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Purpose: This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) plus platinum versus paclitaxel plus platinum as first-line therapy in patients with metastatic or recurrent cervical cancer. Methods: Between October 2020 and March 2022, consecutive patients with diagnosed with metastatic or recurrent cervical cancer were retrospectively recruited in our hospital. Fifty-four patients were treated with nab-paclitaxel plus cisplatin or carboplatin. Twenty-four patients were treated with paclitaxel plus cisplatin or carboplatin. A propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was done using a multivariable logistic regression model. The two groups were compared for objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in the raw and matched dataset. Results: The nab-paclitaxel group showed a higher ORR than the paclitaxel group both in the raw dataset (72.2% vs. 45.8%; P = 0.025) and matched dataset (81.1% vs. 47.6%; P = 0.008). The median PFS was significantly longer in the nab-paclitaxel group than in the paclitaxel group both in the raw and matched dataset (12 vs. 7 months; P < 0.05). The median OS was not reached in the nab-paclitaxel group compared with 15 months in the paclitaxel group, with a trend toward prolongation. The most common toxicity was hematological adverse events, including grade 3–4 neutropenia, grade 3 anemia and thrombocytopenia in both groups and no statistical differences were observed between the groups (all P > 0.05). Conclusion: Compared with paclitaxel plus platinum, nab-paclitaxel plus platinum may be an effective and tolerable option as first-line therapy for patients with metastatic or recurrent cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low Coulombic efficiency and significant capacity decay resulting from an unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and dendritic growth pose challenges to the practical application of lithium‐metal batteries. In this study, a highly efficient protection layer induced by octaphenylsilsesquioxane (OPS) with LiFSI salt is investigated. The OPS exhibits a strong adsorption energy with lithium, its multi‐site gradient adsorption ability enables the simultaneous capture of 8 Li+ and the uniform regulation of Li ion flux. Moreover, the mechanical strength and electronic insulation of the OPS layer induces Li deposition under the protection layer and effectively inhibits lithium dendrite growth. Such a protection layer contributes to the stable and dendrite‐free performance of a lithium‐metal battery employing LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) as a cathode and an ultrathin OPS‐protected lithium foil (20 µm) as the anode. A remarkable capacity retention of 91.4% is achieved after 300 cycles at 1C. The OPS‐protected Li anodes and NCM811 are also tested in combination with a Li1.5Al0.5Ge1.5(PO4)3 solid electrolyte, showing extended cyclability up to 300 cycles with an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.58% and capacity retention of 85.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of deep learning, automatic lesion detection is used widely in clinical screening. To solve the problem that existing deep learning-based cervical precancerous lesion detection algorithms cannot meet high classification accuracy and fast running speed at the same time, a ShuffleNet-based cervical precancerous lesion classification method is proposed. By adding channel attention to the ShuffleNet, the network performance is improved. In this study, the image dataset is classified into five categories: normal, cervical cancer, LSIL (CIN1), HSIL (CIN2/CIN3), and cervical neoplasm. The colposcopy images are expanded to solve the problems of the lack of colposcopy images and the uneven distribution of images from each category. For the test dataset, the accuracy of the proposed CNN models is 81.23% and 81.38%. Our classifier achieved an AUC score of 0.99. The experimental results show that the colposcopy image classification network based on artificial intelligence has good performance in classification accuracy and model size, and it has high clinical applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aim of this study was to explore the impact of dietary supplementation with a postbiotic derived from Bacillus subtilis ACCC 11025 on growth performance, meat yield, meat quality, excreta bacterial populations, and excreta ammonia emissions of broiler chicks. A total of 480 day-old Arbor Acre broiler chicks, initially weighing 52.83 ± 1.38 g, were randomly allocated into 4 distinct groups. Each group was housed in 6 separate cages, each containing 20 birds. The experimental phase spanned 42 d, divided into 2 periods (d 1–21 and d 22–42). Dietary interventions were based on a basal diet, with postbiotic supplementation at levels of 0.000, 0.015, 0.030, or 0.045%. Our findings indicate that dietary supplementation with postbiotic had a positive influence on body weight gain (BWG) and feed efficiency. The most substantial improvements in BWG and feed efficiency were observed in the group of broiler chicks fed a diet containing 0.015% postbiotic. Furthermore, the inclusion of postbiotic in the diet led to an increase in the yield of breast and leg muscles, with a significant difference in meat yields observed between the control group and the group receiving 0.015% postbiotic supplementation. It's noteworthy that dietary manipulation did not exert any discernible impact on the quality of breast and leg muscle samples. Concurrently, we observed an elevation in serum albumin and total protein contents corresponding to the increasing postbiotic dosage in the diet. Additionally, dietary supplementation with postbiotic effectively controlled the emission of ammonia from excreta and reduced the abundance of Salmonella in excreta while enhancing the presence of Lactobacillus bacteria. The group receiving 0.015% postbiotic supplementation displayed the lowest levels of ammonia emission and the highest counts of Lactobacillus bacteria in excreta. In light of these results, we conclude that dietary supplementation with 0.015% postbiotic represents an efficacious strategy for increasing BWG and meat yield of broiler chicks by enhancing feed efficiency as well as mitigating ammonia emissions from excreta by modulating the composition of excreta bacterial communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have simulated traffic behavior at signalized intersections using various Car-Following (CF) models. However, the performance of which CF Model is superior at signalized intersections has not been thoroughly analyzed and evaluated. In this study, two novel Artificial Neural Network (ANN) CF models, the Convolutional Neural Network—Long Short-term Memory (CNN-LSTM) and the Convolution-LSTM (Conv-LSTM)—are first applied to predict CF behaviors at signalized intersections. Both models can extract spatial and temporal information to address the long-term dependency problem more effectively. Based on the filtered NGSIM dataset, we conduct a comparative empirical study of three conventional CF models and five ANN CF models. The dataset is divided into two categories based on the characteristics of CF behavior at signalized intersections: continuous and discontinuous. The experiments demonstrated that ANN CF models outperformed conventional CF models when the output was the velocity in two categories of traffic flow but only failed to do so when the output was acceleration in discontinuous traffic flow. The proposed models were capable of accurately predicting acceleration, but the traffic fluctuations also existed as time passed. Additionally, it was discovered that while the ANN CF model is preferable for traffic flow simulation, the conventional CF model still cannot be ignored for discontinuous traffic flow simulation, particularly when acceleration is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Lateral roots (LRs) are the main component of the root system architecture in Arabidopsis. The plasticity of LR development has an important role in improving plant survival in response to the external environment. Previous studies have revealed a number of genetic pathways that control plant growth in response to environmental stimuli. Here, we find that the xyloglucan endotransglucosylase 19 (XTH19) and XTH23 genes are involved in LR development under salt stress. The density of LRs was decreased in the xth23 single mutant, which was also more sensitive to salt than the wild type, and the xth19xth23 double mutant exhibited additive downregulated LR initiation and salt sensitivity compared with the single mutant. On the contrary, constitutive overexpression of XTH19 or XTH23 caused increased LR densities. Furthermore, XTH19 and XTH23 were induced by salt via the key brassinosteroid signaling pathway transcription factor BES1. In addition, we found that 35S::BES1 increased salt tolerance and the phenotype of xth19xth23 & 35S::BES1 was partially complementary to the wild‐type level. In vivo and in vitro assays demonstrated that BES1 acts directly upstream of XTH19 and XTH23 to control their expression. Overall, our results revealed that XTH19 and XTH23 are involved in LR development via the BES1‐dependent pathway, and contribute to LR adaptation to salt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traffic lights force vehicles to stop frequently at signalized intersections, which leads to excessive fuel consumption, higher emissions, and travel delays. To address these issues, this study develops a trajectory planning method for mixed vehicles at signalized intersections. First, we use the intelligent driver car-following model to analyze the string stability of traffic flow upstream of the intersection. Second, we propose a mixed-vehicle trajectory planning method based on a trigonometric model that considers prefixed traffic signals. The proposed method employs the proportional-integral-derivative (PID) model controller to simulate the trajectory when connected vehicles (equipped with internet access) follow the optimal advisory speed. Essentially, only connected vehicle trajectories need to be controlled because normal vehicles simply follow the connected vehicles according to the Intelligent Driver Model (IDM). The IDM model aims to minimize traffic oscillation and ensure that all vehicles pass the signalized intersection without stopping. The results of a MATLAB simulation indicate that the proposed method can reduce fuel consumption and NOx, HC, CO2, and CO concentrations by 17%, 22.8%, 17.8%, 17%, and 16.9% respectively when the connected vehicle market penetration is 50 percent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Shared decision making promotes patient participation in medical decisions. This study aims to explore the decision-making situation and influencing factors in patients with cancer. Patients and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted for patient with cancers in regional teaching hospitals in northern Taiwan using short-form Mandarin Health Literacy Scale (s-MHLS) and Shared Decision Making Questionnaire (SDM-Q-9), with total 120 cases collected from January 15 to April 30, 2018. Results: Overall health literacy in patients with cancer is 86.52%, and degree of shared decision making is 89.63%; higher education level indicated better health literacy (p<0.001); health literacy is significantly correlated with Shared decision making (r=0.258, p=0.004). Increasing education level by one grade elevated health literacy by 0.623. Expanding health knowledge by one source increased health literacy by 0.307 points, one point increase in health literacy enhanced shared decision making by 0.128 points. Using path analysis, we found education level affects health literacy, which in turn influences shared decision making. Conclusion: Improving health literacy is indispensable to promote patient participation in shared decision making in the highly professional medical field. Education level directly affects health literacy; therefore, in the future, providing disease-matching health education is crucial for patients with lower education levels to enhance their health literacy. Health literacy directly affects shared decision making; therefore, more active assistance in achieving patient health literacy is crucial to implement shared decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of ultrafast selected energy x-ray absorption spectroscopy (USEXAS) investigations of Ni and Zn species are presented. The USEXAS measurements described here employed characteristic x-ray radiation of Lα and Lβ from an ultrafast laser-driven W x-ray target to probe the K absorption edges of Ni and Zn, respectively. Static x-ray absorption edge spectra of six Ni and Zn species in either solid or solution form were obtained. Simulations of near-edge x-ray absorption spectra of these Ni and Zn species were carried out with FEFF. The results of USEXAS measurements were in general agreement with the theoretically simulated spectra and those measured with synchrotron x-ray radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study aimed to identify the relationship of α‐2‐macroglobulin and microvascular vessel pathology with steroid‐induced femoral head necrosis in the Southeast Chinese population. Methods: This study enrolled 40 patients diagnosed with steroid‐induced necrosis of the femoral head. Patients had various stages of femoral head necrosis. The differential expression of serum proteins and mRNA from patients with steroid‐induced necrosis of the femoral head (SINFH) and healthy volunteers was analyzed by western blot and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QT‐PCR). The pathological change in osteocyte necrosis was indicated by hematoxylin and eosin stain and immunohistochemistry. Results: Hematoxylin and eosin stain showed histopathology changes in the necrotic area of patients with steroid‐induced INFH: bone trabeculae were fewer and thinner, became broken, fragmented and structurally disordered; intraosseous adipose cells became enlarged; the arrangement of the osteoblasts became irregular; and vacant bone lacunae increased. QT‐PCR showed significantly lower levels of α‐2‐macroglobulin in the serum of patients with SINFH than in controls (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemical staining and western blotting demonstrated that the expression of α‐2‐macroglobulin was significantly decreased in the necrotic area of SINFH patients (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The α‐2‐macroglobulin may be associated with the pathology of SINFH. The multiple pathological reactions occur in SINFH and α‐2‐macroglobulin may serve as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of SINFH or a promising therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we successfully designed and synthesized Ge nanoparticles encapsulated in a carbon matrix and supported by three-dimensional interconnected porous N-doped carbon foam (3D Ge/C-NCF) nanoarchitecture. When applied as an anode material for lithium ion batteries, the obtained composite electrode exhibits high capacity of 878.1 mAh g −1 at a current density of 0.5 A g −1 after 150 cycles. Additionally, it also achieves excellent rate capability and cycling stability. The significant improved electrochemical performance of Ge/C-NCF can be attributed to the synergetic effects of the carbon matrix and the N-doped carbon framework: including a highly conductive carbon network and a structure with large porous for mitigates volume changes of Ge nanoparticles. This study of the composite electrode may provide an interesting method to creating efficient and practical electrodes for those that suffer from huge volume expansion for energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NASICON-type electrolytes such as Li 1.5 Al 0.5 Ge 1.5 (PO 4) 3 (LAGP) potentially enable high safety and high energy for solid-state batteries. However, the poor interfacial stability with lithium metal remains a main issue. To overcome this challenge, we proposed a bilayer solid electrolyte architecture implementing a novel ultrathin solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) film in combination with LAGP to improve the interface with lithium metal. The SPE film is composed of a bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide-based ionic liquid and polyethylene oxide, which shows a remarkable ionic conductivity of 1.25 × 10−3 S cm−1 at room temperature. The application of this thin interlayer leads to an outstanding interface stability, allowing >2000 h of continuous Li stripping/plating in symmetric Li|SPE/LAGP/SPE|Li cells without any increase in polarization or indication of a short circuit. As a result, this approach enables Li|SPE/LAGP|NCM811 cells with a discharge capacity of ∼200 mAh g−1 at 0.1C and stable cycling for >400 cycles at 0.2C with a capacity retention of 83%. Additionally, the cell shows an extremely high average Coulombic efficiency of 99.96% demonstrating that the approach enables to achieve high-energy and long-term stable solid-state lithium-metal batteries. [Display omitted] • High energy lithium metal batteries. • Hybrid electrolytes enabled solid-state batteries. • Artificial interphases in high energy batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuregulin-1 (NRG-1), an endogenously produced polypeptide, is the ligand of cardiomyocyte ErbB receptors, with cardiovascular protective effects. In the present study, we explored whether the cardioprotective effect of NRG-1 against I/R injury is mediated by inhibiting myocardial endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. In vitro , NRG-1 directly inhibited the upregulation of ER stress markers such as glucose-regulated protein 78, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein and cleaved caspase-12 induced by the ER stress inducers tunicamycin or dithiothreitol in both neonatal and adult ventricular myocytes. Attenuating ErbB signals by an ErbB inhibitor AG1478 or ErbB4 knockdown and preincubation with phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitors all reversed the effect of NRG-1 inhibiting ER stress in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Concurrently, cardiomyocyte ER stress and apoptosis induced by hypoxia-reoxygenation were decreased by NRG-1 treatment in vitro . Furthermore, in an in vivo rat model of myocardium ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), intravenous NRG-1 administration significantly decreased ER stress and myocardial infarct size induced by I/R. NRG-1 could protect the heart against I/R injury by inhibiting myocardial ER stress, which might be mediated by the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edwardsiella tarda, an important fish pathogenic bacterium, could utilize type III secretion system (T3SS) to transfer multiple effector proteins into host cells during infection. EseG was identified to be an E. tarda T3SS effector, which could be injected by T3SS into non-phagocytic cells. Since E. tarda is a facultative intracellular pathogen that resides and replicates in macrophage, it is interesting to expand our knowledge about EseG translocation and localization within phagocytic cells. Here utilizing murine macrophage cell line J774A.1 as the cell model, we demonstrated that EseG could be transported into J774A.1 via T3SS only after E. tarda was internalized into macrophage cells, indicating that extracellular E. tarda could not inject EseG into host cells. Subcellular fractionation analysis gave the evidence that EseG was specifically localized in the membrane fraction of infected host cells. Furthermore, immunofluorescence detection indicated that EseG specifically targeted the E. tarda -containing vacuoles (ECVs) within macrophage cells. Finally the unique features for EseG were also confirmed in non-phagocytic cells. In summarize, this work illuminates internalization-depending translocation and ECV-targeting localization of E. tarda T3SS effector in both non-phagocytic and phagocytic cells, which might be important to interpret the interaction of EseG with host cells upon infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gold nanorods (GNRs) have shown great potential applications in cancer theranostics due to the unique phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance, which leads to strong electric fields on the surface and consequently enhances the absorption and scattering in the near-infrared (NIR) region. Indocyanine green (ICG), an amphipathic dye, is not only an excellent NIR imaging agent but also an ideal light absorber for laser-mediated photodynamic and photothermal therapy. In this study, in order to integrate the merits of GNRs and ICG in biomedical applications, we developed ICG conjugated silica-coated GNRs (GNR@SiO2-ICG) for cancer imaging and phototherapy. The covalent coupling strategy reduces the probability of leakage/desorption during the delivery. The as-prepared GNR@SiO2-ICG could serve as efficient probes to simultaneously enhance fluorescence (FL) imaging and two-photon luminescence (TPL) imaging. In vitro experiments indicated that A375 cells could be killed through synergistic phototherapies effect of GNRs and ICG using single wavelength continuous-wave laser irradiation. Our results indicated that the synthesized GNR@SiO2-ICG are effective for simultaneously enhancing FL/TPL imaging and synergistic phototherapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polythiophene-coated porous silicon core-shell nanospheres (Si@PTh) composite are synthesized by a simple chemical oxidative polymerization approach. The polythiophene acts as a flexible layer to hold silicon grains when they are repeatedly alloying/dealloying with lithium during the discharge/charge process. The long lifespan and high-current-density rate ­capability (at a current of 8 A g−1) of the Si@PTh composite are vastly improved compared with as-prepared Si spheres. Typically, these Si@PTh composite electrodes achieve a reversible capacity of 1130.5 mA h g−1 at 1 A g−1 current density after 500 cycles, and can even possess a discharge capacity up to 451.8 mA h g−1 at 8 A g−1. The improved electrochemical performance can be ascribed to the synergy effects of the flexible PTh coating and the distinctive core-shell nanospheres with porous structure, which can largely alleviate the volume expansion of the Si during alloying with lithium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional (3D) titanium dioxide@germanium (TiO2@Ge) core-shell nanorod arrays on carbon textiles are fabricated by a facile two-step method and further investigated as flexible electrode for Li-ion batteries (LIBs). The synthesis of TiO2@Ge composite involves the hydrothermal growth of TiO2 nanorod arrays on carbon textiles and a subsequent coat with a thin layer of germanium with radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. The TiO2 nanorod arrays can effectively not only increase the unit mass loading as a role of skeleton but also remarkably enhance the electrical conductivity via control the lithiation/delithiation voltage in the range of 0.01-1.0 V, where TiO2 can be in situ lithiated to LixTiO2 after the first discharge cycle. Moreover, each TiO2@Ge nanorod has enough space to accommodate the large volume expansion of Ge during charge and discharge cycles. Benefiting from unique electrode architectures, this additive free, self-supported electrode exhibits the high reversible capacity, outstanding rate capability, and the extremely long cycling stability even at a high rate (700.3 mAh g−1 is still retained at 5 A g−1 after 600 cycles). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, germanium (Ge) nanofilm as the high-capacity electrode was deposited on the three-dimensional porous nickel foam substrate by radio frequency sputtering. Then, cyclized-polyacrylonitrile (PAN) was coated on the surface of Ge nanofilm to get the excellent rate capability and cycle stability owing to the poor cycle life of the as-prepared Ge nanofilm. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were employed to analyze the microstructure and morphology of the Ge/cyclized-PAN electrodes. The Ge/cyclized-PAN manifests excellent electrochemical performance with high specific capacity and good cycling stability due to the unique structural features. At the charge-discharge rate of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, and 5 C over a voltage window of 0.01-1.0 V, the discharge capacities of the composite are 731, 722, 701, 676, 621, and 566 mAh g, respectively. The specific capacity retention is up to 98 % with less capacity fading after 100 cycles at 1 C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Self-protected SEI layer formed in carbonate-based electrolyte with vinylethylene carbonate. • Additives effectively suppress the further decomposition of carbonate solvent. • Uniform Li plating/stripping and high CE are achieved with the additives. • The anode-free cell Cu|NMC811 obtained high initial CE and cycling performance. Lithium metal is considered as the ultimate negative electrode for future high-energy batteries because of its lowest electrode potential and very high theoretical capacity. However, its practical application is severely plagued by the hazardous lithium dendritic growth upon charge and low coulombic efficiency resulting from the inhomogeneous mass and charge transfers across the Li/electrolyte interface. Herein we report an economical and effective approach to step out of this dilemma, using self-protected Solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) in carbonate-based electrolyte with Vinylethylene carbonate (VEC) additive. VEC as a sacrificing material can prevent the Li salts and solvent decomposition, and further free radical reaction of VEC decomposition products in-situ form self-protected highly uniform and mechanical strength SEI layer on Li metal surface. The versatile effects of this unique SEI layer are demonstrated by the uniform lithium plating/stripping and very high Coulombic efficiency (up to 96% after 150 cycles at 1 mA cm−2 with 1 mAh cm−2). Lithium metal batteries, employing the self-protected Li metal negative electrode coupled with LiFePO 4 , exhibit excellent performance in both cycling stability and rate capability. Even the anode free cell Cu|NMC811, an impressive high initial coulombic efficiency of 92.5% and promising improvement of cycling performance are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the crystallization behavior of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) has been investigated. The results have shown that carbon nanotubes (CNTs) act as an effective heterogeneous nucleation agent, inducing an increase in crystallinity and crystallite sizes. Comparing with the double melting peaks in pure PHBV, there is only one peak in the melting curves of nanocomposites. The isothermal crystallization kinetics of PHBV and its nanocomposite containing 0.5% CNTs were examined based on Avrami equation, indicating that the crystallization half-time decreases while the overall crystallization rate k increases dramatically with CNTs addition. The spherulitic nucleation and growth kinetics were also discussed grounded on Lauritzen-Hoffman equation. It is found that there is a spherulitic growth rates ( G) maximum within selected temperature range in our study. Also, the temperatures corresponding to G maximum shift to a high level with addition of CNTs. The parameters of the equilibrium melting temperature $$ T_m^0 $$, the nucleation parameter K, the lateral surface free energy σ, the fold surface free energy σ, and the work of chain folding q of PHBV and its composite containing 0.5% CNTs were all calculated. The reductions of K, σ and q values of nanocomposite are in agreement with the fact that the crystallization rate of PHBV increases greatly by addition of CNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set D of vertices of a graph G = ( V,E) is called a dominating set if every vertex of V not in D is adjacent to a vertex of D. In 1996, Reed proved that every graph of order n with minimum degree at least 3 has a dominating set of cardinality at most 3 n/8. In this paper we generalize Reed’s result. We show that every graph G of order n with minimum degree at least 2 has a dominating set of cardinality at most (3 n+| V2|)/8, where V2 denotes the set of vertices of degree 2 in G. As an application of the above result, we show that for k ≥ 1, the k-restricted domination number r k( G, γ) ≤ (3 n+5 k)/8 for all graphs of order n with minimum degree at least 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we have investigated the effect of mold temperature and moisture content on double yielding of virgin polyamide 6 (PA6) uniaxially deformed at room temperature. The experimental results have revealed that, to a certain extent, a limited increment in both mold temperature and moisture content will make the second yield process become more apparent. However, the double yielding behavior will disappear totally in the case of much higher mold temperature and moisture content. Instead, a typical single sharp yield or brittle fracture will be present in the former case, while in the latter case the samples only display a very broad yield, similar to a rubber‐like deformation. Maybe two critical states will be in existence in PA6 exhibiting double yielding behavior, and the critical states are probably relevant with the concentration of the interlinks and intralinks, the lamellae perfection and the crystallite size. Particular emphasis should be placed on the role of interlinks and intralinks when considering the origin of double yielding of virgin PA6 since these links affect the stress transfer significantly. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 1217–1225, 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deploying the dynamic wireless power transfer (DWPT) equipment at intersections can improve the transportation efficiency and decrease the energy consumption. It can easily turn the disadvantages of waiting time for red phase into the advantages of charging benefits for electric vehicles (EVs). This study develops a multiobjective speed planning model with differentiated charging strategy to optimize the EV's trajectory at signalized intersections with DWPT. To mitigate the negative impact of DWPT, the proposed model is divided into charging priority driving (C-eco-driving) mode and time priority driving (T-eco-driving) mode for connected and automated electric vehicles (CAEVs) to apply different scenarios. Meanwhile, a widely applied car-following model, i.e., the Intelligent Driver Model (IDM), has been calibrated with the ground-truth dataset to meet the intersection characteristic for EVs in mixed traffic. The efficiency and robustness of two eco-driving modes were validated in single-vehicle and mixed traffic based on MATLAB simulation. For single vehicle, the electricity benefits of the C-eco-driving mode and T-eco-driving mode increase about 0.0867 kWh and 0.0532 kWh, respectively. T-eco-driving mode reduces 2.5 s of travel time. For mixed traffic, the C-eco-driving mode provides more charging benefits about 51~73% than no-control strategy. In contrast, the T-eco-driving mode provides significant time benefits of 2.6 s and slight electricity benefits of 12~30% than no-control strategy. The increment of market penetration rate and wireless charging length can significantly improve the charging benefits. When charging length has the same value, the closer the DWPT facilities to the intersection, the more obvious the charging benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Stroke is a common and frequently occurring disease among middle-aged and elderly people, with approximately 55%−75% of patients remaining with upper limb dysfunction. How to promote the recovery of motor function at an early stage is crucial to the life of the patient. Objectives. This study aimed to investigate whether high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) of the primary motor cortex (M1) functional area in poststroke patients in the subacute phase is more effective in improving upper limb function than conventional tDCS. Methods. This randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial included 69 patients with subcortical stroke. They were randomly divided into the HD-tDCS, anodal tDCS (a-tDCS), and sham groups. Each group received 20 sessions of stimulation. The patients were assessed using the Action Research Arm Test, Fugl–Meyer score for upper extremities, Motor Function Assessment Scale, and modified Barthel index (MBI) pretreatment and posttreatment. Results. The intragroup comparison scores improved after 4 weeks of treatment. The HD-tDCS group showed a slightly greater, but nonsignificant improvement as compared to a-tDCS group in terms of mean change observed in function of trained items. The MBI score of the HD-tDCS group was maintained up to 8 weeks of follow-up and was higher than that in the a-tDCS group. Conclusion. Both HD-tDCS and a-tDCS can improve upper limb motor function and daily activities of poststroke patients in the subacute stage. This trial is registered with ChiCTR2000031314. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe2O3 with high theoretical capacity (1007 mA h g−1) and low cost is a potential anode material for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), but its practical application is restricted by its low electrical conductivity and large volume changes during lithiation/delithiation. To solve these problems, Fe2O3@Ti3C2Tx composites were synthesized by a mussel‐like modification method, which relies on the self‐polymerization of dopamine under mild conditions. During polymerization, the electronegative group (−OH) on dopamine can easily coordinate with Fe3+ ions as well as form hydrogen bonds with the −OH terminal group on the surface of Ti3C2Tx, which induces a uniform distribution of Fe2O3 on the Ti3C2Tx surface and mitigates self‐accumulation of MXene nanosheets. In addition, the polydopamine‐derived carbon layer protects Ti3C2Tx from oxidation during the hydrothermal process, which can further improve the electrical conductivity of the composites and buffer the volume expansion and particle agglomeration of Fe2O3. As a result, Fe2O3@Ti3C2Tx anodes exhibit ~100 % capacity retention with almost no capacity loss at 0.5 A g−1 after 250 cycles, and a stable capacity of 430 mA h g−1 at 2 A g−1 after 500 cycles. The unique structural design of this work provides new ideas for the development of MXene‐based composites in energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study describes the clinical and neuroimaging features of five patients with 1, 2-Dichloroethane (DCE) toxic encephalopathy. From January 1st 1998 to June 30th 2009, five patients who were subsequently diagnosed with DCE toxic encephalopathy were admitted to our hospital. All were female workers who had been in contact with DCE and subsequently had had seizures or symptoms of intracranial hypertension, including headache, nausea, and vomiting. The cranial MRI showed extensive brain edema in either the subcortical white matter, bilateral globus pallidus, and cerebellar nucleus dendatus, or the cortices. Of the five patients in the study, three had vasogenic edema, one had cytotoxic edema, and one had both types of edema. Following treatment with steroids and mannitol for 3 to 10weeks, all patients made either a partial or complete recovery. The imaging findings were resolved on a follow-up MRI. It is clear that occupational exposure to DCE can cause severe toxic encephalopathy. Moreover, extensive brain edema, secondary to blood–brain barrier damage or neuronal injury, is the major neuroimaging feature and the cause of clinical manifestations. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment leads to a good outcome. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) with outstanding energy and power density have been extensively investigated in recent years, rendering them the most suitable energy storage technology for application in emerging markets such as electric vehicles and stationary storage. More recently, sodium, one of the most abundant elements on earth, exhibiting similar physicochemical properties as lithium, has been gaining increasing attention for the development of sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) in order to address the concern about Li availability and cost—especially with regard to stationary applications for which size and volume of the battery are of less importance. Compared with traditional intercalation reactions, conversion reaction‐based transition metal oxides (TMOs) are prospective anode materials for rechargeable batteries thanks to their low cost and high gravimetric specific capacities. In this review, the recent progress and remaining challenges of conversion reactions for LIBs and SIBs are discussed, covering an overview about the different synthesis methods, morphological characteristics, as well as their electrochemical performance. Potential future research directions and a perspective toward the practical application of TMOs for electrochemical energy storage are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly graphitized carbon on a silicon monoxide (SiO) surface coating at low temperature, based on polymer precursor π–π stacking, was developed. A novel conductive and electrochemically stable carbon coating was rationally designed to modify the SiO anode materials by controlling the sintering of a conductive polymer, a pyrene-based homopolymer poly (1-pyrenemethyl methacrylate; PPy), which achieved high graphitization of the carbon layers at a low temperature and avoided silicon carbide formation and possible SiO material transformation. When evaluated as the anode of a lithium-ion battery (LIB), the carbon-coated SiO composite delivered a high discharge capacity of 2058.6 mAh/g at 0.05 C of the first formation cycle with an initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) of 62.2%. After 50 cycles at 0.1 C, this electrode capacity was 1090.2 mAh/g (~82% capacity retention, relative to the capacity of the second cycle at 0.1 °C rate), and a specific capacity of 514.7 mAh/g was attained at 0.3 C after 500 cycles. Furthermore, the coin-type full cell composed of the carbon coated SiO composite anode and the Li[Ni0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2] cathode attained excellent cycling performance. The results show the potential applications for using a π–π stacking polymer precursor to generate a highly graphitize coating for next-generation high-energy-density LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendritic cell (DC)-derived exosomes (Dexo) has been confirmed to be able to induce the specific anti-tumor immune response ex vivo and in vivo. Here, the aim of this study was to evaluate the application of the antigen-pulsed Dexo as a new vaccination platform in immunotherapy for cervical cancer. The immunogenic profile of the different Dexo was assessed by the cell proliferation, cytokines secretion and effector functions of CD8 + T cells and the splenocytes from Dexo-vaccinated mice. Furthermore, the anti-tumor immunity elicited by Dexo was further compared in cervical cancer-bearing mice. Dexo from DCs loaded with E7 49–57 peptide could efficiently induce the cytotoxic activity of CD8 + T cells on TC-1 tumor cells ex vivo, the proliferation and IFN-γ excretion of CD8 + T cells. Moreover, Dexo vaccine promoted the immune responses of vaccinated mice splenocytes induced by antigen E7 in vitro restimulation. Of note, poly(I:C) was significantly more potent inducer of the antigen-loaded Dexo mediated protective immunity responses for cervical cancer and further evidenced by that Dexo(E7 + pIC) markedly inhibited the tumor growth and improved the survival rate of the tumor-bearing mice. We provided evidence that poly(I:C) dramatically increased the potent antitumoral immunity induced by antigen-pulsed Dexo for ameliorating cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A palladium-catalyzed cycloisomerisation reaction of 1,6-enyne acetic esters have been developed. This cyclization reaction shows excellent regioselectivity and good functional group tolerance to obtain five-membered nitrogenated heterocyclic conjugated trienes in moderate to excellent yields. The resulting conjugated trienes could be facilely converted to highly substituted benzenes through Diels-Alder reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germanium (Ge) has a high specific capacity when used as an alloying anode in lithium-ion batteries. However, a large volume of expansion that occurs during charging and discharging hampers its practical applications. In order to improve the stability of the alloying anode, a three-dimensional (3D) germanium/carbon porous composite was produced. In situ X-ray diffraction and electrochemical dilatometry are used to study the alloying electrode's structural evolution during cycling, revealing that the carbon matrix and the linked porosity structure provide a high reversible lithiation and delithiation, resulting in limited electrode volume expansion and high stability. Moreover, combined with a high nickel content cathode, i.e., LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2, the composite achieved a specific energy density of 396 W h kg−1 and stable cycling performance, which show potential for its application in lithium-ion full cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tungsten doping has attracted great attention to improve the electrochemical performance of layered Ni-rich cathodes. However, the role of tungsten dopant remains unclear since tungsten is usually rich on surface rather than incorporated into bulk lattices in layered Ni-rich particles, therefore the improved performance is mostly ascribed to the W coating layers or preferred orientation microstructures. In this work, as low as 0.1 mol% of tungsten bulk doping is introduced into a layered Ni-rich material during the coprecipitation of precursor. As a result, the tungsten bulk-doped LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 (NCM811-W) cathode shows significantly improved cycling stability at 1 C, with a capacity retention of 95.06 % after 200 cycles (compared to 70.83 % for the undoped NCM811 cathode). The improved performance of NCM811-W cathode is mainly attributed to strong W–O bonding within the lattices of NCM811, which can increase the reversibility of the two-phase reaction (H2–H3) of layered Ni-rich material and reduce the migration energy barrier of lithium ions. This work represents a step forward in understanding the high-valence metal ions-doping for high-performance Ni-rich cathodes. • Bulk doping is achieved in LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 to explore the role of tungsten. • W doping can increase the reversibility of the two-phase reaction (H2–H3) • W doping can reduce the migration energy barrier for lithium ions in NCM cathodes. • The improved performance can be attributed to strong W–O bonding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to track the research progress of AEB-related technologies, this paper makes a systematic analysis and research on the impact factors, key technologies, and effect evaluation of AEB. First, the paper deeply analyzes the three levels of factors affecting the performance of AEB, which are vehicle factors, driver factors, and environmental factors. Second, the paper deeply studies the technical status of the three subsystems of environment perception, decision-making, and control execution. Particularly, the performance of Mazda, Honda, NHTSA, Berkeley, and Seungwuk Moon are compared and analyzed based on MATLAB. Third, the paper summarizes the current AEB virtual test methods, closed field test methods, and its test sites. Three classic evaluation methods in the world, including the AEB test evaluation standards of ENCAP, IIHS, and i-Vista are analyzed. Finally, the paper prospects the specific research directions, including the protection of vulnerable road users, target detection method, collision avoidance strategy, complex scenarios application, and application of emerging technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty nine buckwheat cultivars were collected from China, of which twenty one were tartary buckwheat and others were common buckwheat. Flour samples from these cultivars were analysed for colour properties, nutritional composition and flavonoid content. Buckwheat cultivars exhibited high variations for each of these parameters. The flour of common buckwheat showed a higher whiteness index than that of tartary buckwheat and contained very low levels of flavonoids. On average, the tartary buckwheat flour contained a higher level of ash (2.38%) and lower levels of total starch (70.22%), amylose (22.32%), resistant starch (17.66%) than the common buckwheat flour (2.17%, 73.69%, 23.01%, 18.69% respectively) ( P < 0.05) whereas the contents of proteins, fats and crude fibres of the tartary buckwheat flour were similar to those of common buckwheat flour. The Mei-Hua-Shan tartary buckwheat flour contained the highest level of total flavonoids and quercetin (22.74 mg g−1 and 2.38 mg g−1, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Different sample thicknesses were adopted to investigate the effect of temperature gradient on the development of β phase polypropylene (PP) in the compression-molded dynamically vulcanized thermoplastic elastomers (TPVs) based on PP/ethylene-propylene-diene rubber blend. Differential scanning calorimetry and wide-angle X-ray diffraction were employed to study the melting behavior and crystalline structures. The results indicated that the content of β phase increased with the sample thickness of TPV increasing, while the total crystallinity of PP almost kept constant. The simulation of the temperature field showed that there was a temperature gradient along the direction of sample thickness, and the strength of the temperature gradient increased with the thickness of TPV increasing. The reason for the change of β phase content was found to lie in the reduction of the entropy in the temperature gradient field, which was a result from the decrease of the molecular chain conformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FSI−‐based ionic liquids (ILs) are promising electrolyte candidates for long‐life and safe lithium metal batteries (LMBs). However, their practical application is hindered by sluggish Li+ transport at room temperature. Herein, it is shown that additions of bis(2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl) ether (BTFE) to LiFSI‐Pyr14FSI ILs can effectively mitigate this shortcoming, while maintaining ILs′ high compatibility with lithium metal. Raman spectroscopy and small‐angle X‐ray scattering indicate that the promoted Li+ transport in the optimized electrolyte, [LiFSI]3[Pyr14FSI]4[BTFE]4 (Li3Py4BT4), originates from the reduced solution viscosity and increased formation of Li+‐FSI− complexes, which are associated with the low viscosity and non‐coordinating character of BTFE. As a result, Li/LiFePO4 (LFP) cells using Li3Py4BT4 electrolyte reach 150 mAh g−1 at 1 C rate (1 mA cm−2) and a capacity retention of 94.6% after 400 cycles, revealing better characteristics with respect to the cells employing the LiFSI‐Pyr14FSI (operate only a few cycles) and commercial carbonate (80% retention after only 218 cycles) electrolytes. A wide operating temperature (from −10 to 40 °C) of the Li/Li3Py4BT4/LFP cells and a good compatibility of Li3Py4BT4 with LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2 (NMC532) are demonstrated also. The insight into the enhanced Li+ transport and solid electrolyte interphase characteristics suggests valuable information to develop IL‐based electrolytes for LMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the rising incidence of stroke, several technology‐driven methods for rehabilitation have recently been developed. Virtual reality (VR) is a promising therapeutic technology among them. We recently developed a neuroscientifically grounded VR system to aid recovery of motor function poststroke. The developed system provides unilateral and bilateral upper extremity (UE) training in a fully immersive virtual environment that may stimulate and activate mirror neurons (MNs) in the brain necessary for UE rehabilitation. Twenty‐three participants were randomized to a VR group (n = 12) to receive VR intervention (8 h within 2 weeks) plus 8‐h occupational therapy (OT) or a control group (n = 11) to receive time‐matched OT alone. Treatment effects on motor recovery and cortical reorganization were investigated using the Barthel Index (BI), Fugl‐Meyer Upper Extremity (FM‐UE), and resting‐state fMRI. Both groups significantly improved BI (P < 0.05), reflecting the recovery of UE motor function. The VR group revealed significant improvements on FM‐UE scores (P < 0.05) than the control group. Neural activity increased after the intervention, particularly in the brain areas implicating MNs, such as in the primary motor cortex. Overall, results suggested that using a neuroscientifically grounded VR system might offer additional benefits for UE rehabilitation in patients receiving OT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traffic energy consumption estimation is significant for the sustainable transportation. However, it is difficult to directly employ macro traffic flow data to accurately estimate the traffic energy consumption due to many traffic energy consumption models need second-by-second vehicle trajectory. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a traffic energy consumption model based on the macro-micro data, which the macro data derived from the fixed-location sensors and sparse micro data derived from the Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs). The completed vehicle trajectories are constructed by the nonparametric kernel smoothing algorithm and variational theory. To test the performance of the proposed method, the Next Generation Simulation micro (NGSIM) dataset and Caltrans Performance Measurement System macro dataset obtained from the same road and time are used. The results indicate that the proposed method not only can reflect the characteristics of traffic kinematic waves caused by traffic congestion, but also minimize the errors generated by the macro-micro transformation. In addition, it can significantly improve the accuracy of energy consumption estimation. • Estimation of fuel consumption and emissions is closer to the real values than other methods. • Reconstructing second-by-second vehicle trajectories based on macroscopic traffic data. • Introduces CAVs trajectory data as a reference in the process of estimating the road spatio-temporal speed evolution. • Proposes a spatio-temporal consistency validation framework by using macro and micro data. • Experimental tests the effect of cell size and probe vehicle penetration on reconstruction accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Li-rich composite alloys have received increasing attention as a method of inhibiting lithium dendrites. The Al-Li alloy has earned favor as a viable option to stabilize Li metal anodes due to its low cost, low flammability, natural abundance, and ease of operation. However, the mechanism responsible for the inhibition of lithium dendrites in the Al-Li alloy has yet to be thoroughly researched. Through Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations, we analyzed the adsorption energies of Li atoms on various lattice planes of bare Li metal and Al-Li alloy. We discovered that Al-Li alloy provides higher absorption energies of Li atoms, ultimately leading to the preferred orientation of lithium atoms on Al-Li alloy. Experimental data confirmed our hypothesis, the symmetric cells with an Al-Li alloy demonstrated superior cycling properties over 140 hours, particularly at a current density of 5 mA cm−2, compared to the bare Li anode. Furthermore, full cells with an LiFePO 4 (LFP) cathode exhibited better cycle and rate performance. This work provides a reasonable explanation for the inhibition of lithium dendrites on Al-Li alloy. • DFT calculations predict the better lithiophilicity of the Al-Li alloy than the bare Li. • Dendrite-free lithium anode is enabled by lithium atom preferred orientation on Al-Li alloy. • A reasonable explanation for the inhibition of lithium dendrites on Al-Li alloy is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuregulin‐1 (NRG‐1)/erythroblastic leukaemia viral oncogene homologues (ErbB) pathway activation plays a crucial role in regulating the adaptation of the adult heart to physiological and pathological stress. In the present study, we investigate the effect of recombined human NRG‐1 (rhNRG‐1) on mitochondrial biogenesis, mitochondrial function, and cell survival in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes (NRCMs) exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R). The results of this study showed that, in the H/R‐exposed NRCMs, mitochondrial biogenesis was impaired, as manifested by the decrease of the expression of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma coactivator‐1 alpha (PGC‐1α) and mitochondrial membrane proteins, the inner membrane (Tim23), mitofusin 1 (Mfn1), and mitofusin 2 (Mfn2). RhNRG‐1 pretreatment effectively restored the expression of PGC‐1α and these membrane proteins, upregulated the expression of the anti‐apoptosis proteins Bcl‐2 and Bcl‐xL, preserved the mitochondrial membrane potential, and attenuated H/R‐induced cell apoptosis. Blocking PGC‐1 expression with siRNA abolished the beneficial role of rhNRG‐1 on mitochondrial function and cell survival. The results of the present study strongly suggest that NRG‐1/ErbB activation enhances the adaption of cardiomyocytes to H/R injury via promoted mitochondrial biogenesis and improved mitochondrial homeostasis. Significance of the Study: The results of this research revealed for the first time the relationship between neuregulin‐1 (NRG‐1)/erythroblastic leukaemia viral oncogene homologues (ErbB) activation and mitochondrial biogenesis in neonatal cardiomyocytes and verified the significance of this promoted mitochondrial biogenesis in attenuating hypoxia/reoxygenation injury. This finding may open a new field to further understand the biological role of NRG‐1/ErbB signalling pathway in cardiomyocyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stroke is a major cause of life-long disability in adults, associated with poor quality of life. Virtual reality (VR)-based therapy systems are known to be helpful in improving motor functions following stroke, but recent clinical findings have not been included in the previous publications of meta-analysis studies. Aims: This meta-analysis was based on the available literature to evaluate the therapeutic potential of VR as compared to dose-matched conventional therapies (CT) in patients with stroke. Methods: We retrieved relevant articles in EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Web of Science published between 2010 and February 2019. Peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials that compared VR with CT were included. Results: A total of 27 studies met the inclusion criteria. The analysis indicated that the VR group showed statistically significant improvement in the recovery of UL function (Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity [FM-UE]: n = 20 studies, Mean Difference [MD] = 3.84, P =.01), activity (Box and Block Test [BBT]: n = 13, MD = 3.82, P =.04), and participation (Motor Activity Log [MAL]: n = 6, MD = 0.8, P =.0001) versus the control group. Conclusion: VR appears to be a promising therapeutic technology for UL motor rehabilitation in patients with stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate vehicle trajectory prediction promotes understanding of the traffic environment and enables task criticality assessment in advanced driver assistance systems (ADASs) in autonomous vehicles and intelligent connected vehicles. Nevertheless, conventional prediction models are characterized by low prediction accuracy, the inability of long-term prediction, and a single-road section adaptation. To tackle these limitations, this study proposes a trajectory prediction model based on a deep encoder–decoder and a deep neural network (DNN). One modification included introducing an attention mechanism into the traditional encoder–decoder framework. Overall, 1794,1400,2100 trajectory samples from highways, intersections, and roundabouts are used to train the proposed framework and obtain optimal deep encoder–decoder architectures for different road section types. Since the experiments revealed no significant advantages of using the attention mechanism in deep encoder–decoder, the mechanism is not included in the optimal architecture. Next, to achieve higher prediction accuracy and better long-term prediction capability, different DNN structures are tested as trajectory correction networks, and the optimal DNN structure is selected. Finally, the experiments are conducted using the proposed deep encoder–decoder framework and the optimal DNN. The results show that the proposed model reaches 92.87%, 86.65%, and 89.15% average trajectory fit ratio (TFR) on a highway, intersection, and a roundabout, respectively. Therefore, the model enables accurate long-term predictions of vehicle trajectories in these road segments. The proposed model and presented results provide a basis for ADASs' trajectory prediction algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is characterized by numerous complications, complex disease, and high mortality, making its treatment a top priority in the treatment of COVID-19. Integrated traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and western medicine played an important role in the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of COVID-19 during the epidemic. However, currently there are no evidence-based guidelines for the integrated treatment of severe COVID-19 with TCM and western medicine. Therefore, it is important to develop an evidence-based guideline on the treatment of severe COVID-19 with integrated TCM and western medicine, in order to provide clinical guidance and decision basis for healthcare professionals, public health personnel, and scientific researchers involved in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of COVID-19 patients. We developed and completed the guideline by referring to the standardization process of the "WHO handbook for guideline development", the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system, and the Reporting Items for Practice Guidelines in Healthcare (RIGHT). [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Vertebral artery hypoplasia (VAH), which has been found in about 10 % of normal individuals, does not produce symptoms but may be associated with an increased risk of cerebral posterior circulation ischemic (PCI) stroke. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of VAH in Chinese patients with cerebral infarction and investigate whether VAH is an independent risk factor for PCI stroke. Methods: The medical records of 841 Chinese stroke patients were reviewed retrospectively. All patients underwent either cervical contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) or cervical computed tomography angiography (CTA). There is no standard definition of VAH; we defined it as a vertebral artery <2 mm in diameter and the whole artery was slim or absent on CE-MRA or CTA. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify significant independent risk factors for PCI stroke. Results: There were 230 patients (27.3 %) diagnosed with PCI stroke and 91 patients diagnosed with VAH (10.8 %). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that VAH, male gender, and stenosis of the posterior circulation were independent risk factors for PCI stroke. Conclusions: Our results show that VAH is not rare in Chinese patients with stroke and that its presence increases the risk of PCI stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most nursing records in Taiwan have been computerized, resulting in a large amount of unstructured text data. The quality of these records has rarely been discussed. Purpose: This study used a text mining method to analyze the quality of a nursing record system to establish an auditing model and associated tools for nursing records, with the ultimate objective of improving the quality of electronic nursing records. Methods: This study utilized a retrospective method to collect the electronic nursing records of 6,277 patients who had been discharged from the internal medicine departments of a medical center in northern Taiwan from January to June 2014. SAS Enterprise Guide Version 6.1 and SAS Text Miner Version 13.2 software were used to perform text mining. Nursing experts were invited to examine the electronic nursing records. The text mining results were compared against a benchmark that was developed by the experts, and the efficiency of SAS Text Miner was examined using the criteria of specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy. Results: In this study, 27,356 nurse-formulated events were used in the analysis. The results of the nurse-formulated events showed an 8.08% similar error with system-formulated events, 29.72% were identified as necessary and appropriate names, 17.53% were retained, 10.15% involved error event names, and 34.52% were not classified. In this study, the sensitivity of SAS text mining in the training (testing) data set was 96% (95%), and the specificity and accuracy were both 99% (99%). Conclusions: The results of this study show that text mining is an effective approach to auditing the quality of electronic nursing records. SAS Text Miner software was shown to identify inappropriate nursing record content quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, the results of this study may be included in in-service education teaching materials to promote the writing of better nursing records to improve the quality of electronic nursing records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]