Search

Abstract The Generalized Feistel Structure ( $$\texttt{GFS}$$ GFS ) is one of the most widely used frameworks in symmetric cipher design. In FES 2010, Suzaki and Minematsu strengthened the cryptanalysis security of $$\texttt{GFS}$$ GFS by searching for shuffles with the best diffusion property. In ASIACRYPT 2018, Shi et al. suggested a set of shuffles, which makes $$\texttt{GFS}$$ GFS a better resistance against Demirci–Selcuk meet-in-the-middle cryptanalysis. Since these shuffles are different from the currently known good ones and also different from the shuffles used in $$\texttt{TWINE}$$ TWINE and $$\texttt{LBlock}$$ LBlock , our research focuses on a more comprehensive evaluation of $$\texttt{GFS}$$ GFS with different shuffles, including diffusion property of shuffle, differential, linear, impossible differential, zero-correlation linear, integral and Demirci–Selcuk meet-in-the-middle cryptanalysis, to find the best one. Such evaluations entail significant time consumption. Thus, we utilize Mixed Integral Linear Programming models and introduce an evaluate-and-filter strategy to achieve it efficiently. Our results verify that the shuffles discovered by Suzaki and Minematsu and those used in $$\texttt{TWINE}$$ TWINE and $$\texttt{LBlock}$$ LBlock are the best so far. We also find that the cryptanalysis resistances of $$\texttt{GFS}$$ GFS are not necessarily consistent. It is this finding that makes the necessity of our more comprehensive evaluation self-evident.

Abstract Background Microecological equilibrium is essential for human health. Previous research has demonstrated that Streptococcus strain A, the main bacterial group in the respiratory tract, can suppress harmful microbes and protect the body. In this study, Streptococcus strain D19T was isolated from the oral and pharyngeal cavities of healthy children. Its antibacterial mechanism against Acinetobacter baumannii was examined, as well as its potential to prevent inflammatory damage to cells. We evaluated the effect of the fermentation conditions of D19T on inhibition of Acinetobacter baumannii growth; Isolation and purification of antibacterial active components of strain D19T and molecular mechanism of inhibition of Acinetobacter baumannii; Molecular mechanism of D19T antibacterial protein reversing cellular inflammatory injury induced by Acinetobacter baumannii. Results The supernatant of fermentation broth of Streptococcus D19T was the active component against Acinetobacter baumannii, but the bacteria had no antibacterial activity. The supernatant of D19T fermentation broth was precipitated by (NH4)2SO4 solution, and the protein was the active antibacterial component. After gel filtration chromatography and anion gel filtration chromatography, the molecular weight of antibacterial protein was 53kD. D19T antibacterial protein can improve cell membrane permeability, limit extracellular soluble protein release, inhibit Acinetobacter baumannii biofilm formation, and prevent Acinetobacter baumannii adhesion. Acinetobacter baumannii induces inflammatory damage to respiratory cells via ferroptosis, and the D19T antibacterial protein can counteract this damage, protecting the respiratory tract. Conclusion Streptococcus strain D19T, as a potential probiotic, inhibits the growth of Acinetobacter baumannii and the inflammatory damage of respiratory cells, playing a protective role in human respiratory health.

Objective To explore the role and mechanism of pumilio homolog 1 （PUM1） in hypoxia/reoxygenation induced cell injury in human renal tubular epithelial cells （HK-2）. Methods A hypoxia/reoxygenation （H/R） model of HK-2 cells was established in vitro. PUM1 expression was knocked down through small interfering RNA （siRNA）. Cells were randomized into three groups of control， hypoxia/reoxygenation （H/R） and H/R+siRNA. Western blot （WB） method was used for detecting the expression level of PUM1 protein. Cell Count Kit 8 （CCK-8） was employed for detecting cell viability. Hydrogen peroxide （H2O2）， malondialdehyde （MDA） and superoxide dismutase （SOD） were used for evaluating the levels of oxidative stress. Flow cytometry was utilized for detecting the level of cell apoptosis. Results As compared with control group， protein expression level of PUM1 in H/R 3 h group （1.76 ± 0.11 vs 0.98 ± 0.05）， H/R 6 h group （2.89 ± 0.14 vs 0.98 ± 0.05） and H/R 12 h group （3.78 ± 0.08 vs 0.98 ± 0.05） gradually spiked with the prolongation of hypoxic time. As compared with H/R group， knocking down the expression of PUM1 significantly improved the cell viability （73.67 ± 3.42 vs 29.60 ± 2.94）， oxidative stress [H2O2:（13.53 ± 0.85）μmol/L vs （22.43 ± 1.12）μmol/L， MDA: （16.03 ± 0.70）μmol/L vs （31.20 ± 1.50）μmol/L， SOD: （34670 ± 1800）U/L vs （5730 ± 1220）U/L] and apoptotic level [（14.89 ± 1.65）% vs （39.71 ± 1.94）%] after H/R in H/R+si-PUM1 group. Conclusion PUM1 is up-regulated in H/R induced HK-2 cells and its inhibition may alleviate H/R injury through reducing oxidative stress and lowering cell apoptosis levels.

Abstract Bipolar disorder (BD) is linked to an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Parkinson disease (PD), yet several uncertainties still remain and the extent to which the associations could be explained by BD-related medications (antipsychotics, lithium, and antiepileptics) was unknown. This study included 501,233 UK Biobank participants (mean [standard deviation] age, 56.5 [8.10] years; 54.4% women), free of dementia and PD at baseline. After a median 13.8 year follow-up, 9422 cases of dementia and 3457 PD cases were identified. Participants with BD had a significantly higher risk of dementia (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.52, 95% CI 2.00–3.19) and PD (adjusted HR 2.88, 95% CI 2.03-4.08). Findings suggest that up to two-thirds of the association of neurodegenerative diseases with BD may be mediated by BD-related medications. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore the underlying mechanisms.

In order to investigate the non-Darcy seepage characteristics of crushed gangue filling in the goaf under the action of the overlying rock layer, the self-developed crushed rock seepage test system is utilized to carry out uniaxial lateral limit compression and seepage tests using the steady state permeability method on four kinds of pressurized crushed gangue with different initial grades, and to obtain the porosity, fractal dimensions, permeability, Euler’s number, and the energy dissipation law in the non-Darcy seepage process of the crushed gangue under different effective stress conditions. The study shows that: under high osmotic pressure and high porosity, the fluid flow rate is faster, resulting in the E value is much larger than 0.1, at this time, it shows the characteristics of high-speed non-Darcy seepage; the change process of porosity with the effective stress can be divided into two phases, when the n value tends to be 0.4, the particles of each size interval have a good mass ratio, and it is easy to be compacted; with the increase of fractal dimension, the degree of particle fragmentation is increased, and the permeability of the sample is linearly decreasing; it is deduced that there is an inverse relationship between the Euler number and the flow rate, and the momentum transfer of the fluid gradually decreases with the increase of flow rate.

Abstract Delayed neurocognitive recovery after surgery is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. However, its mechanism of action remains controversial and complex. A prospective, double‐blind, randomized controlled trial was performed at the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University. Older patients (aged 65 years and older) who underwent gastrointestinal surgery were randomly divided into sevoflurane‐based or propofol‐based anesthesia groups. The Mini‐Mental State Examination was performed to evaluate cognitive function. Peripheral venous blood was collected to test the levels of choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase. A total of 75 patients were enrolled and 30 patients in each group completed the study. On Day 1 postoperation, patients in the sevoflurane group showed worse performance on the Mini‐Mental State Examination than patients in the propofol group. Lower blood choline acetyltransferase concentrations and higher acetylcholinesterase concentrations were observed in patients who had sevoflurane anesthesia than in patients who had propofol anesthesia 1 day postoperative. At 3 days postoperation, patients with sevoflurane‐ or propofol‐based general anesthesia did not differ regardless of Mini‐Mental State Examination score or choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase levels. Sevoflurane‐based anesthesia has short‐term delayed neurocognitive recovery in older surgical patients, which may be related to central cholinergic system degeneration.

Abstract The goal of our research is to elucidate and better assess placental function in rats with preeclampsia through an innovative application of ultrasound-based radiomics. Using a rat model induced with L-NAME, we carefully investigated placental dysfunction via microstructural analysis and immunoprotein level assessment. Employing the Boruta feature selection method on ultrasound images facilitated the identification of crucial features, consequently enabling the development of a robust model for classifying placental dysfunction. Our study included 12 pregnant rats, and thorough placental evaluations were conducted on 160 fetal rats. Distinct alterations in placental microstructure and angiogenic factor expression were evident in rats with preeclampsia. Leveraging high-throughput mining of quantitative image features, we extracted 558 radiomic features, which were subsequently used to construct an impressive evaluation model with an area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) of 0.95. This model also exhibited a remarkable sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 88.7%, 91.5%, 90.2%, 90.4%, and 90.0%, respectively. Our findings highlight the ability of ultrasound-based radiomics to detect abnormal placental features, demonstrating its potential for evaluating both normative and impaired placental function with high precision and reliability.

Abstract Background Dysregulation of vascular homeostasis can induce cardiovascular diseases and increase global mortality rates. Although lineage tracing studies have confirmed the pivotal role of modulated vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in the progression of pathological vascular remodeling, the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Methods The expression of Tudor-SN was determined in VSMCs of artery stenosis, PDGF-BB-treated VSMCs and atherosclerotic plaque. Loss- and gain-of-function approaches were used to explore the role of Tudor-SN in the modulation of VSMCs phenotype both in vivo and in vitro. Results In this study, we demonstrate that Tudor-SN expression is significantly elevated in injury-induced arteries, atherosclerotic plaques, and PDGF-BB-stimulated VSMCs. Tudor-SN deficiency attenuates, but overexpression aggravates the synthetic phenotypic switching of VSMCs and pathological vascular remodeling. Loss of Tudor-SN also reduces atherosclerotic plaque formation and increases plaque stability. Mechanistically, PTEN, the major regulator of the MAPK and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways, plays a vital role in Tudor-SN-mediated regulation on proliferation and migration of VSMCs. Tudor-SN facilitates the polyubiquitination and degradation of PTEN via NEDD4-1, thus exacerbating vascular remodeling under pathological conditions. BpV (HOpic), a specific inhibitor of PTEN, not only counteracts the protective effect of Tudor-SN deficiency on proliferation and migration of VSMCs, but also abrogates the negative effect of carotid artery injury-induced vascular remodeling in mice. Conclusions Our findings reveal that Tudor-SN deficiency significantly ameliorated pathological vascular remodeling by reducing NEDD4-1-dependent PTEN polyubiquitination, suggesting that Tudor-SN may be a novel target for preventing vascular diseases.

Manual semen evaluation methods are subjective and time-consuming. In this study, a deep learning algorithmic framework was designed to enable non-invasive multidimensional morphological analysis of live sperm in motion, improve current clinical sperm morphology testing methods, and significantly contribute to the advancement of assisted reproductive technologies. We improved the FairMOT tracking algorithm by incorporating the distance and angle of the same sperm head movement in adjacent frames, as well as the head target detection frame IOU value, into the cost function of the Hungarian matching algorithm. For sperm morphology, we used the BlendMask segmentation method to segment individual sperm. SegNet was used to separate the head, midpiece, and principal piece comments from each sperm. Experienced in vivo sperm physicians confirmed a morphological accuracy percentage of 90.82%. A total of 1272 samples were collected from multiple tertiary hospitals for validation of the system, which were also evaluated by physicians. The results of our system were highly consistent with those of manual microscopy. This study realized the automated detection of progressive motility and morphology of sperm simultaneously, which is crucial for selection of morphologically normal and motile sperm for intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Abstract Soft-matter-based photonic crystals like blue-phase liquid crystals (BPLC) have potential applications in wide-ranging photonic and bio-chemical systems. To date, however, there are limitations in the fabrication of large monocrystalline BPLCs. Traditional crystal-growth process involves the transition from a high-temperature disordered phase to an ordered (blue) phase and is generally slow (takes hours) with limited achievable lattice structures, and efforts to improve molecular alignment through post-crystallization field application typically prove ineffective. Here we report a systematic study on the molecular self-assembly dynamics of BPLC starting from a highly ordered phase in which all molecules are unidirectionally aligned by a strong electric field. We have discovered that, near the high-temperature end of the blue phase, if the applied field strength is then switched to an intermediate level or simply turned off, large-area monocrystalline BPLCs of various symmetries (tetragonal, orthorhombic, cubic) can be formed in minutes. Subsequent temperature tuning of the single crystal at a fixed applied field allows access to different lattice parameters and the formation of never-before-seen monoclinic structures. The formed crystals remain stable upon field removal. The diversity of stable monocrystalline BPLCs with widely tunable crystalline symmetries, band structures, and optical dispersions will significantly improve and expand their application potentials.

Abstract Due to differences in the quantity and size of observed targets, hyperspectral images are characterized by class imbalance. The standard deep learning classification model training scheme optimizes the overall classification error, which may lead to performance imbalance between classes in hyperspectral image classification frameworks. Therefore, a novel factor annealing decoupling compositional training method is proposed in this paper. Without requiring resampling or reweighting, it implicitly modulates the training process, so standard models can sufficiently learn the representation of the minority classes and further be trained as robust classifiers. Specifically, the label‐distribution‐aware margin loss is combined with the error‐rate‐based cross‐entropy loss via combination factor, which considers both imbalanced data representation learning and classifier overall performance. Then, a factor annealing optimization training scheme is designed to adjust the combination factor, which solves the stage division problem of two‐stage decoupling learning. Experimental results on two hyperspectral image datasets demonstrate that, as compared with other competing approaches, the proposed method can continuously and stably optimize the model parameters, achieving improvements in class average metrics and difficult classes without affecting overall classification performance.

Abstract Background Mobility limitations (e.g., using wheelchair) have been closely linked to diminished functional independence and quality of life in older adults. The regulation of mobility is pertaining to multiple neurophysiologic and sociodemographic factors. We here aimed to characterize the relationships of these factors to the risk of restricted mobility in older adults. Methods In this longitudinal study, 668 older adults with intact mobility at baseline completed the baseline assessments of clinical characteristics, cognitive function, sleep quality, activities of daily living (ADL), walking performance, beat-to-beat blood pressure, and structural MRI of the brain. Then 506 of them (mean age = 70.7 ± 7.5 years) responded to the follow-up interview on the mobility limitation (as defined by if using wheelchair, cane, or walkers, or being disabled and lying on the bed) after 18 ± 3.5 months. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the relationships between the baseline characteristics and the follow-up mobility restriction. Results At baseline, compared to intact-mobility group (n = 475), restricted-mobility group (n = 31) were older, with lower score of ADL and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), greater score of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), poorer cardio- and cerebral vascular function, and slower walking speeds (ps

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to assess the predictive value of radiomics derived from intratumoral and peritumoral regions and to develop a radiomics nomogram to predict preoperative nuclear grade and overall survival (OS) in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Methods The study included 395 patients with ccRCC from our institution. The patients in Center A (anonymous) institution were randomly divided into a training cohort (n = 284) and an internal validation cohort (n = 71). An external validation cohort comprising 40 patients from Center B also was included. Computed tomography (CT) radiomics features were extracted from the internal area of the tumor (IAT) and IAT combined peritumoral areas of the tumor at 3 mm (PAT 3 mm) and 5 mm (PAT 5 mm). Independent predictors from both clinical and radiomics scores (Radscore) were used to construct a radiomics nomogram. Kaplan–Meier analysis with a log-rank test was performed to evaluate the correlation between factors and OS. Results The PAT 5-mm radiomics model (RM) exhibited exceptional predictive capability for grading, achieving an area under the curves of 0.80, 0.80, and 0.90 in the training, internal validation, and external validation cohorts. The nomogram and RM gained from the PAT 5-mm region were more clinically useful than the clinical model. The association between OS and predicted nuclear grade derived from the PAT 5-mm Radscore and the nomogram-predicted score was statistically significant (p

Abstract Background Esophageal carcinoma (EC) and gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma (GCA) have high incidence rates in the Chaoshan region of South China. Multifocal esophageal and cardiac cancer (MECC) is commonly observed in this region in clinical practice. However, the genomic characteristics of MECC remains unclear. Materials and methods In this study, a total of 2123 clinical samples of EC and GCA were analyzed to determine the frequency of multifocal tumors, as well as their occurrence sites and pathological types. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to model the relationship between age, sex, and tumor state concerning survival in our analysis of the cohort of 541 patients with available follow-up data. We performed whole-genome sequencing on 20 tumor foci and 10 normal samples from 10 MECC patients to infer clonal structure on 6 MECC patients to explore genome characteristics. Result The MECC rate of EC and GCA was 5.65% (121 of 2123). Age and sex were potential factors that may influence the risk of MECC (p

The association between the exposure of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and serum uric acid (UA) levels remained uncertain. In this study, to investigate the combined effects of OCP mixtures on hyperuricemia, we analyzed serum OCPs and UA levels in adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005–2016). Four statistical models including weighted logistic regression, weighted quantile sum (WQS), quantile g-computation (QGC), and bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used to assess the relationship between mixed chemical exposures and hyperuricemia. Subgroup analyses were conducted to explore potential modifiers. Among 6,529 participants, the prevalence of hyperuricemia was 21.15%. Logistic regression revealed a significant association between both hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and trans-nonachlor and hyperuricemia in the fifth quintile (OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.08–2.19; OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.05–2.39, respectively), utilizing the first quintile as a reference. WQS and QGC analyses showed significant overall effects of OCPs on hyperuricemia, with an OR of 1.25 (95% CI: 1.09–1.44) and 1.20 (95% CI: 1.06–1.37), respectively. BKMR indicated a positive trend between mixed OCPs and hyperuricemia, with HCB having the largest weight in all three mixture analyses. Subgroup analyses revealed that females, individuals aged 50 years and above, and those with a low income were more vulnerable to mixed OCP exposure. These results highlight the urgent need to protect vulnerable populations from OCPs and to properly evaluate the health effects of multiple exposures on hyperuricemia using mutual validation approaches.

Abstract Background Impaired functional capacity is a common symptom in patients with heart failure. Standard measures of left ventricular (LV) function, such as ejection fraction (EF) and LV diastolic parameters, do not correlate with measures of functional capacity. The aim of this study is to determine if measures of global and regional LV strain better correlate with 6-minute walk distance than does EF or measures of LV diastolic function. Methods 120 patients referred to a cardiology clinic for evaluation of known or suspected heart failure were approached for enrollment. Of those 120 patients, 58 had an echocardiogram within 3 months of enrollment with images adequate for regional and global strain assessment, had no contra-indication to exercise testing, and had no previously documented non-cardiac explanation for dyspnea on exertion. In those 58 patients, 6-minute walk distance was measured, LV EF was determined with Simpson’s biplane method, and global and regional longitudinal strain were measured with TomTec Image Arena 4.5.1 software. Results LV EF had no correlation with 6-minute walk distance (r = 0.22, p = 0.09) even when controlling for age, gender, and BMI (p = 0.07). No measures of LV diastolic function (including E velocity, Deceleration Time, e’ annular velocities, or E/e’) had a correlation with 6-minute walk distance. Multiple measures of global and regional LV longitudinal systolic function had a correlation with 6-minute walk distance. Longitudinal strain of the basal LV segments had the strongest correlation with 6-minute walk distance (r= -0.36, p = 0.005), and correlation persisted after controlling for age, gender, BMI, and systolic blood pressure (p = 0.004). Conclusions Longitudinal strain correlates with a measure of functional capacity, but LVEF and traditional measures of LV diastolic dysfunction do not. Measures of longitudinal strain, especially in basal LV segments, will likely be an important marker of clinically relevant LV function. Graphical Abstract

The accurate fenestration, screw implantation and assisting stabilizing‐plate placement in surgery of benign tumors in the proximal femur needs be defined easily. The aim of this study was to investigate the value of 3D printed multifunctional guides plate (3D‐MGP) based on computer aided design. Between January 2020 and June 2022, 17 patients (nine females and eight males) with benign proximal femoral tumor had lesion curettage and allograft combined with internal plate fixation using 3D‐MGP. In this study, the patients had CT scans and a technician reconstructed the 3D images of tumor and the femur, a doctor designed the location and margin of the fenestration and screws, and integrated different functions into MGP for benign proximal femoral lesions, which assisted in precise localization, fenestration and screw drilling. Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) scoring was used to evaluate lower extremity function. Bone healing and the screws location was assessed with the radiographs. All patients underwent successful surgery with complete resection of the tumor and internal fixation with using the 3D‐MGP. The mean follow‐up was 16.4 months. The operative time was 126.47 ± 18.44 min, intraoperative bleeding was 198.23 ± 67.94 mL, intraoperative fluoroscopy was 6.47 ± 0.62, postoperative drainage was 223.82 ± 119.51 mL, and MSTS score was 27.29 ± 1.31 points. There were no unplanned fenestration and improper screw fixation. The 3D‐MGP enabled personalized and accurate location of tumor, fenestration, screw placement and assisted stabilizing‐plate placement for the treatment of benign tumor of the proximal femur. This technique has the potential to shorten operative times, decrease intraoperative bleeding, and reduce radiation exposure to patients.

Protein lysine crotonylation is a novel acylation modification discovered in 2011, which plays a key role in the regulation of various biological processes. Thousands of crotonylation sites have been identified in histone and non-histone proteins over the past decades. Crotonylation is conserved and is regulated by a series of enzymes including “writer”, “eraser”, and “reader”. In recent years, crotonylation has received extensive attention due to its breakthrough progress in reproduction, development and pathogenesis of diseases. Here we brief the crotonylation-related enzyme systems, biological functions, and diseases caused by abnormal crotonylation, which provide new ideas for developing disease intervention and treatment regimens.

Abstract The sensory–neuromorphic interface is key to the application of neuromorphic electronics. Artificial spiking neurons and artificial sensory nerves have been created, and a few studies showed a complete neuromorphic system through cointegration with synaptic electronics. However, artificial synaptic devices and systems often do not work in real environments, which limits their ability to provide realistic neural simulations and interface with biological nerves. We report a sensory–neuromorphic interface that uses a fiber synapse to emulate a biological afferent nerve. For the first time, a sensing–neuromorphic interface is connected to a living organism for peripheral nerve stimulation, allowing the organism to establish a connection with its surrounding environment. The interface converts perceived environmental information into analog electrical signals and then into frequency‐dependent pulse signals, which simplify the information interface between the sensor and the pulse‐data processing center. The frequency of the interface shows a sublinear dependence on strain amplitude at different stimulus intensities, and can deliver increased frequency spikes at potentially damaging stimulus intensities, similar to the response of biological afferent nerves. To verify the application of this interface, a system that monitors strain and provides an overstrain alarm was constructed based on this afferent neural circuit. The system has a response time of

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy is a new treatment for cancers, but reports on curing immune-related skin diseases are limited. We report a case of successful CAR-T-cell therapy in a patient with refractory/relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R DLBCL) who was incidentally cured of chronic generalized plaque psoriasis. The patient, a 65-year-old male who had a known history of psoriasis for 45 years, did not receive immunotherapy for psoriasis during this period. Imaging, molecular biology and immunology diagnostics confirmed DLBCL. After several weeks of standard-dose R-CHOP chemotherapy, the patient achieved partial remission, but according to CT, the patient relapsed, and there was no significant improvement in her psoriasis symptoms. Subsequently, the patient was enrolled in the CD19 CAR-T-cell therapy group. Four weeks after CAR-T-cell infusion, the patient’s abdominal pain disappeared, and there was a significant improvement in overall skin lesions. One year later, follow-up results indicated complete remission of R/R DLBCL (confirmed by PET-CT), with only minimal residual psoriatic skin lesions limited to the patient’s neck. The results of using CAR-T-cell therapy to achieve an incidental cure for psoriasis highlight the potential for exploring cell-based therapies for complex autoinflammatory skin diseases.

BackgroundAs the Internet becomes an increasingly vital source of medical information, the quality and reliability of brain tumor-related short videos on platforms such as TikTok and Bilibili have not been adequately evaluated. Therefore, this study aims to assess these aspects and explore the factors influencing the dissemination of such videos.MethodsA cross-sectional analysis was conducted on the top 100 brain tumor-related short videos from TikTok and Bilibili. The videos were evaluated using the Global Quality Score and the DISCERN reliability instrument. An eXtreme Gradient Boosting algorithm was utilized to predict dissemination outcomes. The videos were also categorized by content type and uploader.ResultsTikTok videos scored relatively higher on both the Global Quality Score (median 2, interquartile range [2, 3] on TikTok vs. median 2, interquartile range [1, 2] on Bilibili, p = 1.51E-04) and the DISCERN reliability instrument (median 15, interquartile range [13, 18.25] on TikTok vs. 13.5, interquartile range [11, 16] on Bilibili, p = 1.66E-04). Subgroup analysis revealed that videos uploaded by professional individuals and institutions had higher quality and reliability compared to those uploaded by non-professional entities. Videos focusing on disease knowledge exhibited the highest quality and reliability compared to other content types. The number of followers emerged as the most important variable in our dissemination prediction model.ConclusionThe overall quality and reliability of brain tumor-related short videos on TikTok and Bilibili were unsatisfactory and did not significantly influence video dissemination. Future research should expand the scope to better understand the factors driving the dissemination of medical-themed videos.

This paper introduces a novel carbon emission prediction method based on tracking control, leveraging historical CO2 emission prediction errors and feed-forward integration of electricity consumption data to enhance forecasting accuracy and minimize lag. Comparative analysis with pre-trained models such as LSTM and ARDL using Python showcases the proposed method's substantial reduction in prediction errors compared to singular reliance on electricity data, while also significantly reducing computational time in contrast to LSTM models. The findings establish a valuable reference for policymakers and researchers in refining carbon emission prediction methodologies and formulating effective carbon reduction policies.

IntroductionOnline health communities have become the main source for people to obtain health information. However, the existence of poor-quality health information, misinformation, and rumors in online health communities increases the challenges in governing information quality. It not only affects users’ health decisions but also undermines social stability. It is of great significance to explore the factors that affect users’ ability to discern information in online health communities.MethodsThis study integrated the Stimulus-Organism-Response Theory, Information Ecology Theory and the Mindsponge Theory to constructed a model of factors influencing users’ health information discernment abilities in online health communities. A questionnaire was designed based on the variables in the model, and data was collected. Utilizing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in conjunction with fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), the study analyzed the complex causal relationships among stimulus factors, user perception, and the health information discernment abilities.ResultsThe results revealed that the dimensions of information, information environment, information technology, and information people all positively influenced health information discernment abilities. Four distinct configurations were identified as triggers for users’ health information discernment abilities. The core conditions included information source, informational support, technological security, technological facilitation, and perceived risk. It was also observed that information quality and emotional support can act as substitutes for one another, as can informational support and emotional support.DiscussionThis study provides a new perspective to study the influencing factors of health information discernment abilities of online health community users. It can provide experiences and references for online health community information services, information resource construction and the development of users’ health information discernment abilities.

Introduction: Diuretics are the mainstay of maintaining and restoring euvolemia in the management of heart failure. Loop diuretics are often preferred, however, combination diuretic therapy (CDT) with a thiazide diuretic is often used to overcome diuretic resistance and increase diuretic effect. We performed an analysis of the GUIDE-IT study to assess all-cause mortality and time to first hospitalizations in patients necessitating CDT. Methods: Patients from the GUIDE-IT dataset were stratified by their requirement for CDT with a thiazide to achieve euvolemia. A total of 894 patients were analyzed, 733 of which were treated with loop diuretics alone vs 161 used either chlorothiazide or metolazone in addition to loop diuretics. Kaplan-Meir curves were derived with log-rank p-values to evaluate for differences between the groups. Results: There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality regardless of CDT utilization status (mean survival of 612.704 days vs 603.326 days, p = 0.083). On subgroup analysis, there was no significant difference in all-cause mortality amongst those using loop diuretics compared to CDT in the BNP-guided therapy group, (mean survival time 576.385 days vs 620.585 days, p = 0.0523), nor the control group (614.1 days vs 588.9 days; p = 0.5728). Time to first hospitalization was reduced in all using CDT compared to loop diuretics alone (280.5 days vs 407.2 days, p

For understanding the influence of Nb element nanocomposite doping on the structure, mechanical and tribological properties of VN films, vanadium nitride(VN) and vanadium niobium nitride(VNbN) films were prepared using reactive magnetron sputtering method, and the microstructure, mechanical behavior and tribological behavior of the two films were compared and analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscopy(FESEM), atomic force microscope(AFM), EDS, XRD, microhardness tester, nanoindenter, friction testing machine, optical microscope and step profiler. Result showed that the doping of Nb element with an atomic fraction of 10.3% led to a higher density of the columnar crystal structure of VNbN thin films, and the surface roughness declined by 45.26%. The nanoindentation results indicated that the hardness of VNbN film was 20.47 GPa, which was 7.51% higher than that of VN film, and the H/E and H3/E2 values were also 18.64% and 49.25% higher than those of VN film, respectively. Tribological analysis revealed that the addition of Nb significantly improved the tribological properties of VNbN thin films at normal atmospheric temperature, with a friction coefficient as low as 0.35 and a wear rate as low as 3.30 × 10-6 mm3/(N·m). Moreover, the friction coefficient of VNbN film at high temperatures of 400 ℃ and 600 ℃ was as low as 0.58, which was also lower than that of VN films. However, its wear resistance significantly decreased at high temperatures, which was due to that the addition of Nb did not improve the oxidation resistance of VN film at high temperatures, the hardness of VNbN thin films deteriorated faster compared to VN film at high temperatures, the load bearing capacity during the rubbing was lower, and the film was easier to fall off.

Background: Transplacental-derived anti-D IgG in RhD-negative pregnant women can trigger an immune response to Rh D-positive red cells in fetuses and newborns. We assessed the effect of anti-D titers in RhD-negative pregnant women on fetuses and newborns. Methods: The clinical data of 142 singleton RhD-sensitized pregnancies were retrospectively collected. The pregnant women received routine prenatal care and the newborns had standard care. Based on the tertile categories of the pregnancies, the maximum titers of anti-D IgG in the pregnant women were divided into three groups ranging from low to high as follows: low-titer group (anti-D titer: 1:4–1:128, n = 57); medium-titer group (anti-D titer: 1:256–1:512, n = 50); and high-titer group (anti-D titer: 1:1024–1:4096, n = 35). Results: The frequencies of major neonatal complications did not significantly differ among the three groups. The high-titer group had the highest frequency of pregnancies requiring intrauterine transfusion (IUT) and number of IUTs among the three groups. The high-titer group had a significantly higher frequency of newborns treated with top-up transfusion, number of top-up transfusions, frequency of newborns treated with exchange transfusion (ET), and number of ETs when compared to the low-titer group. Conclusion: Higher anti-D titers in RhD-negative pregnant women predict more severe fetal and neonatal hemolytic anemia. Increasing maternal anti-D titers results in an increased need for IUTs, and neonatal top-up transfusions and ETs. Methods for reducing titers of anti-D IgG in RhD-sensitized pregnant women warrants further investigation.

Abstract Background Simulation is widely utilized in medical education. Exploring the effectiveness of high-fidelity simulation of clinical research within medical education may inform its integration into clinical research training curricula, finally cultivating physician-scientist development. Methods Standard teaching scripts for both clinical trial and cross-sectional study simulation were designed. We recruited undergraduates majoring in clinical medicine at 3th grade into a pre-post intervention study. Additionally, a cross-sectional survey randomly selected medical undergraduates at 4th or 5th grade, medical students in master and doctor degree as external controls. Self-assessment scores of knowledge and practice were collected using a 5-point Likert scale. Changes in scores were tested by Wilcoxon signed-rank test and group comparisons were conducted by Dunn’s tests with multiple corrections. Multivariable quantile regressions were used to explore factors influencing the changes from baseline. Results Seventy-eight undergraduates involved the clinical trial simulation and reported improvement of 1.60 (95% CI, 1.48, 1.80, P

Abstract Learning with noisy labels aims to train neural networks with noisy labels. Current models handle instance-independent label noise (IIN) well; however, they fall short with real-world noise. In medical image classification, atypical samples frequently receive incorrect labels, rendering instance-dependent label noise (IDN) an accurate representation of real-world scenarios. However, the current IDN approaches fail to consider the typicality of samples, which hampers their ability to address real-world label noise effectively. To alleviate the issues, we introduce typicality- and instance-dependent label noise (TIDN) to simulate real-world noise and establish a TIDN-combating framework to combat label noise. Specifically, we use the sample’s distance to decision boundaries in the feature space to represent typicality. The TIDN is then generated according to typicality. We establish a TIDN-attention module to combat label noise and learn the transition matrix from latent ground truth to the observed noisy labels. A recursive algorithm that enables the network to make correct predictions with corrections from the learned transition matrix is proposed. Our experiments demonstrate that the TIDN simulates real-world noise more closely than the existing IIN and IDN. Furthermore, the TIDN-combating framework demonstrates superior classification performance when training with simulated TIDN and actual real-world noise.