Associations between exposure to brominated flame retardants and periodontitis in U.S. adults.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence has shown that environmental factors play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. Humans are simultaneously exposed to a variety of environmental brominated flame retardants (BFRs). However, the relationship between BFRs in periodontitis remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the overall association between BFRs and periodontitis in a nationally representative US population and to further identify important chemicals. METHODS: Data from 3322 NHANES participants from 2009 to 2016 were used. Serum BFRs were registered, including PBDE-28, PBDE-47, PBDE-85, PBDE-99, PBDE100, PBDE-153, PBDE-154, PBDE-183, PBDE-209 and PBB-153. Survey weighted generalized logistic regression models, restricted cubic splines (RCS) were conducted to assess single BFRs exposure with periodontitis. Meanwhile, weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used to evaluate the overall association of BFRs mixtures with periodontitis and to identify significant chemicals. RESULTS: A total of 3322 participants were included in the study, of whom 1795 had periodontitis. After adjusting for potential confounders, multiple logistic regression analysis revealed significant positive associations between serum levels of PBDE-28, PBDE-47, PBDE-85, PBDE-99, PBDE-100, PBDE-154, PBDE-183, and PBB-153 and the risk of periodontitis (all P < 0.05). A dose-response relationship was observed for many of these BFRs, with higher quantiles associated with an increased risk of periodontitis. WQS regression identified PBDE-183 (38.60%), PBDE-153 (21.20%), PBDE-209 (14.40%), and PBDE-99 (11.90%) as the BFRs with the largest weights contributing to the overall mixture effect on periodontitis risk. BKMR analysis further supported the positive association between serum BFRs and periodontitis, with most individual BFRs showing a positive trend, except for PBDE-153. Restricted cubic spline analysis revealed a generally increasing probability of periodontitis with increasing concentrations of BFRs, albeit with some nonlinear patterns for certain compounds. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, this study provides compelling evidence of a significant association between exposure to brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and an increased risk of periodontitis in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. Elevated serum levels of several BFRs, including PBDE-28, PBDE-47, PBDE-85, PBDE-99, PBDE-100, PBDE-154, PBDE-183, and PBB-153, were found to be positively associated with periodontitis, exhibiting a dose-response relationship.

Navigating sexual minority identity in sport: a qualitative exploration of sexual minority student-athletes in China.

BACKGROUND: Sexual minority student-athletes (SMSAs) face discrimination and identity conflicts in intercollegiate sport, impacting their participation and mental health. This study explores the perceptions of Chinese SMSAs regarding their sexual minority identities, aiming to fill the current gap in research related to non-Western countries. METHODS: A qualitative methodology was adopted, utilising the Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach with self-categorization theory as the theoretical framework. Participants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling, and data were collected via semi-structured interviews, documents, and field notes. Sixteen former and current Chinese SMSAs participated in this study. RESULTS: The study reveals four themes: hidden truths, prioritisation of athlete identity, self-stereotyping, and attempt. The results revealed that while SMSAs were common in intercollegiate sport, their identities were often concealed and not openly discussed. The predominant focus on athlete identity in sport overshadowed their sexual minority identities. Additionally, SMSAs developed self-stereotypes that influenced their thoughts and behaviours. The non-heterosexual team atmosphere in women's teams led to the development of intimate relationships among teammates. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this study could be incorporated into existing sport policies to ensure the safe participation of SMSAs in Chinese intercollegiate sports. This research offers valuable insights for the development and implementation of inclusive policies. Future research in China could investigate the attitudes of coaches and heterosexual student-athletes toward sexual minority identities to inform targeted interventions.

Global burden of breast cancer and attributable risk factors in 204 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2021: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among women worldwide. This study aimed to assess the global burden of breast cancer and identify attributable risk factors across 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. METHODS: Using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, we analyzed the incidence, mortality, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and risk factors associated with breast cancer. We obtained and analyzed the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), age-standardized death rate (ASDR), and age-standardized DALYs rate from 1990 to 2021. We assessed geographical variations and the impact of the Socio-demographic Index (SDI) using regression analysis and stratification by SDI quintiles. Additionally, we estimated the risk factors attributable to breast cancer deaths and DALYs using the comparative risk assessment framework of the GBD study. RESULTS: Globally, breast cancer incident cases increased from 875,657 in 1990 to 2,121,564 in 2021. The ASIR rose from 16.42 to 26.88 per 100,000 (95% CI: 1.54-1.60). High SDI regions showed the highest ASIR (66.89 per 100,000 in 2021), while Low SDI regions had the lowest (6.99 per 100,000 in 2021). The global ASDR decreased from 10.42 to 8.54 per 100,000, and the age-standardized DALYs rate decreased from 313.36 to 261.5 per 100,000 between 1990 and 2021. However, these improvements were not uniform across SDI regions. Risk factors included high body-mass index, alcohol use, tobacco, and high fasting plasma glucose, with variations across SDI regions. CONCLUSION: The global burden of breast cancer has increased significantly from 1990 to 2021, with disparities observed across SDI regions. While high SDI areas show improvements in mortality and DALYs, lower SDI regions face increasing burdens. Targeted interventions addressing modifiable risk factors and improving healthcare access in less developed regions are crucial for reducing the global impact of breast cancer.

Frame-rate adaptive fractionally spaced equalization enabled high-throughput optical camera communication.

Optical camera communication (OCC) has garnered worldwide research attention, due to its immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and efficient utilization of spectrum resources. However, the limited bandwidth of the OCC system and the timing offset of the camera result in low system throughput. To enhance the OCC throughput, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a frame-rate adaptive fractionally spaced equalization algorithm (FA-FSE) for the joint mitigation of severe inter-symbol interference (ISI) and timing offset arising in OCC. Experimental results validate its correct and power-efficient function, leading to a record aggregated throughput of 250.96 kbit/s, when the 8-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-8) signals are independently modulated to eight chip-on-board light emitting diode (COB-LED) light strips, while simultaneously received by a smartphone 10 cm away.

Global, regional, and national burden of ischemic stroke, 1990-2021: an analysis of data from the global burden of disease study 2021.

Background: Ischemic stroke remains a major contributor to global mortality and morbidity. This study aims to provide an updated assessment of rates in ischemic stroke prevalence, incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) from 1990 to 2021, specifically focusing on including prevalence investigation alongside other measures. The analysis is stratified by sex, age, and socio-demographic index (SDI) at global, regional, and national levels. Methods: Data for this study was obtained from the 2021 Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD). To quantify temporal patterns and assess trends in age-standardized rates of ischemic stroke prevalence (ASPR), incidence (ASIR), mortality (ASDR), and DALYs, estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were computed over the study period. The analyses were disaggregated by gender, 20 age categories, 21 GBD regions, 204 nations/territories, and 5 SDI quintiles. R statistical package V 4.4.2 was performed for statistical analyses and plot illustrations. Findings: In 2021, the global burden of ischemic stroke remained substantial, with a total of 69,944,884.8 cases with an ASPR of 819.5 cases per 100,000 individuals (95% UI: 760.3-878.7). The ASIR was 92.4 per 100,000 people (95% UI: 79.8-105.8), while the ASDR was 44.2 per 100,000 persons (95% UI: 39.3-47.8). Additionally, the age-standardized DALY rate was 837.4 per 100,000 individuals (95% UI: 763.7-905). Regionally, areas with high-middle SDI exhibited the greatest ASPR, ASIR, ASDR, and age-standardized DALY rates, whereas high SDI regions had the lowest rates. Geospatially, Southern Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest ASPR, while Eastern Europe showed the highest ASIR. The greatest ASDR and age-standardized DALY rates were observed in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, as well as North Africa, and the Middle East. Among countries, Ghana had the highest ASPR, and North Macedonia had both the highest ASIR and ASDR. Furthermore, North Macedonia also exhibited the highest age-standardized DALY rate. Interpretation: Regions with high-middle and middle SDI continued to experience elevated ASPR, ASIR, ASDR and age-standardized DALY rates. The highest ischemic stroke burden was observed in Southern Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. Funding: None.

Global, regional, and national burden and trends of migraine among youths and young adults aged 15-39 years from 1990 to 2021: findings from the global burden of disease study 2021.

BACKGROUND: Migraine, a widespread neurological condition, substantially affects the quality of life, particularly for adolescents and young adults. While its impact is significant, there remains a paucity of comprehensive global research on the burden of migraine in younger demographics. Our study sought to elucidate the global prevalence, incidence, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) associated with migraine in the 15-39 age group from 1990 to 2021, utilizing data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 study. METHODS: Our comprehensive study analyzed migraine data from the GBD 2021 report, examining the prevalence, incidence, and DALYs across 204 countries and territories over a 32-year span. We stratified the information by age, sex, year, geographical region, and Socio-demographic Index (SDI). To evaluate temporal trends in these metrics, we employed the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) calculation. RESULTS: Between 1990 and 2021, the worldwide prevalence of migraine among 15-39 year-olds increased substantially. By 2021, an estimated 593.8 million cases were reported, representing a 39.52% rise from 425.6 million cases in 1990. Global trends showed increases in age-standardized prevalence rate, incidence rate, and DALY rate for migraine during this period. The EAPC were positive for all three metrics: 0.09 for ASPR, 0.03 for ASIR, and 0.09 for DALY rate. Regions with medium SDI reported the highest absolute numbers of prevalent cases, incident cases, and DALYs in 2021. However, high SDI regions demonstrated the most elevated rates overall. Across the globe, migraine prevalence peaked in the 35-39 age group. Notably, female rates consistently exceeded male rates across all age categories. CONCLUSION: The global impact of migraine on youths and young adults has grown considerably from 1990 to 2021, revealing notable variations across SDI regions, countries, age groups, and sexes. This escalating burden necessitates targeted interventions and public health initiatives, especially in areas and populations disproportionately affected by migraine.

Meta-analysis of the dosage of balance training on ankle function and dynamic balance ability in patients with chronic ankle instability.

OBJECTIVE: To explore and compare the dosage of balance training on ankle function and dynamic balance ability in patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI). METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Medline, and Cochrane databases were searched up to December 2023. Quality assessment was carried out using the risk-of-bias guidelines of the Cochrane Collaboration, and the standardized mean differences (SMD) or mean differences (MD) for each outcome were compute. RESULTS: Among 20 eligible studies, including 682 participants were analyzed in this meta-analysis. The results of the meta-analysis demonstrated that balance training was effective in enhancing ankle function with self-functional scores (SMD = 1.02; 95% CI, 0.61 to 1.43; p < 0.00001; I2 = 72%) and variables associated with the ability of dynamic balance such as SEBT-A (MD = 5.88; 95% CI, 3.37 to 8.40; p < 0.00001; I2 = 84%), SEBT-PM (MD = 5.47; 95% CI, 3.40 to 7.54; p < 0.00001; I2 = 61%), and SEBT-PL (MD = 6.04; 95% CI, 3.30 to 8.79; p < 0.0001; I2 = 79%) of CAI patients. Meta-regression indicated that the intervention time might be the principal cause of heterogeneity (p = 0.046) in self-functional scores. In subgroup analyses of self-functional score across intervention types, among the intervention time, more than 20 min and less than 30 min had the most favorable effect (MD = 1.21, 95% CI: 0.96 to 1.46, p < 0.00001, I2 = 55%); among the intervention period, 4 weeks (MD = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.50 to 1.19, p < 0.00001, I2 = 78%) and 6 weeks (MD = 1.21, 95% CI: 0.91 to 1.51, p < 0.00001, I2 = 71%) had significant effects; among the intervention frequency, 3 times (MD = 1.14, 95% CI: 0.89 to 1.38), p < 0.00001, I2 = 57%) had significant effects. Secondly, in subgroup analyses of SEBT across intervention types, a 4-week and 6-week intervention with balance training 3 times a week for 20-30 min is the optimal combination of interventions to improve SEBT (dynamic balance) in patients with chronic ankle instability. CONCLUSION: Balance training proves beneficial for ankle function in patients with CAI. Intervention time constitutes a major factor influencing self-function in patients with CAI. It is recommended that the optimal dosage of balance training for CAI involves intervention three times a week, lasting for 20 to 30 min over a period of 4 to 6 weeks for superior rehabilitation.

Fractionally spaced nonlinear Tomlinson-Harashima precoding with weight clustering for C-band 100†Gbaud/λ PAM-4 transmission.

A nonlinear Tomlinson-Harashima precoding (NTHP) scheme has been verified for its capability to effectively address both the linear and nonlinear inter-symbol interferences (ISIs) arising in the intensity-modulation direct-detection (IM-DD) fiber optics transmission. Nevertheless, the application of the NTHP scheme may significantly increase the number of levels for the intensity modulated signals, resulting in the reduction of both eye width and receiver sensitivity. Here, we propose a fractionally spaced NTHP with a weight clustering (FS-NTHP-WC) scheme. Consequently, an accurate ISI feedback can be obtained to enlarge the eye width; meanwhile a hardware-efficient implementation without the equalization penalty can be achieved by weight clustering and pruning. When the C-band 100 Gbaud/λ PAM-4 signals are transmitted, our proposed FS-NTHP-WC scheme not only can achieve 0.25 dB and 0.5 dB gains of receiver sensitivity under back-to-back (B2B) and 2-km standard single-mode fiber (SSMF) transmission conditions, respectively, but can also cut down the computational complexity by 90% and 76% in terms of the number of multiplications and additions, respectively, in comparison with the NTHP scheme.

Single wavelength MDM-PDM 800-Gb/s net data rate transmission over a standard multimode fiber employing a Kramers-Kronig receiver.

We propose a high-speed multimode fiber short-reach optical interconnect system based on a Kramers-Kronig (KK) field reconstruction with the mode division multiplexing (MDM) and polarization division multiplexing (PDM) technology. In this work, the LP01, LP21a, LP21b, and LP02 modes are selected as independent channels to carry information. The demonstration achieved the 800 Gb/s net data rate per wavelength with a bit-rate-distance-product (BDP) of 8 Tb/s·km. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest experimental record of a single wavelength BDP over the SMMF with KK detection. In addition, we discuss the system performance after all multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) and partial MIMO processing and give guidance on the trade-off between system performance and computational resource.

On the multipath interference mitigation for high-speed IM-DD transmissions with Nyquist subcarrier modulation.

The performance of high-speed intensity modulation direct detection (IM-DD) transmissions is severely degraded due to the occurrence of multipath interference (MPI), especially when a higher-order modulation format is utilized. Here, we propose and demonstrate, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, that a Nyquist subcarrier modulation (Nyquist-SCM) format inherently exhibits resistance to the MPI. We experimentally evaluate the MPI tolerance by transmitting 56 Gbit/s PAM-4 signals and Nyquist-SCM 16QAM signals over the 2 km standard single-mode fiber (SSMF) when the C-band semiconductor laser with a linewidth of 1.7 MHz is utilized. In comparison with the PAM-4 format, the Nyquist-SCM 16QAM format can lead to an enhanced MPI tolerance of 4 dB at the KP4-FEC threshold of BER = 2 × 10-4. In addition, even with the help of MPI mitigation for the PAM-4 signals based on two newly reported methods, the utilization of Nyquist-SCM 16QAM signal can still guarantee an improved MPI tolerance of 1 dB.

Bias-drift insensitive full-field frequency response characterization of a thin-film lithium niobate-based intensity modulator.

We propose a rapid and precise scheme for characterizing the full-field frequency response of a thin-film lithium niobate-based intensity modulator (TFLN-IM) via a specially designed multi-tone microwave signal. Our proposed scheme remains insensitive to the bias-drift of IM. Experimental verification is implemented with a self-packaged TFLN-IM with a 3 dB bandwidth of 30 GHz. In comparison with the vector network analyzer (VNA) characterization results, the deviation values of the amplitude-frequency response (AFR) and phase-frequency response (PFR) within the 50 GHz bandwidth are below 0.3 dB and 0.15 rad, respectively. When the bias is drifted within 90% of the Vπ range, the deviation fluctuation values of AFR and PFR are less than 0.3 dB and 0.05 rad, respectively. With the help of the full-field response results, we can pre-compensate the TFLN-IM for the 64 Gbaud PAM-4 signals under the back-to-back (B2B) transmission, achieving a received optical power (ROP) gain of 2.3 dB. The versatility of our proposed full-field response characterization scheme can extend to various optical transceivers, offering the advantage of low cost, robust operation, and flexible implementation.

Low-loss and compact photonic lantern based on a step-index double cladding fiber.

The fulfilment of the adiabatic criterion is indispensable for the realization of a low-loss photonic lantern (PL), concurrently imposing a stringent restriction on the taper transition length of the PL. Here, by relaxing the adiabatic criterion, a low-loss and compact PL based on a step-index double cladding fiber (SI-DCF) is theoretically proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The use of SI-DCF can reduce the mode field diameter (MFD) expansion ratio during the tapering processing and greatly decrease the taper transition length required for adiabatic tapering. We initially evaluate the variation of both MFD and effective refractive index (RI) along the fiber tapering based on three types of fiber structures, including the modified standard single-mode fiber (SSMF), the graded-index fiber (GIF), and the proposed SI-DCF. In comparison with the commonly used fiber geometry, the SI-DCF can reduce the MFD expansion ratio from 77.73% to 38.81%, leading to more than half reduction of the tapering length for both 3-mode and 6-mode PLs. Then, two kinds of SI-DCF with different core diameters are fabricated to realize a 3-mode PL. The fabricated PL possesses a 1.5 cm tapering length and less than 0.2 dB insertion loss (IL). After splicing with the commercial few-mode fiber, the PL has an average IL of 0.6 dB and more than 13 dB LP11 mode purity over the C-band. Finally, a transfer matrix measurement indicates that the fabricated PLs have a mode coupling of less than -10 dB at 1550 nm.

Association between vitamin B2 intake and prostate-specific antigen in American men: 2003-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence suggests a pivotal role of vitamin B2 in the pathogenesis and progression of prostate cancer (PCa). Vitamin B2 intake has been postulated to modulate the screening rate for PCa by altering the concentration of prostate-specific antigen(PSA). However, the relationship between vitamin B2 and PSA remains indeterminate. Hence, we conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the association between vitamin B2 intake and PSA levels, utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. METHODS: From a pool of 20,371 participants in the NHANES survey conducted between 2003 and 2010, a cohort of 2,323 participants was selected for the present study. The male participants were classified into four distinct groups based on their levels of vitamin B2 intake. We employed a multiple linear regression model and a non-parametric regression method to investigate the relationship between vitamin B2 and PSA levels. RESULTS: The study cohort comprised of 2,323 participants with a mean age of 54.95 years (± 11.73). Our findings revealed a statistically significant inverse correlation between vitamin B2 intake (mg) and PSA levels, with a reduction of 0.13 ng/ml PSA concentration for every unit increase in vitamin B2 intake. Furthermore, we employed a fully adjusted model to construct a smooth curve to explore the possible linear relationship between vitamin B2 intake and PSA concentration. CONCLUSIONS: Our study in American men has unveiled a notable inverse association between vitamin B2 intake and PSA levels, potentially posing a challenge for the identification of asymptomatic prostate cancer. Specifically, our findings suggest that individuals with higher vitamin B2 intake may be at a greater risk of being diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in the future, possibly indicating a detection bias. These results may offer a novel explanation for the observed positive correlation between vitamin B2 intake and prostate cancer.

Facile and efficient synthesis of sweater-ball shaped metal-organic framework/nickel sulfide nanoheterojunction for boosting electrochemical glucose sensing.

The synthesis of heterojunction materials is regarded as an efficient way to enhance catalytic activities in various catalytic reactions. However, the existing fabrication approaches often rely on complex multi-step synthesis process. In this work, we fabricate sweater-ball shaped nanostructured MOF/TMS (Ni-MOF/NiS1.03) heterojunction by one-pot, one-step solvothermal method. According to the results of discrete Fourier transform (DFT) calculations and experiments, the formation of Ni-MOF/NiS1.03 heterojunction interfaces improves electron transfer and charge redistribution, and increases the adsorption energy of glucose molecules as well, which is conducive to enhance electrochemical activity of electrode materials. The as-prepared Ni-MOF/NiS1.03 heterojunction exhibit enhanced glucose sensitivity, wide detection range and low detection limit. This study paves the way towards the development of MOF-based heterojunctions for electrochemical applications.

Algorithm of automatic identification of diabetic retinopathy foci based on ultra-widefield scanning laser ophthalmoscopy.

AIM: To propose an algorithm for automatic detection of diabetic retinopathy (DR) lesions based on ultra-widefield scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO). METHODS: The algorithm utilized the FasterRCNN (Faster Regions with CNN features)+ResNet50 (Residua Network 50)+FPN (Feature Pyramid Networks) method for detecting hemorrhagic spots, cotton wool spots, exudates, and microaneurysms in DR ultra-widefield SLO. Subimage segmentation combined with a deeper residual network FasterRCNN+ResNet50 was employed for feature extraction to enhance intelligent learning rate. Feature fusion was carried out by the feature pyramid network FPN, which significantly improved lesion detection rates in SLO fundus images. RESULTS: By analyzing 1076 ultra-widefield SLO images provided by our hospital, with a resolution of 2600×2048 dpi, the accuracy rates for hemorrhagic spots, cotton wool spots, exudates, and microaneurysms were found to be 87.23%, 83.57%, 86.75%, and 54.94%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The proposed algorithm demonstrates intelligent detection of DR lesions in ultra-widefield SLO, providing significant advantages over traditional fundus color imaging intelligent diagnosis algorithms.

Global, regional and national burdens of depression in adolescents and young adults aged 10-24 years, from 1990 to 2019: findings from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a significant mental health concern affecting the overall well-being of adolescents and young adults. Recently, the prevalence of depression has increased among young people. Nonetheless, there is little research delving into the longitudinal epidemiology of adolescent depression over time. AIMS: To investigate the longitudinal epidemiology of depression among adolescents and young adults aged 10-24 years. METHOD: Our research focused on young people (aged 10-24 years) with depression, using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2019. We explored the age-standardised prevalence, incidence and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) of depression in different groups, including various regions, ages, genders and sociodemographic indices, from 1990 to 2019. RESULTS: The prevalence, incidence and DALYs of depression in young people increased globally between 1990 and 2019. Regionally, higher-income regions like High-Income North America and Australasia recorded rising age-standardised prevalence and incidence rates, whereas low- or middle-income regions mostly saw reductions. Nationally, countries such as Greenland, the USA and Palestine reported the highest age-standardised prevalence and incidence rates in 2019, whereas Qatar witnessed the largest growth over time. The burden disproportionately affected females across age groups and world regions. The most prominent age effect on incidence and prevalence rates was in those aged 20-24 years. The depression burden showed an unfavourable trend in younger cohorts born after 1980, with females reporting a higher cohort risk than males. CONCLUSIONS: Between 1990 and 2019, the general pattern of depression among adolescents varied according to age, gender, time period and generational cohort, across regions and nations.

Global, regional and national epidemiology of allergic disorders in children from 1990 to 2019: findings from the Global Burden of Disease study 2019.

OBJECTIVE: This modelling study aimed to estimate the burden for allergic diseases in children during a period of 30 years. DESIGN: Population-based observational study. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The data on the incidence, mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for childhood allergic diseases, such as atopic dermatitis (AD) and asthma, were retrieved from the Global Burden of Disease study 2019 online database. This data set spans various groups, including different regions, ages, genders and Socio-Demographic Indices (SDI), covering the period from 1990 to 2019. RESULTS: In 2019, there were approximately 81 million children with asthma and 5.6 million children with AD worldwide. The global incidence of asthma in children was 20 million. Age-standardised incidence rates showed a decrease of 4.17% for asthma, from 1075.14 (95% uncertainty intervals (UI), 724.63 to 1504.93) per 100 000 population in 1990 to 1030.33 (95% UI, 683.66 to 1449.53) in 2019. Similarly, the rates for AD decreased by 5.46%, from 594.05 (95% UI, 547.98 to 642.88) per 100 000 population in 1990 to 561.61 (95% UI, 519.03 to 608.29) in 2019. The incidence of both asthma and AD was highest in children under 5 years of age, gradually decreasing with age. Interestingly, an increase in SDI was associated with a rise in the incidence of both conditions. However, the mortality rate and DALYs for asthma showed a contrasting trend. CONCLUSIONS: Over the past three decades, there has been a worldwide increase in new asthma and AD cases, even though mortality rates have significantly declined. However, the prevalence of these allergic diseases among children varies considerably across regions, countries and age groups. This variation highlights the need for precise prevalence assessments. These assessments are vital in formulating effective strategies for prevention and treatment.

Pairwise Tomlinson-Harashima precoding for multiple-lane IM-DD transmissions.

As for the photonic interconnection based on the multiple-lane intensity modulation direct detection (IM-DD) transmission, both intra-channel inter-symbol-interference (ISI) originating from bandwidth constraint, and inter-channel performance discrepancy emerging from inter-channel component differences are the major bottleneck for the throughput enhancement. Here, we propose a pairwise Tomlinson-Harshima precoding (P-THP) scheme, in order to simultaneously deal with both intra-channel ISI and inter-channel performance discrepancy. The effective function of the proposed P-THP scheme is experimentally evaluated by transmitting 4-channel 81-GBaud PAM4 signals over 2 km standard single-mode fiber (SSMF). Compared with the conventional scheme with only applying THP on individual wavelength channel, the required optical received power (ROP) under the back-to-back (B2B) transmission can be reduced by 0.75∼1 dB with the help of proposed P-THP in different experimental component configurations, at the 7% hard decision forward error correction (HD-FEC) threshold of BER = 3.8 × 10-3. After the 2 km SSMF transmission, only the use of proposed P-THP can guarantee to reach the designated HD-FEC threshold, leading to a net rate of >600 Gbit/s.

[Critical Review on Heavy Metal Contamination in Urban Soil and Surface Dust].

With the rapid urbanization and industrialization, heavy metal contamination in urban soil and surface dust has received particular attention due to its negative effects on the eco-environment and human health. Contamination and spatio-temporal characteristics, contamination sources, and source apportionment methods, as well as the ecological and health risks of heavy metals in urban soil and surface dust were reviewed. The knowledge gaps in current research and prospects of future works were proposed. Four key points were presented, including improving the research on the interaction mechanism of heavy metals in urban soil and surface dust under complex conditions, enriching verification methods to improve the source apportionment reliability of anthropogenic metals by receptor models, strengthening the research on chemical forms of heavy metals from different sources and their short-term accumulation processes in surface dust, and raising the credibility of ecological and health risk forecast of heavy metals by integrating the improved exposure parameters and chemical forms.

Music therapy and anxiety: A bibliometric review from 1993 to 2023.

BACKGROUND: Music therapy (MT) has received increasing attention from scholars in the efficacy treatment of anxiety symptoms, which is of great significance to human physical and mental health. The visual mapping functionality of CiteSpace and Vosviewer software was applied in this study to assess the status of MT in the treatment of anxiety symptoms. METHODS: In order to find research on MT and anxiety that were relevant for this research, we searched the Web of Science database. We also utilized CiteSpace and VOSviewer software to examine institutions, journals, authors, publications, and keywords for scientometric and visual analysis. RESULTS: Our findings show that since 2009, the field has developed rapidly and publications on MT and anxiety have gradually increased. The journal Complement Therapies In Medicine published the most relevant articles, the Cochrane Database Of Systematic Reviews journal had the highest citation frequency, and the United States had the most publications. The majority of the top academic institutions in the region are found in the United States, with the University of London having the most publications. The evolution of this field was significantly influenced by Gold C., the author with the most publications, and Bradt J., the author with the most co-citations. The topics of anxiety, nursing, cancer, and pain management have been the focus of this research. CONCLUSION: This study has the potential to increase public understanding of MT and anxiety as well as mental health awareness, all of which are crucial for lowering the prevalence of mental diseases.