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Abstract Research question To explore whether prolonged hCG-ovum pickup interval improves assisted reproductive technology outcomes. Design CENTRAL, CNKI, Cochrane Systematic Reviews, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PUBMED, and Web of Science up to May 13 2023 were searched for studies reporting associations between hCG-ovum pickup intervals and assisted reproductive technology outcomes. Intervention types included short (≤ 36 h) and long (> 36 h) hCG-ovum pickup intervals in assisted reproductive technology cycles. All outcomes were based upon only fresh embryo transfers. Primary outcome is defined as the clinical pregnancy rate. Data were pooled using random-effects models. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I 2 statistics. Results Twelve studies were included in the meta-analysis, including five retrospective cohort studies, one prospective cohort study, and six randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials. The short and long interval groups had similar oocyte maturation rates, fertilization rate and high-quality embryo rate (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.45–1.06; I 2 = 91.1%, OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.77–1.0; I 2 = 44.4% and OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.95–1.17; I 2 = 8.6%, respectively). The clinical pregnancy rates in the long retrieval group were significantly higher than in the short retrieval group (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.45–0.95; I 2 = 35.4%). The groups had similar miscarriage and live birth rates (OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 0.66–5.60; I 2 = 0.0% and OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.24–1.04; I 2 = 0.0%, respectively). Conclusions The clinical pregnancy rates can be increased by prolonging the hCG-ovum pickup interval, which would help us develop more reasonable time schedules for fertility centers and patients. Meta-analysis registration PROSPERO CRD42022310006 (28 Apr 2022).

This paper is concerned with piecewise pseudo almost periodic solutions of a class of interval general BAM neural networks with mixed time-varying delays and impulsive perturbations. By adopting the exponential dichotomy of linear differential equations and the fixed point theory of contraction mapping. The sufficient conditions for the existence of piecewise pseudo almost periodic solutions of the interval general BAM neural networks with mixed time-varying delays and impulsive perturbations are obtained. By adopting differential inequality techniques and mathematical methods of induction, the global exponential stability for the piecewise pseudo almost periodic solutions of the interval general BAM neural networks with mixed time-varying delays and impulsive perturbations is discussed. An example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the results obtained in the paper.

Objective Groundwater numerical models often have uncertainties due to the complexity of the hydrogeological conditions and the economic and time constraints in collecting a sufficiently large dataset as inputs for conducting modelling exercises. In the past 50 years, stochastic methods have been one of the main methods of uncertainty analysis. The interval uncertainty is different from the stochastic uncertainty, and it considers the hydrogeological parameters as the intervals (ranges) without considering their stochastic properties. Methods From the perspective of interval uncertainty, a numerical simulation method based on first-order perturbation expansion was proposed for simulating unsteady two-dimensional confined flow with known hydrogeological parameters as intervals in this paper.The proposed method is implemented based on GFModel, a three-dimensional (3D) numerical simulation platform for groundwater flow and pollutant migration. Results The analysis shows that the relative error can be controlled within 10% when the parameter change rate is less than 0.1. The computational efficiency of the proposed method is obviously higher than that of the continuous sampling method with equal spacing. Conclusion This method allows the interval of the head or water budget to be calculated without the requirement for detailed statistical information (which is usually unavailable in advance) if the intervals of hydrogeological parameters are known.It provides a theoretical basis for decisions on the use and protection of groundwater resources.

This study aims to determine the effect of Interval Training and Motivation on increasing Vo2Max ability. The implementation of the research took place during the training process planned from June 2021 to August 2021. The research time was 2 months, the number of exercises was 18 meetings, with a frequency of 1 week 3 times. The research design used in this study is (pretest-posttest control group design). The results of this study have the effect of interval training and motivation on increasing Vo2max. The test results with the value of the interval training results 0.00 < 0.05 are declared significant, so interval training before and before being given treatment can be concluded that so from the results obtained that Interval Running Exercises have an effect on VO2max then the test results on training without exercise obtained 0.02 < 0.05, it is stated significant with exercise without exercise before being given treatment can guarantee that exercise without training methods has an effect on VO2max but it can be said that interval training has a more significant effect on increasing VO2max for athletes futsal.

Background: Neoadjuvant chemoradiation with esophagectomy is standard management for locally advanced esophageal cancer. Studies have shown that surgical timing following chemoradiation is important for minimizing postoperative complications, however in practice timing is often variable and delayed. Although postoperative impact of surgical timing has been studied, less is known about factors associated with delays. Materials and methods: A retrospective review was performed for 96 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent chemoradiation then esophagectomy between 2018 and 2020 at a single institution. Univariable and stepwise multivariable analyses were used to assess association between social (demographics, insurance) and clinical variables (pre-operative weight, comorbidities, prior cardiothoracic surgery, smoking history, disease staging) with time to surgery (≤8 weeks “on-time” vs. >8 weeks “delayed”). Results: Fifty-one patients underwent esophagectomy within 8 weeks of chemoradiation; 45 had a delayed operation. Univariate analysis showed the following characteristics were significantly different between on-time and delayed groups: weight loss within 3 months of surgery (3.9 ± 5.1 kg vs. 1.5 ± 3.6 kg; P = 0.009), prior cardiovascular disease (29% vs. 49%; P = 0.05), prior cardiothoracic surgery (4% vs. 22%; P = 0.01), history of ever smoked (69% vs. 87%; P = 0.04), absent nodal metastasis on pathology (57% vs. 82%; P = 0.008). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that prior cardiothoracic surgery (OR 8.924, 95%CI 1.67–47.60; P = 0.01) and absent nodal metastasis (OR 4.186, 95%CI 1.50–11.72; P = 0.006) were associated with delayed surgery. Conclusions: Delayed esophagectomy following chemoradiotherapy is associated with prior cardiothoracic surgery and absent nodal metastasis. Further investigations should focus on understanding how these factors contribute to delays to guide treatment planning and mitigate sources of outcome disparities.

ABSTRACTPreventing perinatal transmission is important for hepatitis B (HepB) elimination. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to assess the interval between HepB birth-dose (HepB-BD) to second-dose (HepB-SD) vaccination on perinatal transmission. Among 39,313 infants born to HepB s-antigen (HBsAg)-positive mothers from a Korean national database 38,411 (97.7%) had completed timely immunophylaxis with HepB-BD 41,572 (99.8%) with hepatitis B immune globulin, and 1027 (2.6%) were HBsAg-positive at ≥ 9 months. Maternal factors (i.e. HepB e-antigen status, age, or nationality) were associated with an increased risk of infection whereas short gestational length decreased it. The HepB-BD – HepB-SD interval (

Background: Acute cholecystitis (AC) is one of the most prevalent diseases in clinical practice. Poor surgical candidates may benefit from early percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) drainage followed by interval cholecystectomy (IC), which is the definitive treatment. The optimal timing between the PC drainage and the IC has not been identified. This study aimed to investigate how the duration between PC and IC affects perioperative outcomes and identify the optimal IC timing to minimize complications. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all adult patients diagnosed with AC who underwent PC followed by IC at a single institution center between 2014 and 2022. Patients with a history of hepatobiliary surgery, stones in the common bile duct, cirrhosis, active malignancy, or prolonged immunosuppression were excluded. The analysis did not include cases with major concurrent procedures during cholecystectomy, previously aborted cholecystectomies, or failure of the PC drain to control the inflammation. Linear and logistic regression models were used to analyze the impact of the interval between PC and IC on intra- and perioperative outcomes. Results: One hundred thirty-two patients (62.1% male) with a mean age of 64.4 ± 15 (mean ± SD) years were diagnosed with AC (25% mild, 47.7% moderate, 27.3% severe). All patients underwent PC followed by IC after a median of 64 [48–91] days. Longer ICU stay was associated with longer time intervals between PC and IC (Coef 105.98, p < 0.001). No significant variations were detected in the intraoperative and perioperative outcomes between patients undergoing IC within versus after 8 weeks from PC placement. However, a higher percentage of patients with delayed IC (after 8 weeks) were discharged home (96.4% vs. 83.7%; p = 0.019). Conclusions: Patients may benefit from undergoing IC after the 8-week cutoff after PC. However, very long periods between PC and IC procedures may increase the risk of longer ICU stay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic properties of joints, or inter-component connections, are a principal source of uncertainty when modelling complex built-up structures. In the present paper, we propose an interval-based sensitivity analysis (SA) to establish the contribution, or influence, of a structure's uncertain joint dynamics towards the uncertainty of its coupled admittance. We choose an interval SA as it overcomes the limitations of conventional local and global methods; accuracy and computation efficiency, respectively. Furthermore, it avoids the need for detailed probabilistic data to describe each joint, which is often unavailable. The proposed interval SA is based on the dual formulation of the sub-structuring problem and utilises the Sherman–Morrison formula to factor out the contribution of an individual joint. A complex interval is used to represent the uncertain joint stiffness and damping, and precise bounds on the assembly's complex admittance (also operational response) are determined following an application specific algorithm. The relative change between input (joint stiffness and damping) and output (complex admittance) interval area is chosen as a sensitivity metric and used to rank order the uncertain influence of each joint. The method is illustrated by numerical example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bland-Altman plots can be useful in paired data settings such as measurement-method comparison studies. A Bland-Altman plot has differences, percentage differences, or ratios on the y axis and a mean of the data pairs on the x axis, with 95% limits of agreement indicating the central 95% range of differences, percentage differences, or ratios. This range can vary with the mean. We introduce the community-contributed blandaltman command, which uniquely in Stata can 1) create Bland-Altman plots featuring ratios in addition to differences and percentage differences, 2) allow the limits of agreement for ratios and percentage differences to vary as a function of the mean, and 3) add confidence intervals, prediction intervals, and tolerance intervals to the plots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new law of energies summation – principle of superposition of energy states (PSES) – is proposed, and possibilities of its application in the theory of fundamental interactions are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ciencia y Educación (2707-3378) is the property of Duanys Miguel Pena Lopez and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Given a betweenness relation on a nonempty set E, a certain abelian group T = T E given in terms of generators and relations is investigated. This group controls the given betweenness relation in an algebraic form. That is, the group structure algebraically unfolds geometric relations, and in turn allows us to read off geometric properties from algebraic relations emerging from them. The most important examples for betweenness relations arise from ordered sets on the one side and from intervals in metric spaces on the other side. The structure of T will be determined completely in case of totally ordered sets as well as for several classes of metric spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Converging evidence suggests that the brain encodes time through dynamically changing patterns of neural activity, including neural sequences, ramping activity, and complex spatiotemporal dynamics. However, the potential computational significance and advantage of these different regimes have remained unaddressed. We combined large-scale recordings and modeling to compare population dynamics between premotor cortex and striatum in mice performing a two-interval timing task. Conventional decoders revealed that the dynamics within each area encoded time equally well; however, the dynamics in striatum exhibited a higher degree of sequentiality. Analysis of premotor and striatal dynamics, together with a large set of simulated prototypical dynamical regimes, revealed that regimes with higher sequentiality allowed a biologically constrained artificial downstream network to better read out time. These results suggest that, although different strategies exist for encoding time in the brain, neural sequences represent an ideal and flexible dynamical regime for enabling downstream areas to read out this information.

ObjectivesTo provide updated and more detailed pooled intrauterine device expulsion rates and expulsion risk estimates among women with postpartum intrauterine device placement by timing of insertion, delivery type, and intrauterine device type to inform current intrauterine device insertion practices in the United States.Data sourcesWe searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov through June 2019.Study eligibility criteriaWe included all studies, of any study design, that examined postpartum placement of Copper T380A (copper) or levonorgestrel-containing intrauterine devices that reported counts of expulsion.Study appraisal and synthesis methodsWe evaluated intrauterine device expulsion among women receiving postpartum intrauterine devices in the "immediate" (within 10 minutes), "early inpatient" (>10 minutes to

Abstract Background Short Birth Interval negatively affects the health of both mothers and children in developing countries. Studies conducted in Ethiopia on the spatial variation and determinants of individual and community-level factors about short birth intervals were limited. Thus, this study was intended to assess the spatial variation of the short birth interval and its determinants in Ethiopia. Methods This study is a secondary analysis of the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (mini EDHS 2019). A total of 1784 reproductive-age women were included in the analysis. The global spatial autocorrelation (Global Moran’s I) and the Getis-Ord statistics tool were used to detect the presence of clustering and the high/low hotspot areas of SBI respectively. Ordinary kriging was used to interpolate short birth intervals, and spatial scan statistics were employed to identify spatial clusters with high and low SBI. A multilevel multivariable model was used to identify predictors of a short birth interval. Results The prevalence of SBI was 62.89% (95%CI: 59.3, 69.7) in Ethiopia. High clustering of SBI was observed in all parts of Somali, in Afar (zones 1, 3, 4, &5), Oromia (Guje, Bale, & West Harerge), and northern Tigray. The most likely significant primary cluster was observed in the Somali region. Women who lived in the primary cluster were 24% more likely to have a short birth interval than those who lived outside the window. In the multilevel mixed-effect analysis age 25–34 [(AOR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.45)], 35–49 [(AOR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.38, 0.51)], Muslim religion follower [(AOR = 3.5, 95% CI: 2.7, 4.69)], no formal education [(AOR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.37, 0.70)], primary education[(AOR = 0.4, 95%CI: 0.28, 0.53)], and secondary education [(AOR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.24, 0.48)], middle [(AOR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.2, 1.52)], rich wealth status [(AOR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.3, 1.68)], female sex children [(AOR: 1.2, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.42)], and two or fewer ideal number of children [(AOR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.25, 0.32)] were found to be significant predictors of SBI. Conclusion Overall, SBI was high and significantly clustered across the region of Ethiopia. Age, religion, education, wealth status, the sex of the indexed child, and the ideal number of children were found to be significantly associated with short birth intervals. Hence, the government should design a health promotion strategy and public health awareness in the identified hotspot areas of SBI and should scale up family planning and the wealth status of reproductive-age women.

Statistical tools for data analysis differ for various data types and scales of measurements. The purpose of this review is to discuss these different types of data and measurement scales. To prepare this article, an online literature search was performed in Google and PubMed, using specific keywords. All relevant articles published in the English language between January 2010 and December 2022 were assessed for relevance. Screening of 34 articles was done and eventually 15 were included that had complete information. This review provides detailed information with examples regarding the data types and scales of measurement. Knowledge of the correct data type or scale of measurement is essential for the application of the appropriate statistical tools, and for making accurate inferences.

Highlight Research • The dose, duration of immersion, and time interval of immersion of the estradiol-17β affect the rate of cannibalism and increase the seed survival of Asian redtail catfish in low treatment in this research. • Over optimum treatment increased the incidence of cannibalism at Asian redtail catfish and decrease growth performance. • Treatment of estradiol-17β, give the ability of Asian redtail catfish to live on high density • The treatment of estradiol-17β, has an effect on concentration plasma of body testosterone and cortisol Abstract The cannibalistic behavior of Asian redtail catfish greatly hampers the supply of these fish seeds, invoking the need to be controlled. Estradiol is one of the hormones that has been known to reduce cannibalistic behavior on fish. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of estradiol-17β immersion on the incidence of cannibalism in the rearing of post larvae of Asian redtail catfish. Post larvae was treated with a combination of doses of estradiol hormone 0, 1, and 2 ppm and immersion time of two and four hours with immersion intervals of three and six days with a completely randomized design. Each treatment had a fish density of 10 fish L-1, with mean size individual length of 6.73 ± 0.73 mm (three days of age after hatched), with four replications. Fish were fed with tubifex up until satiation point and reared for 30 days. The results showed that the administration of the estradiol-17β through immersion with a dose of 1 ppm for two hours and interval of six days was able to reduce the level of cannibalism and increase the survivability. A further increase in dose, immersion time, and interval had the opposite effect. Estradiol-17β immersion with certain dose, duration, and interval affected the rate of cannibalism, growth rate, and survival. Estradiol-17β immersion at a dose of 1 ppm for two hours and six days interval was the best to reduce the level of cannibalism and normal mortality in post larvae of Asian redtail catfish.

Abstract Background The purpose of this paper is to study how the Delta variant spread in a China city, and to what extent the non-pharmaceutical prevention measures of local government be effective by reviewing the contact network of COVID-19 cases in Xi’an, China. Methods We organize the case reports of the Shaanxi Health Commission into a database by text coding and convert them into a network matrix. Then we construct a dynamic contact network for the corresponding analysis and calculate network indicators. we analyze the cases’ dynamic contact network structure and intervals between diagnosis time and isolation time by using data visualization, network analysis method, and Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression. Results The contact network for this outbreak in Xi’an is very sparse, with a density of less than 0.0001. The contact network is a scale-free network. The average degree centrality is 0.741 and the average PageRank score is 0.0005. The network generated from a single source of infection contains 1371 components. We construct three variables of intervals and analyze the trend of intervals during the outbreak. The mean interval (interval 1) between case diagnosis time and isolation time is − 3.9 days. The mean of the interval (interval 2) between the infector’s diagnosis time and the infectee’s diagnosis time is 4.2 days. The mean of the interval (interval 3) between infector isolation time and infectee isolation time is 2.9 days. Among the three intervals, only interval 1 has a significant positive correlation with degree centrality. Conclusions By integrating COVID-19 case reports of a Chinese city, we construct a contact network to analyze the dispersion of the outbreak. The network is a scale-free network with multiple hidden pathways that are not detected. The intervals of patients in this outbreak decreased compared to the beginning of the outbreak in 2020. City lockdown has a significant effect on the intervals that can affect patients’ network centrality. Our study highlights the value of case report text. By linking different reports, we can quickly analyze the spread of the epidemic in an urban area.

Copyright of China Mechanical Engineering is the property of Editorial Board of China Mechanical Engineering and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: India is sometimes called the "diabetic capital of the world" due to the country's alarmingly rising rate of diabetes mellitus. Worldwide, Type 2 Diabetes has become a serious health issue. Material and Methods: From the pool of Type 2 Diabetics receiving care at NRIIMS's General Medicine Department in Visakhapatnam, 100 patients met the study's inclusion and exclusion criteria. From October 2021 to December 2022, a full year of data was collected for this investigation. Results: This study's findings add to the growing body of evidence showing that cardiac autonomic dysfunction is widespread among diabetic patients. Multiple investigations, some of which were carried out in India, have found findings that are consistent with one another. Using validated but basic measures of cardiovascular autonomic function, this study showed severe anomalies in autonomic function. Conclusion: The study found the following results, our hospital's research group found a high prevalence of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy among type 2 diabetes. As diabetes progresses, so does the risk of developing CAN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Blood test monitoring is essential for the management of lithium treatment and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance recommends 6‐monthly serum testing of thyroid function. We examined conformity to these guidelines and the impact of monitoring outside these intervals. Methods: We extracted serum lithium and thyroid hormone results at one centre between January 2009 and December 2020. We identified 266 patients who started lithium during this period with no history of thyroid abnormality within the previous 2 years and were at risk of developing thyroid abnormalities. We examined the interval between tests, time between onset of lithium testing and first thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH) outside the laboratory reference range and assessed impact of testing outside recommended 6‐monthly intervals. Results: The most common testing frequency was 3 months (±1 month), accounting for 17.3% of test intervals. Kaplan‐Meier analysis showed that most thyroid dysfunction manifests within 3 years (proportion with abnormal TSH at 3 years = 91.4%, 19.9% of total patients). In the first 3 months after commencing lithium therapy, eight patients developed subclinical hypothyroidism and had clinical follow‐up data available. Of these, half spontaneously normalized without clinical intervention. In the remaining patients, thyroxine replacement was only initiated after multiple occasions of subclinical hypothyroidism (median = 2 years after initiating lithium, range: 6 months to 3 years). Conclusion: The peak interval at 3 months suggests that thyroid function is frequently checked at the same time as serum lithium, indicating too frequent testing. Our data support the recommended 6‐monthly testing interval and highlight poor adherence to it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Aerobic exercise within the habitable volume of small spacecraft needed for space exploration beyond low Earth orbit is expected to challenge the capacity of environmental control systems. Moisture control is a primary concern. Crewmembers will contribute moisture to the cabin environment in the form of sweat while exercising. The effects of continuous aerobic exercise for improving and maintaining aerobic capacity is well characterized. Likewise, evidence suggests that high intensity interval exercise for shorter durations is also effective in building and maintaining aerobic capacity. METHODS: On separate days, measures of sweat and respiratory responses were made for continuous (30 min of steady state exercise at ~75% of aerobic capacity) and two interval (4 × 4 min, 8 × 30 s) exercise protocols. RESULTS: We observed that the 4-min and 30-s interval protocols produce 16% and 66% less metabolic water loss vs. the continuous exercise protocol, respectively. These responses were highly correlated with the amount of work performed (R2 = 0.81) and the amount of energy expenditure (R2 = 0.83) during exercise. DISCUSSION: These results suggest that interval exercise may be a useful alternative to continuous aerobic exercise when metabolic water production is an environmental concern. The results may inform the choices of aerobic exercise countermeasure protocols for use in deep space exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The global battle against malaria is facing formidable challenges, particularly in controlling Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale, whose cases have not been reduced as effectively as Plasmodium falciparum because of their relapse. This study investigates the current situation and underlying factors contributing to relapse or recrudescence of imported cases of P. vivax and P. ovale, and seeks to provide a reference for reducing relapse or recrudescence in malaria-free areas and offers a scientific basis for designing strategies to prevent imported re-transmission. Methods: This study analysed imported P. vivax and P. ovale in Anhui, Zhejiang, Henan, Hubei, and Guangxi provinces during 2014–2021 by retrospective analysis. A case–control study was conducted on patients who experienced relapse or recrudescence. Results: From 2014 to 2021, 306 cases of P.vivax and 896 cases of P.ovale were included in the study, while 75 cases had relapse or recrudescence, including 49 cases of P. ovale (65.33%) and 26 cases of P. vivax (34.67%). Within less than 5 weeks after returning to the country, 122 cases of P. vivax (39.87%, 122/306) and 265 cases of P. ovale (29.58%, 265/896) occurred. Within less than 53 weeks, the ratio of P. vivax was 94.77% (290/306), and that of P. ovale was 89.96% (806/896). Among the cases experiencing relapse or recrudescence, only 1 case of P. vivax (1/26 3.85%) and 3 cases of P. ovale (3/49 6.12%) occurred within less than 5 weeks after the first onset, whereas 21 cases of P. vivax (21/26 80.77%) and 42 cases of P. ovale (42/49 85.71%) occurred within less than 53 weeks after the first onset. The difference in relapse or recrudescence due to different drugs and medication regimens and medical activities at various levels of medical institutions was statistically significant. Conclusion: In areas where malaria has been eliminated, routine health screening in a scientific time frame for people returning from at-risk areas can effectively improve the efficiency of preventing re-transmission, thereby reducing prevention costs and disease burden. Preventing patients from self-treating and strengthening medication regulations in health facilities are key measures to reduce relapse or recrudescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research question: To explore whether prolonged hCG-ovum pickup interval improves assisted reproductive technology outcomes. Design: CENTRAL, CNKI, Cochrane Systematic Reviews, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PUBMED, and Web of Science up to May 13 2023 were searched for studies reporting associations between hCG-ovum pickup intervals and assisted reproductive technology outcomes. Intervention types included short (≤ 36 h) and long (> 36 h) hCG-ovum pickup intervals in assisted reproductive technology cycles. All outcomes were based upon only fresh embryo transfers. Primary outcome is defined as the clinical pregnancy rate. Data were pooled using random-effects models. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I 2 statistics. Results: Twelve studies were included in the meta-analysis, including five retrospective cohort studies, one prospective cohort study, and six randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials. The short and long interval groups had similar oocyte maturation rates, fertilization rate and high-quality embryo rate (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.45–1.06; I 2 = 91.1%, OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.77–1.0; I 2 = 44.4% and OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.95–1.17; I 2 = 8.6%, respectively). The clinical pregnancy rates in the long retrieval group were significantly higher than in the short retrieval group (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.45–0.95; I 2 = 35.4%). The groups had similar miscarriage and live birth rates (OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 0.66–5.60; I 2 = 0.0% and OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.24–1.04; I 2 = 0.0%, respectively). Conclusions: The clinical pregnancy rates can be increased by prolonging the hCG-ovum pickup interval, which would help us develop more reasonable time schedules for fertility centers and patients. Meta-analysis registration: PROSPERO CRD42022310006 (28 Apr 2022). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a summary of the optimization design process for a multi-objective, two-level engineering problem, utilizing the generalized inverse cascade method under uncertainty. The primary objective is to enhance the vibration isolation performance of a mounting system, considering the influence of uncertain factors on its stiffness. The focus is on determining the value range of the design variables at the bottom layer, ensuring that the design goal is met with a specified confidence level. To illustrate the application of this methodology, the optimization design of a powertrain mount is used as a case study. A data-driven approach is adopted, establishing a quantitative mapping relationship between mount stiffness, force transmission rate, modal decoupling rate, and other design indicators. This is achieved through the development of a CRBM-DBN approximate model, which combines Conditional Restricted Boltzmann Machines (CRBMs) and a Deep Belief Network (DBN). Additionally, an intelligent optimization algorithm and interval search technology are employed to determine the optimal design interval for the mount stiffness. Simulation and experimental verification are conducted using selected parameter combinations. The results demonstrate notable improvements in the vibration isolation performance, modal decoupling rate, and vehicle NVH performance when compared to the original state. These findings provide valuable insights for the interval optimization design of similar multi-objective, as well as two-level engineering problems, serving as useful references for future research and applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Repeat radioiodine (RAI) treatment has been widely implemented for RAI-avid lung metastases and is clinically effective for lung metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). We aim to investigate the association between the interval of RAI treatment and short-term response, and the side effects in patients with lung metastases from DTC and to identify predictors for non-effective response to the next RAI treatment. Methods: A total of 282 course pairs from 91 patients were established and categorized into two groups by the interval of neighboring RAI treatment (<12 and ≥12 months), and the characteristics and treatment response between the two groups were compared. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify predictors associated with treatment response. The side effects in the former course and the latter course were compared while taking into account the interval. Results: No significant difference was found between the two groups in treatment response in the latter course (p > 0.05). In the multivariate analysis, age ≥ 55 years (OR = 7.29, 95% CI = 1.66-33.35, p = 0.008), follicular thyroid cancer (OR = 5.00, 95% CI = 1.23-22.18, p = 0.027), and a second RAI treatment as the former course (OR = 4.77, 95% CI = 1.42-18.61, p = 0.016) were significantly associated with a non-effective response. There was no significant difference in the side effects in the former and latter courses between the two groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The interval of RAI treatment does not affect short-term response and side effects of DTC patients with RAI-avid lung metastases. It was feasible to defer repeat evaluation and treatment with an interval of at least 12 months to obtain an effective response and reduce the risk of side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on insects have contributed significantly to a better understanding of learning and memory, which is a necessary cognitive capability for all animals. Although the formation of memory has been studied in some model insects, more evidence is required to clarify the characteristics of memory formation, especially long‐term memory (LTM), which is important for reliably storing information. Here, we explored this question by examining Bactrocera dorsalis, an agricultural pest with excellent learning abilities. Using the classical conditioning paradigm of the olfactory proboscis extension reflex (PER), we found that paired conditioning with multiple trials (>3) spaced with an intertrial interval (≥10 min) resulted in stable memory that lasted for at least 3 d. Furthermore, even a single conditioning trial was sufficient for the formation of a 2‐d memory. With the injection of protein inhibitors, protein‐synthesis‐dependent memory was confirmed to start 4 h after training, and its dependence on translation and transcription differed. Moreover, the results revealed that the dependence of memory on protein translation exhibited a time‐window effect (4–6 h). Our findings provide an integrated view of LTM in insects, suggesting common mechanisms in LTM formation that play a key role in the biological basis of memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the question of why intervals, which are the main object of Interval Analysis, have exactly the form that we know well and habitually use, and not some other. In particular, we investigate why traditional intervals are closed, i.e., contain their endpoints, and also what is wrong with an empty interval. A second question considered in the work is how expedient it is to expand the set of traditional intervals by some other objects. We show that improper ("reversed") intervals and the arithmetic of such intervals (the Kaucher complete interval arithmetic) are very useful from many different points of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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PurposeWomen with radiographically dense or texturally complex breasts are at increased risk for interval cancer, defined as cancers diagnosed after a normal screening examination. The purpose of this study was to create masking measures and apply them to identify interval risk in a population of women who experienced either screen-detected or interval cancers after controlling for breast density.MethodsWe examined full-field digital screening mammograms acquired from 2006 to 2015. Examinations associated with 182 interval cancers were matched to 173 screen-detected cancers on age, race, exam date and time since last imaging examination. Local Image Quality Factor (IQF) values were calculated and used to create IQF maps that represented mammographic masking. We used various statistics to define global masking measures of these maps. Association of these masking measures with interval cancer vs screen-detected cancer was estimated using conditional logistic regression in a univariate and adjusted model for Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) density. Receiver operator curves were calculated in each case to compare specificity vs sensitivity, and area under those curves were generated. Proportion of screen-detected cancer was estimated for stratifications of IQF features.ResultsSeveral masking features showed significant association with interval compared to screen-detected cancers after adjusting for BI-RADS density (up to P = 2.52E-6), and the 10th percentile of the IQF value (P = 1.72E-3) showed the strongest improvement in the area under the receiver operator curve, increasing from 0.65 using only BI-RADS density to 0.69. The highest masking group had a 32% proportion of screen-detected cancers while the low masking group had a 69% proportion.ConclusionsWe conclude that computer vision methods using model observers may improve quantifying the probability of breast cancer detection beyond using breast density alone.

Vector-based data in sport performance include a magnitude and direction. Statistically speaking, they are interval in nature as they may be positive or negative. The coefficient of variation (CV) is a commonly reported measure of variability, but its use with vector data is questionable and may be contraindicated. Limits of agreement (LOA) and standard error of measurement (SEM) may be better alternatives for vector data such as acceleration. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the issues with quantifying variability of vector data, while also evaluating the utility of commonly used measures. Acceleration data at three intervals from 0 to 27.4 m (0 to 90 ft) were calculated from publicly available sprint performance data from 310 athletes participating in the 2018 and 2019 Major League Baseball seasons. CV, LOA, and SEM were calculated to evaluate inter-season variability. Variability of the first two intervals was acceptable for all measures, but the final interval was unclear as the CV was quite large (50.78%), while the LOA and SEM were only slightly larger than the other interval values. The final interval includes both positive and negative acceleration, contraindicating the usage of the CV. LOA and SEM are more useful for vector data, showing that the final interval was more variable between trials than the others, but not to the extent portrayed by the CV. The CV likely should not be used with vector data unless it is known that the data does not cross zero. LOA and SEM are appealing alternatives for the CV and should be considered since they work with positive and negative data.

Introduction: This study aimed to assess the associations between the relative abundance (RA) of blood metabolites and growth rate (i.e., live weight change, LWC) calculated using different intervals of time between live weight (LW) measurements from the metabolome assessment. Methods: Grazing beef cattle were raised for 56 days and blood samples from each animal were taken on day 57. Live weight was continuously measured using an automatic in-paddock weighing scale. The RA of plasma metabolites were determined using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Live weight data were filtered for outliers and one LW record was selected every 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49 and 56 days before the metabolome assessment (LWC1 to LWC56, respectively). Live weight change was then re-calculated for each interval between LW data selected. Results: Associations between LWC calculations and the RA of metabolites were greatly affected by the interval of time between LW data selected. Thus, the number of significant associations decreased from 9 for LWC1 to 5 for LWC35 whereas no significant associations were found for LWC56 (P > 0.05). There were 7 metabolites negatively associated with LWC1 including leucine, 2-hydroxybutyrate, valine, creatinine, creatine, phenylalanine and methylhistidine; however, correlations were positive for 2 lipids. The strength of the correlation coefficients decreased as the length of the interval between LW measures increased although this reduction was greater for some metabolites such as leucine compared to others such as lipids. Our findings suggest that the time frame in which a particular response variable, such as LWC, is measured and metabolomic samples are taken could largely impact associations and thus conclusions drawn. Conclusions: Depending on the variable to be explored, rapid changes in cattle metabolome may not be reflected in correlations if they are not assessed close in time. Our findings suggest that LWC should be measured for a period shorter than 28 days before the metabolome assessment as the number of significant associations decreases when LWC is measured for longer periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine whether time interval between hemi-thyroidectomy and subsequent completion thyroidectomy impacts outcomes. Methods: Retrospective review of 68 patients having completion thyroidectomy from August 2012 to December 2019. Patients were separated into two groups based on the time interval between surgeries: early (≤10 days) or delayed (≥90 days). Results: Patients who underwent delayed completion thyroidectomy (n = 17) had significantly higher rates of hypocalcemia and/or hypoparathyroidism (P =.03) and higher rates of requiring postoperative hospitalization (P =.07) compared to those who underwent early completion thyroidectomy (n = 51). Delayed completion had significantly lower risk of developing one or more of dysphonia, dysphagia, or vocal cord paresis postoperatively (P =.02). No patients developed hematoma or wound infection. Conclusions: Delayed completion thyroidectomy is associated with increased rates of hypocalcemia, but lower rates of dysphonia and dysphagia. Given the low risk of long-term complications in both groups, it may be beneficial to perform completion thyroidectomy early in order to expedite cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-expanding metallic stenting (SEMS) is usual for the temporary resolution of obstructive left-sided colorectal cancer (CRC) as a bridge to elective surgery. However, there is no consensus regarding adequate time intervals from stenting to radical surgery. The aim of this study was to identify the optimal time interval that results in favorable short- and long-term outcomes. Methods: Data on patients with obstructive left-sided CRC who underwent elective radical surgery after clinically successful SEMS deployment in five tertiary referral hospitals from 2004 to 2016 were analyzed, retrospectively. An inverse probability treatment-weighted propensity score analysis was used to minimize bias. Postoperative short- and long-term outcomes were compared between two groups: an early surgery (within 8 days) group and delayed surgery (after 8 days) group. Results: Of 311 patients, 148 (47.6%) underwent early and 163 (52.4%) underwent delayed surgery. The median surgery interval was 9.0 days. After adjustment, the groups had similar patient and tumor characteristics. In terms of short-term outcomes, there was no difference in hospitalization length or postoperative complications. No deaths were observed. With a median follow-up of 71.0 months, no significant difference was observed between the groups in 5-year overall survival (early vs. delayed surgery: 79.6% vs. 71.3%, P = 0.370) and 5-year disease-free survival (early vs. delayed surgery: 59.1% vs. 60.4%, P = 0.970). Conclusions: In obstructive left-sided CRC, the time interval between SEMS and radical surgery did not significantly influence short- and long-term outcomes. Therefore, early surgery after SEMS could be suggested if there is no reason to postpone surgery for preoperative medical optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Port-wine stains (PWS) are frequently refractory to laser treatments. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of treatment interval time. From 1990, 216 patients underwent Pulsed Dye Laser sessions. The laser sessions were scheduled at a minimum interval of 4 weeks to a maximum of 48 weeks. Clinical outcomes were assessed 8 weeks after the last laser session. Better results were obtained with 8 weeks interval time between therapy session, and high efficacies were also found for intervals of 4, 6 and 10 weeks. For greater interval instead, the effectiveness is significantly lower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Short Birth Interval negatively affects the health of both mothers and children in developing countries. Studies conducted in Ethiopia on the spatial variation and determinants of individual and community-level factors about short birth intervals were limited. Thus, this study was intended to assess the spatial variation of the short birth interval and its determinants in Ethiopia. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (mini EDHS 2019). A total of 1784 reproductive-age women were included in the analysis. The global spatial autocorrelation (Global Moran's I) and the Getis-Ord statistics tool were used to detect the presence of clustering and the high/low hotspot areas of SBI respectively. Ordinary kriging was used to interpolate short birth intervals, and spatial scan statistics were employed to identify spatial clusters with high and low SBI. A multilevel multivariable model was used to identify predictors of a short birth interval. Results: The prevalence of SBI was 62.89% (95%CI: 59.3, 69.7) in Ethiopia. High clustering of SBI was observed in all parts of Somali, in Afar (zones 1, 3, 4, &5), Oromia (Guje, Bale, & West Harerge), and northern Tigray. The most likely significant primary cluster was observed in the Somali region. Women who lived in the primary cluster were 24% more likely to have a short birth interval than those who lived outside the window. In the multilevel mixed-effect analysis age 25–34 [(AOR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.45)], 35–49 [(AOR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.38, 0.51)], Muslim religion follower [(AOR = 3.5, 95% CI: 2.7, 4.69)], no formal education [(AOR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.37, 0.70)], primary education[(AOR = 0.4, 95%CI: 0.28, 0.53)], and secondary education [(AOR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.24, 0.48)], middle [(AOR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.2, 1.52)], rich wealth status [(AOR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.3, 1.68)], female sex children [(AOR: 1.2, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.42)], and two or fewer ideal number of children [(AOR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.25, 0.32)] were found to be significant predictors of SBI. Conclusion: Overall, SBI was high and significantly clustered across the region of Ethiopia. Age, religion, education, wealth status, the sex of the indexed child, and the ideal number of children were found to be significantly associated with short birth intervals. Hence, the government should design a health promotion strategy and public health awareness in the identified hotspot areas of SBI and should scale up family planning and the wealth status of reproductive-age women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) are recommended for women at risk of preterm birth before 34 weeks' gestation. However, adverse effects of ACS on the fetal brain have also been reported. The time interval from ACS administration to delivery (ACS‐to‐delivery interval) might alter the effect of ACS on the fetal brain. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of ACS‐to‐delivery interval on cord blood S100 calcium‐binding protein B (S100B) levels as a biomarker of brain damage. Methods: Women who delivered between 2012 and 2020 at a tertiary medical center were divided into three groups according to ACS use and ACS‐to‐delivery interval, retrospectively: non‐ACS, ACS ≤7 days, and ACS >7 days. Patients who did not complete the ACS regimen were excluded. The primary outcome was cord blood S100B levels. Results: Cord blood S100B levels were significantly lower in the ACS ≤7 days group than in the non‐ACS and ACS >7 days groups. In the multiple regression analysis, birth ≤7 days after ACS showed a significant negative association with S100B level (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Reduced S100B levels were observed in infants born ≤7 days after ACS but not in infants born >7 days after ACS. These findings suggest the importance of ACS timing to optimize its effects on the fetal brain, although further studies are required to identify these mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cannibalistic behavior of Asian redtail catfish greatly hampers the supply of these fish seeds, invoking the need to be controlled. Estradiol is one of the hormones that has been known to reduce cannibalistic behavior on fish. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of estradiol-17ß immersion on the incidence of cannibalism in the rearing of post larvae of Asian redtail catfish. Post larvae was treated with a combination of doses of estradiol hormone 0, 1, and 2 ppm and immersion time of two and four hours with immersion intervals of three and six days with a completely randomized design. Each treatment had a fish density of 10 fish L-1, with mean size individual length of 6.73 ± 0.73 mm (three days of age after hatched), with four replications. Fish were fed with tubifex up until satiation point and reared for 30 days. The results showed that the administration of the estradiol-17ß through immersion with a dose of 1 ppm for two hours and interval of six days was able to reduce the level of cannibalism and increase the survivability. A further increase in dose, immersion time, and interval had the opposite effect. Estradiol-17ß immersion with certain dose, duration, and interval affected the rate of cannibalism, growth rate, and survival. Estradiol-17ß immersion at a dose of 1 ppm for two hours and six days interval was the best to reduce the level of cannibalism and normal mortality in post larvae of Asian re. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an interval solution has been constructed for the system of differential equations (SDEs) governing the COVID‐19 pandemic with uncertain parameters, namely, interval. The imposition of lockdown on infective has been considered as an interval parameter. As a result, the complete system of first‐order differential equations is transformed into interval form. The resulting interval system of differential equations (ISDEs) has been solved with help of the parametric concept and the Runge–Kutta method of order 4. Obtained results are compared with existing crisp results, and they are found to be in good agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in Shaanxi Province from December 9, 2021 to January 20, 2022, and analyze the factors influencing the interval from isolation to diagnosis. Methods We collected the data of local COVID-19 cases from December 9, 2021 to January 20, 2022 published on the official website of Health Commission of Shaanxi Province. Descriptive statistical method was used to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in Shaanxi Province. Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis H test were used to compare the differences between groups. The unconditional Logistic regression model was applied to analyze the factors influencing the interval between isolation and diagnosis. Results The outbreak of COVID-19 in Shaanxi Province started on December 9, 2021 and ended on January 20, 2022. The overall change trend of the outbreak showed an “inverted V” shape. A total of 2,080 confirmed local cases were reported, and the main type of disease was mild, with an incidence rate of 5.26/100,000. Xi’an had the most cases, accounting for98.69% of the total. The reported cases were mainly concentrated in people aged 21 to 55 years old, with a male-to-female sex ratio of 1.19∶1. The median interval from isolation to diagnosis was 3 days, the shortest interval being 0 day and the longest interval being 21 days. Unconditional Logistic regression model analysis showed that the way of finding cases was the factor influencing the interval from isolation to diagnosis. Compared with the way of isolation of the key population, the way of the nucleic acid screening could reduce the risk of late detection of confirmed cases by 89% (OR=0.11, 95% CI: 0.07-0.16). Conclusion The way of finding cases is the factor influencing the interval from isolation to diagnosis. In the face of the recent intensification of the spread of Omicron variant in mainland China, accurate and rapid identification and detection of confirmed cases can not only reduce the risk of the spread of the epidemic, but also endeavor more time and initiative for the treatment of patients, which is the key to curbing the spread of the epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Expressive writing is a promising tool to heal the wounds with words. Aims: This meta‐analysis evaluated the current state of efficacy of expressive writing on depression, anxiety and stress symptoms among healthy and subclinical samples. Materials and Methods: Thirty‐one experimental studies (N = 4012) with randomized controlled trials and follow‐up assessments were analysed. Results: Results showed that expressive writing had an overall small but significant effect (Hedges' g = −0.12, 95% CI [−0.21, −0.04]) on reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. Change score analyses suggested that the intervention effect emerged after a delay, as evidenced by assessments at follow‐up periods. Moderator analyses indicated that the effect sizes varied as a function of one intervention feature: interval. Studies that implemented short intervals (1–3 days) between writing sessions yielded stronger effects (Gdiff = −0.18, p =.01) relative to studies that implemented medium intervals (4–7 days) or long intervals (>7 days). The effects of expressive writing remained consistent across other intervention features including focus, instruction, number of sessions, topic repetition and delivery mode. Discussion: Together, these findings provide evidence for the delayed, durable effect of expressive writing and underscore the importance of scheduling writing sessions at short intervals. Conclusion: Implications for incorporating expressive writing into clinical practice and daily life are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]