Cu/TiO2 adsorbents modified by air plasma for adsorption-oxidation of H2S.

In this study, non-thermal plasma (NTP) was employed to modify the Cu/TiO2 adsorbent to efficiently purify H2S in low-temperature and micro-oxygen environments. The effects of Cu loading amounts and atmospheres of NTP treatment on the adsorption-oxidation performance of the adsorbents were investigated. The NTP modification successfully boosted the H2S removal capacity to varying degrees, and the optimized adsorbent treated by air plasma (Cu/TiO2-Air) attained the best H2S breakthrough capacity of 113.29 mg H2S/gadsorbent, which was almost 5 times higher than that of the adsorbent without NTP modification. Further studies demonstrated that the superior performance of Cu/TiO2-Air was attributed to increased mesoporous volume, more exposure of active sites (CuO) and functional groups (amino groups and hydroxyl groups), enhanced Ti-O-Cu interaction, and the favorable ratio of active oxygen species. Additionally, the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results indicated the main reason for the deactivation was the consumption of the active components (CuO) and the agglomeration of reaction products (CuS and SO42-) occupying the active sites on the surface and the inner pores of the adsorbents.

The effect of gut microbiome and plasma metabolome on systemic sclerosis: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Cellular and molecular biology, combined with research on the human microbiome and metabolome, have provided new insights into the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc). However, most studies on gut microbiota (GM) and metabolome in SSc are observational studies. The impact of confounding factors and reverse causation leads to different insights. To shed light on this matter, we utilized Mendelian randomization (MR) to determine the causal effect of GM/metabolites on SSc. Methods: Based on summary-level data from genome-wide association studies, bidirectional Two-sample MR was conducted involving 196 GM, 1400 plasma metabolism, and 9,095 SSc. Inverse Variance Weighting (IVW) was mainly used for effect estimation. Results: Forward MR analysis found that three GM and two plasma metabolites are causally related to SSc. IVW results showed Victivallaceae (family) (OR, 1.469; 95%CI, 1.099-1.963; p = 0.009) and LachnospiraceaeUCG004 (genus) (OR, 1.548; 95%CI, 1.020-2.349; p = 0.04) were risk factor of SSc. Conversely, Prevotella7 (genus) (OR, 0.759; 95%CI, 0.578-0.997; p = 0.048)was a protective factor of SSc. The results on plasma metabolites indicated that Pregnenediol disulfate (C21H34O8S2) levels (OR, 1.164; 95%CI, 1.006-1.347; p = 0.041)was a risk factor of SSc, while Sphingomyelin (d18:1/19:0, d19:1/18:0) levels (OR, 0.821; 95%CI, 0.677-0.996; p = 0.045)was a protective factor of SSc. Reverse MR analysis did not find causally relationship between SSc and the above GM/plasma metabolites. Conclusion: Our results revealed the causally effect between GM/plasma metabolites and SSc. These findings provided new insights into the mechanism of SSc. In particular, we demonstrated Prevotella7 was a protective factor of SSc despite its controversial role in SSc in previous researches.

Augmentation of Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma in Hip Salvage in Stages I and II of Avascular Necrosis: Randomized Blinded Trial Comparing 3 Surgical Techniques in 82 Patients.

Introduction: Avascular necrosis of the femoral head is common in routine orthopedic clinics. The challenge arises in managing early stages (I and II) without obvious radiological evidence. Authors explore this naïve research area by comparing surgical procedures in early AVN patients. Materials and Methods: A prospective multicentric study was performed from November 2020 to February 2023 on 82 patients treated with surgical decompression and adjuvants, concerning the defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Radiopacity and intraosseous edema resolution and THA conversion rates were assessed. Hip pain VAS, groin/thigh pain, difficulty in sitting cross-legged incidence, pain-free walking distance, Harris hip scores, 30-s chair test, and complications were noted. Results: Among 82 patients, the mean age was 28.46 years. Male:female ratio of 3.9:1. 8.5% had bilateral affection and 48.78% had a positive family history. 93.90% presented with groin pain and difficulty in sitting cross-legged, restricted hip movements in 85.3%, and thigh pain in 54.87%. Harris hip scored worst in Group 3 followed by Group 2 and Group 1. 63.41% and 36.58% of patients had Grades 1 and 2 AVN, respectively. At 1 week post-operatively, 96.3% and 93.9% of patients were relieved from groin and thigh pain, respectively (p < 0.001); the trend being Group 3 > Group 2 > Group 1. Hip pain VAS followed a similar trend. At 4 weeks, Harris hip scores improved in Group 3 > Group 2 > Group 1. At 6 months, the trend was Group 2 > Group 3 > Group 1. Group 3 had better 30-s chair test results, pain-free walking distance, and longer cross-legged sitting time. Complication rate of 3.6%. 6.09% of patients underwent THA later. Sclerotic patch and marrow edema resolution early in Group 3, i.e., 46 and 31 days respectively, followed by Group 2 and Group 1. Conclusion: In Stages I and II AVN, biplanar core decompression (double) and intraosseous PRP injection is a promising salvage option; patients have better early hip scores (4 weeks), and early groin and thigh pain recovery. Patients treated early have better clinical and radiological recovery.

Exploring the Efficacy of Biologics in Knee Osteoarthritis: Ultrasound Evaluation of Cartilage Regeneration Effects.

Introduction: Biologics like growth factors, stem cells, and platelet-rich plasma show potential in stimulating cartilage regrowth and reducing inflammation. By synthesizing preclinical and clinical studies, this study offers insights into how these biologics work and their effectiveness in treating knee osteoarthritis. Methods and Materials: Twenty-four participants with knee osteoarthritis (Kellgren - Lawrence grade II or III) were enrolled after obtaining consent. They received three doses of 2 ml intraarticular platelet-rich plasma at 1 month intervals. The clinical assessment involved the oxford knee score (OKS) and visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain on Days 0, 90, and 180. Ultrasound measured femoral and trochlear cartilage thickness pre- (Day 0) and post-PRP (Day 90-180). Results: Before treatment, the average pain score was 7.2 (p = 1.03). On Day 90 post-PRP, it decreased to 5 (p = 0.81), and by Day 180, it further reduced to 4.5 (p = 0.97). The initial total OKS was 33.5 (p = 1.76), which increased to 36 (p = 1.71) on Day 90 and 38.5 (p = 1.89) on Day 180. The femoral and trochlear cartilage thickness also showed improvement from baseline (0.92) to Day 90 (0.96) and Day 180 (1.01), indicating significant cartilage healing post-PRP administration. Conclusion: Our study highlights the probability of PRP in treating knee OA, highlighting their ability to alleviate symptoms, enhance joint function, and promote articular cartilage regeneration.

Decoding the Decade: Exploring the Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) in Complex Wound Management - A Comprehensive Study.

Introduction: Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy has emerged as a promising regenerative treatment modality, offering potential improvements in healing outcomes through its rich content of growth factors and cytokines. We evaluated the effectiveness of PRP therapy in the management of complex wounds, using a decade-long retrospective analysis of treatments conducted at a tertiary care center from 2010 to 2020. The study introduces and assesses the efficacy of the Sandeep's Technique for Assisted Regeneration of Skin (STARS) in enhancing wound healing and quality of life for patients with complex wounds. Materials and methods: A prospective interventional study was conducted, involving two phases: the development and initial testing of PRP therapy (2010-2015) and the application and evaluation of the STARS protocol (2015-2020). The study included patients with complex wounds, utilizing autologous PRP prepared through a double spin centrifuge technique. Outcome measures included wound-healing rates, infection management, and complication rates, compared to conventional treatment methods. Results: The study treated 500 wounds in 432 patients with autologous PRP, noting significant improvements in wound-healing rates, 97.7% had infection control without antibiotics (even in MRSA cases), and all had a good pain control. Histopathological examinations confirmed collagen-rich healing with minimal scarring. The STARS protocol demonstrated the potential of PRP therapy in accelerating wound healing, reducing the need for additional surgical interventions, and enhancing patient outcomes. Conclusion: PRP therapy, particularly when administered following the STARS protocol, represents a safe, effective, and patient-friendly approach for the management of complex wounds. This study supports the integration of PRP therapy into regenerative care strategies, suggesting a shift toward more innovative and efficacious treatments in wound management.

Diagnostic potential of blood plasma longitudinal viscosity measured using Brillouin light scattering.

Blood plasma viscosity (PV) is an established biomarker for numerous diseases. Measurement of the shear PV using conventional rheological techniques is, however, time consuming and requires significant plasma volumes. Here, we show that Brillouin light scattering (BLS) and angle-resolved spectroscopy measurements of the longitudinal PV from microliter-sized plasma volumes can serve as a proxy for the shear PV measured using conventional viscometers. This is not trivial given the distinct frequency regime probed and the longitudinal viscosity, a combination of the shear and bulk viscosity, representing a unique material property on account of the latter. We demonstrate this for plasma from healthy persons and patients suffering from different severities of COVID-19 (CoV), which has been associated with an increased shear PV. We further show that the additional information contained in the BLS-measured effective longitudinal PV and its temperature scaling can provide unique insight into the chemical constituents and physical properties of plasma that can be of diagnostic value. In particular, we find that changes in the effective longitudinal viscosity are consistent with an increased suspension concentration in CoV patient samples at elevated temperatures that is correlated with disease severity and progression. This is supported by results from rapid BLS spatial-mapping, angle-resolved BLS measurements, changes in the elastic scattering, and anomalies in the temperature scaling of the shear viscosity. Finally, we introduce a compact BLS probe to rapidly perform measurements in plastic transport tubes. Our results open a broad avenue for PV diagnostics based on the high-frequency effective longitudinal PV and show that BLS can provide a means for its implementation.

The challenges and prospects of using cold plasma to prevent bacterial contamination and biofilm formation in the meat industry.

The risk of foodborne disease outbreaks increases when the pathogenic bacteria are able to form biofilms, and this presents a major threat to public health. An emerging non-thermal cold plasma (CP) technology has proven a highly effective method for decontaminating meats and their products and extended their shelf life. CP treatments have ability to reduce microbial load and, biofilm formation with minimal change of color, pH value, and lipid oxidation of various meat and meat products. The CP technique offers many advantages over conventional processing techniques due to its layout flexibility, nonthermal behavior, affordability, and ecological sustainability. The technology is still in its infancy, and continuous research efforts are needed to realize its full potential in the meat industry. This review addresses the basic principles and the impact of CP technology on biofilm formation, meat quality (including microbiological, color, pH value, texture, and lipid oxidation), and microbial inactivation pathways and also the prospects of this technology.

Screening of cytokine expression in human seminal plasma in associations with sperm disorders and markers of oxidative-antioxidant balance.

Among the many factors with a proven relation to semen quality and male fertility, the determination of seminal plasma cytokines provides a promising direction for research into the identification of factors connected with male infertility. The interleukins: IL-1α, -1ß, -2, -4, -6, -8, -10, -12p40, -12p70, -18, IFNγ, and GM-CSF, total oxidant (TOS) and antioxidant (TAS) status, were simultaneously examined in seminal plasmas and blood sera in terato- (n = 32), asthenoterato- (n = 33), and oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (n = 29) infertile men and in normozoospermic fertile men (n = 20). Our research shows different cytokine composition of the sera and seminal plasmas in all studied groups, along with much higher concentrations of seminal plasma GM-CSF, IFNγ, IL-1α, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-8 and lower IL-18 and TOS in the comparison to their sera levels. The seminal plasma concentrations of GM-CSF, IFNγ, IL-1α, -4, and -6 differ significantly between fertile and infertile as well as between teratozoospermic, asthenoteratozoospermic, and oligoasthenoteratozoospermic groups. The indication of the cause of different concentrations of cytokines in seminal plasmas of infertile men, and their associations with semen parameters and oxidative status, may be a promising direction for the search for new therapeutic targets that would directly affect the cells and tissues of male reproductive organs.

Propofol does not alter the protein binding and unbound concentration of lidocaine at clinically targeted plasma concentrations in vitro - A short communication.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous lidocaine is increasingly used as an analgesic adjunct during general anaesthesia. Lidocaine is highly protein-bound and changes to binding can alter drug efficacy or toxicity. We aimed to measure the effect of various propofol and lidocaine plasma concentration combinations on the protein binding and concentration of lidocaine in vitro. METHODS: Known targeted concentrations of propofol and lidocaine were added to drug-free human plasma in vitro. Samples were prepared and analysed in various clinically relevant concentration combinations; propofol at 0, 2, 4 and 6 µg/mL, and lidocaine at 1, 3 and 5 µg/mL. The total and unbound concentrations of lidocaine were measured by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and percentage protein binding was determined. Data were presented as mean and standard deviation (SD) and differences between analysed groups. RESULTS: The overall mean protein binding of lidocaine was 68.8% (SD 5.5, range 57.5-80.9%). Beta regression analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in lidocaine percentage binding across a range of propofol and lidocaine concentration combinations. CONCLUSION: Propofol did not alter the unbound and free pharmacologically active proportion of lidocaine at different clinically targeted concentrations of propofol and lidocaine in plasma in vitro. The percentage of plasma protein binding of lidocaine in this study was consistent with previously published results.

Update on targeted treatments for ANCA-associated vasculitis.

Targeted therapy has revolutionized the management of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) over the last fifteen years. Rituximab, an approved induction and maintenance agent for severe AAV, is no less effective than cyclophosphamide as induction therapy and particularly useful in relapsing or refractory disease, or in women. In patients with relapsing AAV, granulomatosis with polyangiitis or PR3-ANCA, it is more effective than cyclophosphamide. Rituximab maintenance is superior to the conventional immunosuppressive drugs that it replaces. Low-dose preemptive rituximab infusions are recommended every six months for 18 months, followed by re-evaluation to decide whether 4 additional biannual infusions should be administered, balancing the probability of relapse and the risk of serious infections on rituximab. A growing body of experimental and clinical data shows that C5a pathway inhibition is a promising therapeutic option for AAV, which could reduce glucocorticoids needs. Avacopan is a first approved oral C5A receptor antagonist, used when there is a high risk that glucocorticoids will cause serious adverse events. In eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, the importance of IL-5 for eosinophil activation and survival led to evaluation and approval of mepolizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against IL-5. Mepolizumab showed a steroid-sparing effect. Its effectiveness in active vasculitis remains uncertain and is currently being evaluated. Benralizumab targeting the IL-5 receptor was recently shown to be noninferior to mepolizumab. Rituximab has had disappointing results in non-severe active vasculitis and is being evaluated as maintenance therapy. Plasma exchange is not indicated as first-line treatment but remains recommended when creatinine levels exceed 300 µmol/L.

Proteogenomic Analysis Identifies a Causal Association between Plasma Apolipoprotein B Levels and Liver Cancer Risk.

Liver oncogenesis is accompanied by discernible protein changes in the bloodstream. By employing plasma proteomic profiling, we can delve into the molecular mechanisms of liver cancer and pinpoint potential biomarkers. In this nested case-control study, we applied liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for proteome profiling in baseline plasma samples. Differential protein expression was determined and was subjected to functional enrichment, network, and Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses. We identified 193 proteins with notable differential levels between the groups. Of these proteins, MR analysis offered a compelling negative association between apolipoprotein B (APOB) and liver cancer. This association was further corroborated in the UK Biobank cohort: genetically predicted APOB levels were associated with a 31% (95% CI 19-42%) decreased risk of liver cancer; and phenotypic analysis indicated an 11% (95% CI 8-14%) decreased liver cancer risk for every 0.1 g/L increase of circulating APOB levels. Multivariable MR analysis suggested that the hepatic fat content might fully mediate the APOB-liver cancer connection. In summary, we identified some plasma proteins, particularly APOB, as potential biomarkers of liver cancer. Our findings underscore the intricate link between lipid metabolism and liver cancer, offering hints for targeted prophylactic strategies and early detection.

A simple predictor for donor-specific anti-HLA antibody desensitisation in haploidentical haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Donor-specific HLA antibody (DSA) has been recognised as an independent risk factor for graft failure in patients undergoing haploidentical haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HID HSCT). Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), as a first-line strategy for DSA desensitisation, can promptly reduce serum DSA levels. This study aimed to investigate DSA characteristics and identify a biomarker predicting the efficacy of DSA desensitisation in patients proceeding to HID HSCT. We retrospectively enrolled 32 patients with DSA from April 2021 to January 2024, and analysed the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) value of DSA at the different time points of desensitisation treatment. Compared with baseline DSA level before TPE, the median MFI of HLA class I DSA was reduced from 8178.6 to 795.3 (p < 0.001), and HLA class II DSA decreased from 6210.9 to 808.8 (p < 0.001) after TPE. The DSA level in 1:16 diluted pre-TPE serum correlated well with DSA value in post-TPE serum (class I, r = 0.85, p < 0.0001; class II, r = 0.94, p < 0.0001), predicting TPE efficacy in 84.4% of patients. Based on the degree of DSA reduction after TPE, patients were divided into complete responders (decreased by >70%), partial responders (decreased by 30 to 70%) and non-responders (decreased by <30%) and the percentages were 43.8%, 25% and 31.2%, respectively. Non-responders receiving aggressive immunotherapy had longer overall survival compared to those receiving standard strategies (p < 0.05). The 1:16 diluted pre-TPE serum may predict the efficacy of TPE and allow for more rational immunotherapy strategy for patients with DSA proceeding to HID HSCT.

A rare case of acute cerebellitis due to enterovirus treated with therapeutic plasma exchange: Case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Acute cerebellitis is a rare complication of pediatric infections. There are many reports that viral infections lead to neurological manifestations, including acute cerebellitis. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted for pediatric patients diagnosed with enterovirus cerebellitis between 2000 and 2024. The methods involved reviewing clinical and radiological records and assessing the treatment methods. RESULTS: Case Report We present the case of a 4-year-old immunocompetent child who initially presented with acute encephalopathy followed by truncal ataxia, and eventually received a diagnosis of postinfectious cerebellitis. Enterovirus real-time polymerase chain reaction were positive in the nasopharyngeal swab. Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) was started due to neurological deterioration despite IVIG treatment. She improved significantly with TPE, and methylprednisolone treatment and was discharged in good health status. The patient is being followed up as neurologically normal. CONCLUSION: Acute cerebellitis associated with enterovirus is a rare pediatric disorder. Early diagnosis and treatment with TPE in this severe case is thought to be preventive for the potentially fatal complications.

Clinical significance of plasma candidate biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease.

The number of patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) has increased rapidly in recent decades. AD is a complex progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting c.14 million patients in Europe and the United States. The hallmarks of this disease are neurotic plaques composed of the amyloid-ß (Aß) peptide and neurofibrillary tangles formed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein (pTau). To date, four CSF biomarkers: amyloid beta 42 (Aß42), Aß42/40 ratio, Tau protein, and Tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (pTau181) have been validated as core neurochemical AD biomarkers. Imaging biomarkers are valuable for AD diagnosis, although they suffer from limitations in their cost and accessibility, while CSF biomarkers require lumbar puncture. Thus, there is an urgent need for alternative, less invasive and more cost-effective biomarkers capable of diagnosing and monitoring AD progression in a clinical context, as well as expediting the development of new therapeutic strategies. This review assesses the potential clinical significance of plasma candidate biomarkers in AD diagnosis. We conclude that these proteins might hold great promise in identifying the pathological features of AD. However, the future implementation process, and validation of the assays' accuracy using predefined cut-offs across more diverse patient populations, are crucial in establishing their utility in daily practice.

Plasma Proteomics to Identify Drug Targets and Potential Drugs for Retinal Artery Occlusion: An Integrated Analysis in the UK Biobank.

Retinal artery occlusion (RAO), which is positively correlated with acute ischemic stroke (IS) and results in severe visual impairment, lacks effective intervention drugs. This study aims to perform integrated analysis using UK Biobank plasma proteome data of RAO and IS to identify potential targets and preventive drugs. A total of 7191 participants (22 RAO patients, 1457 IS patients, 8 individuals with both RAO and IS, and 5704 healthy age-gender-matched controls) were included in this study. Unique 1461 protein expression profiles of RAO, IS, and the combined data set, extracted from UK Biobank Plasma proteomics projects, were analyzed using both differential expression analysis and elastic network regression (Enet) methods to identify shared key proteins. Subsequent analyses, including single cell type expression assessment, pathway enrichment, and druggability analysis, were conducted for verifying shared key proteins and discovery of new drugs. Five proteins were found to be shared among the samples, with all of them showing upregulation. Notably, adhesion G-protein coupled receptor G1 (ADGRG1) exhibited high expression in glial cells of the brain and eye tissues. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed pathways associated with lipid metabolism and vascular regulation and inflammation. Druggability analysis unveiled 15 drug candidates targeting ADGRG1, which demonstrated protective effects against RAO, especially troglitazone (-8.5 kcal/mol). Our study identified novel risk proteins and therapeutic drugs associated with the rare disease RAO, providing valuable insights into potential intervention strategies.

Cyclotron production of manganese-52: a promising avenue for multimodal PET/MRI imaging.

BACKGROUND: The integration of positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) holds promise for advancing diagnostic imaging capabilities. The METRICS project aims to develop cyclotron-driven production of 52Mn for PET/MRI imaging. RESULTS: Using the 52Cr(p,n)52Mn reaction, we designed chromium metal targets via Spark Plasma Sintering and developed a separation procedure for isolating 52Mn. Labeling tests were conducted with traditional chelators (i.e. S-2-(4-Isothiocyanatobenzyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane tetraacetic acid) and the 1.4-dioxa-8-azaspiro[4.5]decane-8- carbodithioate ligand to produce radioactive complexes suitable for PET/MRI applications. Our methodology yielded high-quality 52Mn suitable for PET radiopharmaceuticals and PET/MRI imaging. Preliminary studies on phantom imaging using microPET and clinical MRI demonstrated the efficacy of our approach. CONCLUSIONS: The developed technology offers a promising avenue for producing 52Mn and enhancing PET/MRI imaging capabilities. Further in vivo investigations are warranted to evaluate the potential advantages of this hybrid imaging technique.

Enhanced analysis of equine plasma for the presence of recombinant human erythropoietin - Implementation of an improved workflow.

An improved screening workflow and a robust capillary flow LC-MS confirmatory method for the detection of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) has been implemented to increase the sensitivity of rHuEPO detection and to reduce the number of suspect samples committed to confirmatory testing. The influence of repeated dosing of epoetin-ß on the detection window of rHuEPO in equine plasma was assessed using the optimised method. Samples were initially assessed using an economical R&D Human EPO Duo-Set ELISA Development System. Samples indicating a result greater than the batch baseline were analysed using the complementary R&D Human EPO Quantikine IVD ELISA kit. All samples recording an abnormal screening result were subjected to confirmatory analysis. Confirmation of rHuEPO in plasma (≥2.5 ml) in the range of 4-13 mIU/ml (n = 6) was achieved using immunoaffinity enrichment, tryptic digestion, and capillary flow LC-MS/MS. Four horses were administered a single dose of epoetin-ß (10,000 IU) via the subcutaneous and intravenous routes, on two occasions, seven days apart. The excretion profile was rapid with epoetin-ß detection times of 48 to 72 h following each administration, with no appreciable difference observed between the two routes of administration. This workflow has been shown as an effective anti-doping strategy related to rHuEPO misuse and supports the use of out-of-competition testing of horses in the 2 to 3-day period prior to race-day.

Improved medical waste plasma gasification modelling based on implicit knowledge-guided interpretable machine learning.

Ensuring the interpretability of machine learning models in chemical engineering remains challenging due to inherent limitations and data quality issues, hindering their reliable application. In this study, a qualitatively implicit knowledge-guided machine learning framework is proposed to improve plasma gasification modelling. Starting with a pre-trained machine learning model, parameters are further optimized by integrating the heuristic algorithm to minimize the data fitting errors and resolving implicit monotonic inconsistencies. The latter is comprehensively quantified through Monte Carlo simulations. This framework is adaptive to different machine learning techniques, exemplified by artificial neural network (ANN) and support vector machine (SVM) in this study. Validated by a case study on plasma gasification, the results reveal that the improved models achieve better generalizability and scientific interpretability in predicting syngas quality. Specifically, for ANN, the root mean square error (RMSE) and knowledge-based error (KE) reduce by 36.44% and 83.22%, respectively, while SVM displays a decrease of 2.58% in RMSE and a remarkable 100% in KE. Importantly, the improved models successfully capture all desired implicit monotonicity relationships between syngas quality and feedstock characteristics/operating parameters, addressing a limitation that traditional machine learning struggles with.

Subacromial injection of Platelet Rich Plasma Provides Greater Improvement in Pain and Functional Outcomes Compared to Corticosteroids at 1 Year Follow- Up.

BACKGROUND: Studies evaluating the results of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for the treatment of rotator cuff tendinopathy (RCT) have demonstrated conflicting results and have been confounded by small patient samples, the absence of a control group, the combined analysis of isolated tendinopathies and rotator cuff tears, insufficient reporting of PRP preparations, The purpose of this study was to perform a randomized controlled trial comparing platelet-rich plasma (PRP) with standard corticosteroid (CS) injections in providing pain relief and improved function in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy. METHODS: This was a double-blind RCT at a single center. We evaluated patients between 18 and 50 years old who had both a clinical and magnetic resonance (MRI) diagnosis of supraspinatus tendinopathy refractory to conservative treatment. A total of 50 patients received PRP treatment, whereas 50 patients received a corticosteroid, as a control group. Patients completed patient-reported outcome assessments at baseline and at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after injection. The primary outcome was improvement in the VAS score for pain. Secondary outcomes included changes in ASES score, SANE score and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Treatment failure was defined as persistent pain at 3 months which required a subsequent injection. RESULTS: The mean age was 27.7 (±7.4). All the patients completed 12 months clinical follow-up. At 12 months, patients in the PRP group showed a significantly greater improvement in the VAS than patients in the CS group 1.68(0.6) vs 2.3(1.0) (p<0.001). As well, at 12 months follow-up, the 3 scores evaluated were significantly higher in patients treated with PRP than in patients treated with CS ASES 89.8 (6.3) vs 78.0 (8.6) (p<.001); SANE 89.2 (6.3) vs 80.5 (9.6) (p< .001) and PSQI 2.72 (0.6) vs 4.02 (1.7) (p< .001) The overall failure rate, was significantly higher in the CS group (30%) than in the PRP group (12%) (p<0.01) CONCLUSION: One subacromial PRP injection in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy showed significantly superior and sustained pain-relieving and functional improvements compared with one corticosteroid subacromial injection assessed by 4 patient-reported outcome scales at 12 months of follow-up. Moreover, the overall failure rate, was significantly higher in the CS group than in the PRP group.