Multimodal Emotion Recognition Based on EEG and EOG Signals Evoked by the Video-Odor Stimuli.

Affective data is the basis of emotion recognition, which is mainly acquired through extrinsic elicitation. To investigate the enhancing effects of multi-sensory stimuli on emotion elicitation and emotion recognition, we designed an experimental paradigm involving visual, auditory, and olfactory senses. A multimodal emotional dataset (OVPD-II) that employed the video-only or video-odor patterns as the stimuli materials, and recorded the electroencephalogram (EEG) and electrooculogram (EOG) signals, was created. The feedback results reported by subjects after each trial demonstrated that the video-odor pattern outperformed the video-only pattern in evoking individuals' emotions. To further validate the efficiency of the video-odor pattern, the transformer was employed to perform the emotion recognition task, where the highest accuracy reached 86.65% (66.12%) for EEG (EOG) modality with the video-odor pattern, which improved by 1.42% (3.43%) compared with the video-only pattern. What's more, the hybrid fusion (HF) method combined with the transformer and joint training was developed to improve the performance of the emotion recognition task, which achieved classify accuracies of 89.50% and 88.47% for the video-odor and video-only patterns, respectively.

Deciphering the roles of bacterial and fungal communities in the formation and quality of agarwood.

Aquilaria sinensis is a significant resin-producing plant worldwide that is crucial for agarwood production. Agarwood has different qualities depending on the method with which it is formed, and the microbial community structures that are present during these methods are also diverse. Furthermore, the microbial communities of plants play crucial roles in determining their health and productivity. While previous studies have investigated the impact of microorganisms on agarwood formation, they lack comprehensiveness, particularly regarding the properties of the microbial community throughout the entire process from seedling to adult to incense formation. We collected roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and other tissues from seedlings, healthy plants and agarwood-producing plants to address this gap and assess the dominant bacterial species in the microbial community structures of A. sinensis at different growth stages and their impacts on growth and agarwood formation. The bacteria and fungi in these tissues were classified and counted from different perspectives. The samples were sequenced using the Illumina sequencing platform, and sequence analyses and species annotations were performed using a range of bioinformatics tools to assess the plant community compositions. An additional comparison of the samples was conducted using diversity analyses to assess their differences. This research revealed that Listeria, Kurtzmanomyces, Ascotaiwania, Acinetobacter, Sphingobium, Fonsecaea, Acrocalymma, Allorhizobium, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Peethambara, and Debaryomyces are potentially associated with the formation of agarwood. Overall, the data provided in this article help us understand the important roles played by bacteria and fungi in the growth and agarwood formation process of A. sinensis, will support the theoretical basis for the large-scale cultivation of A. sinensis, and provide a basis for further research on microbial community applications in agarwood production and beyond.

Multienzymatic Orthogonal Activation of DNA Codec Enables Tumor-Specific Imaging of Base Excision Repair Activity.

Accurate monitoring of base excision repair (BER) activity in cancer cells is critical for advancing the comprehension of DNA repair processes, gaining insights into cancer development, and guiding treatment strategies. However, current assay techniques for assessing BER activity in cancer cells face challenges due to the heterogeneous origins and diversity of BER enzymes. In this work, we present a highly reliable triple loop-interlocked DNA codec (GATED) that enables precise assessment of BER activity in cancer cells through signal amplification mediated by multienzyme orthogonal activation. The GATED device features a dumbbell-shaped DNA probe to encode two BER enzymes for BER-related signal conversion as well as two bound circular DNA to decode the apurinic/apyrimidinic sites for apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1)-mediated signal amplification. Importantly, GATED is orthogonally activated by multiple target BER enzymes (i.e., uracil DNA glycosylase, thymine DNA glycosylase, and APE1), resulting in a unified fluorescent signal that significantly improves the detection specificity and sensitivity to BER enzymes. Additionally, we demonstrate that the GATED has exceptional biostability within complex biological systems, where it was successfully employed to monitor BER activity in cancer cells with high specificity and enabled cell-based high-throughput screening for BER inhibitors. The GATED provides a much-needed tool for the real-time monitoring of BER activity and the screening of BER inhibitors in cancer cells, potentially advancing both the investigation and clinical application of BER biology.

Prevalence and risk factors of training-related abdominal injuries: A multicenter survey study.

PURPOSE: This study aims to identify the prevalence and risk factors of military training-related abdominal injuries and help plan and conduct training properly. METHODS: This questionnaire survey study was conducted from October 2021 to May 2022 among military personnel from 6 military units and 8 military medical centers and participants' medical records were consulted to identify the training-related abdominal injuries. All the military personnel who ever participated in military training were included. Those who refused to participate in this study or provided an incomplete questionnaire were excluded. The questionnaire collected demographic information, type of abdominal injury, frequency, training subjects, triggers, treatment, and training disturbance. Chi-square test and t-test were used to compare baseline information. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to explore the risk factors associated with military training-related abdominal injuries. RESULTS: A total of 3058 participants were involved in this study, among which 1797 (58.8%) had suffered training-related abdominal injuries (the mean age was 24.3 years and the service time was 5.6 years), while 1261 (41.2%) had no training-related abdominal injuries (the mean age was 23.1 years and the service time was 4.3 years). There were 546 injured patients (30.4%) suspended the training and 84 (4.6%) needed to be referred to higher-level hospitals. The most common triggers included inadequate warm-up, fatigue, and intense training. The training subjects with the most abdominal injuries were long-distance running (589, 32.8%). Civil servants had the highest rate of abdominal trauma (17.1%). Age ≥ 25 years, military service ≥ 3 years, poor sleep status, and previous abdominal history were independent risk factors for training-related abdominal injury. CONCLUSION: More than half of the military personnel have suffered military training-related abdominal injuries. Inadequate warm-up, fatigue, and high training intensity are the most common inducing factors. Scientific and proper training should be conducted according to the factors causing abdominal injuries.

A New Orthonairovirus Associated with Human Febrile Illness.

BACKGROUND: In June 2019, a patient presented with persistent fever and multiple organ dysfunction after a tick bite at a wetland park in Inner Mongolia. Next-generation sequencing in this patient revealed an infection with a previously unknown orthonairovirus, which we designated Wetland virus (WELV). METHODS: We conducted active hospital-based surveillance to determine the prevalence of WELV infection among febrile patients with a history of tick bites. Epidemiologic investigation was performed. The virus was isolated, and its infectivity and pathogenicity were investigated in animal models. RESULTS: WELV is a member of the orthonairovirus genus in the Nairoviridae family and is most closely related to the tickborne Hazara orthonairovirus genogroup. Acute WELV infection was identified in 17 patients from Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning, China, by means of reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction assay. These patients presented with nonspecific symptoms, including fever, dizziness, headache, malaise, myalgia, arthritis, and back pain and less frequently with petechiae and localized lymphadenopathy. One patient had neurologic symptoms. Common laboratory findings were leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and elevated d-dimer and lactate dehydrogenase levels. Serologic assessment of convalescent-stage samples obtained from 8 patients showed WELV-specific antibody titers that were 4 times as high as those in acute-phase samples. WELV RNA was detected in five tick species and in sheep, horses, pigs, and Transbaikal zokors (Myospalax psilurus) sampled in northeastern China. The virus that was isolated from the index patient and ticks showed cytopathic effects in human umbilical-vein endothelial cells. Intraperitoneal injection of the virus resulted in lethal infections in BALB/c, C57BL/6, and Kunming mice. The Haemaphysalis concinna tick is a possible vector that can transovarially transmit WELV. CONCLUSIONS: A newly discovered orthonairovirus was identified and shown to be associated with human febrile illnesses in northeastern China. (Funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences.).

Sex-specific Age-Related Worsening of Pathological Endotypic Traits in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is more prevalent in men and older adults. Few studies have explored variations in pathological endotypic traits by age and sex using a large patient sample, offering insights into the development of the disease. Our study aims to examine how endotype characteristics of obstructive sleep apnea vary across age in different sex. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted, enrolling 2296 adult patients referred for in-laboratory diagnostic polysomnography at a single sleep center in Taiwan. Among them, 1374 had an apnea-hypopnea index ≥ 5. Using the "Phenotyping Using Polysomnography" method, we estimated four endotypic traits-arousal threshold, upper airway collapsibility, loop gain, and upper airway muscle compensation. Demographic and polysomnographic characteristics were compared between sexes and age groups. Generalized linear regression and generalized additive models were employed to explore the associations of sex and age with endotypic traits. RESULTS: Men with OSA exhibited higher collapsibility and lower compensation than women (difference: 4.32 %eupnea and 4.49 %eupnea, respectively). Younger patients with OSA had a higher prevalence of obesity, more snoring symptoms, and lower loop gain compared to older patients. For men, age was correlated with increased collapsibility, increased loop gain, and decreased arousal threshold after 37 years old. Whereas in women, endotypic traits were not associated with age, except for an increase in loop gain with advancing age. CONCLUSIONS: Personalized treatment options for OSA should take into consideration age and sex. Reducing loop gain could be a treatment objective for older patients with OSA.

Superconductivity under pressure in a chromium-based kagome metal.

Superconductivity in a highly correlated kagome system has been theoretically proposed for years (refs. 1-5), yet the experimental realization is hard to achieve6,7. The recently discovered vanadium-based kagome materials8, which exhibit both superconductivity9-11 and charge-density-wave orders12-14, are nonmagnetic8,9 and weakly correlated15,16. Thus these materials are unlikely to host the exotic superconductivity theoretically proposed. Here we report the discovery of a chromium-based kagome metal, CsCr3Sb5, which is contrastingly featured with strong electron correlations, frustrated magnetism and characteristic flat bands close to the Fermi level. Under ambient pressure, this kagome metal undergoes a concurrent structural and magnetic phase transition at 55 K, with a stripe-like 4a0 structural modulation. At high pressure, the phase transition evolves into two transitions, possibly associated with charge-density-wave and antiferromagnetic spin-density-wave orderings. These density-wave-like orders are gradually suppressed with pressure and, remarkably, a superconducting dome emerges at 3.65-8.0 GPa. The maximum of the superconducting transition temperature, Tcmax = 6.4 K, appears when the density-wave-like orders are completely suppressed at 4.2 GPa, and the normal state exhibits a non-Fermi-liquid behaviour, reminiscent of unconventional superconductivity and quantum criticality in iron-based superconductors17,18. Our work offers an unprecedented platform for investigating superconductivity in correlated kagome systems.

Heterogeneously catalyzed reductive depolymerization of lignin to value-added chemicals.

Lignin is an abundant renewable source of aromatics, but its complex heterogeneous structure poses challenges for its depolymerization and valorization. Heterogeneously catalyzed reductive depolymerization (HCRD) has emerged as a promising approach, utilizing heterogeneous catalysts to facilitate selective bond cleavage in lignin and hydrogen transfer to stabilize the products under mild conditions. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of the hydrogen transfer mechanisms in HCRD involving different hydrogen sources including molecular hydrogen, alcohols, formic acid, etc., and the native hydrogen donor groups in lignin. Recent advances in catalyst design for efficient lignin depolymerization are systematically discussed, focusing on precious metal-based (Pt, Ru, Pd) and non-precious metal-based catalysts. Factors influencing catalyst performance, such as metal-support interactions, promoters, and synergistic effects, are highlighted. The diverse array of high-value aromatic chemicals obtained from HCRD is overviewed. Finally, the significance of HCRD in the context of lignin valorization and the development of integrated biorefineries is discussed, underscoring its potential to contribute to a sustainable bioeconomy.

The association between cytomegalovirus infection and neurodegenerative diseases: a prospective cohort using UK Biobank data.

Background: Certain viral infections have been linked to the development of neurodegenerative diseases. This study aimed to investigate the association between cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and five neurodegenerative diseases, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and related syndromes, Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), multiple sclerosis (MS), and disorders of the autonomic nervous system (DANS). Methods: This prospective cohort included white British individuals who underwent CMV testing in the UK Biobank from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2021. A Cox proportional hazard model was utilized to estimate the future risk of developing five neurodegenerative diseases in individuals with or without CMV infection, adjusted for batch effect, age, sex, and Townsend deprivation index in Model 1, and additionally for type 2 diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, vitamin D, monocyte count and leukocyte count in Model 2. Bidirectional Mendelian randomization was employed to validate the potential causal relationship between CMV infection and PD. Findings: A total of 8346 individuals, consisting of 4620 females (55.4%) and 3726 males (44.6%) who were white British at an average age of 56.74 (8.11), were included in this study. The results showed that CMV infection did not affect the risk of developing AD (model 1: HR [95% CI] = 1.01 [0.57, 1.81], P = 0.965; model 2: HR = 1.00 [0.56, 1.79], P = 0.999), SMA and related syndromes (model 1: HR = 3.57 [0.64, 19.80], P = 0.146; model 2: HR = 3.52 [0.63, 19.61], P = 0.152), MS (model 1: HR = 1.16 [0.45, 2.97], P = 0.756; model 2: HR = 1.16 [0.45, 2.97], P = 0.761) and DANS (model 1: HR = 0.65 [0.16, 2.66], P = 0.552; model 2: HR = 0.65 [0.16, 2.64], P = 0.543). Interestingly, it was found that participants who were CMV seronegative had a higher risk of developing PD compared to those who were seropositive (model 1: HR = 2.37 [1.25, 4.51], P = 0.009; model 2: HR = 2.39 [1.25, 4.54], P = 0.008) after excluding deceased individuals. This association was notably stronger in males (model 1: HR = 3.16 [1.42, 7.07], P = 0.005; model 2: HR = 3.41 [1.50, 7.71], P = 0.003), but no significant difference was observed in the female subgroup (model 1: HR = 1.28 [0.40, 4.07], P = 0.679; model 2: HR = 1.27 [0.40, 4.06], P = 0.684). However, a bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis did not find a genetic association between CMV infection and PD. Interpretation: The study found that males who did not have a CMV infection were at a higher risk of developing PD. The findings provided a new viewpoint on the risk factors for PD and may potentially influence public health approaches for the disease. Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China (81873776), Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, China (2021A1515011681, 2023A1515010495).

Ternary Logic Circuit and Neural Network Integration via Small Molecule-Based Antiambipolar Vertical Electrochemical Transistor.

Circuits based on organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) have great potential in the fields of biosensors and artificial neural computation due to their biocompatibility and neural similarity. However, the integration of OECT-based circuits lags far behind other emerging electronics. Here, ternary inverters based on antiambipolar vertical OECTs (vOECTs) and their integration with the establishment of neural networks are demonstrated. Specifically, by adopting a small molecule (t-gdiPDI) as the channel of vOECT, high antiambipolar performance, with current density of 33.9 ± 2.1 A cm-2 under drain voltage of 0.1 V, peak voltage ≈0 V, low driving voltage < ± 0.6 V, and current on/off ratio > 106, are realized. Consequently, vertically stacked ternary circuits based solely on OECTs are constructed for the first time, showing three distinct logical states and high integration density. By further developing inverter array as the internal fundamental units of ternary weight network hardware circuits for ternary processing and computation, it demonstrates excellent data classification and recognition capabilities. This work demonstrates the possibility of constructing multi-valued logic circuits by OECTs and promotes a new strategy for high-density integration and multivalued computing systems based on organic circuits.

Au(I)/Sc(III)-co-catalyzed tandem spiroannulation/cycloisomerization of 3-(2-ethynylaryl)-N-tosylaziridines with indoles to access 5H-benzo[b]carbazoles.

An unusual spiroannulation/cycloisomerization cascade of 3-(2-ethynylaryl)-N-tosylaziridines with indoles enabled by cooperative gold/scandium catalysis is presented, which facilitates the synthesis of 5H-benzo[b]carbazoles in moderate to excellent yields. This protocol features a broad substrate scope and good functional-group compatibility. Additionally, the resulting 5H-benzo[b]carbazoles exhibit good fluorescence properties, demonstrating the synthetic practicality of this method. Moreover, control experiments were performed to illustrate the reaction mechanism.

Pyrenetetrasulfonate-grafted 2D ultrathin metal-organic layer as new electrochemiluminescence emitters for ultrasensitive microRNA-21 assay.

The exploration of novel electrochemiluminescence (ECL) luminophores with excellent ECL properties is a current research hotspot in the ECL field. Herein, a novel high-efficiency Ru-complex-free ECL emitter PyTS-Zr-BTB-MOL has been prepared by using porous ultrathin Zr-BTB metal-organic layer (MOL) as carrier to coordinatively graft the cheap and easily available polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) derivative luminophore PyTS whose ECL performance has never been investigated. Gratifyingly, the ECL intensity and efficiency of PyTS-Zr-BTB-MOL were markedly enhanced compared to both PyTS monomers and PyTS aggregates. The main reason was that the distance between pyrene rings was greatly expanded after the PyTS grafting on the Zr6 clusters of Zr-BTB-MOL, which overcame the aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) effect of PyTS and thus enhanced the ECL emission. Meanwhile, the porous nanosheet structure of PyTS-Zr-BTB-MOL could distinctly increase the exposure of PyTS luminophores and shorten the diffusion paths of coreactants and electrons/ions, which effectively promoted the electrochemical excitation of more PyTS luminophores and thus achieved a further ECL enhancement. In light of the remarkable ECL property of PyTS-Zr-BTB-MOL, it was employed as an ECL indicator to build a novel high-sensitivity ECL biosensor for microRNA-21 determination, possessing a satisfactory response range (100 aM to 100 pM) and an ultralow detection limit (10.4 aM). Overall, this work demonstrated that using MOLs to coordinatively graft the PAH derivative luminophores to eliminate the ACQ effect and increase the utilization rate of the luminophores is a promising and efficient strategy to develop high-performance Ru-complex-free ECL materials for assembling ultrasensitive ECL biosensing platforms.

The Duration of Chronic Pain Can Affect Brain Functional Changes of the Pain Matrix in Patients with Chronic Back Pain: A Resting-State fMRI Study.

Purpose: This study was conducted to explore the differences in functional changes in the pain matrix in patients with chronic back pain (CBP) at different stages and identify whether these brain changes were related to the pain duration. Patients and Methods: In this study, 29 healthy individuals and 54 patients with CBP were recruited. According to the pain duration, 25 patients (3 to 12 months) were divided into the CBP-S group and 29 patients (≥ 24 months) were divided into the CBP-L group. All subjects completed clinical pain-related measurement and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans. Moreover, the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), functional connectivity (FC), and correlation analysis were conducted in this study. Results: Compared with healthy controls, patients in the CBP-L group showed significantly decreased ALFF in the left precuneus. In the FC analysis, patients in the CBP-S and CBP-L groups showed significantly decreased FC in several regions in the bilateral orbitofrontal cortices (OFC) and the left ventral posterior insula. Moreover, there were significant differences in the FC between the left hyper granular insula and the probabilistic area in OFC in pairwise group comparisons. The correlation analysis results demonstrated that pain duration was correlated with these functional brain changes, and the ANCOVA results revealed that pain intensity and pain interference scores did not affect the FC analysis results. Conclusion: There are different changes in the pain neural matrix in patients with chronic pain at different stages. Furthermore, the pain duration is related to brain functional changes.

Landform and lithospheric development contribute to the assembly of mountain floras in China.

Although it is well documented that mountains tend to exhibit high biodiversity, how geological processes affect the assemblage of montane floras is a matter of ongoing research. Here, we explore landform-specific differences among montane floras based on a dataset comprising 17,576 angiosperm species representing 140 Chinese mountain floras, which we define as the collection of all angiosperm species growing on a specific mountain. Our results show that igneous bedrock (granitic and karst-granitic landforms) is correlated with higher species richness and phylogenetic overdispersion, while the opposite is true for sedimentary bedrock (karst, Danxia, and desert landforms), which is correlated with phylogenetic clustering. Furthermore, we show that landform type was the primary determinant of the assembly of evolutionarily older species within floras, while climate was a greater determinant for younger species. Our study indicates that landform type not only affects montane species richness, but also contributes to the composition of montane floras. To explain the assembly and differentiation of mountain floras, we propose the 'floristic geo-lithology hypothesis', which highlights the role of bedrock and landform processes in montane floristic assembly and provides insights for future research on speciation, migration, and biodiversity in montane regions.

Creatine and L-carnitine attenuate muscular laminopathy in the LMNA mutation transgenic zebrafish.

Lamin A/C gene (LMNA) mutations contribute to severe striated muscle laminopathies, affecting cardiac and skeletal muscles, with limited treatment options. In this study, we delve into the investigations of five distinct LMNA mutations, including three novel variants and two pathogenic variants identified in patients with muscular laminopathy. Our approach employs zebrafish models to comprehensively study these variants. Transgenic zebrafish expressing wild-type LMNA and each mutation undergo extensive morphological profiling, swimming behavior assessments, muscle endurance evaluations, heartbeat measurement, and histopathological analysis of skeletal muscles. Additionally, these models serve as platform for focused drug screening. We explore the transcriptomic landscape through qPCR and RNAseq to unveil altered gene expression profiles in muscle tissues. Larvae of LMNA(L35P), LMNA(E358K), and LMNA(R453W) transgenic fish exhibit reduced swim speed compared to LMNA(WT) measured by DanioVision. All LMNA transgenic adult fish exhibit reduced swim speed compared to LMNA(WT) in T-maze. Moreover, all LMNA transgenic adult fish, except LMNA(E358K), display weaker muscle endurance than LMNA(WT) measured by swimming tunnel. Histochemical staining reveals decreased fiber size in all LMNA mutations transgenic fish, excluding LMNA(WT) fish. Interestingly, LMNA(A539V) and LMNA(E358K) exhibited elevated heartbeats. We recognize potential limitations with transgene overexpression and conducted association calculations to explore its effects on zebrafish phenotypes. Our results suggest lamin A/C overexpression may not directly impact mutant phenotypes, such as impaired swim speed, increased heart rates, or decreased muscle fiber diameter. Utilizing LMNA zebrafish models for drug screening, we identify L-carnitine treatment rescuing muscle endurance in LMNA(L35P) and creatine treatment reversing muscle endurance in LMNA(R453W) zebrafish models. Creatine activates AMPK and mTOR pathways, improving muscle endurance and swim speed in LMNA(R453W) fish. Transcriptomic profiling reveals upstream regulators and affected genes contributing to motor dysfunction, cardiac anomalies, and ion flux dysregulation in LMNA mutant transgenic fish. These findings faithfully mimic clinical manifestations of muscular laminopathies, including dysmorphism, early mortality, decreased fiber size, and muscle dysfunction in zebrafish. Furthermore, our drug screening results suggest L-carnitine and creatine treatments as potential rescuers of muscle endurance in LMNA(L35P) and LMNA(R453W) zebrafish models. Our study offers valuable insights into the future development of potential treatments for LMNA-related muscular laminopathy.

In-line attosecond photoelectron holography for single photon ionization.

The momentum distribution of photoelectrons in H2+ molecules subjected to an attosecond pulse is theoretically investigated. To better understand the laser-molecule interaction, we develop an in-line photoelectron holography approach that is analogous to optical holography. This approach is specifically suitable for extracting the amplitude and phase of the forward-scattered electron wave packet in a dissociating molecule with atomic precision. We also extend this approach to imaging the transient scattering cross-section of a molecule dressed by a near infrared laser field. This attosecond photoelectron holography sheds light on structural microscopy of dissociating molecules with high spatial-temporal resolution.

EfficientNet-based machine learning architecture for sleep apnea identification in clinical single-lead ECG signal data sets.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to create a machine learning architecture capable of identifying obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patterns in single-lead electrocardiography (ECG) signals, exhibiting exceptional performance when utilized in clinical data sets. METHODS: We conducted our research using a data set consisting of 1656 patients, representing a diverse demographic, from the sleep center of China Medical University Hospital. To detect apnea ECG segments and extract apnea features, we utilized the EfficientNet and some of its layers, respectively. Furthermore, we compared various training and data preprocessing techniques to enhance the model's prediction, such as setting class and sample weights or employing overlapping and regular slicing. Finally, we tested our approach against other literature on the Apnea-ECG database. RESULTS: Our research found that the EfficientNet model achieved the best apnea segment detection using overlapping slicing and sample-weight settings, with an AUC of 0.917 and an accuracy of 0.855. For patient screening with AHI > 30, we combined the trained model with XGBoost, leading to an AUC of 0.975 and an accuracy of 0.928. Additional tests using PhysioNet data showed that our model is comparable in performance to existing models regarding its ability to screen OSA levels. CONCLUSIONS: Our suggested architecture, coupled with training and preprocessing techniques, showed admirable performance with a diverse demographic dataset, bringing us closer to practical implementation in OSA diagnosis. Trial registration The data for this study were collected retrospectively from the China Medical University Hospital in Taiwan with approval from the institutional review board CMUH109-REC3-018.

[Effects of litter thickness on natural regeneration of Larix principis-rupprechtii plantations]. / 枯落物厚度对华北落叶松人工林天然更新的影响.

In this study, we explored the thickness influence of undecomposed litter layer and semi-decomposed litter layer on the natural regeneration in an artificial pure forest of Larix principis-rupprechtii in the forest area of Guandi Mountain. We divided the litter into an undecomposed layer and a semi-decomposed layer, which was further divided into eight groups based on the thickness. The results showed that when the thickness of undecomposed layer was 0.32-0.83 cm, and that of semi-decomposed layer was 0.18-0.89 cm, the regeneration index was larger (≥0.15), and the regeneration was better. When the thickness of undecomposed layer was more than 1.1 cm and that of semi-decomposed layer was more than 0.5 cm, the regeneration index was smaller (≤0.07), and the rege-neration of understory was worse. Results of redundancy analysis showed that the undecomposed layer thickness of litter had a high and stable explanatory ability for natural regeneration, with a contribution rate of 38.7%, while the semi-decomposed layer thickness had no significant effect on natural regeneration. Structural equation modeling revealed that the thickness of undecomposed layer of litter increased the mechanical resistance to seed germination which had a negative direct effect on natural regeneration (-0.617), and a positive indirect effect on natural rege-neration by influencing the content of alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen and available phosphorus (+0.178). The combined effects (-0.439) showed an inhibitory effect on the natural regeneration. In conclusion, the thickness of undecomposed layer of litter under L. principis-rupprechtii was most closely related to natural regeneration, and the thickness of semi-decomposed layer had a minimal effect on natural regeneration.

Advances in contezolid: novel oxazolidinone antibacterial in Gram-positive treatment.

PURPOSE: The principal objective of this project was to review and thoroughly examine the chemical characteristics, pharmacological activity, and quantification methods associated with contezolid. METHODS: The article was based on published and ongoing preclinical and clinical studies on the application of contezolid. These studies included experiments on the physicochemical properties of contezolid, in vitro antimicrobial research, in vivo antimicrobial research, and clinical trials in various phases. There were no date restrictions on these studies. RESULTS: In June 2021, contezolid was approved for treating complicated skin and soft tissue infections. The structural modification of contezolid has resulted in better efficacy compared to linezolid. It inhibits bacterial growth by preventing the production of the functional 70S initiation complex required to translate bacterial proteins. The current evidence has indicated a substantial decline in myelosuppression and monoamine oxidase inhibition without impairing its antibacterial properties. Contezolid was found to have a more significant safety profile and to be metabolised by flavin monooxygenase 5, reducing the risk of harmful effects due to drug-drug interactions. Adjusting doses is unnecessary for patients with mild to moderate renal or hepatic insufficiency. CONCLUSION: As an oral oxazolidinone antimicrobial agent, contezolid is effective against multi-drug resistant Gram-positive bacteria. The introduction of contezolid provided a new clinical option.

Genetic predisposition to bone mineral density and their health conditions in East Asians.

Osteoporosis, a condition defined by low BMD (typically < -2.5 SD), causes a higher fracture risk and leads to significant economic, social, and clinical impacts. Genome-wide studies mainly in Caucasians have found many genetic links to osteoporosis, fractures, and BMD, with limited research in East Asians (EAS). We investigated the genetic aspects of BMD in 86 716 individuals from the Taiwan Biobank and their causal links to health conditions within EAS. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted, followed by observational studies, polygenic risk score assessments, and genetic correlation analyses to identify associated health conditions linked to BMD. GWAS and gene-based GWAS studies identified 78 significant SNPs and 75 genes related to BMD, highlighting pathways like Hedgehog, WNT-mediated, and TGF-ß. Our cross-trait linkage disequilibrium score regression analyses for BMD and osteoporosis consistently validated their genetic correlations with BMI and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in EAS. Higher BMD was linked to lower osteoporosis risk but increased BMI and T2D, whereas osteoporosis linked to lower BMI, waist circumference, hemoglobinA1c, and reduced T2D risk. Bidirectional Mendelian randomization analyses revealed that a higher BMI causally increases BMD in EAS. However, no direct causal relationships were found between BMD and T2D, or between osteoporosis and either BMI or T2D. This study identified key genetic factors for bone health in Taiwan, and revealed significant health conditions in EAS, particularly highlighting the genetic interplay between bone health and metabolic traits like T2D and BMI.

We investigated how genetics affect bone health and related conditions like diabetes and obesity in 86 716 EAS. Previously, most studies focused on Caucasian populations, but our work helps to understand these issues in EAS. Our findings show that stronger bones are linked to a lower chance of osteoporosis but a higher risk of obesity and T2D. On the other hand, those with osteoporosis tend to have lower body weight and a decreased risk of diabetes, illustrating a complex relationship between bone health and body metabolism. Future research will focus on deeper genetic interactions and developing targeted interventions for bone health and related metabolic disorders in EAS.