poultry HPAI-H5N1 outbreaks. The identification of high-risk areas provides essential information that can be used to develop more effective prevention and control policies.

Background: As the global consumption of sugary and non-sugar sweetened beverages continues to rise, there is growing concern about their health impacts, particularly among pregnant women and their offspring. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the consumption patterns of various beverages among pregnant women in Shanghai and their potential health impacts on both mothers and offspring. Method: We applied a multi-stage random sampling method to select participants from 16 districts in Shanghai. Each district was categorised into five zones. Two towns were randomly selected from each zone, and from each town, 30 pregnant women were randomly selected. Data were collected through face-to-face questionnaires. Follow-up data on births within a year after the survey were also obtained. Result: The consumption rates of total beverages (TB), sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), and non-sugar sweetened beverages (NSS) were 73.2%, 72.8%, and 13.5%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that compared to non-consumers, pregnant women consuming TB three times or less per week had a 38.4% increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (OR = 1.384; 95% CI: 1.129–1.696) and a 64.2% increased risk of gestational hypertension (GH) (OR = 1.642; 95% CI: 1.129–2.389). Those consuming TB four or more times per week faced a 154.3% higher risk of GDM (OR = 2.543; 95% CI: 2.064–3.314) and a 169.3% increased risk of GH (OR = 2.693; 95% CI: 1.773–4.091). Similar results were observed in the analysis of SSB. Regarding offspring health, compared to non-consumers, TB consumption four or more times per week was associated with a substantial increase in the risk of macrosomia (OR = 2.143; 95% CI: 1.304–3.522) and large for gestational age (LGA) (OR = 1.695; 95% CI: 1.219–2.356). In the analysis of NSS, with a significantly increased risk of macrosomia (OR = 6.581; 95% CI:2.796–13.824) and LGA (OR = 7.554; 95% CI: 3.372–16.921). Conclusion: The high level of beverage consumption among pregnant women in Shanghai needs attention. Excessive consumption of beverages increases the risk of GDM and GH, while excessive consumption of NSS possibly has a greater impact on offspring macrosomia and LGA.

Identifying bridge damage using a movable test vehicle is highly regarded for its mobility, cost-effectiveness, and broad monitoring coverage. Previous studies have shown that the residual contact-point (CP) response between connected vehicles is free of the impact of vehicle self-vibrations and road roughness, making it particularly suitable for the indirect extraction of bridge modal properties. However, most experimental campaigns regarding contact-point (CP) responses focus on a single-axle testing vehicle within a non-moving state. This study aims to theoretically and experimentally identify bridge damage using the instantaneous amplitude squared (IAS) extracted from the residual CP response of a two-axle passing vehicle. First, the closed-form solution of the residual CP acceleration was derived for a two-axle vehicle interacting with a simply supported beam. The IAS index was constructed from the driving frequency of the residual CP acceleration. Then, numerical investigations using finite element simulation were conducted to validate using the IAS index for indirect bridge damage identification. The application scope of the approach under various vehicle speeds and road roughness grades was examined. Finally, a laboratory vehicle–bridge interaction system was tested to validate the approach. Numerical studies demonstrated that bridge damage could be directly determined by observing the IAS abnormalities, which were baseline-free. The IAS from the residual CP response outperformed the IAS from CP responses in identifying bridge damage. However, it was better to use the IAS when the vehicle speed was no greater than 2 m/s and the grade of the road surface roughness was not high. Laboratory tests showed that it was possible to identify bridge damage using the IAS extracted from the residual CP acceleration under perfect road surfaces. However, it fell short under rough road surfaces. Hence, further experiments are required to fully examine the capacity of the IAS for bridge damage identification in practical applications.

Background: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the efficacy of bispectral index (BIS) to reduce intra-operative awareness (IOA) have reported conflicting results. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to consolidate results from RCTs to assess the efficacy of BIS in reducing IOA when compared to controls. Secondary outcomes included time to extubation, time to spontaneous and/or verbal eye opening, PACU discharge time, and utilization of inhaled anesthetics. Methods: RCTs which reported on one of the primary and/or secondary outcomes were included. Literature search utilized keywords "randomized control trial" and "intraoperative awareness." Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5. Results: Twenty-seven RCTs were included in the study with a total of 35,585 patients, with 18,146 patients in the BIS and 17,439 in the control group. Eighteen of 14,062 patients (0.12%) and 42 of 16,765 (0.25%) reported definite IOA in the BIS and control group, respectively, with no statistically significant difference. BIS was effective in reducing the time to spontaneous eye opening by an average of 1.3 minutes and the time to extubation by an average of 1.97 minutes. There was no difference in PACU discharge times among the groups. There was a significant decrease in consumption of sevoflurane but no difference in desflurane and propofol compared to the control group. Conclusion: While BIS monitoring results in decreased incidence of intra-operative awareness by half, it was not statistically significant. BIS provides modest benefits with regard to reducing the time to extubation, the time to spontaneous eye opening, and consumption of sevoflurane. Level of evidence: I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the feasibility of using Cariostat test for caries risk assessment in adult outpatients and provide a reference basis for caries prevention and treatment in adult outpatients of different ages. Methods Fifty-two adult patients of different ages (18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, and ≥55 years old) attending outpatient clinics of The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University were tested for caries activity using the Cariostat test. Oral examinations were conducted according to the criteria of the 5th edition of the Basic Methods of Oral Health Surveys of the World Health Organization, and on-site questionnaire surveys were performed for the Cariogram assessment system. Oral examinations included assessments of dental arch conditions and caries status, while questionnaire surveys covered dietary habits, oral health care habits, etc. The caries status of adult outpatients of different age groups was analyzed, and caries activity was assessed using the Cariostat test. The caries risk levels were determined, and the consistency between the Cariostat test and the Cariogram assessment system was evaluated. Results It was found that there was a difference in mean decayed, missing and filled surfaces (DMFS) between the low-risk group of adult outpatients with different caries risk levels classed by the Cariostat test and the intermediate and high-risk groups (P