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ObjectivesThis research aims to investigate if cataract extraction lowers the risk of all-cause dementia.MethodsOriginal literature on cataract surgery associated with all-cause dementia as of November 27, 2022, was searched in several commonly used databases. Manual review was used to include eligible studies. Stata software (version 16) was used to perform statistical analysis on pertinent data. Publication bias can be precisely evaluated using funnel plots and Egger's test.ResultsIn the meta-analysis of 4 cohort studies with 245,299 participants. Pooled analysis indicated that cataract surgery was linked to a lower incidence of all-cause dementia (OR = 0.77, 95%CI: 0.66–0.89; I2= 54.7%; P < 0.001). Cataract surgery was linked to a lower risk of AD (OR = 0.60, 95%CI: 0.35–1.02; I2= 60.2%; P < 0.001).ConclusionsCataract surgery is linked to a lower incidence of all-cause dementia and Alzheimer's disease. A cataract is a reversible visual impairment. Cataract surgery may be a protective factor against the onset of all-cause dementia and can reduce the economic and family burden caused by all-cause dementia worldwide. Given the restricted pool of included studies, our findings necessitate meticulous interpretation.Systematic review registrationhttp://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero retrieve registration details by searching CRD4202379371.

Abstract With excellent electrical conductivity, fluidity, rheological property, and biocompatibility, gallium has been intensively studied in the fields of flexible electronics and devices, thermal management, and soft robotics. However, the large degree of supercooling of gallium presents a large limitation for phase transition‐related applications such as the very low temperature required for solidification, the impurities, and side effects brought in by nucleating agents. In this study, solidification process of liquid gallium by using solid gallium as a nucleating agent is discovered to be fast and facile at room temperature compared with other agent materials including copper, iron, and nickel. Quantificationally, solidified gallium as a nucleating agent, can effectively reduce the supercooling degree from about 66.3 to 14.8 °C. The freezing velocity can reach to 200 mm3 min−1. The possible mechanism is reducing the energy barrier via adding nucleation site, allowing rapid solidification at room temperature accompanying heat dissipation. Moreover, micromechanical properties are compared between raw solid Ga and the solidified Ga induced by Ga agent, which suggests a slight decrease in mechanical strength at room temperature with the nucleating agent. It will be beneficial to understand the phase change and also provide guidance for the application of gallium regarding its mechanical properties.

The exponential expansion of Internet interconnectivity has led to a dramatic increase in cyber-attack alerts, which contain a considerable proportion of false positives. The overwhelming number of false positives cause tremendous resource consumption and delay responses to the really severe incidents, namely, alert fatigue. To cope with the challenge from alert fatigue, we focus on enhancing the capability of detectors to reduce the generation of false alerts from the detection perspective. The core idea of our work is to train a machine-learning-based detector to grasp the empirical intelligence of security analysts to estimate the feasibility of an incoming HTTP request to cause substantial threats, and integrate the estimation into the detection stage to reduce false alarms. To this end, we innovatively introduce the concept of attack feasibility to characterize the composition rationality of an inbound HTTP request as a feasible attack under static scrutinization. First, we adopt a fast request-reorganization algorithm to transform an HTTP request into the form of interface:payload pair for further alignment of structural components which can reveal the processing logic of the target program. Then, we build a dual-channel attention-based circulant convolution neural network (DualAC2NN) to integrate the attack feasibility estimation into the alert decision, by comprehensively considering the interface sensitivity, payload maliciousness, and their bipartite compatibility. Experiments on a real-world dataset show that the proposed method significantly reduces invalid alerts by around 86.37% and over 61.64% compared to a rule-based commercial WAF and several state-of-the-art methods, along with retaining a detection rate at 97.89% and a lower time overhead, which indicates that our approach can effectively mitigate alert fatigue from the detection perspective.

For decades, mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever and Zika have posed serious threats to human health. Diverse mosquito vector control strategies with different advantages have been proposed by the researchers to solve the problem. However, due to the extremely complex living environment of mosquitoes, environmental changes bring significant differences to the mortality of mosquitoes. This dynamic behavior requires stochastic differential equations to characterize the fate of mosquitoes, which has rarely been considered before. Therefore, in this article, we establish a stochastic interactive wild and sterile mosquito model by introducing the white noise to represent the interference of the environment on the survival of mosquitoes. After obtaining the existence and uniqueness of the global positive solution and the stochastically ultimate boundedness of the stochastic system, we study the dynamic behavior of the stochastic model by constructing a series of suitable Lyapunov functions. Our results show that appropriate stochastic environmental fluctuations can effectively inhibit the reproduction of wild mosquitoes. Numerical simulations are provided to numerically verify our conclusions: the intensity of the white noise has an effect on the extinction and persistence of both wild and sterile mosquitoes.

The integration of industrial control systems (ICS) with information technologies offers not only convenience but also creates security problems, from public networks to ICS. Spear-phishing attacks account for a considerable proportion of such security incidents. Therefore, there have been many studies about dealing with spear-phishing attacks. Most of these studies focus on studying strategies with better defense capabilities for spear-phishing attacks while neglecting the cost of implementing the strategies. However, a strategy with strong defense capabilities may not always be highly cost-effective. Moreover, considerable research has tended to consider the attacker and defender separately while ignoring the fact that the spear-phishing attack-defense process is a dynamic process of confrontation between the attacker and the defender. Actually, the deployment of defense strategies should comprehensively consider the defender's condition and the adversary's possible actions. Therefore, how to select the optimal strategy that defends against spear-phishing attacks with minimum overhead is a problem worthy of further study. Motivated by this consideration, we construct the multistage spear-phishing attack-defense signaling game model (MSPAD-SGM), which comprehensively considers the defense capability, the strategy cost, and the possible strategies of the two sides. Based on this model, we propose the optimal strategy selection algorithm for the spear-phishing attack-defense process. In addition, rather than numerical values, we adopt symbolic variables to quantify the payoffs and present a deep analysis of how the variation of payoffs influences the game result, which helps to reduce the subjectivity and improve the feasibility of our model. The simulation and deduction of the proposed approach are presented in a case study of MSPAD-SGM to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed strategy's optimal selection approach. Our method provides decision support for the spear-phishing attack-defense process and improves the dynamic analysis efficiency of defense decision-making.

Abstract The development of efficient green light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is of paramount importance for the realization of colour-mixing white LEDs with a high luminous efficiency. While the insertion of an InGaN/GaN superlattice (SL) with a lower In content before the growth of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) is known to increase the efficiency of LEDs, the actual mechanism is still debated. We therefore conduct a systematic study and investigate the different mechanisms for this system. Through cathodoluminescence and Raman measurements, we clearly demonstrate that the potential barrier formed by the V-pit during the low-temperature growth of an InGaN/GaN SL dramatically increases the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of InGaN quantum wells (QWs) by suppressing non-radiative recombination at threading dislocations (TDs). We find that the V-pit potential barrier height depends on the V-pit diameter, which plays an important role in determining the quantum efficiency, forward voltage and efficiency droop of green LEDs. Furthermore, our study reveals that the low-temperature GaN can act as an alternative to an InGaN/GaN SL structure for promoting the formation of V-pits. Our findings suggest the potential of implementing optimized V-pits embedded in an InGaN/GaN SL or low-temperature GaN structure as a beneficial underlying layer for the realization of highly efficient green LEDs.

Abstract Background Thyroid eye disease (TED) is a debilitating autoimmune orbital disease that is often a result of Graves’ disease. Dysthyroid optic neuropathy (DON) is a rare but sight-threatening manifestation of TED with therapeutic challenges that can potentially lead to visual loss. Case presentation A 74-year-old man experienced active TED with extremely severe redness and swelling of the conjunctiva, loss of visual acuity and exacerbation of disfiguring proptosis. Computed tomography revealed the involvement of extraocular muscles resulting in optic nerve compression. He was in poor general condition and was intolerant to steroids. To achieve the optimal operating conditions for orbital decompression surgery, the patient was initially treated with orbital radiotherapy. The patient responded well, with improvements in clinical activity score and visual acuity. Conclusion This case demonstrates a rare and severe case of DON with therapeutic challenges. To date, no cases has been reported of a patient with such severe and unusual ocular manifestations. Early awareness of the occurrence of optic nerve compression and prompt treatment are important to prevent irreversible outcomes. Orbital radiotherapy should be considered as a useful surgery-delaying alternative for DON, especially in patients who have contraindications to steroids.

Abstract Background Intravenous glucocorticoids (ivGC) have been recommended as a first-line treatment of moderate-to-severe and active thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). However, not all patients are responsive to ivGC. The identification of potential factors used to predict their efficacy and the selection of suitable patients have both been lacking. Methods It was a single center retrospective study. Potential factors related to the effects of ivGC were analyzed using logistic regression in 90 consecutive patients with moderate-to-severe and active TAO, who received 4.5 g ivGC therapy. Response was defined as the achievement of at least three points of the overall response. Results Fifty-two (57.8%) patients showed a positive response to ivGC therapy. Significant correlations were observed between the effects of ivGC and pretreatment clinical activity score (CAS), duration of eye symptoms, and restoration of euthyroidism. The two latter factors were both independent. The duration of eye symptoms was negatively correlated with the effects of ivGC, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.984 (p = 0.012). Restoration of euthyroidism (OR = 3.282, p = 0.039) and pretreatment CAS (OR = 1.653, p

Bitcoin combines a peer-to-peer network and cryptographic algorithm to implement a distributed digital currency system, which keeps all transaction history on a public blockchain. Since all transactions recorded on the blockchain are public to everyone, Bitcoin users face a threat of leaking financial privacy. Many analysis and deanonymization approaches have been proposed to link transaction records to real identities. To eliminate this threat, we present an unlinkable coin mixing scheme that allows users to mix their bitcoins without trusting a third party. This mixing scheme employs a primitive known as ring signature with elliptic curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA) to conceal the transfer of coins between addresses. The mixing server is only able to check whether the output addresses belong to its customers, but it cannot tell which address owned by which customer. Customers do not have to rely on the reputation of a third party to ensure his money will be returned, and his privacy will not be leaked. This scheme needs no modifications on current Bitcoin system and is convenient to deploy by any communities. We implemented a prototype of our scheme and tested it under the Bitcoin core's regtest mode. Security and privacy of our mixing scheme are ensured through the standard ring signature and ECDSA unforgeability.

We demonstrated two types of GaN-based flip-chip light-emitting diodes (FCLEDs) with distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) and without DBR to investigate the effect of dielectric TiO2/SiO2 DBR on optical and electrical characteristics of FCLEDs. The reflector consisting of two single TiO2/SiO2 DBR stacks optimized for different central wavelengths demonstrates a broader reflectance bandwidth and a less dependence of reflectance on the incident angle of light. As a result, the light output power (LOP) of FCLED with DBR shows 25.3% higher than that of FCLED without DBR at 150 mA. However, due to the better heat dissipation of FCLED without DBR, it was found that the light output saturation current shifted from 268 A/cm2 for FCLED with DBR to 296 A/cm2 for FCLED without DBR. We found that the use of via-hole-based n-type contacts can spread injection current uniformly over the entire active emitting region. Our study paves the way for application of DBR and via-hole-based n-type contact in high-efficiency FCLEDs.

Despite the fact that an InGaN/GaN superlattice (SL) is useful for enhancing the performance of a GaN-based light-emitting diode (LED), its role in improving the efficiency of green LEDs remains an open question. Here, we investigate the influence of a V-pits-embedded InGaN/GaN SL on optical and electrical properties of GaN-based green LEDs. We recorded a sequence of light emission properties of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) grown on a 0- and 24-pair InGaN/GaN SL by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in combination with a room temperature cathodoluminescence (CL) measurement, which demonstrated the presence of a potential barrier formed by the V-pits around threading dislocations (TDs). We find that an increase in V-pit diameter would lead to the increase of V-pit potential barrier height. Our experimental data suggest that a V-pits-embedded, 24-pair InGaN/GaN SL can effectively suppress the lateral diffusion of carriers into non-recombination centers. As a result, the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of green LEDs is improved by 29.6% at an injection current of 20 mA after implementing the V-pits-embedded InGaN/GaN SL layer. In addition, a lower reverse leakage current was achieved with larger V-pits.

Aim This study used swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) to investigate subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) in patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) who displayed different levels of disease activity and severity. Methods Thirty patients with TAO (60 eyes) and 38 healthy controls (67 eyes) in Shanghai, China, were recruited for this study. Disease activity and severity were graded using European Group on Graves' Orbitopathy standardised criteria. SFCT values were determined by SS-OCT. Results In total, 129 eyes were included in the final analysis. The mean SFCT was significantly thicker among patients with active disease (276.23±84.01 pm) than among patients with inactive disease (224.68±111.61 pm; p=0.049) or healthy controls (223.56±78.69 pm; p=0.01). There were no differences in SFCT among patients with moderate-to-severe disease, patients with severe disease and healthy controls (p>0.05). Changes in SFCT demonstrated strong predictive ability to distinguish active TAO from inactive TAO (area under the curve=0.659, 95% CI 0.496 to 0.822). Conclusions SFCT was strongly associated with Clinical Activity Score in patients with TAO. Choroidal thickening was observed during active TAO. SS-OCT offers a noninvasive method for follow-up assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]